Fiber optic cable assembly and method

Abstract

A fiber optic cable assembly includes an outer jacket defining a first passage and a second passage disposed adjacent to the first passage. The outer jacket includes a wall disposed between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the first passage. A plurality of optical fibers is disposed in the first passage. A reinforcing member is disposed in the second passage. An access member is disposed in the wall of the outer jacket.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
 an outer jacket defining a first passage and a second passage disposed adjacent to the first passage, the outer jacket including a wall disposed between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the first passage; 
 a plurality of optical fibers disposed in the first passage; 
 a reinforcing member disposed in the second passage; and 
 an access member disposed in the wall of the outer jacket; 
 wherein the wall includes a first portion that extends between the first passage and the access member and a second portion that extends between an the outer surface of the outer jacket and the access member, the first portion having a first thickness, the second portion having a second thickness, the first and second thicknesses being about equal, wherein the wall of the outer jacket has a third thickness that extends from the outer surface of the outer jacket to the first passage, and wherein the access member occupies at least 40 percent of the third thickness of the wall. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer jacket includes a major axis that extends through a center of the fiber optic cable assembly and a minor axis that extends through the center, the minor axis being generally perpendicular to the major axis. 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the outer jacket has a width that extends along the major axis and a fourth thickness that extends along the minor axis, the width being greater than the fourth thickness. 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the outer jacket is continuous. 
     
     
       5. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first thickness of the first portion of the wall is at most about 0.010 inches. 
     
     
       6. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are loosely disposed in the first passage. 
     
     
       7. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are disposed in a fiber bundle, the fiber bundle being disposed in the first passage. 
     
     
       8. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are contra-helically served. 
     
     
       9. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member has a cross-sectional width that is greater than a cross-sectional thickness so that the reinforcing member has a cross-sectional profile that is generally rectangular in shape. 
     
     
       10. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
 an outer jacket defining a first passage and a second passage disposed adjacent to the first passage, the outer jacket including a major axis that extends through a center of the outer jacket and a minor axis that extends through the center, the minor axis being generally perpendicular to the major axis, the outer jacket including a first wall disposed between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the first passage and a second wall disposed between an the outer surface of the outer jacket and the first passage, wherein the first and second walls are disposed on opposite sides of the major axis; 
 a plurality of optical fibers disposed in the first passage; 
 a reinforcing member disposed in the second passage; 
 a first access member disposed in the first wall of the outer jacket, wherein the first wall includes a first portion that extends between the first passage and the first access member and a second portion that extends between the outer surface of the outer jacket and the first access member; and 
 a second access member disposed in the second wall of the outer jacket, wherein the second wall includes a third portion that extends between the first passage and the second access member and a fourth portion that extends between the outer surface of the outer jacket and the second access member, wherein the first wall has a first thickness that extends from the outer surface of the outer jacket to the first passage and the second wall has a second thickness that extends from the outer surface of the outer jacket to the first passage, and wherein the first access member occupies at least 40 percent of the first thickness of the first wall and the second access member occupies at least 40 percent of the second thickness of the second wall. 
 
     
     
       11. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the outer jacket has a width that extends along the major axis and a third thickness that extends along the minor axis, the width being greater than the third thickness. 
     
     
       12. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first wall includes a first portion that extends between the first passage and the first access member and a second portion that extends between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the first access member, the first portion having has a first third thickness, the second portion having has a second fourth thickness, the first third and second fourth thicknesses being about equal. 
     
     
       13. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first third thickness of the first portion of the first wall is at most about 0.010 inches. 
     
     
       14. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the second wall includes a first portion that extends between the first passage and the second access member and a second portion that extends between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the second access member, the first third portion having has a first fifth thickness, the second fourth portion having has a second sixth thickness, the first fifth and second sixth thicknesses being about equal. 
     
     
       15. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first fifth thickness of the first third portion of the second wall is at most about 0.010 inches. 
     
     
       16. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are loosely disposed in the first passage. 
     
     
       17. A fiber optic cable assembly comprising:
 an outer jacket defining a first passage and a second passage disposed adjacent to the first passage, the outer jacket including a major axis that extends through a center of the outer jacket and a minor axis that extends through the center, the minor axis being generally perpendicular to the major axis, the outer jacket including a wall disposed between an outer surface of the outer jacket and the first passage; 
 a plurality of optical fibers disposed in the first passage; 
 a reinforcing member disposed in the second passage; 
 a first access member disposed in the wall of the outer jacket, wherein the wall includes a first portion that extends between the first passage and the first access member and a second portion that extends between the outer surface of the outer jacket and the first access member; and 
 a second access member disposed in the wall of the outer jacket, wherein the wall includes a third portion that extends between the first passage and the second access member and a fourth portion that extends between the outer surface of the outer jacket and the second access member, wherein the first and second access members are disposed on the same side of the outer jacket as divided by the major axis, wherein the wall of the outer jacket has a thickness that extends from the outer surface of the outer jacket to the first passage, and wherein each of the first and second access members occupies at least 40 percent of the thickness of the wall. 
 
     
     
       18. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers are loosely disposed in the first passage. 
     
     
       19. A method for accessing the optical fibers of a fiber optic cable assembly, the method comprising:
 applying a force to a portion of an outer jacket of a the fiber optic cable assembly, the force being applied in a direction that is outward from a lengthwise axis of the fiber optic cable assembly, the force being of a magnitude so that each of a first portion of a wall of the outer jacket disposed between an outer surface of the outer jacket and an access member disposed in the wall such that the access member occupies at least 40 percent of a thickness of the wall extending from the outer surface of the outer jacket to a first passage and a second portion of the wall disposed between the access member and a the first passage defined by the outer jacket tears; 
 pulling the portion of the outer jacket so that a desired length of the portion is separated from a remaining portion of the outer jacket; and 
 accessing the optical fibers in the first passage of the outer jacket. 
 
     
     
       20. A method for accessing the optical fibers of a fiber optic cable assembly, the method comprising:
 providing a the fiber optic cable assembly having an outer jacket defining a passage containing an optical fiber, the outer jacket including a wall having a first portion that extends from the passage to an access member and a second portion that extends from the access member to an outer surface of the outer jacket, the wall of the outer jacket having a thickness that extends from the outer surface of the outer jacket to the passage, and the access member occupies at least 40 percent of the thickness of the wall; and 
 tensioning the outer jacket adjacent to the access member to tear the first and second portions without pulling on the access member. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket matches an outer shape of the access member. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket conforms to the access member. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket has a diameter that is generally equal to an outer diameter of the access member. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the access member is made of a material having a melting point temperature that is higher than a melting point temperature of a material of the outer jacket. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the access member is made of a first material and the outer jacket is made of a second material. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the outer surface of the outer jacket is continuous. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second portions have thicknesses that are about equal. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket matches an outer shape of the access member. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket conforms to the access member. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket has a diameter that is generally equal to an outer diameter of the access member. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second portions have thicknesses that are about equal. 
     
     
       32. The fiber optic cable assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer jacket defines an access member passage that extends along a length of the fiber optic cable assembly, and wherein the access member passage of the outer jacket matches an outer shape of the access member.