Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber drop cable with a flat configuration and having two side-by-side subunits. One of the subunits contains a cable strength member, e.g. a steel wire or stranded wire. The other subunit is an optical fiber subunit, which contains the optical fiber(s), and also contains one or more additional strength members. In a preferred embodiment, the cable is dry, and has conformal encasements that couple the optical fiber(s) to the outer cable sheath.

Abstract: The specification describes an optical fiber drop cable with a flat configuration and having two side-by-side subunits. One of the subunits contains a cable strength member, e.g. a steel wire or stranded wire. The other subunit is an optical fiber subunit, which contains the optical fiber(s), and also contains one or more additional strength members. In a preferred embodiment, the cable is dry, and has conformal encasements that couple the optical fiber(s) to the outer cable sheath.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable includes a number of optical fiber bundles. Each bundle contains a number of optical fiber cable units, and a relatively thin skin surrounds the cable units and retains the units in a desired configuration another over the length of the bundle. Each cable unit includes a number of optical fibers, and a first outer jacket that surrounds the fibers. The bundles are protectively enclosed by a second outer jacket of the cable. In an illustrated embodiment, each cable unit has 12 fibers, each bundle contains 12 cable units, and six bundles are protectively enclosed by the second outer jacket, so that the cable contains 432 optical fibers each of which is traceable by color and/or indicia markings.

Abstract: The specification describes an improved optical fiber cable wherein the cable cross section is round and contains a plurality of bundled optical fibers. The bundle may comprise randomly spaced fibers or fibers aligned in a ribbon configuration. The bundle is encased in a polymer encasement that couples mechanically to each optical fiber. Preferably, the fibers are spaced from the nearest neighbor to improve coupling. In some embodiments the encasement is relatively hard, and is deliberately made to adhere to the optical fiber bundle. Consequently the encasement medium functions as an effective stress translating medium that deliberately translates stresses on the cable to the optical fibers. The cable construction of the invention is essentially void free, and provides a dry cable with water blocking capability.

Abstract: The specification describes an improved optical fiber cable wherein the cable cross section is round and contains a plurality of bundled optical fibers. The bundle may comprise randomly arranged optical fibers or optical fibers aligned in a ribbon configuration. The bundle is encased in a polymer encasement that couples mechanically to the optical fibers. In some embodiments the encasement is relatively hard, and is deliberately made to adhere to the optical fiber bundle. Consequently the encasement medium functions as an effective stress translating medium that deliberately translates stresses on the cable to the optical fibers. The cable construction of the invention is essentially void free, and provides a dry cable with water blocking capability.