Sealing systems and methods for elongate members
View Patent ↗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the guide feature serves to prevent or inhibit the rip cord from contacting the layer of the sealant as the rip cord is withdrawn through the holdout passage.
1. A sealing system for forming an environmentally sealed joint with an elongate member, the sealing system comprising:
a tubular substrate including an integral, radially outwardly projecting, annular guide flange and defining a substrate bore to receive a portion of the elongate member;
a pre-expanded cover unit including:
a holdout including a helically wound strip, the strip forming a tubular holdout body and a rip cord, the holdout body defining a holdout passage extending axially therethrough; and
a tubular cover sleeve mounted on the holdout body, wherein the holdout maintains the cover sleeve in a radially elastically expanded state; and
wherein, with:
the elongate member positioned with a portion of the elongate member extending from the tubular substrate,
a primary sealant layer mounted on an outer surface of the tubular substrate, and
a secondary sealant layer mounted on an outer surface of the elongate member,
the pre-expanded cover unit is configured to be mounted around the primary sealant layer and the secondary sealant layer, and the holdout is configured to then be removed from the cover sleeve by withdrawing the rip cord through the holdout passage between the primary sealant layer and the holdout body and between the secondary sealant layer 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;
wherein the guide flange projects outwardly beyond an outer surface of the primary sealant layer, and an inner diameter of the holdout passage is greater than an outer diameter of the guide flange combined with a thickness of the rip cord, and the guide flange serves to prevent or inhibit the rip cord from contacting the primary sealant layer and the secondary sealant layer as the rip cord is withdrawn through the holdout passage; and
wherein:
the tubular substrate includes an annular second flange axially spaced apart from the guide flange;
the guide flange and the second flange define an annular groove therebetween; and
the primary sealant layer is disposed in the groove.
2. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the elongate member is an electrical cable.
3. The sealing system of claim 2 wherein the electrical cable includes an electrical conductor surrounded by an electrically insulative jacket.
4. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the guide flange has a guide flange height from the outer surface of the tubular substrate to the outer diameter of the guide flange of at least 0.25 inch.
5. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein
a nominal spacing is defined between an outer surface of at least one of the primary and secondary sealant layers and the outer diameter of the guide flange of at least 0.125 inch.
6. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the guide flange has a rounded axial profile.
7. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the guide flange is formed of a rigid material.
8. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the primary and secondary sealant layers includes a flowable, electrically insulative mastic.
9. The sealing system of claim 8 wherein at least one of the primary and secondary sealant layers includes a rubber-based mastic.
10. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the cover sleeve is formed of an elastomeric material.
11. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the cover sleeve is formed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.
12. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the tubular substrate is a coupler fitting for use in an electrical connector coupling assembly, and includes:
a tubular body;
an annular coupling flange projecting radially outwardly from the body;
a tubular extension section projecting axially from the body; and
an axial bore extending through the body and the extension section.
13. The sealing system of claim 1 wherein the guide flange is continuous and circumferentially endless.