Flame retardant compound on cable central member
AssigneeCorning Optical Communications LLC
InventorMichael Alexander Heinz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber cable includes a central strength member, a bedding compound surrounding the central strength member, a plurality of buffer tubes stranded around the central strength member and the bedding compound such that the bedding compound forms to the buffer tubes and occupies substantially the entirety of an inner core area between the buffer tubes and the central strength member. At least one of the buffer tubes contains a plurality of optical fibers and a jacket surrounds the plurality of buffer tubes. The cable may further include a second bedding compound that fills interstices in an outer core area between the buffer tubes and the jacket.
Claims22
An optical fiber cable comprising:
- a central strength member;
- a bedding compound surrounding the central strength member;
- a plurality of buffer tubes stranded around the central strength member and the bedding compound such that the bedding compound forms to the buffer tubes and defines a continuous layer between the buffer tubes and the central strength member in an inner core area;
- a plurality of optical fibers inside at least one of the buffer tubes;
- a jacket surrounding the plurality of buffer tubes, the jacket being an outermost layer of the optical fiber cable;
- and
- a second bedding compound that fills interstices in an outer core area between the plurality of buffer tubes and the jacket.
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, the method comprising:
- extruding a bedding compound onto a central strength member;
- stranding buffer tubes around the central strength member such that the buffer tubes at least partially embed into the bedding compound while the bedding compound is in a molten state, wherein the bedding compound defines a continuous layer between the buffer tubes and the central strength member;
- and
- providing a second bedding compound that fills interstices in an outer core area between the buffer tubes and a jacket, the jacket being an outermost layer of the optical fiber cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.