Large-water-depth optical fiber splicing box

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of optical fiber splicing boxes. Provided is a large-water-depth optical fiber splicing box, comprising a cylinder and first sealing assemblies, wherein an optical fiber channel is provided at either end of the cylinder, and the optical fiber channel comprises a large-diameter section and a small-diameter section; and the first sealing assembly comprises a V-shaped sealing unit and a locking shaft, the V-shaped sealing unit being provided with a V-shaped sealing ring, the V-shaped sealing ring being separately attached to an optical unit and the large-diameter section, a V-shaped opening of the V-shaped sealing ring facing the outer side end of the large-diameter section, the locking shaft being arranged at the outer side end of the large-diameter section, and the locking shaft abutting against the V-shaped sealing unit. In the present application, by means of providing the cylinder, the pressure bearing performance and the internal space are increased; the optical fiber channel is also sealed by means of the V-shaped sealing unit, such that the V-shaped sealing ring can be attached to the optical unit and the inner wall of the large-diameter section more tightly under an external pressure; and the locking shaft can tightly press the V-shaped sealing unit, thus solving the problem in the prior art of the pressure bearing performance and the sealing performance of an optical fiber splicing box under a large-water-depth working condition being relatively poor.

Description

Deep water fiber optic splice box

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on October 19, 2023, with application number 202322821089.5 and application name “Large Water Depth Fiber Optic Splicing Box”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of optical fiber splice boxes, and in particular to a deep-water optical fiber splice box. Background Art

[0003] With the development of offshore wind power generation and subsea oil and gas extraction, the installation of deep-water submarine cables and optical cables has increased year by year, and the problems encountered during their use have become increasingly prominent. When submarine optical and electrical cables are damaged by tension or other external forces, they need to be repaired by repair splice boxes. Proper sealing of repair splice boxes is particularly important in harsh underwater environments, especially in deep-water operating conditions, and remains a major research challenge within the industry.

[0004] At present, the composite submarine cable fiber optic junction box in the industry is mainly a square shell structure, using a single type of sealing ring, and is often used in working conditions with sealing requirements within 200 meters underwater. The square shell has poor pressure-bearing performance and will be crushed and damaged due to instability due to external pressure under deep water conditions. If the external pressure corresponding to the deep water depth is used as the design parameter, the calculated thickness of the shell will be very large, and the processing difficulty and cost will increase significantly. The increase in its own weight will also bring great inconvenience to the installation. The sealing between the cable core PE sheath and the sealing seat of the conventional fiber optic junction box is mainly achieved by filling the sealing ring (mainly a cylindrical ring). Its sealing principle is to use interference fit to achieve low-pressure sealing. Due to the single form of the sealing ring, the small contact area with the cable core and the easy deformation, it cannot meet the deep water external pressure working conditions requirements of the junction box.

[0005] Utility Model Content

[0006] The present application provides a deep water optical fiber splicing box, which is used to solve the problems of poor pressure bearing performance and sealing performance of optical fiber splicing boxes in deep water conditions in the prior art.

[0007] The present application provides a deep water optical fiber splicing closure, comprising: a cylinder and a first sealing assembly;

[0008] Opposite ends of the cylinder are provided with optical fiber channels communicating with the interior thereof, and the optical fiber channels include a large diameter section and a small diameter section sequentially arranged from the outside to the inside;

[0009] The number of the first sealing components is equal to and corresponds one to one with the optical fiber channels. The first sealing component includes a V-shaped sealing unit and a locking shaft. The V-shaped sealing unit is annular and is arranged in the large diameter section. The V-shaped sealing unit is sleeved on the optical unit. The V-shaped sealing unit has at least one V-shaped sealing ring, the inner edge of the V-shaped sealing ring is in contact with the peripheral wall of the optical unit, the outer edge of the V-shaped sealing ring is in contact with the inner wall of the large diameter section, and the V-shaped opening of the V-shaped sealing ring faces the outer end of the large diameter section. The locking shaft is arranged at the outer end of the large diameter section. A through hole is provided on the locking shaft for the optical unit to pass through. The locking shaft abuts against the V-shaped sealing unit so that the junction of the large diameter section and the small diameter section abuts against the V-shaped sealing unit.

[0010] According to the deep water fiber optic splicing box provided by the present application, the V-shaped sealing unit includes a pressure ring, the V-shaped sealing ring and a support ring arranged in sequence from the outside to the inside, and the cross-sections of the pressure ring and the support ring facing the V-shaped sealing ring are both V-shaped. The pressure ring and the support ring are both tightly attached to the V-shaped sealing ring, and the pressure ring abuts against the locking shaft.

[0011] According to the deep water optical fiber splicing box provided in the present application, the locking shaft is provided with an external thread, and the locking shaft is threadedly connected to the large diameter section.

[0012] According to the large water depth optical fiber splicing box provided by the present application, the large water depth optical fiber splicing box also includes a second sealing component, the number of the second sealing components is equal to and corresponds one to one to the optical fiber channels, the second sealing component includes a sealing seat, the sealing seat is provided with a sealing hole connected to the optical fiber channel, the sealing seat is connected to the end of the cylinder, and the sealing seat is adjacent to or abuts the locking shaft.

[0013] According to the deep water optical fiber splicing box provided in the present application, a limiting groove is provided on the sealing seat, and a part of the locking shaft is located in the limiting groove.

[0014] According to the deep water optical fiber splicing box provided in the present application, the second sealing assembly further includes a sealing member, which is provided between the optical unit and the inner wall of the sealing hole.

[0015] According to the deep water fiber optic splicing box provided in this application, the sealing hole is a tapered hole, the end with a larger diameter faces away from the locking shaft, and the sealing member is a tapered sealing ring, which is sleeved on the optical unit.

[0016] According to the deep water fiber optic splicing box provided in this application, the second sealing assembly also includes a first pressure plate, which is arranged on the side of the seal away from the locking shaft, the first pressure plate is connected to the sealing seat, and the first pressure plate abuts against the seal.

[0017] According to the deep water fiber optic splicing box provided in the present application, the deep water fiber optic splicing box further includes an armor fixing component, which is arranged inside the cylinder and is used to fix the armor layer of the optical unit inserted into the cylinder.

[0018] According to the deep water fiber optic splicing box provided in the present application, the armor fixing assembly includes a second pressure plate, which is connected to the inner wall of the cylinder to clamp the armor layer of the optical unit between the second pressure plate and the inner wall of the cylinder.

[0019] The deep-water optical fiber splicing box of the present application replaces the existing square structure with a cylindrical cylinder, thereby increasing the pressure-bearing performance and internal space of the cylinder, and also seals the optical fiber channel through a V-shaped sealing unit to prevent seawater from entering the interior of the cylinder. The V-shaped sealing ring of the V-shaped sealing unit can fit more tightly with the inner wall of the optical unit and the large-diameter section under external pressure, such as seawater pressure, and the greater the pressure, the tighter the fit, forming a self-sealing structure that can perfectly adapt to deep-water working conditions; the locking shaft can press the V-shaped sealing unit to prevent the V-shaped sealing unit from moving, and can also make the sealing effect of the V-shaped sealing unit better, effectively solving the problems of poor pressure-bearing performance and sealing of optical fiber splicing boxes in deep-water working conditions in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a large water depth optical fiber splicing box provided by the present invention;

[0022] FIG2 is a partial enlarged schematic diagram of point A in FIG1 provided by the present invention;

[0023] FIG3 is a side view of the deep water optical fiber splicing box provided by the present invention.

[0024] Reference numerals:

[0025] 1. Cylinder; 11. Sealing end cap; 12. O-ring; 13. Splice tray;

[0026] 2. First sealing assembly; 21. V-shaped sealing unit; 211. V-shaped sealing ring; 212. Pressure ring; 213. Support ring; 22. Locking shaft;

[0027] 3. Second sealing assembly; 31. Sealing seat; 32. Sealing element; 33. First pressure plate;

[0028] 4. Armor fixing components;

[0029] 200. Optical unit; 201. Armor layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the embodiments of the present application.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0034] The deep water optical fiber splicing box of the present application is described below with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 .

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a deep water optical fiber splicing box includes: a cylinder 1 and a first sealing assembly 2; the opposite ends of the cylinder 1 have optical fiber channels connected to the interior thereof, and the optical fiber channels include a large diameter section and a small diameter section arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside; the first sealing assembly 2 is equal in number to the optical fiber channels and corresponds one to one, and the first sealing assembly 2 includes a V-shaped sealing unit 21 and a locking shaft 22, the V-shaped sealing unit 21 is annular, the V-shaped sealing unit 21 is arranged in the large diameter section, and the V-shaped sealing unit 21 is sleeved on the optical unit 200 The V-shaped sealing unit 21 has at least one V-shaped sealing ring 211. The inner edge of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 is in contact with the peripheral wall of the light unit 200, and the outer edge of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 is in contact with the inner wall of the large-diameter section. The V-shaped opening of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 faces the outer end of the large-diameter section. The locking shaft 22 is provided at the outer end of the large-diameter section. The locking shaft 22 is provided with a through hole for the light unit 200 to pass through. The locking shaft 22 is in contact with the V-shaped sealing unit 21 so that the junction of the large-diameter section and the small-diameter section is in contact with the V-shaped sealing unit 21.

[0036] Specifically, both opposite ends of the cylinder 1 are open, and both opposite ends of the cylinder 1 have detachable sealing end caps 11. An O-ring 12 is provided between the sealing end caps 11 and the ends of the cylinder 1, and the cylinder 1 is sealed by the sealing end caps 11 and the O-ring 12. Compared with the existing square structure, the cylindrical structure of the cylinder 1 has better pressure-bearing performance and a larger internal capacity, so that there is enough space in the cylinder 1 to be used to set up multiple fiber splicing trays 13 (one of the components of the optical fiber splicing tray), thereby meeting the requirements of different optical units 200. A connecting plate is provided in the cylinder 1, and the two sealing end caps 11 are connected to the connecting plate to form a whole. The fiber splicing trays 13 are set on the connecting plate.

[0037] The optical fiber channel is used to allow the optical unit 200 to pass through the interior of the cylinder 1. The optical unit 200 can specifically be a submarine cable containing optical fibers. The inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 both have a certain degree of elasticity. When the V-shaped sealing ring 211 is installed from the outer end of the large-diameter section into the interior of the large-diameter section, the inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 will undergo a slight deformation and fit tightly against the optical unit 200 and the inner wall of the large-diameter section, respectively. Moreover, since the V-shaped opening of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 faces the outer end of the large-diameter section, when pressure is applied to the V-shaped sealing ring 211 from the outside, the inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 will tend to move toward the inside of the large-diameter section, making the inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 fit more tightly against the optical unit 200 and the inner wall of the large-diameter section, thereby achieving a better sealing effect. The locking shaft 22 abuts against the V-shaped sealing unit 21 to prevent the V-shaped sealing unit 21 from separating from the large diameter section. The locking shaft 22 can also apply pressure to the V-shaped sealing unit 21 to enhance the sealing effect of the V-shaped sealing unit 21 .

[0038] The deep-water optical fiber splicing box of the present application replaces the existing square structure with a cylindrical cylinder 1 as the shell of the deep-water optical fiber splicing box, thereby increasing the pressure-bearing performance and internal space of the cylinder 1, and also seals the optical fiber channel through a V-shaped sealing unit 21 to prevent seawater from entering the interior of the cylinder 1. The V-shaped sealing ring 211 of the V-shaped sealing unit 21 can fit more tightly with the optical unit 200 and the inner wall of the large-diameter section under external pressure, such as seawater pressure, and the greater the pressure, the tighter the fit, forming a self-sealing structure that can perfectly adapt to deep-water working conditions; the locking shaft 22 can press the V-shaped sealing unit 21 to prevent the V-shaped sealing unit 21 from moving, and can also make the sealing effect of the V-shaped sealing unit 21 better, effectively solving the problem of poor pressure-bearing performance and sealing of the optical fiber splicing box under deep-water working conditions in the prior art.

[0039] In some embodiments, the locking shaft 22 is provided with an external thread, and the locking shaft 22 is threadedly connected to the large diameter section. By rotating the locking shaft 22, the locking shaft 22 can be moved closer to or away from the V-shaped sealing unit 21, thereby enhancing the sealing effect of the V-shaped sealing unit 21 without damaging the V-shaped sealing unit 21.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the V-shaped sealing unit 21 includes a pressure ring 212, a V-shaped sealing ring 211 and a support ring 213 arranged in sequence from the outside to the inside. The cross-sections of the pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213 facing the V-shaped sealing ring 211 are both V-shaped. The pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213 are both tightly attached to the V-shaped sealing ring 211, and the pressure ring 212 abuts against the locking shaft 22.

[0041] Specifically, the pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213 are both rigid structures and can be made of stainless steel. The support ring 213 is used to support the V-shaped sealing ring 211, making it more stable. The locking shaft 22 squeezes the pressure ring 212 and then squeezes the V-shaped sealing ring 211. The V-shaped sealing ring 211 is clamped between the pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213, thereby preventing the V-shaped sealing ring 211 from being damaged. The pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213 are both V-shaped on the side facing the V-shaped sealing ring 211, so that the V-shaped sealing ring 211 can always maintain a V-shaped structure and prevent serious deformation due to squeezing. The inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 extend out of the edges of the pressure ring 212 and the support ring 213, so that the inner and outer edges of the V-shaped sealing ring 211 can respectively abut against the inner wall of the optical unit 200 and the large-diameter section. The number of the V-shaped sealing rings 211 can be multiple, specifically four, and the sealing effect is better when multiple V-shaped sealing rings 211 are used to perform sealing simultaneously.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, in some embodiments, the deep water fiber optic splicing box also includes a second sealing assembly 3. The number of the second sealing assemblies 3 is equal to and corresponds one to one to the optical fiber channels. The second sealing assembly 3 includes a sealing seat 31. The sealing seat 31 is provided with a sealing hole connected to the optical fiber channel. The sealing seat 31 is connected to the end of the cylinder 1, and the sealing seat 31 is adjacent to or abuts the locking shaft 22.

[0043] Specifically, the sealing seat 31 is threadedly connected to the cylinder 1, and a sealing ring is used to seal the two. The provision of the sealing seat 31 further improves the sealing effect, prevents seawater from directly impacting the locking shaft 22, and prevents the locking shaft 22 from loosening or rusting. The sealing seat 31 is adjacent to or abuts the locking shaft 22, thereby preventing the locking shaft 22 from detaching from the large diameter section due to accidents such as vibration. A sealing hole is provided on the sealing seat 31 so that the optical unit 200 can pass through the sealing seat 31. A limiting groove is provided on the side of the sealing seat 31 facing the locking shaft 22, and a portion of the locking shaft 22 is located in the limiting groove. By providing the limiting groove, the sealing seat 31 and the locking shaft 22 can be mutually limited. When the sealing seat 31 is installed, the positioning and installation of the sealing seat 31 can be quickly completed through the matching relationship between the limiting groove and the locking shaft 22.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the second sealing assembly 3 further includes a sealing member 32 , which is disposed between the light unit 200 and the inner wall of the sealing hole.

[0045] Specifically, the sealing hole is a tapered hole, with its larger diameter end facing away from the locking shaft 22. The sealing member 32 is a tapered sealing ring, which is sleeved onto the optical unit 200. The tapered sealing ring ensures that the sealing member 32, after being pressed into the sealing hole, can fit tightly against the optical unit 200 and the wall of the sealing hole. The greater the pressure applied to the sealing member 32, the tighter the fit between the sealing member 32, the optical unit 200, and the wall of the sealing hole, and the better the sealing effect. Furthermore, because the deeper the water, the greater the pressure exerted by the seawater on the sealing member 32, the sealing member 32 can perfectly perform its sealing function even in deep water conditions.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, in some embodiments, the second sealing assembly 3 also includes a first pressure plate 33, which is arranged on the side of the seal 32 away from the locking shaft 22, and is connected to the sealing seat 31, and the first pressure plate 33 abuts against the seal 32.

[0047] Specifically, the first pressing plate 33 is connected to the sealing seat 31 by bolts. The first pressing plate 33 is provided to prevent the sealing member 32 from being separated from the sealing hole.

[0048] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in some embodiments, the deep water optical fiber splicing box further includes an armor fixing component 4, which is disposed inside the cylinder 1 and is used to fix the armor layer 201 of the optical unit 200 inserted into the cylinder 1.

[0049] Specifically, under high external pressure conditions such as deep water, the external pressure usually squeezes the cable core of the optical unit 200, causing it to move under axial pressure. In this embodiment, an armor fixing component 4 is provided to fix the armor layer 201 of the optical unit 200 in the inner part of the cylinder 1, thereby fixing the optical unit 200, thereby improving the mechanical fixing performance between the optical unit 200 and the cylinder 1 and further ensuring the sealing.

[0050] In some embodiments, the armor fixing assembly 4 includes a second pressing plate connected to the inner wall of the cylinder 1 to clamp the armor layer 201 of the light unit 200 between the second pressing plate and the inner wall of the cylinder 1 .

[0051] Specifically, the armor layer 201 of the optical unit 200 that is inside the cylinder 1 is first peeled off (the peeled armor layer 201 is still connected to the main part of the optical unit 200), and then the peeled armor layer 201 is clamped between the second pressure plate and the inner wall of the cylinder 1, and finally the second pressure plate is connected to the cylinder 1 by bolts, thereby completing the fixation of the armor layer 201.

[0052] It should be noted that the first pressing plate 33 and the second pressing plate are both annular plates, and a through hole is provided in the middle of both for the light unit 200 to pass through.

[0053] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any modifications or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A deep water optical fiber splicing box, characterized in that: include: a cylinder and a first sealing assembly; The two opposite ends of the cylinder are provided with optical fiber channels communicating with the interior thereof, and the optical fiber channels include a large diameter section and a small diameter section arranged in sequence from the outside to the inside; The number of the first sealing components is equal to and corresponds to the optical fiber channels. The first sealing component includes a V-shaped sealing unit and a locking shaft. The V-shaped sealing unit is annular, arranged in the large diameter section, and sleeved on the optical unit. The V-shaped sealing unit has at least one V-shaped sealing ring, the inner edge of the V-shaped sealing ring is in contact with the peripheral wall of the optical unit, the outer edge of the V-shaped sealing ring is in contact with the inner wall of the large diameter section, the V-shaped opening of the V-shaped sealing ring faces the outer end of the large diameter section, the locking shaft is arranged at the outer end of the large diameter section, a through hole is provided on the locking shaft for the optical unit to pass through, and the locking shaft abuts against the V-shaped sealing unit so that the junction between the large diameter section and the small diameter section abuts against the V-shaped sealing unit.

2. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The V-shaped sealing unit includes a pressure ring, a V-shaped sealing ring and a support ring which are arranged in sequence from the outside to the inside. The cross-sections of the pressure ring and the support ring on the side facing the V-shaped sealing ring are both V-shaped. The pressure ring and the support ring are tightly attached to the V-shaped sealing ring, and the pressure ring abuts against the locking shaft.

3. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking shaft is provided with an external thread, and the locking shaft is threadedly connected to the large diameter section.

4. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deep water optical fiber splicing box also includes a second sealing component, the number of the second sealing components is equal to and corresponds one to one with the optical fiber channels, the second sealing component includes a sealing seat, the sealing seat is provided with a sealing hole connected to the optical fiber channel, the sealing seat is connected to the end of the cylinder, and the sealing seat is adjacent to or abuts against the locking shaft.

5. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sealing seat is provided with a limiting groove, and a part of the locking shaft is located in the limiting groove.

6. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second sealing assembly further includes a sealing member, and the sealing member is disposed between the light unit and an inner wall of the sealing hole.

7. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sealing hole is a conical hole, and the end with a larger diameter thereof is away from the locking shaft. The sealing member is a conical sealing ring, and the sealing member is sleeved on the optical unit.

8. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second sealing assembly further includes a first pressing plate, which is arranged on a side of the sealing member away from the locking shaft, is connected to the sealing seat, and abuts against the sealing member.

9. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The deep water optical fiber splicing box further comprises an armor fixing assembly, which is arranged inside the cylinder and is used to fix the armor layer of the optical unit that penetrates into the cylinder.

10. The deep water optical fiber splicing box according to claim 9, characterized in that: The armor fixing assembly includes a second pressing plate, which is connected to the inner side wall of the cylinder so as to clamp the armor layer of the optical unit between the second pressing plate and the inner side wall of the cylinder.

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