Asymmetrically shaped jacketed coaxial electrical transmission line

• US 5,119,046 A
• Filed: 12/04/1990
• Issued: 06/02/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: McGrath, Stephen, Kozlowski, Edward L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): GENSLER, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US07/622,109
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/112, 174/117 R, 333/1, 333/243, 333/244, 333/245
• US Class Current: 333/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/1869 Construction of the layers on the outer side of the outer conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/203 forming a flat arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/363 being the form of the insulation or conductor

Abstract

An asymmetrically shaped jacketed coaxial electrical cable having a drain wire in which the drain wire is aligned parallel to the asymmetric edge or corner of the cable for fast and accurate termination of the cable.

Claims

1. An asymmetrically configured coaxial electrical cable comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive center conductor surrounded by a layer of porous insulation, said insulation layer being further surrounded by a layer of non-porous insulation;

(b) an electrically conductive drain wire positioned parallel to said center conductor along the length of said conductor outside said non-porous insulation layer;

(c) said insulation layers and said drain wire surrounded as a unit by a cigarette-wrapped electrically conductive shield, said drain wire being closely enfolded within said shield, and

(d) said shield surrounded by an asymmetrically configured pressure-extruded polymeric jacket having a differently shaped asymmetric corner or edge thereof aligned parallel to, and in a predictable relationship to said drain wire.

2. A cable of claim 1 wherein said porous insulation layer comprises expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. A cable of claim 2 wherein said shield comprises a conductive metal foil.

4. A cable of claim 2 wherein said shield comprises a metallized polymer tape.

5. A cable of claim 2 wherein said jacket comprises in cross-section the shape of a polygon having an odd number of sides.

6. A cable of claim 2 wherein the velocity of signal propagation of a signal transmitted through said cable is at least 75% of the velocity of light as determined by time domain reflectometry methods.

7. A cable of claim 2 wherein said jacket comprises in cross-section a shape embodying a circular arcuate portion and two planar portions which combine to form an edge or corner to said jacket in parallel alignment with said drain wire.

8. An assembly comprising a plurality of coaxial electrical cables of claim 1 adhered together to form a multiconductor cable.

9. An assembly of claim 8 wherein said cables are adhered by heat fusion or an adhesive.

10. An asymmetrically configured coaxial electrical cable comprising:

(a) an electrically conductive center conductor surrounded by a layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene insulation, said insulation layer being further surrounded by a layer of non-porous insulation;

(b) an electrically conductive drain wire positioned parallel to said center conductor along the length of said conductor outside said non-porous insulation layer;

(c) said insulation layers and said drain wire surrounded as a unit by cigarette-wrapped electrically conductive shield, said drain wire being closely enfolded within said shield; and

(d) said shield surrounded by an asymmetrically configured pressure-extruded five-sided polymer jacket having a differently shaped asymmetric corner or edge thereof aligned parallel to said drain wire.