The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 15, 1999
Nathan E. Hardwick, III, Dunwoody, GA (US);
Kenneth Wade Jackson, Snellville, GA (US);
Clyde Jefferson Lever, Buford, GA (US);
Richard Hartford Norris, Powder Springs, GA (US);
Jim Jenqtsong Sheu, Dunwoody, GA (US);
Richard Dalton Small, Jr., Lilburn, GA (US);
Carl Raymond Taylor, Lawrenceville, GA (US);
Peter A. Weimann, Atlanta, GA (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A stack of optical fiber ribbons is enclosed in a buffer encasement having a relatively soft inner portion and an relatively hard outer portion. The inner portion has an interior surface extends around and defines a longitudinally extending passage that contains the stack, and the interior surface closely bounds the stack. The outer portion extends around, closely bounds and contacts the inner portion, and has a modulus of elasticity that is greater than the modulus of elasticity of the inner portion. In accordance with one example of the invention, the inner portion has an exterior surface that extends around and is spaced apart from the passage, and the outer portion has an interior surface that extends around, closely bounds, and engages the exterior surface of the inner portion, whereby the buffer encasement has multiple plies. In contrast, in accordance with another example of the invention, a surface is not defined between the inner portion and the outer portion.