Electric wire sealing member

Abstract

A wire sealing cap includes a wire seal and a holder. The holder includes a holder body. A first arm extends from the retainer body. A second arm extends from the retainer body. And the first arm is not in contact with the second arm. The wire seal includes a seal body. The seal body surrounds a portion of the retainer body. A seal opening extends through the seal body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a seal for an electrical conductor. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an improved seal for positioning an electrical conductor used in a through-hole. Background Technology

[0002] An electrical box can hold multiple electrical components connected to other electrical components located outside the box, which can be achieved by electrical conductors (such as wires and cables) extending through the walls of the box. In some cases, it is desirable to seal the electrical box to limit the ingress of water and other environmental contaminants. To seal the electrical box, wire seals are provided between the electrical conductors and the walls of the box. An improved wire seal is desired. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various exemplary wire sealing caps and components are described.

[0004] An exemplary wire seal cap includes a wire seal and a retainer. The retainer includes a retainer body. A first arm extends from the retainer body. A second arm extends from the retainer body. The first arm and the second arm do not contact each other. The wire seal includes a seal body. The seal body surrounds a portion of the retainer body. A seal opening extends through the seal body.

[0005] Another example is an assembly including a wire sealing cap. The assembly includes a housing having walls. The walls include a wall opening. The housing includes a first latch and a second latch. The housing includes a sealing recess, and a sealing body is located within the sealing recess. The sealing opening defines an opening axis extending through the wall opening. A first arm engages the first latch to hold the wire sealing cap in a mounted position relative to the housing. A second arm engages the second latch on the housing to hold the wire sealing cap in the mounted position relative to the housing.

[0006] When read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, an additional understanding of these examples will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0007] Figure 1 This is a partial front perspective view of an exemplary electrical box assembly.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial exploded view of the exemplary electrical box assembly shown.

[0009] Figure 3 It comes from Figure 1 and Figure 2A partial magnified perspective view of the electrical conductors and wire sealing caps of the electrical box assembly shown.

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged view of the wire sealing cap shown.

[0011] Figure 5 It comes from Figure 4 The perspective view of the retainer of the wire sealing cap shown.

[0012] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 The end view of the wire sealing cap shown.

[0013] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view taken from line 7-7 in the diagram.

[0014] Figure 8 Is it through Figure 2 Enlarged top plan view of the opening in the wall of the housing of the electrical box assembly shown.

[0015] Figure 9 yes Figure 3 The electrical conductors and wire sealing caps shown are as follows Figure 8 A perspective sectional view of the opening shown.

[0016] Figure 10 It is along Figure 9 The cross-sectional view taken from line 10-10 in the diagram.

[0017] Figure 11 It is similar to Figure 10 A cross-sectional view, in which the cover is shown as attached to the cover position.

[0018] Figure 12 It is along Figure 11 The line 12-12 in the middle is cut off Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the electrical box assembly 10. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a thorough understanding of the various described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the various described embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0020] It should also be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., are used in some instances herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first shield may be referred to as a second shield, and similarly, a second shield may be referred to as a first shield, without departing from the scope of the various described embodiments. Both the first shield and the second shield are shields, but they are not the same shield.

[0021] The terminology used in the description of the various described embodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in the description of the various described embodiments and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “described” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and / or “comprising” as used in this specification specify the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0022] Now referring to the attached diagram, in Figure 1 The image shows a front perspective view of the electrical box assembly, generally indicated by 10. Figure 2 The diagram shows a partial exploded view of the electrical box assembly 10. The electrical box assembly 10 includes a housing 12 and a cover 14. The cover 14 is removable from the housing 12, and a lock 16 holds the cover 14 in a covered position relative to the housing 12, as shown. Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, housing 12 includes walls 18 defining the interior 20.

[0023] Cable 22 is attached to electrical terminal 24. Electrical terminal 24 is adapted to connect to an electrical component (not shown) located inside housing 12 (typically located at 20), and cable 22 is adapted to pass through a wall opening 26 in wall 18 to allow cable 22 to be attached to a second electrical component (not shown) located outside housing 12. When cover 14 is in the covered position relative to housing 12, cover seal 28 is located between housing 12 and cover 14 to seal the interior 20 from the environment outside housing 12 when cover 14 is in the covered position.

[0024] Figure 3 It is an enlarged perspective view of cable 22, electrical terminal 24 and wire sealing cap generally indicated by 30. Figure 4This is a perspective view of a wire sealing cap 30. The wire sealing cap 30 includes a retainer 32 and a wire seal 34. The retainer 32 shown is molded from plastic, but in other embodiments, it is made from another suitable material using a different desired process. The wire seal 34 shown is molded from an elastomeric material, but in other embodiments, it is made from another suitable material using a different desired process. The retainer 32 includes a retainer body 36, and the wire seal 34 includes a seal body 38 attached to the retainer body 36.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the retainer 32. The retainer body 36 includes a first portion 40 and a second portion 42. A sealing body 38 surrounds the first portion 40 of the retainer body 36 during assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the wire seal 34 is overmolded onto the first portion 40 of the retainer body 36. However, in other embodiments, the wire seal 34 is attached to the retainer body 36 using a different, desired process. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the wire seal 34 includes a seal opening 44 extending through the seal body 38. The seal opening defines an opening axis 46.

[0026] The second portion 42 of the retainer body 36 extends out of and is not surrounded by the seal body 38. The retainer 32 includes a first arm 48 extending from the retainer body 36 and a second arm 50 extending from the retainer body 36. The first arm 48 extends from the second portion 42 of the retainer body 36, and the second arm 50 extends from the second portion 42 of the retainer body 36. The first arm 48 does not contact the second arm 50. The first arm 48 extends from the retainer body 36 to a first end 52 without contacting the second arm 50. Similarly, the second arm 50 extends from the retainer body 36 to a second end 54 without contacting the first arm 48.

[0027] Figure 6 This is an end view of the wire sealing cap 30, viewed along the opening axis 46. The first arm 48 extends from the retainer body 36 in a first direction 56. The second arm 50 extends from the retainer body 36 in a second direction 58, which differs from the first direction 56. Figure 6 As shown, in the illustrated embodiment, portions of the first arm 48 and the second arm 50 are on opposite sides of the opening axis 46.

[0028] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6The cross-sectional view is taken from line 7-7. The retainer 32 includes a ridge 60 extending from the retainer body 36. The ridge 60 extends from a first portion 40 of the retainer body 36 and is surrounded by a seal body 38. The ridge 60 is located on the side of the retainer body 36 opposite to the seal opening 44. The ridge 60 includes a ridge opening 62 extending through the ridge 60. The ridge opening 62 defines a ridge opening axis 64, and the ridge opening axis 64 shown is parallel to the opening axis 46.

[0029] A portion of the seal body 38 is located in the ridge opening 62. In the illustrated embodiment, material flows through the ridge opening 62 during the molding of the wire seal 34. This increases the connection strength between the seal body 38 and the retainer 32. (Return to Reference) Figure 5 The retainer 32 shown includes two ridge openings 62 located near opposite ends of the ridge 60.

[0030] Return to reference Figure 3 The wire seal cap 30 is shown attached to the cable 22. As shown, an electrical terminal 24 is connected to the cable 22 on one side of the wire seal cap 30. The cable 22 extends through the seal opening 44 and extends parallel to the opening axis 46. A first arm 48 and a second arm 50 are located on opposite sides of the cable 22.

[0031] Figure 8 This is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the wall 18 of the housing 12, showing the wall opening 26. The housing 12 includes a sealing recess 66 located in the wall opening 26. The sealing recess 66 is adapted to receive a wire seal 34, as described below. The housing 12 also includes a first latch 68 and a second latch 70 located near the sealing recess 66. The first latch 68 and the second latch 70 are adapted to engage a first arm 48 and a second arm 50, respectively, as described below.

[0032] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of a portion of the wall 18 of the housing 12, showing the wall opening 26, in which the wire sealing cap 30 is in a mounting position relative to the housing 12. Figure 9 The diagram also shows a second wall opening 26a through wall 18. During assembly of the electrical box assembly 10, a second cable (not shown) and a second wire seal cap (not shown) can be installed through the second wall opening 26a. The housing 12 may include any desired number of wall openings 26a, and those wall openings 26a may have any desired size. Figure 10 It is along Figure 9 The cross-sectional view is taken from line 10-10. When the wire sealing cap 30 is in the installation position, the wire seal 34 is positioned such that a portion of the seal body 38 is located in the seal groove 66 (in Figure 10(Not visible in the center) and located in the wall opening 26. A first arm 48 engages a first latch 68 on the housing 12 to hold the wire sealing cap 30 in the mounting position relative to the housing 12. Furthermore, a second arm 50 engages a second latch 70 on the housing 12 to hold the wire sealing cap 30 in the mounting position relative to the housing 12. When the wire sealing cap 30 is in the mounting position, the opening axis 46 extends through the wall opening 26. When the wire sealing cap 30 is in the mounting position, the cable 22 extends through the wall opening 26 to reach the interior 20 of the housing 12.

[0033] Wall 18 includes a wall surface 72 located on the side of wall opening 26 opposite to the sealing groove 66. For example... Figure 5 As shown, ridge 60 includes a ridge surface 74 located on the side of ridge 60 opposite to retainer body 36. When wire sealing cap 30 is in the installed position, ridge surface 74 is substantially parallel to wall surface 72.

[0034] Figure 11 It is similar to Figure 10 A cross-sectional view, in which cover 14 is shown in the installed position relative to housing 12. Figure 12 It is along Figure 11 The line 12-12 in the middle is cut off Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the electrical box assembly 10 shown. Figure 11 As shown, the first arm 48 includes a first stop 76 extending parallel to the opening axis 46, and the second arm 50 includes a second stop 78 extending parallel to the opening axis 46. Figure 4 The first stop 76 and the second stop 78 can be seen. (Return to reference) Figure 11 The cover 14 includes a first block 80 and a second block 82. When the cover 14 is in the covered position, the first block 80 is located between the first stop 76 and the sealing opening 44, and the second block 82 is located between the second stop 78 and the sealing opening 44. The first stop 76 and the first block 80 act as locking elements to prevent the first arm 48 from being released from the first latch 68. Similarly, the second stop 78 and the second block 82 act as locking elements to prevent the second arm 50 from being released from the second latch 70. This holds the wire sealing cap 30 in the installed position relative to the housing 12.

[0035] Return to reference Figure 4 The wire seal 34 includes an outer edge 84. For example... Figure 7 As seen, ridge 60 extends from the retainer body 36 toward the outer edge 84 of the wire seal 34. Figure 12 As shown, when the cover 14 is in the installed position, the cover seal 28 is located between the cover 14 and the outer edge 84 of the wire seal 34. Additionally, as previously referenced... Figure 2The cover seal 28 is located between the housing 12 and the cover 14, and the cover seal 28 is located between the cover 14 and the wall surface 72.

[0036] To use the wire sealing cap 30, the cable 22 is inserted through the sealing opening 44 and the electrical terminal 24 is attached to the cable 22, as follows: Figure 3 As shown. Then as... Figure 9 The diagram shows the positioning of the wire seal 34, which is located within a seal recess 66, and the electrical terminal 24 is within the interior 20 of the housing 12. The electrical terminal 24 is then connected to electrical components within the housing 12. If the electrical terminal 24 or the wire seal 30 is damaged, it may be desirable to repair or replace the electrical terminal 24 or the wire seal 30. In conventional practice, the cable 22 would be cut to separate the cable 22 and the electrical terminal 24 from the wire seal 30. However, the wire seal 30 allows the cable 22 and the electrical terminal 24 to be separated from the wire seal 30 without cutting the cable 22.

[0037] like Figure 6 As shown, the sealing opening 44 has a sealing opening width 86, which is measured perpendicular to the opening axis 46. Additionally, the first arm 48 and the second arm 50 separate the retainer width 88, which is also measured perpendicular to the opening axis 46. Figure 3 As shown, the electrical terminal 24 has a terminal width 90 measured perpendicular to the opening axis 46. The terminal width 90 shown is greater than the opening width 86 shown and also greater than the retainer width 88 shown.

[0038] To separate the cable 22 and electrical terminal 24 from the wire seal cap 30, the wire seal cap 30 is moved relative to the cable 22 toward the electrical terminal 24. As previously described, the wire seal 34 is made of an elastomeric material and can be stretched to enlarge the size of the seal opening 86 to allow the electrical terminal 24 to move through the seal opening 44. Additionally, as previously described, the first arm 48 and the second arm 50 are not in contact, and a gap generally indicated by 92 exists between the first arm 48 and the second arm 50. The wire seal 34 can be oriented relative to the electrical terminal 24 such that the electrical terminal 24 is at least partially located within the gap 92, and the wire seal 34 can move relative to the cable 22 past the electrical terminal 24, although the terminal width 90 is greater than the retainer width 88. This allows the wire seal cap 30 to be removed from the cable 22 after the electrical terminal 24 has been attached, while keeping the cable 22 intact.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and alternatives to the described and illustrated embodiments can be developed based on the overall teachings of this disclosure, and that various elements and features of one example described and illustrated herein can be combined with various elements and features of another example without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the specific examples disclosed herein have been selected by the inventors only to describe and illustrate examples of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or its protection, which will be given by the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents.

Claims

1. A wire sealing cap, the wire sealing cap comprising: A retainer, the retainer including a retainer body, a first arm and a second arm, the first arm extending from the retainer body and the second arm extending from the retainer body, the first arm and the second arm not in contact; as well as A wire seal comprising a seal body and a seal opening, the seal body surrounding a portion of a retainer body, the seal opening extending through the seal body.

2. The wire sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; and The first arm and the second arm are located on opposite sides of the opening axis.

3. The wire sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the retainer body includes a second portion not surrounded by the wire seal; and The first arm and the second arm extend from the second portion.

4. The wire sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the sealing element defines an opening axis; The first arm extends from the retainer body in a first direction relative to the opening axis; and The second arm extends from the retainer body in a second direction, different from the first direction, relative to the axis of the opening.

5. The wire sealing cap of claim 1, wherein the retainer includes a ridge extending from the portion of the retainer body surrounded by the sealing body.

6. The wire sealing cap of claim 5, wherein the ridge includes a ridge opening extending through the ridge; and A portion of the sealing body is located in the ridge opening.

7. The wire sealing cap of claim 6, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; and The ridge opening defines a ridge opening axis parallel to the opening axis.

8. The wire sealing cap according to claim 5, wherein the ridge and the sealing opening are located on opposite sides of the retainer body.

9. The wire sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; The first arm includes a first stop extending parallel to the axis of the opening; and The second arm includes a second stop extending parallel to the axis of the opening.

10. An assembly comprising the wire sealing cap and housing according to claim 1, the housing comprising a wall, a sealing groove and a latch, the wall comprising a wall opening; The seal body is located within the seal recess, and the seal opening defines an opening axis extending through the wall opening; and The first arm engages the latch on the housing to hold the wire sealing cap in the installation position relative to the housing.

11. The component of claim 10, wherein the latch is a first latch; The housing includes a second latch; and The second arm engages the second latch to hold the wire sealing cap relative to the housing in the mounting position.

12. The component of claim 11, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; and The first arm and the second arm are located on opposite sides of the opening axis.

13. The component of claim 11, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; The first arm extends from the retainer body in a first direction relative to the opening axis; and The second arm extends from the retainer body in a second direction, different from the first direction, relative to the axis of the opening.

14. The component of claim 11, wherein the wall comprises a wall surface; and The retainer includes a ridge extending from the portion of the retainer body surrounded by the seal body, the ridge including a ridge surface located on the side of the ridge opposite to the retainer body, the ridge surface being substantially parallel to the wall surface of the wall.

15. The component of claim 14, wherein the ridge and the sealing opening are located on opposite sides of the retainer body.

16. The component of claim 11, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; The first arm includes a first stop extending parallel to the axis of the opening; and The second arm includes a second stop extending parallel to the axis of the opening.

17. The component of claim 10, wherein the wall has a wall surface; The sealing element body has an outer edge; and The assembly also includes a cap and a cap seal, the cap engaging the housing to hold the cap in a covered position relative to the housing, and the cap seal being located between the cap and the wall surface of the wall, and between the cap and the outer edge of the seal body.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the retainer includes a ridge extending from the portion of the retainer body surrounded by the seal body toward an outer edge of the seal body, the ridge including a ridge surface located on a side of the ridge opposite to the retainer body, the ridge surface being substantially parallel to the wall surface of the wall.

19. The component of claim 17, wherein the sealing opening defines an opening axis; The first arm includes a first stop extending parallel to the axis of the opening; The second arm includes a second stop extending parallel to the opening axis; and The cover includes a first block and a second block, the first block being located between the first stop and the opening of the seal, and the second block being located between the second stop and the opening of the seal.

20. A component, the component comprising: Wire sealing cap, the wire sealing cap comprising: A retainer, the retainer including a retainer body, a first arm and a second arm, the first arm extending from the retainer body, the second arm extending from the retainer body, the first arm and the second arm not in contact; and A wire seal, the wire seal including a seal body and a seal opening, the seal body surrounding a portion of a retainer body, the seal opening extending through the seal body; and Housing, the housing comprising: Including walls with openings; First latch, and second latch; and A sealing groove, wherein the sealing body is located within the sealing groove; The sealing opening defines an opening axis extending through the wall opening; and The first arm engages the first latch on the housing and the second arm engages the second latch on the housing to hold the wire sealing cap in the installation position relative to the housing.

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