Fiber optic cable assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10310192-B2
Application number	US-201715712566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2019
Grant date	Jun 4, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic cable arrangement including a plurality of fiber optic cables. At a central section of the fiber optic cable arrangement, the fiber optic cables are arranged in a core and are protected by an outer split sleeve. At end sections of the fiber optic cable arrangement, the fiber optic cables form connectorized pigtails. Transitions form demarcation locations (e.g., fan-out or break-out locations) between the central section and the end sections. The transitions include one or more tape layers and/or one or more heat shrink layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
a split sleeve having a first end and an opposite second end, the split sleeve including a split that extends continuously along a length of the split sleeve from the first end to the second end;
a plurality of fiber optic cables arranged in a cable core protected within the split sleeve, each of the fiber optic cables including at least one optical fiber and a tensile reinforcing structure enclosed within a cable jacket;
binding elements wrapped contra-helically around the cable core, the binding elements being positioned within the split sleeve, the binding elements including end portions that extend outwardly beyond the first and second ends of the split sleeve and;
the fiber optic cables including sets of separately moveable pigtails that extend outwardly from each of the end portions of the binding elements, the pigtails having connectorized ends; and
a first transition and second transition where the fiber optic cable assembly transitions from the core to the sets of pigtails, the first and second transitions being positioned respectively at the first and second ends of the split sleeve, the transitions including first tape layers positioned over the end portions of the binding elements for securing the end portions of the binding elements to the fiber optic cables, the transitions also including first heat shrink layers positioned over the first and second ends of the split sleeve and also extending outwardly from the first and second ends of the split sleeve so as to cover at least portions of the first tape layers that extend outwardly beyond the first and second ends of the split sleeve.

2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first tape layers include first sections positioned over the end portions of the binding elements that are positioned outwardly beyond the first and second ends of the split sleeve, and second sections that extend beneath the split sleeve.

3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first tape layers are formed by adhesive tape that is spirally wrapped about the binding elements and the cable core.

4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first and second transitions include second tape layers that extend over the first sections of the first tape layers and that also extend over first and second end portions of the split sleeve, and wherein the first heat shrink layers are positioned over the second tape layers.

5. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first heat shrink layers are adhesive heat shrink layers that only partially cover the second tape layers, and wherein the first and second transitions also include second heat shrink layers that fully cover the first heat shrink layers and also fully cover the second tape layers, the second heat shrink layer being a non-adhesive heat shrink layer.

6. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tensile reinforcing structure includes aramid yarn.

7. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the fiber optic cables includes a plurality of optical fibers, and wherein the connectorized ends of the pigtails include multi-fiber connectors.

8. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cables are stranded within the cable core.

9. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 8 , where in the fiber optic cables are SZ stranded within the cable core.

Assignees

• Commscope Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Kowalczyk Scott C
• Petersen Cyle D

Classifications

• G02B6/3877 Primary

  Split sleeves · CPC title

• G02B6/02004

  characterised by the core effective area or mode field radius · CPC title

• G02B6/4285

  Optical modules characterised by a connectorised pigtail · CPC title

• G02B6/3861

  Adhesive bonding (adhesives in general C09J) · CPC title

• G02B6/443 Primary

  Protective covering · CPC title