Optical fiber cable with internal periodic coupling structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10078191-B2
Application number	US-201615334761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

An optical cable is provided. The optical cable includes a tubular, elongate body having an inner surface defining a cavity extending between first and second ends of the elongate body and an optical transmission element located with the cavity. The optical cable includes a coupling or bonding structure non-permanently and non-rigidly joining the outer surface of the optical transmission element to the elongate body at a plurality of periodic contact zones such that relative movement between the optical transmission element and the elongate body is resisted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical cable comprising:
a tubular, elongate body having an inner surface defining a cavity extending between first and second ends of the elongate body;
an optical transmission element located within the cavity, the optical transmission element having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the elongate body and a length extending between the first and second ends of the elongate body; and
a polymeric coupling structure contacting the outer surface of the optical transmission element and non-rigidly coupling the optical transmission element to the elongate body such that movement between the optical transmission element and the elongate body is resisted and not prevented, wherein the coupling structure includes a plurality of spaced apart contact zones contacting the outer surface of the optical transmission element at a plurality of locations along the length of the optical transmission element and a plurality of spaces located between adjacent contact zones at which the outer surface of the optical transmission element is not contacted by the coupling structure or by the inner surface of the elongate body
wherein the elongate body is formed from a first polymer material and the polymeric coupling structure is formed from a second polymer material that is different from the first polymer material;
wherein the second polymer material has a modulus of elasticity that is less than 1000 MPa within a temperature range −40 degrees C. and 70 degrees C., and a glass transition temperature (Tg) that is less than 50 degrees C.

2. The optical cable of claim 1 , wherein the optical transmission element is an optical fiber ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers supported by a polymeric ribbon body.

3. The optical cable of claim 2 , wherein the elongate body is a polymeric cable jacket having an outer surface defining an outer surface of the optical cable, and further comprising at least two elongate strength elements, wherein the cavity is located between the at least two elongate strength elements, wherein the cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than the cross-section area of the optical fiber ribbon such that a plurality of gaps between the optical fiber ribbon and inner surface of the cable jacket are located along the length of the cavity, wherein the length of the optical fiber ribbon is between 0.05% and 1% greater than a length of the cable jacket.

4. The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the second polymer material is a thermoplastic adhesive material located along the inner surface of the elongate body, wherein the plurality of contact zones are portions of the thermoplastic adhesive material contacting portions of an outer surface of the ribbon body.

5. The optical cable of claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic adhesive is integrally and permanently coupled to the elongate body.

6. The optical cable of claim 1 , wherein a coefficient of static coupling between the polymeric coupling structure and the optical transmission element is greater than 3.

7. The optical cable of claim 1 , further comprising an outer cable jacket surrounding the elongate body, wherein the elongate body is a polymeric buffer tube.

8. The optical cable of claim 1 , wherein the coupling structure is at least one of: a plurality of polymeric plugs periodically spaced within the cavity and contacting portions of the inner surface on opposite sides of the cavity; a plurality of adhesive strips periodically spaced within the cavity, a continuous strip of adhesive material located on the outer surface of the optical transmission element and extending along the entire length of the transmission element, a continuous strip of adhesive material located on the inner surface of the elongate body, a plurality of periodic adhesive patches located on the inner surface of the elongate body, and a plurality of periodic regions of decreased inner diameter of the elongate body forming periodic contact zones between the inner surface of the elongate body and the outer surface of the elongate optical transmission element.

9. An optical cable comprising:
a tubular, elongate body having an inner surface defining a cavity extending between first and second ends of the elongate body;
an optical transmission element located within the cavity, the optical transmission element having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the elongate body and a length extending between the first and second ends of the elongate body; and
a bonding structure non-permanently and non-rigidly joining the outer surface of the optical transmission element to the elongate body at a plurality of periodic contact zones such that relative movement between the optical transmission element and the elongate body is resisted;
wherein the bonding structure has a coefficient of coupling between the optical transmission element and the elongate body that is greater than 3 and less than 100.

10. The optical cable of claim 9 , wherein the optical transmission element is an optical fiber ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers supported by a polymeric ribbon body, wherein the cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber ribbon such that a plurality of gaps exist between the outer surface of the optical fiber ribbon and inner surface of the elongate body at multiple locations along the length of the elongate body, wherein the length of the optical fiber ribbon is greater than a length of the elongate body.

11. The optical cable of claim 10 , wherein the elongate body is formed from a first polymer material and the bonding structure is formed from a second polymer material that is different from the first polymer material.

12. The optical cable of claim 11 , wherein the second polymer material is a thermoplastic material located within the cavity, wherein the plurality of contact zones are portions of the thermoplastic material contacting portions of an outer surface of the polymeric ribbon body.

13. The optical cable of claim 11 , wherein the second polymer material has a modulus of elasticity that is less than 1000 MPa within a temperature range −40 degrees C. and 70 degrees C., and a glass transition temperature (Tg) that is less than 50 degrees C.

14. The optical cable of claim 9 , wherein the bonding structure is rigidly and permanently coupled to the elongate body, such that the bonding structure remains coupled to the elongate body upon separation of the elongate body from the optical transmission element.

15. The optical cable of claim 9 , wherein the elongate body is a polymeric cable jacket having an outer surface defining an outer surface of the optical cable, and further comprising elongate strength elements embedded within the cable jacket.

16. An optical cable comprising:
a cable jacket having an inner surface defining a cavity extending between first and second opposing ends of the cable jacket;
an optical fiber ribbon located within the cavity, the optical fiber ribbon comprising:
a polymeric ribbon body having an outer surface facing the inner surface of the cable jacket and a length extending between the first and second ends of the cable jacket; and
a plurality of optical fibers embedded in the ribbon body; and
a bonding structure non-permanently and non-rigidly joining the outer surface of the optical fiber ribbon to the cable jacket at a plurality of discrete areas along the length of the cavity such that relative movement between the optical fiber ribbon and the cavity is resisted;
wherein the bonding structure has a coefficient of coupling between the optic

Assignees

• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Blazer Bradley Jerome
• Chen Yangbin
• Chien Ching-Kee
• Greenwood Iii Julian Latelle
• Lail Jason Clay
• Mcalpine Warren Welborn
• Quinn Christopher Mark
• Seddon David Alan

Classifications

• G02B6/4433

  Double reinforcement laying in straight line with optical transmission element · CPC title

• G02B6/4403

  with ribbon structure (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4405 Primary

  with longitudinally spaced waveguide clamping (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title