Optical Fiber Ribbon and a Method and System of Producing the Same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon, comprising a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel forming an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers, preferably two optical fibers, encapsulated with a matrix material; and a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said assembly; each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units. The present invention moreover relates to a method of producing such an optical fiber ribbon. A fluorescent tracer is present in the beads.

1 . An optical fiber ribbon, comprising:
 (i) a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel to form an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single optical fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers encapsulated with a matrix material; and   (ii) a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said optical fiber assembly, each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units, wherein a fluorescent tracer is present in each of said plurality of beads.   
     
     
         2 . The ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is present in at least one bead in an amount of between 0.1 weight percent and 1.5 weight percent. 
     
     
         3 . The ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent pigment. 
     
     
         4 . The ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescein salt, an oxazole, a benzoxazole, a stilbene, a pyrazoline, a triazole, an imidazole, a pyrazine, a triazine and a fluoranthene. 
     
     
         5 . The ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while a successive bond formed by a successive bead connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair. 
     
     
         6 . The ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein at each longitudinal position of the optical fiber assembly there is at most one bond. 
     
     
         7 . The optical fiber ribbon according to  claim 1 , wherein said beads are arranged on only one side of said optical fiber assembly. 
     
     
         8 . An optical fiber ribbon, comprising:
 (i) a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel to form an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single optical fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers encapsulated with a matrix material, wherein each optical fiber comprises from the center to the periphery thereof a glass core, a glass cladding, a primary coating, a secondary coating, and optionally an outer layer in which none of the primary coating, the secondary coating, and the optional outer layer comprises a fluorescent tracer; and   (ii) a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said optical fiber assembly, each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units, wherein a fluorescent tracer is present in each of said plurality of beads.   
     
     
         9 . The ribbon according to  claim 8 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is present in at least one bead in an amount of between 0.1 weight percent and 1.5 weight percent. 
     
     
         10 . The ribbon according to  claim 8 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent pigment. 
     
     
         11 . The ribbon according to  claim 8 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescein salt, an oxazole, a benzoxazole, a stilbene, a pyrazoline, a triazole, an imidazole, a pyrazine, a triazine and a fluoranthene. 
     
     
         12 . The ribbon according to  claim 8 , wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while a successive bond formed by a successive bead connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair. 
     
     
         13 . The ribbon according to  claim 8 , wherein at each longitudinal position of the optical fiber assembly there is at most one bond. 
     
     
         14 . An optical fiber ribbon, comprising:
 (i) a plurality of adjacent optical fiber units extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel to form an optical fiber assembly having a width, each of the optical fiber units comprising either a single optical fiber or a group of at most three optical fibers encapsulated with a matrix material, wherein each optical fiber comprises from the center to the periphery thereof a glass core, a glass cladding, a primary coating, a secondary coating, and optionally an outer layer; and   (ii) a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads of a bonding material being arranged along a length of said optical fiber assembly, each of said plurality of beads being configured to form an elongated bond between two adjacent optical fiber units of the plurality of optical fiber units, wherein a fluorescent tracer is present in each of said plurality of beads, wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while a successive bond formed by a successive bead connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair, and wherein a number of successive beads form a stepwise pattern over the plurality of optical fiber units, the step each time being one optical fiber unit.   
     
     
         15 . The ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is present in at least one bead in an amount of between 0.1 weight percent and 1.5 weight percent. 
     
     
         16 . The ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent pigment. 
     
     
         17 . The ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein the fluorescent tracer is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescein salt, an oxazole, a benzoxazole, a stilbene, a pyrazoline, a triazole, an imidazole, a pyrazine, a triazine and a fluoranthene. 
     
     
         18 . The ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein a first bead forming a first bond connects a first pair of adjacent optical fiber units while a successive bond formed by a successive bead connects a further pair of adjacent optical fiber units, wherein at least one optical fiber unit of the further pair differs from the optical fiber units of the first pair. 
     
     
         19 . The ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein at each longitudinal position of the optical fiber assembly there is at most one bond. 
     
     
         20 . The optical fiber ribbon according to  claim 14 , wherein the successive beads forming a stepwise pattern are positioned in a zig-zag like arrangement.