Patent ID: 9746629
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: G02B

Claim:
1. A fiber-bundle sub-assembly for a loose-tube optical fiber cable, comprising: an array of at least three fiber bundles, each fiber bundle comprising at least one optical fiber, wherein the array includes at least a first fiber bundle and a second fiber bundle; a first connecting element and a second connecting element extending along the array; and a plurality of first anchors coupled to the first fiber bundle and a plurality of second anchors coupled to the second fiber bundle, wherein each of the first connecting element and the second connecting element are secured by the plurality of first anchors and the plurality of second anchors to the first and second fiber bundles in an axially staggered arrangement to define a first connecting span and a second connecting span that respectively cross a first side of the array and a second side of the array, wherein the first connecting span and the second connecting span maintain each of the at least three fiber bundles in a relative position to each other even when the first and second connecting spans and the at least three fiber bundles are cut at a cut location adjacent one of the plurality of first anchors or one of the plurality of second anchors.