Sealed reenterable splice enclosure

Claim 2

A reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable positioned therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said enclosure comprising: a housing for covering splice connections, said housing having at least one opening for receiving splice connections; and sealing means for sealing said opening to protect splice connections from detrimental environmental effects; said sealing means including a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough, and said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member, said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing ;member; wherein said sealing member is a single piece body integrally formed of a resiliently compressible material; and wherein said sealing member is formed of a material characterized by, tensile strength of at least substantially on the order of 70 psi, elongation of at least substantially on the order of 300%, tear resistance of at least substantially on the order of 10 lbf/in, and compression set of less than substantially on the order of 8% after 8 days at 70° F. under 25% compression.

Claim 3

A splice enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing member is formed of a material characterized by, hydrolytic stability, resistance to dry heat aging, low compression set, and resistance to atmospheric and surface water-borne substances.

Claim 4

A splice enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said removable means comprises a plurality of generally concentric tubular rings surrounding a center plug-like member, said center plug-like member and said tubular rings being selectively removable to define said at least one through aperture in said sealing member for receiving and sealing against said at least one cable portion passing therethrough over a predetermined range of cable sizes.

Claim 5

A splice enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said sealing member is compressed by said longitudinal compression means in a longitudinal direction relative to a longitudinal axis extending through said aperture formed in said sealing member, said longitudinal compression of said sealing member deforming said sealing ;member generally radially outwardly against an inside surface of said longitudinal compression means and generally radially inwardly against an outside surface of at least one cable portion projecting through said aperture into said housing for sealing with said opening and with said cable portion.

Claim 6

A splice enclosure according to claim 1, wherein said shell member comprises a unitary, one-piece integrally formed member.

Claim 7

A reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable positioned therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said enclosure comprising: a housing for covering splice connections, said housing having at least one opening for receiving splice connections; and sealing means for sealing said opening to protect splice connections from detrimental environmental effects; said sealing means including a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough, and said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member, said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member; wherein said longitudinal compression means further includes a seal neck member configured for applying force for compressing said sealing member within said shell portion and in a direction generally toward said support surface thereof, said neck member having a compression surface generally facing said sealing member, and further including a generally annular buffer ring member interposed between said compression surface and said sealing member for generally reducing stress concentration and spreading said compressive force from said neck over a relatively larger area of said sealing member.

Claim 8

A reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable positioned therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said enclosure comprising: a housing for covering splice connections, said housing having at least one opening for receiving splice connections; and sealing means for sealing said opening to protect splice connections from detrimental environmental effects; said sealing means including a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough, and said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member, said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member; wherein said longitudinal compression means further includes a seal neck member configured for applying force for compressing said sealing member within said shell portion and in a direction generally toward said support surface thereof, said neck member having a compression surface generally facing said sealing member, and further including a generally annular buffer ring member interposed between said compression surface and said sealing member for generally reducing stress concentration and spreading said compressive force from said neck over a relatively larger area of said sealing member.

Claim 9

A splice enclosure according to claim 6, and further including: mutually alignable annular grooves on corresponding surfaces of said seal neck member and said housing; an access aperture through said housing proximate to said annular grooves; a linearly rigid and circumferentially flexible spline member sized and dimensioned for insertion through said access aperture and into said annular grooves for removably attaching said housing to said seal neck member.

Claim 10

A splice enclosure according to claim 7, further including a sealing groove formed on an outside surface of the seal neck member non-coincident with said annular grooves formed on corresponding surfaces of said seal neck member and said housing; an enclosure sealing O-ring insertable into said sealing groove forming a seal between said seal neck member and an inside surface of said housing.

Claim 11

A splice enclosure according to claim 6, wherein said buffer ring has a minimum hardness of substantially on the order of Shore A60.

Claim 12

A splice enclosure according to claim 9, wherein said buffer ring is fabricated from a chloroprene type of material.

Claim 13

A reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable positioned therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said enclosure comprising: a housing for covering splice connections, said housing having at least one opening for receiving splice connections; and sealing means for sealing said opening to protect splice connections from detrimental environmental effects; said sealing means including a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough, and said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member, said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member; and further including a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing member for supporting and retaining said sealing member and comprising a generally flat, plate-like member having removable means for defining one through opening therein generally coincident with said at least one through aperture to be formed in said sealing means.

Claim 14

A reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable positioned therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said enclosure comprising: a housing for covering splice connections, said housing having at least one opening for receiving splice connections; and sealing means for sealing said opening to protect splice connections from detrimental environmental effects; said sealing means including a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough, and said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member, said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member; and further including a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing member for supporting and retaining said sealing member and comprising a generally flat, plate-like member having removable means for defining one through opening therein generally coincident with said at least one through aperture to be formed in said sealing means.

Claim 15

A splice enclosure according to claim 11, wherein said retainer plate further has a tensile strength of on the order of 5,000 psi, and a flexural modulus of on the order of 220,000 psi.

Claim 16

A splice enclosure according to claim 12, wherein said retainer plate is typically molded from a polypropelene material.

Claim 17

A splice enclosure according to claim 11 wherein said retainer plate has a hardness of at least on the order of Rockwell R 97.

Claim 18

A splice enclosure according to claim 11, wherein said removable means of said sealing member comprises a plurality of generally concentric tubular rings surrounding a center plug-like member, said center plug-like member and said tubular rings being selectively removable to define said at least one through aperture in said sealing member for receiving and sealing against said at least one cable portion passing therethrough over a predetermined range of cable sizes.

Claim 19

A splice enclosurer according to claim 15, wherein said removable means of said retainer plate comprises a plurality of generally concentric annular rings surrounding a center opening, said annular rings being selectively removable to define said at least one through opening of a size to match the size of a corresponding through aperture selected in said sealing member.

Claim 20

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effect, said splice enclosure comprising a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinal compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member and further including a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing means for supporting and retaining said sealing member and comprising a generally flat, plate-like member having means for defining at least one through opening therein generally coincident with said at least one through aperture to be formed in said sealing means.

Claim 21

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effect, said splice enclosure comprising a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinal compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member and further including a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing means for supporting and retaining said sealing member and comprising a generally flat, plate-like member having means for defining at least one through opening therein generally coincident with said at least one through aperture to be formed in said sealing means.

Claim 22

A sealing arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said sealing member is a single piece body integrally formed of a resiliently compressible material.

Claim 23

A sealing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said sealing member is formed of a material characterized by, hydrolytic stability, resistance to dry heat aging, low compression set, and resistance to atmospheric and surface water-borne substances.

Claim 24

A sealing arrangement according to claim 18, wherein said sealing member is formed of a material characterized by, tensile strength of at least substantially on the order of 70 psi, elongation of at least substantially on the order of 300%, tear resistance of at least substantially on the order of 10 lbf/in, and compression set of less than substantially on the order of 8% after 8 days at 70° F. under 25% compression.

Claim 25

A sealing arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said removable means comprises a plurality of generally concentric tubular rings surrounding a center plug-like member, said center plug-like member and said tubular rings being selectively removable to define said at least one through aperture and said sealing member for receiving and sealing against said at least one cable portion passing therethrough over a predetermined range of cable sizes.

Claim 26

A sealing arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said shell portion comprises a unitary, one-piece integrally formed member.

Claim 27

A sealing arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said retainer plate has a hardness of at least on the order of Rockwell R 97.

Claim 28

A sealing arrangement according to claim 17, wherein said retainer plate further has a tensile strength of on the order of 5,000 psi, and a flexural modulus of on the order of 220,000 psi.

Claim 29

A sealing arrangement according to claim 24, wherein said retainer plate is molded from a polypropelene material.

Claim 30

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said splice enclosure comprising a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinal compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member wherein said longitudinal compression means further includes a seal neck member configured for applying force for compressing said sealing member within said shell portion and in a direction generally toward said support surface thereof, said neck member having a compression surface generally facing said sealing member, and further including a generally annular buffer ring member interposed between said compression surface and said sealing member for generally reducing stress concentration and spreading said compressive force from said seal neck member over a relatively larger area of said sealing member.

Claim 31

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, said splice enclosure comprising a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; removable means in said sealing member for defining at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinal compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member wherein said longitudinal compression means further includes a seal neck member configured for applying force for compressing said sealing member within said shell portion and in a direction generally toward said support surface thereof, said neck member having a compression surface generally facing said sealing member, and further including a generally annular buffer ring member interposed between said compression surface and said sealing member for generally reducing stress concentration and spreading said compressive force from said seal neck member over a relatively larger area of said sealing member.

Claim 32

A sealing arrangement according to claim 26, wherein said buffer ring member has a minimum hardness of substantially on the order of Shore A60.

Claim 33

A sealing arrangement according to claim 27, wherein said buffer ring member is fabricated from a chloroprene type of material.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 29 and further including, prior to said applying longitudinal compressive forces, providing a retainer plate between said longitudinal compression means and said sealing member.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 30 and further including, prior to said applying longitudinal compressive forces, providing an buffer ring between said longitudinal compression means and said sealing member at a side of said sealing member generally opposite said retainer plate.

Claim 38

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, which reenterable splice enclosure includes a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; said sealing member defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member and a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing means for supporting and retaining said sealing member.

Claim 39

A sealing arrangement for a reenterable splice enclosure for isolating a portion of a cable position therein and splice connections made thereto from detrimental environmental effects, which reenterable splice enclosure includes a housing having at least one opening for receiving a cable; said sealing arrangement comprising: a sealing member and longitudinal compression means; said sealing member defining at least one through aperture for passage of at least one cable portion therethrough; said longitudinal compression means releasably engaging and longitudinally compressing said sealing member; said sealing member being responsive to said engagement and longitudinal compression for sealing about its outer periphery and about said at least one cable portion projecting therethrough; and wherein said longitudinal compression means includes a shell portion configured for receiving said sealing member therein and having a support surface therein for supporting said sealing member and a retainer plate interposed between said support surface and a facing surface of said sealing means for supporting and retaining said sealing member.

Claim 40

A sealing arrangement according to claim 32, wherein said longitudinal compression means further includes a seal neck member configured for applying force for compressing said sealing member within said shell member and in a direction generally toward said support surface thereof, said neck member having a compression surface generally facing said sealing member, and further including a generally annular buffer ring member interposed between said compression surface and said sealing member for generally reducing stress concentration and spreading said compressive force from said neck over a relatively larger area of said sealing member.