IP Library Granted Patent US 10,497,493
Granted Patent B1
US 10,497,493 · App. 16/141,456 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Coupled power and control cable

Inventors: Randy D. Kummer (Villa Rica, GA); Scotty Joe Ledbetter (Bowdon, GA)
Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC
H01B9/003H02G1/00H05B33/0845
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,497,493
App. No.
16/141,456
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B1
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.

Claims (47)

1. A system comprising:

a fixture;

a control device comprising;

a switch, and

a control circuit that provides a 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; 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 complimentary valleys and a connector portion, the connector portion comprising a webbing having a webbing first portion and a webbing second portion, wherein a first webbing valley is disposed in the webbing first portion and an opposing second webbing valley is disposed between the webbing first portion and the webbing second portion.

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

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

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

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

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage value comprises approximately 0V.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second voltage value comprises approximately 10V.

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 a 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 provides at least 120 volts Root-Mean-Squared (RMS) to the fixture.

12. 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.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the power cable comprises a neutral.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control cable does not comprise a neutral.

15. 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 overall jacket comprises complimentary valleys and a connector portion, the connector portion comprising a webbing having a webbing first portion and a webbing second portion, wherein a first webbing valley is disposed in the webbing first portion and an opposing second webbing valley is disposed between the webbing first portion and the webbing second portion;

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.

16. The method of claim 15 , 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.

17. 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 complimentary valleys and a connector portion, the connector portion comprising a webbing having a webbing first portion and a webbing second portion, wherein a first webbing valley is disposed in the webbing first portion and an opposing second webbing valley is disposed between the webbing first portion and the webbing second portion;

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.

18. The method of claim 17 , 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.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the coupled cable comprises providing the coupled cable wherein the power cable comprises a neutral.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the coupled cable comprises providing the coupled cable wherein the control cable does not comprise a neutral.

21. 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 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 that comprises a first webbing valley and an opposing second webbing valley, wherein the connector portion comprises a webbing first portion and a webbing second portion, wherein the first webbing valley is disposed in the webbing first portion and the opposing second webbing valley is disposed between the webbing first portion and the webbing second portion.

22. A die comprising:

a first section;

a second section; and

an intermediate section comprising tips protruding into a gap in the die between the first section and the second section.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2025
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC; SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; MADISON ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, LLC; NOVINIUM, LLC; NOVINIUM HOLDINGS, INC.; WATTEREDGE, LLC; TAPPAN WIRE & CABLE, LLC; UNITED COPPER INDUSTRIES, LLC; TOPAZ LIGHTING COMPANY LLC; OBI PARTNERS, LLC; WIIP, INC.
Reel/Frame 072299/0141 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENTS Recorded Oct 23, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC (F/K/A COLEMAN CABLE, INC.); TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC (F/K/A TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH CORPORATION); SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; MADISON ELECTRIC PRODUCTS, LLC; NOVINIUM, LLC; WATTEREDGE, LLC; TAPPAN WIRE & CABLE, LLC; UNITED COPPER INDUSTRIES, LLC; TOPAZ LIGHTING COMPANY LLC; OBI PARTNERS, LLC; WIIP, INC.
Reel/Frame 069235/0104 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2019
From: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049522/0643 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2019
From: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC; COLEMAN CABLE, LLC; TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH, LLC; SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK
Reel/Frame 049522/0836 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2018
From: KUMMER, RANDY D.; LEDBETTER, SCOTTY JOE
To: SOUTHWIRE COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 047870/0353 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62563168 · Sep 26, 2017
Cited By (2)
US 12,327,654 US 12,597,537