(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a splice closure for telecommunications cables, and more particularly, to a splice closure for telecommunications cables which fully encloses a splice between two telecommunications cables to seal both a point of juncture of the cables and points of entrance into the splice closure.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Wires used for telecommunications are sheathed to form cables. The cables are manufactured at predetermined lengths so that a plurality of the cables must be spliced to obtain a length suitable for application. Splice closures are used at the points where the cables are spliced to provide a secure connection to the cables, and to protect the spliced portions from the many stresses telecommunications cables are subjected to before, during and after installment such as exposure to sunlight and water, tension, vibrations, ingestion of the outer covering by insects, etc.
Although many different configurations are used for the conventional splice closure, most utilize either (a) a gasket or sealing tape; or (b) the splice is covered with an internal closure and an external closure, and a sealing compound is injected between the two closures to seal the splice. Also, points of entrance into the splice closure are typically sealed using highly-adhesive sealing tape, or by using polyurethane grommet to form a plug between the two closures in (b) above.
However, the conventional splice closures have one or more of the following drawbacks, depending on which of the above structures are used: the sealed portions lose their integrity over time; a large number of parts are required, thereby complicating the process of splicing cables; the compound injected between the two closures overly increases the weight of the cables; and/or the costs for producing the splicing closures is high.
There also exist drawbacks with regard to the conventional methods of sealing the points of entrance into the splice closure by the cables. That is, in the case where sealing tape is used to seal the area where the cables enter the splice closures, the viscidity of the adhesive side of the tape makes the sealing process difficult. Further, the quality of the seal varies greatly depending on the level of experience of the person performing the sealing operation. Another drawback is that the sealing tape breaks down over time as a result of environmental stress
Finally, when points of entrance into the splice closure are sealed by forming a plug portion using polyurethane, used with the above method of applying an internal closure and an external closure around the splice and injecting a sealing compound therebetween, although this method is effective in preventing the sealing compound from leaking from the two closures, it is not effective in forming a seal between the cable and the closures.