Composite fiber optic and electrical cable and associated fabrication method
US5469523A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 10, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 10, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01B11/22
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A composite fiber optic and electrical cable having a core which loosely contains at least one optical fiber, a pair of copper clad steel electrical conductors having an outer polymer insulating layer, and a polymer jacket. The jacket is made of a polymer material having a melting temperature lower than the melting temperature of the insulating material of the electrical conductors. As a result, the polymer jacket does not bond with the insulating material during production of the cable. The jacket can thus be easily stripped from the electrical conductors during installation of the cable to facilitate the attachment of the electrical conductors to a signal repeater, or power source, or other electrical device. The cable is manufactured by advancing the core and electrical conductors through an extruder which forms the jacket around the core and electrical conductors. The core may be supplied from a storage reel or may be fabricated just prior to extruding the jacket around the buffer tube and electrical conductors, by extruding a buffer tube loosely around the optic fibers and then surrounding the buffer tube with a reinforcing layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.