Abstract:
(57) A method of manufacturing heat recoverable tubing by (a) extruding pellets of a heat shrinkable, heat sealable plastic into a sheet; (b) cross-linking the sheet with electron beam or alternative form of radiation; (c) orienting the irradiated sheet by stretching the sheet widthwise; and (d) forming the oriented sheet into a tube about a longitudinal axis. The tube is longitudinally seamed, and is formed as either a continuous tube or a discreet length of tube. The surface of the sheet which becomes the inner surface of the tube when the tube is formed, can be coated before the tube is formed. Tubes of any diameter may be formed by the method of the invention.
Abstract:
Apparatus and method for protectively covering coupled components, such as in a coaxial cable splice, with a sleeve wherein one of the covered components is damaged when subjected to excessive heat which is less than that required for heat recovery. A sealed bond is formed between a first length of the sleeve and a heat damageable component by heating and thereby foaming a foamable adhesive therebetween, the heat being insufficient to melt or otherwise damage the heat damageable component. A second length of the sleeve is heat shrunk into engagement with another of the coupled components which is not damageable at heat recovery temperatures. Initially, the second length has a cross-sectional dimension that is preferably larger than that of the first length, the second length being heat shrinkable to cover components of varying cross-sections. Sleeves according to the invention are formed by various techniques, including extruding or blow-molding a tube of heat recoverable material.
Abstract:
A heat shrinkable tubular closure sleeve (204) having a riveted longitudinal seam. The sleeve (204) is formed from a sheet (100) comprising two longitudinal margin portions (102, 104) having a strip (120) of oriented, heat shrinkable material therebetween. Specifically, the two margin portion (102, 104) are overlapped and joined by rivets (202), each rivet (202) passing through a hole (106, 114) in each of the overlapping margin portions (102,104). Each margin portion (102, 104) comprises a laminate (108) having a metal layer (130) sandwiched between two plastic layers (132, 134) which do not shrink when heat is applied. Placing the tubular sleeve (204) over a cylindrical article (200) and applying heat to the sleeve (204), the strip (120) shrinks to reduce the radius of the sleeve (204) to effectuate a tight wrap around the article (200).