CORNING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Field-configurable optical devices and methods are disclosed. In one example, a field-configurable optical device includes a housing defining an enclosure, a splitter disposed within the enclosure and having one or more splitter inputs and a plurality of splitter outputs, and a plurality of couplers within the enclosure. The field-configurable optical device includes a plurality of sets of split-ratio selection ports located at an exterior of the housing. The plurality of sets of split-ratio selection ports and the plurality of couplers are configured such that the power split ratio of the field-configurable optical device is established by connecting an input optical fiber to the coupler input port of a selected set of split-ratio selection ports, and connecting a pass-through optical fiber to the coupler pass-through port of the selected set of split-ratio selection ports.

A flexible optical fiber ribbon that is configured to mitigate the effects of multipath interference includes a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber. The first and second optical fibers are intermittently joined by a plurality of bonds that include a first bond, a second bond, and a third bond, wherein the first, second, and third bonds are sequential bonds along the lengths of the first and second optical fibers. The first bond and the second bond are separated by a first distance, whereas the second bond and the third bond are separated by a second distance that is different than the first distance.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an optical fiber ribbon. The optical fiber ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged adjacently to each other. Each optical fiber has a circumferential outer surface. The optical fiber ribbon also includes a lengthwise continuous coating disposed on at least a portion of the circumferential outer surface of each optical fiber. The coating includes a colorant for identifying the optical fiber ribbon among a plurality of optical fiber ribbons. The coating has a first thickness. Further, the optical fiber ribbon includes plurality of bonds intermittently formed between adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers. Each of the bonds has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The plurality of bonds provide the only connection between the adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers.

In general, the present disclosure relates to a cable protection assembly for use on distribution cabinets and the corresponding methods of assembling the cable protection assembly onto the distribution cabinets.

A fanout tube for a furcation of a fiber optic cable assembly carrying a plurality of optical fibers includes an outer casing defining an outer surface and an inner cavity configured to receive one or more of the optical fibers therethrough. The outer casing includes an outer jacket that defines a passageway and at least one strength member disposed in the passageway. The strength member includes at least one tensile strand and a substrate that at least partially covers the tensile strand. At least a portion of the substrate defines a confronting surface configured to form at least a portion of the inner cavity of the outer casing and be isolated from the tensile strand, and thus inaccessible to optical fibers being inserted through the fanout tube. A method of forming a fiber optic cable assembly having a furcation formed from such fanout tubes is also disclosed.

Optical terminals and fiber optic connectors using optical terminals disposed within a connector housing are disclosed. The optical terminals allow strain-relieving a ferrule assembly to a fiber optic cable using a sleeve for quick and easy assembly of the connector. The connector may also include a boot received into the connector housing. The connector may also have an outer housing with a transverse wall at the rear end for providing a ferrule assembly position assurance when the outer housing is properly attached to the optically mated fiber optic connector. Connectors may use fiber-based or lens-based optical interfaces along with other optional features such as sealing gasket disposed on the ferrule assembly to protect when mated, a sealing membrane disposed on a front opening of the connector housing for inhibiting moisture, dirt, debris or dust from reaching the optical interface prior to optical mating.

In general, the present disclosure relates to a cable covering for use on distribution cabinets and the corresponding methods of using and assembling the cable covering onto the distribution cabinets.

A furcation housing for forming a furcation in a fiber optic cable carrying a plurality of optical fibers is disclosed. The furcation housing has a modular construction including a plurality of separate furcation housing components releasably connectable to form the furcation housing. At least two of the plurality of furcation housing components connect to each other through a snap fit connection. The furcation housing components include a base, lid, at last one tube insert, and optionally one or more expansion modules that allow the size of the furcation housing to be scaled with the number of optical fibers. A kit for making the modular furcation housing from the furcation housing components, a method of assembling the components to form the furcation housing, and a method of forming a furcation in a fiber optic cable using the modular furcation housing are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a rack mountable housing that is a unitary piece configured to attach to a rack and to receive cassettes in guide channels of the rack mountable housing. The rack mountable housing also includes a rear panel with a cable entry area. The cable entry area includes a rear cable entry and a side cable entry. The rear cable entry having a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to a central axis of the rack mountable housing, and the side cable entry having a longitudinal axis that is angled relative to the central axis of the housing. The rear cable entry and the side cable entry including a cable guide pathway and a cable guide element, respectively, where both the cable guide pathway and the cable guide element have a tapered profile.

An optical splitter module for splitting an input signal from an input optical fiber is provided. The optical splitter module includes the input optical fiber, output optical fibers, and a splitter device configured to split the input signal from the input optical fiber into a plurality of output signals that are each directed into one of the output optical fibers. The optical splitter module also includes a fanout device defining openings that are each configured to receive one of the output optical fibers. The optical splitter module defines an internal volume and an exit cavity. The input optical fiber, the output optical fibers, the splitter device, and the fanout device are each received in the internal volume. The fanout device defines a side length, the exit cavity defines a width, and the side length of the fanout device is greater than the width of the exit cavity.