BigPatents India

An improved optical fiber cable is fabricated from a core surrounded by a protective sheath having a radially varying elastic modulus. The core comprises one or more longitudinally extending optical fibers. The protective sheath comprises least a first coating layer portion and a second coating layer portion. The first and second coating layer portions are comprised of a common coating material. A modifier is added to the coating material comprising the first coating layer portion. Likewise, a modifier is added to the coating material comprising the second coating layer portion. The addition of a modifier to the first coating layer portion and the addition of a modifier to the second coating layer portion cause the coating to have an elastic modulus that varies in a radial direction- along radii extending outwardly from a center of the core of the cable. The core may be, for example, a single optical fiber, a bundle of optical fibers, an optical fiber ribbon, a stack of optical fiber ribbons, etc.