Abstract: A fiber optic cable is fabricated with a non-corrugated armor tube which reduces the amount of material needed for the armoring while maintaining adequate cable flexibility. The outer diameter (OD) of the armor tube has a relationship with the thickness (t) of an outer jacket and intervening layers disposed about the tube such that 2t≦OD≦10t. If the tube is formed from a metal tape, sufficiently flexibility is provided as long as the outer diameter is less than 10t. The tube and outer jacket are loosely adhered to maintain flexibility, and the bending strain is maintained at less than 87.5% of the maximum bending strain for the cable.

Abstract: An aerial drop cable comprises a jacket surrounding a cavity containing a least one loosely housed optical fiber and a pair of reinforcing members composed of a plurality of high modulus fibers such as polybenzoxazole (PBO) fibers. The cross-sectional area of the reinforcing members is larger than the cross-sectional area of the cavity so that the optical fiber disposed in the cavity is protected from lateral compressive forces. By utilizing reinforcing members which are composed of PBO fibers, the diameter of the reinforcing members is reduced as compared with conventional reinforcing members composed of aramid, metal or glass thereby providing a substantial reduction in the amount of jacketing material and the weight of the cable. Further, the bending strain of the cable utilizing PBO reinforcing members is substantially reduced for an equivalent bending radius as compared with cables utilizing conventional reinforcing members due to the smaller diameter of the reinforcing members.

Abstract: A coating applicator for continuously applying matrix material to a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a ribbon configuration is described. The coating applicator has a first contacting means for contacting the plurality of optical fibers on a first side of the plurality of optical fibers and for contacting a first end fiber of the plurality of optical fibers. The coating applicator also has a second contacting means for contacting the plurality of optical fibers on a second side of the plurality of optical fibers and for contacting a second end fiber of the plurality of optical fibers. The second contacting means is located downstream of the first contacting means, and is located relative to the first contacting means so that the optical fibers are forced to contact the first and second contacting means as described above.

Abstract: A coating applicator for continuously applying matrix material to a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a ribbon configuration is described. The coating applicator has a first contacting means for contacting the plurality of optical fibers on a first side of the plurality of optical fibers and for contacting a first end fiber of the plurality of optical fibers. The coating applicator also has a second contacting means for contacting the plurality of optical fibers on a second side of the plurality of optical fibers and for contacting a second end fiber of the plurality of optical fibers. The second contacting means is located downstream of the first contacting means, and is located relative to the first contacting means so that the optical fibers are forced to contact the first and second contacting means as described above.

Abstract: A method of making an optical fiber ribbon with improved planarity and an optical fiber ribbon having improved planarity are described. The method includes the steps of providing a plurality of optical fibers and arranging the plurality of optical fibers to form a planar optical fiber arrangement. The planar optical fiber arrangement defines a first common tangent plane and a second common tangent plane. Matrix material is applied to the planar optical fiber arrangement to form a first uncured layer of matrix material such that the first layer does not extend beyond the first or the second common tangent plane by more than twenty micrometers. The first uncured layer of matrix material is then cured to achieve a degree of cure between 70% and 95% to provide a cured first layer of matrix material on the planar arrangement. Next, matrix material is applied over the first cured layer to form a second uncured layer of matrix material.