Colorful plastic optical fiber with multi-layer structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical fibers, in particular to a colorful plastic optical fiber with a multi-layer structure, which comprises an optical fiber body, and the optical fiber body comprises an inner core, and a wrapping layer, a transition bonding layer, a buffer protection inner layer, a weather-proof coloring layer and an outer protection layer which are arranged on the outer side of the inner core in sequence, a plurality of micro air cavities which are arranged in a honeycomb shape are formed in the buffer protection inner layer; and the outer protective layer is made of polyvinyl chloride added with an anti-ultraviolet agent and an antioxidant. The cladding can effectively limit light transmission in the inner core and protect the inner core. The buffering protection inner layer can buffer external impact force and resist mechanical extrusion and scraping to a certain degree. The outer protection layer has excellent mechanical strength, wear resistance, ultraviolet resistance and oxidation resistance, and can effectively resist external physical damage and severe environment erosion. Through the multi-layer design, the whole structure of the plastic optical fiber can be used in a complex environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of optical fibers, and in particular to a colored plastic optical fiber with a multi-layer structure. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of modern communication technology, lighting decoration and sensing fields, the demand for optical fiber is becoming increasingly diverse and demanding. Although traditional glass optical fiber has advantages such as low transmission loss and high bandwidth, it is brittle and easy to break, and the processing technology is complex and expensive. Its application is limited in some scenarios that require high flexibility, cost sensitivity and installation convenience.

[0003] Plastic optical fiber came into being, and with its light weight, good flexibility, low cost, and easy processing and installation, it has gained attention in many fields such as short-distance communication, indoor and outdoor decorative lighting, automotive interior lighting, and sensor networking. However, most of the existing ordinary plastic optical fibers have a single structure and are relatively limited in function.

[0004] From a structural perspective, existing plastic optical fibers are not sufficiently protective, with most having only a basic core layer and cladding, and lacking an effective multi-layer protection design to cope with complex use environments. In terms of mechanical strength, they are easily damaged by external forces such as squeezing and scratching, which limits their long-term reliable use in outdoor and industrial environments. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a colored plastic optical fiber with a multi-layer structure, so as to solve the problem in the prior art that most common plastic optical fibers are of a single structure and lack an effective multi-layer protection design to cope with complex use environments.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber comprises an optical fiber body, wherein the optical fiber body comprises an inner core and a cladding, a transition bonding layer, a buffer protection inner layer, a weather-resistant coloring layer and an outer protective layer arranged on the outer side of the inner core in sequence, wherein a plurality of micro air cavities arranged in a honeycomb shape are arranged inside the buffer protection inner layer; and the outer protective layer is made of polyvinyl chloride added with an anti-ultraviolet agent and an antioxidant.

[0008] A further technical solution is that the amount of anti-ultraviolet agent added to the outer protective layer accounts for 0.5%-2% of the total mass of the outer protective layer, the amount of antioxidant added accounts for 0.3%-1.5% of the total mass of the outer protective layer, and the thickness of the outer protective layer is 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0009] A further technical solution is that the material of the buffer protection inner layer is polyurethane elastomer material, the thickness of the buffer protection inner layer is 50-200 microns, the diameter of the micro air cavity is 1-5 microns, and the distance between adjacent micro air cavities is 3-10 microns.

[0010] A further technical solution is that the micro air cavity is filled with an inert gas.

[0011] A further technical solution is that a micro-texture structure is provided on the surface of the weather-resistant coloring layer. The micro-texture structure is uniformly distributed hemispherical protrusions with a protrusion diameter of 1-5 microns and a spacing of 3-10 microns.

[0012] A further technical solution is that the outer surface of the outer protective layer is coated with a super hydrophobic nano coating.

[0013] A further technical solution is to further include a connecting tube for connecting two adjacent optical fiber bodies.

[0014] A further technical solution is that the connecting tube includes a first tube body and a second tube body, a first thread is provided on the outer wall surrounding one end of the first tube body, a connecting ring is provided at one end of the second tube body, a second thread is provided on the inner wall surrounding the connecting ring, the first thread and the second thread are threadably matched and connected, and the inner walls of the first tube body and the second tube body are both provided with fixing structures for fixing the optical fiber body.

[0015] A further technical solution is that the fixing structure includes a locking plate and an elastic hemisphere, the inner wall of the first tube body is recessed with an elastic groove, one end of the locking plate is connected to the bottom of the elastic groove, and the other end extends obliquely into the first tube body toward the end of the first tube body provided with a first thread, and the end is a sharp part, the elastic hemisphere is installed at the bottom of the elastic groove, and is in contact with the top of the locking plate.

[0016] A further technical solution is that sealing rings are provided on the inner wall of the first tube body near both ends.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least one of the following beneficial effects: 1. The cladding can effectively limit the transmission of light in the inner core and protect the inner core; 2. The buffering protective inner layer can buffer the external impact force and resist a certain degree of mechanical extrusion and scratching; 3. The outer protective layer has excellent mechanical strength, wear resistance, UV resistance and oxidation resistance, and can effectively resist external physical damage and erosion from harsh environments; 4. Through multi-layer design, the overall structure of the plastic optical fiber can cope with use in complex environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 The figure is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a connecting tube of a multi-layer structured colored plastic optical fiber according to the present invention.

[0020] Icon: 1-inner core, 2-cladding, 3-transition bonding layer, 4-buffering protective inner layer, 5-weather-resistant coloring layer, 6-outer protective layer, 7-connecting tube, 8-first tube body, 9-second tube body, 10-connecting ring, 11-locking plate, 12-elastic hemisphere, 13-elastic groove, 14-sealing ring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0022] Figure 1 to Figure 2 An embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Example:

[0024] A multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber includes an optical fiber body, which includes an inner core 1 and a cladding 2, a transition bonding layer 3, a buffer protection inner layer 4, a weather-resistant coloring layer 5 and an outer protective layer 6 arranged outside the inner core 1 in sequence, wherein a plurality of micro air cavities arranged in a honeycomb shape are arranged inside the buffer protection inner layer 4; the outer protective layer 6 is made of polyvinyl chloride with anti-ultraviolet agent and antioxidant added. The inner core 1 is made of a transparent plastic material with a high refractive index, the refractive index range is 1.45-1.60, and the material is a copolymer of polymethyl methacrylate and styrene, the glass transition temperature of which is between 100-120°C, and it has stable optical transmission performance and can withstand certain temperature fluctuations, and is used for efficient transmission of optical signals, and the diameter of the inner core 1 is 50-500 microns. The cladding 22 is made of a transparent plastic material with a low refractive index in the range of 1.40-1.44. The material is fluoroplastic and the thickness is 0.2-0.5 times the diameter of the inner core 1. It has good chemical corrosion resistance and flexibility, effectively limiting the transmission of light in the inner core 1 and protecting the inner core 1.

[0025] The amount of the anti-ultraviolet agent added to the outer protective layer 6 accounts for 0.5%-2% of the total mass of the outer protective layer 6, the amount of the antioxidant added accounts for 0.3%-1.5% of the total mass of the outer protective layer 6, and the thickness of the outer protective layer 6 is 0.1-0.3 mm.

[0026] The material of the buffer protection inner layer 4 is polyurethane elastomer material, the thickness of the buffer protection inner layer 4 is 50-200 microns, the diameter of the micro air cavity is 1-5 microns, and the distance between adjacent micro air cavities is 3-10 microns.

[0027] The micro air cavity is filled with an inert gas, which is nitrogen or argon, to further enhance the compression resistance and buffering performance of the buffer protection inner layer 4 and prevent the internal material from aging.

[0028] The surface of the weather-resistant coloring layer 5 is provided with a micro-texture structure, which is uniformly distributed hemispherical protrusions with a protrusion diameter of 1-5 microns and a spacing of 3-10 microns. The micro-texture structure is used to enhance the adhesion between the weather-resistant coloring layer 5 and the outer sheath, and at the same time scatter part of the light to enhance the soft texture and anti-reflective property of the optical fiber appearance.

[0029] The outer surface of the outer sheath is coated with a super-hydrophobic nano-coating. The super-hydrophobic nano-coating is made by mixing nano-silica particles modified by fluorosilane and polytetrafluoroethylene emulsion in a mass ratio of 1:2-1:3, and the coating thickness is 10-50 nanometers. The contact angle is greater than 150°, and it has a self-cleaning function, which can make dust, rain, oil and other pollutants attached to the surface of the optical fiber roll off under the action of gravity or slight external force, reducing erosion and damage to the outer surface of the optical fiber.

[0030] It also includes a connecting tube 7 for connecting two adjacent optical fiber bodies. By providing the connecting tube 7, two broken optical fiber bodies can be connected or the original optical fiber body can be extended with the help of another optical fiber body.

[0031] The connecting tube 7 includes a first tube body 8 and a second tube body 9. A first thread is arranged on the outer wall surrounding one end of the first tube body 8. A connecting ring 10 is arranged at one end of the second tube body 9. A second thread is arranged on the inner wall surrounding the connecting ring 10. The first thread and the second thread are threadably matched and connected. The inner walls of the first tube body 8 and the second tube body 9 are both provided with fixing structures for fixing the optical fiber body.

[0032] The fixing structure includes a locking piece 11 and an elastic hemisphere 12. An elastic groove 13 is recessed in the inner wall of the first tube 8. One end of the locking piece 11 is connected to the bottom of the elastic groove 13, and the other end is inclined toward the end of the first tube 8 provided with the first thread and extends into the first tube 8, and the end is a sharp portion. The elastic hemisphere 12 is installed at the bottom of the elastic groove 13 and is in contact with the locking piece 11. With such a configuration, when two optical fiber bodies need to be connected, the ends of the two optical fiber bodies are respectively inserted into the first tube 8 and the second tube 9, and the end of the optical fiber body placed in the first tube 8 slightly protrudes from the end of the first tube 8 provided with the first thread. The end of the optical fiber body placed in the second tube 9 protrudes from the end of the second tube 9 connected to the connecting ring 10 and is placed in the connecting ring 10. When the optical fiber body is inserted into the first tube body 8, it will follow the direction of the locking piece 11, press against the locking piece 11 to compress the elastic hemisphere 12 to bend the locking piece 11 toward the elastic groove 13. At the same time, the locking piece 11 is partially penetrated into the outer protective layer 6 by the sharp portion so that the optical fiber body cannot retreat. When the two optical fiber bodies are connected, the first tube body 8 and the second tube body 9 are connected through the first thread and the second thread, so that the ends of the two optical fiber bodies are aligned and connected.

[0033] The inner wall of the first tube body 8 is provided with sealing rings 14 near both ends. By providing the sealing rings 14, the optical fiber body can be kept at the center position in the first tube body 8.

[0034] Although the present invention is described herein with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art may devise many other modifications and implementations that fall within the scope and spirit of the principles disclosed herein. More specifically, within the scope of the present disclosure, drawings, and claims, a variety of variations and modifications may be made to the components and / or layout of the subject combination layout. In addition to the variations and modifications made to the components and / or layout, other uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber, comprising an optical fiber body, characterized in that: The optical fiber body comprises an inner core (1) and a cladding (2), a transition bonding layer (3), a buffer protection inner layer (4), a weather-resistant coloring layer (5) and an outer protective layer (6) arranged in sequence outside the inner core (1); a plurality of micro air cavities arranged in a honeycomb shape are arranged inside the buffer protection inner layer (4); and the outer protective layer (6) is made of polyvinyl chloride to which an anti-ultraviolet agent and an antioxidant are added.

2. A multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The amount of the anti-ultraviolet agent added to the outer protective layer (6) accounts for 0.5%-2% of the total mass of the outer protective layer (6), and the amount of the antioxidant added accounts for 0.3%-1.5% of the total mass of the outer protective layer (6). The thickness of the outer protective layer (6) is 0.1-0.3 mm.

3. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the buffer protection inner layer (4) is a polyurethane elastomer material, the thickness of the buffer protection inner layer (4) is 50-200 microns, the diameter of the micro air cavity is 1-5 microns, and the distance between adjacent micro air cavities is 3-10 microns.

4. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The micro air cavity is filled with an inert gas.

5. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the weather-resistant coloring layer (5) is provided with a micro-texture structure, wherein the micro-texture structure is uniformly distributed hemispherical protrusions, the protrusion diameter is 1-5 micrometers, and the spacing is 3-10 micrometers.

6. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surface of the outer protective layer (6) is coated with a layer of super-hydrophobic nano coating.

7. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a connecting tube (7) for connecting two adjacent optical fiber bodies.

8. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connecting tube (7) comprises a first tube body (8) and a second tube body (9); a first thread is arranged on an outer wall surrounding one end of the first tube body (8); a connecting ring (10) is arranged on one end of the second tube body (9); a second thread is arranged on an inner wall surrounding the connecting ring (10); the first thread and the second thread are threadably connected; and a fixing structure for fixing the optical fiber body is arranged on the inner walls of the first tube body (8) and the second tube body (9).

9. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 8, characterized in that: The fixing structure comprises a locking piece (11) and an elastic hemisphere (12); the inner wall of the first tube (8) is recessed to be provided with an elastic groove (13); one end of the locking piece (11) is connected to the bottom of the elastic groove (13); the other end is inclined and extends into the first tube (8) towards an end of the first tube (8) provided with a first thread, and the end is a sharp portion; the elastic hemisphere (12) is mounted on the bottom of the elastic groove (13) and is in contact with the locking piece (11).

10. The multi-layer colored plastic optical fiber according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inner wall of the first tube body (8) is provided with sealing rings (14) at positions close to both ends.

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