Optical fiber cables

Abstract

Described is an optical fiber cable designed for drop cable applications that has a compact profile, and is suitable for both the indoor and outdoor portions of the installation. The new design has three functional units, an optical fiber subunit, and two strength members arranged side-by side on either side of the optical fiber. The overall cable cross section round. In a preferred embodiment, the optical fiber module of the cable has a coupled fiber design.

1 . Method for installing optical fiber cable by running the cable to both an outside installation and to an inside installation wherein the optical fiber cable comprises:
 (a) an optical fiber subassembly comprising at least one optical fiber encased in a buffer encasement,   (b) a layer of high-strength polymer yarn surrounding the optical fiber subassembly,   (c) a cable jacket surrounding the polymer yarn layer, the cable jacket having a round cross section,   (d) a pair of protective rods extending linearly along either side of the optical fiber subassembly.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the protective rods comprise fiberglass, and the polymer yarn is a polyaramid. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the diameter of the cable jacket cross section is less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       4 . An optical fiber cable comprising:
 (a) an optical fiber subassembly comprising at least one optical fiber encased in a buffer encasement,   (b) a layer of high-strength polymer yarn surrounding the optical fiber subassembly,   (c) a cable jacket surrounding the polymer yarn layer, the cable jacket having a round cross section,   (d) a pair of protective rods extending linearly along either side of the optical fiber subassembly.   
   
   
       5 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 4  wherein the optical fiber and the protective rods are in-line. 
   
   
       6 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the protective rods are embedded in the cable jacket. 
   
   
       7 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the protective rods comprise fiber glass. 
   
   
       8 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 7  wherein the polymer yarn is polyaramid. 
   
   
       9 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the protective rods are embedded in the polymer yarn. 
   
   
       10 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the protective rods are partly embedded in the polymer yarn and partly embedded in the cable jacket. 
   
   
       11 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the aramid layer has a racetrack shape. 
   
   
       12 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the cross section of the cable jacket has a diameter of less than 5 mm. 
   
   
       13 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  wherein the cable has two or more optical fibers wherein each of the optical fibers has a separate buffer encasement to form a buffer encased optical fiber subunit, and the two or more subunits are encased in a common buffer. 
   
   
       14 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 13  wherein the separate buffer encasements are color-coded. 
   
   
       15 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  further including a metal armor layer. 
   
   
       16 . The optical fiber cable of  claim 5  further including a toning wire.