Optical ribbon cable component

Claim 2

An optical cable component comprising: (a) an elongated flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; (b) a first group of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said first surface, said second surface opposite from said first group being essentially unoccupied; (c) a second group composed of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said second surface, said first surface opposite from said second group being essentially unoccupied; and, (d) said last plastic coated optical fiber of said first group and said first plastic coated optical fiber of said second group delimit an unoccupied portion of both surfaces of said web essentially equal to the diameter of one of said plastic coated optical fibers.

Claim 3

The optical cable component of claim 1 wherein a plane delimited by the plastic coated optical fibers of said first group are disposed at an acute angle to a plane delimited by the plastic coated optical fibers of said second group.

Claim 4

The optical cable component of claim 1 wherein a plane delimited by the plastic coated optical fibers of said first group is essentially parallel to a plane delimited by the plastic coated optical fibers of said second group.

Claim 5

The optical cable component of claim 1 wherein said first surface occupied by said first group is marked by a first identifying indicia.

Claim 6

The optical cable component of claim 4 wherein said second surface occupied by said second group is marked by a second identifying indicia.

Claim 7

The optical cable component of claim 1 wherein said first group is removably affixed to said first surface by an adhesive having a first color.

Claim 8

The optical cable component of claim 6 wherein said second group is removably affixed to said second surface by an adhesive having a second color.

Claim 9

The optical cable component of claim 1 further including preformations in said substrate disposed in that portion of the web delimited by the last plastic coated optical fiber of the first group and the first plastic coated optical fiber of the second group.

Claim 10

The optical cable component of claim 8 wherein said first surface occupied by said first group is marked by a first identifying indicia.

Claim 11

The optical cable component of claim 8 wherein said second surface occupied by said second group is marked by a second identifying indicia.

Claim 12

The optical cable component of claim 8 wherein said first group is removably affixed to said first surface by an adhesive having a first color.

Claim 13

The optical cable component of claim 11 wherein said second group is removably affixed to said second surface by an adhesive having a second color.

Claim 14

The optical cable component of claim 1 wherein said first group is removably affixed to said first surface by an adhesive and the second surface of said web opposite from said first group is adhesive free.

Claim 15

The optical cable component of claim 13 wherein the second group is removably affixed to said second surface by an adhesive and the first surface of said web opposite from said second group is adhesive free.

Claim 16

The optical cable component of claim 13 wherein said first surface occupied by said first group is marked by a first identifying indicia.

Claim 17

The optical cable component of claim 15 wherein the second surface occupied by said second group is marked by an identifying indicia.

Claim 18

The optical cable component of claim 15 wherein said first identifying indicia is a first colored adhesive.

Claim 19

The optical cable component of claim 16 wherein the identifying indicia is a second colored adhesive.

Claim 20

The optical cable component of claim 13 further including perforations in said web located in that portion of the web delimited by the last plastic coated optical fiber of the first group and the first plastic optical fiber of the second group.

Claim 21

The optical cable component of claim 14 further including perforations in said web located in that portion of the web delimited by the last plastic coated optical fiber of the first group and the first plastic coated optical fiber of the second group.

Claim 22

An optical cable comprising a core comprising one or more tubes in which an optical cable component is disposed and a jacket circumscribing said one or more cores, said optical cable component comprising: (i) an elongated flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; (ii) a first group of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said first surface, said second surface opposite from said first group being essentially unoccupied; (iii) a second group composed of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said second surface, said first surface opposite from said second group being essentially unoccupied; and (iv) said last plastic coated optical fiber of said first group and said first plastic coated optical fiber of said second group delimit an unoccupied portion of both surfaces of said web essentially equal to the diameter of one of said plastic coated optical fibers.

Claim 23

An optical cable comprising a core comprising one or more tubes in which an optical cable component is disposed and a jacket circumscribing said one or more cores, said optical cable component comprising: (i) an elongated flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; (ii) a first group of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said first surface, said second surface opposite from said first group being essentially unoccupied; (iii) a second group composed of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said second surface, said first surface opposite from said second group being essentially unoccupied; and (iv) said last plastic coated optical fiber of said first group and said first plastic coated optical fiber of said second group delimit an unoccupied portion of both surfaces of said web essentially equal to the diameter of one of said plastic coated optical fibers.

Claim 24

An optical cable comprising a core comprising one or more open top elongated containers in which an optical cable component is disposed and a jacket circumscribing said one or more open top containers, said optical cable component comprising: (i) an elongated flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; (ii) a first group of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said first surface, said second surface opposite from said first group being essentially unoccupied; (iii) a second group composed of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said second surface, said first surface opposite from said second group being essentially unoccupied; and, (iv) said last plastic coated optical fiber of said first group and said first plastic coated optical fiber of said second group delimit an unoccupied portion of both surfaces of said web essentially equal to the diameter of one of said plastic coated optical fibers.

Claim 25

An optical cable comprising a core comprising one or more open top elongated containers in which an optical cable component is disposed and a jacket circumscribing said one or more open top containers, said optical cable component comprising: (i) an elongated flexible substrate having first and second surfaces; (ii) a first group of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said first surface, said second surface opposite from said first group being essentially unoccupied; (iii) a second group composed of plastic coated optical fibers, including a first and last plastic coated optical fiber, removably affixed to said second surface, said first surface opposite from said second group being essentially unoccupied; and, (iv) said last plastic coated optical fiber of said first group and said first plastic coated optical fiber of said second group delimit an unoccupied portion of both surfaces of said web essentially equal to the diameter of one of said plastic coated optical fibers.