Fiber optic cable thermal protection device and method

• US 7,221,832 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Tinucci, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood; Kevin S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahll; Jerry T
• Application Number:
  US10/930,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20060045440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/106
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps

Abstract

A thermal protection device for a fiber optic cable includes a loop formed on the cable and a plurality of sub-units within the cable removed from an outer jacket. A circumferential cut is made through an outer jacket of each sub-unit. A tube is placed about the cut in each sub-unit. A carrier is positioned about each of the tubes and each sub-unit including a circumferential cut. A fiber optic system includes a thermal protection device for sub-units of a fiber optic cable within a frame. A method of providing thermal protection for a fiber optic cable. A kit for providing thermal protection to telecommunications cables.

Claims

1. A fiber optic cable comprising:

a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit including at least one optical fiber and a sub-unit outer jacket;

at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket;

the sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket including a circumferential cut through the sub-unit outer jacket;

a tube positioned about the sub-unit extending on either side of the circumferential cut;

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit on both ends of the tube;

wherein the cable is formed into a loop, the cable outer jacket is removed from the sub-units along the loop and the at least one sub-unit extends along the loop, and the at least one sub-unit includes a plurality of circumferential cuts, with a tube mounted about each cut and a carrier mounted about each tube, and the fiber optic cable further includes a longitudinally extending strength member along which the at least one sub-unit extends within the cable outer jacket, wherein the strength member has been removed along the loop.

2. A fiber optic cable comprising:

a cable outer jacket and a plurality of sub-units, the at least one sub-unit including at least one optical fiber and a sub-unit outer jacket;

at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket;

the sub-unit removed from the cable outerjacket including a circumferential cut through the sub-unit outer jacket;

a tube positioned about the sub-unit extending on either side of the circumferential cut; and

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit on both ends of the tube;

wherein the cable is formed into a loop, the cable outer jacket is removed from the sub-units along the loop and the plurality of sub-units extend along the loop, and each sub-unit along the loop includes a plurality of circumferential cuts, with a tube mounted about each cut and a carrier mounted about each tube, and the fiber optic cable further includes a longitudinally extending strength member along which the plurality of sub-units extend within the cable outer jacket, wherein the strength member has been removed along the loop.

3. A fiber optic cable comprising:

a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit including at least one continuous optical fiber and a sub-unit outer jacket;

at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket;

the sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket including a circumferential cut through the sub-unit outer jacket at a location along a length of the continuous optical fiber;

a tube positioned about the sub-unit extending on either side of the circumferential cut; and

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit on both ends of the tube;

wherein the cable is formed into a loop, the cable outer jacket is removed from the sub-units along the loop and the at least one sub-unit extends along the loop, and the at least one sub-unit includes a plurality of circumferential cuts, with a tube mounted about each cut and a carrier mounted about each tube, and the fiber optic cable further includes a longitudinally extending strength member along which the at least one sub-unit extends within the cable outer jacket, wherein the strength member has been removed along the loop.

4. The fiber optic cable of claim 3, further comprising a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket.

5. The fiber optic cable of claim 3, wherein the carrier includes a pair of opposing endplates, each endplate including a plurality of slots sized to receive one of the at least one sub-units.

6. The fiber optic cable of claim 5, wherein the endplates of the carrier are spaced apart a width greater than a length of the tube, the at least one sub-unit is positioned within one of the slots of each endplate, and the tube is positioned about the sub-unit between the endplates of the carrier.

7. The fiber optic cable of claim 3, wherein the tube includes a longitudinally extending split extending from one end of the tube to an opposite end of the tube.

8. The fiber optic cable of claim 7, wherein the split in the tube adjacent one end of the tube includes a chamfered opening to the split.

9. The fiber optic cable of claim 3, wherein the cable includes a plurality of sub-units.

10. The fiber optic cable of claim 9, wherein a plurality of sub-units is removed from the cable outer jacket, each sub-units including a circumferential cut, a tube positioned about the sub-unit about the cut and a carrier positioned about the sub-unit on either end of the tube.

11. The fiber optic cable of claim 10, wherein each tube includes a longitudinally extending split extending from one end of the tube to an opposite end of the tube.

12. The fiber optic cable of claim 11, wherein the split in the tube adjacent one end of the tube includes a chamfered opening to the split.

13. The fiber optic cable of claim 9, wherein the carrier includes a pair of opposing endplates, each endplate including a plurality of slots sized to receive the plurality of sub-units.

14. The fiber optic cable of claim 13, wherein the endplates of the carrier are spaced apart a width greater than a length of the tube, each of the plurality of sub-units is positioned within one of the slots of each endplate, and one of the tubes is positioned about each sub-unit between the endplates of the carrier.

15. The fiber optic cable of claim 9, wherein the cable is formed into a loop, the cable outer jacket is removed from the sub-units along the loop and the plurality of sub-units extend along the loop, and each sub-unit along the loop includes a plurality of circumferential cuts, with a tube mounted about each cut and a carrier mounted about each tube.

16. The fiber optic cable of claim 15, further comprising a longitudinally extending strength member along which the plurality of sub-units extend within the cable outer jacket, wherein the strength member has been removed along the loop.

17. The fiber optic cable of claim 9, further comprising a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket.

18. A fiber optic cable system comprising:

a frame with a cable entry and a cable exit;

a fiber optic cable extending from the cable entry to the cable exit and forming a loop, the cable including a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket along the loop;

each of the at least one sub-units including an outer jacket and at least one optical fiber, and a circumferential cut through the outer jacket;

a tube extending along a portion of the at least one sub-unit about the circumferential cut;

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube;

a plurality of sub-units extending along the loop, each sub-unit including a circumferential cut through the outer jacket, a tube extending along the sub-unit about the circumferential cut, and a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube; and

a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable adjacent the sub-units, the frame including a strength member cable clamp adjacent each of the outer jacket cable clamps, and the strength member of the fiber optic cable clamped by the strength member cable clamps.

19. The fiber optic cable system of claim 18, wherein the strength member is removed from the loop between the strength member cable clamps.

20. A fiber optic cable system comprising:

a frame with a cable entry and a cable exit;

a fiber optic cable extending from the cable entry to the cable exit and forming a loop, the cable including a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket along the loop;

each of the at least one sub-units including an outer jacket and at least one optical fiber, and a circumferential cut through the outer jacket, wherein the at least one optical fiber extends unbroken along a length of the cable between the cable entry and the cable exit;

a tube extending along a portion of the at least one sub-unit about the circumferential cut; and

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube;

an outer jacket cable clamp adjacent each of the cable entry and the cable exit, the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable held by the outer jacket cable clamp; and

a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable adjacent the sub-units, the frame including a strength member cable clamp adjacent each of the outer jacket cable clamps, and the strength member of the fiber optic cable clamped by the strength member cable clamps.

21. The fiber optical cables system of claim 20, wherein the strength member is removed from the loop between the strength member cable clamps.

22. The fiber optic cable system of claim 20, wherein the tube includes a longitudinal split through which may be passed over the sub-unit to position the tube about the circumferential cut in the sub-unit.

23. The fiber optic cable system of claim 22, wherein the longitudinal split in the tube includes a chamfered entry at one end of the tube.

24. The fiber optic cable system of claim 20, wherein the carrier includes a base connecting a pair of opposing endplates and the tube about the sub-unit is positioned between the endplates.

25. The fiber optic cable system of claim 20, wherein the sub-units within the loop each include a plurality of circumferential cuts spaced between the cable entry and cable exit, with a tube positioned about each circumferential cut and a carrier positioned about each tube.

26. The fiber optic cable system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of sub-units extending along the loop, each sub-unit including a circumferential cut through the outer jacket, a tube extending along the sub-unit about the circumferential cut, and a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube.

27. The fiber optic cable system of claim 26, wherein the carrier includes a base connecting a pair of opposing endplates and the tube about the sub-unit is positioned between the endplates.

28. The fiber optic cable system of claim 26, further comprising a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable adjacent the sub-units, the frame including a strength member cable clamp adjacent each of the outer jacket cable clamps, and the strength member of the fiber optic cable clamped by the strength member cable clamps.

29. The fiber optic cable system of claim 28, wherein the strength member is removed from the loop between the strength member cable clamps.

30. The fiber optic cable system of claim 26, wherein the tube about each sub-unit includes a longitudinal split through which extends from one end of the tube to an opposite end of the tube.

31. The fiber optic cable system of claim 30, wherein the longitudinal split in the tube includes a chamfered entry at one end of the tube.

32. The fiber optic cable system of claim 26, further comprising an outer jacket cable clamp adjacent each of the cable entry and the cable exit, the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable held by the outer jacket cable clamp.

33. A fiber optic cable comprising:

a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit including at least one continuous optical fiber and a sub-unit outer jacket;

at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket;

the sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket including a circumferential cut through the sub-unit outer jacket at a location along a length of the continuous optical fiber;

a tube positioned about the sub-unit extending on either side of the circumferential cut; and

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit on both ends of the tube;

wherein the cable is formed into a loop, the cable outer jacket is removed from the sub-units along the loop and the plurality of sub-units extend along the loop, and each sub-unit along the loop includes a plurality of circumferential cuts, with a tube mounted about each cut and a carrier mounted about each tube, and the fiber optic cable further includes a longitudinally extending strength member along which the plurality of sub-units extend within the cable outer jacket, wherein the strength member has been removed along the loop.

34. A fiber optic cable system comprising:

a frame with a cable entry and a cable exit;

a fiber optic cable extending from the cable entry to the cable exit and forming a loop, the cable including a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outer jacket along the loop;

each of the at least one sub-units including an outer jacket and at least one optical fiber, and a circumferential cut through the outer jacket, wherein the at least one optical fiber extends unbroken along a length of the cable between the cable entry and the cable exit;

a tube extending along a portion of the at least one sub-unit about the circumferential cut; and

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube;

a plurality of sub-units extending along the loop, each sub-unit including a circumferential cut through the outer jacket, a tube extending along the sub-unit about the circumferential cut, and a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube; and

a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable adjacent the sub-units, the frame including a strength member cable clamp adjacent each of the outer jacket cable clamps, and the strength member of the fiber optic cable clamped by the strength member cable clamps.

35. The fiber optic cable system of claim 34, wherein the strength member is removed from the loop between the strength member cable clamps.

36. A fiber optic cable system comprising:

a frame with a cable entry and a cable exit;

a fiber optic cable extending from the cable entry to the cable exit and forming a loop, the cable including a cable outer jacket and at least one sub-unit, the at least one sub-unit removed from the cable outerjacket along the loop;

each of the at least one sub-units including an outer jacket and at least one optical fiber, and a circumferential cut through the outer jacket;

a tube extending along a portion of the at least one sub-unit about the circumferential cut;

a carrier positioned about the sub-unit about the tube;

an outer jacket cable clamp adjacent each of the cable entry and the cable exit, the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable held by the outer jacket cable clamp; and

a longitudinally extending strength member within the cable outer jacket of the fiber optic cable adjacent the sub-units, the frame including a strength member cable clamp adjacent each of the outer jacket cable clamps, and the strength member of the fiber optic cable clamped by the strength member cable clamps.

37. The fiber optic cable system of claim 36, wherein the strength member is removed from the loop between the strength member cable clamps.

38. A kit for providing thermal protection to a telecommunications cable, the kit comprising:

a carrier with a base and endplates extending upward from opposite ends of the base, each of the endplates including a plurality of slots sized to receive the telecommunications cable;

a plurality of tubes, each tube including a split from one end to a second opposite end, and each tube sized to be received about telecommunications cable and between the endplates of the carrier; and

a plurality of holes in the base for mounting the carrier to a frame.

39. The kit of claim 38, wherein the slots are arranged in a generally circular pattern about each of the endplates.

40. The kit of claim 38, further comprising a tie bar on the base.