Fiber optic cable assembly with furcation and method of making same

A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:

• a fiber optic cable including a plurality of cable optical fibers and a protective jacket surrounding the plurality of cable optical fibers, wherein a portion of the protective jacket has been removed adjacent an end of the fiber optic cable to define an exposed portion of the plurality cable optical fibers, the exposed portion of the plurality of cable optical fibers defining a free end of each cable optical fiber in the plurality of cable optical fibers;
• a plurality of pre-manufactured connector assemblies, each connector assembly including at least one assembly optical fiber and an optical connector coupled to the at least one assembly optical fiber, wherein each assembly optical fiber has a first end and a second end, and wherein each optical connector is coupled to the second end or second ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber;
• a splicing region where the free ends of each of the plurality of cable optical fibers is spliced to the first end of a respective one of the assembly optical fibers;
• a furcation housing having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein the plurality of cable optical fibers extends through the first end of the furcation housing, the plurality of connector assemblies extends through the second end of the furcation housing, and the splicing region is positioned in the internal passage;
• a slidable inlet fanout tube having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein the first end of the inlet fanout tube receives the fiber optic cable and the second end of the inlet fanout tube is coupled to the first end of the furcation housing, and wherein the inlet fanout tube is slid over and covers a section of the exposed portion of the plurality of cable optical fibers that extends beyond the furcation housing;
• and
• a bonding agent in the furcation housing to secure the plurality of cable optical fibers and the plurality of connector assemblies to the furcation housing.

A kit for furcating a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of cable optical fibers, comprising:

• a slidable inlet fanout tube having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein the inlet fanout tube is sized so as to receive the fiber optic cable therethrough and be slidable along an outer surface of the fiber optic cable;
• a slidable furcation housing having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein the furcation housing is sized so as to receive the fiber optic cable therethrough and be slidable along an outer surface of the fiber optic cable;
• a plurality of pre-manufactured connector assemblies, each connector assembly including at least one assembly optical fiber and an optical connector coupled to the at least one assembly optical fiber, wherein each assembly optical fiber has a first end and a second end, and wherein each optical connector is coupled to the second end or second ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber;
• and
• a plurality of outlet fanout tubes each having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein each of the outlet fanout tubes is sized so as to receive a respective one of the plurality of connector assemblies therethrough and be slidable along an outer surface of the respective connector assembly.

A method of furcating an end of a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of cable optical fibers, the method comprising:

• removing a protective jacket from the fiber optic cable adjacent the end of the fiber optic cable to define an exposed portion of the plurality of cable optical fibers carried by the fiber optic cable, the exposed portion of the plurality of cable optical fibers defining a free end of each cable optical fiber in the plurality of cable optical fibers;
• providing a plurality of pre-manufactured connector assemblies, each connector assembly including at least one assembly optical fiber, an optical connector coupled to the at least one assembly optical fiber, and an assembly jacket surrounding the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber, wherein each assembly optical fiber has a first end and a second end, and wherein each optical connector is coupled to the second end or second ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber;
• positioning respective outlet fanout tubes on each of the connector assemblies at a location spaced from the first end or first ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber;
• splicing each of the free ends of the cable optical fibers to the first end of a respective one of the assembly optical fibers to form a splicing region;
• repositioning the outlet fanout tubes along the respective connector assemblies so that an end of each of the outlet fanout tubes is positioned in the furcation housing;
• and
• supplying a bonding agent to the furcation housing to secure the plurality of cable optical fibers and the plurality of connector assemblies to the furcation housing.

A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:

• a fiber optic cable including a plurality of cable optical fibers and a protective jacket surrounding the plurality of cable optical fibers, wherein a portion of the protective jacket has been removed adjacent an end of the fiber optic cable to define an exposed portion of the plurality cable optical fibers, the exposed portion of the plurality of cable optical fibers defining a free end of each cable optical fiber in the plurality of cable optical fibers;
• a plurality of pre-manufactured connector assemblies, each connector assembly including at least one assembly optical fiber, an optical connector coupled to the at least one assembly optical fiber, and an assembly jacket surrounding the at least one assembly optical fiber, wherein:
• each assembly optical fiber has a first end and a second end;
• each optical connector is coupled to the second end or second ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber;
• and
• a portion of the assembly jacket of each connector assembly has been removed adjacent the first end or first ends of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber to define an exposed portion of the at least one optical fiber;
• a plurality of outlet fanout tubes each having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween;
• a splicing region where the free ends of each of the plurality of cable optical fibers is spliced to the first end of a respective one of the assembly optical fibers;
• a slidable furcation housing having a first end, a second end, and an internal passage extending therebetween, wherein:
• the plurality of cable optical fibers extends through the first end of the furcation housing, the plurality of connector assemblies extends through the second end of the furcation housing, and the splicing region is positioned in the internal passage;
• the first end of each outlet fanout tube in the plurality of outlet fanout tubes is positioned in the slidable furcation housing by sliding the slidable furcation housing over the splicing region, and the second end of each outlet fanout tube in the plurality of outlet fanout tubes receives a respective one of the plurality of connector assemblies;
• each outlet fanout tube in the plurality of outlet fanout tubes covers a section of the exposed portion of the corresponding at least one assembly optical fiber that extends beyond the furcation housing;
• and
• a bonding agent in the furcation housing to secure the plurality of cable optical fibers and the plurality of connector assemblies to the furcation housing.