Dry fiber optic cables and assemblies

• US 7,787,727 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Cable Systems LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bringuier, Anne G., Temple, Kenneth D. Jr., Greenwood, Jody L., Seddon, David Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng; Charlie
• Assistant Examiner(s): El Shammaa; Mary A
• Application Number:
  US12/553,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20090324183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 385/113
• US Class Current: 385/113
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02357 Property of longitudinal structures or background material varies radially and/or azimuthally in the cladding, e.g. size, spacing, periodicity, shape, refractive index, graded index, quasiperiodic, quasicrystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0281 Graded index region forming part of the central core segment, e.g. alpha profile, triangular, trapezoidal core G02B6/0288, G02B6/0286 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0365 arranged - - +
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2551 using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3851 Ferrules having keying or coding means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4401 Optical cables glass fibres with a protective coating G02B6/02395
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4403 with ribbon structure G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4404 Multi-podded
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4429 Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/443 Protective covering
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4433 Double reinforcement laying in straight line with optical transmission element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44384 the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4473 Three-way systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4483 Injection or filling devices

Abstract

A fiber optic cable includes at least one optical fiber, at least one strength member, at least one dry insert, and a cable jacket. The cable jacket has a cavity with a generally rectangular cross-section with the at least one optical fiber and the at least one dry insert disposed therein. The at least one optical fiber has a predetermined level of coupling to the cable jacket that is provided by the at least one dry insert within the cavity of cable jacket. The predetermined level of coupling is about 0.1625 Newtons or more per optical fiber for a thirty meter length of fiber optic cable. Additionally, fiber optic cables of the present invention are also suitable as a portion of a cable assembly.

Claims

1. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:

a dry distribution cable having;

(a) at least one optical fiber;

(b) at least one strength member; and

(c) a cable jacket, the cable jacket having a cavity, wherein the at least one optical fiber is disposed within the cavity, and the at least one optical fiber having a predetermined level of coupling to the cable jacket, wherein the predetermined level of coupling is about 0.1625 Newtons or more per optical fiber for a thirty meter length of the dry distribution cable; and

a tether optical fiber cable, the tether optical fiber cable having at least one tether optical fiber, the at least one tether optical fiber being in optical communication with the at least one optical fiber of the dry distribution cable.

2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sealing portion that provides an environmental seal between the dry distribution cable and the tether cable.

3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 2, further comprising a ferrule attached to the at least one tether optical fiber.

4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a ferrule attached to the at least one tether optical fiber.

5. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a multifiber ferrule attached to the at least one tether optical fiber, the multifiber ferrule comprising a portion of a connector.

6. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a ferrule attached to the at least one tether optical fiber, wherein the ferrule is a portion of a connector that includes a shroud.

7. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a multifiber ferrule attached to the at least one tether optical fiber.

8. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 7, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.

9. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.

10. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least two strength members that are disposed on opposite sides of the cavity of the dry distribution cable.

11. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 10, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.

12. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, the at least one optical fiber being a portion of a fiber optic ribbon.

13. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 12, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.

14. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 12, wherein the fiber optic ribbon is splitable into subunits.

15. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, the at least one optical fiber of the dry distribution cable being a portion of a module, the module having a sheath.

16. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 15, further comprising a water-swellable component or a water-blocking component.

17. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a water-swellable component or a water-blocking component.

18. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tube disposed within the cavity.

19. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, further including at least one dry insert disposed within the cavity for coupling the at least one optical fiber with the cable jacket.

20. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 19, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.

21. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1, the cavity being offset from an plane A-A so that it is closer to one of the two major surfaces than the other major surface, wherein plane A-A is defined by the center points of a pair of strength members that are disposed on opposite side of the cavity.

22. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 21, wherein the cavity is generally rectangular.