Cable structures with localized foam strain reliefs and systems and methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455063-B2
Application number	US-201314038215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2013
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

Cable structures with localized foam strain reliefs and systems and methods for making the same are provided. In some embodiments, at least one localized foam strain relief may be incorporated into or positioned underneath a cover of a cable structure. For example, the ratio of base material to foam material may be varied during the manufacture of the cover, such that distinct portions of the cover may include more foam than other portions of the cover. This may provide localized strain relief properties to the cable structure while also obviating the need for additional strain relief components to be provided adjacent to or over specific portions of the cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable structure comprising:
a conductor arrangement extending along a length of the cable structure; and
a cover surrounding the conductor arrangement along the length of the cable structure, wherein the cover comprises a single-phase solution, and wherein the density of the single-phase solution of the cover varies along the length of the cable structure.

2. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the amount of foam in the single-phase solution of the cover varies along the length of the cable structure.

3. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of base material to foam material within the single-phase solution of the cover varies along the length of the cable structure.

4. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein:
a first portion of the single-phase solution of the cover surrounding a first portion of the conductor arrangement along a first portion of the length of the cable structure comprises a first amount of foam;
a second portion of the single-phase solution of the cover surrounding a second portion of the conductor arrangement along a second portion of the length of the cable structure comprises a second amount of foam; and
the first amount of foam is greater than the second amount of foam.

5. The cable structure of claim 4 , wherein the diameter of the first portion of the single-phase solution of the cover is greater than the diameter of the second portion of the single-phase solution of the cover.

6. The cable structure of claim 4 , wherein the diameter of the first portion of the single-phase solution of the cover is the same as the diameter of the second portion of the single-phase solution of the cover.

7. The cable structure of claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the single-phase solution of the cover provides strain relief to the cable structure.

8. The cable structure of claim 4 , wherein the first portion of the cable structure is at an end of the cable structure.

9. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the cover provides at least a portion of the outer surface of the cable structure.

10. The cable structure of claim 1 , wherein the entirety of the external surface of the cover is smooth.

11. A cable structure comprising:
a conductor arrangement extending along a longitudinal axis of a length of the cable structure; and
a cover disposed about the conductor arrangement along the longitudinal axis, wherein:
at a first cross-section of the cable structure that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cover comprises a first amount of foam;
at a second cross-section of the cable structure that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cover comprises a second amount of foam that is less than the first amount of foam; and
the outer diameter of the cover at the first cross-section is the same as the outer diameter of the cover at the second cross-section.

12. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the cover at the first cross-section provides a strain relief to the cable structure.

13. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein a portion of the single-phase solution of the cover provides at least a portion of the outer surface of the cable structure.

14. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the density of the cover at the first cross-section is different than the density of the cover at the second cross-section.

15. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the cover comprises a single-phase solution, and wherein the density of the single-phase solution of the cover at the first cross-section is different than the density of the single-phase solution of the cover at the second cross-section.

16. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein a ratio of base material to foam material within the cover varies along the longitudinal axis.

17. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the cover provides at least a portion of the outer surface of the cable structure.

18. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the cover comprises a single-phase solution, and wherein a portion of the single-phase solution of the cover provides at least a portion of the outer surface of the cable structure.

19. The cable structure of claim 11 , wherein the entirety of the external surface of the cover is smooth.

20. A cable structure comprising:
a conductor arrangement extending along a longitudinal axis of a length of the cable structure; and
a cover disposed about the conductor arrangement along the longitudinal axis, wherein:
the cover comprises a single-phase solution;
at a first cross-section of the cable structure that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the single-phase solution of the cover comprises a particular amount of foam; and
at a second cross-section of the cable structure that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the single-phase solution of the cover comprises less foam than the particular amount of foam.

21. A method for forming a cable structure, the method comprising: disposing an extrudable material in a processing space of a system, wherein the extrudable material comprises a base material and a foam material; extruding the extrudable material through a die of the system; and during the extruding, changing a relationship between the base material and the foam material in the extrudable material; wherein the changing varies a density of the cable structure and, wherein the changing does not vary an outer diameter of the cable structure.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the changing creates a strain relief for the cable structure.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising feeding a conductor arrangement through the die during the extruding, wherein the extruded material surrounds the conductor arrangement.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the base material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the foam material comprises at least one of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

26. The method of claim 21 , further comprising treating a portion of the extruded material to change the density of the portion.

27. The method of claim 21 , further comprising treating a portion of the extruded material, wherein the treating explodes at least some of the foam material of the extruded material of the portion.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Krass Derek C
• Briskey Joseph I

Classifications

• H04R1/1016

  Earpieces of the intra-aural type · CPC title

• H01B3/004 Primary

  with conductive additives or conductive layers · CPC title

• H04R1/1033

  Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels (cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06) · CPC title