Electrical cable apparatus and method for making

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include an electrical cable apparatus and method for making. The electrical cable apparatus includes a plurality of paired conductive elements, a dielectric jacket formed around the plurality of paired conductive elements, and at least one dielectric film separating the pairs of conductive elements within the dielectric jacket. For example, for an arrangement having four twisted pair of copper wires within an electrically insulating jacket, two dielectric films surround alternating pairs of individually insulated conductor elements. The dielectric film is made of one or more of the following materials: ethylchlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE or HALAR®), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polyolefins, and fluoropolymers including fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP or TEFLON®), perfluoroalkoxy polymers of tetrafluoroethylene and either perfluoropropyl ether (PFA) or perfluoromethylvinyl ether (MFA). Alternatively, the dielectric film is made of woven glass yarn tape such as KAPTON®. The dielectric film has a width, e.g., of approximately 0.125 to 0.250 inch and a thickness, e.g., of approximately 2 to 20 mils (0.002 to 0.020 inch). Alternatively, a dielectric film is positioned between individual conductive elements within the conductor pairs. The method for making an electrical cable includes providing a plurality of the paired conductive elements, forming the dielectric film around one or more of the conductor pairs and/or forming the dielectric film between the individual conductors within one or more conductor pairs, and forming the dielectric jacket around the conductor pairs. The thin dielectric film provides separation between conductor pairs and/or between individual conductors within conductor pairs to reduce crosstalk therebetween.