Optical cable assemblies having filler optical fibers and methods of fabricating the same

An optical cable assembly comprising:

• an optical cable comprising:
• an outer jacket;
• one or more buffer tubes disposed within the outer jacket, wherein the one or more buffer tubes extend beyond an end of the outer jacket;
• and
• a plurality of active optical fibers disposed within the one or more buffer tubes, wherein the plurality of active optical fibers extend beyond an end of the one or more buffer tubes;
• a plurality of filler optical fibers, each filler optical fiber comprising a first end and second end, wherein the first end is secured to an outer surface of the one or more buffer tubes by a securing member;
• and
• a ferrule comprising an array of openings, wherein ends of the plurality of active optical fibers are disposed within a first subset of openings of the array of openings and the second ends of the plurality of filler optical fibers are disposed within a second subset of openings of the array of openings.

An optical cable assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• an optical cable comprising:
• an outer jacket;
• and
• a plurality of active optical fibers disposed within the outer jacket, wherein the plurality of active optical fibers extend beyond an end of the outer jacket and a portion of the optical cable is disposed within the housing;
• a plurality of filler optical fibers, each filler optical fiber comprising a first end and second end, wherein the first end is secured to an outer surface of the outer jacket by a securing member;
• and
• a ferrule comprising an array of openings, wherein the ferrule is disposed within the housing, and ends of the plurality of active optical fibers are disposed within a first subset of openings of the array of openings and the second ends of the plurality of filler optical fibers are disposed within a second subset of openings of the array of openings.

An optical cable assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• an optical cable comprising:
• an outer jacket;
• one or more buffer tubes disposed within the outer jacket, wherein the one or more buffer tubes extend beyond an end of the outer jacket;
• and
• a plurality of active optical fibers disposed within the one or more buffer tubes, wherein the plurality of active optical fibers extend beyond an end of the one or more buffer tubes and at least a portion of the optical cable is disposed within the housing;
• a plurality of filler optical fibers, each filler optical fiber comprising a first end and second end, wherein the first end is secured to an outer surface of the one or more buffer tubes by a securing member;
• and
• a ferrule comprising an array of openings, wherein the ferrule is disposed within the housing, and ends of the plurality of active optical fibers are disposed within a first subset of openings of the array of openings and the second ends of the plurality of filler optical fibers are disposed within a second subset of openings of the array of openings.

A method of securing a ferrule to a plurality of optical fibers of an optical cable, the method comprising:

• stripping an outer jacket of the optical cable to expose a plurality of active optical fibers;
• reducing a diameter of the outer jacket at an end portion proximate an end of the outer jacket;
• securing ends of a plurality of filler optical fibers to the end portion of the outer jacket;
• and
• inserting the plurality of filler optical fibers and the plurality of active optical fibers into openings of the ferrule.

A method of securing a ferrule to a plurality of optical fibers of an optical cable, the method comprising:

• stripping an outer jacket of the optical cable to expose one or more buffer tubes;
• stripping the one or more buffer tubes to expose a plurality of active optical fibers;
• securing ends of a plurality of filler optical fibers to the one or more buffer tubes;
• and
• inserting the plurality of filler optical fibers and the plurality of active optical fibers into openings of the ferrule.