High performance, flexible optical fiber furcation
AssigneeCorning Cable Systems LLC
InventorsKarl M. Wagner, Kenneth T. James
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention provides an apparatus and method for a high performance, flexible optical fiber furcation assembly that minimizes bending in the optical fibers throughout the life of the furcation assembly. The furcation assembly includes a flexible furcation body having a passageway with a first end and an opposed second end, the first end for receiving a fiber optic cable and the second end for routing a furcated leg, and holding material for flexibly securing and supporting the fiber optic cable and the furcated leg substantially within the single passageway. A method is provided for applying the furcation assembly to an optical cable. The apparatus and method of this invention apply to a variety of optical cable types.
Claims17
A furcation assembly comprising:
- a flexible furcation body having a first end and an opposed second end with a single passageway extending therebetween, the first end for receiving a portion of a fiber optic cable and the second end for routing at least one furcated leg of the fiber optic cable out of the furcation assembly;
- and
- holding means for flexibly holding and supporting the portion of the fiber optic cable and the at least one furcated leg substantially within the single passageway, such that the holding means minimizes bending of the portion of the fiber optic cable and the at least one furcated leg.
A furcation assembly comprising:
- a flexible furcation body having a single passageway with a first end and an opposed second end, the first end for receiving a portion of a fiber optic cable and the second end for routing a portion of at least one furcated leg of the fiber optic cable out of the furcation assembly;
- and
- holding means for flexibly holding and supporting the portion of the fiber optic cable and the at least one furcated leg within the single passageway.
A method of applying a furcation assembly to a fiber optic cable, comprising:
- preparing the fiber optic cable to be furcated;
- sliding a flexible furcation body over a first end of the fiber optic cable, the flexible furcation body having a first end and an opposed second end with a single passageway therebetween;
- and
- introducing a holding means into the furcation body, wherein the holding means flexible holds and supports a portion of the fiber optic cable and at least one furcated leg of the fiber optic cable substantially within the single passageway.
A method of routing a fiber optic cable in a furcation assembly, comprising the steps of:
- inserting a portion of a first end of the fiber optic cable into a flexible furcation body, the flexible furcation body having a first end and an opposed second end with a single passageway therebetween;
- exposing at least one optical fiber at the first end of the fiber optic cable;
- sliding the flexible furcation body over at least a portion of the at least one optical fiber and a portion of the first end of the fiber optic cable;
- and
- introducing a holding means into the flexible furcation body, wherein the holding means flexibly secures and supports at least a portion of the at least one optical fiber and a portion of the first end of the fiber optic cable substantially within the single passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.