Optical-fiber ribbon with spaced optical-fiber units
An optical-fiber ribbon includes optical fibers (e.g., reduced-diameter optical fibers) arranged in parallel within optical-fiber units, wherein at least one adjacent pair of optical-fiber units is separated by a longitudinal adhesive-free spacing for a portion of the optical-fiber ribbon's length. Typically, each adjacent pair of optical-fiber units is separated by an adhesive-free spacing for a respective portion of the optical-fiber assembly's longitudinal length. In an exemplary embodiment, longitudinal adhesive-free spacings effectively increase the width of an optical-fiber ribbon formed of reduced-diameter optical fibers so that the optical-fiber ribbon achieves a more conventional optical-fiber ribbon width, thereby facilitating mass-fusion splicing using standard splicing equipment.
1. An optical-fiber ribbon, comprising:
(i) a plurality n of respectively adjacent optical fibers extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel to form an optical-fiber assembly having a width w extending crosswise to a longitudinal length of the optical-fiber assembly, wherein the n optical fibers have the same nominal diameter d and wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into a plurality U of respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby each of the U optical-fiber units has the same number u n of optical fibers; and
(ii) bonding material on the optical-fiber assembly adhesively bonding adjacent optical-fiber units and the corresponding adjacent optical fibers in the optical-fiber assembly, wherein each adjacent pair of optical-fiber units is separated by a longitudinal adhesive-free spacing for a respective portion of the optical-fiber assembly's longitudinal length, the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings having a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.5·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
2. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings have a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.7·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
3. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent optical fibers within each optical-fiber unit are respectively contiguous to one another.
4. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein, for a portion of the optical-fiber assembly's longitudinal length, the bonding material comprises a continuous bead of bonding material.
5. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein, for a portion of the optical-fiber assembly's longitudinal length, the bonding material comprises a plurality of successive elongated rectilinear beads arranged lengthwise along the optical-fiber assembly, wherein the beads are configured to form elongated bonds between adjacent optical fibers in the optical-fiber assembly.
6. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings have a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.75·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
7. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings have a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.95·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
8. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein each of the n optical fibers has a nominal diameter d of between 180 microns and 200 microns.
9. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into two adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=2.
10. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into three respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=3.
11. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into four respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=4.
12. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the optical-fiber assembly includes between six and 36 optical fibers whereby 6≥n≥36.
13. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 1 , wherein the optical-fiber assembly includes between 12 and 24 optical fibers whereby 12≥n≥24.
14. An optical-fiber ribbon, comprising:
(i) a plurality n of respectively adjacent optical fibers extending in a longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel to form an optical-fiber assembly having a width w extending crosswise to a longitudinal length of the optical-fiber assembly, wherein the n optical fibers have the same nominal diameter d of between 180 microns and 200 microns, wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into a plurality U of respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby each of the U optical-fiber units has the same number u n of optical fibers, and wherein adjacent optical fibers within each optical-fiber unit are respectively substantially contiguous to one another; and
(ii) bonding material on the optical-fiber assembly adhesively bonding adjacent optical-fiber units and the corresponding adjacent optical fibers in the optical-fiber assembly, wherein each adjacent pair of optical-fiber units is separated by a longitudinal adhesive-free spacing for a respective portion of the optical-fiber assembly's longitudinal length, the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings having a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.5·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
15. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings have a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.7·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
16. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the respective longitudinal adhesive-free spacings have a mean gap width S avg , wherein:
S avg ≥(0.95·n·(d 250 −d))÷(U−1), where d 250 is 250 microns, the nominal width of a conventional optical fiber.
17. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into two adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=2.
18. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into three respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=3.
19. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the n optical fibers are uniformly distributed into four respectively adjacent optical-fiber units whereby U=4.
20. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the optical-fiber assembly includes between six and 36 optical fibers whereby 6≥n≥36.
21. The optical-fiber ribbon according to claim 14 , wherein the optical-fiber assembly includes between 12 and 24 optical fibers whereby 12≥n≥24.