Multiple fiber fusion splice protection sleeve

A splice protection sleeve for protecting spliced optical fiber ribbons, comprising:

• an outer tube made of heat shrinkable material shrunken by the application of heat;
• strength members contained within the outer tube;
• the strength members having uniformly shaped exterior surfaces abutting the outer tube and flat inner surfaces abutting a solidified melt-flow adhesive material;
• the solidified melt-flow adhesive material contained in the interstices between the outer tube, inner tube, strength members and spliced optical fiber ribbons securing and protecting the spliced optical fiber ribbons.

A method of protecting spliced optical fiber ribbons, comprising:

• insertion of optical fiber ribbons into a splice protection sleeve having an outer tube made of a heat shrinkable material, strength members having uniformly shaped exterior surfaces and flat inner surfaces contained within the outer tube, and an inner tube made of a melt-flow adhesive material positioned between the flat inner surfaces of the strength members;
• splicing of the optical fiber ribbons using a fusion splice process;
• heating of the splice protection sleeve causing the outer tube to shrink in a controlled manner exerting evenly distributed forces on the uniformly shaped exterior surfaces of the strength members, the flat inner surfaces of the strength members to exert evenly distributed forces on the inner tube and the inner tube to melt and flow into the interstices between the outer tube, inner tube, strength members and spliced optical fiber ribbons;
• cooling of the splice protection sleeve causing the melt-flow adhesive material to solidify.