GB2354600A - Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element - Google Patents

Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2354600A
GB2354600A GB0018870A GB0018870A GB2354600A GB 2354600 A GB2354600 A GB 2354600A GB 0018870 A GB0018870 A GB 0018870A GB 0018870 A GB0018870 A GB 0018870A GB 2354600 A GB2354600 A GB 2354600A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fibre optic
optic cable
tracing
metal
cable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0018870A
Other versions
GB0018870D0 (en
Inventor
Richard Weatherley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of GB0018870D0 publication Critical patent/GB0018870D0/en
Publication of GB2354600A publication Critical patent/GB2354600A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/46—Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables
    • G02B6/56—Processes for repairing optical cables
    • G02B6/562—Processes for repairing optical cables locatable, e.g. using magnetic means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4401—Optical cables
    • G02B6/4415—Cables for special applications
    • G02B6/4416—Heterogeneous cables

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

A fibre optic cable preferably consisting only of a single or a pair of optical fibres is provided with a metal tracing element so that a tracing signal may be injected at one end of the cable and detected at the other end of the cable. The tracing signal assists in termination and connection operations in a building or other installation where a large number of optical fibres are laid out. The metal element may be a fine wire, foil strip or metallic layer.

Description

2354600 -I- FIBRE OPTIC CABLE WITH METAL TRACING ELEMENT Fibre optic
cables are commonly used for the transfer of data within large buildings and between adjacent buildings. In a building complex having extensive telecommunications and data transfer requirements many fibre optic cables will be laid. Initially, the cables are laid in cable ducts, in roof voids, below suspended floors, etc. by a cabling contractor. That same contractor, or another contractor will subsequently terminate the cables to provide the necessary input and output connections.
Many of the fibre optic cables used are wholly non-metallic - they will typically comprise a glass fibre core surrounded by a plastics sheath. With such cables, unless care is taken in marking the cables at the time of installation it can be difficult for the contractor effecting termination of the cables to identify which of a bundle of cables at one location corresponds to a particular cable at another location, for example in a different building or several floors removed in the same building. Conventional techniques for tracing metal cables cannot be used with fibre optic cables because they do not include any metal member to which a tracing signal can be applied.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a fibre optic cable which includes a metal element extending the length of the cable thereby permitting a tracing signal to be applied to one end of the cable and to be detected at the other end thereof.
The metal element may be in the form of a fine wire, a foil strip, or a metallic layer. The tracing element will be located beneath the outermost covering layer of the fibre optic cable so as to avoid short-circuiting between adjacent fibre optic cables. Preferably, the metal tracing element is in the form of a foil ribbon which is incorporated within the sheath of the cable.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of tracing a fibre optic cable comprises providing the cable with a metal tracing element extending along the length thereof; applying a tracing signal to the metal tracing element adjacent one end of the cable, and detecting the tracing signal adjacent the other end of the signal.
Fibre optic cables are known which incorporate metal wires for strain relief purposes or which are hybrids of metal signal carrying wires and optical fibres. The present invention does not include such known cables but rather includes cables in which a metal tracing element is provided for the sole purpose of tracing the cable. The metal tracing elements of the present invention will, in general, have insufficient strength to act as strain relief elements and, in general, only one metal tracing element will be present so that the tracing elements is not suitable for signal carrying purposes other than carrying a cable tracing signal.

Claims (1)

  1. CLAIMS:
    1. A fibre optic cable which includes a metal element extending the length of the cable permitting a tracing signal to be applied to one end of the metal element and to be detected at the other end thereof.
    2. A fibre optic cable according to claim I which comprises only one optical fibre or a pair of optical fibres.
    3. A fibre optic cable according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the metal element is insufficiently strong to act as a strain relief element.
    4. A -fibre optic cable according to any preceding claim wherein the metal element is a fine wire.
    5. A fibre optic cable according to any of claims I to 3 wherein the metal element is a foil strip.
    6. A fibre optic cable according to any of claims I to 3 wherein the metal element is a metallic layer.
    7. A fibre optic cable according to any preceding claim wherein the metallic element is located beneath the outermost covering layer of the fibre optic cable.
    8. A fibre optic cable according to any preceding claim wherein only one metal tracing element is present within the fibre optic cable.
    9. A method Of tracing a fibre optic cable comprising providing the cable with a metal tracing element extending along the length thereof, applying a tracing signal to the metal tracing element adjacent one end of the cable and detecting the tracing signal adjacent the other end of the cable.
    10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the fibre optic cable comprises only a single optical fibre or a pair of optical fibres.
    12. A fibre optic cable substantially as hereinbefore described.
    13. A method of tracing a fibre optic cable substantially as hereinbefore described
GB0018870A 1999-08-02 2000-08-01 Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element Withdrawn GB2354600A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9918167.9A GB9918167D0 (en) 1999-08-02 1999-08-02 Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0018870D0 GB0018870D0 (en) 2000-09-20
GB2354600A true GB2354600A (en) 2001-03-28

Family

ID=10858419

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB9918167.9A Ceased GB9918167D0 (en) 1999-08-02 1999-08-02 Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element
GB0018870A Withdrawn GB2354600A (en) 1999-08-02 2000-08-01 Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GBGB9918167.9A Ceased GB9918167D0 (en) 1999-08-02 1999-08-02 Fibre optic cable with metal tracing element

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB9918167D0 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7376320B2 (en) 2005-10-27 2008-05-20 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. Methods and devices for tracing fiber optic cable
EP2215508A1 (en) * 2007-11-26 2010-08-11 Corning Cable Systems LLC Fiber optic cables and assemblies for fiber toward the subscriber applications

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5265187A (en) * 1992-10-28 1993-11-23 Northern Telecom Limited Distribution frame and optical connector holder combination
US5666453A (en) * 1994-07-15 1997-09-09 Roy Witte Fiber optic jumper cables and tracing method using same

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5265187A (en) * 1992-10-28 1993-11-23 Northern Telecom Limited Distribution frame and optical connector holder combination
US5666453A (en) * 1994-07-15 1997-09-09 Roy Witte Fiber optic jumper cables and tracing method using same

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7376320B2 (en) 2005-10-27 2008-05-20 At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. Methods and devices for tracing fiber optic cable
US7529457B2 (en) 2005-10-27 2009-05-05 At&T Intellectual Property, I, L.P. Methods and devices for tracing fiber optic cable
US7664359B2 (en) 2005-10-27 2010-02-16 At&T Intellectual Property, I,L.P. Methods and devices for tracing fiber optic cable
US7961998B2 (en) 2005-10-27 2011-06-14 At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. Methods and devices for tracing fiber optic cable
EP2215508A1 (en) * 2007-11-26 2010-08-11 Corning Cable Systems LLC Fiber optic cables and assemblies for fiber toward the subscriber applications

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9918167D0 (en) 1999-10-06
GB0018870D0 (en) 2000-09-20

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)