Optical fiber plenum cable and methods of making

摘要

An optical fiber cable particularly suited for use in building distribution systems includes a core which comprises a plurality of coated optical fibers (22-22) with each being enclosed in a plastic buffer (26). The optical fibers are individually or collectively enclosed in a fibrous strength member. Over the strength member in each of several embodiments is provided an outer jacket comprising a plastic material having excellent resistance to flame spread and smoke evolution. The plastic material comprising the jacket is disposed about the strength member and decoupled sufficiently therefrom to avoid the introduction of microbending stresses in the optical fiber. This may be accomplished by vacuum sizing the plastic material which has been tubed over an advancing optical fiber core as the plastic material is being drawn down onto the strength member.