ES2274735B1 - COMMUNICATIONS CABLE AND METHOD FOR PREPARATION. - Google Patents

Abstract

Communications cable and method for its preparation, and in particular a connection frame for adjacent cables that eliminates the need to use cutting tools, including a first elongated cable, a second parallel elongated cable separated from said first elongated cable, and a connection frame between the first and second elongated cables. The connection frame is connected to the first cable along a first surface and to the second elongated cable along a second surface and can be removed by pulling the first cable or the second cable without leaving residues of the connection frame on any cable that prevent the correct sealing of a connector or a thick head terminal around said cables, the connection frame can be removed without damaging the cables or providing good assembly of the connectors between adjacent cables and other cables.

Description

Communications cable and method for your preparation.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to ribs of connection for cable applications and, more particularly, to nerves of union to join adjacent cables that can be removed easily from adjacent cables without leaving a residue on the cables that prevent the correct sealing of a connector or a thick head terminal around the cable. The invention is specifically refers to a communications cable and a method for its preparation.

Background of the invention

Coaxial cables are widely used in many different applications, such as the distribution of video signals In most situations, it is enough a single coaxial cable to carry the necessary signals. Without However, there are many other applications that are needed various cables and the cable manufacturing industry has provided different types of multiple cable assemblies To meet these needs.

The coaxial cable may be provided, by for example, a support cable or a suspension cable. TO often, the suspension cable is located adjacently and parallel to the coaxial cable with both cables clad in thermoplastic insulation coatings. The two wires isolated are joined together by a nerve made in the same thermoplastic insulating material and that forms a coaxial cable adjacent and suspension cable as a support.

In other applications, they may result double or triple coaxial cables required for redundancy or to increase the capacity of the transported signal. The designs multiple cables can also have a twisted pair or with multi-stranded control cables located adjacent to the coaxial cables These dual and triple cable designs are given You can add a suspension cable as a support. In each one of these designs, the cables are maintained in a relationship of contiguity by means of a nerve usually formed by the same material used to provide the outer layer of cable insulation.

To use such cables, the nerve must cut at a distance from the end of the cable in order to leave the free cable to be able to connect it to a terminal. Often this nerve is designed to be relatively weak, allowing that adjacent cables can be separated. However, this technique may cause damage to the insulating coating or to one or More of the wires. Additionally, the nerve material cannot completely withdraw from one or more of the cables.

Alternatively, a cutting tool to separate the nerve between the cables. Without However, it is difficult to completely remove the nerve and in the cable a flange may remain due to excess nerve material. For coaxial cables, in particular, this flange can interfere with the correct connection of an electrical connector. The coaxial connectors are normally designed to be used in coaxial cables that has a circular cross section free from any defect. The excess nerve material that is leave before using cutting techniques produces a protrusion in the cross section that can prevent the cable from being lodged correctly and completely in the connector or head terminal gross. Alternatively, the flange may prevent the sheath from connector correctly seal the perimeter of the cable when it is stapled the connector. Additionally, the excess material flange often causes a path of passage for water, which can cause cable corrosion.

A solution to this problem has consisted of improve cutting tool technology as it described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,289, to limit the existence of waste. However, in the art there is the need to provide a method to separate cables that do not Need a cutting tool. Another solution to the problem has consisting of providing a nerve that remains only in one of the adjacent cables. However, the problem of connection and the problem of placing the terminals have not yet been solved with respect to the other adjacent cable.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a nerve of connection for adjacent cables that eliminates the need to use cutting tools. The junction nerve can be removed from the adjacent cables pulling it without leaving a residue on any of the wires that can prevent the connectors or terminals from thick head perfectly seal the perimeter of the cables. He binding nerve of the invention also allows the end user pull several wires at once and then tear off the nerve of union so that the final product still includes sets of individual cables

The present invention includes a first cable elongated, a second parallel elongated cable separated in relationship with said first elongated cable and a connecting nerve between the first elongated cable and the second elongated cable. The nerve of junction is connected to the first elongated cable along a first contact surface and the second elongated cable at along a second contact surface and preferably can be removed from the first elongated cable and the second elongated cable leaving no junction of the junction nerve in any cable, which may prevent a connector or a thick head terminal from sealing correctly the perimeter of the first elongated cable or the second elongated cable Preferably, the junction nerve can be separated from the first elongated cable and / or the second elongated cable to tear out the junction nerve. The communications cable can also include more than two elongated cables with each elongated cable connected to at least one other elongated cable through the use of junction nerve The first and second elongated cables include each typically one or more cables selected from the group consisting of coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, cables twisted pairs, electrical cables and support cables. In addition, the first elongated cable and the second elongated cable may include at least one or more cables inside a cable sheath with the binding nerve attached to the cable sheath.

In an embodiment of the invention, the junction nerve presents a cross section that presents Generally the rhombus shape. Additionally or alternatively, the junction nerve may include an oriented reinforcing element generally along a central longitudinal axis of the nerve of union such as cotton or polyester thread. The junction nerve may additionally or alternatively include a plurality of perforations along the first contact surface between the first cable and the junction nerve and along the second contact surface between the second cable and the junction nerve to facilitate the removal of the junction nerve of the first cable elongated and the second elongated cable. The junction nerve presents preferably a width of at least 1.27 mm (0.05 inches) and more preferably from about 1.52 mm to about 12.7 mm (0.06 inches to approximately 0.5 inches). Additionally, in an intermediate position on a lateral axis between the first contact surface and the second surface, the area of the longitudinal section of the junction nerve is preferably greater than the area of the longitudinal section of the junction nerve in the first contact surface and on the second surface of Contact. In addition, the cross-sectional area of the nerve of binding preferably increases from the first surface of contact to the central longitudinal axis of the junction nerve and from the second contact surface to the central axis longitudinal.

These and other features and advantages of the The present invention will be clearly apparent to the subject matter experts taking into account the following Detailed description and attached drawings, which describe both the preferred embodiment as the embodiment Alternative of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view. of an embodiment of the invention where a nerve of union that presents a cross section generally in the form of Rhombus is used to join adjacent wires.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view. of an embodiment of the invention where a nerve of joint that generally has a cross-section in the form of rhombus and a reinforcing element are used to join cables adjacent.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a embodiment of the invention where a junction nerve that It has several perforations used to join cables adjacent.

Detailed description of the embodiments preferred

In the drawings and in the following description detailed, the embodiments are described in detail preferred to allow the practice of the invention. Although the invention is described with reference to these specific forms of preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these preferred embodiments. Conversely The invention includes numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents as will be clearly apparent from  consideration of the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings. In all drawings, identical numbers are They refer to identical elements.

Figure 1 illustrates a communications cable 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The wire Communications 10 includes several elongated cables. For example, Figure 1 includes three elongated cables 12, 14 and 16. The cables elongated 12, 14 and 16 extend longitudinally along a longitudinal axis (shown with point A on cable 12) that is extends along the length of the cable. Although figure 1 illustrate the use of three cables, any configuration of two more cables according to the invention.

\hbox{(p. ej. un
cable de antena) y el segundo cable alargado incluye dos cables de
pares  trenzados.}

As shown in Figure 1, adjacent cables (for example cables 12 and 14 or cables 14 and 16) are in parallel and separated in contiguity. In this embodiment and in other embodiments of the invention, the elongated cables may represent both an individual cable (for example a coaxial cable) and may include several cables provided within the same sheath. The elongated cables may be coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, twisted pair cables, electrical cables, suspension or support cables and the like. Suitable cables are described, for example in US patents transferred in common, numbers: 6,139,957; 6,137,058; 6,064,008; 6,037,545; 5,969,295; 5,959,245; 5,949,018; 5,926,949; 5,814,768; 5,777,271; 5,719,353; 5,651,081; 5,614,319; 5,560,536; 5,542,020; 5,469,523; 5,462,803; 5,448,670; 5,345,526; 5,293,678;
5,254,188; 5,042,904; 4,894,488; 4,701,575; 4,691,081; 4,515,992; 4,484,023; 4,472,595; 4,107,354; and 4,104,481, and pending US patent applications co-assigned with serial numbers 09 / 019.417; 09 / 070,789; 09 / 326,049; 09 / 485,656; 09 / 552,903; 09 / 577,997; 09 / 598,508; 09 / 603,818; and 09 / 939,956, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first elongated cable is a coaxial cable.

 \ hbox {(eg a
antenna cable) and the second elongated cable includes two cables
twisted pairs.} 

According to the invention, adjacent cables (for example cables 12 and 14 or cables 14 and 16 in figure 1) are linked together by using a junction nerve 18. In particular, as shown in figure 1, the junction nerve 18 joins cable 12 along a first surface of contact 20 to cable 14 along a second surface of contact 22. In this embodiment, as well as in other forms of embodiment of the invention, the junction nerve can be realized in any suitable thermoplastic material, including but not limited to linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and mixtures of these materials. Preferably, the nerve of junction 18 is formed with the same material that is used to make the sheath (sheaths) of the cables for the cables adjacent. The junction nerve 18 preferably has a width 19 of at least 1.27 mm (0.05 inches) and more preferably from about 1.52 mm to about 12.7 mm (from 0.06 to about 0.5 inches). For example, for antenna cables, the width 19 is preferably of approximately 1.52 mm to approximately 2.28 mm (0.06 inches up to about 0.09 inches).

As shown in Figure 1, the nerve of junction 18 preferably increases the area of its section longitudinal from the first contact surface 20 and the second contact surface 22 to an intermediate position (for  example C) on a lateral axis B between the first surface of contact and the second contact surface. In other words, the area of the longitudinal section of the junction nerve 18 in a intermediate position C is larger than the section area longitudinal of the junction nerve along said first contact surface 20 and along said second surface of contact 22. It has been discovered that when the areas of the longitudinal section of the surfaces adjacent to the cable (by example the first and second contact surfaces 20 and 22) are less than in an intermediate position in the entire junction nerve 18, the junction nerve 18 can be easily separated from the cables by applying pressure (i.e. force) to the junction nerve. Additionally, since the cross-sectional area is relatively small at the point where junction nerve 18 joins to the cables, the junction nerve 18 can be removed without leaving any residue of the junction nerve in any of the wires that it would prevent a connector or a thick head terminal from remaining properly sealed on the perimeter of the cable. In other words, when the junction nerve 18 is removed, the cables are free of waste that would prevent a connector or a head terminal thickly seal the perimeter of the cable. Normally or there is no residue left or an amount remains insignificant (for example less than or equal to approximately 0.127 mm, this is 5 thousandths of an inch) of waste in the wires a once the junction nerve 18 has been removed allowing a connector or a thick head terminal are sealed properly the perimeter of the cable.

Preferably, as illustrated in the Figure 1, junction rib 18 includes a central longitudinal axis (shown with point D) and the area of the longitudinal section of the nerve increases from the first contact surface 20 to the central axis and from the second contact surface 22 to the central axis. The thickness 23 or the height of the section transverse of junction nerve 18 along the central axis is preferably at least about 0.63 mm (0.025 inches) (for example from about 0.63 mm to approximately 6.35 mm, this is 0.025 to 0.25 inches) and more preferable from about 0.76 mm to about 2.54 mm (0.03 to 0.1 inches). For example, for the antenna cable, thickness 23 is preferably from about 0.76 mm up to about 0.89 mm (from 0.03 to about 0.03 inches). The thickness of the junction nerve 18 along the first and second contact surfaces 20 and 22, on the other hand, it is preferably from about 0.12 mm to about 0.30 mm (from 0.005 inches to 0.012 inches). As shown in the Figure 1, the junction nerve 18 preferably has a cross section that is generally diamond shaped.

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment alternative of the invention where a communication cable 30 includes a first elongated cable 32 and a second elongated cable 34 in a contiguous relationship and linked together by using a junction nerve 36. In Figure 2 the communication cable 30 differs from the communication cable 10 illustrated in figure 1 in that the communication cable 30 includes a reinforcing element 38 generally oriented along a central axis of the nerve of junction 36. The reinforcing element 38 provides a point of traction for junction nerve 36 to help remove the nerve of connection of cables 32 and 34. The reinforcement element 38 can be made with any suitable material such as material for threads. Cotton and polyester threads are particularly useful for use as a reinforcing element 38.

The communication cable 10 and 30 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can be manufactured by advancing two or more cables (for example 32 and 34) in parallel separated in a relationship contiguity through a transverse head mounted on a extruder The thermoplastic materials listed above to use them as a material of the junction nerve they feed on the extruder and heat to form a molten polymer. AI advance the wires through the crosshead, the polymer molten is extruded on the wires. When an item is used of reinforcement 38, it is positioned between the cables while these advance through the transverse head and the molten polymer is extruded over the cables and the reinforcing element. One is used row with the desired profile (i.e. the cross section) such as the rhombus shape to form the junction nerve 36 from of the molten polymer when passing through the crosshead. He molten polymer is then cooled to form junction nerve 36, which connects the adjacent wires to form the wire Communications 10 and 30 of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. In Figure 3, communication cable 40 includes a first elongated cable 42 and a second elongated cable 44 in a contiguity relationship and joined by a junction nerve 46. Such As Figure 3 illustrates, the junction nerve 46 connects the first elongated cable 42 along a first contact surface 48 and connect to the second elongated cable 44 along the second contact surface 50. The junction nerve 46 includes a plurality of perforations 52 along both of the first contact surface 48 as of the second contact surface 50. The perforations 52 may be in the form of holes or cuts at the junction nerve 46. The perforations 52 shown in the Figure 3 are separated from the first contact surface 48 and of the second contact surface 50 only for the purpose of illustration, because otherwise it could be very difficult distinguish the perforations in the figure. In actual use, the perforations 52 are made directly along the first contact surface 48 and the second surface of contact 50 so that when the junction nerve 46 is removed to the pull the junction nerve, no junction nerve junctions remain 46 on the surface of cables 42 and 44. The junction nerve 46 is performs so that it presents a cross section substantially constant from said first surface of contact 48 to said second contact surface 50 in figure 3 but you can present a variable section, for example, a section that grows in area from the first and second surfaces of contact to a central axis as described in the figures 1 and 2 above. Additionally, although not shown, the nerve junction 46 may include a reinforcing element to assist the pull the junction nerve from cables 42 and 44.

The communication cable 40 illustrated in the Figure 3 can be manufactured by advancing two or more cables (by example 42 and 44) in parallel and separated in relation to contiguity through a crosshead mounted on an extruder. The thermoplastic materials listed above for use as material for the junction nerve they are fed to the extruder and They are heated to form molten polymer. When advancing the cables to Through the crosshead, the molten polymer is extruded Over the wires A row with the desired profile is used (ie the cross section), such as a rhombus shape, to form the junction nerve from the molten polymer when passing through the cross head The molten polymer is then cooled to form the junction nerve 46, which joins the wires adjacent to form the communication cable 40 of Figure 3. A small group of cogwheels such as a group of spurs it can then be rolled along the junction nerve 46 to perform the perforations 52. Although not required, the nerve of junction 46 can be held on one side while applying the group of spurs on one side to facilitate the realization of perforations 52.

The present invention provides a nerve of junction 18 for adjacent cables (for example 12, 14 and 16) that can be removed manually, thus eliminating the need for cutting tools. In particular, two adjacent cables can be separated manually by pulling them apart resulting in the separation of the junction nerve 18 from one of the cables. He junction nerve 18 can then be manually removed from the other cable. Alternatively, junction nerve 18 can be removed from both cables simultaneously when applying a force to the nerve of junction 18. The junction nerve 18 is preferably removed when pulled  from it at a cable pulling speed using a force which is at least sufficient to separate junction nerve 18 from cable but that is not large enough to exceed the resistance to traction and therefore the elastic limit of the material used for the junction nerve. For example, junction nerve 18 can withdraw from a cable at a speed of approximately 0.25 meters per minute (10 inches per minute) when applying a force between approximately 2.22 N to approximately 6.67 N (0.5 and 1.5 pounds) to the nerve of union. In particular, in an embodiment of the invention where the junction nerve 18 is shaped like a rhombus and performed in LLDPE, the junction nerve has a resistance to traction of approximately 8 N (1.8 lb force) and a force of at least 2.22 N (0.5 pounds) is enough to remove the nerve junction 18 of the cable.

As mentioned above, the junction nerve 18 leaves no residue on any of the wires adjacent that can prevent a connector or a head terminal thickly seal the perimeter of the cable. This form, using the junction nerve 18 of the present invention is facilitates a good assembly of the connectors between the cables adjacent and other cables. Additionally, the junction nerve provides a method to separate the cables without damaging the cables during removal of the junction nerve. The junction nerve of the invention also allows the end user to separate by pulling them several wires at once and then remove the junction nerve so that the final product still includes cable assemblies such as is desirable in the art.

It is understood that from the reading of the previous description of the present invention and examining the attached drawings, a subject matter expert can make changes and Variations in it. These changes and variations are included in the spirit and scope of the following claims attached.

Claims (11)

1. Communications cable, characterized in that it comprises: a first elongated cable (42); a second cable (14) elongated in parallel separated in relation to said first elongated cable; Y a junction nerve (46) between said first cable (42) elongated and said second cable (44) elongated and connected to said first elongated cable (42) along a first contact surface (48) and connected to said second cable (44) elongated along a second contact surface (50), said connecting nerve (46) having a plurality of perforations (52) along said first surface (48) of contact and along said second contact surface (50), such that it can be removed from said first elongated cable (42) and of said second elongated cable (44) without leaving any residue of the junction nerve (46) in said first elongated cable (42) or in said second cable (44). 2. Communications cable according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a substantially constant longitudinal sectional area from said first contact surface (48) to said second contact surface (50). 3. Communications cable according to claim 1, characterized in that an intermediate position of a lateral axis between said first contact surface (20) and said second contact surface (22), the area of the longitudinal section of said nerve is greater than the area of the longitudinal section of said nerve on said first contact surface and on said second contact surface. 4. Communications cable according to claim 1, characterized in that said connecting rib (36) further comprises a reinforcing element (38) generally oriented along a longitudinal central axis of the connecting rib (36). 5. Communications cable according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises more than two elongated cables, each elongated cable being connected to at least one other elongated cable through the use of said connecting rib. 6. Communications cable according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connecting rib has a width of at least 1.27 mm (0.05 inches) between said first elongated cable and said second elongated cable. 7. Communications cable according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the connecting rib has a thickness (23) along the longitudinal central axis greater than 0.63 mm (0.025 inches). 8. Communications cable according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first elongated cable and the second elongated cable each include one or more cables selected from a group consisting of coaxial cables, fiber optic cables, pair cables twisted, electric cables and support cables. 9. Communications cable according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one of said first elongated cable and said second elongated cable includes one or more cables within a sheath and the junction rib is attached to said sheath. 10. Method for preparing a communication cable intended to obtain its connection, characterized in that it comprises: provide a communications cable according to any of claims 1 to 9; Y pull the junction nerve of one or more of said first elongated cable and second elongated cable without leaving any residue of the junction nerve in said cables. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises the step of pulling out said first elongated cable and said second elongated cable so that the connecting rib is separated from one of said first elongated cable and said second elongated cable , and because said step of pulling the cable outward comprises pulling out the connecting nerve of another of said first and second cables.