Angular alignment of optical fibers for fiber optic ribbon cables, and related methods

摘要

Angular alignment of optical fibers for fiber optic ribbon cables and related methods are disclosed. Employing optical fibers disposed in a ribbon matrix can increase bandwidth between two interconnection points. In one embodiment, optical fibers are angularly aligned during the process of forming a fiber optic ribbon cable. To angularly align the optical fibers, each of the optical fibers include an angular alignment feature to facilitate uniform or substantially uniform angular orientation along a cable when the optical fibers are prepared to be disposed in the ribbon matrix to form a fiber optic ribbon cable. By purposefully aligning the optical fibers during formation of the fiber optic ribbon cable, end portions of the optical fibers are aligned in the ribbon matrix. Thus, end portions of the ribbon matrix are not required to be removed to expose and align the end portions of optical fibers when the ribbon cable is connectorized.

主权项

1. A fiber optic ribbon cable, comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers including a first end and a second end; and a ribbon matrix attached to each of the plurality of optical fibers, the ribbon matrix extending from the first end to the second end, wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers includes an angular alignment feature extending from the first end to the second end, each of the plurality of optical fibers is disposed with a uniform or substantially uniform angular orientation of the angular alignment features from the first end to the second end, wherein the angular orientation for the plurality of optical fibers analyzed individually has a maximum angular difference between a datum angular vector Z0 and an angular vector Z1 is less than ten degrees.