Fiber optic cable system including main and drop cables and associated fabrication method

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• and
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction and devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, said fiber guide means comprising an elongate tube having a longitudinally extending slot therein for receiving therein said at least one spliced together fiber portion, and tube securing means for securing said elongate tube to said main cable.

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location, said fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and wherein a longitudinally extending portion of said sheath is removed from said main cable and defines first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along said main cable;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction and devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, and said splice closure comprising a heat recoverable housing surrounding said main cable substantially between said first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• said splice closure further comprising a heat shield layer underlying said heat recoverable housing for protecting said fiber guide means when heating said housing.

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location, said fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and wherein a longitudinally extending portion of said sheath is removed from said main cable and defines first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along said main cable;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber Of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction and devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, and said splice closure comprising a heat recoverable housing surrounding said main cable substantially between said first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• said splice closure further comprising sealing means contained within said heat recoverable housing adjacent respective first and second cable sheath end portions for sealing same, and wherein said sealing means comprises first and second masses of heat flowable material adjacent respective first and second cable sheath end portions.

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• and
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations, said fiber guide means, comprising an elongate tube having a length substantially corresponding to a length of said at least one spliced together fiber portion and a width to guide the at least one spliced together fiber portion such that it must be devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, and said splice closure having dimensions smaller than sufficient to accommodate the minimum bend radius of a slack coil of optical fiber,

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• and
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations, said fiber guide means comprising an elongate tube having a length substantially corresponding to a length of said at least one spliced together fiber portion and a width to guide the at least one spliced together fiber portion devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, said elongate tube having a longitudinally extending slot therein for receiving therein said at least one spliced together fiber portion, and wherein said fiber guide means further comprises tube securing means for securing said elongate tube to said main cable.

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location, said fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and wherein a longitudinally extending portion of said sheath is removed from said main cable and defines first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along said main cable;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations, said fiber guide means comprising an elongate tube having a length substantially corresponding to a length of said at least one spliced together fiber portion and a width to guide the at least one spliced together fiber portion devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, and said splice closure further comprising a heat recoverable housing surrounding said main cable substantially between said first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• said splice closure further comprising a heat shield layer underlying said heat recoverable housing for protecting said fiber guide means when heating said housing.

A fiber optic cable system comprising:

• a fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube having an opening at a first location, and at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending through the opening at the first location, said fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and wherein a longitudinally extending portion of said sheath is removed from said main cable and defines first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along said main cable;
• a fiber optic drop cable having an end secured to said main cable at a second location downstream from the first location, said fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from the end of said drop cable, the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said drop cable being spliced together with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of said main cable thereby defining at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• a splice closure extending between the first and second locations and surrounding the at least one spliced together fiber portion and said main cable, said splice closure comprising fiber guide means for guiding the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent said main cable in a generally longitudinal direction extending adjacent said main cable between the first and second locations, said fiber guide means comprising an elongate tube having a length substantially corresponding to a length of said at least one spliced together fiber portion and a width to guide the at least one spliced together fiber portion devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, and said splice closure further comprising a heat recoverable housing surrounding said main cable substantially between said first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• said splice closure further comprising sealing means contained within said heat recoverable housing adjacent respective first and second cable sheath end portions for sealing same, and wherein said sealing means comprises first and second masses of heat flowable material adjacent respective first and second cable sheath end portions.

A method for making a fiber optic cable system of the type having a fiber optic main cable and a fiber optic drop cable connected thereto, the fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube and at least one optical fiber contained therein, the fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable, said method comprising the steps of:

• withdrawing an end portion of the at least one optical fiber outwardly from the buffer tube at a first location along the main cable;
• splicing together the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the drop cable with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the main cable to form at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• and
• securing the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent the main cable in a generally longitudinally extending direction so that the at least one spliced together fiber portion must be devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber and has dimensions smaller than sufficient to accommodate the minimum bend radius of a slack coil thereof.

A method for making a fiber optic cable system of the type having a fiber optic main cable and a fiber optic drop cable connected thereto, the fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube and at least one optical fiber contained therein, the fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable, said method comprising the steps of:

• withdrawing an end portion of the at least one optical fiber outwardly from the buffer tube at a first location along the main cable;
• splicing together the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the drop cable with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the main Cable to form at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• and
• securing the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent the main cable in a generally longitudinally extending direction so that the at least one spliced together fiber portion is devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber, said securing step including positioning a fiber guide extending in a generally longitudinal direction adjacent the main cable between the first and second locations thereof, the fiber guide comprising an elongate tube having a longitudinally extending slot therein, and positioning the at least one spliced together end portion through the longitudinal slot of the elongate tube.

A method for making a fiber optic cable system of the type having a fiber optic main cable and a fiber optic drop cable connected thereto, the fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube and at least one optical fiber contained therein, the fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable, said method comprising the steps of:

• withdrawing an end portion of the at least one optical fiber outwardly from the buffer tube at a first location along the main cable, the fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and further comprising the step of removing a longitudinally extending portion of the sheath defining first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along the main cable;
• splicing together the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the drop cable with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the main cable to form at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• securing the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent the main cable in a generally longitudinally extending direction so that the at least one spliced together fiber portion is devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber;
• positioning a heat recoverable housing extending along and surrounding the main cable between the first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• positioning a heat shield layer underlying the heat recoverable housing.

A method for making a fiber optic cable system of the type having a fiber optic main cable and a fiber optic drop cable connected thereto, the fiber optic main cable comprising a buffer tube and at least one optical fiber contained therein, the fiber optic drop cable comprising at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable, said method comprising the steps of:

• withdrawing an end portion of the at least one optical fiber outwardly from the buffer tube at a first location along the main cable, the fiber optic main cable having an outer sheath, and further comprising the step of removing a longitudinally extending portion of the sheath defining first and second cable sheath end portions adjacent respective first and second locations along the main cable;
• splicing together the end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the drop cable with an end portion of the at least one optical fiber of the main cable to form at least one spliced together fiber portion;
• securing the at least one spliced together fiber portion adjacent the main cable in a generally longitudinally extending direction so that the at least one spliced together fiber portion is devoid of a slack coil of optical fiber;
• positioning a heat recoverable housing extending along and surrounding the main cable between the first and second cable sheath end portions;
• and
• sealing the first and second cable sheath end portions by positioning respective bodies of heat flowable material surrounding the main cable adjacent the first and second cable sheath end portions, and heating the heat recoverable housing to shrink the housing and cause the bodies of heat flowable material to melt and flow thereby filling voids underlying the heat recoverable housing adjacent respective first and second cable sheath end portions.