Optical fiber/metallic conductor composite cable

Claim 2

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optic signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical fiber subgroup for the fiber optic signal transmissions and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmissions, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, said optical fiber subgroup has a plurality of gel filled buffer tubes stranded around a central strength member, each gel filled buffer tube contains at least one of said plurality of optical fibers, said buffer tubes and strength member being held in place relative to one another by a binding material which excludes said metallic conductor subgroup from said optical fiber subgroup; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket which encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 3

A cable as described in claim 1 wherein said optical fiber subgroup extends along an outer periphery of said cable core.

Claim 4

A cable as described in claim 2 wherein said optical fiber subgroup runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 5

A cable as described in claim 2 wherein said optical fiber subgroup follows a helical path along said outer periphery.

Claim 6

A cable as described in claim 1 wherein said optical fiber subgroup is centrally located in said cable and follows a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 7

A cable as described in claim 1 wherein said optical fiber subgroup is provided with a stress-free operating window (SW) which substantially satisfies the equation: SW(%)=(((BL .sup.2 +(π*D1).sup.2)/(BL .sup.2 +(π*D2).sup.2)).sup. 0.5 )-1) *100 Where: BL=Effective buffer tube laylength D1=(OD cm )+(OD bt *2)-(WALL*2)-(OD fb ) D2=(OD cm )+(WALL*2)+(OD fb ) OD bt =Buffer tube outer diameter OD cm =Central member outer diameter WALL=Buffer tube wall thickness OD fb =Fiber bundle diameter

Claim 8

A cable as described in claim 6 wherein a minimum for the stress-free operating window (SW) is calculated by adding the amount of cable contraction (CC) and cable tensile elongation (CE) together where: CC(%)=T*αeff*100 and αeff=(ΣAEα)/(ΣAE) where: T=Temperature change αeff=Effective thermal expansion coefficient A=Cross-sectional area E=Elastic modulus temp. extreme α=Thermal expansion coefficient and CE(%)=F/(Eeff*ΣA)*100 and Eeff=(ΣAE)/(ΣA) where: F=Cable tensile rating Eeff=Effective elastic modulus

Claim 9

A cable as described in claim 1 wherein a metallic shield is disposed between said cable core and said jacket.

Claim 10

A cable as described in claim 8 wherein said metallic shield is corrugated.

Claim 11

A cable as described in claim 9 wherein a water blockable flooding compound is disposed between said metallic shield and said jacket.

Claim 12

A cable as described in claim 8 wherein said metallic shield is a longitudinally applied aluminum protective coating with a steel armor longitudinally applied therearound.

Claim 13

A cable as described in claim 1 further including a ripcord longitudinally disposed under said plastic jacket.

Claim 14

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optic signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical subgroup for the fiber optic signal transmissions and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmissions, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, said optical fiber subgroup has a core body with a plurality of helical channels therein, said core body having a strength member centrally located therein, each channel is gel filled and contains at least one of said plurality of optical fibers, said optical fibers being held in said channels by a binder material; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket with encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 15

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optic signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical subgroup for the fiber optic signal transmissions and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmissions, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, said optical fiber subgroup has a core body with a plurality of helical channels therein, said core body having a strength member centrally located therein, each channel is gel filled and contains at least one of said plurality of optical fibers, said optical fibers being held in said channels by a binder material; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket with encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 16

A cable as described in claim 13 wherein said optical fiber subgroup extends along an outer periphery of said cable core.

Claim 17

A cable as described in claim 14 wherein said optical fiber subgroup runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 18

A cable as described in claim 14 wherein said optical fiber subgroup follows a helical path along said outer periphery.

Claim 19

A cable as described in claim 13 wherein said optical fiber subgroup is centrally located in said cable and follows a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 20

A cable as described in claim 13 wherein said optical fiber subgroup is provided with a stress-free operating window (SW) which substantially satisfies the equation: SW(%)=(((BL .sup.2 +(π*D1).sup.2)/(BL .sup.2 +(π*D2).sup.2)).sup. 0.5 )-1) *100 where: BL=effective channel laylength D1=(OD cb )-(OD fb ) D2=(OD cb )-2x(CD)+(OD fb ) OD cb =core body outer diameter CD=channel depth OD fb =fiber bundle diameter.

Claim 21

A cable as described in claim 18 wherein a minimum for the stress-free operating window (SW) is calculated by adding the amount of cable contraction (CC) and cable tensile elongation (CE) together where: CC(%)=T*αeff*100 and αeff=(ΣAEα)/(ΣAE) where: T=temperature change αeff=effective thermal expansion coefficient A=cross-sectional area E=elastic modulus temp. extreme α=thermal expansion coefficient and CE(%)=F/(Eeff*ΣA)*100 and Eeff=(ΣAE)/(ΣA) where: F=cable tensile rating Eeff=effective elastic modulus.

Claim 22

A cable as described in claim 13 wherein a metallic shield is disposed between said cable core and said jacket.

Claim 23

A cable as described in claim 20 wherein said metallic shield is corrugated.

Claim 24

A cable as described in claim 21 wherein a water blockable flooding compound is disposed between said metallic shield and said jacket.

Claim 25

A cable as described in claim 20 wherein said metallic shield is a longitudinally applied aluminum protective coating with a steel armor longitudinally applied therearound.

Claim 26

A cable as described in claim 13 further including a ripcord longitudinally disposed under said plastic jacket.

Claim 27

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optic signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical fiber subgroup for the fiber optical signal transmissions and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmissions, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, said optical fiber subgroup has a single gel filled oversized buffer tube having said plurality of optical fibers therein, said fibers are provided with an overlength to maintain a virtual stress-free condition during cable expansion; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions, at least some of said individually insulated metallic conductors being adjacent to and in contact with said single gel filled oversized buffer tube of said optical fiber subgroup; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket which encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 28

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optic signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical fiber subgroup for the fiber optical signal transmissions and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmissions, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, said optical fiber subgroup has a single gel filled oversized buffer tube having said plurality of optical fibers therein, said fibers are provided with an overlength to maintain a virtual stress-free condition during cable expansion; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions, at least some of said individually insulated metallic conductors being adjacent to and in contact with said single gel filled oversized buffer tube of said optical fiber subgroup; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket which encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 29

A cable as described in claim 25 wherein said optical fiber subgroup extends along an outer periphery of said cable core.

Claim 30

A cable as described in claim 26 wherein said optical fiber subgroup runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 31

A cable as described in claim 26 wherein said optical fiber subgroup follows a helical path along said outer periphery.

Claim 32

A cable as described in claim 25 wherein said optical fiber subgroup is centrally located in said cable and follows a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 33

A cable as described in claim 25 wherein said overlength of said optical fiber is in a range of 0.1% to 0.2% of cable tensile elongation.

Claim 34

A cable as described in claim 25 wherein a metallic shield is disposed between said cable core and said jacket.

Claim 35

A cable as described in claim 31 wherein said metallic shield is corrugated.

Claim 36

A cable as described in claim 32 wherein a water blockable flooding compound is disposed between said metallic shield and said jacket.

Claim 37

A cable as described in claim 31 wherein said metallic shield is a longitudinally applied aluminum protective coating with a steel armor longitudinally applied therearound.

Claim 38

A cable as described in claim 25 further including a ripcord longitudinally disposed under said plastic jacket.

Claim 39

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optical signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical fiber subgroup for the fiber optic signal transmission and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmission, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, each optical fiber of said optical fiber subgroup has at least one encapsulating layer to form a tight buffer tube thereon in direct contact with its respective optical fiber so that there is no fiber overlength; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket which encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 40

A composite cable for transmitting both electrical signal transmissions and fiber optical signal transmissions comprised of: a cable core having an optical fiber subgroup for the fiber optic signal transmission and at least one metallic conductor subgroup for the electrical signal transmissions, said core having a generally circular cross-section; said optical fiber subgroup having a plurality of optical fibers therein for conducting the fiber optic transmission, said plurality of optical fibers being bundled together to form said subgroup, said optical fiber subgroup being separate and distinct from said metallic conductor subgroup but being bundled therewith, each optical fiber of said optical fiber subgroup has at least one encapsulating layer to form a tight buffer tube thereon in direct contact with its respective optical fiber so that there is no fiber overlength; said at least one metallic subgroup having individually insulated metallic conductors for the electrical signal transmissions; a water blockable filling compound impregnating said cable core; and a plastic jacket which encapsulates said cable core.

Claim 41

A cable as described in claim 36 wherein said optical fiber subgroup extends along an outer periphery of said cable core.

Claim 42

A cable as described in claim 37 wherein said optical fiber subgroup runs parallel to a longitudinal axis of said cable.

Claim 43

A cable as described in claim 37 wherein said optical fiber subgroup follows a helical path along said outer periphery.

Claim 44

A cable as described in claim 36 wherein a metallic shield is disposed between said cable core and said jacket.

Claim 45

A cable as described in claim 40 wherein said metallic shield is corrugated.

Claim 46

A cable as described in claim 41 wherein a water blockable flooding compound is disposed between said metallic shield and said jacket.

Claim 47

A cable as described in claim 40 wherein said metallic shield is a longitudinally applied aluminum protective coating with a steel armor longitudinally applied therearound.

Claim 48

A cable as described in claim 36 further including a ripcord longitudinally disposed under said plastic jacket.