Super-absorbent swellable hot melt coated optical fibers, buffer tubes, cable designs thereof and manufacturing processes

Abstract

Embodiments of an optical fiber cable are provided. The cable includes a cable jacket and at least one buffer tube. Each buffer tube surrounds a plurality of optical fibers. The cable jacket surrounds the at least one buffer tube. Further, a coating of superabsorbent, swellable hot melt is applied to at least one of the following locations: (i) along at least a portion of the length of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers; (ii) along at least a portion of the length of the exterior or interior surface of the at least one buffer tube; or (iii) along at least a portion of the length of the interior surface of the cable jacket. Moreover, the superabsorbent, swellable hot melt is capable of absorbing at least 50 g of water per gram of superabsorbent, swellable hot melt.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical fiber cable comprising:
 a cable jacket having an exterior surface and an interior surface;   at least one buffer tube, wherein each of the at least one buffer tube has an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein each of the at least one buffer tube surrounds a plurality of optical fibers, and wherein the cable jacket surrounds the at least one buffer tube;   wherein a coating of superabsorbent, swellable hot melt is applied to at least one of the following locations:
 (i) along at least a portion of the length of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers; 
 (ii) along at least a portion of the length of the exterior or interior surface of the at least one buffer tube; or 
 (iii) along at least a portion of the length of the interior surface of the cable jacket; and 
   wherein the superabsorbent, swellable hot melt is capable of absorbing at least 50 g of water per gram of superabsorbent, swellable hot melt.   
     
     
         2 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied to location (i) or location (ii) and wherein the coating of superabsorbent, swellable hot melt extends around less than the entire circumference of the optical fiber or of the buffer tube. 
     
     
         3 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 2 , wherein the coating covers between 5% and 50% of the circumference of the optical fiber.