A tool for preparing a cable for connectorization. The tool has a portion for stripping a cable jacket and another portion for cutting fibrous strength elements, such as aramid strength elements, relative to the exposed fiber. The strength element cutting portion includes a blade enclosed in a cover that also serves as a handle for the tool. The cover also has a stop edge to ensure that a desired excess length of the strength element remains after cutting the strength element. The excess strength element length can then be used to connectorize the cable.

An optical fiber which allows propagation of two or more modes, and in a case where a mode coupling coefficient between at least two modes among the two or more modes is h [1/km], the length of the optical fiber is z [km], and the amount XT of coupling between the two modes is represented by XT=10.Math.log.sub.10(zh) [dB], the amount XT of coupling satisfies Expression (A) described below.

XT+14 [dB](A)

This invention relates to an apparatus (1) for processing an optical fiber unit, the apparatus comprising an extruder head (2) with an inlet (6) receiving an optical fiber unit (7) including at least one optical fiber (24) and an outlet (4) outputting with a tube speed a produced tube (3), and a capstan (25) receiving and passing on the produced tube (3), the produced tube contacting an outer periphery (19) of the capstan by extending around the capstan. In order to obtain a simple and reliable solution the apparatus comprises a feeding device (13) and a connection (8) to a fluid source (9). The apparatus is configured to launch the optical fiber unit (7) to move with the tube (3) by feeding fluid from the fluid source (9) into the produced tube (3), and activating the feeding device (13) to accelerate the optical fiber unit via the inlet (6) into the tube (3) such that the optical fiber unit reaches the tube speed when the optical fiber unit has reached a predetermined point (P) on the capstan (25), at which stage the feeding device (13) is deactivated.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a method of controlling tension on a buffer tube produced on a buffer tube processing line. In the method, the buffer tube is directed through a compression caterpillar. A speed of and a gap between drive belts of the compression caterpillar are set to achieve a desired tension on the buffer tube. Tension on the buffer tube is measured as the buffer tube passes between the drive belts. It is determined whether the measured tension on the buffer tube is within an acceptable range, and the gap between the drive belts is decreased in increments while the buffer tube passes between the drive belts until the tension is within the acceptable range.

Disclosed are a steel fiber composite intelligent bar with a sheathing optical cable embedded in an inner core of a rebar, and a fabrication method thereof. The steel fiber composite intelligent bar includes the sheathing optical cable, the rebar, a winding layer, and tightening sheaths, wherein the sheathing optical cable comprises a glass fiber core, a polyimide coating layer, and a polyurethane wrapping layer that are stacked sequentially from inside to outside; the rebar is provided with a notch groove along a length direction; and the sheathing optical cable is embedded in the notch groove in parallel; the winding layer is wound around an outer surface of the rebar, and the winding layer is made of an epoxy resin composite fiber; and the tightening sheaths comprise a first tightening sheath and a second tightening sheath which are sleeved at two ends of the winding layer, respectively.

A buffer tube clencher (47) elongates a buffer tube (43) in a cable manufacturing machine (41) to reduce excess fiber length (EFL). The clencher (47) includes first (49,57) and second (69,73) sets of wheels with first and second gaps (63) therebetween to guide the buffer tube (43). At least one wheel of the first set of wheels (49,57) and of the second set of wheels (69,73) is driven to cause the buffer tube (43) to elongate, and at least one wheel of the first set of wheels (49,57) and of the second set of wheels (69,73) is biased and able to move away from the other wheel against a biasing force to accommodate an imperfection in the outer surface of the buffer tube (43), such that the buffer tube (43) remains under an elongation force by at least one driven wheel even if slippage occurs as the imperfection passes by the other driven wheel of the first and second sets of wheels.

Disclosed are a steel fiber composite intelligent bar with a sheathing optical cable embedded in an inner core of a rebar, and a fabrication method thereof. The steel fiber composite intelligent bar includes the sheathing optical cable, the rebar, a winding layer, and tightening sheaths, wherein the sheathing optical cable comprises a glass fiber core, a polyimide coating layer, and a polyurethane wrapping layer that are stacked sequentially from inside to outside; the rebar is provided with a notch groove along a length direction; and the sheathing optical cable is embedded in the notch groove in parallel; the winding layer is wound around an outer surface of the rebar, and the winding layer is made of an epoxy resin composite fiber; and the tightening sheaths comprise a first tightening sheath and a second tightening sheath which are sleeved at two ends of the winding layer, respectively.