Cable systems and related methods

Abstract

An embodiment of a cable system includes a cable that has a conductor, a power layer and dielectric material. The conductor is operative to carry a signal, the dielectric material is located at least partially between the conductor and the power layer, and the power layer is operative as ground. The power layer is formed of a conductive material and includes a first region and an adjacent second region. The first region includes a greater amount of the conductive material than the second region so that the power layer is less resistant to bending along the second region than along the first region. Methods and other systems are also provided.

1 . A cable system comprising: 
 a cable having a conductor, a power layer and dielectric material, the dielectric layer being located at least partially between the conductor and the power layer, the conductor being operative to carry a signal, the power layer being operative as ground, the power layer being formed of a conductive material and having a first region and an adjacent second region, the first region including a greater amount of the conductive material than the second region such that the power layer is less resistant to bending along the second region than along the first region.    
     
     
         2 . The cable system of  claim 1 , wherein the second region includes a void that lacks the conductive material.  
     
     
         3 . The cable system of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the dielectric material is located within the void.  
     
     
         4 . The cable system of  claim 1 , wherein the second region includes a recess defining an area of reduced thickness of the power layer.  
     
     
         5 . The cable system of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the cable has a longitudinal axis; and    the second region defines an axial-region bending about which the power layer is less resistant to bending, the axial-bending region being angularly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cable.    
     
     
         6 . The cable system of  claim 1 , wherein the conductor has a first end and a second end; and 
 further comprising: 
 a first connector electrically communicating with the first end of the conductor; and  
 a second connector electrically communicating with the second end of the conductor.  
   
     
     
         7 . The cable system of  claim 1 , wherein the power layer is formed of interwoven strips of the conductive material.  
     
     
         8 . The cable system of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the power layer includes a first strip and a second strip of the conductive material; and    the first region is defined at a location where the first strip and the second strip overlap each other.    
     
     
         9 . A cable system comprising: 
 a cable having a power layer operative as ground, the power layer being formed of a conductive material and including multiple first locations and multiple second locations, each of the first locations including an amount of conductive material greater than an amount of conductive material included in the each of the second locations such that the power layer is more resistant to bending at the first locations than at the second locations.    
     
     
         10 . The cable system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the cable has a first region including multiple ones of the first locations and a second region including multiple ones of the second locations; and    the power layer is more resistant to bending along the first region than along the second region.    
     
     
         11 . The cable system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the second locations of the second region is a void that lacks conductive material.  
     
     
         12 . The cable system of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the cable has a longitudinal axis; and    the second region defines an axial-bending region about which the power layer is configured to bend, the axial-bending region being angularly displaced with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cable.    
     
     
         13 . The cable system of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a conductor, spaced from the power layer and operative to propagate a signal.    
     
     
         14 . The cable system of  claim 9 , wherein the power layer is formed of interwoven strips of the conductive material.  
     
     
         15 . The cable system of  claim 9 , wherein the power layer is generally planar.  
     
     
         16 . A cable system comprising: 
 a flex cable having means for enabling the flex cable to bend preferentially along an axial-bending region, the axial-bending region being offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the flex cable.    
     
     
         17 . The cable system of  claim 16 , wherein the flex cable has a first end and a second end; and 
 further comprising: 
 first means for enabling the first end of the flex cable to electrically communicate with a component; and  
 second means for enabling the second end of the flex cable to electrically communicate with a component.  
   
     
     
         18 . A method for forming a cable system comprising: 
 providing a power layer including at least a first region of reduced material content; and    forming a flex cable with the power layer.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein providing a power layer comprises forming voids in the first region.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein providing a power layer comprises forming recesses in the first region.  
     
     
         21 . A method for electrically interconnecting components comprising: 
 providing a flex cable having a power layer that includes at least a first region of reduced material content;    providing a first component and a second component that are to be electrically interconnected to each other; and    electrically interconnecting the first component and the second component with the flex cable.