Use of yarns with whiskers to improve gel compound flow performance of fiber optic cables

• US 20030108309A1
• Filed: 12/12/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nechitailo, Nicholas V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,782,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/109
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4411 Matrix structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44384 the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence

Abstract

A fiber optic buffer tube containing fiber optic ribbons centrally located within the buffer tube and a gel compound surrounding the fiber optic ribbons. Disposed within the gel compound, between the walls of the buffer tube and the fiber optic ribbons are yarns. The yarns provide greater surface area which helps to hold the gel compound in place when the gel compound is heated. Also, the yarns provide a cushion which helps prevent the fiber optic ribbons from coming into contact with the walls of the buffer tube, thereby preventing signal attenuation problems.

Claims

1. A fiber optic buffer tube comprising:

at least one optical fiber having a coefficient of thermal expansion disposed within said buffer tube;

gel compound having a coefficient of thermal expansion disposed within said buffer tube, wherein said gel compound is disposed between said at least one optical fiber and said buffer tube; and

at least one strand of yarn having a coefficient of thermal expansion disposed within said buffer tube.

2. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least one optical fiber is circumferentially arranged within said buffer tube.

3. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least one strand of yarn has whiskers.

4. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least one strand of yarn is arranged axially parallel to said at least one optical fiber.

5. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least one strand of yarn is helically disposed around said at least one optical fiber.

6. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least one optical fiber is a fiber optic ribbon.

7. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said at least optical fiber is a bundle of optical fibers.

8. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel compound.

9. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

10. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1, wherein said gel compound and said at least one strand of yarn form a gel system having a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel system is matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

11. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1 wherein said at least one strand of yarn volumetrically expands when heated.

12. The fiber optic buffer tube of claim 1 wherein said at least one strand of yarn volumetrically contracts when heated.

13. A method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber, comprising:

embedding at least one strand of yarn having a coefficient of thermal expansion within said buffer tube; and

wherein said gel compound having a coefficient of thermal expansion.

14. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13 wherein said at least one optical fiber is circumferentially arranged within said buffer tube.

15. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said yarn has whiskers.

16. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said at least one strand of yarn is arranged axially parallel to said at least one optical fiber.

17. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said at least one strand of yarn is helically disposed around said at least one optical fiber.

18. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel compound.

19. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

20. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said gel compound and said at least one strand of yarn form a gel system having a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel system is matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

21. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said at least one strand of yarn volumetrically expands when heated.

22. The method of improving gel compound flow performance of a gel compound-filled fiber optic buffer tube having a coefficient of thermal expansion and having at least one optical fiber of claim 13, wherein said at least one strand of yarn volumetrically contracts when heated.

23. A method of forming an optical fiber member comprising the following steps:

providing at least one optical fiber having a coefficient of thermal expansion;

providing a gel compound having a coefficient of thermal expansion along said optical fiber;

providing at least one strand of yarn having a coefficient of thermal expansion along said optical fiber; and

forming a conduit around said optical fiber, said gel compound, and said yarn.

24. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein said yarn has whiskers.

25. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 24, further comprising:

dragging said gel compound into said conduit using said yarn.

26. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel compound.

27. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said at least one strand of yarn is less than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

28. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein said gel compound and said at least one strand of yarn form a gel system having a coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of said gel system is matched to the coefficient of thermal expansion of said buffer tube.

29. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein said at least one strand of yarns volumetrically expands when heated.

30. The method of forming an optical fiber member of claim 23, wherein said at least one strand of yarns volumetrically contracts when heated.