U.S. patent number 3,867,565 [Application Number 05/460,854] was granted by the patent office on 1975-02-18 for electrical conductive coated cable.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy. Invention is credited to Markay H. Malootian, Winslow W. Prentice.
United States Patent |
3,867,565 |
Prentice , et al. |
February 18, 1975 |
ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVE COATED CABLE
Abstract
A conductive material formed on the surface of a polyethylene
film compri a homogeneous mixture of polyethylene powder, nickel
powder, silver flake and polyethylene oxide of a high molecular
weight. The conductive material is bonded by means of fusion to the
polyethylene film to form a coating which is then bonded to the
outer surface of a polyethylene cable.
Inventors: |
Prentice; Winslow W.
(Pawcatuck, CT), Malootian; Markay H. (Quaker Hill, CT) |
Assignee: |
The United States of America as
represented by the Secretary of the Navy (Washington,
DC)
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Family
ID: |
27014326 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/460,854 |
Filed: |
April 15, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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393534 |
Aug 31, 1973 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
174/120SC;
174/36; 174/102SC; 174/110F |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01B
9/027 (20130101); H01B 1/22 (20130101); E02F
5/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01B
9/02 (20060101); H01B 9/00 (20060101); E02F
5/10 (20060101); H01B 1/22 (20060101); H01b
007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;174/12R,12SC,15SC,16SC,11F,11PM,12SC,12SR,12R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1,168,128 |
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Oct 1969 |
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GB |
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638,002 |
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Mar 1962 |
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CA |
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1,147,281 |
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Apr 1963 |
|
DT |
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1,025,958 |
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Mar 1958 |
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DT |
|
Primary Examiner: Grimley; Arthur T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sciascia; Richard S. McGill; Arthur
A. Lall; Prithvi C.
Parent Case Text
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 393,534
filed Aug. 31, 1973 for Fusible and Electrical Conductive Coating.
Claims
1. An electrical cable comprising:
an electrical conductor;
a first polyethylene cover enclosing said conductor;
a second polyethylene cover enclosing and bonded to said first
polyethylene cover; and
an electrically conductive coating comprising a mixture of
polyethylene powder, nickel powder and silver flake, said
electrically conductive coating enclosing and bonded to said second
polyethylene cover.
Description
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or
for the Government of the United States of America for governmental
purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or
therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to polyethylene jacketed
cables and more particularly to a conductive material that can be
bonded to such cables.
Foam polyethylene cable when used to form part of a submarine
antenna system need selected surface areas that are electrically
conductive. Prior art coatings such as conductive paints and
adhesives either failed to adhere to the polyethylene jacket or
formed such a weak bond to the polyethylene that slight abrasion
removed the coatings. Spiral wound wire and metal strips affixed to
the outside of cables were also attempted but broke upon the
flexing of the cable during use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object and purpose of the present
invention to provide an electrically conductive coating. It is a
further object to provide the conductive coating to the outer
surface of a foam polyethylene jacketed cable. Further objects are
that the conductive coated cable have good flexibility, good
corrosion resistance in sea water, and capable of being sealed at
least to 500 psi.
These and other objects are accomplished according to the present
invention by providing a specific electrically conductive mixture
and forming a coating by adhering the mixture to a polyethylene
film by means of heat and pressure. The coating is then bonded to
the outer surface of a polyethylene cable by means of being clamped
inside a cylindrical split mold and heated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an assembly for providing a coating for an electrical
cable;
FIG. 2 is an assembly for bonding the coating of FIG. 1 to the
electrical cable; and
FIG. 3 shows the coated cable formed by bonding the coating of FIG.
1 to the electrical cable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A specific mixture for providing an electrical conductive coating
for a polyethylene cable has the following composition:
Example 1 ______________________________________ % by weight
Polyethylene powder 35.59 Nickel powder 14.23 Silver flake 49.82
Polyethylene oxide .36 ______________________________________
The polyethylene powder, nickel powder and silver flake that are
used in the composition are 200 mesh or less in size. The
polyethylene oxide has an average molecular weight of 4,000,000.
All the above materials are commercially available and should be
high quality for best results. In addition, the above components of
polyethylene powder, nickel powder and silver flake can be varied
by 10 percent of their respective weights either individually or in
unison with other components without destroying the effectiveness
of the mixture.
The polyethylene oxide can be increased by up to 10 percent of its
respective weight or decreased anywhere down to zero. Although the
polyethylene oxide makes a positive contribution, it has the
problem that it is water soluble and would tend to deteriorate the
product when in use over an extended period of time.
When the polyethylene oxide is omitted the mixture has the
following ingredients.
Example 2 ______________________________________ % by weight
Polyethylene powder 35.72 Nickel powder 14.28 Silver flake 50.00
______________________________________
The above components can also be varied by 10 percent of their
respective weights either individually or with another
ingredient.
Once the proportions of the above ingredients in either Example 1
or 2 have been measured, the ingredients are mixed together until
they appear homogeneous.
In order to form a conductive coating from the homogeneous mixture
and apply the coating over a foam polyethylene cable the following
procedure is performed.
Referring to FIG. 1, a first flat metal plate 10 is covered on its
inner surface with a plastic film 11 such as MYLAR or other
non-adhering high temperature substance. The length and width
dimensions of the plate depend on the desired size of the coating
to be formed. The thickness of the plastic film used was
approximately 5 mils. This dimension, however, is not critical. A
4-6 mil thickness polyethylene film 12 having the same length and
width as the plastic film 11 and plate 10 is placed on the plastic
film 11. A screen (not shown) is then placed on film 12 and the
mixed powder 14 comprised of the materials of either Examples 1 or
2 is sprinkled on and through the interstices of the screen. The
screen is then squeegeed to level off the mixture 14. Then the
screen is removed. The size of the screen used can vary from 25 to
200 mesh and have a depth for providing a 5-10 mil thickness for
the mixed powder 14.
Another layer of plastic film 15 similar to film 11 is applied on
top of powder 14. A second metal plate 16 is then placed on top of
film 15 and metal plates 10 and 16 are clamped together by any
clamping means such as C clamp 18. The assembly formed is placed in
an oven or otherwise heated to 300.degree.-350.degree.F. When the
powder 14 heats up and begins to flow out of the assembly the heat
is removed and the assembly is permitted to cool. The heating
normally takes between an hour and an hour and a half. The purpose
of the heating is to bond the polyethylene film 12 to the mixture
14 to form a coating 17.
The clamp 18 and metal plates 10 and 16 are then removed from the
assembly. The plastic films 11 and 15 are then peeled off of the
bonded coating 17. The function of the films 11 and 15 is to
prevent the coating 17 from adhering to plates 10 and 16.
The coating 17 as formed has a high electrical resistant layer
comprised of the polyethylene film 12 and a low electrical
resistant layer comprised of mixture 14.
Referring now to FIG. 2 there is shown a cable 20 comprised of a
copper conductor 21 and a polyethylene foam jacket 22. The coating
17 formed of layers 12 and 14 is wrapped around jacket 22 with the
polyethylene film 12 placed in juxtaposition to polyethylene jacket
22. A cylindrical split mold 23, having flanges 24, is then wrapped
around coating 17. Split mold 23 has an inside diameter equal to
the outside diameter of the coating 17. The mold 23 after being
placed over the coating 17 is clamped by nuts and bolts 25. The
clamped assembly is heated to 325.degree.F causing a fusion between
the polyethylene foam jacket 22 and the film 11. The heating
normally takes between 1/2 hour and 1 hour. After such fusion the
heat is removed from the assembly and after cooldown the coated
cable is removed from the split mold 23.
FIG. 3 shows a view of the coated cable 30 formed by the processes
described. The cable 30 has layers partially removed for
clarification. The respective components of cable 30 are the copper
conductor 21, polyethylene foam layer 22, polyethylene film layer
12 and conductive layer 14.
There has therefore been described an electrical cable and the
processes by which it is made.
The resistivity of the outer surface of the cable measures 1 ohm or
less per foot of length. In addition, the outer surface is suitably
insulated from the internal conductor along its length. The cable
formed is rugged enough to withstand the rigors of a marine
environment whether rolled on a cable reel or unrolled and is
capable of going through submarine hull fitting systems without
having its electrical properties impaired.
It will be understood that various changes in the details,
materials, steps and arrangements of parts, which have been herein
described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the
invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the
principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended
claims.
* * * * *