Bonded array of transmission media

A bonded array of transmission media, which comprises:

• a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in an array with longitudinal axes thereof being substantially parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the array, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a color identification;
• and
• a curable matrix bonding material which fill interstices between adjacent fibers of said array and which extends to a periphery which envelopes said array with the thickness of the matrix bonding material contiguous to the optical fibers and extending from the optical fibers to the periphery as measured along radii of the optical fibers not exceeding a predetermined value, the modulus of said matrix bonding material at room temperature and its bonding to each color identified optical fiber being such as to hold together said array while allowing interfiber movement and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers upon the application of peeling forces between the matrix bonding material and an optical fiber without obfuscating the color identification of the optical fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the array.

An optical fiber ribbon, which comprises:

• a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in a parallel array in which adjacent fibers are substantially contiguous to each other and in which longitudinal axes of the optical fibers are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said array and disposed in a plane, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a colorant identification material;
• and
• a radiation curable matrix bonding material which fills interstices between adjacent fibers to bond together the optical fibers and which extends across the array of optical fibers with the thickness of the matrix bonding material extending beyond the optical fibers and as measured along radii of the optical fibers which are normal to said plane not exceeding about 25 .mu.m, said matrix bonding material having a modulus at room temperature and being bonded to said optical fibers such as hold together said array while allowing relative movement among the optical fibers and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers without obfuscating the color identification of the fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the ribbon.