Armored optical fiber cable
First Claim
1. An optical communication cable, comprising:
- (A) a core of the cable, comprising;
(i) optical fibers each comprising a core surrounded by a cladding;
(ii) buffer tubes surrounding subsets of the optical fibers,(iii) a central strength member, wherein the buffer tubes are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the buffer tubes;
(B) armor surrounding the core of the cable, wherein the armor comprises metal;
(C) a jacket surrounding and bonded to the armor, wherein the jacket comprises a polymer;
(D) a binder film to hold the buffer tubes in position around the central strength member,wherein the binder film surrounds the core of the cable and is interior to the armor,wherein the binder film is bonded to an interior of the armor, thereby providing quick access to the core of the cable via simultaneous removal of the binder film when the armor and jacket are removed; and
(E) water-absorbing powder particles positioned on an interior surface of the binder film, between the binder film and the core of the cable.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical communication cable includes a core, armor surrounding the core, a jacket surrounding and bonded to the armor, and a binder film also surrounding the core and interior to the armor. The core includes buffer tubes surrounding sets of optical fibers and a central strength member. The buffer tubes are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the buffer tubes and the binder film holds the buffer tubes in position. The binder film is bonded to an interior of the armor, thereby providing a quick access capability to access the core via simultaneous removal of the binder film when the armor and jacket are removed.
130 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical communication cable, comprising:
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(A) a core of the cable, comprising; (i) optical fibers each comprising a core surrounded by a cladding; (ii) buffer tubes surrounding subsets of the optical fibers, (iii) a central strength member, wherein the buffer tubes are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the buffer tubes; (B) armor surrounding the core of the cable, wherein the armor comprises metal; (C) a jacket surrounding and bonded to the armor, wherein the jacket comprises a polymer; (D) a binder film to hold the buffer tubes in position around the central strength member, wherein the binder film surrounds the core of the cable and is interior to the armor, wherein the binder film is bonded to an interior of the armor, thereby providing quick access to the core of the cable via simultaneous removal of the binder film when the armor and jacket are removed; and (E) water-absorbing powder particles positioned on an interior surface of the binder film, between the binder film and the core of the cable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An optical communication cable comprising:
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a jacket formed from an extruded first material and including a inner surface defining a channel; a plurality of optical transmission elements located within the channel; a central strength member located within the channel, wherein the plurality of optical transmission elements are wrapped around the central strength member in a S-Z stranding pattern; a binder film formed from an extruded second material and including an outer surface, wherein the binder film is continuous peripherally around the plurality of optical transmission elements to define a continuous closed loop when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis of the cable, wherein the binder film is continuous lengthwise for at least 10 meters along a length of the cable, and wherein the binder film is formed from a polymer material having a Young'"'"'s modulus of 3 gigapascals or less, wherein the binder film has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm; and an armor layer located within the channel and surrounding the plurality of optical transmission elements and surrounding the binder film, wherein the outer surface of the binder film is bonded to an inner surface of the armor layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An optical communication cable comprising:
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a support member; a plurality of optical transmission elements wrapped around the support member; a binder membrane surrounding the support member and continuous peripherally around the plurality of optical transmission elements to define a continuous closed loop when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis of the plurality of optical transmission elements, wherein the binder film is continuous lengthwise for at least 10 meters along a length of the cable, and wherein the thickness of the binder membrane is less than a fifth of the thickness of the jacket; armor having a first lateral edge and an opposing second lateral edge, the armor being wrapped around the support member, the plurality of optical transmission elements and the binder membrane such that the first lateral edge overlaps the second lateral edge creating an overlap portion; and a jacket including an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface defining an exterior of the jacket and the inner surface defining a channel; wherein the support member, the plurality of optical transmission elements, the binder membrane and the armor are located within the channel; wherein the binder membrane acts to bind the plurality of optical transmission elements together around the support member; and wherein the binder membrane is coupled to the armor and the armor is bonded to the jacket such that the binder membrane, the armor, and the jacket are configured to be opened together via a single tearing action. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An optical communication cable comprising:
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a jacket formed from an extruded first material and including an inner surface defining a channel; a plurality of optical transmission elements located within the channel; a binder film formed from an extruded second material different than the first material and including an outer surface, wherein the binder film is continuous peripherally around the plurality of optical transmission elements to define a continuous closed loop when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis of the cable, wherein the binder film is continuous lengthwise for at least 10 meters along a length of the cable, and wherein a thickness of the binder film is less than a fifth of a thickness of the jacket; and an armor layer located within the channel surrounding the plurality of optical transmission elements and the binder film, wherein the armor layer includes a first lateral edge and an opposing second lateral edge and the armor layer is wrapped around the plurality of optical transmission elements and the binder film such that the first lateral edge overlaps the second lateral edge creating an overlap portion, wherein the jacket includes an elongate portion formed from an extruded second material embedded in the extruded first material, the elongate portion being aligned in a radial direction with the overlap portion of the armor, and wherein the outer surface of the binder film is bonded to an inner surface of the armor layer and an outer surface of the armor layer is bonded to the inner surface of the jacket.
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Specification