Flexible gas-insulated electrical cable having non-metallic flexible inserts between central conductor and support insulators

Claim 1

A high voltage flexible cable comprising an elongated outer conductive housing, a central conductor having a corrugated outer conductor member, said central conductor extending coextensively with said outer housing, a plurality of support insulators spaced along the axis of said cable each having a central opening receiving and supporting said central conductor within said outer housing; a dielectric gas under positive pressure filling the interior of said outer housing; each of said support insulators formed of an injection-molded plastic insulation material which is harder than the exterior surface of the corrugated outer conductor member of said central conductor; said exterior surface of the corrugated outer conductor member of said central conductor being axially movable relative to said interior surfaces of said support insulators due to bending forces applied to said cable; wherein the improvement comprises a plurality of flexible material pads consisting of a silicone rubber, an individual one of said pads being compressed between the interior surface of the central opening of each support insulator and said exterior surface of the corrugated outer conductor member of said central conductor to prevent scratching of said exterior surface of the corrugated outer conductor member of said central conductor by said interior surfaces of said support insulators due to relative axial motion between said central conductor and said support insulators.