Cable core crossing device

Abstract

Guide element for electrical cores in a cable with at least four guide tracks, one for each electrical core of the cable, wherein the guide tracks run in such a way that at a first end of the guide element, at least two cores exchange places relative to a second end of the guide element opposite the first end.

Claims

1. A guide, comprising: a first guideway; a second guideway: a third guideway; and a fourth guideway, wherein in a first cross-section proximate to a first end of said guide said first guideway, said second guideway, said third guideway and said fourth guideway are arranged in a first cloverleaf-like arrangement, in a second cross-section proximate to a second end of said guide said first guideway, said second guideway, said third guideway and said fourth guideway are arranged in a second cloverleaf-like arrangement, in said first cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said second guideway and said third guideway, in said first cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said fourth guideway, said second cloverleaf-like arrangement is selected from the group consisting of a third cloverleaf-like arrangement and a fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement, in said third cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said second guideway and said fourth guideway, in said third cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said third guideway, in said fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said third guideway and said fourth guideway, and in said fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said second guideway.

2. The guide of claim 1, wherein: said first guideway defines a first path, said second guideway defines a second path, said third guideway defines a third path, said fourth guideway defines a fourth path, a length of any one of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the respective path to an opposite terminal end of the respective path is substantially equal to a length of any other of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the other respective path to an opposite terminal end of the other respective path.

3. The guide of claim 1, wherein: said second cloverleaf-like arrangement is said third cloverleaf-like arrangement, said first guideway defines a first path, said second guideway defines a second path, said third guideway defines a third path, said fourth guideway defines a fourth path, said first path is a cross-over path, said second path is a cross-over path, said third path is a curved path, and said fourth path is a curved path.

4. The guide of claim 1, wherein: each of said third path and said fourth path is curved such that a length of any one of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the respective path to an opposite terminal end of the respective path is substantially equal to a length of any other of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the other respective path to an opposite terminal end of the other respective path.

5. The guide of claim 1, wherein: said second cloverleaf-like arrangement is said third cloverleaf-like arrangement, said first guideway defines a first path, said second guideway defines a second path, said third guideway defines a third path, said fourth guideway defines a fourth path, said first path is a cross-over path, said second path is a curved path, said third path is a cross-over path, and said fourth path is a curved path.

6. The guide of claim 5, wherein: each of said second path and said fourth path is curved such that a length of any one of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the respective path to an opposite terminal end of the respective path is substantially equal to a length of any other of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path from a terminal end of the other respective path to an opposite terminal end of the other respective path.

7. The guide of claim 1, comprising: a first shielding element at a first end of said guide; and a second shielding element at a second end of said guide opposite said first end.

8. The guide of claim 7, wherein: said first shielding element has a cruciform cross-section, a central axis of said first shielding element is substantially aligned with a central longitudinal axis of said guide, said second shielding element has a cruciform cross-section, and a central axis of said second shielding element is substantially aligned with said central longitudinal axis of said guide.

9. The guide of claim 1, comprising: at least one groove on an outer surface of said guide.

10. The guide of claim 1, wherein: each of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path is substantially groove-shaped.

11. The guide of claim 1, wherein: each of said first path, said second path, said third path and said fourth path is dimensioned to receive a respective one insulated conductor of a multi-core cable.

12. An assembly, comprising: a cable; a connector; and a guide intermediate said cable and said connector, wherein said cable comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor and a fourth conductor, said connector comprises a fifth conductor, a sixth conductor, a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor, a longitudinal axis of said fifth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said first conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said sixth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said second conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said seventh conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said third conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said eighth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said fourth conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, said guide comprises a first guideway that receives a portion of said first conductor, a second guideway that receives a portion of said second conductor, a third guideway that receives a portion of said third conductor and a fourth guideway that receives a portion of said fourth conductor, said first conductor is electrically connected to said sixth conductor, said second conductor is electrically connected to said fifth conductor, said third conductor is electrically connected to said seventh conductor, and said fourth conductor is electrically connected to said eighth conductor.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein: a circumference of said guide is substantially equal to a circumference of at least one of said cable and said connector.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein: said cable is a star-quad cable, said first conductor and said fourth conductor constitute a first conductor pair of said star-quad cable, said second conductor and said third conductor constitute a second conductor pair of said star-quad cable, said connector comprises, as parallel pairs, a third conductor pair and a fourth conductor pair, said fifth conductor and said seventh conductor constitute said third conductor pair, and said sixth conductor and said eighth conductor constitute said fourth conductor pair.

15. The assembly of claim 12, wherein: said cable is a parallel pair cable, said first conductor and said third conductor constitute a first parallel conductor pair of said parallel pair cable, said second conductor and said fourth conductor constitute a second parallel conductor pair of said parallel pair cable, said fifth conductor and said eighth conductor constitute a first conductor pair of a quad-star arrangement, and said sixth conductor and said seventh conductor constitute a second conductor pair of said quad-star arrangement.

16. An assembly, comprising: a cable; a connector; and a guide intermediate said cable and said connector, wherein said cable comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor and a fourth conductor, said connector comprises a fifth conductor, a sixth conductor, a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor, a longitudinal axis of said fifth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said first conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said sixth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said second conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said seventh conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said third conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said eighth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said fourth conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, said guide comprises a first guideway that receives a portion of said first conductor, a second guideway that receives a portion of said second conductor, a third guideway that receives a portion of said third conductor and a fourth guideway that receives a portion of said fourth conductor, said first conductor is electrically connected to said seventh conductor, said second conductor is electrically connected to said sixth conductor, said third conductor is electrically connected to said fifth conductor, and said fourth conductor is electrically connected to said eighth conductor.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein: a circumference of said guide is substantially equal to a circumference of at least one of said cable and said connector.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein: said cable is a star-quad cable, said first conductor and said fourth conductor constitute a first conductor pair of said star-quad cable, said second conductor and said third conductor constitute a second conductor pair of said star-quad cable, said connector comprises, as parallel pairs, a third conductor pair and a fourth conductor pair, said fifth conductor and said sixth conductor constitute said third conductor pair, and said seventh conductor and said eighth conductor constitute said fourth conductor pair.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein: said cable is a parallel pair cable, said first conductor and said second conductor constitute a first parallel conductor pair of said parallel pair cable, said third conductor and said fourth conductor constitute a second parallel conductor pair of said parallel pair cable, said fifth conductor and said eighth conductor constitute a first conductor pair of a quad-star arrangement, and said sixth conductor and said seventh conductor constitute a second conductor pair of said quad-star arrangement.

20. An assembly, comprising: a cable; a connector; and a guide intermediate said cable and said connector, wherein said cable comprises a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor and a fourth conductor, said connector comprises a plurality of conductors, each of said first conductor, said second conductor, said third conductor and said fourth conductor electrically contacts a respective one of said plurality of conductors, said guide comprises a first guideway that receives a portion of said first conductor, a second guideway that receives a portion of said second conductor, a third guideway that receives a portion of said third conductor and a fourth guideway that receives a portion of said fourth conductor, in a first cross-section proximate to a first end of said guide said first guideway, said second guideway, said third guideway and said fourth guideway are arranged in a first cloverleaf-like arrangement, in a second cross-section proximate to a second end of said guide said first guideway, said second guideway, said third guideway and said fourth guideway are arranged in a second cloverleaf-like arrangement, in said first cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said second guideway and said third guideway, in said first cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said fourth guideway, said second cloverleaf-like arrangement is selected from the group consisting of a third cloverleaf-like arrangement and a fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement, in said third cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said second guideway and said fourth guideway, in said third cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said third guideway, in said fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway neighbors said third guideway and said fourth guideway, and in said fourth cloverleaf-like arrangement said first guideway is diagonal to said second guideway.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein: said plurality of conductors comprises a fifth conductor, a sixth conductor, a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor, a longitudinal axis of said fifth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said first conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said sixth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said second conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said seventh conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said third conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said eighth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said fourth conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, said first conductor electrically contacts said sixth conductor, said second conductor electrically contacts said fifth conductor, said third conductor electrically contacts said seventh conductor, and said fourth conductor electrically contacts said eighth conductor.

22. The assembly of claim 20, wherein: said plurality of conductors comprises a fifth conductor, a sixth conductor, a seventh conductor and an eighth conductor, a longitudinal axis of said fifth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said first conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said sixth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said second conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said seventh conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said third conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, a longitudinal axis of said eighth conductor is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a portion of said fourth conductor in a sheathed portion of said cable adjacent said guide, said first conductor electrically contacts said seventh conductor, said second conductor electrically contacts said sixth conductor, said third conductor electrically contacts said fifth conductor, and said fourth conductor electrically contacts said eighth conductor.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTENT OF THE DRAWING

(1) The present invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of the exemplary embodiments given in the schematic Figures of the drawings. Shown are:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a guide element according to one embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the guide element of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a guide element according to one embodiment of the invention;

(5) FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the guide element of FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a guide element according to one embodiment of the invention;

(7) FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of an alternative configuration of the guide element of FIG. 3;

(8) FIG. 4 schematically depicts an arrangement of guide tracks of the guide element of FIG. 1 at cross-section Y;

(9) FIG. 4A schematically depicts an arrangement of guide tracks of the guide element of FIG. 1A at cross-section Y;

(10) FIG. 5 schematically depicts an arrangement of guide tracks of the guide element of FIG. 1 at cross-section Z;

(11) FIG. 5A schematically depicts an arrangement of guide tracks of the guide element of FIG. 1A at cross-section Z;

(12) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a connector arrangement and a cable according to one embodiment of the invention;

(13) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a connector arrangement and a cable according to one embodiment of the invention.

(14) The enclosed figures of the drawing are intended to convey a deeper understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and are used in connection with the description to provide an explanation of principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages cited are obtained by reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown true to scale.

(15) In the figures of the drawing, identical, functionally equivalent and identically acting elements, features and components are each labelled with the same reference numeral, unless stated otherwise.

(16) In the following the figures are described coherently and collectively.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(17) FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 each show a perspective view of a guide element 10 for four electrical cores. Accordingly, the guide element 10 has four guide tracks 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, one for each electrical core.

(18) As shown in FIG. 1 and schematically depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, guide tracks 12.1 and 12.2 run in such a way that the arrangement of the cores 102.1 and 102.2 of the guide tracks 12.1 and 12.2 is reversed relative to the cores 102.3 and 102.4 of the guide tracks 12.3 and 12.4 between the first end 14 and the second end 16. As schematically depicted in FIG. 4, at cross-section Y in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 guide track 12.1 neighbors guide tracks 12.2 and 12.3 and is diagonal to guide track 12.4. As schematically depicted in FIG. 5, at cross-section Z in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 guide track 12.1 neighbors guide tracks 12.2 and 12.4 and is diagonal to guide track 12.3.

(19) As shown in FIG. 2, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 guide tracks 12.4 and 12.3 have a bend in order to compensate for the length offset resulting from the place exchange of the cores 102.1 and 102.2. The bend is a means 18 of compensating for the length offset.

(20) The guide element 10 has a shield element 20A at the first end 14 and a shield element 20B at the second end 16. The shield elements 20A, 20B are designed as a star-shaped extension and shield the cores 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 from each other in the region of the first end 14 or the second end 16. As a result of the star-shaped extension, an optimized transition from the cable arrangement into the guide element is ensured. This controls the mechanical trajectory of the cores and ensures a shielding in the transition region. The guide element also ensures an impedance control and shielding in the region of the guide element.

(21) FIGS. 1A, 2A, and 3A each show a perspective view of an alternative configuration of guide element 10. In FIGS. 1A, 2A, and 3A, the guide element 10 again has four guide tracks 12.1′, 12.2′, 12.3′, 12.4′, albeit in a configuration that is rotated 90° relative to the configuration of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

(22) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1A and schematically depicted in FIGS. 4A and 5A, guide tracks 12.3′ and 12.1′ run in such a way that the arrangement of guide tracks 12.3′ and 12.1′ is reversed relative to guide tracks 12.2′ and 12.4′ between the first end 14 and the second end 16. As schematically depicted in FIG. 4A, at cross-section Y in the configuration shown in FIG. 1A guide track 12.1′ neighbors guide tracks 12.2′ and 12.3′ and is diagonal to guide track 12.4′. As schematically depicted in FIG. 5A, at cross-section Z in the configuration shown in FIG. 1A guide track 12.1′ neighbors guide tracks 12.3′ and 12.4′ and is diagonal to guide track 12.2′.

(23) As shown in FIG. 2A, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 1A it is guide tracks 12.2′ and 12.4′ that may have a bend in order to compensate for the length offset resulting from the place exchange of the cores in guide tracks 12.3′ and 12.1′.

(24) Although the present invention has been fully described above on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, it is in fact not limited thereto, but can be modified in a wide variety of ways.

(25) The guide element 10 has two grooves 22 on opposite sides. The grooves are used for fixing the guide element in a connector arrangement. For example, it can be provided that an insulating part engages in the grooves.

(26) FIG. 6 shows a connector arrangement with a cable 100 and a connector 200. The cable 100 is designed as a “parallel pair” cable. Accordingly, the cores 102.1 and 102.3 or 102.2 and 102.4 in the cable each form a pair. Both pairs are shielded by a core-pair shield 108. The core-pair shield 108 is designed as a foil. The cable-side region of the cable 100 with respect to the guide element 10 forms the section 104.

(27) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a connector arrangement from above. It goes without saying that the orientation “above” or “below” can be reversed.

(28) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a connector arrangement from below.

(29) The guide element 10 is located in an area of the cable 100 with the cladding removed. It is evident that the cores 102.1 and 102.2 cross over in the guide element 10. Accordingly, at the connector-side end of the guide element 10 the cores 102.1 and 102.3 or 102.2 and 102.4 each form pairs, whose counterparts are diagonally opposite each other. The connector-side region of the cable 100 with respect to the guide element 10 or the connector 200 forms the section 106 of the connector arrangement.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(30) 10 guide element 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 guide tracks 12.1′, 12.2′, 12.3′, 12.4′ guide tracks 102.1, 102.2, 102.3, 102.4 cores 14 first end 16 second end 18 means of compensation for the length offset 20A, 20B shield element 22 groove 100 cable 104 first section 106 second section 200 connector