Two piece armored optical cables

Abstract

An armored cable includes a core and an armor surrounding the core. The armor includes at least one armor access feature formed in the armor to weaken the armor at the access feature. A jacket surrounds the armor and the jacket includes a primary portion of a first extruded polymeric material and at least one discontinuity of a second extruded polymeric material in the primary portion, the discontinuity extending along a length of the cable, and the first material being different from the second material, wherein the bond between the discontinuity and the primary portion allows the jacket to be separated at the discontinuity to provide access to the core, and the at least one armor access feature and the at least one discontinuity are arranged proximate to each other to allow access to the core.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cable, comprising:
 a core;   a first armor component having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge;   a second armor component having a third longitudinal edge and a fourth longitudinal edge, wherein the first armor component and the second armor component are formed to surround the core with at least one of the first longitudinal edge abutting the third longitudinal edge and/or the second longitudinal edge abutting the fourth a longitudinal edge; and   a jacket surrounding the core, the first armor component, and the second armor component.   
     
     
         2 . The cable of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover piece, wherein the cover piece runs longitudinally adjacent where the first longitudinal edge abuts the third longitudinal edge and/or the second longitudinal edge abuts the fourth a longitudinal edge. 
     
     
         3 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket further comprises an access feature, the access feature comprising:
 a primary portion of a first extruded polymeric material; and   at least one discontinuity of a second extruded polymeric material in the primary portion, the discontinuity extending along a longitudinal length of the cable, wherein a bond between the discontinuity and the primary portion allows the jacket to be separated at the discontinuity.   
     
     
         4 . The cable of  claim 3 , wherein the discontinuity is provided at a predetermined angular position along a circumference of the jacket to provide precise alignment of the access feature with at least one of the longitudinal edges. 
     
     
         5 . The cable of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of strength members, at least two of the strength members defining a neutral axis of the cable perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the cable.. 
     
     
         6 . The cable of  claim 5 , wherein the strength members are diametrically opposed. 
     
     
         7 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein an arc length of the first armor component is greater than an arc length of the second armor component when the cable is viewed in cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the first armor component and the second armor component define a core diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The cable of  claim 8 , wherein the first armor component and the second armor component are non-corrugated and the core diameter is 10 mm or less. 
     
     
         10 . The cable of  claim 9 , wherein the first armor component and the second armor component have a flat thickness of approximately 0.17 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The cable of  claim 1 , further comprising a buffer tube having an outer buffer tube diameter, wherein the outer buffer tube diameter is substantially equal to the core diameter such that a gap between the buffer tube and the first armor component and the second armor component is minimized. 
     
     
         12 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a polyethylene binder film surrounding a plurality of core elements. 
     
     
         13 . The cable of  claim 12 , wherein the core elements include at least one buffer tube surrounding a plurality of optical fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The cable of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises  200  micrometer low loss optical fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The cable of  claim 9 , wherein the first armor component and the second armor component comprise a neutral axis, and wherein the neutral axis of each of the first armor component and the second armor component are situated radially away from a center of the cable during bending.