CA1300699C - Closure for telecommunications cable - Google Patents
Closure for telecommunications cableInfo
- Publication number
- CA1300699C CA1300699C CA000575069A CA575069A CA1300699C CA 1300699 C CA1300699 C CA 1300699C CA 000575069 A CA000575069 A CA 000575069A CA 575069 A CA575069 A CA 575069A CA 1300699 C CA1300699 C CA 1300699C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- housing parts
- wall means
- splice
- chamber
- wall
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02G—INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES
- H02G15/00—Cable fittings
- H02G15/08—Cable junctions
- H02G15/10—Cable junctions protected by boxes, e.g. by distribution, connection or junction boxes
- H02G15/113—Boxes split longitudinally in main cable direction
Landscapes
- Cable Accessories (AREA)
Abstract
CLOSURE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE
Abstract of the Disclosure A closure structure for a telecommunications splice having two housing halves which, when joined together, provide a splice chamber surrounded by a space which is sealed with moisture blocking material. For this purpose, each housing half has two spaced-apart walls with the walls of the two halves coacting to provide the space upon assembly.
- i -
Abstract of the Disclosure A closure structure for a telecommunications splice having two housing halves which, when joined together, provide a splice chamber surrounded by a space which is sealed with moisture blocking material. For this purpose, each housing half has two spaced-apart walls with the walls of the two halves coacting to provide the space upon assembly.
- i -
Description
ï3~
CLOSURE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE
This invention relates to closures for telecom-munications cables.
In the telecommunications industry, cable lengths need to be spliced together either to provide a sufficiently long length of cable run between two points or to splice a branch cable into a main cable. In the telecommunications cable field, splices are provided both in greased filled and air pressurized cable. Splices are enshrouded by a closure to prevent degradation of the splices and of the conductors and cable in the immediate region at each side of the splice.
In some telecommunications splice closures, encapsulant directly surrounds the splices and cable and a housing surrounds the encapsulant. In other closures, e.g. for connecting together optical fiber conductors of an optical cable, it is not desirable for encapsulant to contact the fibers or splice regions directly. In such closures, a dual closure structure may be used in which separate inner and outer closure housings are provided with moisture blocking encapsulant disposed between them. The inner closure surrounds, but is spaced from, the splices and conductors in the splice regions.
The present invention seeks to provide a simplified closure structure which in use provides the same sealing advantages as the conventional dual closure structure.
According to the present invention, a closure structure is provided for a telecommunications cable splice comprising two housing parts which are sealingly connectable together, the housing parts having wall means which, when the parts are connected together, provide a splice chamber within the structure and a space around the splice chamber which is separated from the chamber by the wall means, the space disposed between closing together regions of the housing parts for containing a moisture blocking material and the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber.
More particularly the present invention provides a closure structure for a telecommunications cable splice ~ .
~o~9~
comprising two housing parts each having an inner wall means surrounding an opening at one side of the housing part and an outer wall means spaced outwardly from the inner wall means and away from the opening, the housing parts being securely "'connectable one to the other to close the openings and surround a splice chamber, the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber and, in the assembled condition of the housing parts, the inner wall means seal against one another to define a boundary for the splice chamber and the outer wall means seal against one another to define spaces between the inner and outer wall means for containing moisture blocking material.
With the structures according to the invention, the space that is provided between the housing parts may merely be sufficient to lie between the sealed together inner wall means and the sealed together outer wall means of the housing parts so that when moisture blocking material is disposed within this space it prevents the ingress of moisture from the surrounding environment. As can be seen, the water blocking material is thus localized in the region immediately adjacent to the sealed inner and outer wall means instead of extending completely around an inner housing as in conven-tional arrangements. Further to this, the present invention avoids the use of two complete housings, i.e. one inside the other, in which four housing parts are normally used.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accom-panying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a closure structure according to the embodiment shown in assembled form around a cable splice;
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the closure structure of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a lower housing part of the closure structure of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the structure taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2; and - ~3~0i~
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 of a modification of the embodiment.
As shown in Figure 1, a closure structure 10 according to the embodiment is shown in assembled condition surrounding a splice between two cables 12 and 14 issuing from either end of the structure.
As is more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the structure 10 comprises two identical housing parts 16. Each housing part 16 has a wall means comprising an inner wall 18 which surrounds an opening 20, and an outer wall 22. The outer wal~ is spaced outwardly from the inner wall which it surrounds and also away from the opening 20, as can be seen from Figure 3. The inner and outer walls have coplanar free end surfaces 24 and 26 respectively, the surface 26 of the outer wall being formed by an outwardly projecting flange 28.
Each housing part 16 is integrally molded from suitable plastics material with the walls 18 and 22 integral with a base 30 from which both of the walls extend as shown in Figure 4. The inner wall 18 may extend from the junction region of the base with the outer wall 22 as shown by Figure 4 or, alternatively, may extend from the wall 22 itself as shown in the modification in Figure 5. Alternatively, the inner wall may extend from the base in a position spaced from the junction of the base with the outer wall. This modifica-tion is not shown in the drawings. As can be seen clearlyfrom Figures 4 and 5, the walls diverge so that they are spaced apart.
Each housing part has ends and at the ends each of the walls 18 and 22 defines semi-circular recesses 32 for the passage of cable in sealing engagement with the housing parts. Elastomeric seals (not shown) may be disposed around the recesses to assist in sealing against the surface of a cable jacket.
One of both of the housing parts 16 (Figure 1) is formed with locally thinner wall portions 34 in the outer walls 16, these thinner wall portions being removable for a purpose to be described.
..
13C~(~699 In use, after a splice or splices have been made between the two cables 12 and 14, the two housing parts are assembled around the cable with sealing gaskets 36 and 38 disposed between opposing inner and outer walls 18 and 22.
In addition, the recesses 32 coact from one housing part to another for sealing around each cable as it passes through the ends of the housing parts and into the splice chamber 40 formed between them (see Figure 4). The housing parts are then secured together by any suitable means, such as bolts 42 passing through aligned holes in the flanges 26 and securing nuts 44 received by the bolts.
After the housing parts are secured together with the seals 36 and 38 sealing between the walls 18 and 22, the thinner regions 34 of the walls 22 are removed and a suitable moisture blocking material is forced into the space 46 which is defined by and enclosed by the walls 18 and 22. As will be readily apparent by considering Figures 3 and 4, the space 46 not only extends along the length of the assembly, but also between the walls 18 and 22 at the ends so as to be disposed between adjacent recesses 32 of the walls. A
suitable moisture bloc~ing material is any commercially available viscous encapsulant material which is at present used for encapsulation purposes in dual closure structures ~or cable splices such as a bitumastic or plastic type encapsulant which solidifies in situ.
Hence, the embodiment shows that the invention is concerned with a structure which only includes two housing parts while nevertheless providing the sealing advantages normally provided by a dual closure structure of separate housings each having two housing parts. A seal is provided between the outer walls 22 by the gasket 38 and also between the walls 18 by the gasket 36. In addition, an extra seal is provided in the region between the two gaskets 36 and 38 by the encapsulant material occupying the space 46. It will be readily apparent that the housing parts are easy and economi-cal to manufacture by simple molding processes, especially where these parts are identical as in the embodiment described. Also, the amount of encapsulant material required :~30V699 for the space 46 is minimized because the space 46 is localized towards and into the region between the two gaskets 36 and 38 while providing the desirable sealing effect which is normally associated with conventional dual closure structures.
CLOSURE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE
This invention relates to closures for telecom-munications cables.
In the telecommunications industry, cable lengths need to be spliced together either to provide a sufficiently long length of cable run between two points or to splice a branch cable into a main cable. In the telecommunications cable field, splices are provided both in greased filled and air pressurized cable. Splices are enshrouded by a closure to prevent degradation of the splices and of the conductors and cable in the immediate region at each side of the splice.
In some telecommunications splice closures, encapsulant directly surrounds the splices and cable and a housing surrounds the encapsulant. In other closures, e.g. for connecting together optical fiber conductors of an optical cable, it is not desirable for encapsulant to contact the fibers or splice regions directly. In such closures, a dual closure structure may be used in which separate inner and outer closure housings are provided with moisture blocking encapsulant disposed between them. The inner closure surrounds, but is spaced from, the splices and conductors in the splice regions.
The present invention seeks to provide a simplified closure structure which in use provides the same sealing advantages as the conventional dual closure structure.
According to the present invention, a closure structure is provided for a telecommunications cable splice comprising two housing parts which are sealingly connectable together, the housing parts having wall means which, when the parts are connected together, provide a splice chamber within the structure and a space around the splice chamber which is separated from the chamber by the wall means, the space disposed between closing together regions of the housing parts for containing a moisture blocking material and the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber.
More particularly the present invention provides a closure structure for a telecommunications cable splice ~ .
~o~9~
comprising two housing parts each having an inner wall means surrounding an opening at one side of the housing part and an outer wall means spaced outwardly from the inner wall means and away from the opening, the housing parts being securely "'connectable one to the other to close the openings and surround a splice chamber, the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber and, in the assembled condition of the housing parts, the inner wall means seal against one another to define a boundary for the splice chamber and the outer wall means seal against one another to define spaces between the inner and outer wall means for containing moisture blocking material.
With the structures according to the invention, the space that is provided between the housing parts may merely be sufficient to lie between the sealed together inner wall means and the sealed together outer wall means of the housing parts so that when moisture blocking material is disposed within this space it prevents the ingress of moisture from the surrounding environment. As can be seen, the water blocking material is thus localized in the region immediately adjacent to the sealed inner and outer wall means instead of extending completely around an inner housing as in conven-tional arrangements. Further to this, the present invention avoids the use of two complete housings, i.e. one inside the other, in which four housing parts are normally used.
One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accom-panying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a closure structure according to the embodiment shown in assembled form around a cable splice;
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the closure structure of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an isometric view of a lower housing part of the closure structure of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the structure taken along line IV-IV in Figure 2; and - ~3~0i~
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 of a modification of the embodiment.
As shown in Figure 1, a closure structure 10 according to the embodiment is shown in assembled condition surrounding a splice between two cables 12 and 14 issuing from either end of the structure.
As is more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the structure 10 comprises two identical housing parts 16. Each housing part 16 has a wall means comprising an inner wall 18 which surrounds an opening 20, and an outer wall 22. The outer wal~ is spaced outwardly from the inner wall which it surrounds and also away from the opening 20, as can be seen from Figure 3. The inner and outer walls have coplanar free end surfaces 24 and 26 respectively, the surface 26 of the outer wall being formed by an outwardly projecting flange 28.
Each housing part 16 is integrally molded from suitable plastics material with the walls 18 and 22 integral with a base 30 from which both of the walls extend as shown in Figure 4. The inner wall 18 may extend from the junction region of the base with the outer wall 22 as shown by Figure 4 or, alternatively, may extend from the wall 22 itself as shown in the modification in Figure 5. Alternatively, the inner wall may extend from the base in a position spaced from the junction of the base with the outer wall. This modifica-tion is not shown in the drawings. As can be seen clearlyfrom Figures 4 and 5, the walls diverge so that they are spaced apart.
Each housing part has ends and at the ends each of the walls 18 and 22 defines semi-circular recesses 32 for the passage of cable in sealing engagement with the housing parts. Elastomeric seals (not shown) may be disposed around the recesses to assist in sealing against the surface of a cable jacket.
One of both of the housing parts 16 (Figure 1) is formed with locally thinner wall portions 34 in the outer walls 16, these thinner wall portions being removable for a purpose to be described.
..
13C~(~699 In use, after a splice or splices have been made between the two cables 12 and 14, the two housing parts are assembled around the cable with sealing gaskets 36 and 38 disposed between opposing inner and outer walls 18 and 22.
In addition, the recesses 32 coact from one housing part to another for sealing around each cable as it passes through the ends of the housing parts and into the splice chamber 40 formed between them (see Figure 4). The housing parts are then secured together by any suitable means, such as bolts 42 passing through aligned holes in the flanges 26 and securing nuts 44 received by the bolts.
After the housing parts are secured together with the seals 36 and 38 sealing between the walls 18 and 22, the thinner regions 34 of the walls 22 are removed and a suitable moisture blocking material is forced into the space 46 which is defined by and enclosed by the walls 18 and 22. As will be readily apparent by considering Figures 3 and 4, the space 46 not only extends along the length of the assembly, but also between the walls 18 and 22 at the ends so as to be disposed between adjacent recesses 32 of the walls. A
suitable moisture bloc~ing material is any commercially available viscous encapsulant material which is at present used for encapsulation purposes in dual closure structures ~or cable splices such as a bitumastic or plastic type encapsulant which solidifies in situ.
Hence, the embodiment shows that the invention is concerned with a structure which only includes two housing parts while nevertheless providing the sealing advantages normally provided by a dual closure structure of separate housings each having two housing parts. A seal is provided between the outer walls 22 by the gasket 38 and also between the walls 18 by the gasket 36. In addition, an extra seal is provided in the region between the two gaskets 36 and 38 by the encapsulant material occupying the space 46. It will be readily apparent that the housing parts are easy and economi-cal to manufacture by simple molding processes, especially where these parts are identical as in the embodiment described. Also, the amount of encapsulant material required :~30V699 for the space 46 is minimized because the space 46 is localized towards and into the region between the two gaskets 36 and 38 while providing the desirable sealing effect which is normally associated with conventional dual closure structures.
Claims (7)
1. A closure structure for a telecommunications cable splice comprising two housing parts which are sealingly connectable together, the two housing parts having wall means which, when the parts are connected together, provide a splice chamber within the structure and a space around the splice chamber which is separated from the chamber by the wall means, the space disposed between closing together regions of the housing parts for containing a moisture blocking material, and the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber.
2. A closure structure for a telecommunications cable splice comprising two housing parts each having an inner wall means surrounding an opening at one side of the housing part and an outer wall means spaced outwardly from the inner wall means and away from the opening, the housing parts being securely connectable one to the other to close the openings and surround a splice chamber, the housing parts defining recesses which coact in the assembly to provide cable entrance openings into the chamber and, in the assembled condition of the housing parts, the inner wall means seal against one another to define a boundary for the splice chamber and the outer wall means seal against one another to define spaces between the inner and outer wall means for containing moisture blocking material.
3. A closure structure according to claim 2 wherein the two housing parts are identical in size and shape.
4. A closure structure according to any of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein each housing part is integrally formed as a single plastics molding.
5. A closure structure according to either of claims 2 and 3 wherein each housing part has a base and the inner and outer walls extend from the base.
6. A closure structure according to either of claims 2 and 3 wherein in each housing part the outer wall is inclined and the inner wall extends from the outer wall.
7. A splice enclosure comprising two housing parts sealingly connected together, the two housing parts defining a wall means sealingly surrounding a splice chamber contain-ing spliced together conductors of cables sealingly extending through cable entrance openings defined between housing parts, the wall means also defining a space around and sealingly separated from the chamber and sealingly separated from the outside environment, said space lying between closed sealed regions of the housing parts and containing a moisture blocking material.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000575069A CA1300699C (en) | 1988-08-18 | 1988-08-18 | Closure for telecommunications cable |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000575069A CA1300699C (en) | 1988-08-18 | 1988-08-18 | Closure for telecommunications cable |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1300699C true CA1300699C (en) | 1992-05-12 |
Family
ID=4138574
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000575069A Expired - Lifetime CA1300699C (en) | 1988-08-18 | 1988-08-18 | Closure for telecommunications cable |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1300699C (en) |
-
1988
- 1988-08-18 CA CA000575069A patent/CA1300699C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |