Compression-resistant structure, compression-resistant optical cable and manufacturing method

The anti-pressure structure in deep-sea cables addresses radial contraction issues by maintaining structural integrity and ensuring reliable anchoring, thus enhancing durability and preventing detachment.

CN116759146BActive Publication Date: 2025-07-15ZHONGTIAN TECH SUBMARINE CABLE CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310731631.X
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-06-16
Publication Date
2025-07-15
Estimated Expiration
2043-06-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Deep-sea optical cables tend to shrink radially under hydrostatic pressure, causing them to detach from the fixture, affecting their reliability and life.

Method used

A compressive structure is provided between the inner and outer guard of the optical cable, including a support unit and abutment plate. The acute angle design and self-locking structure ensure stability under pressure and reduce deformation.

Benefits of technology

Effectively prevent optical cables from getting out of fixtures in deep-sea environments, extending service life, and reducing materials and costs.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This application relates to the technical field of optical cables, aiming to solve the technical problem that some known optical cables fixed to deep-sea fixtures are prone to detachment from the fixtures under the action of hydrostatic radial pressure, and provides a compressive structure, a compressive optical cable and a manufacturing method. Among them, the compressive structure can be bent into a ring shape and placed between the inner sheath and the outer sheath of the optical cable. The compressive structure includes: a plurality of support units, the plurality of support units are sequentially abutted along the circumference of the inner sheath, the support unit includes a first abutting plate abutting against the inner sheath and two side plates, the two side plates are respectively connected to both ends of the first abutting plate, and the distance between the two side plates away from the first abutting plate is less than the distance between both ends of the first abutting plate; a plurality of second abutting plates, the plurality of second abutting plates are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the inner sheath, and both ends of each second abutting plate are respectively connected to two adjacent side plates of two adjacent support units that are close to each other. The beneficial effect of this application is to improve the compressive performance of the compressive optical cable.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of optical cables, and in particular, to a compressive structure, a compressive optical cable and a manufacturing method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In deep - sea waters, the water pressure is relatively high, and the optical cable placed in the deep sea bears a relatively large hydrostatic pressure. In some application scenarios, it is necessary to fix the optical cable to the pipeline or equipment on the seabed through a fixture. However, the optical cable is prone to radial shrinkage under the long - term action of hydrostatic pressure, which may lead to the optical cable detaching from the fixture. In severe cases, it may also cause the optical cable to slip off and the sheath of the optical cable to be damaged, affecting the use of the optical cable. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application provides a compressive structure, a compressive optical cable and a manufacturing method thereof to solve the technical problem that some optical cables fixed to deep - sea fixtures are prone to detach from the fixtures under the action of radial water pressure.

[0004] The embodiments of the present application are implemented as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a compressive structure. The compressive structure can be bent into a ring shape and is disposed between the inner sheath and the outer sheath of the optical cable. The compressive structure includes: a plurality of support units, the plurality of support units are sequentially abutted along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath. The support unit includes a first abutting plate abutting against the inner sheath and two side plates. The two side plates are respectively connected to both ends of the first abutting plate. The ends of the two side plates away from the first abutting plate are spaced apart. The distance between the ends of the two side plates away from the first abutting plate is smaller than the distance between both ends of the first abutting plate; a plurality of second abutting plates, the plurality of second abutting plates are spaced along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath, the plurality of second abutting plates respectively abut against the outer sheath, and both ends of each second abutting plate are respectively connected to the two adjacent side plates of the two adjacent support units that are close to each other.

[0006] When the pressure-resistant optical cable of the present application is in use, the pressure-resistant optical cable is placed in a deep-sea environment and clamped to a deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment by a fixture. The hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force provided by the fixture are conducted to the pressure-resistant structure through the outer sheath, and a radial pressure is applied to the second abutting plate abutting against the outer sheath, so that the second abutting plate has a tendency to approach the inner sheath radially along the inner sheath, and radial pressure is applied to the first abutting plates of the two support units through the two side plates (belonging to two adjacent support units) at both ends thereof. Since the distance between the two side plates away from the first abutting plate is smaller than the distance between the two ends of the first abutting plate, the angles between the side plates and the first abutting plate and between the side plates and the second abutting plate are both acute angles. Thus, when the second abutting plate applies radial pressure to the first abutting plate through the side plates, the angle between the side plates and the first abutting plate has a tendency to decrease. In this way, the connection between the first abutting plate and the side plates of two adjacent support units has a tendency to approach each other. However, the two adjacent support units of the pressure-resistant structure of the present application abut against each other in sequence along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath, that is, there is no space between two adjacent support units to allow them to approach each other further. As a result, the pressure-resistant structure can still maintain a reliable and stable shape when bearing the hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force, which can not only prevent the cable core from bearing the hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force, but also greatly reduce the deformation of the pressure-resistant structure, avoid the deformation of the pressure-resistant structure of the pressure-resistant water cable after long-term use, so as to ensure that the pressure-resistant water cable can be stably clamped to the deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment by the fixture, and ensure the binding reliability of the pressure-resistant water cable.

[0007] In a possible implementation manner:

[0008] When the pressure-resistant structure is in an unfolded state, the first abutting plate, the two side plates and the second abutting plate are all flat plates, the first abutting plate is parallel to the second abutting plate, two adjacent first abutting plates are arranged at intervals, and two adjacent second abutting plates are arranged at intervals.

[0009] In a possible implementation manner:

[0010] The distance between two adjacent first abutting plates is equal to the distance between two adjacent second abutting plates, and the angles between the two side plates and the first abutting plate are equal.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner:

[0012] The pressure-resistant structure is bent from a thin plate by a corrugating process.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner:

[0014] One end of the side plate is connected to the first abutting plate by an arc transition, and the other end of the side plate is connected to the second abutting plate by an arc transition.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present application provides a compression-resistant optical cable, comprising a cable core, an inner sheath, an outer sheath, and the aforementioned compression-resistant structure. The inner sheath is disposed outside the cable core. The outer sheath is disposed outside the inner sheath. The compression-resistant structure is disposed between the inner sheath and the outer sheath.

[0016] In a possible implementation:

[0017] An inner space is defined between one side of the compression-resistant structure close to the inner sheath and the inner sheath, and an outer space is defined between one side of the compression-resistant structure facing the outer sheath and the outer sheath;

[0018] Both ends of the compression-resistant structure are opposite and spaced apart to form a gap communicating the inner space and the outer space;

[0019] The outer sheath is provided with an opening for communicating the outer space and the external environment.

[0020] In a possible implementation:

[0021] The compression-resistant optical cable further includes a first water-blocking structure, and the first water-blocking structure is filled between the cable core and the inner sheath.

[0022] In a possible implementation:

[0023] The compression-resistant optical cable further includes a second water-blocking structure, and the second water-blocking structure is filled in the inner space formed between one side of the compression-resistant structure facing the inner sheath and the inner sheath.

[0024] In a third aspect, the present application provides a manufacturing method of a compression-resistant optical cable for manufacturing the aforementioned compression-resistant optical cable. The manufacturing method of the compression-resistant optical cable includes:

[0025] Providing a cable core, and covering an inner sheath outside the cable core to obtain a first-process product;

[0026] Providing the compression-resistant structure in an unfolded state, and simultaneously inputting the compression-resistant structure and the first-process product into a conical stranding die to wind the compression-resistant structure outside the first-process product, and making a plurality of first abutting plates of the compression-resistant structure abut against the inner sheath, and at the same time making the plurality of first abutting plates abut against each other along the circumferential direction of the cable core, and a plurality of second abutting plates are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the cable core, and then making the first-process product wound with the compression-resistant structure pass through a sizing die to make the compression-resistant structure fit on the first-process product, and obtaining a second-process product;

[0027] Covering an outer sheath outside the second-process product, and making the second abutting plates of the compression-resistant structure abut against the outer sheath to obtain the compression-resistant optical cable. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other related drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0029] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 2 Partial structural schematic diagram of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 3 Structural schematic diagram of a compressive structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 4 Structural schematic diagram of a compressive structure according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 5 Another partial structural schematic diagram of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 6 Flow chart of the manufacturing method of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application (one);

[0036] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of a compressive optical cable according to an embodiment of the present application (two).

[0037] Description of the main component symbols:

[0038] Compression-resistant optical cable 100 Compression-resistant structure 10 Support unit 21 First abutting plate 211 Side plate 212 Second abutting plate 22 Gap 23 Cable core 30 Cell unit 31 Cell conductor 311 Cell insulating layer 312 Optical fiber unit 32 Optical fiber body 321 Optical fiber insulating layer 322 Inner sheath 40 Outer sheath 50 Armor layer 51 Sheath layer 52 Opening 53 First water-blocking structure 61 Second water-blocking structure 62 Inner space 63 Outer space 64 First process product 65 Second process product 66 Tapered stranding die 67 Sizing die 68 Extrusion die 69 Hole-opening device 70 Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0039] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of them.

[0040] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may also be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. When an element is considered to be "disposed on" another element, it can be directly disposed on the other element or there may be an intermediate element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "or / and" used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0042] Some embodiments of this application will be described in detail. Without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0043] Some optical cables need to work in high-pressure environments such as deep-sea areas and need to be stably tied to deep-sea pipelines or equipment through clamps so that the gravity and disturbing force of the optical cable are offset by the clamps that tie the optical cable. When the optical cable works in this environment, it will bear a very high hydrostatic pressure. Some optical cables are prone to radial shrinkage under the hydrostatic pressure, resulting in the optical cable detaching from the clamp, making the clamp unable to apply a clamping force to the optical cable, and even causing the optical cable to slip off. During the slipping process, it will collide with other sharp structures and damage the sheath, affecting the normal operation of the optical cable in the deep-sea environment.

[0044] To improve the compressive performance of the optical cable, in a known technology of an applicant, an optical cable is prepared using a cable material with a small deformation amount. However, ordinary materials with a small deformation amount are also difficult to withstand both the deep-sea water pressure and the clamping force of the clamp, and still produce a large deformation, causing the optical cable to detach from the clamp.

[0045] In view of this, as Figures 1 - 4 shown, the embodiment of this application provides a compressive optical cable 100, which can withstand both the deep-sea water pressure and the clamping force of the clamp, and the deformation amount generated is extremely small and it is not easy to detach from the clamp, so that the compressive optical cable 100 can be stably and reliably fixed to a deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment under the clamping of the clamp, and extend the service life of the compressive optical cable 100 in the deep-sea environment. The following will be an exemplary description.

[0046] See Figure 1, this embodiment provides a compression-resistant optical cable 100, which includes a cable core 30, an inner sheath 40, an outer sheath 50, and a compression-resistant structure 10. The inner sheath 40 is disposed outside the cable core 30. The outer sheath 50 is disposed outside the inner sheath 40. The compression-resistant structure 10 is disposed between the inner sheath 40 and the outer sheath 50.

[0047] See Figure 1 , the cable core 30 includes a plurality of cell units 31 and a plurality of optical fiber units 32, which are made by stranding the plurality of cell units 31 and the plurality of optical fiber units 32. The cell unit 31 includes a cell conductor 311 and a cell insulating layer 312 covering the cell conductor 311. The optical fiber unit 32 includes an optical fiber body 321 and an optical fiber insulating layer 322 covering the optical fiber body 321. The number of cell units 31 can be set to 1, 2, 3, or more, and the number of optical fiber units 32 can be set to 1, 2, 3, or more. The specific number of both can be determined according to actual needs and does not need to be specifically limited.

[0048] In this embodiment, see Figure 1 , the compression-resistant optical cable 100 further includes a first water-blocking structure 61, and the first water-blocking structure 61 is disposed between the cable core 30 and the inner sheath 40. The first water-blocking structure 61 is filled between adjacent cell units 31 or optical fiber units 32. The first water-blocking structure 61 can be a room-temperature cross-linking water-blocking gel or other water-blocking structures such as a water-blocking tape.

[0049] The inner sheath 40 is extrusion-molded outside the cable core 30, and it can be extrusion-molded with a waterproof material.

[0050] See Figures 1 to 3 , the compression-resistant structure 10 includes a plurality of support units 21 and a plurality of second abutting plates 22. The plurality of support units 21 abut against each other in sequence along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath 40. The support unit 21 includes a first abutting plate 211 abutting against the inner sheath 40 and two side plates 212. The two side plates 212 are respectively connected to both ends of the first abutting plate 211. The ends of the two side plates 212 away from the first abutting plate 211 are spaced apart. The distance between the ends of the two side plates 212 away from the first abutting plate 211 is less than the distance between both ends of the first abutting plate 211. The plurality of second abutting plates 22 are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath 40. The plurality of second abutting plates 22 respectively abut against the outer sheath 50. Both ends of each second abutting plate 22 are respectively connected to the two adjacent side plates 212 that are close to each other of the two adjacent support units 21.

[0051] When the pressure-resistant optical cable 100 of this embodiment is in use, the pressure-resistant optical cable 100 is placed in a deep-sea environment and clamped to a deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment by a fixture. The hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force provided by the fixture are conducted to the pressure-resistant structure 10 through the outer sheath 50, and a radial pressure is applied to the second abutting plate 22 abutting against the outer sheath 50, so that the second abutting plate 22 has a tendency to approach the inner sheath 40 radially along the inner sheath 40, and a radial pressure is applied to the first abutting plates 211 of the two support units 21 through the two side plates 212 (belonging to two adjacent support units 21) at both ends thereof. Since the distance between the two side plates 212 away from the first abutting plate 211 is smaller than the distance between the two ends of the first abutting plate 211, the angles between the side plates 212 and the first abutting plate 211 and between the side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 are both acute angles. Thus, when the second abutting plate 22 applies a radial pressure to the first abutting plate 211 through the side plates 212, the angle between the side plates 212 and the first abutting plate 211 has a tendency to decrease. In this way, the connection between the first abutting plate 211 and the side plates 212 of two adjacent support units 21 has a tendency to approach each other. However, the two adjacent support units 21 of the pressure-resistant structure 10 of this embodiment abut against each other in sequence along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath 40, that is, there is no space between two adjacent support units 21 to allow them to approach each other further. As a result, the pressure-resistant structure 10 can still maintain a reliable and stable shape when bearing the hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force, which can not only prevent the cable core 30 from bearing the hydrostatic pressure and the clamping force, but also greatly reduce the deformation of the pressure-resistant structure 10, avoid the deformation of the pressure-resistant structure 10 after the long-term use of the pressure-resistant optical cable, and thus ensure that the pressure-resistant optical cable can be stably clamped to the deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment by the fixture, guaranteeing the binding reliability of the pressure-resistant optical cable.

[0052] Moreover, through the ingenious structural arrangement of the pressure-resistant structure 10 of this embodiment and in combination with the actual pressure-bearing environment of the optical cable, a relatively large and reliable pressure-resistant performance can be achieved with relatively thin, less and lighter materials, thereby reducing the cost of the pressure-resistant optical cable 100.

[0053] It can be understood that in this embodiment, a line contact or a surface contact is formed between the first abutting plate 211 and the inner sheath 40. A line contact or a surface contact is formed between the second abutting plate 22 and the outer sheath 50.

[0054] In this embodiment, the pressure-resistant structure 10 is bent from a thin plate by a corrugating process. By integrally processing the pressure-resistant structure 10 from a single thin plate, the pressure-resistant capabilities of the first abutting plate 211, the side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 can be improved, making it not easy to deform when bearing a large pressure, and thus ensuring the pressure-resistant performance of the pressure-resistant structure 10.

[0055] Optionally, the thin plate is a galvanized steel sheet, which has strong compressive performance. In other embodiments, the thin plate can also be made of other steel materials or materials with high strength.

[0056] Optionally, in this embodiment, the thicknesses of the first abutting plate 211, the side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 are all T, where 0.1 mm ≤ T ≤ 1 mm, and preferably 0.3 mm. It should be noted that the compressive strength of the first abutting plate 211, the side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 increases with the increase of their thickness. In this embodiment, the specific thicknesses of the above three can be determined according to the compressive requirements of the compressive structure 10 and the outer diameter of the compressive optical cable 100.

[0057] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 3 , when the compressive structure 10 is in the unfolded state, the first abutting plate 211, the two side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 are all flat plates, and the first abutting plate 211 is parallel to the second abutting plate 22. This can facilitate the formation of the compressive structure 10 by bending a thin plate. The surfaces of multiple first abutting plates 211 away from the second abutting plate 22 are located in the same plane, and the surfaces of multiple second abutting plates 22 away from the first abutting plate 211 are located in another plane. Adjacent first abutting plates 211 are arranged at intervals, and adjacent second abutting plates 22 are arranged at intervals. Since the outer diameter of the inner sheath 40 is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer sheath 50, thus, after the compressive structure 10 is bent around the inner sheath 40 and the adjacent support units 21 are abutted along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath 40, the angle between the first abutting plate 211 and the side plate 212 will slightly increase, the virtual circular perimeter formed by multiple second abutting plates 22 increases, while the total length of multiple second abutting plates 22 remains unchanged, so that the distance between adjacent second abutting plates 22 increases, thereby forming a stable and reliable self-locking structure. In other embodiments, referring to Figure 4 , one end of the side plate 212 is connected to the first abutting plate 211 with an arc transition, and the other end of the side plate 212 is connected to the second abutting plate 22 with an arc transition. Thus, the abutment of two adjacent support units 21 means that the connection between the first abutting plate 211 and the side plate 212 of one support unit 21 abuts against the connection between the first abutting plate 211 and the side plate 212 of another support unit 21. Obviously, the specific shapes of the first abutting plate 211, the side plates 212 and the second abutting plate 22 are not limited to the aforementioned straight plates, curved plates and other plate types, and their specific shapes can be determined according to actual compressive requirements.

[0058] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 3 and Figure 5, the spacing between two adjacent first abutting plates 211 and the spacing between two adjacent second abutting plates 22 are equal and both are s, the angles between the two side plates 212 and the first abutting plate 211 are equal and both are α, the vertical distance h between the first abutting plate 211 and the second abutting plate 22, the widths of the first abutting plate 211 and the second abutting plate 22 are equal and both are L, the outer diameter r of the inner sheath 40, and the number n of the support units 21 follow the following formula:

[0059]

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] Through the above formula, on the premise of knowing the outer diameter r of the inner sheath 40, the structural parameters of the compressive structure 10 in the unfolded state can be calculated, which is conducive to completing the processing process of the compressive structure 10.

[0063] In this embodiment, the angle range of α is from 30° to 75°. For example, α can be any one of 30°, 31°, 32°, 33°, 34°, 35°, 36°, 37°, 38°, 39°, 40°, 41°, 42°, 43°, 44°, 45°, 46°, 47°, 48°, 49°, 50°, 51°, 52°, 53°, 54°, 55°, 56°, 57°, 58°, 59°, 60°, 61°, 62°, 63°, 64°, 65°, 66°, 67°, 68°, 69°, 70°, 71°, 72°, 73°, 74°, 75°. If α is too large, it is easy to cause the vertical distance h between the first abutting plate 211 and the second abutting plate 22 to be too large, affecting the outer diameter requirement of the compressive optical cable 100; if α is too small, the compressive structure 10 is likely to be flattened under pressure, affecting the compressive performance of the compressive optical cable 100. Limiting α to between 30° and 75° can ensure the compressive performance of the compressive structure 10 on the premise of meeting the outer diameter requirement of the compressive optical cable 100. In this embodiment, α is 60° to form a relatively stable equilateral triangle structure, which has better compressive performance. Moreover, the angles between the two side plates 212 and the first abutting plate 211 are equal, so that the two side plates 212 can bear approximately the same pressure conducted by the first abutting plate 211, making the pressures borne by both sides of the support unit 21 relatively balanced, thereby improving the stability of the support unit 21 when bearing pressure and reducing the possibility of deformation of the support unit 21 after bearing pressure.

[0064] Of course, in other embodiments, the distances between two adjacent first abutting plates 211 and the distances between two adjacent second abutting plates 22 can also be set to be unequal, so that the angles between the two side plates 212 and the first abutting plates 211 are different, and the specific structural parameters of the compression-resistant structure 10 can be determined according to actual requirements.

[0065] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 1 , an inner space 63 is defined between one side of the compression-resistant structure 10 close to the inner sheath 40 and the inner sheath 40, and an outer space 64 is defined between one side of the compression-resistant structure 10 facing the outer sheath 50 and the outer sheath 50. The two ends of the compression-resistant structure 10 are opposite and spaced apart to form a gap 23 communicating the inner space 63 and the outer space 64. An opening 53 communicating the outer space 64 and the external environment is formed in the outer sheath 50. In this embodiment, the outer space 64 is jointly formed by the spaces between the respective support units 21 and the outer sheath 50, and the inner space 63 is jointly formed by the spaces between the respective second abutting plates 22 and the inner sheath 40.

[0066] When the compression-resistant optical cable 100 is in a use environment with greater hydrostatic pressure and clamping force, there is a certain risk of bending of the compression-resistant structure 10. In this embodiment, by providing a gap 23 in the compression-resistant structure 10 and an opening 53 in the outer sheath 50, seawater in the external environment can enter the outer space 64 from the opening 53, and the seawater in the outer space 64 can enter the inner space 63 from the gap 23. Thus, there is seawater on both sides of the compression-resistant structure 10 along the radial direction of the cable core 30, so that the seawater exerts pressure on both sides of the compression-resistant structure 10 along the radial direction, and further enables the hydrostatic pressure borne by the compression-resistant structure 10 to be relatively balanced, so that the compression-resistant optical cable 100 can still maintain a low deformation in a deeper seawater environment and achieve a good compression-resistant effect. Moreover, in this embodiment, although seawater can enter the inside of the compression-resistant structure 10, a first water-blocking structure 61 is provided inside the inner sheath 40, so as to ensure the waterproof effect of the cable core 30.

[0067] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 2 , second abutting plates 22 are respectively provided at both ends of the compression-resistant structure 10 in the unfolded state. After the compression-resistant structure 10 is wound around the inner sheath 40, the two second abutting plates 22 at both ends of the compression-resistant structure 10 can be spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the cable core 30 to form a gap 23, or can be spaced apart along the radial direction of the cable core 30 (i.e., one second abutting plate 22 is placed on another second abutting plate 22) to form a gap 23. In other embodiments, the first abutting plates 211 of the support units 21 at both ends of the compression-resistant structure 10 can also be connected to the adjacent second abutting plates 22 only through one side plate 212, so that after the compression-resistant structure 10 is wound around the inner sheath 40, the gap 23 is formed between the first abutting plates 211 at both ends of the compression-resistant structure 10.

[0068] In other embodiments, the compression-resistant structure 10 may not need to be provided with the gap 23, the outer protective layer 50 may not need to be provided with the opening 53, and the second water-blocking structure 62 may be filled in the inner space 63. The second water-blocking structure 62 can support the compression-resistant structure 10 from the inner side of the compression-resistant structure 10 to improve the compression resistance of the compression-resistant structure 10. The second water-blocking structure 62 may specifically be set as water-blocking glue or glass glue, etc.

[0069] In this embodiment, referring to Figure 1 , the outer protective layer 50 includes an armor layer 51 and a sheath layer 52. The armor layer 51 is provided on the outer side of the compression-resistant structure 10, the outer surface of the compression-resistant structure 10 abuts against the inner side of the armor layer 51, and the armor layer 51 is used to fix the compression-resistant structure 10 to the inner protective layer 40. The sheath layer 52 is provided on the outer side of the armor layer 51.

[0070] The armor layer 51 can tighten the compression-resistant structure 10 by pressing the second abutting plate 22, and the armor layer 51 has a certain compression resistance to reduce the pressure transmitted to the compression-resistant structure 10, thereby reducing the pressure borne by the compression-resistant structure 10 and reducing the deformation amount of the compression-resistant structure 10. The outer protective layer 50 can be extruded from a waterproof material on the outer side of the armor layer 51.

[0071] In this embodiment, a plurality of armor layers 51 are provided, and the plurality of armor layers 51 are spaced apart along the length direction of the cable core 30. In this way, it is beneficial for seawater to enter the outer space 64 on the side of the compression-resistant structure 10 facing the outer protective layer 50 from the gap 23 between two adjacent armor layers 51, and then enter the inner space 63 through the gap 23, facilitating the pressure balancing effect on both sides of the compression-resistant structure 10.

[0072] In this embodiment, the armor layer 51 can be formed by wrapping the compression-resistant structure with galvanized steel strips, or can be formed by wrapping the compression-resistant structure with steel wires. Using galvanized steel strips to form the armor layer 51, the galvanized steel strip coating can be carried out after the process of wrapping the compression-resistant structure 10 to improve the processing efficiency of the compression-resistant optical cable 100. Using steel wires to wrap and form the armor layer 51, a plurality of steel wires are respectively pressed against the compression-resistant structure 10, so that the armor layer 51 made of steel wires has a better binding effect on the compression-resistant structure 10 and a stronger ability to absorb seawater pressure, thereby further reducing the pressure borne by the compression-resistant structure 10.

[0073] Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , this embodiment also provides a manufacturing method of the compression-resistant optical cable 100 for manufacturing the aforementioned compression-resistant optical cable 100. The manufacturing method of the compression-resistant optical cable 100 includes:

[0074] Providing a cable core 30, and coating an inner protective layer 40 on the outer side of the cable core 30 to obtain a first process product 65;

[0075] Provide a compressive structure 10 in the deployed state. Input the compressive structure 10 and the first-process product 65 into the conical stranding die 67 simultaneously, so as to wind the compressive structure 10 around the outer side of the first-process product 65, and make multiple first abutting plates 211 of the compressive structure 10 abut against the inner sheath 40. At the same time, make multiple first abutting plates 211 of the compressive structure 10 abut against each other along the circumferential direction of the cable core 30. Multiple second abutting plates 22 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the cable core 30. Then, make the first-process product 65 wound with the compressive structure 10 pass through the sizing die 68, so that the compressive structure 10 fits onto the first-process product 65, and obtain the second-process product 66;

[0076] Cover the outer sheath 50 on the outer side of the second-process product 66, and make multiple second abutting plates 22 of the compressive structure 10 abut against the outer sheath 50 to obtain the compressive optical cable 100.

[0077] The compressive optical cable 100 manufactured by the manufacturing method of the compressive optical cable 100 according to this embodiment can simultaneously withstand the deep-sea water pressure and the clamping force of the fixture, and the amount of deformation generated is extremely small, so that the compressive optical cable 100 can be stably and reliably fixed to the deep-sea pipeline or deep-sea equipment under the clamping of the fixture, and extend the service life of the compressive optical cable 100 in the deep-sea environment. The following will be described exemplarily.

[0078] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 8 When winding the compressive structure 10, make one end of the compressive structure 10 overlap with the other end of the compressive structure 10 and form a gap 23. The step of covering the outer sheath 50 on the outer side of the second-process product 66 includes: winding the armor layer 51 on the outer side of the second-process product 66, and making the armor layer 51 tighten the compressive structure 10 on the first-process product 65; covering the sheath layer 52 on the outer side of the second-process product 66 wound with the armor layer 51 through the extrusion die 69. The sheath layer 52 and the armor layer 51 form the outer sheath 50, and an opening 53 communicating with the inner space 63 of the outer sheath 50 is opened in the outer sheath 50 through the opening device 70.

[0079] It can be understood that after forming the opening 53 and the gap 23, there is seawater on both sides of the compressive structure 10 along the radial direction of the cable core 30, so that the seawater applies pressure to both sides of the compressive structure 10 along the radial direction at the same time, thereby making the hydrostatic pressure borne by the compressive structure 10 relatively balanced, so that the compressive optical cable 100 can still maintain a low deformation in a deeper seawater environment and achieve a better compressive effect.

[0080] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application and not to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present application can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present application.

Claims

1. A compressive structure, characterized in that, The compressive structure can be bent into a ring shape and placed between the inner sheath and the outer sheath of the optical cable. The compressive structure includes: A plurality of support units, and the plurality of support units abut against each other in sequence along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath. Each support unit includes a first abutting plate abutting against the inner sheath and two side plates. The two side plates are respectively connected to two ends of the first abutting plate. The ends of the two side plates away from the first abutting plate are arranged at intervals, and the distance between the ends of the two side plates away from the first abutting plate is less than the distance between the two ends of the first abutting plate; A plurality of second abutting plates, and the plurality of second abutting plates are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner sheath. The plurality of second abutting plates respectively abut against the outer sheath, and two ends of each second abutting plate are respectively connected to two adjacent side plates that are close to each other of the plurality of support units.

2. The compressive structure according to claim 1, wherein: When the compressive structure is in an unfolded state, the first abutting plate, the two side plates and the second abutting plate are all flat plates. The first abutting plate is parallel to the second abutting plate, and adjacent first abutting plates are arranged at intervals, and adjacent second abutting plates are arranged at intervals.

3. The compressive structure according to claim 2, wherein: The distance between adjacent first abutting plates is equal to the distance between adjacent second abutting plates, and the angles between the two side plates and the first abutting plate are equal.

4. The compressive structure according to claim 1, wherein: The compressive structure is bent from a thin plate by a corrugating process.

5. The compressive structure according to claim 1, wherein: One end of the side plate is connected to the first abutting plate by an arc transition, and the other end of the side plate is connected to the second abutting plate by an arc transition.

6. A compressive optical cable, characterized in that, Comprising: A cable core; An inner sheath, and the inner sheath is arranged outside the cable core; An outer sheath, and the outer sheath is arranged outside the inner sheath; The compressive structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and the compressive structure is arranged between the inner sheath and the outer sheath.

7. The compressive optical cable according to claim 6, wherein: An inner space is defined between the side of the compressive structure close to the inner sheath and the inner sheath, and an outer space is defined between the side of the compressive structure facing the outer sheath and the outer sheath; Two ends of the compressive structure are opposite and arranged at intervals to form a gap communicating the inner space and the outer space; The outer sheath is provided with an opening for communicating the outer space and the external environment.

8. The compressive optical cable according to claim 7, wherein: The compressive optical cable further includes a first water-blocking structure, and the first water-blocking structure is filled between the cable core and the inner sheath.

9. The compressive optical cable according to claim 6, wherein: The compressive optical cable further includes a second water-blocking structure, and the second water-blocking structure is filled in the inner space formed between the side of the compressive structure facing the inner sheath and the inner sheath.

10. A manufacturing method of a compression-resistant optical cable, characterized in that, For manufacturing a compressive optical cable as described in any one of claims 6 to 9, the manufacturing method of the compressive optical cable comprises: Providing a cable core, and covering an inner sheath outside the cable core to obtain a first process product; Providing the compressive structure in an unfolded state, simultaneously inputting the compressive structure and the first process product into a conical stranding die to wind the compressive structure outside the first process product, and enabling a plurality of first abutting plates of the compressive structure to abut against the inner sheath, and simultaneously enabling the plurality of first abutting plates to abut against each other along the circumferential direction of the cable core, a plurality of second abutting plates are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the cable core, and then enabling the first process product wound with the compressive structure to pass through a sizing die to make the compressive structure fit the first process product, and obtaining a second process product; Covering an outer sheath outside the second process product, and enabling the second abutting plates of the compressive structure to abut against the outer sheath to obtain the compressive optical cable.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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