System and method for manufacturing a foamed seal for wiring

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable outlet cover for sealing a portion of at least one cable, comprising: a first cover member and a second cover member, the second cover member being configured to cooperate with the first cover member to define at least one inlet into which a portion of a corresponding cable passes, wherein the at least one inlet comprises at least one sealing seat for accommodating dispensed sealing material sealing a gap between the at least one sealing seat and the corresponding cable. The at least one sealing seat comprises a clamping device configured to provide a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material along the at least one sealing seat and to avoid thinning of the dispensed sealing material in critical areas of the at least one sealing seat (close to a split line of the cable outlet cover).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cable sealing technology. In particular, this invention relates to a system and method for sealing cable outlet caps with dispensed material. Background Technology

[0002] Cables are typically sealed to protect them from environmental damage, such as to prevent water and / or dust from penetrating the wires. Gel materials such as silicone gel, polyurethane gel, polyurea gel, or thermoplastic gel can be used to seal cables.

[0003] For example, document EP 0 575 520 B1 discloses a gel-filled housing for cable mating joints or elongated substrates (e.g., telecommunications cable joints, coaxial cable joints, etc.). The cable joint housing comprises two symmetrical halves that are assembled together to form a housing surrounding and connecting a portion of two coaxial cables. The cable joint is contained within the central portion of the housing and surrounded by a suitable gel material, such as silicone, thermoplastic, polyurethane, polyurea, and polyisobutylene.

[0004] Standard techniques for distributing gel material on the inner surfaces of predetermined grooves on two cable caps cannot guarantee a uniform distribution of the material. In fact, the material is typically injected into the predetermined grooves of the two cable caps using a robotic applicator configured to move in a plane parallel to the plane on which each of the two cable caps is laid. During injection, due to gravity, the distributed material tends to flow towards the bottom of the groove and tends to accumulate there, resulting in a reduced amount of distributed material in the portion of the groove near the dividing line of the cable cap. Thus, when the cap is formed by combining the two mating halves, the portion of the cable near the dividing line of the cap is not properly protected and sealed to the environment because the radial thickness of the distributed material there is lower than the radial thickness of the distributed material at the bottom of the groove. Gaps may even occur in the sealing material corresponding to the dividing line of the cable cap.

[0005] Alternative methods for forming a protective layer on a cable include continuously rotating the cable during the application of the protective material. For example, document US 2005 / 0074553 A1 describes a method for impregnating and curing an electrical coil with a polyurethane layer. This method includes an initial heating step, wherein the article having the coil is heated to an initial heating temperature at which the viscosity of the polyurethane varnish decreases and is above the drying temperature. The method also includes a varnish application step, wherein the polyurethane varnish is continuously applied to the coil while the heated article is rotated at a constant speed. The method further includes a high-temperature rotary drying step, wherein the polyurethane varnish is dried while being heated at a drying temperature above the varnish temperature during the varnish application arrangement.

[0006] The disadvantage of this method is that it requires complex equipment, including a rotating device, to form a protective layer on the coil.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for ensuring the uniform distribution of dispensing materials to form a protective layer on a cable, wherein the above-mentioned problems are solved. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention relates to a cable outlet cover comprising two mating elements defining a housing for receiving a cable. Each of the two mating elements has at least one recess, and the two mating recesses define one or more inlets into which one or more corresponding cables can be inserted, and one or more sealing seats filled with a dispensed sealing material. The inner surface of the sealing seat is provided with a clamping device configured to ensure uniform distribution of the dispensed material along the inner wall of the sealing seat.

[0009] In this application, it must be understood that gravity defines the preferred direction, and the top and bottom portions of the disclosed system are defined according to it; in particular, an object subjected to gravity will automatically flow from the top portion of its device to the bottom portion. Therefore, the bottom of the recess and / or the sealing seat is defined as part of the inlet and / or sealing seat, where the dispensed material automatically accumulates after flowing along the inner wall of the sealing seat due to gravity.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a cable outlet cover for sealing at least a portion of a cable is provided, wherein the cable outlet cover comprises:

[0011] -First cover component;

[0012] - A second cover member configured to cooperate with the first cover member to define a housing, the housing including at least one inlet for inserting a portion of a cable;

[0013] - At least one inlet includes at least one sealing seat for accommodating a portion of the cable and a distribution of sealing material for sealing the gap between at least one sealing seat and the cable;

[0014] The cable outlet cover is characterized in that at least one sealing seat includes a clamping device configured to provide a uniform distribution of a dispensed sealing material along the at least one sealing seat.

[0015] This configuration is advantageous because the cable outlet cover is equipped with a simple and reliable sealing system, and assembly is achieved with a reduced number of parts, thus ensuring the possibility of a simple automated process. Cables inserted into the cable outlet cover according to the invention are, for example, high-voltage cables, and are advantageously protected from water and dust due to the presence of the distributed sealing material. Furthermore, the presence of the clamping device on the sealing seat ensures accurate and uniform distribution of material around the cable surface for proper sealing. In fact, due to gravity, the distributed sealing material used to seal the gap between the sealing seat and the corresponding cable typically tends to slide and accumulate at the bottom of each of the two mating portions of each sealing seat. If the distributed sealing material is not well distributed around the cable, the radial reaction force of the seal is asymmetrical, and the risk of gaps in the seal is high. Conversely, as the distributed sealing material flows along the inner surface of the sealing seat, the clamping device according to the invention holds the distributed sealing material and ensures uniform distribution along the entire inner surface of the sealing seat.

[0016] In this application, the term "casing" is used to refer to the internal portion of the cable outlet cover, in which the corresponding cable can be accommodated. The portion of the casing where the cable is inserted is referred to as the "inlet." The inlet includes one or more sealing seats for accommodating a portion of the cable and for accommodating a dispensed sealing material forming a seal. The one or more sealing seats are formed by mating a first cover member and a second cover member of the cable outlet cover; therefore, it must be understood that each cover member has one or more recesses, and the mating of two corresponding recesses forms a sealing seat for accommodating the cable and the seal. When the dispensed sealing material is placed on the support surface, it is preferably applied to each cover member. Therefore, it must be understood that the dispensed sealing material is applied to one or more recesses of each cover member, and during the application step, the clamping device prevents the dispensed sealing material from accumulating at the bottom of each recess.

[0017] In a preferred configuration, each sealing seat has a circular cross-section. In this application, when referring to "the circular cross-section of each sealing seat," it must be understood that each sealing seat is configured as a ring, formed by two mating recesses of the first and second cover members to receive a portion of the cable and dispensed sealing material. Therefore, the cross-section of the inner surface of each sealing seat is circular. Clamping devices are formed on the curved inner surface of each sealing seat, and they locally alter the profile of the sealing seat having a predominantly circular cross-section.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, one or more sealing seats are provided for each cable, and they are placed in the area close to where the cable is inserted. If two or more sealing seats are provided to accommodate the same cable, they are preferably configured to be parallel to each other and placed sequentially along the insertion direction of each cable, such that a first portion of the cable is accommodated in a first sealing seat and a second portion of the cable is accommodated in a second sealing seat.

[0019] Preferably, the cable outlet cover has multiple inlets to accommodate multiple corresponding cables. For example, cables of different sizes can be accommodated simultaneously in the same cable outlet cover.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the dispensed sealing material is applied to the first and second cover members to ensure an efficient seal against the external environment. In this manner, the entire inner surface of one or more sealing seats is sealed with the dispensed material. For example, polyurethane and silicone resins can be used as the dispensed sealing materials.

[0021] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein the clamping device includes a plurality of protruding elements that increase the surface of the inner wall of the sealing seat, and a distributed sealing material flows along the inner wall to provide a uniform thickness of the distributed sealing material along the inner wall.

[0022] This configuration is advantageous because the presence of the protruding element forming the clamping device increases the inner surface area of ​​each seal seat. Therefore, the dispensed sealing material flows along the inner wall of each of the two parts forming the seal seat after injection, and along a longer path or trajectory compared to a configuration without the clamping device. In this way, the flow of the dispensed sealing material to the bottom of each of the two mating parts of the seal seat is hindered due to the increased friction it experiences, and the dispensing of the sealing material is prevented from thinning in the critical area near the dividing line of the cable outlet cover. Furthermore, the presence of the clamping device prevents the formation of a critical area, i.e., the area near the dividing section between the two cover members, where the dispensed sealing material has thinned, thus creating a gap in the seal.

[0023] The clamping element is configured as a protruding element formed along the inner surface of each seal. In other words, each seal has a smooth surface that represents the supporting surface for the protruding element on which the clamping device is formed. Therefore, it is clear that the seal with the clamping device will have a wider total inner surface than the seal without the clamping device, due to the additional element on the inner surface. As a result, an object moving from the top to the bottom of the seal with the clamping device will follow a longer trajectory than an object moving from the top to the bottom along the inner surface of the seal without the clamping device.

[0024] In a preferred configuration, the clamping device is configured as a step, which is formed on the inner wall of each sealing seat and extends along the entire width of each sealing seat. The step of the clamping device has an edge formed by two converging surfaces. Preferably, the two surfaces of each edge form an acute angle, so that the step does not have an orthogonal cross section.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein the clamping device includes a plurality of protruding elements, each protruding element including an edge, such that a distributed sealing material flowing along the inner wall of at least one sealing seat encounters the plurality of edges and obtains a uniform thickness of the distributed sealing material along the inner wall of at least one sealing seat.

[0026] This configuration is advantageous because, due to the presence of clamping devices on the inner wall of each sealing seat, the distributed sealing material passes over an increased number of edges or corners during flow. In this way, even though the distributed sealing material naturally tends to thin at the outer corners and thicken at the inner corners, the total thickness of the distributed sealing material will be substantially uniform along the inner wall of each sealing seat. In fact, the flow of the distributed sealing material will be driven by the edge contours of the inner wall, and the distributed material will not accumulate only at the main inner corners forming the two mating recesses of the sealing seat (as would occur in a configuration without clamping devices), but will be evenly distributed along the inner wall.

[0027] Preferably, the clamping devices are evenly distributed along the inner wall of each sealing seat. Preferably, the clamping devices are configured as protruding elements protruding from the inner wall of each sealing seat, but they are not formed at the bottom of each of the two mating recesses forming the sealing seat.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein the clamping device is configured to locally reduce the radius of curvature of the inner wall of at least one sealing seat.

[0029] This configuration is particularly advantageous because the clamping device increases the curvature variation on the inner wall of each seal seat, thereby preventing the dispensed sealing material from flowing directly to the bottom of each of the two mating recesses forming the seal seat, and preventing thinning of the dispensed sealing material in critical areas near the dividing line of the cable outlet cover. In this way, uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material along the inner surface of the seal seat is ensured, and critical areas where the dispensed sealing material has a small radial thickness are avoided.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment, each sealing seat has a circular cross-section with a radius of curvature; the radius of curvature of the inner wall of the sealing seat is locally reduced by the presence of a clamping device that protrudes from the inner surface of the sealing seat and has a circular cross-section. In other words, the cross-section of each clamping device may be, for example, circular, and its radius of curvature may be smaller than the total radius of curvature of the sealing seat to which it is placed.

[0031] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein the clamping device includes a plurality of protruding elements that extend along the entire width of at least one sealing seat and have a uniform height relative to the inner surface of at least one sealing seat, and are configured to retain the dispensed sealing material as it flows along at least one sealing seat.

[0032] This configuration is particularly advantageous because the clamping device prevents the dispensed sealing material from flowing to the bottom of each of the two mating portions forming the seal seat, and ensures a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material. In this way, the radial pressure of the seal on the cable is symmetrical, and the risk of gaps in critical areas near the dividing line between the two cover members is reduced.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment, each sealing seat has a predetermined width for accommodating a portion of the corresponding cable and sealing material; a clamping device extends along the entire width of each sealing seat. The clamping device protrudes from the inner surface of each sealing seat and has a uniform thickness, i.e., the edge of the protruding element of the clamping device has a constant distance from the inner surface of each sealing seat. In this application, the expression "inner surface of each sealing seat" refers to the smooth inner surface of each sealing seat without the clamping device. In other words, the clamping device is not configured as a step positioned along the entire width of the sealing seat, but preferably has a uniform height. The clamping device can be described as a step protruding from the inner wall of each sealing seat, wherein the width of each step is equal to the width of the sealing seat. Preferably, the distance from the edge of each step to the inner surface of the sealing seat (i.e., the height of each protruding element of the clamping device) is constant along the entire width of the step.

[0034] Preferably, the sealing seat has an annular structure, and the width of the clamping device is equal to the width of the annular seat.

[0035] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein clamping devices are symmetrically distributed along the inner wall of at least one sealing seat.

[0036] The advantage of this configuration is that the clamping device along the symmetrical portion of the inner wall of the sealing seat ensures a uniform distribution of the distributed sealing material around the cable and a uniform, constant radial pressure of the gasket on the cable.

[0037] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein at least one sealing seat has an annular shape and its width is less than the length of the corresponding portion of the cable inserted into the cable outlet cover.

[0038] The advantage of this configuration is that the distributed sealing material is applied to each sealing seat, rather than being distributed along the entire length of the cable inserted into the cable outlet cover. In this way, the amount of distributed sealing material used to provide the seal is reduced, thus lowering production costs. However, it ensures a safe and reliable seal against water and dust.

[0039] Preferably, two sealing seats are provided for each cable, near the cable insertion portion of the cable outlet cover. Preferably, the clamping device extends along the entire width of each sealing seat.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, the width of the distributed seal is 6 mm and the height is 6.5 mm. Preferably, the size of the distributed seal can be varied according to product requirements.

[0041] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, which includes a plurality of inlets for inserting a plurality of cables, wherein the radius of curvature of each inlet matches the radius of the corresponding cable.

[0042] The advantage of this configuration is that multiple cables can be accommodated and sealed within a single cable outlet cover. The cables can have different sizes, and the inlet is designed to match the size of each inserted cable.

[0043] Preferably, the high-voltage cable is housed within a cable outlet cover. Preferably, the cable has a diameter of 6 mm. 2 25mm 2 50mm 2 Or 95mm 2 The cross section.

[0044] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein each inlet includes two sealing seats for receiving a portion of a single cable.

[0045] The advantage of this configuration is that each cable has a double seal, which effectively prevents water and / or dust from entering.

[0046] According to another embodiment of the invention, each inlet includes more than two sealing seats for accommodating a portion of a single cable, such as three, four, or five.

[0047] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein a first cover member and a second cover member include a groove extending along the periphery of the inner surface of the first cover member and / or the second cover member, wherein the groove is configured to be filled with a dispensed sealing material.

[0048] The advantage of this configuration is that it ensures a simple and reliable seal along the entire perimeter of the cable outlet cover, and the reduced number of components ensures the possibility of easy automation of the process.

[0049] According to a preferred configuration, a groove is provided along the periphery of the inner surface of each of the two cover members, the width of which is equal to the width of each sealing seat. In other words, both the first and second cover members are characterized by grooves extending along the periphery of their inner surfaces. In this invention, the term "inner surface" refers to the surface oriented toward the cable into which the cable outlet cover is inserted.

[0050] Preferably, the sealing material is applied over the entire extension of the groove using a robotic application device configured to move along the inner surface of the first cover member and / or the second cover member. During the application of the material, the first and second cover members are placed on a support surface and oriented such that their inner surfaces, including the groove, are oriented towards the robotic application device. In this way, not only the cable insertion portion of the cable outlet cover is sealed and protected, but other lateral portions of the cable outlet cover are also protected and sealed from external environmental influences.

[0051] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein at least one sealing seat for each corresponding cable is positioned along a groove near the inlet.

[0052] The advantage of this configuration is that the cable can be housed in the sealing seat and the inlet of the cable outlet cover, and a continuous seal can be provided.

[0053] Preferably, two sealing seats are provided for each inlet and for each corresponding cable. For example, the two sealing seats may be parallel to each other and arranged along the insertion direction of the cable; one of the two sealing seats is preferably placed along a groove to ensure a continuous seal of the cable.

[0054] According to another embodiment of the invention, a cable outlet cover is provided, wherein the cable outlet cover is configured for a 90° cable outlet configuration.

[0055] The advantage of this configuration is that it provides a stable and reliable seal for the cable outlet configuration, where the cable is positioned and connected at a 90° angle. Furthermore, this configuration allows for automation, simplification, and acceleration of the cable outlet cover assembly process.

[0056] A 90° cable outlet configuration indicates a cable outlet configuration in which, prior to cover assembly, one or more cables are crimped to corresponding terminals, inserted into the housing of the cable outlet cover along a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the first cover, and then bent at 90° such that the cables are placed within a first recess of the first cover. It is clear that a 90° cable outlet configuration is also possible, wherein the crimped end of the cable is initially placed within a second recess of the second cover.

[0057] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for assembling a cable outlet cover for sealing at least one portion of a cable, wherein the method includes:

[0058] a) Provide a first cover member having at least one first recess;

[0059] b) Provides a second cover member having at least one second recess, the at least one second recess being configured to mate with at least one first recess to define at least one sealing seat and at least one inlet, a portion of a corresponding cable passing through the opening;

[0060] c) Distribute the allocated sealing material onto at least one first recess;

[0061] d) Distribute the applied sealing material onto at least one second recess;

[0062] e) Insert a portion of the corresponding cable into at least one of the first recesses;

[0063] f) Join the first cover member and the second cover member to enclose the corresponding portions of the cable;

[0064] g) A clamping device is provided on the first and second recesses to provide a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material along at least one sealing seat.

[0065] This method provides a simple and reliable sealing system and a reduced number of parts in the assembly, thus ensuring the possibility of a simple automated process. The presence of the clamping device allows for controlled distribution of the dispensed material, thereby ensuring efficient sealing of the cable. In fact, the dispensed sealing material naturally tends to flow along the first recess of the first cover member and the second recess of the second cover member, accumulating at the bottom of the first and second recesses, respectively. However, the presence of the clamping device prevents the dispensed sealing material from flowing to the bottom of each recess due to gravity, thus ensuring a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material along the inner surface of the sealing seat.

[0066] According to a preferred embodiment, the distribution of the sealing material is achieved automatically. During the application of the material, the first and second cover members are preferably placed on a support surface, and they are oriented such that their inner surfaces, including at least one recess, are oriented towards the robotic application device. The distributed material must be applied to both covers to ensure a seal in the system. Preferably, the distributed sealing material can be polyurethane or silicone.

[0067] After the applied sealing material has been applied to the first and second recesses of the first and second cover members, respectively, a portion of the cable is accommodated in the corresponding recess of the first or second cover member. A complementary cover member excluding the cable is then combined with the cover member carrying the cable to form an inlet in the cable outlet cover for accommodating and sealing the cable. Preferably, the two cover members are secured to each other with screws.

[0068] According to another embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned method is performed such that step g) includes: forming a protruding element on the first recess and the second recess, and distributing sealing material flowing along the protruding element to increase the surface area of ​​the inner walls of the first recess and the second recess, and to provide a uniform thickness of the distributing sealing material along the inner walls.

[0069] This configuration is advantageous because, by providing a clamping device that increases the inner surface of each recess, a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealant along the inner wall of each recess is ensured. In fact, the dispensed sealant flows along the inner wall of each recess after injection, and along a longer path compared to a configuration without a clamping device. In this way, the flow of the dispensed sealant towards the bottom of each recess is hindered due to increased friction, and a large accumulation of dispensed sealant at the bottom of each recess is avoided. Furthermore, the presence of the clamping device prevents the formation of a critical area, namely, the area near the dividing section between the two cover members, where the dispensed sealant has thinned, thus creating gaps in the seal.

[0070] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided, the method further comprising the following steps:

[0071] h) A groove is provided that extends along the periphery of the inner surface of the first cover member and / or the second cover member, and the groove is filled with a dispensed sealing material.

[0072] The advantage of this method is that it provides a stable and reliable seal across the entire surface of the cable outlet cover. Therefore, the cable outlet cover, with the seal applied, is protected against the ingress of water and / or dust.

[0073] Preferably, the material dispensing process is performed by a robotic application device that travels at a constant speed along the entire extension of the groove on the first and / or second cover members. For example, the speed of the robotic application device can be reduced or increased as the sealing seat is filled with the dispensed sealing material, depending on specific needs. Attached Figure Description

[0074] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals and / or symbols denote like and / or similar and / or corresponding parts of the machine. In the drawings:

[0075] Figure 1 A schematic three-dimensional view of a cable outlet cover in a closed configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0076] Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of a cover member according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically.

[0077] Figure 3 A schematic three-dimensional view of a cable outlet cover in an open configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 The internal configuration of the cable outlet cover, including the cable and the distributed sealing material, can be clearly seen.

[0078] Figure 4 A cross-section of a recess formed on a first cover member and a second cover member according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown, wherein the clamping device is shown in detail.

[0079] Figure 5 The pressure distribution of the sealing member on the sealed cable according to an embodiment of the present invention is schematically shown.

[0080] Figure 6 The distribution of sealing members on a sealing seat according to the prior art is schematically shown.

[0081] Figure 7 A cross-sectional view of a first cover member accommodating four cables of different diameters according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically.

[0082] Figure 8 A schematic three-dimensional view of a single cover member during the application of dispensing material via a robotic application device, according to an embodiment of the invention, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0083] The present invention will now be described with reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the following detailed description and shown in the drawings, but rather the described embodiments merely exemplify several aspects of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

[0084] Further modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this specification must be considered to include all modifications and / or variations of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

[0085] For simplicity, the same or corresponding parts in the figure are represented by the same reference numerals.

[0086] For simplicity, components according to the invention are indicated by simple reference numerals, and corresponding components according to the prior art are indicated by apostrophe reference numerals.

[0087] exist Figure 1 The diagram schematically illustrates a cable outlet cover 100 for sealing a portion of one or more cables 200, 201, 202, 203, which can be implemented according to the present invention. Figure 1 The cable outlet cover 100 accommodates four cables. However, any number of cables can be accommodated in the cable outlet cover of the present invention, for example, one, two, three, five or more cables.

[0088] The cable outlet cover 100 includes a first cover member 120 and a second cover member 130, the second cover member 130 being configured to mate with the first cover member 120 to define four inlets 111 into which portions of four corresponding cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 can be inserted. Each inlet 111 preferably includes two sealing seats 112 for receiving portions of the corresponding cables 200, 201, 202, and 203. A cross-section of one of the two mating portions forming the sealing seat 112 is shown exemplarily in an enlarged view. However, each inlet 111 according to the invention may include any preferred number of sealing seats 112, such as one, three, four, or more sealing seats.

[0089] The gaps between the sealing seat 112 and the corresponding cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 are filled with the allocated sealing material 300. (As in...) Figure 1As can be seen in detail in the enlarged view, the inner surface of the sealing seat 112 is provided with clamping devices 110, which are configured to provide a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material 300 during application. As will be described in more detail below, the dispensed sealing material naturally tends to flow towards the bottom of each of the two mating portions of the sealing seat 112 during application, and thins in the region of the sealing seat 112 near the dividing line of the cable outlet cap 100. In this way, the distribution of the dispensed sealing material 300 around the cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 is uneven; in particular, the cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 are unprotected in the region near the dividing line of the cable outlet cap 100. The clamping devices 110 are configured to impede the flow of the dispensed sealing material 300 along the inner wall of the sealing seat 112, as they are configured to protrude from the inner surface of the sealing seat 112 and increase the travel of the dispensed sealing material along the inner surface.

[0090] The first cover member 120 and the second cover member 130 can be made of polyamide, polyamide PA-GF30, or any other material with high temperature resistance, for example, between -40°C and 130°C. The cable outlet cover 100 can be used, for example, to cover a portion of the wire used in high-voltage applications.

[0091] like Figure 2 Schematably, each of the two cover members 120 and 130 is provided with a recess, namely a first recess 122 and a second recess 133. When the two cover members 120 and 130 are combined, they form a closed housing 140 to accommodate electrical components, and the two recesses 122 and 133 cooperate to form four inlets 111 into which corresponding cables can be inserted. The portion of each inlet 111 to which a dispensed sealing material is applied forms a sealing seat 112. Figure 2 In the diagram, only a single cover member 120 or 130 is shown, so only half of each sealing seat 112 is visible. When the first recess 122 of the first cover member 120 and the second recess 133 of the second cover member 130 are combined, a complete sealing seat 112 is actually formed. Each sealing seat 112 has a circular cross-section to accommodate corresponding cables 200, 201, 202, 203, each having a circular cross-section. As will be described in detail below, the inner surface of each sealing seat 112 is provided with a clamping device 110 configured to impede the flow of dispensed sealing material due to gravity.

[0092] like Figure 2 As shown, each sealing seat 112 has a substantially annular shape, with a circular cross-section and a width W less than the length of the portion of the cable inserted into the cable outlet cover 100. Figure 2The diagram shows two sealing seats 112 for each inlet 111. It is clear that although two sealing seats 112 are shown for each inlet 111, any number of sealing seats 112, such as one, three, four, or more, can be provided for each inlet 111 of the cable outlet cover 110, depending on specific requirements. Each of the first cover member 120 and the second cover member 130 is further provided with recesses 121 and 131 extending along the entire periphery of its inner surface. The inner surface of each cover member 120, 130 is a surface oriented towards the cable.

[0093] like Figure 3 As can be seen, the recesses 122 and 133 forming the two sealing seats 112, and the internal grooves 121 and 131 of the first and second cover members 120 and 130, are filled with the distributed sealing material 300. In this way, the cable outlet cover 100 protects the inserted cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 from environmental influences not only near the inlet portion where the cable is inserted, but also on the lateral portion of the cable outlet cover. After the distributed sealing material 300 is applied to the sealing portion, the cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 are inserted and accommodated in the corresponding inlets 111. (The last sentence appears to be incomplete and possibly refers to a different process.) Figure 3 It is clear that the cable dimensions do not need to be uniform; cables of different diameters can be used within a certain tolerance range. For example, cables with a cross-section of 6mm² can be used. 2 25mm 2 50mm 2 Or 95mm 2 The cable.

[0094] According to the present invention, the clamping device 110 is in Figure 4 The details are shown below. Each sealing seat 112 has a circular cross-section with a radius of curvature R. The clamping device 110 includes a protruding element formed on the inner surface 115 of each sealing seat 112. The inner surface 115 of each sealing seat is a surface including all points at a distance R from the center of the sealing seat 112; in other words, the inner surface 115 is the surface of the sealing seat 112 excluding the clamping device 110. During the application of the dispensed sealing material 300, the clamping device 110 prevents the dispensed sealing material 300 from accumulating at the bottom of each recess 122, 133 of the sealing seat 112, because after the dispensed material 300 is dispensed, the edge 114 of the clamping device 110 holds the dispensed sealing material 300 in the upper part of the recess 122, 133.

[0095] The clamping device 110 can be described as a “step” formed on the inner surface 115 of the sealing seat 112 and extending along the entire width of the sealing seat 112. The step of the clamping device 110 may have an edge 114 positioned at a height H relative to the curved inner surface 115 of the sealing seat 112. The height H is preferably constant along the entire width W. The two surfaces of each step converge at the edge 114 and form an acute angle, so the step preferably does not have an orthogonal cross-section. The clamping devices 110 are formed on a first recess 122 of the first cover member 120 and a second recess 133 of the second cover member 130, such that the sealing seat 112 includes clamping devices 110 symmetrically distributed around the cables 200, 201, 202, 203. However, the clamping devices 110 are not uniformly distributed on the sealing seat 112, and they are not present in the bottom portion 113 of each recess 122, 133.

[0096] The clamping device 110 can be configured such that each of the two surfaces that converge at edge 114 has a radius of curvature r, which is smaller than the radius of curvature R of the sealing seat 112. Therefore, the radius of curvature of the inner surface 115 of the sealing seat 112 is locally reduced.

[0097] The clamping device 110 increases the surface area of ​​the inner wall of each sealing seat 112 and increases the number of edges 114 on these inner walls. In this way, the flow of the dispensed sealing material 300 is driven by the edged inner walls and the accumulation of the dispensed material 300 at the bottom of the recesses 122, 133 forming the sealing seat 112 is avoided.

[0098] By comparison Figure 5 and Figure 6 The advantages of this invention over the prior art will be obvious.

[0099] Figure 5 This refers to the distributed sealing material 300 provided around cables 200, 201, 202, 203 according to the invention. Since the clamping device 110 blocks the flow of the distributed material 300 to the bottom of each recess 122, 133 of the sealing seat 112, when two recesses 122, 133 are combined to form the sealing seat 112, the distributed sealing material 300 is uniformly distributed along the inner wall of the sealing seat 112 and around cables 200, 201, 202, 203. In this way, the radial reaction force and radial pressure of the gaskets on cables 200, 201, 202, 203 are symmetrical, and a seal is ensured along the entire periphery of the circular cross-section of cables 200, 201, 202, 203. Specifically, the radial thickness of the distributed sealing material 300 on the portion of the sealing seat 112 near the dividing line of the cable outlet cap 100 is equal to the radial thickness of the distributed sealing material 300 at the top and bottom of the sealing seat 112.

[0100] Conversely, according to the prior art, the first cover member 120' and the second cover member 130' are not provided with clamping devices 110, and the distributed sealing material 300 tends to be thinner at the corners of the recesses 122' and 133', and thicker at the bottom of the recesses 122' and 133' of the sealing seat 112'. Therefore, in the prior art configuration, the radial thickness of the distributed sealing material 300 in the region 301' near the dividing line of the cable outlet cover 100 is less than the radial thickness of the distributed sealing material 300 in the bottom and top portions of the sealing seat 112' (which correspond to the bottom portions of the first recess 122' and the second recess 133', respectively). In this way, the distributed sealing material 300 is not well distributed, and the radial reaction force of the gasket is asymmetrical around the cables 200, 201, 202, and 203.

[0101] The presence of the clamping device 100 of the present invention is crucial for ensuring a uniform radial distribution of the distributed sealing material 300 around the cables 200, 201, 202, 203. In fact, the distributed sealing material 300 is first applied to the two caps 120 and 130, which then mate together to ensure a seal in the system. If each cap member 120, 130 does not have a uniform distribution of the distributed sealing material 300, the area 301 around the cables will not have a sufficient amount of the distributed sealing material 300 when the two caps mate, thus creating a gap in the seal.

[0102] Figure 7 The cable outlet cover 100 according to the invention is schematically shown, which can be used for cables 200, 201, 202, 203 of different sizes and diameters while still providing an efficient and reliable seal. Figure 7 As shown, the first cover member 120 is characterized by recesses 122 with different radii of curvature. Each sealing seat 112 is provided with a clamping device 110 to ensure uniform distribution of the distributed sealing material 300. The dimensions of the clamping device 100, such as height H, width W, and local radius of curvature r, are adapted to the dimensions of the corresponding cables 200, 201, 202, 203 and correspondingly adapted to the dimensions of the corresponding sealing seat 112. In this way, the portion 301 on the cable outlet cover 100 corresponding to the dividing line has a thickness of distributed sealing material 300 equal to the thickness of distributed sealing material 300 at the bottom of each recess 122, suitable for all cable sizes.

[0103] Regardless of the size of the cable housed in the cable outlet cover, the sealing material is always applied in the same manner.

[0104] The present invention also relates to a method of assembling a cable outlet cover 100 for sealing a portion of one or more cables 200 to prevent water and / or dust from entering.

[0105] The method includes providing a first cover member 120 having a first recess 122 and a first groove 121, and a symmetrical second cover member 130 having a second recess 133 and a second groove 131, such as Figure 2 Those shown. The recesses 122, 133 of the first cover member 120 and the second cover member 130 may advantageously be provided with clamping devices 110 to ensure that the distributed sealing material 300 is evenly distributed on the sealing seat 112 formed by the two mating recesses.

[0106] The dispensed sealing material 300 is respectively applied to the recesses 122 and 133 and the grooves 121 and 131 of the first cover member 120 and the second cover member 130. Preferably, these operations are performed simultaneously. Preferably, these operations are performed using a robotic application device 310 for dispensing the dispensed sealing material 300, such as a nozzle. Figure 8 As shown schematically.

[0107] After filling the recesses 121 and 131 and the recesses 122 and 133, cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 are inserted into the corresponding inlets 111 and sealing seats 112 of the first cover member 120. It is evident that the first cover member 120 and the second member 130 are symmetrical, and cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 can also be inserted into the corresponding seats of the second cover member 130. The second cover member 130 is then combined with the first cover member 120 to accommodate and cover a portion of cables 200, 201, 202, and 203. For example, the first cover member 120 and the second cover member 130 can be secured to each other using screws. In this way, a cable outlet cover 100 providing a reliable seal for cables 200, 201, 202, and 203 is obtained.

[0108] Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred physical embodiments constructed thereunder, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations and improvements may be made to the invention based on the foregoing teachings without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

[0109] For example, it is obvious that even though the method of uniformly distributing the sealing material 300 along the inner wall of the sealing seat 112 has been described with reference to the cable outlet cover 100, the same method can be used for any other device that requires the distribution of viscous material. For example, the clamping device 110 according to the invention can be provided on the inner surface of the molded article to form a multilayer cable with insulation and protective layers.

[0110] Furthermore, areas considered familiar to those skilled in the art have not been described herein to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific illustrative embodiments, but only to the scope of the appended claims.

[0111] List of reference numerals

[0112] 100: Cable outlet cover

[0113] 110: Clamping device

[0114] 111: Entrance

[0115] 112: Sealing seat

[0116] 113: Bottom of the recess

[0117] 114: Protruding edge of the clamping device

[0118] 115: Inner surface of the sealing seat

[0119] 120: First Cover

[0120] 121: The groove on the first cover

[0121] 122: Recess on the first cover

[0122] 130: Second Cover

[0123] 131: The groove on the second cover

[0124] 133: The recess on the second cover

[0125] 140: Outer shell

[0126] 200, 201, 202, 203: Cables

[0127] 300: Distributed sealing material

[0128] 301: Area of ​​sealing material distributed near the dividing line

[0129] 301': Area of ​​the sealing material distributed near the dividing line in the prior art

[0130] 310: Robotic application device

[0131] R: Radius of curvature of the distribution seat

[0132] r: Local radius of curvature

[0133] H: Height of the clamping device

[0134] W: Width of the clamping device

Claims

1. A cable outlet cover (100) for sealing a portion of at least one cable (200, 201, 202, 203), said cable outlet cover (100) comprising: - First cover component (120); - A second cover member (130) configured to cooperate with the first cover member (120) to define a housing (140), the housing including at least one inlet (111) for inserting a portion of the cables (200, 201, 202, 203). - The at least one inlet (111) includes at least one sealing seat (112) for receiving a portion of the cable (200, 201, 202, 203) and a distributed sealing material (300) for sealing the gap between the at least one sealing seat (112) and the cable (200, 201, 202, 203); Its features are: The at least one sealing seat (112) includes a clamping device (110) comprising a plurality of protruding elements projecting from the inner wall of each sealing seat, the protruding elements being such that an object moving from the top to the bottom of a sealing seat provided with the clamping device will follow a longer trajectory relative to an object moving from the top to the bottom along the inner surface of a sealing seat without the clamping device, in order to provide a uniform distribution of the dispensed sealing material (300) along the at least one sealing seat (112).

2. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The protruding element increases the surface of the inner wall of the at least one sealing seat (112), along which the dispensed sealing material (300) flows.

3. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each protruding element includes edges such that the distributed sealing material (300) flowing along the inner wall of the at least one sealing seat (112) encounters multiple edges.

4. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The clamping device (110) is configured to locally reduce the radius of curvature of the inner wall of the at least one sealing seat (112).

5. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The protruding element extends along the entire width of the at least one sealing seat (112) and has a uniform height (H) relative to the inner surface (115) of the at least one sealing seat.

6. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The clamping devices (110) are symmetrically distributed along the inner wall of the at least one sealing seat (112).

7. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The at least one sealing seat (112) has an annular shape, the width of which is less than the length of the portion of the cable (200, 201, 202, 203) inserted into the cable outlet cover (100).

8. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The cable outlet cover (100) includes multiple inlets (111) for inserting multiple cables (200, 201, 202, 203), each inlet (111) having a radius of curvature matching the radius of the cables (200, 201, 202, 203).

9. The cable outlet cover (100) as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, Each inlet (111) includes two sealing seats (112) for accommodating a portion of a single cable (200, 201, 202, 203).

10. The cable outlet cover (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The first cover member (120) and the second cover member (130) include grooves (121, 131) extending along the periphery of the inner surface of the first cover member (120) and / or the second cover member (130), wherein the grooves (121, 131) are configured to be filled with the dispensed sealing material (300).

11. The cable outlet cover (100) as claimed in claim 10, wherein, At least one sealing seat (112) for each cable (200, 201, 202, 203) is positioned closer to the inlet (111) along the groove (121, 131).

12. The cable outlet cover (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The cable outlet cover (100) is used for a cable outlet configuration set at 90°.

13. A method of assembling a cable outlet cover (100) for sealing a portion of at least one cable (200, 201, 202, 203), the method comprising: a) Provide a first cover member (120) having at least one first recess (122); b) Provide a second cover member (130) having at least one second recess (133) configured to cooperate with the at least one first recess (122) to define at least one sealing seat (112) and at least one inlet (111), a portion of a cable (200, 201, 202, 203) passing through the inlet; c) Distribute the allocated sealing material (300) onto the at least one first recess (122); d) Distribute the allocated sealing material (300) onto the at least one second recess (133); e) Inserting a portion of the cable (200, 201, 202, 203) into the at least one first recess (122); f) Joining the first cover member (120) and the second cover member (130) to enclose said portion of the cable (200, 201, 202, 203); Its features are: The method further includes: g) A clamping device (110) is provided on the first recess (122) and the second recess (133), the clamping device comprising a plurality of protruding elements protruding from the inner wall of each sealing seat, the protruding elements being such that an object moving from the top to the bottom of the sealing seat provided with the clamping device will follow a longer trajectory relative to an object moving from the top to the bottom along the inner surface of the sealing seat without the clamping device, so as to provide a uniform distribution of the distributed sealing material (300) along the at least one sealing seat (112).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, Step g) is performed by forming the plurality of protruding elements on the inner walls of the first recess (122) and the second recess (133) to increase the surface area of ​​the inner walls, wherein the distributed sealing material (300) flows along the inner walls.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, further comprising the step of: h) Provide grooves (121, 131) extending around the periphery of the inner surface of the first cover member (120) and / or the second cover member (130), and fill the grooves (121, 131) with the provided sealing material (300).

Images