Patent attributes
Systems and methods for tethering a fiber optic cable to an apparatus such as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) or remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The cable is a bare or tight-buffered optical fiber surrounded by a braided sheath, and is constructed so that loads experienced by the cable are not transferred from the sheath to the optical fiber. This construction enables the cable to have good tensile strength but be sufficiently lightweight so that a commercial fishing reel or any similarly scaled lightweight/portable winch system can be used, instead of large specialized deployment equipment. A tube is inserted between the sheath and the optical fiber a certain distance from the end of the cable, and then the cable and tube are inserted into a housing which attaches to the apparatus and potted using an epoxy resin.
