Binder film for a fiber optic cable
AssigneeCorning Cable Systems LLC
InventorsBradley Jerome Blazer, Rodney Maurice Burns, Julian Latelle Greenwood, III, Keith Aaron Greer, Warren Welborn McAlpine, William James Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber optic cable includes a core and a binder film surrounding the core. The core includes a central strength member and core elements, such as buffer tubes containing optical fibers, where the core elements are stranded around the central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the core elements. The binder film is in radial tension around the core such that the binder film opposes outwardly transverse deflection of the core elements.
Claims20
A fiber optic cable, comprising:
- core elements stranded around a central strength member in a pattern of stranding including reversals in lay direction of the core elements, the core elements comprising:
- a buffer tube surrounding optical fibers;
- and
- one or more additional core elements, comprising at least one of:
- a filler rod, and
- an additional buffer tube;
- a binder film surrounding the stranded core elements, wherein the binder film is twisted around the core elements;
- and
- a jacket surrounding the binder film, wherein the jacket is at least five times thicker than the binder film.
A method of manufacturing a fiber optic cable, comprising steps of:
- stranding core elements around a central strength member in a pattern of stranding with a stranding machine on a manufacturing line, the core elements comprising:
- a buffer tube surrounding optical fibers;
- and
- one or more additional core elements, comprising at least one of:
- a filler rod, and
- an additional buffer tube;
- extruding a binder film to surround the core elements after stranding the core elements such that the extruding takes place along the manufacturing line;
- and
- rotating an extrudate cone of the binder film during the extruding to form a twist in the binder film about the core elements, whereby the extrusion cone quickly draws down onto the core elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.