Method and apparatus for solid-stranding a flextube unit
First Claim
1. A solid-stranding method for making a flextube unit comprising:
- forming a plurality of flextubes with an extruder, wherein the flextubes include walls that are not completely cooled as they exit the extruder; and
twisting said flextubes together, while they are not completely cooled, so that said at least two of said flextube walls adhere to each other upon cooling.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solid-stranding method and apparatus for forming optical cables. Solid-stranding combines buffering and stranding operations, as well as performs the stranding operation while the flextubes are still hot so that they adhere together without additional binders. Optical fibers and/or wires are supplied to an extruder which forms flextubes around individual ones or groups of the optical fibers and/or wires. A central element may be supplied to, and go through, the center of the extruder. A rotating pulling device, such as a caterpillar, helically or in an SZ-manner solid-strands the flextubes around the central element—or solid-strands the flextubes to themselves when no central element is present—as the flextubes cool down. That is, solid-stranding includes buffering and stranding operations that are performed together without a water cooling stage therebetween. Thus, the flextubes adhere together, and may adhere to the central member, thereby forming a solid-stranded composite core. The solid-stranded composite core then may be jacketed by passing through another extruder, or may be used without a jacket, thereby forming a solid-stranded flextube unit from which individual flextubes easily may be split.
70 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A solid-stranding method for making a flextube unit comprising:
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forming a plurality of flextubes with an extruder, wherein the flextubes include walls that are not completely cooled as they exit the extruder; and
twisting said flextubes together, while they are not completely cooled, so that said at least two of said flextube walls adhere to each other upon cooling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A solid-stranding method for making a flextube unit comprising:
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supplying at least two optical fibers along separate paths to an extruder;
utilizing said extruder to extrude a flextube wall around each of said at least two optical fibers supplied to said extruder to thereby form at least two independent flextubes leaving the extruder, wherein the flextube walls are not completely cooled as they exit the extruder;
stranding said at least two flextubes together, while the flextube walls are at a temperature which is between a process temperature and a melting point for a material from which the flextube walls are made, so that said flextube walls adhere to one another.
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11. An apparatus for forming a solid-stranded flextube unit comprising:
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an extruder having a plurality of nozzles for forming flextube walls;
a rotating and pulling device disposed adjacent to said extruder so as to entrain and twist flextubes produced by said extruder, wherein said extruder and said rotating and pulling device are configured, and are positioned relative to one another, so that said flextube walls adhere to one another as they are twisted by said rotating and pulling device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An optical cable comprising:
a solid-stranded flextube unit having a plurality of flextubes with interstices therebetween, each of said plurality of flextubes having a flextube wall, wherein at least two of said flextube walls are adhered to one another without a binder. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification