Cable Adapter Seal Groove Eliminates Heat Shrink Tubing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hardened optical connectors rely on heat shrink tubing for environmental sealing, which increases manufacturing complexity, introduces leakage points, and leads to product failures due to inconsistent activation and reflow of adhesive materials.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a sealing material within a seal groove and passageway of a cable adapter, fabricated through a multi-step molding process, provides an environmental seal without the need for heat shrink tubing, ensuring reliable sealing between the connector and optical cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heat shrink tubing is used for environmental sealing, then sealing function is provided, but manufacturing complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the cable adapter structure itself by integrating a seal groove directly into the adapter body. The sealing material is embedded within this groove during a single molding process, eliminating the need for separate heat shrink tubing components and their associated activation steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The problematic heat shrink tubing is extracted and removed from the system entirely. Instead of using this separate component that requires heat activation and introduces leakage points, the invention extracts only the essential sealing function and integrates it directly into the cable adapter through a molded seal groove, eliminating the source of manufacturing complexity and reliability issues
2Reliability
If heat shrink tubing is used for environmental sealing, then sealing function is provided, but product failures increase due to inconsistent activation and adhesive reflow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potential harm of inconsistent heat activation and adhesive reflow into a benefit by using a molding process that permanently sets the sealing material in place. The seal groove is formed and filled with sealing material during manufacturing, creating a stable, non-reflowing seal that eliminates the harmful effects of heat activation variability while maintaining effective environmental sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing material is preliminarily positioned and fixed within the seal groove during the molding process, before the product reaches the customer. This preliminary action ensures that the seal is already in its correct position and configuration, eliminating the need for field activation and preventing the product failures that result from inconsistent activation and adhesive reflow
3Ease of manufacture
If heat shrink tubing is used for environmental sealing, then sealing function is provided, but manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is merged with the cable adapter body by integrating the seal groove directly into the adapter's molded structure. The sealing material is embedded within this groove during the same molding process, combining what would otherwise be separate components into a single integrated part, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while reducing sealing structure complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Cable adapters, connector assemblies, and optical cable assemblies incorporating an integral seal are disclosed. According to one aspect, a cable adapter includes a first end, a second end, and a passageway extending between the first end and the second end. The cable adapter further includes a seal groove within a surface of the second end, at least one opening within the seal groove, wherein the at least one opening is fluidly coupled to the passageway, and a seal within the seal groove. The seal includes a sealing material disposed within the seal groove, the at least one opening, and along an interior surface of the passageway.