Anisotropic cable sealing gels; and methods for fabricating cable sealing gels

Abstract

Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relate to a cable sealing structure comprising a cable sealing body including a gel and methods of making anisotropic behavior in cable sealing structures made with a dry silicone gel. In one aspect, various three-dimensional printing techniques are used to make a cable sealing structure that includes a gel. The cable sealing body has a construction that elastically deforms to apply an elastic spring load to the gel. The cable sealing body has a construction with anisotropic deformation characteristics that allows the cable sealing body to be less deformable in one direction than in others. The cable sealing structure can be utilized to seal fiber optic cables more uniformly while limiting the potential of leakage.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method of fabricating an anisotropic composite seal for telecommunications enclosures, the method comprising the steps of:
 constructing a spacer member that is adapted to define an open porous structure of the anisotropic composite seal;   impregnating the spacer member with a gel material to form a composite sealing structure; and   dividing the gel impregnated spacer along cut lines transverse to the slits to form a plurality of sealing inserts each with an open porous structure, each one of the sealing inserts having a construction with anisotropic deformation characteristics.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of dividing the gel impregnated spacer member is by non-mechanical, cutting-energy to provide the sealing inserts in precisely sized portions. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the non-mechanical, cutting-energy providing medium is a high-pressure water jet. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising a step of slitting the spacer member to provide multiple slits therein prior to the step of impregnating the spacer member. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising a step of pre-compressing the spacer member prior to the step of impregnating the spacer member. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of pre-compressing the spacer member is performed within a mold. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of impregnating the spacer member is performed while in the mold. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising a step of bonding a substrate to the spacer member while inside the mold, the substrate being bonded to the spacer member using the gel material. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the substrate is a peelable protective layer to help facilitate handling of the composite sealing structure or for protecting the composite sealing structure from contamination. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising a step of vacuumizing to remove air bubbles. 
     
     
         35 - 50 . (canceled)