GB1599442A

GB1599442A - Multi-fibre optic cable

Info

Publication number: GB1599442A
Application number: GB305878A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: FORT F
Current assignee: FORT F
Priority date: 1977-03-10
Filing date: 1978-01-18
Publication date: 1981-10-07
Also published as: FR2383457B1; DE2808271A1; FR2383457A1; JPS53113563A

Description

(54) MULTI-FIBRE OPTIC CABLE (71) I, FRANCOIS FORT, a French citizen, residing at 42 rue de la Procession, 75015 Paris, France, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a cable containing a plurality of optical fibres, in which each fibre is independent and may transmit information.

In such a cable, it is necessary to be able to locate each fibre without being obliged to test the outlet corresponding to the inlet of a fibre at the two ends of the cable, as is the case in cables with stranded fibres.

According to the invention there is provided a multi-fibre optic cable comprising a flexible strip, a plurality of grooves formed in a side of the strip and extending longitudinally of the strip, a plurality of separate optic fibres each freely disposed in a respective said groove, a flexible tape covering said grooves and having substantially the same width as the strip, and a flexible sheath extending about the strip and tape.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a strip with grooves containing optic fibres for forming a cable according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the arrangement in Fig. 1 in which the grooves are covered by flexible tape; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the arrangement in Fig. 2 enclosed in a sheath to form a cable according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a section through a multi-layer cable formed according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 3 show optical fibres 1, which preferably are individually sheathed, disposed in grooves 2 formed in and extending longitudinally of a flexible strip 3 made of supple material such as a plastics or an elastomer.

The fibres 1 rest freely in the grooves 2 covered with a flexible tape 4 which is of the same width as the strip 3 and protects the fibres and leaves them free in their grooves.

The whole is then enclosed in a flexible sheath 5 of supple material, for example based on silicon. A cable 6 is thus obtained which, by its flat and asymmetrical form enables the inlet and outlet of each fibre to be easily located.

As shown in Fig. 4, a cable may be produced having a large number of optical fibres, by stacking a plurality of cables 6 as shown in Fig. 3 and enclosing this stack 7 in a supporting sheath 8 itself covered by a protective sheath 9. The sheaths 8 and 9 may be reinforced with reinforcing fibres 10 of a suitable material.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A multi-fibre optic cable comprising a flexible strip, a plurality of grooves formed in a side of the strip and extending longitudinally of the strip, a plurality of separate optic fibres each freely disposed in a respective said groove, a flexible tape covering said grooves and having substantially the same width as the strip, and a flexible sheath extending about the strip and tape.

2. A cable as claimed in claim 1 comprising a plurality of said strips stacked one on another.

3. A cable as claimed in claim 2, in which the stack of strips is surrounded by a retaining sheath.

4. A cable as claimed in claim 3 in which the retaining sheath is covered by a protective sheath.

5. A cable as claimed in any one pre

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (54) MULTI-FIBRE OPTIC CABLE (71) I, FRANCOIS FORT, a French citizen, residing at 42 rue de la Procession, 75015 Paris, France, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a cable containing a plurality of optical fibres, in which each fibre is independent and may transmit information. In such a cable, it is necessary to be able to locate each fibre without being obliged to test the outlet corresponding to the inlet of a fibre at the two ends of the cable, as is the case in cables with stranded fibres. According to the invention there is provided a multi-fibre optic cable comprising a flexible strip, a plurality of grooves formed in a side of the strip and extending longitudinally of the strip, a plurality of separate optic fibres each freely disposed in a respective said groove, a flexible tape covering said grooves and having substantially the same width as the strip, and a flexible sheath extending about the strip and tape. The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a strip with grooves containing optic fibres for forming a cable according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the arrangement in Fig. 1 in which the grooves are covered by flexible tape; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the arrangement in Fig. 2 enclosed in a sheath to form a cable according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a section through a multi-layer cable formed according to the invention. Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 to 3 show optical fibres 1, which preferably are individually sheathed, disposed in grooves 2 formed in and extending longitudinally of a flexible strip 3 made of supple material such as a plastics or an elastomer. The fibres 1 rest freely in the grooves 2 covered with a flexible tape 4 which is of the same width as the strip 3 and protects the fibres and leaves them free in their grooves. The whole is then enclosed in a flexible sheath 5 of supple material, for example based on silicon. A cable 6 is thus obtained which, by its flat and asymmetrical form enables the inlet and outlet of each fibre to be easily located. As shown in Fig. 4, a cable may be produced having a large number of optical fibres, by stacking a plurality of cables 6 as shown in Fig. 3 and enclosing this stack 7 in a supporting sheath 8 itself covered by a protective sheath 9. The sheaths 8 and 9 may be reinforced with reinforcing fibres 10 of a suitable material. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A multi-fibre optic cable comprising a flexible strip, a plurality of grooves formed in a side of the strip and extending longitudinally of the strip, a plurality of separate optic fibres each freely disposed in a respective said groove, a flexible tape covering said grooves and having substantially the same width as the strip, and a flexible sheath extending about the strip and tape.

5. A cable as claimed in any one pre ceding claim, in which each optic fibre is separately sheathed.

6. A cable as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which a said groove has a cross-section of substantially the shape of an equilateral triangle an apex of which forms a bottom of the groove.

7. A multi-fibre optic cable substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, or Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.