Tyco Telecommunications (us) Inc.

Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC

Tycom (us) Inc.

Maurice E Kordahi

Steven Bernstein

Robert K Stix

Tony S Fong

William Edmund Girzone

Jeremiah A Mendez

David A Giordano

James S Jackson

Tek-Che Chu

Tat Chiu Lee

A conductive water blocking material and an optical fiber cable and method of constructing an optical fiber cable including the same. The cable includes at least one optical fiber and strength members disposed around the fiber. A conductor is disposed around the strength members. The conductive water blocking material includes a carrier material and conductive metallic particles and is provided in strength member interstices defined by the strength members.

Conductive water blocking material including metallic particles and an optical cable and method of constructing an optical cable including the same

A multiple conductor optical cable may be coupled to an undersea device, such as a cable joint, branching unit, or repeater, with one or more isolated bypass conductive paths being provided across the undersea device. At least one conductor may be terminated within a housing of the undersea device and at least one conductor may be coupled to a conductive bridge member that provides the isolated bypass conductive path across the device. Multiple conductor optical cables may be coupled to undersea devices in optical networks using independent power paths, for example, to deliver power to different powered components at different voltage potentials.

Coupling multiple conductor undersea optical cables to an undersea device with an isolated bypass conductive path across the undersea device

An optical cable shield layer connection may include a wire electrically connected to a shield layer of an optical cable. The optical cable shield layer connection may also be sealed, for example, to prevent leak paths. The optical cable shield layer connection may be made when coupling the optical cable to a device or another cable, for example, using a universal joint such as the Millennia&#xae; Joint available from Tyco Telecommunications (U.S.) Inc. The wire may provide a ground path from the shield layer or a continuity path from the shield layer to another optical cable.

Optical cable shield layer connection

An undersea equipment housing includes an inner housing, molded terminations secured at each end of the inner housing, and an outer strength housing. In one embodiment, the housing is used to house optical and electrical equipment, for example, in a repeater. The undersea equipment housing may also include a molded portion around an inside of the inner housing. The molded portion and the molded terminations provide voltage isolation.

Undersea equipment housing with molded terminations

A multiple hinged tray cable connecting joint includes a plurality of fiber trays pivotably coupled between sockets connected to fiber optic cables. The fiber trays can be positioned in a fiber loading position in which the fiber is spliced and coiled into the tray. The fiber trays can then be pivoted to a fiber storage position.

Multiple hinged tray cable connecting joint and method of using same

A gas blocking device is used in an optical fiber repeater or other device to prevent the passage of gas, for example, to prevent nitrogen from escaping from a pressurized housing through a fiber holding tube or pigtail. The gas blocking device includes a fiber containing body, a fiber organizing insert, and a locking member securing the insert to one end of the body. The fiber containing body is attached to one end of the fiber holding tube. The fibers extend from the fiber holding tube through a passageway in the body, and each of the fibers extends through a fiber receiving hole in the fiber organizing insert. The insert engages the body such that the insert is prevented from rotating with respect to the body and the fibers are protected against microbending and other damage. A material, such as hot melt glue, fills at least a portion of the body and surrounds the fibers to block the gas from entering the fiber holding tube.

Gas blocking device for optical fiber repeater

A cable termination arrangement is used to terminate cables, such as armored fiber optic cables, to a connecting structure, such as a cable joint or coupling. Strength members, such as aramid rods, extending along the cable are terminated with radial termination members, such as crimping ferrules. The radial termination members extend into a termination cavity within the connecting structure and are spaced substantially equally, for example, using separators. An epoxy or other suitable retaining material encases the radial termination members, strength members, and separators.

Cable termination arrangement

An apparatus for retaining and protecting spliced optical fibers. Optical fibers forming an extensive network, extending a great distance, are spliced together to provide the communication medium for the network. The apparatus includes a joint box for protecting the splices. Within the joint box is at least one arcuate-shaped splice retainer. The retainer secures the splices in a static position to prevent them from being damaged. Also, the retainer may include more than one arcuate layers for storing the splices. The arcuate layers organize the splices, so they are readily identifiable and accessible. In addition, the arcuate layers make efficient use of the limited space available for storing the splices. The joint box includes a center shelf longitudinally dividing the joint box into two compartments. To accommodate more splices, an arcuate retainer may be provided in each compartment by mounting an arcuate retainer on each side of the shelf.

System for storing splices in a joint box

An optical fiber holding structure is used to restrain high fiber count fibers or to provide splice protection in a cable joint. Layers of fibers are inserted between a compliant splint member and a semi-rigid splint member, which are positioned within an outer gripping tube such as a heat shrink tube. Optionally, an internal support can be positioned between the layers of fibers. The assembly is heated causing the heat shrink tube to apply a gripping force to the splint members and fibers supported therebetween. Where more than two layers of fibers are being restrained, internal supports can be positioned between each of the fiber layers. One type of internal support includes a rigid beam coated with a compliant material.

Optical fiber holding structure and method of making same

Sealed cable connections can be used to connect first and second cables to a sealed cable joint. The sealed cable connection at one end of the sealed cable joint includes a cable socket body positioned within an inner region of a housing. The cable socket body includes a passageway receiving one of the cables. A seal securing member is positioned within the inner region of the housing and secured into contact with the cable socket body. At least one seal, such as a resilient metal seal, is compressed between the cable socket body and the seal securing member to seal against the inner surface of the housing. The sealed cable connection can also include a cable seal positioned around the cable and within the passageway of the cable socket body.

Sealed cable connection

A multi-body modular repeater system is capable of accommodating an increased number of fibers in an undersea fiber optic system. The system includes at least two repeater bodies connected in tandem with fiber optic cables coupled to the ends of the series of repeater bodies. A first plurality of optical fibers is amplified in one of the repeater bodies and a second plurality of fibers is amplified in the other repeater body connected in tandem. When the number of fibers in the fiber optic cable system is further increased, another repeater body may be added to accommodate the circuitry needed to amplify the additional fibers. In one embodiment, the repeater body housings are coupled together using an articulating joint that allows angular deflection of the repeater body housings while substantially preventing circumferential rotation of the repeater body housings with respect to one another. The articulating joint preferably allows angular deflection about at least two axes. One preferred type of articulating joint includes a connecting member coupled to each of the repeater body housings using a gimbal connection.

Multi-body modular repeater system and articulated housing for use therewith

An apparatus for retaining and protecting spliced optical fibers that are part of cables that have ultra-high strength steel wires, in which the optical fibers are free to move within a sleeve inside of the wires. The apparatus includes ajoint box having opposing longitudinal cable termination ends. The high-strength steel wires of each cable are attached to a respective cable termination end. At least one optical fiber from each cable extends through its respective cable termination end and is spliced together to form a continuous optical fiber. The fiber or fibers are splinted and potted at locations longitudinally spaced from the splice to form ferrules. A central portion or shelf of the joint box includes fiber retaining devices which take the form of ferrule retainer assemblies. The ferrule retainer assemblies have a trough that contains and restrains a respective ferrule.

Fiber retaining system

A connector for a cable repeater includes a repeater including a joint having two mutually perpendicular and intersecting axes of rotation at one end thereof. A coupling includes a joint having two mutually perpendicular and intersecting axes of rotation. A first connecting link is pivotally connected at a first end thereof to the repeater joint and secured at a second end thereof to the coupling. A second connecting link is pivotally connected at a first end thereof to the coupling joint and secured at a second end thereof to a length of optical fiber cable. In preferred embodiments, a bend limiting device is provided at the end of the length of cable, with the second connecting link being secured at its second end to the bend limiting device.

Cable repeater connecting joint

An apparatus for retaining and protecting spliced optical fibers that are part of cables that have ultra-high strength steel wires, in which the optical fibers are free to move within a sleeve inside of the wires. The apparatus includes a joint box having opposing longitudinal cable termination ends. The high-strength steel wires of each cable are attached to a respective cable termination end. At least one optical fiber from each cable extends through its respective cable termination end and is spliced together to form a continuous optical fiber. The fiber or fibers are restrained at locations on the continuous optical fiber spaced from the splice by winding portions of the fibers around a friction imparting element, such as a drum, that includes a curved outer surface. Tension forces applied to the fiber or fibers are transferred to the drum. This arrangement immobilizes the optical fibers inside the joint box at a position spaced from the splice so that forces applied to the optical fibers are isolated from the spliced section. Additionally, this arrangement eliminates the large amount of slack of optical fiber that is normally used in a joint box and prevents the spliced optical fibers inside the joint box from moving in and out of their cables.

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Atlantic Highlands, NJ, United States of America

Maurice E Kordahi