MULTILAYER CABLE JACKET

• US 20100276179A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPC Broadband Incorporated (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John Mezzalingua Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Amato, Alan John
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/113R
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/1875 Multi-layer sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49123 Co-axial cable

Abstract

A multilayer cable jacket. In one example embodiment, a cable includes one or more internal components and a multilayer jacket surrounding the one or more internal components. The one or more internal components include at least one electrical conductor configured to propagate a signal. The multilayer jacket includes an inner layer surrounded by an outer layer with the inner layer being less rigid than the outer layer.

Claims

1. A cable comprising:

one or more internal components comprising at least one electrical conductor configured to propagate a signal; and

a multilayer jacket surrounding the one or more internal components, the multilayer jacket comprising an inner jacket layer surrounded by an outer jacket layer, wherein the inner jacket layer is less rigid than the outer jacket layer.

2. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor comprises a center conductor, and wherein the one or more internal components further comprise:

a dielectric surrounding the center conductor; and

an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric.

3. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises polyethylene (PE).

4. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), or some combination thereof.

5. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises foamed PE.

6. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

7. The cable as recited in claim 1, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises polyurethane (PU).

8. A method for manufacturing a cable having one or more internal components, the method comprising the steps of:

surrounding the one or more internal components with an inner jacket layer, the one or more internal components comprising at least one electrical conductor configured to propagate a signal; and

surrounding the inner jacket layer with an outer jacket layer, wherein the inner jacket layer is less rigid than the outer jacket layer.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one electrical conductor comprises a center conductor, and wherein the one or more internal components further comprise:

a dielectric surrounding the center conductor; and

an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of surrounding the one or more internal components with an inner jacket layer comprises utilizing a first extruder to apply the inner jacket layer to the outer conductor.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of surrounding the one or more internal components with an outer jacket layer comprises utilizing a second extruder to apply the outer jacket layer to the inner jacket layer.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises PE.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises HDPE, LDPE, or LLDPE, or some combination thereof.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises foamed PE.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises PVC.

16. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises PU.

17. A method for manufacturing a coaxial cable comprising the steps of:

surrounding a center conductor with a dielectric, the center conductor being configured to propagate a signal;

surrounding the dielectric with a tape layer;

surrounding the tape layer with a braid layer;

extruding an inner jacket layer over the braid layer; and

extruding an outer jacket layer over the inner jacket layer, wherein the inner jacket layer is less rigid than the outer jacket layer.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises PE, HDPE, LDPE, or LLDPE, or some combination thereof.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the inner jacket layer comprises foamed PE, PVC, or some combination thereof.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the outer jacket layer comprises PE and the inner jacket layer comprises foamed PE.