US 11,947,165 B2
Terminating a cable assembly with connectorized pigtails
Cyle D. Petersen, Belle Plaine, MN (US); John Paul Anderson, Eden Prairie, MN (US); Thomas Marcouiller, Shakopee, MN (US); Kenneth Allen Skluzacek, Belle Plaine, MN (US); and Jonathan R. Kaml, Shakopee, MN (US)
Assigned to COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
Appl. No. 17/625,691
Filed by COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/041209
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/007326, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/871,297, filed on Jul. 8, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/986,179, filed on Mar. 6, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0291453 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/255 (2006.01); G02B 6/44 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/2558 (2013.01) [G02B 6/4471 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-fiber cable assembly extending axially along a longitudinal axis, the multi-fiber cable assembly comprising:
a trunk segment including a plurality of optical fibers surrounded by a jacket, the optical fibers extending between opposite first and second ends;
a plurality of pigtail segments optically coupled to the trunk segment, each pigtail segment including a plurality of optical fibers extending from first ends to second ends, the first ends of the optical fibers of each pigtail segment being terminated at a respective multi-fiber connector, the second ends of the optical fibers of each pigtail segment being spliced at a respective mass fusion splice to the first ends of at least some of the optical fibers of the trunk segment;
a fanout housing disposed around the mass fusion splices, the fanout housing extending between a first axial end and a second axial end, the mass fusion splices aligning with each other within the fanout housing along an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
a conduit disposed about a portion of the trunk segment, the conduit extending along the longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, the first end of the conduit extending into the second axial end of the fanout housing and being axially fixed within an interior of the fanout housing; and
a protective sheath extending from the first axial end of the fanout housing, the protective sheath being disposed about at least some of the pigtail segments, the protective sheath extending along the longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, the second end of the protective sheath being axially fixed within the fanout housing.