US 12,271,034 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, Claremont, NC (US)
Filed by COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/609,111.
Application 18/609,111 is a continuation of application No. 17/625,691, granted, now 11,947,165, previously published as PCT/US2020/041209, filed on Jul. 8, 2020.
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 2024/0302594 A1, Sep. 12, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 6/255 (2006.01); G02B 6/44 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/2558 (2013.01) [G02B 6/4471 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multi-fiber cable assembly extending axially along a longitudinal axis, the multi-fiber cable comprising:
a trunk segment including a plurality of optical fibers surrounded by a jacket;
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 each pigtail segment being terminated at a respective multi-fiber connector, the second ends of each pigtail segment being spliced at a respective mass fusion splice to first ends of at least some of the optical fibers of the trunk segment;
an encapsulation disposed around the mass fusion splices, the encapsulation extending between a first axial end and a second axial end, the mass fusion splices aligning with each other within the encapsulation along an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis;
a conduit disposed around 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 being fixedly coupled to the encapsulation at the second axial end of the encapsulation; and
a protective sheathing disposed around at least a portion of the pigtail segments, the protective sheathing extending along the longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end, the second end of the protective sheathing being embedded in the first axial end of the encapsulation.