Abstract:
A cable assembly includes a plurality of electrical or fiber-optic cables, a spacer, and a collar. The cables are arranged lengthwise in a bundle, which includes a segment having a cross-sectional arrangement organized into a plurality of columnar sections of contiguous cables. Each columnar section has at least one cable. The spacer is disposed between the adjacent columnar sections. The spacer spans substantially entirely across a cross section of the segment of the bundle in one direction. The collar is disposed entirely around the bundle and the spacer along at least a portion of the segment. The collar is sufficiently tight such that the collar and the spacer cooperate to hold the adjacent columnar sections in substantially fixed relative positions within the cross-section of the bundle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/836,586, filed Apr. 29, 2004. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This disclosure relates generally to cable assemblies and more particularly to a cable harness breakout and methods for its assembly. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Cables for carrying power, data, control, or other electrical or optical signals are often bundled to simplify their handling, connection, or routing. It is well known to utilize a harness including rings, straps, collars, and/or an outer sheath around a plurality of cables to form and maintain a bundle comprising those cables. Where the harness ends, typically near the ends of the cables, the cables flare out to allow the individual cables or sub-bundles to extend to their own destinations. Bundles themselves may be bundled together in a super-bundle. 
   It is also known in the prior art to have cables of different lengths exiting a harness, so as to allow sufficient length for each particular cable to reach its desired destination. Typically, the individual cables are not and cannot be controllably arranged across the cross section of the bundle at its end to enable orderly routing of the cables in the proper directions, without, for example, undue crossing of individual cables. 
   One known structure for bundling cables utilizes a sheath to contain the cables along the majority of the length of the bundle. At the ends of the bundle, a collar, such as heat-shrink tubing, is provided just before the point of breakout. The individual constituent cables flare out from the heat-shrink collar in varying lengths to reach their destinations. Unfortunately, the cables in the bundle are prone to relative slipping and displacement across the cross-sectional area of the bundle. That can be attributable to a natural tendency of the cables to form into a bundle having a circular perimeter outline, especially within a heat-shrink tubing or other constrictive member around the cables. That relative slipping, displacement, and tendency to form a circular bundle can cause the cross-sectional pattern of the cables as they exit the harness to mismatch their pattern of target destinations. That can be problematic. The results can include (1) undesirable lengthwise stretching or bend strain on the cables; (2) undesirable strain on the cables&#39; terminating connectors and their destination connector ports; (3) greater probability of connecting a cable to a wrong destination; (4) disorderly and unsightly crossing of cables; (5) extra time and effort for a person to connect the cables to their destinations; and even (6) inability to connect a cable to its destination. 
   SUMMARY 
   A cable assembly comprises a plurality of electrical or fiber-optic cables, a spacer, and a collar. The cables are arranged lengthwise in a bundle, which includes a segment having a cross-sectional arrangement organized into a plurality of columnar sections of contiguous cables. Each columnar section has at least one cable. The spacer is disposed between adjacent columnar sections of cables and thus forms a dividing line between the adjacent columnar sections. The spacer spans substantially entirely across a cross section of the segment of the bundle in one direction. The collar is disposed entirely around the bundle and the spacer along at least a portion of the segment. The collar is sufficiently tight such that the collar and the spacer cooperate to hold the adjacent columnar sections in substantially fixed relative positions within the cross-section of the bundle. 
   A method assembles a plurality of electrical or fiber-optic cables into a cable harness breakout. Segments of a first subset of the plurality of cables are arranged into a contiguous first group. A substantially rigid spacer is placed along a side of the first group. Segments of a second subset of the plurality of cables are arranged into a contiguous second group, and a side of the second group is placed along the spacer, so that the first group and the second group have an arranged configuration. The first group, the spacer, and the second group are secured together in the arranged configuration. 
   A cable bundle breakout harness comprises a plurality of cables, a set of spacers, and a collar. Coextensive segments of the cables are arranged in a rectangular array having N rows and M columns, where M and N are natural numbers (i.e., non-zero positive integers). The set of spacers demark the interior boundaries of the N rows. The collar surrounds the cables and the set of spacers. 
   Another cable harness breakout is near an end of a bundle of electrical and/or fiber-optic cables. The cable harness breakout comprises means for arranging coextensive segments of the cables into a cross-sectional arrangement having a regular, desired configuration. The cable harness breakout also comprises means for holding the coextensive segments of the cables in substantially fixed relative positions in the desired configuration. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a cable assembly, according to one embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-section view of the cable assembly of  FIG. 1  taken along line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C are respective front, side, and top views of a spacer utilized in the cable assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are pictorial views of alternate cable assemblies in various uses. 
       FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of the cable assembly of  FIG. 1  during a state of partial assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference to the above-listed drawings, this section describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, certain embodiments are capable of achieving certain advantages over the known prior art, including some or all of the following: (1) reduced lengthwise stretching and bend strain on the cables; (2) reduced strain on the cables&#39; terminating connectors and their destination connector ports; (3) less chance of connecting a cable to a wrong destination; (4) more orderly and aesthetically appealing appearance of cables exiting the bundle harness; (5) improved ability to connect a cable to its destination; and (6) labor savings when connecting the cables to their destinations. These and other advantages of various embodiments will be apparent upon reading the following. 
     FIG. 1  is a plan view of a cable assembly  100 , according to one embodiment. The cable assembly  100  comprises sixteen individual cables  105  bundled in a sheath  110  (not shown to scale). The number of cables may be more or less; sixteen cables are shown only as an illustration. The sheath  110  is an elongate, generally tubular-shaped member encircling the bundle of cables  105  along a major portion of the bundle length. The sheath  110 , which is optional, may be a mesh of plastic fibers, fabric, or any other sheet material that can be formed in a closed, generally tubular shape. At the end of each cable  105  is a connector  115 . Although the connector  115  is not required in all cases, it is typically present. Optionally, around each cable  105  is label  120 , which may be used, for example, for identifying each cable  105 . The sixteen cables  105  in  FIG. 1  are labeled A, B, C, . . . , P. 
   Along a segment of the bundle of cables  105  in the cable assembly  100 , typically near the cables&#39; end is a breakout harness  122 , from which the cables  105  breakout from the bundle. The breakout harness  122  is optionally surrounded by a collar  125 . The collar  125  may be heat shrink tubing, for example. The collar  125  can be bonded to the sheath  110  by having the collar  125  surround a portion of the end of the sheath  110  and by providing an adhesive therebetween. Other means for attaching the collar  125  and the sheath  110  are possible, if such an attachment is desired. 
     FIG. 2  is an enlarged cross-section view of the cable assembly  100  within the collar  125 , taken along the line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . Thus,  FIG. 2  shows the cross section of the bundle of cables  105  near the point of breakout. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the sixteen cables  105  are arranged in a square four-by-four array. Although other arrangements are possible, the cables  105  within the collar  125  can be arranged in a pattern that is roughly congruent or readily mapped to the pattern in which their ends are desirably directed. Typically that pattern is rectangular, a fact dictated at least in part by the nature of the equipment to which the cables are to be connected. For example, the cables  105  labeled A–D, which extend farthest to the left in  FIG. 1 , are arranged in the leftmost column in  FIG. 2 . similarly, the cables  105  labeled E–H, I–L, and M–P respectively extend lesser distances away from the collar  125  and are respectively arranged in separate columns from left to right in  FIG. 2 . In this case, the cables  105  labeled A–D have generally longer extension lengths (measured from the breakout harness  122  to the respective connector  115 ) than those labeled E–H, which are longer than those labeled I–L, which are longer than those labeled M–P. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 2  are a number of spacers  135 , extending along the sides of each column of cables  105  within the collar  125 . The collar  125  aids in holding the spacers  135  and the cables  105  together in a desired arrangement. An illustrative spacer  135  is shown in perspective views in  FIG. 3 . The spacers  135  can be formed of plasticized cardboard, plastic, wood, metal, or any other suitable material. The spacers  135  are dimensioned so as to approximately match the dimensions of the desired cross-sectional arrangement of the cables  105  within the collar  125 . The height and width of the spacer  135  is typically dictated by the size and number of cables in the bundle. The spacers  135  ideally have a thickness sufficient to be substantially rigid and to resist breaking. The spacers  135  may be more or less flexible to suit a particular use. The spacer  135  is shown as a contiguously solid piece, but it need not be. For example, the spacer  135  may be formed with holes in its body. 
   The spacers  135  form and maintain the cables  105  in a desired cross-sectional arrangement, such as the square array arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 2 , within the collar  125 . In other words, the spacers  135  partition the bundle into a plurality of sections of contiguous cables. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the sections are one-by-four columns. Other arrangements and section shapes are possible. For instance, the spacers  135  may be oriented horizontally, rather than vertically, so as to partition the space within the collar  125  into rows, rather than columns. In fact, the difference between rows and columns is one of perspective, not substance. 
   Furthermore, straight planar spacers in both the vertical and horizontal can be used together. One method for doing so is to provide notches on the spacers lengthwise (horizontally in  FIG. 3 ) of a width slightly greater than the thickness of the spacer, such that a notch of a horizontal spacer cooperates with a notch of a vertical spacer in a mating relationship. For example, a such pair of mating horizontal and vertical spacers could be utilized to partition the sixteen cables  105  in  FIG. 2  into four two-by-two sections. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 2  are outermost spacers  137 . Although the outermost spacers  137  are optional, they provide additional structural stability. They may be omitted when, for example, the collar  125  is sufficiently strong by itself or the number of cables is small. 
   Certain of the other spacers  135  illustrated in  FIG. 2  can be omitted. For example, it is not necessary that the columns formed by the spacers  135  be only one cable wide; thus, for example, the second and fourth spacers  135  can be omitted, so as to form two columns two cables in width. 
   Moreover, the spacers  135  may have protrusions along its front and/or back faces. Such protrusions can advantageously be positioned to correspond to and fill (at least partially) cavities  138  formed along the side edges of two round cables when they are placed atop one another. A desirable cross-sectional shape of such a protrusion is triangular, as viewed in  FIG. 2 , preferably with slightly concave walls to best match the cross-sectional shape of the cables  105  along the cavities  138  filled by the protrusions. 
   Indeed, as an alternative to the interior spacers  135  shown in  FIG. 2 , one could utilize three separate pieces having an approximate diamond shape. One such piece could be set within the cavity formed by four cables  105  arranged two-by-two (e.g., the cables  105  labeled A, B, F, and E). Preferably, such pieces would have generally concave sides to best match the cross-section shape of the cavity they are intended to fill. 
   As another alternative, each cable  105  in the pertinent segment of the bundle could be fitted with an individual collar having an inside sidewall that is circular in cross section, so as to conform to the cable  105 , and an exterior cross-sectional perimeter that is generally square or rectangular. The cables  105  outfitted with such collars could then be stacked like blocks in a desired arrangement and held together with an interlocking mechanism and/or an outside wrap, such as the collar  125 . In that case, the set of such collars constitute the spacers. 
   In still another alternative, the set of spacers together may be formed in place about and between the cables  105 , such as by molding or extrusion. In that case, the collar  125  may not be necessary. 
   Returning to the case in which the spacers are sheet-like members, the spacers need not be straight planar sections; spacers may be curved segments or even closed tubular pieces. For example, a set of spacers may be concentric cylindrically shaped pieces. 
   Although the spacers  135  have been illustrated herein as separate pieces, they may take other forms or may be joined. For example, the five vertical spacers  135  shown in  FIG. 2  may be joined to a horizontal spine along the top or bottom of the bundle. Such a spine, which acts like a mechanical “backplane,” can optionally be formed of a flexible material to facilitate access to the columnar-shaped sections during assembly. 
   As one can tell from the variety of forms that the spacers can take, the term “spacer” is a broad term referring to any substantially rigid material or collection of pieces positioned between cables to help align sections of cables in substantially fixed relative positions. 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  are perspective views of alternative cable assemblies  200  and  300 , respectively. In  FIG. 4 , the connectors  115  are engaged in mating connector ports  140  distributed across a surface  145  in a rectangular six-by-two (or, alternatively, three-by-four) arrangement. Thus, the cable assembly  200  near the point of breakout advantageously is consistent with that arrangement of target connector ports  140  on the surface  145 . For example, a number of spacers can be utilized to partition the exiting cables  105  in a corresponding six-by-two cross-sectional arrangement. As another example, spacers can be utilized to partition the exiting cables in three columns of four cables, with each column supplying cables  105  to either the left, middle, or right two-by-two set of four connector ports  140 . The latter arrangement may be more stable, as it more closely conforms to the natural tendency of the cables to bunch together as closely as possible. 
   In  FIG. 5 , the cable assembly  300  is shown with its connectors  115  held in place in a desired arrangement by a ganged holder  155 . The cable assembly  300 , like the one in  FIG. 4 , utilizes spacers to divide the cross-section of the bundle of exiting cables into sections that in some sense match or more closely match the spatial layout of the cables  105  entering the ganged holder  155 . 
   The cable assemblies  200  and  300  are examples of a bundle of cables approaching a flat surface at a parallel or somewhat parallel angle and the cable destinations being distributed across the face of that surface. In that case, the individual cables extending out the breakout point bend to reach their destinations. In that case, the cables on the interior side of the bend are desirably directed to targets nearest to the approach side, while cables progressively toward the other side of the bundle are desirably directed to targets more distant from the approach side. Thus, the cables near the approach side of the bundle (the side with the smaller turn radius) typically require the shortest extension length to reach their targets, while the extension lengths become progressively greater toward the opposite side of the bundle (the side with the larger turn radius). The cable assembly  300  is especially useful when the cables  105  are require to bend by a known amount. In that case, the breakout harness  122  holds the cables  105  in a desired arrangement on one end, the ganged holder  155  holds the cables  105  in a desired arrangement on the other end, and the extension lengths can be cut precisely to accommodate the bend. 
   In another expected use, a cable bundle is designed to approach a flat surface (e.g., surface  145 ), in which the cable destinations (e.g., connector ports  140 ) lie, perpendicularly. In that case, the bundle end near the breakout point is desirably designed such that cables going furthest to the right are located near the furthest right side of the bundle, cables going furthest to the left are located near the furthest left side of the bundle, etc. In that case, cables near the periphery of the bundle may require a greater extension length to reach their destinations than would the cables near the center of the bundle, assuming that the bundle approaches the surface near the center of the pattern of destinations. 
     FIG. 6  is a pictorial view of a section of the cable assembly  100  during a state of partial assembly. More specifically,  FIG. 6  shows the cable assembly  100  in the vicinity of its breakout harness  122  before the collar  125  has been attached. As can be seen, the breakout harness  122  comprises five spacers  135  dividing the set of cables  105  into four columns and holding the cables  105  in a four-by-four cross-sectional arrangement. Thus, as illustrated, the spacers  135  and columns of cables  105  have been laid out in an alternating pattern, beginning with an outermost spacer  137  on one side, a column of four cables, another (interior) spacer  135 , another column of four cables, and so on, concluding with a final outermost spacer  137  on the far opposite side. The sandwiched bundle arrangement of cables  105  and spacers  135  are held together by an adhesive tape  165  wrapped around the outermost spacers  137  and along the top and bottom of the bundle. The adhesive tape  165  can be, for example, made of a heat-resistant material, such as KAPTON brand polyimide film made by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. The partially assembled breakout harness  122 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , can then be surrounded by the collar  125 , such as a heat-shrink tube, which is then heated to shrink and form around the cables  105 , spacers  135 . Furthermore, on the bundled side of the breakout harness  122 , the cables  105  can be encased by the sheath  110 . A portion of the sheath  110  can be extended under the heat-shrink tube before it is shrunk, and a layer of adhesive material can be provided on the portion of the sheath  110  under the heat-shrink tube in order to secure the sheath  110  and the heat-shrink tube together. 
   Although the partially assembled cable assembly  100  illustrated in  FIG. 6  is shown with vertically oriented spacers  135 , they could just as easily be oriented horizontally. In some sense, the vertical-horizontal distinction is an arbitrary matter of perspective. 
   The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations can be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. For example, although the invention is described with reference to electrical cables, that is done only to facilitate easy understanding; the concepts described herein are equally applicable to cables of any type (e.g., fiber-optic, hydraulic, to name just a couple). The scope of the invention should therefore be determined only by the following claims, and their equivalents, in which all terms are to be understood in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated.