Tyco Electronics Corporation

Te Connectivity Corporation

Tyco Electronics Brasil Ltda

Edward O'Sullivan

Mahmoud Kabir Seraj

Sherif I Kamel

George W Pullium, Iii

Owen Gregory

Steven Mitchell

Harry George Yaworski

Charles Dudley Copper

Matthew Peter Galla

Kok Chywn Chuang

Jose Alexandre La Salvia

Ganpathy Iyer

Charles Hills

George Triantopoulos

Senthil Asok Kumar

John Anthony Newman

Henry Otto Herrmann, Jr

Jonathan Conrad Cornelius

Senthil Asokkumar

John A Newman

A pre-expanded cover assembly unit for covering an electrical connection between first and second cables includes a cover assembly in a folded state including an elastomeric outer sleeve defining a cable passage to receive the electrical connection. The outer sleeve includes an intermediate section and first and second outer sections. The first outer section is folded at a first annular fold and is on the intermediate section and/or the second outer section. The cover assembly includes a first retention layer between the intermediate section and the first outer section. The cover assembly includes a first friction reducing layer between the first retention layer and the first outer section. The cover assembly unit includes a removable holdout mounted within the outer sleeve. The cover assembly is movable from a folded state to an unfolded state by sliding the first outer section in a first axial direction away from the intermediate section.

Cover assemblies for cables and electrical connections and pre-expanded units and methods including same

An integral, unitary pre-expanded cover assembly unit for covering an electrical connection between first and second electrical cables each having a primary conductor and a neutral conductor includes a cover assembly, a holdout and a holdout support. The cover assembly includes an elastomeric sleeve and a duct. The elastomeric sleeve defines a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables. The duct overlies the elastomeric sleeve. The duct defines a duct passage configured to receive at least one of the neutral conductors therethrough. The holdout is removably mounted within the cable passage of the elastomeric sleeve. The holdout defines a holdout passage. The holdout maintains the elastomeric sleeve in an expanded state. The holdout support is removably mounted within the holdout passage. The holdout support reinforces the holdout.

Holdout supports and pre-expanded units and methods including same

An integral, unitary pre-expanded cover assembly unit for covering an electrical connection between first and second electrical cables each having a primary conductor and a sleeve defines a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables. The outer sleeve surrounds the inner sleeve. The duct is neutral conductor includes a cover assembly and a removable holdout. The cover assembly includes an elastomeric inner sleeve, an elastomeric outer sleeve, and a duct. The inner interposed radially between the inner and outer sleeves. The duct defines a duct passage configured to receive at least one of the neutral conductors therethrough. The holdout is mounted within the inner sleeve. The holdout is operative to temporarily maintain the inner sleeve in an expanded state and the outer sleeve in an expanded state. The duct is flexible. The duct is operative to resist radial collapse of the duct and to bend radially inwardly as the holdout is axially removed from the inner sleeve.

A sealing system for forming an environmentally sealed joint with an elongate member includes a tubular substrate, a pre-expanded cover unit, and a flowable sealant. The tubular substrate includes an integral guide feature and defines a substrate bore to receive a portion of the elongate member. The pre-expanded cover unit includes a holdout and a tubular cover sleeve. The holdout includes a helically wound strip forming a tubular holdout body and a rip cord. The holdout body defines a holdout passage extending axially therethrough. The tubular cover sleeve is mounted on the holdout body. The holdout maintains the cover sleeve in a radially elastically expanded state. With the elongate member positioned with a portion thereof extending from the tubular substrate and a layer of the sealant mounted on an outer surface of the tubular substrate and/or on an outer surface of the elongate member, the pre-expandable unit can be mounted around the layer of sealant and the holdout can then be removed from the cover sleeve by withdrawing the rip cord through the holdout passage between the layer of the sealant and the holdout body to remove the holdout body and thereby permit the cover sleeve to radially contract about the tubular substrate and the elongate member, and the guide feature serves to prevent or inhibit the rip cord from contacting the layer of the sealant as the rip cord is withdrawn through the holdout passage.

Sealing systems and methods for elongate members

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, includes an elastomeric inner sleeve, an elastomeric outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve, and a collapsible duct assembly interposed radially between the inner and outer sleeves. The inner sleeve defines a cable passage to receive the electrical connection and the primary conductors of the first and second cables. The duct assembly includes an outer duct sleeve member defining a first passage and an inner retention member disposed in the first passage. The retention member maintains the duct sleeve member in an open configuration when the retention member is disposed in the first passage. The duct sleeve member is selectively collapsible about the at least one neutral conductor from the open configuration to a collapsed configuration by withdrawing the retention member from the first passage.

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

A cover assembly for covering an elongate substrate includes a holdout device and a resilient, elastically radially expanded sleeve member. The holdout device includes a core having an axially extending slit defined therein and defining a core passage to receive the substrate, and a designated target region. The sleeve member defines an axially extending sleeve passage. The sleeve member is mounted on the core such that the core is disposed in the sleeve passage and the sleeve member exerts a radially compressive recovery force on the core. When the substrate is disposed in the core passage and a radially directed release force is applied to the target region, the core will reduce in circumference and collapse around the substrate under the recovery force of the sleeve member to a collapsed position.

Methods for covering an elongate substrate

A controlled torque fastener for use with a substrate includes a first driver engagement feature and a primary fastener portion connected to the first driver engagement feature. The primary fastener portion includes a threaded fastening portion and a second driver engagement feature connected to the threaded fastening portion. The first driver engagement feature is configured to be engaged by a first driver to enable the first driver to tighten the controlled torque fastener onto the substrate until the first driver engagement feature breaks off from the primary fastener portion. The second driver engagement feature includes a socket configured to receive a second driver and to enable the received second driver to apply a torque to the primary fastener portion.

Controlled torque fasteners and methods for using same

Holdout devices and cover assemblies and methods incorporating the same

An electrical connector for forming a mechanical and electrical coupling with an electrical conductor includes a tubular housing, at least one jaw member, a sealant containment membrane, and a sealant. The tubular housing has a connector axis. The housing defines a conductor receiving opening and an interior cavity each configured to receive the conductor along the connector axis. The at least one jaw member is configured to clamp the conductor within the interior cavity. The sealant containment membrane is disposed in the interior cavity and defines a sealant chamber. The sealant is contained in the sealant chamber in the interior cavity to environmentally protect an electrical contact engagement between the conductor and the electrical connector when the conductor is clamped in the interior cavity by the at least one jaw member.

Electrical connectors and methods for using same

A method for environmentally protecting a terminal block includes providing a sealing device including: a base substrate having an anchoring surface; and a gel sealant body having an engagement surface. The gel sealant body is secured to the anchoring surface and extends forwardly from the anchoring surface to the engagement surface. The method further includes: applying the sealing device to the terminal block such that the gel sealant body is interposed between the terminal block and the base substrate and the engagement surface engages the terminal block; and wrapping a retainer member around the terminal block and securing the sealing device to the terminal block using the retainer member.

Apparatus and methods for environmentally sealing terminal blocks

A conductor termination system for use with an electrical power transmission conductor includes a termination assembly and a connector. The termination assembly includes an end member and an integral retainer mechanism. The end member includes a receiver portion configured to receive a segment of the conductor. The retainer mechanism includes a moveable keeper member on the end member. The retainer mechanism is operable to selectively clamp a segment of the conductor in the receiver portion to the end member and to apply a retention load to the conductor segment. The connector is adapted to be applied to the end member and the conductor to securely clamp the conductor segment to the end member.

Cable termination systems and isolating apparatus for electrical power transmission conductors and methods using the same

A disconnectable joint system includes first and second connectors and a coupling fastener. The first connector defines a first conductor bore to receive a first cable conductor, and a first coupling portion including a first coupling bore and a first integral interlock feature. The second connector defines a second conductor bore to receive a second cable conductor, and a second coupling portion including a second coupling bore and a second integral interlock feature. The first and second coupling portions are mateable in an interlocked position wherein the first and second interlock features are interlocked with one another, the first and second coupling bores are substantially aligned, and the coupling fastener can be inserted through the first and second coupling bores and tightened to securely couple the first and second connectors to one another. The first and second connectors can be separated upon removal of the coupling fastener.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Edward O'Sullivan