Fiber retaining system
US6377735B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/44765
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for retaining and protecting spliced optical fibers that are part of cables that have ultra-high strength steel wires, in which the optical fibers are free to move within a sleeve inside of the wires. The apparatus includes a joint box having opposing longitudinal cable termination ends. The high-strength steel wires of each cable are attached to a respective cable termination end. At least one optical fiber from each cable extends through its respective cable termination end and is spliced together to form a continuous optical fiber. The fiber or fibers are restrained at locations on the continuous optical fiber spaced from the splice by winding portions of the fibers around a friction imparting element, such as a drum, that includes a curved outer surface. Tension forces applied to the fiber or fibers are transferred to the drum. This arrangement immobilizes the optical fibers inside the joint box at a position spaced from the splice so that forces applied to the optical fibers are isolated from the spliced section. Additionally, this arrangement eliminates the large amount of slack of optical fiber that is normally used in a joint box and prevents the spliced optica…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.