Distribution cable assembly having overmolded mid-span access location
First Claim
21. A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:
- a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end; and
a crush resistant tube for housing the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic distribution cable assembly includes a distribution cable having at least one predetermined mid-span access location and a tether for mitigating cable length errors at the mid-span access location in a pre-engineered fiber optic communications network. At least one optical fiber of the distribution cable is accessed at the mid-span access location and optically connected to an optical fiber disposed within the tether. Preferably, the first end of the tether is attached to the distribution cable by overmolding the mid-span access location with a flexible encapsulant material. The end of the optical fiber of the tether may be splice-ready or connectorized at the second end of the tether and protected within a crush resistant tube. Alternatively, the second end of the tether may terminate in an optical connection terminal defining at least one optical connection node, or may terminate in a linear chain of articulated optical connection nodes.
108 Citations
40 Claims
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21. A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:
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a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end; and
a crush resistant tube for housing the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether. - View Dependent Claims (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23)
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22-1. The fiber optic distribution cable assembly of claim 21, wherein the at least one optical fiber of the tether has a connector mounted upon an end thereof at the second end of the tether for interconnection with a connectorized optical fiber of a fiber optic branch cable or a fiber optic drop cable.
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24. A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:
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a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end; and
an optical connection terminal defining at least one optical connection node for receiving the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:
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a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end; and
a plurality of optical connection nodes for receiving the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether that are linked together to form a linear chain. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A process for manufacturing a fiber optic distribution cable assembly comprising a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a sheath and at least one predetermined mid-span access location and a tether having a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the process comprising:
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removing a section of the sheath of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
accessing at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
terminating the at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed from the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
optically connecting the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable to an optical fiber disposed within the tether;
positioning the mid-span access location and the first end of the tether within an overmolding tool; and
overmolding the distribution cable and the first end of the tether at the mid-span access location with a flexible encapsulant material to securely attach the tether to the distribution cable. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method for mitigating a cable length error in a pre-engineered fiber optic communications network employing a fiber optic distribution cable assembly comprising a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a sheath and at least one predetermined mid-span access location, the method comprising:
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removing a section of the sheath of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
accessing at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
terminating the at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
optically connecting the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable to an optical fiber disposed within a tether having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
attaching the first end of the tether to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
deploying the distribution cable assembly in the pre-engineered fiber optic communications network; and
positioning the second end of the tether at a desired location to compensate for the cable length error. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification