Fiber optic patch cables, also called fiber optic patch cords or fiber jumpers,
are composed of fiber optic cables terminated with fiber optic
connectors on both ends. They are designed to interconnect or cross
connect fiber networks within structured cabling systems. Various types
of fiber jumpers can be found on the market, such as LC patch cables, SC
patch cables, etc. This article will mainly introduce the most commonly
used fiber patch cables—LC fiber patch cables.
Standard LC Fiber Patch Cables
LC fiber patch cables are terminated with
LC connector(s) on one or both end(s), which feature the RJ-45 latch
style with low insertion loss and low back reflection. The LC fiber
patch cables can be classified into single-mode (yellow) or multimode
(orange or aqua), simplex or duplex by the fiber types, and according to
the fiber connectors on both ends, they can be divided into LC-LC,
LC-SC, LC-ST, etc. Moreover, the polishing types of the connector are
available in UPC (blue) and APC (green).
LC uniboot fiber patch cables offer a
more compact design when compared to standard LC duplex zipcord
assemblies. The uniboot patch cords contain two LC connectors encased in
a common housing with one boot, terminated on a single, round,
two-fiber cable. So they allow duplex transmission within a single cable
and maximum connectivity performance can be delivered in a minimal
footprint. LC uniboot fiber patch cables condense the cable management
to half the space used by regular zipcord patch cables. They can offer
the best solution for high-density applications. FS.COM provides a
series of LC uniboot fiber patch cables which can significantly reduce
cable management spaces and improve fiber cable management effectiveness
and flexibility at the same time.
LC push-pull tab fiber patch cable has
the same components and internal structure as the standard LC fiber
patch cords, except a tab attached to the connector used for pushing or
pulling the whole connector. The push-pull tab looks simple but it is
linked to the latch of the LC connector. When the tab is pulled, the
latch will be unlocked easily and the LC connector can be pulled out
from the patch panel without difficulty. It has been proved that LC
push-pull tab fiber patch cords can increase cable density more than
50%.
Secure keyed LC fiber patch cables are
designed to prevent unauthorized and inadvertent changes in highly
sensitive applications such as data centers and secure IT networks where
multiple physical layer classifications may exist. They are utilized in
mission critical circuits where networks are segregated by color for
identification and protected from accidental moves, adds, or changes.
The LC connectors, which have specific color codes and functional keyed
features to identify and manage restricted network connections, are the
essences of the keyed LC fiber patch cables. Generally, there are twelve
physically discreet, color-coded keying options each carrying a
different color to facilitate network administration. Each LC keyed
connector will mate only with the same-color LC keyed adapter, or the
keying will prevent them from carrying the signal.
Conclusion
Four different LC fiber patch cables have
been explained in this article. And each of them have their own
features. The reason why LC fiber patch cables are more popular is that
the LC connectors can be field-installed on any cable construction and
provide high performance, reliability and ruggedness. All of the four
kinds of LC fiber patch cables can be offed by FS.COM. Besides, other
kinds of high-density fiber patch cables are also available, such as
MTP/MPO trunk cable or harness cable. For more details, please visit
www.fs.com.
Related Article: www.fiberopticshare.com/high-density-cabling-solutions-push-pull-tab-lc-uniboot-fiber-patch-cables.html
Related Article: www.fiberopticshare.com/keyed-lc-connectivity-solutions-ensure-secure-fiber-network.html
Originally published: http://www.fiberopticshare.com
