tight buffered cable

A type of fiber optic cable with a protective material extruded directly on the acrylate coating of an optical fiber to further allow individual fibers to be handled easily during installation, while protecting them from physical damage. A tight buffered cable is used for short jumper cables and many other indoor applications where the temperature is controlled and the differences in thermal expansion and contraction are not so great between the buffer and fiber as to cause bending, which ultimately can lead to cracking and breaking of the fiber. See also acrylate coating, cable, and loose tube cable.