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 m 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.

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.

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 axial direction moving mechanism has a function of moving the rotary head and the cable holding mechanism relative to each other in an axial direction of the rotation shaft, positions a blade edge of the peeling cutter and the cutting cutter in the axial direction with respect to the cable by moving and stopping, and peels the coating on a tip end side by moving the rotary head and the cable holding mechanism in a direction away from each other in a state where the blade edge of the peeling cutter is cut into the coating of the terminal portion of the cable.

An optical fiber coating removal device which heats a coating of an optical fiber with a heater and removes the coating with a blade includes a communicator which receives information based on optical fiber type information to specify an optical fiber type selected by a user from among a plurality of optical fiber types, transmitted from an external device to which the optical fiber type information has been input, and a heater which heats a coating of an optical fiber using the received information based on the optical fiber type information. The heater can heat a coating under a plurality of conditions according to the optical fiber type information.

A tube jacket slitting tool including first and second opposite tool portions, each tool portion including a common hinged portion at a first end for engaging the opposite tool portion. The first and second opposite tool portions are foldable about the hinged portion between an open position and a closed position. The tool includes at least one concave surface extending across the width of forming an opening, when the first and second opposite tool portions are in the closed position, through which a tube may be slid. The tool includes a blade extending inward into the opening for slitting a depth of the tube jacket as it is moved with respect to the tool. The tool includes a hinge pivot axis in the hinged portion extending in a direction substantially in the direction of the width and at an acute angle to either the plane or to the longitudinal axis of the tube or cable in the opening formed by the at least one concave surface. When the first and second opposite tool portions are folded to the closed position with the tube or cable in the opening, movement of the tube or cable with respect to the tool causes the first and second opposite tool portions to be urged toward each other.

In one embodiment, an air-blown optical fiber unit includes one or more optical fibers, an inner layer substantially completely embedding the one or more optical fibers, and an outer layer radially external to the inner layer. The inner layer has a tensile strength of from 0.1 MPa to 1 MPa, and an elongation at break of from 10% to 80%.

An apparatus for processing a fiber optic cable includes a housing having an inlet for receiving an end of the fiber optic cable. A stripping module is in the housing and configured to remove an end section of an outer jacket of the cable to provide exposed portions of strength members and at least one optical fiber. The apparatus further includes a trimming module in the housing that is configured to remove an end section of the exposed portions of strength members. A method is also disclosed where the stripping and trimming operations for a fiber optic cable are performed by the same apparatus and within the same housing.

The present disclosure provides an optical fiber cable (100). The optical fiber cable (100) includes a first layer (108) and a second layer (110). The second layer (110) surrounds the first layer (108). The first layer (108) includes a first plurality of buffer tubes (122). The second layer (110) comprises a second plurality of buffer tubes (124). Each buffer tube of the first plurality of buffer tubes (122) and the second plurality of buffer tubes (124) has a thickness of at most 0.15 millimeter. Each buffer tube of the first plurality of buffer tubes (122) and the second plurality of buffer tubes (124) includes a first material layer (126) and a second material layer (128). The second material layer (128) surrounds the first material layer (126). The first material layer (126) is made of polybutylene terephthalate. The second material layer (128) is made of polycarbonate.

A cable stripping tool for stripping the outer jacket of a cable having a length. The tool includes a tool frame having an elongated opening and a cable support disposed on the tool frame including at least one support surface for maintaining the cable in a relative position on the tool. The tool includes a roller assembly having an offset block movable along the elongated opening, a roller wheel rotatingly attached to an end of the block member adjacent the cable support and a loading knob attached to an opposite end of the offset block as the roller wheel. The tool includes a blade having a cutting edge extendable from the cable support surface toward the cable. The blade cutting edge may be rotatable between a first direction parallel to the cable length, a third direction perpendicular to the cable length and a second position between the first and third position.