Abstract:
It is disclosed an optical fiber unit for air-blown installations comprising a plurality of optical fiber sub-units and a central member, wherein the optical fiber sub-units are stranded around the central member; wherein each of the optical fiber sub-units comprises a number of optical fibres, an inner layer which is radially outer to the optical fibres and an outer layer which is radially outer to the inner layer, wherein the outer layer comprises particulate material which is partially embedded into the outer layer; and wherein the optical fiber unit further comprises a binder for keeping the stranded optical fiber sub-units in a proper arrangement.
Abstract:
It is disclosed an optical fiber unit for air-blown installations comprising a number of optical conductors (2), a first layer (3i) of resin material, a second layer (3o) of resin material radially outer to the first layer (3i) of resin material and a sheath (4) of a thermoplastic material, wherein said second layer (3o) of resin material has a Secant Modulus higher than a Secant Modulus of said first layer (3i) of resin material and wherein said sheath (4) of a thermoplastic material is over and in close contact with said second layer (3o) of resin material.
Abstract:
It is disclosed an optical fibre unit for air-blown installations comprising: a number of optical fibres, an inner layer substantially completely embedding said optical fibres, and an outer layer radially external to the inner layer, wherein said inner layer has a tensile strength of from 0.1 MPa to 1 MPa, and an elongation at break of from % to 80%.
Abstract:
It is disclosed a process for manufacturing an optical fibre unit for air-blown installations comprising: providing a deposition chamber for applying particulate material, said deposition chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end and a longitudinal axis; passing through the deposition chamber an optical fibre assembly comprising at least one optical fibre embedded in an inner layer of cured resin material, and having an outer layer around said inner layer, the outer layer comprising uncured resin material; injecting a flow of fluid and particle material in said chamber in a direction substantially parallel to the chamber longitudinal axis, at an injection speed of 5 m/s at most; perturbing the flow when in said chamber, thus causing the particle material to impact and partially embed into the outer layer of the optical fibre assembly; and curing the outer layer.