Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[1] The present disclosure relates to the field of optical fibers and, in
particular, relates to an intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon with optimized
shape of the bonded portions.
PRIORITY DETAILS
[2] The present application is based on, and claims priority from an Indian
Application Number 202011008310 filed on 27th February 2020, the disclosure of
which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[3] Evolution of 5G and increase of data consumption in recent years,
application of data centers and telecom has increased drastically. In addition, large
scale data centers and telecom sectors require ultra-high fiber density cables that
offers high data rate with low latency. The high fiber density cables have a large
number of optical fibers inside cable. The optical fibers may be in the form of
optical fiber ribbons or loose fibers. Traditionally, the structure of the optical fiber
cables has a buffer tube, buffer tube sheath, and optical fiber ribbons or loose
fibers. The buffer tube and sheath protect the optical fibers from physical damage.
Conventionally, poor packing efficiency of the optical fiber ribbons leads to the
increase of cable diameter in the high fiber count cables. In addition, a higher
diameter cables lead to difficulty in handling, transport, installation and increase
in cost. Further, conventional high fiber count cables are inefficient at junction
points and manhole installation. Moreover, linear scaling to achieve high fiber
count in conventional high fiber count cables manufacturing is impractical.
Intermittently bonded ribbons (IBR's) are used over flat ribbons due to their high
flexibility and rollability. However, the IBR’s are delicate to handle due to
intermittent bonding. Therefore, the bonds of the IBR’s need to be good enough to
provide robustness to the IBR’s for easy handling while maintaining the
rollability.
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[4] The reference US9739965B2 (US’965) discloses an optical fiber ribbon
capable of concurrently ensuring mid-span access performance and cable
production performance. There are three or more optical fibers arranged in
parallel and connecting portions connecting the adjacent optical fibers. The
connecting portions having split strength which is set in the range from 1.50 gf to
21.0 gf that contributes to exhibit both the mid-span access performance and the
cable production performance. Specifically, the reference US’965 discloses the
bond shape such that the bond is thickest in the middle. Furthermore, the
reference US11221457B2 (US’457) discloses an intermittent connection-type
optical fiber ribbon having optical fibers aligned in a width direction of the
intermittent connection-type optical fiber ribbon and a connection part disposed
between two separation spaces that are aligned in a lengthwise direction of the
intermittent connection-type optical fiber ribbon and that separate adjacent ones of
the optical fibers. Specifically, the reference US’457 discloses top view of the
bonds that have substantially rectangular shape. The prior art references do not
indicate arrangement of the optical fiber ribbons that improves handling of the
optical fiber cables. Furthermore, conventional optical fiber cables employ
connecting portions for the optical fiber cables that have same height and/or
width. This limits the performance of the optical fiber ribbon in terms of
rollability and/or robustness characteristics. A thick connecting portion may
improve robustness of the ribbon but affects the ribbon in terms of rollability. On
the other hand, a thinner connecting portion may make the ribbon rollable but
affects the robustness of the ribbon.
[5] In light of the above stated discussion, there is a need for an efficient and
effective optical fiber ribbon that overcomes the above stated disadvantages.
OBJECTIVE OF THE DISCLOSURE
[6] As mentioned, there is a need for a technical solution that overcomes the
aforementioned problems of conventional optical fiber ribbons. Thus, an objective
of the present disclosure is to provide an intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon
with optimized shape of bonded portions. Another objective of the present
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disclosure is to provide bonded portions such that each of the bonded portions has
a plurality of elevated and depressed regions, when each of the bonded portion is
viewed in side view. Another objective of the present disclosure is to bonded
portions such that each of the bonded portions has a plurality of envelope regions
that are connected to a plurality of narrow regions, when each bonded portion of
the plurality of bonded portions is viewed in top view.
SUMMARY
[7] In an aspect of the present disclosure an intermittently bonded optical fiber
ribbon is disclosed. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon has a plurality
of optical fibers such that each pair of adjacent optical fibers of the plurality of
optical fibers are intermittently bonded along a plurality of bonded portions. Each
bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions has a plurality of elevated
regions that are connected by one or more depressed regions, when each bonded
portion of the plurality of bonded portions is viewed from the side view. Each
depressed region of the one or more depressed regions is disposed between two
adjacent elevated regions of the plurality of elevated regions. Furthermore, each
of the bonded portions has a plurality of envelope regions that are connected by
one or more narrow regions, when each bonded portion of the plurality of bonded
portions is viewed in top view.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[8] Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference will now
be made to the accompanying figures, wherein:
[9] FIG. 1 illustrates an optical fiber ribbon.
[10] FIG. 2 illustrates a microscopic side view of the optical fiber ribbon of
FIG. 1 having a first bonded portion.
[11] FIG. 3 illustrates a microscopic top view of the optical fiber ribbon of FIG.
1 having the first bonded portion.
[12] It should be noted that the accompanying figures are intended to present
illustrations of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. These figures
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are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It should also be
noted that accompanying figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[13] The detailed description of the appended drawings is intended as a
description of the currently preferred aspects of the present disclosure, and is not
intended to represent the only form in which the present disclosure may be
practiced. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions may be
accomplished by different aspects that are intended to be encompassed within the
spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
[14] Moreover, although the following description contains many specifics for
the purposes of illustration, anyone skilled in the art will appreciate that many
variations and/or alterations to said details are within the scope of the present
technology. Similarly, although many of the features of the present technology are
described in terms of each other, or in conjunction with each other, one skilled in
the art will appreciate that many of these features can be provided independently
of other features. Accordingly, this description of the present technology is set
forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the
present technology.
[15] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon
100. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon 100 (hereinafter
interchangeably referred to and designated as “the optical fiber ribbon 100”) may
be placed inside a buffer tube of an optical fiber cable. In some aspects of the
present disclosure, the intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon 100 may be
placed directly inside a sheath of the optical fiber cable. The optical fiber ribbon
100 may have a plurality of optical fibers 102 of which first through twelfth
optical fibers 102a-102l (hereinafter collectively referred to and designated as “the
optical fibers 102a-102l”) are shown.
[16] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the optical fiber ribbon 100 may
have a plurality of optical fibers. The plurality of optical fibers may be less than or
equal to 24 optical fibers. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to
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include and/or otherwise cover any number of the plurality of optical fibers 102
(e.g., 6, 8, 16, 24), without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
[17] The optical fibers 102a-102l may be secured substantially parallel to one
another within a coating material. Each pair of adjacent optical fibers of the
optical fibers 102a-102l may be intermittently bonded along a plurality of bonded
portions 104 of which first through fifteenth bonded portions 104a-104o are
shown. Specifically, the first and second optical fibers 102a and 102b may be
intermittently bonded along the first and second bonded portions 104a and 104b.
The second and third optical fibers 102b and 102c may be intermittently bonded
along the third bonded portion 104c. The third and fourth optical fibers 102c and
102d may be intermittently bonded along the fourth bonded portion 104d. The
fourth and fifth optical fibers 102d and 102e may be intermittently bonded along
the fifth and sixth bonded portions 104e and 104f. The fifth and sixth optical
fibers 102e and 102f may be intermittently bonded along the seventh bonded
portion 104g. The sixth and seventh optical fibers 102f and 102g may be
intermittently bonded along the eighth bonded portion 104h. The seventh and
eighth optical fibers 102g and 102h may be intermittently bonded along the ninth
and tenth bonded portions 104i and 104j. The eighth and ninth optical fibers 102h
and 102i may be intermittently bonded along the eleventh bonded portion 104k.
The ninth and tenth optical fibers 102i and 102j may be intermittently bonded
along the twelfth bonded portion 104l. The tenth and eleventh optical fibers 102j
and 102k may be intermittently bonded along the thirteenth and fourteenth bonded
portions 104m and 104n. The eleventh and twelfth optical fibers 102k and 102l
may be intermittently bonded along the fifteenth bonded portion 104o.
[18] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of bonded portions
104 may be made up of a connecting material. The connecting material may
include, but not limited to, an Ultraviolet (UV) curable acrylate. Aspects of the
present disclosure are intended to include and/or otherwise cover any kind of
known and later developed materials for the plurality of bonded portions 104,
without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
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[19] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each bonded portion of the first
through fifteenth bonded portions 104a-104o may be made up of an ultra-violet
curable resin. Aspects of the present disclosure are intended to include and/or
otherwise cover any type of known or later developed materials for each bonded
portion of the first through fifteenth bonded portions 104a-104o. Although FIG. 1
illustrates that the plurality of bonded portions 104 includes fifteen bonded
portions (i.e., the first through fifteen bonded portions 104a-104o), it will be
apparent to a person skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not
limited to it. In various other aspects, the plurality of bonded portions 104 may
have any number of bonded portions disposed in any combination between the
first through twelfth optical fibers 102a-102l, without deviating from the scope of
the present disclosure. In such a scenario, each bonded portion may be adapted to
serve one or more functionalities in a manner similar to one or more
functionalities of the first through fifteenth bonded portions 104a-104o as
described above.
[20] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the optical fiber ribbon 100 may
have a pitch that may be greater than a diameter of each optical fiber of the optical
fibers 102a-102l. The term “pitch” as used herein refers to a distance between a
central axis of two adjacent optical fibers of a plurality of optical fibers.
[21] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each optical fiber of the optical
fibers 102a-102l may be, but not limited to, a single a mode fiber, a multi-mode
fiber, a single-core fiber, and a multi-core fiber. Aspects of the present disclosure
are intended to include and/or otherwise cover any type of the optical fibers
102a-102l, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
[22] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each bonded portion of the
plurality of bonded portions 104 may have a maximum bond width (mw) (as
shown later in FIG. 3). The maximum bond width (mw) may be less than a value
that corresponds to 3 times of a radius (x) (as shown later in FIG. 2 and Fig. 3) of
each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers 102. The maximum bond width
(mw) may be kept less than the value corresponding to 3 times of the radius (x) of
each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers 102 to prevent risk of touching
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of the first bonded portion 104a with adjacent pair of optical fibers. This improves
the rollability of the optical fiber ribbon 100.
[23] FIG. 2 illustrates a microscopic side view of the optical fiber ribbon 100 of
FIG. 1 having the first bonded portion 104a. As the first through fifteenth bonded
portions 104a-104o may be structurally and functionally similar to one another,
therefore, FIG. 2 is used to illustrate the first bonded portion 104a (hereinafter
interchangeably designated as “the bonded portion 104a”) only, to make the
illustrations concise and clear and should not be considered as a limitation of the
present disclosure. In various other aspects, each bonded portion (i.e., the second
through fifteenth bonded portions 104b-104o) may be adapted to serve one or
more functionalities in a manner similar to one or more functionalities of the
bonded portion 104a as described herein, without deviating from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[24] The bonded portion 104a may have a plurality of elevated regions 202 of
which first through third elevated regions 202a-202c (hereinafter collectively
referred to and designated as “the elevated regions 202a-202c”) are shown. Each
elevated region of the elevated regions 202a-202c may extend beyond than an
outer surface of each optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l. The bonded
portion 104a may further have one or more depressed regions 204 of which first
and second depressed regions 204a and 204b are shown. The term “depressed
region” as used herein refers to a region of the bonded portion that lies between
two consecutive elevated regions. The plurality of elevated regions 202 may be
connected by the one or more depressed regions 204 to provide optimized
robustness and rollability to the optical fiber ribbon 100. Each elevated region of
the elevated regions 202a-202c may be disposed between two adjacent depressed
regions of the one or more depressed regions 204. For instance, the second
elevated region 202b may be disposed between the first and second depressed
regions 204a and 204b that are adjacent to each other.
[25] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each elevated region of the
elevated regions 202a-202c may have a length (l) that is in a range of 300 µm to
900 µm. Specifically, the length (l) of each elevated region of the elevated regions
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202a-202c may be kept higher than 300 µm to provide robustness in the optical
fiber ribbon 100. Further, the length (l) of each elevated region of the elevated
regions 202a-202c may be kept lower than 900 µm to improve rollability of the
optical fiber ribbon 100.
[26] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each elevated region of the
elevated regions 202a-202c may have a height (h) that may be less than a value
that corresponds to 27% of the diameter of each optical fiber of the optical fibers
102a-102l. Specifically, the height of each elevated region of the elevated regions
202a-202c may be at the center of the elevated regions 202a-202c. The height (h)
may be defined as a height of a bond portion (e.g., the bonded portion 104a)
above a top surface of an optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l.
[27] The height (h) of each elevated region of the elevated regions 202a-202c
may be kept less than a numerical value that corresponds to 27% of the diameter
of each optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l to eliminate the risk of uneven
surface on the optical fiber ribbon 100. This makes the bundling/handling of the
optical fiber ribbon 100 much easier. For example, the diameter of each optical
fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l may be 220 µm. In such a scenario, the height
(h) associated with each elevated region of the elevated regions 202a-202c may be
less than or equal to 27% of 220 µm. Specifically, the height (h) associated with
each elevated region of the elevated regions 202a-202c may be less than or equal
to 59.4 µm.
[28] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each elevated region of the
elevated regions 202a-202c may have a maximum height (hmax) that may be
greater than the height (h). For example, the maximum height (hmax) may be
greater than the height (h) by at least 30 micro-meters.
[29] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each elevated region of the
elevated regions 202a-202c may have a variable height. In some aspects of the
present disclosure, each elevated region of the elevated regions 202a-202c may
have a radius of curvature that may be greater than 0.05 mm. The term “radius of
curvature” as used herein refers to a radius of a circular arc which best
approximates a curve at that point of an elevated region. Although FIG. 2
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illustrates that the plurality of elevated regions 202 has three elevated regions (i.e.,
the first through third elevated regions 202a-202c), it will be apparent to a person
skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In
various other aspects, the plurality of elevated regions 202 may include more than
three elevated regions, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure.
In such a scenario, each elevated region may be adapted to serve one or more
functionalities in a manner similar to one or more functionalities of the first
through third elevated regions 202a-202c as described above.
[30] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each depressed region of the
first and second depressed regions 204a and 204b may have a length (d) that may
be greater than 950 µm. Specifically, the length (d) of the first and second
depressed regions 204a and 204b may be a distance between first and second
elevated regions 202a and 202b and the second and third elevated regions 202b
and 202c, respectively. For example, the first and second depressed regions 204a
and 204b may have the length (d) greater than 950 µm. The length (d) of each
depressed region of the first and second depressed regions 204a and 204b may be
kept greater than 950 µm to improve rollability of the optical fiber ribbon 100.
[31] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each of the elevated and
depressed regions of the bonded portion 104a may be arranged such that the
elevated and depressed regions of the bonded portion 104a does not touch the
elevated and depressed regions of the second through fifteenth bonded portions
104b-104o. For example, each of the elevated and depressed regions of the second
bonded portion 104b may not touch with any of the elevated and depressed
regions of the third bonded portion 104c. Although FIG. 2 illustrates that the one
or more depressed regions 204 has two depressed regions (i.e., the first and
second depressed regions 204a-204b), it will be apparent to a person skilled in the
art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to it. In various other
aspects, the one or more depressed regions 204 may include any number of
depressed regions, without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. In
such a scenario, each depressed region may be adapted to serve one or more
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functionalities in a manner similar to one or more functionalities of the first and
second depressed regions 204a-204b as described above.
[32] FIG. 3 illustrates a microscopic top view of the optical fiber ribbon 100 of
FIG. 1 having the first bonded portion 104a (hereinafter designated as “the
bonded portion 104a”). The plurality of elevated regions 202 may correspond to a
plurality of envelope regions 302 in the FIG. 3 (i.e., in top view). Specifically, the
plurality of elevated regions 202 may form the plurality of envelope regions 302.
As illustrated, in the top view of the optical fiber ribbon 100 having the bonded
portion 104a, the first elevated region 202a may be seen as a first envelope region
302a, the second elevated region 202b may be seen as a second envelope region
302b, and the third elevated region 202c may be seen as a third envelope region
302c. The one or more depressed regions 204 may be seen as one or more narrow
regions 304 in the top view of the bonded portion 104a. In other words, the one or
more depressed regions 204 may form the one or more narrow regions 304 in the
top view of the bonded portion 104a. Specifically, in the top view of the bonded
portion 104a, the first depressed region 204a may be seen as a first narrow region
304a and the second depressed region 204b may be seen as a second narrow
region 304b. The plurality of envelope regions 302 may be connected by the one
or more narrow regions 304. In some aspects of the present disclosure, each
envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions 302 may be visible at a
microscope scale of 50 micrometers µm to 2000 µm. In some preferred aspects of
the present disclosure, each envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions
302may be visible at the microscope scale of 100 µm to 2000 µm. For example, a
length of each envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions 302 may be
visible at a microscope scale of 1000 µm and height and a width of each envelope
region of the plurality of envelope regions 302 may be visible at a microscope
scale of 150 µm.
[33] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each envelope region of the first
through third envelope regions 302a-302c may have a width (w) that may be
greater than the radius (x) of each optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l.
Specifically, the width (w) of each envelope region of the first through third
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envelope regions 302a-302c may be at the center of envelope regions 302a-302c.
In some examples, each envelope region of the first through third envelope
regions 302a-302c may have the width (w) that may be greater than the diameter
of each optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l.
[34] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each narrow region of the first
and second narrow regions 304a and 304b may have a width (n) that may be less
than the radius (x) of each optical fiber of the optical fibers 102a-102l.
Specifically, the width (n) of each narrow region of the first and second narrow
regions 304a and 304b.
[35] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each of the envelope and narrow
regions of the bonded portion 104a may be arranged such that the envelope and
narrow regions of the bonded portion 104a does not touch the envelope and
narrow regions of the second through fifteenth bonded portions 104b-104o.
[36] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of elevated and
envelope regions 202 and 302 may be present in more than 73% in a unit length of
the optical fiber ribbon 100. For example, if the unit length of the optical fiber
ribbon 100 is 1 meter i.e., 100 centimeters, the plurality of elevated and envelope
regions 202 and 302 may be present in more than 73% length of the optical fiber
ribbon 100 (i.e., 73 cm). In some other examples, if the plurality of bonded
portions 104 have 100 bonded portions in 1 m length of the optical fiber ribbon
100, the plurality of elevated and envelope regions 202 and 302 are present in
more than 73 bonded portions of the 100 bonded portions.
[37] In some aspects of the present disclosure, each narrow region of the first
and second narrow regions 304a and 304b may have a length (b) that may be
greater than 950 µm. Specifically, the length (b) of the first and second narrow
regions 304a and 304b may be a distance between first and second envelope
regions 302a and 302b (i.e., distance between two consecutive envelope regions)
and the second and third envelope regions 302b and 302c, respectively. For
example, the first and second narrow regions 304a and 304b may have the length
(b) greater than 950 µm. The length (b) of each narrow region of the first and
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second narrow regions 304a and 304b may be kept greater than 950 µm to
improve rollability of the optical fiber ribbon 100.
[38] In some aspects of the present disclosure, the plurality of envelope regions
302 and the one or more narrow regions 304 of a bonded portion of the plurality
of bonded portions 104 in one pair of optical fibers of the plurality of optical
fibers 102a-102l is spaced from the plurality of envelope regions 302 and the one
or more narrow regions 304 of a bonded portion of the plurality of bonded
portions 104 in an adjacent pair of optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers
102a-102l. In other words, the plurality of envelope regions 302 and the one or
more narrow regions 304 of the bonded portion 104a may not touch the plurality
of envelope regions and the one or more narrow regions of the second bonded
portion 104b.
[39] Thus, the optical fiber ribbon 100 of the present disclosure optimizes
shape of each bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions 104. The
optimized shape of each bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions 104
makes the optical fiber ribbon 100 robust as well as rollable. Further, the optical
fiber ribbon 100 of the present disclosure reduces scrap material while handling
the optical fiber ribbon 100. Furthermore, the optical fiber ribbon 100 of the
present disclosure uses less resin material and thereby reducing the usage of the
resin material for the plurality of bonded portions 104.
[40] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present
technology have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They
are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present technology to the precise
forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in
light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order
to best explain the principles of the present technology and its practical
application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present
technology and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to
the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and
substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or
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render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation
without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present technology.
[41] While several possible embodiments of the invention have been described
above and illustrated in some cases, it should be interpreted and understood as to
have been presented only by way of illustration and example, but not by
limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be
limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.
, Claims:1. An intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers (102) such that each pair of adjacent optical
fibers of the plurality of optical fibers (102) are intermittently bonded along a
plurality of bonded portions (104), wherein each bonded portion of the
plurality of bonded portions (104) comprises a plurality of elevated regions
(202) connected by one or more depressed regions (204).
2. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein each
elevated region of the plurality of elevated regions (202) has a length (l) that is
in a range of 300 micrometers (µm) to 900 µm.
3. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein each
elevated region of the plurality of elevated regions (202) has a height (h) that
is less than or equal to a numerical value that corresponds to 27% of a
diameter of each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers (102).
4. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein each
depressed region of the one or more depressed regions (204) has a length (d)
that is greater than 950 µm.
5. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein the
plurality of elevated regions (202) are present in more than 73% of bonded
portions of the plurality of bonded portions (104) per unit length of the
intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100).
6. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein the
plurality of elevated regions (202) corresponds to a plurality of envelope
regions (302) in a top view such that the plurality of envelope regions (302)
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are connected by one or more narrow regions (304) wherein (i) each envelope
region of the plurality of envelope regions (302) has a width (w) that is be
greater than a radius (x) of an optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers
(102) in the top view and (ii) each narrow region of the plurality of narrow
regions (304) has a width (n) that is less than a radius (x) of an optical fiber of
the plurality of optical fibers (102) in the top view.
7. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein each
bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions (104) has a maximum bond
width (mw) such that the maximum bond width (mw) is less than three times a
radius (x) of an optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers (102).
8. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein one
or more elevated regions of the plurality of elevated regions (202) has a radius
of curvature that is greater than 0.05 milli-meter (mm).
9. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 1, wherein a
pitch of the intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) is greater than the
diameter of each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers (102).
10. An intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers (102) such that each pair of adjacent optical
fibers of the plurality of optical fibers (102) are intermittently bonded along a
plurality of bonded portions (104), wherein each bonded portion of the
plurality of bonded portions (104) comprises a plurality of envelope regions
(302) connected by one or more narrow regions (304)
11. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein one
or more envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions (302) has a width
(w) that is greater than a radius (x) of one or more optical fiber of the plurality
of optical fibers (102), wherein at least one narrow region of the one or more
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narrow regions (304) has a width (n) that is less than a radius (x) of one or
more optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers (102).
12. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein one
or more envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions (302) has an
associated maximum width (mw) that is less than a numerical value that
corresponds to 3 times of a radius (x) of one or more optical fiber of the
plurality of optical fibers (102).
13. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein the
plurality of envelope regions (302) are present in more than 73% of bonded
portions of the plurality of bonded portions (104) per unit length of the
intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100).
14. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein a
pitch of the intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) is greater than a
diameter of each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers (102).
15. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein
distance between two consecutive envelope regions of the plurality of
envelope regions (302) is greater than 950 µm.
16. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein each
envelope region of the plurality of envelope regions (302) is visible at a
microscopic scale of 100 µm to 2000 µm.
17. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein the
plurality of envelope regions (302) corresponds to a plurality of elevated
regions (202) in a side view such that a height (H) of an elevated region of the
plurality of elevated regions (202) is 27 % less that a diameter of an optical
fiber of the plurality of optical fiber (102) in the side view.
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18. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 17, wherein each
elevated region of the plurality of elevated regions (202) has a length (L) that
is in a range of 300 µm to 900 µm.
19. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 17, wherein each
elevated region of the plurality of elevated regions (202) has a radius of
curvature that is greater than 0.05 mm.
20. The intermittently bonded optical fiber ribbon (100) of claim 10, wherein the
plurality of envelope regions (302) and the one or more narrow regions (304)
of a bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions (104) in one pair of
optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers (102) is spaced apart from the
plurality of envelope regions (302) and the one or more narrow regions (304)
of a bonded portion of the plurality of bonded portions (104) in another
adjacent pair of optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers (102).