Hybrid fiber-optic cable

1. A hybrid cable, comprising:

a cable jacket;

elements stranded within the cable jacket, wherein the elements comprise:

greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements comprising a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, wherein the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG; and

sub-assembly elements comprising stranded combinations of sub-elements, wherein the sub-elements comprise at least one of:

polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers; and

lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements comprising a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements each have a lesser current-carrying capacity than 10 AWG;

whereby the sub-elements are stranded with respect to one another and additionally stranded, as part of the sub-assembly elements, with respect to others of the elements.

2. The hybrid cable of claim 1 , wherein at least six of the elements are stranded side-by-side with one another around a central element.

3. The hybrid cable of claim 2 , wherein the central element comprises at least one of the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements, the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements, and the polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers.

4. The hybrid cable of claim 2 , wherein the central element comprises at least one of a steel strength member and a dielectric strength member comprising tensile fibers embedded in a cured-resin matrix.

5. The hybrid cable of claim 1 , further comprising armor between the elements and the cable jacket, wherein the armor is configured to provide electro-magnetic interference shielding and grounding as well as crush and impact resistance for the hybrid cable.

6. A hybrid cable, comprising:

a cable jacket;

elements stranded within the cable jacket, wherein the elements comprise:

greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements comprising a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer; and

sub-assembly elements comprising stranded combinations of sub-elements, wherein the sub-elements comprise of at least one of:

polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers; and

lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements comprising a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements each have a lesser current-carrying capacity than the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements;

wherein the sub-elements of the sub-assembly elements spiral lengthwise within a circle defined by the outermost edge of the spiral, and wherein the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements are round in cross-section and the diameter of the circle is within 15% of the diameter of the largest one of the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements.

7. The hybrid cable of claim 6 , wherein a first sub-assembly element includes stranded lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements without the polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers.

8. The hybrid cable of claim 7 , wherein a second sub-assembly element includes stranded polymeric tubes comprising optical fibers without the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements.

9. The hybrid cable of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric tubes of the second sub-assembly element are stranded about a strength member and are surrounded by a jacket of the second sub-assembly element.

10. The hybrid cable of claim 9 , wherein at least six of the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements are round in cross-section and have a diameter that is within 5% of the diameter of the jacket of the second sub-assembly element.

11. A hybrid cable, comprising:

a cable jacket; and

elements stranded within the cable jacket, wherein the elements comprise:

one or more fiber-optic elements comprising stranded buffer tubes of optical fibers within a polymeric jacket; and

electrical-conductor elements comprising a metallic conductor jacketed in a polymer, wherein the electrical-conductor elements comprise greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements and lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements, wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements are stranded and spiral within a circle defined by the outermost edge of the spiral, and wherein the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements are round and wherein the diameter of the circle defined by the outermost edge of the spiral is within 15% of the diameter of the largest one of the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements; and

wherein at least six of the elements are stranded around a central element; and

wherein the at least six of the elements are round in cross-section and have a diameter that is within 15% of the diameter of the largest one of the diameters of the at least six of the elements.

12. The hybrid cable of claim 11 , wherein the fiber-optic element comprises a combination of at least three polymeric tubes and filler rods stranded together.

13. The hybrid cable of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric tubes of the fiber-optic element are stranded about a central strength member and are surrounded by a jacket of the fiber-optic element.

14. The hybrid cable of claim 13 , wherein at least six of the electrical-conductor elements are round in cross-section and have a diameter that is within 5% of the diameter of the jacket of the second sub-assembly element.

15. The hybrid cable of claim 13 , the cable comprises a first layer and a second layer of elements, wherein the second layer is stranded around the first layer.

16. The hybrid cable of claim 15 , wherein the fiber-optic element is in the second layer.

17. The hybrid cable of claim 13 , wherein the greater-capacity electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 10 American wire gauge (AWG) to 1\0 AWG.

18. The hybrid cable of claim 17 , wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements each have a lesser current-carrying capacity than 10 AWG.

19. The hybrid cable of claim 18 , wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements are each within the range of 12 to 24 AWG.

20. The hybrid cable of claim 19 , wherein the lesser-capacity electrical-conductor elements are each 18 AWG.