Flexible data cable

• US 8,587,953 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Brock, John, Degner, Brett William, Mathew, Dinesh, Wilson, Thomas W. Jr., Ligtenberg, Chris, Hendren, Keith, Keiper, Steven, Kim, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aychillhum, Andargie M
• Application Number:
  US12/201,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090173533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 361/755, 361/801, 361/816, 361/818, 361749-751, 174254-268
• US Class Current: 361/755
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/00 Communication cables or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing conductors or cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/592 connections to contact elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/62 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5213 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0224 Patterned shielding planes, ground planes or power planes H05K1/0253 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09618 Via fence, i.e. one-dimensional array of vias
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09681 Mesh conductors, e.g. as a ground plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A multi-layered cable consisting of three or more conductive layers separated by layers of dielectric and/or adhesive material. The bottom layer and the top layer may act as return path for the transmitted signals and as a shield to prevent interference between these and external electrical signals. Located between the bottom layer and the top layer, the middle layer may transmit desired signals through the flexible cable. The material selection and specifics of each of the layers should be selected so as to achieve a balance in which the desired electrical impedance and mechanical flexibility requirements are met. The cable may also include one or more vias connecting the bottom layer to the top layer, providing shielding all the way around the flex cable. An additional conductive sock may be used to improve shielding effectiveness of the top and bottom layer and to connect to I/O connector shells and the system Faraday cage.

Claims

1. A data cable comprising:

a flexible section comprising

a bottom layer;

a top layer;

a middle layer located between the top layer and bottom layer, wherein the middle layer comprises a flexible conductive material;

a first dielectric layer located between the top layer and the middle layer;

a second dielectric layer located between the bottom layer and the middle layer;

at least one data transmission line located adjacent to the middle layer; and

at least one via, the via comprising

a hole in the cable from the top layer to the bottom layer; and

a conductive filling, wherein the conductive filling electrically couples the bottom layer and the top layer;

a rigid section connected to the flexible section, the rigid section comprising a first end adjacent to the flexible section; and

a conductive sock comprising an exposed and outwardly facing conductive surface, the conductive sock surrounding the first end of the rigid section and surrounding a portion of the flexible section that is adjacent to the rigid section, the conductive sock making an electrical connection to both the flexible section and the rigid sections.

2. The data cable of claim 1 wherein the bottom layer and the top layer provide ground planes for the flexible section of the cable, and the conductive sock connects the bottom layer and the to layer to a ground plane of the rigid section to thereby electrically interconnect the ground planes of the flexible section and the rigid section.

3. The data cable of claim 1 wherein the via is located near the edge of the flexible section of the cable.

4. The data cable of claim 1 further comprising:

a first metallic pad mounted on a first side of the rigid section near the first end;

a second metallic pad mounted on a second side of the rigid section near the first end, the second side opposite from the first side;

the conductive sock further comprising

a top piece placed above the top layer, the to piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the first metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section; and

a bottom piece placed below the bottom layer, the bottom piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the second metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made of a conductive material.

5. The data cable of claim 4 wherein the top piece of the conductive sock and the bottom piece of the conductive sock extend past the edge of the cable to surround the cable.

6. The data cable of claim 4 further comprising:

a third metal pad that surrounds the flexible section of the cable and electrically couples to the top layer and the bottom layer.

7. The data cable of claim 6 wherein the top piece of the conductive sock and the bottom piece of the conductive sock are electrically coupled to the third metal pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the flexible section.

8. The data cable of claim 1, wherein the rigid section of the data cable further comprises a connector proximate to a second end of the rigid section of the data cable, the second end opposite from the first end.

9. A computer system comprising:

a first operating component;

a second operating component; and

a data cable coupling at least the first operating component to the second operating component, the data cable comprising a flexible section, a rigid section, and a conductive sock;

the flexible section comprising

a bottom layer comprised of an electrically conducting material;

a top layer comprised of an electrically conducting material;

a middle layer located between the top layer and bottom layer, wherein the middle layer comprises a flexible conductive material;

a first dielectric layer located between the top layer and the middle layer;

a second dielectric layer located between the bottom layer and the middle layer;

at least one data transmission line located adjacent to the middle layer; and

at least one via, the via comprising;

a hole in the flexible cable from the top layer to the bottom layer; and

a conductive filling, wherein the conductive filling electrically couples the bottom layer and the top layer;

the rigid section connected to the flexible section, the rigid section comprising a first end adjacent to the flexible section;

the conductive sock comprising an exposed and outwardly facing conductive surface, the conductive sock surrounding the first end of the rigid section and surrounding a portion of the flexible section that is adjacent to the rigid section, the conductive sock making an electrical connection to both the flexible section and the rigid sections.

10. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the bottom layer and the top layer of the flexible section of the data cable provide ground planes for the cable, and the conductive sock connects the bottom layer and the to layer to a ground plane of the rigid section to thereby electrically interconnect the ground planes of the flexible section and the rigid section.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the electrically conducting material of the bottom layer and the top layer of the flexible section of the data cable comprise at least a plurality of intersecting copper segments.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the intersecting copper segments are oriented diagonally along the length of the flexible section of the data cable to form a mesh pattern.

13. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the rigid section of the data cable further comprises a connector proximate to a second end of the rigid section of the data cable, the second end opposite from the first end.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the connector is located adjacent to a window in the top layer of the flexible section of the data cable;

and

the at least one data transmission line enters the connector through the window.

15. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the via is located near the edge of the flexible section of the data cable.

16. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the data cable further comprises:

a first metallic pad mounted on a first side of the rigid section near the first end;

a second metallic pad mounted on a second side of the rigid section near the first end, the second side opposite from the first side;

the conductive sock comprising;

a top piece placed above the top layer, the top piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the first metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section; and

a bottom piece placed below the bottom layer, the bottom piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the second metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made of a conductive material.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the top piece of the conductive sock and the bottom piece of the conductive sock extend past the edge of the flexible section of the data cable to surround the flexible section of the data cable.

18. The computer system of claim 9 wherein the top layer and the bottom layer operate to at least partially prevent electrical noise from reaching or exiting the middle layer.

19. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising

an enclosure that contains the first operating component and not the second operating component, the enclosure containing an opening adapted to allow a portion of the flexible section of the data cable to pass there-through such that the rigid section of the data cable sits in a notch that is external to the enclosure;

a first gasket connected to an interior surface of the enclosure adjacent to the opening, the first gasket comprising a conductive surface; and

a second gasket connected the interior surface of the enclosure adjacent to the opening and opposite from the first gasket, the second gasket comprising a conductive surface;

wherein the conductive surface of the conductive sock contacts the conductive surfaces of the first and second gasket to thereby electrically interconnect the conductive sock and the first and second gasket.

20. A data cable comprising:

a flexible section comprising a bottom layer, a top layer, and a middle layer located between the top layer and bottom layer, wherein the middle layer comprises a flexible conductive material;

a rigid section connected to the flexible section, the rigid section comprising a first end adjacent to the flexible section; and

a conductive sock comprising an exposed and outwardly facing conductive surface, the conductive sock surrounding the first end of the rigid section and surrounding a portion of the flexible section that is adjacent to the rigid section, the conductive sock making an electrical connection to both the flexible section and the rigid sections.

21. The data cable of claim 20 wherein the bottom layer and the top layer provide ground planes for the flexible section of the cable, and the conductive sock connects the bottom layer and the top layer to a ground plane of the rigid section to thereby electrically interconnect the ground planes of the flexible section and the rigid section.

22. The data cable of claim 20 further comprising:

a first metallic pad mounted on a first side of the rigid section near the first end;

a second metallic pad mounted on a second side of the rigid section near the first end, the second side opposite from the first side;

the conductive sock further comprising

a top piece placed above the top layer, the top piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the first metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section; and

a bottom piece placed below the bottom layer, the bottom piece electrically connected to the rigid section through the second metallic pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the rigid section, wherein the top piece and the bottom piece are made of a conductive material.

23. The data cable of claim 22 further comprising:

a third metal pad that surrounds the flexible section of the cable and electrically couples to the top layer and the bottom layer;

wherein the top piece of the conductive sock and the bottom piece of the conductive sock are electrically coupled to the third metal pad to form the electrical connection between the conductive sock and the flexible section.

24. The data cable of claim 20, wherein the flexible section further comprises

a first dielectric layer located between the top layer and the middle layer;

a second dielectric layer located between the bottom layer and the middle layer;

at least one data transmission line located adjacent to the middle layer; and

at least one via, the via comprising

a hole in the cable from the top layer to the bottom layer; and

a conductive filling, wherein the conductive filling electrically couples the bottom layer and the top layer, and wherein the via is located near the edge of the flexible section of the cable.