Separator tape for twisted pair in LAN cable

• US 9,418,775 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wessels, Robert A. Jr., Wiebelhaus, David A., Hayes, Trent M., Hopkinson, Wayne C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau N
• Application Number:
  US14/249,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20140238721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 174/113.R, 174/113.C, 174/27
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/002 Pair constructions
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/06 with means for reducing effects of electromagnetic or electrostatic disturbances, e.g. screens

Abstract

A cable includes a jacket surrounding first and second insulated conductors and a first dielectric tape, wherein the first insulated conductor is twisted with the second insulated conductor with the first dielectric tape residing therebetween to form a first twisted pair. The cable'"'"'s jacket may also surround additional twisted pairs, which are similarly formed. In alternative or supplemental embodiments of the invention, the first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant and/or at least a first side of said first dielectric tape facing to said first insulated conductor includes a plurality of ridges and valleys.

Claims

1. A cable comprising:

a first insulated conductor, a first dielectric tape formed as a single unitary structure which does not include multiple pieces attached together or layered, and a second insulated conductor, wherein said first insulated conductor is twisted with said second insulated conductor with said first dielectric tape residing between said first insulated conductor and said second insulated conductor to form a first twisted pair; and

a jacket formed around said first twisted pair, wherein said first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant than a material used to form said first dielectric tape, wherein said hollow core is partitioned into closed-cell pockets along a length of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said closed-cell pockets are filled with air.

2. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said first dielectric tape has a first width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said first twisted pair from a first edge of said first dielectric tape to a second edge of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first width is equal to or less than a diameter of said first insulated conductor plus a diameter of said second insulated conductor plus a thickness of said first dielectric tape.

3. The cable according to claim 2, further comprising:

a third insulated conductor, a second dielectric tape, and a fourth insulated conductor, wherein said third insulated conductor is twisted with said fourth insulated conductor with said second dielectric tape residing between said third insulated conductor and said fourth insulated conductor to form a second twisted pair.

4. The cable according to claim 3, wherein said second dielectric tape has a second width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said second twisted pair from a first edge of said second dielectric tape to a second edge of said second dielectric tape, and wherein said second width is equal to or less than a diameter of said third insulated conductor plus a diameter of said fourth insulated conductor plus a thickness of said second dielectric tape.

5. The cable according to claim 4, wherein said first width is equal to or less than the diameter of said first insulated conductor and wherein said second width is equal to or less than the diameter of said third insulated conductor.

6. The cable according to claim 3, wherein said first insulated conductor includes a first conductor surrounded by a layer of first dielectric insulating material having a radial thickness of about 7 mils or less;

wherein said first dielectric tape has a cross sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the extension length of said first twisted pair, which presents a first recessed portion for seating said first insulated conductor and a second recessed portion for seating said second insulated conductor;

wherein said first dielectric tape is different in shape, size or material content as compared to said second dielectric tape; and

wherein said first, second, third and fourth insulated conductors are identical in appearance, and said first dielectric tape is different in appearance from said second dielectric tape.

7. The cable according to claim 3, wherein said first width is equal to or less than the diameter of said first insulated conductor.

8. A cable comprising:

a first insulated conductor, a first dielectric tape formed as a single unitary structure which does not include multiple pieces attached together or layered, and a second insulated conductor, wherein said first insulated conductor is twisted with said second insulated conductor with said first dielectric tape residing between said first insulated conductor and said second insulated conductor to form a first twisted pair; and

a jacket formed around said first twisted pair, wherein said first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant than a material used to form said first dielectric tape, wherein said first dielectric tape has a first width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said first twisted pair from a first edge of said first dielectric tape to a second edge of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first width is equal to or less than a diameter of said first insulated conductor plus a diameter of said second insulated conductor plus a thickness of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first width is equal to or less than the diameter of said first insulated conductor.

9. The cable according to claim 8, wherein said hollow core is partitioned into closed-cell pockets along a length of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said closed-cell pockets are filled with air.

10. A cable comprising:

a first insulated conductor, a first dielectric tape formed as a single unitary structure which does not include multiple pieces attached together or layered, and a second insulated conductor, wherein said first insulated conductor is twisted with said second insulated conductor with said first dielectric tape residing between said first insulated conductor and said second insulated conductor to form a first twisted pair, wherein said first dielectric tape has a first width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said first twisted pair from a first edge of said first dielectric tape to a second edge of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first width is equal to or less than a diameter of said first insulated conductor plus a diameter of said second insulated conductor plus a thickness of said first dielectric tape;

a third insulated conductor, a second dielectric tape, and a fourth insulated conductor, wherein said third insulated conductor is twisted with said fourth insulated conductor with said second dielectric tape residing between said third insulated conductor and said fourth insulated conductor to form a second twisted pair; and

a jacket formed around said first and second twisted pairs, wherein said first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant than a material used to form said first dielectric tape, wherein said second dielectric tape has a second width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said second twisted pair from a first edge of said second dielectric tape to a second edge of said second dielectric tape, and wherein said second width is equal to or less than a diameter of said third insulated conductor plus a diameter of said fourth insulated conductor plus a thickness of said second dielectric tape, and wherein a first twist length of said first twisted pair is between approximately 0.22 inches and approximately 0.38 inches, and wherein a second twist length of said second twisted pair is different from said first twist length and is between approximately 0.22 inches and approximately 0.38 inches, wherein the first twist length purposefully modulates from a first average value.

11. The cable according to claim 10, wherein the second twist length purposefully modulates from a second average value.

12. The cable according to claim 10, wherein said first twisted pair is stranded with said second twisted pair to form a stranded core, said stranded core has a strand length of about 3 inches or less, and said stranded core has a strand length that modulates along a length of said cable.

13. A cable comprising:

a first insulated conductor, a first dielectric tape, and a second insulated conductor, wherein said first insulated conductor is twisted with said second insulated conductor with said first dielectric tape residing between said first insulated conductor and said second insulated conductor to form a first twisted pair; and

a jacket formed around said first twisted pair, wherein said first dielectric tape includes a plurality of ridges and valleys on at least a first side of said first dielectric tape facing to said first insulated conductor, wherein said first dielectric tape includes a second side facing to said second insulated conductor, and wherein said first dielectric tape is formed of at least two different materials, and wherein said first and second sides of said first dielectric tape are formed of a first material, and wherein a mid-portion of said first dielectric tape is formed of a second material, and wherein a first dielectric constant of said first material is different from a second dielectric constant of said second material.

14. The cable according to claim 13, wherein said first insulated conductor engages at least one of said plurality of ridges so that at least one of said plurality of valleys introduces air immediately adjacent to an insulation layer of said first insulated conductor.

15. The cable according to claim 13, wherein said first dielectric tape has a first width which extends approximately perpendicular to an extension length of said first twisted pair from a first edge of said first dielectric tape to a second edge of said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first width is equal to or less than a diameter of said first insulated conductor.

16. The cable according to claim 13, wherein said first dielectric tape includes a plurality of ridges and valleys on both said first side of said first dielectric tape facing to said first insulated conductor and on said second side of said first dielectric tape facing to said second insulated conductor.

17. The cable according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of ridges are shaped in the form of at least one of angled peaks, rectangular protrusions or curved protrusions, and wherein said plurality of valleys are shaped in the form of at least one of angled valleys, rectangular recesses, or curved recesses.

18. A cable comprising:

a first insulated conductor, a first dielectric tape formed as a single unitary structure which does not include multiple pieces attached together or layered, and a second insulated conductor, wherein said first insulated conductor is twisted with said second insulated conductor with said first dielectric tape residing between said first insulated conductor and said second insulated conductor to form a first twisted pair; and

a jacket formed around said first twisted pair, wherein said first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant than a material used to form said first dielectric tape, and wherein said first dielectric tape includes a plurality of ridges and valleys on at least a first side of said first dielectric tape facing to said first insulated conductor.