Sap coating layer for cable component and related systems and methods

Abstract

A process and system for making a water resistant cable component and water resistant cable components are provided. The water resistant cable includes a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body and an elongate cable component located within the channel of the cable body. The cable also includes a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the elongate cable component. The layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is formed by applying a liquid layer including a carrier material and an uncrosslinked super absorbent polymer pre-polymer material onto an outer surface of a component of the cable and then by crosslinking the super absorbent polymer pre-polymer while on the cable component to form a layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the cable component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical cable comprising:
 a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body; and   a plurality of tubes located in the channel of the cable body, wherein each of the plurality of tubes includes an outer surface, an inner surface and a channel defined by the inner surface of the tube; and   a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel of each tube, wherein each optical fiber comprises:   an optical core;   cladding of a different refractive index than the optical core surrounding the core;   a polymer coating layer surrounding the cladding; and   a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the polymer coating layer, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous both circumferentially around the optical fiber and axially along the optical fiber for at least a length of 1 cm.   
     
     
         2 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers. 
     
     
         4 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness, T1 ave , in micrometers of 1≤T1 ave ≤50. 
     
     
         5 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the mass, m1, of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer in the contiguous layer of each optical fiber in milligrams per meter length of the optical fiber is 1≤m1≤200. 
     
     
         6 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the mass, m1, of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer in the contiguous layer of each optical fiber in milligrams per meter length of the optical fiber is 1≤m1≤60. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the channel of each tube has an inner diameter, BID, and a cross-sectional area, BID1 XC , wherein a total cross-sectional area of the crosslinked super absorbent polymer inside each tube is a1 total , and wherein 0.2%≤100% (a1 total /BID1 XC )≤10%. 
     
     
         8 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein the polymer coating of the optical fiber includes a colored section, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is translucent such that the colored section is visible through the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer. 
     
     
         9 . The optical cable of  claim 8  wherein the transmittance of the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer at least one wavelength between 400-700 nm is between 0.2 and 1. 
     
     
         10 . The optical cable of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of tubes includes at least six optical fibers, wherein the inner diameter of the tube is between 0.7 and 3 millimeters. 
     
     
         11 . An optical fiber cable component comprising:
 an optical fiber including an optical core and a cladding layer of a different refractive index than the optical core surrounding the core;   an outer polymer layer located outside of and surrounding the optical fiber; and   a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the outer polymer layer, wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous circumferentially around the optical fiber and contiguous axially along the optical fiber for at least a length of 1 cm.   
     
     
         12 . The optical fiber cable component of  claim 11  wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness in micrometers, T1 ave , of 1≤T1 ave ≤50. 
     
     
         13 . The optical fiber cable component of  claim 11  wherein outer polymer layer is at least one of a buffer tube, a ribbon body, and an optical fiber coating layer surrounding and in contact with the cladding layer. 
     
     
         14 . A water resistant cable comprising:
 a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body;   an elongate cable component located within the channel of the cable body; and   a contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer surrounding the elongate cable component;   wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer is contiguous circumferentially around the elongate cable component and contiguous axially along the length of the elongate cable component for at least a length of 1 cm.   
     
     
         15 . The water resistant cable of  claim 14  wherein the contiguous layer of crosslinked super absorbent polymer has a maximum thickness less than 60 micrometers and an average thickness in micrometers, T1 ave , of 1≤T1 ave ≤50. 
     
     
         16 . The water resistant cable of  claim 14  wherein the elongate cable component is at least one of an optical fiber, a buffer tube and an optical fiber ribbon. 
     
     
         17 . The water resistant cable of  claim 14  wherein the elongate cable component is an electrical conductor.