Communication cable and communication cable assembly

Abstract

A communication cable and a communication cable assembly are provided that allow for the use of a reversible plug that can be inserted into the receptacle in reverse, thereby extending the communication distance and power supply distance relative to the cable diameter. The communication cable (1) is a communication cable in which a pair of plug connectors (110A, 110B) are electrically connected to terminals on both sides, and has two first differential pairs (2A, 2B) for transmitting high-speed differential signals, one or more power lines (4) and ground lines (5) for supplying power to a device connected to the terminals, and a configuration channel line (6) for detecting the front and back directions of the plug connectors (110A, 110B), and the first differential pairs do not have any other than the two first differential pairs (2A, 2B).

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication cable and a communication cable assembly. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, transmission cables capable of reducing costs and improving transmission characteristics have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard, one of the interface specifications, has been defined in various ways over the years, and the maximum transmission speed has been improved. For example, it is 12 Mbps for USB 1.0 and USB 1.1, 480 Mbps for USB 2.0, 5 Gbps for USB 3.0, 10 Gbps for USB 3.1, and 20 Gbps for USB 3.2. Meanwhile, regarding connectors, Type-A and Type-B were specified, but since USB 3.1, the reversible Type-C connector has been specified.

[0004] In addition, USB cables have become capable of various communications with a single cable, and for this reason, the configuration of core lines has become more complex, and the number of core lines is increasing. For example, 4 cores are recommended for USB 2.0, 8 cores for USB 3.0, and 15 cores for USB Type-C.

[0005] The transmission cable described in Patent Document 1 is a transmission cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard and is a 17-core cable comprising eight coaxial lines (for 10Gbps transmission), four signal lines (first SBU line, second SBU line, CC line and Vconn line), one power line, two ground lines, and a pair of twisted pair lines. Prior art literature

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-10747 The problem to be solved

[0007] Transmission cables compliant with the conventional USB Type-C standard are the mainstream charging cables for smartphones in many countries. Furthermore, there is a growing trend to adopt the USB Type-C standard for power and communication cables not only for smartphones but also for PCs, other communication devices, and video devices. This is believed to be intended not to standardize cable characteristics, but to enhance convenience by standardizing the connector plug and the receptacle of the connected device. Meanwhile, the USB Type-C standard specifies specifications for both the cable and the connector. Due to limitations on the board size of connectors compliant with this USB Type-C standard, there are also restrictions on the cable's outer diameter. Consequently, the conductor cross-sectional area of ​​each core line cannot be increased, leading to a problem where communication quality deteriorates as the cable length increases. Additionally, while the Type-C standard allows for both data transmission and power supply using a single cable, there is a problem where the cable length is limited to the shorter distance if either the communication range or the power supply range is shorter than the other.

[0008] The objective of the present invention is to provide a communication cable and a communication cable assembly that can extend the communication distance and power supply distance relative to the cable diameter by using a reversible plug that can be inserted into the receptacle in reverse order. means of solving the problem

[0009] [1] A communication cable in which a pair of plug connectors are electrically connected to terminals on both sides,

[0010] Two first differential pairs transmitting high-speed differential signals, and

[0011] Each having one or more power lines and ground lines for supplying power to a device connected to the above terminal, and

[0012] It has a configuration channel line for detecting the front and back directions of the above plug connector, and

[0013] A communication cable in which the first differential pair is not present in addition to the two first differential pairs.

[0014] [2] The signal line constituting the first differential pair above has a central conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the ratio of the conductor diameter to the cable diameter is 0.06 or greater, the communication cable described in [1].

[0015] [3] Each of the above power line and the above ground line has a conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the ratio of the conductor diameter of the above power line and the above ground line to the cable diameter is 0.10 or more, and when there are multiple of the above power line and the above ground line, the conductor diameter is the conductor diameter converted to one each so that the resistance value is equal, the communication cable described in [2].

[0016] [4] A communication cable described in [1], wherein the signal line constituting the first differential pair comprises a central conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the conductor of the signal line has a cross-sectional area of ​​0.06 mm² or more.

[0017] [5] Each of the above power line and the above ground line has a conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the conductor of the above power line and the above ground line has a cross-sectional area of ​​0.30 mm² or more, and when there are multiple of the above power line and the above ground line, the cross-sectional area is the sum of the respective cross-sectional areas, the communication cable described in [4].

[0018] [6] A communication cable described in [1] above, having 6 or more cores and 14 or fewer cores.

[0019] [7] A communication cable described in [1] above, further equipped with a second power line.

[0020] [8] A communication cable described in [1], further comprising a second differential pair that transmits a low-speed differential signal.

[0021] [9] A communication cable described in [1] that uses a wire that functions as a ground wire to supply power to a device connected to the terminal, instead of the ground wire mentioned above.

[0022]

[10] A communication cable described in any one of [1] to [9] above, and

[0023] A communication cable assembly having a pair of plug connectors electrically connected to terminals on both sides of the communication cable.

[0024]

[11] One plug connector of the above pair of plug connectors is equipped with a circuit element that records the value of power that can be supplied to the device, in the communication cable assembly described in

[10] . Effects of the invention

[0025] According to the present invention, a reversible plug that can be inserted into a receptacle in reverse order can be used, thereby extending the communication distance and power supply distance with respect to the cable diameter. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0026] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a communication cable assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a connector board corresponding to a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard, (a) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the back side. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a connector substrate according to a first embodiment, (a) is a plan view of the connector substrate seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector substrate seen from the back side. FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining the connection of a first differential pair according to a first embodiment to a connector board shown in FIG. 4, (a) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the back side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining the connection of a first differential pair according to a third embodiment to a connector board shown in FIG. 4, (a) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the back side. Figure 9a is a diagram illustrating the attenuation characteristics when the cable length is 3m. FIG. 9b is a diagram illustrating the attenuation characteristics according to the cable length corresponding to each communication distance. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, components having substantially the same function are given the same reference numerals, and their redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0028] [First Embodiment]

[0029] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a communication cable assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The communication cable assembly (100) comprises a communication cable (1) of a predetermined length within a communication range and a power supply range, a first plug connector (hereinafter abbreviated as “first connector”) (110A) connected to one terminal of the communication cable (1), and a second plug connector (hereinafter abbreviated as “second connector”) (110B) connected to the other terminal of the communication cable (1).

[0030] The communication cable (1) is a cable with 10 cores, with the number of core lines reduced compared to the core line configuration of a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard. That is, a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard has 4 pairs of high-frequency signal lines (SSTX 1 line, SSRX 1 line, SSTX 2 line, SSRX 2 line), but the communication cable (1) is limited to 2 pairs of high-frequency signal lines (e.g., SSTX 1 line, SSRX 1 line).

[0031] In addition, while a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard has signal lines (SBU1 line, SBU2 line) for alternative mode (HDMI (registered trademark), DisplayPort, etc.), the present communication cable (1) is configured not to have an alternative mode, in other words, is configured not to include signal lines (SBU1 line, SBU2 line), or is configured to be specialized for USB signals. Additionally, signal lines (SBU1 line, SBU2 line) may be added as needed.

[0032] With the above configuration, the number of core wires can be reduced, and when the cable diameter is kept the same as in the past, the conductor diameters of the SSTX1 line and SSRX1 line can be increased, thereby extending the communication distance. In addition, the conductor diameters of the power line and ground line for supplying power to the device connected to the terminal of the communication cable (1) can be increased, thereby extending the power supply distance. That is, the communication distance and power supply distance can be extended relative to the cable diameter. Furthermore, by retaining the CC line compliant with the USB Type-C standard, a reversible plug that can be inserted in reverse (up and down) with respect to a connector compliant with the USB Type-C standard, i.e., a receptacle, can be adopted. In addition, since the number of core wires can be reduced, the core wires can be made thicker, and advantages in material selection and manufacturing of the resin layer are obtained as described later. Furthermore, to enjoy the convenience resulting from the standardization of connectors compliant with the USB Type-C standard, it is sufficient that at least the shape and structure of the connector's fitting portion matches the shape and structure of the fitting portion of the USB Type-C standard of the connected device; however, the shape and structure of the connector board or cable, excluding the fitting portion, do not need to comply with the USB Type-C standard. Additionally, since it is possible to extend the cable length without degrading communication quality and achieve weight reduction, it is also possible to use it, for example, in onboard devices.

[0033] The first connector (110A) is connected to a receptacle provided in, for example, a computer (hereinafter referred to as the first device) and comprises a resin housing (111A), a plug (112A) provided to be exposed from the housing (111A), and a connector board (200A) disposed within the housing (111A). The connector board (200A) of the first connector (110A) electrically connects the plug (112A) and one terminal of the communication cable (1). The plug (112A) is an example of a fitting part.

[0034] The second connector (110B) is connected to a receptacle provided in, for example, a peripheral device (hereinafter referred to as the second device), and uses the same connector as the first connector (110A) as shown in FIG. 1 (a). That is, the second connector (110B) comprises a resin housing (111A), a plug (112A) provided to be exposed from the housing (111A), and a connector board (200A) disposed within the housing (111A). The connector board (200A) of the second connector (110B) electrically connects the plug (112A) and the other end of the communication cable (1).

[0035] The first device and the second device connected to the first connector (110A) or the second connector (110B) include, for example, devices such as a personal computer, tablet terminal, smartphone, digital camera, printer, mouse, earphones, USB memory, or charger. Additionally, the device may have a charging function. The first device and the second device are, for example, compliant with the USB PD (Power Delivery) standard and have a PD control unit. The PD control unit performs PD communication compliant with the USB PD standard.

[0036] In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 (a), the first connector (110A) and the second connector (110B) use the same connector, but as shown in FIG. 1 (b), different connectors may be used. For example, the second connector (110B) has a resin housing (111B) equipped with a screw for preventing the connector from coming loose, a plug (112B) provided to be exposed from the housing (111B), and a connector board (200A) disposed inside the housing (111B). In addition, in this embodiment, the connector board (200A) of the first connector (110A) and the connector board (200A) of the second connector (110B) use the same board, but different boards may be used. In addition, the present embodiment does not include a cable (USB Type-C legacy cable) having a plug according to the present embodiment connected to one end and a plug compliant with the Type-A or Type-B standard connected to the other end. The plug (112B) is an example of a fitting part.

[0037] (Composition of communication cables)

[0038] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable (1) shown in FIG. 1. This communication cable (1) is a 10-core cable having two first differential pairs (2A, 2B) that transmit high-speed differential signals (e.g., 5Gbps to 20Gbps), a second differential pair (3) that transmits low-speed differential signals (e.g., 480Mbps), one or more power lines (4) (Vbus lines), one or more ground lines (5), a configuration channel line (hereinafter referred to as "CC line") (6) for detecting the front and back directions of a plug conforming to the USB Type-C standard, and a power line (hereinafter referred to as "Vconn line") (8) for a circuit inside a plug conforming to the USB Type-C standard, and the first differential pairs are not other than the two first differential pairs (2A, 2B). Additionally, the communication cable (1) is not limited to a 10-core cable, and may be a cable with 8 cores or fewer, 9 cores or fewer, or 14 cores or fewer. By making it 14 cores or fewer, differentiation from the recommended number of core lines (15 cores) for USB Type-C can be achieved. Also, the CC line (6) may not be compliant with the USB Type-C standard. Also, the Vconn line (8) may not be compliant with the USB Type-C standard. The Vconn line (8) is an example of a second power line.

[0039] Among the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B), the first differential pair is formed by two adjacent signal lines (2a, 2b), and the second differential pair is formed by two other adjacent signal lines (2c, 2d). One pair of signal lines (2a, 2b) is twisted together with the drain line (10) and covered collectively by the shield layer (11). This forms the first Twinax cable. The other pair of signal lines (2a, 2b) is also twisted together with the drain line (10) and covered collectively by the shield layer (11), thereby forming the second Twinax cable. A communication cable (1) using a Twinax cable in the first differential pair (2A, 2B) is hereinafter also referred to as a Twinax type communication cable. Additionally, as a twin-nex cable, it may be of a type that is not twisted together. The drain wire (10) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting together a plurality of metal wires. The signal wires (2a to 2d) are examples of signal wires that constitute the first differential pair.

[0040] The signal lines (2a to 2d) comprise a conductor (21) and an insulating layer (22) covering the conductor (21). The conductor (21) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (22) is formed from a resin material (for example, cross-linked polyethylene). The conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) has a cross-sectional area such that the communication distance at a transmission speed of, for example, 5.0 m or more, preferably 5.0 m or more, and more preferably 6.0 m or more. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) is preferably 0.06 mm² or more, and more preferably 0.08 mm² or more. In addition, to prevent the connection work to the connector board (200A) from becoming difficult, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) is preferably 0.35 mm² or less, and more preferably 0.23 mm² or less. Due to the size constraints of the connector board (200A) for the fitting part conforming to the USB Type-C standard, the ratio of the conductor diameter of the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) to the cable diameter is preferably 0.06 or more. The conductor (21) is an example of a central conductor.

[0041] The shield layer (11) is provided on the inside and comprises an inner shield layer (11a) formed by winding a conductive tape (e.g., a tape laminated with aluminum and polyester) and an outer shield layer (11b) provided on the outside of the inner shield layer (11a) and formed by winding a resin tape (e.g., a polyester tape).

[0042] The second differential pair (3) is formed by twisting and combining two signal lines (3a, 3b). The signal lines (3a, 3b) have a conductor (31) and an insulating layer (32) covering the conductor (31). The conductor (31) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (32) is formed of a resin material (for example, polyethylene).

[0043] The power line (4) comprises a conductor (41) and an insulating layer (42) covering the conductor (41). The conductor (41) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (42) is formed from a resin material (for example, a fluoropolymer such as tetrafluoroethylene / ethylene copolymer resin (ETFE), polyvinyl chloride).

[0044] The grounding wire (5) comprises a conductor (51) and an insulating layer (52) covering the conductor (51). The conductor (51) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (52) is formed from a resin material (for example, a fluoropolymer such as tetrafluoroethylene / ethylene copolymer resin (ETFE), polyvinyl chloride). Additionally, the grounding wire (5) may be a bare wire without an insulating layer on its outer surface.

[0045] The conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) have a cross-sectional area such that, for example, when power is supplied at 60W (20V, 3A), the voltage drop of the power line (4) is 500mV or less and the voltage drop of the ground line (5) is 250mV or less, and the power supply distance is at least 3.0m, preferably 5.0m or more, and more preferably 6.0m or more. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) is preferably 0.30mm² or more, and more preferably 0.50mm² or more. In addition, if the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) increases, the cable diameter becomes thicker, making it difficult to connect to the connector board (200A). For this reason, so that the connection work to the connector board (200A) is not difficult, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) is preferably 1.5 mm² or less, and more preferably 1.0 mm² or less. In addition, multiple power lines (4) and ground lines (5) may be used. In this case, the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductors (41, 51) is considered as the total cross-sectional area of ​​the multiple conductors combined. By making the power supply range equal to the communication range (for example, the difference between the communication range and the power range is 2 m or less or 1 m or less), the range over which data communication and power supply can be performed simultaneously can be extended. Due to the size constraints of the connector board (200A) for the fitting part conforming to the USB Type-C standard, the ratio of the conductor diameter of the power line (4) conductor (41) and the ground line (5) conductor (51) to the cable diameter is preferably 0.10 or more and 0.23 or less.

[0046] The CC wire (6) comprises a conductor (61) and an insulating layer (52) covering the conductor (61). The conductor (61) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (62) is formed from a resin material (for example, polyvinyl chloride).

[0047] The Vconn wire (8) comprises a conductor (81) and an insulating layer (82) covering the conductor (81). The conductor (81) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The insulating layer (82) is formed of a resin material (for example, polyvinyl chloride).

[0048] The Vconn line (8) may be used to identify a device connected to the communication cable (1) and to specify its function or condition. By doing so, the host (typically a computer or charger) as the first device can supply appropriate power to the device connected to the communication cable (1). For example, a docking station or display as the second device compliant with the USB Type-C standard communicates with the host via the Vconn line (8) and requests the necessary power level or function. By doing so, the connected device can be identified and the necessary power or function can be secured. Additionally, a cable equipped with an IC chip (eMaker) (active cable) may use the Vconn line (8) to efficiently transmit data or power. The IC chip (eMaker) inside the cable communicates with the host via the Vconn line (8) and establishes an appropriate power or data transmission protocol. By doing so, higher-speed data transmission or appropriate power supply becomes possible. Additionally, the Vconn line (8) may also be used to supply power to the device. For example, a device connected to a USB Type-C port (e.g., earphones or a mouse) can receive power through the Vconn line (8). This allows the device to not require its own power source, making a simpler and more compact design possible.

[0049] The first differential pair (2A, 2B), the second differential pair (3), the power line (4), the ground line (5), the CC line (6), and the Vconn line (8) are covered by a shield layer (12) together with an inclusion string (13), and the outer side is covered by a sheath (7). The sheath (7) is formed of a resin material (e.g., polyvinyl chloride) with a thickness of about 0.6 to 0.9 mm. The inclusion string (13) is formed of a fibrous material (e.g., cotton, silk, etc.). The inclusion string (13) is an example of an inclusion material.

[0050] The shield layer (12) is provided on the inside and comprises an inner shield layer (12a) formed by winding a conductive tape (e.g., a tape laminated with aluminum and polyester) and an outer shield layer (12b) provided on the outside of the inner shield layer (12a) and formed by a metal braid (e.g., a tin-plated copper wire braid).

[0051] (Configuration of the connector board)

[0052] FIG. 3 illustrates a connector board (200B) corresponding to a cable conforming to the USB Type-C standard, (a) is a plan view of the connector board (200B) seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board (200B) seen from the rear side. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a connector board (200A) according to the present embodiment, (a) is a plan view of the connector board (200A) seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board (200A) seen from the rear side. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, A represents the plug side, B represents the cable side, and C represents the width direction of the connector board.

[0053] (Configuration of a connector board corresponding to a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard)

[0054] A connector board (200B) corresponding to a cable conforming to the USB Type-C standard has a configuration that can correspond to an 18-core cable, as shown in FIG. 3, that is, has 18 terminals (also called PUTs), and has a substrate (201) formed of an insulating material.

[0055] On the surface (201a) of the substrate (201), as shown in FIG. 3 (a), a plug-side surface terminal group (211) consisting of terminals (211a to 211l) provided on the plug-side A, a cable-side surface terminal group (231) consisting of terminals (221a, 221b) provided between the plug-side A and the cable-side B, and terminals (231a to 231i) provided on the cable-side B are formed.

[0056] On the back surface (201b) of the substrate (201), as shown in FIG. 3 (b), a plug-side back surface terminal group (212) consisting of terminals (212a to 212j) provided on the plug-side A, a cable-side back surface terminal group (232) consisting of terminals (222a, 222b) provided between the plug-side A and the cable-side B, and terminals (232a to 232i) provided on the cable-side B are formed.

[0057] The terminals (231a to 231i) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) are formed with a pitch of 0.9 to 1.0 mm, and the terminals (232a to 232i) of the cable-side back terminal group (232) are formed with a pitch of 0.9 to 1.0 mm. That is, the minimum pitch of the terminals in the width direction C of the connector board (200B) is set to 0.9 mm.

[0058] (Configuration of the connector board according to the present embodiment)

[0059] The connector board (200A) according to the present embodiment conforms to the USB Type-C standard, but as shown in FIG. 4, it has a configuration that can correspond to a 10-core cable, that is, the number of terminals (also called PUTs) is 10, and has a substrate (201) formed of an insulating material. In addition, the number of terminals of the connector board (200A) may increase or decrease depending on the number of cores of the communication cable (1).

[0060] On the surface (201a) of the substrate (201), as shown in FIG. 4 (a), a plug-side surface terminal group (211) consisting of terminals (211a to 211l) provided on the plug side A, and a cable-side surface terminal group (231) consisting of terminals (221a, 221b) for an unillustrated metal cover of the plug (112A) provided between the plug side A and the cable side B, and terminals (231a to 231f) provided on the cable side B are formed. Among the cable-side surface terminal group (231), terminal (231f) is a shield terminal and has a rectangular shape with the length direction as the width direction C of the connector substrate (200A). The terminals (231a, 231b) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) are examples of a pair of surface terminals. The shield terminal (231f) is an example of a surface shield terminal.

[0061] On the back surface (201b) of the substrate (201), as shown in FIG. 4(b), a plug-side back terminal group (212) consisting of terminals (212a to 212j) provided on the plug side A, and a cable-side back terminal group (232) consisting of terminals (222a, 222b) for an unillustrated metal cover of the plug (112A) provided between the plug side A and the cable side B, and terminals (232a to 232f) provided on the cable side B are formed. Among the cable-side back terminal group (232), the terminal (232f) is a shield terminal and has a rectangular shape with the length direction as the width direction C of the connector substrate (200A). Additionally, an IC chip (also called an eMarker) (15) that performs control regarding power supply is mounted on the back side (201b) of the substrate (201) of one of the pair of connector boards (200A). Additionally, the IC chip (15) may be mounted on the surface (201a) of the substrate (201). Additionally, depending on the specifications of the connected device, the pair of connector boards (200A) may not be equipped with the IC chip (15). The surface (201a) and the back side (201b) are examples of one side. The terminals (232a, 232b) of the cable-side back terminal group (232) are examples of a pair of back terminals. The shield terminal (232f) is an example of a back shield terminal. The IC chip (eMarker) (15) is an example of a circuit element placed inside the plug.

[0062] The IC chip (15) has specification information such as manufacturer information (Vender ID) and power capacity (Max Voltage, Max Current). In the USB PD3.1 standard, power can be supplied up to 240W (48V, 5A), and in the USB PD3.0 standard, up to 100W (20V, 5A) in the case of 5A compatibility, and up to 60W (20V, 3A) in the case of 3A compatibility. In the IC chip (15) of this embodiment, voltages such as 5V, 9V, 15V, and 20V and current of 3A are recorded as output power rules, and power capacitys such as maximum voltage of 20V and maximum current of 3A are recorded. By having the communication cable assembly (100) equipped with an IC chip (15), even if there is an output demand (e.g., 100W) from the second device that exceeds the output power (e.g., 60W) that the first device can output, the PD control unit of the first device supplies power (20V, 3A) close to the output demand through the communication cable (1) based on the output power rule.

[0063] Among the cable-side surface terminal group (231), terminals (231a to 231e) excluding the shield terminal (231f) are formed with a pitch of 1.0 to 1.57 mm, and among the cable-side back terminal group (232), terminals (232a to 232e) excluding the shield terminal (232f) are formed with a pitch of 1.2 to 2.0 mm. That is, the minimum pitch of the terminals in the width direction C of the connector board (200A) is set to 1.2 mm.

[0064] According to the connector board (200A) of the present embodiment, the minimum pitch of the terminal in the width direction C can be expanded to at least 1.3 times the minimum pitch in the width direction C of the connector board (200B) compliant with the USB Type-C standard. In addition, since the number of cable cores is reduced, the number of pads of the connector board (200A) can be reduced, and the putter width can be expanded from, for example, 0.5 mm to 0.8 mm for the same dimensions and same area as the connector board (200B) compliant with the USB Type-C standard. With the above configuration, the connection work can be performed visually. In addition, the connection work of the communication cable (1) to the connector board (200A) can be performed without using a jig (wiring arrangement component) that aligns and holds the end of the communication cable (1) to be connected.

[0065] (Method for manufacturing a communication cable assembly)

[0066] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing a communication cable assembly (100) according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0067] First, two first differential pairs (2A, 2B), a second differential pair (3), a power line (4), a ground line (5), a CC line (6), a Vconn line (8), and an interlocking string (13) are prepared. For the first differential pairs (2A, 2B), two signal lines (2a, 2b) or signal lines (2c, 2d) and a drain line (10) are each twisted and combined, and a conductive tape is wrapped around the outer circumference to form an inner shield layer (11a), and a resin tape is wrapped around the outer circumference of the inner shield layer (11a) to form an outer shield layer (11b). The second differential pair (3) is formed by twisting and combining two signal lines (3a, 3b).

[0068] Next, the two prepared first differential pairs (2A, 2B), second differential pair (3), power line (4), ground line (5), CC line (6), Vconn line (8), and interlocking string (13) are twisted and combined, and a conductive tape is wrapped around the outer circumference of them to form an inner shield layer (12a), and a metal braid is wrapped around the outer circumference of the inner shield layer (12a) to form an outer shield layer (12b). Next, a sheath (7) is formed on the outer circumference of the shield layer (12) by extrusion molding using an extruder.

[0069] A communication cable (1) is manufactured as described above. Afterwards, the communication cable (1) is cut to the required length, and a terminal is connected to the connector board (200A) of the first connector (110A) and the connector board (200A) of the second connector (110B), thereby manufacturing a communication cable assembly (100) having the first connector (110A) and the second connector (110B) at both ends of the communication cable (1). Additionally, the connection operation for the connector board (200A) of the first differential pair (2A, 2B) will be described later.

[0070] (Connection operation of the first differential pair)

[0071] FIG. 5 is a drawing for explaining how signal lines (2a to 2d) of the first differential pair (2A, 2B) according to the first embodiment are connected to the connector board (200A) shown in FIG. 4, (a) is a plan view of the connector board (200A) seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board (200A) seen from the back side.

[0072] The conductor (21) of the signal line (2a, 2b) constituting the first differential pair (2A) is connected to the terminal (231a, 231b) shown in FIG. 5 (a). The conductor (21) of the signal line (2c, 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2B) is connected to the terminal (232a, 232b) shown in FIG. 5 (b). Here, when connecting the conductor (21) of the signal line (2a, 2b) constituting the first differential pair (2A) to the terminal (231a, 231b) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) of the connector board (200B) corresponding to the USB Type-C standard cable shown in FIG. 3 (a), the shield layer (11) must be peeled off and the insulation layer (22) of the signal line (2a, 2b) peeled off so that the exposed conductor (21) is connected to the terminal (231a, 231b) with a narrow pitch. Meanwhile, when the conductor (21) of the signal line (2a, 2b) constituting the first differential pair (2A) is connected to the terminal (231a, 231b) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) of the connector board (200A) shown in FIG. 4 (a), the connection of the signal line (2a, 2b) can be easily performed because the pitch of the terminal (231a, 231b) is wide. This is also the case for the back side (201b) of the connector board (200A) shown in FIG. 4 (b). The drain line (10) is drawn out from the shield layer (11) and connected to the metal cover (not shown) of the plug (112A).

[0073] Additionally, the conductor (31) of the signal line (3a, 3b) constituting the second differential pair (3) is connected to the terminal (231c, 231d) shown in FIG. 5 (a), for example, and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) is connected to the terminal (231e) shown in FIG. 5 (a), for example. The power line (4) is connected to the terminal (232e) shown in FIG. 5 (b), for example, and the conductor (61) of the CC line (6) is connected to the terminal (232c) shown in FIG. 5 (b), for example, and the Vconn line (8) is connected to the terminal (232d) shown in FIG. 5 (b), for example. The CC line (6) and the Vconn line (8) are connected to the IC chip (eMarker) (15) through a wiring pattern not shown.

[0074] (Effect of the first embodiment)

[0075] According to the communication cable assembly (100) of the first embodiment, the following effects are produced.

[0076] (a) The number of core wires can be reduced in the configuration of the core wires of a cable compliant with the USB Type-C standard, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and achieving weight reduction.

[0077] (b) When the outer diameter of the cable is equal, the outer diameter of the core wire can be made thicker, thereby improving various characteristics (communication performance, bendability (referring to the characteristic of being difficult to break when repeatedly bent; hereinafter the same), mechanical strength). In addition, as the conductor becomes thicker, the risk of breakage due to injection pressure during molding is reduced, thus expanding the options for the molding method. In addition, when the outer diameter of the cable is equal, the core wire, such as the signal wire (2a, 2b), can be made thicker, thereby expanding the range of materials for the insulation layer, for example, allowing for the selection of constituent materials from expensive nylon-based resins such as polyamide to inexpensive polyolefin-based resins such as polyethylene, and enabling a reduction in molding time by changing the molding machine from a dedicated molding machine that performs low-pressure molding to a general-purpose molding machine that performs injection molding.

[0078] (c) By reducing the first differential pair transmitting the high-speed differential signal to two, the conductor (21) of the signal line (2a to 2d) can be made thicker, thereby increasing the communication range of the high-speed differential signal relative to the cable diameter. That is, when the cable diameter is made small (e.g., 3.7 mm), the communication cable can be made lighter without shortening the communication range. In addition, when the cable diameter is made the same as the conventional one (e.g., 6.8 mm), the communication range can be increased.

[0079] (d) Since it has CC line (6) and Vconn line (8), the charger and the device can be connected via the communication cable (1) to enable high-speed charging of the device with power corresponding to the USB PD standard. In addition, by reducing the first differential pair that transmits high-speed differential signals to two, the conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) can be made thicker, thereby allowing the power supply distance to be extended (e.g., to the same extent as the communication distance).

[0080] (e) Since it has a CC line (6), a reversible plug that can be inserted in reverse (up and down) relative to the receptacle can be used.

[0081] (f) Since the pitch of the terminals (231a, 231b) and the pitch of the terminals (232a, 232b) of the connector board (200A) are wide, the connection work of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) to the connector board (200A) can be easily performed.

[0082] [Second Embodiment]

[0083] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the communication cable (1) of the first embodiment, one power line (4) and one ground line (5) are used, but in the communication cable (1) of the present embodiment, multiple power lines (4) and ground lines (5) are used (e.g., two). Below, the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Also, since the communication cable assembly (100) according to the second embodiment is manufactured in the same way as the first embodiment, its description will be omitted.

[0084] The communication cable (1) of the present embodiment is a 12-core cable having a first differential pair (2A, 2B), a second differential pair (3), a CC line (6), and a Vconn line (8), just like the first embodiment, and also having a pair of power lines (4A, 4B) and a pair of ground lines (5A, 5B). A pair of power lines (4A, 4B) and a pair of ground lines (5A, 5B) are arranged in a distributed manner. In addition, the number of power lines is not limited to two, but may be a plurality of three or more. Likewise, the number of ground lines is not limited to two, but may be a plurality of three or more.

[0085] The conductors (41) of the power lines (4A, 4B) and the conductors (51) of the ground lines (5A, 5B) have a cross-sectional area such that, similar to the first embodiment, when power is supplied, for example, when power of 60W (20V, 3A) is supplied, the voltage drop of the power line (4) is 500 mV or less and the voltage drop of the ground line (5) is 250 mV or less, and the power supply distance is at least 3.0 m, preferably 5.0 m or more, and more preferably 6.0 m or more. Specifically, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the conductors (41) of the power lines (4A, 4B) and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the conductors (51) of the ground lines (5A, 5B) are each preferably 0.30 mm² or more, and more preferably 0.50 mm² or more. In addition, so that the connection work on the connector board (200A) does not become difficult, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the conductors (41) of the power lines (4A, 4B) and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the conductors (51) of the ground lines (5A, 5B) are preferably 1.5 mm² or less, and more preferably 1.0 mm² or less. Due to the size constraints of the connector board (200A) for the fitting part conforming to the USB Type-C standard, the ratio of the conductor diameters (41) of the power lines (4A, 4B) and the conductors (51) of the ground lines (5A, 5B) to the cable diameter (provided that the conductor diameters are each converted to one so that the resistance values ​​are equal) is preferably 0.10 or more and 0.23 or less.

[0086] According to the second embodiment, the conductors (41) of a pair of power lines (4A, 4B) and the conductors (51) of a pair of ground lines (5A, 5B) can be made thicker than when the power lines (4) and ground lines (5) are used alone, so the power supply distance can be extended to the same extent as in the first embodiment. In addition, by dispersing the pair of power lines (4A, 4B) and the pair of ground lines (5A, 5B), the structure of the cable is stabilized, and the cross-sectional shape of the entire communication cable (1) can be maintained in a circular shape.

[0087] [Third Embodiment]

[0088] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a communication cable according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the communication cable (1) of the first embodiment, the first differential pair of signal lines (2a, 2b) constituting two first differential pairs (2A, 2B) and the second differential pair of signal lines (2c, 2d) are each collectively shielded by a shield layer (11), but the communication cable (1) of the present embodiment uses coaxial cables (9a to 9d) as signal lines constituting two first differential pairs (2A, 2B) (also referred to as a coaxial type communication cable). Hereinafter, the third embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0089] A communication cable (1) according to the third embodiment is configured such that the first differential pair (2A) is formed by a first differential pair of a pair of coaxial lines (9a, 9b), and the first differential pair (2B) is formed by a second differential pair of a pair of coaxial lines (9c, 9d). The coaxial lines (9a to 9d) are arranged on the outer side, and a CC line (6) and an interlocking string (14a, 14b) are arranged in the center. The first differential pair (2A, 2B), the second differential pair (3), the power line (4), and the ground line (5) are covered by a shield layer (12) together with an interlocking string (13), and the outer side is covered by a sheath (7). The interlocking string (14a, 14b) is formed of a resin material (e.g., polyethylene). Coaxial lines (9a to 9d) are examples of signal lines constituting the first differential pair. Intermediate strings (14a, 14b) are examples of inclusions.

[0090] The coaxial line (9a to 9d) comprises a central conductor (91), an inner insulating layer (92) covering the central conductor (91), an outer conductor (93) formed on the outside of the inner insulating layer (92), and an outer insulating layer (94) covering the outer conductor (93). The central conductor (91) is, for example, a twisted wire formed by twisting and combining a plurality of metal wires. The inner insulating layer (92) is formed of a resin material (for example, cross-linked polyethylene). The outer conductor (93) is formed of, for example, a metal braid. The outer insulating layer (94) comprises a first outer insulating layer (94a) formed of a resin material (for example, polyvinyl chloride) and a second outer insulating layer (94b) provided on the outside of the first outer insulating layer (94a) and formed of a resin material (for example, polyvinyl chloride). The central conductor (91) is an example of a central conductor.

[0091] The center conductor (91) of the coaxial line (9a to 9d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) has a cross-sectional area such that, for example at a transmission speed of 5 Gbps, the communication distance is at least 4.0 m, preferably 5.0 m, and more preferably 6.0 m, similar to the first embodiment. Specifically, the cross-sectional area of ​​the center conductor (91) of the coaxial line (9a to 9d) is preferably 0.06 mm² or more, and more preferably 0.08 mm² or more. In addition, so as not to make the connection work to the connector board (200A) difficult, the cross-sectional area of ​​the center conductor (91) of the coaxial line (9a to 9d) is preferably 0.35 mm² or less, and more preferably 0.23 mm² or less. Due to the size constraints of the connector board (200A) for the fitting part conforming to the USB Type-C standard, the ratio of the conductor diameter of the center conductor (91) of the coaxial line (9a to 9d) to the cable diameter is preferably 0.06 or higher.

[0092] (Method for manufacturing a communication cable assembly)

[0093] Next, an example of a method for manufacturing a communication cable assembly (100) according to a third embodiment will be described.

[0094] First, two first differential pairs (2A, 2B), a second differential pair (3), a power line (4), a ground line (5), a CC line (6), a Vconn line (8), and intervening strings (13, 14a, 14b) are prepared. For the first differential pairs (2A, 2B), four coaxial lines (9a to 9d) constituting them are prepared. The second differential pair (3) is formed by twisting and combining two signal lines (3a, 3b).

[0095] Next, the two prepared first differential pairs (2A, 2B), second differential pair (3), power line (4), ground line (5), CC line (6), Vconn line (8), and interlocking strings (13, 14a, 14b) are twisted together and a conductive tape is wrapped around their outer circumference to form an inner shield layer (12a), and a metal braid is wrapped around the outer circumference of the inner shield layer (12a) to form an outer shield layer (12b). Next, a sheath (7) is formed on the outer circumference of the shield layer (12) by extrusion molding using an extruder.

[0096] A communication cable (1) is manufactured as described above. After that, the communication cable (1) is cut to the required length, and a terminal is connected to the connector board (200A) of the first connector (110A) and the connector board (200A) of the second connector (110B), thereby manufacturing a communication cable assembly (100) having the first connector (110A) and the second connector (110B) at both ends of the communication cable (1). Additionally, the connection operation for the connector board (100A) of the coaxial line (9a to 9d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) will be described later.

[0097] (Connection operation of the first differential pair)

[0098] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining the connection of a first differential pair according to a third embodiment to a connector board shown in FIG. 4, (a) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the front side, and (b) is a plan view of the connector board seen from the back side.

[0099] When connecting the center conductor (91) of the coaxial cable (9a, 9b) of the communication cable (1) according to the third embodiment to the terminals (231a, 231b) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) of the connector board (200B) corresponding to the USB Type-C standard cable shown in FIG. 3 (a), the outer insulation layer (94) must be peeled off, and the inner insulation layer (92) of the coaxial cable (9a, 9b) must also be peeled off so that the exposed center conductor (91) is connected to the terminals (231a, 231b) with a narrow pitch. Additionally, the outer conductor (93) must be drawn out as a single wire and connected to the shield terminal (metal cover not shown of the plug (112A)). Meanwhile, when the central conductor (91) of the coaxial cable (9a, 9b) is connected to the terminals (231a, 231b) of the cable-side surface terminal group (231) of the connector board (200A) shown in FIG. 4 (a), the connection of the coaxial cable (9a, 9b) can be easily performed because the pitch of the terminals (231a, 231b) is wide. In addition, the outer surface can be connected to the shield terminal (231f) without drawing out the exposed outer conductor (93) as a single wire. This is also the case for the back surface (201b) of the connector board (200A) shown in FIG. 4 (b).

[0100] (Effect of the third embodiment)

[0101] According to the communication cable assembly (100) of the third embodiment, it produces the same effect as the first embodiment and also produces the following effect.

[0102] (a) By reducing the first differential pair transmitting the high-speed differential signal to two, the center conductor (91) of the coaxial cable (9a to 9d) can be made thicker, thereby increasing the communication distance of the high-speed differential signal relative to the cable diameter.

[0103] (b) Since the conductor (41) of the power line (4) and the conductor (51) of the ground line (5) can be made thicker, the power supply distance can be extended (e.g., to the same extent as the communication distance).

[0104] (c) Since coaxial lines (9a to 9d) are used as signal lines constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B), the outer insulating layer (94) of the coaxial lines (9a to 9d) can be peeled off and the outer surface of the exposed outer conductor (93) can be connected to the shield terminal (231f, 232f), making it easier to connect the connector board (200A) of the coaxial lines (9a to 9d).

[0105] (d) Since coaxial cables (9a to 9d) are used as the first differential pair (2A, 2B), the coaxial cables (9a to 9d) are independent of each other, so the change in characteristics in differential is very small, and thus the flexibility can be improved compared to Twinax type communication cables.

[0106] (Variation Example 1)

[0107] In each of the above embodiments, the communication cable (1) is equipped with a second differential pair (3) that transmits a low-speed differential signal, but the second differential pair (3) may be omitted from the communication cable (1). By doing so, the conductors of the signal lines constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) can be made thicker, and the communication distance of the high-speed differential signal can be made longer. In addition, the conductor diameters of the power line and the ground line can be made larger, and the power supply distance can be made longer.

[0108] (Variation Example 2)

[0109] In each of the above embodiments, the communication cable (1) is equipped with a Vconn line (8) and an IC chip (15) is mounted on the connector board (200A), but depending on the specifications of the connected device, the Vconn line (8) and the IC chip (15) may be omitted.

[0110] (Variation Example 3)

[0111] In each of the above embodiments, the communication cable (1) is equipped with a Vconn line (8) and an IC chip (15) is mounted on the connector board (200A), but the IC chip (15) may be omitted without omitting the Vconn line. By doing so, cost reduction is achieved.

[0112] (Variation Example 4)

[0113] In each of the above embodiments, the communication cable (1) is equipped with a second differential pair (3) that transmits a low-speed differential signal, but the second differential pair (3) may be omitted from the communication cable (1), and the Vconn line (8) and IC chip (15) may also be omitted, and a 7-core cable may be used. By doing so, the conductors of the signal lines constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B) can be made thicker, and the communication distance of the high-speed differential signal can be made longer. In addition, the conductor diameters of the power line and ground line can be made larger, and the power supply distance can be made longer.

[0114] (Variation Example 5)

[0115] In each of the above embodiments, the communication cable (1) was equipped with a ground wire (5), but the ground wire (5) may be omitted from the communication cable (1), and a drain wire or the like may be added instead of the ground wire (5), or the wires of the entire shield may be increased to serve as a substitute for the ground wire (5). By doing so, the cable diameter can be reduced. The drain wire and the wires of the entire shield are examples of wire materials that function as ground wires.

[0116] [ Examples ]

[0117] For Example 1 corresponding to the first embodiment, Example 2 corresponding to the second embodiment, Example 3 partially corresponding to the first embodiment, and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, communication performance (communication range) and power supply performance (power supply range) were tested and evaluated. The configurations of the communication cables under test for Examples 1, 2, and 3 are shown in Table 1, and the configurations of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 are shown in Table 2. In addition, in Tables 1 and 2, T represents a tin-plated copper wire, and AG represents a silver-plated copper wire.

[0118]

[0119]

[0120] Example 1 corresponds to the first embodiment, and uses an AWG size (27) (conductor diameter 0.42 mm) as the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B), and uses an AWG size (18) (conductor diameter 1.19 mm, cross-sectional area 0.823 m², conductor resistance 23.8 Ω / km) as the conductor (41, 51) of the power line (4) and ground line (5). In addition, the conductor resistance was calculated using a resistivity of 0.0196 Ω·mm² per unit area (the same applies hereinafter). The ratio (d / D) of the conductor diameter d to the cable diameter D for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) was 0.062.

[0121] Example 2 corresponds to the second embodiment, and uses the same AWG size (27) (conductor diameter 0.42 mm) as in Example 1 as the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair (2A, 2B), and uses the same AWG size (22) (conductor diameter 0.80 mm, total cross-sectional area 0.763 mm², conductor resistance 25.7 Ω / km) as the conductor (41, 51) of the power lines (4A, 4B) and ground lines (5A, 5B). The ratio (d / D) of the conductor diameter d to the cable diameter D for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) was 0.062.

[0122] Example 3 is identical to Example 1, but uses a fine AWG size (22) (conductor diameter 0.76 mm, cross-sectional area 0.342 m², conductor resistance 57.5 Ω / km) as the conductors (41, 51) of the power line (4) and ground line (5). The ratio (d / D) of the conductor diameter d to the cable diameter D for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) was 0.062.

[0123] Comparative Example 1 uses an AWG size (32) (conductor diameter 0.24 mm) thinner than Example 1 as the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair, and uses an AWG size (26) (conductor diameter 0.48 mm, cross-sectional area 0.140 m², conductor resistance 134 Ω / km) thinner than Example 1 as the conductors (41, 51) of the power line (4) and ground line (5). The ratio (d / D) of the conductor diameter d to the cable diameter D for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) was 0.065.

[0124] Comparative Example 2 uses a 17-core cable with a diameter of 5.2 mm and uses 4 first differential pairs as 17 cores, uses a thinner AWG size (30) (conductor diameter 0.30 mm) than Example 1 as the conductor (21) of the signal lines (2a to 2d) constituting the first differential pair, and uses a thinner AWG size (26) (conductor diameter 0.50 mm, cross-sectional area 0.150 m², conductor resistance 132 Ω / km) than Example 1 as the conductors (41, 51) of the power line (4) and ground line (5). The ratio (d / D) of the conductor diameter d to the cable diameter D for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) was 0.058. In the case of suppressing the increase in the weight of the communication cable, given that the weight of the communication cable increases when the ratio (d / D) exceeds 0.08, from Examples 1, 2, 3 and Comparative Examples 1, 2, it can be said that the ratio (d / D) for the first differential pair (2A, 2B) is preferably 0.06 or higher and 0.08 or lower.

[0125] (Method for evaluating communication range)

[0126] Video captured by the camera was transmitted to a PC via the communication cable of the test subject, and communication performance (communication range) was evaluated based on the presence or absence of freezing, dropping, noise, or image discoloration during 10 minutes of recording. ○ was used to indicate that there were no problems with the video for 10 minutes, and × was used to indicate that no video was captured on the PC. The evaluation results are shown in Table 3.

[0127] (Damping characteristics)

[0128] Figure 9a is a diagram illustrating the attenuation characteristics when the cable length is 3m. Figure 9b is a diagram illustrating the attenuation characteristics according to the cable length (cable length used) corresponding to each communication distance. At a data transmission speed of the camera used is 5Gbps, the attenuation characteristics around 2.5GHz were measured.

[0129] The attenuation amount when the length of the communication cable is 3m is attributed to the AWG size of the communication cable, and as shown in FIG. 9a, the attenuation amount decreased as the AWG size became smaller (the larger the conductor diameter). That is, the attenuation amount around the frequency of 2.5 GHz was 6 dB in Examples 1, 2, and 3, 11 dB in Comparative Example 1, and 8 dB in Comparative Example 2. These attenuation values ​​are shown in Table 3.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 9b, the attenuation amount in cable length corresponding to the communication range is 13 dB at around 2.5 GHz for Examples 1, 2, 3 and Comparative Example 1, and this can be estimated as the communication limit. On the other hand, for Comparative Example 2, although it is small at 8 dB at around 2.5 GHz, it is thought that the communication range became the shortest at 3 m due to the power supply specifications by the power line (4) (Vbus line), the potential difference with GND, and other factors. The values ​​of the above attenuation amounts are shown in Table 3.

[0131]

[0132] (Evaluation results of communication range)

[0133] (1) Examples 1, 2, and 3 (cable diameter 6.8 mm) could extend the communication range to 3 m to 6 m by twofold compared to Comparative Example 2 (cable diameter 5.2 mm). Comparative Example 1 (cable diameter 3.7 mm) could achieve equivalent communication performance compared to Comparative Example 2 (cable diameter 5.2 mm) and reduce the weight of the communication cable.

[0134] (2) When the cable diameter is D and the communication distance is L, the ratio of the communication distance L to the cable diameter D (L / D) as an evaluation value of communication performance is L / D = 6000 mm / 6.8 mm = 882 for Examples 1, 2, and 3, L / D = 3500 mm / 3.7 mm = 946 for Comparative Example 1, and L / D = 3000 mm / 5.2 mm = 577 for Comparative Example 2. Therefore, it can be said that the communication distance L / D to the cable diameter is preferably 800 or more or 880 or more, and more preferably 900 or more or 940 or more.

[0135] (Method for evaluating power supply range)

[0136] For the communication cable under test, a voltage drop (IR drop) test was performed due to the internal resistance of the power line (4) when 60W (20V, 3A) of power was supplied. A USB PD standard tester (Quadra MAX) was used. The judgment criteria were that if the voltage drop for the power line was 500 mV or less and the voltage drop for the ground line was 250 mV or less, it was considered a pass, and if either one or both were not satisfied, it was considered a fail. The judgment results are shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0137] (Evaluation results of power supply range)

[0138] In Example 1, the voltage drop up to 7.0m was within the acceptable range. In Example 2, the voltage drop up to 6.0m was within the acceptable range. In Example 3, the voltage drop up to 3.0m was within the acceptable range, but at 4.0m, it exceeded the acceptable range. Since Comparative Example 1 is a 9-core device, it cannot support PD communication and is therefore excluded from evaluation. In Comparative Example 2, the voltage drop up to 2.0m was within the acceptable range, but at 3.0m, it exceeded the acceptable range.

[0139] (Overall Evaluation)

[0140] Examples 1, 2, and 3 were able to achieve a communication distance of 6.0 m for a cable diameter of 6.8 mm. Examples 1 and 2 were able to achieve a power supply distance of 6 m or more for a cable diameter of 6.8 mm. Therefore, Examples 1 and 2 were able to achieve a communication distance and a power supply distance of 6.0 m each.

[0141] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and implementations are possible. Explanation of the symbols

[0142] 1: Communication cable 2A, 2B: First differential pair 2a to 2d: Signal lines 3: Second differential pair 3a, 3b: Signal lines 4: Power cord 5: Ground wire 6: CC line 7: Sis 8: Vconn line 9a to 9d: Coaxial lines 10: Drain line 11: Shield layer 11a: Inner shield layer 11b: Outer shield layer 12: Shield layer 12a: Inner shield layer 12b: Outer shield layer 13, 14a, 14b: Gaejae-kkeun 15: IC chip (eMarker) 21: Conductor 22: Insulating layer 31: Conductor 32: Insulating layer 41: Conductor 42: Insulating layer 51: Conductor 52: Insulating layer 61: Conductor 62: Insulating layer 81: Conductor 82: Insulating layer 91: Central conductor 92: Inner insulation layer 93: Outer conductor 94: Outer insulation layer 100: Communication cable assembly 110A: 1st connector 110B: Second connector 111A, 111B: Housing 112A, 112B: Plug 200A, 200B: Connector boards 201: Entry 201a: Surface 201b: If 211: Plug-side surface terminal group 211a to 211l, 221a, 221b: Terminals 212: Terminal group on the back side of the plug 212a to 212j, 222a, 222b: Terminals 231: Cable-side surface terminal group 231a to 231e: Terminals 231f: Shield terminal 232: Cable-side rear terminal group 232a to 232e: Terminals 232f: Shield terminal

Claims

Claim 1 A communication cable having a pair of plug connectors electrically connected to both terminals, and having two first differential pairs for transmitting high-speed differential signals, one or more power lines and a ground line using an insulated wire for supplying power to a device connected to the terminals, and a configuration channel line for detecting the front and back directions of the plug connectors, wherein each of the pair of plug connectors conforms to the USB Type-C standard regarding the shape and structure of the fitting portion, and the first differential pairs are not other than the two first differential pairs, and the power supply distance is 3.0m or more such that when power of 60W (20V, 3A) is supplied, the voltage drop of the power lines is 500mV or less and the voltage drop of the ground line is 250mV or less. Claim 2 A communication cable according to claim 1, wherein the power supply range is 4.0m or more. Claim 3 A communication cable according to claim 1, wherein the power supply distance is 5.0m or more. Claim 4 A communication cable according to claim 1, wherein the signal line constituting the first differential pair comprises a central conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the ratio of the conductor diameter of the conductor to the cable diameter is 0.06 or greater. Claim 5 A communication cable according to claim 4, wherein each of the power line and the ground line comprises a conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, the ratio of the conductor diameter of the power line and the ground line to the cable diameter is 0.10 or more, and when there are multiple power lines and ground lines, the conductor diameter is the conductor diameter converted to one so that the resistance values ​​are equal. Claim 6 A communication cable according to claim 1, wherein the signal line constituting the first differential pair comprises a central conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the conductor of the signal line has a cross-sectional area of ​​0.06 mm² or more. Claim 7 In claim 6, each of the power line and the ground line comprises a conductor and an insulating layer covering the conductor, and the conductors of the power line and the ground line have a cross-sectional area of ​​0.30 mm² or more, and when there are multiple power lines and ground lines, the cross-sectional area is the sum of the respective cross-sectional areas, a communication cable. Claim 8 A communication cable according to claim 7, wherein the ratio of the conductor diameters of the power line conductor and the ground line conductor to the cable diameter is 0.10 or more and 0.23 or less. Claim 9 A communication cable according to claim 1, having 6 or more cores and 14 or fewer cores. Claim 10 A communication cable having a second power line further provided in paragraph 1. Claim 11 A communication cable according to claim 1, further comprising a second differential pair that transmits a low-speed differential signal. Claim 12 A communication cable assembly comprising a communication cable described in any one of claims 1 to 11 and a pair of plug connectors electrically connected to terminals on both sides of the communication cable. Claim 13 In claim 12, one plug connector of the pair of plug connectors is a communication cable assembly having a circuit element that records the value of power that can be supplied to the device.

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