Cables which include waterblocking provisions
First Claim
1. A cable, which comprises:
- a plurality of longitudinally extending transmission media; and
a waterblocking material which comprises a mixture comprising a filling composition which is disposed in interstices among the transmission media, the filling composition including a styrene-rubber block copolymer, a compatible oil and polyethylene in proportions to provide a cable filling composition and a superabsorbent polymer which is included in an amount no greater than about 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said mixture, the viscosity of the mixture being such that a cable core comprising as many as 3000 metallic conductor pairs as transmission media may be filled with said mixture and said cable characterized by a dissipation factor which is about 10-4 microradian and a dielectric constant less than about 2.3.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cable (20) includes a plurality of conductors (24) included in a core (22) enclosed in a sheath system. Voids between the conductors are filled by a mixture of a filling composition characterized by a styrene-rubber block copolymer having a styrene/rubber ratio of from 0.2 to 0.5, an ASTM Type 104A oil and polyethylene and a superabsorbent polymer material. The mixture has a viscosity in the range of about 400 cps at 88° C. to 11 cps at 110° C. and may be used to fill substantially voids in a cable comprising as many as 3000 pairs of insulated metallic conductors. The superabsorbent polymer is incorporated into the gel composition in a concentration of about 10 parts by weight to per 100 parts by weight of the filling mixture. A flooding material which comprises a mixture of a flooding composition and a superabsorbent polymer may be used to flood voids between layers of the sheath system.
65 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A cable, which comprises:
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a plurality of longitudinally extending transmission media; and a waterblocking material which comprises a mixture comprising a filling composition which is disposed in interstices among the transmission media, the filling composition including a styrene-rubber block copolymer, a compatible oil and polyethylene in proportions to provide a cable filling composition and a superabsorbent polymer which is included in an amount no greater than about 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said mixture, the viscosity of the mixture being such that a cable core comprising as many as 3000 metallic conductor pairs as transmission media may be filled with said mixture and said cable characterized by a dissipation factor which is about 10-4 microradian and a dielectric constant less than about 2.3. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cable comprising a plurality of conductors contained within a sheath leaving voids between the conductors and/or between the conductors and the sheath and a filling material filling said voids, the invention characterized in that said filling material comprises a mixture of superabsorbent polymer and a filling composition comprising a styrene-rubber diblock copolymer, a compatible oil and polyethylene in proportions to provide a cable filling material having a viscosity which facilitates ease in cable filling and wherein the styrene-rubber diblock copolymer has a styrene-rubber ratio of from about 0.2 to 0.5.
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10. A cable comprising a plurality of insulated conductors disposed within a sheath system leaving voids between said conductors and/or between said conductors and said sheath system and a filling material filling said voids, the invention characterized in that said filling material comprises:
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a filling composition comprising; a styrene-rubber diblock copolymer having a styrene/rubber ratio of from about 0.2 to 0.5 wherein the styrene block of said diblock copolymer comprises a styrene homopolymer and wherein the rubber block of said diblock copolymer comprises a saturated olefin copolymer; a styrene-rubber-styrene triblock copolymer having a styrene/rubber ratio of from about 0.2 to 0.5 wherein the ratio by weight percent of the diblock copolymer to the triblock copolymer is in the range of from about 0.5 to about 5; a compatible oil; from about 4-12% polyethylene having a softening point of from 110°
C. to 130°
C. and wherein the filling material is of a viscosity of less than about 60 counterpoise at the filling temperature;a superabsorbent polymer comprising no greater than 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of said filling material, said cable having a dissipation factor of about 10-4 microradian and a dielectric constant less than about 2.3. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification