Illuminating cable for enhanced traceability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295776-B2
Application number	US-201816048244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2018
Priority date	Aug 31, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Enhanced traceability of cables is provided using illumination. An embodiment comprises introducing a chemiluminescent (alternatively, flourescent) solution into a chamber coupled to at least a portion of an insulating jacket that surrounds a transmission medium, the chamber being initially hollow and, in at least a portion thereof, comprised of a substance through which light is viewable, such that upon introduction of the solution through a port, light emitted by the solution is viewable through at least a portion of the chamber. In another embodiment, a first and second compartment contain a first and second substance, respectively, and are physically separated. When an opening is caused in the physical separation, the substances are allowed to mix, the substances being chosen as providing a chemiluminescent reaction upon the mixing, such that light emitted by the chemiluminescent reaction is viewable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for tracing a cable, comprising:
triggering a separator material disposed in a cable to open, thereby forming an opening between a first compartment and a second compartment, the opening allowing a first substance to mix with a second substance and thereby cause a chemiluminescent reaction, such that light emitted by the chemiluminescent reaction is viewable from at least a portion of the cable, wherein:
the first compartment is coupled to at least a portion of an outer surface of an insulating jacket that surrounds an outer surface of a transmission medium of the cable;
the first compartment contains the first substance;
the second compartment is coupled to at least a portion of the first compartment and physically separated therefrom by the separator material; and
the second compartment contains the second substance.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the separator material is brittle; and
the triggering comprises breaking the separator material.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the separator material has at least one resistive heating element incorporated therein; and
the triggering comprises heating at least a portion of the separator material to cause melting thereof.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
a least a portion of the separator material is movable; and
the triggering comprises moving the movable portion to form the opening.

5. A cable apparatus, comprising:
a transmission medium;
an insulating jacket surrounding an outer surface of the transmission medium;
a chamber coupled to at least a portion of an outer surface of the insulating jacket, the chamber being initially hollow and, in at least a portion thereof, comprised of a substance through which light is viewable; and
a port disposed in the chamber, the port providing an entry point into the hollow chamber for introduction of a chemiluminescent solution, such that upon the introduction into the hollow chamber of the chemiluminescent solution, light emitted by the chemiluminescent solution is viewable through at least the portion of the chamber.

6. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the substance is translucent.

7. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the substance is transparent.

8. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the port is formed, at least in part, of a self-sealing substance, the self-sealing substance selected so as to cause the port to re-seal subsequent to the introduction of the chemiluminescent solution.

9. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the chamber is coupled so as to surround a circumference of at least a portion of the outer surface of the insulating jacket.

10. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the chamber is coupled so as to form a channel along at least a portion of the outer surface of the insulating jacket.

11. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the chemiluminescent solution is comprised of a mixture of diphenyl oxalate with a flourescent dye and hydrogen peroxide.

12. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the chemiluminescent solution is comprised of a mixture of luminol and an activating oxidizing agent.

13. The cable apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a color of the emitted light is determined by a dye present in the chemiluminescent solution.

14. A cable apparatus, comprising:
a transmission medium;
an insulating jacket surrounding an outer surface of the transmission medium;
a first compartment coupled to at least a portion of an outer surface of the insulating jacket, the first compartment containing a first substance;
a second compartment coupled to at least a portion of the first compartment and physically separated therefrom, the second compartment containing a second substance; and
a triggering mechanism that, when triggered, causes an opening in the physical separation between the first compartment and the second compartment, the opening allowing the first substance to mix with the second substance, the first and second substances being chosen as providing a chemiluminescent reaction upon the mixing, such that light emitted by the chemiluminescent reaction is viewable from the cable apparatus.

15. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a button that, when pressed, causes the opening by rupturing the physical separation.

16. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a plurality of buttons, such that pressing any thereof causes the opening by puncturing the physical separation with a sharp element of the pressed any button.

17. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a puncturing of the physical separation.

18. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
at least a portion of the physical separation comprises a movable gating component; and
the triggering mechanism comprises moving the gating component to cause the opening.

19. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
at least a region of the physical separation comprises an electroactive polymer; and
the triggering mechanism comprises exposing the electroactive polymer to a current, thereby creating the opening by melting at least a portion of the region.

20. The cable apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein:
the physical separation is comprised of a substance having a relatively low melting point; and
the triggering mechanism comprises applying current to the substance to cause melting of at least a portion thereof.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Campbell Eric J
• Czaplewski Sarah K
• Helgeson Lee N
• Kaus Jonathan L
• Lembke Pamela L

Classifications

• F21K2/06 Primary

  using chemiluminescence · CPC title

• G02B6/447 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• H01B7/361

  being the colour of the insulation or conductor · CPC title

• G02B6/562 Primary

  locatable, e.g. using magnetic means · CPC title

• G02B6/4483

  Injection or filling devices · CPC title