Fiber optic ribbon cable

A fiber optic ribbon cable, comprising:

• a stack of fiber optic ribbons having a bend preference, wherein the stack includes at least two and no more than four fiber optic ribbons, and wherein the ribbons each include at least eight fibers;
• a jacket defining an exterior of the cable, wherein the jacket forms a cavity through which extends the stack of fiber optic ribbons, wherein the outer diameter of the jacket is within 0.5 mm of 4.5 mm on average, wherein the wall thickness of the jacket is within 0.25 mm of 0.85 mm on average, and wherein the jacket is substantially free of a bend preference, wherein the cavity of the jacket is round in cross-section and the stack of fiber optic ribbons is generally rectangular in cross-section, wherein the diameter of the cavity is at least 0.2 mm greater than the diagonal of the stack, and wherein the diameter of the cavity is no more than 1.5 mm greater than the diagonal of the stack;
• strength members loosely positioned in the cavity between the stack of fiber optic ribbons and the jacket, wherein the strength members are flexible in bending such that the strength members are substantially free of a bend preference;
• and
• wherein the cavity of the jacket is sized relative to the stack of fiber optic ribbons in order to allow the stack of fiber optic ribbons to bend and twist within the cavity with respect to the jacket as the cable bends and the strength members facilitate the relative movement between the jacket and the stack of fiber optic ribbons by sliding along the interior of the jacket when the cable is in bending and twisting, assisting movement of the optical fibers of the stack of fiber optic ribbons to low-stress positions within the cavity and decoupling the bend preference of the stack of fiber optic ribbons from transfer to the jacket so handling of the cable from the exterior of the jacket is generally free of a bend preference.

A fiber optic ribbon cable, consisting essentially of only three components:

• (1) a stack of fiber optic ribbons,
• (2) a jacket, wherein jacket defines an exterior of the cable and forms a cavity through which extends the stack of fiber optic ribbons, wherein the cavity of the jacket is round in cross-section and the stack that is generally rectangular in cross-section, wherein the diameter of the cavity is at least 0.1 mm greater and no more than 2 mm greater than the diagonal of the stack on average;
• and
• (3) yarns, wherein the yarns include strength members in the form of tensile yarns positioned in the cavity between the stack of fiber optic ribbons and the jacket.