JO1475B1 - An improved flexible elongate body - Google Patents

Abstract

An overhead electric conductor comprises a central tubular metal core 52, at least one ‎layer 55 of helically wound bare metal wires surrounding the core and , loosely housed in ‎the bore of the core, at least one optical fibre element 11, the optical fibre element 11 ‎comprises a flexible tube 17 of elongate transverse cross- section in which is loosely ‎housed an optical fibre ribbon structure 12 and which is resiliently set is such a form that ‎it follows a path of smoothly curved undulations, the axes of curvature of which lie ‎parallel to on another and normal to the axis of the tube,‎ Should a tensile force applied to the overhead conductor be transferred to the loosely ‎housed optical fiber elements, the flexible tube of the element will tend to straighten in a ‎lengthwise direction against the action of its resilient set thereby to reduce any tensile ‎force that might otherwise be applied to the optical fibres and, when the tensile force is ‎removed, the tube will return under the action of its resilient set towards its original form‎