Underwater optical fiber cable with segmented protective tube

摘要

An underwater optical fiber cable for laying at great depths in which an optical fiber core containing a plurality of optical fibers is protected by a peripherally segmented metal tube, each metal segment, in cross-section, having the shape of a sector of an annular, which is surrounded by at least one layer of elongated metal elements wound helicoidally around the tube, each element having radially extending sides which have radial lengths less than the peripheral lengths of the peripheral surfaces of the element. The layer or layers are surrounded by a watertight, conductive metal sheath and preferably, the sheath is surrounded by a plastic sheath.