Multi-fiber, fiber optic cables and cable assemblies providing constrained optical fibers within an optical fiber sub-unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891397-B2
Application number	US-201615215959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jun 22, 2011
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

Multi-fiber, fiber optic cables and cable assemblies providing constrained optical fibers within an optical fiber sub-unit are disclosed. The optical fiber sub-unit(s) comprises optical fibers disposed adjacent a sub-unit strength member(s) within a sub-unit jacket. Movement of optical fibers within a sub-unit jacket can be constrained. In this manner, the optical fibers in an optical fiber sub-unit can be held together within the optical fiber sub-unit as a unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
a fiber optic cable comprising:
a cable jacket;
one or more cable strength members disposed within the cable jacket in a first length; and
one or more optical fiber sub-units disposed within the cable jacket in a second length that is greater than the first length, wherein:
the one or more optical fiber sub-units each comprise a plurality of optical fibers and one or more sub-unit strength members disposed adjacent to each other in a sub-unit jacket such that movement of the plurality of optical fibers is radially constrained by an interior wall of the sub-unit jacket and the one or more sub-unit strength members;
the plurality of optical fibers are in friction contact with the one or more sub-unit strength members constraining relative longitudinal movement of the plurality of optical fibers within the sub-unit jacket;
the one or more optical fiber sub-units disposed adjacent to the one or more cable strength members within the cable jacket;
the one or more optical fiber sub-units are disposed within the cable jacket adjacent to the one or more cable strength members to allow movement between the one or more optical fiber sub-units and the one or more cable strength members within the cable jacket; and
an end portion of the fiber optic cable comprises end portions of the one or more optical fiber sub-units and end portions of the one or more cable strength members both exposed from an end portion of the cable jacket; and

a furcation assembly receiving the end portion of the fiber optic cable at a first end of the furcation assembly, wherein:
the furcation assembly terminates the end portion of the cable jacket and the end portions of the one or more cable strength members; and
the end portions of the one or more optical fiber sub-units extending through and from a second end of the furcation assembly.

2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical fiber sub-units are not stranded with the one or more cable strength members disposed within the cable jacket.

3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more optical fiber sub-units are disposed loosely within the cable jacket providing freedom of relative motion between the plurality of optical fiber sub-units disposed within the cable jacket.

4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of optical fiber sub-units have freedom of relative motion with respect to the one or more cable strength members in the cable jacket.

5. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the axial rigidity of the one or more sub-unit strength members of each of the one or more optical fiber sub-units is less than fifteen percent (15%) of the total axial rigidity of the one or more cable strength members and the one or more optical fiber sub-unit strength members of the fiber optic cable.

6. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the cable jacket is at least 0.5 mm greater than the outer diameter of the one or more optical fiber sub-units and the one or more cable strength members disposed within the cable jacket.

7. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the combined axial rigidity of the one or more sub-unit strength members of the one or more optical fiber sub-units is less than fifty percent (50%) of the total axial rigidity of the one or more cable strength members and the one or more optical fiber sub-unit strength members of the fiber optic cable.

8. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein a relative longitudinal movement of the one or more optical fiber sub-units within an end portion of the cable jacket of greater than 4 mm.

9. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the relative longitudinal movement of the one or more optical fiber sub-units within an end portion of the cable jacket is greater than 10 mm.

10. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the length of the one or more optical fiber sub-units in any cross-section of the cable jacket orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the cable jacket is greater than the length of one or more cable strength members.

11. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second length of the one or more optical fiber sub-units is greater than the first length of the one or more cable strength members disposed within the cable jacket by 0.10 percent (0.10%) or more.

Assignees

• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Hurley William Carl
• Yates Wesley Allan

Classifications

• G02B6/441

  built up from sub-bundles (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49117

  Conductor or circuit manufacturing · CPC title

• G02B6/4472 Primary

  Manifolds · CPC title

• G02B6/4432 Primary

  with fibre reinforcements · 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