An 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the technical field of communication optical cables, and discloses an 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions, including a signal unit, a plurality of radio frequency identification tags, a reinforcement unit, a sensing unit and an outer sheath. The signal unit includes a multi-layer optical fiber ribbon and a bundle tube, the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon is hinged, overlapped and fixedly connected, and the bundle tube is wrapped around the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon; the radio frequency identification tag is attached and fixed to the outside of the bundle tube, and a plurality of radio frequency identification tags are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the signal unit; the reinforcement unit is arranged at intervals with the signal unit, and extends in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit; the sensing unit includes sensing optical fibers extending in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit; the integrally formed outer sheath wraps the signal unit, the reinforcement unit and the sensing unit. The present invention increases the optical fiber capacity without increasing the outer diameter of the optical cable, can provide early warning when the optical cable itself is damaged or damaged, and is convenient for real-time tracking and on-site inspection and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of communication optical cables, and in particular to an 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of new generation information technology, the market has put forward higher requirements for the communication capacity and reliability of the Internet. The existing "8"-shaped optical cable cannot meet the demand because of its capacity, and the weight of the optical cable itself cannot be increased too much. This requires increasing the optical fiber capacity while keeping the outer diameter of the existing optical cable unchanged. At the same time, the laying environment of the "8"-shaped optical cable is relatively complex. It is often laid outdoors in harsh environments and remote areas. When the optical cable itself is damaged or damaged, the operators cannot conduct on-site inspections and maintenance in time, which requires real-time tracking of the optical cable information. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions, which increases the optical fiber capacity without increasing the outer diameter of the optical cable, and can provide early warning when the optical cable itself is destroyed or damaged, facilitating real-time tracking and on-site inspection and maintenance.

[0004] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] An 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions, comprising:

[0006] A signal unit, the signal unit comprising multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons and a bundle tube, the multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons are hinged, overlapped and fixedly connected, and the bundle tube is wrapped around the multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons;

[0007] A plurality of radio frequency identification tags, the radio frequency identification tags are attached and fixed to the outside of the beam tube, the plurality of radio frequency identification tags are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the signal unit, and the radio frequency identification tags are capable of two-way data communication;

[0008] a reinforcing unit, the reinforcing unit being spaced apart from the signal unit and extending in parallel along a length direction of the signal unit;

[0009] A sensing unit, the sensing unit comprising sensing optical fibers, the sensing optical fibers extending in parallel along a length direction of the signal unit; and

[0010] An outer sheath, wherein the outer sheath wraps the signal unit, the reinforcement unit and the sensor unit, and the outer sheath is integrally formed.

[0011] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the sensing unit is arranged between the signal unit and the reinforcement unit.

[0012] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the optical fiber ribbon is formed by a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in parallel and solidified, and the number of the optical fiber cores in each layer of the optical fiber ribbon is equal to the number of layers of the optical fiber ribbon.

[0013] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the sensing unit further comprises a tight jacket layer, a water-blocking layer and a first armor layer which are wrapped in sequence from the inside to the outside, and the tight jacket layer is wrapped outside the sensing optical fiber.

[0014] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the signal unit further includes fiber paste and a second armor layer, the fiber paste wraps multiple layers of the optical fiber ribbon and is filled in the bundle tube, and the second armor layer wraps the bundle tube.

[0015] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the reinforcing unit includes a plurality of supporting wires, the plurality of supporting wires are twisted and connected, and the material of the supporting wires includes steel wire or glass fiber reinforced plastic.

[0016] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the outer diameter of the tight jacket layer is 0.4 mm-0.8 mm.

[0017] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the material of the first armor layer and / or the second armor layer includes a stainless steel hose.

[0018] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the material of the tight jacket layer includes polymer resin.

[0019] As a preferred structure of the present invention, the material of the outer sheath includes polyethylene.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions provided by the present invention forms a three-section structure through a signal unit, a reinforcement unit and a sensing unit, has a compact structure and does not increase the external dimensions of the optical cable; multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons are hinged, overlapped and fixedly connected, and bundle tubes are wrapped around the multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons, so that the optical fiber capacity can be increased without changing the outer diameter of the optical cable, thereby meeting the demand for large-capacity optical cables; the sensing unit and the radio frequency identification tag provide convenience for operators in daily inspection and maintenance, and the sensing unit can provide early warning perception when the optical cable itself is damaged or damaged; the radio frequency identification tag can perform non-contact two-way data communication through wireless radio frequency, so that operators can read and write the radio frequency identification tag, thereby achieving the purpose of convenient operation and maintenance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a sensor unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a signal unit provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] In the figure:

[0025] 1. Signal unit; 11. Optical fiber ribbon; 111. Optical fiber core; 12. Bundle tube; 13. Fiber paste; 14. Second armor layer; 2. RFID tag; 3. Reinforcement unit; 31. Support wire; 4. Sensing unit; 41. Sensing optical fiber; 42. Tight sleeve layer; 43. Water-blocking layer; 44. First armor layer; 5. Outer sheath. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It is also necessary to explain that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0027] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0028] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0029] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and other directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

[0030] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions, including a signal unit 1, a plurality of radio frequency identification tags 2, a reinforcement unit 3, a sensor unit 4 and an outer sheath 5. The signal unit 1 includes a multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 and a bundle tube 12. The multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 is hinged, overlapped and fixedly connected. The bundle tube 12 is wrapped around the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11. The optical fiber capacity can be increased without changing the outer diameter of the optical cable, thereby meeting the large capacity requirement of the optical cable. Preferably, the bundle tube 12 is formed by extrusion of a low-smoke, halogen-free, flame-retardant polyolefin material or a thermoplastic elastomer material, and has multiple excellent properties such as high elasticity, aging resistance, and oil resistance, and has good environmental performance and is easy to process, thus meeting the wrapping requirements of the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11. The radio frequency identification tag 2 (RFID electronic tag) is attached and fixed to the outside of the bundle tube 12, and a plurality of radio frequency identification tags 2 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the signal unit 1. The radio frequency identification tag 2 can perform two-way data communication. The radio frequency identification tag 2 of the embodiment of the present invention is a high-capacity electronic tag composed of a coupling element and a chip. Each tag has a unique electronic code. The radio frequency identification tag 2 is provided with a storage space for the operator to write data. The radio frequency identification tag 2 is attached to the signal unit 1 to identify the target object. The operator can read the radio frequency identification tag 2 in the optical cable of the embodiment of the present invention without relying on the background system software. Only a mobile phone or a card reader with a positioning function is needed, which is convenient to operate. The reinforcement unit 3 is arranged at intervals with the signal unit 1 and extends in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit 1; the reinforcement unit 3 is used as the main supporting component of the optical cable to provide support and protection for the signal unit 1 and the sensor unit 4. The sensor unit 4 includes a sensing optical fiber 41, which extends in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit 1. Preferably, the sensing optical fiber 41 adopts a bending-insensitive optical fiber, which has a large optical fiber transmission information capacity, high transmission efficiency, high performance of anti-bending, anti-twisting, anti-stretching and anti-lateral pressure, a wide range of use, and low line signal attenuation. The outer sheath 5 wraps the signal unit 1, the reinforcement unit 3 and the sensor unit 4 to form a three-section structure with a compact structure; the outer sheath 5 is integrally formed, which helps to fix the radio frequency identification tag 2 and stabilize the structure of the optical cable itself.

[0031] The 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions of the embodiment of the present invention forms a three-section structure through the signal unit 1, the reinforcement unit 3 and the sensor unit 4, and the structure is compact without increasing the external size of the optical cable; the sensor unit 4 and the radio frequency identification tag 2 provide convenience for daily inspection and maintenance for operators, and when the optical cable itself is damaged or damaged, the sensor unit 4 can perform early warning perception; the radio frequency identification tag 2 can perform non-contact two-way data communication through wireless radio frequency, which is convenient for operators to read and write the radio frequency identification tag 2, thereby achieving the purpose of facilitating operation and maintenance.

[0032] Further, the sensing unit 4 is arranged between the signal unit 1 and the reinforcement unit 3. Preferably, the signal unit 1 and the reinforcement unit 3 form an 8-shaped cross section, and the sensing unit 4 is sandwiched between the signal unit 1 and the reinforcement unit 3, which not only has a compact structure, but also can provide further protection and support for the sensing unit 4, ensuring that the sensing signal of the sensing unit 4 is reliable.

[0033] Furthermore, the optical fiber ribbon 11 is formed by arranging and solidifying a plurality of optical fiber cores 111 in parallel, and the number of optical fiber cores 111 in each layer of the optical fiber ribbon 11 is equal to the number of layers of the optical fiber ribbon 11. Specifically, the number of optical fiber cores 111 contained in each layer of the optical fiber ribbon 11 is N, where N is any integer from 4 to 24, and the number of layers of the optical fiber ribbon 11 is the same as the number of optical fiber cores 111 contained in each layer of the optical fiber ribbon 11, which is also N; N layers of optical fiber ribbons 11 are hingedly stacked to form an optical fiber band stop with a square cross-section, that is, the signal unit 1 contains a minimum of 16 cores and a maximum of 576 cores of the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11. The multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 with this arrangement structure has a small cross-sectional area, which can increase the optical fiber capacity and improve the transmission performance under the same appearance size.

[0034] Furthermore, the sensing unit 4 further includes a tight jacket layer 42, a water-blocking layer 43 and a first armor layer 44 which are wrapped sequentially from the inside to the outside, and the tight jacket layer 42 is wrapped outside the sensing optical fiber 41. Preferably, the water-blocking layer 43 is made of an aramid yarn layer, specifically a para-aramid copolymer fiber; aramid, as a synthetic fiber, has multiple excellent properties such as ultra-high strength, high modulus, high temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, light weight, etc., and has strong anti-aging ability, ensuring the long-term stability of the transmission characteristics of the sensing optical fiber 41.

[0035] Furthermore, the signal unit 1 further includes a fiber paste 13 and a second armor layer 14. The fiber paste 13 wraps the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 and is filled in the bundle tube 12. The second armor layer 14 wraps the bundle tube 12. The fiber paste 13 wraps the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 to prevent the optical fiber cores 111 from rubbing against each other during the manufacturing process of the optical cable, thereby causing damage to the optical fiber ribbon 11; preferably, the fiber paste 13 is a water-blocking fiber paste, which can effectively prevent moisture from penetrating into the optical fiber ribbon 11.

[0036] Furthermore, the reinforcement unit 3 includes a plurality of supporting wires 31, which are twisted and connected. The material of the supporting wires 31 includes steel wire or glass fiber reinforced plastic (FRP material), which has good tensile strength and bending strength, and good corrosion resistance. It is suitable for harsh outdoor environments and can provide overall supporting performance for the optical cable.

[0037] Further, the outer diameter of the tight jacket layer 42 is 0.4mm-0.8mm, which can not only meet the coating requirements of the sensing optical fiber 41, but also keep the outer diameter of the optical cable unchanged. Further, the material of the tight jacket layer 42 includes a polymer resin. In an embodiment of the present invention, the tight jacket layer 42 is made of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, which improves the compressive strength of the sensing optical fiber 41. In other embodiments, the tight jacket layer 42 may also be made of other polymer resin materials, which is not limited in this embodiment.

[0038] Furthermore, the first armor layer 44 and / or the second armor layer 14 include a stainless steel hose. Of course, an armor layer woven from stainless steel wires may also be used. The stainless steel hose has good softness, corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance, wear resistance, and tensile strength, and can provide protection for the multi-layer optical fiber ribbon 11 and the sensing optical fiber 41, ensuring the transmission performance and communication performance of the optical cable are stable.

[0039] Furthermore, the material of the outer sheath 5 includes polyethylene, and preferably, the outer sheath 5 adopts a composite material of low-smoke halogen-free flame-retardant polyethylene. Polyethylene has excellent low-temperature resistance, good chemical stability, and excellent electrical insulation performance, and can ensure the long-term stability of the transmission characteristics of the optical cable.

[0040] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to list all the embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An 8-shaped optical cable with communication and sensing functions, characterized in that: include: A signal unit (1), the signal unit (1) comprising multiple layers of optical fiber ribbons (11) and a bundle tube (12), the multiple layers of the optical fiber ribbons (11) being hinged, stacked and fixedly connected, and the bundle tube (12) being wrapped around the multiple layers of the optical fiber ribbons (11); A plurality of radio frequency identification tags (2), the radio frequency identification tags (2) being attached and fixed to the outside of the bundle tube (12), the plurality of radio frequency identification tags (2) being arranged at intervals along the length direction of the signal unit (1), and the radio frequency identification tags (2) being capable of bidirectional data communication; a reinforcing unit (3), the reinforcing unit (3) being arranged at an interval from the signal unit (1) and extending in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit (1); A sensing unit (4), the sensing unit (4) comprising sensing optical fibers (41), the sensing optical fibers (41) extending in parallel along the length direction of the signal unit (1); as well as An outer sheath (5), the outer sheath (5) encapsulating the signal unit (1), the reinforcement unit (3) and the sensor unit (4), the outer sheath (5) being integrally formed; The sensing unit (4) is arranged between the signal unit (1) and the reinforcing unit (3); The optical fiber ribbon (11) is formed by arranging a plurality of optical fiber cores (111) in parallel and solidifying them, and the number of the optical fiber cores (111) in each layer of the optical fiber ribbon (11) is equal to the number of layers of the optical fiber ribbon (11).

2. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing unit (4) further comprises a tight jacket layer (42), a water-blocking layer (43) and a first armor layer (44) which are wrapped in sequence from the inside to the outside, and the tight jacket layer (42) is wrapped outside the sensing optical fiber (41).

3. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 2, characterized in that: The signal unit (1) further comprises a fiber paste (13) and a second armor layer (14), wherein the fiber paste (13) wraps multiple layers of the optical fiber ribbon (11) and is filled in the bundle tube (12), and the second armor layer (14) wraps the bundle tube (12).

4. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing unit (3) comprises a plurality of supporting wires (31), the plurality of supporting wires (31) are twisted and connected, and the material of the supporting wires (31) comprises steel wire or glass fiber reinforced plastic.

5. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the tight jacket layer (42) is 0.4 mm-0.8 mm.

6. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: The material of the first armor layer (44) and / or the second armor layer (14) includes a stainless steel hose.

7. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to claim 2, characterized in that: The material of the tight jacket layer (42) includes polymer resin.

8. The figure-8 optical cable with communication and sensing functions according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The material of the outer sheath (5) includes polyethylene.

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