Communication cables with separators having alternating projections

• US 10,068,685 B1
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Essex International IP
• Original Assignee: Superior Essex International Lp (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Thomas Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ishwarbhai B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paghadal, Paresh
• Application Number:
  US15/435,685
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/00 Communication cables or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/04 with pairs or quads mutually positioned to reduce cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/06 with means for reducing effects of electromagnetic or electrostatic disturbances, e.g. screens
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/08 Screens specially adapted for reducing cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/00 Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/009 Cables with built-in connecting points or with predetermined areas for making deviations
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/04 Flexible cables, conductors, or cords, e.g. trailing cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/041 attached to mobile objects, e.g. portable tools, elevators, mining equipment, hoisting cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/18 Protection against damage caused by wear, mechanical force or pressure; Sheaths; Armouring
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/1805 Protections not provided for in groups H01B7/182 - H01B7/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/182 comprising synthetic filaments
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/1895 Internal space filling-up means
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/28 Protection against damage caused by moisture, corrosion, chemical attack or weather
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/32 with arrangements for indicating defects, e.g. breaks or leaks
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/00 Power cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/028 with screen grounding means, e.g. drain wires

Abstract

A cable may include a plurality of twisted pairs of individually insulated conductors, a separator positioned between the twisted pairs, and a jacket formed around the twisted pairs and the separator. The separator may include a longitudinally extending spine positioned between the plurality of twisted pairs, and at least one prong respectively extending from the spine at each of a plurality of longitudinally spaced locations. Additionally, for each pair of adjacent longitudinally spaced locations, the at least one prong extending at a first of the pair of locations may extend in a first set of one or more directions and the at least one prong extending at a second of the pair of locations may extend in a second set of one or more directions that is different than the first set of one or more directions.

Claims

1. A cable comprising:

a plurality of twisted pairs, each of the plurality of twisted pairs comprising two individually insulated electrical conductors that extend along a longitudinal direction;

a separator comprising;

a longitudinally extending spine positioned between the plurality of twisted pairs; and

a first set of projections respectively extending away from the spine in a first direction at a first plurality of spaced locations along a longitudinal length of the spine, each projection included in the first set of projections being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of projection from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs; and

a second set of projections respectively extending away from the spine in a second direction different than the first direction at a second plurality of spaced locations along the longitudinal length of the spine different than the first plurality of spaced locations, each projection included in the second set of projections being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of projection from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs;

a third set of projections respectively extending away from the spine in a third direction different than the first and second directions at a third plurality of spaced locations along the longitudinal length of the spine different than the first and second pluralities of spaced locations, each projection included in the third set of projections being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of projection from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs; and

a fourth set of projections respectively extending away from the spine in a fourth direction different than the first, second, and third directions at a fourth plurality of spaced locations along the longitudinal length of the spine different than the first, second, and third pluralities of spaced locations, each projection included in the fourth set of projections being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of projection from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs,

wherein no more than a single projection included in any of the first, second, third, and fourth sets of projections extends from the spine at any given cross-sectional location along the longitudinal length of the spine, and

wherein the projections included in the first, second, third, and fourth sets of projections extend from the spine and alternate between the first, second, third, and fourth sets of projections in approximately ninety degree increments along the longitudinal length of the spine;

a jacket formed around the plurality of twisted pairs and the separator.

2. The cable of claim 1, wherein each projection included in either the first, second, third, or fourth sets of projections comprises one of a rectangular, parallelogram, trapezoidal, or triangular cross-sectional shape.

3. The cable of claim 1, further comprising shielding material incorporated into at least one projection included in either the first, second, third, or fourth set of projections.

4. A cable comprising:

a plurality of twisted pairs, each of the plurality of twisted pairs comprising two individually insulated electrical conductors that extend along a longitudinal direction;

a separator comprising;

a longitudinally extending spine positioned between the plurality of twisted pairs; and

a first set of prongs extending away from the spine at a first location along a longitudinal length of the spine, each prong included in the first set of prongs being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of extension from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs;

a second set of prongs extending away from the spine at a second location along the longitudinal length of the spine, each prong included in the second set of prongs being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of extension from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs;

a third set of prongs extending away from the spine at a third location along the longitudinal length of the spine, each prong included in the third set of prongs being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of extension from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs; and

a fourth set of prongs extending away from the spine at a fourth location along the longitudinal length of the spine, each prong included in the fourth set of prongs being non-continuous along the longitudinal length of the spine and having a distance of extension from the spine that is at least approximately half the diameter of one of the plurality of twisted pairs,

wherein, the first set of prongs extends away from the spine in a first set of one or more directions and the second set of prongs extends away from the spine in a second set of one or more directions that is different than the first set of one or more directions,

wherein no more than a single prong included in any of the first, second, third or fourth sets of prongs extends away from the spine at any given cross-sectional location along the longitudinal length, and

wherein the prongs included in the first, second, third, and fourth sets of prongs extend from the spine and alternate in approximately ninety degree increments between the first, second, third, and fourth sets of projections; and

a jacket formed around the plurality of twisted pairs and the separator.

5. The cable of claim 4, wherein each of the prongs included in the first, second, third, and fourth sets of prongs comprises one of a rectangular, parallelogram, trapezoidal, or triangular cross-sectional shape.

6. The cable of claim 4, further comprising shielding material incorporated into at least one prong included in either the first, second, third, or fourth set of prongs.

7. The cable of claim 4, further comprising a longitudinal gap along the longitudinal length of the spine between the first set of prongs and the second set of prongs.

8. A cable comprising:

four twisted pairs, each of the four twisted pairs comprising two individually insulated electrical conductors that extend along a longitudinal direction;

a cross-filler positioned between the four twisted pairs along a longitudinally length of the cable, the cross-filler comprising a central portion and a plurality of projections extending from the central portion, the plurality of projections comprising respective projections that extend between each adjacent set of the four twisted pairs,

wherein, at any given cross-sectional location along the longitudinal length of the cable, the plurality of projections do not extend between all of the adjacent sets of the four twisted pairs,

wherein no more than a single projection included in the plurality of projections extends from the central portion at any given cross-sectional location along the longitudinal length, and

wherein the directions of extension for the plurality of projections alternate in approximately ninety degree increments along the longitudinal length; and

a jacket formed around the four twisted pairs and the cross-filler.

9. The cable of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of projections comprises one of a rectangular, parallelogram, trapezoidal, or triangular cross-sectional shape.

10. The cable of claim 8, further comprising shielding material incorporated into at least one projection included in the plurality of projections.