Flame Retardant and Smoke Suppressant Composite High Performance Support-Separators and Conduit Tubes

Abstract

The present invention includes a high performance communications cable exhibiting reduced cross-talk between transmission media with one or more core support-separators having various shaped profiles defining a clearance that maintains spacing between transmission media. The core is formed of a conductive or insulative material to further reduce cross-talk and improve other electrical properties in addition to reducing flame and smoke spread. The cable and separators are comprised of polymer blends that include olefin and/or fluoropolymer and/or chlorofluoropolymer based resins with and without inorganic additives including nano-clay composites. The core support-separators have both a central region and a plurality of shaped sections that extend outward from the central region and are solid, or partially solid, foamed, or foamed with a solid skin surface. In addition, the invention includes the incorporation of hollow ducts used to provide a pathway for conductor media before, during, or after installation of the cable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interior support-separator for a communications cable extending along a longitudinal length of a communications cable, comprising,
 along its cross-section a maltese-cross shaped configuration with two arm members such that said maltese-cross shaped configuration is skewed along one arm member with an axis along said arm member providing a length along one axis of said arm member that is longer than along any other axis and providing larger blunt tipped ends at both ends of said arm member than blunt tipped ends at both ends of an arm member with a length shorter than another longer arm member and a hollow orifice in a center region of a central portion of said interior support-separator.   
     
     
         2 . An interior support-separator for a communications cable as in  claim 1 , wherein said maltese-cross shaped configuration is a cross-section along the length of said cable and said cross-section includes step-like sections along a perimeter of said support-separator providing small interstitial sectional grooves along an inner circumferential portion of clearance channels provided by said support-separator and a hollow orifice in said center region of said central portion of said interior support-separator. 
     
     
         3 . An interior support-separator for a communications cable as in  claim 2 , extending along a longitudinal length of a communications cable, comprising along its cross-section a central region of a diamond shaped configuration with a hollow orifice in said center region of said central portion of said interior support-separator. 
     
     
         4 . The interior support-separator for a communications cable as in  claim 3 , comprising within said cross-section, two hollow triangular orifices in said central region of said interior support-separator, said two hollow triangular orifices shaped as equilateral triangles, wherein one triangular orifice faces upright and the other triangular orifice faces downward such that a peak of each triangular orifice is facing in opposite directions. 
     
     
         5 . The interior support-separator for a communications cable as in  claim 4 , comprising within said cross-section, and a diamond shaped orifice in said central region of said interior support-separator. 
     
     
         6 . The interior support-separator for a communications cable as in  claim 5 , comprising within said cross-section, a center slot orifice in said central region of said interior support-separator. 
     
     
         7 . A method for producing a high performance communications cable by using organic or organic/inorganic polymer blends to fabricate an interior support-separator section or sections with a longitudinal length that is provided within said cable and where external radial and axial surfaces of said separator having a central region extending along said longitudinal length of said interior support-separator define one or more clearance channels within said support-separator introduced into a jacket of said cable by;
 passing a plurality of transmission conductors within said clearance channels of said interior support-separator through a first die that aligns the plurality of transmission conductors with surface features of said internal support-separator allowing for intentional twisting of said conductors,   forcing each of said plurality of conductors into a proper clearance channel of said interior support-separator where said clearance channels are closed by single or double flap-tops, thereby maintaining a spatial relationship between each of said transmission conductors by use of a second die,   heating said second die allowing for closing of said exterior surface of said channels, taping and twisting said interior support-separator allowing for closing of said exterior surface of said channels, and;   jacketing said interior support-separator containing each of said conductors within said clearance channels.   
     
     
         8 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 7 , by omitting the step of heating. 
     
     
         9 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 7 , by omitting the use of a second die. 
     
     
         10 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 7 , by including the use of a metal ring for forcing said conductors into a proper clearance channel and forcing closure of said double or single flap-tops. 
     
     
         11 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 7 , by omitting the step of taping and twisting. 
     
     
         12 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 7 , by omitting the step of jacketing said cable. 
     
     
         13 . A method for producing a high performance communications cable by introducing an interior support-separator section or sections composed of organic and/or inorganic polymer blends with a longitudinal length and external radial and axial surfaces having a central region extending along said longitudinal length of said interior support-separator wherein one or more central regions of said support-separator has sections that are hollow and wherein said separator is jacketed to complete said cable by;
 passing a plurality of transmission conductors within said hollow central regions of said interior support-separator through a first die that aligns the plurality of transmission conductors with surface features of said internal support allowing for intentional twisting of said conductors,   forcing each of said plurality of conductors into said hollow central region portions of said interior support-separator where said hollow central ring portions maintain a spatial relationship between each of said transmission conductors by;   jacketing said interior support containing each of said conductors within said hollow central regions and;   pulling each of said transmission conductors through said hollow central regions or said support-separators either before, during or after initial installation.   
     
     
         14 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 13 , by omitting the step of jacketing said cable. 
     
     
         15 . The method of producing a cable of  claim 13 , wherein jacketing and/or support-separator extrusion line speeds are significantly improved compared with conventional line speeds when said polymer blends are not utilized. 
     
     
         16 . A high performance communications cable comprising; an interior support-separator with an external radial and axial surface, extending along a longitudinal length and within said communications cable, said interior support also having a central region, said central region also extending along a longitudinal length of said interior support and said communications cable; said support comprised of polymer blend based materials capable of meeting specific flammability and smoke generation requirements as defined by UL 910, UL 2424, NAPA 262, 259, 255, and EN 50266-2-x, class B test specifications. 
     
     
         17 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 15 , wherein said cable meets as a minimum test specification the EIA/TIA CAT 5e as well as CAT 6, and CAT 6e electrical performance requirements and wherein conductors within said cable or interior support-separator acting as said cable, achieves significantly reduced near-end cross talk (NEXT), power sum near end cross talk (PSNEXT), equal level far end cross talk (ELFEXT) and power sum equal level far end cross talk (PSELFEXT) and alien cross-talk values and wherein said cable also passes flammability and smoke generation requirements as defined by UL 910, UL 2424, NAPA 262, 259, 255, and EN 50266-2-x, class B test specifications. 
     
     
         18 . A method for producing a high performance communications cable comprising:
 an interior support-separator with an external radial and axial surface, said interior support-separator extending along a longitudinal length of said communications cable, said interior support-separator also having a central region, outwardly extended protrusions, and at least one conduit tube, said central region also extending along a longitudinal length of said interior support-separator of said communications cable;   
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a high performance communications cable comprising:
 said interior support-separator, said central region, said outwardly extended protrusions, and said at least one conduit tube are comprised of a composition of inorganic and organic polymers; said composition including: fluorinated ethylene propylene, fluorinated ethylene, chlorinated ethylene propylene, fluorochlorinated ethylene, perfluoroalkoxy, fluorochlorinated propylene, a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethylvinylether (MFA), or a copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE); and homo or copolymers of ethylene or propylene with fluorinated ethylene or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF); and blends of polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, nylons, polyesters, polyurethanes; and nano-composites of clay including unsubstituted or substituted fullerenes primarily comprised of C 60  molecules; and nano-sized particles of ZnO or TiO 2 , wherein between a first node and a second node remote from said communications cable comprising said interior support-separator; said interior support-separator comprising also at least one symmetrical core with an central circular ring region with extending protrusions each extending in a preferred degree of separation from each of any other extending protrusions, wherein said central circular ring portion includes a hollow region acting as a ductlet extending from said first node to said second node and a duct containing a first transmission line which extends between said first and said second nodes, the method comprising the steps of:   attaching a supply of compressed gas to said duct at said first node;   flowing gas from said supply of compressed gas along said duct from said first node to said second node to cause viscous drag forces to act on said first transmission line, and withdrawing said first transmission line from said duct under the action of said viscous drag forces;   introducing a second transmission line into said duct at one of said nodes, supplying compressed gas to said duct at said first node to cause a flow of gas between said first node and said second node;   and advancing said second transmission line from said first node to said second node under said action of viscous drag forces caused by action on said second transmission line by gas flowing from said first node towards said second node.   
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 18 , wherein said first transmission line comprises at least one multimode optical fiber and said second transmission line comprises at least one single mode optical fiber. 
     
     
         21 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein said first transmission line includes at least one electrical conductor and said second transmission line includes at least one optical fiber. 
     
     
         22 . The method as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said at least one optical fiber is a single mode optical fiber. 
     
     
         23 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said transmission line can include any transmission type media.