Roger A Vaughn

US Patent:

6370303, Apr 9, 2002

Filed:

Oct 20, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/693602

Inventors:

Jon Fitz - West Columbia SC
Roger Vaughn - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC - Columbia SC

International Classification:

G02B 644

US Classification:

385113

Abstract:

An optical fiber cable has a jacket of flame retardant and ultraviolet stabilized plastic and meets the requirements for both outdoor and indoor use. The jacket has two longitudinal portions interconnected by an intermediate longitudinal portion of a thickness less than the thickness of the two portions. One of the two portions contains a longitudinally extending strength member of sufficient tensile strength to support the cable when the cable is suspended outdoors between relatively widely spaced supports. The other of the two portions has a longitudinally extending bore which contains at least one tightly buffered, longitudinally extending optical fiber and can also contain a flexible, longitudinally extending strength member. When the cable is suspended outdoors between support, the intermediate jacket portion has sufficient strength to prevent separation of the strength member portion from the optical fiber portion. The strength member portion, when desired, can be separated from the optical fiber portion to form an optical fiber subunit, which is flexible and meets indoor riser requirements, and a strength member subunit.

US Patent:

6377738, Apr 23, 2002

Filed:

Dec 4, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/205825

Inventors:

Aaron M. Anderson - Batesburg SC
Ben H. Wells - Irmo SC
Roger Vaughn - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Pirelli Cable Corporation - Columbia SC

International Classification:

G02B 644

US Classification:

385113, 385109, 385100, 385106, 385107, 385114

Abstract:

An optical fiber cable core includes a buffer tube containing at least one optical fiber and reinforced by at least two substantially radially incompressible longitudinal strength members, each strength member having surface portions radially outermost with respect to the tube axis which are at or protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. If the strength members protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube, less than 50%, and preferably less than 20%, of the outer surface of the strength members protrudes from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. The positions of the strength members can be readily determined, can be visible and can be easily removed from the buffer tube prior to slitting the buffer tube to achieve midspan access. The core can include a buffer tube having an inner tubular portion, an outer tubular portion including the strength members, and a release agent between the tubular portions to enable easy separation of the tubular portions so that conventional slitting tools can be used to gain midspan access. Also, an optical fiber cable including the core and methods of manufacturing a reinforced buffer tube are disclosed.

US Patent:

6546176, Apr 8, 2003

Filed:

Jan 29, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/059530

Inventors:

Aaron M. Anderson - Batesburg SC
Ben H. Wells - Irmo SC
Roger Vaughn - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Pirelli Cable Corporation - Columbia SC

International Classification:

G02B 644

US Classification:

385113, 385100, 385106, 385107, 385114

Abstract:

An optical fiber cable core includes a buffer tube containing at least one optical fiber and reinforced by at least two substantially radially incompressible longitudinal strength members, each strength member having surface portions radially outermost with respect to the tube axis which are at or protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. If the strength members protrude from the exterior surface of the buffer tube, less than 50%, and preferably less than 20%, of the outer surface of the strength members protrudes from the exterior surface of the buffer tube. The positions of the strength members can be readily determined, can be visible and can be easily removed from the buffer tube prior to slitting the buffer tube to achieve midspan access. The core can include a buffer tube having an inner tubular portion, an outer tubular portion including the strength members, and a release agent between the tubular portions to enable easy separation of the tubular portions so that conventional slitting tools can be used to gain midspan access. Also, an optical fiber cable including the core and methods of manufacturing a reinforced buffer tube are disclosed.

US Patent:

6292611, Sep 18, 2001

Filed:

Jan 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

9/687736

Inventors:

Richard Chamberlain - Surrey, CA
Rodney J. Pierce - Lexington SC
Ben Wells - Columbia SC
Roger Vaughn - Columbia SC

Assignee:

Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC - Columbia SC

International Classification:

G02B 644

US Classification:

385114

Abstract:

An optical fiber cable includes a central strength or structural member, buffer tubes of the desired flexibility are S-Z wound around the central member with a predetermined lay, preferably with alternating single turn S-Z lays and the buffer tubes loosely receive optical fiber ribbon stacks, the pitch of the twist being selected to provide a predetermined ratio of the pitch of the buffer tube lay. The wall thickness of the buffer tubes is selected to provide the desired buffer tube strength and crush resistance, and the diameters of the buffer tubes bores are selected in relation to the size of the optical fiber ribbon stacks so as to provide a predetermined clearance. The clearance C is between about 1 mm and about 2 mm with the relation: C=(T. sub. I. sup. 2 -W. sub. R. sup. 2). sup. 1/2 -H. sub. R Where T. sub. I is the inner diameter of the tube, W. sub.