Rapid deploy outdoor cable

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356975-A1
Application number	US-201514730791-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a cable that includes an outer housing, a plurality of optical fibers within the outer housing and arranged side-by-side along the width of the cable; and a removably attached access layer within the outer housing.

First claim

1 . A cable comprising:
an outer housing having a planar bottom surface extending along a width of the outer housing; a plurality of optical fibers within the outer housing and arranged in parallel with one another along the width of the cable; and a removably attached access layer providing access to the plurality of optical fibers, the removably attached access layer forming a first portion of the housing and having a shape complementary to a second portion of the housing from which the access layer can be separated.

2 . The cable of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer disposed at the bottom surface of the outer housing, the adhesive layer comprised of a material configured to secure the cable to a surface exposed to an outside environment.

3 . The cable of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of strength members.

4 . The cable of claim 3 , wherein a first and a second strength member are disposed within the outer housing such that the plurality of optical fibers are disposed between the first and second strength members, and wherein the distance between the top and bottom surface of the second portion of the outer housing is greater adjacent to the first and second strength members than the portion of the outer housing adjacent to the optical fibers.

5 . The cable of claim 3 , wherein a strength member is disposed between each of the optical fibers.

6 . The cable of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of strength members are comprised of resin embedded with glass fibers or synthetic aramid fibers.

7 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the access layer is configured to move from a closed position to an open position where the access layer is moved away from the first portion of the housing, wherein the optical fibers are exposed when the access layer is in the open position.

8 . The cable of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of strength members positioned between each of the optical fibers, wherein the strength members are secured to the access layer such that when the access layer is moved from the closed position to the open position, the strength members are moved away from a remainder of the outer housing.

9 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the access layer across the width of the housing comprises a shape of a trapezoid.

10 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is a first adhesive layer, and the access layer includes a second adhesive layer that allows for the access layer to be moved back and forth between the closed position and the open position, wherein the access layer is secured to the housing in the closed position.

11 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is a first adhesive layer, and the access layer is secured to the housing by a second adhesive layer.

12 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers include at least twelve fibers.

13 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the cable further comprises microducts and the optical fibers are positioned within microducts.

14 . A method of deploying a cable onto a surface exposed to an outside environment comprising:
removing a liner overlying the adhesive layer of the cable to expose the adhesive layer; placing the adhesive layer into contact with the surface; and applying pressure to the cable to secure the cable to the surface, wherein the cable comprises:
an outer housing having a planar bottom surface extending along a width of the outer housing;
a plurality of optical fibers within the outer housing and arranged in parallel with one another along the width of the cable;
a removably attached access layer providing access to the plurality of optical fibers, the removably attached access layer forming a first portion of the housing and having a shape complementary to a second portion of the housing from which the access layer can be separated; and
an adhesive layer disposed at the bottom surface of the outer housing, the adhesive layer comprised of a material configured to secure the cable to a surface exposed to an outside environment.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the cable is a first cable, the method further comprising:
exposing a second adhesive layer disposed at a bottom surface of a second cable, the second cable housing a second plurality of second optical fibers; and securing the second adhesive layer of the second cable to a top surface of the first cable.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein exposing a second adhesive layer includes removing a second adhesive backing liner from the bottom surface of the second cable to expose the second adhesive layer.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the depositing the first cable is deposited at the same time the first adhesive backing liner is removed.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first cable and the second cable are cut from a same primary cable.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the cable is a first cable, the method further comprising:
exposing a second adhesive layer disposed at a bottom surface of a second cable, the second cable housing a microduct; positioning the second cable in a direction extending away from the first cable; and blowing one of the plurality of optical fibers in the first cable through the microduct.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein prior to blowing, the access layer of the first cable is in the open position so as to provide access to the one of the plurality of optical fibers within the outer housing.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Lish David Frank
• Segura Ben Warren
• Anthony David
• Toccalino John
• Rader Paul Steven
• Miles David

Classifications

• G02B6/4407 Primary

  with internal fluted support member (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/46

  Processes or apparatus adapted for installing {or repairing} optical fibres or optical cables (installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G) · CPC title

• G02B6/4432 Primary

  with fibre reinforcements · CPC title

• G02B6/4495

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02B6/4463

  Physics · mapped topic