Composite fiber optic cable

• US 6,049,647 A
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Siecor Operations, LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Register, James A., Dameron, James B., Barrett, Louis A., Nave, Samuel D., Hall, Donald K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Palmer, Phan T. H.
• Application Number:
  US09/258,436
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 385/101, 385/100-114, 174/121 A
• US Class Current: 385/101
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• 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: H01B 11/22 Cables including at least one electrical conductor together with optical fibres

Abstract

A composite cable for use in indoor or indoor/outdoor applications having a fiber optic core section includes at least one optical fiber. The composite cable includes a conductor and water blocking section, the conductor and water blocking section having a set of conductors providing mechanical strength and flame inhibiting characteristics to the composite cable. At least one interstice of the composite cable includes a water blocking member therein. An armor layer surrounds the conductor and water blocking section, and the armor layer is surrounded by a cable jacket with an interfacial zone defined therebetween. The interfacial zone includes a controlled bond layer so that during flame tests, as the jacket burns and forms a char barrier around the tape layer, the controlled bond layer supports the char barrier relative to the armor tape, thereby protecting the tape from flames and inhibiting the propagation of flame along the cable.

Claims

1. A composite cable for use in indoor/outdoor applications, comprising:

a fiber optic core section, said core section including at least one optical fiber;

a conductor and water blocking section, said conductor and water blocking section including a set of conductors, said conductors providing mechanical strength characteristics to said composite cable, and a water blocking member; and

an armor layer surrounding said conductor and water blocking section, said armor layer being surrounded by a cable jacket and defining an interfacial zone therebetween, said interfacial zone including a controlled bond layer so that, when said composite cable is subjected to flame tests, as said jacket burns and forms a char barrier around said tape layer, the controlled bond layer tends to support the char barrier relative to said armor tape, thereby inhibiting the propagation of flame along the cable.

2. The composite cable of claim 1, said controlled bond layer being operative to prevent the flow of water in said interfacial zone.

3. The composite cable of claim 1, said cable jacket having a LOI of about 40 or more.

4. The composite cable of claim 1, said cable jacket having a LOI of about 30 or more.

5. The composite cable of claim 1, said cable jacket being pressure extruded onto said controlled bond layer and thereby bonded thereto.

6. The composite cable of claim 1, said conductor and water blocking section including flame inhibiting characteristics.

7. A composite cable for use in indoor/outdoor applications, comprising:

a fiber optic core section, said core section including at least one optical fiber;

a conductor and water blocking section, said conductor and water blocking section including a set of conductors with interstices adjacent to at least some of said conductors, water blocking members being generally in or adjacent to at least some of said interstices, and a separate water blocking member surrounding said set of conductors; and

a flame retardant jacket surrounding said conductor and water blocking section.

8. The composite cable of claim 7, said core section comprising a buffer tube with said at least one optical fiber located therein.

9. The composite cable of claim 8, said buffer tube comprising a flame retardant material.

10. The composite cable of claim 9, said flame retardant material comprising an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

11. The composite cable of claim 7, said at least one optical fiber being within a tight buffer layer.

12. The composite cable of claim 11, said tight buffer layer comprising a flame retardant material.

13. The composite cable of claim 12, said flame retardant material comprising an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

14. The composite cable of claim 7, at least one conductor of said set of conductors including an electrical conductor.

15. The composite cable of claim 14, said electrical conductor including a flame retardant insulating material.

16. The composite cable of claim 15, said flame retardant insulating material including an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

17. The composite cable of claim 7, said set of conductors including at least one twisted pair of electrical conductors.

18. The composite cable of claim 7, including an armor layer adjacent to said flame retardant cable jacket.

19. The composite cable of claim 18, including a controlled bond layer disposed between said cable jacket and said armor layer.

20. The composite cable of claim 7, said controlled bond layer couples said jacket to said armor layer so that when said composite cable is subjected to flame tests, as said jacket burns and forms a char barrier around said tape layer, the controlled bond layer tends to support the char barrier relative to said armor tape, thereby protecting the tape from flames and inhibiting the propagation of flame along the cable.

21. A composite cable for use in indoor applications, comprising:

a fiber optic core section, said core section including at least one optical fiber;

a set of conductors with interstices adjacent to at least some of said conductors; and

a flame retardant cable jacket surrounding said conductors.

22. The composite cable of claim 21, including an armor layer adjacent to said flame retardant cable jacket.

23. The composite cable of claim 22, including a controlled bond layer disposed between said cable jacket and said armor layer.

24. The composite cable of claim 23, said controlled bond layer couples said jacket to said armor layer so that when said composite cable is subjected to flame tests, as said jacket burns and forms a char barrier around said tape layer, the controlled bond layer tends to support the char barrier relative to said armor tape, thereby protecting the tape from flames and inhibiting the propagation of flame along the cable.

25. The composite cable of claim 21, said at least one optical fiber being within a tight buffer layer.

26. The composite cable of claim 25, said tight buffer layer comprising a flame retardant material.

27. The composite cable of claim 26, said flame retardant material comprising an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

28. The composite cable of claim 21, said set of conductors including at least one twisted pair of electrical conductors.

29. The composite cable of claim 21, said core section comprising a buffer tube with said at least one optical fiber located therein.

30. The composite cable of claim 29, said buffer tube comprising a flame retardant material.

31. The composite cable of claim 30, said flame retardant material comprising an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

32. A composite cable for use in indoor/outdoor applications, comprising:

a fiber optic core section, said core section including at least one optical fiber;

a conductor and water blocking section, said conductor and water blocking section being multi-functional in that it contributes to mechanical and water penetration performance of said composite cable, said conductor and water blocking section including a set of conductors with interstices between at least some of said conductors, said conductors providing mechanical strength and flame inhibiting characteristics to said composite cable, with at least one of said interstices including a water blocking member generally in or adjacent thereto, and a separate water blocking member surrounding said set of conductors.

33. The composite cable of claim 32, said at least one optical fiber being located in a buffer material comprising an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

34. The composite cable of claim 32, said conductor and water blocking section including flame inhibiting characteristics.

35. A fiber optic conductor, comprising:

an optical fiber surrounded by a buffer layer including an aliphatic polyketone polymer.

36. The fiber optic conductor of claim 35, said buffer layer being a tight buffer layer.

37. The fiber optic conductor of claim 35, said buffer layer being a buffer tube.