Ribbon electrical transmission cable with woven shielding

• US 5,373,103 A
• Filed: 08/09/1993
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Woven Electronics LLC (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Woven Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Hammett, Kathryne R., Orr, Lawrence W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NIMMO, MORRIS
• Application Number:
  US08/103,529
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/117 M, 174/117 F, 174/117 R
• US Class Current: 174/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/083 Parallel wires, incorporated in a fabric

Abstract

A woven shielded cable in which a plurality of conductor wires and a plurality of spacer cords are alternately arranged to extend longitudinally of the cable. A woven outer cover is formed from metalized warp and weft yarns, to encapsulate the conductor and spacer cords to form a shield therefor. A set of binder yarns weave with the weft yarns on opposite side of the conductor wires and spacer cords to positively lock the warp yarns, the spacer cords and the conductor wires in position relative to each other. The cable may be formed with a hinge arranged longitudinally along an intermediate point. In this instance the warp yarns are divided into two groups which weave on opposed sides of the hinge and on opposite surfaces of the opposite sides. The conductor wires are stacked and shielded from each other when the cable is folded along the hinge.

Claims

1. A woven shielded cable comprising:

a plurality of conductor wires extending longitudinally of said cable;

a plurality of spacer cords extending longitudinally of said cable;

a woven outer cover formed from metal containing warp and weft yarns, said warp yarns extending longitudinally of said cable, said weft yarns extending transversely of said cable and weaving over and under said warp yarns, said conductor wires and said spacer cords to shield said conductor wires;

a set of binder yarns extending longitudinally of said cable, said binder yarns weaving with said weft yarns on opposite sides of said conductor wires and said spacer cords to positively lock said warp yarns, said spacer cords and said conductor wires in position relative to each other.

2. The cable of claim 1 wherein a first group of said warp yarns weave with said weft yarns in an upper plane above the plane of said conductor wires and said spacer cords and a second group of said warp yarns weave with said weft yarns in a lower plane below the plane of said conductor wires and spacer cords.

3. The cable of claim 2 wherein tabs are formed at opposed ends of said cable, said tabs include said first and second group of warp yarns, said spacer cords, said binder yarns and said weft yarn.

4. The cable of claim 3 wherein said conductor wires extend exposed longitudinally of and adjacent one side of said tabs.

5. The cable of claim 2 wherein said warp yarns include a third group, said third group of warp yarns being disposed intermediate said upper and lower planes adjacent outermost conductor wires to interweave with said weft yarns and form said shield to encapsulate said conductor wires and said spacer cords of said cable.

6. The cable of claim 2 wherein there are at least two of said warp yarns of said first and second groups of warp yarns weaving with said weft yarns above and below each of said conductor wires.

7. The cable of claim 1 wherein said conductor wires and spacer cords extend along a single longitudinal plane.

8. The cable of claim 1 wherein said conductor wires are separated from each other along their length by a single said spacer cord.

9. The cable of claim 1 wherein said conductor wires are arranged in transversely spaced first and second groups of conductor wires, said first group of conductor wires being separated from said second group of conductor wires by a hinge extending longitudinally of said shielded cable;

whereby,

said shielded cable may be folded along its length about said hinge to form said cable to half its width with multilayers of conductor wires completely shielded from each other.

10. The cable of claim 9 wherein said hinge is formed by juxtaposed spacer cords.

11. The cable of claim 9 wherein said warp yarns extend on one side of said first group of conductor wires along the length of said cable and on the opposite side of said second group of conductor wires along the length of said cable.

12. The cable of claim 9 wherein said weft yarns weave over and under said conductor wires, said spacer cords and said warp yarns.

13. The shield of claim 12 wherein said weave is a four pick repeat.

14. The cable of claim 12 wherein said binder warp yarns weave with said weft yarns above and below said conductor wires and spacer cords to firmly locate each relative the other.

15. The shield of claim 12 wherein there are an equal number of weft yarns weaving above and below said conductor wires and said spacer cords.

16. The shield of claim 1 wherein said metal containing warp yarns and weft yarns are one of Kevlar, nylon and polyester.

17. The shield of claim 16 wherein said metal is silver.

18. The shield of claim 1 wherein said spacer cords are conductive and act to drain interference away from said conductive wires.

19. The cable of claim 1 wherein said warp yarns and said weft yarns form a selvage of selective width along a single plane on opposed edges of said shielded cable.

20. A woven shielded cable formed for use with an air craft fuselage wherein size and weight are prime considerations, said shielded cable comprising;

a first and second group of conductor wires extending longitudinally of said cable;

a plurality of spacer cords extending longitudinally of said cable and arranged to separate said conductor wires;

a woven outer cover formed of metalized yarns arranged on one side of said first group of conductor wires and on an opposite side of said second group of conductor wires providing a shield for approximately half each said one and opposite sides of said cable;

a hinge arranged longitudinally of said cable, said hinge separating said first group of conductor wires from said second group of conductor wires;

whereby,

said shielded cable may be folded along said hinge to position said conductor wires in stacked relationship and to provide a shield which completely encases one of said first and second groups of conductor wires and to produce a cable of reduced width and weight.

21. The cable of claim 20 wherein said metalized yarns forming said woven outer cover include warp yarns, binder yarns and weft yarns which weave above and below both said first and second groups of conductor wires and spacer cords to stabilize said conductor wires and spacer cords within said cable.

22. The cable of claim 20 wherein said cover includes a selvage formed along opposite outer edges of said cable.

23. The cable of claim 20 wherein tabs are formed continuous with said woven cover at opposite ends of said cable, said tabs extend along a longitudinal plane spaced from the longitudinal plane of said conductor wires.

24. The cable of claim 23 wherein said spacer cords are conductive and act to drain interference away from said conductor wires.