A special optical cable with armored structure and variable diameter and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an optical cable manufacturing method, which belongs to the field of optical cable preparation technology. The optical cable comprises an optical unit, a plurality of sensors arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the optical unit, the sensors being sleeved on the outer periphery of the optical unit, and the plurality of sensors being optically connected to the optical unit; a plurality of armored steel wires, the plurality of armored steel wires being arranged along the axial direction of the optical unit on the outer periphery of the optical unit and the sensors; and a plurality of first tape layers, a first tape layer being provided between each two adjacent sensors, and the first tape layer being wound around the outer periphery of the plurality of armored steel wires along the circumferential direction of the optical unit. The special optical cable in the present application mainly utilizes an armored steel wire structure to be coated on the outer periphery of the optical unit and the sensor along the axial direction of the cable, and utilizes a first tape layer structure to limit the armored steel wires at both axial ends of the sensor, so as to form an armored structure on the outer periphery of the optical unit and the sensor to protect them, thereby solving the problem that existing optical cables with sensors cannot be installed and laid underwater and are easily damaged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of optical cable preparation, and in particular relates to a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the application of optical cables in sensing fields such as oil and gas well monitoring and underwater detection, the sensors in ordinary sensor optical cables are micro sensors that are wrapped inside the optical cables and have weak perception of the external environment. They are unable to monitor the underwater and oil and gas well surrounding conditions. It is usually necessary to install sensors or detectors at specific intervals along the direction of optical cable laying.

[0003] The current conventional setup is to lay the optical cable first, and then fix the sensor or detector at a designated position on the outer surface of the optical cable. However, this installation method will cause cumbersome construction on the one hand. For example, after the underwater monitoring optical cable is laid, the sensor or detector needs to be installed underwater. On the other hand, there is the problem that the sensor or detector is directly exposed on the outer surface of the optical cable, and the sensor and detector are easily damaged by the influence of the external environment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to one or more of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs in the prior art, the present invention provides a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure, which is used to solve the problem that sensors are easily damaged during existing underwater and oil and gas well monitoring.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an armored structure variable diameter special optical cable, which includes:

[0006] Light unit;

[0007] A plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors are spaced apart along the axial direction of the light unit, the plurality of sensors are sleeved on the outer periphery of the light unit, and the plurality of sensors are optically connected to the light unit;

[0008] a plurality of armored steel wires, wherein the plurality of armored steel wires are arranged axially along the optical unit and around the optical unit and the sensor;

[0009] A plurality of first wrapping layers are provided, with at least one first wrapping layer being provided between each two adjacent sensors, and the first wrapping layer being wound around the outer periphery of the plurality of armored steel wires along the optical unit in a circumferential direction.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the angle between the axial direction of the armored steel wire and the axial direction of the optical unit is not greater than 20°.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the ratio of the diameter of the light unit to the diameter of the sensor is 1:(1.2~3).

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the present invention further comprises a second wrapping layer wrapped around the outer periphery of the armored steel wire, wherein the second wrapping layer is radially aligned with the sensor.

[0013] The present invention also includes a method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure, which comprises the following steps:

[0014] S1, arranging sensors at intervals along the axial direction of the optical unit to form a variable diameter cable core;

[0015] S2. Arrange the armored steel wire outlet device and the twisting head in sequence along the take-up direction of the variable diameter cable core, and set the position of the twisting head at this time to the initial position;

[0016] S3. Pull the reducer cable core, and the armored steel wire outlet device continuously leads the armored steel wire toward the twisting head, and the twisting head twists the armored steel wire around the outer periphery of the reducer cable core;

[0017] S4. When the sensor on the reducer cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting opening of the twisting head is enlarged, and the twisting head is moved along the outlet direction of the reducer cable core. After the twisting head passes through the sensor position, the twisting opening of the twisting head is restored.

[0018] S5. When the current sensor on the variable-diameter cable core moves through the initial position of the twisting head / the next sensor on the variable-diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting head returns to the initial position;

[0019] S6. When the next sensor on the reducer cable core moves to the twisted joint again, steps S4 and S5 are repeated.

[0020] As a further improvement of the present invention, the rotation speed of the twisting head is 5-10 r / min, and the pulling speed of the optical unit is 0.5-3 m / min.

[0021] As a further improvement of the present invention, step S2 further includes:

[0022] Determine the number of armored steel wires led out of the armored steel wire outlet device; the number N of armored steel wires is obtained as follows:

[0023] N=π / arcsin(d / (D+d)) (Formula 1)

[0024] Where D is the diameter of the optical unit and d is the diameter of the armor wire.

[0025] As a further improvement of the present invention, when the twisted head twisted variable diameter cable core is not provided with the sensor part and when the sensor part is provided, the twisting pitch of the armored steel wire is 0.3-3m.

[0026] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S3 and step S4, the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable-diameter cable core twisted by the twisting head without the sensor is greater than the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable-diameter cable core twisted with the sensor.

[0027] As a further improvement of the present invention, the method further comprises step S7: coating the outer periphery of the armored steel wire of the variable-diameter cable core where no sensor portion is provided with a first tape layer.

[0028] As a further improvement of the present invention, step S7 further includes: coating the outer periphery of the armored steel wire of the sensor portion of the variable diameter cable core with a second tape layer.

[0029] The above-mentioned improved technical features can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0030] In general, the above technical solutions conceived by the present invention have the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0031] (1) The armored structure variable diameter special optical cable of the present invention is formed by arranging a sensor in the axial direction of the optical unit, and then forming a protective structure outside the optical unit and the sensor through the armored steel wire and the first wrapping layer structure. Then, the armored steel wire is tightened at both ends of the sensor by using the first wrapping layer to form effective protection around the sensor. In addition, the armored steel wire structure does not hinder the perception and monitoring of the sensor and the external environment, ensuring the sensing and monitoring effect while forming effective protection for it.

[0032] (2) The armored structure variable diameter special optical cable of the present invention provides a second wrapping layer on the outer periphery of the sensor, and uses the second wrapping layer to cover and fix the sensor. The second wrapping layer itself can form effective protection outside the sensor and can fix the armored steel wire, thereby avoiding the problem of the armored steel wire deviating to both sides during use, and ensuring that the armored steel wire effectively protects the sensor.

[0033] (3) The manufacturing method of the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable of the present invention is to set the twisting head in a reciprocating motion mode, and use the twisting head to cover the armor steel wire on the periphery of the optical unit. When the sensor moves to the twisting head, the twisting head is moved and passes over the sensor, so that the armor steel wire at the sensor is arranged in the axial direction. Then, the twisting force of the armor steel wire covered on the optical units on both sides of the sensor drives the armor steel wire arranged in the axial direction at the sensor to twist, thereby achieving the tight binding of the armor steel wire at the sensor. Finally, the armor steel wire on both sides of the sensor is fixed by the wrapping layer to ensure the stability of the obtained armored structure variable diameter special optical cable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an armored structure variable diameter special optical cable according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the axial structure of the armored variable diameter special optical cable according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the armored steel wire covering the first sensor in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first sensor after the armored steel wire is wrapped in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure when the armored steel wire contacts the second sensor in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the twisting head returning to its original position in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] In all the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same technical features, specifically:

[0041] 1. Optical unit; 2. Sensor; 3. Armored steel wire; 4. First tape layer; 5. Second tape layer; 6. Twisted head;

[0042] 21. First sensor; 22. Second sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0044] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like to indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0045] 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 at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0046] In the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "installed," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection, electrical connection; direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components, or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0047] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0048] Example:

[0049] See also Figures 1 to 6 The armored variable-diameter special optical cable in a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an optical unit 1, a plurality of sensors 2 arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the optical unit 1, the sensors 2 being sleeved on the outer circumference of the optical unit 1, and the plurality of sensors 2 being optically connected to the optical unit 1; a plurality of armored steel wires 3, the plurality of armored steel wires 3 being arranged along the axial direction of the optical unit 1 on the outer circumference of the optical unit 1 and the sensors 2; and a plurality of first tape layers 4, at least one first tape layer 4 being provided between every two adjacent sensors 2, and the first tape layer 4 being wound around the outer circumference of the plurality of armored steel wires 3 along the circumferential direction of the optical unit 1.

[0050] The armored variable diameter special optical cable in the present application mainly utilizes the armored steel wire 3 structure to wrap around the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 along the axial direction of the cable, and utilizes the first wrapping layer 4 structure to limit the armored steel wire 3 at both axial ends of the sensor 2 to form an armored structure around the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 to protect them, thereby solving the problem that the existing optical cable with the sensor 2 cannot be installed and laid underwater and is easily damaged.

[0051] Furthermore, the optical unit 1 in the present application preferably includes an optical fiber or an optical fiber bundle, and an outer sheath is provided on the periphery of the optical fiber or the optical fiber bundle. A reinforcing core, water-blocking yarn or water-blocking paste, a stripping rope and other structures can be provided in the outer sheath as needed to facilitate the conventional use of the optical cable.

[0052] Of course, since the sensor 2 in this application needs to be optically connected to the optical unit 1, in order to facilitate the preparation of the optical cable, when the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable is used in non-underwater environments such as oil and gas well monitoring, the outer sheath structure does not need to be set around the optical unit 1, and it only requires the armored steel wire 3 to form protection around the optical unit 1.

[0053] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the diameter ratio of the optical unit 1 to the sensor 2 in this application is 1:(1.2~3). Since the armored steel wire 3 needs to completely cover the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2, when the diameter difference between the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 is large, after the armored steel wire 3 completely covers the optical unit 1, most of the sensor 2 will be exposed to the outside. This is not convenient for the molding of the armored structure variable diameter characteristic optical cable, and during use, it is easy to cause the armored steel wire 3 to deviate to the radial sides of the optical unit 1 and expose the sensor 2; and when the armored steel wire 3 completely wraps the sensor 2, it will cause the armored steel wire 3 to be unable to be bundled and stacked around the periphery of the optical unit 1, resulting in the problem that the optical cable cannot be molded. Therefore, in this application, the diameter ratio of the optical unit 1 to the sensor 2 needs to be strictly limited, so that after the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable is formed, the armored steel wire 3 can not only fully cover the periphery of the optical unit 1, but also form good protection around the periphery of the sensor 2.

[0054] It is worth noting that Figure 2 As shown, the armored steel wire 3 and the optical unit 1 in the present application are arranged in an axial direction that is close to a parallel arrangement, that is, the extension direction of the armored steel wire 3 is consistent with the extension direction of the optical unit 1, which makes it convenient for the armored steel wire 3 to cover the sensor 2 on the periphery of the optical unit 1. However, in the actual process, in order to ensure the tightness of the covering of the armored steel wire 3, the optical unit 1, the sensor 2, etc., the armored steel wire 3 is actually twisted and arranged on the periphery of the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2, that is, the twisted intercept of the armored steel wire 3 is large, and the axial covering form can ensure that the armored steel wire 3 covers the entire sensor 2, avoiding the exposure of the sensor 2 caused by the torsion of the spiral covering, and the twisted setting form of the armored steel wire 3 can ensure the tightness of the covering of the armored steel wire 3 in the entire optical cable section.

[0055] Furthermore, the armored steel wire 3 in this application is a commonly used steel wire structure in the field of optical cable manufacturing, with a diameter of generally 0.5-3.0 mm, and has good tensile strength and ductility. Preferably, the armored steel wire 3 in this application can also adopt other filamentary structures that can form a protective barrier around the optical unit 1 and sensor 2, such as FPR rods, carbon fiber rods, and FRP tapes.

[0056] Furthermore, the number N of armored steel wires 3 in the present application is obtained by:

[0057] N=π / arcsin(d / (D+d)) (Formula 1)

[0058] Wherein, D is the diameter of the optical unit 1 , and d is the diameter of the armored steel wire 3 .

[0059] The number N of armored steel wires 3 calculated in the above manner is the number required to wrap around the periphery of the optical unit 1, ensuring that the armored steel wires 3 provide good protection for the optical unit 1 and facilitate the stranding of the armored steel wires 3 around the periphery of the optical unit 1. The number N of armored steel wires 3 is an integer, and the value obtained by Formula 1 is rounded down.

[0060] Preferably, the sensor 2 in the present application is sleeved on the outer periphery of the optical unit 1. In order to facilitate the overmolding of the armored steel wire 3, the sensor 2 is preferably a cylindrical structure, and the sensor 2 as a whole is a shuttle-shaped structure, which facilitates the extension of the armored steel wire 3 along the axial direction of the optical unit 1.

[0061] Further preferably, each sensor 2 is formed by enclosing two semicircular structures. When the sensor 2 needs to be mounted on the outer circumference of the optical unit 1, the two semicircular structures are assembled on the optical unit 1 to complete the assembly. Preferably, the sensor 2 has multiple slots along the axis of the optical unit 1 for the armor wire 3 to pass through. This facilitates the placement and fixation of the armor wire 3 along the axis of the optical unit 1 and prevents the armor wire 3 from shifting radially to either side of the sensor 2 during use.

[0062] Further preferably, the armored variable-diameter special optical cable of the present application also includes multiple second tape layers 5. The number of second tape layers 5 corresponds to the number of sensors 2, so that the outer periphery of the armored steel wire at each sensor 2 is coated with a second tape layer 5. Because the outer diameter of the sensor 2 is larger than the outer diameter of the optical unit 1, when the armored steel wire 3 completely covers the optical unit 1, the armored steel wire 3 around the sensor 2 is inevitably distributed in a scattered manner. To avoid the problem of uneven distribution of the armored steel wire 3 around the sensor 2, which may cause part of the sensor 2 to be completely exposed, the second tape layer 5 is circumferentially coated around the sensor 2, and the armored steel wire 3 at the sensor 2 is fixed by the second tape layer 5 to prevent it from moving. Preferably, the second tape layer 5 here extends along the axial direction of the optical unit 1, so that the second tape layer 5 completely covers the sensor 2 to protect the sensor 2.

[0063] The present application also includes a method for manufacturing an armored structure variable diameter special optical cable, which is used to prepare the above-mentioned armored structure variable diameter special optical cable, and the method comprises the following steps:

[0064] S1, arranging sensors 2 axially and spaced apart along the optical unit 1 to form a variable diameter cable core;

[0065] Specifically, the optical unit 1 is placed on a pay-off frame, and then the optical unit 1 is pulled, and sensors 2 are sequentially arranged along the axial direction of the optical unit 1 to obtain a variable diameter cable core;

[0066] S2, arranging the armored steel wire outlet device and the twisting head 6 in sequence along the winding direction of the variable diameter cable core, and setting the position of the twisting head 6 at this time to the initial position;

[0067] S3, pulling the reducer cable core, the armored steel wire outlet device continuously leads the armored steel wire 3 toward the twisting head, and the twisting head 6 twists the armored steel wire 3 on the outer periphery of the reducer cable core;

[0068] Optionally, the traction of the above-mentioned variable diameter cable core is achieved by a traction device, first by passing the pay-off end of the variable diameter cable core and the pay-off end of the armored steel wire 3 through the twisting head 6, and then connecting them to the traction device through a traction rope.

[0069] S4, when the sensor 2 on the variable diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting diameter of the twisting head 6 is enlarged, and the twisting head 6 is moved along the outlet direction of the variable diameter cable core. After the twisting head 6 passes through the position of the sensor 2, the twisting diameter of the twisting head 6 is restored;

[0070] S5, when the next sensor 2 on the variable diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting head 6 returns to the initial position;

[0071] S6. When the next sensor 2 on the reducer cable core moves to the twisted joint again, steps S4 and S5 are repeated.

[0072] Furthermore, the present application also includes step S7, coating the outer periphery of the armored steel wire 3 in the portion of the reducer cable core where the sensor 2 is not provided, with a first tape layer 4; and coating the outer periphery of the armored steel wire 3 in the portion of the reducer cable core where the sensor 2 is provided, with a second tape layer 5. In order to ensure that the armored steel wire 3 is stably coated on the outer periphery of the optical unit 1, when the portion of the reducer cable core where the sensor 2 is not provided passes through the initial position of the twisting opening of the twisting head 6, a first taping process is performed at the passing position to form the first tape layer 4 on the outer periphery of the armored steel wire; at the same time, a second taping process is performed at the middle position of the armored steel wire 3 corresponding to the outer periphery of the first sensor 2 to form a second tape layer 5 at the position corresponding to the sensor 2.

[0073] Optionally, when the distance between the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 2 exceeds 3m, simply wrapping the first tape layer 4 at both ends of the sensor 2 is insufficient to stabilize the entire variable-diameter special optical cable. The optical unit 1 and the armored steel wire 3 between the two adjacent sensors 2 may also become detached. Therefore, it is necessary to additionally perform a first tape wrapping process on the armored steel wire 3 at a position midway between the distance. The armored steel wire 3 between the two adjacent sensors 2 is secured to the outer periphery of the optical unit 1 by the first tape layer 4. When the distance between the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 2 is too great, multiple first tape layers may be provided between the two sensors to prevent detachment between the optical unit 1 and the armored steel wire 3.

[0074] Furthermore, the device structures used in the manufacturing method of the special optical cable with a variable diameter structure in this application are as follows according to the order of cable pulling preparation: a wire pay-off frame, an armored steel wire outlet device, a twisting head 6, and a pulling device.

[0075] Furthermore, step S2 in the present application further includes: determining the number of armored steel wires 3 led out by the armored steel wire outlet device; the number N of armored steel wires 3 is obtained by:

[0076] N=π / arcsin(d / (D+d)) (Formula 1)

[0077] Wherein, D is the diameter of the optical unit 1, and d is the diameter of the armored steel wire 3. The number of armored steel wires 3 is determined so that the armored steel wires 3 completely cover the optical unit 1 in the circumferential direction.

[0078] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the twisting position of the twisting head 6 can be adjusted manually or automatically by the device. When manually adjusting the position of the twisting head 6, the twisting can be stopped immediately when the twisting head 6 moves accordingly. Of course, regardless of whether the position of the twisting head 6 is adjusted automatically or manually, in step S3, the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable diameter cable core twisted by the twisting head 6 without the sensor 2 is greater than the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable diameter cable core twisted with the sensor 2.

[0079] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the twisting head 6 is automatically adjusted, the control system controls the twisting pitch of the armor wire 3 to be 0.3 to 3 meters in both the portion of the variable-diameter cable core where the sensor 2 is not located and the portion where the sensor 2 is located. By controlling the twisting pitch, the armor wire 3 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the sensor 2 at a certain angle. At the same time, this twisting pitch can reduce the amount of armor wire 3 used while ensuring that the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 are covered, while also improving the manufacturing efficiency of the special optical cable with a variable-diameter structure.

[0080] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when the twisting head 6 is manually adjusted, the twisting head 6 stops twisting when twisting the portion of the variable-diameter cable core where the sensor 2 is located. At this time, the armored steel wires 3 are wrapped parallel to the outer periphery of the sensor 2. When the twisting head 6 is twisting the portion of the variable-diameter cable core where the sensor 2 is not located, the control system controls the twisting pitch of the armored steel wires 3 to be 0.3 to 3 meters.

[0081] Furthermore, preferably, the rotation speed of the twisting head 6 is 5-10 rpm, and the pulling speed of the optical unit 1 is 0.5-3 m / min. By controlling the rotation speed of the twisting head 6, the pulling speed of the reducer cable core, and the twisting pitch of the armored steel wires 3, the axial angle between the armored steel wires 3 and the optical unit 1 between the sensor 2 and the first tape layer 4 of the variable-diameter special optical cable can be maintained at no greater than 20°. The axial angle between the armored steel wires 3 and the optical unit 1 is no greater than 20°, which prevents the radial dimensions of the sensor 2 from being too large or the first tape layer 4 from being too close to the sensor 2, resulting in a large slope of the armored steel wires 3. Given a fixed number of armored steel wires 3, the greater the slope of the armored steel wires 3, the greater the portion of the sensor 2 exposed outside the armored steel wires 3. This can easily cause the armored steel wires 3 on the periphery of the sensor 2 to shift and expose the sensor 2 due to external impact during use of the optical cable.

[0082] Furthermore, in step S1 above, the optical unit 1 can be prepared or purchased by the user. The optical unit 1 can be adjusted according to the actual application requirements. When the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable is used in an underwater environment, it is preferred to extrude an outer sheath around the optical unit 1 to protect the internal optical fiber. When the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable is used in non-underwater environments such as oil and gas wells, the sensor 2 can be directly sheathed around the optical fiber or optical fiber bundle. This is because the optical unit 1 needs to maintain an optical connection with the sensor 2. After the outer sheath is set, a skylight needs to be opened in the outer sheath, and then the optical fiber is led out and connected to the sensor 2. This will greatly increase the difficulty of preparing the special optical cable and reduce the preparation efficiency.

[0083] Furthermore, the above-mentioned armored steel wire outlet device is not shown in the figure. The armored steel wire outlet device is configured as Figures 3 to 6The vertical line on the middle right is the outlet of the armored steel wire outlet device.

[0084] Optionally, during the preparation of the optical unit 1 , a docking joint may be provided at a fixed point in the axial direction of the optical unit 1 , and connected to the sensor 2 via the docking joint to improve the assembly efficiency of the sensor.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above steps, the twisting head 6 is arranged on a twisting forming table, which can drive the twisting head 6 to reciprocate in the cable axis direction to adjust the distance between the twisting head 6 and the outlet device of the armored steel wire 3.

[0086] Preferably, in order to facilitate the covering of the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 by the armored steel wire 3 , the sensors 2 in the present application are arranged at equal intervals in the axial direction of the optical unit 1 .

[0087] Preferably, in the present application, the extension direction of the optical unit 1 is from left to right, and the order in which the armored steel wire 3 covers the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2 is from right to left. The following simulates the manufacturing method of the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable. For the convenience of expression, the sensors 2 in the axial direction of the optical unit 1 are set as the first sensor 21 and the second sensor 22. The optical unit 1 with the first sensor 21 and the second sensor 22 is twisted toward the twisting head 6, and the twisting head 6 rotates continuously to cover the armored steel wire 3 on the outer periphery of the optical unit 1. When the first sensor 21 moves to the twisting head 6, the twisting forming table is used to drive the twisting head 6 to move toward the outlet direction of the optical unit 1. The twisting head 6 passes through the position of the first sensor 21. At this time, the twisting head 6 stops rotating, and the armored steel wire 3 wrapped along the axial direction is formed on the outer periphery of the first sensor 21, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 、 Figure 4 After passing through the first sensor 21, the twisting head 6 continues to rotate, pulling the optical unit 1 with the sensor 2 toward the twisting head 6 for twisting. When the second sensor 22 is pulled to the twisting head 6, the twisting head 6 returns to the initial position, and the twisting head 6 continues to wrap the armored steel wire 3 around the outer periphery of the optical unit 1. When the second sensor 22 is pulled to the twisting head 6, the twisting head 6 passes through the second sensor 22 again to form an armored steel wire 3 wrapped axially around the outer periphery of the second sensor 22. This process is repeated to wrap the armored steel wire 3 around the outer periphery of the optical unit 1 with the sensor 2.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above steps, the length of L1 is preferably 0.6-5m, and the length of L2 is obtained by subtracting the axial length of the sensor 2 from the length of L1. In conventional optical cable production processes, the rotational speed of the twisting head 6 twisting the optical unit is usually 15-20r / min. In the present application, the rotational speed of the twisting head 6 needs to be reduced to 5-10r / min, and the pulling rate of the optical unit 1 is controlled to be between 0.5-3m / min. This is to ensure that when the armored steel wire 3 in the present application is twisted, although the armored steel wire 3 is in a twisted form, the armored steel wire 3 between the sensor 2 and the first tape layer 4 on both sides is approximately axially coated, so that there is basically no torsion between the armored steel wire 3 and the sensor 2. When the armor wire 3 is spirally wrapped around the sensor 2, the sensor 2 protrudes radially beyond the radial direction of the optical unit 1, forming an inclined structure as the sensor 2 transitions to the optical units 1 on both sides. When the armor wire 3 is spirally wrapped and the angle with the optical cable axial direction is too large, it will cause a large detorsion force between the armor wire 3 and the sensor 2. When the sensor 2 is subjected to external impact such as water flow, the armor wire 3 can easily expose the sensor 2. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly control the rotation speed of the twisting head 6 and the pulling speed of the optical unit 1 to ensure that the armor wire 3 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2.

[0089] Because the radial distance between the armor wire 3 outlet and the optical unit 1 is fixed, adjusting the distance between the twisting head 6 and the armor wire 3 outlet adjusts the angle of the armor wire 3 wrapping around the optical unit 1 accordingly, resulting in varying degrees of tightness of the armor wire 3 wrapping around the optical unit 1. By controlling the distance between the twisting head 6 and the armor wire 3 outlet, the armor wire 3 is in its loosest state when wrapping around the sensor 2, resulting in a loose state at the sensor 2 and gradually tightening at both ends of the sensor 2. A tape layer is then applied between adjacent sensors 2 to form a shuttle-shaped armor wire 3 wrapping structure at each sensor 2.

[0090] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the coating of the armored steel wire 3 and the tape layer in the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable in this application is a non-continuous process. That is, after the tape layer is coated on the periphery of a section of the optical unit 1 and the sensor 2, the armored steel wire 3 coating process is first paused, and the tape layer is fixed by other fixing procedures, and then the subsequent armored steel wire 3 coating process is carried out. Here, the tape layer structure generally adopts a metal tape layer. When the tape layer is coated on the periphery of the armored steel wire 3, the tape layer is not a stable coating structure. It is necessary to use welding or other fixing processes to form the tape layer into an annular integral structure to completely fix the armored steel wire 3 to the periphery of the sensor 2 or the optical unit 1.

[0091] As an optional embodiment of the present invention, the present application also includes another method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter in an armored structure, which comprises the following steps:

[0092] S1, arranging sensors 2 axially and spaced apart along the optical unit 1 to form a variable diameter cable core;

[0093] S2. Arrange the armored steel wire outlet device and the twisting head 6 in sequence along the winding direction of the variable diameter cable core. When the sensor 2 on the variable diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening of the twisting head 6, set the position of the twisting head 6 to the initial position;

[0094] S3, pulling the variable diameter cable core, the twisting head 6 continues to twist the armored steel wire 3 on the outer periphery of the variable diameter cable core, when the sensor 2 on the variable diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting opening of the twisting head 6 is expanded, and the twisting head 6 is moved along the outlet direction of the variable diameter cable core. After the twisting head 6 passes the position of the sensor 2, the twisting opening of the twisting head 6 is restored;

[0095] S4, after the sensor 2 on the reducer cable core moves through the initial position of the twisting head 6, the twisting head 6 returns to the initial position;

[0096] S5. Repeat steps S3 and S4.

[0097] The difference between this method and the previous manufacturing method is that after the first sensor 2 moves with the variable diameter cable core and passes the initial position of the twisting head 6, the twisting head 6 is directly moved back to the initial position, and then the next sensor 2 is waited to move to the twisting mouth for coating.

[0098] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned two methods for manufacturing armored variable-diameter special optical cables, the speed V1 at which the twisting head 6 moves in the direction of the outlet of the variable-diameter cable core is less than the pulling speed V2 of the optical unit 1. When the twisting head 6 returns to its initial position, when the speed of movement of the twisting head 6 is greater than the pulling speed of the optical unit 1, since the armored steel wire 3 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the variable-diameter cable core at the pulling direction end of the optical unit 1, the twisting head 6 will untwist the armored steel wire 3 wrapped around the outer periphery of the variable-diameter cable core. Therefore, the speed V1 at which the twisting head 6 returns to its initial position is less than the pulling speed V2 of the optical unit 1, so that the already twisted armored steel wire 3 will not be untwisted when the twisting head 6 is reset, thereby ensuring the stable formation of the variable-diameter special optical cable.

[0099] It will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A special optical cable with an armored structure and variable diameter, characterized in that: include: Light unit; A plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors are spaced apart along the axial direction of the light unit, the plurality of sensors are sleeved on the outer periphery of the light unit, and the plurality of sensors are optically connected to the light unit; a plurality of armored steel wires, the plurality of armored steel wires being arranged axially along the optical unit and around the optical unit and the sensor; Multiple first wrapping layers, at least one first wrapping layer is provided between each two adjacent sensors, and the first wrapping layer is circumferentially wound around the outer periphery of the multiple armored steel wires along the optical unit; when the armored structure variable diameter special optical cable is formed, the twisting head is set to a reciprocating motion mode, and the armored steel wire is wrapped around the outer periphery of the optical unit by the twisting head. When the sensor moves to the twisting head, the twisting diameter of the twisting head is expanded and the twisting head is moved and passed over the sensor, so that the armored steel wire at the sensor is arranged in the axial direction, and then the armored steel wire arranged axially at the sensor is driven to twist by the twisting force of the armored steel wire wrapped on the optical units on both sides of the sensor.

2. The armored structure variable diameter special optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: An included angle between the axial direction of the armored steel wire between the sensor and the first tape layer and the axial direction of the optical unit is not greater than 20°.

3. The armored structure variable diameter special optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes a second tape layer wrapped around the outer periphery of the armored steel wire, wherein the second tape layer is aligned with the sensor in a radial direction.

4. A method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure, characterized in that: The steps include: S1, arranging sensors at intervals along the axial direction of the optical unit to form a variable diameter cable core; S2. Arrange the armored steel wire outlet device and the twisting head in sequence along the take-up direction of the variable diameter cable core, and set the position of the twisting head at this time to the initial position; S3. Pull the reducer cable core, and the armored steel wire outlet device continuously leads the armored steel wire toward the twisting head, and the twisting head twists the armored steel wire around the outer periphery of the reducer cable core; S4. When the sensor on the reducer cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting opening of the twisting head is enlarged, and the twisting head is moved along the outlet direction of the reducer cable core. After the twisting head passes through the sensor position, the twisting opening of the twisting head is restored. S5. When the current sensor on the variable-diameter cable core moves through the initial position of the twisting head / the next sensor on the variable-diameter cable core moves to the twisting opening, the twisting head returns to the initial position; S6. When the next sensor on the reducer cable core moves to the twisted joint again, steps S4 and S5 are repeated.

5. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rotation speed of the twisting head is 5-10 r / min, and the pulling speed of the optical unit is 0.5-3 m / min.

6. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: Step S2 also includes: determining the number of armored steel wires led out by the armored steel wire outlet device; The number N of the armored steel wires is obtained as follows: N=π / arcsin(d / (D+d)) (Formula 1) Where D is the diameter of the optical unit and d is the diameter of the armor wire.

7. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the twisted head and twisted reducer cable core are not provided with a sensor part or provided with a sensor part, the twisting pitch of the armored steel wire is 0.3~3m.

8. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step S3 and step S4, the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable-diameter cable core twisted by the twisting head without the sensor is greater than the twisting frequency of the portion of the variable-diameter cable core twisted with the sensor.

9. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes step S7: A first tape layer is coated on the outer periphery of the armored steel wire of the reduced-diameter cable core where no sensor is provided.

10. The method for manufacturing a special optical cable with a variable diameter and an armored structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: Step S7 further includes: The outer periphery of the armored steel wire of the sensor portion of the variable-diameter cable core is coated with a second tape layer.

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