Cables and cable assemblies

Abstract

A cable and a cable assembly are provided. The cable includes: at least two core wires extending along a length direction of the cable, each core wire including a conductive wire core and a core wire insulation layer covering an outside of the conductive wire core; an inner insulation layer circumferentially covering and contacting each of the at least two core wires to fix the at least two core wires and make the at least two core wires abut against each other; a conductive shielding layer circumferentially wrapped outside the inner insulation layer; and an outer insulation layer circumferentially wrapped outside the conductive shielding layer, wherein a plurality of air slots are formed in the inner insulation layer and extend along the length direction of the cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to cables, and more specifically, to cables such as biaxial cables, and cable assemblies including the cables. Background Technology

[0002] Conventional data transmission cables typically consist of at least two conductive cores, an internal insulation structure that circumferentially covers and contacts these cores to secure them, a conductive shielding layer surrounding the internal insulation structure, and an external insulation layer surrounding the shielding layer. However, this structure results in a rigid product that is difficult to bend after molding. Furthermore, bending causes a uniform increase in signal loss that cannot be adjusted, easily degrading SI performance. Additionally, the solid structure limits the cable size for the same American wire gauge (AWG) and impedance. This may be unacceptable when design space for cable assemblies is limited. Moreover, more insulation material within the shielding layer leads to higher and worse insertion loss. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure is made in order to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned and other problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a cable is provided, comprising: at least two core wires extending along the length of the cable, each core wire including a conductive core and a core wire insulation layer covering the conductive core; an inner insulation layer circumferentially covering and contacting each of the at least two core wires to fix the at least two core wires and abut against each other; a conductive shielding layer circumferentially wrapping around the inner insulation layer; and an outer insulation layer circumferentially wrapping around the conductive shielding layer, wherein a plurality of air slots are formed in the inner insulation layer extending along the length of the cable.

[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the air groove is located on the side of the inner insulation layer near the at least two core wires.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner insulation layer is an integrally extruded layer formed on the outside of the at least two core wires along the length direction of the cable.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner insulation layer has a generally “∞” shaped cross-section, and the at least two core wires include two core wires symmetrically held in the inner insulation layer.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the inner insulation layer has a generally elliptical cross-section, and the at least two core wires include two core wires symmetrically held in the inner insulation layer.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of the air trough is selected from at least one of a circle, a semicircle, a sector, a polygon, and a semi-ellipse.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the air slots are arranged at equal intervals along one side of the inner insulation layer near the at least two core wires.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive shielding layer has a first end and a second end in the radial cross-section of the cable, the first end and the second end being located at different positions along the circumferential direction of the cable, such that the conductive shielding layer forms a closed loop in the circumferential direction of the cable.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first end and the second end of the conductive shielding layer are respectively located on opposite radial sides of the inner insulating layer.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the conductive shielding layer has overlapping portions between the first end and the second end.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cable further includes at least one ground wire disposed between the conductive shielding layer and the outer insulation layer and in electrical contact with the conductive shielding layer.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one ground wire includes a single ground wire located on one side of the conductive shielding layer, or two ground wires symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the conductive shielding layer.

[0016] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a cable assembly is provided, comprising: at least two cables, each cable being a cable as described above; and an outer sheath disposed over the outside of the at least two cables. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-section of the structure of a cable according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-section of the structure of a cable according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, identical or similar components are indicated by identical or similar reference numerals. The following description of various embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to illustrate the overall concept of this disclosure and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

[0021] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0022] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a cable, such as a biaxial or differential cable, for data transmission at a high transmission rate. As illustrated, the cable according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least two core wires 110 arranged sequentially from the inside out, an inner insulation layer 120, a conductive shielding layer 130, and an outer insulation layer 140. The at least two core wires 110 are used for signal or data transmission and extend along the length of the cable. Each core wire includes a conductive core 111 and a core wire insulation layer 112 covering the conductive core 111. The inner insulation layer 120 circumferentially covers and contacts each of the at least two core wires 110 to secure the at least two core wires 110 and bring them abutting against each other. The inner insulation layer 120 also provides electrical insulation and protection for the core wires 110. The conductive shielding layer 130 circumferentially wraps around the outside of the inner insulation layer 120 to provide signal shielding for the cable. The outer insulation layer 140 is, for example, in the form of a sleeve, circumferentially wrapping around the outside of the conductive shielding layer 130. In this embodiment, a plurality of air grooves 160 are formed on the side of the inner insulation layer 120 near the at least two core wires 110, the air grooves 160 extending along the length of the cable. According to the cable of this disclosure, all conductive core wires 110 of the same cable are covered by a single inner insulation layer 120, the space between the covered core wires 110 is filled with the material of the inner insulation layer 120, and the inner insulation layer 120 and all the core wires 110 covered therein form a stable integral structure, which ensures that each core wire 110 does not shift relative to other core wires during use, so that the SI performance of the cable remains relatively stable. Furthermore, by forming several air grooves 160 on the side of the inner insulation layer 120 near the core wire 110, a certain space or gap can exist between the inner insulation layer 120 and the core wire 110. This can reduce the dielectric constant of the cable and achieve the purpose of reducing the cable size under the same impedance. In addition, by setting the air grooves, the cable can be allowed to move slightly when bent under force, so that the cable can be soft or have a certain degree of flexibility. This makes it easy to bend the cable when assembling or using the cable, which is convenient for operation.

[0023] It should be noted that, although in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the air groove 160 is formed on the side of the inner insulating layer 120 near the core wire 110. However, in some other embodiments, the air groove 160 may also be formed inside the inner insulating layer 120 and / or on the side of the inner insulating layer 120 away from the core wire 110 and / or on the side of the inner insulating layer 120 near the core wire 110. This disclosure is not limiting in this regard.

[0024] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the inner insulation layer 120 may be a single extruded layer that integrally and efficiently wraps around each of the at least two core wires 110 along the length direction of the cable by an extrusion process. The inner insulation layer 120 may be made of an insulating polymer material. For example, in an extrusion process, insulating materials such as polyolefins, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) may be used to directly wrap around the at least two core wires in a single extrusion to form an integral insulation structure that extends continuously along the length of the cable. In this way, the inner insulation layer 120 fits more closely to the outer peripheral surface of each core wire, resulting in better structural stability.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the conductive core 111 of the core wire 110 can be made of a highly conductive material such as copper conductor or silver-plated wire. Each conductive core 111 can be a single-core wire formed by a single conductor, or a stranded core wire formed by two or more conductors, and is not particularly limited herein. The core wire insulation layer 112 of the core wire 110 can be made of an insulating material such as polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter referred to as "PET").

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the inner insulation layer 120 may have a generally "∞" shaped cross-section or a generally "∞" shaped structure, which contacts a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the insulation layer 112 of each core wire 110. Specifically, as Figure 1 As shown, a hollow portion with an approximately “∞” shaped cross-section can be defined within the inner insulating layer 120. Each core wire 110 is positioned within the hollow portion defined by the inner insulating layer 120. For example, two core wires 110 are symmetrically held within the hollow portion, and the two core wires 110 can be arranged along the length direction of the “∞” shape.

[0027] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the inner insulation layer 120 may have an annular cross-section or an annular structure, which contacts a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the insulation layer 112 of each core wire 110. Specifically, as Figure 2 As shown, a hollow portion with a generally elliptical cross-section can be defined within the inner insulation layer 120. Each core wire 110 is positioned within the hollow portion defined by the inner insulation layer 120. For example, two core wires 110 are symmetrically held within this hollow portion. The two core wires 110 can be arranged along the major axis of the elliptical shape, for example, the centers of the two core wires 110 can coincide with the two foci of the elliptical shape, respectively. In this case, a triangular space or gap can be formed between a portion of the inner insulation layer 120 and the core wires 110, which facilitates bending the cable during assembly or use, making it easier to handle.

[0028] Although Figure 1 andFigure 2 Two cross-sectional shapes of the inner insulating layer 120 are shown, wherein two core wires 110 are held in the hollow portion defined by the inner insulating layer 120, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The cross-sectional shape of the inner insulating layer 120, as well as the number and arrangement of the core wires 110, can be changed according to actual needs.

[0029] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, the air trough 160 has two shapes: circular and semi-circular. However, in some other embodiments of this disclosure, the air trough 160 may also have only a semi-circular shape (e.g., Figure 2 (As shown). It should be noted that the air slot 160 can also take other shapes, such as a sector, a polygon (such as a triangle, a rectangle, etc.), a semi-ellipse, and various other shapes. That is to say, the shape of the air slot 160 can be selected from at least one of the following: circle, semi-circle, sector, polygon, semi-ellipse, etc.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air slots 160 are arranged at equal intervals along the side of the inner insulation layer 120 near the at least two core wires 110. However, it should be noted that in some other embodiments of this disclosure, the air slots may also be arranged at non-equal intervals along the side of the inner insulation layer 120 near the at least two core wires 110.

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the conductive shielding layer 130 wraps around the outer peripheral surface of the inner insulating layer 120 to provide electromagnetic or signal shielding to the conductors. In some embodiments, the conductive shielding layer 130 may be in the form of a shielding strip, wrapped around the outside of the inner insulating layer 120 in the longitudinal direction or along the longitudinal length of the inner insulating layer 120. The presence of the inner insulating layer prevents the conductive shielding layer from entering the gaps between the conductors. For example, the conductive shielding layer may be bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the inner insulating layer by heat fusion or by adhesive. As an example, the conductive layer of the conductive shielding layer may be made of aluminum or copper, for example, an aluminum / polypropylene strip. However, it should be noted that those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0032] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the conductive shielding layer 130 has a first end 131 and a second end 132 in the radial cross-section of the cable. The first end 131 and the second end 132 are located at different positions along the circumferential direction of the cable, so that the conductive shielding layer 130 forms a closed loop in the circumferential direction, thereby further improving the electromagnetic shielding effect. Furthermore, there is no seam between the first end 131 and the second end 132, which avoids the problem of the seam widening during cable bending, preventing the formation of a complete shielding ring. For example, in... Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 131 and the second end 132 of the conductive shielding layer 130 are respectively located radially opposite to the outer side of the inner insulating layer 120. As an example, the conductive shielding layer 130 has overlapping portions between the first end 131 and the second end 132, thereby further improving the electromagnetic shielding effect.

[0033] The outer insulation layer 140 may be made of an insulating material such as polyester, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter referred to as "PET"). In some examples, the outer insulation layer may be formed by stacking multiple sub-insulation layers to enhance the cable's resilience during bending use, wherein at least one sub-insulation layer may be an extruded layer, and / or at least one sub-insulation layer (e.g., the outermost sub-insulation layer) may be a heat-shrink tubing.

[0034] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cable may also include a separately provided drain wire or ground wire 150, such as at least one drain wire or ground wire 150 disposed between the conductive shielding layer 130 and the outer insulation layer 140. The drain wire or ground wire 150 can be in electrical contact with the conductive shielding layer 130 to improve the electromagnetic shielding effect of the cable. For example, the conductive layer of the conductive shielding layer 130 can face the outer insulation layer 1550 to contact the drain wire or ground wire 150.

[0035] In such Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, two ground wires 150 are provided, for example, symmetrically arranged on opposite radial sides of the conductive shielding layer 130 externally. However, in embodiments not shown in this disclosure, only a single ground wire located on one side of the conductive shielding layer may be provided. In other embodiments not shown in this disclosure, a separate drain wire or ground wire may not be provided, in which case the conductive shielding layer can be electrically connected to an external grounding structure to serve as a ground wire.

[0036] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a cable assembly is also provided, comprising at least two cables as described above, which can be arranged within an outer sheath. For example, the cables can be parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction, spaced apart from each other, or twisted or coiled together. The cable assembly can have two or more cables, thereby providing more signal, data, or power transmission capabilities without signal interference between the individual cables. The outer sheath can be a metal tube or a plastic tube to provide a certain level of protection.

[0037] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” as used herein do not exclude other elements or steps. Additionally, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cable, comprising: At least two core wires (110) extend along the length of the cable, each core wire including a conductive core (111) and a core wire insulation layer (112) covering the outside of the conductive core. An inner insulation layer (120) circumferentially covers and contacts each of the at least two core wires (110) to secure the at least two core wires (110) and bring the at least two core wires abutting against each other; A conductive shielding layer (130) circumferentially surrounds the exterior of the inner insulating layer (120); and An outer insulating layer (140) circumferentially wraps around the outside of the conductive shielding layer (130). The inner insulation layer (120) has a plurality of air grooves (160) formed therein, and the air grooves (160) extend along the length direction of the cable.

2. The cable according to claim 1, wherein, The air slot (160) is located on the side of the inner insulation layer (120) near the at least two core wires (110).

3. The cable according to claim 1, wherein, The inner insulation layer (120) is an integrally extruded layer formed on the outside of the at least two core wires (110) along the length of the cable.

4. The cable according to claim 3, wherein, The inner insulation layer (120) has a generally "∞" shaped cross-section, and the at least two core wires (110) include two core wires that are symmetrically held in the inner insulation layer (120).

5. The cable according to claim 3, wherein, The inner insulation layer (120) has a generally elliptical cross-section, and the at least two core wires (110) include two core wires that are symmetrically held in the inner insulation layer (120).

6. The cable according to claim 1, wherein, The shape of the air trough (160) is selected from at least one of the following: circle, semicircle, sector, polygon, and semi-ellipse.

7. The cable according to claim 1, wherein, The air slots (160) are arranged at equal intervals along one side of the inner insulation layer (120) near the at least two core wires (110).

8. The cable according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The conductive shielding layer (130) has a first end (131) and a second end (132) in the radial cross-section of the cable, the first end (131) and the second end (132) being located at different positions along the circumferential direction of the cable, such that the conductive shielding layer (130) forms a closed loop in the circumferential direction of the cable.

9. The cable according to claim 8, wherein, The first end (131) and the second end (132) of the conductive shielding layer (130) are respectively located on the radially opposite sides of the inner insulating layer (120).

10. The cable according to claim 8, wherein, The conductive shielding layer (130) has an overlapping portion (133) between the first end (131) and the second end (132).

11. The cable according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The cable also includes at least one ground wire (150) disposed between the conductive shielding layer (130) and the outer insulation layer (140) and electrically in contact with the conductive shielding layer (130).

12. The cable according to claim 11, wherein, The at least one ground wire includes a single ground wire located on one side of the conductive shielding layer (130), or two ground wires symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the conductive shielding layer (130).

13. A cable assembly, comprising: At least two cables, each cable being a cable according to any one of claims 1 to 12; as well as An outer sheath, which is fitted over the outside of the at least two cables.

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