High performance telecommunications cable

• US 7,838,773 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belden Canada ULC (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Belden CDT (Canada) Inc. (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Vexler, Gavriel, Dion, Yves, Humphrey, Eric, Bohbot, Michel, Richard, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau N
• Application Number:
  US11/718,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 174/113.R, 174/113.C, 174/131.A
• 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

A telecommunications cable comprising four twisted pairs of conductors and a separator spline comprised of a principal dividing strip and a first subsidiary dividing strip attached longitudinally along a first side of the principal dividing strip and a second dividing strip attached longitudinally along a second side of the principal dividing strip, the spline separating the four twisted pairs such that they are arranged in a staggered configuration. A method for reducing cross talk between adjacent cables in a telecommunications system, the method comprising the steps of, for each of the cables, providing a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors, winding an elongate filler element around the twisted pairs and covering the twisted pairs and the element with a cable jacket, the element introducing a visible distortion into an outer surface of the jacket.

Claims

1. A separator spline for use in a telecommunications cable, the spline comprising:

a principal dividing strip comprised of a middle strip and first and second outer strips; and

first and second subsidiary dividing strips attached longitudinally along said principal strip and on opposite sides thereof, wherein a point of attachment of said first subsidiary strip is between said middle strip and said first outer strip and a point of attachment of said second subsidiary strip is between said second outer strip and said middle strip.

2. The separator spline of claim 1, wherein, when the cable is viewed in cross section, said middle strip and said first and second outer strips lie in a first plane, said first subsidiary dividing strip lies in a second plane and said second subsidiary dividing strip lies in a third plane and further wherein said first plane is at an angle to said second and third plane.

3. The separator spline of claim 2, wherein said second and third planes are substantially at rights angles to said first plane.

4. The separator spline of claim 2, wherein said second and third plane are in parallel.

5. The separator spline of claim 1, wherein said first subsidiary strip is thicker than said second subsidiary strip.

6. The separator spline of claim 1, wherein said principal dividing strip is thicker than said subsidiary strips.

7. A telecommunications cable comprising:

four twisted pairs of conductors; and

a separator spline comprised of a principal dividing strip and a first subsidiary dividing strip attached longitudinally along a first side of said principal dividing strip and a second dividing strip attached longitudinally along a second side of said principal dividing strip, said spline separating said four twisted pairs such that they are arranged in a staggered configuration.

8. The cable of claim 7, wherein said principal strip comprises a middle strip and first and second outer strips and wherein a point of attachment of said first subsidiary strip is between said middle strip and said first outer strip and a point of attachment of said second subsidiary strip is between said second outer strip and said middle strip.

9. A telecommunications cable comprising:

a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors arranged around and running along an axis; and

a cable jacket surrounding said twisted pairs, said jacket comprising an outer surface wherein said outer surface defines a tube having a helical centre path arranged around and running along said axis;

wherein said twisted pairs are arranged helically around said axis and said helical centre path twists helically around said axis in a direction opposite to that of said twisted pairs.

10. The cable of claim 9, further comprising an elongate filler element wound around said twisted pairs underneath said cable jacket.

11. The cable of claim 9, wherein a pitch of said helical centre path along said axis is random.

12. The cable of claim 9, wherein said cable jacket further comprises a protrusion arranged around and running along said outer surface of said jacket and wherein said protrusion is arranged helically around said axis.

13. A telecommunications cable comprising;

a first set of twisted pairs of conductors arranged on opposite sides and running along an axis;

a second set of two twisted pairs of conductors arranged on opposite sides and running along said axis; and

a spline separating each of said twisted pairs;

wherein a first flat surface bounded by said first set and a second flat surface bounded by said second set intersect along said axis at an oblique angle.

14. The cable of claim 13, wherein said spline comprises a principal dividing strip, a first subsidiary dividing strip attached longitudinally along a first side of said principal dividing strip and a second dividing strip attached longitudinally along a second side of said principal dividing strip.

15. The cable of claim 14, wherein said principal strip comprises a middle strip and first and second outer strips and wherein a point of attachment of said first subsidiary strip is between said middle strip and said first outer strip and a point of attachment of said second subsidiary strip is between said second outer strip and said middle strip.

16. A telecommunications cable comprising;

a first set of two twisted pairs of conductors arranged on opposite sides and running along an axis and separated by a first distance;

a second set of two twisted pairs of conductors on opposite sides of and running along said axis and separated by a second distance less than said first distance; and

a spline separating each of said twisted pairs;

wherein each of said first set of twisted pairs has a twist lay which is shorter than a twist lay of either of said second set of twisted pairs.

17. A telecommunications cable comprising:

a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

an elongate filler element wound helically around said twisted pairs along a length of the cable; and

a cable jacket covering said element and said twisted pairs;

wherein said plurality of twisted pairs are wound helically along the length of the cable and wherein a direction of rotation of said element is opposite to that of said twisted pairs.

18. The cable of claim 17, wherein a pitch of said element along the cable varies randomly.

19. The cable of claim 17, wherein a thickness of said element varies along its length.

20. The cable of claim 17, wherein said element is a rod.

21. The cable of claim 17, wherein said element is hollow.

22. The cable of claim 17, wherein said element comprises a conductor.

23. The cable of claim 17, further comprising a spline separating said twisted pairs.

24. A telecommunications cable comprising;

a first set of two parallel twisted pairs of conductors arranged on opposite sides of and wound helically around a first elongate path;

a second set of two parallel twisted pairs of conductors arranged on opposite sides of and wound helically around a second elongate path; and

a spline separating each of said twisted pairs;

wherein said helically wound first set has a radius greater than said helically wound second set.

25. The cable of claim 24, further comprising a cable jacket and an elongate filler element wound around said twisted pairs underneath said jacket.

26. The cable of claim 25, where said element is wound in a direction opposite to that of said first set of twisted pairs.

27. The cable of claim 24, wherein each of said second set of twisted pairs has a twist lay which is longer than a twist lay of either of said first set of twisted pairs.

28. A telecommunications cable comprising:

a plurality of parallel pairs of conductors arranged helically along an axis;

a cable jacket, said jacket when viewed in transverse cross section comprising an oblong part surrounding said helical parallel pairs and a protruding part extending from an outer surface of the jacket;

wherein said oblong part rotates along said axis and said protruding part winds about said axis and further wherein a pitch of said winding protruding part is variable versus said rotation of said oblong part.

29. The cable of claim 28, further comprising a spline separating said helical pairs, said spline having an elongate cross section.

30. The cable of claim 28, wherein said variable pitch is random.

31. The cable of claim 28, wherein a direction of rotation of said oblong part is opposite to a direction of rotation of said winding protruding part.

32. The cable of claim 28, further comprising a filler element wound helically about said helical pairs, said element comprising a direction of rotation which is opposite to a direction of rotation of said helical pairs.

33. A method for fabricating a telecommunications cable comprising the steps of:

providing four twisted pairs of conductors; and

placing a separator spline between said twisted pairs, said spline comprising a principal dividing strip and a first subsidiary dividing strip attached longitudinally along a first side of said principal dividing strip and a second dividing strip attached longitudinally along a second side of said principal dividing strip, said spline separating said four twisted pairs such that they are arranged asymmetrically.

34. A method for reducing cross talk between adjacent cables in a telecommunications system, the method comprising the steps of:

for each of the cables;

providing a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

winding helically an elongate filler element around said twisted pairs; and

covering said twisted pairs and said element with a cable jacket, said element introducing a visible distortion into an outer surface of said jacket;

wherein said twisted pairs are wound helically around an axis in a first direction and where said helical element has a direction of rotation opposite to that of said helical twisted pairs.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said winding step comprises winding said element helically around said twisted pairs.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said helical element has a pitch which varies randomly along its length.