Cover assemblies for cables and electrical connections and methods for making and using the same

Claim 2

An integral, unitary cover assembly for covering an electrical connection between first and second electrical cables each having a primary conductor and a neutral conductor, the cover assembly comprising: an inner elastomeric sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables; an outer elastomeric sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; and an integral jumper assembly including: an electrically conductive jumper conductor interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and having first and second opposed ends; a first jumper connector mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor; and a second jumper connector mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the second cable to the jumper conductor; wherein the first jumper connector includes a bolt.

Claim 3

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the jumper conductor includes a metal braided conductor.

Claim 4

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the first jumper connector includes a shear bolt connector including the bolt.

Claim 5

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the cover assembly extends along a lengthwise axis from a cover first end to a cover second end, and the inner sleeve, the outer sleeve and the jumper conductor each extend lengthwise and have a respective first end proximate the cover first end and a respective second end proximate the cover second end.

Claim 6

The cover assembly of claim 4 wherein the outer sleeve includes an extension section that extends lengthwise beyond the first end of the jumper assembly.

Claim 7

The cover assembly of claim 5 wherein the extension section of the outer sleeve extends lengthwise beyond the first end of the inner sleeve.

Claim 8

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer sleeve is formed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.

Claim 9

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner sleeve is formed of silicone rubber.

Claim 10

The cover assembly of claim 1 including at least one of: a Faraday cage sleeve mounted within the inner sleeve and formed of an electrically conductive elastomer; and a stress cone sleeve mounted within the inner sleeve proximate an end thereof, wherein the stress cone sleeve is formed of an electrically conductive elastomer.

Claim 11

The cover assembly of claim 1 including a semiconductor layer mounted on an outer side of the inner sleeve and formed of an electrically conductive elastomer.

Claim 12

The cover assembly of claim 1 further including a removable holdout device mounted within the inner sleeve, wherein the holdout device is operative to temporarily maintain the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve in an expanded state.

Claim 13

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the cover assembly is a cold shrinkable cover assembly.

Claim 14

The cover assembly of claim 1 wherein the jumper conductor is an elongate member that does not circumferentially surround the inner sleeve.

Claim 15

A connection assembly comprising: first and second electrical cables each including a primary conductor and at least one neutral conductor; a cable connector coupling the primary conductors of the first and second cables to form an electrical connection; and an integral, unitary cover assembly including: an inner elastomeric sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables; an outer elastomeric sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; and an integral jumper assembly including: an electrically conductive jumper conductor interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and having first and second opposed ends; a first jumper connector mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor; and a second jumper connector mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the second cable to the jumper conductor; wherein the first jumper connector includes a bolt; wherein: the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables extend through the cable passage; the neutral conductor of the first cable is coupled to the first jumper connector by the bolt; the neutral conductor of the first cable is mechanically and electrically coupled to the jumper conductor by the first jumper connector; and the neutral conductor of the second cable is mechanically and electrically coupled to the jumper conductor by the second jumper connector.

Claim 16

A connection assembly comprising: first and second electrical cables each including a primary conductor and at least one neutral conductor; a cable connector coupling the primary conductors of the first and second cables to form an electrical connection; and an integral, unitary cover assembly including: an inner elastomeric sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables; an outer elastomeric sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; and an integral jumper assembly including: an electrically conductive jumper conductor interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and having first and second opposed ends; a first jumper connector mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor; and a second jumper connector mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the second cable to the jumper conductor; wherein the first jumper connector includes a bolt; wherein: the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables extend through the cable passage; the neutral conductor of the first cable is coupled to the first jumper connector by the bolt; the neutral conductor of the first cable is mechanically and electrically coupled to the jumper conductor by the first jumper connector; and the neutral conductor of the second cable is mechanically and electrically coupled to the jumper conductor by the second jumper connector.

Claim 17

The connection assembly of claim 14 wherein the first and second cables are each jacketed concentric neutral cables, each of the first and second cables including an insulation layer surrounding the primary conductor thereof and electrically insulating the primary conductor from the at least one neutral conductor thereof, the primary conductor, the insulation layer and the at least one neutral conductor being relatively concentrically configured.

Claim 18

The connection assembly of claim 14 wherein the cover assembly is a cold shrinkable cover assembly.

Claim 19

The connection assembly of claim 14 wherein the first jumper connector includes a shear bolt connector including the bolt.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18 wherein the first jumper connector is mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and the second jumper connector is mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor prior to forming the electrical connection between the first and second electrical cables.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18 including rolling opposed extension sections of the outer sleeve over the first and second jumper connectors.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 wherein the cover assembly is a cold shrinkable cover assembly.

Claim 25

The method of claim 18 wherein the first jumper connector includes a shear bolt connector including the bolt, and mechanically and electrically coupling the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor using the first jumper connector includes shearing a head off of the bolt.

Claim 26

The method of claim 18 , wherein: providing the cover assembly includes providing a pre-expanded unit including a holdout device and the cover assembly mounted in a radially expanded state on the holdout device; and the method includes, before or after coupling the neutral conductor of the first cable to the first jumper connector, removing the holdout device from the cover assembly to permit the cover assembly to radially retract onto the first and second cables.

Claim 29

An integral, unitary cover assembly for covering an electrical connection between first and second electrical cables each having a primary conductor and a neutral conductor, the cover assembly comprising: an inner elastomeric sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables; an outer elastomeric sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; an integral jumper assembly including: an electrically conductive jumper conductor interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and having first and second opposed ends; a first jumper connector mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor; and a second jumper connector mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the second cable to the jumper conductor; and a metal mesh shield layer interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and fully circumferentially surrounding the inner sleeve, wherein the metal mesh shield layer is separately formed from the jumper conductor.

Claim 30

An integral, unitary cover assembly for covering an electrical connection between first and second electrical cables each having a primary conductor and a neutral conductor, the cover assembly comprising: an inner elastomeric sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables; an outer elastomeric sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; an integral jumper assembly including: an electrically conductive jumper conductor interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and having first and second opposed ends; a first jumper connector mounted on the first end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the first cable to the jumper conductor; and a second jumper connector mounted on the second end of the jumper conductor and configured to mechanically and electrically couple the neutral conductor of the second cable to the jumper conductor; and a metal mesh shield layer interposed between the inner and outer sleeves and fully circumferentially surrounding the inner sleeve, wherein the metal mesh shield layer is separately formed from the jumper conductor.