Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure belongs to the field of multicore cables. In particular, the present invention relates to a mechanism for sealing a multi-core cable assembly from water ingress.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Multicore cables are used to interconnect electrical and electronic systems, subsystems, and components. The multicore cables may be suitable for carrying signals or power or both. Multicore cables have an outer insulating member made out of a material such as poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and the like. The inner members are conductors, say aluminium or copper wires, which are also covered with a suitable insulating material. Often, some of the systems and subsystems may be housed in sealed enclosures to protect them from the external atmosphere and electronic interference.

[0003] In such cases, sealed connectors are used, which facilitate the connection of cables from the inside to the outside of the sealed enclosures. Sealed connectors are bulky and in applications where there is a space constraint or a weight constraint or both, the sealed connectors pose a problem by occupying space and adding to the weight of the equipment.

[0004] Further, even if sealed connectors are used, the end of the multicore cable distal to the connector may be exposed to the atmosphere. In certain applications the distal end may even be exposed to fluid interferences such as rain and splashes of water. In such cases, the fluid may enter the space between the inner and outer members of the multicore cable and the space between the inner members and reach the sealed connector used at the sealed enclosure and enter the sealed enclosure such as a battery module thereby increasing the risks associated with the malfunction of the vehicle.

[0005] To avoid the ingress of water into the sealed enclosure, an insulating material is sometimes used at the interface between the inner members of the multicore cables and the outer terminals of the connector. Similarly, the interface between the outer member and connector may also be covered with an insulating material.

[0006] This, however, is also prone to failure due to movement of the multicore cable or the whole system being subjected to vibration or both. This again allows water ingress through the inside of the multicore cable, from the external world into the sealed enclosure.

[0007] Thus, there has been a long felt need for a cable that prevents water from reaching the sealed connector through a multicore cable assembly and a method of preparing such a multicore cable assembly to prevent the ingression of water.
SUMMARY

[0008] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that is further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a multicore cable assembly that prevents the water ingress into the multicore cable assembly.

[0010] Thus, disclosed is a multicore cable assembly for preventing water ingress into the multicore cable assembly. The multicore cable assembly comprises a plurality of inner members and an outer member, wherein the inner members and the outer member are separated by a hollow space. An insulating material is injected into the hollow space present between the inner members of the multicore cable. An overmould is provided to seal the injected insulation material, wherein the overmould provides a watertight enclosure to the inner members and the injected insulation material, along the outer member of the multicore cable.

[0011] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

[0013] Figure 1 illustrates the state of the art multicore cable assembly with eight inner members.

[0014] Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the multicore cable assembly with eight inner members according to the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3a and 3b illustrate the first step and the second step required for sealing the multicore cable in a predefined position.

[0016] Figure 4 illustrates a predefined section of the multicore cable assembly placed within a mould for the purpose of injecting a sealant within the cable assembly.

[0017] Figure 5 illustrates a side view and front view respectively, of a multicore cable assembly after injecting a sealant into a predefined part of the multicore cable assembly. according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0018] Figure 6 illustrates a use case of the multicore cable assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0020] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the present disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the present disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates.

[0021] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the present disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

[0022] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do not preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language including, but not limited to, “there needs to be one or more…” or “one or more elements is required.”

[0023] Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements of the present disclosure. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of explaining one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the proposed disclosure fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.

[0024] Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to, “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or other variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or in the context of more than one embodiment, or in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

[0025] Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to the proposed disclosure.

[0026] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a multicore cable assembly (100). The multicore cable assembly (100) comprises an outer member (102) (herein after referred to as outer member). In this example, the multicore cable (100) is an eight-core cable which comprises eight inner members, wherein each of the inner members (104) comprises a conductor portion (106). The conductor portion (106) itself has multiple strands that are, often, twisted. Further, these inner members (104) may themselves be anti-capillary cables which are manufactured by filling high resistive water blocking agent to avoid capillary effect caused by the twisted strands of the conductors inside and the space between them and the space between the conductors and the outer insulation of the individual cables. The multicore cable (100) has a hollow space (108) between the inner members (104) and the outer member (102) and also between the eight inner members (104).

[0028] Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the multicore cable assembly (100) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The multicore cable assembly (100) includes the plurality of inner members (104) and the outer member (102) having the conductor portion (106) is shown. The inner members (104) and the outer member (102) are separated by the hollow space (108). The plurality of inner members (104) are anti-capillary wires separated by a predefined distance, thereby creating the hollow space (108) within the multicore cable. Figure 2 shows the hollow space (108) having been filled with an insulation material (110). This insulation material (110) has been injected into this hollow space (108) between the inner members (104) of the multicore cable (100) and will be described in detail hereinafter.

[0029] Figure 3a and 3b illustrate a first step and a second step required for sealing the multicore cable assembly (100) in a predefined portion. Figure 3a indicates a portion of the cable (100) with the outer member (102), with the inner member (104) exposed at either end. However, it is to be noted that it is shown this way only for the sake of clarity and the cable will have uninterrupted length of the outer member (102) and the inner member (104) from one end to the other. Figure 3B shows a predefined portion (112) of the outer member (102) removed for exposing the inner members (104).

[0030] Figure 4 illustrates the multicore cable assembly (100) with the predefined portion (112) of the outer member (102) removed and is placed inside a mould (114). When the multicore cable is in the mould (114), the insulation material (110) as shown in figure 2 is injected into the hollow space (108) as shown in figure 2. In other words, the predefined portion (112) of the outer member is removed to inject the insulation material (110) into the hollow space (108) between the inner members of the multicore cable (100). The inner members (104) have been cleaned for removal of debris created as a result of the removal of the predefined portion (112) of the outer member (102).

[0031] As described earlier this insulation material (110) then prevents any liquid passing through that area from one side of the area where the insulation material (110) has been injected to the other side.

[0032] The layer of an overmould (116) is provided in an equal plane as the outer member. The diameter of the overmould (116) coated portion has substantially the same diameter as of the outer member (102) of the cable (100). For example, when the cable is still in the mould, the overmould (116) is provided into the mould (114) in the space shown as (118) so that it covers the insulation material (110) such that the outer diameter of the predefined portion (112) of the outer member (102) that was removed now has the same diameter as the diameter of the original multicore cable with the outer member intact. The overmould (116) is provided to seal the injected insulation material (110). The overmould (116) provides a watertight enclosure to the inner members (104) and the injected insulation material (110), along the outer member (102) of the multicore cable assembly (100). The insulation material (110) and overmould (116) form a watertight arrangement to prevent the entry of fluid into a hollow pathway formed by the hollow space (108) in the cable.

[0001] Figure 5 illustrates the part of the cable (100) where the operations of injection of the insulation material (110) and overmould (116) have been completed. In this figure the axial section outer member of the multicore cable is shown by reference numeral (102). The inner members are (104). The injected insulation material is shown as (110). And the overmould is shown as (116). This ensures that liquid ingress, for example rain or splashed water, from the right side of the cable as shown in the figure 1 to the left side of the cable or vice versa and the overmould (116) also prevents ingress of moisture into the multicore cable at the space between the inner members (104) and the outer member (102).

[0002] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary use case (600) of cable (100) according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Figure 6 indicates the first end and the second end of the multicore cable each comprising a connector (120, 126). Further, Figure 6 indicates inner members (104) being terminated at the sealed connector (120). A gap (122) is depicted between the sealed connector (120) and the outer member (102) of the multicore cable.

[0003] The other end of the inner members (104) are terminated at the connector (126) connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) (128), for example. The connector (126) connected to the PCB (128) is in a sealed enclosure (124). The purpose of the disclosed cable is to prevent ingress of rainwater or splashed water, for example, or any other liquid such as coolants and oil entering the cable and reaching the connector (126). This is achieved by the injected insulation material (110) and the overmould (116) according to one aspect of the disclosure.

[0004] In this application, unless specifically stated otherwise, the use of the singular includes the plural and the use of “or” means “and/or.” Furthermore, use of the terms “including” or “having” is not limiting. Any range described herein will be understood to include the endpoints and all values between the endpoints. Features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined, rearranged, omitted, etc., within the scope of the invention to produce additional embodiments. Furthermore, certain features may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

[0005] List of reference numerals:
Components Reference numerals
Multicore cable 100
Outer member 102
Inner members 104
Conductor portion 106
Hollow space 108
Insulation material 110
Predefined portion 112
Mould 114
Overmould 116
Space 118
Sealed connector 120
Gap 122
Sealed enclosure 124
Connector 126
PCB 128

, Claims:1. A multicore cable assembly (100) for preventing water ingress from a first end to a second end of the multicore cable assembly (100), the multicore cable assembly (100) comprising:
a plurality of inner members (104) and an outer member (102), wherein the inner members (104) and the outer member (102) are separated by a hollow space (108);
an insulation material (110) injected into the hollow space (108) between the inner members (104) of the multicore cable; and
an overmould (116) provided to seal the injected insulation material (110), wherein the overmould (116) provides a watertight enclosure to the inner members (104) and the injected insulation material (110), along the outer member (102) of the multicore cable assembly (100).

2. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of inner members (104) are anti-capillary wires separated by a predefined distance, thereby creating the hollow space (108) within the multicore cable.

3. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end and the second end of the multicore cable each comprise a connector (120, 126).

4. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a predefined portion (112) of the outer member is removed to inject the insulation material (110) into the hollow spaces (108) between the inner members of the multicore cable.

5. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner members (104) have been cleaned for removal of debris created as a result of the removal of the predefined portion (112) of the outer member (102).

6. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a layer of the overmould (116) is provided in an equal plane as the outer member.

7. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the diameter of the overmould (116) coated portion has substantially the same diameter as of the outer member (102) of the cable.

8. The multicore cable assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulation material (110) and overmould (116) form a watertight arrangement to prevent the entry of fluid into a hollow pathway formed by the hollow space (108) in the cable.