Patents by Inventor Ken Osato

Ken Osato 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).

  • Patent number: 11181706
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a first aggregate layer including first optical fiber units that are helically twisted together in a first direction without strand-back. Each of the first optical fiber units includes optical fibers twisted together in a second direction. The first direction is different from the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kaji, Shinnosuke Sato, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210341695
    Abstract: A reticulated tube includes: a plurality of openings that are reticulately formed; peripheral parts that form the openings; and a branch part that is formed in a boundary of three or more openings. The branch part includes three or more peripheral parts extending from the branch part. The reticulated tube is configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers inserted through the reticulated tube. The peripheral parts are restricted by the branch part and are bendable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Go Taki, Masayuki Ishioka, Mizuki Isaji, Tomoaki Kaji, Soichiro Kaneko, Koji Tomikawa, Akira Namazue, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210278616
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes a core that includes an assembled plurality of optical fibers; an inner sheath that accommodates the core therein, a pair of tension members that are embedded in the inner sheath and that are disposed on opposite sides of the core, and an outer sheath that covers the inner sheath. The inner sheath is formed with a dividing portion that divides an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the inner sheath in a circumferential direction. The dividing portion extends along a longitudinal direction in which the optical fiber cable extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ohno, Shinnosuke Sato, Mizuki Isaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Akira Namazue, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210271042
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: optical fiber units each having optical fibers; a wrapping tube that wraps around the optical fiber units; a filling disposed inside the wrapping tube; and a sheath that covers the wrapping tube. The optical fiber units includes outer units that are disposed at an outermost layer of the optical fiber units. The outer units are twisted in an SZ shape around a cable central axis of the optical fiber cable. The filling is sandwiched between one of the outer units and the wrapping tube in a cross-sectional view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Sato, Mizuki Isaji, Koji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210239928
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable including an optical fiber ribbon in a pipe, wherein the ribbon includes at least two optical fibers arranged side by side, and wherein at least two or the optical fibers are bonded intermittently along a length of the fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph Cignarale, Doug Baker, Yoshio Hashimoto, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210223491
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a sheath; and a core that is housed in the sheath and includes an intermittently-adhered optical fiber ribbon including optical fibers and adhesive portions for intermittently adhering the optical fibers in a longitudinal direction. Recesses and protrusions are disposed alternately in a circumferential direction on an outer circumferential surface of the sheath. The recesses each include: two connecting portions respectively connected to radial inner ends of two adjacent protrusions; and a bottom surface positioned between the two connecting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shogo Shimizu, Akira Namazue, Ken Osato
  • Patent number: 11048054
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a core; an outer filling disposed outside the core; and a sheath that covers the core and the outer filling. The core includes: optical fibers; an inner filling; and a wrapping tube that wraps the optical fibers and the inner filling. The outer filling and the inner filling absorb water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shogo Shimizu, Akira Namazue, Go Taki, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210191061
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon includes: forming a colored layer on to each of a plurality of optical fibers and forming an optical fiber ribbon by curing a connecting material applied to a surface of the colored layer of each of the optical fibers to form connection parts that connect adjacent ones of the optical fibers. Forming the colored layer further includes: applying a coloring agent to the optical fibers and curing the coloring agent such that uncured resin remains on the surface of the colored layer. Forming the optical fiber ribbon further includes: applying the connecting material to the surface with the uncured resin and curing the connecting material and the uncured resin on the surface of the colored layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Mizuki Isaji, Soichiro Kaneko, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210141178
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a first aggregate layer including first optical fiber units that are helically twisted together in a first direction without strand-back. Each of the first optical fiber units includes optical fibers twisted together in a second direction. The first direction is different from the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kaji, Shinnosuke Sato, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Patent number: 11002928
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a core comprising gathered optical fibers; an inner sheath housing the core; a wire body embedded in the inner sheath; tension members embedded in the inner sheath, wherein the core is interposed between the tension members; a reinforcing sheet that covers the inner sheath; and an outer sheath that covers the reinforcing sheet, wherein in the inner sheath, ti<Ti and to<To are satisfied, where a thickness of a radially inner portion between the core and the wire body is ti, a thickness of a radially inner portion between the core and each of the tension members is Ti, a thickness of a radially outer portion between the wire body and the reinforcing sheet is to, a thickness of a radially outer portion between each of the tension members and the reinforcing sheet is To.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignees: Fujikura Ltd., NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mizuki Isaji, Masatoshi Ohno, Shinnosuke Sato, Kouji Tomikawa, Akira Namazue, Ken Osato, Naoki Nakagawa, Yuji Aoyagi, Shigekatsu Tetsutani
  • Patent number: 10955630
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable including an optical fiber ribbon in is pipe, wherein the ribbon includes at least two optical fibers arranged side by side, and wherein at least two of the optical fibers are bonded intermittently along a length of the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph Cignarale, Doug Baker, Yoshio Hashimoto, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20210053338
    Abstract: An optical fiber ribbon manufacturing device includes: fiber-supplying units that respectively supply optical fibers; a printing device that prints a mark on each of the optical fibers; and a ribbon-forming device that manufactures an optical fiber ribbon by connecting the optical fibers on each of which the mark has been printed. The printing device includes: a supplying roller that supplies an ink; and a printing roller that includes a printing pattern on a surface thereof and that prints the mark on each of the optical fibers that are lined up in a width direction of the optical fibers by causing the ink supplied from the supplying roller to adhere to the printing pattern and transferring the ink onto the optical fibers. Projections and depressions are disposed on a surface of the supplying roller. The surface of the supplying roller opposes the printing pattern of the printing roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Shizuka Sekine, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato, Hironori Sato
  • Patent number: 10884208
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a core; a sheath that accommodates the core therein; and a pair of tension members embedded in the sheath. The core includes: a plurality of optical fiber units that each includes a plurality of optical fibers; fibrous fillings that extend in a longitudinal direction in which the plurality of optical fiber units extends; and a wrapping tube that encloses the plurality of optical fiber units and the fibrous fillings. The core is interposed between the pair of tension members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20200292771
    Abstract: An intermittent connection-type optical fiber ribbon including: optical fibers aligned in a width direction of the intermittent connection-type optical fiber ribbon; and a connection part disposed between two separation spaces that are aligned in a lengthwise direction of the intermittent connection-type optical fiber ribbon and that separate adjacent ones of the optical fibers. A percentage content of the air bubbles is equal to or less than 15.5%. The percentage content of the air bubbles is a proportion of a total area of the air bubbles contained in the connection part to an area of the connection part in a section acquired by cutting the intermittent connection-type optical fiber in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Shizuka Sekine, Mizuki Isaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Patent number: 10775581
    Abstract: An optical cable includes: an optical fiber unit where a plurality of optical fibers are wrapped with a wrapping tape; at least three tensile strength members disposed in parallel with and on an outer side of the optical fiber unit at intervals in a circumferential direction; and a sheath that coats the optical fiber unit and the tensile strength members and that is disposed between the optical fiber unit and the tensile strength members. An inner wall surface of the sheath formed between the optical fiber unit and the tensile strength members protrudes toward a cable center in comparison with an inner wall surface of the sheath where none of the tensile strength members are disposed. A portion of the wrapping tape disposed on the inner wall surface that protrudes toward the cable center is depressed toward the cable center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Sato, Mizuki Isaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Patent number: 10746629
    Abstract: An inspection device of an optical fiber unit, including a plurality of binding materials wound in an SZ shape on a plurality of optical fibers, includes: a measurement sensor that measures a width of the optical fiber units in a first direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction in which the optical fiber unit extends; and a determination circuit that determines a presence or an absence of an abnormality in a binding state, based on a measurement result of the measurement sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Nemoto, Shengyang Luo, Masanobu Higuchi, Tatsushi Ogasawara, Mizuki Isaji, Tomoaki Kaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20200218020
    Abstract: Provided is an optical fiber ribbon capable of achieving higher density and reduction in diameter and accurately placing optical fibers in V-shape grooves in a fusion machine without failure. The optical fiber ribbon 1 includes three or more of optical fibers 2 arranged in parallel and connecting portions 3 connecting adjacent two optical fibers 2 together, the connecting portions 3 being intermittently provided in each of a ribbon longitudinal direction and a ribbon width direction. The connecting portions 3 are each formed in such a manner as to fill resin into a gap S formed between adjacent two optical fibers 2, and both surfaces of the respective connecting portions 3 are each formed into a recess having a concave shape curved toward a center of the gap S to separate from lines 4,5 each connecting contact points of the optical fibers 2 when being placed on a horizontal surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Akira Namazue, Ken Osato, Naoki Okada, Yusuke Yamada, Daisuke Kakuta, Hisaaki Nakane, Shinya Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10705305
    Abstract: An optical fiber unit includes: a plurality of optical fibers; and at least two binding materials that bind the plurality of optical fibers. The two binding materials are wound around the plurality of optical fibers in an SZ shape and adhered to each other at reversed portions of the SZ shape to form an adhesive part. The adhesive part extends along a longitudinal direction where the optical fiber unit extends, and 0.15?L/(P/2)?0.8 is satisfied where L is a length of the adhesive part in the longitudinal direction and P is a binding pitch of the two binding materials in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Soichiro Kaneko, Tomoaki Kaji, Mizuki Isaji, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato
  • Publication number: 20200209505
    Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes: a cable body having a core and an inner sheath that accommodates the core; a reinforcing sheet that surrounds the cable body; an outer sheath that accommodates the cable body and the reinforcing sheet; and an outer ripcord that is embedded in the inner sheath. The inner sheath includes a projection that projects outwardly in a radial direction of the optical fiber cable. At least part of the outer ripcord is disposed inside the projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicants: Fujikura Ltd., NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ohno, Kouji Tomikawa, Ken Osato, Hiroaki Tanioka, Shigekatsu Tetsutani, Yohei Endo, Yuta Maruo
  • Patent number: 10688740
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon where adjacent optical fibers are intermittently connected in a length direction includes: feeding the optical fibers along the length direction; and intermittently applying a resin in the length direction by: rotating, between adjacent ones of the optical fibers, a rotating member having a recess, and blocking the resin with a peripheral edge part of the rotating member where the recess is not formed. A moving speed, in the length direction, of the peripheral edge part at a position where the peripheral edge part blocks the resin between the optical fibers is slower than a feeding speed of the optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Shizuka Moriya, Mizuki Isaji, Ken Osato