Fiber optic splice organizer

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said core is tapered at at least one end thereof.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 wherein said sheet possesses indicia thereon to identify said fiber associated therewith.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1 wherein said sheet possesses guide lines thereon to aid the arrangement of said fiber thereon.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of sheets are attached to said core.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein said sheet comprises a plurality of laminae.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 wherein at least one pair of said laminae are fused to form a tube for receiving said fiber therein.

Claim 9

An optical fiber organizer kit having component parts capable of being assembled for organizing a bight in an optical fiber between two points, the kit comprising the combination of: (a) a cylindrical core having a length adapted to be inserted on an axis between said two points and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber; and (b) a sheet of flexible material adapted to have said optical fiber arranged thereon and to be wrapped about said core, said sheet being wrapped around said core, said optical fiber being arranged on said sheet such that when said sheet is wrapped about said core a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said fiber is determined from r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core.

Claim 10

An optical fiber organizer kit having component parts capable of being assembled for organizing a bight in an optical fiber between two points, the kit comprising the combination of: (a) a cylindrical core having a length adapted to be inserted on an axis between said two points and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber; and (b) a sheet of flexible material adapted to have said optical fiber arranged thereon and to be wrapped about said core, said sheet being wrapped around said core, said optical fiber being arranged on said sheet such that when said sheet is wrapped about said core a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said fiber is determined from r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core.

Claim 11

A fiber optic cable joint kit having component parts capable of being assembled for forming a joint between two fiber optic cables, said cables each comprising an optical fiber surrounded by an outer jacket wherein a portion of the outer jacket is removed to expose said fiber, the kit comprising the combination of: (a) a cylindrical core having a length adapted to be placed between the ends of the jacketed portions of said cables and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber; (b) a sheet of flexible material adapted to have said optical fiber arranged thereon when said fiber has been joined to be wrapped about said core, said sheet being wrapped around said cylindrical core, said optical fiber being arranged on said sheet such that when said sheet is wrapped about said core a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said fiber is determined from r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core; and (c) covering means for covering said joint when said sheet has been wrapped about said core.

Claim 12

A fiber optic cable joint kit having component parts capable of being assembled for forming a joint between two fiber optic cables, said cables each comprising an optical fiber surrounded by an outer jacket wherein a portion of the outer jacket is removed to expose said fiber, the kit comprising the combination of: (a) a cylindrical core having a length adapted to be placed between the ends of the jacketed portions of said cables and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber; (b) a sheet of flexible material adapted to have said optical fiber arranged thereon when said fiber has been joined to be wrapped about said core, said sheet being wrapped around said cylindrical core, said optical fiber being arranged on said sheet such that when said sheet is wrapped about said core a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said fiber is determined from r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core; and (c) covering means for covering said joint when said sheet has been wrapped about said core.

Claim 13

The kit of claim 9 wherein the covering means comprises a heat-recoverable polymeric sleeve.

Claim 14

The kit of claim 10 wherein the heat-recoverable sleeve comprises an integral electrical heating means.

Claim 15

A joint between two fiber optic cables, each cable comprising an optical fiber and said optical fibers having been jointed to form a bight, wherein said bight has been organized by being helically wrapped about a cylindrical core positioned generally parallel to the axis between said two cables and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber, said bight being helically wrapped about said core in such a manner that a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said bight is determined by r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core.

Claim 16

A joint between two fiber optic cables, each cable comprising an optical fiber and said optical fibers having been jointed to form a bight, wherein said bight has been organized by being helically wrapped about a cylindrical core positioned generally parallel to the axis between said two cables and having a radius which is less than the minimum bending radius of said fiber, said bight being helically wrapped about said core in such a manner that a minimum helical pitch angle, θ, of said bight is determined by r'=r/cos θ where r' is the minimum bending radius of the fiber and r is the radius of the core.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 wherein said helical wrapping comprises forming a pair of helices of opposite handedness.

Claim 20

The method of claim 13 wherein more than one fiber is organized.

Claim 21

The method of claim 13 which further comprises encapsulating said fiber.

Claim 22

The method of claim 13 wherein said helical wrapping comprises the steps of: (a) arranging said fiber on a sheet such that said fiber will become helically wrapped about said core when said sheet is wrapped about said core; and (b) wrapping said sheet about said core.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17 wherein said helical wrapping comprises forming a pair of helices of opposite handedness.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17 wherein said sheet is provided with indicia to identify at least one of said fiber arranged thereon.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17 which further comprises encapsulating said fiber.

Claim 26

The method of claim 17 wherein said sheet comprises a plurality of laminae, and said fiber is placed between a pair of said laminae.

Claim 27

The method of claim 21 which further comprises encapsulating said fiber by an encapsulant introduced between said pair of laminae.

Claim 28

The method of claim 17 wherein more than one fiber is organized.

Claim 29

The method of claim 23 wherein more than one sheet is employed.

Claim 30

The method of claim 24 wherein more than one fiber is arranged on at least one of said sheets.

Claim 33

The method of claim 26 which further comprises covering said joint with a covering means.

Claim 34

The method of claim 27 wherein the covering means comprises a heat-recoverable polymeric sleeve.

Claim 35

The method of claim 28 wherein the heat-recoverable sleeve comprises integral electrical heating means.