CABLE ASSEMBLY HAVING BEND PERFORMANCE OPTICAL FIBER SLACK COIL
First Claim
1. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
- a fiber optic cable including at least one cable optical fiber therein and at least one mid-span access location at which at least one pre-selected optical fiber is preterminated and through which at least one optical fiber extends without termination;
at least one tether attached at the mid-span access location and including at least one tether optical fiber therein that is spliced to the at least one preterminated optical fiber of the fiber optic cable;
a flexible body substantially encapsulating the at least one mid-span access location and providing space therein for maintaining a slack coil of spliced together portions of the at least one preterminated optical fiber and the at least one tether optical fiber;
a tube for maintaining the slack coil of optical fiber within the tube, wherein the tube is radially spaced apart from the at least one optical fiber extending without termination through the mid-span access location; and
wherein at least one of the preterminated optical fiber and the tether optical fiber comprise bend performance optical fiber.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fiber optic cable assembly including a mid-span access location, a cable having at least fiber therein, and a tether attached and spliced to at least one fiber of the cable. The access location and portions of the cables are substantially encapsulated within a flexible body having dimensions sufficient to accommodate a slack coil or loop of bend performance optical fiber therein. A method for making a fiber optic cable assembly including an access location, distribution cable, tether and slack coil of optical fiber maintained within a flexible overmolded body while providing an assembly having a cross-sectional diameter less than about 1.25 inches.
26 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
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a fiber optic cable including at least one cable optical fiber therein and at least one mid-span access location at which at least one pre-selected optical fiber is preterminated and through which at least one optical fiber extends without termination; at least one tether attached at the mid-span access location and including at least one tether optical fiber therein that is spliced to the at least one preterminated optical fiber of the fiber optic cable; a flexible body substantially encapsulating the at least one mid-span access location and providing space therein for maintaining a slack coil of spliced together portions of the at least one preterminated optical fiber and the at least one tether optical fiber; a tube for maintaining the slack coil of optical fiber within the tube, wherein the tube is radially spaced apart from the at least one optical fiber extending without termination through the mid-span access location; and wherein at least one of the preterminated optical fiber and the tether optical fiber comprise bend performance optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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5. (canceled)
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13. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
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a fiber optic distribution cable including a plurality of optical fibers therein and including an access location wherein at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable is terminated and routed away from uncut optical fibers of the distribution cable and wherein at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable extends without termination through the access location; a tether including at least one optical fiber therein, wherein the at least one optical fiber of the tether is spliced to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable at a splice interface, and wherein a slack coil is formed about the splice interface; a tube for maintaining the slack coil of optical fiber within the tube, wherein the tube is radially spaced apart from the at least one optical fiber extending through the access location without termination; and a flexible body substantially encapsulating the access location, a portion of the tether, the slack coil, the tube and the splice interface. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. (canceled)
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21. A method for making a fiber optic cable assembly having an access location, fiber optic cable and a tether attached thereto, wherein at least one optical fiber of the cable is spliced to at least one optical fiber of the tether, the method comprising:
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preterminating at least one optical fiber of the fiber optic cable at an access location through which at least one optical fiber extends without termination; splicing together the at least one preterminated optical fiber with the at least one optical fiber of the tether; forming a slack coil about a splice interface of the at least one preterminated optical fiber and the at least one optical fiber of the tether wherein the slack coil is maintained within a tube radially spaced apart from the at least one optical fiber extending without termination through the access location; and maintaining the slack coil and at least a potion of the access location and tether within a flexible body dimensioned large enough to accommodate a minimum bend radius of the slack coil therein. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification