Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm L. P. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6546176
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable core includes a buffer tube containing at least one optical fiber and reinforced by at least two substantially radially incompressible longitudinal strength members, each strength member having surface portions radially outermost with respect to the tube axis which are at or protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. If the strength members protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube, less than 50%, and preferably less than 20%, of the outer surface of the strength members protrudes from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. The positions of the strength members can be readily determined, can be visible and can be easily removed from the buffer tube prior to slitting the buffer tube to achieve midspan access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Anderson, Ben H. Wells, Roger Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6512311
    Abstract: A superconducting cable (1) for high power with at least one phase comprises a superconducting core (2) wherein a plurality of elements (3) are housed, which are structurally independent and magnetically uncoupled, each of which includes—for each phase—a couple of phase and neutral coaxial conductors, each formed by at least a layer of superconducting material, electrically insulated from one another by interposition of a dielectric material (8). Thanks to the distribution of the superconducting material into several coaxial conductive elements (3), the cable (1) allows to transmit high current amounts in conditions of superconductivity, while using a high-temperature superconducting material sensitive to the magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Piero Metra, Marco Nassi
  • Patent number: 6459837
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a core with a bore which loosely contains optical fibers and includes a single strength member unit preferably embedded in an outer jacket which surrounds the core. The single strength member unit allows for relative ease of bending of the cable in directions other than the bending directions in the plane of minimum bending energy for the cable, such as bending in the plane of maximum bending energy (MAX-BP) for the cable, and provides that the neutral surface associated with bending of the cable in the MAX-BP is outside the bore core and within the outer jacket. The single strength member unit, which is at least one strength member, furthermore provides tensile strength and antibuckling properties to the cable during storage and in expected installations, including an aerial installation. The outer jacket is releasably coupled to the core to provide ease of access to the optical fibers contained within the core bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jon Fitz, Ben Wells, Jin Liu, John Smith
  • Patent number: 6377738
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable core includes a buffer tube containing at least one optical fiber and reinforced by at least two substantially radially incompressible longitudinal strength members, each strength member having surface portions radially outermost with respect to the tube axis which are at or protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. If the strength members protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube, less than 50%, and preferably less than 20%, of the outer surface of the strength members protrudes from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. The positions of the strength members can be readily determined, can be visible and can be easily removed from the buffer tube prior to slitting the buffer tube to achieve midspan access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron M. Anderson, Ben H. Wells, Roger Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6370303
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable has a jacket of flame retardant and ultraviolet stabilized plastic and meets the requirements for both outdoor and indoor use. The jacket has two longitudinal portions interconnected by an intermediate longitudinal portion of a thickness less than the thickness of the two portions. One of the two portions contains a longitudinally extending strength member of sufficient tensile strength to support the cable when the cable is suspended outdoors between relatively widely spaced supports. The other of the two portions has a longitudinally extending bore which contains at least one tightly buffered, longitudinally extending optical fiber and can also contain a flexible, longitudinally extending strength member. When the cable is suspended outdoors between support, the intermediate jacket portion has sufficient strength to prevent separation of the strength member portion from the optical fiber portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jon Fitz, Roger Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6327876
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a optical fiber (102) which includes a furnace (104) for softening an optical fiber blank (106); a tractor (114) for drawing the optical fiber (102) from the softened optical fiber blank (106); and a first applicator (110) for applying a coating of a first coating material to the optical fiber (102), the first applicator having a rotatable die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Fibre Ottiche Sud F.O.S. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Cocchini, Antonio Schiaffo
  • Patent number: 6324391
    Abstract: A cellular system includes wide band digital signal processing at a central office that is connected to one or more cellular sites by optical fiber cables. Data signals are exchanged between the cell sites and the central office using intensity modulated optical data signals. Control of call supervision and handling is consolidated in the central office to enable dynamic variation of wireless service reception and transmission capabilities at a cell site in response to changing demands for wireless service. Each antenna at a cell site may receive and transmit an assigned RF bandwidth using any frequency within that band. The central office processes the entire received spectrum for controlling detection and transmitting range, RF carrier frequency and transmit power level for an active channel link established between a cellular station and the system in a cell site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: MVS Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald H. Bodell
  • Patent number: 6292611
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes a central strength or structural member, buffer tubes of the desired flexibility are S-Z wound around the central member with a predetermined lay, preferably with alternating single turn S-Z lays and the buffer tubes loosely receive optical fiber ribbon stacks, the pitch of the twist being selected to provide a predetermined ratio of the pitch of the buffer tube lay. The wall thickness of the buffer tubes is selected to provide the desired buffer tube strength and crush resistance, and the diameters of the buffer tubes bores are selected in relation to the size of the optical fiber ribbon stacks so as to provide a predetermined clearance. The clearance C is between about 1 mm and about 2 mm with the relation: C=(TI2−WR2)½−HR Where TI is the inner diameter of the tube, WR is the width of said stack and HR is a thickness of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC
    Inventors: Richard Chamberlain, Rodney J. Pierce, Ben Wells, Roger Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6265663
    Abstract: In a terminal for a high-voltage electric cable the electric cable is terminated at a predetermined height from its entry into the terminal and the electric connection between the cable conductor the overhead line is obtained by a rigid conductor element. The rigid conductor element, preferably a copper pipe, is provided with an elastomeric ribbed coating and is supported by an insulating base preferably made of an epoxy resin. An assembly constructed from an epoxy resin base and a rigid conductor element brings the electric field at the surface to a value consistent with the dielectric strength of the air and is long enough to form an insulation path suited for the installation environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco Cicogna, Bruno Parmigiani, Dario Quaggia
  • Patent number: 6255595
    Abstract: A superconducting cable for high power with at least one phase includes a superconducting core wherein a plurality of elements are housed, which are structurally independent and magnetically uncoupled, each of which includes—for each phase—a couple of phase and neutral coaxial conductors, each formed by at least a layer of superconducting material, electrically insulated from one another by interposition of a dielectric material. As a result of the distribution of the superconducting material into several coaxial conductive elements, the cable allows to transmit high current amounts in conditions of superconductivity, while using a high-temperature superconducting material sensitive to the magnetic field. The conductive elements are connected at the ends to yield a mean exploitation efficiency of 100%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Piero Metra, Marco Nassi
  • Patent number: 6236789
    Abstract: A composite cable for conveying electrical energy and optical signals from a source or sources thereof to electrically energized units which process the optical signals. The cable has one or more buffer tubes, each buffer tube encircling at least two optical fibers for supplying optical signals to at least two of the units, each unit having electrical current and voltage requirements. The cable has a layer of S-Z stranded electrically insulated conductors around the buffer tube or tubes, and pairs of conductors are selected in size to safely supply the current and voltages required by at least two units. The number of pairs of conductors is less than the number of active optical fibers which excludes conductor spares. Preferably, the buffer tubes are S-Z stranded. The cable also includes a strength member and an outer plastic jacket encircling the buffer tubes, the conductors and the strength member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC
    Inventor: Jonathan G. Fitz
  • Patent number: 6195487
    Abstract: A composite cable for distributing electrical power to components in an optical fiber network and for transmitting optical signals between optical fiber network components includes at least one layer of insulated electrical conductors arranged in side-by-side relation to provide a layer of conductors of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the conductors. The conductors of the at least one layer of conductors are S-Z stranded and surround the optical fibers which are loosely contained in at least one plastic buffer tube to provide desirable structural and operational features to the cable and to an optical fiber network in which the cable can be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Anderson, Grant Davidson, John Sach
  • Patent number: 6189343
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a optical fiber which includes a furnace for softening an optical fiber blank; a tractor for drawing the optical fiber from the softened optical fiber blank; and a first applicator for applying a coating of a first coating material to the optical fiber, the first applicator having a rotatable die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Fibre Ottiche Sud F.O.S. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Cocchini, Antonio Schiaffo
  • Patent number: 6186670
    Abstract: An optical fiber connector module for mating optical fiber connectors includes a covering which avoids particles, dust or debris from accumulating on the end face of a fiber connector installed in the module when the installed fiber connector is not mated to another fiber connector using an optical fiber adapter. The module also allows ease of cleaning of the end face of the fiber of the unmated, installed fiber connector without removal of the module from a panel of optical instrumentation equipment to which the module has been mounted. A locking flange on the module facilitates mounting of the module to the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventors: David Austin, Dan Calanni
  • Patent number: 6188026
    Abstract: An energy transmission cable is provided with a lubricating coating layer upon its outer covering, such as an outer jacket or outer insulation of the cable, is permanent on the outer covering, provides for a coefficient of friction between the cable and a cable engaging surface that is less than the coefficient of friction between the cable without the lubricating coating layer and the engaging surface and which has an outer surface which is dry, non-tacky and water insoluble. The features of the lubricating coating layer remain substantially unaffected upon exposure to the environmental and physical conditions associated with storage and installation of an energy cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventors: Kyle Cope, Tareq Haque
  • Patent number: 6171177
    Abstract: Midspan access to selected optical fibers which are encapsulated in an optical ribbon or tube is achieved by placing the desired span of the encapsulated fibers to be accessed between opposing abrasive layers and controllably urging at least one of the abrasive layers in the direction of the opposing abrasive layer to cause both abrasive layers to contact the encapsulant which covers the fibers. The amount of force applied to the at least one abrasive layer is limited by the structure of a resilient element which is coupled to the abrasive surface. Stress concentrators are created in the encapsulant and the encapsulant is removed from the span portion by relative movement of the encapsulated fibers and the abrasive layers. A minimum separation distance between the opposing abrasive layers can be defined, according to the thickness of the specific encapsulated fiber medium undergoing fiber separation, to avoid contact between the abrasive surfaces and the fibers within the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Pirelli Cable Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan G. Fitz
  • Patent number: 6162542
    Abstract: The process of the invention to make miniaturized multipolar cables includes the steps of combining together a plurality of individually insulated conductors, inserting a filling in a pasty state and containing mineral fillers into the gaps existing between the conductors, partly hardening the filling and disposing the other cable components, in particular the sheath, around the conductors-filling assembly, and letting the filling become completely hard within the produced cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Pirelli Cavi S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Castellani, Luca De Rai, Pasquale Volpe