FIBER RETAINING SYSTEM

摘要

An apparatus for retaining and protecting spliced optical fibers that are part of cables that have ultra-high strength steel wires, in which the optical fibers are free to move within a sleeve inside of the wires. The apparatus includes a joint box having opposing longitudinal cable termination ends. The high-strength steel wires of each cable are attached to a respective cable termination end. At least one optical fiber from each cable extends through its respective cable termination end and is spliced together to form a continuous optical fiber. The fiber or fibers are splinted and potted at locations longitudinally spaced from the splice to form ferrules. A central portion or shelf of the joint box includes fiber retaining devices which take the form of ferrule retainer assemblies. The ferrule retainer assemblies have a trough that contains and restrains a respective ferrule. Tension forces applied to the fibers are transferred to joint box via the splint and the relationship between the ferrules and the ferrule retaining assemblies.