EP3172741B1 - Data cable for high-speed data transmissions - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a data cable for high-speed data transmission with at least one wire pair of two longitudinally extending wires which are paired to form a pair shield in pairs of a screen, wherein between the screen and the pair a non-conductive intermediate film as additional film order the wire pair is spun. Such a data cable is offered at the time of application by the Applicant under the trade name "Paralink 23". Such data cables are used in particular for high-speed transmission of signals between computers, for example in data centers.

In the field of data transmission, for example in computer networks, data cables are used, in which typically several data lines are combined in a common cable sheath. In high-speed data transmissions, shielded wire pairs are used as data lines, with the two wires in particular running parallel to one another or, alternatively, being twisted together. A respective core here consists of the actual conductor, such as a solid conductor wire or a stranded wire, which is surrounded in each case by an insulation. The wire pair of a respective data line is surrounded by the (pair) shielding. The data cables typically have a plurality of such screened wire pairs, which form a line core and which are surrounded by a common outer screen and a common cable sheath. Such data cables are used for high-speed data connections and are designed for data rates of greater than 10 Gbit / s at a transmission frequency greater than 14 GHz. The outer screen is important for the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) as well as for the electromagnetic interference (EMI) with the environment. No signals are transmitted via the outer screen. In contrast, the respective pair screen determines the symmetry and the signal characteristics of a respective pair Wire pair. In this case, a high symmetry of the pair screen is important for undisturbed data transmission.

Such data cables are typically so-called symmetrical data lines, in which the signal is transmitted via one wire and the inverted signal is transmitted via the other wire. Evaluates the differential signal component between these two signals, so that external effects that affect both signals are eliminated.

Such data cables are often connected pre-assembled to plugs. In applications for high-speed transmissions, the connectors are often designed as a so-called small-form-pluggable connector, short SFP connector. There are different variants, for example, so-called SFP +, CXP or QSFP connector. These connectors have special connector housing, as for example from the WO 2011 072 869 A1 or the WO 2011 089 003 A1 can be seen. Alternatively, a direct so-called back-plane connection without plug is possible.

The Paarschirmung a respective pair of wires is - as for example from the EP 2 112 669 A2 often seen as a longitudinally folded screen foil formed. The shielding film is therefore folded in a longitudinal direction of the cable running around the pair of wires, wherein the opposite outer side regions of the shielding film overlap in a longitudinally extending overlapping region. In order to ensure a defined fit of this longitudinally folded screen film and to avoid buckling thereof into a gusset region between the two wires, a dielectric intermediate film made of plastic, in particular a PET film, is spun between the screen film and the wire pair.

The shielding foil used for the shielding is a multilayered shield of at least one conductive (metal) layer and an insulating carrier layer. As the conductive layer, an aluminum layer is usually used, and as the insulating base layer, a PET film is used.

The PET film is formed as a carrier on which a metallic coating is applied to form the conductive layer.

In addition to the longitudinally folded shielding of pairs guided in parallel, there is also the possibility in principle of winding or spinning such a shielding foil helically around the pair of wires. However, at higher signal frequencies from about 15 GHz, such a braiding of the wire pair with a shielding foil is not readily possible due to resonance effects due to the nature of the design. For these high frequencies, therefore, the screen foil is often preferably attached as a longitudinally folded screen foil.

From the DE 10 2012 204 554 A1 shows a signal cable for a high-frequency signal transmission, in which the signal conductor is designed as a stranded conductor with a varying lay length. In addition, the signal cable furthermore has a shielding braid, with individual braid strands of the shielding braid being wound with a varying lay length here as well. These measures improve the transmission quality.

From the DE 103 15 609 A1 shows a data cable for a high-frequency data transmission, in which a pair of wires is surrounded by a screen designed as Schirmschirm Paarschirmung. In addition, an intermediate foil is spun around the pair of wires.

From the US 2014/0124236 A1 shows another high-speed data cable, in which a designed as a pair shielding screen foil is spun with a varying lay length around the pair of wires.

Proceeding from this, the object of the invention is to specify a high-speed data cable with good transmission properties even at high transmission rates and high transmission frequencies.

The object is achieved by a data cable for high-speed data transmissions with at least one pair of two wire in the longitudinal direction extending cores, which in particular run parallel to each other and which are surrounded in pairs to form a pair shield of a screen foil. Between the screen foil and the pair of wires, a dielectric intermediate foil is spun around the pair of wires as an additional foil. The additional dielectric intermediate foil is spun around the pair of wires with a varying lay length.

In particular, the data cable is based on a data cable with a longitudinally folded shielding foil with the additional intermediate foil between the pair of wires and the pair shielding. Studies have shown that even with such data cables at very high transmission frequencies, a peak-like attenuation occurs. This peak-like attenuation could be significantly reduced by the variation of the lay length of the dielectric intermediate foil. It is assumed that the peak-like attenuation due to a reflection effect due to the introduced by the wrapping of the intermediate foil periodic interference structure with the period of the lay length. In each case a part of the signal is reflected at this interference structure. Due to the strict periodicity, a narrow-band, sharp attenuation at high frequencies is formed due to the reflection effects on the plurality of impurities. This therefore leads to a high attenuation peak at high frequencies in the so-called insertion loss. In the present case, insertion loss is understood to mean the attenuation experienced by a signal when passing through a signal path (cable length). Due to the periodic structure, this also leads to a high attenuation peak at high frequencies in the so-called return loss (return loss). Here, on the feed side of the signal due to the reflections, a signal peak at the high frequency is obtained, which correlates to the attenuation peak of the insertion loss.

In principle, there would be the possibility of shifting the attenuation frequency through geometry measures, such as, for example, a shorter beat length to higher frequencies. In the ParaLink cables described above, this is achieved by a very steep slope of the winding. The lay length is in particular about 3mm, so that the peak-like insertion loss and thus the return loss is above 25 GHz. According to the currently valid standards, such a peak must not occur with such cables in the frequency range up to 25 GHz. However, the short lay length results in a low process speed in wrapping the wire pair due to the stronger wrapping, resulting in higher costs.

In the case of conventional data cables with the intermediate foil, a comparatively large attenuation (attenuation peak) thus takes place due to the addition of all individual reflections at a fixed, narrow frequency. This results in a high signal attenuation, so that the requirements of the so-called insertion loss (insertion loss) for high transmission frequencies are met only insufficient. In contrast, due to the varying lay length no attenuation peak at a fixed frequency is more present, so that the requirements of Insertion loss is satisfied even at high frequencies. At the same time there is the possibility to extend the lay length and thus to increase the speed of the process and thus to reduce costs.

The term "lay length" or "pitch" of the intermediate foil is understood to mean the distance in the longitudinal direction of the cable which the wrapping requires for a 360 ° revolution around the pair of wires.

In an expedient refinement, the lay length is varied in the range of at least +/- 5% and in particular of at least +/- 10%, based on an average lay length. Even this comparatively small variation has proven to be sufficient to avoid the unwanted attenuation peak. An upper limit of the variation is for example +/- 40%.

The average lay length of the intermediate film is preferably in the range of a few millimeters, in particular in the range of 5 to 15 mm. In particular, the average lay length is approximately between 6 to 8mm. With this lay length, a technically fast and reliable production of the wrapping of the intermediate foil is made possible. It achieves a high process speed. At the same time this can be the desired with the intermediate film Achieve properties, namely a defined, solid wrapping the wire pair to put the screen attached over it in a defined uniform geometry around the pair of wires around, so that no Symmetriestörstellen the screen foil are formed.

The particular advantage of the varying lay length becomes clear in the following example: With a lay length of 6 mm, there are approx. 166 wraps per meter and thus 166 periodic defects. This results in a sharp peak in return loss due to these 15GHz impurities, which is only about 180 MHz wide at the base. With a variation of +/- 15%, the base is extended to 4500 MHz and the maximum is significantly reduced.

The lay length varies expediently uniformly in the longitudinal direction and in particular continuously, for example sinusoidally. The beat length therefore varies between a maximum value and a minimum value around the mean value. This can be achieved in terms of process technology, for example, by varying the withdrawal speed of the wire pair during the strand-spinning process and / or by varying the spin speed. Conveniently, the lay length in the longitudinal direction varies periodically with a period length which is preferably in the range of a few meters, in particular in the range of 1 to 5 m and preferably 2 m. Period length of the variation is therefore understood to be the length in the longitudinal direction which lies between two maximum values of the lay length. Although a periodic defect is introduced by this periodicity, this is irrelevant for the transmission frequencies of interest and the typical cable lengths due to the selected period length.

Conveniently, another, in particular adhesive, outer film is spun around the pair shield. This serves in particular for fixing the entire structure. This is again a dielectric film, in particular a PET film.

In a preferred development, it is provided that this outer film also has a varying lay length. The arguments and preferred embodiments given with regard to the intermediate foil are to be transferred in the same way also to this outer foil. It therefore preferably has the same or at least comparable lay lengths and an identical or at least comparable variation of the lay length as the intermediate film. Conveniently, it is spun in the opposite direction to the intermediate film.

Furthermore, the intermediate foil with a mean lay length is preferably spun around the pair of wires, which is different from a lay length of the shield foil. In principle, the different damping effects that result on the one hand from the screen foil on the one hand and from the intermediate foil on the other hand due to different physical boundary conditions can in each case be purposefully reduced or avoided.

In particular, it is provided that the shield foil is spun with constant lay length around the pair of wires.

In an expedient embodiment, the screen film is a longitudinally folded film, that is to say a screen film in which the lay length is infinite. By virtue of this measure, the damping effect of the shielding film due to the previously described resonance effect is reliably avoided.

The shielding film basically has a multilayer structure with an insulating carrier layer, also referred to as a carrier film, and a conductive layer applied thereto. The carrier layer is in particular a dielectric plastic film, in particular a PET film. The conductive layer applied thereto is, in particular, an aluminum layer, which is applied to the carrier film, for example by vapor deposition.

The entire data cable usually further comprises a cable sheath, which is arranged around the at least one pair of wires around. typically, For example, the data cable has a plurality of pairs of pairs provided with a pair of shielding, wherein the pairs of conductors usually extend in a stranded manner within the common cable jacket. In addition, an outer shield is typically arranged around the entire composite of the individual wire pairs. This is, for example, a braided shield and / or a multi-layer shield structure. This external shield is galvanically isolated from the individual pairs. This is achieved in particular via the already mentioned outer film of each pair or also by a common insulating film which surrounds the stranded composite of the wire pairs.

Fig. 1

eine Querschnittsdarstellung eines mit einer Paarschirmung umgebenden Adernpaares eines Datenkabels,

Fig. 2

in einer ausschnittsweisen Seitenansicht das mit einer Zwischenfolie umsponnene Adernpaar gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung eines Datenkabels mit zwei geschirmten Adernpaaren,

Fig. 4

eine Illustration der Variation der Schlaglänge der Zwischenfolie,

Fig. 5A

eine Darstellung der Einfügedämpfung bei einem herkömmlich geschirmten Adernpaar sowie

Fig. 5B

eine Darstellung der Einfügedämpfung bei einem Adernpaar, welches mit einer mit variierender Schlaglänge gewickelten Zwischenfolie versehen ist,

Fig. 6A

eine zur Fig. 5A korrelierte Darstellung der Rückflussdämpfung bei dem herkömmlich geschirmten Adernpaar sowie

Fig. 6B

eine zur Fig. 5B korrelierte Darstellung der Rückflussdämpfung bei dem Adernpaar, welches mit einer mit variierender Schlaglänge gewickelten Zwischenfolie versehen ist.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. These show in simplified representations:

Fig. 1

a cross-sectional view of a surrounding with a pair shield wire pair of a data cable,

Fig. 2

in a fragmentary side view of the spun with an intermediate film wire pair according to Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a schematic cross-sectional view of a data cable with two shielded wire pairs,

Fig. 4

an illustration of the variation of the lay length of the intermediate foil,

Fig. 5A

a representation of the insertion loss in a conventional shielded wire pair and

Fig. 5B

a representation of the insertion loss in a pair of wires, which is provided with a wound with varying lay length intermediate foil,

Fig. 6A

one to Fig. 5A Correlated representation of the return loss in the conventionally shielded wire pair and

Fig. 6B

one to Fig. 5B Correlated representation of the return loss in the pair of wires, which is provided with a wound with varying lay length intermediate foil.

In the figures, like-acting parts are provided with the same reference numerals.

In the Fig. 1 to 3 is at least one pair of wires 2, consisting of two wires 4, shown, each wire 4 in turn has a central conductor 6, which is surrounded by a wire insulation 8. The wire pair 2 is in each case surrounded by a pair of shielding 10, which surrounds the pair of wires 2 with the interposition of an intermediate film 12.

In the embodiment according to the Fig. 1 For example, the pair shield 10 is formed by a single multi-layered shielding film 14, which has a carrier layer 16a formed as a PET carrier film and an aluminum coating attached thereon as a conductive layer 16b. The conductive layer 16b is oriented outwards. In the case of the screen foil 14, this is a longitudinally folded screen foil 14, whose longitudinal edges therefore run parallel to the cores 4 in the longitudinal direction 17. The wires 4 run untwisted and parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction 17th

Furthermore, the entire pair construction is wound by an adhesive outer film 20 with the help of which the entire structure is fixed. This outer film 20 is again a plastic film.

Between the pair shield 10 and the outer film 20 further Beilaufdrähte 18 are arranged, which are in electrical contact with the conductive layer 16b. The filler wires 18 serve for a simplified connection of the pair shield 10 in a connector area. The Beilaufdrähte 18 lie on a common center line, which also extend through the center axes of the wires 4. They are in particular outside of the intermediate foil 12 and thus also outside gusset areas between the wires 4. By the opposite arrangement on both sides a highly symmetrical structure is achieved. Alternative configurations with no or only one drain wire are possible in principle.

All films have a thickness usually in the range of only a few microns. As far as spun foils are concerned, this is especially true in the intermediate film 12 and the outer film 20 is the case, they typically have a width in the range of 4 to 6 mm.

While the screen film 14 is preferably a longitudinally folded film, the intermediate film 12 is wound around the pair of wires 2. This is particularly the side view according to the Fig. 2 refer to. The intermediate foil 12 is wound around the pair of wires 2 with a mean lay length l _m . The lay length l and thus the pitch of the intermediate foil 12 in this case varies by a difference Δ around the mean lay length l.

In Fig. 2 is omitted for a better overview on the presentation of the Paarschirmung 10 and it is only the intermediate film 12 can still be seen.

A data cable 22, as in Fig. 3 is shown by way of example, typically has one or more pairs of wires 2 each provided with a pair shield 10. Each pair element preferably has a structure as it Fig. 1 and 2 is described. The individual pairs of wires 2 surrounded by the pair shield 10 form a transmission core which is subsequently surrounded by an outer shield 24, which is galvanically isolated from the pair shield 10. The outer shielding 24 in the exemplary embodiment is a multi-layered construction with a braid shield 24A on the outside and an inner overall shielding foil 24B, which is preferably designed like the shielding foil 14. The outer shield 24 may also be formed in one layer. Between the outer shield and the transfer core, a further insulating film 25 is spun in the embodiment. Finally, a cable sheath 26 as outer protective sheath of the data cable 22 is arranged around the outer shield 24. This is typically an extruded cable sheath 26.

In the Fig. 4 an exemplary course of the variation of the average lay length l of the intermediate foil 12 is shown. As can be seen, the stroke length l varies by the mean stroke length l _m , the difference Δ between a maximum stroke length l _max and a minimum stroke length l _min . The variation takes place here evenly and periodically and in particular according to a Figure 4 exemplified sinusoid. This course therefore has a periodicity with a period length p, which is typically in the range of a few meters.

Based on Figs. 5A and 5B As well as FIGS. 6A and 6B, the effect of the variation of the lay length l in the intermediate film 12 is explained below. The illustrated diagrams each show schematically measured curves in which the attenuation a is plotted in decibels dB versus the frequency f in gigahertz GHz. The measurement curves were made with data cables 22 with a basic structure according to Fig. 1 carried out for the pair-shielded wire pair 2. When measuring according to the Fig. 5A . 6A This was a conventional structure with an intermediate foil 12 with a constant lay length l and in the curves of the Fig. 5B . 6B a structure with varying lay length l of the intermediate film 12 based. The measurements were carried out at a mean lay length l _{m of} the intermediate film 12 of about 6mm. The lay length l is therefore well above the conventionally selected lay length of typically about 3mm which is required to shift the attenuation peak to sufficiently high frequencies above 25 GHz if no varying lay length is set.

The diagram pair of the Fig. 5A, 5B shows the course of the insertion loss [in dB] in the comparison of the two cable variants and the diagram pair of the Fig. 6A, 6B shows the course of the return loss [in dB] in the comparison of the two cable variants, in each case plotted against the frequency

As can be clearly seen, the insertion loss generally increases continuously with increasing frequency. At about 19 GHz, the data cable 22 in the variant with the constant lay length shows a very strong attenuation peak, which in the example shown here shows a deflection of more than 50 dB. Correspondingly, the return loss shows a similar course and likewise at 19 GHz a reflection peak. The height of the peak depends on the absolute attenuation and the line length.

In contrast, in the data cable 22 with the intermediate film 12 with the varying lay length l in the corresponding frequency range, neither a peak in the insertion loss nor one in the return loss. Due to the varying lay length, the base of the peak is thus significantly widened to a width of preferably several GHz, in particular of, for example, 3-6 GHz. Accordingly, the height of the peak is significantly reduced and it is only a wave-like course over the width in the manner of a noise visible. The signal level of this noise is only at a fraction of the original peak height, for example less than 10% of the original peak height.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

pair

4

Vein

6

ladder

8th

Core insulation

10

pair shielding

12

intermediate film

14

shield foil

16a

backing

16b

conductive layer

17

longitudinal direction

18

Drain Wire

20

outer film

22

data cable

24

outer screen

24A

braided shield

24B

shield foil

25

foil

26

cable sheath

a

damping

f

frequency

l

lay length

l _m

medium lay length

l _max

maximum lay length

l _min

minimal lay length

p

period length

Δ

Difference of the slope

B

width

Claims (13)

1. Data cable (22) for high-speed data transmissions with at least one wire pair (2) consisting of two wires (4) extending in the longitudinal direction which for the purpose of forming a pair shielding (10) are surrounded by a shielding foil (14) and wherein a dielectric intermediate film (12) has been spun around the wire pair as an additional film between shielding foil (14) and the wire pair (2),
   characterized
   in that the intermediate film (12) has been spun around the wire pair (2) with a varying length of lay (l).
2. Data cable (22) according to the preceding claim,
   characterized
   in that the length of lay (l) varies at least within the range of +/-5 % and preferentially of at least up to +/-10 %, relative to a mean length of lay (l_m).
3. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the intermediate film (12) exhibits a mean length of lay (l_m) that lies within the range of a few millimeters, in particular within the range from 5 mm to 15 mm, and amounts in particular standards to approximately 6 mm to 8 mm.
4. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the length of lay (1) varies uniformly in the longitudinal direction (17).
5. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the length of lay (1) in the longitudinal direction (17) varies periodically with a period length (p) that lies within the range of a few meters, in particular within the range from 1 m to 5 m, and preferably amounts to 2 m.
6. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that a further, in particular adhesive, outer film (20) has been spun around the pair shielding (10) .
7. Data cable (22) according to the preceding claim,
   characterized
   in that the outer film (20) likewise exhibits a varying length of lay (1).
8. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the intermediate film (12) has been spun around the wire pair (2) with a length of lay (1) that is different to a length of lay (1) of the shielding foil (14).
9. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized
   in that the shielding foil (14) and the intermediate film (12) have been spun around the wire pair (2) with opposite-sense lay.
10. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that the shielding foil (14) has been spun around the wire pair (2) with a constant length of lay (1).
11. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that the shielding foil (14) takes the form of a longitudinally folded foil.
12. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that the shielding foil (14) exhibits a multilayered structure with an insulating backing layer (16a) and with a conductive layer (16b) attached thereto.
13. Data cable (22) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized
    in that in the course of a feed of a highfrequency data signal within the GHz range, at least within a frequency band up to 25 GHz, no signal peak occurs either in the insertion loss or in the return loss.

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