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US 8,525,031 B2Granted
Low cost, high performance flexible reinforcement for communications cable
AssigneeNeptco JV LLC
InventorsThomas P. Hager, Richard N. Lehman, James R. Priest
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low cost, high performance flexible reinforcement member that can be used for both optical and copper communications cable. The reinforcement members made according to the preferred process are more rigid than known reinforcement members, but are less rigid than glass pultruded rods. Communications cables utilizing these members are lightweight and exhibit an improved combination of strength and flexibility compared to traditional communications cables. Further, these communication cables may then be installed into underground ducts using more economical and faster installation techniques.
Claims19
A communications cable comprising:
- at least one optical fiber loose tube configured to contain one or more optical fibers;
- a plurality of optical fibers contained and arranged within the loose tube as at least one of:
- an optical fiber ribbon, one or more optical fiber bundles, and a plurality of individual optical fibers;
- at least one flexible reinforcement member surrounding the at least one loose tube, the flexible reinforcement member including:
- a) a plurality of sized high modulus fibers, the fibers arranged as a plurality of single filaments and/or as a plurality of strand bundles, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of some high modulus fibers are coated with a sizing composition;
- b) a primary saturant coupled to the high modulus fibers such that the primary saturant saturates and substantially fills interstices between the high modulus fibers, the primary saturant having a low molecular weight and a low melt viscosity with a melting point below approximately 300 degrees Celsius and a melt viscosity of less than approximately 1000 centipoise;
- and
- c) a high molecular weight polymer topcoat coupled to the primary saturant such that the topcoat surrounds but does not penetrate the primary saturant, the topcoat imparting adhesion properties to the reinforcement member, wherein the flexible reinforcement member includes a pull out force from polyethylene that is greater than about 46 pounds of force per about 0.5 inches of the reinforcement member embedded in polyethylene;
- and
- a sheath surrounding the at least one flexible reinforcement member and loose tube.
7 more elements
A communications cable comprising:
- at least one optical fiber loose tube configured to contain one or more optical fibers;
- a plurality of optical fibers contained and arranged within the loose tube as at least one of:
- an optical fiber ribbon, one or more optical fiber bundles, and a plurality of individual optical fibers;
- at least one flexible reinforcement member surrounding the at least one loose tube, the flexible reinforcement member including:
- a) a plurality of sized high modulus fibers, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of some high modulus fibers are coated with a sizing composition, the sized fibers arranged as a plurarity of single filaments, wherein the filaments are filamentized strands between about 10 to 25 microns in diameter, and/or as a plurality of strand bundles, wherein the bundles include filaments between about 10 to about 15 microns in diameter with 1000 to 3000 filaments per bundle;
- b) a primary saturant coupled to the high modulus fibers such that the primary saturant saturates and substantially fills interstices between the high modulus fibers, the primary saturant a low molecular weight and a low melt viscosity with a melting point below approximately 300 degrees Celsius and a melt viscosity of less than approximately 1000 centipose;
- and
- c) a high molecular weight polymer topcoat coupled to the primary saturant such that the topcoat surrounds but does not penetrate the primary saturant, the topcoat impairing adhesion properties to the reinforcement member;
- and
- a sheath surrounding the at least one flexible reinforcement member and loose tube.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.