Electrical cable for use in extreme environments

Claim 1

An electrical cable comprising: a plurality of elongated, insulated conductors having a substantially concentric layer of electrical insulation covering each of said conductors, said conductors having substantially parallel longitudinal axes spaced laterally from one another; a jacket covering said conductors, said jacket being elongated in transverse cross-section and comprised of first and second opposite edge portions and first and second opposite side portions, said side portions of said jacket having an arcuate shape in transverse cross-section, one being laterally wider than the other, and said jacket having sufficient cross-sectional rigidity to maintain the structure arcuate in its transverse cross-section; and at least one elongated, force-resisting member within said jacket positioned between and parallel to the insulated conductors; said member having first, second and third legs, said third leg extending transversely across the jacket interior substantially from one side portion thereof to the other, said first and second legs extending laterally from said third leg, each being adjacent, respectively, one of said first and second side portions of the jacket and enclosing therebetween at least a portion of the circumferential surface of the insulation; said third leg having a lesser compressibility in transverse cross-section than said insulation on said one conductor adjacent thereto; said first leg being adjacent the laterally wider jacket side portion and being laterally wider than said second leg for providing the desired enclosure to the conductor insulation.