Tinsel sheath for a continuous cable in a cord reel system
View Patent ↗A cord reel cable including a cable with tinsel sheath surrounding power and data conductors, wherein the tinsel sheath is comprised of no more than 40 tinsel or tinsel strands, and the cable is wound and unwound around a spool while maintaining continuous electrical contact to a power source through a slip ring mechanism or the like, wherein the tinsel sheath provides a durable EMI shielding to the cable.
1. A cable for a retractable connection to an electronic device for in-flight entertainment, wherein the cable is retractable into and extendable from a housing including the spool, the cable comprising:
a) a plurality of electrical conductors, the electrical conductors including at least one conductor for transmitting power to an electronic device to be detachably connected to an end of the cable;
b) a plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers, each of the plurality of electrical conductors being adjacent to and surrounded by at least one of the non-conductive polymeric layers, wherein the non-conductive polymeric layer surrounds the entire length of each of the plurality of electrical conductors; and
c) a tinsel outer layer comprised of a range between 30 and 80 tinsel strands surrounding the plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers, the tinsel outer layer providing an outer sheath for the cable.
2. The cable of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors transmits data to the electronic device to be detachably connected to an end of the cable.
3. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the tinsel outer layer comprised of no more than 40 tinsel strands surrounding the plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers.
4. A cable for a retractable connection to an electronic device for in-flight entertainment, wherein the cable is retractable into and extendable from a housing including the spool, the cable comprising:
a) a plurality of electrical conductors, the electrical conductors including at least one of the electrical conductors transmits data to the electronic device to be detachably connected to an end of the cable;
b) a plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers, each of the plurality of electrical conductors being adjacent to and surrounding at least one of electrical conductors, wherein the non-conductive polymeric layer surrounds the entire length of each of the plurality of electrical conductors; and
c) a tinsel outer layer comprised of a range between 30 and 80, the tinsel outer layer surrounding the plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers, the tinsel outer layer providing an outer sheath for the cable.
5. The cable of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrical conductors transmits power to the electronic device to be detachably connected to an end of the cable.
6. The cable of claim 4 , wherein the tinsel outer layer comprised of no more than 40 tinsel strands surrounding the plurality of non-conductive polymeric layers.
7. A cord reel assembly comprising:
a) a housing,
b) a spool located within the housing;
c) a first cable segment for winding and unwinding around the spool, and a second, stationary cable segment for connection to an electrical power source, the first cable segment having a substantially round cross-sectional profile comprising:
i) at least one data conductor;
ii) at least one power conductor;
iii) a non-conductive polymeric layer surrounding the at least one data conductor and a separate, second non-conductive polymeric layer surrounding the at least one power conductor, wherein the non-conductive polymeric layer extends substantially along the entire length of the at least one cable; and
iv) a tinsel outer shield surrounding the non-conductive polymeric layer and the second non-conductive polymeric layer, the tinsel outer layer providing an outer sheath for the cable.
8. The cable of claim 7 , wherein the cord reel assembly further includes a slip ring mechanism connected to the housing for enabling the first cable segment to maintain in substantially continuous electrical contact with the second, stationary cable segment while winding and unwinding around the spool.