Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a cable jacket, elements stranded within the cable jacket, and armor between the elements and the cable jacket. The armor is configured to provide electro-magnetic interference shielding and grounding as well as crush and impact resistance for the hybrid cable. The elements include electrical-conductor elements and one or more fiber-optic elements. The electrical-conductor elements include a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, where the electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The one or more fiber-optic elements include optical fibers within a polymeric tube. At least six of the elements are stranded side-by-side with one another around a central element, which is one of the electrical-conductor elements or one of the one or more fiber-optic elements.

Abstract: A breakout cable includes a polymer jacket and a plurality of micromodules enclosed within the jacket. Each micromodule has a plurality of bend resistant optical fibers and a polymer sheath comprising PVC surrounding the bend resistant optical fibers. Each of the plurality of bend resistant optical fibers is a multimode optical fiber including a glass cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to a glass core region. The core region is a graded-index glass core region, where the refractive index of the core region has a profile having a parabolic or substantially curved shape. The cladding includes a first annular portion having a lesser refractive index relative to a second annular portion of the cladding. The first annular portion is interior to the second annular portion. The cladding is surrounded by a low modulus primary coating and a high modulus secondary coating.

Abstract: A cable-stranding apparatus includes a stationary guide, a motor, a driven guide, and a controller electrically coupled to the motor. The stationary guide is configured to guide strand elements in a spaced-apart configuration and to pass a core member. The motor is operatively associated with a guide driver. The driven guide is disposed at least partially within the guide driver so as to rotate therewith. The driven guide is configured to receive the strand elements from the stationary guide, individually guide the strand elements received from the stationary guide, and to further pass the core member. The controller is electrically coupled to the motor and configured to control the rotational speed and direction of the motor.

Abstract: An optical communication cable is provided. The optical communications cable includes a cable body having an outer surface, an inner surface and a channel defined by the inner surface. An optical transmission element is located in the channel. The cable includes an ink layer positioned on the outer surface of the cable body, and the ink layer is formed from charged ink droplets adhered to the outer surface of the cable body. The cable also includes a translucent layer coupled to the outer surface of the cable body over the ink layer such that the ink layer is located between the outer surface of the cable body and an inner surface of the translucent layer.

Abstract: An optical communication cable includes a cable body having an outer surface, an inner surface, a channel defined by the inner surface and a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the channel. The outer surface of the cable body defines a profile feature such that the outer surface at the profile feature is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis. The profile feature having at least two peaks and at least one trough between the peaks, and the profile feature extends axially along at least a portion of the length of the outer surface of the cable body. The cable includes an optical transmission element located in the channel, and an ink layer positioned along an outer surface of the trough of the profile feature. The peaks are configured to limit contact of the ink layer with surfaces during installation and thereby act to protect the ink layer from abrasion.

Abstract: A breakout cable includes a polymer jacket and a plurality of micromodules enclosed within the jacket. Each micromodule has a plurality of bend resistant optical fibers and a polymer sheath comprising PVC surrounding the bend resistant optical fibers. Each of the plurality of bend resistant optical fibers is a multimode optical fiber including a glass cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to a glass core region. The core region is a graded-index glass core region, where the refractive index of the core region has a profile having a parabolic or substantially curved shape. The cladding includes a first annular portion having a lesser refractive index relative to a second annular portion of the cladding. The first annular portion is interior to the second annular portion. The cladding is surrounded by a low modulus primary coating and a high modulus secondary coating.

Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a guide in the center of the cable, elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide, fiber optic elements including optical fibers, a metal armor, and a polymeric jacket of the cable surrounding the metal armor. The elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide include electrical-conductor elements, which themselves include stranded metal wires insulated in a jacket of the electrical-conductor elements. The electrical-conductor elements are round and have the same diameter as one another. Furthermore, the electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The fiber optic elements may be included in or integrated with the group of elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide. The metal armor surrounds the elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide, and serves as a grounding conductor and an electro-magnetic interference shield.

Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a cable jacket and elements stranded within the cable jacket. The elements include greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements and sub-assembly elements. The greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements include a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The sub-assembly elements include stranded combinations of sub-elements, where the sub-elements include at least one of polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers and lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements, each having a lesser current-carrying capacity than 10 AWG. The sub-elements are stranded with respect to one another and additionally stranded as part of sub-assembly elements with respect to other elements.

Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a cable jacket, elements stranded within the cable jacket, and armor between the elements and the cable jacket. The armor is configured to provide electro-magnetic interference shielding and grounding as well as crush and impact resistance for the hybrid cable. The elements include electrical-conductor elements and one or more fiber-optic elements. The electrical-conductor elements include a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, where the electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The one or more fiber-optic elements include optical fibers within a polymeric tube. At least six of the elements are stranded side-by-side with one another around a central element, which is one of the electrical-conductor elements or one of the one or more fiber-optic elements.

Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a cable jacket and elements stranded within the cable jacket. The elements include greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements and sub-assembly elements. The greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements include a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The sub-assembly elements include stranded combinations of sub-elements, where the sub-elements include at least one of polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers and lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements, each having a lesser current-carrying capacity than 10 AWG. The sub-elements are stranded with respect to one another and additionally stranded as part of sub-assembly elements with respect to other elements.

Abstract: A breakout cable includes a polymer jacket and a plurality of micromodules enclosed within the jacket. Each micromodule has a plurality of bend resistant optical fibers and a polymer sheath comprising PVC surrounding the bend resistant optical fibers. Each of the plurality of bend resistant optical fibers is a multimode optical fiber including a glass cladding region surrounding and directly adjacent to a glass core region. The core region is a graded-index glass core region, where the refractive index of the core region has a profile having a parabolic or substantially curved shape. The cladding includes a first annular portion having a lesser refractive index relative to a second annular portion of the cladding. The first annular portion is interior to the second annular portion. The cladding is surrounded by a low modulus primary coating and a high modulus secondary coating.

Abstract: A hybrid cable includes a guide in the center of the cable, elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide, fiber optic elements including optical fibers, a metal armor, and a polymeric jacket of the cable surrounding the metal armor. The elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide include electrical-conductor elements, which themselves include stranded metal wires insulated in a jacket of the electrical-conductor elements. The electrical-conductor elements are round and have the same diameter as one another. Furthermore, the electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG. The fiber optic elements may be included in or integrated with the group of elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide. The metal armor surrounds the elements stranded side-by-side with one another around the guide, and serves as a grounding conductor and an electro-magnetic interference shield.

Abstract: Devices and methods for paying off an elongate material between two coaxially aligned packages without interruption. The elongate material from a first wound package is connected to the elongate material of a second wound package by joining the tail end of the first wound package to the head end of the second wound package. Each wound package includes the elongate material having a body portion and a tail portion wound about a core. Also, each body portion has the head end at an outer diameter of the respective package and each tail portion has the tail end at an inner diameter substantially corresponding to a diameter of the core. Further, the path of the wound elongate material is transitioned from the first wound package to the second wound package by providing transition device having a supporting surface.