Precision length fiber optic cable
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorsDavid John ANDERSON, Paul SCHNEIDER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber optic cable with a defined length of at least 300 meters, including a fiber extension cable with a first length between a first connectorized end and a second end, and a fiber pigtail cable with a second length between a third end and a fourth connectorized end. The initial combined length of both cables exceeds the defined cable length. The fiber extension cable and/or the fiber pigtail cable is trimmed, and the second end of the fiber extension cable is spliced to the third end of the fiber pigtail cable to achieve the defined cable length within a defined tolerance.
Claims28
A fiber optic cable having a defined cable length of at least 50 meters, the fiber optic cable comprising:
- a fiber extension cable having a first length extending between a first connectorized end and a second end, wherein a length of the fiber extension cable between the first connectorized end and the second end is determined by a time-of-flight process in which an observed travel time for an optical signal traversing from the first connectorized end to the second end is multiplied by a velocity of the optical signal;
- a fiber pigtail cable having a second length extending between a third end and a fourth connectorized end,
- wherein an initial combined length of the fiber extension cable and the fiber pigtail cable exceeds the defined cable length, wherein at least one of the fiber extension cable in proximity to the second end or the fiber pigtail cable in proximity to the third end is trimmed, and wherein the second end of the fiber extension cable is spliced to the third end of the fiber pigtail cable, and wherein a resulting combined length of the fiber extension cable and the fiber pigtail cable equals the defined cable length within a tolerance of 0.1% of the defined cable length.
A method for producing a fiber optic cable, comprising:
- defining a cable length of at least 50 meters;
- providing a fiber extension cable having a first length extending between a first connectorized end and a second end;
- determining a length of the fiber extension cable between the first connectorized end and the second end, wherein the length of the fiber extension cable is determined by a time-of-flight process in which an observed travel time for an optical signal traversing from the first connectorized end to the second end is multiplied by a velocity of the optical signal;
- providing a fiber pigtail cable having a second length extending between a third end and a fourth connectorized end, wherein an initial combined length of the fiber extension cable and the fiber pigtail cable exceeds the defined cable length;
- cutting at least one of the fiber extension cable in proximity to the second end or the fiber pigtail cable in proximity to the third end;
- splicing the second end of the fiber extension cable to the third end of the fiber pigtail cable, wherein a resulting combined length of the fiber extension cable and the fiber pigtail cable equals the defined cable length within a tolerance of 0.1% of the defined cable length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.