Separator Spline and Cables Using Same

• US 20090173514A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belden Inc.
• Original Assignee: Belden Inc.
• Inventors: Gareis, Galen M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,897,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/113.R
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/06 with means for reducing effects of electromagnetic or electrostatic disturbances, e.g. screens

Abstract

A cable, specifically a data cable, which utilizes a T-shaped spline to separate four internal data cables. This cable is a specific form of a more general cable which utilizes a central spline which is designed to separate all but one pair of component cables to provide for material savings in cable construction which still sufficiently reducing cross-talk to meet data cable design specifications.

Claims

1. A multi-part cable comprising:

At least three component cables; and

a T-shaped spline having a longitudinal axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the cable;

the spline comprising;

a main beam; and

an auxiliary beam which extends from one side of said main beam at or about the center of the main beam, and generally has a latitudinal dimension about one half the dimension of the main beam.

2. The cable of claim 1 wherein said at least three component cables comprises at least four component cables.

3. The cable of claim 2 wherein said T-shaped spline serves to form a physical barrier between all but a single pair of the component cables.

4. The cable of claim 3 wherein said single pair comprises the shortest lay (S1) and shortest long lay (L1) component cables.

5. The cable of claim 2 wherein said cable meets the criteria set out by one of the standards selected from the group of standards consisting of category 5, category 5e, and category 6.

6. The cable of claim 2 wherein each of the component cables comprises a twisted pair of insulated conductors.

7. The cable of claim 6 wherein each of said twisted pairs of insulated conductors is a double helix.

8. The cable of claim 2 further comprising:

an insulative jacket enclosing the T-shaped filler and the component cables

9. The cable of claim 8 further comprising:

a shield which also encloses said T-shaped filler and said component cables and is also enclosed by said insulative jacket.

10. The cable of claim 2 further comprising:

a shield which encloses said T-shaped filler and said component cables.

11. A multi-part cable comprising:

four twisted pair data cables each of which is formed of two intertwined individually insulated conductors having a longitudinal axis;

a T-shaped filler having a generally T-shaped cross-sectional shape with three arms and a longitudinal axis; and

an insulative jacket enclosing said data cables and said T-shaped filler along their longitudinal axes;

wherein two of said at least four cables are not separated by an arm of said T-shaped filler.

12. The cable of claim 11 wherein said two cables not separated by an arm of said T-shaped filler comprise the shortest lay (S1) and shortest long lay (L1) twisted pair data cables.

13. The cable of claim 11 wherein said cable meets the criteria set out by one of the standards selected from the group of standards consisting of:

category 5, category 5e, and category 6.

14. A multi-part cable comprising:

At least three component cables, and

a spline having a longitudinal axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the cable;

the spline comprising;

a central beam having a longitudinal dimension and a latitudinal dimension, and

a plurality of arms each of which extends from said central beam along said latitudinal dimension in a radial fashion and extends the longitudinal dimension of said central beam;

wherein, there is one fewer arm in said plurality of arms than there are component cables.

15. A multi-part cable comprising:

At least three component cables; and

a spline having a longitudinal axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the cable, the spline comprising;

a central beam having a longitudinal dimension and a latitudinal dimension, and

a plurality of arms each of which extends from said central beam along said latitudinal dimension in a radial fashion and extends the longitudinal dimension of said central beam;

wherein said arms are arranged to have angles between them;

one of said angles being about double each of said other angles, which are about the same.

16. A collected cable comprising:

a plurality of multi-pail cables, each of said multi-part cables comprising;

at least three component cables; and

a T-shaped spline having a longitudinal axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the cable;

the spline comprising;

a main beam; and

an auxiliary beam which extends from one side of said main beam at or about the center of the main beam, and generally has a latitudinal dimension about one half the dimension of the main beam.