Metal sheathed cable with jacketed, cabled conductor subassembly

• US 10,431,353 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AFC Cable Systems Incorporated (Atkore, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AFC Cable Systems Incorporated (Atkore, Inc.)
• Inventors: Straniero, George Anthony, Picard, Paul R., Ricci, Richard A., Lafreniere, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawyer, Steven T
• Application Number:
  US15/983,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 174102 R, 174103, 174105 R, 174107, 174120 R, 174113 R
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/22 Sheathing; Armouring; Screening; Applying other protective layers H01B13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0225 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/18 Protection against damage caused by wear, mechanical force or pressure; Sheaths; Armouring
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/003 including electrical control or communication wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/02 with screens or conductive layers, e.g. for avoiding large potential gradients
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/028 with screen grounding means, e.g. drain wires

Abstract

A Metal-Clad (MC) cable assembly includes a core having a plurality of power conductors cabled with a subassembly, each of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly including an electrical conductor, a layer of insulation, and a jacket layer. The MC cable assembly further includes an assembly jacket layer disposed over the subassembly, and a metal sheath disposed over the core. In one approach, the subassembly is a cabled set of conductors (e.g., twisted pair) operating as class 2 or class 3 circuit conductors in accordance with Article 725 of the National Electrical Code®. In another approach, the MC cable assembly includes a protective layer disposed around the jacket layer of one or more of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly. In yet another approach, a bonding/grounding conductor is cabled with the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly.

Claims

1. A metal clad cable assembly, comprising:

a core comprising a plurality of power conductors and a subassembly, each of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly including an electrical conductor, a layer of insulation provided over the electrical conductor, and a jacket layer disposed directly atop the layer of insulation, wherein the layer of insulation and the jacket layer are different materials;

an assembly jacket layer disposed over the subassembly, wherein the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors is provided directly adjacent an exterior of the assembly jacket layer such that no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors, and wherein the jacket layer of the subassembly is provided directly adjacent an interior of the assembly jacket layer such that no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of the subassembly; and

a metal sheath disposed over the core.

2. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the subassembly comprises a cabled set of conductors.

3. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the cabled set of conductors is configured to conduct a voltage between zero (0) and approximately 300 Volts.

4. The metal clad cable of claim 1, further comprising a bonding/grounding conductor within the core, wherein the bonding/grounding conductor is positioned directly adjacent at least one of the plurality of power conductors.

5. The metal clad cable of claim 1, wherein the insulation layer is polyvinylchloride and the jacket layer is nylon.

6. The metal clad cable of claim 1, further comprising a core jacket layer disposed around the core.

7. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly are cabled together.

8. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a protective layer disposed over the jacket layer of one or more of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly.

9. A metal clad cable assembly, comprising:

a core including a plurality of power conductors and a subassembly, wherein the subassembly includes a set of conductors, and wherein each of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly includes an electrical conductor, a layer of insulation over the electrical conductor, and a jacket layer directly atop the layer of insulation such that no element is present between the jacket layer and the layer of insulation, wherein the layer of insulation and the jacket layer are different materials;

wherein the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors is provided directly adjacent an exterior of an assembly jacket layer disposed over the subassembly such that no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors, and wherein the jacket layer of each of the set of conductors of the subassembly is provided directly adjacent an interior of the assembly jacket layer such that no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of each of the set of conductors of the subassembly; and

a metal sheath disposed over the core.

10. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 9, wherein each of the cabled set of conductors has a size between 24 American Wire Gauge (AWG) and 6 AWG, and wherein each of the plurality of power conductors has a size between 18 AWG and 2000 KCM.

11. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 9, further comprising a protective layer disposed over one or more of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly.

12. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 9, further comprising an assembly tape disposed around the core, wherein the assembly tape is disposed directly adjacent the metal sheath.

13. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 9, wherein the jacket layer is an extruded jacket layer disposed directly over the insulation layer of each of the plurality of power conductors.

14. A metal clad cable assembly, comprising:

a plurality of power conductors adjacent a subassembly, wherein the subassembly includes a set of conductors cabled together in a left-hand or right-hand lay, and wherein each of the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly includes an electrical conductor, a layer of insulation disposed over the electrical conductor, and a jacket layer disposed over the layer of insulation, wherein the layer of insulation and the jacket layer are different materials from one another;

an assembly jacket layer disposed over the subassembly, wherein the assembly jacket layer is disposed between the subassembly and one or more of the plurality of power conductors, wherein the jacket layer of at least one conductor of the subassembly is provided directly adjacent the assembly jacket layer, and wherein the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors is provided directly adjacent the assembly jacket layer such that no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of each of the plurality of power conductors, and no element is present between the assembly jacket layer and the jacket layer of the subassembly; and

a metal sheath disposed over the core.

15. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 14, wherein each of the cabled set of conductors is configured to conduct a voltage between zero (0) and approximately 300 Volts.

16. The metal clad cable assembly of claim 14, wherein each of the cabled set of conductors has a size between 24 American Wire Gauge (AWG) and 6 AWG, and wherein each of the plurality of power conductors has a size between 18 AWG and 2000 KCM.

17. The metal clad cable of claim 14, further comprising a bonding/grounding conductor within the core.

18. The metal clad cable of claim 14, wherein the plurality of power conductors and the subassembly are cabled together.

19. The metal clad cable of claim 14, wherein the plurality of power conductors extends longitudinally along the metal sheath such that the longitudinal axis of each of the plurality of power conductors runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of the metal sheath.