Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a jacket, a pair of strength members, and an optical fiber. The jacket has a cavity, a major dimension and a minor dimension, and a medial portion. The strength members are disposed on opposing sides of the cavity and impart a preferential bend characteristic to the cable. The at least one optical fiber is disposed within the cavity. The jacket includes preferential tear portions disposed between a respective strength member and the medial portion, for separating the strength members from the medial portion.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a core assembly including an optical fiber, a polymeric sleeve surrounding the core assembly, water-swellable material integrated with the polymeric sleeve, and a jacket surrounding the polymeric sleeve. The polymeric sleeve is continuous peripherally around the core assembly, forming a continuous closed loop when viewed in cross-section, and continuous lengthwise along a length of the cable.

Abstract: Cables jacket are formed by extruding discontinuities in a main cable jacket portion. The discontinuities allow the jacket to be torn to provide access to the cable core. The discontinuities can be longitudinally extending strips of material in the cable jacket, and can be introduced into the extrudate material flow used to form the main portion through ports in the extrusion head. The discontinuities allow a section of the cable jacket to be pulled away from a remainder of the jacket using a relatively low peel force.

Abstract: Cables jacket are formed by extruding discontinuities in a main cable jacket portion. The discontinuities allow the jacket to be torn to provide access to the cable core. The discontinuities can be longitudinally extending strips of material in the cable jacket, and can be introduced into the extrudate material flow used to form the main portion through ports in the extrusion head. The discontinuities allow a section of the cable jacket to be pulled away from a remainder of the jacket using a relatively low peel force.

Abstract: An optical communication cable is provided. The cable includes a cable sheath including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable sheath and a plurality of buffer tubes located in the channel of the cable sheath. Each buffer tube including an outer surface, an inner surface and a channel defined by the inner surface of the buffer tube. The cable includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel of each buffer tube. The cable includes a friction structure located on at least one of the inner surface of the sheath and the outer surfaces of each of the plurality of buffer tubes and the friction created by the friction structure provides resistance to cable deformation under loading, such as crush loading.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a core and a jacket surrounding the core. The jacket includes a base layer formed from a foamed material including a polymer. A surface layer of the jacket is formed from a second composition that differs from the first composition and also includes the polymer. An interface bonds the surface and base layers to one another.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a tape comprising a substrate of an extrudable thermoplastic, core items of the fiber optic cable, and a jacket around the tape and core items. The tape includes water-swellable material integrated therewith and the core items include one or more optical fibers. The tape is incorporated with core items such that the water-swellable material of the tape is configured to limit water from flowing lengthwise along the cable through gaps among the core item.

Abstract: A fiber optic assembly includes a buffer tube forming an elongate passage and a plurality of optical fibers positioned therein. The buffer tube includes at least one layer of a composite material that includes a base material and a filler material blended therein. Particles of the filler material have an acicular structure, having a longest dimension that is on average at least ten times a narrowest dimension of the particles. Further the buffer tube has kink resistance.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes one or more optical fibers, a jacket, strength members, and water-swellable powder. The jacket is formed from a polymer and has a cavity defined therein. The one or more optical fibers extend through the cavity. Further, the jacket is non-round in cross-section and the strength members are encapsulated in the jacket on opposite sides of the cavity. The water-swellable powder is at least partially mechanically attached to an inner surface of the cavity, where the mechanical attachment of the water-swellable powder allows a portion of particles of the water-swellable powder to protrude beyond the surface and not be completely embedded therein.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes one or more optical fibers, a jacket, strength members, and water-swellable powder. The jacket is formed from a polymer and has a cavity defined therein. The one or more optical fibers extend through the cavity. Further, the jacket is non-round in cross-section and the strength members are encapsulated in the jacket on opposite sides of the cavity. The water-swellable powder is at least partially mechanically attached to an inner surface of the cavity, where the mechanical attachment of the water-swellable powder allows a portion of particles of the water-swellable powder to protrude beyond the surface and not be completely embedded therein.

Abstract: A fiber optic assembly includes a buffer tube forming an elongate passage and a plurality of optical fibers positioned therein. The buffer tube includes at least one layer of a composite material that includes a base material and a filler material blended therein. Particles of the filler material have an acicular structure, having a longest dimension that is on average at least ten times a narrowest dimension of the particles. Further the buffer tube has kink resistance.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable assembly includes a distribution cable and a tether cable. The distribution cable includes a jacket having a generally flat profile such that the periphery of the distribution cable, when viewed in cross-section, includes two major surfaces of the jacket that are generally flat and are connected by arcuate end surfaces of the jacket. The jacket defines a cavity therein. Further, the distribution cable includes strength members embedded in the jacket and positioned on opposing sides of the cavity. The distribution cable includes a plurality of optical fibers extending through the cavity. The tether cable includes an optical fiber that is fusion spliced to one of the optical fibers of the distribution cable by way of an opening in a side of the jacket of the distribution cable.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a jacket, a pair of strength members, and an optical fiber. The jacket has a cavity, a major dimension and a minor dimension, and a medial portion. The strength members are disposed on opposing sides of the cavity and impart a preferential bend characteristic to the cable. The at least one optical fiber is disposed within the cavity. The jacket includes preferential tear portions disposed between a respective strength member and the medial portion, for separating the strength members from the medial portion.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a tube formed from a flame-retardant material, an optical fiber disposed in a cavity of the tube, and powder comprising flame-retardant particles. At least a portion of the powder is mechanically attached to a surface of the cavity, where the mechanical attachment of the powder allows a portion of flame-retardant particles of the powder to protrude beyond the surface and not be completely embedded therein.

Abstract: Cables jacket are formed by extruding discontinuities in a main cable jacket portion. The discontinuities allow the jacket to be torn to provide access to the cable core. The discontinuities can be longitudinally extending strips of material in the cable jacket, and can be introduced into the extrudate material flow used to form the main portion through ports in the extrusion head. The discontinuities allow a section of the cable jacket to be pulled away from a remainder of the jacket using a relatively low peel force.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable includes a tube formed from a flame-retardant material, an optical fiber disposed in a cavity of the tube, and powder comprising flame-retardant particles. At least a portion of the powder is mechanically attached to a surface of the cavity, where the mechanical attachment of the powder allows a portion of flame-retardant particles of the powder to protrude beyond the surface and not be completely embedded therein.