Self-supporting fiber optic cable and an apparatus and methods for making the same

Abstract

An apparatus and method for making a self-supporting fiber optic cable (40) having a messenger section (42) and a core section (44). The messenger section (42) and core section (44) include a jacket (47) that are interconnected by a series of webs (48) spaced by longitudinal gaps. The core section (44) includes a slotted core (45) having at least one slot with at least one optical fiber ribbon (46). Jacket (47) includes a substantially uniform cross sectional thickness. A method of making self-supporting fiber optic cable (40) comprises the steps of drawing the messenger wire (43) and the core (45) through a melt cavity including a molten jacketing material therein. Messenger section (42) and core section (44) are then defined by coating the messenger wire and the core with the molten jacketing material. Webs (48) are formed intermittently between the messenger and core sections (42,44). During the jacketing process, the pressure of the molten jacketing material is regulated so that the thickness of jacket (47) is substantially uniform along the length of self-supporting fiber optic cable (40).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.