Compression molded cable structures and methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9276392-B2
Application number	US-201113013540-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2011
Priority date	Jan 25, 2010
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

Compression molded cable structures and systems and methods for manufacturing molded cable structures are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable structure, comprising:
a conductor bundle;
a cured resin that encompasses the conductor bundle;
a tube sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, the tube sleeve encompassing the cured resin; and
a variable diameter bi-component sheath compression molded from two urethane sheets that encompasses the tube sleeve, the cured resin, and the conductor bundle; wherein
each component of the bi-component sheath defines at least a portion of an external surface of the cable structure;
the outer surface of the tube sleeve mates to an inner surface of the bi-component sheath:
the inner surface of the tube sleeve mates to an outer surface of the cured resin; and
the bi-component sheath comprises interface region, a bump region, and a non-interface region, the bump region existing between the interface and non-interface regions and having a variable diameter.

2. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the bump region has a curved profile.

3. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the variable diameter bi-component sheath comprises three legs coupled together at a bifurcation region, each leg comprising an interface region, a bump region, and a non-interface region, wherein the bump region exists between the interface and non-interface regions and has a variable diameter.

4. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the bi-component sheath comprises a top sheath component formed from a first of the two urethane sheets and a bottom sheath component formed from a second of the two urethane sheets, wherein the top and bottom sheath components each have a smooth outer surface.

5. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the conductor bundle comprises at least one conductor and at least one superelastic rod.

6. A cable structure, comprising:
a variable diameter bi-component sheath compression molded from two urethane sheets;
a tube sleeve disposed within the sheath such that a cavity exists within the tube sleeve disposed within the sheath, wherein the bi-component sheath comprises at least one leg having an interface region, a bump region, and a non-interface region, the bump region existing between the interface and non-interface regions and having a variable diameter; and
a support structure positioned at one end of the non-interface region and comprising:
a central ring portion; and
a leg portion attached to the central ring portion, the leg portion extending to the external surface of the cable structure;

wherein:
each of the two urethane sheets defines at least a portion of a smooth external surface of the cable structure; and
the tube sleeve is mated to an inner surface of the sheath.

7. The cable structure of claim 6 , wherein the bi-component sheath comprises three legs joined together at a bifurcation region, and the cavity exists with all three legs.

8. The cable structure of claim 7 , wherein each of the three legs has an interface region, a bump region, and a non-interface region, wherein the bump region exists between the interface and non-interface regions and has a variable diameter.

9. The cable structure of claim 8 , wherein dimensions of the interface regions, bump regions, and non-interface regions for at least two of the three legs are substantially the same.

10. A cable structure, comprising:
an inlaid component comprising:
a central ring portion; and
a leg portion attached to the central ring portion;

a resin that encompasses the inlaid component, the resin having an outer surface, the resin comprising:
an interface region;
a bump region; and
a non-interface region, the bump region existing between the interface and non-interface regions and having a variable diameter; and

a tube sleeve that at least partially encompasses the outer surface of the resin; wherein
the resin permanently secures the inlaid component in place.

11. The cable structure of claim 10 , wherein the bump region comprises a curve.

12. The cable structure of claim 10 , wherein the resin comprises three legs coupled together at a bifurcation region, each leg comprising an interface region, a bump region, and a non-interface region, wherein the bump region exists between the interface and non-interface regions and has a variable diameter.

13. The cable structure of claim 12 , wherein each bump region comprises a curve.

14. The cable structure of claim 10 , wherein the inlaid component further comprises at least one conductor and at least one superelastic rod.

15. The cable structure of claim 10 , wherein the inlaid component comprises a conductor bundle.

16. The cable structure of claim 10 , wherein an interface between the resin and the inlaid component minimizes movement of the inlaid component within the resin.

17. The cable structure of claim 16 , wherein the resin is pulled around the inlaid component by a vacuum.

Assignees

• Aase Jonathan
• Choiniere Paul
• Dunham Greg
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Aase Jonathan
• Choiniere Paul
• Dunham Greg

Classifications

• B29K2705/00

  Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts · CPC title

• B29C2043/3665

  cores or inserts, e.g. pins, mandrels, sliders · CPC title

• H02G15/18 Primary

  protected by sleeves, e.g. for communication cable (two-part covers H02G15/10 {; preforms having internal stresses B29C61/00}) · CPC title

• B29C43/36

  Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles · CPC title

• B29C2043/3621

  a plurality of individual elements acting on the material in the same or diferent directions, e.g. making tubular T-joints, profiles · CPC title