Patent Abstract:
A fiber optical cable has a communication section and an attachment section. The attachment section is meant to be installed below the communication section, so that when the cable is mounted to a surface, the communication section drops vertically with respect to the attachment section, thereby obscuring part of the attachment section from view. The attachment section may also be moved manually over the attachment section so as to overlap the attachment section. Ties or other means may be used to retain the communication section in the overlapped position.

Full Description:
PRIORITY APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/084,211, filed on Nov. 25, 2014, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) cable installations utilize drop (or “home-run”) cables that extend to tenant living units. Conventional surface or “facade” installations involve attaching the cable directly to a wall using fasteners such as cable clips, clamps, and cable ties. This is problematic for several reasons: 1) it is time-consuming and tedious to evenly space and then install the fasteners, 2) a variety of fasteners must be kept in inventory to match building aesthetics, and 3) the installed fastener are unsightly and draw attention to the cable installations. Cables may also be stapled directly to a mounting surface, but this can result in puncture of the communication section of the cable, but the staples remain visible to building occupants, and works well on a limited number of surfaces, such as wood. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to one embodiment, a method of installing a fiber optic cable on a surface comprises providing a cable comprising a communication section and an attachment section connected to the communication section, the communication section having at least one optical fiber, placing the cable adjacent the surface, securing the attachment section to the surface with at least one attachment member, and moving the communication section with respect to the attachment section so that the communication section at least partially overlaps a facing surface of the attachment section. 
         [0004]    According to another embodiment, a fiber optic cable comprises communication section having at least one optical fiber, and an attachment section connected to the communication section. The communication section may be configured to rotate with respect to the attachment section so that the communication section at least partially overlaps a facing surface of the attachment section. The communication section and the attachment section may comprise a common, unitary extrudate polymeric material, and the web may have a thickness that is less than 25% of a major dimension of the communication section. 
         [0005]    Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0006]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is perspective view of a section of a fiber optic cable according to a first embodiment; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cable of  FIG. 1  after installation on a surface; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is perspective view of a section of a fiber optic cable according to a second embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a section of a fiber optic cable  100  according to a first embodiment, prior to installation on a surface  170 . The cable  100  comprises a communication section  110  having a major dimension  112 . In  FIG. 1 , the major dimension  112  is illustrated as a width, or more specifically in  FIG. 1 , as a diameter of the communication section  110 . The communication section  110  is connected to an attachment section  120  that serves to install the cable  100  to the surface  170 . The cable  100  is suitable for use as, for example, a drop cable in a fiber optic deployment in an MDU, and in other environments. 
         [0011]    The communication section  110  has a core  130  that accommodates one or more optical fibers  132 . The core  130  could alternatively or in addition include electrically conductive components, such as copper conductors (not illustrated). The attachment section  120  is integrally attached to the communication section  110 , and the two sections can comprise, for example, a unitary extrudate  134  formed by the same extrusion process (e.g., through coextrusion), from, for example, a common polymeric material. The portion of the communication section  110  surrounding the fibers  132  can be generally referred to as the jacket  136  of the cable. According to one embodiment, the attachment section  120  can be extruded from a different material than that of the jacket  136 , such as a polymer having different material properties than those of the communication section that can be secured to the material forming the jacket  136  through a coextrusion process or by other means. 
         [0012]    The exemplary communication section  110  can have a generally tubular shape in which the core  130  is formed along the centerline of the tube formed by the jacket  136 . The optical fibers  132  extend along the length of the cable  100 . The core  130  may accommodate additional components, such as strength members, water blocking components, electrical conductors, and other components (not illustrated). The exemplary communication section  110  is described by way of example as having a ‘diameter’, although it is understood that even cables sold as ‘round’ or ‘circular’ may deviate form a perfect circular section, particularly after installation. Other cable cross-sections, such as oblong, or other tubular forms may also be used in the communication section  110 . 
         [0013]    The exemplary attachment section  120  may have a flat, plate-like web  140  with opposed, generally flat sides. The web  140  may have a thickness that is less than, for example, 25% of the major dimension  112 , and a length  144  that is at least 50% of the major dimension  112 . According to another embodiment, the web  140  has a thickness that is less than 15% of the major dimension  112 , and a length  144  that is at least 75% of the major dimension  112 . 
         [0014]    The web  140  can include one or more apertures  146  to facilitate attachment of the cable  100  to a surface. The apertures  146  can be configured to receive, for example, nails, screws, and tacks, or they may be spaced at regular intervals on the cable  100  to receive the points of a staple of a predetermined size. The web  140  can be relatively uniform in thickness, although a bead  148  can extend along the distal edge of the attachment section  120  to prevent tears in the web  140 . Although the cable  100  is illustrated as symmetric about CL 1 , the cable may be tailored to provide desired to provide specific installation and aesthetic properties. For example, one side of the web  140 , which is intended to abut the surface  170  during installation, can be generally flat so that it conforms to the surface  170 . The outwardly-facing surface  156  can have aesthetic features, such as patterning, designed to emulate the visual appearance of the surface  170  so as to reduce the visual impact of the cable installation. The apertures can also be configured so that they do not extend wholly through the web, and can instead be indentations or recesses that aid in the placement of attachment members during installation. 
         [0015]    Prior to installation, the cable  100  has a height  160 , extending from one end of the communication section  110  to a distal end of the attachment section  120 . The height  160  is measured from an end of the attachment section  120  to a distal end of the communication section  110 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates the cable  100  installed on a surface  170 . The surface  170  may be, for example, a vertical or horizontal surface of a building, such as wood, drywall and other surfaces. In the illustrated embodiment, the surface  170  is a vertical building surface. To install the cable  100  on the surface  170 , the cable  100  is placed adjacent the surface  170 . Attachment members, such as nails, tacks, or staples (not shown), are then forced through the apertures  146  into the surface  170 . Alternatively, the attachment members can be hammered or pressed etc. directly through the web  140  without using apertures or recesses. 
         [0017]    After securing the attachment section  120  to the surface, the communication section  110  can then be manually rotated or rolled over the web  140 , as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 2  to a ‘closed’, or installed position. In this position, the communication section  110  at least partially overlaps and obscures a facing surface of the attachment section  120 . Conventional ties or other means can be used to secure the cable  100  in the installed position. 
         [0018]    The attachment section  120  may also include a flexible strength member (not shown), such as an elongate rod extending the cable length, that allows an externally extruded feature to clip into the strength member after installation of the cable to the mounting surface. This solution obviates the need for cable ties to secure the cable in its installed position. 
         [0019]    The cross section of the cable  100 , and the extrudate material  134  can be selected to allow for the communication section  110  to rotate under the influence of gravity upon attachment to the surface  170 . The communication section  110  in this embodiment would be placed vertically above the attachment section  120  during installation. This solution also obviates the need for cable ties to secure the cable in its installed position. 
         [0020]    According to one aspect, rotation of the communication section  110  reduces the overall footprint of the cable  100  without removing any cable material. The height of the cable, for example, changes from the height  160  shown in  FIG. 1 , to the height  176  shown in  FIG. 2 . The installed height  176  can be, for example, less than 90% of the original height  160 . According to another embodiment, the installed height  176  can be, for example, less than 80% of the original height  160 . Rotation of the communication section  110  can also be configured to hide attachment members from view, as shown in  FIG. 2 , providing an aesthetically pleasing installed profile. 
         [0021]    If the cable  100  is installed along a horizontal path on a vertical surface, the lowest part of the communication section  110  can be configured to be lower than the apertures  146 , so that the communication section  110  wholly or partially obscures the attachment members from view. If no apertures are used, any attachment members hammered through the web  140  can be placed high enough on the web  140  so that the communication section  110  covers the members after rotation of the communication section  110 . 
         [0022]    According to another aspect, the cable  100  allows for reduced installation time on a variety of building surfaces, using a wide variety of conventional, commercially available fasteners. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is perspective view of a section of a fiber optic cable  200  according to a second embodiment. The cable  200  may have a communication section  210 , an attachment section  220  and a core  230  that are similar in structure to those of the cable  100 . However, the centerline CL 2  of the attachment section  220  is offset from the centerline of the communication section  210 . The attachment section  220  can have a mounting face surface  222  that is generally continuous with the exterior of one side of the communication section  210 . The attachment section  220  is integrally attached to the communication section  210 , and the two sections can comprise, for example, a unitary extrudate formed by the same extrusion process from a common polymeric material. 
         [0024]    To install the cable  200  on a surface, the mounting face surface  222  is placed against a mounting surface  170 , and attachment member members are either pounded through the web  240 , or through apertures (not shown) in the web  240 . The offset location of the attachment section  220  means that the communication section  210  can rotate more easily in the direction of the arrow with respect the attachment section  220 . The cable  200  is also easier to install as the side of the cable  200  pressed against the mounting surface during installation is essentially flat. The installed height can be, for example, less than 90% of the original height. According to another embodiment, the installed height can be, for example, less than 80% of the original height. Rotation of the communication section  210  can also be configured to hide attachment members from view. 
         [0025]    Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is no way intended that any particular order be inferred. 
         [0026]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Since modifications combinations, sub-combinations and variations of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6