Coupled power and control cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328839-B1
Application number	US-202016810014-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

Energy and a control signal may be provided using a coupled power and control cable. The coupled power and control cable may comprise a power cable, a control cable, and an overall jacket. The power cable may be connected between a switch and a fixture and may provide energy to the fixture from the switch. The control cable may be connected between the control circuit and the fixture and may provide the control signal to the fixture from the control circuit. The power cable and the control cable may be disposed beneath the overall jacket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a fixture;
a control device comprising;
a switch, and
a control circuit that provides a control signal; and

a coupled cable disposed between the fixture and the control device, the coupled cable comprising;
a power cable being connected between the switch and the fixture that provides energy to the fixture from the switch, the power cable being Class 1,
a control cable connected between the control circuit and the fixture that provides the control signal to the fixture from the control circuit, the control cable being Class 1, and
an overall jacket beneath which the power cable and the control cable are disposed, wherein the overall jacket comprises complementary webbing valleys and a connector portion comprising a webbing, wherein the overall jacket further comprises a stripe indicating which side of the coupled cable comprises power cable and which side of the coupled cable comprises the control cable.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprising a Light Emitting Diode (LED) light.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises a WiFi Access Point (AP).

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a potentiometer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a dimmer control.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a dimmer control from a Light Emitting Diode (LED) light.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control signal comprises a voltage level between a first voltage value and a second voltage value, the voltage level not exceeding a maximum value corresponding to Class 2.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power cable and the control cable are in a side-by-side configuration.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the
connector portion is disposed between the power cable, the control cable, and the complementary valleys.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the overall jacket has the stripe on a portion of the overall jacket under which the control cable is disposed.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power cable comprises a first plurality of conductors and the control cable comprises a second plurality of conductors and wherein the first plurality of conductors are larger than the second plurality of conductors.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control cable comprises an optical fiber.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control cable comprises a twisted pair.

14. A method comprising:
receiving a coupled cable comprising an overall jacket beneath which a power cable and a control cable are disposed, the overall jacket comprising complementary valleys and a connector portion disposed between the power cable and the control cable, the overall jacket having a stripe on a portion of the overall jacket under which the control cable is disposed the power cable being Class 1 and the control cable being Class 1, wherein the connector portion comprises a webbing;
selecting, based upon the stripe on the coupled cable, the control cable from the coupled cable;
connecting a first end of the selected control cable to a control circuit of a control device; and
connecting a second end of the selected control cable to a fixture.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving the coupled cable comprises receiving the coupled cable wherein the power cable comprises a first plurality of conductors and the control cable comprises a second plurality of conductors and wherein the first plurality of conductors are larger than the second plurality of conductors and wherein the power cable comprises a neutral and the control cable does not comprise a neutral.

16. A method comprising:
providing a coupled cable between a fixture and a control device, the control device comprising a switch and a control circuit, the coupled cable comprising,
a power cable being connected between the switch and the fixture, the power cable being Class 1,
a control cable connected between the control circuit and the fixture, the control cable being Class 1, and
an overall jacket beneath which the power cable and the control cable are disposed, wherein the overall jacket comprises complementary webbing valleys and a connector portion comprising a webbing, wherein the overall jacket further comprises a stripe indicating which side of the coupled cable comprises power cable and which side of the coupled cable comprises the control cable;

providing energy to the fixture from the switch; and
providing a control signal to the fixture from the control circuit, the control signal comprising a voltage level between a first voltage value and a second voltage value, the voltage level not exceeding a maximum value corresponding to Class 2.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the coupled cable comprises providing the coupled cable wherein the power cable comprises a first plurality of conductors and the control cable comprises a second plurality of conductors and wherein the first plurality of conductors are larger than the second plurality of conductors.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the coupled cable comprises providing the coupled cable wherein the power cable comprises a neutral.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the coupled cable comprises providing the coupled cable wherein the control cable does not comprise a neutral.

20. A coupled cable comprising:
a power cable being Class 1;
a control cable being Class 1; and
an overall jacket beneath which the power cable and the control cable are disposed, the overall jacket comprising complementary webbing valleys and a connector portion separating a portion of the overall jacket surrounding the power cable and a portion of the overall jacket surrounding the control cable, the connector portion comprising a webbing, wherein the overall jacket further comprises a stripe indicating which side of the coupled cable comprises power cable and which side of the coupled cable comprises the control cable.

Assignees

• Southwire Co Llc

Inventors

• Kummer Randy D
• Ledbetter Scotty Joe

Classifications

• H01B9/003 Primary

  including electrical control or communication wires · CPC title

• H01B7/0823

  Parallel wires, incorporated in a flat insulating profile · CPC title

• H01B7/38

  with arrangements for facilitating removal of insulation · CPC title

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• H02G1/00

  Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines · CPC title