EMI protective sleeve and method of construction thereof
A wrappable textile sleeve for protecting a conductive elongate member against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a plurality of warp filaments and at least one weft filament woven with one another to form a woven substrate. The woven substrate has opposite sides extending lengthwise between opposite ends. The opposite sides are wrappable about a central longitudinal axis into overlapping relation with one another to circumferentially enclose the elongate member within a cavity of the sleeve. At least some of the warp filaments are provided as generally flat, thin conductive filaments shield the conductive elongate member against the effects of EMI, RFI and/or ESD.
1 . A wrappable textile sleeve for protecting elongate members against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD, comprising:
a plurality of warp filaments;
at least one weft filament;
said warp filaments being woven with said at least one weft filament to form a woven substrate, said substrate having opposite sides extending lengthwise between opposite ends, said opposite sides being wrappable about a central longitudinal axis of said sleeve into overlapping relation with one another;
wherein at least some of said warp filaments are provided as conductive warp filaments, and wherein at least one of said at least one weft filament is provided as a conductive weft filament served or twisted with a nonconductive weft filament, wherein said conductive weft filament is in electrical communication with said conductive warp filaments;
wherein at least some of said conductive warp filaments are provided as round conductive filaments; and
wherein at least some of said round conductive filaments are provided as a plurality of round conductive filaments grouped in substantially flat, discrete bundles.
2 . The fabric sleeve of claim 1 wherein said substantially flat, discrete bundles extend adjacent said opposite sides.
3 . The fabric sleeve of claim 1 further including at least one layer fixed to the woven substrate via stitches extending through said substantially flat bundles.
4 . The fabric sleeve of claim 3 wherein said at least one layer includes an inner layer fixed to an inwardly facing surface of the woven substrate and an outer layer fixed to an outwardly facing surface of the woven substrate.
5 . The fabric sleeve of claim 4 wherein said inner layer is an impervious sheet of material.
6 . The fabric sleeve of claim 5 wherein said inner layer is a PTFE film.
7 . The fabric sleeve of claim 4 wherein said outer layer is a textile layer of interlaced material.
8 . The fabric sleeve of claim 7 wherein said outer layer is a textile layer including fire resistant filaments.
9 . The fabric sleeve of claim 7 wherein said outer layer is a textile layer including PEEK filaments.
10 . The fabric sleeve of claim 7 wherein said outer layer is a woven layer.
11 . The fabric sleeve of claim 2 wherein at least one of said substantially flat, discrete bundles extends generally intermediate said opposite sides.
12 . The fabric sleeve of claim 2 further including at least one layer fixed to the woven substrate via stitches extending through said substantially flat, discrete bundles.
13 . The fabric sleeve of claim 12 wherein said at least one layer includes an inner layer fixed to an inwardly facing surface of the woven substrate and an outer layer fixed to an outwardly facing surface of the woven substrate.
14 . The fabric sleeve of claim 13 wherein said inner layer is an impervious sheet of material.
15 . The fabric sleeve of claim 13 wherein said outer layer is a textile layer of interlaced material.
16 . A wrappable woven sleeve, comprising:
a plurality of warp and weft filaments that are woven into a substrate extending longitudinally between opposite ends and laterally between opposite edges and being wrappable about at least one elongate member to be protected; and
wherein at least some of said warp filaments include flat, discrete bundles of round conductive filaments that extend continuously between said opposite ends, and wherein at least some of said weft filaments include a conductive weft filament served or twisted with a nonconductive weft filament, wherein said conductive weft filament is in electrical communication with said flat, discrete bundles of round conductive filaments.
17 . The wrappable fabric sleeve of claim 16 wherein said round conductive filaments are metal.
18 . The wrappable woven sleeve of claim 16 wherein said nonconductive weft filament is heat-set.
19 . A wrappable woven sleeve, comprising:
a plurality of warp and weft filaments that are woven into a substrate extending longitudinally between opposite ends and laterally between opposite edges and being wrappable about at least one elongate member to be protected; and
wherein said warp filaments include flat, discrete bundles of round conductive filaments which extend parallel to one another in spaced relation from one another, wherein at least some of said weft filaments include a conductive weft filament served or twisted with a nonconductive weft filament, wherein said conductive weft filament is in electrical communication with said flat, discrete bundles of round conductive filaments.
20 . The wrappable woven sleeve of claim 19 wherein said conductive weft filament is round.
21 . The fabric sleeve of claim 19 wherein said round conductive filaments are metal.
22 . The wrappable woven sleeve of claim 19 wherein said nonconductive weft filament is heat-set to bias said substrate into a tubular form and to bring said opposite edges into overlapping relation.