Abstract: The present invention provides a dielectric optical fiber cable which is capable of being remotely detected while buried. Specifically, this invention incorporates magnetic materials into existing elements of high strength sheath systems which are commonly used to enhance the tensile properties of many optical fiber cables. Embodiments of the present invention include various configurations of strength member systems each comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned glass roving or yarns which have neodymium iron boron compounded into an epoxy matrix.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dielectric optical fiber cable which is capable of being remotely detected while buried. Specifically, this invention incorporates magnetic materials into existing superabsorbent tapes which are commonly used to provide water-blocking capabilities in nearly all optical fiber cables. One embodiment of the present invention includes a tape which has been treated with a blend of neodymium iron boron and superabsorbent powders.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a device which is capable of being mounted in an opening in a panel, and which is adapted to hold a component, comprises two parallel side portions each being made of a plastic material, each side portion including a depending portion at each end thereof. Each of two moveable arms extends between corresponding ends of said side portions and is hingedly connected thereto. Each moveable arm includes two detents projecting from an outer surface of the arm such that when forces are applied to free end portions of the arms to move the free end portions toward each other, the device is capable of being inserted into an opening in a panel until a face of the panel abuts the depending portions of the side portions whereupon the application of forces is discontinued to allow the arms to move outwardly and cause the detents of each arm to snap-lock into engagement with an opposite side of the panel.

Abstract: A curing apparatus which is supported from a base plate (68) includes a housing which includes guide members for holding a magnetron and one portion of an elliptical chamber in which is disposed a longitudinally extending bulb. Outside the housing are triangular shaped gusset plates which are adapted to mate with a pivotally moveable portion (95) in which is disposed a mating portion of the elliptical chamber and a center tube through which the drawn optical fiber extends. An exhaust system is supported from the gusset plates. Advantageously, the pivotally moveable portion may be opened pivotally to expose the center tube and facilitate removal of the center tube and its replacement. Also advantageously, the entire curing apparatus may be aligned with the fiber by moving the base plate until the drawn fiber is centered within the center tube. In yet another advantage, the present invention incorporates a plurality of slidable plates to provide easy access to the magnetrons.

Abstract: A cable of this invention includes a core comprising a plurality of coated optical fibers and a filling composition of matter which is disposed about the fibers. Typically, the fibers and the filling material are diposed within a tubular member which is disposed within a sheath system. The sheath system include longitudinally extending strength members and a plastic jacket. The filling composition which fills interstices in the core is one which includes an oil constituent which is a relatively high molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon. The aliphatic hydrocarbon is a synthetic oil such as polyalphaolefin or mineral oil. A relatively large percent by weight of an antioxidant system is used to prevent thermal oxidative degradation of the filling material as well as of materials in contact with the filling material. Advantageously, for stabilization and metal deactivation, the composition includes zinc dialkyldithiophosphate or diaryldithiophosphate.

Abstract: A closure includes an end plate assembly (20) which includes an inner and an outer endplate and between which is disposed a cable sheath gripping assembly (60). The cable sheath gripping assembly includes a housing (62) and a clamping portion (100) which cooperate to form two cable-receiving passageways. Each passageway is formed between two channels, one being formed in the base and one being formed in the clamping portion. Each channel is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending circumferential and axial ribs with the ribs cooperating to clamp a cable end portion extending therewith. The engagement of the ribs with the cable end portion under compressive engagement caused by the turning of a bolt 106 into threaded insert of the housing provides enhanced resistance to pullout and rotation of the cable end portion.

Abstract: Spliced end portions (30--30) of two optical fibers are recoated in a manner which results in the cross section of the spliced length of fiber transverse to a longitudinal axis thereof being substantially constant. This is accomplished without compromising the adhesion of a curable recoating material (51) to an adjacent original coating material (38). In order to provide such a recoated portion, original coating material which is removed to permit splicing is removed in such a manner as to leave a tapered portion (52) remaining on the end portion of each optical fiber. As a result, the interface between the recoating material and the original coating material is increased sufficiently to avoid having to overlap some of the recoating material with original coating material on adjacent portions of the fibers being spliced.

Abstract: The splice verification system of the present invention verifies the efficiency of an optical splice by measuring the scattered light escaping from the splice. Specifically, the preferred embodiment performs such scattered light measurement within a photodetection area which is substantially free of all ambient light. Furthermore, the verification system includes a reference power module which, prior to creating an optical splice, measures the level of the optical signal being transmitted out of the end of an active fiber. The present invention then provides means to correlate the level gauged as a reference signal level relative to the amount of scattered light lost from the optical splice. The ratio of these two measured light levels may then be used to determine whether the amount of scattered light lost from the optical splice is acceptable given the particular constraints of the optical system in which the splice is employed.

Abstract: An optical fiber package of this invention applies a friction enhancing material to the smooth surface of a bobbin or mandrel onto which the optical fiber is wound. The friction enhancing material adheres the initial layer of fiber to the smooth surface of the bobbin, thereby eliminating the need for an independent base structure for establishing and maintaining a winding path for the fiber. Furthermore, the friction enhancing material prevents the lateral movement at initial layer of fiber relative to the bobbin. In accordance with the present invention, the friction enhancing material is preferably a plastic material such as room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicones and Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) or the like. In addition, the optical fiber package of this invention may combine the use of both a friction enhancing material between the initial fiber layer and the bobbin, as well as an adhesive material coating applied along the length of the optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber package (15) includes a support surface such as a hub of a bobbin (17) for convolutions of a length of optical fiber. The optical fiber includes a light transmitting portion such as a core and a cladding with inner and outer layers of coating material disposed thereabout. The coating material comprises an ultraviolet light curable material. Disposed throughout the curable coating material of the outer layer is an adhesive constituent which after having been solidified by the exposure of the optical fiber to ultraviolet light energy and subsequent to the winding of the optical fiber into a package for use in high speed payout is subjected to heat treatment to cause the adhesive constituent of each convolution to become tacky and cause the convolutions to be tacked together. The adhesion between adjacent convolutions is less than that between inner and outer layers of the coating materials and that between the inner layer and the cladding.

Abstract: A communication cable (20) includes a core (22) comprising a plurality of transmission media having a relatively supple layer (26) of a plastic material wrapped thereabout. Disposed about the layer of plastic material and in engagement therewith is a relatively rigid inner plastic jacket (28). Disposed about the inner jacket are additional components of a sheath system such as metallic shields and one or more additional plastic jackets. Interposed between the relatively supple layer of plastic material and the jacket is a water-blocking system which comprises two elongated strand materials (42, 44) such as yarns. The two elongated strand materials are wrapped helically about the layer of plastic material in opposite helical directions. The elongated strand materials are characterized by being yarn blends which comprise a portion of water-blocking filaments and a portion of relatively high strength filaments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cabinet for containing and holding telecommunications apparatus coupled to telephone field cables. The cabinet includes a cabinet housing, at least one cable entrance port through the cabinet housing to allow cables to enter the cabinet and a cable entrance seal positionable around the cable and securable to the cabinet housing for sealing all openings between the cable and periphery of the cable entrance port. In particular, the cable entrance seal is a rigid collar capable of supporting a moisture-blocking material snugly around the cable positioned therein and is attachable to the cabinet by a twist and lock securing means. Furthermore, the rigid collar may be bifurcated into two sections to facilitate positioning of the collar around a cable when the cable has no free-ends available for the collar to be slid over.

Abstract: An optical fiber (24), destined to receive a hermetic coating (32), is moved through a hermetic coating apparatus (30) wherein the fiber, entering the hermetic coating apparatus as a predetermined temperature, is caused to be engaged by a reactive gas. The reactive gas, reacting with the heated fiber, is effective to cause a layer of a hermetic material to be deposited adjacent to the outer surface of the fiber. A cross-flow purge gas is effective to prevent a resultant accumulation of a soot comprising reactive components of the reactive gas adjacent to portions of the hermetic coating apparatus which become heated by the fiber. Failure to prevent the accumulation of the soot may lead to fiber abrasions and reduced fiber strength.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed optical fiber cable (20) includes a core (21) comprising a plurality of optical fiber ribbons (22,22) disposed within a core tube (30) comprised of a high temperature resistant polymeric material. The core tube is disposed within a hermetic sealing member (40) which comprises a metal of low electrochemical activity having a sealed seam. An outer jacket (50) is disposed about the hermetic sealing member. The core may be filled with a waterblocking filling material (35). The material of the core tube undergoes only limited degradation because of the limited amount of oxygen and/or moisture trapped in the hermetically sealed cable. The filling material and/or other materials of the cable scavenge moisture and oxygen which travel longitudinally of the cable and reach portions of the cable subjected to a high temperature because of a leak in an adjacent steam line.

Abstract: A patch panel which includes an array of connectors includes a panel plate (22) having an array of openings (24,24) formed therein. Each opening is capable of receiving an adapter (30) which may be made of a plastic material and which includes opposed depressible cantilevered beams. Each adapter on opposed top and bottom surfaces of the arms includes two wedge-shaped tabs which cooperate with depending portions of sidewalls of the adapter to secure the adapter to the panel plate. Opposed grooves (55,55) open to internal sidewall surfaces and terminate in bridge portions (58,58) adjacent to a rear of the adapter. Each groove is adapted to receive a resilient tab (68) formed in a sidewall of a connector (60) or detent member (97) of a collar (80) to be received in the adapter.

Abstract: Optical fiber (20) which may be disposed in the form of a ribbon (28,30), for example, is caused to become disposed in a conduit (42) such as a duct which may exist in the field by introducing the optical fiber and a pressurized liquid transporting medium (37) into the conduit. The liquid transporting medium is effective to cause the optical fiber to be moved along in the conduit to cause a leading end of the fiber to emerge from a far end of the conduit and be accessible for connective arrangements, for example.

Abstract: In a method of feeding a plastic material to a using apparatus such as a molding press or an extruder, a moldable or extrudable plastic material in elongated strand form is provided. The moldable or extrudable plastic material is arranged such as in a package comprising a plurality of convolutions. The package is supported adjacent to the using apparatus and successive increments of length of the elongated strand material are payed out and fed into the using apparatus.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable (20) includes a longitudinally extending copper core member (34). The core member is formed with at least one groove (36) in which is disposed at least one optical fiber. The optical fiber is coupled sufficiently to the core member preferably by an ultraviolet light energy cured material to substantially inhibit relative movement between the optical fiber and the core member when forces are applied to the cable. A sheath system which includes a plastic jacket (112) is disposed about the core member. The sheath system includes a strength member system which includes longitudinally extending copper wires (105, 105) and steel wires (101, 107). Disposed about the steel and copper wires is a steel shield (110) which provides hermetic protection for the optical fibers.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable (20) includes a longitudinally extending core member (34) which may be made of a plastic material. The core member is formed with at least one groove (36) in which is disposed at least one optical fiber (28). The optical fiber is coupled sufficiently to the core member, preferably by an ultraviolet light energy cured material, to inhibit substantially relative movement between the core member and the optical fiber when forces are applied to the cable. A sheath system which includes wire-like strength members and a plastic jacket (112) is disposed about the core member. A waterblocking material (108) disposed within interstices among the wire-like strength members and between an inner layer of the strength members and the core member causes coupling between the wire-like strength members and the core member.