Fiber optic microcable produced with fiber reinforced ultraviolet light cured resin and method for manufacturing same
First Claim
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1. A fiber optic microcable, comprising:
- an optical fiber core;
a buffer surrounding said core;
a protective sheath adhering to and surrounding said buffer, said protective sheath including;
an ultraviolet light cured first resin having a post-cure Young'"'"'s modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa, a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa, a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion, an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise within the range of 27°
C. to 60°
C., and a glass transition temperature ranging from 60°
C. to 105°
C.; and
a plurality of fibers embedded in said resin; and
an unfilled overcoat sheath formed of an ultraviolet light cured second resin.
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Abstract
The invention provides a fiber reinforced optical microcable comprised of a buffered optical waveguide coated with a fiber reinforced protective sheath made of a fiber reinforced, ultraviolet light cured resin over which is formed an ultraviolet light cured resin overcoat. The protective sheath is manufactured by soaking reinforcing fibers in the UV curable resin, placing the wetted fibers around the buffered optical waveguide, feeding both the fibers and buffered optical waveguide through a die, and curing the resin with ultraviolet light. Then, an ultraviolet light cured resin is flow coated over the protective sheath and cured with ultraviolet light to complete the microcable.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A fiber optic microcable, comprising:
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an optical fiber core; a buffer surrounding said core; a protective sheath adhering to and surrounding said buffer, said protective sheath including; an ultraviolet light cured first resin having a post-cure Young'"'"'s modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa, a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa, a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion, an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise within the range of 27°
C. to 60°
C., and a glass transition temperature ranging from 60°
C. to 105°
C.; anda plurality of fibers embedded in said resin; and an unfilled overcoat sheath formed of an ultraviolet light cured second resin. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A fiber optic microcable, comprising:
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an optical fiber core; a buffer surrounding said core; a protective sheath adhering to and surrounding said buffer, said protective sheath including; an ultraviolet light cured first resin having a post-cure Young'"'"'s modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa; and a plurality of fibers embedded in said resin; and an unfilled overcoat sheath formed of an ultraviolet light cured second resin. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for fabricating a fiber optic microcable, comprising the steps of:
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forming a first resinous coating of an ultraviolet light curable first resin around a buffered optical waveguide, said first resin having a post-cure Young'"'"'s modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa, a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa, a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion, an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise at 27°
C., and a glass transition temperature ranging from 60°
C. to 105°
C.;curing said first resinous coating by exposing said first resin to ultraviolet light to form a protective sheath; forming a second resinous coating of an ultraviolet light curable second resin around said protective sheath; and curing said second resinous coating by exposing said second resin to ultraviolet light to form an unfilled overcoat sheath. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification