Optelecom, Inc.

James Clark

A fiber optic bundle is wound for inside payout and is provided with a housing, with flanges, which maintains compressive force on the windings, and the payout of optical fiber is controlled by a substantially cylindrical mandrel placed in the interior of the inside payout spool. The mandrel supports a small-diameter tube through which the optical fiber pays and places drag on the optical fiber. The drag placed on the optical fiber passing through the small-diameter tube may be increased by slightly bending the tube. The combination of mandrel and small-diameter tube combine to hold the fiber coils in place and supply a certain amount of payout tension on the optical fiber.

Method and apparatus for controlling optical fiber payout from the

A communication cable winding is disclosed which is protected from heat, turbulence and friction during unwinding by a plastic skirt which surrounds a portion of the winding on a spool or bobbin. An outer portion of the cable may also be provided with a protective overlayer which forms the outer layer of the winding not protected by the plastic skirt.

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Arlington, VA, United States of America

James Clark