Patent Grant
10672534
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates in general to electrical wire and cable, and more particularly, to the hybrid cable assemblies.
Underwriters Laboratories (“UL”) wire and cable standards include the standards for Tray Cable (“TC”) and Service Entrance cable (“SE Cable”). These standards set forth the limitations for construction and/or use of the TC and SE Cable.
Construction of TC is covered by UL 1277, and is not permitted by code to be installed outside of raceways, direct burial, and cable trays. It is not allowed to be installed in a building without being in said raceway or cable tray.
SE Cable constructions are covered by UL 854, and is designed mainly for above ground electrical cable installations to home distribution panels or panel-to-panel between multi-family dwellings. SE Cable construction is allowed for interior/building use and some exterior use without the limitations of raceways and/or cable trays. SE Cable is not permitted to be installed underground. SE Cable includes SE-R, or Type R, cable, which further requires at least four (4) conductors for inside use.
To comply with the UL standards, electrical installers installing both TC and SE Cable (or SE-R Cable) must purchase these types of wire separately and maintain these different wire types at the jobsite. Currently, multiple wire types must be purchase and maintained as a single wire type does not meet the limitations of both UL 1277 and UL 854 and thus cannot be installed for the purposes of both. There are many differences between TC and SE-R Cable are as follows: TC traditionally has a more robust jacket, but no requirement for a binder; SE-R Cable requires a fiberglass wrap beneath the jacket to add additional protection; and there are also different moisture ratings such as a cable must be rated “wet” or “dry” and pass the appropriate temperature and moisture exposure tests before it will be permitted in certain locations.
According to the prior art, two separate cable lengths of two different cable constructions were required to complete an electrical installation covering both locations, or additional infrastructure (raceways, cable trays, etc.) were required to accommodate use of TC everywhere. When using different constructions, appropriate connectors and electrical boxes are required at connection points, increasing the cost of the project. Further, time and costs are increased for each wire constructions at a job site.
Therefore, a need exists for a hybrid cable that complies with the construction and use requirements of both UL 1277 and 854. Such a hybrid cable would allow installation of a single cable in-place of either SE-R Cable or TC without switching products or requiring extra infrastructure.
The present invention provides for a “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable that meets the requirements of both the UL 854 and UL 1277 standards. The “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable is constructed with an outer jacket suited for direct burial, and contains a fiberglass wrap under the jacket, allowing it to be used in applications not permitted before. It would be allowable for installation in both SE-R and TC applications, such as in buildings without a cable tray/raceway, underground, or in a raceway, with a wet rating and dry rating and unlimited indoor and outdoor use. The hybrid cable assembly includes one or more ground conductors, one or more insulated conductors where the insulated conductors are formed with a metal conductor surrounded by an insulated material surrounded by a nylon jacket. A binder surrounds the one or more ground conductors and the one or more insulated conductors. A jacket then surrounds the binder, forming the hybrid cable.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the present invention. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those specifically detailed below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments expressly shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope of invention consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Service Entrance type R cable (“SE-R Cable”) is constructed with a fiberglass tape under the outer jacket as a protective layer, and built to the standard of Type SE-R cable in UL 854, passing all associated testing. Abridged from UL 854, the construction limitations and descriptions follow:
Tray cable is constructed with an outer jacket suited for direct burial, and is built to the standard of UL 1277, passing all associated tests. Abridged from UL 1277, selected defining construction limitations and descriptions follow:
The “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable meets the requirements of both the UL 854 and UL 1277 standards. The “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable is constructed with an outer jacket suited for direct burial, and contain a fiberglass wrap under the jacket, allowing it to be used in applications not permitted before. It would be allowable for installation in both SE-R and TC applications, such as in buildings without a cable tray/raceway, underground, or in a raceway, with a wet rating and dry rating and unlimited indoor and outdoor use.
In one embodiment, the “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable is applicable for the current sizes of SE-R cable, however, a wide variety of sizes may be implemented without detracting from the spirit of the invention, including but not limited to all of the sizes of the TC. The “Hybrid” SE-R/TC Cable is as follows:
The specifications above are determined by the current expectations of the applicable UL standards. If the standards are changed or updated, as they often are, the definition and scope of the Hybrid cable construction would change with them to remain compliant with all applicable codes.
Referring now to
The one or more ground conductors 115 and the one or more insulated conductors 140 are laid together. The one or more ground conductors 115 and the one or more insulated conductors 140 may be helically cabled together or cabled together in a parallel pattern. A binder 110 is wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 115 and the one or more insulated conductors 140. The binder 110 may be helically wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 115 and the one or more insulated conductors 140. The binder 110 may be formed from a wide variety of material including, but not limited to, reinforced polyester, cellulose acetate, or other polymeric (or film) tape reinforced by glass fiber. In one embodiment, the binder 110 is required by code to be at least 0.0035 inches or 0.09 mm thick. An outer jacket 105 is extruded over the binder 110, the one or more ground conductors 115, and the one or more insulated conductors 140. The outer jacket 105 may be formed from a variety of materials, including PVC. In one embodiment, the PVC outer jacket 105 meets at least a 75° C. wet/dry rating or better.
Referring now to
The one or more ground conductors 225 and the one or more insulated conductors 240 are laid together. The one or more ground conductors 225 and the one or more insulated conductors 240 may be helically cabled together or cabled together in a parallel pattern. A binder 210 is wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 225 and the one or more insulated conductors 240. The binder 210 may be helically wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 225 and the one or more insulated conductors 240. The binder 210 may be formed from a wide variety of material including, but not limited to, reinforced polyester, cellulose acetate, or other polymeric (or film) tape reinforced by glass fiber. In one embodiment, the binder 210 is required by code to be at least 0.0035 inches or 0.09 mm thick. An outer jacket 205 is extruded over the binder 210, the one or more ground conductors 225, and the one or more insulated conductors 240. The outer jacket 205 may be formed from a variety of materials, including PVC. In one embodiment, the PVC outer jacket 205 meets at least a 75° C. wet/dry rating or better.
Referring now to
The one or more ground conductors 325 and the one or more insulated conductors 340 are laid together. In one embodiment, the one or more ground conductors 325 and the one or more insulated conductors 340 may be cabled together in a parallel pattern. In another embodiment, the one or more insulated conductors 340 are helically cable together and then the one or more ground conductors 325 are helically cabled around the helically cabled insulated conductors 340. A binder 310 is wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 325 and the one or more insulated conductors 340. The binder 310 may be helically wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 325 and the one or more insulated conductors 340. The binder 310 may be formed from a wide variety of material including, but not limited to, reinforced polyester, cellulose acetate, or other polymeric (or film) tape reinforced by glass fiber. In one embodiment, the binder 310 is required by code to be at least 0.0035 inches or 0.09 mm thick. An outer jacket 305 is extruded over the binder 310, the one or more ground conductors 325, and the one or more insulated conductors 340. The outer jacket 305 may be formed from a variety of materials, including PVC. In one embodiment, the PVC outer jacket 305 meets at least a 75° C. wet/dry rating or better.
Referring now to
The one or more ground conductors 415 and the one or more insulated conductors 440 are laid together. In one embodiment, the one or more ground conductors 415 and the one or more insulated conductors 440 may be cabled together in a parallel pattern. In another embodiment, the one or more insulated conductors 440 are helically cable together and then the one or more ground conductors 415 are helically cabled around the helically cabled insulated conductors 440. A binder 410 is wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 415 and the one or more insulated conductors 440. The binder 410 may be helically wrapped around the one or more ground conductors 415 and the one or more insulated conductors 440. The binder 410 may be formed from a wide variety of material including, but not limited to, reinforced polyester, cellulose acetate, or other polymeric (or film) tape reinforced by glass fiber. In one embodiment, the binder 410 is required by code to be at least 0.0035 inches or 0.09 mm thick. An outer jacket 405 is extruded over the binder 410, the one or more ground conductors 415, and the one or more insulated conductors 440. The outer jacket 405 may be formed from a variety of materials, including PVC. In one embodiment, the PVC outer jacket 405 meets at least a 75° C. wet/dry rating or better.
The ground conductors (115, 225, 325, 415) and the metal conductors (130, 230, 330, 340) may be made from a wide variety of materials without detracting from the spirit of the invention including, but not limited to, copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum. The one or more ground conductors (115, 225, 325, 415) in one embodiment may be limited in size as follows: Copper conductors between 14 AWG and 4/0 AWG and Aluminum and copper-clad aluminum between 12 AWG and 300 kcmil. Additionally, the thickness of the outer PVC jacket (105, 205, 305, 405) for each size will be compliant with the thickest requirements, Table 12.3 in UL 1277:
aThciknesses other than those covered in this table are acceptable if the finished cable employing a jacket with the other thicknesses performs acceptably in the tests described in this standard. Crushing, impact, abrasion, and other tests may be part of the evaluation.
Although the invention is described herein with reference to specific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims.
From time-to-time, the invention is described herein in terms of these example embodiments. Description in terms of these embodiments is provided to allow the various features and embodiments of the invention to be portrayed in the context of an exemplary application. After reading this description, it will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art how the invention can be implemented in different and alternative environments. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.
The preceding discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those detailed below without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments as may be desired. It is therefore, contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.
The various diagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration for the invention, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the invention. The invention is not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desired features can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art how alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning and configurations can be implemented to implement the desired features of the invention. Also, a multitude of different constituent module names other than those depicted herein can be applied to the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams, operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the steps are presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments be implemented to perform the recited functionality in the same order unless the context dictates otherwise.
Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or “an” should be read as meaning “at least one”, “one or more” or the like; and adjectives such as “conventional”, “traditional”, “normal”, “standard”, “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future.
A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of the invention may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.
The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more”, “at least”, “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of the term “module” does not imply that the components or functionality described or claimed as part of the module are all configured in a common package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of a module, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in a single package or separately maintained and can further be distributed across multiple locations.
Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements.
Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described in terms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated examples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying description should not be construed as mandating a particular architecture or configuration.
All publications and patents mentioned in the above specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described method and system of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the field or any related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.
This application claims priority benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/668,595, filed May 8, 2018 and is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
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