GB2153105A
Expired / Lapsed
GB
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terminating an optical fibre cable
Assignee: Commscope Connectivity Belgium BVBA
•
Filing: 1984-12-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-18
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Marie Etienne Nolf
- 👤 Hubert Genbrugge
- 👤 Valere Buekers
- 👤 Luiz Neves Mendes
- 👤 Jos Doucet
- 👤 Jan Vansant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
GB
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/4471; G02B6/4476; G02B6/24; G02B6/255; G02B6/2558; G02B6/36; G02B6/3628; G02B6/3632; G02B6/3636; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/443; G02B6/4431; G02B6/4472; G02B6/3616; G02B6/362; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3873; G02B6/3874; G02B6/3878; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/49865
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of terminating a cable com prising a plurality of optical fibres surrounded by a cable jacket, in which: (a) a length of cable jacket is removed from a portion of the cable, leaving in place a 95 further length of jacket nearer to the end to be terminated; (b) the fibres are withdrawn from under said further length of jacket such that they leave the cable at said portion; (c) the fibres thus withdrawn are inserted into individual protective tubes; and (d) the further length of jacket is removed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of terminating a cable com prising a plurality of optical fibres surrounded by a cable jacket, in which: (a) a length of cable jacket is removed from a portion of the cable, leaving in place a 95 further length of jacket nearer to the end to be terminated; (b) the fibres are withdrawn from under said further length of jacket such that they leave the cable at said portion; (c) the fibres thus withdrawn are inserted into individual protective tubes; and (d) the further length of jacket is removed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 1, in which the cable additionally comprises a core which supports the fibres, and length of core corre sponding to the further length of jacket is removed after step (b).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 2, in which the protective tubes are positioned such that ends thereof lie on an end of the core of the cable. #
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 3, which additionally comprises heat-shrinking a sleeve around end portions of the tubes to secure the tubes to the core.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 4, in which the sleev'e has an internal layer of an adhesive which is activated during heat-shrinking of the sleeve.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
24 words
A method according to any of claims 1 5, which additionally comprises providing an environmental seal at the termination by means of a gel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 6, in which 125 the gel provides an environmetal seal between a protective tube and a fibre it contains.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 6, in which the gel provides a cable block at the termi- nated end of the cable.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of splicing two optical fibre cables, in which at least one of the cables spliced is terminated by a method according to any of claims 1-8 such that fibres between that cable and the fibre splices are protected by the protective tubes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 9, in which an environmental seal is provided between a splice and an adjacent protective tube by means which comprises a gel.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
46 words
A method according to any preceding claim in which a fibre is inserted into a protective tube by means of an insertion tool having a means for locating the fibre and means for locating the tube and having means for advancing the tube and/or the fibre.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 11, in which the means for advancing is electrically powered. 85
Claim 14
Independent Claim
39 words
A method according to any preceding claim in which a holding tool is used to hold the cable during at least steps (a) and (b), the holding too] having means for rotating the cable about its longitudinal axis. 90
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A kit-of-parts suitable for terminating an optical fibre cable, which comprises; a plurality of protective tubes each suitable for housing individual optical fibres; a heat-shrinkable sleeve suitable for securing the tubes with respect to the terminated cable; means for identifying respective protective tubes; and means for correlating the identification of the tubes with respective fibres of the cable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A kit-of-parts suitable for terminating an optical fibre cable, which comprises; a plurality of protective tubes each suitable for housing individual optical fibres; a heat-shrinkable sleeve suitable for securing the tubes with respect to the terminated cable; means for identifying respective protective tubes; and means for correlating the identification of the tubes with respective fibres of the cable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
62 words
A kit-of-parts according to claim 14, in which the means for identifying comprises colour-coding of the tubes or of an article to which the tubes are attached; and the means for correlating comprises a card which matches the colour-coding of the tubes with a position indicator of the cable which identifies the fibres by means of their relative position in the cable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
A kit-of-parts according to claim 14 or 15, which additionally comprises a gel or a mastic for providing an environmental seal at an end portion of a protective tube.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of terminating a cable comprising a plurality of optical fibres surrounded by a cable jacket, in which: (a) a length of cable jacket is removed from a portion of the cable, exposing a plurality of optical fibres; (b) the fibres are inserted into individual protective tubes; and (c) an environmental seal is provided at either or both end portions of a protective tube by means of a gel or a mastic which prevents contaminants passing along a fibre.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of terminating a cable comprising a plurality of optical fibres surrounded by a cable jacket, in which: (a) a length of cable jacket is removed from a portion of the cable, exposing a plurality of optical fibres; (b) the fibres are inserted into individual protective tubes; and (c) an environmental seal is provided at either or both end portions of a protective tube by means of a gel or a mastic which prevents contaminants passing along a fibre.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of protecting an optical fibre by a protective tube applied over the fibre by means of an insertion tool, which method comprises: (a) inserting the tube into means of the tool for locating the tube; (b) inserting the fibre through guide means GB 2 153 105A 10 of the tool into means of the tool for locating the fibre, the means for locating the tube and the means for locating the fibre being such that end portions of the tube and of the fibre 5 have substantially the same axis; and (c) advancing the tube and/or the fibre along said axis by advancing means of the tool.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of protecting an optical fibre by a protective tube applied over the fibre by means of an insertion tool, which method comprises: (a) inserting the tube into means of the tool for locating the tube; (b) inserting the fibre through guide means GB 2 153 105A 10 of the tool into means of the tool for locating the fibre, the means for locating the tube and the means for locating the fibre being such that end portions of the tube and of the fibre 5 have substantially the same axis; and (c) advancing the tube and/or the fibre along said axis by advancing means of the tool.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 18, in which the insertion tool additionally has the function of a holding tool for the cable and has means for rotating the cable about its longitudinal axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
An insertion tool for inserting an optical fibre into a protective tube, which comprises: guide means for accepting an end of the fibre; means for locating the fibre; means for locating the tube, the means for locating the fibre and the means for locating the tube being such that end portions of the fibre and tube have substantially the same axis; and means for advancing the fibre and/or the tube along said axis without damaging the fibre.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
77 words
An insertion tool for inserting an optical fibre into a protective tube, which comprises: guide means for accepting an end of the fibre; means for locating the fibre; means for locating the tube, the means for locating the fibre and the means for locating the tube being such that end portions of the fibre and tube have substantially the same axis; and means for advancing the fibre and/or the tube along said axis without damaging the fibre.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
An insertion tool according to claim 20, in which the means for advancing comprises at least one of roller against which a fibre or tube bears.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
An insertion tool according to claim 21, in which at least one of the rolls is powerable by electricity.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
An insertion tool according to any of claims 20-22, which is capable of advancing the fibre and/or tube in each of two mutually opposite directions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
78 words
A holding tool for holding an optical fibre cable during termination thereof, which comprises; first and second holding means for holding longitudinally separated first and second portions of the cable such that a third portion, between said first and second portions, is accessible for removal therefrom of a jacket of the cable to expose fibres of the cable and/or for removal therefrom of fibres of the cable: and means for rotation of the cable about its longitudinal axis.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
78 words
A holding tool for holding an optical fibre cable during termination thereof, which comprises; first and second holding means for holding longitudinally separated first and second portions of the cable such that a third portion, between said first and second portions, is accessible for removal therefrom of a jacket of the cable to expose fibres of the cable and/or for removal therefrom of fibres of the cable: and means for rotation of the cable about its longitudinal axis.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A holding tool according to claim 24, in which the cable can be inserted laterally into the first and second holding means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
A holding tool according to claim 24 or 25, in which the means for rotation is in- dexed.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
An insertion and holding tool according to any of claims 20-23 and to any of claims 24-26.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
56 words
A tool according to claim 20 or 24 provided with means for correlating identifica tion of protective tubes for the fibres with respective fibres. Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Dd 8818935. 1985. 4235. Published at The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings. London. WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained-
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4198119A
Cited
EP0115725A1
Cited
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