text: Patent US8062045 - Cover for cable connectors - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA cover/boot and a system of covers/boots for placement in sealed relation over a connector or pair of connectors that is or are adapted to terminate a cable or splice together a pair of cables, preferably cables that carry signals received by a receiving apparatus on a cell tower. The covers include...http://www.google.com.au/patents/US8062045?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8062045 - Cover for cable connectorsPublication numberUS8062045 B2Publication typeGrantApplication number12/945,525Publication date22 Nov 2011Filing date12 Nov 2010Priority date30 Mar 2009Also published asUS7838775US20100248533US20110059662US20120009830InventorsNoah MontenaOriginal AssigneeJohn Mezzalingua Associates, Inc.,U.S. Classification439/282439/588439/369International ClassificationH01R13/52Cooperative ClassificationH01R24/40H01R2103/00H01R13/5213European ClassificationH01R13/52HReferencesPatent Citations (35)Non-Patent Citations (6)Referenced by (3)External LinksUSPTOUSPTO AssignmentEspacenetCover for cable connectorsUS 8062045 B2Abstract A cover/boot and a system of covers/boots for placement in sealed relation over a connector or pair of connectors that is or are adapted to terminate a cable or splice together a pair of cables, preferably cables that carry signals received by a receiving apparatus on a cell tower. The covers include a cable end that sealingly receives a cable therein, an elongated body that provides secure cover to a cable connector, and an end that abuts a bulkhead or sealingly engages with a second cover when used in a splicing application.
  1. A system for covering a first connector adapted to terminate a first cable, and further covering a second connector adapted to terminate a second cable, said system comprising:
  a. a first elongated body member comprising a cable end and splice end, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the first elongated body member extending along a longitudinal axis, said first elongated body being adapted to envelop at least a portion of the first connector, wherein the first elongated body member includes a first region configured to cover a portion of a first cable, the first region extending to a shoulder and having a plurality of grooves formed therein;
  b. a second elongated body adapted to telescopically engage said first elongated body member in enveloping relation to the second connector, said second elongated body member comprising a cable end and splice end, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the second elongated body member adapted to extend co-axially from said first elongated body member when engaged therewith, said second elongated body being adapted to envelop at least a portion of the second connector, wherein the second elongated body member includes a first region configured to cover a portion of a second cable, the first region extending to a shoulder of the second elongated body member and having a plurality of grooves formed therein;
  c. wherein a portion of said first elongated body is adapted to be positioned between said interior surface of said second elongated body member and the first connector.
  2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second elongated body further comprises an annular flange that extends about said exterior surface thereof, an upper segment that extends upwardly from said annular flange and a lower segment that extends downwardly from said annular flange.
  3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said upper segment of said second elongated body is adapted to be positioned between said interior surface of said first elongated body member and the first connector and said splice end of said first elongated body member is adapted to abut said annular flange when said first and second elongated bodies are engaged with one another.
  4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first elongated body members includes at least one gripping surface formed on its said exterior surface.
  5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first elongated body members includes at least two gripping surfaces formed on its said exterior surface.
  6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two gripping surfaces are longitudinally spaced from one another.
  7. The system according to claim, wherein said first elongated body member includes first and second pairs of gripping surfaces formed on its said exterior surface.
  8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second pairs of gripping surfaces each comprise first and second gripping surfaces axially symmetrically positioned relative to one another. Description
  CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of and claims priority from co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/414,255 filed Mar. 30, 2009, and entitled Cover for Cable Connectors, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,838,775.
  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to covers for cable connectors, and more particularly to covers that protect cable connectors used on cell towers from environmental degradation.
  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, a first aspect of the present invention provides a cover for a connector adapted to terminate a cable, wherein the connector includes a body portion and a coupler element. The cover essentially comprises an elongated body member extending along a longitudinal axis and having cable and bulkhead ends, and interior and exterior surfaces; a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed in a predetermined region of the interior surface of the body member, proximate the cable end; wherein the interior surface of the body member is adapted to sealingly envelop the connector.
  BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be more fully appreciated and understood by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
  DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 a cover, designated generally by reference numeral 10, adapted to be placed in secure and sealing relation over a connector 12, such as (a 5-series connector manufactured by John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc. of East Syracuse, N.Y. that is adapted to terminate a ⅞′ cable). Connector 12 terminates on a bulkhead 13. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, cover 10 comprises an elongated body 55 composed of a rubber material that exhibits a low modulus of elasticity over an extended temperature range, preferably a silicone rubber, that extends along a longitudinal axis X-X a cable end 14, bulkhead end 16, exterior surface 18, interior surface 20, and wedge shaped wings 22 extending from opposing sides of exterior surface 18 that provide a gripping surface for a tool or manual engagement, such as pliers or a user's fingers, used to remove cover from covering relation to connector 12. The rubber composition of the cover permit it to elastically deform to the connector and other elements that it covers (e.g., the bulkhead), as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, when being installed or removed.
  With continued reference to FIG. 1, connector 12 extends outwardly from bulkhead 13 along axis X-X Bulkhead 13 includes a shank portion 28 that is either integral therewith or comprised of a separate element preferably composed of rubber. If shank portion 28 is integral with bulkhead 13, a rubber gasket 26 is preferably placed in sealing relation at the interface of shank portion 28 and the neck 29 of bulkhead 13. Shank portion 28 is of a diameter having a dimension at least as large as, and preferably larger than the maximum width of coupling element/nut 30 (which is the next widest part of the connector), thus creating the connector's maximum width dimension at the interface of connector 12 and bulkhead 13.
  With reference to FIGS. 4-7, an embodiment of a second cover 100 is provided. Cover 100, like cover 10, is adapted for placement in secure and sealed covering relation over a connector 102, such as a series 4 connector, manufactured and sold by John Mezzalingua, Associates, Inc. that is for use with a smaller cable (e.g., �″) than is connector 12. However, cover 100, like cover 10, is adapted to envelop a connector that terminates in a bulkhead 104. Connector 102 comprises a connector portion 106, a coupling element/nut 108 (although illustrated as a nut, various types of coupling elements are conventionally used on cable connectors of the type herein described), and interface ring 109 and an enlarged shank portion 110 (that, like shank portion 26, may be integral with or a separate, preferably rubber, element; if integral, a rubber gasket would preferably be placed at the interface of the shank portion and connector), and bulkhead 104.
  The interior surface 112 of cover 100 includes a first region 116 of an essentially constant diameter that extends from cable end 106 to a first shoulder 115 from which it steps outwardly to an increased cross-sectional diameter that extends essentially uniformly in a second or medial region 118. Notably, the portion of connector 102 that second region 118 is adapted to cover comprises different diameter rings 120 a and 120 b with 120 a being of slightly smaller diameter than 120 b. The diameter of second region 118 approximates that of rings 120 a and the pliable nature of cover 100 permits the material to deform to accommodate the relevant portion of connector 102 and consequently securely envelop the larger diameter rings 120 b, creating tight seals at the transitions between rings 120 a and 120 b. Medial region 118 next steps outwardly at a shoulder 122 to a third (also medial) region 124 that is adapted to be positioned in covering relation over nut 108 and interface ring 109. Third region 124 then steps outwardly at shoulder 126 126′ to a fourth region 128 that is adapted to envelop shank portion 110 and terminate at bulkhead 104.
  Unlike the wings 22′ of cover 10′, cover 100 includes a ring 130 that extends around exterior surface 107 in a plane that is essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis Y-Y of cover 100 and is positioned at about the midpoint along the length of cover 100. Ring 130 serves principally as a drip edge to direct any rain water or other moisture away from the interfaces between the cover and the connector/cable. Ring 130 could also serve to provide a gripping surface for a tool used to remove cover 100 from connector 102.
  The mariner of using cover 100 is the same as that for cover 10; namely sliding cover 100 (cable end first) entirely over a cable 132, and then terminating the cable in connector 102 in a conventional mariner. Cover 100 is then slid downwardly in enveloping relation to connector 102 until its distal end 108 preferably abuts, but at least overlaps with bulkhead 104. When cover 100 is fully positioned over connector 102, first region 116 tightly enwraps cable 132 with shoulder 115 positioned adjacent the terminating end of connector 102, thereby forming a seal between cable 132 and cover 100. If moisture does infiltrate the seal formed between cable 132 and cover 100, the grooves 114 function as small reservoirs. Second region 118 extends in tightly covering relation to the majority of connector 102 that extend outwardly from nut 108, with shoulder 120 positioned in sealed relation to nut 108. Third region 124 then extends in sealed relation to nut 108 and interface ring 109, and shoulder 126′ tapers (or steps) outwardly such that fourth region 128 can accommodate and extend in sealed relation to shank portion 110 until it terminates in abutting relation to bulkhead 104, with seals being formed between shank portion 110 and cover 100 and between bulkhead 104 and cover 100.
  While covers 10 and 100 are both adapted to be placed in covering relation to connectors that terminate in a bulkhead, with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14 there is seen a system for covering a pair of connectors that are used to splice together two differently sized cables. FIGS. 8-10 illustrate a system 200 of using covers 10 and 100 (that will be designated 10′ and 100′ for purposes of differentiating the bulkhead embodiments from the splice embodiment) to splice cables that terminate in connectors 12′ and 102′ (again, the connectors 12′ and 102′ are structurally the same as connectors 12 and 102 with the difference being the lack of a bulkhead for terminating the connectors since the connectors are joined together). The structures of covers 10′ and 100′ are the same as described above for covers 10 and 100, but with a different method of use and resultant arrangement. For instance, the system 200 of covers 10′, 100′ essentially comprises a first elongated body member 55 extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising cable and splice ends, interior and exterior surfaces, and adapted to envelop at least a portion of the first connector 12′; a second elongated body member 155 adapted to telescopically engage the first elongated body member 55 in enveloping relation to the second connector 102′. The second elongated body member 155 adapted to envelop the second connector 102′ comprises cable and splice ends, interior and exterior surfaces, and extends co-axially from the first elongated body member 55 when engaged therewith.
  System 200 comprises cover 10′ adapted to cover connector 12′ and cover 100′ that is adapted to cover connector 102′. In use, cover 10′ is first slide entirely over cable 41′ which may then be terminated to connector 12′ in a conventional manner, and likewise, cover 100′ may be slid over cable 132′ which may then be terminated to connector 102′. Next, connectors 12′ and 102′ are interconnected by applying an appropriate amount of torque to secure the interconnection, with a gasket 202 optionally being positioned between the two to enhance the sealing at the interface of the connectors. Cover 100′ may then be slid downwardly into enveloping relation to connector 102′. Finally, cover 10′ may be slide over connector 12′ with fourth region 128′ and at least a portion of third region 124′ of cover 100′ being telescopically engaged within third region 40′. In addition to the seals created by covers 10′ and 100′ as previously described, an additional seal is created at the interface of end 105′ and cover 100′.
  System 300, illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, comprises a cover 400 that is adapted to cover a connector 402 (such as a series 7 connector manufactured by John Mezzalingua Associates, Inc.) in which a cable 404 (e.g., a 1⅝″ cable) may be terminated, and cover 100′ that provides, as previously described, cover for connector 102′ that in this embodiment is adapted to be spliced to connector 402. With regard to cover 400, it comprises an elongated body member 455, cable and splice ends 405, 406, respectively, and interior and exterior surfaces 408, 410, respectively. A series of grooves 412 are formed in interior surface 408 in parallel spaced relation to one another in the first region 413 of cover 400 that extends from cable end 408 to a first shoulder 414. Grooves 412, like the other grooves described herein, serve as reservoirs for any moisture that migrate into cover 400 at its interface with cable 404.
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