Air-blowing optical fiber, coating mold, coating device and preparation method of air-blowing optical fiber

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical fibers, and provides an air-blowing optical fiber, a coating mold, a coating device and a preparation method of the air-blowing optical fiber. The intermediate coating coats the surface of the optical fiber body; the flow guide layer is fixed on the middle coating, a plurality of flow guide grooves are formed in the flow guide layer, and the plurality of flow guide grooves penetrate through the flow guide layer along the length direction of the optical fiber body; the plurality of diversion trenches are uniformly distributed, so that the optical fiber body is uniformly stressed, and the high-speed airflow does not generate extra stress on the optical fiber body. According to the invention, a plurality of gas diversion trench structures are adopted and are uniformly distributed, and the diversion trenches which are geometrically and uniformly distributed do not generate additional stress on the optical fiber in the use process, so that the transmission performance of the optical fiber is prevented from being influenced. The laying efficiency of the air-blowing optical fiber can be effectively improved, the blowing distance is longer, and the construction cost is lower. When a single optical fiber breaks down, the faulted optical fiber can be replaced by directionally replacing the single optical fiber, the maintenance process is simple, and the maintenance cost is low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of optical fiber technology, and in particular to an air-blown optical fiber, a coating mold, a coating device, and a method for preparing the air-blown optical fiber. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of information networks and the growth of data traffic, the demand for the construction and laying of optical fiber cables is increasing. Optical fiber cables are usually laid in pipelines. As the demand increases, more pipelines are needed to carry them. However, pipeline construction generally requires a construction period of more than two years. The construction is difficult, and the new pipeline network must avoid existing pipelines. The construction and laying have a wide impact, high investment, and great coordination difficulties.

[0003] At present, the two main methods used are air-blown optical cables and air-blown optical fibers to reduce the volume of optical fiber cables, increase the density of optical fiber laying, and use existing pipeline resources to increase the communication capacity of optical fiber cables, so as to improve the construction efficiency of new pipeline networks and significantly reduce construction investment.

[0004] The principle of air-blown optical cable is to use high-pressure airflow to blow the optical cable into the pre-buried silicon core tube. This process is achieved by a cable blowing machine, which blows high-pressure, high-speed compressed air into the silicon core tube. The high-pressure airflow pushes the air-sealing piston, thereby forming a settable uniform tension on the optical cable. At the same time, the hydraulic crawler conveying mechanism of the cable blowing machine clamps the optical cable and conveys it forward, forming a conveying force. The combined effect of the pulling force and the conveying force allows the inserted optical cable to quickly travel through the pipeline in a suspended state along with the high-speed airflow.

[0005] The principle of the air-blown fiber optic system is similar. It uses compressed air to blow the optical fiber into the micro-ducts in the building. This method has unparalleled flexibility compared to traditional fiber optic systems. Using micro-ducts of different diameters, different blowing distances can be achieved. The minimum bending radius of a single micro-duct in an indoor environment is also clearly specified, ensuring the effective laying of optical fiber.

[0006] However, whether air-blown optical cable or air-blown optical fiber is used, there are certain structural defects. Air-blown optical cable is affected by the cable structure. Although the cable structure size and weight are reduced compared to ordinary optical cables, it still occupies a large pipeline space. Air-blown optical fiber is affected by the optical fiber structure, the construction is difficult, and the air-blown laying distance is limited.

[0007] It can be seen that the existing air-blown optical fiber is limited by its own structure, has a short blowing distance, is still difficult to construct, has low laying efficiency, and has high maintenance costs and difficulties during the operation stage. Summary of the invention

[0008] The purpose of the present application is to provide an air-blown optical fiber, a coating mold, a coating device and a method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber, so as to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the air-blown optical fiber is limited by its own structure, has a short blowing distance, is still difficult to construct, has low laying efficiency, and has high maintenance costs and difficulties during the operation stage.

[0009] Based on this, on the first aspect, the present application provides an air-blown optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber body; an intermediate coating, coated on the surface of the optical fiber body; a guide layer, fixed on the intermediate coating, and provided with a plurality of guide grooves on the guide layer, and the plurality of guide grooves penetrate the guide layer along the length direction of the optical fiber body; the plurality of guide grooves are evenly distributed on the guide layer, so that the optical fiber body is evenly stressed, and the high-speed airflow does not generate additional stress on the optical fiber body.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the plurality of guide grooves have the same shape and size; each guide groove has an opening, and the plurality of openings are located on the surface of the guide layer.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the cross-sectional profile size of the guide groove gradually increases along the direction from the opening to the inside of the guide groove.

[0012] In a possible implementation, a plurality of guide grooves are spirally arranged on the guide layer.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the number of the plurality of guide grooves is three.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the intermediate coating includes an inner coating and an outer coating; the inner coating is coated on the surface of the optical fiber body, and the outer coating is coated on the surface of the inner coating.

[0015] In a second aspect, the present application provides a coating mold, which is applied to the above-mentioned air-blown optical fiber, comprising an inner mold and a mold base, wherein the mold base has a cavity inside, and the inner mold is fixed in the cavity; the inner mold comprises an introduction mold, an inner coating mold, an outer coating mold and a flow guide mold, wherein the introduction mold, the inner coating mold, the outer coating mold and the flow guide mold are concentrically arranged, and the inner coating mold is sleeved on part of the introduction mold, the outer coating mold is sleeved on part of the inner coating mold, and the flow guide mold is sleeved on part of the outer coating mold;

[0016] The inner coating mold is provided with an inner coating feeding pipeline, the outer coating mold is provided with an outer coating feeding pipeline, and the flow guide mold is provided with a flow guide layer feeding pipeline.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the mold base includes an introduction mold base and a coating mold base, and the introduction mold base is fixedly connected to the coating mold base; a coating protection air duct is provided on the introduction mold base, and the coating protection air duct is connected to the cavity; an inner coating supply pipe, an outer coating supply pipe and a guide layer supply pipe are provided on the coating mold base, the inner coating supply pipe is connected to the inner coating feed pipe, the outer coating supply pipe is connected to the outer coating feed pipe, and the guide layer supply pipe is connected to the guide layer feed pipe.

[0018] On the other hand, the present application provides a coating device, including the above-mentioned coating mold.

[0019] On the other hand, the present application provides a method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber, which is applied to the above-mentioned air-blown optical fiber, comprising: coating an intermediate coating on the optical fiber body through a coating mold, and then coating a guide layer on the intermediate coating, wherein a guide groove is formed when the guide layer is coated; curing the coated optical fiber through a curing unit; and measuring and compensating the cured optical fiber.

[0020] The beneficial effects of an air-blown optical fiber, a coating mold, a coating device, and a method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber provided by the present application are at least that: the present application adopts a plurality of gas guide groove structures and distributes them evenly. During use, the geometrically evenly distributed guide grooves will not generate additional stress on the optical fiber, thereby avoiding affecting the performance of optical fiber transmission. It can effectively improve the laying efficiency of air-blown optical fiber, with a longer blowing distance and lower construction cost. When a single optical fiber fails, the faulty optical fiber can be replaced by directional replacement of the single optical fiber, and the maintenance process is simple and the maintenance cost is low. It solves the technical problems in the prior art that air-blown optical fiber is limited by its own structure, has a short blowing distance, is still difficult to construct, has low laying efficiency, and has high maintenance cost and difficulty during the operation stage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an air-blown optical fiber in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of an inner mold of a coating mold in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an inner mold of a coating mold in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of a coating mold in an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a coating device in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 6 It is a schematic flow chart of a method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber in an embodiment of the present application.

[0027] In the figure: 1. optical fiber body; 2. inner coating; 3. outer coating; 4. guide layer; 5. guide groove; 6. introduction mold; 7. inner coating mold; 8. outer coating mold; 9. guide mold; 10. introduction hole; 11. inner coating hole; 12. outer coating hole; 13. guide coating hole; 15. inner mold; 16. inner coating supply pipeline; 17. outer coating supply pipeline; 18. guide layer supply pipeline; 21. coating mold base; 22. inner coating supply pipeline interface; 23. outer coating supply pipeline interface; 24. guide layer supply pipeline interface; 25. introduction mold base; 26. coating protection airway interface; 28. curing unit; 29. ​​upper positioning wheel; 30. twisting wheel; 31. lower positioning wheel; 32. diameter gauge; 33. compensation wheel; 34. base; 35. tension wheel; 36. traction machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The technical solution of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in the field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0029] In today's era of popular network information, people's demand for high-speed and stable networks is increasing. Fiber-optic communication has become one of the best communication transmission methods due to its large bandwidth and low latency. With the rapid development of information networks and the growth of data traffic, the demand for the construction and laying of optical fiber cables is increasing. Optical fiber cables are usually laid in pipelines. As the number of demands increases, more pipelines are needed to carry them. However, pipeline construction generally requires a construction period of more than two years. The construction is difficult, and the new pipeline network must avoid existing laid pipelines. The construction and laying have a wide impact range, high investment, and great coordination difficulty.

[0030] At present, the two main methods of air-blown optical cable and air-blown optical fiber are used to reduce the volume of optical fiber cables, increase the density of optical fiber laying, and use existing pipeline resources to increase the communication capacity of optical fiber cables, so as to improve the construction efficiency of new pipeline networks and significantly reduce construction investment. The principle of air-blown optical cable is to blow the optical cable into the pre-buried silicon core tube by blowing high-pressure airflow. This process is achieved by a cable blowing machine, which blows high-pressure and high-speed compressed air into the silicon core tube. The high-pressure airflow pushes the air-sealed piston, thereby forming a settable uniform tension on the optical cable. At the same time, the hydraulic crawler conveying mechanism of the cable blowing machine clamps the optical cable and conveys it forward, forming a conveying force. The combined effect of the pulling force and the conveying force allows the inserted optical cable to quickly travel in the pipeline in a suspended state along with the high-speed airflow. The principle of the air-blown optical fiber system is similar. It uses compressed air to blow the optical fiber into the micro-tube in the building. This method has flexibility that traditional optical fiber systems cannot match. Using micro-tubes of different diameters can achieve different blowing distances, and the minimum bending radius of a single micro-tube in an indoor environment is also clearly specified, ensuring the effective laying of optical fiber.

[0031] However, both air-blown optical cables and air-blown optical fibers have certain structural defects. Air-blown optical cables are affected by the optical cable structure. Although the size and weight of the optical cable structure are reduced compared to ordinary optical cables, the space occupied by the pipeline is still large. Air-blown optical fibers are affected by the optical fiber structure, and the air-blown laying distance is limited. In addition, the maintenance cost is high and difficult during the operation stage.

[0032] Therefore, the present application embodiment provides an air-blown optical fiber, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes: an optical fiber body 1, an intermediate coating and a guide layer 4. Among them, the intermediate coating is coated on the surface of the optical fiber body 1. The guide layer 4 is fixed on the intermediate coating, and a plurality of guide grooves 5 are provided on the guide layer 4. The plurality of guide grooves 5 penetrate the guide layer 4 along the length direction of the optical fiber body 1. The plurality of guide grooves 5 are evenly distributed on the guide layer 4, so that the optical fiber body 1 is evenly stressed, and the high-speed airflow does not generate additional stress on the optical fiber body 1.

[0033] The optical fiber body 1 refers to an optical fiber, also called an optical cable or an optical fiber, which is a fiber made of glass or plastic and can be used as a light transmission tool. It is widely used in the field of data communications as a carrier for information transmission.

[0034] In this embodiment, an intermediate coating is applied on the surface of the optical fiber body 1. The intermediate coating completely covers the optical fiber body 1, and the guide layer 4 is fixedly arranged on the intermediate coating and can completely cover the intermediate coating. In addition to protecting the optical fiber body 1 from damage, the intermediate coating also serves as the basis of the guide layer 4 and provides support for the guide layer 4.

[0035] In one embodiment, the intermediate coating may partially cover the optical fiber body 1, and the guide layer 4 may also partially cover the intermediate coating.

[0036] The multiple guide grooves 5 are used for gas diversion. When the high-pressure gas passes through the multiple guide grooves 5, the force acting on the optical fiber is balanced. The force of the high-pressure gas flow acting on the multiple guide grooves 5 causes the combination of the optical fiber body 1, the intermediate coating and the guide layer 4 (i.e., the air-blown optical fiber) to move at high speed along the direction of the high-pressure gas flow. Since the multiple guide grooves 5 are evenly distributed on the guide layer 4, the force acting on the above combination in the radial direction of the combination is in a balanced state, that is, the force of the high-speed gas flow through the multiple guide grooves 5 on the combination only includes the propulsion force along the direction of the high-speed gas flow, while the radial force acting on the combination is in a balanced state, so that the combination is in a suspended state in the optical fiber pipeline and moves at high speed along the direction of the high-speed gas flow.

[0037] The shapes of the plurality of guide grooves 5 can be set according to the aerodynamic principle and can facilitate the effect of driving the assembly to move at high speed.

[0038] In this embodiment, an intermediate coating is provided to protect the optical fiber body 1 from being damaged by other objects when it travels at high speed in the optical fiber pipeline. A guide layer 4 with a guide groove 5 is provided on the intermediate coating, which can increase the force of the high-speed airflow on the optical fiber body 1 and make the force act on the optical fiber body 1 continuously, thereby realizing the continuous high-speed travel of the optical fiber body 1 in the optical fiber pipeline.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the present application adopts a plurality of gas guide grooves 5 structure and distributes them evenly. During use, the geometrically evenly distributed guide grooves 5 will not generate additional stress on the optical fiber, thus avoiding affecting the performance of optical fiber transmission. It can effectively improve the laying efficiency of air-blown optical fiber, with a longer blowing distance and lower construction cost. When a single optical fiber fails, the faulty optical fiber can be replaced by directional replacement of the single optical fiber, and the maintenance process is simple and the maintenance cost is low. It solves the technical problems in the prior art that air-blown optical fiber is limited by its own structure, has a short blowing distance, is still difficult to construct, has low laying efficiency, and has high maintenance cost and difficulty during the operation stage.

[0040] In one embodiment, the plurality of guide grooves 5 have the same shape and size. Each guide groove 5 has an opening, and the plurality of openings are located on the surface of the guide layer 4 .

[0041] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of guide grooves 5 are arranged on the guide layer 4, and the openings of the plurality of guide grooves 5 are located on the outer surface of the guide layer 4. The shapes and sizes of the plurality of guide grooves 5 are the same, so as to make the air-blown optical fiber balanced in force. The plurality of guide grooves 5 evenly distributed on the guide layer 4 are acted upon by the high-speed airflow, driving the air-blown optical fiber to move. The plurality of guide grooves 5 with the same shape and size are acted upon by the same radial force of the high-speed airflow, but the radial force directions of each guide groove 5 are different. The evenly distributed plurality of guide grooves 5 can make the radial forces offset each other, thereby making the air-blown optical fiber in a state of force balance. In the process of the air-blown optical fiber moving in the optical fiber pipeline, the air-blown optical fiber can approximately only be acted upon in the direction of the high-speed airflow. In this way, the air-blown optical fiber moves faster and longer in the optical fiber pipeline, and the optical fiber laying efficiency is higher.

[0042] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional profile size of the guide groove 5 gradually increases along the direction from the opening to the inside of the guide groove 5 .

[0043] Specifically, the cross-sectional profile of the guide groove 5 gradually increases from the surface of the guide layer 4 inward, that is, the opening of the guide groove 5 is narrow and the inside gradually becomes wider, and the inner wall of the guide groove 5 is in a smooth curve during the gradual change process. This can reduce the wind resistance of the high-speed airflow when it flows through the guide groove 5, and can improve the transmission efficiency of the high-speed airflow to the air-blown optical fiber.

[0044] In one embodiment, the opening of the guide groove 5 is provided with a chamfer at the outer surface of the guide layer 4. The bottom of the guide groove 5 is close to the middle coating.

[0045] The inner wall of the guide groove 5 is elliptical, that is, the inner diameter of the cross section of the guide groove 5 gradually increases from the opening of the guide groove 5 to the inside of the guide groove 5, the inner diameter of the cross section of the guide groove 5 in the middle of the guide layer 4 is the largest, and the inner diameter of the cross section of the guide groove 5 gradually decreases from the position where the inner diameter of the cross section of the guide groove 5 is the largest to the bottom of the guide groove 5. The elliptical guide groove 5 can reduce the wind resistance when the high-speed airflow flows through the guide groove 5, and can improve the transmission efficiency of the high-speed airflow to the air-blown optical fiber.

[0046] In one embodiment, a plurality of guide grooves 5 are spirally arranged on the guide layer 4 .

[0047] In some application scenarios, a plurality of spiral guide grooves 5 may be provided on the guide layer 4, and the shapes and sizes of the plurality of spiral guide grooves 5 are the same, and the distances between the plurality of spiral guide grooves 5 are set to be equidistant. The evenly distributed guide grooves 5 can balance the force on the air-blown optical fiber. No additional stress is generated on the optical fiber, thus avoiding the influence on the performance of optical fiber transmission.

[0048] The multiple guide grooves 5 evenly distributed in the guide layer 4 are acted upon by the high-speed airflow, driving the air-blown optical fiber to move. The multiple guide grooves 5 of the same shape and size are acted upon by the same radial force of the high-speed airflow, but the direction of the radial force acted upon each guide groove 5 is different. The multiple evenly distributed guide grooves 5 can offset the radial forces acted upon, thereby placing the air-blown optical fiber in a state of force balance. During the movement of the air-blown optical fiber in the optical fiber pipeline, the air-blown optical fiber can approximately be acted upon only in the direction of the high-speed airflow. In this way, the air-blown optical fiber can move at a faster speed and a longer distance in the optical fiber pipeline, and the optical fiber laying efficiency is higher.

[0049] In one embodiment, the number of the plurality of guide grooves 5 is three. In this embodiment, three guide grooves 5 are provided to form a triangular air groove guide structure on the guide layer 4. The triangular guide structure makes the air-blown optical fiber more stable. When laying the air-blown optical fiber, it is not easy for the air-blown optical fiber to collide with the optical fiber pipeline, thereby reducing the possibility of damage to the optical fiber body 1. The guide grooves 5 are evenly distributed geometrically, and will not generate additional stress on the optical fiber body 1, and will not generate additional impact on the optical fiber transmission performance.

[0050] In one embodiment, the intermediate coating includes an inner coating 2 and an outer coating 3. The inner coating 2 is coated on the surface of the optical fiber body 1, and the outer coating 3 is coated on the surface of the inner coating 2.

[0051] The inner coating 2 is directly disposed on the surface of the optical fiber body 1 to protect the optical fiber body 1 from damage. The outer coating 3 is disposed on the surface of the inner coating 2 to form a double layer of protection for the optical fiber body 1 . In addition, the outer coating 3 also provides support for the guide layer 4 .

[0052] In one embodiment, the optical fiber body 1, the inner coating 2, the outer coating 3 and the guide layer 4 are fixed through a coating process to form an inseparable whole, thereby ensuring that the air-blown optical fiber will not decompose when traveling at high speed in the optical fiber pipeline, thereby affecting the construction.

[0053] The embodiment of the present application adopts a structure of multiple gas guide grooves 5 and distributes them evenly. During use, the geometrically evenly distributed guide grooves 5 will not generate additional stress on the optical fiber, thus avoiding affecting the performance of optical fiber transmission. It can effectively improve the laying efficiency of air-blown optical fiber, with a longer blowing distance and lower construction cost. When a single optical fiber fails, the faulty optical fiber can be replaced by directional replacement of the single optical fiber, which has a simple maintenance process and low maintenance cost.

[0054] The present application also provides a coating mold for making the above-mentioned air-blown optical fiber, such as Figure 2-4As shown, it includes an inner mold 15 and a mold base, the mold base has a cavity inside, and the inner mold 15 is fixed in the cavity. The inner mold 15 includes an introduction mold 6, an inner coating mold 7, an outer coating mold 8 and a flow guide mold 9. The introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the flow guide mold 9 are concentrically arranged, and the inner coating mold 7 is sleeved on part of the introduction mold 6, the outer coating mold 8 is sleeved on part of the inner coating mold 7, and the flow guide mold 9 is sleeved on part of the outer coating mold 8. The inner coating mold 7 is provided with an inner coating feed pipe, the outer coating mold 8 is provided with an outer coating feed pipe, and the flow guide mold 9 is provided with a flow guide layer feed pipe.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment, the air-blown optical fiber includes: an optical fiber body 1, an intermediate coating and a guide layer 4. The intermediate coating is coated on the surface of the optical fiber body 1. The guide layer 4 is fixed on the intermediate coating, and a plurality of guide grooves 5 are provided on the guide layer 4, and the plurality of guide grooves 5 penetrate the guide layer 4 along the length direction of the optical fiber body 1. The plurality of guide grooves 5 are evenly distributed on the guide layer 4, so that the optical fiber body 1 is evenly stressed, and the high-speed airflow does not generate additional stress on the optical fiber body 1.

[0056] An intermediate coating is applied on the surface of the optical fiber body 1. The intermediate coating completely covers the optical fiber body 1, and the guide layer 4 is fixedly arranged on the intermediate coating and can completely cover the intermediate coating. In addition to protecting the optical fiber body 1 from damage, the intermediate coating also serves as the basis of the guide layer 4 and provides support for the guide layer 4. In another example, the intermediate coating can partially cover the optical fiber body 1, and the guide layer 4 can also partially cover the intermediate coating.

[0057] The multiple guide grooves 5 are used for gas diversion. When the high-pressure gas passes through the multiple guide grooves 5, the force acting on the optical fiber is balanced. The force of the high-pressure gas flow acting on the multiple guide grooves 5 causes the combination of the optical fiber body 1, the intermediate coating and the guide layer 4 (i.e., the air-blown optical fiber) to move at high speed along the direction of the high-pressure gas flow. Since the multiple guide grooves 5 are evenly distributed on the guide layer 4, the force acting on the above combination in the radial direction of the combination is in a balanced state, that is, the force of the high-speed gas flow through the multiple guide grooves 5 on the combination only includes the propulsion force along the direction of the high-speed gas flow, while the radial force acting on the combination is in a balanced state, so that the combination is in a suspended state in the optical fiber pipeline and moves at high speed along the direction of the high-speed gas flow.

[0058] The shapes of the plurality of guide grooves 5 can be set according to the aerodynamic principle and can facilitate the effect of driving the assembly to move at high speed.

[0059] During the use of the coating mold, the optical fiber body 1 is placed in the inner mold 15 and can be pulled by the external pulling machine 36. The optical fiber body 1 can be coated with the inner coating 2, the outer coating 3 and the guide layer 4 in the inner mold 15. The inner mold 15 mainly includes an introduction mold 6, an inner coating mold 7, an outer coating mold 8 and a guide mold 9. The introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the guide mold 9 are concentrically arranged, and the inner coating mold 7 is sleeved on part of the introduction mold 6, the outer coating mold 8 is sleeved on part of the inner coating mold 7, and the guide mold 9 is sleeved on part of the outer coating mold 8.

[0060] The inner coating mold 7 is provided with an inner coating feed pipe, the outer coating mold 8 is provided with an outer coating feed pipe, and the flow guide mold 9 is provided with a flow guide layer feed pipe. The coating material is applied to the optical fiber body 1 through the inner coating feed pipe to form an inner coating 2. The coating material is applied to the inner coating 2 through the outer coating feed pipe to form an outer coating 3. The coating material is applied to the outer coating 3 through the flow guide layer feed pipe to form a flow guide layer 4.

[0061] The introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the guide mold 9 are respectively fixed together by threaded connection. The introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the guide mold 9 are all set to be cylindrical, and the introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the guide mold 9 are concentrically arranged. A through hole is opened at the center of the introduction mold 6, the inner coating mold 7, the outer coating mold 8 and the guide mold 9 for passing the optical fiber body 1. The central opening of the introduction mold 6 is called the introduction hole 10, the central opening of the inner coating mold 7 is called the inner coating hole 11, the central opening of the outer coating mold 8 is called the outer coating hole 12, and the central opening of the guide mold 9 is called the guide coating hole 13. Among them, the introduction hole 10, the inner coating hole 11, the outer coating hole 12 and the guide coating hole 13 are all concentrically arranged. In some examples, the shape and size of the introduction hole 10, the inner coating hole 11, the outer coating hole 12 and the guide coating hole 13 are the same. Preferably, the introduction hole 10, the inner coating hole 11, the outer coating hole 12 and the guide coating hole 13 are configured as circular holes.

[0062] The introduction mold 6 is mainly used to introduce the optical fiber body 1 into the coating mold, and the optical fiber body 1 can be inserted into the introduction mold 6 through the introduction hole 10. The diameter of the introduction hole 10 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber body 1, which facilitates the insertion of the optical fiber body 1.

[0063] An elastic member may be provided on the inner wall of the introduction hole 10. When the optical fiber body 1 is inserted into the introduction hole 10, the elastic member may contact-fix the optical fiber body 1 according to its own elastic force, thereby fixing and guiding the optical fiber body 1 and meeting the requirements of optical fiber bodies 1 of various specifications.

[0064] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the diversion coating hole 13 is provided with a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are evenly distributed on the inner wall of the diversion coating hole 13. The plurality of protrusions are used to make the diversion groove 5, and the shape of the plurality of protrusions can be set to an ellipse. In one example, the shape and size of the plurality of protrusions are the same. The number of the plurality of protrusions can be set as needed, and the number of the plurality of protrusions in this embodiment is set to three.

[0065] In one embodiment, the die base includes an introduction die base 25 and a coating die base 21, and the introduction die base 25 is fixedly connected to the coating die base 21. A coating protection airway is provided on the introduction die base 25, and the coating protection airway is connected to the cavity. An inner coating feed pipe 16, an outer coating feed pipe 17 and a guide layer feed pipe 18 are provided on the coating die base 21, the inner coating feed pipe 16 is connected to the inner coating feed pipe, the outer coating feed pipe 17 is connected to the outer coating feed pipe, and the guide layer feed pipe 18 is connected to the guide layer feed pipe.

[0066] The main function of the mold base is to fix and protect the inner mold 15 and inject coating into the feeding pipe of the inner mold 15. The mold base is divided into an introduction mold base 25 and a coating mold base 21. The introduction mold base 25 is used to insert the optical fiber body 1 and guide the inserted optical fiber body 1.

[0067] The introduction mold base 25 is provided with a coating protection airway connected to the cavity, which can discharge excess gas and protect the smooth progress of the coating process. The coating protection airway interface 26 is arranged on the outer wall of the introduction mold base 25. The inner coating feed pipe 16 provided on the coating mold base 21 is connected to the inner coating feed pipe of the inner mold 15, the outer coating feed pipe 17 provided on the coating mold base 21 is connected to the outer coating feed pipe of the inner mold 15, and the guide layer feed pipe 18 provided on the coating mold base 21 is connected to the guide layer feed pipe of the inner mold 15.

[0068] An inner coating supply pipeline interface 22 is also provided on the outer wall of the coating die base 21 . The inner coating supply pipeline interface 22 is connected to the inner coating supply pipeline 16 for injecting coating into the inner coating supply pipeline 16 .

[0069] An external coating supply pipeline interface 23 is also provided on the outer wall of the coating die base 21 . The external coating supply pipeline interface 23 is connected to the external coating supply pipeline 17 and is used for injecting coating into the external coating supply pipeline 17 .

[0070] A guide layer supply pipeline interface 24 is also provided on the outer wall of the coating die base 21 . The guide layer supply pipeline interface 24 is connected to the guide layer supply pipeline 18 and is used for injecting coating into the guide layer supply pipeline 18 .

[0071] In one embodiment, a conical section is provided at one end of the coating die holder 21, and the guide die holder is fixedly connected to the conical section of the coating die holder 21. In one example, a small-area end surface of the conical section is fixedly connected to the guide die holder.

[0072] The present application adopts a structure of multiple gas guide grooves 5 and distributes them evenly. During use, the geometrically evenly distributed guide grooves 5 will not generate additional stress on the optical fiber, thus avoiding the impact on the performance of optical fiber transmission. It can effectively improve the laying efficiency of air-blown optical fiber, with a longer blowing distance and lower construction cost. When a single optical fiber fails, the faulty optical fiber can be replaced by directional replacement of the single optical fiber, which has a simple maintenance process and low maintenance cost.

[0073] In addition, the present application also provides a coating device, such as Figure 5 As shown, it includes the above-mentioned coating mold, as well as a curing unit 28, an upper positioning wheel 29, a rubbing wheel 30, a lower positioning wheel 31, a diameter gauge 32, a compensation wheel 33, a base 34, a tension wheel 35, and a traction machine 36.

[0074] The curing unit 28 is arranged below the coating mold, and is used to cure the coated air-blown optical fiber, so that the inner coating 2, the outer coating 3 and the guide layer 4 coated on the optical fiber body 1 are cured as a whole. The upper positioning wheel 29, the twisting wheel 30 and the lower positioning wheel 31 are arranged below the curing unit 28, and play the role of positioning and guiding the air-blown optical fiber. The diameter gauge 32 is arranged below the lower positioning wheel 31, and is used to measure the diameter of the cured air-blown optical fiber. The compensation wheel 33 is fixedly arranged on the base 34, and the base 34 and the compensation wheel 33 are arranged below the diameter gauge 32. The tension wheel 35 is fixed on the frame of the traction machine 36, and the compensated chasing optical fiber enters the traction machine 36 through the guidance of the tension wheel 35, and the traction machine 36 drives the air-blown optical fiber to move. The traction machine 36 pulls the air-blown optical fiber to move on the above-mentioned coating mold, curing unit 28, upper positioning wheel 29, twisting wheel 30, lower positioning wheel 31, diameter gauge 32, compensation wheel 33, base 34, tension wheel 35.

[0075] The present application processes the optical fiber body 1 by setting a coating mold, coats the surface of the optical fiber body 1 with a side coating, an outer coating 3 and a guide layer 4, and sets a guide groove 5 on the guide layer 4, which can increase the force of the high-speed airflow on the optical fiber body 1 and make the force act on the optical fiber body 1 continuously, so as to realize the continuous high-speed movement of the optical fiber body 1 in the optical fiber pipeline.

[0076] The embodiment of the present application also solidifies the air-blown optical fiber through the solidification unit 28, positions the air-blown optical fiber through the guide wheel group, and the specifications of the air-blown optical fiber obtained after diameter measurement and compensation are unified, which is suitable for large-scale processing and production.

[0077] The present application also provides a method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber, such as Figure 6 As shown, including:

[0078] Step S601, coating an intermediate coating on the optical fiber body through a coating mold, and then coating a guide layer on the intermediate coating, wherein a guide groove is formed when coating the guide layer.

[0079] Step S602, curing the coated optical fiber by a curing unit.

[0080] Step S603, measuring the diameter of the cured optical fiber and performing compensation.

[0081] It should be noted that the preparation method of air-blown optical fiber provided in the present application is not limited to conventional G.652.D single-mode communication optical fiber, but can also produce other single-mode optical fibers such as G.657.A2, G.654.E and multi-mode optical fibers such as OM1 and OM2. When the constructed optical fiber changes with the actual trial needs, different types of optical fibers can be blown in at any time to replace or supplement it, thereby avoiding damage to the existing network caused by re-construction, and the upgrade and replacement cost is low and the efficiency is high.

[0082] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" and the like indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0083] In addition, the terms "above" and "below" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "above" and "below" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, the meaning of "multiple" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0084] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communication with each other; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0085] In the present application, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the described specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0086] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and cannot be understood as limitations on the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An air-blown optical fiber, characterized in that: include: Optical fiber body; An intermediate coating, covering the surface of the optical fiber body; A guide layer is fixed on the intermediate coating, and a plurality of guide grooves are arranged on the guide layer, and the plurality of guide grooves penetrate the guide layer along the length direction of the optical fiber body; The plurality of guide grooves are evenly distributed on the guide layer, so that the optical fiber body is evenly stressed and the high-speed airflow does not generate additional stress on the optical fiber body.

2. The air-blown optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple guide grooves have the same shape and size; Each guide groove has an opening, and a plurality of the openings are located on the surface of the guide layer.

3. The air-blown optical fiber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cross-sectional profile size of the guide groove gradually increases along the direction from the opening to the inside of the guide groove.

4. The air-blown optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of guide grooves are spirally arranged on the guide layer.

5. The air-blown optical fiber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The number of the plurality of guide grooves is 3.

6. The air-blown optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intermediate coating comprises an inner coating and an outer coating; The inner coating is coated on the surface of the optical fiber body, and the outer coating is coated on the surface of the inner coating.

7. A coating die, applied to the air-blown optical fiber according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: It comprises an inner mold and a mold base, wherein the mold base has a cavity inside, and the inner mold is fixed in the cavity; The inner mold includes an introduction mold, an inner coating mold, an outer coating mold and a flow guide mold, the introduction mold, the inner coating mold, the outer coating mold and the flow guide mold are concentrically arranged, and the inner coating mold is sleeved on part of the introduction mold, the outer coating mold is sleeved on part of the inner coating mold, and the flow guide mold is sleeved on part of the outer coating mold; The inner coating mold is provided with an inner coating feed pipeline, the outer coating mold is provided with an outer coating feed pipeline, and the flow guide mold is provided with a flow guide layer feed pipeline.

8. The coating die according to claim 7, characterized in that: The die base comprises an introduction die base and a coating die base, and the introduction die base is fixedly connected to the coating die base; The introduction mold base is provided with a coating protection air channel, and the coating protection air channel is communicated with the cavity; The coating die base is provided with an inner coating feed pipe, an outer coating feed pipe and a guide layer feed pipe, the inner coating feed pipe is connected with the inner coating feed pipe, the outer coating feed pipe is connected with the outer coating feed pipe, and the guide layer feed pipe is connected with the guide layer feed pipe.

9. A coating device, characterized in that: Comprising the coating die according to any one of claims 7-8.

10. A method for preparing an air-blown optical fiber, applied to the air-blown optical fiber according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: Applying an intermediate coating to the optical fiber body through a coating mold, and then applying a guide layer on the intermediate coating, wherein a guide groove is formed when applying the guide layer; Curing the coated optical fiber by a curing unit; Measure diameter and compensate for cured optical fiber.

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