Protective sleeve fabricated with hybrid yarn, hybrid yarn, and methods of construction thereof

Abstract

A hybrid yarn filament used in construction of a sleeve for protecting elongate members against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD, and methods of construction of the hybrid yarn filament. The hybrid yarn filament has a non-conductive filament and at least one conductive wire filament overlying an outer surface of the non-conductive filament. The hybrid yarn filament is arranged in electrical communication with itself or other hybrid yarn filaments to provide uniform shielding against EMI, RFI, and/or ESD.

1 . A conductive hybrid yarn filament for constructing a fabric sleeve for protecting elongate members against at least one of EMI, RFI or ESD, said hybrid yarn filament comprising:
 an elongate non-conductive filament; and   an elongate continuous conductive wire filament overlying an outer surface of said non-conductive filament.   
   
   
       2 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  wherein said wire filament is twisted with said non-conductive filament. 
   
   
       3 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  wherein said wire filament is served about said non-conductive filament. 
   
   
       4 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  further comprising at least two of said continuous conductive wire filaments overlying an outer surface of said non-conductive filament. 
   
   
       5 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 4  wherein said at least two of said wire filaments are arranged in opposite helical direction to one another. 
   
   
       6 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  further comprising at least three elongate continuous conductive wire filaments overlying an outer surface of said non-conductive filament. 
   
   
       7 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said three wire filaments is arranged in an opposite helical direction to the remaining wire filaments. 
   
   
       8 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 6  wherein at least one of said three wire filaments is arranged having a different helical angle than the remaining wire filaments. 
   
   
       9 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  wherein said non-conductive filament is formed as a multifilament. 
   
   
       10 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  wherein said non-conductive filament is formed from a heat-settable polymeric material. 
   
   
       11 . The conductive hybrid yarn filament of  claim 1  wherein said non-conductive filament includes a separate monofilament and a multifilament. 
   
   
       12 . A method of constructing a flexible conductive hybrid yarn filament for a fabric sleeve, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a non-conductive elongate filament;   providing an elongate conductive wire filament; and   overlying an outer surface of said non-conductive filament with said conductive wire filament.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further including twisting said conductive filament with said non-conductive filament so that said conductive filament and said non-conductive filament extend in helical paths. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further including serving said conductive filament about said non-conductive filament so that said conductive filament extends in a helical path and said non-conductive filament extends in a generally straight path. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing at least two of said wire filaments and overlying the outer surface of said non-conductive filament with said at least two wire filaments. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further including arranging said at least two wire filaments in opposite helical directions to one another. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing at least three wire filaments and overlying the outer surface of said non-conductive filament with said at least three wire filaments. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further including arranging at least one of said at least three wire filaments in an opposite helical direction to the remaining wire filaments. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  further including arranging at least one of said at least three wire filaments having a different helical angle than the remaining wire filaments. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing said non-conductive filament as a multifilament. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing said non-conductive filament as a heat-settable polymeric material. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 12  further including providing said non-conductive filament as a monofilament and a multifilament.