Patent US4388800A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4388800A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of manufacturing an optical fibre cable

Assignee: Cables de Lyon SA
•
Filing: 1982-01-07
•
Granted: 1983-06-21
•
Expires: 2002-01-07
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An optical fibre cable comprises a support structure having helical grooves around its periphery. Optical fibres are laid in the grooves. Said fibre-containing grooves (2) are then partially untwisted in the direction of the arrow (4), thereby lengthening the pitch of the grooves and hence lengthening the fibres relative to the grooves.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Pierre Trezeguet
  • 👤 Jean-Patrick Vives

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 08:07
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4479; G02B6/4489

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 164 words
A method of manufacturing an optical fibre cable comprising a generally cylindrical elongate central support structure with helical grooves formed about its periphery to accommodate optical fibres, the improvement wherein said method consists in laying fibres whose cross-section is larger than the cross-section of the grooves in said grooves, providing a cover about the periphery of said central support structure to protect the fibres against radial compression forces, and in then partially untwisting the fibre-containing grooves, thereby lengthening the pitch of the grooves and hence increasing the length of the optical fibres relative to the length of the grooves to improve the mobility of the fibres in the grooves to provide an assembly which permits tractive stresses which elongate the support structure, thereby providing optical fibres whose length is sufficiently longer than the grooves than that of the support structure so that the tractive forces are not transmitted to the fibres as long as said support structure does not reach its breaking elongate limit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 164 words
A method of manufacturing an optical fibre cable comprising a generally cylindrical elongate central support structure with helical grooves formed about its periphery to accommodate optical fibres, the improvement wherein said method consists in laying fibres whose cross-section is larger than the cross-section of the grooves in said grooves, providing a cover about the periphery of said central support structure to protect the fibres against radial compression forces, and in then partially untwisting the fibre-containing grooves, thereby lengthening the pitch of the grooves and hence increasing the length of the optical fibres relative to the length of the grooves to improve the mobility of the fibres in the grooves to provide an assembly which permits tractive stresses which elongate the support structure, thereby providing optical fibres whose length is sufficiently longer than the grooves than that of the support structure so that the tractive forces are not transmitted to the fibres as long as said support structure does not reach its breaking elongate limit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 70 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is made of a plastically deformable material and wherein the fibre-containing grooves are partially untwisted by twisting the support structure in the opposite direction to the direction of twist of the grooves, said twisting taking place after the fibres have been laid in the grooves and being performed to an extent sufficient to cause plastic deformation of the support structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 85 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the support structure is made of an elastically deformable material and wherein the support structure is elastically twisted in the same direction as the direction of twist of the grooves before the fibres are laid in the grooves, and the fibres are then laid in the grooves while the support structure is maintained in an elastically twisted state, the fibre-containing grooves being subsequently partially untwisted by releasing the support structure to return to its initial degree of twist.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3498286A Cited
DE2519050C3 Cited
DE2709106A1 Cited
US4241979A Cited
GB2052092A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-06-20 1986-12-20 1987-06-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-06-20 1990-12-20 1991-06-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-06-20 1994-12-20 1995-06-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag