Cable connector system and a method of connecting electrical cables

1. A cable connector system for connecting electrical cables, the cable connector system comprising:

a connector including:

a connector body including:

a connector outer surface, wherein the connector outer surface is curved; and

a bolt bore intersecting the connector outer surface at a bore opening; and

a shear bolt configured to be mounted in the bolt bore to secure an electrical cable in the connector body; and

a plug including a head and configured to be mounted in the bolt bore at the bore opening;

wherein the head has a head outer surface and the head outer surface is curve& and

wherein the plug is formed of an elastomeric material.

2. The cable connector system of claim 1 wherein:

the connector outer surface has an arcuate profile; and

the head outer surface has an arcuate profile that substantially matches the arcuate profile of the connector outer surface.

3. The cable connector system of claim 2 wherein:

the connector outer surface has a rectilinear profile in a cross-section perpendicular to the arcuate profile of the connector outer surface; and

the head outer surface has a rectilinear profile in a cross-section perpendicular to the arcuate profile of the head outer surface.

4. The cable connector system of claim 1 wherein, when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore, the head outer surface protrudes outwardly beyond the connector outer surface.

5. The cable connector system of claim 1 wherein the head of the plug is configured to form an interference fit with the bolt bore when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore to secure the plug in the bolt bore.

6. The cable connector system of claim 5 wherein:

the bolt bore includes a threaded main section and a counterbore between the threaded main section and the connector outer surface; and

the head of the plug is configured to form an interference fit with the counterbore when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore to secure the plug in the bolt bore.

7. The cable connector system of claim 1 wherein:

the shear bolt is adapted to be screwed down into the bolt bore to secure a cable in the connector;

the shear bolt is configured to break apart upon application of sufficient torque to the shear bolt, whereupon a first portion of the shear bolt can be removed from the connector body while a remaining portion of the shear bolt remains in the bolt bore, the remaining portion including a bolt cavity defined therein;

the plug includes a base integral with the head; and

the base is configured to be received in the bolt cavity such that the base forms an interference fit with the remaining portion to thereby secure the plug in the bolt bore.

8. The cable connector system of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric material has a Shore A hardness in the range of from about 25 to 75.

9. The cable connector system of claim 1 further including an elastomeric sleeve configured to be mounted on the connector body and the plug such that the elastomeric sleeve surrounds the connector body and presses the plug into the bolt bore.

10. The cable connector system of claim 9 wherein the elastomeric sleeve includes an integral Faraday cage that contacts the connector body when the elastomeric sleeve is mounted on the connector body.

11. A cable connector system for connecting electrical cables, the cable connector system comprising:

a connector including:

a connector body including:

a connector outer surface, wherein the connector outer surface is curved; and

a bolt bore intersecting the connector outer surface at a bore opening; and

a shear bolt configured to be mounted in the bolt bore to secure an electrical cable in the connector body;

a plug including a head and configured to be mounted in the bolt bore at the bore opening; and

an elastomeric sleeve configured to be mounted on the connector body and the plug such that the elastomeric sleeve surrounds the connector body and presses the plug into the bolt bore;

wherein the head has a head outer surface and the head outer surface is curved.

12. The cable connector system of claim 11 wherein the elastomeric sleeve includes an integral Faraday cage that contacts the connector body when the elastomeric sleeve is mounted on the connector body.

13. A method for connecting electrical cables, the method comprising:

providing a cable connector system for connecting electrical cables, the cable connector system comprising:

a connector including:

a connector body including:

a connector outer surface, wherein the connector outer surface is curved; and

a bolt bore intersecting the connector outer surface at a bore opening; and

a shear bolt configured to be mounted in the bolt bore to secure an electrical cable in the connector body; and

a plug including a head and configured to be mounted in the bolt bore at the bore opening;

wherein the head has a head outer surface and the head outer surface is curved; and

wherein the plug is formed of an elastomeric material;

securing an electrical cable in the connector body using the shear bolt; and

inserting the plug into the bolt bore.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the connector body includes a second bolt bore intersecting the connector outer surface at a second bore opening;

the connector includes a second shear bolt;

the cable connector system includes a second plug including a head and configured to be mounted in the second bolt bore at the second bore opening;

wherein the head of the second plug has a curved head outer surface; and

the method includes:

securing a second electrical cable in the connector body using the second shear bolt to form a cable splice between the first and second electrical cables; and

inserting the second plug into the bolt bore.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein:

the connector outer surface has an arcuate profile; and

the head outer surface has an arcuate profile that substantially matches the arcuate profile of the connector outer surface.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the connector outer surface has a rectilinear profile in a cross-section perpendicular to the arcuate profile of the connector outer surface; and

the head outer surface has a rectilinear profile in a cross-section perpendicular to the arcuate profile of the head outer surface.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein, when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore, the head outer surface protrudes outwardly beyond the connector outer surface.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the head of the plug forms an interference fit with the bolt bore when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore to secure the plug in the bolt bore.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the bolt bore includes a threaded main section and a counterbore between the threaded main section and the connector outer surface; and

the head of the plug forms an interference fit with the counterbore when the plug is mounted in the bolt bore to secure the plug in the bolt bore.

20. The method of claim 13 including:

securing the electrical cable in the connector body by screwing the shear bolt into the bolt bore until the shear bolt breaks apart into a first portion and a remaining portion;

removing the first portion of the shear bolt from the connector body while the remaining portion remains in the bolt bore, the remaining portion including a bolt cavity defined therein; and

inserting the plug into the bolt bore such that the base is received in the bolt cavity and the base forms an interference fit with the remaining portion to thereby secure the plug in the bolt bore.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the elastomeric material has a Shore A hardness in the range of from about 25 to 75.

22. The method of claim 13 further including mounting an elastomeric sleeve on the connector body and the plug such that the elastomeric sleeve surrounds the connector body and presses the plug into the bolt bore.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the elastomeric sleeve includes an integral Faraday cage that contacts the connector body when the elastomeric sleeve is mounted on the connector body.

24. A method for connecting electrical cables, the method comprising:

providing a cable connector system for connecting electrical cables, the cable connector system comprising:

a connector including:

a connector body including:

a connector outer surface, wherein the connector outer surface is curved; and

a bolt bore intersecting the connector outer surface at a bore opening; and

a shear bolt configured to be mounted in the bolt bore to secure an electrical cable in the connector body; and

a plug including a head and configured to be mounted in the bolt bore at the bore opening;

wherein the head has a head outer surface and the head outer surface is curved;

securing an electrical cable in the connector body using the shear bolt;

inserting the plug into the bolt bore; and

mounting an elastomeric sleeve on the connector body and the plug such that the elastomeric sleeve surrounds the connector body and presses the plug into the bolt bore.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the elastomeric sleeve includes an integral Faraday cage that contacts the connector body when the elastomeric sleeve is mounted on the connector body.