Abstract
A LAN cable is provided having a plurality of twisted pairs, a jacket surrounding the twisted pair and at least one discontinuous shield tape having a plurality of separated metal segments. The discontinuous shielding tape is folded and arranged between the plurality of twisted pairs, separating each of said plurality of pairs from one another.
Claims
1. A LAN cable comprising: four twisted pairs of insulated conductors; a jacket surrounding said twisted pairs; and at least two discontinuous shield tapes each having a plurality of separated metal segments, wherein said discontinuous shielding tapes are folded and arranged between said four twisted pairs in a partially overlapping manner, separating each of said four pairs from one another.
2. The LAN cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discontinuous shielding tapes are constructed from a substrate layer and a plurality of separated metal elements disposed thereon.
3. The LAN cable as claimed in claim 2, wherein said discontinuous shielding tapes are folded longitudinally with said separated metal elements outwardly facing and said non-conductive substrate folded onto itself.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 is a prior art image of a twisted pair LAN cable with a cross filler;
(3) FIG. 2 is a prior art image of discontinuous shield tape for use in LAN cables;
(4) FIG. 3 is a twisted pair LAN cable having individually separated pairs using two discontinuous shielding tapes from any one of FIGS. 4-8 and 9a-9d, in accordance with one embodiment.
(5) FIGS. 4-8 are discontinuous shielding tapes for use in accordance with one embodiment; and
(6) FIGS. 9a-9d are side elevations of discontinuous shielding tapes for use in accordance with one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(7) In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a twisted pair cable 10 is provided with a jacket 12, four twisted pairs 14 and two shield tapes 16a and 16b. Shield tapes 16a and 16b, each contact 2 pairs 14 in cable 10, with partial overlap with the other two pairs 14. Functionally, the combined tapes 16a and 16b function as a cross separator isolating each pair 14 in cable 10 from the other three pairs. Moreover, tapes 16 at least partially surround an outer portion of each of the four pairs 14 to further protect from unwanted external interference. Such a cable may be used to achieve higher category bandwidth standards under the applicable TIA-568 or IEC 61156 standards.
(8) As shown in FIG. 3, each of tapes 16a and 16b have a fold point 17 where tapes 16 are folded back against itself longitudinally, and further each have a Y-shaped separation 19 where each of tapes 16 separate from the themselves. As such, each of tapes 16a and 16b have a portion that is folded against itself and a portion that is separated from itself and partially overlapping the other tape at its portion where it is likewise separated from itself as shown in FIG. 3. This fold point 17 is created prior to cable assembly and is at least partially independent from the twisting of said tapes 16 into the cross-shaped positioning around pairs 14.
(9) Such partially folded tapes 16a and 16b may be applied in such a manner as interposed between pairs 14 because they can be assembled faster than other arrangements such as when applying an individual tape over each pair during separate operations. Also, a cable 10 such as that shown in FIG. 3, is more flexible than a cable that uses a separate shield over each pair in its cable.
(10) To interpose such partially folded tapes 16a and 16b between pairs 14 in cable 10 as shown in FIG. 3, folded tapes 16a and 16b are passed through a series of rollers on the cable assembly line which interposes and twists tapes 16, at the appropriate distance from crease/fold 17, and forms tapes 16 into curvilinear quadrilateral compartments around pairs 14 as shown. A closing die or series of physical arrangement dies on the cable assembly line complete the cable core (pairs 14 and tapes 16) prior to the application of jacket 12. In some embodiments, fold 17 can be made to create either symmetric (as shown) or non-symmetric tape segments (not shown) in tapes 16a and 16b in reference to the lengths of tape extending on each side of fold 17/separation 19.
(11) Turning to the structure of tapes 16, FIGS. 4-8 each show a longitudinal plan view of tape 16. Each tape 16 has a substrate or nonconductive portion 20 made from a polymer tape such as Nylon or other suitable material. Each non-conductive portion includes a series of non-contiguous foil/metal elements 22. Foil elements 22 can be of various shapes and arrangements as show in FIGS. 4-8. It is such tapes 16 with non-conductive and conductive portions 20/22 that are implemented as tapes 16a and 16b as shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment tapes 16 are approximately 0.001-0.015 thick and 0.250-3.100 wide (between the longitudinal edges).
(12) In one embodiment the separations between foil elements 22 (non-conductive substrate 20 only) are generally dimensioned according to the ordinary standards for discontinuous shielding tapes. The separations (and foil segment 22 sizing) are generally dimensioned appropriate for the cable being manufactured based on the desired electrical characteristics. For example, the separation between foil segments 22 allow coupling of a narrow range of frequencies between twisted pairs 13 and the periodicity of their occurrence along tapes 16 allows for the power coupled through them to sum up along the length of cable 10. Therefore, the spacing between metal elements 22 along substrate 20 are selected to avoid coupling of frequencies within the band of operation of the applications expected to function across pairs 16 of cables 10.
(13) It is noted that tapes 16a and 16b, as shown in FIG. 3 are folded longitudinally and, at parts, overlap with one another when arranged around pairs 14. In order to prevent foil segments 22 from the same tape 16a possibly touching one another after folding, or from touching a segment 22 on a different tape 16b where there is overlap between tapes 16, each of tapes 16a and 16b have a composition, and longitudinal fold point that prevents the creation of an accidental continuous electric path that would otherwise require grounding.
(14) FIG. 9a shows tapes 16a and 16b, such as those shown in FIGS. 4-8, with a non-conductive layer 20 and conductive elements/layer 22. Such tapes 16a and 16b as shown in FIG. 3 are folded longitudinally along their length before being arranged within cable 10.
(15) In one arrangement, tapes 16a and 16b when folded at fold points 17 are folded such that conductive segments 22 face outward and non-conductive substrates 20 would face inwards towards one another within fold 17. This prevents segments 22 on one of tapes 16 from touching subsequent segments on the same tape 16 (preventing the generation of a continuous conducting path because of the fold). Likewise, having metal segments 22 facing outward at longitudinal fold 17, makes it such that when tape 16 segments that overlap and touch segments from the other tape 16 (after separation 19 as shown in FIG. 3) the metal segments 22 on both tapes 16 face away from one another again preventing the generation of a continuous conducting path.
(16) In an alternative arrangement using tapes 16a and 16b shown in FIG. 9A (and FIGS. 4-8), the conductive elements 22 can be inwardly facing one another at folds 17. However, in such arrangements the longitudinal folds 17 as shown in FIG. 3 would need to be made in a manner that is parallel with the spacings between subsequent metal elements 22 to avoid an unwanted continuous conducting path along tapes 16. Moreover, the spacing between metal segments 22 should be likewise distanced within a set tolerance to prevent accidental overlap between subsequent metal segments 22.
(17) In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 9b, one tape 16b can have an additional non-conductive layer 24 disposed over metal elements 22 so that metal elements 22 are sandwiched between two non-conductive layers to further prevent any accidental conductive paths when tape 16b contacts 16a at certain portions within cable 10. Moreover extra layer 24 of non-conductive material is beneficial because it doesn't matter which way tape 16b is folded along longitudinal fold 17 and they offer less resistance to the rollers during the forming process around pairs 14.
(18) In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 9c, tape 16b has both an additional non-conductive layer 24 and an additional discontinuous conductive layer 26. Additional layer 26 of conductive material offers greater shielding properties. A tape with a single layer of conductive surface 22 may cause spikes to appear in various measurements such as impedance, return loss, balance and alien crosstalk. The extra layer 26 of conductive elements prevents these spikes if the design specs for cable 10 allow for the additional layers. The tape arrangement for tapes 16a and 16b would be folded similar to that in FIG. 9a (and FIG. 3).
(19) In another embodiment as shown in FIG. 9d, tape 16b has both an additional non-conductive layer 24 and discontinuous conductive layer 26. Tape 16a has just the additional non-conductive layer 24. Such an arrangement combines the benefits of FIGS. 9b and 9c as discussed above.
(20) While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.
