FLEXIBLE DATA CABLE

• US 20090173533A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Degner, Brett William, Ligtenberg, Chris, Kim, Eugene, Brock, John, Wilson, Thomas W. JR., Mathew, Dinesh, Keiper, Steven, Hendren, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/350
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/00 Communication cables or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/592 connections to contact elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/62 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0224 Patterned shielding planes, ground planes or power planes H05K1/0253 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09618 Via fence, i.e. one-dimensional array of vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09681 Mesh conductors, e.g. as a ground plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A multi-layered cable consisting of three or more conductive layers separated by layers of dielectric and/or adhesive material. The bottom layer and the top layer may act as return path for the transmitted signals and as a shield to prevent interference between these and external electrical signals. Located between the bottom layer and the top layer, the middle layer may transmit desired signals through the flexible cable. The material selection and specifics of each of the layers should be selected so as to achieve a balance in which the desired electrical impedance and mechanical flexibility requirements are met. The cable may also include one or more vias connecting the bottom layer to the top layer, providing shielding all the way around the flex cable. An additional conductive sock may be used to improve shielding effectiveness of the top and bottom layer and to connect to I/O connector shells and the system Faraday cage.

Claims

1. A flexible data cable comprising:

a bottom layer;

a top layer;

a middle layer located between the top layer and bottom layer;

at least one data transmission line located adjacent to the middle layer; and

at least one via, the via comprising;

a hole in the cable from the top layer to the bottom layer; and

a conductive filling, wherein the conductive filling electrically couples the bottom layer and the top layer.

2. The data cable of claim 1 wherein the bottom layer and the top layer provide ground planes for the cable.

3. The data cable of claim 1 wherein the via is located near the edge of the cable.

4. The data cable of claim 1 further comprising:

a first conductive sock placed above the top layer; and

a second conductive sock placed below the bottom layer.

5. The data cable of claim 4 wherein the first conductive sock and the second conductive sock extend past the edge of the cable to surround the cable.

6. The data cable of claim 4 further comprising:

a metal pad that surrounds the cable and electrically couples to the top layer and the bottom layer.

7. The data cable of claim 6 wherein the first conductive sock and the second conductive sock are electrically coupled to the metal pad.

8. A method for forming a flexible data cable comprising:

providing a bottom layer;

providing a top layer;

placing a middle layer between the top layer and bottom layer;

placing at least one data transmission line on the middle layer;

drilling a hole in the cable from the top layer to the bottom layer; and

filling the hole with a conductive material such that the bottom layer and the top layer are electrically coupled.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

locating the hole near the edge of the cable.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

soldering a first conductive sock above the top layer; and

soldering a second conductive sock below the bottom layer.