Nested Shielded Ribbon Cables for Mass Termination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical cables, such as coaxial and shielded cables, are not suitable for mass-termination techniques and often require specific connectors, limiting their flexibility and density in applications where multiple connections are needed, especially when bent, leading to issues like 'pistoning' and differential strain.
Innovation Solution
The development of nested ribbon cable assemblies where two or more electrical cables are positioned such that conductor sets of one cable nest into the space between adjacent conductor sets of another, with features like pinched portions and adhesive layers to facilitate bending and reduce strain, allowing for more flexible and dense cable configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional coaxial or shielded cables are used, then signal transmission is achieved, but the cables require specifically designed connectors and are not suitable for mass-termination techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into multiple conductor sets, each independently shielded by carrier films. This segmentation allows each conductor set to be terminated individually while maintaining overall cable structure integrity, enabling mass-termination techniques without requiring complex specialized connectors for the entire cable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple electrical cables are nested within a common jacket, with conductor sets from different cables positioned in an interleaved manner. This nesting structure allows all conductors to be accessed and terminated simultaneously on both sides of a PCB, achieving mass-termination capability while maintaining individual cable shielding effectiveness.
2Ease of operation
If conventional cables are bent, then flexibility is achieved, but pistoning and differential strain occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cable structure is designed with asymmetric positioning of conductor sets relative to the cable neutral axis. By strategically placing conductors at different distances from the neutral axis, the design compensates for differential strain that occurs during bending, reducing pistoning effects and maintaining signal integrity while preserving cable flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Carrier films are used as flexible shielding structures that can bend with the cable while maintaining their shielding function. These thin film structures provide electromagnetic shielding without creating rigid constraints that would cause pistoning or strain during cable bending operations.
3Area of stationary object
If multiple cables are positioned closely together, then space efficiency and density are improved, but shielding effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple shielded cables are nested within a common outer jacket, with each cable maintaining its own shielding structure. The interleaved positioning of conductor sets from different cables, combined with the common jacket and individual carrier films, provides space-efficient packing while preserving electromagnetic shielding effectiveness through multiple layers of protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple individual cable shields (carrier films) are combined with a common outer jacket to create a unified shielding system. This merged shielding approach provides both individual conductor set protection and overall cable assembly shielding, reducing electromagnetic interference while allowing compact cable positioning.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
The disclosure generally relates to nested shielded ribbon cables that form an electrical cable assembly (200). The electrical cable assembly (200) includes features that can facilitate bending and movement of the cable.