Patent ID: 7991256

Claim:
An optical fiber cable ( 20 ), comprising: a main tube ( 1 ) having a main tube wall ( 2 ), said main tube wall defining a central space ( 3 ); one or more guide tubes ( 4 ) positioned within the central space ( 3 ) of said main tube ( 1 ), each said guide tube ( 4 ) having a guide tube wall ( 5 ); at least one optical waveguide ( 6 ) positioned within at least one of said guide tubes ( 4 ); and one or more separate compressible elements ( 7 ) positioned within the central space ( 3 ) of said main tube ( 1 ) and longitudinally extending along a portion of said main tube ( 1 ), each of said compressible elements ( 7 ) being freely movable within the central space ( 3 ); wherein at least one of said compressible elements ( 7 ) possesses a resistance to compressive deformation that is lower than (i) the resistance to compressive deformation possessed by at least one guide tube ( 4 ) and (ii) the resistance to expansive deformation possessed by said main tube ( 1 ).