Adapter assembly for sealing a connector part

Claim 2

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, at least one cavity extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector part, and a wire leading from said cavity and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having one end portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, another end portion of said post member disposed remote from said end of said connector part when said one end portion of said post member is seated thereon, said another end portion having a crosssectional area less than that of said one end portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said wire may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said one end portion into said end of said connector part and at the other of its ends through said another end portion, and at least one aperture defined in said post member between said end portions of said post member, an exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said end portions of said post member communicating via said aperture and said one end of said passageway with said end of said connector part; a hollow cover member fitted about said post member in slideable engagement with said end portions of said post member and moveable from an initial position to a final position relative to said post member along a longitudinal axis of said post member, said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said end portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member, wherein in said initial position said cover member is remotely disposed from said end of said connector part such that an interior surface portion of said cover member disposed radially outwardly from said exterior surface portion of said post member forms a reservoir therebetween and wherein in said final position said cover member is disposed adjacent to said end of said connector part with a bottom portion of said cover member disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said reservoir initially formed by said respective surface portions of said members decreasing in volume as said cover member is moved from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby upon movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part, said impervious material will extrude through said aperture in said post member and fill the empty space about said wire in said end ef said connector part and in said central passageway of said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part.

Claim 3

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, at least one cavity extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector Part, and a wire leading from said cavity and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having a base portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, a body portion connected with, and extending axially from, said base portion and disposed remote from said end of said connector part when said base portion is seated thereon, the cross-sectional area of said body portion being substantially less than that of said base portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said wire may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said body portion and at the other of its ends through said base portion into said end of said connector part, an exterior surface portion which bridges said body and base portions, and at least one aperture defined in said post member near the juncture of said body and base portions, said aperture communicating said exterior surface portion with said end of said connector part via said other end of said central passageway; a hollow cover member fitted about said post member in slideable engagement with said base and body portions of said post member, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between an initial position in which said cover member is remotely disposed from said end of said connector part and a final position in which an end portion of said cover member is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said base and body portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member; a reservoir defined between said exterior surface portion of said post member and an interior surface portion of said cover member which is disposed radially outwardly from said post member exterior surface portion when said cover member is disposed in said initial position from said end of said connector part along said longitudinal axis of said post member, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said aperture in said post member and fill the empty space about said wire in said end of said connector part and in said central passageway of said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part.

Claim 4

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, at least one cavity extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector Part, and a wire leading from said cavity and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having a base portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, a body portion connected with, and extending axially from, said base portion and disposed remote from said end of said connector part when said base portion is seated thereon, the cross-sectional area of said body portion being substantially less than that of said base portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said wire may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said body portion and at the other of its ends through said base portion into said end of said connector part, an exterior surface portion which bridges said body and base portions, and at least one aperture defined in said post member near the juncture of said body and base portions, said aperture communicating said exterior surface portion with said end of said connector part via said other end of said central passageway; a hollow cover member fitted about said post member in slideable engagement with said base and body portions of said post member, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between an initial position in which said cover member is remotely disposed from said end of said connector part and a final position in which an end portion of said cover member is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said base and body portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member; a reservoir defined between said exterior surface portion of said post member and an interior surface portion of said cover member which is disposed radially outwardly from said post member exterior surface portion when said cover member is disposed in said initial position from said end of said connector part along said longitudinal axis of said post member, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said aperture in said post member and fill the empty space about said wire in said end of said connector part and in said central passageway of said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part.

Claim 5

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, at least one cavity extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector part, and a wire leading from said cavity and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having one end portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, another end portion of said post member disposed remote from said end of said connector part when said one end portion of said post member is seated thereon, said another end porTion having a cross-sectional area less than that of said one end portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said wire may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said one end portion into said end of said connector part and at the other of its ends through said another end portion, and at least one aperture defined in said post member between said end portions of said post member, an exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said end portions of said post member communicating via said aperture and said one end of said passageway with said end of said connector part; a hollow cover member, said cover member having a sleeve portion fitted about said one end portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said sleeve portion being disposed in a position spaced radially outwardly from said another end portion of said post member, and a shoulder portion connected to said sleeve portion and fitted about said another end portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said shoulder portion being disposed in a position spaced remotely from said one end portion of said post member when said cover member is in its initial position, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between said initial position and a final position in which said shoulder portion of said cover member is disposed adjacent to said another end portion of said post member and in which a bottom end portion of said sleeve portion is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said sleeve and shoulder portions of said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said end portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member, wherein in said initial position an interior surface portion of said cover member which bridges said sleeve and shoulder portions and said exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said end portions of said post member form a reservoir therebetween, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said aperture in said post member and fill the empty space about said wire in said end of said connector part and in said central passageway of said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said sleeve portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part.

Claim 6

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, at least one cavity extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector part, and a wire leading from said cavity and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having one end portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, another end portion of said post member disposed remote from said end of said connector part when said one end portion of said post member is seated thereon, said another end porTion having a cross-sectional area less than that of said one end portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said wire may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said one end portion into said end of said connector part and at the other of its ends through said another end portion, and at least one aperture defined in said post member between said end portions of said post member, an exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said end portions of said post member communicating via said aperture and said one end of said passageway with said end of said connector part; a hollow cover member, said cover member having a sleeve portion fitted about said one end portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said sleeve portion being disposed in a position spaced radially outwardly from said another end portion of said post member, and a shoulder portion connected to said sleeve portion and fitted about said another end portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said shoulder portion being disposed in a position spaced remotely from said one end portion of said post member when said cover member is in its initial position, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between said initial position and a final position in which said shoulder portion of said cover member is disposed adjacent to said another end portion of said post member and in which a bottom end portion of said sleeve portion is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said sleeve and shoulder portions of said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said end portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member, wherein in said initial position an interior surface portion of said cover member which bridges said sleeve and shoulder portions and said exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said end portions of said post member form a reservoir therebetween, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said aperture in said post member and fill the empty space about said wire in said end of said connector part and in said central passageway of said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said sleeve portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part.

Claim 7

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, a plurality of cavities extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector part, and a plurality of wires leading from said cavities and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having a base portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, a body portion connected with, and extending axially from, said base portion and disposed remote from said end of said connEctor part when said base portion is seated thereon, the cross-sectional area of said body portion being substantially less than that of said base portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said plurality of wires may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said body portion and at the other of its ends through said base portion into said end of said connector part, a first portion of said passageway extending through said body portion having a generally uniform cylindrical configuration, the circumference of said first passageway portion being slightly greater than the circumference of the area encompassed by said plurality of wires as said wires pass through said passageway in a bundled condition, a second portion of said passageway extending through said base portion having a conical configuration, the circumference of said second passageway portion being at a maximum at said other of said passageway ends which opens into said end of said connector part, said conical configuration of said second passageway portion allowing said plurality of wires to encompass a greater area as said wires lead from said cavities in said connector part than that area encompassed by said bundled wires as they pass through said first passageway portion, an exterior surface portion which bridges said body and base portions, and a plurality of apertures defined in said post member at the location of juncture between said base and body portions of said post member, said apertures spaced from one another radially about the longitudinal axis of said post member, said apertures communicating said exterior surface portion of said post member with said end of said connector part via said second portion of said central passageway; a hollow cover member, said cover member having a sleeve portion fitted about said base portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said sleeve portion being disposed in a position spaced radially outwardly from said body portion of said post member, and a shoulder portion connected to said sleeve portion and fitted about said body portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said shoulder portion being disposed in a position spaced remotely from said base portion of said post member when said cover member is in its initial position, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between said initial position and a final position in which said shoulder portion of said cover member is disposed adjacent to said base portion of said post member and in which a bottom end portion of said sleeve portion is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said sleeve and shoulder portions of said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said base and body portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member, wherein in said initial position an interior surface portion of said cover member which bridges said sleeve and shoulder portions and said said exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said base and body portions form a reservoir therebetween, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said plurality of apertures in said post member and initially fill the empty space about said plurality of wires in said second passageway portion in said post member and said end of said connector part and then fill the empty space about said plurality of bundled wires in said first passageway portion in said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said sleeve portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part, and whereby the combination of the slightly larger circumference of said first passageway portion than the circumference of said bundled wires and the presence of said impervious material about said bundled wires in said first passageway portion imposes a strain relieving effect on said bundled wires.

Claim 8

An adapter assembly for sealing an end of an electrical connector part of the type having a body portion, a plurality of cavities extending through said body portion and opening at said end of said connector part, and a plurality of wires leading from said cavities and outwardly from said end of said connector part, said adapter assembly comprising: a post member, said post member having a base portion seatable upon said end of said connector part, a body portion connected with, and extending axially from, said base portion and disposed remote from said end of said connEctor part when said base portion is seated thereon, the cross-sectional area of said body portion being substantially less than that of said base portion, a central passageway defined in said post member through which said plurality of wires may pass, said passageway opening at one of its ends through said body portion and at the other of its ends through said base portion into said end of said connector part, a first portion of said passageway extending through said body portion having a generally uniform cylindrical configuration, the circumference of said first passageway portion being slightly greater than the circumference of the area encompassed by said plurality of wires as said wires pass through said passageway in a bundled condition, a second portion of said passageway extending through said base portion having a conical configuration, the circumference of said second passageway portion being at a maximum at said other of said passageway ends which opens into said end of said connector part, said conical configuration of said second passageway portion allowing said plurality of wires to encompass a greater area as said wires lead from said cavities in said connector part than that area encompassed by said bundled wires as they pass through said first passageway portion, an exterior surface portion which bridges said body and base portions, and a plurality of apertures defined in said post member at the location of juncture between said base and body portions of said post member, said apertures spaced from one another radially about the longitudinal axis of said post member, said apertures communicating said exterior surface portion of said post member with said end of said connector part via said second portion of said central passageway; a hollow cover member, said cover member having a sleeve portion fitted about said base portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said sleeve portion being disposed in a position spaced radially outwardly from said body portion of said post member, and a shoulder portion connected to said sleeve portion and fitted about said body portion of said post member in slideable engagement therewith, said shoulder portion being disposed in a position spaced remotely from said base portion of said post member when said cover member is in its initial position, said cover member moveable in relation to said post member along the longitudinal axis of said post member between said initial position and a final position in which said shoulder portion of said cover member is disposed adjacent to said base portion of said post member and in which a bottom end portion of said sleeve portion is disposed in secure engagement with said end of said connector part, said sleeve and shoulder portions of said cover member remaining in sliding engagement with said base and body portions of said post member during said cover member movement along said longitudinal axis of said post member, wherein in said initial position an interior surface portion of said cover member which bridges said sleeve and shoulder portions and said said exterior surface portion of said post member which bridges said base and body portions form a reservoir therebetween, said reservoir decreaseable in volume by the movement of said cover member from said initial position toward said final position; and a predetermined quantity of an impervious material contained within said reservoir formed by said members when said cover member is disposed in its initial position relative to said post member, said material having an adhesive nature whereby said cover member is retained in said initial position in the absence of any external force being applied against said cover member to move it relative to said post member, said material being flowable under pressure and retainable in any shape as may be impressed thereon, whereby movement of said cover member from its initial position to its final position when said post member is seated upon said end of said connector part will hydraulically force said impervious material to extrude through said plurality of apertures in said post member and initially fill the empty space about said plurality of wires in said second passageway portion in said post member and said end of said connector part and then fill the empty space about said plurality of bundled wires in said first passageway portion in said post member to thereby seal said end of said connector part simultaneously as said bottom portion of said sleeve portion of said cover member securedly engages said end of said connector part to thereby fixedly secure said adapter assembly to said end of said connector part, and whereby the combination of the slightly larger circumference of said first passageway portion than the circumference of said bundled wires and the presence of said impervious material about said bundled wires in said first passageway portion imposes a strain relieving effect on said bundled wires.

Claim 9

An adapter assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein said impervious material is butyl rubber.