At&t Bell Laboratories

At+t Corp.

Fitel USA Corporation

Parry A Moss

Terry D Mathis

Carla Green Wilson

James Robert Holman

Montri Viriyayuthakorn

Wayne McCall Newton

John W Shea

Mark I Shmukler

Artis Cornell Jenkins

Carla G Wilson

Eugene R Rusiecki

M Fred Marx

Mary J Presnell

Loinell Graham

A method, apparatus and system for improving reverse oscillating lay (ROL) consistency during an optical cable manufacturing process. A torque capstan receives an optical fiber cable from an ROL machine that places reverse-oscillating lay on the core of an optical cable, but also generates some undesirable fluctuating back-tension in a direction opposite a direction in which the optical fiber cable is being pulled during manufacturing of the optical cable. The optical cable comprises a plurality of subunit cables. A drive system coupled to the torque capstan is controlled by a control system in such a way that the torque capstan applies a certain amount of force to the optical cable in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the optical cable is being pulled during manufacturing. The certain amount of force applied to the optical fiber cable reduces undesirable fluctuating back-tension placed on the optical cable during the manufacturing process, thereby improving reverse oscillating lay (ROL) consistency, which improves the quality of the manufactured optical cables.

System for the reverse oscillating lay (ROL) consistency during the optical fiber cable manufacturing process

A simplex optical fiber cable includes an optical fiber, a buffer surrounding and in contact with the optical fiber, a layer of strength fibers disposed about the buffer, and a sheath member surrounding and in contact with the yarn layer. In cross section the cable has a diameter of less than 2.0 millimeters (mm) and thus is much smaller in diameter than optical fiber cables presently available. Preferably, if the buffer is relatively thin a slick substance is applied to the outer surface of the buffer to allow the buffer and the strength fiber layer to slide relation to each other. If the buffer is relatively thick, a friction-reducing substance can be applied to the optical fiber to facilitate stripping of the buffer from the fiber a duplex optical fiber cable includes two simplex optical fiber cables having their respective sheaths joined to produce a figure-eight configuration. A second duplex optical fiber cable includes two simplex optical fiber cables arranged side-by-side and an oversheath surrounds both cables.

Sub-miniature optical fiber cables, and apparatuses and methods for making the sub-miniature optical fiber cables

An optical fiber cable (20) includes a core (22) which includes a plurality of bundles (31, 31 ) of optical fiber (24) and a yarn-like strength member system (35) which is wrapped with an oscillated or unidirectional lay about the optical fibers. The strength member system also provides impact resistance for the fibers. A jacket (40) which may include a flame-resistant plastic material encloses the core with the outer diameter of the jacket being substantially less than that of typical optical fiber cables. Portions of the strength member system contact an inner surface of the jacket, an outer surface of which is the outer surface of the cable.

Utility optical fiber cable

A hybrid optical fiber, copper conductor transmission media cable (20) which is suitable for use in local area network application includes a core (22) comprising two arrays (25,40) of longitudinally extending portions. One array (25) includes optical fibers disposed between two strength members (27--27) whereas the other array comprises metallic conductors (42--42). Each array includes a matrix material (30,45) in which the longitudinally extending portions are enclosed with adjacent portions being connected by a web (32,47). The two arrays are enclosed by a jacket (50) which has an oval shaped configuration. The configuration of component portions of the cable as well as the materials thereof are determined to cause the neutral axis of bending to be in a desired location which minimizes losses in the transmission media.

Composite cable including portions having controlled flexural rigidities

A buffered optical fiber (20) includes an optical fiber (21) comprising a core and a cladding. Typically, the optical fiber is enclosed by at least one layer (23) of coating material. The optical fiber is enclosed by a plastic buffer layer (30). Interposed between the optical fiber and the buffer layer is a decoupling material (40) which provides a controlled coupling of the buffer layer to the underlying coating material. As a result, there is sufficient adhesion between the buffer layer and the underlying coating material to maintain the buffer layer in place during normal use of the buffered optical fiber. On the other hand, the adhesion is low enough so that the buffer layer may be removed upon the application of resonably low stripping forces. Advantageously, the decoupling material also allows the selective removal of the optical fiber coating material as well as the plastic buffer layer.

Buffered optical fiber having a strippable buffer layer

Growing community of inventors

Stone Mountain, GA, United States of America

Parry A Moss