Device for furcating fiber optic cables

• US 7,494,284 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afl IG LLC
• Original Assignee: Carlyle, Inc. (Carlisle Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Robinson, Paul, Thostenson, Anthony, Eliot, Bill, Harvey, Douglas, Bagby, Daniel, Kleeberger, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, ELLEN E
• Application Number:
  US11/838,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20080138020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 385/139, 385/136, 385/87, 385/86, 385/55, 385/137, 385/147, 385/53, 385/106
• US Class Current: 385/53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4471 Terminating devices demountable connectors G02B6/3807; Cable clamps
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4477 with means for strain-relieving to interior strengths element

Abstract

A fiber optic cable assembly is provided. The cable assembly includes a housing, a plurality of furcation tubes, and a bundled cable. The housing has an opening at a first end and a plurality of channels at a second end. The furcation tubes are aligned with corresponding channels. One end of the bundled cable extends into an interior space of the housing through the opening. The bundled cable has a cable jacket and cable filaments. A first portion of the cable filaments extends beyond the end of the cable jacket in the interior space. A plurality of optic fibers is disposed in the bundled cable and the housing, and a molding compound is disposed around the furcation unit. Individual optic fibers are in individual furcation tubes and movable to slide longitudinally relative to the housing.

Claims

1. A cable assembly, comprising:

a housing having an opening at a first end and an interior space between the first end and a second end opposite the first end; and

a bundled cable having an optic fiber, a cable filament, and a cable jacket at least partially around the optic fiber and the cable filament, an end of the cable jacket being proximate to the opening of the housing, wherein the cable filament and the optic fiber extend from the end of the cable jacket into the interior space of the housing, and wherein the optic fiber is longitudinally movable in the interior space relative to the housing, and further wherein the housing further includes an anchor extending from an internal surface of the housing, and wherein the cable filament wraps around at least a portion of the anchor and extends through the opening to be external to the housing.

2. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable assembly further comprises a fastener fastening the cable filament to the cable jacket.

3. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable assembly further comprises a molding compound fastening the cable filament to the cable jacket, wherein the interior space of the housing is substantially free of the molding compound.

4. A cable breakout assembly, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of channels at a first end, an opening at a second end opposite the first end, and first and second side walls extending between the first and second ends; and

an anchor positioned inside the housing and proximate to the second end, the anchor and the first side wall defining a first passage to the opening, and the anchor and the second side wall defining a second passage to the opening.

5. The cable breakout assembly of claim 4, wherein the anchor is either rigidly attached to the housing or integral with the housing.

6. The cable breakout assembly of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a bottom surface and a top surface between the first and second side walls, and wherein the anchor extends substantially from the bottom surface to the top surface.

7. The cable breakout assembly of claim 4, wherein the anchor is a first anchor, and wherein the cable breakout assembly further comprises a second anchor spaced apart from the first anchor in the interior space.

8. The cable breakout assembly of claim 4, wherein the anchor is a first anchor, and wherein the cable breakout assembly further comprises a second anchor spaced apart from the first anchor in the interior space, and wherein the first and second anchors define the second passage, and further wherein the second anchor and the second side wall define a third passage.

9. The cable breakout assembly of claim 8, wherein the first, second, and third passages are generally parallel with one another.

10. A cable assembly, comprising:

a furcation unit having a plurality of channels at a first end and an opening at a second end opposite the first end, the furcation unit including an interior space between the first and second ends;

an anchor positioned inside the furcation unit and proximate to the opening at the second end; and

a bundled cable having a cable jacket and a plurality of optic fibers and cable filaments inside the cable jacket, the cable filaments extending from the cable jacket through the opening, around the anchor, and out of the interior space via the opening.

11. The cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the anchor is a first anchor, and wherein the cable assembly further comprises a second anchor spaced apart from the first anchor in the interior space.

12. The cable assembly of claim 11, wherein a first set of the cable filaments extends at least partially around the first anchor, and wherein a second set of the cable filaments extends at least partially around the second anchor.

13. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a fastener attaching the cable filaments to the cable jacket or the furcation unit.

14. The cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a molding compound around the furcation unit, the cable filaments, and the cable jacket.

15. The cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a molding compound around the furcation unit, the cable filaments, and the cable jacket, wherein the molding compound securing the cable filaments external to the furcation unit to the cable jacket.

16. The cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of furcation tubes individually corresponding to the channels of the furcation unit.

17. The cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of furcation tubes individually corresponding to the channels of the furcation unit, and wherein individual optic fibers extending from the cable jacket through the opening, via the interior space of the furcation unit, and into individual furcation tubes.

18. The cable assembly of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of furcation tubes individually corresponding to the channels of the furcation unit, and wherein the individual optic fibers extending from the cable jacket through the opening, via the interior space of the furcation unit, and into individual furcation tubes, and further wherein the individual optic fibers are slidably movable relative to the cable jacket of the bundled cable, the furcation unit, and the furcation tubes.