Appeal No. 1999-0431
Application 08/541,135
expanding chemical and shrinkable upon removal of the
chemical.
Representative claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A protective cover for a cable connector, said
connector being affixed to an end of a cable and having an
outside diameter greater than an outside diameter of said
cable, said cover comprising:
an outer elongated annular sleeve formed from a material
expandable by contact with an expanding chemical and
shrinkable upon removal of said contact with said chemical;
an inner elongated annular sleeve formed from a material
expandable by contact with an expanding chemical and
shrinkable upon removal of said contact with said chemical,
said inner elongated annular sleeve disposed within said outer
sleeve;
said cover with said sleeves in chemically expanded state
being moveable into disposition covering said connector and a
portion of said cable attached thereto, with said inner sleeve
covering at least said portion of said cable but not said
connector;
whereby when said cover is so disposed over said
connector and said portion of said cable and removed from
contact with said chemical, said chemical evaporates from said
sleeves and said sleeves thereupon shrink to diameters wherein
wall thickness of said inner sleeve fills the space between
the outside diameters of said connector and said attached
portion of said cable sufficiently to permit shrinkage of said
outer sleeve to form a tightly fitted and substantially
immovable covering secured around said connector and at least
a portion of said inner sleeve, thereby preventing said
connector from coming into contact with adverse ambient
components.
The examiner relies on the following references:
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