Stretchable fiber optic cable
First Claim
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1. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
- a strength member configured to provide tensile strength as well as anti-buckling strength, wherein the strength member is a rod;
tubes, each tube having a cavity, wherein the strength member provides reinforcement to the tubes, wherein the rod is a central strength member and wherein the tubes are wound around the rod in a pattern of reverse-oscillatory winding, wherein the tubes are generally round in cross-section and have an average outer diameter of 3 millimeters or less, wherein the tubes have an average inner diameter of 2 millimeters or less; and
a binder sleeve for constraining the tubes, wherein the binder sleeve is primarily formed from an extruded polymer material;
a jacket extruded around the binder sleeve; and
optical fibers packed into the cavity of each tube such that the optical fibers bend therein, having excess optical fiber length providing a strain window such that the optical fibers experience less than 0.5 dB/km of increased average attenuation at 1310 nanometers wavelength when the cable experiences strain of up to 1% compared to when unstrained.
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Abstract
A fiber optic cable includes a strength member, tubes coupled to the strength member, and optical fibers. The strength member provides tensile and anti-buckling strength. The tubes have a cavity into which the optical fibers are packed. The cable is stretchable in that the optical fibers experience less than 0.5 dB/km of increased average attenuation at 1310 nanometers wavelength when the cable experiences strain of up to 2×10−3.
117 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
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a strength member configured to provide tensile strength as well as anti-buckling strength, wherein the strength member is a rod; tubes, each tube having a cavity, wherein the strength member provides reinforcement to the tubes, wherein the rod is a central strength member and wherein the tubes are wound around the rod in a pattern of reverse-oscillatory winding, wherein the tubes are generally round in cross-section and have an average outer diameter of 3 millimeters or less, wherein the tubes have an average inner diameter of 2 millimeters or less; and a binder sleeve for constraining the tubes, wherein the binder sleeve is primarily formed from an extruded polymer material; a jacket extruded around the binder sleeve; and optical fibers packed into the cavity of each tube such that the optical fibers bend therein, having excess optical fiber length providing a strain window such that the optical fibers experience less than 0.5 dB/km of increased average attenuation at 1310 nanometers wavelength when the cable experiences strain of up to 1% compared to when unstrained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
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a strength member configured to provide tensile strength as well as anti-buckling strength, wherein the strength member is a rod; tubes formed from polymer, each tube having a cavity, wherein the strength member provides reinforcement to the tubes, wherein the rod is a central strength member and wherein the tubes are wound around the rod in a pattern of reverse-oscillatory winding, wherein the tubes are generally round in cross-section and have an average outer diameter of 3 millimeters or less, and wherein the tubes have an average inner diameter of 2 millimeters or less; a binder sleeve for constraining the tubes, wherein the binder sleeve is primarily formed from an extruded polymer material; a jacket extruded around the binder sleeve; and optical fibers packed into the cavity of each tube such that the optical fibers bend therein, wherein the optical fibers have a greater length than the length of the respective tube in which the optical fibers are packed, thereby providing a strain window for the cable and correspondingly increasing the stretch-ability of the cable. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A fiber optic cable, comprising:
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a strength member configured to provide tensile strength as well as anti-buckling strength, wherein the strength member is a rod; tubes formed from polymer, each tube having a cavity, wherein the strength member provides reinforcement to the tubes, wherein the rod is a central strength member and wherein the tubes are wound around the rod in a pattern of reverse-oscillatory winding, wherein the tubes are generally round in cross-section and have an average outer diameter of 3 millimeters or less, and wherein the tubes have an average inner diameter of 2 millimeters or less; a binder sleeve, wherein the binder sleeve is continuous lengthwise and peripherally around the tubes, forming a closed loop for a length of at least 10 meters along the cable; and optical fibers packed into the cavity of each tube such that the optical fibers bend therein, wherein the optical fibers have a greater length than the length of the respective tube in which the optical fibers are packed, thereby providing a strain window for the cable and correspondingly increasing the stretch-ability of the cable. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification