US4796970A — Optical fibre transmission lines

Claim 1

Independent Claim 92 words

An optical fibre cable structure of extended length L comprising: a conduit having one or more tubular ductlets of length L disposed therewithin and said ductlets having openings only at either end of said length L and being capable of loosely accommodating at least one optical fibre member, and at least one optical fibre member inserted into and through an associated ductlet by propelling the fibre member from one end to the other of said ductlet using fluid drag of a gaseous medium distributed along the inserted length of said fibre member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 92 words

An optical fibre cable structure of extended length L comprising: a conduit having one or more tubular ductlets of length L disposed therewithin and said ductlets having openings only at either end of said length L and being capable of loosely accommodating at least one optical fibre member, and at least one optical fibre member inserted into and through an associated ductlet by propelling the fibre member from one end to the other of said ductlet using fluid drag of a gaseous medium distributed along the inserted length of said fibre member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 11 words

A structure as in claim 1 wherein the conduit is flexible.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

A structure as in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the fibre member comprises a plurality of optical fibres contained in a common envelope.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

A structure as in claim 1 wherein the fibre member contains at least one single mode optical fibre.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

A structure as in claim 1 wherein the ductlets have a diameter greater than 1 mm and the fibre member or fibre members have a diameter greater than 0.5 mm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

A structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ductlets have a diameter of between 1 mm and 10 mm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 116 words

An optical fibre cable structure of extended length L produced by the method of: advancing a lightweight and flexible optical fibre member into, along and through a tubular pathway of length L open substantially only at its opposite ends by propelling the fibre member along the pathway from one end to the other over said length L by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passed through the pathway in the desired direction of advance at a velocity substantially greater than the velocity at which said fibre member is moved therethrough, to provide a conduit having at least one tubular ductlet of length L forming said tubular pathway and loosely accommodating an optical fibre member contained therein.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 116 words

An optical fibre cable structure of extended length L produced by the method of: advancing a lightweight and flexible optical fibre member into, along and through a tubular pathway of length L open substantially only at its opposite ends by propelling the fibre member along the pathway from one end to the other over said length L by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passed through the pathway in the desired direction of advance at a velocity substantially greater than the velocity at which said fibre member is moved therethrough, to provide a conduit having at least one tubular ductlet of length L forming said tubular pathway and loosely accommodating an optical fibre member contained therein.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 11 words

A structure as in claim 7, wherein the conduit is flexible.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

A structure as in claim 7 or 8 wherein the fibre member comprises a plurality of optical fibres contained in a common envelope.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

A structure as in claim 7, wherein the fibre member contains at least one single mode optical fibre.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 30 words

A structure as in claim 7, wherein the ductlets have a diameter greater than 1 mm and the fibre member or fibre members have a diameter greater than 0.5 mm.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

A structure as in claim 11, wherein the ductlets have a diameter of between 1 mm and 10 mm.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

A structure as in claim 7, wherein said conduit includes a plurality of bends therewithin at the time the optical fibre is propelled along said ductlet.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 73 words

An optical fibre member of extended length greater than L comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable from one end along and through a tubular pathway of length L substantially closed except at opposite ends thereof by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 73 words

An optical fibre member of extended length greater than L comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable from one end along and through a tubular pathway of length L substantially closed except at opposite ends thereof by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 15 words

An optical fibre member according to claim 14, wherein the outer envelope comprises a polymer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

An optical fibre member according to claim 15, wherein the polymer comprises polyethylene or polypropylene.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

An optical fibre member according to claim 14, wherein the outer envelope has an outer surface textured or shaped to increase the fluid drag.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 16 words

An optical fibre cable structure comprising at least one optical fibre member according to claim 14.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 72 words

An optical fibre member extending a considerable distance between two points comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable along a tubular pathway by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity, said optical fibre member having a weight of not more than 3.5 gm/m.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 72 words

An optical fibre member extending a considerable distance between two points comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable along a tubular pathway by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity, said optical fibre member having a weight of not more than 3.5 gm/m.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 77 words

An optical fibre member extending a considerable distance between two points comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable along a tubular pathway by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity, said optical fibre member having a diameter (2r 1 ) in the range from 1 to 4 mm.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 77 words

An optical fibre member extending a considerable distance between two points comprising one or more optical fibres contained in an outer envelope characterized in that said fibre member is sufficiently lightweight and flexible to be propellable along a tubular pathway by fluid drag of a gaseous medium passing over the fibre member at a high average relative flow velocity, said optical fibre member having a diameter (2r 1 ) in the range from 1 to 4 mm.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 94 words

A blown fibre optic cable constructed in situ between two points separated by distance L of substantially more than one meter, said cable comprising: a tubular conduit disposed between said two points and substantially closed except at two corresponding end points of the conduit; and an optical fibre member extending through the entire length of said conduit and installed therealong using primarily drag forces generated and distributed along the installed length of fibre member by gases passing thereby, in situ, from one end of said conduit to the other relative to the fibre member.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 94 words

A blown fibre optic cable constructed in situ between two points separated by distance L of substantially more than one meter, said cable comprising: a tubular conduit disposed between said two points and substantially closed except at two corresponding end points of the conduit; and an optical fibre member extending through the entire length of said conduit and installed therealong using primarily drag forces generated and distributed along the installed length of fibre member by gases passing thereby, in situ, from one end of said conduit to the other relative to the fibre member.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 85 words

A blowable fibre optic member having no tensile strengthening component, said blowable fibre optic member comprising: at least one optical fibre for conducting optical signals therealong; and means associated with said at least one optical fibre which increase the fluid drag created thereon by relatively moving gases in contact therewith so as to facilitate installation of said member into and along a substantially closed tubular conduit using primarily drag forces generated and distributed along the installed length of fibre member by said relatively moving gases.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 85 words

A blowable fibre optic member having no tensile strengthening component, said blowable fibre optic member comprising: at least one optical fibre for conducting optical signals therealong; and means associated with said at least one optical fibre which increase the fluid drag created thereon by relatively moving gases in contact therewith so as to facilitate installation of said member into and along a substantially closed tubular conduit using primarily drag forces generated and distributed along the installed length of fibre member by said relatively moving gases.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-01-10	1992-07-11	1993-01-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-01-10	1996-07-11	1997-01-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-01-10	2000-07-11	2001-01-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical fibre transmission lines

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