Optical fiber ribbons having a preferential tear portion formed by curing and methods therefor
AssigneeCorning Cable Systems LLC
InventorBradley Blazer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers connected by a radiation curable matrix and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The optical fiber ribbon includes at least one preferential tear portion formed by a weakened portion in the matrix, the weakened portion of the matrix having a reduced cure level compared with the surrounding matrix material, thereby creating the weakened portion. In another embodiment, the optical fiber ribbon is formed of two subunits each having a plurality of optical fibers, wherein the subunits are connected by a secondary matrix.
Claims26
An optical fiber ribbon comprising:
- a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers having a core, a cladding, the cladding surrounding the core, and at least one coating, the at least one coating surrounding the cladding;
- a matrix being a radiation curable material, the matrix connecting the plurality of optical fibers, thereby forming the optical fiber ribbon, wherein the optical fiber ribbon includes at least one preferential tear portion formed by a weakened portion in the matrix, the weakened portion of the matrix having a reduced cure level compared with the surrounding matrix material, thereby creating the weakened portion.
An optical fiber ribbon comprising:
- a first subunit, the first subunit having a plurality of optical fibers, the first plurality of optical fibers being connected by a first primary matrix;
- a second subunit, the second subunit having a plurality of optical fibers, the second plurality of optical fibers being connected by a second primary matrix;
- and
- a secondary matrix formed from a radiation curable material, the secondary matrix connecting the first subunit and the second subunit together, thereby forming the optical fiber ribbon, wherein the secondary matrix of the optical fiber ribbon includes at least one preferential tear portion formed by a weakened portion in the matrix, the weakened portion of the matrix having a reduced cure level compared-with the surrounding matrix material, thereby creating the weakened portion.
A method of-manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon comprising the steps of:
- paying off a plurality of optical fibers;
- aligning the plurality of optical fibers;
- coating the plurality of optical fiber with a radiation curable matrix;
- and
- curing the plurality of optical fibers by irradiating the coating, wherein the curing produces at least one weakened portion of the radiation curable matrix material that forms a preferential tear portion, the weakened portion of the radiation curable matrix having a reduced cure level compared with the surrounding matrix material, thereby creating the at least one weakened portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.