Optical tube assembly having a dry insert and methods of making the same
AssigneeCorning Cable Systems LLC
InventorAlan T. Parsons
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical tube assembly and method of manufacture include at least one optical waveguide, at least one dry insert that generally surrounds the at least one optical waveguide, and a tube. The dry insert includes a tape and at least one filament attached to the tape, thereby forming a plurality of loops. In preferred embodiments, either the tape or the at least one filament of the dry insert has a water-swellable component. Additionally, the optical tube assembly may be a portion of a fiber optic cable.
Claims45
An optical tube assembly comprising:
- a tube;
- at least one optical waveguide, the optical waveguide being disposed in the tube;
- and
- a dry insert, the dry insert comprising a tape and at least one filament attached to the tape so that the at least one filament forms a plurality of loops on the tape, the dry insert being disposed adjacent to the at least one optical waveguide and coupling the at least optical waveguide with the tube while maintaining an optical attenuation below about 0.3 dB/km.
An optical tube assembly comprising:
- a tube, the tube having an interior surface;
- at least one optical waveguide, the optical waveguide being disposed in the tube;
- and
- a dry insert, the dry insert is disposed adjacent to the at least one optical waveguide and comprises a tape and at least one filament attached to the tape, thereby forming a plurality of loops with the filament on the tape, wherein either the tape or the at least one filament has a water-swellable component and the dry insert is compressed at least 10 percent for coupling the at least one waveguide to the interior surface of the tube.
An optical tube assembly comprising:
- a tube, the tube having an interior surface;
- at least one optical waveguide, the optical waveguide being disposed in the tube;
- and
- a dry insert, the dry insert comprising a tape and at least one filament attached to the tape to form a plurality of loops on the tape, wherein the dry insert and the at least one optical waveguide form a core disposed within the tube, the core having a pull-out force between about 0.2 N/m and about 5.0 N/m for a 100 meter length.
A method of manufacturing an optical tube assembly comprising:
- paying off at one optical waveguide;
- placing a dry insert adjacent to the at least one optical waveguide, thereby forming a dry core, wherein the dry insert comprises a tape and at least one filament attached to the tape so that the at least one filament forms a plurality of loops on the tape;
- and
- extruding a tube around the dry core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.