Patent US4798443A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4798443A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optical cable
Assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
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Filing: 1982-06-09
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Granted: 1989-01-17
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Expires: 2002-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An optical cable suitable for suspension beside an electrical railway or other location where an electric communication cable would be subjected to electrical interference comprises an optical cable element which is loosely housed in and extends helically throughout the length of an outer protective sleeve which has embedded in and at spaced positions around the sleeve a plurality of elongate non-metallic reinforcing members which extend lengthwise of the sleeve. Each reinforcing member has, in the member, undulations that serve to improve the mechanical bonding of the member within the sleeve and the flexibility of the cable. The optical cable element comprises a plurality of plastic tubes helically laid around a central non-metallic reinforcing member and surrounded by an outer sheath. In each of some of the tube is loosely housed a separate optical fibre.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles D. Knipe
- 👤 Edward L. Mather
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:41
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/443; G02B6/4432; G02B6/441; G02B6/4413
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
An optical cable adapted to be freely supported in long length from spaced supports along a location subject to electrical interference, comprising an optical cable element comprising a plurality of separately formed tubes of plastics material in at least one of which is loosely housed at least one optical fibre and, surrounding the tubes, an outer protective sheath; and, loosely surrounding the optical cable element, an outer protective sleeve which has an inner diameter substantially greater than the overall diameter of the optical cable element and which has embedded in the sleeve at least one layer of circumferentially spaced elongate non-metallic reinforcing members which extend substantially lengthwise of the sleeve, each of the reinforcing members having, in the member, undulations that serve to improve the mechanical bonding of the member within the sleeve and the flexibility of the cable, wherein the optical cable element comprises a plurality of separately formed tubes of plastics material in at least one of which is loosely housed at least one optical fibre and, surrounding the tubes, an outer protective sheath and wherein the optical cable element is loosely housed within and extends helically throughout substantially the whole of the length of the sleeve and is contiguous with the internal surface of the sleeve at least spaced positions along the length of the sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
An optical cable adapted to be freely supported in long length from spaced supports along a location subject to electrical interference, comprising an optical cable element comprising a plurality of separately formed tubes of plastics material in at least one of which is loosely housed at least one optical fibre and, surrounding the tubes, an outer protective sheath; and, loosely surrounding the optical cable element, an outer protective sleeve which has an inner diameter substantially greater than the overall diameter of the optical cable element and which has embedded in the sleeve at least one layer of circumferentially spaced elongate non-metallic reinforcing members which extend substantially lengthwise of the sleeve, each of the reinforcing members having, in the member, undulations that serve to improve the mechanical bonding of the member within the sleeve and the flexibility of the cable, wherein the optical cable element comprises a plurality of separately formed tubes of plastics material in at least one of which is loosely housed at least one optical fibre and, surrounding the tubes, an outer protective sheath and wherein the optical cable element is loosely housed within and extends helically throughout substantially the whole of the length of the sleeve and is contiguous with the internal surface of the sleeve at least spaced positions along the length of the sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the overall diameter of the optical cable element is less than half of the internal diameter of the sleeve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical cable, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the helically extending optical cable element has a substantially constant length of lay.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate non-metallic reinforcing members each comprise a bunch of compacted yarns of glass fibre.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compacted yarns of each elongate non-metallic reinforcing member are coated with a form of starch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the bunch of compacted yarns of each elongate non-metallic reinforcing member consists of a combination of elements of different kinds from one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mutual spacing between adjacent elongate non-metallic reinforcing members is not less than the diameter of a reinforcing member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radial distance of each elongate non-metallic reinforcing member of the layer or innermost layer of reinforcing members from the radially inner surface of the sleeve is not less than the diameter of a reinforcing member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein each undulating elongate non-metallic reinforcing member extends helically around the axis of the cable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the direction of lay of each helically extending non-metallic reinforcing member is reversed at spaced positions along the length of the cable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, in which the undulating elongate non-metallic reinforcing members are arranged in at least two layers and each member extends helically around the axis of the cable, wherein the helically extending reinforcing members of adjacent layers are of opposite hand.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve of the optical cable is an extruded tube of plastics material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 11, wherein the extruded outer protective tube is bonded to a tubular lining formed of a longitudinally applied, transversely folded tape.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tape forming the tubular lining is of plastics material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongate non-metallic reinforcing members are embedded in the outer sleeve at uniformly spaced positions around the sleeve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubes of the optical cable element are arranged helically in at least one layer around an elongate non-metallic central core.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 16, wherein the elongate non-metallic central core of the optical cable element is a tube of plastics material in which is loosely housed at least one optical fibre.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical cable as claimed in claim 16, wherein the elongate non-metallic central core of the optical cable element is an elongate non-metallic flexible reinforcing member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
An optical cable as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 16, wherein the or each tube of the optical cable element in which at least one optical fibre is loosely housed is substantially filled throughout its length with water-impermeable medium of a grease-like nature.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-01-17 | 1992-07-18 | 1993-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-01-17 | 1996-07-18 | 1997-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-01-17 | 2000-07-18 | 2001-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |