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:
Oct. 08, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2000
Christopher M. Quinn, Hickory, NC (US);
Donald R. Parris, Newton, NC (US);
Corning Cable Systems LLC, Hickory, NC (US);
Abstract
A fiber optic cable comprises a jacket defining an interior passageway therethrough, at least one optical fiber disposed in the interior passageway of the outer jacket, and a water blocking zone having, for example, a solid polymer foam material contacting and surrounding at least one optical fiber over at least a portion of a length thereof and filling a space between at least one optical fiber and the inner wall of the cable. The invention is applicable to many different configurations of fiber optic cables, including those having one or more buffer tubes containing the optical fiber(s) as well as cables without any buffer tube. The optical fibers can be in loose and unbundled form, in bundled arrangements, or in ribbonized form. The water blocking zone preferably is relatively soft and resilient, and can be in the form of discrete foamed or non-foamed portions spaced apart along the length of the cable.