Patent ID: 8641300

Claim:
A spliced optical cable assembly comprising: a first optical fiber cable including: a coated optical fiber extending within the first optical fiber cable; a plurality of high-strength fibers extending in a longitudinal direction in alignment with and along an outer periphery of the coated optical fiber; and a sheath extending in the longitudinal direction covering the high-strength fibers and the coated optical fiber, at a first end of the first optical fiber cable an end section of the coated optical fiber extends in an extension direction out of the sheath, and end sections of the high-strength fibers also extend out of the sheath, the end sections of the high-strength fibers being folded back in a direction opposite the extension direction covering an outer periphery of the sheath adjacent to the first end of the first optical fiber cable; a second optical fiber cable having a coated optical fiber with an end section that extends outward from a first end of the second optical fiber; a reinforcing tube having a first end and a second end; and a reinforcing member disposed within the reinforcing tube, the reinforcing member having a first recessed end and a second recessed end, the first recessed end dimensioned to receive the coated optical fiber of the first optical fiber cable with the first end of the first optical fiber cable inserted into the first end of the reinforcing tube, the second recessed end being dimensioned to receive the coated optical fiber of the second optical fiber cable with the first end of the second optical fiber inserted into the second end of the reinforcing tube, wherein exposed ends of the coated optical fibers of the first and second optical fiber cables are held in alignment, abutting one another within the reinforcing tube along side the reinforcing member, and the end sections of the high-strength fibers being held against the outer periphery of the sheath adjacent to the first end of the first optical fiber cable by the reinforcing tube with the reinforcing tube in a heat contracted state.