High performance support-separators for communications cables providing shielding for minimizing alien crosstalk

Abstract

The present invention includes a high performance communications cable that provides for wireless fidelity applications and includes core support-separators having profiles which define a clearance to maintain spacing and/or channel between the transmission media and power conductors. The core may be formed of a conductive or insulative material that have, principally, polymer blends that include olefin and/or fluoropolymer and/or chlorofluoropolymer based resins. The polymer blends can also be utilized for fabricating shielding materials. The core support-separators have both a central region as well as a plurality of shaped sections that extend outward from the central region that are either solid or partially solid, foamed or foamed with a solid skin surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A high performance communications cable comprising at least one interior support, said support comprising a central region and outwardly extended portions extending from said central region, wherein said extended portions are comprised of conductive inorganic fillers and additives including shielding around individual conductors or conductor pairs and around said interior support such that said cable, interior support, central region and extended portions act alone or in synergy to lower or eliminate crosstalk between conductors, conductor pairs, and between complete cable constructions. 
     
     
         2 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said crosstalk is alien near end crosstalk (anext) and/or far end crosstalk (FEXT). 
     
     
         3 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said fillers and additives are added to the insulation materials used for said separators and any exterior surfaces of said cable wherein concentrations of said fillers and additives are sufficiently low such that the overall weight of said cables or separators is not noticeably increased. 
     
     
         4 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said fillers and additives are metallic. 
     
     
         5 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said fillers and additives are semi-conductive. 
     
     
         6 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said fillers and additives concurrently decrease potential fire load due to a decrease in flammable materials by replacement of said flammable materials with individual glass fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by metalizing any surface of said cable. 
     
     
         8 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished via flame treating the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         9 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by sputtering metal onto the surfaces of the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         10 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by compounding conductive and/or semi-conductive nanocomposite fillers into the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         11 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by metalizing any surface of said conductors. 
     
     
         12 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished via flame treating the insulation of said conductors. 
     
     
         13 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by sputtering metal onto the surfaces of the insulation of said conductors. 
     
     
         14 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by compounding conductive and/or semi-conductive nanocomposite fillers into the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         15 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein twist direction of said cable is varied using different conductor pair lays and conductor twist directions such that individual solid metal or woven metal air shields are utilized to electro-magnetically isolate conductor pairs from each other and also to isolate conductor pairs from said cable jacket as well as isolating said pairs from any other power conductive source. 
     
     
         16 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said cable utilizes unshielded twisted pairs wherein twist direction of said cable is varied using different conductor pair lays and conductor twist directions such that individual solid metal or woven metal air shields are not required. 
     
     
         17 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said support accommodates conductors, wherein said conductors, including twisted pair conductors to include any sized average wire gauge (awg), controlled NEXT, FEXT, ANEXT, and AFEXT to reduce or eliminate electrical instability by spacing said conductors such that positive ACR ratios are obtained. 
     
     
         18 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said fillers and additives provide shielding around individual conductor pairs or around said interior support such that said cable and associated support, central region, and extended portions are capable of lowering or eliminating crosstalk and more specifically lowering alien near end crosstalk and/or far end crosstalk. 
     
     
         19 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said conductive fillers and additives are added to said extended portions, said extended portions including flap-tops which further serve as shielding for individual pairs of conductors and/or cables to reduce or eliminate alien near end cross talk or alien far end crosstalk between said conductors and/or cables and further minimizes disrupting communication signals from adjacent cables. 
     
     
         20 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein a binder or binder tape itself is a laminated aluminum shield and wherein shielding is accomplished with said tape by utilizing a foil metal surface on said tape that faces toward an interior of a jacket of said cable thereby protecting signals carried by said conductors from electromagnetic or radio frequency distortion. 
     
     
         21 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 1 , wherein said shielding is a belt-like shield that is formed into a round, smooth shape during manufacture and wherein said shielding is effective of shielding at least 1 GHz or higher frequency signal propagation. 
     
     
         22 . The high performance communications cable of  claim 20 , wherein said binder or binder tape is located on the underside of a polymer binder sheet. 
     
     
         23 . A support-separator for a communications cable comprising: a central region and outwardly extended portions extending from said central region, wherein said extended portions are comprised of conductive inorganic fillers and additives including shielding around individual conductors or conductor pairs and around said interior support such that said cable, interior support, central region and extended portions act alone or in synergy to lower or eliminate crosstalk between conductors, conductor pairs, and between complete cable constructions. 
     
     
         24 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said crosstalk is alien near end crosstalk (anext) and/or far end crosstalk (FEXT). 
     
     
         25 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said fillers and additives are added to the insulation materials used for said separators and any exterior surfaces of said cable wherein concentrations of said fillers and additives are sufficiently low such that the overall weight of said cables or separators is not noticeably increased. 
     
     
         26 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said fillers and additives are metallic. 
     
     
         27 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said fillers and additives are semi-conductive. 
     
     
         28 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said fillers and additives concurrently decrease potential fire load due to a decrease in flammable materials by replacement of said flammable materials with individual glass fibers. 
     
     
         29 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by metalizing any surface of said cable. 
     
     
         30 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished via flame treating the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         31 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by sputtering metal onto the surfaces of the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         32 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said cable is accomplished by compounding conductive and/or semi-conductive nanocomposite fillers into the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         32 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by metalizing any surface of said conductors. 
     
     
         33 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished via flame treating the insulation of said conductors. 
     
     
         34 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by sputtering metal onto the surfaces of the insulation of said conductors. 
     
     
         35 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein shielding of said conductors is accomplished by compounding conductive and/or semi-conductive nanocomposite fillers into the insulation of said cable. 
     
     
         36 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein twist direction of said cable is varied using different conductor pair lays and conductor twist directions such that individual solid metal or woven metal air shields are utilized to electro-magnetically isolate conductor pairs from each other and also to isolate conductor pairs from said cable jacket as well as isolating said pairs from any other power conductive source. 
     
     
         37 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said cable utilizes unshielded twisted pairs wherein twist direction of said cable is varied using different conductor pair lays and conductor twist directions such that individual solid metal or woven metal air shields are not required. 
     
     
         38 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said support accommodates conductors, wherein said conductors, including twisted pair conductors to include any sized average wire gauge (awg), controlled NEXT, FEXT, ANEXT, and AFEXT to reduce or eliminate electrical instability by spacing said conductors such that positive ACR ratios are obtained. 
     
     
         39 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said fillers and additives provide shielding around individual conductor pairs or around said interior support such that said cable and associated support, central region, and extended portions are capable of lowering or eliminating crosstalk and more specifically lowering alien near end crosstalk and/or far end crosstalk. 
     
     
         40 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said conductive fillers and additives are added to said extended portions, said extended portions including flap-tops which further serve as shielding for individual pairs of conductors and/or cables to reduce or eliminate alien near end cross talk or alien far end crosstalk between said conductors and/or cables and further minimizes disrupting communication signals from adjacent cables. 
     
     
         41 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein a binder or binder tape itself is a laminated aluminum shield and wherein shielding is accomplished with said tape by utilizing a foil metal surface on said tape that faces toward an interior of a jacket of said cable thereby protecting signals carried by said conductors from electromagnetic or radio frequency distortion. 
     
     
         42 . The support-separator of  claim 23 , wherein said shielding is a belt-like shield that is formed into a round, smooth shape during manufacture and wherein said shielding is effective of shielding at least 1 GHz or higher frequency signal propagation. 
     
     
         43 . The support-separator of  claim 42 , wherein said binder or binder tape is located on the underside of a polymer binder sheet. 
     
     
         44 . A process for manufacturing high performance communications cables using an additional automatic treating step comprising: flame treating, metalizing, or sputtering with a metal with tandem or coextrusion, wherein said treating step occurs prior to spooling said cables. 
     
     
         45 . The process of  claim 44 , wherein said treating step occurs prior to spooling a support-separator.