A cable assembly is described that includes a preterminated optical fiber drop cable having a connector body mounted on a terminal end thereof, and a removable installation device attached to a jacket of the preterminated optical fiber drop cable by an attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion includes a pair of tear tabs that provides tool-less removal of the installation device from the preterminated optical fiber drop cable.

A cutting tool includes a cutting head integrated into a handle. The cutting tool can be used to make a window cut in a cable jacket by sliding the cutting tool along the cable jacket. The cutting tool includes guide surfaces to control the cutting depth into the jacket and to maintain the blade edge at a predetermined depth until the end of the stroke. The cutting tool also may direct a scrap portion of the jacket out of the cutting tool away from the cable. The blade of the cutting head is angled relative to a cable guide channel and is easily replaceable.

A fiber optic cable includes a cable core of core elements and a protective sheath surrounding the core elements, an armor surrounding the cable core, the armor comprising a single overlap portion when the fiber optic cable is viewed in cross-section, and a jacket surrounding the armor, the jacket having at least two longitudinal discontinuities extruded therein. A method of accessing the cable core without the use of ripcords includes removing a portion of the armor in an access section by pulling the armor away from the cable core so that an overlap portion separates around the cable core as it is being pulled past the cable core. A protective sheath protects the core elements as the armor is being pulled around the cable core.

A stripping tool configured to sequentially strip the layers of a cable, such as a fiber optic cable. The stripping tool includes multiple channels, each with a distinct role in stripping a layer of the fiber optic tool. The user sequentially moves the cable from channel-to-channel while operating the tool. At the conclusion of these operations the cable is appropriately stripped and ready for a subsequent operation.

A fibre optic cable stripper, comprising an alignment and fixing element, a rotational adjuster, and a lateral stripping and removing element is provided. The alignment and fixing element, aligning and fixing the fibre optic cable, comprises an alignment and threaded sleeve portion and a fixing portion. The rotational adjuster, sleeved on the alignment and threaded sleeve portion, rotatably moves back and forth thereon. The lateral stripping and removing element, cutting and stripping and rotating the rotational adjuster, comprises an enabling gap portion and a lateral sleeve portion. The lateral sleeve portion is mounted to the rotational adjuster and the enabling gap portion strips at least two gaps through to an end of the fibre optic cable having a preset depth via rotatable movement of the rotational adjuster. The preset depth is different depths defining different diameter sizes of the fibre optic cable.

An optical fiber cable includes a central tube having a first inner and a first outer surface. The first inner surface defines a bore along a longitudinal axis of the cable. Optical fibers are disposed within the bore of the central tube. A cable jacket is disposed around the central tube. The cable jacket has a second inner and a second outer surface defining a first thickness. A skin layer is disposed around the cable jacket. The skin layer has a third inner and a third outer surface defining a second thickness that is 100 μm or less. The cable jacket material is different from the skin layer material, and the third outer surface defines the outermost surface of the optical fiber cable. Access sections made of the second material extend from the skin layer into the first thickness of the cable jacket.

Handheld tools are provided for removing a wire from within an optical cable. For example, the handheld tool may be used to remove a copper wire from a fiber optic drop cable in an efficient manner without damaging other components of the fiber optic drop cable. Advantageously, the optical cable may be used immediately after the wire is removed without further steps by the technician, such as re-applying an outer protective sleeve, as is commonly required with known tools.

The present disclosure relates to an improved stripping process that allows for double stripping in a fiber optic cable processing apparatus. The fiber optic cable processing apparatus has a double stripping fixture that includes a first set of blades configured for stripping a buffer layer off a fiber optic cable and a second set of blades for simultaneously stripping a buffer layer and a coating layer off the fiber optic cable. The double stripping fixture can also include spacers that are configured to set a gap between the first and second sets of blades.

An optical fiber carrying structure that includes a jacket and a rip cord is provided. Optical fiber cables are used to transmit data over distance. Generally, large distribution cables that carry a multitude of optical fibers from a hub are sub-divided at network nodes into subunits. To remove a jacket of a subunit, the subunit may be provided with an access feature such as a rip cord. Described herein is a rip cord for use with optical fiber carrying structures.

An optical fiber cable includes a central tube having a first inner and a first outer surface. The first inner surface defines a bore along a longitudinal axis of the cable. Optical fibers are disposed within the bore of the central tube. A cable jacket is disposed around the central tube. The cable jacket has a second inner and a second outer surface defining a first thickness. A skin layer is disposed around the cable jacket. The skin layer has a third inner and a third outer surface defining a second thickness that is 100 μm or less. The cable jacket material is different from the skin layer material, and the third outer surface defines the outermost surface of the optical fiber cable. Access sections made of the second material extend from the skin layer into the first thickness of the cable jacket.