Optical cable with dry core and dry buffer tubes

US8660394B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• PRYSMIAN COMMUNICATION CABLES AND SYSTEMS USA, LLC · US

Inventors

• Ben H. Wells · Irmo, US
• John R. Sach · Lexington, US
• Martin Hanchard · Irmo, US
• Grant M. N. Davidson · Eindhoven, NL

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 9, 2008
• Grant date: Feb 25, 2014
• Expiry date: Dec 16, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/4486
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical fiber cable includes at least one buffer tube that includes a plurality of water-blocking plugs and an optical fiber. The water-blocking plugs can be spaced along the buffer tubes, substantially filling the cross-sectional space within the buffer tube not already filled by the optical fiber. The water-blocking plugs can provide a stronger bond between the optical fibers and the inner tube. This is reflected by a high normalized pullout force for the optical fiber, such as, above 5.0 N/m. Yet, the resulting fiber optic cable does not suffer from problems associated with a higher pullout force, such as attenuation.