Pirelli General Plc

Prysmian S.p.a.

Prysmian Cables & Systems Limited

Pirelli S.p.a.

Prysmian Telecom Cables and Systems UK Limited

Draka Compteq France Sas

Nortel Networks Corporation

Ralph Sutehall

Martin Vincent Davies

Ian Dewi Lang

Paul John Roberts

Roger John Pike

John Kerry

Jason Pedder

Mark Richard Mason

Martin Davies

Jean-Pierre Bonicel

Nathan Paddick

Massimo Pizzorno

Davide Ceschiat

Simon James Frampton

Malcolm Owen Jones

Lee Anthony Spicer

Russell Baker

Roger Pike

Mark Attwell

Matthew John Todd

Patrick Briggs

John Garth Lamb

Sam Armitage

Andrew Summers

Susanna Santamaria

Katarzyna Jaworska

It is disclosed a method for coupling an optical fiber to a fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable comprising a sheath surrounding an optical core comprising a buffer tube, the optical fiber being loosely contained in the buffer tube. The method comprises: cutting the sheath for a predetermined length thereof and exposing a corresponding portion of the optical core extending outward beyond a butt of the cut sheath; cutting the buffer tube of the exposed optical core and exposing a portion of the optical fiber; using a blocking tube to at least partially surround a section of the exposed portion of the optical fiber; and injecting a sealant into the blocking tube to lock the optical fiber within the blocking tube and couple the optical fiber to the fiber optic cable.

Blocking an optical fiber in a fiber optic cable

A method of installing a cable through a duct by blowing the cable with a stream of compressed air. The method comprises dispersing a nebulized lubricant in the stream of compressed air, causing the stream of compressed air to deposit the nebulized lubricant onto the cable and to blow it into the duct. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for installation of cables by blowing and using an upstream lubricator

An optical cable comprising an optical core and an external sheath surrounding the optical core, wherein the external sheath comprises an inner layer circumferentially enclosing the optical core and an outer layer circumferentially enclosing the inner layer and comprising at least one longitudinal cavity accessible from outside the external sheath and extending through at least a portion of the outer layer thickness. The inner and outer layers of the external sheath are made of a first material having a first tensile strength, while the cavities in the outer layer are filled with a second material having a second tensile strength lower than the first tensile strength.

Optical cable for terrestrial networks

It is disclosed a cable assembly comprising a common figure-8 outer jacket comprising a first lobe and a second lobe, wherein the first lobe surrounds an electric core with a relevant first extruded inner sheath housing a strength member; and the second lobe surrounds an optical core with a relevant second extruded inner sheath.

Aerial optical and electric cable assembly

An optical fiber unit for air-blown installations includes a number of optical conductors, a first layer of resin material, a second layer of resin material radially outer to the first layer of resin material and a sheath of a thermoplastic material, wherein the second layer of resin material has a secant modulus higher than a secant modulus of the first layer of resin material and wherein the sheath of thermoplastic material is over and in close contact with the second layer of resin material.

High installation performance blown optical fibre unit, manufacturing method and apparatus

An optical cable includes an optical core and an external sheath surrounding the optical core. The external sheath includes a first material having a first, higher fracture toughness and a second material having a second, lower fracture toughness. The first and second materials are arranged so that the second, lower fracture toughness material is accessible from outside the cable along at least one longitudinally extending area of the sheath outer surface. For accessing the optical core of the cable, a short longitudinal cut, namely, few centimeters, is made with a blade in the accessible second, lower fracture toughness material. Then, its cut edges are pulled apart by hand. The pulling force causes the lower fracture toughness material to fracture, thereby propagating the initial short cut longitudinally along the sheath through its whole thickness.

An optical fiber unit for air-blown installations includes a plurality of optical fiber sub-units and a central member, wherein the optical fiber sub-units are stranded around the central member; wherein each of the optical fiber sub-units includes a number of optical fibers, an inner layer which is radially outer to the optical fibers, and an outer layer which is radially outer to the inner layer, wherein the outer layer includes particulate material which is partially embedded into the outer layer; and wherein the optical fiber unit further includes a binder for keeping the stranded optical fiber sub-units in a proper arrangement.

High fibre count blown optical fibre unit and method of manufacturing

An optical cable includes an optical core and sheath enclosing the optical core. The optical core includes a number of optical units having respective colors and being wound about a longitudinal axis of the cable. The sheath includes at least one non opaque longitudinal section through which a sequence of colors of the optical units is visible from outside the cable. The color sequence acts as an identifier for the cable. The cable may therefore be easily identified (e.g. amongst other cables laid down within the same duct) by a simple visual inspection of the cable's inner structure through the non opaque section(s) of its external sheath.

A telecommunication cable includes at least one optical fiber unit surrounded by a low fire hazard halogen free polymeric inner sheath that is covered by and in contact with a peelable, environmentally resistant polymer outer sheath. At least two discrete strength members are embedded into the low fire hazard halogen free polymeric inner sheath. The cable is intended for outdoor and indoor use.

Multipurpose optical fibre drop cable

An optical cable includes a buffer tube housing at least one optical fiber, a sheath surrounding such buffer tube and at least one longitudinal strength member embedded in the sheath, in which at least one separation element is provided between a portion of the outer surface of the buffer tube and the inner surface of the sheath, laying in an axial plane not containing the at least one strength member.

Optical cable with improved strippability

An optical fiber drop cable for suspension installation includes electrical conductors and at least one optical fiber. An electrically non-conductive reinforcing sleeve houses the conductors and the or each optical fiber. The reinforcing sleeve is housed in sheathing. In addition to or instead of the optical fiber or optical fibers, the reinforcing sleeve may house one or more elongate containers, preferably plastic tubes, for housing optical fibers.

Optical fibre drop cables

A method of determining the position of a blockage () in a passage () having a first end and a second end. The method comprises blowing a sealing device () into the passage to form a seal adjacent the blockage (), then blowing a gas into the passage from the first end, making at least one measurement concerning the gas blown into the passage from the first end and determining a distance D between the first end and the sealing device using the at least one measurement.

Methods and apparatus for determining the position of an obstruction in a passage

An optical fiber unit having a sheath and a plurality of optical fiber elements loosely housed in the sheath. The sheath is coated with particles of an adherence reducing substance and has a radial thickness that is not substantially greater than 0.3 mm. The coating of adherence reducing particles is applied as a liquid coating. The liquid coating is a dispersion of the particles and heat is applied to evaporate the liquid content of the liquid coating to produce a dry coating of particles on the sheath.

Coated optical fibre unit and methods of manufacturing coated optical fibre units

An optical fibre installation includes (i) a part defining an inlet for optical fibres that has a through-hole for the passage of optical fibres and an associated mating region for a push-fit connector, (ii) an optical fibre cable connected to an adapter that defines a connection region having a predetermined cross-section for mating with a push-fit connector and (iii) a push-fit connector having a first end, a second end, a through-passage extending between those ends and a seal associated with the first end. The second end of the push-fit connector is push-fit connected to the connection region of the adapter and the first end of the push-fit connector is push-fit connected with the mating region of the inlets in such a way that the seal sealingly engages the inlet defining part. The arrangement is such that optical fibres from the optical fibre cable can be directed through the push-fit connector and the through-hold of the inlet.

Joining optical fibres

An apparatus () is provided for use in determining a length at least representative of the length of a tube that defines a passage in an optical fibre cable () along which an optical fibre unit can be installed by blowing. The apparatus () comprises a pressure reservoir () in which a gas at a known pressure can be stored, outlet piping () connected with the pressure reservoir () and having an outlet end spaced from the reservoir for connection to a tube of the optical fibre cable (). The apparatus has a pressure detecting arrangement () for detecting gas pressure in a tube connected with the outlet end of the outlet piping (). In use, the gas stored in the pressure reservoir () is released into the tube and knowing the pressure of the gas when stored in the pressure reservoir, the volume of the reservoir and the pressure of gas in the tube after release of the gas from the pressure reservoir, it is possible to determine the volume of the passage defined by the tube and knowing that volume, it is possible to determine the length of the tube.

Growing community of inventors

Gwent, United Kingdom

Ralph Sutehall