OPTICAL FIBER CARRIER

A flexible carrier (10, 30, 40) for supporting and protecting elongated items (16) such as optical fibers is disclosed. The carrier (10, 30, 40) is formed from a substrate (12, 24, 42) of interlaced filamentary members which may be woven, knitted or braided together. The elongated items (16) are interlaced with or otherwise captured by the substrate (12, 24, 42) during its flat, pleated and tubulare are feasible. Capture of the elongated members may be effected by integrally woven tubes formed within the substrate, by interweaving the items as warp yarns in a woven substrate or by laying in of the items in a knitted substrate. Se describe un portador flexible (10, 30, 40) para dar soporte y proteger articulos alargados (16) como fibras opticas; el portador (10, 30, 40) esta formado a partir de un substrato (12, 24, 42) de elementos de filamento entretejidos que pueden ser tejidos, enlazados o trenzados juntos; los articulos alargados (16) estan entretejidos o son capturados por el substrato (12, 24, 42) durante su fabricacion; son factibles varias configuraciones del substrato, como en forma plana, plegada y tubular; se puede llevar a cabo la captura de los elementos alargados mediante tubos tejidos integramente formados dentro del substrato, al entremezclar los articulos como hilos encorvados en un substrato tejido, o al proveer los articulos en un substrato enlazado.