A high-strength composite special optical fiber

Abstract

A high-strength composite specialty optical fiber comprises a core, a cladding disposed on the surface of the core, and a coating covering the cladding. The coating is sheathed with a bonding layer, and embedded within the bonding layer are multiple metal filaments extending along the length of the core. The multiple metal filaments are evenly distributed along the circumference of the core. The metal filaments are provided with multiple protrusions extending toward the circumference of the core, forming deformation spaces between the protrusions and the coating for the protrusions to deform. The bonding layer is sheathed with a reinforcement layer, and the protrusions are located inside the reinforcement layer and contact the inner surface of the reinforcement layer. The present invention provides a high-strength composite specialty optical fiber with enhanced impact resistance and torsional resistance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of special optical fibers, in particular to a high-strength composite special optical fiber. Background Art

[0002] Optical fiber, short for optical fiber, is a fiber made of glass or plastic that conducts light through the principle of total internal reflection, thereby transmitting information. In some specialized applications, optical fibers require certain specialized properties, and these types of fibers are collectively referred to as specialty fibers. For example, in certain scenarios, optical fibers may experience frequent vibration, collisions with other objects, or even compression. Therefore, sufficient strength is essential to prevent damage and breakage, which could disrupt information transmission.

[0003] The main method for increasing optical fiber strength in existing technologies is to coat the fiber surface with multiple layers of different reinforcement structures to improve its impact resistance and thereby reduce the probability of damage. However, this solution has drawbacks, primarily increasing the fiber's size and minimum bend radius, which reduces flexibility during fiber installation. Furthermore, it increases the fiber's weight, and if the fiber is frequently shaken, it is prone to localized cracks, resulting in increased optical attenuation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a high-strength composite special optical fiber with stronger impact resistance and torsion resistance.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the specific scheme adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] A high-strength composite special optical fiber comprises a fiber core, a cladding arranged on the surface of the fiber core, and a coating layer covering the cladding; a bonding layer is provided on the circumferential side of the coating layer; a plurality of metal wires extending along the length direction of the fiber core are embedded in the bonding layer, and the plurality of metal wires are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the fiber core; the metal wires are provided with a plurality of protrusions extending toward the circumferential side of the fiber core; a deformation space is formed between the protrusions and the coating layer for the protrusions to deform; a reinforcement layer is provided on the circumferential side of the bonding layer; the protrusions are located on the inner side of the reinforcement layer and are in contact with the inner surface of the reinforcement layer.

[0007] Preferably, the protrusions on different metal wires are combined one by one to form an expansion joint surrounding the fiber core, and among the multiple protrusions combined to form the expansion joint, a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions to form a first accommodating space.

[0008] Preferably, the reinforcement layer is provided with a plurality of inwardly bent protrusions, and some of the protrusions extend into the first accommodating space.

[0009] Preferably, after the raised portion extends into the first accommodating space, a gap remains between the raised portion and the protruding portion.

[0010] Preferably, an outer shell layer is provided on the peripheral side of the reinforcing layer, and the outer shell layer and the reinforcing layer are fixedly connected by an adhesive, and the raised portion forms a groove on the peripheral side wall of the reinforcing layer that can accommodate the adhesive.

[0011] Preferably, on the same metal wire, a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions to form a second accommodation space, and part of the protrusion extends into the second accommodation space.

[0012] Preferably, after the raised portion extends into the second accommodating space, a gap remains between the raised portion and the protruding portion.

[0013] Preferably, the raised portion is in the shape of a hemispherical shell.

[0014] Preferably, the width of the first accommodating space gradually increases in a direction away from the fiber core, and the maximum width of the first accommodating space is equal to the distance between the highest point of the protrusion and the coating layer.

[0015] Preferably, the protrusion is in a semicircular arc shape, and there is a smooth transition between the protrusion and the metal wire.

[0016] In the special optical fiber of the present invention, the impact resistance of the optical fiber is improved primarily through the metal wire. Specifically, by forming protrusions on the metal wire, when the optical fiber collides with other objects or is impacted by other objects due to vibration, the metal wire can withstand the impact and absorb the impact energy by deforming into the deformation space, preventing the impact energy from acting on the fiber core, thereby protecting the fiber core and effectively improving the impact resistance of the optical fiber. On the other hand, because a metal wire is provided with multiple protrusions, and the multiple protrusions are evenly distributed along the length of the metal wire, and the multiple metal wires are evenly distributed along the circumference of the fiber core, when the optical fiber is impacted in any direction, the protrusions can withstand the impact, thus achieving all-round protection for the fiber core without any blind spots.

[0017] In addition to having stronger impact resistance, the special optical fiber of the present invention can also deform with the bending of the optical fiber when the optical fiber needs to be bent. Specifically, when the optical fiber is bent, the protrusion can also deform without hindering the bending of the optical fiber or causing a significant increase in the minimum bending radius of the optical fiber, fully ensuring the flexibility of the optical fiber during installation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0019] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of the metal wire;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of the raised portion.

[0022] Figure numerals: 1-fiber core, 2-cladding, 3-coating layer, 4-bonding layer, 5-metal wire, 6-protrusion, 7-first accommodating space, 8-reinforcement layer, 9-raised portion, 10-gap, 11-shell layer, 12-deformation space, 13-groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a high-strength composite special optical fiber includes a core 1, a cladding 2 arranged on the surface of the core 1, and a coating layer 3 covering the cladding 2. The coating layer 3 is sheathed with a bonding layer 4 on the circumferential side, and a plurality of metal wires 5 extending along the length direction of the core 1 are embedded in the bonding layer 4, and the plurality of metal wires 5 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the core 1. The metal wires 5 are provided with a plurality of protrusions 6 extending toward the circumferential side of the core 1, and a deformation space 12 for the deformation of the protrusions 6 is formed between the protrusions 6 and the coating layer 3. A reinforcement layer 8 is sheathed on the circumferential side of the bonding layer 4, and the protrusions 6 are located on the inner side of the reinforcement layer 8 and in contact with the inner surface of the reinforcement layer 8.

[0025] In the special optical fiber of the present invention, the impact resistance of the optical fiber is mainly improved by the metal wire 5. Specifically, by forming a protrusion 6 on the metal wire 5, when the optical fiber hits other objects or is impacted by other objects due to shaking, the metal wire 5 can withstand the impact, and absorb the impact energy by deforming into the deformation space 12, thereby preventing the impact energy from acting on the fiber core 1, thereby protecting the fiber core 1 and effectively improving the impact resistance of the optical fiber. On the other hand, because a plurality of protrusions 6 are provided on a metal wire 5, and the plurality of protrusions 6 are evenly distributed along the length direction of the metal wire 5, and the plurality of metal wires 5 are evenly distributed along the circumference direction of the fiber core 1, when the optical fiber is impacted in any direction, the protrusion 6 can withstand the impact, thereby achieving all-round protection of the fiber core 1 without any dead angles.

[0026] In addition to having stronger impact resistance, the special optical fiber of the present invention can also deform the protrusion 6 as the optical fiber bends when the optical fiber needs to be bent. Specifically, when the optical fiber bends, the protrusion 6 can also deform without hindering the bending of the optical fiber or causing a significant increase in the minimum bending radius of the optical fiber, fully ensuring the flexibility of the optical fiber during installation.

[0027] In addition, because the protrusion 6 contacts the inner surface of the reinforcement layer 8, a large amount of cavity exists between the reinforcement layer 8 and the coating layer 3, so the weight of the optical fiber will not increase significantly, further ensuring the flexibility of the optical fiber.

[0028] To further ensure that all locations of the optical fiber have good impact resistance, the protrusions 6 located on different metal wires 5 are combined one by one to form an expansion joint surrounding the fiber core 1. Furthermore, a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions 6 in the multiple protrusions 6 combined into the expansion joint to form a first accommodation space 7. Specifically, the fiber core 1 can be divided into multiple segments evenly distributed in the length direction. Each metal wire 5 forms a protrusion 6 on each segment, so that a segment has multiple protrusions 6 at the same time. These protrusions 6 are located on the same circumferential surface, thereby forming expansion joints on the circumference of the segment, achieving all-round protection for the segment, and all expansion joints jointly protect the fiber core 1.

[0029] To further enhance the overall strength of the optical fiber, the reinforcement layer 8 is provided with multiple inwardly curved protrusions 9, some of which extend into the first accommodation space 7. When the optical fiber is twisted about the axis of the fiber core 1, the protrusions 9 can contact and deform with the protrusions 6. During the rebound process, the protrusions 9 and the protrusions 6 can drive the optical fiber from the twisted state to its normal state, thus making the optical fiber torsion-resistant. Furthermore, when the optical fiber is impacted, the protrusions 9 can cooperate with the protrusions 6 to jointly withstand the impact and absorb the impact energy, further enhancing the overall impact resistance of the optical fiber.

[0030] In order to prevent the protrusion 9 from affecting the bending ability of the optical fiber and increasing the minimum bending radius of the optical fiber after entering the first accommodating space 7, a gap 10 is left between the protrusion 9 and the protrusion 6 after the protrusion 9 extends into the first accommodating space 7. When the optical fiber needs to be bent, the protrusion 9 and the protrusion 6 will not be in direct contact, but there will be a certain margin, thereby facilitating the bending of the optical fiber. On the other hand, when the optical fiber is over-bent, that is, when the bending radius of the optical fiber is less than the minimum bending radius, the protrusion 9 and the protrusion 6 can squeeze and deform each other, and then drive the optical fiber to recover during the rebound process, thereby avoiding the optical fiber being in an over-bent state for a long time, which may cause local cracks or even breakage, and extending the service life of the optical fiber.

[0031] In order to enable the protrusion 6 and the ridge 9 to form a more comprehensive fit, thereby fully improving the impact resistance and torsion resistance of the optical fiber, on the same metal wire 5, a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions 6 to form a second accommodating space, and part of the protrusion 9 extends into the second accommodating space. Through this arrangement, it can be ensured that there is a protrusion 9 between two adjacent protrusions 6, whether along the length direction or the circumferential direction of the fiber core 1, thereby comprehensively improving the impact resistance and torsion resistance of the optical fiber. Furthermore, after the protrusion 9 extends into the second accommodating space, a gap 10 is left between the protrusion 9 and the protrusion 6. By leaving the gap 10, direct contact between the protrusion 6 and the protrusion 9 can be avoided. The corresponding effect has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0032] In order to facilitate the processing of the raised portion 9 and ensure that the stress characteristics of each position of the raised portion 9 are consistent, the raised portion 9 is in the shape of a hemispherical shell. Similarly, the protrusion 6 is in the shape of a semicircular arc, and the transition between the protrusion 6 and the metal wire 5 is smooth.

[0033] Furthermore, the width of the first accommodating space 7 gradually increases in the direction away from the fiber core 1, and the maximum width of the first accommodating space 7 is equal to the distance between the highest point of the protrusion 6 and the coating layer 3, where the highest point of the protrusion 6 refers to the point on the protrusion 6 with the largest distance from the coating layer 3.

[0034] Furthermore, an outer shell layer 11 is sheathed around the circumference of the reinforcement layer 8, and the outer shell layer 11 and the reinforcement layer 8 are fixedly connected by an adhesive. The raised portion 9 forms a groove 13 on the circumferential sidewall of the reinforcement layer 8 to accommodate the adhesive. The outer shell layer 11 is used to provide additional performance to the optical fiber, such as corrosion resistance. The material of the outer shell layer 11 can be selected according to actual needs. For example, when the corrosion resistance of the optical fiber needs to be improved, the outer shell layer 11 can be made of corrosion-resistant rubber. This is a mature existing technology and will not be described in detail here. On the other hand, by providing a raised portion 9 protruding inward on the reinforcing layer 8, a groove 13 can be formed on the peripheral side wall of the reinforcing layer 8. The adhesive can be first coated on the reinforcing layer 8, and a certain amount of adhesive can be stored in the groove 13. Then the outer shell layer 11 is put on the reinforcing layer 8, and the reinforcing layer 8 and the outer shell layer 11 are connected by using the adhesive. Because a certain amount of adhesive is pre-stored in the groove 13, it is possible to avoid uneven distribution of the adhesive, which may lead to local voids between the reinforcing layer 8 and the outer shell layer 11, thereby ensuring the connection strength between the two.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that in the present invention, the core 1, cladding 2, and coating 3 are all conventional optical fiber components, and their materials and connection methods are not further described. The bonding layer 4 can be made of polytetrafluoroethylene film, the metal wire 5 can be made of copper, and the reinforcement layer 8 can be made of PVC film. Suitable materials can also be selected based on actual needs.

[0036] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0037] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one 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 present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A high-strength composite special optical fiber, comprising a fiber core (1), a cladding (2) arranged on the surface of the fiber core (1), and a coating layer (3) covering the cladding (2), characterized in that: The coating layer (3) is sheathed with a bonding layer (4) on the circumferential side, and a plurality of metal wires (5) extending along the length direction of the fiber core (1) are embedded in the bonding layer (4), and the plurality of metal wires (5) are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the fiber core (1), and the metal wires (5) are provided with a plurality of protrusions (6) extending toward the circumferential side of the fiber core (1), and a deformation space (12) for the protrusions (6) to deform is formed between the protrusions (6) and the coating layer (3), and a reinforcement layer (8) is sheathed with the circumferential side of the bonding layer (4), and the protrusions (6) are located on the inner side of the reinforcement layer (8) and are in contact with the inner surface of the reinforcement layer (8); The protrusions (6) located on different metal wires (5) are combined one by one to form an expansion joint surrounding the fiber core (1), and among the multiple protrusions (6) combined to form the expansion joint, a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions (6) to form a first accommodation space (7); The reinforcing layer (8) is provided with a plurality of inwardly curved protrusions (9), and some of the protrusions (9) extend into the first accommodating space (7); On the same metal wire (5), a distance is left between two adjacent protrusions (6) to form a second accommodation space, and part of the protrusion (9) extends into the second accommodation space; After the raised portion (9) extends into the second accommodating space, a gap (10) remains between the raised portion (9) and the protruding portion (6).

2. A high-strength composite special optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the raised portion (9) extends into the first accommodating space (7), a gap (10) remains between the raised portion (9) and the protruding portion (6).

3. The high-strength composite special optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: An outer shell layer (11) is sleeved on the peripheral side of the reinforcing layer (8), and the outer shell layer (11) and the reinforcing layer (8) are fixedly connected by an adhesive, and the raised portion (9) forms a groove (13) on the peripheral side wall of the reinforcing layer (8) that can accommodate the adhesive.

4. The high-strength composite special optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The raised portion (9) is in the shape of a hemispherical shell.

5. The high-strength composite special optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the first accommodating space (7) gradually increases in a direction away from the fiber core (1), and the maximum width of the first accommodating space (7) is equal to the distance between the highest point of the protrusion (6) and the coating layer (3).

6. The high-strength composite special optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protrusion (6) is in a semicircular arc shape, and there is a smooth transition between the protrusion (6) and the metal wire (5).

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