Electricity: conductors and insulators – Conduits – cables or conductors – Insulated
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-13
2001-08-28
Reichard, Dean A. (Department: 2831)
Electricity: conductors and insulators
Conduits, cables or conductors
Insulated
C174S1130AS, C174S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06281443
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical wires and cables. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved electrical cable including at least two insulated conductors, and an embedded uninsulated additional conductor that is exposed or released when at least one insulated conductor of the invention is separated from at least one other insulated conductor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large variety of cables and cable assemblies are known in the art. Cables may be categorized into two fundamental classes: custom (constructed) cables or off-the-shelf cables. A custom cable, or possibly more properly a custom cable assembly, is often constructed having a plurality of individual insulated conductors, and possibly includes other uninsulated (grounding or shielding) conductors. Custom cables may be wrapped or housed within a sheathing means, or alternately, devices such as tie-wraps and shrink tubing may be employed.
In the case of off-the-shelf cables or cable assemblies, such as common lamp-type chord, Romex, or BX cable, a fixed plurality of insulated and possibly uninsulated conductors are available. As such, an electrical contractor will select a specific off-the-shelf cable based on the requirements of an installation. Importantly, local and state codes often specify one or more standard off-the-shelf cables to be used for respective electrical installations and connections.
Hanging lamps and lighting fixtures represent a common type of installation wherein electricians have to deal with two, sometimes conflicting issues. First, the installation must be safe and meet local electrical codes. Typically, the wiring of such fixtures involves the use of lamp-type chord, also well known as ‘zip-chord’ or ‘lamp chord’. This type of electrical cable, which may be considered an off-the-shelf cable assembly, is formed of two juxtaposed, closely spaced and parallel, insulated conductors that are frangibly joined. As skilled persons will understand, lamp chord is structured to enable the joined insulated conductors to be readily separated, as required, while leaving the insulation of each of the separated insulated conductors intact. In addition, many local electrical codes require a fixed safety ground on the hanging lamp portion of the lighting fixture. This is typically realized by running a wire from the hanging fixture to a suitable location to connect to earth ground. Accordingly, electricians and electrical contractors must include a third conductor. Very often, the third conductor is provided by lamp manufacturers as an unsightly bare electrical conductor having a silver or gold coloration. Alternately, an additional insulated wire may be added to the lamp chord cable, if local electrical codes allow the use of an insulated wire. Either solution, as well as others that may be possible, provides for a less than antiseptic solution. This leads to the second issue facing the electrical contractor: customer satisfaction. When properly wired with a lamp chord (say of a black color), with an uninsulated ground wire, a fixture's installation is safe and meets the code, but may appear quite unsightly. Customers have been known to complain about the appearance of such an installation, and as a result, the ground wire is sometimes removed—either by the contractor, or later by the resident.
Therefore, there is a need to provide new and improved off-the-shelf cables, or cable assemblies and configurations, having one or more of the following capabilities, features, characteristics, and or advantages:
an electrical cable having a plurality of insulated frangibly joined electrical conductors;
includes at least one uninsulated conductor that is at least partially housed within the electrical cable by at least a portion of the insulation that is insulating the frangibly joined insulated conductors;
provides for the release of the uninsulated conductor when at least one of the insulated conductors is separated from at least one other insulated conductor;
simple, cost effective cable structure; and
may be economically fabricated and provided in traditional cable spools or rolls.
The above listed capabilities, characteristics, and or associated novel features of the present invention, as well as others, will become more apparent from a careful review of the description and figures provided herein. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings and descriptions are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an electrical cable includes a plurality of juxtaposed (closely spaced and parallel) individually insulated conductors. The insulated conductors are frangibly coupled together along the longitudinal length of the conductors by a suitable frangible coupling arrangement. This frangible coupling is preferably provided, at least in part, by portions of the insulation of the respective insulated conductors. The electrical cable, which may be termed a cable assembly, further includes an additional uninsulated conductor, which is electrically isolated from each of the plurality of insulated conductors. The additional uninsulated conductor is suitably encased within portions of the insulation of at least two of the plurality of insulated conductors included with a respective embodiment of the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are contemplated to include 2 or more insulated electrical conductors.
Importantly, the electrical cable is structured to release or expose, at least partially, the uninsulated conductor when at least one of the insulated conductors is separated from at least one other insulated conductor. In a most preferred embodiment of the electrical cable of the present invention the cable is formed of two insulated conductors, with the uninsulated conductor situated substantially between and parallel to each of the insulated conductors. Accordingly, when considering an end or cross sectional view of the cable assembly, the insulated and uninsulated conductors would each preferably be substantially in-line or in the same plane. In addition, the most preferred embodiments of the invention will provide each of the insulated and uninsulated conductors as a multi-strand conductor, with the uninsulated conductor possibly tinned to prevent or minimize separating of the strands thereof during and after installation. It is further contemplated that the present invention may be dispensed or provided to skilled persons as a pre-defined length of cable, suitably coiled upon a support means such as a traditional wire spool.
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Island Patent Associates
Mayo, III William H
Reichard Dean A.
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