Patent ID: 8538225
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of burying an optical communications duct assembly below a surface, a cross section of the duct assembly having two outer dimensions in orthogonal directions, at least one of said two dimensions being no more than 20 mm, which method comprises the steps of: cutting a slot extending through a surface of a bound layer of material, the slot having a width in a range from more than 12 mm up to and including 30 mm, said slot width being greater than a smaller one of said two dimensions and being less than a larger one of said two dimensions, wherein the surface is a bearing surface and a depth of the slot is greater than a thickness of the bound layer of material and a bottom of the slot being provided entirely in an unbound material; laying the duct assembly in the slot into the unbound material such that the duct assembly is supported by a bottom of the slot; backfilling the slot; and installing at least one optical fibre in said duct assembly after the step of backfilling the slot; wherein the step of laying the duct assembly in the slot comprises laying the duct assembly into or onto a supporting material at the bottom of the slot, the duct assembly being thus supported at least partially via the supporting material.