Flexible cable grounding scheme

A method of electromagnetically shielding a cable comprising a plurality of conductors for providing increased bending flexibility of the cable, said method of shielding comprising the steps of:

• providing a cable comprising a plurality of conductors, a conducting shield surrounding the plurality of conductors, and an outer sheath surrounding the conducting shield;
• exposing a conducting shield and portion of the conducting shield by removing a sheath end portion from the outer sheath surrounding the rigid cable;
• exposing of a plurality of conductor end portions from the plurality of conductors by folding back the conducting shield end portion along the outer sheath;
• surrounding a predetermined segment of the plurality of conductor end portions and the conducting shield end portion with a braided conducting ground strap comprising a tubular cable end portion electrically coupling to a central portion comprising at least one exit opening, the central portion further electrically coupling to a grounding portion;
• feeding the plurality of conductor end portions into the tubular cable end portion;
• securing and electrically coupling the tubular cable end portion to the conducting shield end portion;
• feeding a remaining segment of the plurality of conductor end portions through an exit opening in the central portion for the remaining segment of the plurality of conductors to be flexibly maneuvered for attaching to one or more connection points of an electrical device;
• connecting and electrically coupling the grounding portion to an electrical ground for shielding the plurality of conductors.

A cable with a flexible end comprising:

• a plurality of insulated conductors comprising a plurality of conductor end portions;
• a conducting shield comprising a conducting shield end portion and surrounding the conductors;
• an outer sheath comprising a sheath end portion surrounding the conducting shield;
• wherein the sheath end portion has been removed to expose said conducting shield end portion and wherein said conducting shield end portion folds back along said outer sheath, thereby exposing the plurality of conductor end portions;
• a braided conducting ground strap comprising a tubular cable end portion electrically coupling to a central portion, said central portion electrically coupling to a grounding portion;
• wherein said tubular cable end portion receives said plurality of conductor end portions, said conducting shield end portion, and said outer sheath and electrically couples to said conducting shield end portion for shielding a predetermined segment portion of the plurality of conductor end portions;
• and
• wherein said central portion comprises an exit opening for receiving and exposing a remaining segment of said plurality of conductor end portions from said braided conducting ground strap thereby allowing said plurality of conductor end portions to be flexibly maneuvered when attaching said plurality of conductor end portions to one or more connection points of an electronic device;
• and
• a ground strap terminal electrically coupled to said grounding portion for attaching and electrically coupling said ground strap to an electrical ground and forming a complete electrical path from the conducting shield end portion to the electrical ground, thereby shielding the conductor end portions from electromagnetic interference.

A system for connecting telephone switching equipment to a multiplexer/demultiplexer, the system comprising:

• a cable comprising:
• a plurality of conductors comprising a plurality of conductor end portions;
• a conducting shield comprising a conducting end portion and surrounding the conductors;
• an outer sheath comprising a sheath end portion and surrounding the conducting shield;
• wherein said sheath end portion is removed from said outer sheath to expose said conducting shield end portion and wherein said conducting shield end portion is folded back along said outer sheath for exposing said plurality of conductor end portions;
• a braided conducting ground strap comprising a tubular cable end portion electrically coupling to a central portion, said central portion electrically coupling to a grounding portion
• wherein said tubular cable end portion electrically couples to said conducting shield end portion for shielding a predetermined segment of said plurality of conductor end portions;
• wherein said central portion comprises an exit opening for receiving and exposing a remaining segment of said plurality of conductor end portions from said braided conducting ground strap thereby allowing said remaining segment of said plurality of conductor end portions to be flexibly maneuvered when attaching said plurality of conductor end portions to one or more connection points of an electronic device;
• and
• a ground strap terminal electrically coupled to said grounding portion for attaching and electrically coupling said ground strap to an electrical ground and forming a complete electrical path from the conducting shield end portion to the electrical ground, thereby shielding the predetermined segment of the plurality of conductor end portions from electromagnetic interference;
• a telephone switching device comprising a plurality of terminals, each connected to one of said plurality of conductors;
• a multiplexer/demultiplexer shelf for combining a plurality of telephone signals to form at least one multiplexed signals and for separating a multiplexed telephone signal into multiple demultiplexed signals, said multiplexer/demultiplexer shelf comprising
• a processing unit for generating the multiplexed signals and the demultiplexed signals;
• a cabinet containing at least one panel with at least one ground studs mounted thereon for attaching said ground strap terminal, thereby shielding said conductors from electromagnetic interference;
• a plurality of connection terminals for electrically connecting said plurality of conductors to said processing unit.