Compact Undersea Cable Structure for High Fiber Count
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing undersea optical cables are limited to a maximum of 74 optical fibers due to conventional designs, leading to increased weight and cost when scaling up for higher fiber counts, which in turn raises installation and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A compact undersea optical cable design with a hollow buffer tube surrounded by layered strength members and a copper conductor, encapsulated by a polyethylene jacket, maintaining a consistent outer diameter while supporting up to 232 optical fibers, achieving low electrical resistance and optimal strength-to-weight ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the cable size is scaled up to accommodate more optical fibers, then the fiber count increases, but the cable weight and volume increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple buffer tubes containing optical fibers are placed inside a single hollow strength member. This allows numerous fibers to be accommodated within the strength member's internal cavity, increasing fiber count while maintaining compact cable dimensions and reducing overall weight compared to conventional external arrangement methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional arrangement of fibers on the cable surface to a three-dimensional nested configuration within the hollow strength member. This spatial reorganization enables significantly higher fiber density by utilizing the internal volume of the strength member, thereby increasing fiber count without proportionally increasing cable weight.
2Quantity of substance
If the cable size is scaled up to accommodate more optical fibers, then the fiber count increases, but the cable volume increases leading to more shiploads and longer transit times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple buffer tubes containing optical fibers are placed inside a single hollow strength member. This allows numerous fibers to be accommodated within the strength member's internal cavity, increasing fiber count while maintaining compact cable dimensions and reducing overall weight compared to conventional external arrangement methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow strength member acts as a flexible container that provides structural integrity while accommodating multiple buffer tubes internally. This shell structure enables efficient space utilization, allowing high fiber count within a compact volume that reduces shipping requirements and transit time.
3Strength
If more strength members are added to withstand tensile and bending stresses, then the cable strength increases, but the cable complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow strength member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides tensile strength through its material properties, offers bending resistance through its structural design, and acts as a protective container for multiple buffer tubes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate strength members and buffer tubes, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining high strength performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of strength members and buffer tubes into a single integrated hollow structure. By combining these previously separate components, the cable achieves the required mechanical strength without the complexity of multiple discrete elements, simplifying the overall cable construction.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are undersea cables having a high fiber count and low electrical resistance. In some embodiments, an optical cable includes a hollow buffer tube having a plurality of optical fibers therein, wherein the hollow buffer tube includes inner and outer buffer surfaces, and wherein the outer buffer surface of the hollow buffer tube defines an outer diameter. The optical cable may further include a first plurality of layered strength members surrounding the hollow buffer tube, and a conductor surrounding the first plurality of layered strength members. The optical cable may further include an outer jacket surrounding the conductor, wherein the outer jacket includes inner and outer jacket surfaces, wherein the outer jacket defines an outer diameter of the outer jacket, and wherein the outer diameter of the outer jacket is equal to or less than five times the outer diameter of the hollow buffer tube.