Layered profile insulation
A conductor of a twisted-pair data cable has a primary profiled insulation layer formed over a conductive wire, and a second insulation layer formed over the primary profiled insulation layer.
1 . A data conductor, comprising:
a first insulation layer applied to a conductive wire, the first insulation layer having a first profiled cross-sectional shape;
a second insulation layer having a cross-sectional diameter greater than that of the first insulation layer and having a second profiled cross-sectional shape; and
a foamed insulation layer that fills a volume between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer,
wherein
the first profiled cross-sectional shape of the first insulation layer comprises first peaks formed on an exterior surface of the first insulation layer, and
the second profiled cross-sectional shape of the second insulation layer comprises second peaks formed on an interior surface of the second insulation layer and directed toward the conductive wire.
2 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein the second peaks of the profiled cross-sectional shape have respective longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the conductive wire, and troughs are formed between the second peaks.
3 . The data conductor of claim 2 , wherein the second peaks or the troughs are at least one of trapezoidal, rectangular, square, triangular, rounded, arched, or elliptical.
4 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first insulation layer or the second insulation layer comprises a foamed insulation material.
5 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein the first insulation layer comprises a first insulation material, and the second insulation layer comprises a second insulation material.
6 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein the data conductor is a component of a twisted pair of data conductors of a data cable.
7 . A method, comprising:
applying a first layer of insulation to a conductive wire, wherein the first layer of insulation has a first profiled cross-sectional shape;
applying a second layer of insulation having a cross-sectional diameter greater than that of the first layer of insulation and a second profiled cross-sectional shape around the first layer of insulation; and
filling a volume between the first layer of insulation and the second layer of insulation with a layer of foamed insulation,
wherein
the first profiled cross-sectional shape of the first layer of insulation comprises first peaks formed on an exterior surface of the first layer of insulation, and
the second profiled cross-sectional shape comprises second peaks formed on an interior surface of the secondary layer of insulation layer and directed toward the conductive wire.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first layer of insulation or the second layer of insulation comprises a foamed insulation material.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying a third layer of insulation between the conductive wire and the first layer of insulation.
10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the applying of the first layer of insulation and the applying of the second layer of insulation are performed by a same extruder crosshead during a same pass of the conductive wire through the extruder crosshead.
11 . A conductor of a data cable, comprising:
a conductive wire;
a first insulation layer surrounding the conductive wire and having a first profile cross-sectional shape comprising first peaks formed on an outward-facing surface of the first insulation layer;
a second insulation layer surrounding the first insulation layer, wherein the second insulation has a greater cross-sectional diameter than the first insulation layer and has a second profiled cross-sectional shape comprising second peaks formed on an interior surface of the second insulation layer and directed toward the conductive wire; and
a foamed insulation layer that fills a volume between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer.
12 . The conductor of claim 11 , wherein the first peaks and the second peaks have respective longitudinal axes that are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the conductive wire.
13 . The conductor of claim 11 , wherein the first insulation layer comprises a first insulation material, and the second insulation layer comprises a second insulation material.
14 . The conductor of claim 11 , wherein the first peaks or the second peaks are at least one of trapezoidal, rectangular, square, triangular, rounded, arched, or elliptical.
15 . The data conductor of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first peaks or the second peaks comprise peaks having two or more different shapes.
16 . The data conductor of claim 11 , wherein the second peaks substantially align with troughs between the first peaks.
17 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein the second peaks substantially align with troughs between the first peaks.
18 . The data conductor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first peaks or the second peaks comprise peaks having two or more different shapes.
19 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second peaks substantially align with troughs between the first peaks.
20 . The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first peaks or the second peaks comprise peaks having two or more different shapes.