HYBRID CABLE FOR CONVEYING DATA AND POWER

• US 20090011639A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veedims, LLC
• Original Assignee: Claudio Ballard
• Inventors: BALLARD, CLAUDIO R., SARGENT, ANDREW P., SEWARD, JEFFREY N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/607.10
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/003 including electrical control or communication wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/04 Concentric cables

Abstract

Hybrid cables for conveying data and conducting operating power to electrically powered devices and a vehicle utilizing such cables are disclosed.

Claims

1. A hybrid cable comprising:

a signal conducting core including at least one twisted pair of signal conductors;

a first braided metallic power conductor circumferentially disposed around the signal conductors;

a second braided metallic power conductor circumferentially disposed between the first braided metallic power conductor and the signal conducting core;

an inner insulating layer disposed between the first and second braided metallic power conductors;

an outer insulating cover disposed around the second braided metallic power conducting layer; and

a first connector disposed on an end of the hybrid cable, the first connector including one of a connecting pin or receptacle having a contact for each of the signal conductors and a power contact connected to each of the braided metallic power conductors.

2. The hybrid cable of claim 1 further comprising two twisted pairs of signal conductors.

3. The hybrid cable of claim 2 wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 10 Mbits/sec of data.

4. The hybrid cable of claim 2 wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 100 Mbits/sec of data.

5. The hybrid cable of claim 1 further comprising four twisted pairs of signal conductors.

6. The hybrid cable of claim 5 wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 1000 Mbits/sec of data.

7. The hybrid cable of claim 1 wherein the signal conducting core further comprises one of an insulating material or strengthening members disposed inside the first power conductor and wherein the twisted pair signal conductors are disposed in the core.

8. The hybrid cable of claim 1 further comprising a second connector disposed on a second end of the hybrid cable and wherein the first braided power conductor, second braided power conductor and twisted pair signal conductor each extend continuously from the first connector to the second connector.

9. A hybrid cable comprising:

at least one twisted pair of signal conductors;

a metallic shield disposed around the signal conductors;

a first metallic power conductor disposed substantially parallel to the signal conductors;

a second metallic power conductor disposed substantially parallel to the signal conductors;

an outer insulating cover disposed around the signal conductors, metallic shield and the power conductors;

a connector disposed on an end of the hybrid cable, the connector including one of a connecting pin or receptacle for each of the signal conductors and a contact connected to each of the power conducting layers.

10. The hybrid cable of claim 9 further comprising two twisted pairs of signal conductors and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 10 Mbits/sec of data.

11. The hybrid cable of claim 10 wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 100 Mbits/sec of data.

12. The hybrid cable of claim 9 further comprising four twisted pairs of signal conductors and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 1000 Mbits/sec of data.

13. The hybrid cable of claim 9 further comprising a second connector disposed on a second end of the hybrid cable and wherein the first metallic power conductor, second metallic power conductor and twisted pair signal conductor each extend continuously from the first connector to the second connector.

14. A vehicle having an electrical system including electrically operated sensors and electrically powered devices;

at least one hybrid cable having signal conductors for conveying data and power conductors for conducting power and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 10 Mbits/sec of data;

an outer cover for enclosing the signal conductors and power conductors; and

wherein a plurality of electrically powered devices are sequentially connected by means of the hybrid cable.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the hybrid cable comprises:

a signal conducting core including at least one twisted pair of signal conductors;

a first braided metallic power conductor circumferentially disposed around the signal conductors;

a second braided metallic power conductor circumferentially disposed between the first braided metallic power conductor and the signal conducting core;

an inner insulating layer disposed between the first and second braided metallic power conductors;

an outer insulating cover disposed around the second braided metallic power conducting layer; and

a first connector disposed on an end of the hybrid cable, the first connector including one of a connecting pin or receptacle having a contact for each of the signal conductors and a power contact connected to each of the braided metallic power conductors.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 further comprising a second connector disposed on a second end of the hybrid cable and wherein the first braided metallic power conductor, second braided metallic conductor and twisted pair signal conductor each extend continuously from the first connector to the second connector.

17. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 100 Mbits/sec of data.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising four twisted pairs of signal conductors and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 1000 Mbits/sec of data.

19. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the hybrid cable comprises:

at least one twisted pair of signal conductors;

a metallic shield disposed around the signal conductors;

a first metallic power conductor disposed substantially parallel to the signal conductors;

a second metallic power conductor disposed substantially parallel to the signal conductors;

an outer insulating cover disposed around the signal conductors, metallic shield and the power conductors;

a connector disposed on an end of the hybrid cable, the connector including one of a connecting pin or receptacle for each of the signal conductors and a contact connected to each of the power conducting layers and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 10 Mbits/sec of data.

20. The vehicle of claim 19 further comprising four twisted pairs of signal conductors and wherein the signal conductors can convey up to 1000 Mbits/sec of data.