Fiber optic ribbon

US9651754B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC · US

Inventors

• Seldon David Benjamin · Corning, US
• David Wesley Chiasson · Saskatoon, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 2016
• Grant date: May 16, 2017
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/4429
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A fiber optic ribbon includes optical fibers, each including a core surrounded by cladding, and edge bonding rigidly connecting the optical fibers to one. The ribbon further includes a stress-isolation layer surrounding the optical fibers and edge bonding, and a hardened shell surrounding the stress-isolation layer. The edge bonding mitigates independent movement of the optical fibers relative to one another within the stress-isolation layer. At 25° Celsius and at sea level, the Young's modulus of elasticity of the hardened shell is, on average, at least twice that of the stress-isolation layer. Accordingly, the hardened shell mitigates damage to the stress-isolation layer from external sources of wear, the stress-isolation layer cushions the optical fibers relative to external sources of stress and provides some flexibility to the optical fibers within the hardened shell, and the edge bonding mitigates attenuation of the optical fibers associated with fiber-on-fiber loading internal to the stress-isolation layer.