Corning Cable Systems

Donald R Parris

Christopher Mark Quinn

William Carl Hurley

Michael John Gimblet

Craig Miller Conrad

David Wesley Chiasson

Chris M Quinn

A buffered optical waveguide includes an optical waveguide having a core, a cladding, and at least one coating and a buffer layer. The buffer layer being disposed around the optical waveguide for protecting the same so that the coupling/adhesion of the buffer layer is reduced. In one embodiment, at least one coating on the optical waveguides has an undulating profile for reducing contact area of the optical waveguide, thereby reducing coupling/adhesion of the buffer layer thereto. In another embodiment, the buffer layer has an internal profile with at least one recessed portion that extends along a longitudinal length of the buffer layer for reducing the contact area of the buffer layer for reducing coupling adhesion thereto. In preferred embodiments, the buffered optical waveguide is about 900 microns or smaller.

Buffered optical waveguides

A cable containing at least one optical fiber and at least one material. The at least one optical fiber being at least partially embedded within the at least one material, and the at least one material forming a housing that protects the at least one optical fiber. The at least one material having a Shore A hardness of about 75 or less.

Communication cable having a soft housing

A fiber optic cable having at least one optical fiber component disposed within at least one retention area of a support member. The support member includes metallic or dielectric materials having the retention area generally longitudinally formed therein relative to an axis of the cable. The cable can include a cable jacket substantially surrounding the support member. Additionally, the cable can include a cushioning zone adjacent the optical fiber component, a water-blocking component and/or an interfacial layer at least partially disposed between an outer surface of the support member and the cable jacket. The support member can have at least one bendable tab for at least partially covering the retention area.

High strength fiber optic cable

An improved self-supporting fiber optic cable is provided that includes a cable section having at least one optical fiber and a jacket surrounding the at least one optical fiber, and a support section having at least one strength member extending in a lengthwise direction and an overlying jacket that includes a number of jacket segments spaced lengthwise along the at least one strength member. As a result of the lengthwise spacing of the jacket segments, portions of the at least one strength member are at least partially exposed. The jackets of the cable and support sections are connected, such as by an intermittent web. A method for manufacturing a fiber optic cable having a support section with an intermittent or semi-intermittent jacket is also provided which relies upon the periodic extrusion of extrudate about the at least one strength member to form the jacket segments that are spaced apart in a lengthwise direction along the at least one strength member. Alternatively, a thin coating of jacket material can exist between jacket segments.

Self-supporting fiber optic cable having a support section with a non-uniform jacket

A fiber optic cable comprises a jacket defining an interior passageway therethrough, at least one optical fiber disposed in the interior passageway of the outer jacket, and a water blocking zone having, for example, a solid polymer foam material contacting and surrounding at least one optical fiber over at least a portion of a length thereof and filling a space between at least one optical fiber and the inner wall of the cable. The invention is applicable to many different configurations of fiber optic cables, including those having one or more buffer tubes containing the optical fiber(s) as well as cables without any buffer tube. The optical fibers can be in loose and unbundled form, in bundled arrangements, or in ribbonized form. The water blocking zone preferably is relatively soft and resilient, and can be in the form of discrete foamed or non-foamed portions spaced apart along the length of the cable.

Fiber optic cables with at least one water blocking zone

A cable containing at least one optical fiber within a tube, a space between the optical fiber and the tube and a filling material at least partially filling the space. The filling material contains thermoplastic polymeric molecules which have bonded to form a three-dimensional network substantially throughout said filling material.

Growing community of inventors

Newton, NC, United States of America

Donald R Parris