Fiber optic cable termination and method for forming same

Claim 1

A fiber optic cable termination comprising: (a) a fiber optic cable including an elongated optical fiber, a plurality of reinforcement strands in a spaced-apart relationship circumferentially about and aligned with the length of the optical fiber, and a jacket positioned about the reinforcement strands, the fiber optic cable having a terminal end portion of predetermined length from which the jacket is removed and the reinforcement strands of the terminal end portion being spaced radially from the optical fiber; (b) a component housing having a tubular extension of a length no greater than the predetermined length of said optical fiber, said tubular extension having an outer diameter surface over which extends the reinforcing strands that are radially spaced from the optical fiber, and said tubular extension having an internal passage in which the optical fiber passes through to the component housing; (c) an adhesive layer positioned over the outer diameter surface of the tubular extension to adhesively engage the outer diameter surface and the reinforcement strands; and (d) a length of shrink-fit tubing passing over the reinforcing strands and the jacket of the fiber optic cable and said length of shrink-fit tubing being in shrink-fit connection with the reinforcement strands and the jacket of the fiber optic cable.

Claim 3

The method of forming a termination between a terminal end portion of a fiber optic cable having a centrally positioned elongated optical fiber, a plurality of elongated reinforcement strands positioned in a space-apart relationship circumferentially around and aligned lengthwise with the optical fiber and a jacket disposed about the reinforcement strands; and a component housing having a tubular extension of a predetermined length, an outer diameter surface, first and second terminal ends, and a passage of a predetermined inner diameter extending from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, said method comprising the steps of: (a) removing a lengthwise section of said jacket from the terminal end portion of the fiber optic cable which section is at least as long as the predetermined length, thereby providing an exposed length of optical fiber and exposed lengths of reinforcement strands; (b) inserting the thus exposed length of optical fiber into the first terminal end and through the passage to at least said second terminal end of the tubular extension; (c) applying an adhesive layer about the outer surface of the tubular extension; (d) positioning the exposed reinforcement strands about the outer diameter of the tubular extension over the adhesive layer; (e) positioning a length of heat-shrink tubing about the reinforcement strands positioned on the tubular extension and extending over a portion of the jacket member remaining on the terminal end portion of the fiber optic cable; and (f) heating the resulting assembly to a temperature sufficient to cause the heat-shrink tubing to shrink to a smaller diameter sufficient to hold the exposed reinforcement strands in adhesive engagement with the adhesive layer on the outer diameter of the tubular member and to form a shrink-fit bond of the tubing to the jacket.

Claim 4

The method of forming a termination between a terminal end portion of a fiber optic cable having a centrally positioned elongated optical fiber, a plurality of elongated reinforcement strands positioned in a space-apart relationship circumferentially around and aligned lengthwise with the optical fiber and a jacket disposed about the reinforcement strands; and a component housing having a tubular extension of a predetermined length, an outer diameter surface, first and second terminal ends, and a passage of a predetermined inner diameter extending from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, said method comprising the steps of: (a) removing a lengthwise section of said jacket from the terminal end portion of the fiber optic cable which section is at least as long as the predetermined length, thereby providing an exposed length of optical fiber and exposed lengths of reinforcement strands; (b) inserting the thus exposed length of optical fiber into the first terminal end and through the passage to at least said second terminal end of the tubular extension; (c) applying an adhesive layer about the outer surface of the tubular extension; (d) positioning the exposed reinforcement strands about the outer diameter of the tubular extension over the adhesive layer; (e) positioning a length of heat-shrink tubing about the reinforcement strands positioned on the tubular extension and extending over a portion of the jacket member remaining on the terminal end portion of the fiber optic cable; and (f) heating the resulting assembly to a temperature sufficient to cause the heat-shrink tubing to shrink to a smaller diameter sufficient to hold the exposed reinforcement strands in adhesive engagement with the adhesive layer on the outer diameter of the tubular member and to form a shrink-fit bond of the tubing to the jacket.