Butt Closure Base With Gel Wedge Seals for Variable Cable Diameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing butt closures for fiber optic cables face challenges with unreliable sealing and difficulty in accommodating a wide range of cable diameters, often requiring complex and inefficient sealing systems.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base housing with annular cavities filled with gel, wedge assemblies with movable pressure plates, and a seal assembly that includes a gel and O-ring for improved sealing, allowing easy installation and sealing of cables of varying diameters, with features like self-orienting cable clamps and snap-fastened seals for stability and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If through-holes in the base with seals are used, then sealing function is provided, but the sealing reliability is poor and the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional through-hole sealing structure and extracts the sealing function into a separate removable seal assembly that can be independently installed and maintained, simplifying the base structure while improving sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The seal assembly is designed to nest within the base housing, with the seal member positioned inside a dedicated sealing chamber. This nested configuration allows the sealing system to be compact while maintaining reliable sealing through the nested seal member that can be independently accessed
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single sealing system is used for all cables, then the structure is simplified, but the adaptability to different cable diameters is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly incorporates adjustable components including a movable seal member that can be repositioned along the cable insertion path, and an adjustable compression mechanism that adapts to different cable diameters. This dynamic adjustability allows a single seal assembly design to accommodate multiple cable sizes while maintaining effective sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system allows adjustment of key parameters including the position of the seal member, the compression force applied to the seal, and the diameter of the sealing bore. These parameter changes enable the same seal assembly to adapt to different cable diameters while maintaining reliable sealing performance
3Ease of operation
If multiple seals are sealed together as a single system, then the structure is simplified, but the ease of operation for installation and maintenance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing system is segmented into a removable seal assembly that can be independently accessed and serviced. The seal member is positioned in a dedicated sealing chamber that can be opened to allow individual seal replacement or adjustment, enabling maintenance of the sealing system without disassembling the entire closure device
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides reliable and efficient sealing across a wide range of cable diameters, ensuring secure and watertight connections while simplifying the installation process and reducing the risk of seal loss, even under pressure.
Implementation Method 1
A portion of the gel may be compressed to deform around the cable to seal
Implementation Method 2
The seal assembly may include a seal member and a support member... an O-ring seal between the seal member and the support member
Data Source
AI summary
A butt closure base includes a base housing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first outer surface and a second outer surface, the base housing defining a plurality of cavities between the first and second outer surfaces, the plurality of cavities aligned in an annular array. A first gel is disposed in each of the plurality of cavities. The butt closure base further includes a plurality of wedge assemblies, each of the plurality of wedge assemblies removably insertable into one of the plurality of cavities. Each of the plurality of wedge assemblies includes an outer cover, a second gel, and a main pressure plate in contact with the second gel. The main pressure plate is movable along the longitudinal axis to apply pressure to the second gel.