CA2166558A1 - Closure for a cable joint - Google Patents
Closure for a cable jointInfo
- Publication number
- CA2166558A1 CA2166558A1 CA 2166558 CA2166558A CA2166558A1 CA 2166558 A1 CA2166558 A1 CA 2166558A1 CA 2166558 CA2166558 CA 2166558 CA 2166558 A CA2166558 A CA 2166558A CA 2166558 A1 CA2166558 A1 CA 2166558A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- closure
- lid
- portions
- body portion
- flap
- 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.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 25
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000003566 sealing material Substances 0.000 description 3
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000499 gel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013521 mastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013307 optical fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001296 polysiloxane Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000005382 thermal cycling Methods 0.000 description 1
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
A closure for a cable joint, comprising a lid portion (1) and a body portion (2) arranged to be fastened together substantially to close the closure, sealing means (3) for sealing the interior of the closure against ingress of moisture, wherein the sealing means (3) is locted between the lid portion (1) and the body portion (2) when the two portions are fastened together in use, and wherein the lid portion (1) and/or the body portion (2) is/are provided with flap means (4) which when the two portions are fastened together in use is located to the exterior of the closure in relation to the sealing means (3) and is arranged substantially to block ingress of dirt of the like between the lid and body portions while allowing some convergence and/or divergence of the lid and body portions when they are fastened together in use.
Description
9s/02267 - 1 - 216 6 ~ ~ 8 pcTlGss4lol482 CLOSURE FOR A CABLE JOINT
The present invention relates to closures for cable joints, particularly closures comprising a lid portion and a body portion.
Closures for cable joints which have the form of a hollow body portion and a lid which may be opened to allow access to the closure are known. For ~x~mple, WR151 PCT lsoon to be publishedl discloses a sleeve having a base body part and a cover body part in the form of a lid that is pivoted with respect to the base. The lid may be fastened closed by me~n.~ of a clamping rail or a clamping screw for ~x~mple, and the closure is sealed by me~ns of a seal interposed between the walls of the base body and the lid.
Cable joint closures are normally required to remain closed and sealed for long periods of time, and during this time the closures often experience relatively severe temperature fluctuations. One advantage of closures which have the form of a body portion and a lid is that they may be opened and re-closed as often as necessary during their oper~tio~ lifetime, generally without disturbing seals to ingoing cables. It is therefore a requirement of such closures that they remain sealed despite experi~n~in~ temperature fluctuations and that they may be reliably re-sealed, once opened, as often as necessary.
According to the in~ ,1 inn, there is provided a closure for a cable joint, comprising a lid portion and a body portion arranged to be fastened together substantially to close the closure, sealing means (such as a strip of sealing material, rllnnin~ for ~x~mple around the perimeter of body and/or lid) for sealing the interior of the closure ~g~in~t ingress of moisture, wherein the sealing me~n~ is located between the lid portion and the body portion when the two portions are fastened together in use, and wherein the lid portion and/or the body portion is/are provided with flap me~n~ which when the two portions are fastened together in use is located to the exterior of the closure in relation to the sealing me~ns and is arranged substantially to block ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions while allowing some convergence and/or divergence of the lid and body portions when they are fastened together in use.
The seaLing means preferably provides a seal between body and lid when body and lid are spaced a .slgnific~nt distance, such as O. l - 5 mm, apart thus wo 95,02267 ~16 6 ~ 8 ` ~ - 2 - PCT/GB94/01482~
allowing relative movement. This can be compared with an ~lhesive bond of in~ignificant thi(~kness that would be irreparably broken by any relative movement between body and lid.
We prefer that movement between body and lid be accommodated by resilience or other deformability of the sealing material or other sealing me~n~.
Such se~ling material etc should therefore be able to wet the surface of the body and/or lid (or otherwise form a seal) and also be able to store energy when the closure is closed. Subsequent rel~ ffon allows a seal to be maintained on body and lid diverge. A sealing material can be chosen that comprises two components (such as two layers) one of which form a seal and the other of which stores energy. This can be achieved, for Px~mple, by me~n.
of a gel or mastic or elastomer. An Px~m~ of s1lit~hle material is a lightly cross-linked silicone or other rubber; different layers of different cross-link dPn~itie.s can be used to form the two comportent~ lefelled to.
In order to ensure that closures of the type having a body portion and a lid portion are sealed from the ellvilo~mPnt, it is therefore normally necessaryto provide a seal between the lid and the body. A problem associated with such an arrangement (especially when a ~ignifiç~nt gap is provided as mPntioned above) is that, during the oper~tion~l life of the closure, dirt, dust, grit or the like often becomes trapped between the lid and the body, (to the exterior of the seal) due to this gap, between the lid and the body. We have found that this gap between the lid and the body is, in fact, desirable since itallows the seal to contract as a result of a change in temperature, for ~x~mple an increase in the temperature, without the environmPnt~l seal being broken.
Huwev~l, if dirt or other foreign m~ttPr is allowed to lodge in the gap between the lid and the body, when the seal contracts as a result of a temperature change, the lid and the body will not be able to converge in order to m~int~in the ellvilollmental seal between them and consequently moisture will be able to enter the closure. In addition, the presence of dirt or the like between the lid and the body may ~levellt a s~ti~f~ctory seal being re-formed once the closure has been opened.
The present invention solves the above problem since it subst~nti~lly ev~llts the ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions of a closure, while allowing the two portions to converge and/or diverge, for ~x~mple as a result of temperature fluctl~tions, and therefore helps to ~o ssto2z67 21 & ~ ~i8 ` ~ . pcTlGgg4lol482 m~int~in the closure e-lvi-o~ mentaUy sealed. Preferably the invention acts substantially to block ingress of dirt when the body and lid at substantially all relative positions thereof arising during service life of the closed closure, and also during relative movement.
Alter~ative ~ttempts to achieve the benefits of the present invention have failed because they have not allowed the lid and body portions to converge and diverge, due for ~ mple, to thermal cycling or to mechanical stresses, throughout the operational lifetime of the closure. For example, the provision of a resiliently compressible foam block between the lid and body portions to the exterior of the seal might initi~lly ~levellt ingress of dirt while allowingcol.vel~ence and divergence of the lid and body. How~ve~, over a period of time foam normally tends to harden until it is no longer resiliently compressible, and it therefore either no longer ~- eve..ts ingress of dirt or no longer allowscol-ve.gence and divergence of the lid and body, and in either case the e..vi.ollmental seal event~1~11y fails.
UK Pa~ent No. 1506748 discloses an enclosure for a cable joint comprising a sleeve having a single axiaUy-directed slit, a plastic sealing masslocated between opposite edges of the slit, and a clamping bar which cooperates with flanges ex~ruding outwardly from the slit, for rl~mpin~ the sleeve closed. One type of sleeve disclosed in GB 1506748 has a projection on the inside of the sleeve, which overlaps the slit in the sleeve and is sealed tothe opposing part of the inside of the sleeve in this overlapping configuration.This type of sleeve is used for cable joints under an internal gas pressure since the projection helps to m~int~in the internal pressure in the sleeve. An alternative type of sleeve disclosed in GB1506748 is formed with a groove along the inside of one of the opposing edges of the slit in the sleeve and with a m:~ting projection on the other opposing edge of the sleeve. This arrangement helps uniformly to distribute a plastic sealing mass inserted into the groove, thereby providing a reliable seal for the sleeve. GB1506748 therefore describes the use of projections to aid the sealing of a cable enclosure in the form of a slit sleeve, but it does not describe or suggest the use of flap me~n.s to block ingress of dirt or the like into the sleeve and does not describe a body and lidat all, nor of course, the resulting problem of opening/closing etc due to thermal or mech~nic~l loads acting on substantially rigid bodies and lids.
Also, a clamping member is fixed across the slit of GB 1506748 and that prevents ingress of dirt into the slit but does not allow mov~m~nt A sleeve is wo 95/02267 216 ~ PCT/GB94/014823 of substantially uniform construction around its circumference and as a result any stresses can be more easily accommodated since deformation can be spread around the circumferences.
The flap me~n.s according to the present invention may have any of a variety of forms. For ~ mpl~, the flap means may be substantially rigid, or it may be flexible. e.g. resiliently flexible, depen-ling on the particular design and requirements of the closure The re~ nce may cause a flap ~tt~hed to the lid to be biased ~g~in~t the body or vice versa, in such a way that relative motion (ylefelably predomin~ntly sli(ling motion) is allowed. This motion may be achieved with ,~i.,i.,.~l bPn-ling or other deformation of the flap, thus prolonging its lifetime. The flap me~n.s may comprise one or more flaps as such which may, for ~ mple, overlap or interlock in a variety of ways, or the flap means may comprise one or more ledges, shoulders and/or recesses in the lid and/or body portions of the closure. One or more flaps may ~ n(l around all or part of the perimeter of the closure.
In a ~lefelled embo-liment of the invention, the flap me~n~ of the closure comprises a flap provided on the exterior of one of the portions (i.e. lid or body portions) of the closure. and is arranged to overlap part of the exterior of theother portion of the closure when the two portions are fastened together in use.This has the advantage of simI)liçity and therefore this preferred embodiment will normally be relatively .~imple and inexpensive to manufacture. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flap is provided on the lid portion of the closure. This embodiment is advantageous because normally the lid portion of the closure will be above the body portion in use, and therefore dirt and debrisfalling on to or pressing down on the closure will not easily become lodged between the flap and the exterior of the closure and consequently will not be able to lodge between the lid and body portions, or to force the flap away from the body.
=
The lid and body portions of the closure according to the invention may have any of a variety of forms. For ~mple, the lid may comprise a relatively flat portion which is arranged to close a body portion in the form of a box, for- ~x~mple a substantially rectangular box. Alternatively, both the lid and body - portions may have .~imil~r shapes, for example they may comprise the two halves of a closure. The closure may ad-lition~lly comprise further portions which may or may not be separable, for ~x~mple the closure may, if desired, 95/02267 _ 5 _ PCT/GB94/01482 comprise a body portion which forms the major part of the closure and which may be closed off by means of two lid portions arranged to be fastened to opposing sides of the body portion.
Dep~ ng upon the particular requirements of the cable closure, it will have one or more cable entry ports, for ~mple apertures or slots, arranged in the desired m~nn~r. A preferred form of closure according to the invention is one arranged for in-line splices, for ~mple for telecomm1mic~tion~ cables, which has cable entry ports provided at opposite ends of the closure.
The cables may be sealed at the join line between body and lid, so each contributes to sealing, but this has the disadvantage that opening of the lid will break the seals to the cables. Thus, it may be desirable if the cables and sealed wholly within one of the body and lid (optionally with one or more ~n(~ ry components).
The present invention is partic~ rly appllc~hle to cable closures in which the lid portion and the body portion are pivoted with respect to each other, for ~ mple hinged together. By "pivoted" we inclllc~e cormections with allow both pivoted and tr~nsl~tioIl~l movPm~ont between the body and lid.
Tr~n~1~tio~l movement might be desirable as the body and lid finally move together in order that any seal between them be not deformed as the closure is closed.
The lid portion and the body portion of the closure may be fastened together in any of a variety of ways. Preferably the closure is provided with one or more ~l~mping elements for fastening the lid and body portions together.
Each clamping çlem~nt preferably has a lon~itlldinal ch~nn~l that has recessed side-walls and is arranged to be slid on to cooperating flanges on the lid and body portions of the closure. More preferably, the loI~gitlldinal ch~3nnçl of each clamping element is also subst~nti~lly wedge-shaped and is arranged to be slid on to correspon~lingly wedge-shaped flanges on the lid and body portions so that the two portions become more tightly fastened together as the clamping ~l.omçnt is pushed along the flanges.
The inv~nffon will now be described, by way of ~ mple, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
wo 95,02267 2 1 G ~ ~ 5 ~ - 6 - PCT/GB9410148~
Figure 1, shows a fIrst embodiment of the inventio~;
Figure 2A and 2B, show a second embodiments of the invention; and Figure 3, shows a cable splice case embodying the invention.
Figure 1 shows a sealing means (3) located between a lid and portion (1) and a body portion (2) of a cable splice case. The lid portion (1) carries a flap me~n.~ (4) which can be seen to block a gap between the lid me~nct (1) and the body me~ns (2) but which can allow some col,v~:lgency and/or divergence between them. In this way sealing me~n.s (3) is protected from ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions allowing it to retain its sealing properties during service life of the splice closure, even after re-entry. The lid portion (1) and body portion (2) are held together by a ~l~mpin~ m~nt (5) which can be seen to have deformed the sealing me~n~ (3) preferably by putting it under compression but which still allows the requisite movement between lid portion (1) and body portion (2).
The çl~mp1ng el~ment (5) of the embo~liment of Figure 1 acts on protr~ on.~ of the lid portion (1) and body portion (2), one of which portions carries the flap me~n~ (4). The clamp shown has the form of a dove-tail joint where the protr l~io~.~ on the lid portion and body portion and the groove in the clamping el~ment (5) may taper (for ~mple into the papers drawn), in which case movement of the (~l~mping ~l~ment over the protrl~.s10~.s brings the lid and body portions together.
The c.l~mpin~ arrangement of Figure 1 is not huwt:vel necessary, and Figure 2A shows the invention in the absence of any particular clamping arrangement. Thus, a mechanical fastening between lid portion (1) and body portion (2) may be provided independently of and/separated from the flap me~n.~ (4). Figure 2B shows an alternative employing a claim simil~r to that of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a cable splice closure that may embody the invention. A
sealing me~n~ (3) can be seen to run around a perimeter of a body portion (2) of the splice closure thereby forming a seal between body portion (2) and lid portion (1) when they are brought together by pivoting around hinge (10). A
flap (4) will protection sealing me~n~ (3) ~g~in.~t ingress of dirt for the like.
~O 95/02267 7 216 6 ~ ~ 8 PCT/GB94/01482 .
Slots (6) may be provided into protrusions provided for engagement withclamping eIements (5). Alternatively such slots (6) may be provided conffn-~Qusly along an edge of the body portion (2) for receipt of the flap me~ns (4). A flap (4) may ~xtçn~l all around the perimeter of, for ex~mple, the lip portion (1) or separate flaps (4) and (11) may be provided at different parts ofthe perimeter.
Other features of the cable splice closure are visible in Figure 3, for ~x~mple, cable ports (7), cable gripping Pl~mlont~ (8) and optical fibre organiser trays (9). The splice closure may huwt:v~l be designed for copper pairs or for coa~nal cables, in which case it would contain, for e~r~mple, me~n.~ for org~ni.sin~ or securing copper pairs or CATV splitter circuits.
~ he hinge (10) as shown allows for merely pivotal motion between the lid portion (1) and body portion (2) but it may be de.slgne~ to allow some tr~n.~l~tion~l motion between lid portion (1) and body portion (2), particularlyat the la~st stages of closure of lid portion and body portion. This f~ lit~tes even pressure being applied all around the sealing me~n.~ (3). It also f~rilit~tes provision of flap me~n.~ along the hinged edges of the lid portion and body portion since slicling motion of a flap me~n.~ over (for ~x~mI-le) the body portion is thereby made easier. This tr~n.sl~ti~nal movement between lid portion (1) and body portion (2) may be achieved using a hinge that comprises a pivot pin in the lid por~ion (or body portion) that is received in an elongate slot in thebody portion (or lid portion). Such a slot preferably has a width subst~nti~lly equal to the diameter of the pivot pin and has a length greater than that diameter ~n~llng subst~nti~lly perpendicular to the plane at which the lid portion and body portions meet.
The present invention relates to closures for cable joints, particularly closures comprising a lid portion and a body portion.
Closures for cable joints which have the form of a hollow body portion and a lid which may be opened to allow access to the closure are known. For ~x~mple, WR151 PCT lsoon to be publishedl discloses a sleeve having a base body part and a cover body part in the form of a lid that is pivoted with respect to the base. The lid may be fastened closed by me~n.~ of a clamping rail or a clamping screw for ~x~mple, and the closure is sealed by me~ns of a seal interposed between the walls of the base body and the lid.
Cable joint closures are normally required to remain closed and sealed for long periods of time, and during this time the closures often experience relatively severe temperature fluctuations. One advantage of closures which have the form of a body portion and a lid is that they may be opened and re-closed as often as necessary during their oper~tio~ lifetime, generally without disturbing seals to ingoing cables. It is therefore a requirement of such closures that they remain sealed despite experi~n~in~ temperature fluctuations and that they may be reliably re-sealed, once opened, as often as necessary.
According to the in~ ,1 inn, there is provided a closure for a cable joint, comprising a lid portion and a body portion arranged to be fastened together substantially to close the closure, sealing means (such as a strip of sealing material, rllnnin~ for ~x~mple around the perimeter of body and/or lid) for sealing the interior of the closure ~g~in~t ingress of moisture, wherein the sealing me~n~ is located between the lid portion and the body portion when the two portions are fastened together in use, and wherein the lid portion and/or the body portion is/are provided with flap me~n~ which when the two portions are fastened together in use is located to the exterior of the closure in relation to the sealing me~ns and is arranged substantially to block ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions while allowing some convergence and/or divergence of the lid and body portions when they are fastened together in use.
The seaLing means preferably provides a seal between body and lid when body and lid are spaced a .slgnific~nt distance, such as O. l - 5 mm, apart thus wo 95,02267 ~16 6 ~ 8 ` ~ - 2 - PCT/GB94/01482~
allowing relative movement. This can be compared with an ~lhesive bond of in~ignificant thi(~kness that would be irreparably broken by any relative movement between body and lid.
We prefer that movement between body and lid be accommodated by resilience or other deformability of the sealing material or other sealing me~n~.
Such se~ling material etc should therefore be able to wet the surface of the body and/or lid (or otherwise form a seal) and also be able to store energy when the closure is closed. Subsequent rel~ ffon allows a seal to be maintained on body and lid diverge. A sealing material can be chosen that comprises two components (such as two layers) one of which form a seal and the other of which stores energy. This can be achieved, for Px~mple, by me~n.
of a gel or mastic or elastomer. An Px~m~ of s1lit~hle material is a lightly cross-linked silicone or other rubber; different layers of different cross-link dPn~itie.s can be used to form the two comportent~ lefelled to.
In order to ensure that closures of the type having a body portion and a lid portion are sealed from the ellvilo~mPnt, it is therefore normally necessaryto provide a seal between the lid and the body. A problem associated with such an arrangement (especially when a ~ignifiç~nt gap is provided as mPntioned above) is that, during the oper~tion~l life of the closure, dirt, dust, grit or the like often becomes trapped between the lid and the body, (to the exterior of the seal) due to this gap, between the lid and the body. We have found that this gap between the lid and the body is, in fact, desirable since itallows the seal to contract as a result of a change in temperature, for ~x~mple an increase in the temperature, without the environmPnt~l seal being broken.
Huwev~l, if dirt or other foreign m~ttPr is allowed to lodge in the gap between the lid and the body, when the seal contracts as a result of a temperature change, the lid and the body will not be able to converge in order to m~int~in the ellvilollmental seal between them and consequently moisture will be able to enter the closure. In addition, the presence of dirt or the like between the lid and the body may ~levellt a s~ti~f~ctory seal being re-formed once the closure has been opened.
The present invention solves the above problem since it subst~nti~lly ev~llts the ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions of a closure, while allowing the two portions to converge and/or diverge, for ~x~mple as a result of temperature fluctl~tions, and therefore helps to ~o ssto2z67 21 & ~ ~i8 ` ~ . pcTlGgg4lol482 m~int~in the closure e-lvi-o~ mentaUy sealed. Preferably the invention acts substantially to block ingress of dirt when the body and lid at substantially all relative positions thereof arising during service life of the closed closure, and also during relative movement.
Alter~ative ~ttempts to achieve the benefits of the present invention have failed because they have not allowed the lid and body portions to converge and diverge, due for ~ mple, to thermal cycling or to mechanical stresses, throughout the operational lifetime of the closure. For example, the provision of a resiliently compressible foam block between the lid and body portions to the exterior of the seal might initi~lly ~levellt ingress of dirt while allowingcol.vel~ence and divergence of the lid and body. How~ve~, over a period of time foam normally tends to harden until it is no longer resiliently compressible, and it therefore either no longer ~- eve..ts ingress of dirt or no longer allowscol-ve.gence and divergence of the lid and body, and in either case the e..vi.ollmental seal event~1~11y fails.
UK Pa~ent No. 1506748 discloses an enclosure for a cable joint comprising a sleeve having a single axiaUy-directed slit, a plastic sealing masslocated between opposite edges of the slit, and a clamping bar which cooperates with flanges ex~ruding outwardly from the slit, for rl~mpin~ the sleeve closed. One type of sleeve disclosed in GB 1506748 has a projection on the inside of the sleeve, which overlaps the slit in the sleeve and is sealed tothe opposing part of the inside of the sleeve in this overlapping configuration.This type of sleeve is used for cable joints under an internal gas pressure since the projection helps to m~int~in the internal pressure in the sleeve. An alternative type of sleeve disclosed in GB1506748 is formed with a groove along the inside of one of the opposing edges of the slit in the sleeve and with a m:~ting projection on the other opposing edge of the sleeve. This arrangement helps uniformly to distribute a plastic sealing mass inserted into the groove, thereby providing a reliable seal for the sleeve. GB1506748 therefore describes the use of projections to aid the sealing of a cable enclosure in the form of a slit sleeve, but it does not describe or suggest the use of flap me~n.s to block ingress of dirt or the like into the sleeve and does not describe a body and lidat all, nor of course, the resulting problem of opening/closing etc due to thermal or mech~nic~l loads acting on substantially rigid bodies and lids.
Also, a clamping member is fixed across the slit of GB 1506748 and that prevents ingress of dirt into the slit but does not allow mov~m~nt A sleeve is wo 95/02267 216 ~ PCT/GB94/014823 of substantially uniform construction around its circumference and as a result any stresses can be more easily accommodated since deformation can be spread around the circumferences.
The flap me~n.s according to the present invention may have any of a variety of forms. For ~ mpl~, the flap means may be substantially rigid, or it may be flexible. e.g. resiliently flexible, depen-ling on the particular design and requirements of the closure The re~ nce may cause a flap ~tt~hed to the lid to be biased ~g~in~t the body or vice versa, in such a way that relative motion (ylefelably predomin~ntly sli(ling motion) is allowed. This motion may be achieved with ,~i.,i.,.~l bPn-ling or other deformation of the flap, thus prolonging its lifetime. The flap me~n.s may comprise one or more flaps as such which may, for ~ mple, overlap or interlock in a variety of ways, or the flap means may comprise one or more ledges, shoulders and/or recesses in the lid and/or body portions of the closure. One or more flaps may ~ n(l around all or part of the perimeter of the closure.
In a ~lefelled embo-liment of the invention, the flap me~n~ of the closure comprises a flap provided on the exterior of one of the portions (i.e. lid or body portions) of the closure. and is arranged to overlap part of the exterior of theother portion of the closure when the two portions are fastened together in use.This has the advantage of simI)liçity and therefore this preferred embodiment will normally be relatively .~imple and inexpensive to manufacture. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flap is provided on the lid portion of the closure. This embodiment is advantageous because normally the lid portion of the closure will be above the body portion in use, and therefore dirt and debrisfalling on to or pressing down on the closure will not easily become lodged between the flap and the exterior of the closure and consequently will not be able to lodge between the lid and body portions, or to force the flap away from the body.
=
The lid and body portions of the closure according to the invention may have any of a variety of forms. For ~mple, the lid may comprise a relatively flat portion which is arranged to close a body portion in the form of a box, for- ~x~mple a substantially rectangular box. Alternatively, both the lid and body - portions may have .~imil~r shapes, for example they may comprise the two halves of a closure. The closure may ad-lition~lly comprise further portions which may or may not be separable, for ~x~mple the closure may, if desired, 95/02267 _ 5 _ PCT/GB94/01482 comprise a body portion which forms the major part of the closure and which may be closed off by means of two lid portions arranged to be fastened to opposing sides of the body portion.
Dep~ ng upon the particular requirements of the cable closure, it will have one or more cable entry ports, for ~mple apertures or slots, arranged in the desired m~nn~r. A preferred form of closure according to the invention is one arranged for in-line splices, for ~mple for telecomm1mic~tion~ cables, which has cable entry ports provided at opposite ends of the closure.
The cables may be sealed at the join line between body and lid, so each contributes to sealing, but this has the disadvantage that opening of the lid will break the seals to the cables. Thus, it may be desirable if the cables and sealed wholly within one of the body and lid (optionally with one or more ~n(~ ry components).
The present invention is partic~ rly appllc~hle to cable closures in which the lid portion and the body portion are pivoted with respect to each other, for ~ mple hinged together. By "pivoted" we inclllc~e cormections with allow both pivoted and tr~nsl~tioIl~l movPm~ont between the body and lid.
Tr~n~1~tio~l movement might be desirable as the body and lid finally move together in order that any seal between them be not deformed as the closure is closed.
The lid portion and the body portion of the closure may be fastened together in any of a variety of ways. Preferably the closure is provided with one or more ~l~mping elements for fastening the lid and body portions together.
Each clamping çlem~nt preferably has a lon~itlldinal ch~nn~l that has recessed side-walls and is arranged to be slid on to cooperating flanges on the lid and body portions of the closure. More preferably, the loI~gitlldinal ch~3nnçl of each clamping element is also subst~nti~lly wedge-shaped and is arranged to be slid on to correspon~lingly wedge-shaped flanges on the lid and body portions so that the two portions become more tightly fastened together as the clamping ~l.omçnt is pushed along the flanges.
The inv~nffon will now be described, by way of ~ mple, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
wo 95,02267 2 1 G ~ ~ 5 ~ - 6 - PCT/GB9410148~
Figure 1, shows a fIrst embodiment of the inventio~;
Figure 2A and 2B, show a second embodiments of the invention; and Figure 3, shows a cable splice case embodying the invention.
Figure 1 shows a sealing means (3) located between a lid and portion (1) and a body portion (2) of a cable splice case. The lid portion (1) carries a flap me~n.~ (4) which can be seen to block a gap between the lid me~nct (1) and the body me~ns (2) but which can allow some col,v~:lgency and/or divergence between them. In this way sealing me~n.s (3) is protected from ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions allowing it to retain its sealing properties during service life of the splice closure, even after re-entry. The lid portion (1) and body portion (2) are held together by a ~l~mpin~ m~nt (5) which can be seen to have deformed the sealing me~n~ (3) preferably by putting it under compression but which still allows the requisite movement between lid portion (1) and body portion (2).
The çl~mp1ng el~ment (5) of the embo~liment of Figure 1 acts on protr~ on.~ of the lid portion (1) and body portion (2), one of which portions carries the flap me~n~ (4). The clamp shown has the form of a dove-tail joint where the protr l~io~.~ on the lid portion and body portion and the groove in the clamping el~ment (5) may taper (for ~mple into the papers drawn), in which case movement of the (~l~mping ~l~ment over the protrl~.s10~.s brings the lid and body portions together.
The c.l~mpin~ arrangement of Figure 1 is not huwt:vel necessary, and Figure 2A shows the invention in the absence of any particular clamping arrangement. Thus, a mechanical fastening between lid portion (1) and body portion (2) may be provided independently of and/separated from the flap me~n.~ (4). Figure 2B shows an alternative employing a claim simil~r to that of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a cable splice closure that may embody the invention. A
sealing me~n~ (3) can be seen to run around a perimeter of a body portion (2) of the splice closure thereby forming a seal between body portion (2) and lid portion (1) when they are brought together by pivoting around hinge (10). A
flap (4) will protection sealing me~n~ (3) ~g~in.~t ingress of dirt for the like.
~O 95/02267 7 216 6 ~ ~ 8 PCT/GB94/01482 .
Slots (6) may be provided into protrusions provided for engagement withclamping eIements (5). Alternatively such slots (6) may be provided conffn-~Qusly along an edge of the body portion (2) for receipt of the flap me~ns (4). A flap (4) may ~xtçn~l all around the perimeter of, for ex~mple, the lip portion (1) or separate flaps (4) and (11) may be provided at different parts ofthe perimeter.
Other features of the cable splice closure are visible in Figure 3, for ~x~mple, cable ports (7), cable gripping Pl~mlont~ (8) and optical fibre organiser trays (9). The splice closure may huwt:v~l be designed for copper pairs or for coa~nal cables, in which case it would contain, for e~r~mple, me~n.~ for org~ni.sin~ or securing copper pairs or CATV splitter circuits.
~ he hinge (10) as shown allows for merely pivotal motion between the lid portion (1) and body portion (2) but it may be de.slgne~ to allow some tr~n.~l~tion~l motion between lid portion (1) and body portion (2), particularlyat the la~st stages of closure of lid portion and body portion. This f~ lit~tes even pressure being applied all around the sealing me~n.~ (3). It also f~rilit~tes provision of flap me~n.~ along the hinged edges of the lid portion and body portion since slicling motion of a flap me~n.~ over (for ~x~mI-le) the body portion is thereby made easier. This tr~n.sl~ti~nal movement between lid portion (1) and body portion (2) may be achieved using a hinge that comprises a pivot pin in the lid por~ion (or body portion) that is received in an elongate slot in thebody portion (or lid portion). Such a slot preferably has a width subst~nti~lly equal to the diameter of the pivot pin and has a length greater than that diameter ~n~llng subst~nti~lly perpendicular to the plane at which the lid portion and body portions meet.
Claims (7)
1. A closure for a cable joint, comprising a lid portion and a body portion arranged to be fastened together substantially to close the closure, sealing means for sealing the interior of the closure against ingress of moisture, wherein the sealing means is located between the lid portion and the body portion when the two portions are fastened together in use, and wherein the lid portion and/or the body portion is/are provided with flap means which when the two portions are fastened together in use is located to the exterior of the closure in relation to the sealing means and is arranged substantially to block ingress of dirt or the like between the lid and body portions while allowing some convergence and/or divergence of the lid and body portions when they are fastened together in use.
2. A closure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flap means comprises a flap provided on the exterior of one of the portions of the closure, and is arranged to overlap part of the exterior of the other portion of the closure when the two portions are fastened together in use.
3. As closure as claim in claim 2, wherein the flap is provided on the lid portion of the closure.
4. A closure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid portion and the body portion are hinged together.
5. A closure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided with one or more clamping elements for fastening the lid portion and the body portion together.
6. A closure an claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the flap means of the lid portion or body portion is held in resilient bias against respectively the body portion or lid portion.
7. A closure as claimed in any of claims 1-6, wherein convergence and/or divergence of the lid portion and body portion causes relative motion that is predominantly sliding between the flap means and the lid portion or body portion.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB939314090A GB9314090D0 (en) | 1993-07-08 | 1993-07-08 | Closure for a cable joint |
| GB9314090.3 | 1993-07-08 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2166558A1 true CA2166558A1 (en) | 1995-01-19 |
Family
ID=10738455
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2166558 Abandoned CA2166558A1 (en) | 1993-07-08 | 1994-07-08 | Closure for a cable joint |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0707750A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JPH09502858A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2166558A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB9314090D0 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1995002267A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5606150A (en) * | 1995-07-25 | 1997-02-25 | The Whitaker Corporation | Enclosure for spliced cable |
| US5691508A (en) * | 1995-07-25 | 1997-11-25 | The Whitaker Corporation | Enclosure for spliced multiconductor cable |
| FR2748868B1 (en) * | 1996-05-15 | 1998-06-26 | Alcatel Cable Interface | WATERPROOF CABLE CONNECTION BOX |
| US6283670B1 (en) | 1999-01-27 | 2001-09-04 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Splice case having a seam sealed by at least one clamping rail |
| US7464728B2 (en) | 2005-08-29 | 2008-12-16 | Cairns James L | Pipe seal assembly and method |
| US7388152B2 (en) | 2005-08-29 | 2008-06-17 | Ocean Design, Inc. | Cable seal assembly and method |
| CN202034750U (en) * | 2010-09-20 | 2011-11-09 | 泰科电子(上海)有限公司 | Cable joint box assembly |
| JP7382865B2 (en) * | 2020-03-18 | 2023-11-17 | 古河電気工業株式会社 | electrical junction box |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE7110096U (en) * | 1971-03-17 | 1971-06-16 | Felten & Guilleaume Kabelwerke Ag | Long-split cable sleeve, especially for communication cables |
| DE2158993A1 (en) * | 1971-11-25 | 1973-05-30 | Siemens Ag | CABLE SET, IN PARTICULAR DISTRIBUTION SOCKET FOR MESSAGE CABLES, WITH A LENGTH-DIVIDED HOUSING |
| DE7423507U (en) * | 1974-07-10 | 1974-11-14 | Siemens Ag | Cable sleeve |
| CA1275460C (en) * | 1985-10-14 | 1990-10-23 | Klaus Pichler | Cable joint with peripheral sealing bodies |
| DE3717980C2 (en) * | 1987-05-27 | 1996-05-02 | Siemens Ag | Locking system for a longitudinally divided cable sleeve made of plastic |
-
1993
- 1993-07-08 GB GB939314090A patent/GB9314090D0/en active Pending
-
1994
- 1994-07-08 CA CA 2166558 patent/CA2166558A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1994-07-08 WO PCT/GB1994/001482 patent/WO1995002267A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1994-07-08 EP EP94919793A patent/EP0707750A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1994-07-08 JP JP7503925A patent/JPH09502858A/en not_active Ceased
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO1995002267A1 (en) | 1995-01-19 |
| GB9314090D0 (en) | 1993-08-18 |
| EP0707750A1 (en) | 1996-04-24 |
| JPH09502858A (en) | 1997-03-18 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |