Fiber optic cable structured to facilitate accessing an end thereof

Abstract

A fiber optic cable includes a core, armor surrounding the core, and a jacket surrounding the armor. The core includes tubes, each tube having a passage defined therein, optical fibers positioned in the passages, and a binder sleeve defining an exterior of the core. Portions of the binder sleeve are directly bonded to the armor, while other portions are not. Spacing between the armor and the core, as well as the bond between the armor and binder sleeve, facilitate tubing-off of an end section of the cable to include removal of the binder sleeve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber optic cable, comprising:
 a core comprising:
 tubes, each tube having a passage defined therein; 
 optical fibers positioned in the passages; and 
 a central strength member, 
 wherein the tubes are stranded about the central strength member in a pattern of stranding that includes reversals in the direction of the strand about the central strength member; 
   armor immediately surrounding the core, wherein the armor directly contacts at least some of the tubes of the core continuously along the length of the fiber optic cable, wherein the armor serves as a binder constraining the tubes and providing a normal force that holds the tubes to the central strength member; and   a jacket surrounding the armor.   
     
     
         2 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the armor includes water-swellable powder adhered to a surface thereof facing the tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the armor is metallic and the jacket comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         4 . The cable of  claim 3 , wherein the armor is corrugated. 
     
     
         5 . The cable of  claim 3 , wherein the armor comprises steel. 
     
     
         6 . The cable of  claim 1 , wherein the cable has no binder yarns. 
     
     
         7 . The cable of  claim 6 , wherein the cable has no binder sleeve between the core and the armor. 
     
     
         8 . The cable of  claim 7 , wherein the cable has no binder other than the armor and the jacket.