Optical ribbon cables

Claim 1

An optical flat ribbon cable comprised of a pluralality of optically transmissive glass fiber arranged parallel to one another and each having a layer of a separating and lubricating material thereon, said separating and lubricating material being selected from the group consisting of a silicone oil based on polymethylsiloxans or polymethylphenylsiloxans, a hydrocarbon boiling at relatively high temperatures, ester oils analagous to oils for machines or clocks or to softeners, talc, slate powder, mica powder, graphite powder, metal powder, powdered organic materials such as starch flour and mixtures thereof, said glass fibers each having a layer of said separating and lubricating material thereon being enveloped within an outer cable body comprised of a soft cast synthetic resin which is liquid in state during casting at temperatures between 20° and 100° C., and by chemical reaction is crosslinked into a soft solid state, like elastic rubber, by using components in the soft cast resin having a relatively low concentration of reactive groups, as for example, groups of isocyanate or epoxy and further groups of hydroxyl, amino or carboxyl, said layer of separating and lubricating material floatingly suspending said parallelly arranged glass fibers within said outer enveloping cable body composed of said soft cast synthetic resin.