Fiber optic assembly and method of making same

A method for making a fiber optic assembly, comprising:

• placing a plurality of optical fibers side-by-side and parallel to one another such that adjacent fibers are closely spaced apart;
• applying a hardenable composition in a fluid state onto the fibers such that the composition fills a space between each pair of adjacent fibers;
• removing the composition from surfaces of the fibers other than opposing surfaces of adjacent fibers such that all surfaces of the fibers except for said opposing surfaces are substantially free of the composition;
• and
• causing the composition to harden, whereby webs of the hardened composition are attached between said opposing surfaces of adjacent fibers so as to bind the fibers together.

A method for making a fiber optic assembly, comprising:

• coating each of a plurality of optical fibers with a hardenable composition in fluid form;
• placing the coated optical fibers side-by-side and parallel to one another, and pressing adjacent fibers against each other while the composition is still fluid such that the coatings on the fibers meld together to form a web of the composition between the fibers;
• and
• causing the composition to harden such that adjacent fibers are bound together by the web of the composition.

A method for making a fiber optic assembly, comprising:

• providing a plurality of optical fibers each having a solid coating of a composition that is soluble in a volatile solvent;
• applying a quantity of said solvent to at least a portion of an outer surface of the coating of each fiber so as to cause the portion of the coating to be rendered tacky;
• placing the fibers side-by-side and parallel to one another and pressing adjacent fibers against each other such that the tacky portions of the coatings stick to each other;
• and
• causing the solvent to evaporate such that the tacky composition again becomes solid, thereby binding adjacent fibers together by a web of the composition.