Polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer buffer tubes for optical fiber cables and method for making the same
US5761362A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 19, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 2, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 19, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4484
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A buffer tube for an optical fiber cable is made from a polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer resin having nucleating agents and filler materials disbursed therein. The nucleating agents and filler materials improve compression-tension resistance and thermal expansion properties of the polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer buffer tube (32). A non-armored cable structure incoporates the present invention and is generally indicated by the numeral (30). This structure includes a single, large, gel-filled buffer tube (32) made of a polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer at least incorperating a nucleating agent. The gel in the buffer tube is a thioxotropic, water-blockable gel. The gel-filled buffer tube (32) contains a plurality of optical fibers (34). Radial strength yarns (36), made from either aramid, polyethylene, polyester, or fiberglass materials, are contra-helically stranded around the buffer tube (32) and impregnated with filling compounds such as a petroleum based hot melt filling compound. Two metallic or dielectric strength members (38) are located 180 degrees apart on the outside of the radial strength yarns (36). A high strength rip cord (40) is applied over the radial stren…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.