Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PRESSURE ~OMPENSATING CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY ~ `
BAC~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to undersea
connectors and specifically to apparatus for equalîzing
the pressure between an interior chamber of the ~ -~
10 connector and the outside environment in which the -
connector is placed.
The inaccessibility and expense of changing or
repairing deep ocean electrical connectors has mandated
that such connectors be extremely reliable even though
operating in a hostile deep ocean salt water environment
with cathodic corrosive effects and extreme pressures.
Connectors used in deep ocean environments
often include an interior closed chamber filled with
non-conductive fluid wherein connection of individual
wires in a cable are made either to a male or female
connector in~ert. The connector end of the insert ;~
extends from the interior chamber of the connector
assembly and is available for connection to a
cooperating connector assembly. It is recognized that
;25 if the pre~sure in the interior chamber fluid is
equalized with the pres~ure of the environment in which
the connector i8 placed, the chances of failure of the
connector due to pressure differentials will be greatly
reduced.
Heretofore, various mechanisms have been used
to achieve such pressure equalization. For example, in
~ome connectors the interior chamber is pre-pressurized
to a pressure which approximates the pressure of the
environment in which the connector will actually be
used. However, large pressure differentials will still
exist when the connector is not in its operating
-environment such as before installation. Plungers and
various other complex mechanical mechanisms have also
been used to enable pressure of the interior chamber to
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be continuously varied to match the external pressure of
the environment. However, the complexity and expense of ~ ,
such mechanisms have limited their applicability to only
the largest connector assembl,ies and e~en then only ;-~-
where the added expense could be justified.
Consequently pressure equalization mechanisms for small
sized, deep ocean connectors or less expensive
connectors have not heretofore been possible.
The present invention solves this problem by ,'', ~''""
providing a pressure compensation mechanism for use
particularly in deep sea connector assemblies which ,~
allow the interior chamber of the connector to always be
at the same pressure as the external environment while -,'"''~"'~
still maintaining the integrity of the non-electrically ,'
15 conducting fluid in the interior of the chamber. ',`~ ' "j'',
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION '
A pressure compensation apparatus for a ,'~
connector assembly which defines in its interior a
chamber in which a substantially incompressible, non-
electrically conducting fluid resides, includes a first ~ ,'",~
cylindrical mating sleeve positioned in the chamber
25 where the first mating ~leeve has a first surface which ''~.,"' ",,'~
is configured to be in sealing contact against the ~ "
, circumferential interior surface of the chamber. The ,',' ' ~
first mating sleeve further includes a second surface , ',''~,';'i'`
which is spaced radially inwardly from the
30 circumferential surface of the chamber for providing a ,,;,,'~
space between the second surface and the circumferential i,,,,',,"~,,,-,',,~,,~
surface of the chamber. The second surface has on its ,.-'',' '
remote end a first circumferential locator nih which
protrudes radially toward the circumferential surface of '`'~ ,-M~"
` 35 the chamber but remains spaced from that surface. '~ '' ;`~'
A second cylindrical mating sleeve is similarly '~
positioned in the connector chamber but in spaced
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relationship to the first mating sleeve. The second
mating sleeve likewise has a third surface which, like -
the first surface on the first mating sleeve, provides a
sealing contact against the interior surface of the - ~
5 chamber. The second mating sleeve also has a fourth ~ -
surface which is spaced inwardly from the ~ --
circumferential surface of the chamber thereby providing
a space between the fourth surface and the
circumferential interior surface of the chamber The
fourth surface also has a locator nib which protrudes
radially therefrom in a direction toward the
circumferential surface of the chamber but is radially
spaced therefrom. An elaætomeric boot is positioned to
extend between the first and second mating sleeves ;~
whereby the elastomeric boot has a first end sized for
being stretch fitted over the second surface of the - -
first mating sleeve and having a second end which is
sized to be stretched fitted over the fourth surface of
the second mating sleeve thereby bifurcating the chamber
into an interior region inside the boot and an exterior
region radially between the boot and the surface of the
chamber. The exterior region extends longitudinally
between the first surface of the first mating sleeve and
the third surface of the second mating sleeve. The
housing is then provided with a pressure equalizing
orifice therethrough at a location whereby the exterior
region of the chamber communicates with the environment
outside the connector so that the incompressible fluid
confined in the interior region of the chamber will be
at the same pressure as the environment outside the
connector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other advantages and features of the
invention will be more fully apparent from the detailed
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description below taken with the accompanying drawings
in which like reference characters refer to like parts
throughout and wherein~
FIGURE 1 is a partial cut-away side view of a
connector assembly which incorporates a pressur~
equalizing apparatus in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 2 is a detail illustrating the right .
locator nib positioned in a circumferential channel in ;. --
the elastomeric boot in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figure 1, a connector assembly 10,
defined by a coupling member 12 includes a cable 14
- which extends through a boot 16 to a shell 18 where the `~
individual wires of the cable 14 feed through an insert `~
: 20 into an interior chamber 22 of the coupling member
12. The chamber 22 is defined by the interior region of
a housing 24 which generally includes several parts
~oined together with pins, split rings and other
appropriate section mating mechanisms well known in the
art. The chamber 22 is a closed chamber being closed
circumferentially by the housing 24, being closed on one
end by the feed through insert 20 and on the other end
opposite the one end by a contact insert 26 which may
either be a female or male insert.
When connectors with interior chambers, such as
the one depicted in Figure 1, are used in undersea
,~ 30 environments, the pressure differential can adversely
affect the sealing necessary to maintain maximum : ',i`,~,~,$,
integrity of the coupling member 12 and, in particular, `~
~ to prevent contamination of the insulating oil 27 which
: is placed in the chamber 22. Any salt water invasion or
contamination in the chamber 22 could result in
corrosion of critical electrical components and could
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cause electrical conduction between individual wires 28 `~
which extend through the chamber 22. :
Therefore, in accordance with the invention, a
pressure compensation apparatus 30 has been incorporated :
in the chamber 22. The pressure compensation apparatus
30, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention,
includes a first mating sleeve 32, which is preferably
cylindrical, with a first mating surface 34 in sealing
contact against the juxtapositioned interior cylindrical
surface 36 of the chamber 22. To enhance sealing
between the surface 34 and the surface 36, an O ring 38
is placed in a circumferential groove 40 in the first
surface 34 of the first mating sleeve 32. In the
preferred embodiment of the invention, longitudinal
positioning is maintained by providing a circumferential
radially dispo~ed abutting surface 44 in the housing. A
radially pro~ecting surface 46 of the first mating
: sleeve 32 is provided to abut against the radial surface
44 in the interior of the housing 24. Axial movement of
the first mating sleeve is thereby made impossible.
The first mating sleeve 32 further includes a
second surface 48 which is spaced radially inwardly from `~
~; the surface 36 of the chamber 22 thereby providing a
:: space between the second surface 48 and the chamber - ~ .
interior surface 36. In accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the second surface has a . ;:
circumferential locator nib 50 which protrudes radially ~.
from the surface 48 toward, but still spaced from, the ~ ~ :
surface 36 of the chamber 22.
:~ 1 30 I In accordance with the invention, a second . ~;; .
cylindrical mating sleeve 60 is similarly positioned in ~.~ .. .
the chamber 22 but at a location spaced from the first .
mating sleeve 32. Like the first mating sleeve 32, the
~: second mating sleeve 60 has an axially extending :~
~:~ 35 circumferential surface 62 which is in sealing contact
against a juxtapositioned portion of the surface 36 of ~ .
the chamber 22. An appropriate O ring 64 is placed in a
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circumferential groove 67 to ensure that a seal is made
and maintained between the surface 62 and the surface .
36. Like the first mating sleeve, the second mating
sleeve 60 also has a radially projecting abutment
surface 66, perpendicular to the surface 62, for
abutment against a radially projecting interior housing
surface 68. The abutment between the surfaces 66 and 68
ensures that axial movement of the second mating sleeve
60 will be impossible.
The second mating sleeve 60 further includes a
sealing surface 70 which is spaced inwardly from the ;~
circumferential surface of the chamber 22 to thereby
provide a space 72 between the surface 70 and the
surface 36. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, ~ s
the sealing surface 70 has a circumferential locator;nib
74 which protrudes radially from the surface 70 but ~ m
which is still spaced from the surface 36 of the chamber
22.
The locator nib 50 of first mating sleeve 32 is
preferably positioned at the end of the surface 48
remote from the abutting surface 46. Likewise the
locator nib 74 of mating sleeve 60 is located at the end
of the mating sleeve 60 remote from the abutting æurface ~ "
66.
An elastomeric boot 80 is provided with a first :~
end 82 sized for being stretched fitted over the sealing
surface 48 between the first mating sleeve and the
interior surface 36 of the chamber 22. The elastomeric
boot 80 further has a second end 83 which is sized to .`.,~ . `
stretch fit over the second mating sleeve 60 between~the
surface 70 of the mating sleeve 60 and the interior
: surface 36 of the chamber 22.
Referring to Figure 2, in a preferred
embodiment, the boot 80 has an in~erior disposed . .;~ .
35 circumferential channel 82 which is positioned adjacent '. : `.
to boot 80 but inwardly spaced from each end, one being
at a location adapted, for example, to receive the :.~ .
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locator nib 50 thereby enabling the boot 80 to be ¦-
properly positioned over the first and second mating
sleeves 32 and 60 respectively. Accordingly, a seal is ~ ~ ;
formed between the surface 48 and the first end 82 of -
the boot 80 and between the surface 70 and the other end
83 of the boot 80. The boot 80 thereby divides the
chamber 22 into an interior cylindrical region 86 and an
exterior cylindrically-shaped region 88 with the non-
conductive fluid 26 confined by the boot 80 in the
interior region 86.
In order to provide pressure compensation, an
orifice 90 is provided through the housing 24 in
communication between the exterior environment of the ~ ~
connector and the exterior region 88 of the chamber 22. :-
15 Since the fluid 26 in the portion 86 in the chamber 22 :~
is incompressible, the orifice 90 will permit equaliæing
pressure communication via the boot 80 so that the ~: ~
pressure in the interior portion 86 of the chamber 22 . ~ :
will be the same as the pressure in the exterior region :
of the portion 88 of the chamber 22. Such pressure
equalization enables the connector in accordance with .
the present invention to eliminate pressure as a cause .~
which would urge fluid from the outside of the interior ~:
chamber 22 to communicate with the fluids interior to
25 the connector. .
In the preferred embodiment, in order to
provide a superior seal between the boot 80 and the
first and second mating sleeves 32 and 60, respectively, ;-
the boot 80 i~ molded over the surfaces 48 and 70 prior
30 to insertion in the chamber 22. The direct molding of -
the boot onto the mating sleeves provides a superior
seal and eliminates the need to preform the channels,
such as channel 82 depicted in Figure 2. ::
While a specific embodiment of the invention
:35 has been described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, ;:~
those skilled in the art will appreciate that many
modifications and variations of the invention are :.
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possible without departing from the invention in its ' ;~
broadest ~Kcects.
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