Armored optical fiber cable

• US 9,791,652 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: Aguilar, Mario Sergio Sandate, Gimblet, Michael John, Greenwood, III, Julian Latelle, McAlpine, Warren Welborn
• Primary Examiner(s): Stahl, Mike
• Application Number:
  US14/829,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150355426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/441 built up from sub-bundles G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4413 Helical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4431 with provision in the protective covering, e.g. weak line, for gaining access to one or more fibres, e.g. for branching or tapping break-out terminations G02B6/4471
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4432 with fibre reinforcements
• 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 6/4435 Corrugated mantle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44384 the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4488 using metallic tubes

Abstract

An optical communication cable subassembly includes a cable core having optical fibers each comprising a core surrounded by a cladding, buffer tubes surrounding subsets of the optical fibers, and a binder film surrounding the buffer tubes. Armor surrounds the cable core, the binder film is bonded to an interior of the armor, and water-absorbing powder particles are provided on an interior surface of the binder film.

Claims

1. An optical communication cable comprising:

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 surrounding 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 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, and wherein 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.

2. The optical communication cable of claim 1, 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.

3. The optical communication cable of claim 2, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the first extruded material is between 100 MPa and 800 MPa and the modulus of elasticity of the second extruded material is no more than half that of the first material.