Strength member assemblies and overhead electrical cable installations incorporating optical fibers
AssigneeCTC Global Corporation
InventorsWilliam Webb, Ian M. Pilling, Christopher Wong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrical transmission and distribution lines and methods for the installation and interrogation of such electrical lines. The electrical lines include overhead electrical cables that include a strength member and at least one optical fiber coupled to the strength member. Termination arrangements are configured to secure the electrical cables to a support tower while enabling the passage of the optical fiber(s) through the termination arrangement without damaging the optical fibers. Optical fibers from two adjacent electrical cable segments may also be fused to enable the interrogation of the two cable segments from a single interrogation device.
Claims27
A method for the installation of an overhead electrical cable comprising a strength member assembly supporting an electrical conductor and at least one optical fiber operatively disposed along a length of the strength member assembly, the method comprising the steps of:
- supporting the overhead electrical cable on a plurality of support towers;
- removing a portion of the electrical conductor from an end segment of the strength member assembly;
- securing a gripping assembly to the end segment of the strength member assembly, wherein a portion of the end segment extends past the gripping assembly;
- separating an end portion of the optical fiber away from the portion of the end segment of the strength member that extends past the gripping assembly;
- placing the separated end portion of the optical fiber through a fiber aperture at a distal end of a connector, wherein the connector comprises a fastener;
- securing the connector to the gripping assembly;
- crimping a conductive sleeve over the connector and over the electrical conductor;
- and
- operatively connecting an interrogation device to the optical fiber.
An overhead electrical line, comprising:
- an overhead electrical cable supported on a plurality of support towers under mechanical tension, the overhead electrical cable comprising an electrical conductor supported by a strength member;
- at least a first termination arrangement securing an end of the overhead electrical cable to a support tower, the termination arrangement comprising a gripping assembly secured to an end segment of the strength member;
- an optical fiber extending along the length of the electrical cable and through the gripping assembly, and comprising an end portion past the gripping assembly that is separated from the strength member;
- and
- an aperture disposed at an end of the termination arrangement that is configured to permit access to the optical fiber for the purpose of interrogating the optical fiber.
An overhead electrical line, comprising:
- a first segment of an overhead electrical cable, the first segment being secured to a dead-end tower using a first dead-end termination apparatus, the overhead electrical cable comprising an electrical conductor supported by a strength member;
- a second segment of the overhead electrical cable, the second segment being secured to the dead-end tower in a substantially different direction than the first segment using a second dead-end termination apparatus;
- a jumper cable electrically connecting the first segment to the second segment;
- a first optical fiber segment extending from the first electrical cable, through the first dead-end termination apparatus and through a first segment of a protective flexible conduit terminating at a first splice box;
- a second optical fiber segment extending from the second electrical cable, through the second dead-end termination apparatus and through a second segment of a protective flexible conduit terminating at a second splice box;
- and
- a third segment of flexible conduit joining the first and second splice box, and a third optical fiber segment extending from the first splice box, though the third segment of flexible conduit, and into the second splice box,
- wherein the first optical fiber segment and the third optical fiber segment are operatively spliced in the first splice box and the second optical fiber segment and the third optical fiber segment are operatively spliced in the second splice box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.