US 12,455,424 B2
Fiber optic cable assembly with high packing density and method of making same
Brandon Duvall Compton, Newton, NC (US); and Christopher Shawn Houser, Hickory, NC (US)
Assigned to CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/337,584.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/428,817, filed on Nov. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/356,507, filed on Jun. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0004153 A1, Jan. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. G02B 6/44 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/4431 (2023.05) [G02B 6/4476 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fiber optic cable assembly, comprising:
a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end and carrying a plurality of optical fibers, wherein each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers has a nominal outer diameter; and
a furcation at one or both of the first end and the second end of the fiber optic cable, the furcation comprising:
a furcation housing connected to the fiber optic cable and receiving the plurality of optical fibers therein; and
a plurality of furcation tubes extending from the furcation housing, each of the plurality of furcation tubes receiving a number of the plurality of optical fibers of the fiber optic cable, and each of the plurality of furcation tubes defining at least in part a respective furcation leg of the furcation; and
at least one connection interface terminating the number of the plurality of optical fibers received in each of the plurality of furcation tubes; and
a pulling grip disposed over the furcation legs and attached to the furcation housing,
wherein a maximum inner diameter of the pulling grip is less than an outer diameter of the furcation housing, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of furcation tubes has a diameter substantially equal to a theoretical minimum diameter corresponding to the number and the nominal diameter of the optical fibers received in the at least one of the plurality of furcation tubes.