Shielded electric cable assembly

• US 7,868,251 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Senk, Joseph M., Ketterer, William C., Gladd, Joseph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III; William H
• Application Number:
  US12/082,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20090250235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 174/74.R, 174/78, 174/84.R, 174/88.C
• US Class Current: 174/72.00A
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5205 Sealing means between cable and housing, e.g. grommet H01R13/5221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6599 Dielectric material made conductive, e.g. plastic material coated with metal
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2101/00 One pole
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/20 Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/013 Sealing means for cable inlets inlets for cables filled with, or surrounded by, gas or oil H02G15/32
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/025 for coaxial cables or hollow conductors connections between HF conductors H01P1/04; plug and socket connections per se H01R24/38

Abstract

An electric cable assembly may include an electric cable and a conductive contact. The electric cable has a conductive core, an inner insulation jacket surrounding the conductive core, a conductive layer surrounding the inner insulation jacket, and an outer insulation jacket surrounding the conductive layer. The conductive contact is injection molded around the conductive layer at a prepared section of the electric cable so that the conductive contact can conduct electric current from the conductive layer.

Claims

1. An electric cable assembly, comprising:

an electric cable having,

a conductive core,

an inner insulation jacket surrounding the conductive core,

a conductive layer surrounding the inner insulation jacket,

an outer insulation jacket surrounding the conductive layer, and

a conductive contact surrounding the conductive layer and in electrical communication with the conductive layer,

wherein the conductive contact includes a body having a plurality of integrally formed contact points each projecting radially outward toward a respective free end, said plurality of integrally formed contact points surrounding the body of the conductive contact.

2. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the electric cable terminates at a free end, and the conductive contact is located axially remote from the free end where the conductive contact is disposed in the electronic cable assembly in a center stripped section of the outer insulation jacket of the electric cable.

3. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 further comprising a nonconductive cable seal abutting the conductive contact and being disposed around the outer insulation jacket.

4. The electric cable assembly of claim 3 wherein the nonconductive cable seal is injection molded around the outer insulation jacket.

5. The electric cable assembly of claim 4 wherein a first bond is formed between abutting surfaces of the conductive contact and the nonconductive cable seal, and a second bond is formed at an interface of the conductive contact and the conductive layer.

6. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the conductive core has an exposed free end, and the electric cable assembly further comprises a terminal with an inner terminal attached to the exposed free end, and wherein the conductive contact is located axially away from the inner terminal.

7. The electric cable assembly of claim 6 wherein the terminal also includes a terminal seal disposed around the inner insulation jacket at a second prepared section of the electric cable, the terminal seal being located axially between the inner terminal and the conductive contact.

8. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the nonconductive cable seal includes a body having a pair of integrally formed circumferential sealing beads formed continuously around the body of the nonconductive cable seal.

9. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 wherein a bond is formed at an interface of the conductive contact and the conductive layer, thus isolating the conductive layer from other components of an associated assembly.

10. The electric cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the conductive contact is formed of an elastomeric material having a circular shape.

11. A shielded electric cable assembly comprising:

a first metal shield adapted for receiving a second metal shield, wherein the received second metal shield surroundingly overlies, and is in electrical and mechanical communication with at least a portion of the first metal shield; and

an electric cable with an end portion disposed inside one of,

(i) the first metal shield,

(ii) the second metal shield, and

(iii) the first and the second metal shield, the electric cable having a conductive core with an exposed free end, an inner insulation jacket surrounding the conductive core, a conductive layer surrounding the inner insulation jacket, and an outer insulation jacket surrounding the conductive layer;

a terminal with an inner terminal attached to the exposed free end, the terminal including a terminal seal disposed around the electric cable and located axially away from the inner terminal;

a conductive contact disposed surrounding the conductive layer and configured to provide electrical communication between the conductive layer and the first metal shield;

a nonconductive cable seal disposed around the electric cable, the nonconductive cable seal having a second radial face abutting the first radial face.

12. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive contact is injection molded to the electric cable at a first prepared section that is located axially away from the exposed free end, the first prepared section being formed by center stripping a section of the outer insulation jacket.

13. The shielded electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the nonconductive cable seal is injection molded circumferentially around the electric cable.

14. The shielded electric cable assembly of claim 13 wherein a first bond is formed between the first radial face and the second radial face, a second bond is formed at an interface of the conductive contact and the conductive layer, and a third bond is formed at an interface of the nonconductive cable seal and the electric cable.

15. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive contact has a plurality of contact points that each project radially to a respective free end, that are disposed circumferentially around a body of the conductive contact, and that each contact the first metal shield so that electrical communication occurs from the conductive layer through the conductive contact and into the first metal shield.

16. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the nonconductive cable seal has a pair of integral sealing beads that are formed continuously around a body of the nonconductive cable seal.

17. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein

the first metal shield is a male-type connector,

the second metal connector is a female-type connector, and

the conductive contact has a circular shape configurably disposed within the first metal shield.

18. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive contact is formed of an elastomeric material and has a circular shape.

19. The electric cable assembly of claim 11 wherein the conductive contact includes a body having a plurality of integrally formed contact points each projecting radially outward toward a respective free end, said plurality of integrally formed contact points surrounding the body of the conductive contact.

20. A method of applying a conductive contact to an electric cable, the method comprising;

providing the electric cable with a conductive core, an inner insulation jacket surrounding the conductive core, a conductive layer surrounding the inner insulation jacket, and an outer insulation jacket surrounding the conductive layer;

exposing the conductive layer at a section of the electric cable;

injection molding the conductive contact around the section of the electric cable in order to surround the section by the conductive contact, wherein the conductive contact includes a body having a plurality of integrally formed contact points each projecting radially outward toward a respective free end, said plurality of integrally formed contact points surrounding the body of the conductive contact.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the step of, injection molding a nonconductive cable seal around the outer insulation jacket wherein, the nonconductive cable seal abuts against the conductive contact.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of exposing the conductive layer further includes center stripping the electric cable at said section so as to expose the conductive layer at said section, and said section being located axially away from a free end of the electric cable.