Patent ID: 11880083
Assignee: CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 16:
17. A subunit of an optical fiber cable, comprising:
a foamed tube comprising a foam composition comprising from 70% to 100% by weight of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and 0% to 30% by weight of low density polyethylene, the foamed tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a central bore; and
a stack of at least two optical fiber ribbons disposed in the central bore of the foamed tube, each of the at least two optical fiber ribbons comprising at least two optical fibers;
wherein a cross-section of the central bore provides from 5% to 15% of free space around the stack along at least a portion of a length of the foamed tube; and
wherein the foamed tube has a compression modulus of less than 3 MPa when measured at 50% strain as measured according to ASTM 3574.