Patent Application
20080121171
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cable apparatus, such as actual cables, holders or ties for bundling cables, connectors for cable ends, and jacks for receiving cable connectors. More particularly, the present invention relates a component part of a cable apparatus, which includes a color changing material that changes visible color in response to a temperature change.
2. Description of the Related Art
Materials which change color in response to a temperature increase and/or decrease are well known in the art (See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,743,398, 5,135,795, 5,281,570, 5,340,537, 6,494,950 and 6,706,218 and U.S. Published Application 2003/0224917). Such materials are often employed in toys or novelty items, such as mood rings, beverage containers (to change a picture printed on the side of the container in response to a hot or cold liquid being inside the container), children's books (to reveal a secret word or picture by heating the existing picture), etc. There are many examples where the function of such materials that change color in response to temperature have been employed in useful articles.
For example, such color changing materials have been employed in devices to monitor the temperature of the human body, such as disposable thermometers and a baby's pacifier (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,154,106, 4,397,570 and 5,176,704). Such materials have been combined with a food container to monitor the temperature of the food therein (U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,983). Such color changing materials have been used to form a pipe to indicate the temperature of a fluid flow through the pipe (U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,203). Such materials have also been used in several other miscellaneous articles, such as hair curlers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,983), fishing lures (U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,320), artificial finger nails (U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,991), candles (U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,129) and umbrellas (U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,241).
Also, such color changing materials have been employed to monitor the condition of the charged state of batteries. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,491,420 and 5,557,208, where a resistive circuit on the casing of a battery heats up in relation to a charge within the battery. The heat of the circuit causes a color change on the battery casing indicating to the user the battery's charged status. Also, such color changing materials have been used to monitor the temperature of discrete components (e.g. resistors and capacitors) and integrated circuit chips on a printed circuit board (U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,250).
Earlier color monitoring systems are also known, wherein a material is selected to permanently change color to indicate a failure or imminent failure of a product. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,711 discloses a push-pull cable of the type used to impart mechanical movement to brakes, clutches, throttles and the like, which includes a green nylon conduit portion. The conduit portion includes an additive which causes the conduit to turn dark brown after being exposed to 2,000 hours of 300 degree Fahrenheit heat, which indicates to a repairman that failure is imminent.
As evidenced above, materials, which change visible color in response to a temperature change are known in the art, and one of ordinary skill in the art can make reference to the Patent literature mentioned above, which is hereby incorporated by reference, to learn the details of such material compositions. To the best of Applicant's knowledge such color changing materials have never been employed in the cabling art, nor has there been any appreciation of a need to employ such materials in the cabling art.
The Applicant has appreciated a need in the art of communication transmitting devices, and in particular cabling apparatus such as cables, connectors for cable ends, jacks for connectors and cable guides or ties. More particularly, the Applicant has appreciated a need in the art for gaining a quick sense of the temperature of such cabling devices.
Typical networking closets in office buildings become extremely warm. Older buildings were not designed with HVAC systems suitable for networking closets. Also, as technology advances, more and more electronic equipment, such as multiple servers, memory backups, backup power supplies and patch panels, are being crowded into the network closets of office buildings. A common quick fix is to place a portable air conditioner in the floor of the network closet and direct its cooling air output stream at the hottest area or the area with equipment most sensitive to heat.
The Applicant has also appreciated that the recent popularity of power-over-Ethernet equipment, such as network telephones, has exacerbated the problem. Now, more and/or larger power supplies are required in the network closet, and communication cables and connectors, which previously carried mostly data or low level voltages, are carrying power to power peripheral devices and hence become additional potential heat sources.
In studying the network closet layout, the Applicant has appreciated that cables, cable connectors, jacks, cable guides and cable ties are prevalent through the network closet space. Cables usually span along the ceilings and side walls, lie alongside equipment in bundles held together by ties and guides, terminate with connectors connected to jacks mounted in connector blocks or faceplates of patch panels, servers, etc.
As such cabling devices are located throughout the network closet, the Applicant has invented a cabling device which includes at least one component part formed of a material that changes visual color in response to a temperature change. By such an arrangement, the technician in charge of the network closet can quickly, visually assess the temperature status of various areas within the network closet. Hot areas will be quite evident by virtue of the difference in color in the particular area.
For example, if normally black cabling which is located throughout the network closet transitions to a green and then yellow color in a back ceiling corner of the networking closet, the technician can take action, such as by directing the output of the portable air condition in that direction and investigating the source of the excessive heat. As another example, if one jack in a patch panel for an Ethernet system is yellow while the remaining jacks are green colored, the technician can investigate the issue and look for a short or overload on the power-over-Ethernet connection leading to the yellow jack.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a quick system and method of assessing temperature, in various locations where communication equipment is in use, by visual inspection without requiring the expense or space associated with placing numerous dedicated thermometers or thermometer probes about the location.
It is another object of the invention to provide a humanly perceptible temperature tracking system and method which does not require a technician to physically touch a cable, a cable connector or a jack to determine if such device is overheated.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a system and method which provides a rough estimation of the temperature of a communication connecting device, such as a cable, a cable connector or a jack, based upon a color of the communication connecting device.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limits of the present invention, and wherein:
The jacket 19 is formed mainly of flame-retardant polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or a similar material. However, in accordance with the present invention, the jacket 19 also includes an additive or outer layer, which causes the jacket 19 to change color in response to temperature. An additive, such as a leuco dye (LD), may be added to the jacket material composition at a percentage level designed to cause the jacket 19 to change color at a designated threshold temperature, such as 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course the threshold temperature could be set at other values, such as 100 degrees, 110 degrees or 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
A leuco dye additive, which can be designed to present a color change at a threshold temperature, is generally known in the art. See for example, the products sold by the Color Change Corporation of Streamwood, Ill. advertising at www.colorchange.com which sells such LD additives. Also, thermochromic polymers are known in the art and can be incorporated into commercially available paints, plastics, and rubbers at approximately 0.1-1.0% by weight in the host polymer to provide a reversible thermochromic color transition in response to a change in temperature. See for example, the research conducted by professors Brett Lucht, Bill Euler and Otto Gregory at the University of Rhode Island, as discussed in more detail at: http://bilbo.chm.uri.edu/SST/thermochromic.html. Moreover, other types of materials and additives which change color in response to temperature are also known in the art, and were incorporated by reference in the listed U.S. patents mentioned in the background section of the application.
The color changing additive would be incorporated into the material used to extrude the jacket 19 of the coaxial cable 11 at a percentage by weight to induce a color change at a desired temperature threshold. For example, the material's color could remain a constant color (e.g., black) below the threshold temperature, but change colors above the threshold temperature (e.g., from black to green to red to yellow), as the temperature increases. Alternatively, the material's color could remain a constant color (e.g., black) below the threshold temperature, and change to a constant color (e.g., yellow) at temperatures above the threshold temperature.
The temperature threshold could be set based upon the customer's needs, such that if the cable were to be connected to equipment which had a normal operating temperature not to be exceeded, the cable jacket 19 could have its temperature threshold set such that the cable jacket 19 changed colors when the temperature of the cable jacket approached the upper limits of the normal operating temperature of the equipment. In this regard, several different models of coaxial cable could be manufactured, each with a unique temperature threshold setting. The cables could be labeled and marketed based upon the threshold temperature where a color change occurs, such that the customer could choose the cable best suited for the end use.
It is also possible for a coaxial cable 11″ to have both the layer 23 and coloring changing jacket 19, so that the coaxial cable 11″ could exhibit three distinct colors to represent a plurality of temperature ranges. For example, the layer 23 could have two states for two temperature ranges, such as a black color when the layer 23 is not translucent at cool temperatures (e.g. below 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and the layer 23 could become translucent to show a color of the underlying jacket 19 at temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The underlying jacket 19 could be designed to remain green at temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit and to turn yellow at temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, the overall cable 11″ would exhibit three different colors, dependent upon the temperature of the cable 11″. In this example, the cable 11″ would appear black at temperatures below about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, green at temperatures between about 75 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and yellow at temperatures above about 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
As with the coaxial cable 11, 11′, 11″ discussed above, the present invention has an inventive jacket 35, which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes, which temperature changes may be the result of ambient air temperature surrounding the jacket 35 and/or may be due to communications and power transmissions occurring on the conductors 34. The conductors 34, if transmitting power (such as with power-over-Ethernet situations) can generate heat. Also, electrical conductors 13 and 34 are good thermal conductors. Therefore, if the cable 11 or 31 is connected to a jack of a piece of equipment that generates heat, heat from the equipment will travel through the jack and into the conductor 13 or 34 of the cable 11 or 31. Evidence of an overheating piece of equipment can be seen by a color change in the cable 11 or 31 proximate the connection of the cable 11 or 31 to the piece of equipment.
As with the coaxial cable 11, 11′, 11″, the twisted pair cable 31 may have a jacket 35 including color changing materials as an additive and/or as a layer. Moreover, the jacket 35 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures.
As with the coaxial cable 11, 11′, 11″ and the twisted pair cable 31 discussed above, the present invention has an inventive jacket 49, which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The jacket 49 may include the color changing materials as an additive and/or as an outer layer. Moreover, the jacket 49 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures.
The plastic material forming the cable tie 51 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the cable tie 51 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the cable tie 51. Moreover, the cable tie 51 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic or fabric material forming the cable wrap 61 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material or fabrics forming the cable wrap 61 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic or fabric material forming the cable wrap 61. Moreover, the cable wrap 61 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic ring 73 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the plastic ring 73 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic ring 73. Moreover, the plastic ring 73 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic ring 83 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the plastic ring 83 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic ring 83. Moreover, the plastic ring 83 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic of the twisted pair cable connector 91 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the twisted pair cable connector 91 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic forming the twisted pair cable connector 91. Moreover, the plastic forming the twisted pair cable connector 91 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic of the housing 107 and/or the material forming the strain relief boot 103 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the housing 107/strain relief boot 103 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic forming the housing 107/strain relief boot 103. Moreover, the plastic forming the housing 107 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic of the housing 117 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the housing 117 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic forming the housing 117. Moreover, the plastic forming the housing 117 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic of the housing 127 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the housing 127 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic forming the housing 127. Moreover, the plastic forming the housing 127 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
The plastic of the planar member 137 includes a material which exhibits color changes in response to temperature changes. The color changing material may be an additive to the plastic material forming the planar member 137 and/or the color changing material may be formed as a layer over all of, or a portion of, the plastic forming the planar member 137. Moreover, the plastic forming the planar member 137 may exhibit more than one color change to represent ranges of temperatures and may employ both a color changing material layer and a color changing material additive, as discussed above in conjunction with the cable jackets.
In accordance with the present invention, cable apparatus, used in and around network closets and other locations, may include at least one component part formed of a color changing material. The color changing material may be in the form of an additive and/or an outer layer of the component part. The color change will be designed to occur before damage to the cable apparatus and/or any equipment in the vicinity. Therefore, the color change ability of the cable apparatus can be viewed as a tool of the technician in improving and adjusting the HVAC issues surrounding the cable apparatus and the equipment attached thereto. Also, the color change ability of the cable apparatus can be viewed as a tool of the technician to spot heat issues which could damage the cable apparatus and/or equipment attached thereto prior to suffering any actual damage.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.
