Method of Manufacturing a Sealed Cable Employing a Wrapped Foam Barrier

This invention relates generally to a method for the production of continuous sheathed cable. Specifically, the invention is directed to a method for producing continuous sheathed cable that will not transmit gas or vapors and, accordingly, is usable in corrosive or explosive ambient environments.

The improved method permits the continuous production of sheathed corrugated cable utilizing a foam of the closed cell type to prevent passage of gases or vapors. The composite cable formed by the instant methodology includes an insulated and often jacketed conductor or conductor ensemble, an outer metal corrugated sheath having a continuous welded seam, and a layer of closed cell foam disposed between the conductor assembly and the outer sheath. The improved method includes wrapping a strip of foam around the insulated conductor, forming an outer sheath to encase the foam, and activating the foam by application of heat (for an initially non-foamed tape) to expand the foam and fill the space between the inner and outer members. The barrier foam may be continuously or periodically applied along the length of cable; and may be foamed in situ or prior to its application to the cable.

Many national and local building and electrical codes require sealed, sheathed cable to meet rigorous standards with regard to the transmission of gases or vapors through the core of the cable. One such standard is set out in the National Electrical Code promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association at Article 501, Paragraph (e) (2) which limits gas or vapor flow through a cable to a maximum of 0.007 cubic feet per hour of air at a pressure of 6 inches of water. The sheathed cable produced by the improved method of the present invention fully meets the National Electrical Code standard.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method for production of continuous sheathed cable.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method for producing sheathed cable which is impervious to the passage of gas or vapors.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved method for producing sheathed cable utilizing an activatible closed cell foam.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following drawings, taken in connection with the detailed specification to follow, in which:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are respectively radial and axial cross-sectional views of the sheathed cable constructed in accordance with the improved method of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the steps of the improved method.

FIG. 1 illustrates a continuous sheathed cable 8 fabricated in accordance with the principles of the instant invention. The composite cable to be foamed includes a conductor or conductor group 15, i.e., any combination of individual conductors, multistrand or multiconductor groups or the like. The area in and about the individual conductors of the conductor group 15 is advantageously sealed in view of the gas and vapor blocking requirement for the cable 8 of the instant invention in any manner per se well known to those skilled in the art, e.g., by employing a compressible filler material. Disposed about the center conductor 15 is a layer of a semiconducting material utilized for its traditional purposes of eliminating local air voltage breakdown (corona) by converting the irregular outer conducting surface of the individual conductors in element group 15 to the regular outer surface of the semiconductor layer 13. Disposed about the semiconductor layer 13 are an insulator 11 and a cable core jacketing material 10 of any well known type.

A corrugated metallic sheath 14, e.g., formed of aluminum, is disposed about the jacket 10 and its interior elements and is employed to provide mechanical protection and integrity for the composite cable 8. The aluminum sheath 14 contains weld seam 16 along its longitudinal axis.

The volume between the outer cable sheath 14 and the cable jacket 10 and its interior elements contains a barrier, vapor or gas flow blocking material 18 such as a closed pore foam. Many foamable elastomeric materials are well known to those skilled and suitable for instant purposes, for example, close pore foamed Neoprene, Hypolon, ethylene propylene rubber, polyurethane and the like.

Sealed cable of the method of the instant invention may contain a core of any type including more than or fewer than the elements shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B and discussed above. Thus, for example, such cable cores need not employ a jacket 10 and/or the inner semiconductor layer 13.

The method for producing the cable of FIGS. 1A and 1B is set forth in FIG. 2. The cable core comprising the inner conductor 15, insulation 11 and their ancillary components are first wrapped (process step 20) with a tape which comprises an as yet unactivated foam 18. The foam wrapping will typically follow a helical pattern, and may be continuously applied or utilized at spaced intervals. Whether continuous or spaced foam wrapping is employed, a barrier to passage of potentially harmful vapors via the space between the cable aluminum sheath 14 and the cable core is provided at least at those locations where the foam is present.

Following application of the tape, the aluminum shield is formed (operation 22) and corrugated and welded (operation 24) in the manner per se well known. In brief, sheath 14 formation is typically effected by continuously dispensing the aluminum or other metallic sheath member in strip form; bending the metal about the cable in a forming die; welding the ends of the sheath strip; and forming the outer corrugations via transverse rollers. Finally, the tape-applied foam 18 is activated (operation 26) by application of heat such that the material 18 expands in volume while the closed pore foam is formed to occupy all of the space between sheath 14 and the cable core. The composite cable is thus sealed, preventing passage therethrough of potentially harmful or explosive fumes, vapors or the like.

The above described implementation utilized an initially uncured foam which was activated in situ by application of heat in process step 26. In an alternative form of the instant invention, the tape applied at step 20 may already be activated, expanded foam which is compressed during the corrugation process 24 to provide a mechanical vapor seal. The foam activation step 26 would be omitted for this alternative method.

The above described methodology is merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.