WO1995009376A1 - Cable souple - Google Patents

Cable souple Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1995009376A1
WO1995009376A1 PCT/US1994/001471 US9401471W WO9509376A1 WO 1995009376 A1 WO1995009376 A1 WO 1995009376A1 US 9401471 W US9401471 W US 9401471W WO 9509376 A1 WO9509376 A1 WO 9509376A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
components
longitudinal
cable
carrier member
bending
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1994/001471
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Brian Keith Lloyd
Original Assignee
W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. filed Critical W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Priority to AU67652/94A priority Critical patent/AU6765294A/en
Publication of WO1995009376A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995009376A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4401—Optical cables
    • G02B6/4429—Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables
    • G02B6/443—Protective covering
    • G02B6/4431—Protective covering with provision in the protective covering, e.g. weak line, for gaining access to one or more fibres, e.g. for branching or tapping
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4401—Optical cables
    • G02B6/4403—Optical cables with ribbon structure
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4401—Optical cables
    • G02B6/4415—Cables for special applications
    • G02B6/4416—Heterogeneous cables

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the field of electrical and fiber optic cables, and particularly to such cables used in applications requiring repeated bending motions.
  • cables which are used on moving equipment such as X-Y positioning tables, must make repeated flexing motions to connect moving portions of the equipment with stationary portions. Many times multiple cables must be used to transfer power or signals to such moving parts.
  • Managing multiple cables or other components such as hoses and tubes on moving equipment requires that the cables be arranged and managed in an orderly manner to protect the cables from damage, to ensure that the cables do not interfere with the movement of the equipment, and to position the cables such that the fatigue wear due to repeated bending motions is minimized and useful life is maximized.
  • One method of managing multiple cables and components is to simply extrude a polymer jacket over all of the cables and components to form one large round or flat cable. This method is not entirely suitable for connecting moving equipment, since with this method if one of the components or cables fail, due to fatigue for example, the entire group of cables and components must be replaced. This results in much unnecessary expense and trouble.
  • Another method of managing multiple cables and components, particularly on equipment which moves in a reciprocating manner is to use a chain-like track guide with rigid links connected to each other in such a manner as to allow movement between the links.
  • Such track guides typically bend in one plane and in only one direction, as in a "U" shape.
  • While cable track guides can be designed in such a way as to allow individual cables or components to be replaced relatively quickly and easily, they are bulky, expensive and generally do not bend in two directions, as in an H S" shape. These tracks are also noisy and tend to leave debris in the area of the equipment as the surfaces at the link connections wear.
  • Another method to manage multiple cables combines some aspects of an overall polymer jacket, and some aspects of a cable track guide. This method uses pre-formed channels or grooves on one side of a flat backing material to keep the cable components positioned in an orderly arrangement. The cables or components may be removed or replaced individually by pulling them out or pushing them into the pre-formed channels. Such an arrangement is described in British patent specification 659,728 published October 24, 1951.
  • the invention comprises a flexible multiple-component flat cable which positions the components on the neutral axis of bending when flexed in "U" bends or “S” bends.
  • the components may be single insulated conductors, or groups of insulated conductors cabled together, or individual or cabled fiber optic lines, or tubes or hoses, and will from now on be referred to simply as components, or longitudinal components.
  • Individual components of the cable are positioned in a carrier member, which is comprised of a plurality of longitudinal grooves, each groove being essentially circular in cross-section, with a longitudinal opening which is wide enough to allow the placement and removal of components, but which does not allow the components to slip out during use.
  • the openings of the longitudinal grooves are placed such that adjacent components are placed in or removed from opposite sides of the carrier member. Such an arrangement of having adjacent grooves which alternate openings allows all of the components to be positioned on the neutral axis of bending in a "IT bend or in an "S" bend.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-section view of the prior art.
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cable of the present invention.
  • Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the cable of the present invention.
  • Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a cable of the prior art.
  • the carrier member 10 of the cable has openings 12 for the placement and removal of the components 11 on only one side.
  • the components in this example are comprised of metal conductors 14 with insulation 15.
  • this arrangement results in the components 11 being positioned off of the neutral axis 13, which allows for the components to experience added stresses when the cable is flexed or bent. The added stresses will shorten the useful life of the cable when bent repeatedly, as when used in a reciprocating flexing motion.
  • neutral axis it is meant the axis of the cable which in bending experiences no compressive or tensile stresses.
  • FIG. 1 shows the neutral axis of the cable 20, having a carrier member 21 which carries a plurality of components 22, each extending out of longitudinal openings 23 of longitudinal grooves 24.
  • the openings 23 of grooves 24 are wide enough to allow the components 22 of the cable 20 to be placed into and removed out of grooves 24, but will not allow the components 22 to slip out during use.
  • Adjacent components 22 are placed into and removed from the carrier member 21 from opposite sides of the carrier member 21.
  • the resulting position of the centers of the cable components 22 is on the neutral axis of bending 25 of the cable of the invention. This positioning results in a longer useful life of the cable components 22 when used in applications requiring repeated bending such as in a reciprocating flexing motion.
  • Figure 3 shows a cross-section view of the cable of the invention which shows representative components 22.
  • the components may be, but are not limited to: insulated twisted conductors 31 comprised of metal conductors 32, each having insulation 33, and both insulated conductors contained in an overall polymer jacket 34; coaxial cable 35 comprised of a metal center conductor 36, insulation 37, a metal outer conductor 38, and on overall polymer jacket 39; tubes or hoses 40 for fluid transfer comprised of resilient polymeric materials; and fiber optic lines 41 comprised of a silica glass core 42, a silica glass clad layer 43, a buffer layer 44, and a polymer jacket 45.
  • the carrier member of the invention 21 is preferable made of a resilient extruded thermoplastic polymer, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester, FEP, PFA, but may be ther osetting polymers, elastomeric polymers or PTFE as well as .
  • the components 22 are preferably placed into the carrier member 21 as the carrier member 21 is being extruded, but may be p aced in at any time after the carrier member 21 is extruded. In either case a pressure extrusion process is used to obtain the proper profile.
  • the components 22 When the components 22 are placed in as the carrier member 21 is being extruded, the components 22 contact and slide on the extrusion die as they pass through, thus not allowing any of the extrudate to form over the components 22 for the width of the longitudinal opening 23.
  • the carrier member 21 When the components 22 may not contact the extrusion die, for example for temperature reasons, the carrier member 21 may be extruded without them. In this case, the extrusion die would have the exact shape of the carrier member 21 cross-section.
  • the cable of the invention 20 allows easy placement and removal of the individual components 22 which facilitates quick and easy replacement of components 22 if necessary.
  • the configuration of the longitudinal grooves 24 allows the components 22 to be positioned on the neutral axis 25 during bending, both in "U” bends as well as in “S” bends, thus reducing stress on the components 22, and accordingly increasing the useful life of the components 22 during repeated bending.
  • the cable is useful for connecting equipment and parts in motion, such as in a reciprocating motion.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Electric Cable Arrangement Between Relatively Moving Parts (AREA)

Abstract

Câble ruban souple à composants multiples dont lesdits composants viennent se placer sur l'axe neutre lors de flexions en 'U' ou en 'S'. Lesdits composants peuvent être des conducteurs simples isolés ou des groupes de conducteurs isolés câblés ensemble ou des faisceaux de fibres optiques ou des tubes ou des tuyaux. Les différents composants du câble ruban sont placés dans un support fait de plusieurs sillons longitudinaux de section sensiblement circulaire et dont l'ouverture longitudinale, suffisamment large pour permettre la mise en place et l'extraction de composants, ne leur permet cependant pas de glisser dehors pendant leur utilisation. Les ouvertures des sillons longitudinaux sont disposées de sorte que les composants contigus viennent se placer sur les cotés du support ou s'en extraire. Une telle configuration de sillons adjacents à ouvertures alternées permet à tous les composants de se placer sur l'axe neutre lors de flexions en 'U' ou en 'S'.
PCT/US1994/001471 1993-09-27 1994-02-09 Cable souple WO1995009376A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU67652/94A AU6765294A (en) 1993-09-27 1994-02-09 Flexible cable

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US12756293A 1993-09-27 1993-09-27
US08/127,562 1993-09-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1995009376A1 true WO1995009376A1 (fr) 1995-04-06

Family

ID=22430744

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1994/001471 WO1995009376A1 (fr) 1993-09-27 1994-02-09 Cable souple

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU6765294A (fr)
WO (1) WO1995009376A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1143280A1 (fr) * 2000-04-06 2001-10-10 Alcatel Rubans de fibres optiques collés aux bords et divisibles
WO2003100495A1 (fr) * 2002-05-28 2003-12-04 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Bague de gainage pour fibres optiques
JP2010091730A (ja) * 2008-10-07 2010-04-22 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> 光ファイバテープ及びその単心分離方法
US20170153404A1 (en) * 2014-03-06 2017-06-01 Fujikura Ltd. Optical cable

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0019026A1 (fr) * 1979-05-11 1980-11-26 Societe Industrielle De Liaisons Electriques - Silec Elément de câblage pour la réalisation d'éléments de câbles unitaires à fibres optiques, et procédé de fabrication
DE3031833A1 (de) * 1980-08-23 1982-05-06 Felten & Guilleaume Carlswerk AG, 5000 Köln Strangfoermiges verbindungselement aus kunststoff fuer kabel u.ae.
JPS6024503A (ja) * 1983-07-21 1985-02-07 Seisan Nipponsha Kk 光フアイバ−の配線用ホルダ−
JPS61296310A (ja) * 1985-06-26 1986-12-27 Kiyoshi Hajikano 光フアイバ−被覆曲板
GB2186995A (en) * 1986-02-14 1987-08-26 Bicc Plc An improved optical fibre ribbon structure
US4895427A (en) * 1984-11-13 1990-01-23 Siecor Corporation Fiber optic cable

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0019026A1 (fr) * 1979-05-11 1980-11-26 Societe Industrielle De Liaisons Electriques - Silec Elément de câblage pour la réalisation d'éléments de câbles unitaires à fibres optiques, et procédé de fabrication
DE3031833A1 (de) * 1980-08-23 1982-05-06 Felten & Guilleaume Carlswerk AG, 5000 Köln Strangfoermiges verbindungselement aus kunststoff fuer kabel u.ae.
JPS6024503A (ja) * 1983-07-21 1985-02-07 Seisan Nipponsha Kk 光フアイバ−の配線用ホルダ−
US4895427A (en) * 1984-11-13 1990-01-23 Siecor Corporation Fiber optic cable
JPS61296310A (ja) * 1985-06-26 1986-12-27 Kiyoshi Hajikano 光フアイバ−被覆曲板
GB2186995A (en) * 1986-02-14 1987-08-26 Bicc Plc An improved optical fibre ribbon structure

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 11, no. 164 (P - 580)<2611> 27 May 1987 (1987-05-27) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 9, no. 144 (P - 365)<1867> 19 June 1985 (1985-06-19) *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1143280A1 (fr) * 2000-04-06 2001-10-10 Alcatel Rubans de fibres optiques collés aux bords et divisibles
JP2001350067A (ja) * 2000-04-06 2001-12-21 Alcatel 端部結合された分割可能な光ファイバリボン
US6483972B1 (en) 2000-04-06 2002-11-19 Alcatel Edge-bonded splittable optical-fiber ribbon
WO2003100495A1 (fr) * 2002-05-28 2003-12-04 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Bague de gainage pour fibres optiques
US7116872B2 (en) 2002-05-28 2006-10-03 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Optical fiber tape core
JP2010091730A (ja) * 2008-10-07 2010-04-22 Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> 光ファイバテープ及びその単心分離方法
US20170153404A1 (en) * 2014-03-06 2017-06-01 Fujikura Ltd. Optical cable
US10061096B2 (en) * 2014-03-06 2018-08-28 Fujikura Ltd. Optical cable

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6765294A (en) 1995-04-18

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