OPTICAL BROADBAND NODE CABLE

• US 20170068062A1
• Filed: 05/04/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited)
• Original Assignee: AFL Telecommunications LLC (Fujikura Limited)
• Inventors: Villiger, Breti, Quinn, Justin, Dobbins, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,048,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/443 Protective covering
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4436 Heat resistant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44384 the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/52 using fluid, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 11/22 Cables including at least one electrical conductor together with optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/427 Polyethers
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/183 forming part of an outer sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/2825 using a water impermeable sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/292 using material resistant to heat
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/005 including optical transmission elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/086 using fluid as pulling means, e.g. liquid, pressurised gas or suction means

Abstract

A reduced diameter composite microcable of low weight that is capable of withstanding a tensile load of at least 300 pounds with less than 0.6% fiber strain, is capable of operation between −40 C and 70 C with less than 0.1 dB/km attenuation change at 1550 nm, and whose outer diameter is less than 15 mm is provided. The microcable includes at least one buffer tube, at least one electrical power conductor, at least one rigid strength member cabled together into a multi-unit core, wherein a plurality of optical fibers are placed within the at least one buffer tube.

Claims

1. A reduced diameter composite microcable of low weight that is capable of withstanding a tensile load of at least 300 pounds with less than 0.6% fiber strain, is capable of operation between −

40 C and 70 C with less than 0.1 dB/km attenuation change at 1550 nm, and whose outer diameter is less than 15 mm, the microcable comprising;

at least one buffer tube;

at least one electrical power conductor; and

at least one rigid strength member cabled together into a multi-unit core, wherein a plurality of optical fibers are placed within the at least one buffer tube.

2. The microcabie of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor is Thermoplastic Heat and Water-resistant Nylon-coated (THWN) or Thermoplastic High Heat-resistant Nylon-coated (THHN).

3. The microcable of claim 2, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor is of 12-14 American Wire Gauge (AWG).

4. The microcable of claim 3, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor consists of multiple copper strands.

5. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor is Thermoplastic Flexible Fixture Wire Nylon (TFFN).

6. The microcable of claim 5, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor is of 16-18 American Wire Gauge (AWG).

7. The microcable of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical power conductor consists of multiple copper strands.

8. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the at least one buffer tube is constructed of a thermoplastic polymer.

9. The microcable of claim 8, wherein the at least one buffer tube is filled with gel.

10. The microcable of claim 8, wherein the at least one buffer tube is free of gel.

11. The microcable of claim 8, wherein the at least one buffer tube contains up to twenty four optical fibers.

12. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the cable sheath is a thermoplastic polymer.

13. The microcable of claim 12, further comprising:

an outer jacket containing undulations to assist with jetting into a microduct.

14. The microcable of claim 12, wherein the outer jacket contains striations to assist with jetting into the microduct.

15. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the multi-unit core contains two gel-filled buffer tubes, each comprised of 24 optical fibers, and two 14 American Wire Gauge (AWG) Thermoplastic Heat and Water-resistant Nylon-coated (THWN) power conductors that are helically cabled over a 1.2 mm rigid strength member, with an outer High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) sheath of 0.5 mm nominal wall thickness.

16. The microcable of claim 15, wherein the nominal cable outer diameter (OD) is 7.9 mm.

17. The microcable of claim 15, wherein the nominal cable weight is 82 kg/km.

18. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the multi-unit core contains three gel-filled buffer tubes, each comprised of 24 optical fibers, and two 16 American Wire Gauge (AWG) Thermoplastic Flexible Fixture Wire Nylon (TFFN) power conductors that are SZ cabled over a 2 mm rigid strength member, with an outer High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) sheath of 0.5 mm nominal wall thickness.

19. The microcable of claim 18, wherein the nominal cable outer diameter (OD) is 8.0 mm.

20. The microcable of claim 18, wherein the nominal cable weight is 70 kg/km.

21. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the multi-unit core contains four gel-filled buffer tubes, each comprised of 24 optical fibers, two 16 American Wire Gauge (AWG) Thermoplastic Flexible Fixture Wire Nylon (TFFN) power conductors, and two 2.3 mm outer diameter (OD) fillers that are SZ cabled over a 4.3 mm rigid strength member, with an outer High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) sheath of 0.5 mm nominal wall thickness.

22. The microcable of claim 21, wherein the nominal cable outer diameter (OD) is 10.3 mm.

23. The microcable of claim 21, wherein the nominal cable weight is 95 kg/km.

24. The microcable of claim 1, wherein the multi-unit core contains six gel-filled buffer tubes, each comprised of 24 optical fibers, and three 16 American Wire Gauge (AWG) Thermoplastic Flexible Fixture Wire Nylon (TFFN) power conductors that are SZ cabled over a 5.2 mm rigid strength member, with an outer High-density Polyethylene (HDPE) sheath of 0.5 mm nominal wall thickness.

25. The microcable of claim 24, wherein the nominal cable outer diameter (OD) is 11.2 mm.

26. The microcabie of claim 24, wherein the nominal cable weight is 133 kg/km.

27. The microcable of claim 1, wherein a pathway is established by removing an insulation core and coax center from a traditional broadband coax cable and the multi-unit core is jetted into the pathway.

28. The microcable of claim 27, wherein the composite microcable is utilized for Broadband Node Split, supplying more bandwidth to the end consumer.

29. The microcable of claim 27, wherein the composite microcable is utilized for broadband Radio Frequency Over Glass (RFOG)/Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) distributive access, supplying more bandwidth to the end consumer.

30. The microcable of claim 1, wherein a pathway is a microduct contained within a traditional dielectric duct and the multi-unit core is jetted into the pathway.

31. A method of manufacturing a reduced diameter composite microcable of low weight that is capable of withstanding a tensile load of at least 300 pounds with less than 0.6% fiber strain, is capable of operation between −

40 C and 70 C with less than 0.1 dB/km attenuation change at 1550 nm, and whose outer diameter is less than 15 mm, the method comprising

removing an insulation core and coax center from a traditional broadband coax cable; and

pushing and floating a multiunit core comprising at least one buffer tube, at least one electrical power conductor and at least one rigid strength member through residual elements of the coax cable.