Claims
- 1. A fiber optic microcable, comprising:
- an optical fiber core;
- a buffer surrounding said core;
- a protective sheath adhering to and surrounding said buffer, said protective sheath including:
- an ultraviolet light cured first resin having a post-cure Young's modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa, a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa, a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion, an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise within the range of 27.degree. C. to 60.degree. C., and a glass transition temperature ranging from 60.degree. C. to 105.degree. C.; and
- a plurality of fibers embedded in said resin; and
- an unfilled overcoat sheath formed of an ultraviolet light cured second resin.
- 2. The microcable of claim 1 wherein:
- said first and second resins are cured upon exposure to ultraviolet light having a wavelength anywhere from 290 to 400 nanometers.
- 3. A fiber optic microcable, comprising:
- an optical fiber core;
- a buffer surrounding said core;
- a protective sheath adhering to and surrounding said buffer, said protective sheath including:
- an ultraviolet light cured first resin having a post-cure Young's modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa; and
- a plurality of fibers embedded in said resin; and
- an unfilled overcoat sheath formed of an ultraviolet light cured second resin.
- 4. The microcable of claim 3 wherein:
- said first resin has a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa.
- 5. The microcable of claim 4 wherein:
- said first resin has a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion.
- 6. The microcable of claim 5 wherein:
- said first resin has an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise within the range of 27.degree. C. to 60.degree. C.
- 7. The microcable of claim 6 wherein:
- said first resin has a glass transition temperature ranging from 60.degree. C. to 105.degree. C.
- 8. The microcable of claim 7 wherein:
- said first and second resins are cured upon exposure to ultraviolet light having a wavelength anywhere from 290 to 400 nanometers.
- 9. A method for fabricating a fiber optic microcable, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first resinous coating of an ultraviolet light curable first resin around a buffered optical waveguide, said first resin having a post-cure Young's modulus ranging from approximately 700,000 to 2,500,000 kPa, a post-cure tensile strength of approximately 28,000 to 56,000 kPa, a post-cure moisture absorption of less than one per cent after 24 hours of water immersion, an uncured viscosity of less than 250 centipoise at 27.degree. C., and a glass transition temperature ranging from 60.degree. C. to 105.degree. C.;
- curing said first resinous coating by exposing said first resin to ultraviolet light to form a protective sheath;
- forming a second resinous coating of an ultraviolet light curable second resin around said protective sheath; and
- curing said second resinous coating by exposing said second resin to ultraviolet light to form an unfilled overcoat sheath.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein:
- said first resin is cured by exposing said first resin to ultraviolet light having a wavelength ranging from 290 to 400 nanometers at an intensity, I, incident upon said first resin, where I.ltoreq.100,000 microwatts/cm.sup.2.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/060,618, filed May 10, 1993 now abandonment, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 197,491, filed May 23, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,055.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4629286 |
Fuse et al. |
Dec 1986 |
|
4812489 |
Watanabe et al. |
Mar 1989 |
|
5259055 |
Cowen et al. |
Nov 1993 |
|
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/199,820, filed 26 May 1988 titled "Prss For Fabricating Fiber Optic Microcable Using Radiation Cured Composite", by Steven J. Cowen et al (still pending). |
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/197,491, filed 23 May 1988 titled "Fiber Optic Microcable Produced With Radiation Cured Composite", by Steven J. Cowen et al now U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,055. |
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/573,946, filed 28 Aug. 1990 titled "Fiber Optic Microcable Produced With Radiation Cured Composite", by Steven J. Cowen et al (still pending). |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
60618 |
May 1993 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
197491 |
May 1988 |
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