Patent DE861023C successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0178088A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical cable
Assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
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Filing: 1985-09-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member suitable for use as a strengthening member of an optical cable comprises a plurality of non-metallic flexible elements 2 helically laid around a central non-metallic flexible element 1, each of which flexible elements comprises a multiplicity of filaments 3 of non-metallic reinforcing material, e.g. non-optical glass or an aromatic polyamide, bonded together by a heat-softenable organic material, e.g. polypropylene or nylon, and is coated with a release agent, e.g. a film of silicone oil. The flexible elements 1, 2 of the assembly are so deformed and compacted together that any tendency for the flexible elements to spring apart is substantially eliminated.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl Wolfgang Plessner
- 👤 Michael Johan Poole
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:23
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/4434; G02B6/441
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member comprising a plurality of non-metallic flexible elements (2) helically laid around a central non-metallic flexible element (1), each of which flexible elements comprises a multiplicity of filaments (3) of non-metallic reinforcing material bonded together by a heat-softenable organic material (4) and is coated with a release agent, the flexible elements of the assembly being so deformed and compacted together that any tendency for the flexible elements to spring apart is substantially eliminated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member comprising a plurality of non-metallic flexible elements (2) helically laid around a central non-metallic flexible element (1), each of which flexible elements comprises a multiplicity of filaments (3) of non-metallic reinforcing material bonded together by a heat-softenable organic material (4) and is coated with a release agent, the flexible elements of the assembly being so deformed and compacted together that any tendency for the flexible elements to spring apart is substantially eliminated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in Claim 1, wherein six non-metallic flexible elements (2) are helically laid around the central non-metallic flexible element (1) and wherein the flexible elements of the assembly are so deformed and compacted together that the central flexible element has a transverse cross-sectional shape of approximately hexagonal form and each of the surrounding six flexible elements has a transverse cross-sectional shape approximating to a sector of an annulus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the filaments (3) of the multiplicity of filaments of each flexible element (1,2) is made of non-optical glass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the filaments (3) of the multiplicity of filaments of each flexible element (1,2) is made of an aromatic polyamide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the heat-softenable bonding material (4) encapsulating the multiplicity of non-metallic filaments (3) of each flexible element (1,2) is a thermoplastics polymer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the heat-softenable bonding material (4) encapsulating the multiplicity of non-metallic filaments (3) of each flexible element (1,2) is a thermosetting resin which, until the flexible elements of the assembly have been deformed and compacted together, is only partially cured.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the release agent coating each flexible element (1,2) is a film of silicone oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical cable comprising at least one optical cable element (14) and at least one non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member (11) as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical cable comprising at least one optical cable element (14) comprising at least one separate optical fibre (15) and/or at least one optical bundle supported by a flexible elongate carrier member, and at least one non-metallic flexible elongate strengthening member (11) as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical cable as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the flexible elongate carrier member of the or each optical cable element (14) comprises a tube (12) of rubber or plastics material in which at least one separate optical fibre and/or optical bundle is or are loosely housed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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