Claims
- 1. A connection protector kit for use with a plurality of electrical stub connections, said kit comprising:a) a cap defining an opening and having an interior wall defining a cavity, said cavity communicating with said opening; b) a separator insert defining an insert axis and including: a plurality of holding walls, each of said holding walls being adapted to hold a respective one of the stub connections; and a plurality of axially extending separator walls interposed between adjacent ones of said holding walls; c) wherein said cavity is adapted to receive said separator insert and the stub connections.
- 2. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of said holding walls extends axially.
- 3. The kit of claim 1 wherein each of said holding walls includes a slot therein.
- 4. The kit of claim 3 wherein each of said slots extends axially and opens radially outwardly.
- 5. The kit of claim 1 wherein said holding walls and said separator walls are substantially uniformly circumferentially spaced about said insert axis.
- 6. The kit of claim 1 including at least one axially extending flange extending at an angle from at least one of said separator walls.
- 7. The kit of claim 1 wherein said separator insert is formed of an electrically insulative material.
- 8. The kit of claim 7 wherein said separator insert is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 9. The kit of claim 1 further including a gel disposed in said cavity.
- 10. The kit of claim 1 wherein said cap is flexible and an end of said cap opposite said opening is closed.
- 11. The kit of claim 1 including a retainer operable to secure said cap over said separator insert and the stub connections.
- 12. The kit of claim 11 wherein said retainer is operable to maintain said cap in a compressed position.
- 13. The kit of claim 11 wherein said retainer includes a clamp.
- 14. A protected electrical connection assembly comprising:a) a flexible cap defining an opening and having an interior wall defining a cavity, said cavity communicating with said opening; b) a separator insert disposed in said cavity, said separator insert defining an insert axis and including: a plurality of holding walls; and a plurality of axially extending separator walls interposed between adjacent ones of said holding walls; and c) a plurality of electrical stub connections extending through said opening; d) wherein each of said holding walls holds a respective one of said stub connections.
- 15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein each of said holding walls extends axially.
- 16. The assembly of claim 14 wherein:each of said holding walls includes a slot therein; each of said stub connections is mounted in a respective one of said slots and includes a pair of elongated, electrically conductive elements joined at respective terminal ends thereof and extending along opposed sides of said holding wall including said respective one of said slots.
- 17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein each of said slots extends axially and radially opens outwardly.
- 18. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said holding walls and said separator walls are substantially uniformly circumferentially spaced about said insert axis.
- 19. The assembly of claim 14 including at least one axially extending flange extending at an angle from at least one of said separator walls.
- 20. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said separator insert is formed of an electrically insulative material.
- 21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein said separator insert is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 22. The assembly of claim 14 further including a gel disposed in said cavity.
- 23. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said cap is flexible and an end of said cap opposite said opening is closed.
- 24. The assembly of claim 14 including a retainer securing said cap over said separator insert and said stub connections.
- 25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said retainer maintains said cap in a compressed position.
- 26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein said retainer includes a clamp.
- 27. A separator insert for use with a plurality of electrical stub connections, said separator insert defining an insert axis and including:a) a plurality of holding walls, each of said holding walls being adapted to hold a respective one of the stub connections; and b) a plurality of axially extending separator walls interposed between adjacent ones of said holding walls.
- 28. The separator insert of claim 27 wherein each of said holding walls extends axially.
- 29. The separator insert of claim 27 wherein each of said holding walls includes a slot therein.
- 30. The separator insert of claim 29 wherein each of said slots extends axially and opens radially outwardly.
- 31. The separator insert of claim 27 wherein said holding walls and said separator walls are substantially uniformly circumferentially spaced about said insert axis.
- 32. The separator insert of claim 27 including at least one axially extending flange extending at an angle from at least one of said separator walls.
- 33. The separator insert of claim 27 wherein said separator insert is formed of an electrically insulative material.
- 34. The separator insert of claim 33 wherein said separator insert is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer and a thermoplastic elastomer.
- 35. A method for protecting a plurality of electrical stub connections, said method comprising the steps of:providing a separator insert defining an insert axis and including: a plurality of holding walls, each of the holding walls being adapted to hold a respective one of the stub connections; and a plurality of separator walls interposed between adjacent ones of the holding walls; and mounting each of the stub connections on a respective one of the holding walls.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein each of the holding walls extends axially.
- 37. The method of claim 35 wherein said step of mounting each of the stub connections on a respective one of the holding walls includes placing each of the stub connections in a slot in the respective holding wall such that a pair of elongated, electrically conductive elements of the stub connection extend along opposed sides of the holding wall.
- 38. The method of claim 35 further including the step of inserting the separator insert with the stub connections thereon into a cap.
- 39. The method of claim 38 further including the step of placing a gel in the cap.
- 40. The method of claim 35 wherein the separator member includes at least one axially extending flange extending at an angle from at least one of the separator walls.
- 41. The method of claim 35 including securing the cap over the separator insert and the stub connections using a retainer.
- 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the retainer includes a clamp.
RELATED APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The present application claims the benefit of and priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/237,229, filed Oct. 2, 2000, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/539,541, filed Mar. 31, 2000, and pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/660,062, filed Sep. 12, 2000, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Splice Insulators, T&B, pp. M195 and M196, Jan. 21, 1985. |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/237229 |
Oct 2000 |
US |