Sheathed optical fiber element and cable and process for production thereof

Abstract From the Canadian patent

One or more optical fibers are loosely enclosed in a tubular plastic sheath so as to be slidable with respect to the sheath. The fibers may be longer than the length of the corresponding surrounding sheath. The sheathed fibers are wound around a core and covered with a further sheath to form a cable. In the process, the optical fiber is treated with an anti-adhesive material before the sheath is extruded thereover and during the subsequent processing the sheath, which has a length greater than the length of the enclosed fiber either be-, cause of its temperature or because of mechanical stretching is allowed to contract while in non-slidable relation with the fiber, thereby providing a …