Recoverable assembly and method of enclosing an elongated substrate using such an assembly

Abstract

A recoverable assembly for enclosing a substrate has an elastic sleeve mounted in a radially stretched condition on a hold-out member that extends therebeyond at one end of the sleeve. The hold-out includes a plurality of regions of weakness extending circumferentially there around and discretely spaced apart along the length thereof such that it may be pulled back through itself to facilitate recovery of the sleeve on the substrate.

1 . An assembly comprising an elastic sleeve mounted in a radially stretched condition on a hold-out member that extends therebeyond at one end of the sleeve, wherein the hold-out member includes a plurality of regions of weakness extending circumferentially there around and discretely spaced apart along the length thereof.  
   
   
       2 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hold-out member is of a substantially right-cylindrical configuration.  
   
   
       3 . An assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the regions of weakness extend circumferentially substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the hold-out member.  
   
   
       4 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each region of weakness extends substantially continuously around the hold-out member.  
   
   
       5 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the regions of weakness comprise indentations extending into the wall of the hold-out member from an inner surface thereof.  
   
   
       6 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the regions of weakness comprise indentations extending into the wall of the hold-out member from an outer surface thereof.  
   
   
       7 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the regions of weakness comprise indentations extending into the wall of the hold-out member from an inner surface and from an outer surface thereof.  
   
   
       8 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein inner surface indentations alternate with outer surface indentations along the length of the hold-out member.  
   
   
       9 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the regions of weakness are provided by the hold-out member being of convoluted configuration.  
   
   
       10 . An assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the regions of weakness of the inner surface and of the outer surface of the tubular member are of a different length longitudinally of the hold-out member.  
   
   
       11 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the inner regions of weakness are longer than the outer regions of weakness.  
   
   
       12 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the regions of weakness comprise slits, of substantially rectangular configuration.  
   
   
       13 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the depth of the regions of weakness transversely to the length of the hold-out member to the separation of the regions of weakness longitudinally of the hold-out member is between about 1:3 and about 2:1.  
   
   
       14 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the extension of the hold-out member beyond an end of the elastic sleeve is such that it is arranged to be passed back through the hold-out member to be gripped from the other end, by an operator in use, so as to invert and draw the hold-out member through itself, thus releasing the sleeve from its stretched condition.  
   
   
       15 . An assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the extension of the hold-out member is at least as long as the sleeve.  
   
   
       16 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the hold-out member comprises a thermoplastic material or blends thereof, including cross-linked thermoplastic material.  
   
   
       17 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the elastic sleeve comprises an elastomer or a rubber, preferably silicone or EPDM.  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . (canceled)