Spool-free fiber optic cable configuration for cable installation onto a powerline conductor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020354268-A1
Application number	US-202016867313-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2020
Priority date	May 10, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method may include (1) coating a segment of fiber optic cable with an adhesive substance, (2) forming a coil of the segment of fiber optic cable, (3) deforming the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable, and (4) activating the adhesive substance to stabilize the noncircular shape of the coil. Various other methods and apparatuses, such as those for performing the deforming operation, are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
coating a segment of fiber optic cable with an adhesive substance; forming a coil of the segment of fiber optic cable; deforming the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable; and activating the adhesive substance to stabilize the noncircular shape of the coil.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein coating the segment of fiber optic cable is performed before forming the coil.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the adhesive substance comprises paraffin; and activating the adhesive substance comprises heating the coil.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coil comprises a circular shape prior to deforming the coil.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising pre-twisting the segment of fiber optic cable prior to forming the coil.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein pre-twisting the segment of fiber optic cable is performed at a rate that cancels a twisting to be applied to the segment of fiber optic cable during subsequent wrapping of the segment of fiber optic cable about a powerline conductor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deforming the coil comprises applying a first force to a first portion of a perimeter of the coil to form the slot.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first force is applied using a first ram with a surface having a shape of the slot.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein deforming the coil further comprises applying a second force to a second portion of the perimeter of the coil opposite the first portion.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second force is applied using a second ram with a surface having a shape different from the slot.

11 . An apparatus comprising:
a reel comprising a hub section that carries a coil of a segment of fiber optic cable, wherein the hub section comprises at least one first removable section upon which the coil is carried; a base that securely maintains the reel carrying the coil; a first ram comprising a protruding surface facing a first portion of a perimeter of the coil at which the at least one first removable section of the hub section is positioned; and a mechanism that facilitates movement of the first ram to the first portion of the perimeter of the coil such that, when the at least one first removable section of the hub section is absent, the coil is deformed into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the slot possesses a shape matching the protruding surface.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the reel further comprises a first flange and a second flange coupled to opposing ends of the hub section; and the protruding surface of the first ram is sized to span a length of the hub section and to enter between the first flange and the second flange.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a first guard coupled to the first ram, wherein the first guard is positioned to contact at least one of the first flange or the second flange to prevent further progress of the protruding surface of the first ram into the coil.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising at least one threaded rod that, when rotated, urges the first ram toward the first portion of the perimeter of the coil.

16 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the hub section further comprises at least one second removable section upon which the coil is carried; the apparatus further comprises a second ram with a surface having a shape different from the slot, wherein the mechanism facilitates movement of the second ram to a second portion of the perimeter of the coil at which the at least one second removable section of the hub section is positioned; and the mechanism facilitates movement of the second ram to the second portion of the perimeter of the coil such that, when the at least one second removable section of the hub section is absent, the coil is further deformed.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second portion is opposite the first portion of the perimeter of the coil.

18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the shape of the surface of the second ram comprises at least one linear portion.

19 . A method comprising:
wrapping a segment of fiber optic cable about a hub section of a reel to form a coil, wherein the hub section comprises at least one first removable section upon which the coil is carried, wherein the at least one first removable section corresponds to a first portion of a perimeter of the coil; coupling the reel to a base portion of a deforming apparatus; removing the at least one first removable section from the hub section of the reel; and moving a first ram toward the first portion of the perimeter of the coil such that a protruding surface of the first ram deforms the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the hub section comprises at least one second removable section upon which the coil is carried; the at least one second removable section corresponds to a second portion of the perimeter of the coil; and the method further comprises:
removing the at least one second removable section from the hub section of the reel; and
moving a second ram toward the second portion of the perimeter of the coil such that a surface of the second ram further deforms the coil while obeying the minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable.

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Yogeeswaran Karthik
• Kachmar Wayne Michael
• Mass James A
• Todd Nelson

Classifications

• H02G1/04 Primary

  for mounting or stretching · CPC title

• H01B11/22

  Cables including at least one electrical conductor together with optical fibres · CPC title

• H01B9/005

  including optical transmission elements · CPC title

• B65H2701/32

  Optical fibres or optical cables · CPC title

• B65H54/58

  Swifts or reels adapted solely for the formation of hanks or skeins (B65H49/30 takes precedence) · CPC title