Patent ID: 7151879

Claim:
An optical fiber ribbon comprising: a plurality of optical fibers which are arranged in parallel; and a resin which integrates the plurality of optical fibers over the whole length of the optical fibers, the optical fibers and the resin being in a state that the optical fibers and the resin are closely adhered to each other, wherein assuming a maximum value of a thickness of the optical fiber ribbon as T (μm) and an outer diameter of the optical fiber as d (μm), a relationship T≦d+40 (μm) is established; the plurality of optical fibers are integrated by covering the whole periphery of the plurality of optical fibers in a parallelly arranged state with the resin; a recessed portion is formed in the resin corresponding to an indentation between the neighboring optical fibers; assuming a thickness of the optical fiber ribbon in the recessed portion of the resin as g, a relationship g≦d (μm) is established; the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a state such that they are contacted to each other and each recess portion is provided in the resin corresponding to every indentation between the neighboring optical fibers; and the resin is removed from the optical fiber ribbon by rubbing to branch one or more individual fibers from the optical fiber ribbon.