USPTO Wire & Cable Industry Patents for March 2021
Terminal-Attached Electric Wire and Wire Harness
United States Patent 10,931,038 – Issued: February 23, 2021
Inventors: Hiroyuki Hasui, Yokkaichi, Japan; Yoshiaki Yamano, Yokkaichi, Japan; Hiroshi Sudou,
Yokkaichi, Japan; Takayasu Sugihara, Osaka, Japan; and Misaton Ueki, Osaka, Japan
Assignee: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Yokkaichi, Japan; Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.,
Yokkaichi, Japan; and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Osaka, Japan
Provided is a terminalattached electric wire including: an electric wire having a conductor made of
aluminum or an aluminum alloy whose outer circumference is covered with an insulating layer; and
a terminal member made of copper or a copper alloy and attached to a conductor-exposed portion
exposed from the insulating layer at an end portion of the electric wire. The terminal member
includes a coating layer made of an electrically conductive material and formed at a terminal exposed portion except for a place of contact with the conductor in a surface of the terminal member, and an oxide film of the electrically conductive material formed in a surface of the coating
layer. The electrically conductive material is a metal or an alloy which forms an oxide film having a
thickness of more than or equal to 20 nm in a surface thereof.
Coaxial Cable and Medical Cable
United States Patent 10,930,416 – Issued February 23, 2021
Inventors: Takanobu Watanabe, Hitachi, Japan; Detian Huang, Hitachi, Japan; Kimika Kudo,
Kitaibaraki, Japan; and Haruyuki Watanabe, Hitachi, Japan
Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
A coaxial cable includes a central conductor, a plurality of insulating twisted threads or insulation
strings wound therearound, each insulating twisted thread including a plurality of insulating strings
twisted together, a cover layer provided around the insulating twisted threads or the insulation
strings to form a gap to the insulating twisted threads or the insulation strings, and an outer
conductor and a jacket provided on the outer periphery of the cover layer.
Data Cable for Areas at Risk of Explosion
United States Patent 10,930,415 – Issued February 23, 2021
Inventors: Uwe Rudolf, Ahrensfelde, Germany; Maik Stratmann, Friesoythe, Germany; and Benedikt
Engler, Oldenburg, Germany
Assignee: Leoni Kabel GmbH, Roth, Germany
The invention relates to a data cable. One embodiment of the data cable has at least one pair of
wires and a cable sheath surrounding the at least one pair of wires. The at least one pair of wires
has two wires twisted together in the longitudinal direction of the data cable. Cavities between the
at least one pair of wires and the cable sheath are at least partially filled with a filler. The filler has a
viscosity which is such that it adheres in the data cable in such a way as to remain in the data cable
at least nearly completely when there is a specified pressure difference between one end of the
data cable and the other end of the data cable.
Method for Extracting Crosslinking By-Products from a Crosslinked Electrically Insulating System of
a Power Cable and Related Power Cable
United States Patent 10,930,414 -Issued February 23, 2021
Inventors: Rodolfo Sica, Milan, Italy; and Alessandro Rolla, Milan, Italy
Assignee: Prysmian SpA, Milan, Italy
An energy cable comprises at least one cable core comprising an electric conductor, a crosslinked
electrically insulating layer, and particles of a zeolite system comprising at least a first zeolite and a
second zeolite placed in the cable core. A method for extracting crosslinking by-products from a
cross-linked electrically insulating layer of an energy cable core comprises manufacturing the
energy cable core comprising particles of the above said zeolite system, heating the energy cable
core up to a temperature causing migration of the crosslinking by-products from the crosslinked
electrically insulating layer, and placing a metal screen around the energy cable core.
Cored Wire with Particulate Material
United States Patent 10,927,425 – Issued February 23, 2021
Inventor: David L. Campana, Sr., Lorain, OH, USA
A cored wire for refining molten metal includes a reactive core material that is in the form of a solid
rod. A non-reactive particulate material radially surrounds the solid core material, and an exterior
metal jacket radially surrounds the particulate material. The particulate material may include wood
or other material that when introduced into the molten metal, undergoes thermal decomposition to
release carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, or combinations thereof as a shroud around the core
material.
Wire for an Ignition Coil Assembly, Ignition Coil Assembly, and Methods of Manufacturing the Wire
and Ignition Coil Assembly
United States Patent 10 923 887 – Issued February 16, 2021
Inventors: Massimo Augusto Dal Re, Concordia Sulla Secchia, Italy; Giovanni Betti Beneventi,
Modena, Italy; and Stefano Papi, Modena, Italy
Assignee: Tenneco Inc., Lake Forest, IL, USA
A wire for an ignition coil assembly and/or a corona ignition assembly is provided. The wire
comprises a wire core including a copper-based material, and a coating applied to the wire core.
The coating includes at least one of a carbon-based material and magnetic nanoparticles. The
carbon-based material can include graphene and/or carbon nanotubes, and the magnetic
nanoparticles can include graphene and iron oxide (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4). Typically, the coating includes
a plurality of layers. For example, the coating can include a layer of the graphene and/or carbon
nanotubes, and/or a layer of the magnetic nanoparticles. The coating can also include a layer of
insulating material, such as enamel. According to another embodiment, the coating includes iron,
nickel, and/or cobalt plated onto the wire core.
Flame Retardant Electrical Cable
United States Patent 10,923,246 – Issued February 16, 2021
Inventors: Franco Galletti, Casatenovo, Italy; Elena Roda, Segrate, Italy; and Giuseppe Merigo, Milan,
Italy
Assignees: Prysmian SpA, Milan, Italy, and Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
A flame-retardant electric cable has a core including an electric conductor and an electrically
insulating layer. The electrically insulating layer includes a flame-retardant polyolefinbased
composition which includes, as base polymer, a mixture of at least two polyolefin homopolymers
and/or copolymer wherein at least one is a low-density polyethylene copolymer having a density
lower than 0.915 g/cm3. The flame-retardant polyolefin-based composition also includes calcinated
kaolin in an amount greater than 3 phr, a metal hydroxide in an amount greater than 10 phr, and
an alkyl or alkenyl alkoxy siloxane. The alkyl or alkenyl alkoxy siloxane is in an amount ratio of from
1:25 to 1:50 with respect to the sum of the amounts of calcinated kaolin and of the metal hydroxide.
Aluminum Alloy Wire Rod and Producing Method Thereof
United States Patent 10,920,306 – Issued February 16, 2021
Inventors: Toru Sumi, Tokyo, Japan; Kazuya Nishi, Tokyo, Japan; Shohei Hata, Tokyo, Japan; Takashi
Hayasaka, Tokyo, Japan; and Takeshi Usami, Tokyo, Japan
Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
An aluminum alloy wire rod has a chemical composition consisting of 0.1 to 1.0 mass % of Co, 0.2 to
0 5 mass % of Zr 0 02 to 0 09 mass % of Fe 0 02 to 0 09 mass % of Si 0 to 0 2 mass % of Mg 0 to
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0.5 mass % of Zr, 0.02 to 0.09 mass % of Fe, 0.02 to 0.09 mass % of Si, 0 to 0.2 mass % of Mg, 0 to
0.10 mass % of Ti, 0 to 0.03 mass % of B, 0 to 1.00 mass % of Cu, 0 to 0.50 mass % of Ag, 0 to 0.50
mass % of Au, 0 to 1.00 mass % of Mn, 0 to 1.00 mass % of Cr, 0 to 0.50 mass % of Hf, 0 to 0.50 mass
% of V, 0 to 0.50 mass % of Sc, 0 to 0.50 mass % of Ni, the balance being Al and inevitable impurities,
and a metal structure including Al crystal grains, an Al–Co–Fe compound and an Al–Zr compound.
The Al crystal grains having a crystal grain diameter of 10 .mu.m or less have an area ratio of 90% or
more. The wire rod has a tensile strength of 150 MPa or more, an electrical conductivity of 55% IACS
or more and when heated at 200 deg C. for 10 years, a strength of 90% or more of its initial state
strength.
Method for Manufacturing an Electrical Wire
United States Patent 10,916,360 – Issued February 9, 2021
Inventors: Yuto Ito, Utsunomiya, Japan; Yoshio Shionome, Utsunomiya, Japan; Takashi Oguri,
Utsunomiya, Japan; and Jin Omori, Utsunomiya, Japan
Assignee: Yazaki Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
There is provided a method for manufacturing an electrical wire. The electrical wire includes a rodlike conductor having a shape corresponding to a predetermined wiring route and also having
rigidity to enable the rod-like conductor to maintain the shape, and an insulation sheath covering
the rod-like conductor. The method includes: preparing a plurality of rod-like preliminary
conductors having the rigidity so as to correspond to a plurality of sub routes into which the wiring
route is divided; processing at least one of the plurality of preliminary conductors into a shape
conforming to the corresponding sub routes; connecting the plurality of preliminary conductors
together to form the rod-like conductor; and forming the insulation sheath to cover the rod-like
conductor.
Wire Harness
United States Patent 10,913,405 – Issued February 9, 2021
Inventor: Hikaru Omae, Yokkaichi, Japan
Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Mie, Japan
A wire harness that includes a wire having a first wire, a second wire that is more bendable than the
first wire, and a connection for electrically connecting the first wire and the second wire to each
other; a tube for accommodating at least one of the first wire and the second wire; and a covering
ventilation that is tubular, has a covering for surrounding the connection and a surrounding region
of the connection of the wire, and is connected to the tube.
Optical Communication Cable
United States Patent 10 914 907 – Issued February 9, 2021
Inventors: Michael Emmerich, Berlin, DE, USA; Warren Welborn McAlpine, Hickory, NC, USA; and
Guenter Wuensch, Neustadt, DE, USA
Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC, Charlotte, NC, USA
An optical communication cable is provided having a cable body with an inner surface defining a
passage within the cable body and a plurality of core elements within the passage. A film surrounds
the plurality of core elements, wherein the film directs a radial force inward onto the plurality of
core elements to restrain and hold the plurality of core elements in place.
Cable Reel
United States Patent 10,913,632 – Issued February 9, 2021
Inventors: Rakesh Thakare, Cary, NC, USA; Caichun Song, Changzhou, China; Phillip S. Bowen,
Chatham, VA, USA; Marvin Bryant, Chatham, VA, USA; Paul R. Boucher, Callands, VA, USA); and Barry
Holt, Ottawa, Canada
Assignee: Amphenol Corporation, Wallingford, CT, USA
A cable payout apparatus that comprises a bag with a payout opening for dispensing cable, and first
and second frames inside the bag. A first flange is configured to be rotatably coupled to the first
frame. A second flange is configured to be rotatably coupled to the second frame. An elongated
wall extends from the first flange and releasably couples to the second flange for supporting a coil
of cable between the first and second flanges. The first frame is positioned in the base of the bag
and the second frame is positioned at the cover of the bag, such that when the cover of the bag is
closed with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame releasably couples with the second
flange and such that when the cover of the bag is opened, the second frame decouples from the
second flange.
Rodent Repellent Fiber Optic Cable
United States Patent 10,910,128 – Issued February 2, 2021
Inventors: Clyde Stephan Munsell, Chula Vista, CA, USA; James Dalgleish Reid, San Diego, CA, USA;
and Richard William Hanawalt, Ventura, CA, USA
Assignee: STICK-IN-THE-MUD, LLC, Chula Vista, CA, USA
A rodent repellent fiber optic cable includes an outer jacket, one or more optical fibers, and a
repellent electrostatically bonded to at least one component of the cable. The one or more optical
fibers extend longitudinally through an interior of the cable. The repellent is preferably an olfactory
stimulant, such as menthol, configured to repel rodents. In various embodiments, the cable also
includes one or more separators and/ or a sheath In embodiments that employ separators at least
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includes one or more separators and/ or a sheath. In embodiments that employ separators, at least
one optical fiber is wrapped in, or otherwise surrounded by a separator. In embodiments that
employ a sheath, the sheath surrounds an assembly of the cable’s internal components.
Method for Rolling Metal Wire or Rod with Assistance of Combined Static Magnetic Field
United States Patent 10,906,076 – Issued February 2, 2021
Inventors: Hongming Wang, Zhenjiang, China; and Guirong Li, Zhenjiang, China
Assignee: Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
The present invention relates to the technical field of extruding, rolling and drawing metal wire or
rod with assistance of a combined static magnetic field, characterized by providing, in a moving
direction of a metal wire or rod, a gradient static magnetic field generated by a combination of a
permanent magnet and a steady electromagnet; and after a raw material for rolling the metal wire
or rod is processed by the gradient static magnetic field, performing rolling extrusion and pulling on
the material. For multiple passes of rolling extrusion and pulling, the static magnetic field
processing is performed before each pass of rolling.
Twisted Wire Conductor for Insulated Electrical Wire, Insulated Electrical Wire, Cord and Cable
United States Patent 10,902,966 – Issued January 26, 2021
Inventor: Hiroshi Kaneko, Tokyo, Japan
Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
This twisted wire conductor 10 for an insulated electrical wire is configured so as to be in a mixed
state in which a first conductor 20 and a second conductor 40 are twisted together. The first
conductor comprises a specific aluminum alloy: which has an alloy composition that contains, by
mass %, 0.2-1.8% of Mg, 0.2-2.0% of Si, 0.01-0.33% of Fe and a total of 0.00-2.00% of one or more
elements selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, Zn, Ni, Co, Au, Mn, Cr, V, Zr, Ti and Sn, with
the remainder comprising Al and unavoidable impurities; which has a fibrous metal structure in
which crystal grains extend in one direction; and in which the average value of a dimension t which
is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of crystal grains is 400 nm or less in a cross section
parallel to this one direction. The second conductor has a higher electrical conductivity than the first
conductor 20 and comprises a metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of copper, copper
alloys, aluminum and aluminum alloys. The twisted wire conductor exhibits high electrical
conductivity, high strength and excellent bending fatigue resistance, and enables a reduction in
weight.
Nanowire and Micro Wire Fabrication Technique and Product
United States Patent 10 900 137 – Issued January 26, 2021
Inventors: Anirudha V. Sumant, Plainfield, IL, USA; Michael Zach, Stevens Point, WI, USA; and Alan
David Marten, Stevens Point, WI, USA
Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC, Chicago, IL, USA
A continuous or semi-continuous process for fabricating nanowires or microwires makes use of the
substantially planar template that may be moved through electrochemical solution to grow
nanowires or microwires on exposed conductive edges on the surface of that template. The planar
template allows fabrication of the template using standard equipment and techniques. Adhesive
transfer may be used to remove the wires from the template and in one embodiment to draw a
continuous wire from the template to be wound around the drum.
Electrical Cable
United States Patent 10,903,159 – Issued January 26, 2021
Inventor: Martin Huber, Obing, Germany
Assignee: MD ELEKTRONIK GmbH, Waldkraiburg, Germany
An electrical cable includes at least two wires extending side by side along a longitudinal cable
direction. The wires are electrically insulated from each other by an insulation. An electrical device is
in electrical contact with the respective wires. A flexible carrier surrounds the wires annularly in
cross section, and the electrical device is mounted on an inner side of the flexible carrier which
faces the wires.
Cable Assembly
United States Patent 10,902,977 – Issued January 26, 2021
Inventors: Thomas Cantz, Stafa, Switzerland; and Reto Casanova, Pfaffi kon, Switzerland
Assignee: HUBER+SUHNER AG, Herisau, Switzerland
The invention is directed to a cable assembly (10, 10a-b), comprising a cable (10, 10a-b) with a cable
hose (11, 11a-b) and at least one conductor (12, 12a-f) arranged therein. The cable hose (11, 11a-b)
is spaced a distance apart from the conductor (12) forming a first interstitial space (15, a-b) between
the at least conductor (12) and the cable hose (11, 11a-b). At least one tube (20, 20a-b) for conveying
of a cooling fluid (21), and a connector (30) comprising at least one contact member (31)
interconnected to the at least one conductor (12) and a chamber (32). Said chamber (32) comprises
a first port (33) which is interconnected to the first interstitial space between the at least one
conductor (12, 12a-f) and the cable hose (11, 11a-b) and a second port (34a, 34a-b) which is
interconnected to the at least one tube (20, 20a-b).
Insulated Electric Wire
United States Patent 10,896,770 – Issued January 19, 2021
Inventor: Masanobu Nakahashi, Tokyo, Japan
Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
An insulated electric wire is composed of a conductor, and an insulating layer disposed around an
outer circumference of the conductor. The insulating layer is formed from a fluorine-containing
elastomer composition, and the fluorine containing elastomer composition includes a base polymer
(A) including 70% by mass or more and 98% by mass or less of a copolymer (a1) of
tetrafluoroethylene and an .alpha.-olefin having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, and 2% by mass or more and
30% by mass or less of an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer (a2) (excluding an ethylene-ethyl
acrylate-maleic anhydride ternary copolymer), and a flame retardant (B) including an antimony
compound (b1) and a bromine-based flame retardant (b2), and including 1 part by mass or more
and 9 parts by mass or less of the antimony compound (b1), and 0.3 parts by mass or more and 15
parts by mass or less of the bromine-based flame retardant (b2) per 100 parts by mass of the base
polymer (A).
Metal Wire for Optical Fiber Cable and Strain Relief
United States Patent 10,895,699 – Issued January 19, 2021
Inventor: Mauricio Jochinsen, Fountain Valley, CA, USA
Assignee: Alcon Inc., Fribourg, Switzerland
Various optical fiber cables and systems and methods associated therewith are disclosed herein. An
optical fiber cable may include a jacket, an optical fiber and a metal wire disposed within a passage
defined by the jacket. The metal wire may be coupled to the optical fiber.
Electrical Cable with Improved Installation and Durability Performance
United States Patent 10,889,727 – Issued January 12, 2021
Inventor: Yushin Hawig, Carrollton, GA, USA
Assignee: Southwire Company, LLC, Carrollton, GA, USA
An electrical cable having a conductor having a protecting sheath and/or jacket comprising a base
polymer (such as a thermoplastic or thermoset) having an abrasion reducing agent, a lubricant, a
hydrophobic agent, and/or a UV protecting agent mixed therein. The resulting cable jacket and/or
cable sheath defines an outer surface having abrasion reduction properties, lubricating properties,
hydrophobic properties, and/or UV protecting properties.