ELECTRICAL CABLE APPARATUS HAVING IMPROVED FLAME RETARDANCY AND METHOD FOR MAKING

Embodiments of the invention include an electrical cable apparatus and method for making. The electrical cable comprises a plurality of paired conductive elements such as twisted pairs of individually insulated copper wire, a flame retardant yarn layer formed or wrapped helically around the conductor pairs or groups of conductor pairs, and a dielectric jacket formed around the conductive pairs and the yarn layer(s). The yarn layer is formed or wrapped around individual conductor pairs or, alternatively, around groups of conductor pairs. The yarn layer is made of, e.g., glass yarn, non-woven glass yarn tape, polyimides such as Kapton® tape, polyaramid yarns such as Kevlar® and Nomex®, or other suitable flame retardant materials and/or material combinations. The method for making the electrical cable comprises providing a plurality of paired conductive elements, forming a flame retardant yarn layer around the conductor pairs or around groups of conductor pairs, and forming a dielectric jacket around the conductor pairs and yarn layers. During bum conditions, the flame retardant yarn layer wicks melted insulation from the individual insulated conductor pair elements to reduce the likelihood of melted insulation pooling in the cable and breaching the dielectric jacket of the cable. Also, various yarn layer arrangements maintain separation of the conductor pairs within the cable for reduced crosstalk.