Variable diameter conduit tubes for high performance, multi-media communication cable

• US 7,473,849 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Issued: 01/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cable Components Group, LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cable Components Group, LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Glew, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III; William H
• Application Number:
  US11/408,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20060237217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/110.R, 174/113.R, 174/113.C, 174/120.R, 174/115, 174/116, 174/70.R, 174/72.R, 174/72.C, 138/111, 138/113, 138/114, 138/115
• US Class Current: 174/113.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/06 with means for reducing effects of electromagnetic or electrostatic disturbances, e.g. screens

Abstract

The present invention describes a conduit tube like structure for high performance, multi-media communications cables with or without support separators that are of varying internal and external dimensions and wall thickness that may vary consistently or randomly and may be spirally or helically wound within or around a high performance, multi-media communications cable to vary the spacing between a high performance, multi-media communications cable and an adjacent communications cable. The conduit tube structures may be hollow, contain communications media, solid comprised of various shapes and wrapped with various windings and/or tensions. The final cable assembly may then be jacketed or taped as desired.

Claims

1. A high performance, multi-media communications cable comprising;

one or more cable support-separators and one or more metallic or fiber optic conductive media conductors or both, wherein one or more conduit tube(s) may exist within or exterior to said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators extending along a longitudinal length of said high performance, multi-media communications cable and wherein said conduit tube(s) provide said high performance, multi-media communications cable with eccentric or concentric shape;

said conduit tube(s) each comprising varying outside diameters that are randomly or consistently varying along said longitudinal length of each said conduit tube wherein the various shapes, material thicknesses, diameters and sizes are provided around a constant centerline of each inner conduit,

said conduit tube(s) extend along said longitudinal length of said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators, thereby varying overall cable diameters and wherein said conduit tube(s) lay longitudinally along or are helically wound around said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators internal to said high performance, multi-media communications cable wherein said conduit tube(s) comprise variable winding patterns with variable tensions and wherein said conduit tube(s) provide said high performance, multi-media communications cable with improved electrical performance, optical performance and/or reduced crosstalk.

2. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s), each or separately, comprise said constant centerline within said inner conduit having a variable radial and axial diameter along said length of each conduit tube provided by varying said inner conduit diameter and holding the material thickness constant or by varying said material thickness around a constant diameter of said inner conduit.

3. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be filled and either solid or foamed or foamed with a solid skin layer.

4. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) exist within a plurality of twisted pairs of conductive media or exterior to said plurality of twisted pairs of conductive media and wherein said plurality of twisted pairs is at least 1 twisted pair.

5. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) exist within a plurality of twisted pairs of conductive media or exterior to said plurality of twisted pairs of conductive media and wherein said plurality of twisted pairs is 4 to 24 twisted pair.

6. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) include variable winding patterns and variable tensions within or external to said high performance, multi-media communications cable thereby varying said high performance, multi-media communications cable overall diameter and thereby also varying the conductive nature of said high performance, multi-media communications cable and wherein said conduit tube(s) may be wrapped around an exterior portion of said high performance, multi-media communications_cable or jacketed within an internal portion of said high performance, multi-media communications cable.

7. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be comprised of conductive, semi-conductive, or non-conductive materials.

8. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may have corrugated or rifled inner surfaces and/or corrugated or rifled outer surfaces and wherein installation of conductive media may be accomplished.

9. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be comprised of metal or conductive or non-conductive polymer, and wherein said conduit tube(s) may be utilized for electrical grounding or earthing media.

10. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) provide either an eccentric or concentric high performance, multi-media communications cable by providing a helically wound, variable pattern, and/or variably tensioned component wherein said conduit tube(s) may be wrapped around an exterior portion of said high performance, multi-media communications cable or jacketed within an internal portion of said high performance, multi-media communications cable.

11. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be conductive, semi-conductive, or non-conductive, filled and either solid or foamed with a solid skin layer, metallic, conductive or non-conductive polymer media, providing electrical grounding or earthing, or wherein said conduit tube(s) may be primarily comprised of organic or inorganic polymers or combinations of inorganic and organic polymer blends.

12. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be a combination of inorganic fillers or additives with inorganic and/or organic polymers or combinations including inorganic and organic polymer blends, homo and copolymers of ethylene, propylene, or polyvinyl chlorine or fluorinated ethylene propylene, fluorinated ethylene, chlorinated ethylene propylene, fluorochlorinated ethylene, perfluoroalkoxy, fluorochlorinated propylene, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethylvinylether (MFA), a copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethelyene (ECTFE), as well as homo and copolymers of ethylene and/or propylene with fluorinated ethylene, polyvinylidine fluoride (PVFD), as well as blends of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidine chloride, nylons, polyesters, polyurethanes as well as unsubstituted and substituted fullerenes primarily comprised of C₆₀ molecules including nano-composites of clay and other organics such as ZnO, TiO₂, MgOH, and ATH (ammonium tetrahydrate), calcium molybdates, ammonium octyl molybdate, and wherein and nano-composites or other inorganics may be employed as nano-sized particles including tube shaped particles, wherein any and all combinations may be utilized to provide polymer blends for manufacture of said conduit tube(s), and wherein said conduit tube(s) may provide housing for said conductive media or nanotubes of C₆₀ in the form of fibers or substituted/unsubstituted fullerenes or fullerene compounds including nano-composites in the form of fibers or substituted/unsubstituted fullerenes compounds wherein said nano-composites may also be imbedded within said conduit tube(s).

13. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be comprised of a combination of metal oxides including magnesium trioxides, metal hydrates, including magnesium hydrates, silica or silica oxides, brominated compounds, phosphated compounds, metal salts including magnesium hydroxides, ammonium octyl molybdate, or any and all effective combinations of said oxides, hydrates, silicas, compounds, salts, hydroxides, or molybdate.

14. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may also be comprised of compounds that include acid gas scavengers that scavenge gasses such as hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride or other halogenated gasses occurring during combustion of said conduit tube(s).

15. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be comprised of organic and/or inorganic polymers that each may include the use of recycled or reground thermoplastics in an amount up to 100%.

16. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) are comprised of a polymer blend ratio of fluorinated or otherwise halogenated polymers or copolymers to ethylene or vinyl chloride polymers or copolymers of from 0.1% to up to 99.9% of fluorinated or otherwise halogenated polymers or copolymers to ethylene or vinyl chloride polymers or copolymers or foamed polymer blends including a nucleating agent of polytetrafluoroethylene, carbon black, color concentrate, or boron nitride, boron trifluoride, direct injection of air or gas into an extruder, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), or more environmentally acceptable alternatives such as pentane or other acceptable nucleating or blowing agents.

17. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) comprise solid, partially solid, or partially or fully foamed organic or inorganic dielectric materials, wherein said dielectric materials may include a solid skin surface with any one of a number of said dielectric materials and wherein said conduit tube(s) may include an adhesive surface.

18. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) comprise a sealant coated dimensionally heat-recoverable dual layer of said conduit tube(s) comprising selecting a first polymer composition comprising a cross-linkable polymer, forming a second polymer composition by admixing a thermoplastic component and a rubber-like component in proportions such that a composition comprises 30 to 95% of said thermoplastic component and 5 to 70% of said rubber-like component with said second composition being convertible to a sealant composition.

19. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) potentially deforming said conduit tube(s) by extruding a first and second polymer composition to form a unitary dual layer, wherein said second polymer composition forms an outer tubular layer formed from a crosslinkable polymer composition disposed concentrically around an inner tubular layer and being in a first configuration at a temperature below the crystalline melt temperature of said first polymer composition whereby exposing said conduit tube(s) or said jacketing to a source of energy initiates formation of chemical bonds between adjacent polymer chains in said first composition, and induces a chemical change in said second composition, thereby converting said second composition from a melt processable composition to a sealant composition and rendering said first composition recoverable in that said sealant composition is more easily recoverable upon subsequent heating.

20. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) are capable of providing conductors that transmit data up to and greater than 10 Gbit/second while substantially mitigating or completely eliminating all forms of crosstalk, including alien crosstalk.

21. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) comprise said non-conductive or conductive substrate such as metallized thermoplastic film that is at a nominal 50 ohms per square (50Ω

/cm²) resistance and is attached, laminated, molded, extruded or co-extruded to said conduit tube(s) and wherein surfaces of said conduit tube(s) themselves may be comprised of imbedded non-conductive or conductive substrate such as said metallized thermoplastic film at a nominal 50 ohms per square (50Ω

/cm²) resistance, where said metallized thermoplastic film may include a drain wire of a preferred AWG or a braided shield in contact with said metallized film.

22. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 21, wherein said conduit tube(s) surfaces provides shielded or unshielded internal EME/RFI (electromagnetic emissions/radio frequency interference) barrier surfaces external to said high performance, multi-media communications cable and also provide for a barrier from external EME/RFI, and wherein said drain wire may be placed in contact with said shielded surfaces to provide additional EME/RFI (electromagnetic emissions/radio frequency interference) protection.

23. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) may be severed by a knife or other sharp tool in order to separate said conduit tube(s) from a set of said cable support-separator structures to ease in routing, installation and termination of said conductive media.

24. The high performance, multi-media communications cable of claim 1, wherein said conduit tube(s) are comprised of polyolefin or other thermoplastic based polymers and blends thereof capable of meeting specific flammability and smoke generation requirements as defined by UL 910, NFPA 255, 259, 262 and EN 50266-2-x, class B test specifications as well as NFPA 72 test criteria for circuit integrity, wherein said test criteria is met by each of said high performance, multi-media communications cable, said cable support-separators, said conduit tube(s) and/or said jacketing.

25. A method for creating a high performance, multi-media communications cable with one or more cable support and one or more metallic or fiber optic conductive media conductors or both, wherein one of more_conduit tube(s) may exist within or exterior to said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators extending along a longitudinal length of said high performance, multi-media communications cable and wherein said conduit tube(s) provide said high performance, multi-media communications cable with eccentric or concentric shape;

said conduit tube(s) each comprising varying outside diameters that are randomly or consistently varying along said longitudinal length of each said conduit tube wherein the various shapes, material thicknesses, diameters and sizes are provided around a constant centerline of each inner conduit,

said conduit tube(s) extend along said longitudinal length of said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators, thereby varying overall cable diameters and wherein said conduit tube(s) lay longitudinally along or are helically wound around said high performance, multi-media communications cable or said cable support-separators internal to said high performance, multi-media communications cable wherein said conduit tube(s) comprise variable winding patterns with variable tensions and wherein said conduit tube(s) provide said high performance, multi-media communications cable with improved electrical performance, optical performance and/or reduced crosstalk.

26. The method for creating a high performance, multi-media communications cable as in claim 25, wherein pulling of said conduit tube(s) from a reel or a cob into a closing die to mate said conduit tube(s) with other conductive or non-conductive media providing nesting and shielding as necessary such that one or more twisted pair or other media are provided with single or double twist bunching which, may include a binder for holding said twisted bunching with shielding, or may include a single or two step process potentially followed by use of a binder for holding said twisted bunching in place and wherein said cable may be jacketed via extrusion or wrapping or both with the final take up on a final take-up reel, wherein once completed, said method included providing said high performance, multi-media cable with said conduit tube(s).

27. The method for creating a high performance, multi-media communications cable as in claim 25, wherein said conduit tube(s) are contained within a wrapping or jacketing of said high performance, multi-media communications cable and wherein said binder and said wrapping may include one or more of several methods including single tape winding such as a cigarette tape wrap, spiral wrapping such as a notebook binder with a tighter or looser configuration or varying tensions or wherein said binder may simply comprise extruding a thin skin thermoplastic or thermoset or the like over an entire high performance, multi-media communications cable assembly.