Loose tube with optical fiber bundle, optical cable and optical fiber bundling device

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of optical cables and discloses a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, comprising more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers (1), a tube filler (3), and a loose tube (4). The loose tube is characterized in that the loose tube further comprises at least one polyester binding yarn (2), each polyester binding yarn (2) binding multiple discrete colored optical fibers (1) together to form an optical fiber bundle; all optical fiber bundles are located within the loose tube (4), and the tube filler (3) is located in the gap inside the loose tube (4). The present application also discloses an optical cable and an optical fiber bundling device. The present application has the following main beneficial technical effects: the loose tube and the optical cable have a more compact structure, a higher fiber core density, a smaller product outer diameter, lower cost, easier manufacturing, more stable quality, and greater reliability; the optical fiber bundling device has a simple structure, is easy to implement, has low cost, and occupies less space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of optical cables, and in particular relates to a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, an optical cable, and an optical fiber bundling device. Background Art

[0002] At present, my country's communications industry is developing rapidly. With the rapid growth of transmission volume, a large number of optical cables need to be laid to meet the needs of communications. However, the laying of optical cables is limited by the space of urban underground pipelines. Therefore, it is necessary to provide large-core, high-density optical cables to meet the laying needs.

[0003] Traditional large-core optical cables mostly use ribbon cables, which adopt a ribbon structure to increase the fiber density of the optical cable. Since the optical fiber ribbons are stacked in a rectangular shape, the space inside the loose tube is still wasted. At the same time, in order to prevent the optical fiber ribbon from flanging during the production process, the optical fiber ribbon stack is spirally twisted into the loose tube. This structure has disadvantages such as uneven excess length and excessive twisting of the side bands. Under high-density conditions, when external force is applied to the optical fiber ribbon, optical fiber breakage and increased optical signal loss are likely to occur. This type of ribbon cable has low production efficiency, and special fusion splicing equipment is required for construction and splicing.

[0004] CN114002794A discloses a high-fiber core density layer-twisted air-blown microcable, comprising a sheath and a cable core, wherein the cable core comprises a binder yarn, a central reinforcing core and a plurality of optical fiber units. The sheath comprises an inner layer and an outer layer sleeved on the inner layer, wherein the inner layer is made of low-density ethylene and the inner and outer layers are tightly bonded. The mixture used to make the outer layer mainly comprises polyformaldehyde, molybdenum disulfide, a compatibilizer, an antioxidant, a formaldehyde absorber, a light shielding agent and a low-density polyethylene graft material. The materials and preparation method of the low-density polyethylene graft material are different from those in actual industrialization.

[0005] CN114019639A discloses a bulletproof optical cable, comprising a water-blocking tape, an optical cable subunit, a loose tube, a water-blocking yarn, an armor layer, a water-blocking tape, an aramid tape, and an outer sheath. The optical cable subunit comprises a subunit sheath layer and an optical fiber bundle. The water-blocking tape longitudinally wraps the subunit sheath layer. The loose tube is extruded onto the water-blocking tape. The water-blocking yarn is attached to the outer wall of the loose tube. The armor layer comprises FRP strips, which wrap around the loose tube and also wrap around the water-blocking yarn. The water-blocking tape wraps around the armor layer. The aramid tape wraps around the water-blocking tape. The outer sheath is extruded onto the aramid tape.

[0006] CN107797206A discloses a production device for high-density fiber bundle micro-unit optical cables, comprising a sequentially arranged strength member payout device, a fiber bundle micro-unit payout device, a water-blocking unit payout device, a stranding device, and a jacket extrusion device. An air blowing device is installed at the inlet of the jacket extrusion device. After being paid out from the fiber bundle micro-unit payout device, the fiber bundle micro-units, along with the water-blocking yarns paid out from the water-blocking unit payout device, enter the stranding device for stranding. The stranded fiber bundle micro-units, along with the strength members paid out from the strength member payout device, pass through the air blowing device into the jacket extrusion device for jacket extrusion. This ensures the roundness of the optical cable.

[0007] However, none of the above existing technologies can protect the optical fibers in the optical fiber bundle from stress. That is, when the optical fibers are bundled to form an optical fiber bundle, force is applied to the optical fibers, and the optical fibers may even be broken or cracked, causing subsequent failures that are difficult to diagnose. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention discloses a loose tube and optical cable with an optical fiber bundle and an optical fiber bundling device, which have high production efficiency, while increasing the optical fiber density of discrete optical cables and effectively improving the utilization of communication pipeline resources; this application is implemented through the following scheme.

[0009] A loose tube with an optical fiber bundle comprises more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers, a tube filler, and a loose tube. The loose tube is characterized in that the loose tube further comprises at least one polyester binder, each polyester binder binding multiple discrete colored optical fibers together to form an optical fiber bundle; all optical fiber bundles are located within the loose tube, and the tube filler is located in a gap within the loose tube.

[0010] A loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, comprising more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers, a tube filler, and a loose tube, characterized in that the loose tube further comprises at least one polyester binder, each polyester binder binding a plurality of discrete colored optical fibers together to form an optical fiber bundle; and no more than 100 colored optical fibers are dispersed within the loose tube, all of the optical fiber bundles are located within the loose tube, and the tube filler is located in a gap within the loose tube.

[0011] A central bundle-tube optical cable with an optical fiber bundle comprises the above-mentioned loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, a plurality of strength members distributed outside the loose tube, a protective layer that entirely covers the strength members, and a sheath layer located outside the protective layer; a cable core filler is contained in the gap formed by the loose tube, the strength members, and the protective layer.

[0012] A layer-twisted optical cable with an optical fiber bundle comprises a plurality of loose tubes with an optical fiber bundle as described above, a reinforcement member, a protective layer located outside the loose tubes, and a sheath layer coated outside the protective layer. A filling material is contained in the gaps formed by the loose tubes, the reinforcement member, and the protective layer. The plurality of loose tubes are twisted and distributed outside the reinforcement member to form a first twisted layer. The plurality of loose tubes are twisted and distributed outside the first twisted layer to form a second twisted layer.

[0013] An optical fiber bundling device, characterized in that: in the direction of optical fiber passing, it includes an optical fiber inlet mold, a polyester yarn binding seat body, a fiber polymkeric substance mold, and a yarn binding mold in sequence; a support frame is located above the support base, the polyester yarn binding seat body is fixed to the support frame by a support column, the optical fiber inlet mold surface roughness is 0.2; the yarn binding mold surface roughness is 0.2; the polyester yarn binding seat body is a spindle body, and the fiber polymkeric substance mold is installed on the small end of the polyester yarn binding seat body; the spindle body angle is 4 degrees; the method for manufacturing a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle is as follows:

[0014] Multiple colored lights are passed through the optical fiber inlet module, the polyester yarn binding seat, and then arranged closely after passing through the fiber-gathering module to form an optical fiber bundle.

[0015] The polyester binding yarn is placed outside the polyester binding yarn holder, and the zero-tension pay-off is achieved at a certain speed. After passing through the binding yarn die, the bundled optical fibers are bundled to form an optical fiber bundle;

[0016] A sleeve material is extruded outside the multiple optical fiber bundles, and radial pressure is maintained to cool the tube to form a loose tube with the optical fiber bundle. A sleeve filler is filled in the tube to complete the manufacture of the loose tube with the optical fiber bundle.

[0017] This application has the following main beneficial technical effects: the structure of the loose tube and optical cable is more compact, the fiber core density is higher, the product outer diameter is smaller, the cost is lower, it is easier to manufacture, the quality is more stable, and it is more reliable; the optical fiber bundling device has a simple structure, is easy to implement, has low cost, and takes up less space. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle in this application.

[0019] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a central tube optical cable with a loose tube of optical fiber bundle.

[0020] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a stranded optical cable with a loose tube and optical fiber bundle.

[0021] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the optical fiber bundling device in this application.

[0022] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement this patent, the marks in the drawings are now explained in detail in conjunction with the drawings in the specification.

[0023] In the figure: 1-colored optical fiber, 2-polyester binding yarn, 3-tube filler, 4-loose tube, 5-cable core filler, 6-reinforcement member, 7-protective layer, 8-jacket layer, 9-optical fiber inlet mold, 10-polyester binding yarn seat body, 11-poly fiber mold, 12-binding yarn mold, 13-support frame, 14-support base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Implementation Example 1: Please see Figure 1 A loose tube with an optical fiber bundle comprises more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers 1, a tube filler 3, and a loose tube 4. The loose tube 4 is characterized in that the loose tube 4 further comprises at least one polyester binder 2, each polyester binder 2 wrapping a plurality of discrete colored optical fibers 1 together to form an optical fiber bundle; all optical fiber bundles are located within the loose tube 4, and the tube filler 3 is located in the gap inside the loose tube 4.

[0025] Figure 1 In the figure, there are 12 colored optical fibers 1 in the optical fiber bundle, but the number may be other numbers.

[0026] Figure 1 There are four optical fiber bundles, and according to actual needs, there can also be other multiple optical fiber bundles.

[0027] Implementation Example 2: Please see Figure 2 , and refer to Figure 1 A central bundle-tube optical cable with an optical fiber bundle comprises a loose tube 4 with an optical fiber bundle as described in Example 1, a plurality of strength members 6 distributed outside the loose tube 4, a protective layer 7 that entirely covers the strength members 6, and a sheath layer 8 located outside the protective layer 7. A cable core filler 5 is contained in the gap formed by the loose tube, the strength members, and the protective layer.

[0028] Implementation Example 3: See Figure 3 , and refer to Figure 1 A layer-stranded optical cable with an optical fiber bundle comprises a plurality of loose tubes 4 with an optical fiber bundle as described in embodiment 1, a strength member 6, a protective layer 7 located outside the loose tubes 4, and a sheath layer 8 coated outside the protective layer 7. A filling material 5 is contained in the gap formed by the loose tubes 4, the strength member 6, and the protective layer 7. The plurality of loose tubes 4 are distributed outside the strength member 6 in a twisted manner to form a first twisted layer, and the plurality of loose tubes 4 are distributed outside the first twisted layer in a twisted manner to form a second twisted layer.

[0029] In this embodiment, only the first twisted layer may be provided.

[0030] In this embodiment, there are 9 loose tubes 4 in the first twisted layer and 15 loose tubes 4 in the second twisted layer; as long as the structure of the first twisted layer is rounded, the number of loose tubes 4 in the first twisted layer can also be other numbers. Similarly, as long as the structure of the second twisted layer is rounded, the number of loose tubes 4 in the second twisted layer can also be other numbers.

[0031] Figure 3 In the embodiment, there are two optical fiber bundles in the loose tube, and according to actual needs, there can also be other multiple optical fiber bundles.

[0032] The model of the colored optical fiber 1 described in this application is G.652, G.653, G.654, G.655, G.656, G.657, A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, or A1e.

[0033] The casing filler 3 described in this application is water-blocking fiber paste or water-blocking powder.

[0034] The material of the loose tube 4 described in the present application is polybutylene terephthalate, polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene.

[0035] The cable core filler 5 described in this application is water-blocking cable paste or water-blocking powder.

[0036] The reinforcement member 6 described in this application is a steel wire or a glass fiber reinforced plastic rod.

[0037] The protective layer 7 described in this application is a steel strip or an aluminum strip or a steel wire.

[0038] The material of the sheath layer 8 described in the present application is low-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, low-smoke halogen-free polyethylene, or nylon.

[0039] The present application is suitable for a structure in which a single loose tube has more than 12 colored optical fibers. When the number of optical fibers in a single loose tube is greater than 12, it comprises 1-n optical fiber bundles, wherein the optical fiber bundle is a unit in which multiple optical fibers of different colors are bundled with a binding yarn at zero tension, and the binding yarn is a polyester material that does not undergo any chemical reaction or material reaction with the fiber paste, and the polyester material is a colored material; in this way, different optical fiber bundles can be distinguished from each other, and different optical fibers in each optical fiber bundle can also be distinguished from each other. Usually, the colors in the optical fiber bundle are: blue, orange, green, brown, gray, white, red, black, yellow, purple, pink, and cyan, which are sequentially intercepted.

[0040] As a further improvement, the loose tube can also be constructed as follows: a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, comprising more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers 1, a tube filler 3, and a loose tube 4. The loose tube also comprises at least one polyester binder 2, each of which binds multiple discrete colored optical fibers 1 together to form a fiber bundle. Furthermore, no more than 12 colored optical fibers 1 are dispersed within the loose tube 4, with all optical fiber bundles located within the loose tube 4 and the tube filler 3 located in the gaps within the loose tube 4. Compared to a fully bound optical fiber bundle, this structure is also identifiable and eliminates the need for a polyester binder and its associated processing steps, thus achieving greater cost savings.

[0041] Implementation Example 4: See Figure 4 , and refer to Figures 1 to 3 , a fiber optic bundling device, characterized in that: according to the direction of the optical fiber passing, it includes an optical fiber inlet mold 9, a polyester yarn bundling seat body 10, a fiber polymkeric substance mold 11, and a yarn bundling mold 12 in sequence; the support frame 13 is located above the support base 14, and the polyester yarn bundling seat body 10 is fixed on the support frame 13 through a support column, and the surface roughness of the optical fiber inlet mold is 0.2; the surface roughness of the yarn bundling mold is 0.2; the polyester yarn bundling seat body 10 is a spindle, and the fiber polymkeric substance mold 11 is installed at the small end of the polyester yarn bundling seat body 10.

[0042] The optical fiber bundling device described above is characterized in that: the spindle angle is 4°; the spindle design of the polyester binding yarn seat body 10 enables zero-tension pay-off when the polyester binding yarn is released to wrap the colored optical fiber, reducing the phenomenon of the polyester binding yarn damaging or breaking the colored optical fiber, making the optical, mechanical, and temperature performance of the colored optical fiber more stable and reliable.

[0043] In this application, the yarn is released in circles, just to achieve zero-tension bundling. Because the yarn is released passively, the yarn carrier is mainly designed, and the principle of equilateral triangle is used. The small end is half the diameter of the large end. Starting from the small end, it is easy to release the large direction to the small place; the container is designed as a cone, and the inner cavity is hollow and perforated, so that the optical fiber can pass through the internal perforation. When the yarn and the optical fiber move forward, the yarn is released in circles, which just achieves bundling. Because it is a cone, the friction force of the yarn itself is removed during release, and the rest is zero, which can be regarded as having little effect on the coloring of the optical fiber, achieving zero-tension pay-off. Considering the identification function of optical fiber construction, the pay-off pitch is designed to be 150~200mm. Because it is passive pay-off, this structure can only be achieved on the spindle.

[0044] The method for manufacturing or processing the loose tube with the optical fiber bundle in the embodiment 1 of the optical fiber bundling device described above is as follows:

[0045] Multiple colored lights are passed through the optical fiber inlet die 9, the polyester yarn binding seat 10, and the fiber-forming die 11, and then arranged closely together to form an optical fiber bundle.

[0046] The polyester binding yarn is placed outside the polyester binding yarn seat 10, and the zero-tension pay-off is achieved at a certain speed. After passing through the binding yarn die 12, the bundled optical fibers are bundled to form an optical fiber bundle;

[0047] A sleeve material is extruded outside the multiple optical fiber bundles, and radial pressure is maintained to cool the tube to form a loose tube with the optical fiber bundle. A sleeve filler is filled in the tube to complete the manufacture of the loose tube with the optical fiber bundle.

[0048] The device and processing technology in this application have high production efficiency, while increasing the fiber density of discrete optical cables and effectively improving the utilization of communication pipeline resources.

[0049] This application has the following main beneficial technical effects: the structure of the loose tube and optical cable is more compact, the fiber core density is higher, the product outer diameter is smaller, the cost is lower, it is easier to manufacture, the quality is more stable, and it is more reliable; the optical fiber bundling device has a simple structure, is easy to implement, has low cost, and takes up less space.

[0050] The above embodiments are merely preferred technical solutions of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be the technical solutions described in the claims, including equivalent alternatives to the technical features of the technical solutions described in the claims. Equivalent alternatives and improvements within this scope are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An optical fiber bundling device, characterized in that: According to the direction of the optical fiber passing through, it includes an optical fiber inlet mold (9), a polyester yarn binding seat body (10), a fiber-polymerizing mold (11), and a yarn binding mold (12) in sequence; the support frame (13) is located above the support base (14), the polyester yarn binding seat body (10) is fixed on the support frame (13) through a support column, and the surface roughness of the optical fiber inlet mold is 0.2; the surface roughness of the yarn binding mold is 0.2; the polyester yarn binding seat body (10) is a spindle, and the fiber-polymerizing mold (11) is installed at the small end of the polyester yarn binding seat body (10); the spindle angle is 4°, and when the polyester yarn is released to wrap the colored optical fiber, zero tension pay-off is achieved.

2. A method for manufacturing a loose tube with an optical fiber bundle, wherein the loose tube with an optical fiber bundle comprises more than twelve discrete colored optical fibers (1), a tube filler (3), a loose tube (4), and at least one polyester binder (2), each polyester binder (2) binding a plurality of discrete colored optical fibers (1) together to form an optical fiber bundle; all optical fiber bundles are located within the loose tube (4), and the tube filler (3) is located in a gap inside the loose tube (4); the method is characterized in that: The method for manufacturing a loose tube having an optical fiber bundle using the optical fiber bundling device according to claim 1 is as follows: A plurality of colored lights are passed through the optical fiber inlet module (9), the polyester yarn binding seat body (10), and the fiber-gathering module (11) and then arranged closely together to form an optical fiber bundle; The polyester yarn binding seat (10) is in a cone shape. The polyester yarn is wound around the polyester yarn binding seat (10). The inner cavity of the polyester yarn binding seat (10) has a hollow perforation. The diameter of the small end of the polyester yarn binding seat (10) is half the diameter of the large end of the polyester yarn binding seat (10). The polyester yarn is passively released from the small end of the polyester yarn binding seat (10). The optical fiber passes through the hollow perforation. When the polyester yarn and the optical fiber move forward, after passing through the yarn binding die (12), the polyester yarn is released in circles to achieve optical fiber bundling and form an optical fiber bundle. The release pitch of the polyester yarn is 150 to 200 mm. A sleeve material is extruded outside the multiple optical fiber bundles, and radial pressure is maintained to cool the tube to form a loose tube with the optical fiber bundle. A sleeve filler is filled in the tube to complete the manufacture of the loose tube with the optical fiber bundle.

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