Patent US487939A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3883218A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3883218A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical guides
Assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
•
Filing: 1973-11-08
•
Granted: 1975-05-13
•
Expires: 1993-11-08
Abstract
Abstract An optical cable comprises a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of optical fibres and/or groups of optical fibres for use together as a single light guide, which optical fibres and/or groups of optical fibres are secured side by side on or within a substantially flat flexible support member which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath. The position of each optical fibre or group of optical fibres with respect to the other optical fibres or groups of optical fibres of the or each layer is constant throughout the length of the cable. The reinforcing member is of such a material and of such a crosssectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond Jeffrey Slaughter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:33
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4415; G02B6/4416; G02B6/4403; G02B6/441; G02B6/4413; G02B6/4479; G02B6/448; B; B29; B29C; B29C48/00; B29C48/03; B29C48/05; B29C48/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
157 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre which elongate optical elements are embedded side by side in a substantially flat tape of plastics material which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
157 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre which elongate optical elements are embedded side by side in a substantially flat tape of plastics material which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
161 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre which elongate optical elements are secured by adhesive side by side on a surface of at least one substantially flat tape which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
161 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre which elongate optical elements are secured by adhesive side by side on a surface of at least one substantially flat tape which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elongate optical elements of the layer or of at least one of the layers are sandwiched between, and secured by adhesive to adjacent surfaces of, two substantially flat tapes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
158 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre, which elongate optical elements are secured side by side on or within a substantially flat flexible support member which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
158 words
An optical cable comprising a central elongate non-optical reinforcing member; a plurality of elongate optical elements, each element consisting of at least one optical fibre, which elongate optical elements are secured side by side on or within a substantially flat flexible support member which is lapped helically about the reinforcing member in at least one layer; and an outer protective sheath; the position of each elongate optical element with respect to the other elongate optical elements of the or each layer being constant throughout the length of the cable, and the reinforcing member being of such a material and of such a cross-sectional area having regard to the material or materials and cross-sectional area of each optical fibre that the reinforcing member at least substantially reduces the strain that would otherwise be imparted to the optical fibres when the cable is stressed in such a way as to tend to subject any optical fibre to a tensile force.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4,, in which at least two layers of flexible support members carrying elongate optical elements are lapped helically about the reinforcing member, wherein the optical elements of each layer are of opposite hand to that of the optical elements of the or each adjacent layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central reinforcing member is of a material which has a Young''s Modulus of at least 6.9 X 104 MN/m2.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central reinforcing member comprises a plurality of elongate elements stranded together.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of elongate elements are of steel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central reinforcing member comprises a single elongate element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 9, wherein the single elongate element is of steel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical cable as claimed in clAim 4, wherein the central reinforcing member includes at least one electrical conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 11, wherein the central reinforcing member is a single elongate element of an electrically conductive metallic material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 11, wherein the central reinforcing member is a single elongate element and the electrical conductor is constituted by a layer of electrically conductive metallic material applied to the elongate element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one of the elongate elements of the stranded member is of electrically conductive metallic material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein a layer of plastics material surrounds the central reinforcing member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 15, wherein the layer surrounding the central reinforcing member is of cellular plastics material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein a layer of plastics material surrounds the layer or outermost layer of elongate optical elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 17, wherein the layer surrounding the layer or outermost layer of elongate optical elements is of cellular plastics material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein an outer concentric electrical conductor is positioned beneath the outer protective sheath.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 19, wherein the outer conductor comprises at least one tape of electrically conductive metallic material lapped helically about the cable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer protective sheath is an extruded sheath of plastics material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer protective sheath is surrounded by an oversheath of a material having a low friction coefficient.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-12 | 1978-11-11 | 1979-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-12 | 1982-11-11 | 1983-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-12 | 1986-11-11 | 1987-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |