CABLE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A CABLE, RIBBON LEAD ELEMENT, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A RIBBON LEAD ELEMENT AND MOTOR VEHICLE USING THE CABLE

Abstract

A cable, in particular a data cable, which extends in a longitudinal direction, includes a central element which is surrounded, in particular encased, by a ribbon lead element. The ribbon lead element has two film layers as well as a plurality of leads, in particular conductor elements, which are disposed between the film layers. A method for manufacturing a cable, a ribbon lead element, a method for manufacturing a ribbon lead element and a motor vehicle using the cable are also provided.

Claims

1. A cable or data cable, comprising: a central element extended in a longitudinal direction; and a ribbon lead element extended in said longitudinal direction and surrounding or encasing said central element; said ribbon lead element having two film layers and a plurality of leads or conductor elements disposed between said film layers.

2. The cable according to claim 1, wherein: said ribbon lead element is a coaxial ribbon lead element having a plurality of coaxial elements; said film layers are metal-lined film layers each having a conductive side; said leads are constructed as an inner structure of a coaxial conductor each having an inner conductor surrounded by a dielectric; and said conductive sides of said film layers face one another and are electrically conductively connected to one another to form a common outer conductor for said coaxial elements.

3. The cable according to claim 1, wherein: said ribbon lead element is a symmetrically shielded ribbon lead element; said film layers are metal-lined film layers each having a conductive side; each two of said leads are combined to form a lead pair being twisted with one another or running parallel to one another; and said conductive sides are only connected to one another outside said leads of a respective lead pair to form shielded lead pairs.

4. The cable according to claim 1, wherein: said ribbon lead element is a symmetrically non-shielded ribbon lead element; said film layers are non-conductive film layers; and said leads are non-shielded and each two of said leads are combined and twisted with one another to form a non-shielded lead pair.

5. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said ribbon lead element additionally has a plurality of flat conductor elements.

6. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said two film layers are each constructed as a metal-coated or metal-lined film each having a carrier film and a metal layer applied on said carrier film.

7. The cable according to claim 1, which further comprises an adhesive interconnecting said two metal layers, said adhesive being applied only on an area basis or a section basis or only in a punctiform fashion to one or to both of said metal layers.

8. The cable according to claim 1, which further comprises two metal layers each disposed on a respective one of said film layers, and a conductor or a wire or a stranded conductor being electrically connected to both of said metal layers, being placed in electrical contact with both of said metal layers and being disposed between said two metal layers or between two of said leads.

9. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said leads form a cross-sectional contour to which said film layers are adapted, and said film layers bear against one another in regions between each two of said leads.

10. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said two film layers are each part of a common film being folded or longitudinally folded to form said two film layers.

11. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said leads are conductor element pairs having two conductor elements being parallel or twisted with one another.

12. The cable according to claim 11, which further comprises a common lead sheath surrounding said conductor elements.

13. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said film layers are exclusively fabricated from an electrically insulating material.

14. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said ribbon lead element is wound around said central element.

15. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said central element has a plurality of leads, and both said leads of said central element and said leads of said ribbon lead element are constructed to transmit data.

16. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said central element has a plurality of leads being twisted with one another to form a twisted assembly.

17. The cable according to claim 16, wherein said ribbon lead element is wound around said twisted assembly.

18. The cable according to claim 17, which further comprises an outer shield applied to said ribbon lead element.

19. The cable according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a USB cable or a USB 3.1 cable, and said central element and said ribbon lead element each have four respective conductor elements.

20. The cable according to claim 1, wherein said central element is a USB 2.0 cable.

21. A method for manufacturing a cable, the method comprising the following steps: providing a central element; providing a ribbon lead element including two film layers and a plurality of leads disposed between the film layers; and surrounding or encasing the central element with the ribbon lead element.

22. The method according to claim 21, which further comprises winding or longitudinally folding the ribbon lead element around the central element.

23. The method according to claim 21, which further comprises: constructing the central element as a twisted assembly composed of a plurality of leads or data leads and having a laying direction; and winding the ribbon lead element around the central element in an opposite laying direction or in a direction opposite to the laying direction of the twisted assembly.

24. A ribbon lead element for a cable, said ribbon lead element comprising: two film layers; and a plurality of leads disposed between said film layers.

25. A method for manufacturing a ribbon lead element, the method comprising the following steps: providing two film layers; placing a plurality of leads between the two film layers; and interconnecting or punctiform bonding the film layers to one another.

26. A motor vehicle, comprising a cable according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0071] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a metal-lined film;

[0072] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a coaxial ribbon lead element during fabrication;

[0073] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a coaxial ribbon lead element after fabrication;

[0074] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a symmetrically shielded ribbon lead element during fabrication;

[0075] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a symmetrically shielded ribbon lead element after fabrication;

[0076] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a symmetrically non-shielded ribbon lead element during fabrication;

[0077] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a symmetrically non-shielded ribbon lead element after fabrication; and

[0078] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a cable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0079] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a metal-lined film or foil layer 2, which is also merely referred to as a film, an adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion, in order to ensure a reduction in electrical contact resistance in the case of mirror-inverted bonding of two such films 2 or alternatively in the case of longitudinal folding of such a film 2. The film 2 is composed of a carrier layer 6 and of a metal layer 8 which is applied thereto. The adhesive layer 4, which is also referred to as an adhesion layer, is applied to the metal layer 8.

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a basic diagram of a coaxial type ribbon lead element 10, which is referred to for short as a ribbon lead, before a joining process. In this context, two metal-lined film layers 2 are disposed in a mirror-inverted fashion with respect to one another. In this context, the metal layers 8 face one another. In the embodiment shown, the ribbon lead element 10 has five coaxial inner conductors 12 which are located between the film layers 2 and are each surrounded by a dielectric 14. One inner conductor 12, with one respective dielectric 14, forms a lead 16. Further elements, e.g. conductors for forming contact with the metal layers, are dispensed with in this case for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1, is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity.

[0081] FIG. 3 shows a basic diagram of a ribbon lead element 10 of a coaxial type after the joining process, in particular after the joining of the configuration seen in FIG. 2, with two metal-lined film layers 2 in a mirror-inverted configuration and, in this case, with five coaxial inner conductors 12 which are located between them and which are each surrounded by a dielectric 14. Further elements such as conductors for forming contact with the metal layers 8 are dispensed with herein for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1 is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity. In FIG. 3 it becomes clear that intermediate spaces 18, in which the two film layers 2 bear one against the other and in this way shield the leads 16 from one another, are formed between the leads 16.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a basic diagram of a ribbon lead element 10 of a symmetrically shielded type before the joining process, with metal-lined film layers 2 in a mirror-inverted configuration. Five leads 16 are disposed between the film layers 2. The leads 16 are embodied as symmetrical pairs in this case, specifically they are each embodied as two conductor elements 20 which are surrounded by a common conductor element sleeve 22. Further elements, e.g. conductors for forming contact with the metal layers 8, are dispensed with in this case for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1 is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a basic diagram of a ribbon lead element 10 of a symmetrically shielded type after the joining process, in particular after the joining of the configuration in FIG. 4. The one ribbon lead element 10 has two metal-lined film layers 2 in a mirror-inverted configuration as well as, in this case, five leads 16 which are located between them and which are embodied, as in FIG. 4, as symmetrical pairs. Further elements, e.g. conductors for forming contact with the metal layers 8, are dispensed with herein for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1 is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity.

[0084] FIG. 6 shows a basic diagram of a ribbon lead element 10 of a symmetrically non-shielded type before the joining process, with two film layers 2 as well as, in this case, four intermediate leads 16, which are embodied in this case, as in FIG. 4, as symmetrical pairs. Further elements are dispensed with herein for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1 is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity.

[0085] FIG. 7 shows a basic diagram of a ribbon lead element 10 of a symmetrically non-shielded type after the joining process, in particular after the joining of the configuration from FIG. 6, with two film layers 2 and with, in this case, four intermediate leads 16 which are embodied as symmetrical pairs. Further elements are dispensed with herein for the sake of clarity. Likewise, the adhesive layer 4 which is applied in a punctiform fashion in FIG. 1 is not illustrated herein for the sake of clarity.

[0086] It becomes clear from all of FIGS. 2 to 7 that the film layers 2 are adapted to the cross-sectional contour of the leads 16 after the manufacture of the ribbon lead element 10. The film layers 2 bear directly one against the other in the intermediate spaces 18. In the case of metal-lined film layers 2, the metal layers 8 thereof bear one against the other and are placed in electrical contact with one another.

[0087] FIG. 8 shows a cable 24 which is embodied as a data transmission cable, in particular a USB cable, with a central element 26 and with a ribbon lead element 10 which is disposed around the central element 26. The film layers 2 are only illustrated in a highly diagrammatic form therein. The ribbon lead element is, in particular, a ribbon lead element 10 according to FIG. 3. In a variant which is not shown, one of the ribbon lead elements 10 according to FIGS. 5 and 7 is used with a suitable number of conductor elements. The central element 26 is embodied as a USB 2.0 cable, with four conductor elements 28. The ribbon lead element 10 has four leads 16, specifically also four conductor elements. As a result of the total of eight conductor elements 16, 28, the cable 24 is then embodied, in particular, as a USB 3.1 cable.