High-voltage insulator structure with sealed components, and method of making same

Claim 1

A HIGH-VOLTAGE INLET BUSHING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A HIGH-VOLTAGE CONDUCTOR, SAID INLET BUSHING INCLUDING: A RELATIVELY THICK TUBULAR MEMBER FORMED OF HIGHRESISTANCE PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A CONDUCTOR-RECEIVING PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A BODY PORTION AND AN END PORTION, SAID END PORTION HAVING AN OUTWARDLY-FACING MOLD SURFACE WITH FIRST AND SECOND OUTWARDLY-FACING SEAL SURFACES RESPECTIVELY BEYOND THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID MOLD SURFACE: A METAL CAP MEMBER HAVING A SIDE WALL SURROUNDING SAID END PORTION, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING AN INWARDLYFACING MOLD SURFACE OPPOSITE SAID OUTWARDLY-FACING MOLD SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER SPACED THEREFROM AND FORMING A MOLD SPACE THEREBETWEEN, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING FIRST AND SECOND INWARDLY-FACING SEAL SURFACES RESPECTIVELY BEYOND THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF ITS INWARDLY-FACING MOLD SURFACE RESPECTIVELY EMBRACING SAID OUTWARDLY-FACING SEAL SURFACES AND FORMING THEREBETWEEN MINUTE LEAKAGE SPACES WITH THEIR INNER ENDS OPENING ON SAID MOLD SPACE, SAID FIRST SEAL SURFACES BEING THREADED AND EMBRACING IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT, SAID SECOND SEAL SURFACES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND EMBRACING IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT; AND A POLYMERIZED SEALING ELEMENT IN SAID MOLD SPACE FILLING SAME TO SAID INNER ENDS OF SAID MINUTE LEAKAGE SPACES AND BONDED PERMANENTLY TO SAID MOLD SURFACES.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF MAKING A HIGH-VOLTAGE ENTRANCE BUSHING, WHICH METHOD INCLUDES THE STEPS OF: FORMING A TUBULAR MEMBER OF HIGH-RESISTANCE PLASTIC MATERIAL WITH AN END PORTION HAVING TWO WALL ZONES AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF AN OUTWARDLY-FACING SURFACE; FORMING A CAP MEMBER WITH A SIDE WALL HAVING TWO WALL ZONES SIZED RESPECTIVELY TO SURROUND AND EMBRACE SAID WALL ZONES OF SAID END PORTION OF SAID PLASTIC-MATERIAL MEMBER AND WITH AN INWARDLY-FACING SURFACE FACING BUT SPACED OUTWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID OUTWARDLY-FACING SURFACE TO FORM A MOLD SPACE THEREBETWEEN CLOSED AT ITS ENDS BY THE EMBRACEMENT OF SAID WALL ZONES; DISPOSING A ROD IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER CLOSELY FITTING THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO REINFORCE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AGAINST COLLAPSE WHEN A HIGH PRESSURE IS PRESENT IN SAID MOLD SPACE; INJECTING INTO SAID MOLD SPACE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE A POLYMER CAPABLE OF BONDING PERMANENTLY TO SAID SURFACES; POLYMERIZING SAID POLYMER IN SAID MOLD SPACE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE TO FORM A SEALING MEMBER BONDED PERMANENTLY TO SAID SURFACES; AND WITHDRAWING SAID ROD FROM SAID TUBULAR MEMBER.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF MAKING A HIGH-VOLTAGE ENTRANCE BUSHING, WHICH METHOD INCLUDES THE STEPS OF: FORMING A TUBULAR MEMBER OF HIGH-RESISTANCE PLASTIC MATERIAL WITH AN END PORTION HAVING TWO WALL ZONES AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF AN OUTWARDLY-FACING SURFACE; FORMING A CAP MEMBER WITH A SIDE WALL HAVING TWO WALL ZONES SIZED RESPECTIVELY TO SURROUND AND EMBRACE SAID WALL ZONES OF SAID END PORTION OF SAID PLASTIC-MATERIAL MEMBER AND WITH AN INWARDLY-FACING SURFACE FACING BUT SPACED OUTWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID OUTWARDLY-FACING SURFACE TO FORM A MOLD SPACE THEREBETWEEN CLOSED AT ITS ENDS BY THE EMBRACEMENT OF SAID WALL ZONES; DISPOSING A ROD IN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER CLOSELY FITTING THE INTERIOR THEREOF TO REINFORCE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AGAINST COLLAPSE WHEN A HIGH PRESSURE IS PRESENT IN SAID MOLD SPACE; INJECTING INTO SAID MOLD SPACE UNDER HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE A POLYMER CAPABLE OF BONDING PERMANENTLY TO SAID SURFACES; POLYMERIZING SAID POLYMER IN SAID MOLD SPACE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE TO FORM A SEALING MEMBER BONDED PERMANENTLY TO SAID SURFACES; AND WITHDRAWING SAID ROD FROM SAID TUBULAR MEMBER.