A production method for a headline sonar cable characterized by steps of: a. providing a first strength member (14); b. coupling to strength member (14) a conductor (122); c. forming a layer of polymeric material about the combination of strength member (14) and conductor (122) while ensuring that the conductor remains slack; d. forming a flow shield around the layer of polymeric material, thus forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure; and e. braiding a strength-member jacket layer (52) of polymeric material around the elongatable internally located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor is slack when surrounded by the jacket layer (52).

For another embodiment, an optical fibre is wrapped around the exterior of the layer of polymeric material within which is enclosed a braided conductor formed about the first strength member (14). Other embodiments employ further thermo-plastic layers and further sheaths and further conductors.

A production method for a headline sonar cable characterized by steps of: a. providing a first strength member (14); b. coupling to strength member (14) a conductor (122); c. forming a layer of polymeric material about the combination of strength member (14) and conductor (122) while ensuring that the conductor remains slack; d. forming a flow shield around the layer of polymeric material, thus forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure; and e. braiding a strength-member jacket layer (52) of polymeric material around the elongatable internally located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor is slack when surrounded by the jacket layer (52).

For another embodiment, an optical fibre is wrapped around the exterior of the layer of polymeric material within which is enclosed a braided conductor formed about the first strength member (14). Other embodiments employ further thermo-plastic layers and further sheaths and further conductors.

The present invention concerns a rope health monitoring system and a rope for such rope health monitoring system whereby the rope comprises objects which are remotely detectable, readable and programmable identification (ID) tags and whereby the rope monitoring system comprises said rope, at least one ID tag reader device mounted along said predetermined path of the rope, to detect at least the identity and optionally the historic health status and/or at least one physical rope parameters of the individual rope section provided with and identified by the at least one ID tag, at least one ID tag writing device, to write a new health status of the individual rope section to the at least one ID tag, at least one means to measure at least one rope operation parameter, a computing unit provided with data, whereby the computing unit is equipped with an algorithm capable to compute the relative longitudinal positioning of individual sections of the rope and the additional damage or damages suffered by individual sections of the rope, compute and record the new health status of the individual sections of the rope, store the new health status of the individual section of the rope in the corresponding programmable ID tag of the rope.

The present invention concerns a rope health monitoring system and a rope for such rope health monitoring system whereby the rope comprises objects which are remotely detectable, readable and programmable identification (ID) tags and whereby the rope monitoring system comprises said rope, at least one ID tag reader device mounted along said predetermined path of the rope, to detect at least the identity and optionally the historic health status and/or at least one physical rope parameters of the individual rope section provided with and identified by the at least one ID tag, at least one ID tag writing device, to write a new health status of the individual rope section to the at least one ID tag, at least one means to measure at least one rope operation parameter, a computing unit provided with data, whereby the computing unit is equipped with an algorithm capable to compute the relative longitudinal positioning of individual sections of the rope and the additional damage or damages suffered by individual sections of the rope, compute and record the new health status of the individual sections of the rope, store the new health status of the individual section of the rope in the corresponding programmable ID tag of the rope.

A cable comprises a first and a second thimble (2, 4), and at least one main yarn (6) and an auxiliary yarn (7). The first and the second thimble are provided at opposite ends of the cable. The at least one main yarn (6) and the auxiliary yarn (7) each forms turns around the first and second thimble (2, 4). Each thimble (2, 4) comprises a bearing surface (40), and holds a stack (19) of layers (10) of turns of the main yarn (6). A stack (119) of turns of the auxiliary yarn (7) comprising at least a first layer (13) of turns of the auxiliary yarn (7) lies on the bearing surface (40) of the respective thimble (2, 4).

A cable comprises a first and a second thimble (2, 4), and at least one main yarn (6) and an auxiliary yarn (7). The first and the second thimble are provided at opposite ends of the cable. The at least one main yarn (6) and the auxiliary yarn (7) each forms turns around the first and second thimble (2, 4). Each thimble (2, 4) comprises a bearing surface (40), and holds a stack (19) of layers (10) of turns of the main yarn (6). A stack (119) of turns of the auxiliary yarn (7) comprising at least a first layer (13) of turns of the auxiliary yarn (7) lies on the bearing surface (40) of the respective thimble (2, 4).

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

A rope system (10, 20) comprising a splice structure (12, 22) with an intact portion (23) comprising at least 8 intact strands (32, 34), and a disassembled portion (26) comprising at least 4 loose strands (30), wherein the intact portion (23) is a braid of at least 4 S oriented (32) and at least 4 Z oriented intact strands (34), wherein at least one loose strand (30) of the disassembled portion (26) passes under and over intact strands (32, 34) of the intact portion (23), and at least one loose strand (30) passes under at least one X-tuck (38) of intact strands (32, 34). By this means the splice length can be minimized resp. slippage of the splice at high loads can be avoided.

A rope system (10, 20) comprising a splice structure (12, 22) with an intact portion (23) comprising at least 8 intact strands (32, 34), and a disassembled portion (26) comprising at least 4 loose strands (30), wherein the intact portion (23) is a braid of at least 4 S oriented (32) and at least 4 Z oriented intact strands (34), wherein at least one loose strand (30) of the disassembled portion (26) passes under and over intact strands (32, 34) of the intact portion (23), and at least one loose strand (30) passes under at least one X-tuck (38) of intact strands (32, 34). By this means the splice length can be minimized resp. slippage of the splice at high loads can be avoided.

A rope having a core for providing strength to the rope, where at least a metal or composite woven or warp knitted fabric having multiple substantially parallel elongated metal elements is provided around the core for protecting said core from impact and cutting, and where the multiple substantially parallel elongated elements are in the warp direction and held by yarns.