Optical communication cable
First Claim
1. An optical communication cable comprising:
- a cable body;
a first core element located in the cable body, the first core element comprising;
a first tube having an inner surface defining a bore and an outer surface; and
a first optical transmission element located within the bore of the first tube;
a second core element located in the cable body, the second core element comprising;
a second tube having an inner surface defining a bore and an outer surface; and
a second optical transmission element located within the bore of the second tube;
a strength member located in the cable body, wherein the first core element and the second core element are wound around the strength member; and
an elastic sleeve formed from an extruded first polymer material, the elastic sleeve surrounding the first core element, the second core element and the strength member, wherein the elastic sleeve includes an outer surface and an inner surface facing the outer surface of the first core element and the outer surface of the second core element;
wherein the cable body is formed from an extruded second material, the cable body surrounding the elastic sleeve, the cable body having an outer surface and an inner surface that faces the outer surface of the elastic sleeve;
wherein the elastic sleeve has a thickness, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the elastic sleeve, that is less than 100 micrometers, and the cable body has a thickness, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cable body, that is greater than 1 millimeter;
wherein the elastic sleeve applies a radial inwardly directed force to the outer surface of the first core element and to the outer surface of the second core element; and
wherein the first core element and the second core element are wrapped around the strength member such that the wrapped first and second core elements each include a plurality of left-handed spirally wrapped sections, a plurality of right-handed spirally wrapped sections and a plurality of reversal sections providing transitions between the left-handed spirally wrapped sections and the right-handed spirally wrapped sections.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical communication cable is provided. The cable includes a plurality of elongate optical transmission elements wrapped around an elongate central strength member such that a portion of the length of the plurality of wrapped elongate optical transmission elements form a spiral portion around the elongate central strength member. The cable includes an elastic sleeve surrounding the plurality of elongate optical transmission elements, and the elastic sleeve is formed from an extruded first material. The cable includes a cable body formed from an extruded second material different from the first material, and the cable body surrounds the film, and the cable body has an inner surface that faces the outer surface of the film.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An optical communication cable comprising:
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a cable body; a first core element located in the cable body, the first core element comprising; a first tube having an inner surface defining a bore and an outer surface; and a first optical transmission element located within the bore of the first tube; a second core element located in the cable body, the second core element comprising; a second tube having an inner surface defining a bore and an outer surface; and a second optical transmission element located within the bore of the second tube; a strength member located in the cable body, wherein the first core element and the second core element are wound around the strength member; and an elastic sleeve formed from an extruded first polymer material, the elastic sleeve surrounding the first core element, the second core element and the strength member, wherein the elastic sleeve includes an outer surface and an inner surface facing the outer surface of the first core element and the outer surface of the second core element; wherein the cable body is formed from an extruded second material, the cable body surrounding the elastic sleeve, the cable body having an outer surface and an inner surface that faces the outer surface of the elastic sleeve; wherein the elastic sleeve has a thickness, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the elastic sleeve, that is less than 100 micrometers, and the cable body has a thickness, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cable body, that is greater than 1 millimeter; wherein the elastic sleeve applies a radial inwardly directed force to the outer surface of the first core element and to the outer surface of the second core element; and wherein the first core element and the second core element are wrapped around the strength member such that the wrapped first and second core elements each include a plurality of left-handed spirally wrapped sections, a plurality of right-handed spirally wrapped sections and a plurality of reversal sections providing transitions between the left-handed spirally wrapped sections and the right-handed spirally wrapped sections. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An optical communication cable comprising:
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a cable jacket including an outer surface and an inner surface defining a passage within the cable jacket; a plurality of buffer tubes located within the passage of the cable jacket and each having an inner surface defining a bore and an outer surface; a plurality of optical fibers, at least one optical fiber located within the bore of each of the plurality of buffer tubes; and a sleeve formed from an extrudable first polymer material, the sleeve surrounding the plurality of buffer tubes, wherein the sleeve includes an outer surface and an inner surface facing the outer surfaces of each of the plurality of buffer tubes, wherein the extrudable first polymer material of the sleeve is continuous circumferentially around the buffer tubes; wherein each of the plurality of buffer tubes is formed from an extrudable second material different than the extrudable first polymer material of the sleeve such that the sleeve does not bond to the tubes thereby facilitating separation of the sleeve from the tubes; wherein the sleeve has a thickness, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the sleeve, that is between 0.5% and 10% of a thickness of the cable jacket, which is a radial dimension measured between the inner surface and the outer surface of the cable jacket; wherein the cable jacket is formed from an extrudable third material that is different from the extrudable first polymer material of the sleeve and from the extrudable second material of the buffer tubes, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is bonded to the inner surface of the cable jacket facilitating simultaneous opening of the cable jacket and sleeve together. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification