Use of water swellable yarns and particles in gel compound-filled buffer tubes and uniribbon fiber optic cables
US6654526B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 12, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/4411
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic buffer tube containing fiber optic ribbons centrally located within the buffer tube and a gel compound surrounding the fiber optic ribbons. Disposed within the gel compound, between the walls of the buffer tube and the fiber optic ribbons are water swellable yarns and/or particles. The water swellable yarns and/or particles volumetrically expand when in contact with water that has penetrated the buffer tube. The water swellable yarns/particles also provide greater surface area which helps to hold gel compound, at elevated temperature, within the tube and thus to prevent the fiber optic ribbons from coming into contact with the walls of the buffer tube, thereby preventing signal attenuation problems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.