Optical cable and method for production of an optical cable

• US 20090136188A1
• Filed: 10/15/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCS Technology Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CCS Technology Inc. (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Merbach, Gerhard, Stoecklein, Waldemar, Knoch, Horst
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/110
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/441 built up from sub-bundles G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4438 for facilitating insertion by fluid drag in ducts or capillaries

Abstract

An optical cable comprises a swelling yarn, around which several optical transmission elements in the form of micromodules are arranged. A micromodule comprises a bundle of optic fibers, which are surrounded by a sleeve made from a material of plastic. Further swelling yarns are arranged around the optical transmission elements. The optical transmission elements and the swelling yarns are surrounded by a sleeve of paper. The paper sleeve is surrounded by a cable jacket made from a material of plastic. When an optic fiber is exposed, the cable jacket is pulled off, whereupon the paper sleeve tears off and can consequently be easily removed.

Claims

1. An optical cable, comprising:

a cable core with a plurality of optical transmission elements, each optical transmission element including at least one optic fiber;

a first sleeve made from a material containing paper, the first sleeve surrounding the plurality of optical transmission elements;

at least one yarn arranged in a region of the cable core between the first sleeve and the plurality of optical transmission elements, the at least one yarn comprising a swellable material; and

a cable jacket surrounding the first sleeve and containing a plastics material.

2. The optical cable of claim 1, the paper having a tear strength which is less than 16 newtons per square millimeter.

3. The optical cable of claim 2, the paper having a tear strength which is more than 13 newtons per square millimeter.

4. The optical cable of claim 1, the optical cable having a diameter of less than 6.5 millimeters.

5. The optical cable of claim 4, the optical cable having a diameter of more than 3.5 millimeters.

6. The optical cable of claim 1, each optical transmission element having a plurality of optic fibers, which are each surrounded by a second sleeve.

7. The optical cable of claim 6, the second sleeves comprising a plastics material.

8. The optical cable of claim 1, the cable core being formed as a cable core without any filling compound.

9. The optical cable of claim 1, the cable core having a centrally arranged yarn, around which the plurality of optical transmission elements are arranged.

10. The optical cable of claim 9, the centrally arranged yarn comprising a water-swellable material.

11. The optical cable of claim 10, the at least one yarn or the centrally arranged yarn respectively being formed as a filament of polyester.

12. The optical cable of claim 10, the swellable material containing an acrylate.

13. The optical cable of claim 10, the swellable material containing a salt of acrylic acid.

14. The optical cable of claim 1, the cable jacket having at least two layers.

15. The optical cable of claim 14, a first of the at least two layers of the cable jacket, which is adjacent the first sleeve, containing polycarbonate.

16. The optical cable of claim 14, a first of the at least two layers of the cable jacket, which is adjacent the first sleeve, containing a polymer blend.

17. The optical cable of claim 14, a second of the at least two layers of the cable jacket, which is adjacent the first layer of the least two layers of the cable jacket, containing high-density polyethylene.

18. The optical cable of claim 14, a second of the at least two layers of the cable jacket, which is adjacent the first layer of the least two layers of the cable jacket, containing polyamide.

19. The optical cable of claim 14, a second of the at least two layers of the cable jacket, which is adjacent the first layer of the least two layers of the cable jacket, containing polyurethane.

20. The use of an optical cable of claim 1 for blowing into an empty tube.

21. A method for the production of an optical cable, comprising:

providing a cable core, each cable core having a plurality of optical transmission elements, each optical transmission element containing at least one optic fiber, and at least one yarn containing a water-swellable material, being arranged around the plurality of optical transmission elements;

surrounding the cable core with a first sleeve containing a paper material; and

extruding a plastic jacket comprising a plastics material around the first sleeve.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first sleeve is provided with a tear strength which is less than 16 newtons per square millimeter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first sleeve is provided with a tear strength which is more than 13 newtons per square millimeter.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the plurality of optical transmission elements are respectively provided by several of the at least one optic fiber being arranged in a second sleeve, which contains a plastics material.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the cable core is provided by the plurality of optical transmission elements being arranged around a centrally arranged yarn, which comprises a water-swellable material.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the cable core is provided as a cable core without any filling compound.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the first sleeve made from the paper material by a forming tube.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein, when the cable jacket is extruded, a first layer of polycarbonate is extruded around the first sleeve and a second layer of high-density polyethylene is extruded around the first layer of the cable jacket.

29. An optical cable, comprising:

a cable core with a plurality of optical transmission elements, which respectively contain at least one optic fiber;

a first sleeve made from a material containing paper having tear strength of less than 16 newtons per square millimetre, the first sleeve surrounding the plurality of optical transmission elements;

at least one yarn, which is arranged in a region of the cable core between the first sleeve and the plurality of optical transmission elements, the at least one yarn comprising a swellable material, and the at least one yarn including a centrally arranged yarn, around which the plurality of optical transmission elements are arranged; and

a cable jacket surrounding the first sleeve and containing a plastics material, wherein,

the optical cable has a diameter between 3.5 and 6.5 millimeters.