Stranded wire rope

Abstract

A wire rope ( 10, 20 ), comprising: a core ( 12, 22 ), a plurality of outer strands ( 18, 28 ) and a plurality of separator strands ( 17, 27 ) laid on said core ( 12, 22 ), and a first plastic jacket ( 19 ) around said plurality of outer strands ( 18, 19 ) and said plurality of separator strands ( 17, 27 ), wherein said plurality of separator strands ( 17, 27 ) extend from said core ( 12, 22 ) and in-between each pair of said plurality of outer strands ( 18, 28 ) so as to produce and maintain gaps between said pair of said plurality of outer strands ( 18, 28 ). Plastic impregnation of the wire rope ( 10, 20 ) can be ensured due to the separator strands/ 17, 27 ).

1 . A wire rope, comprising:
 a core,   a plurality of outer strands and a plurality of separator strands laid on said core, and   a first plastic jacket around said plurality of outer strands and said plurality of separator strands,   wherein said plurality of separator strands extend from said core and in-between each pair of said plurality of outer strands so as to produce and maintain gaps between said pair of said plurality of outer strands.   
     
     
         2 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said core, said plurality of outer strands and said plurality of separator strands are made from metals or metal alloys. 
     
     
         3 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein the hardness of said plurality of separator strands is lower than that of said plurality of outer strands. 
     
     
         4 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said first plastic jacket penetrates in-between said plurality of outer strands and said plurality of separator strands. 
     
     
         5 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said first plastic jacket penetrates into said plurality of separator strands. 
     
     
         6 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said core, said plurality of outer strands, and said plurality of separator strands are made from steels. 
     
     
         7 . A wire rope according to  claim 6 , wherein said core and said plurality of outer strands are made from high carbon steel having a carbon content in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 weight percent and said plurality of separator strands are made from low carbon steel having a carbon content in the range of 0.02 to 0.2 weight percent. 
     
     
         8 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said core is a wire strand. 
     
     
         9 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein said wire rope further comprises a second plastic jacket on said core. 
     
     
         10 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of separator strands is covered with a third plastic jacket. 
     
     
         11 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first, said second and said third plastic jacket is made from polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyurethane (PU), polysulfone (PES) or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). 
     
     
         12 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first, said second and said third plastic jacket is made by extrusion. 
     
     
         13 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of said plurality of outer strands to the diameter of said plurality of separator strands is in the range of 3 to 10. 
     
     
         14 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of said plurality of outer strands is in the range of 2 to 40 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of said wire rope is in the range of 5 to 200 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A wire rope according to  claim 2 , wherein the hardness of said plurality of separator strands is lower than that of said plurality of outer strands. 
     
     
         17 . A wire rope according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of said plurality of outer strands to the diameter of said plurality of separator strands is in the range of 3 to 10, the diameter of said plurality of outer strands is in the range of 2 to 40 mm and the diameter of said wire rope is in the range of 5 to 200 mm.