Cable with offset filler

• US 7,329,815 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Roger, Kenny, Robert, Grosh, John W., Reeves, Stuart, Johnston, Fred, Wiekhorst, David, Ford, Keith, Stutzman, Spring
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chau N.
• Application Number:
  US11/185,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20050247479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 174/113.R, 174/113.C, 174/131.A, 174/27
• US Class Current: 174/113.00C
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/04 with pairs or quads mutually positioned to reduce cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/06 with means for reducing effects of electromagnetic or electrostatic disturbances, e.g. screens
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/08 Screens specially adapted for reducing cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention relates to cables made of twisted conductor pairs. More specifically, the present invention relates to twisted pair communication cables for high-speed data communications applications. A twisted pair including at least two conductors extends along a generally longitudinal axis, with an insulation surrounding each of the conductors. The conductors are twisted generally longitudinally along the axis. A cable includes at least two twisted pairs and a filler. At least two of the cables are positioned along generally parallel axes for at least a predefined distance. The cables are configured to efficiently and accurately propagate high-speed data signals by, among other functions, limiting at least a subset of the following: impedance deviations, signal attenuation, and alien crosstalk along the predefined distance.

Claims

1. A cable, comprising:

a) a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

b) a non-conductive filler including a base, a plurality of legs radially extending from a center of the base, and an extension located a distance from the center of the base, the base and the legs defining a number of regions, each of the regions receiving one of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors, each of the legs of the plurality of legs having a length, the length of at least one leg being different from the length of other legs; and

c) a jacket that surrounds the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and the filler, the extension of the filler creating a ridge at an exterior of the jacket that extends along a length of the cable.

2. The cable of claim 1, wherein the filler twists along the length of the cable such that the ridge created by the extension is helical.

3. The cable of claim 1, wherein the number of regions includes three or more regions that each receive one of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors.

4. The cable of claim 1, wherein the extension is a first extension, the filler including a second extension located a distance from the center of the base, the second extension being positioned opposed to that of the first extension.

5. The cable of claim 4, wherein the first and second extensions have non-symmetrical locations relative to the center of the base.

6. The cable of claim 1, wherein each of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors is located within a portion of a circular cross-sectional area of the cable when positioned within the regions defined by the base, and wherein at least a portion of the extension extends beyond the portion of the cross-sectional area.

7. The cable of claim 1, wherein the base and the extension of the filler are an integral construction.

8. The cable of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes at least one leg having a longer length than that of other legs.

9. The cable of claim 8, wherein the extension is located at an end of the at least one leg having the longer length.

10. The cable of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes at least one leg having a shorter length than that of other legs.

11. The cable of claim 1, wherein the plurality of legs includes longer legs and shorter legs.

12. A cable, comprising:

a) a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors; and

b) a non-conductive filler that twists about a central axis of the cable, the non-conductive filler including a base portion, a plurality of legs radially extending from the base portion, and a filler extension, the base portion and the legs defining a number of pockets, each of the pockets receiving one of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors, the legs of the plurality of legs each having a length, the length of at least one leg being different from the length of the other legs; and

c) a jacket that surrounds the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and the filler;

d) wherein the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors is located within a portion of a cross-sectional area of the cable, and wherein at least a filler portion of the filler extension extends beyond the portion of the cross-sectional area to create a helical ridge in the jacket.

13. The cable of claim 12, wherein the base portion and the filler extension are an integral construction.

14. The cable of claim 12, wherein the plurality of legs includes at least one leg having a longer length than that of other legs.

15. The cable of claim 14, wherein the filler extension is located at an end of the at least one leg having the longer length.

16. The cable of claim 12, wherein the plurality of legs includes at least one leg having a shorter length than that of other legs.

17. The cable of claim 12, wherein the plurality of legs includes longer legs and shorter legs.

18. A cable, comprising:

a) a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

b) a first filler component having a center and dividers that radially extend from the center, the dividers including at least one divider having a length that is longer than that of other dividers, the dividers defining a number of regions, each of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being positioned within one of the number of regions, the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being located within a portion of a cross-sectional area of the cable;

c) a second filler component having at least a filler portion located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area; and

d) a jacket that surrounds the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and the first and second filler components;

e) wherein the filler portion of the second filler component located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area creates a helical ridge in the jacket.

19. The cable of claim 18, wherein the first filler component and the second filler component are an integral construction.

20. The cable of claim 18, wherein each of the first and second filler components is non-conductive.

21. The cable of claim 18, wherein the second filler component is located at an end of the at least one divider having the longer length.

22. A cable comprising:

a jacket;

a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors positioned within the jacket;

a filler arrangement positioned within the jacket, the filler arrangement including;

a first non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the first non-conductive structure including a center and dividers that radially extend from the center, the dividers including at least one divider having a length that is longer than that of other dividers, the dividers separating the twisted pairs of conductors; and

a second non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the second non-conductive structure forming a helical ridge in the jacket.

23. The cable of claim 22, wherein the first and second non-conductive structures are integral with one another.

24. The cable of claim 22, wherein the first non-conductive structure turns in a helix as the first non-conductive structure extends along the length of the cable.

25. The cable of claim 22, wherein the first and second non-conductive structures are integrally connected with one another, and wherein the first and second non-conductive structures turn in a helix as the non-conductive structures extend along the length of the cable.

26. The cable of claim 25, wherein the second non-conductive structure includes a first enlargement integral with an end of a first one of the dividers.

27. The cable of claim 22, wherein the second non-conductive structure is located at an end of the at least one divider having the longer length.

28. A cable, comprising:

a) a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

b) a first filler component having a center and dividers that radially extend from the center, the dividers including at least one divider having a length that is shorter than that of other dividers, the dividers defining a number of regions, each of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being positioned within one of the number of regions, the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being located within a portion of a cross-sectional area of the cable;

c) a second filler component having at least a filler portion located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area; and

d) a jacket that surrounds the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and the first and second filler components;

e) wherein the filler portion of the second filler component located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area creates a helical ridge in the jacket.

29. A cable, comprising:

a) a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors;

b) a first filler component having a plurality dividers that define a number of regions, the plurality of dividers including longer dividers and shorter dividers, each of the pairs of the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being positioned within one of the number of regions defined by the dividers, the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors being located within a portion of a cross-sectional area of the cable;

c) a second filler component having at least a filler portion located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area; and

d) a jacket that surrounds the plurality of twisted pairs of conductors and the first and second filler components;

e) wherein the filler portion of the second filler component located outside the portion of the cross-sectional area creates a helical ridge in the jacket.

30. A cable comprising:

a jacket;

a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors positioned within the jacket;

a filler arrangement positioned within the jacket, the filler arrangement including;

a first non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the first non-conductive structure including a center and dividers that radially extend from the center, the dividers including at least one divider having a length that is shorter than that of other dividers, the dividers separating the twisted pairs of conductors; and

a second non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the second non-conductive structure forming a helical ridge in the jacket.

31. A cable comprising:

a jacket;

a plurality of twisted pairs of conductors positioned within the jacket;

a filler arrangement positioned within the jacket, the filler arrangement including;

a first non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the first non-conductive structure including a plurality of dividers that separate the twisted pairs of conductors, the plurality of dividers including longer dividers and shorter dividers; and

a second non-conductive structure that extends along a length of the cable, the second non-conductive structure forming a helical ridge in the jacket.