EP0487354B1 - Method of making an electrical ribbon cable - Google Patents
Method of making an electrical ribbon cable Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0487354B1 EP0487354B1 EP91310767A EP91310767A EP0487354B1 EP 0487354 B1 EP0487354 B1 EP 0487354B1 EP 91310767 A EP91310767 A EP 91310767A EP 91310767 A EP91310767 A EP 91310767A EP 0487354 B1 EP0487354 B1 EP 0487354B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- conductors
- insulating material
- sheet
- conductor
- array
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title description 3
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims description 68
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 claims description 23
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 22
- 239000004810 polytetrafluoroethylene Substances 0.000 claims description 21
- WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N alstonine Natural products C1=CC2=C3C=CC=CC3=NC2=C2N1C[C@H]1[C@H](C)OC=C(C(=O)OC)[C@H]1C2 WYTGDNHDOZPMIW-RCBQFDQVSA-N 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000012815 thermoplastic material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229920001343 polytetrafluoroethylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 229940058401 polytetrafluoroethylene Drugs 0.000 description 19
- 229920001169 thermoplastic Polymers 0.000 description 8
- 239000004416 thermosoftening plastic Substances 0.000 description 8
- 238000009413 insulation Methods 0.000 description 4
- -1 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 238000010030 laminating Methods 0.000 description 3
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- KHXKESCWFMPTFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoro-3-(1,2,2-trifluoroethenoxy)propane Chemical compound FC(F)=C(F)OC(F)(F)C(F)(F)C(F)(F)F KHXKESCWFMPTFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000004698 Polyethylene Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004323 axial length Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010348 incorporation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003475 lamination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920000573 polyethylene Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229920000915 polyvinyl chloride Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920002620 polyvinyl fluoride Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrafluoroethene Chemical group FC(F)=C(F)F BFKJFAAPBSQJPD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000007669 thermal treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/08—Flat or ribbon cables
- H01B7/0838—Parallel wires, sandwiched between two insulating layers
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
- H01B7/00—Insulated conductors or cables characterised by their form
- H01B7/08—Flat or ribbon cables
- H01B7/0846—Parallel wires, fixed upon a support layer
Definitions
- This invention relates to electrical ribbon cable and to a method of its production.
- Such ribbon cables are well known and consist of a plurality of substantially parallel electrical conductors disposed in a common plane and insulated from each other by an insulating material.
- Ribbon cables are used for a variety of applications including, particularly, the interconnection of components in electrical and electronic systems and subsystems. Ribbon cables have significant advantages over cables of circular cross-section having a plurality of individually insulated electrical conductors housed in an annular outer insulating sheath. For example, ribbon cables take up less space, have greater flexibility and tend to have improved electrical characteristics as compared with similar cables of circular cross-section.
- thermoplastic insulant is extruded over a plurality of electrical conductors as they are fed through a profiled die.
- This method is only effective when resins are used which are truly thermoplastic and can be processed through conventional thermoplastic processing equipment.
- resins include, for example, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and polyvinylfluoride.
- polytetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer is the desirable insulant for such ribbon cable due to its ability to withstand high temperatures, its low dielectric constant and its flexibility.
- PTFE polytetra-fluoroethylene
- One method used to make PTFE ribbon cable is described in our US Patent No. 3,082,292 and consists of laminating a number of electrical conductors, insulated or uninsulated, between two or more layers of unsintered PTFE tape. The lamination is effected by passing the conductors and their associated PTFE layers through a nip formed by a pair of profiled rolls.
- the profiled rolls cause portions of the PTFE tapes on opposing sides of the conductors to be brought into contact with each other at locations intermediate the conductors in order to form webs therebetween.
- the product is subsequently heat treated at a temperature above 327°C to sinter the PTFE to coalesce at the webs.
- This process has disadvantages in that, due to the necessity of forming webs of significant extent between individual conductors, a ribbon cable cannot be produced which is as narrow in width as a ribbon cable produced by the above-described process of thermoplastic extrusion.
- An additional disadvantage of PTFE insulated cable as produced by the method described in US Patent No. 3,082,292 is that due to the intermediate webs, the cable cannot be formed easily into bends in the plane of its width. This formability is desirable to allow routing of the cable within confined spaces.
- EP-A- 0 257 855 discloses cable structure in round or flat form characterized by a corrugated septum disposed intermediate an inner and an outer sheath.
- the septum contacts the sheaths to define tubular envelopes extending axially along the length of the cable.
- Each of the envelopes is able to receive a predetermined number of conductors.
- the sheaths and the septum are electrically connectable to a ground potential so as to totally electromagnetically isolate the conductors entirely along their axial lengths.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a PTFE insulated ribbon cable in which the aforesaid disadvantages are obviated or mitigated.
- the cable is formed by thermally bonding an array of conductors separated by one or more layers of PTFE containing insulating material.
- the insulating layers may be of various configurations such that adjacent conductors may be separated by one, two or three layers of insulating material.
- the insulating material is arranged between the conductors to space each conductor from an adjacent conductor by a distance not greater than substantially three times the thickness of the sheet of insulating material.
- the sheet of insulating material may be threaded between adjacent conductors or groups thereof or each conductor may be individually wrapped. Further sheets of insulating material may be located on the faces of the array of conductors.
- PTFE-containing polytetrafluoroethylene modified by a thermoplastic inclusion.
- An example of such a suitable material is described in our co-pending International Patent Application No. PCT/GB91/00661 filed 26 April 1991.
- Said insulating material comprises an admixture of a thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro (propyl vinyl ether) together with polytetrafluoroethylene.
- a ribbon cable comprises an array consisting of a plurality of elongated electrical conductors 11, each conductor 11 consisting of seven ropes of twenty four strands of 0.051 mm diameter bare copper wire.
- Each conductor 11 is individually insulated by insulation 12 from an adjacent conductor by being wrapped in PTFE-containing insulating tape of 0.23 mm thickness.
- the individually insulated conductors 11 are then heat treated by passing them through a 3-metre heated oven at a temperature of about 400°C and a speed of 2.5 metres per minute to allow the insulation 12 to form a homogeneous layer contiguous with and closely surrounding each conductor 11.
- the insulated conductors are then combined with first and second carrier layers or sheets 13,14 of PTFE containing insulating tape.
- the layers 13, 14 are of substantially the same thickness as the insulation 12.
- the layer 13 is planar and is located across the lower face of the array of conductors 11.
- the layer 14 on the other hand is interwoven in serpentine manner between adjacent conductors 11.
- the combination of insulated conductors 11 and carrier tapes 13,14 is then passed in tension through the nip of co-operating upper and lower pressure rolls 15 and 16 which serve to laminate together the insulated conductors 11 and the tapes 13,14.
- the surface of the upper roll 15 is smooth whereas the surface of the lower roll 16 is profiled by the formation of circumferential grooves each adapted to receive an insulated conductor 11 in order to facilitate traction of the assembly through the rolls.
- the cable After passing through the laminating rolls 15,16 and while still being held in tension, the cable is heated to a temperature in excess of 320°C which allows the thermoplastic phase in the PTFE-containing tape to melt sufficiently to permit bonding between the carrier tapes 13,14 and the insulated conductors 11.
- each conductor 11 is spaced from an adjacent conductor by a distance equivalent to the thickness of the insulating layer 12 around each of the conductors 11 together with the thickness of the interwoven serpentine layer 14 i.e. substantially three times the thickness of the insulating layer 12 around each conductor
- the ribbon cable assembly After emerging from the rolls 15,16 the ribbon cable assembly is passed through a 0.5 metre molten salt bath at a temperature of 400°C and a line speed of 6 metres per minute.
- the line tension is 2 pounds per square inch (0.017 Nmm ⁇ ).
- the ribbon cable thus formed is then cooled and washed in a water bath to remove excess salt.
- a ribbon cable produced as described above was electrically tested and withstood 2.0 kV (AC) between conductors and 2.0 kV (AC) between the conductors and an electrode in contact with the outside of the cable.
- the PTFE containing insulating layers described in the above embodiment may or may not be sintered prior to incorporation in the cable.
- Fig. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention and is similar in product and process to that described in the first embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 except that the planar layer or carrier tape 14 of that embodiment is omitted.
- the cable comprises individually insulated conductors 30 each having a surrounding individual insulating layer 31. Between the insulated conductors 30 is interwoven a serpentine insulating layer 32.
- Fig. 5 illustrates a third embodiment identical in product and process to that of Figs. 1 to 3 except that a serpentine insulating layer 40 is interwoven between every second conductor 41 having individual insulating layers 42. The conductors are thereby divided into groups of two. A planar insulating layer 43 is provided on the lower face of the assembly.
- Fig. 6 illustrates a fourth embodiment in which an array of non-insulated copper conductors 50 described in relation to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 are provided with an interwoven serpentine insulating layer 51. Planar insulating layers 52,53 are then applied to both the upper and lower faces of the array of conductors 50. Otherwise the product and process are similar to that described in relation to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3.
- each electrical conductor 50 is spaced from its adjacent conductor by a distance substantially equivalent to the thickness of the serpentine insulating layer 51.
- Fig. 7 illustrates one form of pre-set shape into which ribbon cables according to the present invention can be formed.
- a ribbon tape 70 produced in accordance with the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 was laid in a channel of the shape illustrated in Fig. 7 formed in a metal block. Another metal block was laid on top of the cable to hold it in the channel. The whole assembly was heated to 350°C in a hydraulic press and maintained at that temperature for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the assembly was removed from the press and cooled under water. After removal of the cable from the channel the cable remained in its moulded shape.
Landscapes
- Insulated Conductors (AREA)
- Ropes Or Cables (AREA)
- Manufacturing Of Electric Cables (AREA)
- Lining Or Joining Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB9025505 | 1990-11-23 | ||
GB909025505A GB9025505D0 (en) | 1990-11-23 | 1990-11-23 | Improvements in or relating to electrical ribbon cable |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0487354A2 EP0487354A2 (en) | 1992-05-27 |
EP0487354A3 EP0487354A3 (en) | 1992-11-04 |
EP0487354B1 true EP0487354B1 (en) | 1996-03-06 |
Family
ID=10685875
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP91310767A Expired - Lifetime EP0487354B1 (en) | 1990-11-23 | 1991-11-22 | Method of making an electrical ribbon cable |
Country Status (6)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0487354B1 (es) |
JP (1) | JPH04301318A (es) |
DE (1) | DE69117667T2 (es) |
ES (1) | ES2086498T3 (es) |
GB (1) | GB9025505D0 (es) |
NO (1) | NO301394B1 (es) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5327513A (en) * | 1992-05-28 | 1994-07-05 | Raychem Corporation | Flat cable |
DE9303370U1 (de) * | 1993-03-08 | 1994-07-28 | W.L. Gore & Associates Gmbh, 85640 Putzbrunn | Elektrisches Rundkabel |
CN109337262A (zh) * | 2018-09-19 | 2019-02-15 | 北京机械设备研究所 | 一种聚四氟乙烯复合材料以及其制备方法 |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE1790215A1 (de) * | 1968-09-30 | 1972-01-20 | Beloiannisz Hiradastechnikai G | Verfahren zur Herstellung von Kabelform-Elementen |
FR2036798A1 (en) * | 1969-04-02 | 1970-12-31 | Fileca | Flat multi-conductor insulated cable |
DE3522335A1 (de) * | 1985-06-22 | 1987-01-02 | Kabelmetal Electro Gmbh | Elektrisches kabel und verfahren zu seiner herstellung |
US4800236A (en) * | 1986-08-04 | 1989-01-24 | E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company | Cable having a corrugated septum |
-
1990
- 1990-11-23 GB GB909025505A patent/GB9025505D0/en active Pending
-
1991
- 1991-11-22 ES ES91310767T patent/ES2086498T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-11-22 DE DE69117667T patent/DE69117667T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-11-22 EP EP91310767A patent/EP0487354B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1991-11-22 NO NO914579A patent/NO301394B1/no unknown
- 1991-11-25 JP JP3355338A patent/JPH04301318A/ja active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPH04301318A (ja) | 1992-10-23 |
DE69117667T2 (de) | 1996-09-05 |
ES2086498T3 (es) | 1996-07-01 |
NO914579D0 (no) | 1991-11-22 |
NO301394B1 (no) | 1997-10-20 |
GB9025505D0 (en) | 1991-01-09 |
DE69117667D1 (de) | 1996-04-11 |
EP0487354A2 (en) | 1992-05-27 |
EP0487354A3 (en) | 1992-11-04 |
NO914579L (no) | 1992-05-25 |
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