Abstract: An armored optical fiber cable may include a core cable portion and an armored cable portion surrounding the core cable portion. The core cable portion may include, among other layers, a steel tape layer wrapped around an insulation layer surrounding a conductive sheath. The steel tape layer improves armored resistance to dragging and abrasion caused by fishing gear by protecting the insulation layer surrounding the sheath.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes pairs of transmission lines having length extensions and color coding to facilitate cable system assembly. Each transmission line is preferably constructed from unitary fibers including a P-type fiber and an N-type fiber with the length extensions of the same P-type and N-type fiber at each end respectively. The P-type fiber and the N-type fiber are preferably colored differently to indicate transmission direction. The P-type fiber and N-type fiber in one pair of transmission lines are preferably colored differently than the P-type fiber and N-type fiber in other pairs.

Abstract: An optical fiber is colored to provide a striped pattern while maintaining a substantially uniform diameter of the fiber. In one embodiment, a coating of a first curable material having a base color is applied to an optical fiber core section using a coloring die. One or more stripes of a second curable material are applied using the die to the coating before the coating is fully cured. The stripe has a stripe color different from the base color and is formed in the coating such that the diameter of the fiber remains substantially uniform. In another embodiment, a tandem coloring system is used in which the coating is partially cured and one or more striping nozzles apply stripe(s) to the partially cured coating. In a further embodiment, the base color coating is applied and cured leaving one or more gaps. One or more stripes are applied in the gap(s) and cured to fully cover the fiber with a substantially uniform diameter.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes pairs of transmission lines having length extensions and color coding to facilitate cable system assembly. Each transmission line is preferably constructed from unitary fibers including a P-type fiber and an N-type fiber with the length extensions of the same P-type and N-type fiber at each end respectively. The P-type fiber and the N-type fiber are preferably colored differently to indicate transmission direction. The P-type fiber and N-type fiber in one pair of transmission lines are preferably colored differently than the P-type fiber and N-type fiber in other pairs.

Abstract: An optical fiber is colored to provide a striped pattern while maintaining a substantially uniform diameter of the fiber. In one embodiment, a coating of a first curable material having a base color is applied to an optical fiber core section using a coloring die. One or more stripes of a second curable material are applied using the die to the coating before the coating is fully cured. The stripe has a stripe color different from the base color and is formed in the coating such that the diameter of the fiber remains substantially uniform. In another embodiment, a tandem coloring system is used in which the coating is partially cured and one or more striping nozzles apply stripe(s) to the partially cured coating. In a further embodiment, the base color coating is applied and cured leaving one or more gaps. One or more stripes are applied in the gap(s) and cured to fully cover the fiber with a substantially uniform diameter.

Abstract: An undersea telecommunications cable comprises a buffer tube which protects a plurality of optical fibers disposed therein from externally applied forces. To this end, the buffer tube contains a thixotropic, water blocking gel that has a viscosity and a critical yield shear stress sufficient to couple, upon application of a tensile load capable of producing up to a 0.8% strain in the cable, tensile forces from the buffer tube to the optical fibers to thereby induce strain in the fibers that is proportional to that induced in the tube, without preventing the return of the optical fibers to a substantially unstrained condition upon the removal of such tensile load. Should it become necessary to repair a section of the undersea cable as by retrieving it from the sea bed and inserting a spliced segment, existing sections of the fiber will be sufficiently protected from any damage which might otherwise have been caused during the cable retreival and recovery operation.

Abstract: An undersea telecommunications cable comprises a buffer tube which protects a plurality of optical fibers disposed therein from externally applied forces. To this end, the buffer tube contains a thixotropic, water blocking gel that has a viscosity and a critical yield shear stress sufficient to couple, upon application of a tensile load capable of producing up to a 0.8% strain in the cable, tensile forces from the buffer tube to the optical fibers to thereby induce strain in the fibers that is proportional to that induced in the tube, without preventing the return of the optical fibers to a substantially unstrained condition upon the removal of such tensile load. Should it become necessary to repair a section of the undersea cable as by retrieving it from the sea bed and inserting a spliced segment, existing sections of the fiber will be sufficiently protected from any damage which might otherwise have been caused during the cable retreival and recovery operation.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable is provided for undersea applications that include a hollow buffers tube with at least one optical fiber disposed therein. The buffer tube is formed from a plastic material. A water-blockable gel is located in the buffer tube and a series of strength members are configured in a close-packed arrangement around the buffer tube. A metal conductor surrounds the series of strength members and a plastic jacket encapsulating the metal conductor.