Patent ID: 7532796

Claim:
A fiber optic ribbon having one or more fracture locations for influencing a separation of the fiber optic ribbon at predetermined locations, the fiber optic ribbon comprising: a plurality of optical fibers; and a primary matrix, the primary matrix holding all of the plurality of optical fibers together and contacting the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the primary matrix has a first fracture region for splitting the fiber optic ribbon into a plurality of optical fiber subsets, the first fracture region is defined by a first group of preferential tear features, the first group of preferential tear features protruding beyond a major primary matrix plane, thereby forming a first local minimum thickness between adjacent optical fibers that enable splitting the fiber optic ribbon into subsets at the first local minimum thickness, wherein the major primary matrix plane is defined by an exterior surface of the primary matrix, and wherein the fiber optic ribbon further includes a secondary matrix material contacting an exterior surface of the primary matrix.