High voltage cable splice with graded insulation and method of making same

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the material of the first body comprises titanium dioxide filler.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, wherein the tape comprising the material of the first body contains titanium dioxide filler.

Claim 7

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage electrical cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and each having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from thE connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 3 to 8 surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material of each cable with said material extending from the connected conductors substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body of material having a relatively low specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 2 to 4 superimposed over and surrounding the first body of material, said second body of material having a lower specific inductive capacitance than the first body; and, d. means restraining expansion of material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.

Claim 8

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage electrical cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and each having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from thE connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 3 to 8 surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material of each cable with said material extending from the connected conductors substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body of material having a relatively low specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 2 to 4 superimposed over and surrounding the first body of material, said second body of material having a lower specific inductive capacitance than the first body; and, d. means restraining expansion of material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.

Claim 9

The electrically insulated splice of claim 5, wherein the material of the first body comprises titanium dioxide filler.

Claim 10

The electrically insulated splice of claim 5, wherein the material of the first and second bodies comprise at least one polymeric material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene terpolymer, polyethylene, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene acrylate, natural rubber, and blends thereof.

Claim 11

The electrically insulated splice of claim 5 wherein the material of the first body comprises ethylene propylene rubber containing titanium dioxide filler and has a specific inductive capacitance of about 4.4.

Claim 12

The electrically insulated splice of claim 8 wherein the material of the second body comprises ethylene-propylene rubber and has a specific inductive capacitance of about 2.4.

Claim 13

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage electrical cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and each having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from the connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material comprising tape having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 4 to 6 convolutely wound about and surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portions of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body of material comprising tape having a relatively low specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 2 to 4 convolutely wound around and superimposed over the first body of tape material, said second body of tape material having a lower specific inductive capacitance than the first body of tape material and being of a thickness greater than the first body; and, d. means restraining expansion of the material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.

Claim 14

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage electrical cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and each having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from the connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material comprising tape having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 4 to 6 convolutely wound about and surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portions of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body of material comprising tape having a relatively low specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 2 to 4 convolutely wound around and superimposed over the first body of tape material, said second body of tape material having a lower specific inductive capacitance than the first body of tape material and being of a thickness greater than the first body; and, d. means restraining expansion of the material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.

Claim 15

The electrically insulated splice of claim 10, wherein the tape material comprising the first body contains titanium dioxide filler.

Claim 16

The electrically insulated splice of claim 10, wherein the tape material of the first and second bodies comprises at least one polymeric material selected from the group consisting of ethylene-propylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene terpolymer, polyethylene, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene acrylate, natural rubber, and blends thereof.

Claim 17

The electrically insulated splice of claim 10, wherein the tape material of the first body comprises ethylene-propylene rubber containing titanium dioxide filler.

Claim 18

The electrically insulated splice of claim 13 wherein the tape material of the second body comprises ethylene-propylene rubber.

Claim 19

The electrically insulated splice of claim 14 wherein the tape material of the first body has a specific inductive capacitance of about 4.4, and the tape material of the second body has a specific inductive capacitance of about 2.4.

Claim 20

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from the connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 3 to 8 surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material of each cable with said material extending from the connected conductors substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body comprising a plurality of materials having graduated specific inductive capacitance superimposed over and surrounding the first body of material, said second body of materials having specific inductive capacitance which are lower than the specific inductive capacitance of the first body of material and which are graduated in a sequence of specific inductive capacitances progressively diminishing from the higher specific inductive capacitance of the first body of material; and, d. means restraining expansion of material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.

Claim 21

An electrically insulated splice conductively joining terminal ends of high voltage cable having a central current carrying conductor surrounded by electrically insulating material, comprising: a. a pair of cable terminal extremities, each comprising a central current carrying conductor surrounded by insulating material, having the terminal ends of their central conductors conductively connected to each other and having the insulating material which surrounds the central current carrying conductor adjacent the terminal extremity of each cable tapered in a substantially uniform and gradual slope extending back from the connected central conductors and forming a conical section; b. a first body of material having a relatively high specific inductive capacitance of within the approximate range of 3 to 8 surrounding the connected central conductors and extending therefrom substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material of each cable with said material extending from the connected conductors substantially over the tapered portion of the insulating material in a substantially uniform and gradual counter taper which diminishes in the opposite direction from the tapered slope of the underlying insulating material; c. a second body comprising a plurality of materials having graduated specific inductive capacitance superimposed over and surrounding the first body of material, said second body of materials having specific inductive capacitance which are lower than the specific inductive capacitance of the first body of material and which are graduated in a sequence of specific inductive capacitances progressively diminishing from the higher specific inductive capacitance of the first body of material; and, d. means restraining expansion of material of the splice in either direction longitudinally along the axis of the cable joining splice.