Cable-termination assemblies and methods for manufacturing such assemblies

Claim 1

A method for terminating an electrical cable having miltiple conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic sheaths collectively arranged within a cable covering and with laterally-separated end portions protruding therefrom comprising the steps of: introducing a molten thermoplastic around said separated end portions for integrally fusing a unitary fluid barrier around each of said thermoplastic sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said thermoplastic sheaths; arranging electrical terminals respectively on each of said end portions; and thereafter sealingly bonding a moldable polymer body around each of said electrical terminals respectively and to at least those surfaces on the forward face of said fluid barrier respectively encircling each of said end portions passing therethrough for blocking other potential leakage paths within said polymer body which are ahead of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said thermoplastic sheaths.

Claim 2

A method for terminating an electrical cable having miltiple conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic sheaths collectively arranged within a cable covering and with laterally-separated end portions protruding therefrom comprising the steps of: introducing a molten thermoplastic around said separated end portions for integrally fusing a unitary fluid barrier around each of said thermoplastic sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said thermoplastic sheaths; arranging electrical terminals respectively on each of said end portions; and thereafter sealingly bonding a moldable polymer body around each of said electrical terminals respectively and to at least those surfaces on the forward face of said fluid barrier respectively encircling each of said end portions passing therethrough for blocking other potential leakage paths within said polymer body which are ahead of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said thermoplastic sheaths.

Claim 14

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having its electrical conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom comprising the steps of: passing said protruding conductor end portions through a corresponding number of aligned openings respectively located in longitudinally-spaced forward and rearward thermally-stable spacers cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned therebetween as well as passing said conductor end portions through a corresponding number of aligned openings in a laminated member having a first layer of a thermosetting polymer adjacent to the rear of said forward spacer and a second layer of a thermoplastic complementally fitted and bonded to the rear of said polymer layer; positioning a hollow mold around said spacers defining an enclosed cavity surrounding said separated conductor end portions and said laminated member and injecting a molten thermoplastic into said enclosed cavity at a temperture no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier encompassing said separated conductor end portions which is integrally fused around each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths and also is integrally fused to said thermoplastic layer to bond said polymer layer on the front of said fluid barrier; arranging electrical terminals on each of said conductor end portions; and thereafter sealingly bonding a body of a moldable polymer entirely around each of said electrical terminals and to at least those surfaces on said polymer layer respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions for cooperatively blocking other potential leakage paths within said polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said thermoplastic sheaths.

Claim 15

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having its electrical conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom comprising the steps of: passing said protruding conductor end portions through a corresponding number of aligned openings respectively located in longitudinally-spaced forward and rearward thermally-stable spacers cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned therebetween as well as passing said conductor end portions through a corresponding number of aligned openings in a laminated member having a first layer of a thermosetting polymer adjacent to the rear of said forward spacer and a second layer of a thermoplastic complementally fitted and bonded to the rear of said polymer layer; positioning a hollow mold around said spacers defining an enclosed cavity surrounding said separated conductor end portions and said laminated member and injecting a molten thermoplastic into said enclosed cavity at a temperture no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier encompassing said separated conductor end portions which is integrally fused around each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths and also is integrally fused to said thermoplastic layer to bond said polymer layer on the front of said fluid barrier; arranging electrical terminals on each of said conductor end portions; and thereafter sealingly bonding a body of a moldable polymer entirely around each of said electrical terminals and to at least those surfaces on said polymer layer respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions for cooperatively blocking other potential leakage paths within said polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said thermoplastic sheaths.

Claim 27

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having a plurality of conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a common cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom comprising the steps of: passing said protruding end portions through corresponding openings respectively located in forward and rearward spacers constructed of a thermally-stable plastic and cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned between the opposed faces of said spacers and also passing said conductor end portions through corresponding aligned openings in a laminated member having a forward laminate layer of a thermosetting polymer positioned against the rearward face of said forward spacer and a rearward laminate layer of a thermoplastic bonded to said polymer layer; positioning a first hollow mold around said spacers for defining a first enclosed cavity surrounding said laterally-separated conductor end portions and said laminated member; injecting a molten thermoplastic into said first cavity at a temperature no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier around all of said separated conductor end portions and integrally fused to each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths and also for integrally fusing said thermoplastic layer into said fluid barrier so as to bond said polymer layer to the forward face of said fluid barrier; arranging a multi-terminal electrical connector having an insulated member supporting each of the terminals thereof on said conductor end portions ahead of said fluid barrier; positioning a second hollow mold on said fluid barrier and said connector for defining a second enclosed cavity between said fluid barrier and said insulated terminal-supporting member of said electrical connector; and injecting a moldable polymer into said second cavity for forming a unitary polymer body around said fluid barrier and said electrical connector which is sealingly bonded to at least those surfaces on said polymer layer and on said terminal-support member respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions to block potential fluid leakage paths within said unitary polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said insulating sheaths.

Claim 28

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having a plurality of conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a common cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom comprising the steps of: passing said protruding end portions through corresponding openings respectively located in forward and rearward spacers constructed of a thermally-stable plastic and cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned between the opposed faces of said spacers and also passing said conductor end portions through corresponding aligned openings in a laminated member having a forward laminate layer of a thermosetting polymer positioned against the rearward face of said forward spacer and a rearward laminate layer of a thermoplastic bonded to said polymer layer; positioning a first hollow mold around said spacers for defining a first enclosed cavity surrounding said laterally-separated conductor end portions and said laminated member; injecting a molten thermoplastic into said first cavity at a temperature no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier around all of said separated conductor end portions and integrally fused to each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths and also for integrally fusing said thermoplastic layer into said fluid barrier so as to bond said polymer layer to the forward face of said fluid barrier; arranging a multi-terminal electrical connector having an insulated member supporting each of the terminals thereof on said conductor end portions ahead of said fluid barrier; positioning a second hollow mold on said fluid barrier and said connector for defining a second enclosed cavity between said fluid barrier and said insulated terminal-supporting member of said electrical connector; and injecting a moldable polymer into said second cavity for forming a unitary polymer body around said fluid barrier and said electrical connector which is sealingly bonded to at least those surfaces on said polymer layer and on said terminal-support member respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions to block potential fluid leakage paths within said unitary polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said insulating sheaths.

Claim 39

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having a plurality of conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a common cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom and comprising the steps of: passing said protruding end portions through corresponding snugly-fitting openings respectively located in forward and rearward spacers constructed of a thermally-stable plastic and cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned between the opposed faces of said spacers and at the same time also passing said conductor end portions through corresponding openings which are aligned with said snugly-fitting openings and located in a disc-like laminated member having a thermosetting-polymer layer positioned against the rearward face of said forward spacer and a thermoplastic layer bonded on the rearward face of said polymer layer; positioning a first hollow mold around said spacers for defining a first enclosed cavity surrounding all of said laterally-separated conductor end portions and said laminated member; injecting a molten thermoplastic into said first cavity at a temperature no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier having said polymer layer bonded on its forward face and which is integrally fused around each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths; positioning a second hollow mold around each of said spacers for defining a second enclosed annular cavity around the perimeter of said fluid barrier; injecting an unvulcanized mass of a selected elastomer having a chemical affinity for said thermoplastics into said second cavity and heating said unvulcanized mass to an elevated temperature sufficient to effect an integral bond therewith and vulcanize said elastomer for molding a unitary elastomeric band bonded around the perimeter of said fluid barrier; arranging a multi-terminal electrical connector having an insulated member supporting each of the terminals thereof on said conductor end portions ahead of said fluid barrier; positioning a third hollow mold around said fluid barrier and said electrical connector for defining a third enclosed cavity around at least a portion of said elastomeric band and said insulated terminal-supporting member; and injecting a moldable polymer having a chemical affinity for said elastomeric band and said polymer layer into said third cavity for forming and sealingly bonding a polymer body around and to said elastomeric band and at least those surfaces of said polymer layer and of said terminal-supporting member respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions to block potential fluid leakage paths within said polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said insulating sheaths.

Claim 40

A method for terminating a multi-conductor electrical cable having a plurality of conductors respectively enclosed within thermoplastic insulating sheaths and collectively arranged within a common cable covering with their end portions protruding forwardly therefrom and comprising the steps of: passing said protruding end portions through corresponding snugly-fitting openings respectively located in forward and rearward spacers constructed of a thermally-stable plastic and cooperatively arranged for laterally separating said conductor end portions spanned between the opposed faces of said spacers and at the same time also passing said conductor end portions through corresponding openings which are aligned with said snugly-fitting openings and located in a disc-like laminated member having a thermosetting-polymer layer positioned against the rearward face of said forward spacer and a thermoplastic layer bonded on the rearward face of said polymer layer; positioning a first hollow mold around said spacers for defining a first enclosed cavity surrounding all of said laterally-separated conductor end portions and said laminated member; injecting a molten thermoplastic into said first cavity at a temperature no lower than the fusion temperatures of said thermoplastics for molding a unitary fluid barrier having said polymer layer bonded on its forward face and which is integrally fused around each of said insulating sheaths to block potential leakage paths through said fluid barrier and exterior of said insulating sheaths; positioning a second hollow mold around each of said spacers for defining a second enclosed annular cavity around the perimeter of said fluid barrier; injecting an unvulcanized mass of a selected elastomer having a chemical affinity for said thermoplastics into said second cavity and heating said unvulcanized mass to an elevated temperature sufficient to effect an integral bond therewith and vulcanize said elastomer for molding a unitary elastomeric band bonded around the perimeter of said fluid barrier; arranging a multi-terminal electrical connector having an insulated member supporting each of the terminals thereof on said conductor end portions ahead of said fluid barrier; positioning a third hollow mold around said fluid barrier and said electrical connector for defining a third enclosed cavity around at least a portion of said elastomeric band and said insulated terminal-supporting member; and injecting a moldable polymer having a chemical affinity for said elastomeric band and said polymer layer into said third cavity for forming and sealingly bonding a polymer body around and to said elastomeric band and at least those surfaces of said polymer layer and of said terminal-supporting member respectively encircling each of said conductor end portions to block potential fluid leakage paths within said polymer body which are exterior of said fluid barrier and would otherwise intercommunicate the interiors of two or more of said insulating sheaths.