EP4278369A1

EP4278369A1 - Fire-rated stranded copper patch cable and cords

Info

Publication number: EP4278369A1
Application number: EP22713505.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: designation of the inventor has not yet been filed The
Original assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co Inc
Priority date: 2022-04-05
Filing date: 2022-04-05
Publication date: 2023-11-22
Also published as: WO2023194771A1

Abstract

Construction Products Regulation (CPR) rated stranded copper patch cable and cords are provided. A patch cable (100) can include electrical conductors (110) comprising respective conductor strands (120), wherein the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs (130); and a jacket (140) encompassing the electrical conductors, wherein the jacket is composed of a fire-rated material (e.g., a CPR rated material). Another patch cable can include electrical conductors, each of the electrical conductors comprising a plurality of conductor strands, wherein the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs; conductor insulators encompassing respective ones of the electrical conductors, wherein the conductor insulators are composed of a fire-rated material; and a jacket encompassing the electrical conductors and the conductor insulators.

Description

FIRE-RATED STRANDED COPPER PATCH CABLE AND CORDS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosed subject matter relates generally to data cabling, and in particular to patch cables and related cords.

BACKGROUND

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is a set of rules for marketing construction materials sold in the European Union. Cables are specifically marketed for their reaction to fire properties. By way of example, the CPR introduced a set of classifications, referred to as Euroclasses, which range from F to A in general and from Eca to B2ca for telecommunication cables, that rate the fire safety performance of data and/or telecommunications cables. Similar performance rating schemes exist in other regions of the world, e.g., UL listing in the United States for Riser and Plenum, etc.

Traditionally, patch cables and cords have been considered non-permanent cable installations and are normally installed within a single room. As a result, these cables have traditionally been excluded from CPR and/or other regulations. However, due to an increase in the number of network devices being deployed outside of designated telecommunications rooms, patch cords, and subsequently patching cables, are increasingly being deployed in more permanent installations in the building and could be considered a fire risk. This change in installation practice to a more permanent use of patching cables means that patching cables could be required to meet the fire safety requirements of CPR.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosed subject matter in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the various embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of the various embodiments. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the various embodiments nor to delineate the scope of the various embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the disclosure in a streamlined form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In an aspect, a patch cable as described herein can include electrical conductors including respective conductor strands, where the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs. The patch cable can further include a jacket encompassing the electrical conductors, where the jacket is composed of a fire-rated material.

The patch cable may further comprise connector plugs coupled to the electrical conductors at respective ends of the patch cable, wherein the connector plugs are coupled to the electrical conductors.

The jacket may comprise an indication of a flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material. The flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material may be within a defined range, of different defined ranges, and wherein the indication may comprise a coloring, of a color associated with the defined range, applied to the jacket. Respective ones of the different defined ranges may correspond to respective European Union Construction Products Regulation classifications.

The indication may comprise a text string applied to the jacket. The flame propagation rating may be a first rating, and wherein the text string may further indicate a second rating of the fire-rated material, the second rating being selected from a group comprising a smoke rating, a flaming droplets rating, and an acidity rating.

The fire-rated material is preferably a low-smoke zero-halogen material.

The respective conductor strands preferably comprise respective groups of seven helically stranded conductor strands. The electrical conductors may comprise eight electrical conductors arranged in four twisted pairs.

In another aspect, a patch cable as described herein can include electrical conductors, each of the electrical conductors including a plurality of conductor strands, where the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs. The patch cable can also include conductor insulators encompassing respective ones of the electrical conductors, where the conductor insulators are composed of a fire-rated material. The patch cable can additionally include a jacket encompassing the electrical conductors and the conductor insulators.

Preferably, the jacket comprises an indication of a flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material. The flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material is preferably within a range, of a plurality of ranges, and wherein the indication may comprise a coloring, of a color associated with the range, applied to the jacket. Preferably, respective ones of the plurality of ranges correspond to respective European Union Construction Products Regulation classifications.

Preferably, the indication comprises a text string applied to the jacket.

Preferably, the fire-rated material is a low-smoke zero-halogen material.

Preferably, the fire-rated material is a first fire-rated material, and wherein the jacket is composed of a material selected from a group comprising the first fire-rated material and a second fire-rated material.

Preferably, the electrical conductors comprise eight electrical conductors arranged in four twisted pairs.

In still another aspect, a method as described herein can include constructing a patch cable, which in turn can include stranding respective groups of conductive wires together, resulting in stranded conductors; insulating the stranded conductors with a first material; and housing the stranded conductors within a cable jacket, the cable jacket being composed of a second material that is a fire-rated material.

Preferably, the first material is a first fire-rated material, and wherein the fire-rated material of the second material is a second fire-rated material different than the first fire-rated material.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the subject matter. However, these aspects are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the subject matter can be employed. Other aspects, advantages, and novel features of the disclosed subject matter will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It will also be appreciated that the detailed description may include additional or alternative embodiments beyond those described in this summary.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example CPR rated stranded copper patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein.

FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting application of a connector plug to a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable, e.g., the patch cable of FIG. 1, in accordance with various aspects described herein.

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting example color coding that can be used to indicate a fire protection level of a patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an example text indication of a fire protection level that can be applied to a patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an example stranded conductor that can be used in a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein.

FIGS. 6-7 are cross-sectional views of respective example CPR rated stranded copper patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein. FIGS. 8-10 are flow diagrams of respective methods that facilitate construction of a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable in accordance with various aspects described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various specific details of the disclosed embodiments are provided in the description below. One skilled in the art will recognize, however, that the techniques described herein can in some cases be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects.

Various aspects described herein relate to fire performance rated (e.g., CPR rated, UL listed, etc.) stranded patch cables, which can be used in the construction of copper patch cords and/or other data cabling that can be used to connect network devices in applications in which fire performance rated cables are desired, e.g., due to regulations or other factors.

Traditionally, patch cables have been used to facilitate nonpermanent connections between devices, e.g., connections between a computer and a network port, between devices in a telecommunications room, and/or other similar uses where devices are frequently disconnected and reconnected. However, with the growing adoption of Internet of Things (loT) devices, the expansion of Wi-Fi, and other advancements in network technology, an increasing number of network devices are being installed outside of the telecommunications room. As a result, patch cables associated with these and/or other devices are increasingly being installed in permanent and/or semipermanent locations, such as above drop ceilings or behind walls, where fire performance regulations apply.

Presently, fire performance rated patch cords for applications, such as those described above, are constructed from twisted wire pairs comprised of solid conductors for local area network (LAN) cable, where plugs are terminated to the twisted wire pairs comprised of solid conductors on the ends of a length of cable to form a patch cord. These patch cords are often built by contractors in the field and, as a result, are generally less reliable than pre-fabricated cable assemblies, add time to project installation, and increase the cost to the end consumer, among other disadvantages. In contrast, fire performance rated stranded patch cables as described herein mitigate said disadvantages as well as providing additional advantages. These advantages include, but are not limited to, increased cable flexibility, extended flex life compared to solid conductors, smaller cable outside diameter (OD), the ability to use standard plugs that more easily fit into the space utilized for patch connections, and/or other advantages.

With reference now to the drawings, various views of example patch cables and cords are provided. It is noted that the drawings represent merely examples of implementations of patch cables and/or cords, and that implementations other than those explicitly shown and described could also be used without departing from the scope of this description or the claimed subject matter. Further, it is noted that the drawings are not drawn to scale, either within a single drawing or between different drawings.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view of an example CPR rated stranded copper patch cable 100, also referred to herein as simply a “patch cable” for brevity, is presented. The patch cable 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes electrical conductors 110, here eight conductors 110, only one of which is labeled for clarity of illustration. As further shown by FIG. 1, the conductors 110 of the patch cable can be arranged in twisted pairs 130, here four twisted pairs 130 corresponding to the eight conductors 110. In an implementation, the conductors 110 comprising each twisted pair 130 can be twisted at a rate, i.e., a rate associated with a given length of cable, that is chosen to facilitate optimal electrical performance of the conductors 110 and the patch cable 100 as a whole. Additionally, the lay lengths associated with each of the twisted pairs 130 can differ from each of the other twisted pairs 130 in order to mitigate the effects of electrical resonance and/or other interference caused by adjacent twisted pairs 130. Other techniques for implementing the twisted pairs 130 are also possible.

The conductors 110 of the patch cable 100 shown in FIG. 1 are stranded conductors. Thus, instead of each of the conductors 110 being comprised of a single, solid conductor, the conductors 110 are instead comprised of a plurality of individual conductive strands 120. Similar to the conductors 110, only one conductive strand 120 is labeled in FIG. 1 for clarity of illustration. In an implementation, each of the conductors 110 can include seven helically stranded conductive strands 120. Other stranding techniques could also be employed via the conductive strands 120. Example stranding techniques associated with the conductive strands 120 are described in further detail below with respect to FIG. 5.

In an implementation, the conductive strands 120 can be wires that are composed of copper and/or other suitable conductive materials. In contrast to solid conductors, which utilize a single solid piece of copper wire, stranded conductors, such as those shown in FIG. 1, can be made of multiple strands of smaller gauge wire that are wound together to form a single conductor. By way of specific, non-limiting example, wire used for solid conductors can have a gauge of approximately 23-24 AWG (American Wire Gauge), while stranded conductors, such as the conductors 110, can be made of seven wire strands having a gauge of approximately 32 AWG. Such a stranded cable can be referred to as 7X32 or 7/32 cable, indicating that seven strands of 32 AWG cable are used to make up a single conductor 110. Other wire gauges and/or configurations could also be used.

While not shown in FIG. 1, the conductors 110 of the patch cable can be wrapped and/or otherwise placed within insulative material, e.g., to prevent direct contact between different conductors 110 and/or conductors 110 and other elements of the patch cable 100, to reduce electrical interference or crosstalk associated with the respective conductors 110, or for other purposes. Examples of insulators that can be applied to the conductors 110 are described in further detail below with respect to FIGS. 6-7. With regard to the patch cable 100, it is noted that while the patch cable 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes eight conductors 110, each including seven conductive strands 120, the patch cable 100 could alternatively have any suitable number of conductors 110. Additionally, each of the conductors 110 could include any number of two or more conductive strands 120, which can be arranged, twisted, etc., in any suitable manner.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the patch cable 100 can include an outer jacket 140, e.g., a cable jacket, that houses and/or otherwise encompasses all of the conductors 110. In order to improve the fire safety of the patch cable 100 and conform to the CPR and/or other regulatory schemes, the outer jacket 140 can be composed of, and/or otherwise include, a fire-rated material, such as a self-extinguishing material or other flame retardant material. As used herein and generally in the art, the term “selfextinguishing” refers to a material that ceases burning in the absence of an external flame source. As further used herein, the term “fire-rated” refers to a material that has been assigned a rating for fire performance, e.g., a CPR rating, a UL listing, etc. Examples of self-extinguishing materials that can be used in construction of the outer jacket 140 can include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and/or fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) compounds, low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) materials such as ethyl ene-propylene rubber (EPR) and/or crosslinked propylene (XLPE), and/or other suitable compounds.

In some implementations, the outer jacket 140 could be constructed from a combination of compounds or materials, including self-extinguishing or non-selfextinguishing compounds, provided the resulting jacket material is selfextinguishing or otherwise flame retardant. In an implementation in which the outer jacket 140 is composed of multiple compounds, the relative amounts and/or proportions of compounds used in construction of the outer jacket 140 can be adjusted to facilitate a desired amount of fire protection. In other implementations, chemicals or additives can be applied to one or more materials used in construction of the outer jacket 140 in order to provide and/or enhance the fire protection properties of the associated material(s).

In addition to the materials used in the composition of the outer jacket 140, the thickness of the outer jacket 140 can also be adjusted in order to facilitate a desired fire protection rating and/or cable outer diameter (OD). In some implementations, the lay lengths of the respective conductors 110 and/or twisted pairs 130 can be adjusted based on the thickness and/or materials associated with the outer jacket 140, or vice versa.

By utilizing a fire performance rated stranded patch cable, such as patch cable 100, various advantages can be realized in comparison to solid conductor cable. For instance, compared to a solid conductor patch cable, the stranded conductor patch cable 100 is more flexible, more resilient to flexing without fatigue and/or breaking, smaller in bend radius, or the like, and thus easier to route. Other advantages are also possible.

As noted above, the patch cable 100 can be fire performance rated according to a given regulatory scheme, e.g., the EU CPR, etc. Additionally, the patch cable 100 can be dual or tri-listed to cover additional flame ratings, e.g., in order to facilitate use of the patch cable 100 in multiple global regions. For example, a dual-listed cable could be UL listed (e.g., CM, CMR (Riser), CMP (Plenum), etc.) as well as CPR rated (e.g., Eca, Dea, Cea, etc.). As another example, a tri-listed cable could include a CPR rating, a UL listing, and a Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) certification by a third party.

Turning next to FIG. 2, a diagram 200 depicting application of a connector plug 220 to a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable 210 is provided. Repetitive description of like elements employed in other embodiments described herein is omitted for brevity. The patch cable 210 shown in diagram 200 can be constructed in a similar manner to the patch cable 100 shown in FIG. 1. Also, or alternatively, the patch cable 210 could be constructed using other configurations, such as those that will be described in further detail below with respect to FIGS. 6-7 and/or other suitable configurations.

As shown in diagram 200, a connector plug 220 can be affixed to an end of the patch cable 210, e.g., by coupling the connector plug 220 to the electrical conductors of the patch cable 210. In an implementation, by cutting and/or forming the patch cable 210 to a desired length, and applying connector plugs 220 to respective ends of the patch cable 210 in the manner shown by diagram 200 at the time of manufacturing, the patch cable 210 can be delivered to a job site pre-terminated to the connector plugs 220. This can significantly reduce the amount of time associated with on-site cable installation as compared to patch cable that is not pre-terminated to the connector plugs 220 which must, instead, be terminated by the installer in the field. Additionally, factory-terminated cable, such as the patch cable 210 that is preterminated with connector plugs 220 in the factory, can be tested prior to delivery to the installer, reducing the likelihood of on-site cable failure. In an implementation, the connector plug 220 can be of a type that facilitates coupling of the patch cable 210 to a registered jack (RJ), such as an RJ45 connector or the like. Other connector types could also be used.

In some implementations, the connector plug 220 can be constructed from a firerated material, which can be the same as and/or different from the material(s) used in the construction of the patch cable 210. Alternatively, the connector plug 220 can be constructed from standard plastics and/or other materials generally used in the art. Referring now to FIG. 3, a diagram 300 depicting example color coding that can be used to indicate a fire protection level of a patch cable is provided. Repetitive description of like elements employed in other embodiments described herein is omitted for brevity. The color coding depicted by diagram 300 can be utilized as a visual indication of the flame propagation rating of the material(s) used in construction of the patch cable. Also, or alternatively, a visual indication of the flame propagation rating can be provided via a text indication, as will be described in further detail below with respect to FIG. 4. In the example shown by diagram 300, respective colorings 310, 320, 330, 340 can be associated, e.g., on a cable jacket 140 as described above with respect to FIG. 1, with different defined ranges of flame propagation ratings and/or other fire performance ratings. Here, the colorings 310, 320, 330, 340 correspond to CPR classifications (Euroclasses) B2ca, Cea, Dea, and Eca, respectively. Similar color schemes could be applied to other rating systems, such as UL listing. In an implementation, each of the colorings 310, 320, 330, 340 can correspond to a distinct color. By way of specific, non-limiting example, coloring 310 corresponding to Euroclass B2ca can be orange, coloring 320 corresponding to Euroclass Cea can be green, coloring 330 corresponding to Euroclass Dea can be blue, and coloring 340 corresponding to Euroclass Eca can be violet. Other colors could also be used. By utilizing a coloring 310, 320, 330, 340 corresponding to the fire performance rating of a given cable, the fire performance rating of the cable can be determined via a simple visual inspection. Accordingly, compliance with applicable fire performance regulations can readily be confirmed through on-site visual inspections, ensuring that cables of a desired classification are installed correctly. The colorings 310, 320, 330, 340 can also increase speed and accuracy of cable installation in respective areas of a job site. The colorings 310, 320, 330, 340 can also improve inventory management throughout the supply chain, e.g., by enabling manufacturers, distributors, integrators, contractors, and end users to efficiently identify, by visual inspection, the fire performance rating of their inventory.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a diagram 400 depicting an example text indication of a fire protection level that can be applied to a patch cable is provided. Repetitive description of like elements employed in other embodiments described herein is omitted for brevity. As shown by diagram 400, a text string 410 can be printed on and/or otherwise applied to the jacket of a patch cable, such as a cable jacket 140 as described above with respect to FIG. 1. The text string 410 can indicate, among other information, a fire protection level associated with the patch cable. The text string 410 can be used in addition to, or in place of, other text printed on or otherwise associated with the cable jacket, as well as a color code applied to the cable jacket, e.g., as described above with respect to FIG. 3. In the example shown by diagram 400, the text string 410 includes a Euroclass corresponding to the CPR fire performance rating of the patch cable, here classification B2ca. Additionally, the text string 410 includes an indication of the classification criteria used in assigning the fire performance rating. In the example shown in diagram 400, the B2ca classification is based, at least in part, on flame tests performed according to the EN 50399 standard. Other testing standards, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (EEC) 60332-1-2 standard, could also be used.

As further shown in diagram 400, in addition to a fire performance rating corresponding to flame spread and/or heat release, the text string 410 can include indicators of additional ratings of the material(s) used in the patch cable. Here, the text string 410 includes a smoke rating (si a), a flaming droplets rating (dO), and an acidity (acid gas) rating (al). Other ratings could also be included in the text string 410. In addition to the information shown in diagram 400, the text string 410 could include other information, such as a type of the patch cable (e.g., Category/Cat 6A, etc.), a conductor configuration of the patch cable, a country or region of manufacture of the patch cable, and/or other suitable information.

By utilizing visual indicators of the flame performance rating of a patch cable as shown by FIGS. 3-4, various advantages can be achieved that can increase cable installation safety and/or construction efficiency. For instance, patch cables as described above with respect to FIGS. 3-4 can provide proof of conformance to relevant regulations, proof of safety in the case of fire, a reduction of fire spread and/or release of hazardous substances in the case of fire, a clear identification that the patch cable meets the needs of environments where safety is paramount, and assistance to building designers, contractors, and local building authorities to specify that the patch cable(s) used for a given job have the desired characteristics. Other advantages are also possible. Turning next to FIG. 5, a side view of an example stranded conductor 500 that can be used in a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable is provided. Repetitive description of like elements employed in other embodiments described herein is omitted for brevity. The stranded conductor 500 shown in FIG. 5 includes a group of conductor strands 510, e.g., seven conductor strands 510, that are twisted and/or otherwise wrapped around each other. The rate at which the conductor strands 510 are wrapped around each other, i.e., the lay length of the stranded conductor 500, can be chosen to optimize the electrical properties of the stranded conductor 500.

In an implementation, the conductor strands 510 can be wires that are composed of copper and/or other conductive materials. As further shown in FIG. 5, a conductor insulator 520 can be placed around the conductor strands 510 to reduce interference between and among each of the conductors comprising the cable. In an implementation in which the stranded conductor 500 is implemented within a patch cable (e.g., patch cable 100), the conductor insulator 520 can be composed of the same material(s) used in construction of the outer cable jacket and/or a different material.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of an example CPR rated stranded copper patch cable 600 is provided. Repetitive description of like elements employed in other embodiments described herein is omitted for brevity. The patch cable 600 shown in FIG. 6 includes respective stranded conductors 110, each of which can be made up of groups of conductive strands 120 and arranged in twisted pairs 130 in a similar manner to the patch cable 100 described above with respect to FIG. 1.

As further shown in FIG. 6, respective conductor insulators 610 can encompass each of the conductors 110, e.g., by being wound, formed, and/or otherwise applied around each of the conductors 110. Similar to the cable jacket 140 as described above with respect to FIG. 1, the conductor insulators 610 can be composed of, and/or otherwise include, a fire-rated material, e.g., a self-extinguishing or otherwise flame-retardant material. In various implementations, the conductor insulators 610 can be composed of self-extinguishing and/or flame-retardant materials that are similar to those described above with respect to the cable jacket 140 as described above, e.g., PVC and/or FEP compounds, LSZH materials such as EPR and/or XLPE, etc. Other materials could also be used.

Similar to the examples described above with respect to FIGS. 3-4, a visual indicator of the flame propagation rating (and/or other suitable fire performance ratings) of the conductor insulators 610 and/or their constituent materials can be placed on the outer jacket 140 of the patch cable 600. These indicators can include color coding as described above with respect to FIG. 3, a text string as described above with respect to FIG. 4, and/or any other suitable indicator(s). In some implementations, this visual indicator could be in addition to another visual indicator, e.g., an indicator of the flame propagation rating of the cable as a whole.

In various implementations, the conductor insulators 610 can be composed of the same material(s) as the cable jacket 140, and/or other materials could be used. For example, the conductor insulators 610 and the cable jacket 140 of the patch cable 600 shown in FIG. 6 are composed of common materials, as denoted by the common shading. In contrast, as shown by patch cable 700 in FIG. 7, the cable jacket 140 and the conductor insulators 610 could be composed of different materials. In an implementation in which the cable jacket 140 and conductor insulators 610 use different materials, one or both of the cable jacket 140 and conductor insulators 610 can be flame retardant and/or self-extinguishing materials.

With reference now to FIG. 8, a flow diagram of a first method 800 that facilitates construction of a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable is presented. At 802, respective groups of conductive wires (e.g., conductive strands 120) are stranded together, resulting in stranded conductors (e.g., conductors 110). The conductive wires used at 802 can be constructed via any suitable wire-making techniques known in the art, e.g., by drawing the wire from a rod and/or other source of the conductive metal until a desired wire gauge is reached. In an implementation, the wires can be stranded at 802 by helically twisting the wires to a desired lay length, e.g., as described above with respect to FIG. 5. At 804, the stranded conductors constructed at 802 are insulated (e.g., with conductor insulators 610). Method 800 then concludes at 806, in which the stranded conductors created at 802 and insulated at 804 are housed within a cable jacket (e.g., a cable jacket 140) that is composed of a self-extinguishing and/or other flame retardant material.

Turning next to FIG. 9, a flow diagram of a second method 900 that facilitates construction of a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable is presented. Method 900 begins via construction of stranded conductors at 802, e.g., as described above with respect to FIG. 8. At 904, the stranded conductors created at 802 are insulated with a first self-extinguishing material, e.g., as described above with respect to FIGS. 6-7. At 906, the stranded conductors are housed within a cable jacket (e.g., a cable jacket 140) that is composed of a second self-extinguishing material. The second selfextinguishing material used in construction of the cable jacket at 906 can be the same as, or different from, the first self-extinguishing material associated with the conductor insulation performed at 904.

Referring to FIG. 10, a flow diagram of a third method 1000 that facilitates construction of a CPR rated stranded copper patch cable is presented. Method 1000 begins by housing insulated stranded conductors within a flame retardant cable jacket, e.g., via the actions described above with respect to FIG. 8 as performed at 802, 804, and 806. Following 806, method 1000 proceeds to 1008, in which the conductors and cable jacket are terminated, resulting in first and second ends of the patch cable. At 1010, connector plugs (e.g., connector plugs 220) are applied to the first and second ends of the patch cable, as created via the termination performed at 1008.

FIGS. 8-10 illustrate methods in accordance with certain aspects of this disclosure. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the methods are shown and described as series of acts, it is noted that this disclosure is not limited by the order of acts, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts from that shown and described herein. For example, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that methods can alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states or events, such as in a state diagram. Moreover, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement methods in accordance with certain aspects of this disclosure.

The above description includes non-limiting examples of the various embodiments. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the disclosed subject matter, and one skilled in the art may recognize that further combinations and permutations of the various embodiments are possible. The disclosed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

With regard to the various functions performed by the above described components, devices, circuits, systems, etc., the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to also include, unless otherwise indicated, any structure(s) which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., a functional equivalent), even if not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure. In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosed subject matter may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

The term “or” as used herein is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” For example, the phrase “A or B” is intended to include instances of A, B, and both A and B. Additionally, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless either otherwise specified or clear from the context to be directed to a singular form. The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and so forth, as used in the claims, unless otherwise clear by context, is for clarity only and does not otherwise indicate or imply any order in time. For instance, “a first determination,” “a second determination,” and “a third determination,” does not indicate or imply that the first determination is to be made before the second determination, or vice versa, etc. The description of illustrated embodiments of the subject disclosure as provided herein, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosed embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments and examples are described herein for illustrative purposes, various modifications are possible that are considered within the scope of such embodiments and examples, as one skilled in the art can recognize. In this regard, while the subject matter has been described herein in connection with various embodiments and corresponding drawings, where applicable, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments can be used or modifications and additions can be made to the described embodiments for performing the same, similar, alternative, or substitute function of the disclosed subject matter without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the disclosed subject matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims below.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A patch cable, comprising: electrical conductors comprising respective conductor strands, wherein the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs; and a jacket encompassing the electrical conductors, wherein the jacket is composed of a fire-rated material.

2. The patch cable of claim 1, further comprising: connector plugs coupled to the electrical conductors at respective ends of the patch cable, wherein the connector plugs are coupled to the electrical conductors.

3. The patch cable of claim 1, wherein the jacket comprises an indication of a flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material.

4. The patch cable of claim 3, wherein the flame propagation rating of the firerated material is within a defined range, of different defined ranges, and wherein the indication comprises a coloring, of a color associated with the defined range, applied to the jacket.

5. The patch cable of claim 4, wherein respective ones of the different defined ranges correspond to respective European Union Construction Products Regulation classifications.

6. The patch cable of claim 3, wherein the indication comprises a text string applied to the jacket.

7. The patch cable of claim 6, wherein the flame propagation rating is a first rating, and wherein the text string further indicates a second rating of the fire-rated material, the second rating being selected from a group comprising a smoke rating, a flaming droplets rating, and an acidity rating.

8. The patch cable of claim 1, wherein the fire-rated material is a low-smoke zero-halogen material.

9. The patch cable of claim 1, wherein the respective conductor strands comprise respective groups of seven helically stranded conductor strands.

10. The patch cable of claim 1, wherein the electrical conductors comprise eight electrical conductors arranged in four twisted pairs.

11. A patch cable, comprising: electrical conductors, each of the electrical conductors comprising a plurality of conductor strands, wherein the electrical conductors are arranged in twisted pairs; conductor insulators encompassing respective ones of the electrical conductors, wherein the conductor insulators are composed of a fire-rated material; and a jacket encompassing the electrical conductors and the conductor insulators.

12. The patch cable of claim 11, wherein the jacket comprises an indication of a flame propagation rating of the fire-rated material.

13. The patch cable of claim 12, wherein the flame propagation rating of the firerated material is within a range, of a plurality of ranges, and wherein the indication comprises a coloring, of a color associated with the range, applied to the jacket.

14. The patch cable of claim 13, wherein respective ones of the plurality of ranges correspond to respective European Union Construction Products Regulation classifications.

15. The patch cable of claim 12, wherein the indication comprises a text string applied to the jacket.

16. The patch cable of claim 11, wherein the fire-rated material is a low-smoke zero-halogen material.

17. The patch cable of claim 11, wherein the fire-rated material is a first fire-rated material, and wherein the jacket is composed of a material selected from a group comprising the first fire-rated material and a second fire-rated material.

18. The patch cable of claim 11, wherein the electrical conductors comprise eight electrical conductors arranged in four twisted pairs.

19. A method, comprising: constructing a patch cable, comprising: stranding respective groups of conductive wires together, resulting in stranded conductors; insulating the stranded conductors with a first material; and housing the stranded conductors within a cable jacket, the cable jacket being composed of a second material that is a fire-rated material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first material is a first fire-rated material, and wherein the fire-rated material of the second material is a second fire-rated material different than the first fire-rated material.