Patent Grant
11934023
The present invention is related to an optical fiber cable having a foam layer disposed between a ribbon stack and a cable jacket and, in particular, to polymer blend and method of forming the foam layer. Optical fiber cables incorporate a variety of materials with function-specific properties in multiple layers to achieve desired performance. For examples, the cable jacket and buffer tubes are often made of polyolefin materials. The optical fiber cable may also include a metal armor layer and one or more glass-reinforced plastic strength members. Though the polyolefins often provide good flexibility, the armor layer and/or strength members may create signal attenuation when the cable is bent, coiled, crushed, or twisted.
In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an optical fiber cable having at least one optical fiber, a cable jacket, and a foam layer. The cable jacket has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface is an outermost surface of the optical fiber cable, and the inner surface is disposed around the at least one optical fiber. The foam layer is disposed between the at least one optical fiber and the cable jacket. The foam layer includes a polymer component having from 30% to 100% by weight of a polyolefin elastomer (POE) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and from 0% to 70% by weight of low density polyethylene (LDPE). The foam layer has a closed-cell morphology having pores with an average effective circle diameter of 10 μm to 500 μm. Further, the expansion ratio of the foam layer is at least 50%.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method of preparing an optical fiber cable. In the method, a polymer blend is prepared that includes from 30% by weight to 100% by weight of a polyolefin elastomer (POE) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and from 0% by weight to 70% by weight of low density polyethylene. The POE or TPE has an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 10 MPa at 100% secant. The polymer blend is extruded around an optical fiber cable core in a manner that produces a foam layer surrounding the cable core along a longitudinal axis of the cable core.
In yet another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a foam having from 30% to 100% by weight of a polyolefin elastomer (POE) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and from 0% to 70% by weight of low density polyethylene (LDPE). The POE or TPE has an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 10 MPa at 100% secant. The foam has a closed-cell morphology having pores with an average effective circle diameter of from 10 μm to 500 μm. The expansion ratio of the foam is at least 50%, and the foam has a compression set of no more than 30% as measured after compression to a strain of 50% for ten hours and after four hours of recovery time.
Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understand the nature and character of the claims.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and the operation of the various embodiments.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring generally to the figures, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a thermoplastic foam that can be extruded around one or more ribbon stacks and/or buffer tubes of an optical fiber cable. The foam is formed from either a polymer blend of polyolefin elastomer (POE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) with or without LDPE. The foam provides cushion for the optical fibers within the buffer tube(s). That is, the foam helps prevent attenuation of the optical fibers when the cable is bent, crushed, twisted, flexed, etc. In particular, the foam, which has a low modulus, diminishes the transmission of outside stress forces to the ribbon stack, which could otherwise cause fiber attenuation.
Further, in armored cable designs, the foam prevents attenuation issues caused by armor contact during cable bending, flexing, or coiling. Additionally, the foam allows for the reduction of the wall thickness of the buffer tubes and of the cable jacket so as to allow for increased fiber density within a given cable outside diameter. In this way, the foam also allows for significantly improved cable designs along with cost reduction through elimination of free space in the tubes, reduction of cable outer diameter, and use of smaller strength members (such as glass-reinforced fiber rods). As will be discussed more fully below, the polymer blend or TPE is extruded around a central buffer tube or stranded buffer tubes in a manner that causes it to foam. These and other advantages and aspects of the foam will be discussed in relation to the embodiments disclosed and depicted herein, especially as they relate to an optical fiber cable. However, these embodiments are exemplary in nature, not limiting.
Surrounding the buffer tube 12 along the longitudinal axis is a foam layer 26. As used herein, each element inside the foam layer 26 will be collectively referred to as an “optical fiber cable core” 27. Thus, in the embodiment of
Optionally, in embodiments, the optical fiber cable 10 includes an armor layer 28 disposed around the foam layer 26. The armor layer 28 may be formed from a metal tape that is wrapped around the cable core 27, or may be comprised of a dielectric material or any other suitable material for protecting the core elements of the optical fiber cable 10. In certain embodiments, the armor layer 28 is corrugated. A cable jacket 30 surrounds the armor layer 28 (if provided) or the foam layer 26 (if no armor layer 28 is provided). The cable jacket 30 has an inner surface 32 and an outer surface 34 that define an average jacket thickness T3. In embodiments, the cable jacket 30 has a thickness T3 of from 1.25 mm to 1.75 mm. In embodiments, the cable jacket 30 has a thickness T3 of about 1.50 mm. In embodiments, the outer surface 34 of the cable jacket 30 defines the outermost surface of the optical fiber cable 10. As depicted in
In another embodiment shown in
In a further embodiment of an optical fiber cable 10″ depicted in
Having described three embodiments of the optical fiber cables 10, 10′, 10″ in which the foam layer 26 may be incorporated, the foam layer 26 will now be described in greater detail. As mentioned above, the foam layer 26 comprises either (1) a blend of polyolefin elastomer (POE) and LDPE or (2) a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) alone or in a blend with LDPE.
In embodiments, the polymer blend of POE or TPE and LDPE comprises from 20% by weight to 70% by weight of LDPE. In other embodiments, the polymer blend comprises from 20% by weight to 40% by weight of LDPE, and in still other embodiments, the polymer blend comprises from 20% by weight to 30% by weight of LDPE. In embodiments, the polymer blend comprises from 30% by weight to 80% by weight of POE or TPE. In other embodiments, the polymer blend comprises from 60% by weight to 80% by weight of POE or TPE, and in still other embodiments, the polymer blend comprises from 70% by weight to 80% by weight of POE or TPE.
A variety of POE are suitable for use in the polymer blend that forms the foam layer 26. In an exemplary embodiment, the POE is selected to have an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 10 MPa at 100% secant according to ASTM D638. In other embodiments, the POE is selected to have an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 5 MPa at 100% secant according ASTM D638. In exemplary embodiments, the POE is a copolymer of ethylene and a C3-C10 alpha-olefin, such as an ethylene-octene copolymer. Such copolymers offer a low modulus at low temperature and high recovery from mechanical deformations. Two commercially available ethylene-octene copolymers include the Engage™ copolymer family and Infuse™ Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs). The Engage™ copolymers are random copolymers with melt temperatures up to 96° C., and the Infuse OBC have alternating blocks of hard (highly rigid) and soft (highly elastomeric) segments and melt temperatures ranging from 118° C. to 122° C. Exemplary commercial embodiments of LDPE include Agility™ 1021 or AXELERON™ 1258 (both available from Dow Chemical Company, Midland, MI).
In embodiments in which the foam layer 26 is made from TPE or a blend of TPE and LDPE, the TPE is selected to have an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 10 MPa at 100% secant according to ASTM D638. In other embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer is selected to have an unfoamed tensile modulus of at most 5 MPa at 100% secant according ASTM D638. Examples of thermoplastic elastomers suitable for use in forming the foam layer include thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV). Commercially available examples include Catalloy TPOs of Softell grades (LyondellBasell Industries, Houston, TX), Santoprene™ (Exxon Mobil Corporation, Irving, TX), and Sarlink® 8145 (Teknor Apex, Pawtucket, RI).
In embodiments, the foam layer 26 is formed by extruding the polymer blend at a sufficiently high pressure so that a gaseous blowing agent, or agents, remain dissolved in the melt until the polymer-gas saturation pressure is reached near or just beyond the exit of the extrusion die. At this saturation pressure, dissolved gas demixes as many, well-distributed bubble nuclei expand and serve as nucleation sites for additional bubble formation and growth.
In the polymer blend, POE or TPE provides the elastomeric property to the foam while the LDPE provides a high expansion ratio as a result of high melt strength that results from long chain branching. POE copolymers are based on a polyethylene or polypropylene backbone with high flexibility, i.e., low modulus. During foam extrusion, if the melt strength of the blend is too low, the bubbles will rupture and coalesce before the foam is cooled and a poor quality foam with large bubbles will result. The LDPE with its long chain branching exhibits strain hardening. Strain hardening is measured in the melt and represents the increase in elongational viscosity while the melt is being strained. This allows for maximum bubble expansion without excessive rupturing and coalescing.
In the optical fiber cables 10, 10′,10″, the recovery from impact, crush, or bending stresses is achieved with a closed cell foam. In embodiments, the foam is manufactured in a physical foam process. However, in embodiments, the physical foam process can also incorporate one or more chemical foaming agents to further improve foam structure. Physical nucleating agents include talc, calcium carbonate, PTFE particles, and other high surface area inorganic and polymeric materials. In embodiments, such physical nucleating agents are present in the polymer blend in an amount of 0.1 to 1.0 wt %. Chemical foam agents include endothermic foaming agents, such as Reedy Safoam FPE-50 (available from Reedy Chemical Foam & Specialty Additives, Charlotte, NC) and exothermic foaming agents, such as azodicarbonamide and 4,4′-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl hydrazide (commercially available as XO-107 and XO-429 from Bergen International, LLC, East Rutherford, NJ). Additionally, in embodiments, the process of physical foaming with carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or other gases (such as small chain hydrocarbons) is further enhanced with the addition of chemical foaming agent and/or physical nucleators. Additionally, the blend may include one or more additives that prevent bubbles from coalescing, improve stability, and reduce gas diffusion out of the bubble; such as glycerol monostearate (GMS).
In embodiments, the foaming process is configured to achieve a fine, narrowly distributed closed cell morphology with equivalent circle diameter (ECD) of 10 μm to 500 μm. In other embodiments, the ECD is in the range of 20 μm to 400 μm, and in still other embodiments, the ECD is in the range of 30 μm to 300 μm. In embodiments, the resulting foam has an expansion ratio of at least 50%. In other embodiments, the resulting foam has an expansion ratio of at least 60%. Further, in embodiments, the resulting foam has a density reduction (as compared to an unfoamed blend) of 50%-70%, more particularly of 50%-60%.
As mentioned, the strain hardening behavior of the polymer melt influences the properties of the foam produced. In
The foams Ela, E1b of
The foam specimens were also tested to determine other compression properties using a parallel plate compression fixture on an electromechanical tensile test machine (MTS Insight 5 kN) according to ASTM 3574—Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials with the exception of part for test samples (specimens) preparation. Specimens size were significantly smaller than required by standard procedure. In particular, samples of Ela and E1b were loaded at a constant strain rate of 30% per min until 50% strain was reached. Thereafter, the samples were unloaded at a constant rate of 30% per minute until the parallel plates returned to their original position.
The foams E1a, E1b were incorporated into optical fiber cable samples with the foam extruded over a subunit. Dimensional stability of the samples was measured according to ASTM D4565-15—Standard Test Methods for Physical and Environmental Performance Properties of Insulations and Jackets for Telecommunications Wire and Cable. The samples were tested along the direction of foam extrusion. The samples exhibited good dimensional stability over the temperature range of −40° C. to 85° C. In particular, as shown in Tables 2 and 3, below, it can be seen that the samples each had a length change of less than 5% after being held at 85° C. for 4 hours and after being held at 110° C. for 24 hours.
Foams having different compression modulus can be utilized in the same optical fiber cable 10, 10′, 10″. For example, the optical fiber cable 10, 10′, 10″ may consist of one or more layers of foams. In one embodiment, the optical fiber cable 10, 10′, 10″ includes a relatively softer inner layer (i.e., lower modulus), such as foam Ela, which directly contacts the stranded core or central tube and a relatively stiffer outer layer, such as foam E1b, which may contact with cable sheath or armor layer. Such a foam structure allows for further improvement of the cable mechanical performance by absorbing the strain/stress transferred to the core. Specifically, a softer inner layer reduces the compression stress imposed on a stack of optical fiber ribbons during bending and cable coiling. A stiffer outer layer together with the softer inner layer can deform under crushing and impact loading and therefore functions as spacer to reduce the loads.
The embodiments of the optical fiber cables 10, 10′, 10″ disclosed herein are envisioned to pass relevant telecommunications standards for reliability. For example, the malleability and flexibility of the foam allows movement of the ribbon stack subunit during cable coiling at 15× the cable outer diameter (i.e., minimum bend radius) over the temperature range of −30° C. to 70° C. and allows stress dispersion during impact, crush, and other mechanical tests. Further, by replacing free space in the optical fiber cables 10, 10′, 10″ with foam, the attenuation issue experienced by some conventional cables during the cable crush testing at the corner fibers of the ribbon stack is addressed and attenuation remains below 0.15 dB at all the corner fibers during the 110 N/cm compression load of Telcordia GR-20. Embodiments of the foam disclosed herein have a low modulus of less than 1 MPa for cables of having 432 optical fibers and below, and a lower modulus of 0.8 MPa for larger optical fiber counts, when measured at 50% strain. Additionally, cable designs incorporating the foam layer have improved mid-span coiling over traditional designs because the foam layer allows for much more robust cable twist performance without attenuation increase. Indeed, according to industry standard GR-20 for twist requirements, a two-meter piece of cable must be able to be twisted 180 degree in both directions without having any attenuation greater than 0.15 dB. Embodiments of the disclosed foam allow superior performance in twist testing with two full twists (720°) in both directions with attenuation less than 0.15 dB.
Additionally, the foam stays flexible at low temperature. The foam has a brittleness temperature of below −50° C. Further, the foam is dimensionally stable over the temperature range of −40° C. to 80° C., and has a shrinkback less than 5%, as required per GR-20 industry standard for jacket components.
The closed cell morphology and the selection of a POE or TPE deliver a balance of foam properties, combining low modulus to provide stress dispersion (and, consequently, fiber strain reduction) with over 90% thickness recovery after being compressed to 50% of its original thickness. The foam delivers instantaneous high recovery from large deformations of 50% strain and low compression set after 10 hours at 50% strain. When the foam is compressed for 10 hours at 50% strain, it recovers to 35% strain at 30 minutes and to 30% after 1 hour.
The foam has low tensile strength due to its high density reduction, low modulus, and the elongation of the cells in the longitudinal direction during the draw down extrusion process over the core. Additionally, this low tensile strength results in low tear strength which provides easy access into the cable core during mid-span access or end access. Also advantageously, cable components, such as the cable jacket and buffer tube, can be made thinner. For example, cable jacket thickness can be decreased from 2.5 mm to about 1.5 mm for a stranded design (e.g., as shown in
Unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a specific order. Accordingly, where a method claim does not actually recite an order to be followed by its steps or it is not otherwise specifically stated in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is in no way intended that any particular order be inferred. In addition, as used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more than one component or element, and is not intended to be construed as meaning only one.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed embodiments. For example, rather than foam extruding a polymer blend into or around core elements of a cable, a foam tape or substrate could first be extruded and then wrapped around the core either longitudinally or helically, or the foam may be sprayed onto the core or core elements (like a can of foam or a polymeric layer laden with chemical foaming agent could be extruded onto the core later activated thermally. Since modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and variations of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art, the disclosed embodiments should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2020/028918 filed Apr. 20, 2020, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/835,688 filed on Apr. 18, 2019, the content of which is relied upon and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Parent | PCT/US2020/028918 | Apr 2020 | US |
| Child | 17498874 | US |
