Sleeve for barrier connector, and barrier connector
View Patent ↗A barrier connector has a through bore for the passage of cables ( 103 ) which are sealed with an epoxy putty ( 104 ). A cup ( 25 ) and insert ( 35 ) define an annulus within which the putty is confined. A circular groove ( 42 ) is provided in one end of the insert to lock the putty against radial shrinkage or expansion.
1. A sleeve of a barrier connector, comprising:
a circular cup having a first through bore for a cable, and a mouth at one end of said first through bore, and
a circular insert insertable in said mouth and having a second through bore for a cable,
said cup and insert together defining an annulus therebetween, said annulus extending radially outwardly of said first and second through bores, and one of said cup and insert defining a groove having a base and two sidewalls and facing in the direction of the axis of said first and second through bores into said annulus, wherein the groove is configured to engage a sealant inserted in the annulus.
2. A sleeve according to claim 1 wherein said groove is circular and continuous, and is provided in an end face of said insert.
3. A sleeve according to claim 1 wherein the first through bore of said cup has an internal step, said step defining one axial end of said annulus.
4. A sleeve according to claim 3 wherein said step comprises a circular face of substantially constant width.
5. A sleeve according to claim 4 wherein said face is at an acute angle to a transverse plane of said cup, and faces inwardly.
6. A sleeve according to claim 1 wherein said insert includes a projection extending radially outwardly thereof, said projection being adapted to limit insertion of the insert into said mouth.
7. A sleeve according to claim 6 wherein a circular seal groove is provided around said insert between said projection and the end face insertable into said cup.
8. A sleeve according to claim 7 wherein the mouth of said cup has an internal chamfer facing said seal groove in use.
9. A sleeve according to claim 1 wherein the base of said cup comprises a continuous inturned lip.
10. A sleeve according to claim 1 wherein the outer surface of said cup is radially stepped to define a major diameter adjacent the mouth end, and a minor diameter at the opposite end.
11. A sleeve according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a core in said first and second through bores, and
a cured sealant in said annulus, said sealant extending into each of said first and second through bores to seal said core therein.
12. A barrier connector including a sleeve assembly according to claim 1 .
13. The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the groove is formed between an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the circular insert.
14. The sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises a cured compound, and wherein the groove is configured to be filled by the cured compound and the groove acts to resist radial movement of the cured compound.