U.S. patent application number 11/751927 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-29 for electromagnetic shielding sleeve for protecting bundles of cables and methods of construction thereof and protecting wires therewith.
Invention is credited to Fabrice Dumont, Rainer Koch, Andre Lernon, Thierry Rodrigues.
Application Number | 20080124976 11/751927 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32947113 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080124976 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rodrigues; Thierry ; et
al. |
May 29, 2008 |
ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING SLEEVE FOR PROTECTING BUNDLES OF CABLES
AND METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF AND PROTECTING WIRES
THEREWITH
Abstract
A tubular electromagnetic shielding sleeve has a longitudinal
slit. The inventive sleeve includes a substrate (11) and a layer
(12) of electrically-conductive material which is fixed to the
inner face of the substrate (11), the layer (12) extending
essentially from one edge (11a) to the other longitudinal edge
(11b) of the substrate (11). Moreover, the substrate (11) and the
layer (12) are separated from one another along a split segment
(13) on at least one first longitudinal edge (11a). The invention
can be used, for example, to protect bundles of electric cables
(14) for use in aeronautics.
Inventors: |
Rodrigues; Thierry; (Ecouen,
FR) ; Lernon; Andre; (Mareuil Sur Ourcq, FR) ;
Dumont; Fabrice; (Compiegne, FR) ; Koch; Rainer;
(Gilocourt, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
YOUNG & THOMPSON
209 Madison Street, Suite 500
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
32947113 |
Appl. No.: |
11/751927 |
Filed: |
May 22, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10550727 |
Sep 26, 2005 |
7235737 |
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PCT/FR04/00695 |
Mar 22, 2004 |
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11751927 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/607.41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D10B 2403/0311 20130101;
H02G 3/0481 20130101; D10B 2505/12 20130101; D04C 1/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/610 |
International
Class: |
H01R 9/03 20060101
H01R009/03 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 24, 2003 |
FR |
0303552 |
Claims
1. A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
a non-conductive substrate having an outer face and an inner face
extending between opposite longitudinally extending edges
overlapping one another along a length of said sleeve to provide a
wrapped substrate; and a metallic layer attached to said inner face
of said substrate and having opposite unfolded longitudinally
extending edge regions brought together to provide a
circumferentially continuous metal shield within said wrapped
substrate.
2. The wrappable elongate sleeve of claim 1 wherein said opposite
unfolded edge regions overlap one another.
3. The wrappable elongate sleeve of claim 1 wherein said substrate
is biased to self curl.
4. The wrappable elongate sleeve of claim 1 wherein said unfolded
longitudinal edge regions extend to opposite free edges that face
in opposite directions from one another.
5. The wrappable elongate sleeve of claim 1 wherein said unfolded
longitudinal edge regions remain in abutment with said inner face
of said non-conductive substrate.
6. A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
a non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an
inner face extending between opposite edges defining a width of
said substrate and overlapping one another along a length of said
sleeve to provide protection to the elongate members; and a
metallic layer attached to said inner face of said substrate and
having opposite free edges extending along the length of said
sleeve and being brought together to provide an uninterrupted metal
shield, said free edges defining a width of said metallic layer,
said width of said non-conductive layer being no greater than said
width of said metallic layer.
7. The wrappable sleeve of claim 6 wherein said metallic layer is
attached to said substrate by at least one row of stitches.
8. A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
a non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an
inner face extending between opposite longitudinal edges, said
substrate providing circumferentially continuous protection to the
elongate members; and a metallic layer of interlaced wires having
opposite free edges extending along a length of said sleeve, said
free edges being arranged to overlap one another to provide a
circumferentially continuous metal shield, said metallic layer
being attached to said substrate by at least one row of stitches
extending along at least one of said free edges and adjacent one of
said longitudinal edges of said substrate.
9. The wrappable sleeve of claim 8 wherein one row of stitches
extends along one of said free edges of said metallic layer
adjacent one of said longitudinal edges of said substrate and
another row of stitches extends along the other of said free edges
of said metallic layer adjacent the other of said longitudinal
edges of said substrate.
10. The wrappable sleeve of claim 8 wherein said opposite
longitudinal edges overlap one another to provide an overlap
portion, said overlap portion extending up to 90 degrees
circumferentially about said sleeve.
11. The wrappable sleeve of claim 8 wherein said free edges of said
metallic layer overlap one another to provide an overlap portion,
said overlap portion extending up to 90 degrees circumferentially
about said sleeve.
12. The wrappable sleeve of claim 8 wherein said textile substrate
is woven at least in part from monofilaments.
13. The wrappable sleeve of claim 12 wherein said monofilaments are
polyester.
14. The wrappable sleeve of claim 12 wherein said textile substrate
is thermoformed into a self-curling fabric.
15. The wrappable sleeve of claim 12 wherein said textile substrate
is woven at least in part from multifilaments.
16. The wrappable sleeve of claim 8 wherein said interlaced wires
are braided.
17. The wrappable sleeve of claim 16 wherein said wires are at
least in part copper.
18. A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
a woven substrate having an outer face and an inner face, said
outer face providing circumferentially continuous protection to the
elongate members; a metallic layer of interlaced wires having
opposite free edges arranged to overlap one another to provide a
circumferentially continuous metal shield about the elongate
members; and a row of stitches extending adjacent one of said free
edges and attaching said metallic layer to said inner face of said
substrate.
19. The wrappable sleeve of claim 18 further comprising another row
of stitches extending adjacent the other of said free edges.
20. The wrappable sleeve of claim 18 wherein at least one of said
free edges of said metallic layer is spaced from said
substrate.
21. The wrappable sleeve of claim 18 wherein said substrate has
opposite longitudinal edges extending along a length of said sleeve
and defining a width of said substrate and said free edges of said
metallic layer defining a width of said metallic layer, said width
of said metallic layer being at least as great as said width of
said substrate.
22. A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
a woven substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending
between opposite longitudinal edges extending along a length of
said sleeve and defining a width of said substrate, said inner face
adjacent one of said longitudinal edges being arranged to overlap
said outer face adjacent the other of said longitudinal edges to
provide circumferentially continuous protection to the elongate
members; a metallic layer of interlaced wires having opposite free
edges defining a width of said metallic layer, said free edges
being arranged to overlap one another to provide a
circumferentially continuous metal shield about the elongate
members; and wherein said width of said metallic layer is at least
as great as said width of said substrate.
23. The wrappable sleeve of claim 22 further comprising at least
one row of stitches attaching said metallic layer to said inner
face of said substrate.
24. A method of constructing a wrappable sleeve for providing
electromagnetic protection to wires, comprising: forming a
non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an inner
face extending between opposite edges defining a width of said
substrate; interlacing wires to form a metallic layer having
opposite free edges defining a width of said metallic layer, said
width of said substrate being no greater than said width of said
metallic layer; and attaching said metallic layer to said inner
face of said substrate so that said opposite free edges of said
metallic layer are arranged to overlap one another.
25. The method of claim 24 further including thermoforming said
substrate after the attaching the metallic layer to the
substrate.
26. A method of protecting wires against electromagnetic
interference in a wrappable textile sleeve, said wrappable textile
sleeve having a non-conductive textile substrate with an outer face
and an inner face extending between opposite edges extending along
a length of the sleeve and a metallic layer attached to the inner
face of the substrate and having opposite edge regions, the method
comprising: wrapping the substrate and the metallic layer about the
wires and bringing the opposite edges of the substrate into
overlapping arrangement with one another and bringing the edge
regions of the metallic layer into overlapping contact with one
another with the over lapping edge regions remaining in a generally
flat and an unfolded configuration.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of prior U.S. application
Ser. No. 10/550,727, filed Sep. 26, 2005, which was the National
Stage of International Application No. PCT/FR04/00695, filed Mar.
22, 2004, which claims the benefit of French Application No.
FR03/03552, filed Mar. 24, 2003, all of which are incorporated
herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to textile sleeves used to
protect bundles of electrical cables, and more particularly to
textile sleeves and their methods of construction and use for
providing electromagnetic protection to electric wires or
cables.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] The present invention applies generally to protecting wires,
cables or bundles of wires by electromagnetically shielding them in
order to protect them from electromagnetic interference and
radio-frequency interference.
[0006] This type of electromagnetic protection is routinely used in
the automotive, rail cabling and aeronautical fields.
[0007] Electromagnetic interference protection standards are drawn
up for each field of application and may require protection of the
order of 40 to 45 dB in the automotive field or of the order of 80
to 90 dB in the aeronautical field.
[0008] Self-closing sleeves of polyester fabric coated with copper
or nickel for providing electromagnetic protection are known in the
automotive field, for example.
[0009] Electrical continuity is provided by an overlap on the
outside face of the textile sleeve, where a folded longitudinal
edge produces copper-to-copper contact.
[0010] A protective sleeve of the above kind is described in the
document EP 1 175 683 in particular.
[0011] However, this kind of sleeve can offer only low protection
to interference and is therefore difficult to transpose to the
aeronautical field.
[0012] In the aeronautical field, maximum efficiency in terms of
electromagnetic shielding is obtained by using copper wires, for
example in the form of a copper braid.
[0013] In the conventional way, copper wires are overbraided around
the cable to be protected, for example with a coverage rate of
around 75%. The coverage rates required in the aeronautical field
are frequently in excess of 90%.
[0014] A layer overbraided with textile filaments may be added to
provide mechanical protection of the bundle of cables and the
copper shielding.
[0015] However, the above shielding is difficult to fit to a bundle
of cables.
[0016] Moreover, it is particularly difficult, or even impossible,
to maintain and replace shielding and mechanical protection
elements if the bundles of cables are installed and connected in
their operational configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] An object of the present invention is to eliminate the
problems cited above and to propose an electromagnetic shielding
sleeve providing efficient shielding at lower cost, in particular
in the aeronautical field.
[0018] To this end, the present invention is directed to a
longitudinally slit tubular electromagnetic shielding sleeve
comprising a substrate and an electrically conductive material
layer fixed to an internal face of the substrate, the layer
extending substantially from one longitudinal edge of the substrate
to the other longitudinal edge thereof.
[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the substrate and
the electrically conductive material layer are separated in a split
segment at one first longitudinal edge at least.
[0020] This split segment thus forms a housing adapted to receive
the second longitudinal edge of the substrate, so that electrical
continuity can be produced in the layer of electrically conductive
material that is fixed from one edge of the substrate to the other
edge thereof.
[0021] Thanks to this split segment, electrical continuity may be
produced inside the sleeve, so that this area of electrical contact
is protected by the first longitudinal edge of the substrate on the
outside face of the sleeve.
[0022] Furthermore, thanks to the longitudinally slit substrate, it
is easy to fit and in particular to replace a worn out sleeve, even
if the bundles of cables are positioned for their final
application. This facilitates maintenance and retro-fit
operations.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electrically
conductive material layer is formed of an interleaved copper wire
structure, providing a high density of copper to assure efficient
shielding of the bundles of cables.
[0024] A braided copper wire structure produces a high rate of
coverage by the electrically conductive material around the cables
to be protected.
[0025] According to another preferred feature of the invention, the
substrate is produced in the form of a sheet thermoformed into a
self-curling strip with an overlap.
[0026] Thus the shape of the substrate greatly facilitates fitting
the sleeve with an overlap producing electrical continuity in the
split segment of the sleeve.
[0027] Thus the second longitudinal edge of the sleeve is adapted
to be inserted between the substrate and the electrically
conductive material layer in the split segment.
[0028] This sleeve is particularly suitable for protecting bundles
of electrical cables in the aeronautical field, but may also be
used in the automotive and rail sectors.
[0029] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent in the course of the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] In the appended drawings, which are provided by way of
non-limiting example:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electromagnetic shielding
sleeve of the invention;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a view of a first embodiment of an electromagnetic
shielding sleeve of the invention;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a view in cross section of the first embodiment of
an electromagnetic shielding sleeve of the invention fitted around
a bundle of cables;
[0034] FIG. 4 is an end view of a second embodiment of an
electromagnetic shielding sleeve of the invention; and
[0035] FIG. 5 is a view in cross section of the second embodiment
of an electromagnetic shielding sleeve of the invention fitted
around a bundle of cables.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] The general principle of an electromagnetic shielding sleeve
of the invention is described first with reference to FIG. 1.
[0037] The general shape of the sleeve 10 is that of a slit
tube.
[0038] In the present example the sleeve more particularly
comprises a substrate 11 adapted to curl up on itself to form a
longitudinally slit tube.
[0039] This substrate is preferably produced from a plane strip in
the form of a thermoformed sheet. The thermoforming operation
converts the flat strip into a self-curling strip with an overlap,
the longitudinal edges 10a, 10b of the sleeve being adapted to come
into contact with each other in an overlap portion.
[0040] The substrate is preferably a woven textile strip. The
textile filaments may be polyester monofilaments and/or
multifilaments, for example.
[0041] For example, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) filaments may be
used.
[0042] Alternatively, a substrate may be produced from NOMEX.RTM.
from du Pont de Nemours.
[0043] The NOMEX.RTM. or PPS substrate provides effective
mechanical protection of the cables to be protected.
[0044] A NOMEX.RTM. substrate has the additional advantage of good
fire resistance.
[0045] According to the invention, this textile substrate 11 is
associated with an electrically conductive material layer 12.
[0046] The layer 12 is preferably formed from braided copper
wires.
[0047] Tinned or nickel-plated copper wires may be used, and copper
wires with a diameter from 0.10 mm to 0.25 mm, and preferably from
0.12 mm to 0.15 mm, can be braided to form an elongate strip of
conductive material.
[0048] The braiding technique produces a strip in which the rate of
coverage by the copper is of the order of 92% of the total area of
the strip.
[0049] This copper layer 12 is fixed to an internal face 11c of the
substrate so as to extend from one longitudinal edge 11a of the
substrate 11 to the other longitudinal edge 11b thereof.
[0050] As clearly shown in FIG. 1, this conductive material layer
may extend over only a limited longitudinal portion of the sleeve
10.
[0051] Of course, this layer 12 may equally extend over the whole
of the length of the sleeve 10.
[0052] As clearly shown in FIG. 2, in a first embodiment, the
substrate 11 and the layer 12 are separated in a split segment 13
along a first longitudinal edge 11a of the substrate 11.
[0053] Accordingly, in this split segment 13, the second
longitudinal edge 10b of the sleeve may be inserted between the
substrate 11 and the layer 12.
[0054] The split segment 13 subtends an angle .alpha. that is
sufficient to allow sufficient insertion of the second longitudinal
edge 10b into this split segment 13.
[0055] The angle a may be substantially equal to 90.degree., for
example.
[0056] As shown clearly in FIG. 3, when this sleeve 10 is fitted
around a bundle of cables 14, the second longitudinal edge 10b of
the sleeve 10 is inserted between the layer 12 of conductive
material and the substrate, more particularly the first
longitudinal edge 11a of the substrate, so that electrical
continuity may be obtained in the layer 12, thanks to contact
between the longitudinal edges 12a, 12b of the copper layer 12.
[0057] Thus there exists an overlap portion 15 in which one
longitudinal edge 10a of the sleeve 10 overlaps the other
longitudinal edge 10b thereof. This overlap portion 15 subtends an
angle .alpha. from 60.degree. to 90.degree. with respect to the
longitudinal axis of the tubular substrate 11.
[0058] This overlap portion 15 is larger or smaller according to
the diameter of the bundles of cables 14 to be protected, what is
important being to have good contact between the two longitudinal
edges.
[0059] A second embodiment of the electromagnetic shielding sleeve
of, the invention is described next with reference to FIGS. 4 and
5.
[0060] In this embodiment, the substrate 11 and the electrically
conductive material layer 12 are separated in two split segments 13
and 13', one of these split segments 13 being adjacent to the first
longitudinal edge 10a of the sleeve 10 and the other split segment
13' being adjacent to the second longitudinal edge 10b of the
sleeve.
[0061] Accordingly, as shown clearly in FIG. 5, these split
segments 13, 13' are adapted to be interleaved in an overlap
portion 15' so that the edges 12a, 12b of the conductive layer come
into contact with each other inside the sleeve and the longitudinal
edges 11a, 11b of the substrate come into contact with each other
outside the sleeve.
[0062] Accordingly, in both embodiments described above, electrical
continuity of the conductive material layer 12 is produced inside
the sleeve 10, the substrate 11 covering this contact portion to
maintain the electrical connection mechanically.
[0063] Reliable and efficient shielding is thus obtained, suitable
for bundles of aeronautical cables.
[0064] This electromagnetic shielding sleeve may be fabricated by
sewing the electrically conductive material layer 12 to the
substrate 11 by means of one or more rows of stitches 16, 16', 16''
extending in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve 10, for
example.
[0065] At least one of the rows of stitches 16' is sufficiently far
from one longitudinal edge 10a of the sleeve to allow separation of
the substrate and the layer 12 in the vicinity of that longitudinal
edge.
[0066] If the substrate is a thermoformed textile woven strip, the
copper braid is fixed to the textile woven strip by lines of
stitches before the thermoforming step.
[0067] Alternatively, this sleeve could be produced by a tube
weaving process, one layer being made of copper wires and one layer
being made of textile filaments. A double weaving process of this
kind would eliminate the operation of fixing the copper layer to
the textile filament layer during fabrication of the sleeve.
[0068] The electromagnetic shielding sleeve of the invention
therefore achieves efficient shielding and is simple to use around
bundles of cables to be protected, even if the latter are installed
in an engine and connected up, for example.
[0069] Of course, many modifications may be made to the embodiment
described above without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0070] In particular, in the second embodiment, in which a split
segment is provided at both longitudinal edges of the sleeve, one
of the longitudinal edges, comprising both the substrate and the
electrically conductive material layer, may be inserted integrally
between the substrate and the conductive material layer of the
other longitudinal edge.
[0071] Moreover, the edges 12a, 12b of the electrically conductive
material layer 12 may extend more or less as far as the
longitudinal edges 11a, 11b of the substrate 11 if it suffices to
produce a small area of overlap of the two edges 12a, 12b of the
electrically conductive material to provide electrical
continuity.
[0072] Furthermore, the tubular sleeve could be formed, instead of
from a self-curling strip, from a plain strip adapted to be curled
up around a bundle of cables and held in that position by fixing
means such as cable ties or rings distributed along the length of
the sleeve.
[0073] Moreover, the substrate may be formed of a knitted or
braided textile strip.
[0074] Similarly, the conductive material layer may be made from
woven copper wires.
* * * * *