US4490577A — Electrical cable for use in extreme environments

Claim 1

Independent Claim 335 words

An electrical cable structure having substantially flat, opposite sides and opposite edges, comprising: a plurality of elongated, individually insulated electrical conductors of circular cross-section, each of said conductors having a concentric layer of insulation thereon and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes being in substantially parallel relationship to one another, the outermost ones of said conductors located inwardly adjacent a different one of the two edges and having their longitudinal axes contained in one plane with a longitudinal section of insulation on each of said outermost ones of said conductors facing a different, opposite one of said two edges; a first pair of discrete, elongated members, each of said members having a longitudinal axis and a rigid cross-section transverse to said one plane and having a greater resistance to transverse compressive forces than that of the insulation layers on the outermost ones of said conductors; the longitudinal axes of said members contained in a second plane which is substantially parallel to said one plane; each of said members being flexible for long-radius bending along the longitudinal axis thereof in directions substantially perpendicular to said second plane; and a protective jacket around the insulated conductors and said members; each of said members having a longitudinal portion thereof extending substantially parallel to and adjacent each said longitudinal section of insulation on an outermost one of said conductors, each of the member portions having an inner surface which is arcuate in its transverse cross-section for surrounding a longitudinal section of insulation, thereby restraining decompressive expansion of such insulation section; each of said member portions having a substantially planar outer surface extending substantially perpendicular to said one plane between the sides of the structure at least coextensively with the longitudinal section of insulation on the conductor adjacent thereto, each of said outer surfaces of said member portions positioned in the structure intermediate an outermost one of said conductors and each adjacent edge of the structure for protecting the longitudinal sections of insulation on the outermost conductors from edge impacts.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 335 words

An electrical cable structure having substantially flat, opposite sides and opposite edges, comprising: a plurality of elongated, individually insulated electrical conductors of circular cross-section, each of said conductors having a concentric layer of insulation thereon and a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes being in substantially parallel relationship to one another, the outermost ones of said conductors located inwardly adjacent a different one of the two edges and having their longitudinal axes contained in one plane with a longitudinal section of insulation on each of said outermost ones of said conductors facing a different, opposite one of said two edges; a first pair of discrete, elongated members, each of said members having a longitudinal axis and a rigid cross-section transverse to said one plane and having a greater resistance to transverse compressive forces than that of the insulation layers on the outermost ones of said conductors; the longitudinal axes of said members contained in a second plane which is substantially parallel to said one plane; each of said members being flexible for long-radius bending along the longitudinal axis thereof in directions substantially perpendicular to said second plane; and a protective jacket around the insulated conductors and said members; each of said members having a longitudinal portion thereof extending substantially parallel to and adjacent each said longitudinal section of insulation on an outermost one of said conductors, each of the member portions having an inner surface which is arcuate in its transverse cross-section for surrounding a longitudinal section of insulation, thereby restraining decompressive expansion of such insulation section; each of said member portions having a substantially planar outer surface extending substantially perpendicular to said one plane between the sides of the structure at least coextensively with the longitudinal section of insulation on the conductor adjacent thereto, each of said outer surfaces of said member portions positioned in the structure intermediate an outermost one of said conductors and each adjacent edge of the structure for protecting the longitudinal sections of insulation on the outermost conductors from edge impacts.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

The electrical cable according to claim 1 wherein said elongated members are composed of a material having greater thermal conductivity than that of the conductor insulation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

The cable according to claim 2 wherein the portions of said members are of rectangular cross-section.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

The cable structure according to claim 3 wherein each of said members are formed of a rigid channel of substantially U cross-sectional shape.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 56 words

The electrical cable according to claim 4 wherein the region between the open side of the "U" of each of said channels and the insulation part of each of said conductors contain a liner, each said liner having a transverse cross-section conforming to the surface of the insulation part to restrain the insulation against decompression expansion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cable structure according to claim 1 wherein said jacket forms the sides and edges of said cable.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 59 words

The cable structure according to claim 6 wherein there is a second pair of the U-shaped members, each member of said second pair positioned adjacent the insulation on said conductors opposite the insulation facing a different member of said first pair with the open sides of the respective members of said first and second pairs in mutually facing relationship.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 45 words

The cable structure according to claim 7, wherein portions of said both sides of the cable structure are substantially parallel in transverse cross-section and wherein said one side of the cable structure joins one of said cable edges at substantially right angles in transverse cross-section.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The cable structure according to claim 8, wherein each said opposite side of the cable structure joins a said edge at substantially right angles in transverse cross-section.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 14 words

The cable structure according to claim 9, wherein said jacket is an armor jacket.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The cable structure according to claim 10, wherein the armor jacket comprises a metal tape with overlapping edges.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 283 words

An improved electrical cable having a longitudinal axis and a cross-section transverse to said axis which is substantially flat, comprising: two elongated electrical conductors of substantially circular cross-section having longitudinal axes in substantially parallel relationship to another and to the longitudinal axis of the cable, the longitudinal axes of said conductors contained in a first plane; a layer of electrical insulation disposed concentric on each of said conductors; each of said conductors with a layer of insulation thereon located inwardly of and adjacent to a different opposite edge of said cable with a longitudinal section of the insulation layer on each conductor facing outwardly toward its most adjacent cable edge; a pair of elongated members having longitudinal axes extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of said conductors and contained in a second plane which is substantially parallel to said first plane; and a protective jacket encasing said conductors and said members; each of said members mounted between the jacket and the section of insulation on one of said conductors; said members being flexible for long radius bending along the longitudinal axis thereof in directions substantially perpendicular to said second plane and being rigid in a plane transverse to said second plane; each of said members comprised of an inner longitudinal edge portion facing one said longitudinal section of insulation layer, said inner edge portion being arcuate in transverse cross-section to surround said section of insulation that said inner edge portion faces, whereby decompressive expansion of the insulation is restrained, each of said members having a longitudinally extending outer edge portion which is angular in said transverse plane for providing a rigid, angular corner to the corresponding cable edge for resisting edge impacts.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 283 words

An improved electrical cable having a longitudinal axis and a cross-section transverse to said axis which is substantially flat, comprising: two elongated electrical conductors of substantially circular cross-section having longitudinal axes in substantially parallel relationship to another and to the longitudinal axis of the cable, the longitudinal axes of said conductors contained in a first plane; a layer of electrical insulation disposed concentric on each of said conductors; each of said conductors with a layer of insulation thereon located inwardly of and adjacent to a different opposite edge of said cable with a longitudinal section of the insulation layer on each conductor facing outwardly toward its most adjacent cable edge; a pair of elongated members having longitudinal axes extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of said conductors and contained in a second plane which is substantially parallel to said first plane; and a protective jacket encasing said conductors and said members; each of said members mounted between the jacket and the section of insulation on one of said conductors; said members being flexible for long radius bending along the longitudinal axis thereof in directions substantially perpendicular to said second plane and being rigid in a plane transverse to said second plane; each of said members comprised of an inner longitudinal edge portion facing one said longitudinal section of insulation layer, said inner edge portion being arcuate in transverse cross-section to surround said section of insulation that said inner edge portion faces, whereby decompressive expansion of the insulation is restrained, each of said members having a longitudinally extending outer edge portion which is angular in said transverse plane for providing a rigid, angular corner to the corresponding cable edge for resisting edge impacts.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

The cable according to claim 12, and further comprising, a third member intermediate said conductors for resisting decompressive expansion and transverse compression of the insulation.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 24 words

The cable according to claim 12 wherein said jacket is comprised of a metal tape wrapped tightly against the outer edges of said members.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 15 words

The cable according to claim 13, wherein said first and second planes are substantially coplanar.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 56 words

The cable according to claim 15, wherein said members are mounted in the cable with outer edge surfaces thereof lying in substantially parallel planes, said planes being substantially perpendicular to said second plane containing the longitudinal axes of said members, whereby the opposite edges of the cable are substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 59 words

The cable according to claims 13 or 16, wherein a third elongated member, having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of said members, is mounted between said pair of elongated members with its longitudinal axis offset laterally from said second plane containing said longitudinal axes of said members, whereby the cable is inflected in said transverse plane.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 13 words

The cable according to claim 12, wherein said members are of unitary cross-section.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-12-25	1988-06-25	1988-12-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-12-25	1992-06-25	1992-12-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-12-25	1996-06-25	1996-12-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrical cable for use in extreme environments

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