Composite optical fiber cable and composite optical fiber cable assembly providing protection by flexure

摘要

A composite optical fiber cable has coated optical fibers and electric wires disposed inside a sheath. The optical fibers are enclosed within a first protective tube that is situated at the cross-sectional center, while the electric wires are disposed between the first protective tube and the sheath, and are capable of moving in the circumferential direction of the first protective tube. A composite optical fiber cable assembly includes a composite optical fiber cable and a connector attached to the cable. Inside the connector, a wiring portion for wiring the optical fiber to a ferrule and a wiring portion for wiring the electric wire to an electric terminal are disposed within a common space S inside a housing, and at least the wiring portion of the optical fiber which lies inside the space S is covered by a second protective tube.

主权项

1. A composite optical fiber cable comprising:
a flexible sheath having an elongated cylindrical shape; a first protective tube disposed within the sheath and extending the length of the sheath, the first protective tube being centrally located within the sheath viewed in cross-section; a plurality of optical fibers disposed within the first protective tube extending the length of the first protective tube and the sheath; and electric wires disposed within the sheath extending the length of the sheath and arranged between an inner surface of the sheath and an outer surface of the first protective tube such that the electric wires are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction, each of the electric wires having an outer diameter, the composite optical fiber cable being movable from a non-flexed state to a flexed state, such that in the non-flexed state a first one of the electric wires is spaced apart from a second one of the electric wires by a first distance greater than the outer diameter of the electric wires with the plurality of optical fibers being spaced apart from one another within the first protective tube, and in the flexed state the first one of the electric wires is spaced apart from the second one of the electric wires by a second distance smaller than the outer diameter with the plurality of optical fibers remaining spaced apart from one another within the first protective tube, wherein in the flexed state, a flexed portion of the composite optical fiber cable is deformed at the sheath to an elliptical shape as viewed in cross-section such that the plurality of the electric wires are movable in the circumferential direction of the first protective tube and in the direction of a major axis of the elliptical shape in order to prevent lateral pressure due to movement from the non-flexed state to the flexed state from acting on the plurality of optical fibers within the first protective tube.