Patent · US Expired

Optical cable with improved strength

US4784461A · kind A · utility

71Cited by
6References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1987
Grant dateNov 15, 1988
Priority date—
Expiry dateMar 17, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/4489
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Optical cable having a central core with grooves along the outside, the grooves housing tubes containing optical fibers. The grooves are inclined to the core axis and preferably are sinusoidal in that they extend around the core in each direction while extending axially and do not complete a revolution around the core before changing direction. In preferred structures, the tubes contact around a concave base surface of the grooves or contact opposing groove walls. In addition, the tubes provide greater strength if they are in a load transmitting relationship with a metal sheath if there is one. The structure also allows for a different water blocking material to be used within the tubes than outside the tubes and within the grooves so as to satisfy different property requirements.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.