Patents by Inventor Ben H. Wells

Ben H. Wells has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240027714
    Abstract: An exemplary optical cable includes a first type of ribbon bundles, a second type of ribbon bundles, a third type of ribbon bundles, a plurality of strength rods, and an outer jacket. Each of the first, the second, and third type of ribbon bundles includes a first, a second, a third flexible ribbon with corresponding optical fibers disposed within a ribbon bundle jacket. The first type of ribbon bundles is arranged in an interlocking pattern in a central region of the optical cable. The second type of ribbon bundles and the third type of ribbon bundles are disposed around the first type of ribbon bundles in a peripheral region of the optical cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Clint Nicholaus Anderson, Jeffrey Scott Barker, Brian G. Risch, Ryan Truong, Ben H. Wells, Gavin Lin, Donald Ray Parris
  • Publication number: 20240012216
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of buffer tubes and an outer jacket surrounding the plurality of buffer tubes. Each of the plurality of buffer tubes includes a buffer tube jacket surrounding a plurality of flexible ribbons. The buffer tube jacket includes a first deformable material that has undergone deformation during formation of the optical cable to conform to an irregular axial cross-sectional shape of each respective plurality of flexible ribbons. Each flexible ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers and a first longitudinal length. For each flexible ribbon, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is attached to an adjacent optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers along a bond region comprising a second longitudinal length that is less than the first longitudinal length. The cable has a fiber density between about 5.0 and about 10 fibers/mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nicholaus Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Patent number: 11796750
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of buffer tubes and an outer jacket surrounding the plurality of buffer tubes. Each of the plurality of buffer tubes includes a buffer tube jacket surrounding a plurality of flexible ribbons. The buffer tube jacket includes a first deformable material that has undergone permanent plastic deformation during formation of the optical cable to conform to an irregular axial cross-sectional shape of each respective plurality of flexible ribbons. Each flexible ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers and a first longitudinal length. For each flexible ribbon, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is attached to an adjacent optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers along a bond region comprising a second longitudinal length that is less than the first longitudinal length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: PRYSMIAN S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nicholaus Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Publication number: 20220155541
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of buffer tubes and an outer jacket surrounding the plurality of buffer tubes. Each of the plurality of buffer tubes includes a buffer tube jacket surrounding a plurality of flexible ribbons. The buffer tube jacket includes a first deformable material that has undergone permanent plastic deformation during formation of the optical cable to conform to an irregular axial cross-sectional shape of each respective plurality of flexible ribbons. Each flexible ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers and a first longitudinal length. For each flexible ribbon, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is attached to an adjacent optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers along a bond region comprising a second longitudinal length that is less than the first longitudinal length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nicholaus Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Patent number: 11262516
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of deformable buffer tubes and an outer jacket surrounding the plurality of deformable buffer tubes. Each deformable buffer tube of the plurality of deformable buffer tubes includes a single flexible ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers. Each deformable buffer tube further includes an axial cross-section of the deformable buffer tube that includes the single flexible ribbon. The axial cross-section comprises an irregular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRYSMIAN S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nicholaus Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Patent number: 11131816
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon assembly comprising* a plurality of adjacent optical fiber ribbons extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in a plane, each of the optical fiber ribbons comprising a plurality of optical fibers mutually bonded by a matrix material, the fibers extending in the longitudinal direction and arranged in the plane; said plurality of adjacent ribbons forming at least one set of two adjacent ribbons having an interstice between said two adjacent ribbons and * a bonding material, forming intermittent bonds at the interstice between the two adjacent ribbons of a set, thereby bonding the two adjacent ribbons of the set. The invention also relates to a method of producing such an optical fiber ribbon assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Prysmian S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, John R. Sach, Ben H. Wells
  • Publication number: 20210141179
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon assembly comprising* a plurality of adjacent optical fiber ribbons extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in a plane, each of the optical fiber ribbons comprising a plurality of optical fibers mutually bonded by a matrix material, the fibers extending in the longitudinal direction and arranged in the plane; said plurality of adjacent ribbons forming at least one set of two adjacent ribbons having an interstice between said two adjacent ribbons and * a bonding material, forming intermittent bonds at the interstice between the two adjacent ribbons of a set, thereby bonding the two adjacent ribbons of the set. The invention also relates to a method of producing such an optical fiber ribbon assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, John R. Sach, Ben H. Wells
  • Patent number: 10983297
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon, comprising a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel forming an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers, preferably two optical fibers, encapsulated with a matrix material; and a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said assembly; each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units; wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while the successive bond formed by the successive bead, connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair; wherein at
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Prysmian S.p.A.
    Inventors: Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, John R. Sach, Donald Ray Parris, Ben H. Wells
  • Publication number: 20200271879
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon, comprising a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel forming an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers, preferably two optical fibers, encapsulated with a matrix material; and a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said assembly; each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units; wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while the successive bond formed by the successive bead, connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair; wherein at
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, John R. Sach, Donald Ray Parris, Ben H. Wells
  • Publication number: 20200026015
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of deformable buffer tubes and an outer jacket surrounding the plurality of deformable buffer tubes. Each deformable buffer tube of the plurality of deformable buffer tubes includes a single flexible ribbon including a plurality of optical fibers. Each deformable buffer tube further includes an axial cross-section of the deformable buffer tube that includes the single flexible ribbon. The axial cross-section comprises an irregular shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nicholaus Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Publication number: 20200012059
    Abstract: An optical cable includes a plurality of deformable buffer tubes. Each of the plurality of deformable buffer tubes includes a plurality of flexible ribbons, and each of the flexible ribbons includes a plurality of optical fibers. Each of the plurality of deformable buffer tubes has a non-circular cross-section. An outer jacket surrounds the plurality of deformable buffer tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Ehsan Fallahmohammadi, Brian G. Risch, Clint Nick Anderson, John R. Sach, Jeffrey Scott Barker
  • Patent number: 9110265
    Abstract: A splittable optical fiber ribbon has a decreased propensity for fiber fallout along a longitudinal split. Fibers adjacent to a split location, called border fibers, have increased bond strength between their ink-coating and a surrounding matrix material. The bond strength is increased by first partially curing an ink that covers the border fibers, coating the partially-cured fibers with a matrix material, and then substantially fully curing the ink and the matrix material substantially simultaneously. The ribbon may include one or more grooves to enhance splitting the ribbon into subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PRYSMIAN COMMUNICATION CABLES AND SYSTEMS USA, LLC
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Grant M. Davidson, John Sach
  • Publication number: 20130279866
    Abstract: A splittable optical fiber ribbon has a decreased propensity for fiber fallout along a longitudinal split. Fibers adjacent to a split location, called border fibers, have increased bond strength between their ink-coating and a surrounding matrix material. The bond strength is increased by first partially curing an ink that covers the border fibers, coating the partially-cured fibers with a matrix material, and then substantially fully curing the ink and the matrix material substantially simultaneously. The ribbon may include one or more grooves to enhance splitting the ribbon into subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Prysmian Communications Cables and Systems USA, LLC
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Grant M. Davidson, John Sach
  • Patent number: 8565564
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable for bundled drop applications has a plurality of optical fiber sub-units stranded together in an S-Z lay configuration and a jacket surrounding and holding the sub-units in the S-Z configuration without assistance from binder threads. The jacket contacts at least some of the sub-units and has one, but preferably at least two, longitudinally disposed grooves on an external surface. With at least two grooves, the sub-units are accessed by bending the cable until the jacket buckles between the grooves, cutting the jacket at the buckle, and peeling back a portion of the jacket longitudinally between the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Prysmian Communications Cables and Systems USA, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Gerald Fitz, Ben H. Wells, Mauricio Silva
  • Patent number: 8467647
    Abstract: A splittable optical fiber ribbon has a decreased propensity for fiber fallout along a longitudinal split. Fibers adjacent to a split location, called border fibers, have increased bond strength between their ink-coating and a surrounding matrix material. The bond strength is increased by first partially curing an ink that covers the border fibers, coating the partially-cured fibers with a matrix material, and then substantially fully curing the ink and the matrix material substantially simultaneously. The ribbon may include one or more grooves to enhance splitting the ribbon into subsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Prysmian Communication Cables and Systems USA, LLC
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Grant M. Davidson, John Sach
  • Patent number: 8175434
    Abstract: An all-dielectric self-supporting optical fiber cable utilizes a single layer reverse oscillated lay (ROL) design and includes a fiber count of more than 288 fibers. By arranging buffer tubes in a single layer, the ADSS cable effectively isolates the tensile and thermo strain of the cable in central and outer strength members, thus preventing strain from aerial installation from impairing or otherwise inversely impacting the performance of the optical fibers. Moreover, fibers are loosely housed in bundles to permit fiber movement and further prevent strain on the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Prysmian Communication Cables and Systems USA, LLC
    Inventors: Grant M. Davidson, William E. Wolfe, Ben H. Wells
  • Publication number: 20120063731
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable for bundled drop applications has a plurality of optical fiber sub-units stranded together in an S-Z lay configuration and a jacket surrounding and holding the sub-units in the S-Z configuration without assistance from binder threads. The jacket contacts at least some of the sub-units and has one, but preferably at least two, longitudinally disposed grooves on an external surface. With at least two grooves, the sub-units are accessed by bending the cable until the jacket buckles between the grooves, cutting the jacket at the buckle, and peeling back a portion of the jacket longitudinally between the grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Jonathan Gerald Fitz, Ben H. Wells, Mauricio Silva
  • Publication number: 20110058779
    Abstract: A splittable optical fiber ribbon has a decreased propensity for fiber fallout along a longitudinal split. Fibers adjacent to a split location, called border fibers, have increased bond strength between their ink-coating and a surrounding matrix material. The bond strength is increased by first partially curing an ink that covers the border fibers, coating the partially-cured fibers with a matrix material, and then substantially fully curing the ink and the matrix material substantially simultaneously. The ribbon may include one or more grooves to enhance splitting the ribbon into subsets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Ben H. Wells, Grant M. Davidson, John Sach
  • Publication number: 20090304338
    Abstract: An all-dielectric self-supporting optical fiber cable utilizes a single layer reverse oscillated lay (ROL) design and includes a fiber count of more than 288 fibers. By arranging buffer tubes in a single layer, the ADSS cable effectively isolates the tensile and thermo strain of the cable in central and outer strength members, thus preventing strain from aerial installation from impairing or otherwise inversely impacting the performance of the optical fibers. Moreover, fibers are loosely housed in bundles to permit fiber movement and further prevent strain on the fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Grant M. Davidson, William E. Wolfe, Ben H. Wells
  • 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