Hybrid cable, method for its manufacture and use of such a hybrid cable

Abstract

An electric lead contains at least three conductors. Each of conductors has a line which is surrounded by a conductor sheath. Two of the conductors are embodied as signal conductors, and form, with a common partial lead sheath surrounding them, a first partial lead, in particular a signal lead. Another of the conductors is embodied as a power conductor and forms a second partial lead, in particular a power lead. The conductors are surrounded by a separating sleeve, which is in turn surrounded by a common sheath of the electric lead. The lead is characterized in that the partial lead sheath has an inner sheath section and an outer sheath section, and the outer sheath section is harder than the inner sheath section.

Claims

1. A method for connecting sensors, which comprises the steps of: providing an electric lead, the electric lead containing at least three conductors each having a line being surrounded by a conductor sheath, two of the conductors are signal conductors, a common partial lead sheath surrounding the signal conductors, the common partial lead sheath and the signal conductors forming a first partial lead, another of the conductors is a power conductor forming a second partial lead, the electric lead further having a separating sleeve surrounding the conductors and a common sheath surrounding the separating sleeve; connecting the first partial lead as a signal lead to a wheel rotational speed sensor in a motor vehicle; and connecting the second partial lead, as a power lead, to an electric brake actuator.

2. A method for manufacturing an electric lead, which comprises the steps of: combining two conductors, via twisting, to form a first partial lead; a partial lead sheath is applied jointly to the two conductors, the partial lead sheath having an inner sheath section being applied and subsequently an outer sheath section being applied, the outer sheath section is harder than the inner sheath section; providing at least one other conductor which forms a second partial lead; combining the first and second partial leads; surrounding the first and second partial leads with a common separating sleeve; and applying a common sheath to the common separating sleeve.

3. The method according to claim 2, which further comprises combining the first and second partial leads by twisting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric lead according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective, side view of a detail of the electrical lead according to FIG. 1; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conductor of the electric lead according to FIG. 1, embodied as a limb stranded conductor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an electric lead 2 which is embodied as a hybrid lead and in this respect contains two partial leads 4, 6. In this context, the first partial lead 4 is here a signal lead which has two signal conductors 8 which are surrounded by a common partial lead sheath 10. The second partial lead sheath is, in contrast, embodied here as a power lead and contains in this respect two power conductors 12 with a larger cross section than the signal conductors 8 and without a common partial lead sheath. The conductors 8, 12 each comprise a line 8a, 12a and a conductor sheath 8b, 12b which respectively surrounds the latter. In order, in particular, to facilitate separation of the respective conductor sheath 8b, 12b, a conductor separating layer 13, embodied here as a hot seal layer and connected in a materially joined fashion to the respective conductor sheath 8b, 12b, is arranged between the conductor sheath 8b, 12b and the associated line 8a, 12a.

(5) The partial lead sheath 10 of the first partial lead 4 is embodied here with two layers, wherein first an inner sheath section 10a surrounds the two signal conductors 8, and in this context also fills the interstices formed between the signal conductors 8. The inner sheath section 10a additionally has a circular outer contour. In the radial direction, an outer sheath section 10b adjoins the inner sheath section 10a, the outer sheath section 10b being embodied here, in particular, in an annular shape. In this context, the outer sheath section 10b is fabricated from a harder material than the inner sheath section 10a and is connected thereto in a materially joined fashion.

(6) In the exemplary refinement shown here, both sheath sections 10a, 10b are fabricated from a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, wherein the material composition is varied in such a way that the outer sheath section 10b is harder. The junction between the inner and the outer sheath sections 10a and 10b, respectively, is indicated in FIG. 1 by a dashed line. In this context it becomes clear that the outer sheath section 10b extends approximately over the half the entire radius R of the signal line 4 and at the same time serves, in particular, also as a spacer element between the signal conductors 8 and the power conductors 12.

(7) The two partial leads 4, 6 are surrounded by a common separating sleeve 14, which is illustrated as an emboldened line in FIGS. 1 and 2. The separating sleeve 14 is a separating film which is fabricated from a plastic and is guided in a longitudinally running in fashion about the partial leads 4, 6, and in this context rests in the interstices formed by the two partial leads 4, 6. Additional filler elements between the partial leads 4, 6 and the separating sleeve 14 have been dispensed with here. Both partial leads 4, 6 are finally combined by a common sheath 16, which is applied to the common separating sleeve 14. In this context, the separating sleeve 14 makes it possible, in particular, that the common sheath 16 and the partial lead sheath 10 are manufactured from the same material and nevertheless can be easily separated from one another during the preparation for fitting. The common sheath 16 also has a circular outer contour, with a diameter of approximately 10 mm here, which diameter also corresponds to the outer diameter D of the electric lead 2. The common sheath 16 is therefore also the outermost sheath of the lead 2.

(8) FIG. 2 illustrates a section of the lead 2 according to FIG. 1 in a side illustration. The two signal conductors 8 with the partial lead sheath 10 which surrounds them and the two power conductors 12 can be clearly seen. In addition, a dashed line indicates a housing 18 of a function element, for example a rotational speed sensor. The power conductors 12 are, in contrast, provided, for example, with a suitable plug and are connected to a brake actuator (not illustrated in more detail here). The housing 18 is fabricated from the same material as the signal lead 4, in the variant shown, in particular, from a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer, and is additionally integrally molded on to the partial lead sheath 10 in a materially joined fashion, as a result of which the connection is particularly leakproof and robust. The insulation has been removed from the common sheath 16 here to such an extent that the two partial leads 4, 6 partially project and can be laid at different locations and connected as separate leads. In this context, in particular the relatively hard sheath section 10b ensures particularly good stability of the signal lead 4 which is guided separately.

(9) The separating sleeve 14, which, when the insulation was removed from the common sheath 16, was also separated without residue, is also illustrated in a clearly apparent fashion in FIG. 2. Since, consequently, no residues remain on the partial lead sheath 10, the integral molding of the housing 18 onto the partial lead 4 is particularly simplified.

(10) The lines 8a of the signal conductors 8 are fabricated in the exemplary refinement shown here in each case from a multiplicity of wires, which are each composed of a copper alloy. In contrast, the lines 12a of the power lead 6 are fabricated from copper and are constructed as limb stranded conductors by a specific stranding process.

(11) In order to clarify the design of the lines 12a of the power conductors 12, an exemplary refinement of one of the lines 12a is illustrated in FIG. 3. The line is shown as a limb stranded conductor with seven limbs 20, 22 in an exemplary 1+6 stranding arrangement. The limb 20 which is arranged in the center constitutes here a central limb around which the other limbs 22 are stranded.

(12) Each of the limbs 20, 22 contains a multiplicity of wires 24 which twist with one another in a respective limb direction of lay S1, S2. The limb direction of lay S1 of the central limb 20 corresponds here to the opposing direction of the limb direction of lay S2 of the outer limbs 22. The twisting of these outer limbs 22 around the central limb 20 additionally takes place in the opposing direction to their limb direction of lay S2, and therefore in the direction of the limb direction of lay S1 of the central limb 20. As a result, a criss-cross profile of the respective wires 24 is produced in the intermediate region Z in which a respective limb 22 bears against the central limb 20. Furthermore, as a result of the reversed lay of the outer limbs 22 with respect to their respective limb direction of lay S2, a largely straight profile of the corresponding wires 24 is produced. The power conductor 12 which is embodied in this way then has a particularly high degree of flexibility.

(13) The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: 2 Electric lead, hybrid cable 4 First partial lead (signal lead) 6 Second partial lead (power lead) 8 Conductor (signal conductor) 8a Line 8b Conductor sheath 10 Partial lead sheath 10a Inner sheath section 10b Outer sheath section 12 Conductor (power conductor) 12a Line 12b Conductor sheath 13 Conductor separating layer 14 Separating sleeve 16 Common sheath 18 Housing (of a function element) 20 Central limb 22 Limb 24 Wire D Outer diameter R Total radius of the first partial lead S1, S1 Limb direction of lay z Intermediate region