Flexible optical-fiber ribbon

Abstract

The flexible optical-fiber ribbon can be reversibly adapted to both planar and non-planar shapes (e.g., packed via folding or rolling) without damaging the optical-fiber ribbon or its constituent optical fibers. This is achieved by bonding the plurality of optical fibres with a cured ribbon matrix (14) having elongation to break of at least 200% and a low Young's modulus of 1-20 MPa at 20 DEG C.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to optical fiber ribbons. Background technique [0002] Optical fibers offer advantages over conventional communication lines. Fiber optic communication networks can transmit significantly more information at significantly higher speeds than conventional wire-based networks. Accordingly, optical fibers are increasingly used in communication networks. An exemplary optical-fiber cable is disclosed in US Patent No. 5,682,454, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. [0003] Optical fibers can be bonded together to form a planar fiber optic ribbon, which itself can be divided into subunits (eg, a twelve-fiber ribbon that can be split into 6 fiber subunits). A plurality of fiber optic ribbons may be aggregated to form ribbon stacks of various sizes and shapes, such as rectangular ribbon stacks or wherein the uppermost and / or lowermost fiber optic ribbons are aligned with the Those ribbons in the center ha...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Even so, the placement of planar fiber optic ribbons as stacks of rectangular or trapezoidal ribbons within circular tubes is not sufficiently space efficient

[0004] Mass-fusion ribbon splicing of optical fiber ribbons requires planar ribbon geometries, however, making non-planar optical fiber ribbons unsuitable for mass-fusion ribbon splicing operations

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