Patent ID: 6321013
Filing Date: 2001-11-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A fiber optic cable, comprising:a stack of optical fiber ribbons extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein each optical fiber ribbon comprises a laterally extending array of longitudinally extending optical fibers bonded together as a unit, each optical fiber ribbon comprises a pair of longitudinally extending opposite edges and a pair of longitudinally extending opposite surfaces that extend laterally between the edges, and each optical fiber ribbon has a thickness defined between its opposite surfaces; anda relatively thin sheath comprising longitudinally extending interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the interior surface extends around and defines a longitudinally extending passage that contains the stack so that for each optical fiber ribbon the interior surface of the sheath engages each of the edges of the optical fiber ribbon, with the interior surface closely bounding and engaging the periphery of the stack, and in an end elevation view of the sheath at least a majority of the sheath has a thickness defined between the interior and exterior surfaces that is not substantially greater than the thickness of each of the optical fiber ribbons,wherein the stack is in a longitudinally twisted configuration and the sheath alone is sufficiently rigid to hold the stack in the longitudinally twisted configuration.