Distribution cable assembly having overmolded mid-span access location

A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:

• a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
• at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
• a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end;
• and
• a crush resistant tube for housing the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether;
• wherein a section of the distribution cable and the first end of the tether are overmolded with a flexible encapsulant material and wherein the crush resistant tube and the second end of the tether are overmolded with a flexible encapsulant material.

A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:

• a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
• at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
• a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end;
• and
• an optical connection terminal defining at least one optical connection node for receiving the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether;
• wherein a section of the distribution cable and the first end of the tether are overmolded with a flexible encapsulant material and wherein the optical connection terminal and the second end of the tether are overmolded with a flexible encapsulant material.

A fiber optic distribution cable assembly, comprising:

• a distribution cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers and at least one factory-prepared mid-span access location positioned along the length of the distribution cable;
• at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed and terminated from the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
• a tether comprising a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location and at least one optical fiber optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable, the tether terminating in a second end opposite the first end, wherein a flexible and encapsulant material is molded around a section of the distribution cable and the first end of the tether to secure the tether to the distribution cable;
• and
• a plurality of optical connection nodes for receiving the at least one optical fiber of the tether at the second end of the tether that are linked together to form a linear chain.

A process for manufacturing a fiber optic distribution cable assembly comprising a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a sheath and at least one predetermined mid-span access location and a tether having a first end attached to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location, the process comprising:

• removing a section of the sheath of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
• accessing at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
• terminating the at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed from the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
• optically connecting the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable to an optical fiber disposed within the tether;
• positioning the mid-span access location and the first end of the tether within an overmolding tool;
• and
• molding a flexible encapsulant material around the distribution cable and the first end of the tether at the mid-span access location to securely attach the tether to the distribution cable.

A method for mitigating a cable length error in a pre-engineered fiber optic communications network employing a fiber optic distribution cable assembly comprising a distribution cable having a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a sheath and at least one predetermined mid-span access location, the method comprising:

• removing a section of the sheath of the distribution cable at the mid-span access location;
• accessing at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the distribution cable within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
• terminating the at least one optical fiber of the distribution cable accessed within the section of the sheath removed from the distribution cable;
• optically connecting the at least one terminated optical fiber of the distribution cable to an optical fiber disposed within a tether having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
• attaching the first end of the tether to the distribution cable at the mid-span access location by
• deploying the distribution cable assembly in the pre-engineered fiber optic communications network;
• and
• positioning the second end of the tether at a desired location to compensate for the cable length error.