Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Insulated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-02
2001-10-02
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Insulated
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297454
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a separator filler or spline. More particularly the present invention relates to the separator filler or spline having four pockets with each pocket having a cross-sectional area that is less than the envelope area of a pair of cables adapted to be placed in each pocket.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The most popular separator fillers or splines are generally based on a circular cross-section wherein each pocket generally has a cross-sectional area that is greater than the cross-sectional envelope area of the twisted pair cable that is to be placed in the pocket. This type of spline generally has less flexibility and undesirable to skew degradation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The oval envelope provided by my spline has an acceptable NEXT performance and good flexibility. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cable separator filler or spline having a plurality and preferably four opened pockets for separating a plurality of cable pairs, preferably one cable pair for each pocket. Preferably when there are an even number of pockets, the pockets are diametrically opposite each other. When there are four pockets, the first and second pockets are diametrically opposite each other and third and fourth pockets are diametrically opposite each other. In a cross-sectional plane of the spline the diametric distance between the ends of the first and second pockets is greater than the diametric distance of the ends of the group of the third and fourth pockets to provide an oval envelope for the spline. All of the pockets have a cross-sectional area that is less than the envelope cross-sectional area of the cable pair that is to be placed in the respective pockets. The longitudinal axis of each of the pockets are all substantially parallel to each other.
A cable manufactured using the spline of my invention generally uses an oval envelope spline having four pockets and has a twisted pair cable in each pocket. The long lay twisted pair cables are both preferably in the pockets on the major axis of the oval envelope. The short lay twisted pair cables are both in the pockets on the minor axis of the oval envelope. In this embodiment the core components are comprised of the elongated separator spline and the four twisted pair cables. The core can of course be shielded and jacketed, just jacketed or any other desired cable construction that would benefit from the use of my elongated separator spline.
With my elongated separator spline long and short lay twisted pairs can be ideally placed for maximum electrical advantages. Short lay pairs, which have the best flexibility can be placed across the minor axis of the separator spline. Short lays typically have improved NEXT and the close proximity to one another does little to worsen NEXT. The long lay pairs can be placed across the major axis where bending strain is minimized. This overall cable design will bend across the minor axis based on the fact that the “column” will collapse across its minimum integral bending moment axis. The use of my elongated separator spline also improves skew over a similar round design because two unique cabling lay factors are in practice when the twisted pairs are cabled (minor and major axis). This helps compensate for the pair lengths between the long and short lay pairs equalizing the final conductor lengths which also tends to improve attenuation delta from the minimum lay pair to the maximum lay pair. My spline may be “metalized”, or coated with any form of metallic material that will preserve its exterior shape, and substantially improve NEXT while still enhancing the attenuation delta and skew of pairs.
Generally alien NEXT is minimized since the cables “oval” will provide air spacing between parallel cables of any other type. Also there are economies in my spline over the generally used cylindrical splines in that less filler material generally is used in my elongated separator spline than in a round design for equal performance.
The present invention and the advantages thereof will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 514925 (1894-02-01), Guilleaume
patent: 3819443 (1974-06-01), Simons et al.
patent: 5132488 (1992-07-01), Tessier et al.
patent: 5444184 (1995-08-01), Hassel
patent: 5789711 (1998-08-01), Gaeris et al.
patent: 5952615 (1999-09-01), Prudhon
patent: 5969295 (1999-10-01), Boucino et al.
patent: 404332406A (1992-11-01), None
Belden Wire & Cable Company
Conte Robert F. I.
Lee Mann Smith McWilliams Sweeney & Ohlson
Mayo III William H.
Reichard Dean A.
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