# US 2019/0377148 A1 · Sap coating layer for cable component and related systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0377148 A1 - Document ID: US20190377148A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/549,414 - Filed: 2019-08-23 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-30 - Assignees: Corning Optical Communications LLC - Applicants: Corning Optical Communications LLC - Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder; Waldemar Stöcklein - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190377148A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/44384: {the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials (G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence)} - G02B 6/4435: {Corrugated mantle} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A process and system for making a water resistant cable component and water resistant cable components are provided. The water resistant cable includes a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body and an elongate cable component located within the channel of the cable body. The cable also includes a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the elongate cable component. The layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is formed by applying a liquid layer including a carrier material and an uncrosslinked super absorbent polymer pre-polymer material onto an outer surface of a component of the cable and then by crosslinking the super absorbent polymer pre-polymer while on the cable component to form a layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the cable component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical cable comprising: a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body; and a plurality of tubes located in the channel of the cable body, wherein each of the plurality of tubes includes an outer surface, an inner surface and a channel defined by the inner surface of the tube; and a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel of each tube, wherein each optical fiber comprises: an optical core; cladding of a different refractive index than the optical core surrounding the core; a polymer coating layer surrounding the cladding; and a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the polymer coating layer, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous both circumferentially around the optical fiber and axially along the optical fiber for at least a length of 1 cm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 200 micrometers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness, T1ave, in micrometers of 1≤T1ave≤50. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the mass, m1, of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer in the contiguous layer of each optical fiber in milligrams per meter length of the optical fiber is 1≤m1≤200. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the mass, m1, of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer in the contiguous layer of each optical fiber in milligrams per meter length of the optical fiber is 1≤m1≤60. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1 wherein the channel of each tube has an inner diameter, BID, and a cross-sectional area, BID1XC, wherein a total cross-sectional area of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer inside each tube is a1total, and wherein 0.2%≤100% (a1total/BID1XC)≤10%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein the polymer coating of the optical fiber includes a colored section, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is translucent such that the colored section is visible through the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The optical cable of claim 8 wherein the transmittance of the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer at least one wavelength between 400-700 nm is between 0.2 and 1. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical cable of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of tubes includes at least six optical fibers, wherein the inner diameter of the tube is between 0.7 and 3 millimeters. ### Claim 11 An optical fiber cable component comprising: an optical fiber including an optical core and a cladding layer of a different refractive index than the optical core surrounding the core; an outer polymer layer located outside of and surrounding the optical fiber; and a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the outer polymer layer, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous circumferentially around the optical fiber and contiguous axially along the optical fiber for at least a length of 1 cm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The optical fiber cable component of claim 11 wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness in micrometers, T1ave, of 1≤T1ave≤50. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The optical fiber cable component of claim 11 wherein outer polymer layer is at least one of a buffer tube, a ribbon body, and an optical fiber coating layer surrounding and in contact with the cladding layer. ### Claim 14 A water resistant cable comprising: a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body; an elongate cable component located within the channel of the cable body; and a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the elongate cable component; wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous circumferentially around the elongate cable component and contiguous axially along the length of the elongate cable component for at least a length of 1 cm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The water resistant cable of claim 14 wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness in micrometers, T1ave, of 1≤T1ave≤50. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The water resistant cable of claim 14 wherein the elongate cable component is at least one of an optical fiber, a buffer tube and an optical fiber ribbon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The water resistant cable of claim 14 wherein the elongate cable component is an electrical conductor.