DATA CABLE, MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING THE DATA CABLE AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE DATA CABLE

Abstract

A data cable contains a cable core having a plurality of core pairs. Each of the core pairs are composed of two cores directly surrounded by a pair shielding. The pair shielding has a conductive exterior surrounding a core pair and being oriented outward. An overall shield surrounds the cable core and lies on the conductive exterior of the pair shielding and is thereby electrically connected to the cable core.

Claims

1. A data cable, comprising: a cable core having a plurality of core pairs, each of said core pairs composed of two cores directly surrounded by a pair shielding, said pair shielding having a conductive exterior surrounding a core pair and being oriented outward; and an overall shield surrounding said cable core and lying on said conductive exterior of said pair shielding and being thereby electrically connected to the said cable core.

2. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said cores of said core pair run parallel to each other.

3. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said pair shielding of said core pairs electrically contact each other in each case.

4. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said core pairs are stranded together to form a stranded bundle.

5. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said pair shielding is wound around a respective one of said core pairs.

6. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said pair shielding of said core pairs are wound in a same direction.

7. The data cable according to claim 4, wherein said pair shielding of said core pairs are wound so as to run in a same direction as a stranding direction of said stranded bundle.

8. The data cable according to claim 4, wherein said pair shielding has a lay length being less than a lay length of said stranded bundle.

9. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said pair shielding has a shielding foil.

10. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein for a purpose of realizing said pair shielding, a conductive sheath layer is formed.

11. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said overall shield is selected from the group consisting of a braided shield, a spiral shield, a foil shield, and a combination thereof.

12. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said cable core, besides having said core pairs, has at least one further element selected from the group consisting of filling strands, electrical supply lines, and electrical and/or optical data transmission elements.

13. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein a filler wire for shield contacting is omitted.

14. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein a foil that stabilizes and/or insulates the pair shielding is omitted.

15. The data cable according to claim 1, further comprising a connection element being contacted at one end, said connection element having a connection to a frame, which is connected to said overall shield.

16. The data cable according to claim 1, wherein said pair shielding is a shielding foil.

17. The data cable according to claim 10, wherein said conductive sheath layer is extruded-on.

18. A motor vehicle, comprising: a data cable, containing: a cable core having a plurality of core pairs, each of said core pairs composed of two cores directly surrounded by a pair shielding, said pair shielding having a conductive exterior surrounding a core pair and being oriented outward; and an overall shield surrounding said cable core and lying on said conductive exterior of said pair shielding and being thereby electrically connected to the said cable core.

19. A method for producing a data cable, which comprises the steps of: providing a plurality of core pairs; wrapping a pair shielding having an outwardly oriented, conductive exterior to each of the core pairs; applying an overall shield being electrically connected to the conductive exterior of the pair shielding; and stranding the core pairs to form a stranded bundle, wherein a stranding direction of the stranded bundle and a winding direction of the pair shielding coincide.

20. The method according to claim 19, which further comprises forming the pair shielding in each case from a shielding foil and applying the shielding foil only during the stranding of the core pairs to form the stranded bundle, in that shielding foils are inserted concomitantly during the stranding process, without a separate banding process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0031] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross sectional view through a data cable according to the invention; and

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the data cable according to FIG. 1, with individual layers of the cable exposed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] In the figures, parts that have the same function are denoted by the same references.

[0034] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a data cable 2 used in general for transmitting symmetrical data signals, and is suitable for a reliable data transmission at data rates of preferably greater than 100 MB per second, and preferably of greater than 1 GB per second. The data cable 2 preferably has at least two core pairs 4 that are each formed by two cores 6, which are surrounded by a pair shielding 8. Expediently, the data cable 2 has precisely two core pairs 4, as represented in the figures. The individual cores 6 in this case are run parallel to each other, i.e. the cores 6 of a core pair 4 are stranded together. A respective core 6 has, and is preferably composed of, an electrical conductor 10 and a core insulation 12 in each case. The conductor 10, in particular, is a stranded conductor having stranded individual strands, preferably of copper. Other materials, in particular copper alloys, aluminum, aluminum alloys, etc., may also be used. The individual strands may also be coated. The conductor 10 may also be a solid conductor. The core insulation 12 forms a dielectric. The core insulation 12 is preferably composed of a solid plastic sheath that is extruded-on. Expediently, polypropylene is used in this case. In principle, however, other suitable materials may also be used. As an alternative to a solid design, the core insulation 12 is realized as a foamed sheath.

[0035] In the case of the exemplary embodiment represented, the core pairs 4 are composed of two individual cores 6 that are not connected to each other. As an alternative to this, a respective core pair 4 is realized as an, in particular, extruded twin, i.e. the two cores 6 are, as it were, part of a two-core strip line. In the case of the latter, the two conductors 10 are inserted in a common insulation sheath. For this purpose, preferably in one work operation, a common insulation mantel is applied, in particular by means of extrusion, to the conductors 10 that run parallel next to each other, such that the twin line is produced.

[0036] The pair shielding 8 is, in particular, a shielding foil 14, which is preferably realized as a plastic foil that is metal-clad on one side. The plastic foil in this case has a metallic, conductive side, which is oriented outward. As an alternative to a carrier foil clad on one side, a foil that is clad on both sides, or a metal foil, may also be used. The shielding foil 14 is expediently wound around the core pair 4, in the manner of a banding. As an alternative to this, a longitudinally folded shielding foil is used, such as that disclosed, for example, by the document published, European patent application EP 2 112 669 A2 cited at the beginning.

[0037] As an alternative to the shielding foil 14, a conductive sheath layer, not represented in greater detail here, is applied, in particular extruded-on. The latter preferably surrounds the two cores 6 of the core pair 4 jointly. Alternatively, each core 6 is provided with such a conductive extruded sheath layer.

[0038] The core pairs 4 provided with the pair shielding 8 are stranded together to form a stranded bundle 16. In the exemplary embodiment, this stranded bundle 16 simultaneously forms a cable core 18. In the exemplary embodiment, no further elements are provided. Alternatively, further elements may also be integrated. These are, for example, electrically/optically functionless filling strands and/or the cable core 18 is realized as a hybrid cable core 18, in which, besides the core pairs, further electrical and/or optical transmission elements are also integrated. In the case of a hybrid structure, the further elements are preferably likewise part of the stranded bundle 16.

[0039] As a result of the stranding of the core pairs 4, good flexibility of the data cable 2 as a whole is achieved. Furthermore, as a result of the stranding, the transmission properties for data transmission are positively affected, in particular in the case of (bending) movements of the data cable 2.

[0040] The banded-on shielding foil 14 in this case is expediently banded-on in the same direction as the core pairs 4 are stranded together. A direction of lay of the shielding foil 14 therefore corresponds to a direction of lay of the stranded bundle 16. As a result of this measure, in a preferred design, the banded-on shielding foils 14 are therefore fixed on the core pairs 4, such that separate fixing means, in particular insulating intermediate foils, can be omitted, and are also omitted.

[0041] The shielding foil 14 in this case is optionally first banded around a respective core pair in a separate step. Alternatively, the shielding foil 14 is applied during the overall stranding to produce the stranded bundle 16, in that they are inserted concomitantly, around respectively two parallel cores. In the latter case, there is no separate banding process. Thus, for the banding of the shielding foil 14, the process of stranding the core pairs 4 to form the stranded bundle 16 is used.

[0042] A further particular advantage consists in that, as a result of the overall stranding to form the stranded bundle 18, a close and particularly tight winding of the respective core pair 4 with the shielding foil 14 is ensured, such that, overall, a reliable shielding is ensured.

[0043] In addition, an overall shield 20, which surrounds the cable core 18 as a whole, is also applied around the cable core 18, or the stranded bundle. This overall shield 20 is preferably a braided shield. The overall shield 20 in this case lies directly on the respective pair shields 8, and electrically contacts the latter. Connection of the pair shields 8 to a (frame) contact is effected, in a manner not represented in greater detail here, via this overall shield 20. In this case, use may be made of conventional, easily fabricated shield contacting methods, e.g. crimping. Moreover, the overall shield 20 also serves to further improve the shielding, in particular to improve the EMC property.

[0044] Finally, to protect against external influences, an external cable sheath 22 is also realized. The latter forms an outer insulating sheath, and is composed, in particular, of PVC or of another suitable insulating material.

[0045] The data cable 2 described here is characterized, on the one hand, by the electrical contacting between the pair shields 8 and the overall shield 20, rendering possible simplified contacting of the shielding by means of the overall shield 20. On the other hand, the data cable 2 is characterized by the fact that the shielding foil 14 for the respective core pair 4 is applied in the same manner as the overall stranding of the cable core 18, i.e. the shielding foil 14 and the stranded bundle have, in particular, the same direction of lay. This achieves the advantage that a simple shielding foil, in particular an aluminum-clad shielding foil, can be used without additional fixing means being required. By means of the overall stranding, the banded shielding foil is firmly fixed on the core pairs 4. In addition, this also results overall in a better, reliable shielding, in particular also in the case of movements of the data cable 2.

[0046] Overall, a data cable 2 having good transmission properties for high-frequency, in particular symmetrical, data transmission is achieved by the structure described here. Various elements that are usual in the prior art are omitted in this case. This applies, in particular, to a separate filler wire, and also to an additionally stabilizing foil for the shielding foil 14. As a result, the data cable can be of an overall compact design, such that it takes up little structural space. At the same time, the weight is thereby reduced.