Heat-Shrink Cable Sheath With Conductive Carbon for Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data transmission cables, such as optical fibers and copper-based cables, face issues with fragility, stiffness, and the need for heavy jacketing, which restricts flexibility and increases material usage, while also requiring substantial energy for copper reclamation and being hindered by residual diluents in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the introduction of conductive materials, like carbon nanotubes, onto a heat-shrink material sheet, compressed to form a sheath with an interior volume, reducing the need for copper and eliminating diluents, resulting in a more flexible and lightweight cable with improved electrical conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heavy jacketing materials are placed about optical fibers to protect the cables during installation, then the cables gain protection, but the flexibility of the cables is restricted due to the stiffness of the jacket
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a heat-shrinkable protective jacket that can be applied in a relaxed state and then shrunk to provide protection. This flexible shell approach allows the cable to maintain flexibility during installation while providing adequate protection when the jacket is shrunk, resolving the contradiction between protection and flexibility.
2Ease of operation
If the outer protective jacket is removed to allow more flexible handling of a terminal portion of the cable, then the flexibility of handling is improved, but there is insufficient physical protection for this terminal portion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protective jacket into removable portions, allowing the terminal portion to be handled flexibly while maintaining protection where needed. The heat-shrinkable jacket can be applied selectively to protect specific sections while leaving terminal areas exposed for flexible handling and connection.
3Reliability
If copper-based cables are used for data transmission, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but substantial energy is needed to reclaim the copper from an expired cable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from copper to carbon nanotubes, which provide equivalent or superior electrical conductivity. This material substitution eliminates the need for energy-intensive copper reclamation processes while maintaining the required electrical conductivity for data transmission applications.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods of making cables include the use of diluents, then the cable formation process is facilitated, but residual diluent in the cable hinders electrical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the diluent from the cable formation process by using a diluent-free composite material approach. The carbon nanotube and polymer matrix composite can be directly processed without requiring diluents, thereby facilitating ease of manufacture while avoiding the harmful residual diluent that would hinder electrical properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides cables with enhanced flexibility, reduced material usage, and improved electrical properties, including reduced porosity and increased strength, while minimizing energy consumption and eliminating the need for chemical modification of conductive carbon materials.
Implementation Method 1
a sheath including a heat-shrink material
Data Source
AI summary
A cable and methods of making cables are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, a method for making a cable includes introducing a conductive material onto a sheet including a heat-shrink material. The method includes compressing a first portion of the sheet onto a second portion of the sheet to form a sheath having an interior volume, where the conductive material is disposed in the interior volume. In at least one embodiment, a cable includes a sheath including a heat-shrink material. The cable includes an interior volume including a conductive material including a conductive carbon material.