Optical cable sheath repairing structure, device and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical fiber communication, in particular to an optical cable sheath repairing structure, device and method, and the structure comprises an appearance supporting part which comprises a supporting body with a storage space, and the supporting body is provided with an extrusion port. And the support body is provided with an exhaust port. The extrusion inlet and the exhaust port are formed in the opposite sides of the supporting body respectively. The supporting body is arranged outside the optical fiber in a sleeving mode, LDPE repairing materials are injected into the storage space through the extrusion opening, the skin of the optical fiber is repaired, a junction box does not need to be used, the optical fiber does not need to be wound in the junction box any more, and therefore the optical fiber is effectively prevented from being bent, the service life of the optical fiber is prolonged, and the service life of the optical fiber is prolonged. And the optical loss caused by bending is reduced. Meanwhile, because coiling is not needed, the fiber stripping length can be greatly shortened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical fiber communication technology, and in particular to an optical cable sheath repair structure, device and method. Background Art

[0002] In optical fiber communication systems, the integrity of the cable sheath is crucial to ensuring communication quality and system stability. At present, the mainstream optical cable splicing process is relatively mature, including heat shrink tubing reinforcement, optical fiber cutting and fusion splicing, performance testing and reinforcement protection. However, there are still some shortcomings in the repair of the optical cable sheath. The traditional method is to use heat shrink tubing for protection after the optical fiber fusion splicing is completed, and then protect the interface through a junction box. This method often results in a larger joint size, which affects the high-density laying of optical cables. At the same time, the operation is complicated, requires high skills of workers, and has high labor intensity.

[0003] In addition, the use of junction boxes in traditional repair technology may cause the optical fiber to bend inside the junction box, thereby increasing the loss of optical path transmission. The corrosion resistance, waterproofness, fire resistance and heat resistance of the junction box are often insufficient, and cannot ensure the safe operation of the optical fiber in harsh environments. At the same time, the repair process requires a long distance of fiber stripping at both ends of the broken optical fiber. If the stripping length is not enough, stress concentration is likely to occur at the joint, resulting in fiber breakage or performance degradation. This traditional operation method is inefficient, has high technical barriers, and is costly. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above problems or problems existing in the prior art, the present invention is proposed.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a structure, device and method for repairing the outer skin of an optical cable.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: an optical cable sheath repair structure, comprising:

[0007] The outer shape support member comprises a support body with a storage space, wherein the support body is provided with an extrusion opening.

[0008] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair structure of the present invention, wherein: an exhaust port is provided on the support body.

[0009] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair structure of the present invention, the extrusion port and the exhaust port are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the support body.

[0010] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair structure of the present invention, the extrusion port and the exhaust port are respectively arranged at two ends of the support body.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the optical cable sheath repair structure of the present invention are as follows: the present invention repairs the optical fiber sheath by sleeve-mounting the support body outside the optical fiber and injecting LDPE repair material into the storage space through the extrusion port. Since no junction box is required, the optical fiber no longer needs to be coiled in the junction box, thereby effectively avoiding the bending of the optical fiber and reducing the light loss caused by bending. At the same time, since no coiling is required, the stripping length can also be greatly shortened.

[0012] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention also provides the following technical solutions: an optical cable sheath repair device, applied to the above optical cable sheath repair structure, comprising:

[0013] Glue squeezing equipment, which is used to realize automatic glue squeezing operation;

[0014] Heating equipment, which is used to heat the material;

[0015] The glue squeezing device injects the repair material into the squeezing port and fills up the storage space.

[0016] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair device of the present invention, it also includes:

[0017] An alarm device, which is used to issue an alarm for lack of glue;

[0018] The power supply module is used to provide power to the device.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the optical cable sheath repair device of the present invention, the glue extrusion device comprises:

[0020] A first glue barrel, which is used to store a first structural glue;

[0021] A second glue barrel, used for storing a second structural glue;

[0022] An extrusion piece, used for respectively extruding the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive;

[0023] The mixing tube is used for mixing the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive.

[0024] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair device of the present invention, wherein: the alarm device comprises:

[0025] Ultrasonic liquid level ranging sensors are arranged in the first rubber barrel and the second rubber barrel;

[0026] and, a flow meter provided on the mixing pipe;

[0027] Also includes, buzzer and display.

[0028] The beneficial effects of the optical cable sheath repair device of the present invention are as follows: the optical cable sheath repair structure in the repair process is heated by the heating device, and the glue extrusion device injects the repair material into the extrusion inlet, so as to realize the automatic repair of the optical cable sheath repair structure.

[0029] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention also provides the following technical solutions: a method for repairing the outer skin of an optical cable, using the optical cable outer skin repairing device, comprising:

[0030] Set the cable type and glue injection amount;

[0031] Check whether the content of structural adhesive in the first adhesive barrel and the second adhesive barrel is normal;

[0032] The extruder starts to squeeze glue, and injects the mixed glue into the storage space through the mixing pipe.

[0033] As a preferred solution of the optical cable sheath repair method of the present invention, when the content of the structural adhesive in the first adhesive barrel and the second adhesive barrel is insufficient, an alarm will be sounded through a buzzer and a display.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the optical cable sheath repair method of the present invention are as follows: the method can reduce the size of the connector, reduce the optical loss caused by optical fiber bending, shorten the fiber stripping length, improve the repair efficiency, enhance the environmental adaptability of the interface, and reduce the difficulty of operation and labor intensity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use 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 ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying creative work.

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the optical cable sheath repair structure.

[0037] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the optical cable sheath repair device.

[0038] Figure 3 The figure is a flow chart of the optical cable sheath repair method.

[0039] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the SOC system control framework. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0041] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art may make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0042] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The term "in one embodiment" that appears in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it refer to a separate or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0043] Example 1, reference Figure 1 , which is the first embodiment of the present invention, provides an optical cable sheath repair structure, including:

[0044] The outer shape support member 100 comprises a support body 101 having a storage space A, and an extrusion opening 102 is provided on the support body 101 .

[0045] When repairing the optical fiber, the support body 101 is sleeved on the outside of the optical fiber, and the LDPE repair material is injected into the storage space A through the extrusion port 102 to repair the optical fiber skin.

[0046] Specifically, the support body 101 is provided with an exhaust port 103. In the present embodiment, the provision of the exhaust port 103 can improve the glue injection effect, facilitate gas discharge, improve the smoothness of glue injection, avoid the generation of bubbles, and thus improve the repair quality.

[0047] Furthermore, the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the support body 101. In this embodiment, the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103 can be respectively arranged on the outer walls at both ends of the support body 101, or can be arranged at both ends of the support body 101. Both settings are conducive to the discharge of gas and fill the storage space A.

[0048] Preferably, the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103 are respectively arranged at both ends of the support body 101. After the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103 are arranged at both ends, the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103 can also be used as optical fiber insertion places, and the glue overflowing during glue injection can seal the extrusion inlet 102 and the exhaust port 103.

[0049] When in use, the optical cable sheath repair structure is placed in a heating device, which can ensure the high-temperature fluidity of the molding material and heat and soften the original optical cable sheath, thereby promoting the close fusion of the molding material and the original optical cable sheath. The outer shape support member 100 can ensure the external shape after processing, and can serve as a supporting structure to ensure that the optical fiber does not bend, so that the structural cavity can maintain a stable shape during the optical cable repair process.

[0050] Since there is no need to use a junction box, the optical fiber no longer needs to be coiled in the junction box, which effectively avoids the bending of the optical fiber and reduces the optical loss caused by bending. At the same time, since there is no need to coil, the stripping length can also be greatly shortened.

[0051] Example 2, reference Figure 1-2 , which is the second embodiment of the present invention, is different from the previous embodiment in that this embodiment provides an optical cable sheath repair device, which is applied to an optical cable sheath repair structure, and includes:

[0052] Glue squeezing equipment 200, which is used to realize automatic glue squeezing operation;

[0053] The heating device 300 is used to heat the material and accelerate the curing process of the LEDP repair material by heating.

[0054] The glue squeezing device injects the repair material into the squeezing port 102 and fills the storage space A.

[0055] The optical cable sheath repair structure is heated by the heating device 300 during the repair process, and the glue extrusion device 200 injects the repair material into the extrusion port 102, so as to realize the automatic repair of the optical cable sheath repair structure.

[0056] Specifically, it also includes:

[0057] An alarm device 400 is used to issue an alarm for lack of glue;

[0058] The power supply module is used to provide power to the device.

[0059] Furthermore, the glue extrusion device 200 includes:

[0060] The first glue barrel 201 is used to store the first structural glue. In this embodiment, the first structural glue is polyethylene.

[0061] The second glue barrel 202 is used to store the second structural glue. In this embodiment, the second structural glue is epoxy resin fast curing glue.

[0062] The extruding member 203 is used to extrude the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive respectively. In the present embodiment, the extruding member 203 is a glue pump responsible for squeezing the structural adhesives in the two groups of glue barrels to the discharge port.

[0063] The mixing tube 204 is used to mix the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive. In this embodiment, a stepper motor is provided in the mixing tube 204 to drive the structural adhesives in the two groups of discharge ports to be mixed and then transported to the mixing tube 204 .

[0064] In this embodiment, LDPE repair material, which is a material mixed with polyethylene and epoxy resin fast curing glue, is used as a repair medium for 3D printing. Polyethylene is a common material for the outer skin of optical cables, which ensures the compatibility and good adhesion between the repair material and the outer skin of the optical cable. In addition, the material has excellent corrosion resistance, waterproofness, fire resistance and heat resistance, and can effectively protect optical fibers in complex environments. Epoxy resin fast curing glue has the characteristics of fast curing. After mixing with PE, it usually takes only about 5 minutes to complete the initial curing of the outer skin of the optical cable, and the full curing time is 20-30 minutes, which greatly improves the repair efficiency.

[0065] The alarm device 400 comprises,

[0066] Ultrasonic liquid level ranging sensors provided in the first rubber barrel 201 and the second rubber barrel 202;

[0067] and, a flow meter provided on the mixing pipe 204;

[0068] Also included is a buzzer 401 and a display 402 .

[0069] It should be noted that the main power switch, emergency stop button, display 402, glue pump, stepper motor, ultrasonic liquid level ranging sensor, and flow meter are all connected to the SOC (Zynq) to achieve operation and control.

[0070] When in use, the glue pumps on the first glue barrel 201 and the second glue barrel 202 extrude the first structural glue and the second structural glue, the stepper motor mixes the structural glue and conveys it to the mixing tube 204, the mixing tube 204 squeezes the glue into the extrusion port 102, the heating device 300 heats the optical cable sheath repair structure in the process to improve the fluidity of the glue, the ultrasonic liquid level ranging sensor detects the amount of glue in the first glue barrel 201 and the second glue barrel 202, the flow meter is used to calculate the amount of squeezed glue, the display 402 is used to display the glue injection process, the amount of glue injected, and the remaining glue in the first glue barrel 201 and the second glue barrel 202. When the glue amount is insufficient, the buzzer 401 sounds an alarm and displays it on the display 402.

[0071] Example 3, reference Figure 1 to Figure 4 , which is the third embodiment of the present invention, is different from the previous embodiment in that a method for repairing an optical cable sheath is applied to an optical cable sheath repair device, comprising:

[0072] Set the cable type and glue injection amount; in this embodiment, the cable type and glue injection amount are controlled by manually controlling the glue injection system to adapt to different optical cables, realize one-click operation, and calculate the glue injection time by setting the glue pump flow rate.

[0073] Check whether the content of structural adhesive in the first glue barrel 201 and the second glue barrel 202 is normal; in this embodiment, after the system is powered on, it will detect whether the structural adhesive can complete one welding. If the amount of one welding is not reached, the system will alarm to remind the worker to add structural adhesive. If the alarm continues, the system cannot be started to ensure the welding effect. If the amount of one welding is reached, the glue will be automatically applied directly.

[0074] The extruder 203 starts to squeeze the glue, and injects the mixed glue into the storage space A through the mixing pipe 204 .

[0075] Specifically, when the content of the structural adhesive in the first adhesive barrel 201 and the second adhesive barrel 202 is insufficient, an alarm will be issued through the buzzer 401 and the display 402 .

[0076] Reference Figure 3 After setting the required injection amount on the human-machine interface, the injection time will be automatically displayed. After starting the injection, the time will be counted down. If the injection amount has reached the ideal state but the injection time has not been reached, the worker can directly press the stop button to end the injection in advance. After the injection is completed, the glue pump will automatically suck the excess structural glue in the hose back into the glue barrel. Both the injection time and the withdrawal time can be set on the human-machine interface for easy operation.

[0077] The rest of the structure is the same as that of Example 2.

[0078] Beneficial effects compared with previous technologies:

[0079] 1. Reduce the size of the connector: Through additive manufacturing technology, the size of the generated model is almost the same as the original cable diameter, which greatly reduces the size of the connector and improves the dense laying capacity of the cable.

[0080] 2. Reduce the optical loss caused by optical fiber bending: The repaired optical fiber is placed in a straight state and then injected with glue, thus avoiding optical fiber bending and reducing the occurrence of optical loss.

[0081] 3. Shorten the fiber stripping length: Since there is no need to use a junction box, there is no need to worry about the fiber breaking problem, which greatly reduces the demand for fiber stripping length.

[0082] 4. Improve repair efficiency: Manual operation is no longer required during the repair process, and the use of epoxy resin fast-curing glue greatly shortens the curing time and improves the repair efficiency.

[0083] 5. Enhance the environmental adaptability of the interface: Use LDPE repair material containing the original polyethylene PE material to ensure that the performance of the repaired interface is close to that of the original optical cable, ensuring the adaptability of the interface in various environments.

[0084] 6. Reduce operational difficulty and labor intensity: Through automated control and one-button operation, the repair process is simplified, the requirements for workers' skills are reduced, and labor intensity is reduced.

[0085] The system operation steps are as follows, refer to Figure 4 :

[0086] 1. After manually selecting the cable model on the screen and setting the injection volume and glue pump flow rate, the system automatically calculates the required injection time.

[0087] 2. After pressing the start button, the system collects data from the ultrasonic level ranging sensor through the ADC interface to determine whether the current structural adhesive is sufficient to complete a glue injection. If not, the system will sound an alarm through the buzzer to remind manual addition.

[0088] 3. The system outputs the corresponding PWM signal according to the set glue pump flow rate, and controls the glue pump to pressurize the structural glue to the discharge port.

[0089] 4. The system controls the rotation of the stepper motor to mix the two structural adhesives and complete the 3D printing process.

[0090] 5. The system displays the injection countdown, injection volume and injection speed on the screen in real time through the IIC protocol.

[0091] 6. The system counts through timer interrupts, and when the remaining time is 0, an interrupt is generated and the operation stops.

[0092] In summary, additive manufacturing technology is used to replace traditional fiber optic junction boxes. This can not only reduce the size of the connector and construction costs, but also shorten the construction time and enhance the environmental adaptability of the interface, thereby better ensuring the stability and reliability of the optical cable system; traditional manual operations are complicated, often resulting in long project times and inconsistent repair quality. The device simplifies the operation process by starting the repair with one button, reduces the technical requirements for personnel, and significantly improves the stability of the repair quality.

[0093] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention may be modified or replaced by equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, which should all be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An optical cable sheath repair structure, characterized in that: include, The outer shape support member (100) comprises a support body (101) having a storage space (A), wherein the support body (101) is provided with an extrusion opening (102).

2. The optical cable sheath repair structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support body (101) is provided with an exhaust port (103).

3. The optical cable sheath repair structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The extrusion port (102) and the exhaust port (103) are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the support body (101).

4. The optical cable sheath repair structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The extrusion port (102) and the exhaust port (103) are respectively arranged at two ends of the support body (101).

5. An optical cable sheath repair device, applied to the optical cable sheath repair structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: include, A glue squeezing device (200) for realizing automatic glue squeezing operation; A heating device (300) for heating a material; The glue squeezing device injects the repair material into the squeezing port (102) and fills the storage space (A).

6. The optical cable sheath repair device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes, An alarm device (400) for issuing an alarm for lack of glue; The power supply module is used to provide power to the device.

7. The optical cable sheath repair device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The glue extrusion device (200) comprises: A first glue barrel (201), which is used to store a first structural glue; A second glue barrel (202), which is used to store a second structural glue; An extrusion member (203) for respectively extruding the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive; The mixing tube (204) is used to mix the first structural adhesive and the second structural adhesive.

8. The optical cable sheath repair device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The alarm device (400) comprises: Ultrasonic liquid level distance measuring sensors arranged in the first rubber barrel (201) and the second rubber barrel (202); and, a flow meter disposed on the mixing pipe (204); It also includes a buzzer (401) and a display (402).

9. A method for repairing the outer skin of an optical cable, applied to the optical cable outer skin repairing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: include, Set the cable type and glue injection amount; Detecting whether the content of the structural adhesive in the first adhesive barrel (201) and the second adhesive barrel (202) is normal; The extruder (203) starts to squeeze the glue, and injects the mixed glue into the storage space (A) through the mixing pipe (204).

10. The optical cable sheath repair method according to claim 9, characterized in that: When the content of the structural adhesive in the first adhesive barrel (201) and the second adhesive barrel (202) is insufficient, an alarm will be issued through the buzzer (401) and the display (402).

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