Electromagnetic shielding sleeve for protecting bundles of cables and methods of construction thereof and protecting wires therewith

Abstract

A tubular electromagnetic shielding sleeve has a longitudinal slit. The inventive sleeve includes a substrate ( 11 ) and a layer ( 12 ) of electrically-conductive material which is fixed to the inner face of the substrate ( 11 ), the layer ( 12 ) extending essentially from one edge ( 11 a ) to the other longitudinal edge ( 11 b ) of the substrate ( 11 ). Moreover, the substrate ( 11 ) and the layer ( 12 ) are separated from one another along a split segment ( 13 ) on at least one first longitudinal edge ( 11 a ). The invention can be used, for example, to protect bundles of electric cables ( 14 ) for use in aeronautics.

1 . A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
 a non-conductive substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite longitudinally extending edges overlapping one another along a length of said sleeve to provide a wrapped substrate; and   a metallic layer attached to said inner face of said substrate and having opposite unfolded longitudinally extending edge regions brought together to provide a circumferentially continuous metal shield within said wrapped substrate.   
   
   
       2 . The wrappable elongate sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said opposite unfolded edge regions overlap one another. 
   
   
       3 . The wrappable elongate sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said substrate is biased to self curl. 
   
   
       4 . The wrappable elongate sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said unfolded longitudinal edge regions extend to opposite free edges that face in opposite directions from one another. 
   
   
       5 . The wrappable elongate sleeve of  claim 1  wherein said unfolded longitudinal edge regions remain in abutment with said inner face of said non-conductive substrate. 
   
   
       6 . A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
 a non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite edges defining a width of said substrate and overlapping one another along a length of said sleeve to provide protection to the elongate members; and   a metallic layer attached to said inner face of said substrate and having opposite free edges extending along the length of said sleeve and being brought together to provide an uninterrupted metal shield, said free edges defining a width of said metallic layer, said width of said non-conductive layer being no greater than said width of said metallic layer.   
   
   
       7 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 6  wherein said metallic layer is attached to said substrate by at least one row of stitches. 
   
   
       8 . A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
 a non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite longitudinal edges, said substrate providing circumferentially continuous protection to the elongate members; and   a metallic layer of interlaced wires having opposite free edges extending along a length of said sleeve, said free edges being arranged to overlap one another to provide a circumferentially continuous metal shield, said metallic layer being attached to said substrate by at least one row of stitches extending along at least one of said free edges and adjacent one of said longitudinal edges of said substrate.   
   
   
       9 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 8  wherein one row of stitches extends along one of said free edges of said metallic layer adjacent one of said longitudinal edges of said substrate and another row of stitches extends along the other of said free edges of said metallic layer adjacent the other of said longitudinal edges of said substrate. 
   
   
       10 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 8  wherein said opposite longitudinal edges overlap one another to provide an overlap portion, said overlap portion extending up to 90 degrees circumferentially about said sleeve. 
   
   
       11 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 8  wherein said free edges of said metallic layer overlap one another to provide an overlap portion, said overlap portion extending up to 90 degrees circumferentially about said sleeve. 
   
   
       12 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 8  wherein said textile substrate is woven at least in part from monofilaments. 
   
   
       13 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 12  wherein said monofilaments are polyester. 
   
   
       14 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 12  wherein said textile substrate is thermoformed into a self-curling fabric. 
   
   
       15 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 12  wherein said textile substrate is woven at least in part from multifilaments. 
   
   
       16 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 8  wherein said interlaced wires are braided. 
   
   
       17 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 16  wherein said wires are at least in part copper. 
   
   
       18 . A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
 a woven substrate having an outer face and an inner face, said outer face providing circumferentially continuous protection to the elongate members;   a metallic layer of interlaced wires having opposite free edges arranged to overlap one another to provide a circumferentially continuous metal shield about the elongate members; and   a row of stitches extending adjacent one of said free edges and attaching said metallic layer to said inner face of said substrate.   
   
   
       19 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 18  further comprising another row of stitches extending adjacent the other of said free edges. 
   
   
       20 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 18  wherein at least one of said free edges of said metallic layer is spaced from said substrate. 
   
   
       21 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 18  wherein said substrate has opposite longitudinal edges extending along a length of said sleeve and defining a width of said substrate and said free edges of said metallic layer defining a width of said metallic layer, said width of said metallic layer being at least as great as said width of said substrate. 
   
   
       22 . A wrappable sleeve for protecting elongate members, comprising:
 a woven substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite longitudinal edges extending along a length of said sleeve and defining a width of said substrate, said inner face adjacent one of said longitudinal edges being arranged to overlap said outer face adjacent the other of said longitudinal edges to provide circumferentially continuous protection to the elongate members;   a metallic layer of interlaced wires having opposite free edges defining a width of said metallic layer, said free edges being arranged to overlap one another to provide a circumferentially continuous metal shield about the elongate members; and   wherein said width of said metallic layer is at least as great as said width of said substrate.   
   
   
       23 . The wrappable sleeve of  claim 22  further comprising at least one row of stitches attaching said metallic layer to said inner face of said substrate. 
   
   
       24 . A method of constructing a wrappable sleeve for providing electromagnetic protection to wires, comprising:
 forming a non-conductive textile substrate having an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite edges defining a width of said substrate;   interlacing wires to form a metallic layer having opposite free edges defining a width of said metallic layer, said width of said substrate being no greater than said width of said metallic layer; and   attaching said metallic layer to said inner face of said substrate so that said opposite free edges of said metallic layer are arranged to overlap one another.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  further including thermoforming said substrate after the attaching the metallic layer to the substrate. 
   
   
       26 . A method of protecting wires against electromagnetic interference in a wrappable textile sleeve, said wrappable textile sleeve having a non-conductive textile substrate with an outer face and an inner face extending between opposite edges extending along a length of the sleeve and a metallic layer attached to the inner face of the substrate and having opposite edge regions, the method comprising:
 wrapping the substrate and the metallic layer about the wires and bringing the opposite edges of the substrate into overlapping arrangement with one another and bringing the edge regions of the metallic layer into overlapping contact with one another with the over lapping edge regions remaining in a generally flat and an unfolded configuration.