Distribution cable assembly having overmolded mid-span access location
View Patent ↗A fiber optic cable assembly comprising a first fiber optic cable having pre-selected optical fibers pre-terminated and branched at a cable access point, a second cable optically connected to the pre-terminated optical fibers, and a flexible body encapsulating the cable access point. A method for manufacturing a fiber optic cable assembly comprising providing a fiber optic cable, making an opening in the cable for access, pre-terminating pre-selected optical fibers, optically connecting the pre-selected optical fibers with optical fibers of a tether cable, and encapsulating at least a portion of the cable access location within a flexible overmolded body.
1. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
a first fiber optic cable including a plurality of optical fibers therein, with at least one optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers being terminated and branched from the plurality of optical fibers at a mid-span access location;
a second fiber optic cable including at least one optical fiber therein that is optically connected to the at least one terminated optical fiber;
an overmolded body encapsulating the mid-span access location, thereby forming a flexible mid-span access location; and
a connector attached to the second fiber optic cable.
2. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the overmolded body encapsulates at least a portion of the second fiber optic cable.
3. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector is a multi-fiber connector.
4. The fiber optic cable assembly of claim 1 , further including a crush resistant tube.
5. A method for manufacturing a fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
providing a fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers and a protective covering;
making an opening in the protective covering at an access location to access the plurality of optical fibers;
selecting at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable;
terminating the selected at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable;
routing the terminated at least one of the plurality of optical fibers through the opening at the access location;
optically connecting the at least one terminated optical fiber to at least one optical fiber of a second fiber optic cable;
encapsulating at least a portion of the access location within a flexible overmolded body; and
attaching a connector to the at least one optical fiber of the second fiber optic cable.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising encapsulating at least a portion of the second fiber optic cable within the flexible overmolded body.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
splicing the at least one terminated optical fiber to the at least one optical fiber of the second optical fiber cable at one or more splice points; and
locating at least one splice point within the flexible overmolded body.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of optical fibers of the first fiber optic cable are ribbonized optical fibers.
9. The method of claim 5 , further including providing a crush resistant tube.