BUNDLED COMPOSITE CABLE WITH NO OUTER OVER-JACKET
A composite cable is formed by wrapping plural separately jacketed cables in a helical fashion by an outer containment element, such as a jacket formed as a strip of material. Air gaps may exist between wound strands of the outer jacket to expose the inner cables. Two or more strip-like outer jackets may be helically wound about the plural cables in opposing directions wherein one outer jacket overlaps the other outer jacket. Alternatively, the two outer jackets may overlap and underlap each other and form a basket weave pattern. The outer jacket material may be stored on a spool and unwound to helically wrap the bundled cables.
1 . A composite cable comprising:
a first jacketed cable;
a second jacketed cable; and
an outer containment element continuously wound about said first and second jacketed cables, wherein a surface of said outer containment element facing said first and second jacketed cables is at least partially adhered to said first and second jacketed cables.
2 . The composite cable of claim 1 , wherein said outer containment element is formed of a polymer material.
3 . The composite cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
a layer of contact or heat sensitive adhesive provided on said surface of said outer containment element facing said first and second jacketed cables.
4 . The composite cable of claim 1 , wherein adjacent wound strands of said outer containment element are spaced from one another so as to create a helix with air gaps exposing said first and second jacketed cables.
5 . The composite cable of claim 4 , wherein an outer appearance of said composite cable exhibits less than about 50% of a material used to form said outer containment element and more than about 50% air gaps exposing said first and second jacketed cables.
6 . The composite cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
indicia printed on said outer containment element indicating at least one of a manufacturer of said composite cable, a catalog number of said composite cable, a performance rating or type of one or more of said first and second jacketed cables, and length measurements along said composite cable.
7 . The composite cable of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third jacketed cable, wherein said outer containment element is also continuously wound about said third jacketed cable.
8 . The composite cable of claim 7 , wherein at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a coaxial cable and at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a fiber optic cable.
9 . The composite cable of claim 7 , wherein at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a coaxial cable and at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a twisted pair cable.
10 . The composite cable of claim 7 , wherein at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a fiber optic cable and at least one of said first, second and third jacketed cables is a twisted pair cable.
11 . The composite cable of claim 1 , wherein said outer containment element has a width of about ¼ inch.
12 . The composite cable of claim 1 , wherein said outer containment element is a first helically wound outer containment element which is wound in a first rotating direction about said first and second jacketed cables, and further comprising:
a second helically wound outer containment element which is also wound about said first and second jacketed cables, but is wound in a second rotating direction about said first and second jacketed cables, wherein said second rotating direction is opposite to said first rotating direction.
13 . A composite cable comprising:
a first jacketed cable;
a second jacketed cable;
a first outer containment element continuously wound about said first and second jacketed cables, which is wound in a first rotating direction about said first and second jacketed cables; and
a second outer containment element continuously wound about said first and second jacketed cables, which is wound in a second rotating direction about said first and second jacketed cables, wherein said second rotating direction is opposite to said first rotating direction.
14 . The composite cable of claim 13 , wherein said second outer containment element alternatively overlaps and underlaps said first outer containment element to create a basket weave pattern.
15 . The composite cable of claim 14 , wherein said basket weave pattern creates air gaps exposing said first and second jacketed cables.
16 . The composite cable of claim 15 , wherein an outer appearance of said composite cable exhibits less than about 50% of a material used to form said first and second outer containment elements and more than about 50% air gaps exposing said first and second jacketed cables.
17 . A method of forming a composite cable comprising:
feeding a first jacketed cable from a first source;
feeding a second jacketed cable from a second source;
bringing the first and second jacketed cables into close proximity or abutment;
moving the first and second jacketed cables past wrapping equipment; and
feeding a preformed strip of outer containment material from a third source onto an external surface of the first and second jacketed cables in a helical manner so as to create strands of outer containment material winding around the first and second jacketed cables.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
bonding the outer containment material to the first and second jacketed cables by heating the outer containment material prior to or after the outer containment material contacts the first and second jacketed cables;
cooling the outer containment material; and
feeding the thus formed composite cable to a storage area.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said feeding the preformed strip of outer containment material step produces air gaps exposing the first and second jacketed cables between adjacent strands of the outer containment material.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the performed strip of outer containment material is a first performed strip of first outer containment material, the method further comprising:
feeding a second preformed strip of second outer containment material onto an external surface of the first and second jacketed cables in a helical manner so as to create strands of the second outer containment material winding around the first and second jacketed cables.