A fiber optic coiling method, fiber optic coil, and underwater electronic equipment.

Abstract

This invention relates to a fiber optic coiling method, a fiber optic coil, and an underwater electronic device. The method includes the following steps: coiling a pre-formed loop of optical fiber into the coiling groove of the fiber optic coil along its circumference in the same direction; when the length of the looped optical fiber is insufficient to complete a full circle within the coiling groove, coiling the remaining uncoiled optical fiber into the excess length control area of ​​the fiber optic coil. Because the pre-formed loop of optical fiber is coiled into the coiling groove of the fiber optic coil along its circumference in the same direction, both ends of the fiber are coiled into the groove in the same direction, preventing one end from entering and the other from exiting. Furthermore, when the final coiling is insufficient to complete a full circle, the fiber will form a small loop, which can then be coiled into the excess length control area. Therefore, this coiling method can be applied to optical fibers with both ends already fixed into loops.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber coiling technology, and particularly to an optical fiber coiling method, an optical fiber coil, and underwater electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, various underwater electronic, communication, and detection devices are developing rapidly, and the application of optical fibers in these electronic devices is also increasing. When optical fibers are stored inside electronic devices, a certain amount of excess length is generally required. This excess length needs to be coiled in an orderly manner and reliably protected.

[0003] For land-based electronic equipment, the space is generally large, and when coiling the fiber, one end usually has a plug such as an SC / LC connector. When coiling the fiber, the plug at one end of the fiber is in a free state, so coiling the fiber is often not difficult and a single fiber can be coiled in a spiral shape.

[0004] For underwater electronic equipment, especially those used on the seabed, the size should not be too large and the internal space should be relatively compact. Fiber optic cable winding generally requires a minimum bending radius of 30mm, otherwise it will increase the loss of optical signals.

[0005] In related technologies, for electronic devices in certain special scenarios, such as underwater electronic devices, both ends of the optical fiber are fixed when the fiber is coiled. Since both ends of the optical fiber are fixed and cannot move freely, if the single optical fiber spiral coiling method used on land is adopted, one end will be wound in, which is equivalent to the other end being unwound. Therefore, the fiber coiling solution used for land-based electronic devices is often not feasible.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to design a new fiber optic coiling method, fiber optic coil, and underwater electronic equipment to overcome the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a fiber optic coiling method, a fiber optic coil, and an underwater electronic device to solve the problem in related technologies where both ends of the fiber optic cable are fixed, making it impossible to operate the fiber coiling solution using land-based electronic devices.

[0008] In a first aspect, a method for coiling optical fibers is provided, comprising the following steps: coiling the formed ring-shaped optical fiber into the coiling groove of the optical fiber coil along the circumference of the optical fiber coil in the same direction; when the length of the ring-shaped optical fiber is insufficient to coil a full circle in the coiling groove, coiling the remaining uncoiled optical fiber into the excess length control area of ​​the optical fiber coil.

[0009] In some embodiments, the step of winding the already formed ring-shaped optical fiber into the fiber tray groove of the optical fiber tray along the circumference of the optical fiber tray in the same direction includes: starting from both ends of the optical fiber, winding the front half and the rear half of the optical fiber together into the fiber tray groove in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the excess length control area is provided with at least three excess length coiling paths, and the lengths of the at least three excess length coiling paths are different. The fiber coiling method further includes: when the fiber breaks and is refused, coiling the fiber into an excess length coiling path that is shorter than the excess length coiling path coiled before the fiber breaks and is refused.

[0011] In some embodiments, the step of winding the remaining unwinding optical fiber into the excess length control area along the excess length winding path includes winding the remaining unwinding optical fiber into the excess length control area in a reverse figure-eight pattern.

[0012] Secondly, an optical fiber disk for the above-mentioned optical fiber coiling method is provided, comprising: a disk body, wherein the disk body is provided with a coiling structure, the coiling structure forming a circular coiling groove; the disk body is provided with an excess length control region and a non-fiber-laying region on the inner side of the coiling structure, the coiling groove surrounding the excess length control region and the non-fiber-laying region; the excess length control region is provided with an excess length coiling path.

[0013] In some embodiments, the excess length control area is provided with at least three excess length fiber paths, and the lengths of the at least three excess length fiber paths are different.

[0014] In some embodiments, the excess length control area is provided with multiple fiber blocking structures, and the multiple fiber blocking structures are arranged at intervals along an arc to form the excess length coiling path, and the bending radius of the arc is greater than or equal to 30mm.

[0015] In some embodiments, the excess length control region and the non-fiber region are distributed on opposite sides of the axis of the fiber tray.

[0016] In some embodiments, the excess fiber path includes at least two arc-shaped paths, which are connected to each other and have opposite bending directions.

[0017] Thirdly, an underwater electronic device is provided, which includes the aforementioned fiber optic disk.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this invention include:

[0019] This invention provides a fiber optic coiling method, a fiber optic coil, and an underwater electronic device. Because the pre-formed looped fiber is coiled into the coiling groove of the fiber optic coil along the circumference of the coil, with both ends of the fiber coiled in the same direction, there is no situation where one end is coiled in while the other end is not. Furthermore, when the final coiling is insufficient to form a complete loop, the fiber will form a small loop, which can then be coiled into the remaining length control area. Therefore, this coiling method can be applied to fiber optics with both ends already fixed into loops. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A top view schematic diagram of an optical fiber disk provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the fiber coiled within the excess length control area provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the optical fiber disk provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 A simplified schematic diagram of an optical fiber tray inserted into an optical fiber tray according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a simplified schematic diagram of three excess fiber path configurations provided in embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] In the picture:

[0027] 1. Disc body;

[0028] 2. Fiber coil structure; 21. Outer ring plate; 22. Inner ring plate; 23. Fiber inlet; 24. Anti-detachment boss; 25. Arc-shaped misalignment plate; 26. Opening;

[0029] 3. Fiber tray; 4. Excess length control area; 41. Excess length fiber tray path; 42. Fiber blocking structure; 5. Non-fiber-laying area; 6. Fiber. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] This invention provides a fiber optic coiling method, a fiber optic coil, and an underwater electronic device, which can solve the problem in related technologies where both ends of the fiber are fixed, making it impossible to operate the fiber coiling scheme of land-based electronic devices.

[0032] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a method for optical fiber coiling, which may include the following steps:

[0033] Step 1: The entire looped optical fiber 6 is wound into the fiber tray groove 3 of the optical fiber tray along the circumference of the tray. It should be understood that the looped optical fiber 6 here can be a single optical fiber 6 with both ends fixed by fusion splicing, so that both ends of the optical fiber 6 are in a non-free state and cannot move freely, thus forming a loop. The winding of the entire looped optical fiber 6 can be understood as treating the entire looped optical fiber 6 as a single strand of optical fiber 6 with one end fixed and the other free, and winding this strand of optical fiber 6 together into the fiber tray groove 3 in the same direction.

[0034] Step 2: When the length of the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 is insufficient to complete a full circle in the fiber tray 3, the remaining un-coiled optical fiber 6 is coiled into the excess length control area 4 of the optical fiber tray.

[0035] In this embodiment, since the optical fiber 6, which has already formed a ring, is wound into the fiber tray 3 of the optical fiber tray along the circumference of the optical fiber tray in the same direction, both ends of the optical fiber 6 are wound into the fiber tray 3 in the same direction, and there will be no situation where one end is wound into the tray and the other end is wound out. When it is not enough to form a complete circle, the optical fiber 6 will form a small ring. The remaining small ring can then be wound into the excess length control area 4. Therefore, this fiber winding method can be applied to the optical fiber 6, which has been fixed into a ring at both ends.

[0036] Furthermore, since both ends of the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 are fixed, forming a ring, during the actual fiber coiling process, due to the obstruction of other structural components, it is not possible to cross the axis of the optical fiber disk along the diameter direction. If the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 adopts the spiral coiling method of a single optical fiber 6 on land in related technologies, it is necessary to cross the axis of the optical fiber disk during the coiling process, which makes it impossible to coil the fiber. Compared with the spiral coiling method of a single optical fiber 6 along the circumferential direction, the fiber coiling method provided in this embodiment can coil the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 as a whole, rather than a single fiber, into the fiber coiling groove 3 in the same direction. During the fiber coiling process, the operation is always carried out in the circumferential direction. It is not necessary to cross the axis of the optical fiber disk with the ring-shaped optical fiber 6, nor is it necessary to pass through the non-fiber-laying area 5 on the optical fiber disk. It can realize the storage of optical fibers 6 that are fixed at both ends and fused into a ring in a small and compact space.

[0037] Further, see Figure 4As shown, the step of winding the already formed ring-shaped optical fiber 6 into the fiber tray 3 of the optical fiber tray along the circumference of the optical fiber tray can include: starting from both ends of the optical fiber 6, winding the front half and the rear half of the optical fiber 6 together into the fiber tray 3 in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. In this embodiment, the optical fiber tray may be provided with a fiber inlet 23, which is connected to the fiber tray 3. Both ends of the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 can enter the fiber tray 3 together from the fiber inlet 23 and be wound together in the same direction (e.g., clockwise) into the fiber tray 3. Since both ends of the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 are fixed, after the front and rear halves of the optical fiber 6 are combined, the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 can be regarded as a single optical fiber 6 with one end fixed and the other end free. Starting from both ends of the optical fiber 6, the front and rear halves of the optical fiber 6 are gradually coiled together into the fiber winding groove 3 in the same direction. The small loops that are not large enough to complete a full circle in the fiber winding groove 3 are located in the region approximately in the middle of the entire optical fiber 6. It should be understood that in this embodiment, the length of the front half and the length of the rear half can be half the length of the entire optical fiber 6, or they can be of different lengths, such as the front half being longer or shorter than the rear half.

[0038] See Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the excess length control region 4 is provided with at least three excess length coiling paths 41, and the lengths of the at least three excess length coiling paths 41 are different. The fiber coiling method further includes: after the fiber 6 is broken and refused, coiling the fiber 6 into an excess length coiling path 41 that is shorter than the excess length coiling path 41 coiled before the breakage and refusion. In practical use, especially in the optical path of underwater electronic equipment, the splicing of fiber 6 is usually involved. After the fiber 6 is spliced, performance testing is required, and it is generally difficult to guarantee success on the first try. Therefore, the excess length of fiber 6 usually needs to meet the coiling adjustment space for three splicing failures. Since the length of optical fiber 6 is shortened each time it is refused after a fiber break, this embodiment sets up multiple excess length coiling paths 41 with different lengths in the excess length control area 4. Each time the fiber breaks and is refused, the optical fiber 6 can be coiled into a shorter excess length coiling path 41, so that the excess length coiling path 41 is more matched with the length of optical fiber 6 after each fiber break and refusion. By planning at least three excess length coiling paths 41, the requirements of three fiber break and refusion of optical fiber 6 can be met.

[0039] See Figure 2 As shown, in some optional embodiments, the step of winding the remaining unwinded optical fiber 6 into the excess length control area 4 along the excess length winding path 41 may include: winding the remaining unwinded optical fiber 6 into the excess length control area 4 in a reverse figure-eight pattern. The excess length winding path 41 can be designed in a reverse figure-eight shape to allow the tail end of the looped optical fiber 6 to be laid smoothly, ensuring that the bending radius is not less than 30mm.

[0040] This invention also provides an optical fiber disk for the above-described optical fiber coiling method, which may include: a disk body 1, wherein the disk body 1 is provided with a coiling structure 2, the coiling structure 2 forming a circular coiling groove 3, wherein the coiling structure 2 may include an outer ring plate 21 and an inner ring plate 22 coaxially arranged, and the outer ring plate 21 and the inner ring plate 22 are arranged radially spaced to form the coiling groove 3, and the fiber inlet 23 is provided on the outer ring plate 21; the disk body 1 has an excess length control region 4 and a non-fiber-laying region 5 on the inner side of the coiling structure 2, and the coiling groove 3 surrounds the excess length control region 4 and the non-fiber-laying region 5. In this embodiment, the inner side of the inner ring plate 22 forms the excess length control region 4 and the non-fiber-laying region 5; the excess length control region 4 is provided with an excess length coiling path 41. A complete loop of optical fiber 6 can be coiled into the coiling groove 3 along the circumferential direction, and the remaining portion that is not a complete loop can be coiled into the excess length control region 4 along the excess length coiling path 41. Furthermore, using the fiber coiling method in this embodiment, the looped optical fiber 6 does not need to pass through the non-fiber-coated region 5.

[0041] Further, see Figure 5 As shown, the excess length control area 4 can be configured with at least three excess length coiling paths 41, and the lengths of the at least three excess length coiling paths 41 are different. This embodiment sets up multiple excess length coiling paths 41 with different lengths to consider fiber length control after fiber fusion failure. After each fiber breakage and refusion, the fiber can be coiled into different excess length coiling paths 41. Multiple excess length coiling paths 41 with different lengths can meet the excess length control requirements of three fiber breakage and refusion cycles.

[0042] See Figure 5 As shown, preferably, at least three of the excess fiber paths 41 can partially overlap. That is, some of the multiple excess fiber paths 41 overlap and some do not overlap. Setting the paths to partially overlap can reduce the space occupied by the multiple excess fiber paths 41, while the partial non-overlapping paths can achieve different lengths for the three excess fiber paths 41.

[0043] See Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the excess length control region 4 is provided with multiple fiber-blocking structures 42. These multiple fiber-blocking structures 42 are spaced apart along an arc to form the excess length coiling path 41, and the bending radius of this arc is greater than or equal to 30mm, to ensure that the bending radius of the optical fiber 6 after being coiled into the excess length control region 4 is not less than 30mm. The fiber-blocking structure 42 can be a cylinder or an arc-shaped plate to better adapt to the bent optical fiber 6.

[0044] Further, see Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments, the excess length control region 4 and the non-fiber-laying region 5 are distributed on opposite sides of the axis of the fiber tray 3. In this embodiment, the axis of the fiber tray 3 is preferably the axis of the fiber optic disc, that is, the fiber tray 3 and the fiber optic disc are coaxially arranged. The non-fiber-laying region 5 can be a fiber-restricted area. Since the excess length control region 4 is arranged on one side of the axis of the fiber tray 3, the last small portion of the annular fiber 6 coiled into the excess length control region 4 does not need to cross the axis of the fiber tray 3.

[0045] See Figure 5 As shown, in some optional embodiments, the excess fiber path 41 may include at least two arc-shaped paths, which are connected to each other and have opposite bending directions, so that the excess fiber path 41 forms an inverted figure-eight shape.

[0046] Preferred, see Figure 3 As shown, the fiber coil structure 2 is provided with staggered anti-detachment protrusions 24 to prevent the optical fiber 6 from detaching from the fiber coil groove 3. The anti-detachment protrusions 24 can be disposed on the outer ring plate 21, with multiple anti-detachment protrusions 24 spaced apart along the circumference. The inner ring plate 22, corresponding to the position of the anti-detachment protrusions 24, can be provided with an arc-shaped misalignment plate 25 that bends and extends away from the side of the anti-detachment protrusions 24. The bending direction of the arc-shaped misalignment plate 25 is opposite to the bending direction of the inner ring plate 22, and a gap is formed between the arc-shaped misalignment plate 25 and the anti-detachment protrusions 24. The arrangement of the arc-shaped misalignment plate 25 facilitates the placement of the optical fiber 6 into the fiber coil groove 3.

[0047] The inner ring plate 22 can be provided with two openings 26, which are spaced apart. The openings 26 connect the excess length control area 4 with the fiber tray 3. The front half and the rear half of the ring-shaped optical fiber 6 can be coiled into the excess length control area 4 through the two openings 26 respectively. Of course, they can also enter the excess length control area 4 through the same opening 26.

[0048] This invention also provides an underwater electronic device, which may include the aforementioned fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable in this embodiment may be any of the fiber optic cables provided in the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0049] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0050] It should be noted that in this invention, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0051] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A method of spooling optical fiber, comprising: It comprises the following steps: Disc the whole formed annular optical fiber (6) along the circumference of the optical fiber disc into the disc fiber groove (3) of the optical fiber disc; When the length of the annular optical fiber (6) is not enough to disc a whole circle in the disc fiber groove (3), disc the remaining un-disced optical fiber (6) into the excess length control area (4) of the optical fiber disc; The excess length control area (4) is provided with at least three excess length disc fiber paths (41), the lengths of the at least three excess length disc fiber paths (41) are different, the excess length disc fiber paths (41) comprise at least two arc-shaped paths, the at least two arc-shaped paths are connected to each other, and the bending directions of the at least two arc-shaped paths are opposite, and the optical fiber disc method further comprises: After the optical fiber (6) is broken and remelted, disc the optical fiber (6) into an excess length disc fiber path (41) shorter than the excess length disc fiber path (41) disced before the optical fiber (6) is broken and remelted.

2. The method of Claim 1 wherein, The discing of the whole formed annular optical fiber (6) along the circumference of the optical fiber disc into the disc fiber groove (3) of the optical fiber disc comprises: Taking the two ends of the optical fiber (6) as the starting position, disc the front half of the optical fiber (6) together with the rear half of the optical fiber (6) into the disc fiber groove (3) along the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

3. The method of Claim 1 wherein, The discing of the remaining un-disced optical fiber (6) along the excess length disc fiber path (41) into the excess length control area (4) comprises: Disc the remaining un-disced optical fiber (6) into the excess length control area (4) in the form of an inverted eight.

4. A fiber optic spool for use in the method of claim 1, wherein, It comprises: A disc body (1) provided with a disc fiber structure (2) surrounding a disc fiber groove (3) in the form of a circular ring; The disc body (1) is provided with an excess length control area (4) and a non-disc fiber area (5) on the inner side of the disc fiber structure (2), and the disc fiber groove (3) surrounds the excess length control area (4) and the non-disc fiber area (5) outside; The excess length control area (4) is provided with an excess length disc fiber path (41).

5. The optical fiber disc according to claim 4, characterized in that: The excess length control area (4) is provided with a plurality of fiber blocking structures (42), and the plurality of fiber blocking structures (42) are arranged along an arc line to form the excess length disc fiber path (41), and the bending radius of the arc line is greater than or equal to 30 mm.

6. The optical fiber disc according to claim 4, characterized in that: The excess length control area (4) and the non-disc fiber area (5) are distributed on opposite sides of the axis of the disc fiber groove (3).

7. An underwater electronic device, characterized by It comprises the optical fiber disc according to any one of claims 4-6.

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