Brian J Risch, 429131 Strattonville Ct, Huntersville, NC 28078

6654526, Nov 25, 2003

Dec 12, 2001

10/012541

Nicholas V. Nechitailo - Conover NC
Brian Risch - Hickory NC
Michael Rossi - Maiden NC

Alcatel - Paris

G02B 644

385109

A fiber optic buffer tube containing fiber optic ribbons centrally located within the buffer tube and a gel compound surrounding the fiber optic ribbons. Disposed within the gel compound, between the walls of the buffer tube and the fiber optic ribbons are water swellable yarns and/or particles. The water swellable yarns and/or particles volumetrically expand when in contact with water that has penetrated the buffer tube. The water swellable yarns/particles also provide greater surface area which helps to hold gel compound, at elevated temperature, within the tube and thus to prevent the fiber optic ribbons from coming into contact with the walls of the buffer tube, thereby preventing signal attenuation problems.

6714707, Mar 30, 2004

Jan 24, 2002

10/053627

Michael T. Rossi - Maiden NC
Nicholas V. Nechitailo - Conover NC
Brian Risch - Hickory NC

Alcatel - Paris

G02B 644

385109

An optical fiber cable including a buffer tube wherein the optical unit is maintained in an axial center location of the buffer tube and protected from contact with an inner wall of the buffer tube. At least first and second gel layers are interposed between the buffer tube and the optical unit, wherein the first gel layer surrounds the optical unit, the second gel layer surrounds the first gel layer, and the first and second gel layers have different rheological properties. The inner gel layer may have a yield stress and a viscosity which are lower than a yield stress and a viscosity of the outer gel layer. The lower yield stress and viscosity of the inner gel layer serves to maintain the optical unit in an axial center position within the buffer tube and facilitates easy re-positioning of the optical unit to the axial center position when the buffer tube is flexed or bent. As a result, the optical unit may be maintained in a low stress state and stress-induced attenuation may be prevented.

6876799, Apr 5, 2005

May 9, 2001

09/851247

Michael T. Rossi - Maiden NC, US
Nicholas V. Nechitailo - Conover NC, US
Brian Risch - Hickory NC, US

Alcatel - Paris

G02B006/00

385109, 385113, 385123

The present invention adds a gel-swellable layer in fiber optic cables to aid in protecting the fibers within the cable. The gel-swellable layer can be placed on the fibers, individual ribbons, stacks of ribbons and on the inner surface of tubes by various methods, such as co-extrusion, and can be cured by either heat curing or UV curing. The gel-swellable layers of this invention can be either smooth or textured. When the fibers are placed into the tubes and the tubes are filled with the water resistant gel, the gel-swellable layer absorbs some of the gel causing it to “swell”. As a result of the “swelling” a certain volume of gel is absorbed by the layer, thus reducing the capability of the gel to flow at elevated temperatures.

6947648, Sep 20, 2005

Dec 29, 2004

11/023387

Michael T. Rossi - Maiden NC, US
Nicholas V. Nechitailo - Conover NC, US
Brian Risch - Hickory NC, US

Alcatel - Paris

G02B006/10

385109, 385100, 385114, 385141

The present invention adds a gel-swellable layer in fiber optic cables to aid in protecting the fibers within the cable. The gel-swellable layer can be placed on the fibers, individual ribbons, stacks of ribbons and on the inner surface of tubes by various methods, such as co-extrusion, and can be cured by either heat curing or UV curing. The gel-swellable layers of this invention can be either smooth or textured. When the fibers are placed into the tubes and the tubes are filled with the water resistant gel, the gel-swellable layer absorbs some of the gel causing it to “swell”. As a result of the “swelling” a certain volume of gel is absorbed by the layer, thus reducing the capability of the gel to flow at elevated temperatures.

2010020, Aug 12, 2010

Feb 4, 2010

12/700293

James Leonard Ryan - Denver NC, US
Denise Matthews - Newton NC, US
Brian G. Risch - Hickory NC, US
Frank Edwards Davidson - Granite Falls NC, US

DRAKA COMTEQ B.V. - Amsterdam

G02B 6/44

385113, 385114

Disclosed is a novel central-tube cable with high-conductivity conductors. The novel central-tube cable according to the present invention yields a fiber optic cable with a smaller diameter than found in stranded-tube-cable designs.The central-tube cable features (i) a buffer tube containing optical conductors, (ii) radial strength members, and (iii) high-conductivity conductors coated with a dielectric material, such as polypropylene. The dielectric coating helps to prevent the high-conductivity conductors from shorting.

2019005, Feb 21, 2019

Sep 10, 2015

15/759145

- Milan, IT
Brian G. RISCH - Claremont NC, US

PRYSMIAN S.p.A. - Milan

G01L 1/24
G02B 6/245
H01B 9/00

A cable includes a longitudinal structural element including at least one of an electrical conductor and an optical conductor, and a strain sensor arranged within a bending neutral region of the cable and mechanically coupled with the longitudinal structural element. The strain sensor includes an optical fiber coated with at least one coating layer, a release layer surrounding the coating layer, and a protective layer surrounding the release layer. The release layer includes a material selected from a silicone polymer, a fluoropolymer mixture or an extruded polymer containing a slip agent.