Air-blowing optical cable and production process thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an air-blowing optical cable and a production process thereof, the air-blowing optical cable comprises a cable core and an outer sheath wrapping the cable core, the cable core comprises a plurality of optical fibers and a bonding part for intermittently bonding the plurality of optical fibers in the axial direction, after the outer sheath is formed, a protruding piece is arranged on the outer sheath, and the protruding piece is arranged on the outer sheath. The protruding part surrounds the outer surface of the outer sheath in a spiral shape, and the protruding part extends towards the outer side in the radial direction of the air-blowing optical cable and protrudes out of the outer sheath. The protruding piece and the outer sheath are separately molded, so that deformation caused by uneven heating and cooling of the protruding piece during integral extrusion molding is avoided; meanwhile, materials of the protruding pieces can be flexibly selected according to different construction environments, and the antifriction effect and the abrasion resistance of the optical cable in air blowing construction can be improved; according to different construction environments, the stability of the protruding part of the optical cable and flexible selection of materials are achieved, the problem that the protruding part is prone to deformation in the cooling forming process is effectively solved, and different materials can be selected according to requirements to meet the comprehensive performance requirement of the optical cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to cable products, in particular to an air-blown optical cable and a production process thereof. Background Art

[0002] Air-blown optical cables are often used to quickly and efficiently lay optical cables in urban pipelines, underground pipe networks, and long-distance transmission scenarios because they can use the blowing force of compressed air and the thrust of the transmission device. In order to reduce the friction between the optical cable and the pipeline wall during the laying process, specific air guide grooves or protrusions are usually set on the outer surface of the optical cable. Through these structures, the contact area between the optical cable and the pipeline can be reduced, the cable blowing efficiency can be optimized, and the optical cable itself can be protected from excessive friction damage.

[0003] However, the existing technology generally adopts the "integrated extrusion" method to form the air guide groove, which often causes the deformation of the air guide groove due to the cooling process, affecting the laying effect of the optical cable in the pipeline; in addition, the integrated molding usually requires the outer sheath to be consistent with the material of the air guide groove, which can easily limit the performance of the optical cable and make it impossible to flexibly change the material of the air guide groove according to different usage requirements. For this reason, a spiral protrusion structure is required to be molded step by step with the main body of the optical cable during the production stage, so as to avoid deformation as much as possible and improve the flexibility of material selection, fundamentally solving the defects of the above-mentioned existing technology. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides an air-blown optical cable and its production process. By arranging a spiral protrusion on the outer sheath and adopting a step-by-step molding manufacturing method, the stability of the optical cable protrusion and the flexible selection of materials are achieved, so as to effectively reduce the problem of easy deformation of the protrusion during the cooling molding process, and different materials can be selected according to needs to meet the comprehensive performance requirements of the optical cable.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an air-blown optical cable, comprising a cable core and an outer sheath covering the cable core, the cable core comprising a plurality of optical fibers and a bonding portion for intermittently bonding the plurality of optical fibers in an axial direction, after the outer sheath is formed, a protrusion is arranged on the outer sheath, the protrusion is spirally wrapped around the outer surface of the outer sheath, and the protrusion extends outward along the radial direction of the air-blown optical cable and protrudes from the outer sheath.

[0006] More specifically, two adjacent pitches of the spiral protrusions are equal.

[0007] More specifically, the pitches of two adjacent spiral protrusions are not equal.

[0008] More specifically, the protruding parts are arranged intermittently.

[0009] More specifically, the protruding pieces are arranged continuously.

[0010] More specifically, a placement groove is formed on the outer sheath inwardly along the radial direction, and the protruding piece is arranged in the placement groove and partially extends out of the placement groove.

[0011] More specifically, the protruding piece is configured as a convex strip, and the convex strip is disposed in the placement groove.

[0012] More specifically, the protruding member is configured as a ball, a plurality of the ball is provided, and the plurality of ball are evenly arranged in the placement groove.

[0013] More specifically, the balls fill the placement grooves.

[0014] More specifically, an embedded spiral groove is arranged in the placement groove, the embedded spiral groove is arranged in the placement groove, and the ball is arranged in the embedded spiral groove.

[0015] More specifically, the embedded spiral groove includes an embedded body and a ball groove formed on the embedded body, and the opening size of the ball groove is smaller than the diameter of the ball.

[0016] More specifically, any bonding portion on any optical fiber is a first reference bonding portion, the adjacent bonding portion on the optical fiber adjacent to the first reference bonding portion is a second reference bonding portion, and the adjacent bonding portion on the optical fiber adjacent to the second reference bonding portion is a third reference bonding portion, and the first reference bonding portion, the second reference bonding portion and the third reference bonding portion are on the same straight line.

[0017] A production process for air-blown optical cables, comprising the steps of:

[0018] S1, a plurality of optical fibers and a water-blocking yarn are provided, and two colored wires are wound forwardly and reversely around the optical fibers and the water-blocking yarn to form an optical fiber bundle;

[0019] S2, a plurality of optical fiber bundles are twisted to form a cable core, and the cable enters a mold after being cabled;

[0020] S3, the mold rotates, and the cable core extrude the outer sheath in the mold;

[0021] S4, vacuum sizing the outer sheath after solidification;

[0022] S5, providing a protruding piece on the outer sheath.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: by separately molding the protruding part and the outer sheath, deformation caused by uneven heating and cooling of the protruding part during integral extrusion is avoided; at the same time, the protruding part can be flexibly selected according to different construction environments, which helps to improve the friction reduction effect and wear resistance of the optical cable in air blowing construction; according to different construction environments, the stability of the protruding part and the flexible selection of materials are achieved to effectively reduce the problem of easy deformation of the protrusion during the cooling and molding process, and different materials can be selected according to needs to meet the comprehensive performance requirements of the optical cable. In addition, the present invention also takes into account the design of the reinforcement and water-blocking components inside the optical cable, further enhancing the mechanical strength and waterproof performance of the optical cable, and providing a more reliable guarantee for long-distance and high-efficiency optical cable laying. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments;

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-sectional structure of the protruding member of the present invention being configured as a convex strip;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-sectional structure after the convex strip is removed when the protruding member of the present invention is set as a convex strip;

[0027] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-sectional structure of the protruding member of the present invention being configured as a ball;

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the radial cross-sectional structure after the protruding member of the present invention is set as a ball and the ball and the embedded spiral groove are disassembled;

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the structure when the protruding member of the present invention is configured as a convex strip;

[0030] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the embedded spiral groove of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a plurality of optical fibers and a bonding portion in cooperation with the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic structural diagram of a plurality of optical fibers and a water-blocking yarn bundled by a color line according to the present invention;

[0033] Fig. 9 This is a process flow chart of the air-blown optical cable production process of the present invention;

[0034] In the figure: 1, cable core; 11, optical fiber; 12, bonding part; 13, water-blocking yarn; 14, color line; 2, water-blocking tape; 3, outer sheath; 4, reinforcement; 51, convex strip; 52, ball; 6, embedded spiral groove; 61, embedded body; 62, ball groove; 7, placement groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the implementation of the present invention clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings.

[0037] It should be understood that the drawings are only used to illustrate the present application.

[0038] The present invention will now be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams that only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, and therefore only show the components related to the present invention.

[0039] An air-blown optical cable, such as Figure 1-Figure 8 As shown, it includes a cable core 1 and an outer sheath 3 covering the cable core 1 .

[0040] In order to reduce the friction when the optical cable is laid by air blowing to the external pipeline, a convex strip is usually provided on the outer wall of the outer sheath 3. However, the outer sheath 3 and the convex strip are usually extruded as one piece, which means that the material of the convex strip must be consistent with the material of the outer sheath 3, which will limit the material. At the same time, since the friction needs to be reduced when the optical cable is laid in the external pipeline, the material of the convex strip is generally selected from PE material with less friction. However, during the production process, deformation and other problems may occur due to cooling. Therefore, this solution provides a protruding piece that is separate from the outer sheath 3 to solve the above problems.

[0041] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, after the outer sheath 3 is formed, a protrusion is arranged on the outer surface of the outer sheath 3, and the protrusion is spirally wrapped around the surface of the outer sheath 3. The height direction of the protrusion extends outward along the radial direction of the optical cable and protrudes from the outer sheath 3. The distance between any two adjacent pitches of the spiral protrusion is equal or unequal, and the entire spiral protrusion is continuously or discontinuously arranged on the outer sheath. Specifically, the entire spiral protrusion can be continuously and evenly wound on the outer sheath 3, or it can be discontinuously arranged, but all the pitches are the same, or the entire spiral protrusion can be arranged continuously but unevenly. Of course, the entire spiral protrusion can also be arranged discontinuously, and all or part of the pitches are unequal, that is, the protrusion and the outer sheath 3 are no longer integrally formed, and can be spirally arranged on the outer sheath 3 in any state. When the spiral protrusions are unevenly arranged, the friction resistance between the optical cable and the external pipeline during laying can be reduced, and additional strength or flexibility in specific areas can be enhanced. In different laying environments, the non-uniform pitch design helps the optical cable to better adapt to changes in these environments and ensure the smooth progress of the laying process; when the spiral protrusions are intermittently arranged, the friction resistance can be reduced, the airflow dynamics can be optimized, the laying speed can be increased, and the mechanical strength can be enhanced.

[0042] The pitch of the spiral protrusion is set to be less than or equal to 0.5m. When the pitch is greater than 0.5m, the driving force of the optical cable in the external pipe is less than 50N, and the efficiency of air blowing is not good. Further, when the pitch of the spiral convex strip 5 is set to 0.1-0.5m, there is only one convex strip 5 on any radial surface of the optical cable, and the air blowing effect is better. By separating the protrusion from the outer sheath 3, the deformation of the conventional convex strip due to cooling shrinkage during the one-piece extrusion process can be avoided. At the same time, the material of the protrusion can be flexibly selected and replaced according to different construction environments and needs, thereby overcoming the problem that the material of the convex strip must be consistent with the material of the optical cable sheath in the prior art, which limits the overall performance of the optical cable.

[0043] The technology of additionally attaching convex strips 5 is mainly to strengthen the use of high-pressure gas by the optical cable itself during air blowing laying. The purpose of the convex strips 5 is not only to reduce the contact with the external pipe wall to a certain extent, but also to increase its contact with the air, so that it can be more stably supported in the pipe by high-pressure air. The latter setting of the convex strips 5 can obtain greater advantages than synchronous extrusion in the following three aspects:

[0044] Intermittent and uneven settings are possible: after adopting the asynchronous extrusion of the convex strips 5, the convex strips 5 no longer need to be extruded synchronously with the outer sheath 3. Only under this production can the uneven setting be adopted. A more dense convex strip 5 is set at the outer end of the optical cable. The outer end is the end that enters the pipeline first during laying. In the initial stage of the laying construction, more high-pressure gas is obtained to assist the driving force. As the optical cable extends, the density of the convex strips 5 is gradually reduced and the pitch is increased, thereby saving materials and optimizing the bending performance of the optical cable, making the subsequent passage through the pipeline smoother.

[0045] Greater production flexibility: The additional production line of the convex strip 5 is separated from the optical cable production line, and can be customized according to different laying pipelines and air blowing equipment. For example, when the size of the external pipeline is small, a material with greater hardness can be used to prepare a convex strip 5 with a smaller height. When the pressure of the air blowing equipment is high, a material with a larger surface friction coefficient can be used to prepare a convex strip 5 of the same volume.

[0046] Compatible with various materials with different melting temperatures: In the traditional production process, the material of the convex strip 5 and the outer sheath 3 are the same material with the same melting temperature. However, after adopting the additional process, more special materials with melting temperatures different from the melting temperature of the outer sheath material can be used, so that the optical cable has different additional characteristics, such as metal materials to enhance strength, low-density materials with low melting temperatures can reduce the overall weight of the optical cable and speed up the laying.

[0047] The protruding piece can be fixed to the outside of the outer sheath by bonding, clamping or embedding. For the convenience of setting, a placement groove 7 is formed on the outer sheath 3 in a radially inward direction. The placement groove 7 is spirally wrapped around the surface of the outer sheath 3. The protruding piece is arranged in the placement groove 7 and part of the protruding piece extends out of the placement groove.

[0048] The setting of the protruding piece allows the production process to be carried out in steps. First, the outer sheath 3 is extruded and a placement groove 7 is formed on its surface. Then, the protruding piece is fixed in the placement groove 7 by bonding, embedding or clamping, so as to obtain a more stable protruding piece. At the same time, the friction characteristics, toughness and weather resistance between the protruding piece and the outer sheath 3 can be selected in a targeted manner, so that the optical cable can contact the pipe wall in a lower friction and more efficient manner during air blowing construction, reduce deformation and enhance laying reliability. This solution is not only convenient for maintenance and upgrading, but also effectively solves the deformation and material homogeneity problems that are prone to occur in conventional convex strip molding methods, and realizes the wide applicability of air-blown optical cables in multiple construction environments.

[0049] The protrusions may be arranged in any form, and may be arranged in the form of convex strips 51 or in the form of balls 52.

[0050] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figure 5 As shown, when the protruding member is set as a convex strip 51, the convex strip 51 is set in the placement groove 7 by bonding, embedding, etc. In this solution, the convex strip 51 is bonded in the placement groove 7. By setting the protruding member as a convex strip 51 and adopting a bonding fixing method, the placement groove 7 can be formed on the outer sheath 3 first, and then the material of the convex strip 51 can be selected as a flexible plastic or a metal material with better wear resistance according to the needs, so that it can be firmly bonded in the placement groove 7 with an adhesive. Since the convex strip 51 extends outward along the radial direction of the optical cable in the height direction, its contact surface with the pipeline wall is relatively small, which can effectively reduce the friction of the optical cable during the air blowing construction process. Through the late step-by-step molding method, the defect of deformation caused by uneven cooling during the integral extrusion of the convex strip 51 is avoided; in addition, the material of the convex strip 51 can be different from the sheath material, breaking through the limitation of integral molding, so that it has higher design flexibility in terms of strength, flexibility and friction reduction characteristics, and is more convenient in use, maintenance and upgrading. This solution makes it easy to replace or change materials while maintaining the spiral distribution, thereby improving the adaptability of the optical cable in different pipeline environments.

[0051] When the protruding member is configured as a convex strip, the convex strip is configured intermittently, and the shape of the convex strip is configured to be an arc that is more conducive to air lifting, which can reduce the air pressure used for lifting during the air blowing process and reduce energy consumption to achieve the same deployment effect.

[0052] like Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, when the protruding member is set as a ball 52, the ball 52 is rotatably arranged in the placement groove 7. The number of the balls 52 is not limited, and the balls 52 can be fully distributed in the placement groove 7, or there can be gaps between adjacent balls 52. However, at this time, it is necessary to ensure that the positions of the balls 52 are uniform to avoid that the balls 52 are not present in some positions in the placement groove 7 after the balls 52 move, thereby affecting the friction. By enabling the ball 52 to roll freely in the placement groove 7 on the surface of the outer sheath 3, the friction resistance of the optical cable during air blowing construction can be further reduced. The local contact characteristics of the ball 52 reduce the friction surface with the pipe wall, and the rotatability of the ball 52 allows it to maintain a relatively stable matching relationship with the outer sheath 3, thereby maintaining smoothness of laying when laid under high air pressure or over long distances; at the same time, the protruding part of the ball 52 and the outer sheath 3 are not extruded in an integrated manner, avoiding the cooling deformation problem that is prone to occur during one-time molding, and the material of the ball 52 can be flexibly selected to adapt to different construction working environments, thereby improving the overall wear resistance and service life of the optical cable.

[0053] When the protruding member is set as a ball 52, an embedded spiral groove 6 is set in the placement groove 7, and the embedded spiral groove 6 is bonded in the placement groove 7. The ball 52 can also be directly set in the placement groove 7, but the ball 52 is easy to fall out of the placement groove 7 during air blowing. If the placement groove 7 is set to be sufficiently wrapped to prevent the ball 52 from falling, the production process of the outer sheath 3 will become complicated. The embedded spiral groove 6 includes an embedded body 61 and a ball groove 62 opened on the embedded body 61. The opening of the ball groove 62 is smaller than the diameter of the ball 52, ensuring that the ball groove 62 wraps the ball 52 to prevent the ball 52 from falling. At the same time, the front and rear ends of the embedded spiral groove 6 are blocked to prevent the ball 52 from falling. By fixing the embedded spiral groove 6 in the placement groove 7 on the surface of the outer sheath 3 first, and then installing the ball 52 in the embedded spiral groove 6, the ball 52 can be reliably positioned while being rotatable, avoiding the ball 52 from falling off or deflecting during high-speed air blowing construction in the pipeline; at the same time, the embedded spiral groove 6 can be made of flexible or elastic materials as needed, and firmly bonded to the placement groove 7 through an adhesive, overcoming the structural deformation problem caused by inconsistent thermal expansion and contraction of the material in the one-piece molding method. This solution allows the ball 52, the embedded spiral groove 6, and the outer sheath 3 to be separately molded, while improving maintainability and replaceability, and can also select corresponding materials for different construction work environments to achieve better comprehensive performance in terms of friction reduction, wear resistance, weather resistance, etc.

[0054] like Figure 7 , Figure 8As shown, the cable core 1 includes a plurality of optical fibers 11 and a bonding portion 12 for axially discontinuously bonding the plurality of optical fibers 11, any bonding portion 12 on any optical fiber 11 is a first reference bonding portion, an adjacent bonding portion 12 on the optical fiber 11 adjacent to the first reference bonding portion is a second reference bonding portion, an adjacent bonding portion 12 on the optical fiber 11 adjacent to the second reference bonding portion is a third reference bonding portion, and the first reference bonding portion, the second reference bonding portion and the third reference bonding portion are on the same straight line. For example, three optical fibers 11 are provided, which are respectively the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber and the third optical fiber in sequence. Three bonding portions 12 are provided on each optical fiber 11, which are respectively the first bonding portion, the second bonding portion and the third bonding portion in sequence. The first bonding portion on the second optical fiber is defined as a first reference bonding portion. The optical fibers adjacent to the first reference bonding portion are the first optical fiber and the third optical fiber. The bonding portions adjacent to the first reference bonding portion are the first bonding portion of the first optical fiber and the first bonding portion of the third optical fiber. The two first bonding portions are the second reference bonding portion. If there is a fourth optical fiber, the optical fiber adjacent to the second reference bonding portion is the fourth optical fiber. The first bonding portion adjacent to the second reference bonding portion is the first bonding portion of the fourth optical fiber. This first bonding portion is the third reference bonding portion. The first reference bonding portion, the second reference bonding portion and the third reference bonding portion are on the same straight line. That is, the first bonding portions of the first optical fiber, the second optical fiber, the third optical fiber and the fourth optical fiber are on the same straight line.

[0055] The optical fiber 11 ribbon adopts high-precision glue dispensing technology, so that the adjacent bonding parts 12 of any adjacent optical fibers 11 are connected on the same straight line. In this solution, the bonding parts 12 are set as glue points, and the deviation between them is less than 0.1mm. High precision is conducive to ensuring that the difference between the cross-sections of several optical fibers 11 after cutting is extremely small during the overall welding process of the optical fiber 11 ribbon, which guarantees the stability of the welding performance to the maximum extent and helps to reduce the welding loss.

[0056] like Figure 8As shown, two color wires 14 are arranged outside the plurality of optical fibers 11, and the two color wires 14 are wound forward and backward to bundle the plurality of optical fibers 11 into an optical fiber bundle. The plurality of optical fibers 11 are bonded to form an optical fiber ribbon, and the two color wires 14 can bundle only one optical fiber ribbon, or can bundle multiple optical fibers. A water-blocking yarn 13 is arranged in the optical fiber bundle, and the water-blocking yarn 13 is made of high-expansion water-blocking yarn. The color wires 14 bundle the plurality of optical fibers 11 and the water-blocking yarn 13 to form an optical fiber bundle, and the plurality of optical fiber bundles are twisted into a cable core 1. Prepare a plurality of optical fibers 11 and a high-expansion water-blocking yarn, and then prepare two color wires 14, and bundle the plurality of optical fibers 11 and the water-blocking yarn 13 by winding forward and backward. The color wire 14 is made of 111D polyester yarn, and the polyester yarn can be designed into different colors according to requirements to facilitate the distinction of different optical fiber bundles. The optical fiber ribbons in any bundle can be distinguished by spraying marks. The pitch of the color line 14 is set to be less than 7 cm. The pitch of the color line 14 is made into a small pitch, which can better distinguish the optical fiber bundles directly. Traditional optical fiber bundles often only have the surface of the optical fiber ribbon sprayed with code, and when the spray code is used as the main identification method, it is difficult to quickly distinguish each optical fiber bundle when the number of cores increases. The different colored yarns in this solution allow construction workers to quickly separate different optical fibers according to the color line 14, greatly improving the fusion efficiency of optical fiber bundles with a large number of cores.

[0057] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, in order to ensure the strength of the optical cable and prevent deformation during transportation or laying, a reinforcing member 4 is arranged in the outer sheath 3, and the reinforcing member 4 is evenly arranged in the outer sheath 3 in the circumferential direction. By embedding multiple reinforcing members 4 in the circumferential position of the outer sheath 3, the mechanical strength and tensile strength of the optical cable as a whole can be improved, so that it can more effectively resist external impact, bending or pulling during construction and use; the material of the reinforcing member 4 can be flexibly selected, such as aramid yarn, glass fiber or metal wire, to adapt to the diversified construction environment and extend the service life of the optical cable. The reinforcement member is arranged in the outer sheath 3, which will not affect the installation of the groove 7 and the protruding member on the surface of the outer sheath 3, and can also work together with the protruding member to ensure that the optical cable remains stable and durable under air blowing or other laying methods, thereby further overcoming the limitations of the existing optical cable in that the strength and friction reduction performance cannot be taken into account.

[0058] When the protruding piece is set as a convex strip, the convex strip is set to a tensile material, such as aramid fiber, glass fiber or galvanized steel wire, and no reinforcement is set in the outer sheath. When the optical cable is actually laid, part of the tension in the traction equipment used or the fixing hardware after installation is transferred to this part of the tensile material to improve the overall tensile strength of the optical cable so that it can withstand greater tension. At this time, the main function of the convex strip is to be used as an external reinforcement member, which is fixed together with the optical cable to greatly improve the tensile capacity of the optical cable. At the same time, the original embedded reinforcement member may no longer be set, thereby producing a simpler structure in the production process, accelerating production efficiency, and using simpler equipment to reduce the stretching of the optical cable during the production process, reduce optical fiber attenuation, and improve optical cable performance.

[0059] Of course, a small amount of embedded reinforcement members may also be provided to enhance the overall tensile strength of the optical cable.

[0060] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, a water-blocking tape 2 is arranged outside the cable core 1. By coating the water-blocking tape 2 outside the cable core 1, external moisture can be effectively prevented from penetrating into the optical cable along the axial direction of the optical fiber, thereby enhancing the waterproof reliability of the optical cable; at the same time, the comprehensive configuration of the water-blocking tape 2, the outer sheath 3 and the reinforcement 4 enables the optical cable to maintain stable performance for a long time in a humid environment or in a pipeline, and cooperates with the spiral protrusion structure to ensure the high efficiency of air blowing construction and improve the overall weather resistance and service life of the optical cable.

[0061] A production process for air-blown optical cables, such as Fig. 9 As shown, comprising the steps of:

[0062] S1, a plurality of optical fibers 11 and a water-blocking yarn 13 are provided, and two colored wires 14 are wound forwardly and reversely outside the optical fibers 11 and the water-blocking yarn 13 to form an optical fiber bundle;

[0063] S2, a plurality of optical fiber bundles are twisted to form a cable core 1, and the cable enters a mold after being cabled;

[0064] S3, the mold rotates, the cable core 1 extrude the outer sheath 3 in the mold, a placement groove 7 is formed on the outer sheath 3, and the placement groove 7 is spirally arranged on the outer sheath 3;

[0065] S4, vacuum sizing is performed after the outer sheath 3 is solidified;

[0066] S5, arranging a protruding piece in the placement groove 7;

[0067] S6, when the protruding piece is set as the convex strip 51, the convex strip 51 is fixed in the placement groove 7, and the convex strip 51 is bonded in the placement groove 7; when the protruding piece is set as the ball 52, the embedded spiral groove 6 is fixed in the placement groove 7, and the ball 52 is set in the embedded spiral groove 6, and the embedded spiral groove 6 is bonded in the placement groove 7.

[0068] By twisting a plurality of optical fibers 11 and water-blocking yarns 13 forwardly and reversely around two colored wires 14 to form an optical fiber bundle and then entering the mold after the cable is formed, the orderly distribution of the optical fibers and the waterproof characteristics of the water-blocking yarn 13 can be effectively guaranteed when the cable core 1 is twisted and formed as a whole; in S3, the mold is rotated and synchronously extruded to form the outer sheath 3, so that a spiral structure of the placement groove 7 is formed on its surface, which not only ensures the molding accuracy of the outer sheath 3 and the cable core 1, but also avoids the problem of easy deformation of the protrusion during integrated extrusion. According to the required shape and size of the placement groove 7, different molds are replaced to obtain the required outer sheath 3 and placement groove 7; by curing and vacuum sizing in S4, a uniform and reliable size of the outer sheath 3 can be obtained, which is convenient for the subsequent installation of the protrusion. The parts provide a stable foundation; in S5 and S6, if the convex strip 51 is selected, it can be directly bonded, clamped or embedded in the placement groove 7; if the ball 52 is selected, it is bonded, clamped or embedded in the placement groove 7 by the embedded spiral groove 6 and the ball 52 is placed therein, forming a friction-reducing structure that can roll freely or be flexibly replaced; since the protruding part and the outer sheath 3 are formed in steps and the materials can be selected according to the needs, the defects of the traditional one-piece extrusion that the materials must be consistent and the cooling deformation cause the performance of the protruding part to be limited, the stable setting of the friction-reducing protrusion of the optical cable is realized, and the comprehensive performance of waterproofing, strengthening and efficient deployment is combined, which further improves the applicability and service life of the optical cable in various environments such as air blowing construction.

[0069] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the protruding piece provided on the outer sheath 3 can not only adopt flexible plastic convex strips 51 or balls 52, but also metal or composite materials according to different usage requirements. For example, the convex strips 51 can be made of the same or different types of plastic as the outer sheath 3, so as to take into account the requirements of friction reduction and wear resistance; the balls 52 can be metal, stainless steel, nylon or other polymer materials to obtain lower friction and better durability during high-pressure air blowing construction. The embedded spiral groove 6 can be made of soft or elastic materials, such as silicone, TPU or modified plastics containing polymer elastomers, and is fixed in the placement groove 7 on the surface of the outer sheath 3 by an adhesive to achieve reliable support and positioning of the balls 52. For the bonding method, hot melt adhesive, epoxy resin or rubber adhesive can be used according to the material properties to ensure the connection strength and weather resistance.

[0070] The reinforcement 4 can be made of aramid yarn, glass fiber, metal wire or FRP rod. The specific selection can be combined with the tensile strength and durability requirements of the environment in which the optical cable is located. The water-blocking tape 2 can use a waterproof layer or a composite water-blocking material containing a water-absorbing polymer, so that the cable core 1 can quickly absorb and expand and block the extension of moisture when encountering external moisture intrusion; the water-blocking yarn 13 can use specially treated yarn or water-absorbing fiber, and is placed inside the optical fiber 11 bundle to further block moisture intrusion. Since the bonding part 12 of the optical fiber 11 in the cable core 1 is axially discontinuous and arranged in a straight line on the adjacent optical fibers 11, combined with the forward and reverse winding of the two color lines 14, the regular arrangement and simplified operation of the optical fiber 11 bundle in cabling and subsequent use can be fully guaranteed. Based on the above-mentioned multiple optional materials and combinations, the present invention can take into account the diversified needs for the external friction-reducing protrusions of the optical cable and the internal water-blocking and enhanced performance requirements when it is implemented, providing a wider range of applicability and higher service life for the optical cable in different construction environments and long-distance transmission occasions.

[0071] In summary, by separating the spiral protrusion structure from the optical cable sheath, deformation caused by uneven heating and cooling of the protrusion during integral extrusion is avoided; at the same time, the spiral protrusion can be flexibly selected according to different construction environments, which helps to improve the friction reduction effect and wear resistance of the optical cable in air blowing construction; according to different construction environments, the stability of the optical cable protrusion and the flexible selection of materials are achieved to effectively reduce the problem of easy deformation of the protrusion during the cooling and molding process, and different materials can be selected according to needs to meet the comprehensive performance requirements of the optical cable. In addition, the present invention also takes into account the design of the reinforcement member 4 and the water-blocking component inside the optical cable, further enhancing the mechanical strength and waterproof performance of the optical cable, and providing a more reliable guarantee for long-distance and high-efficiency optical cable laying.

[0072] The above is based on the ideal embodiment of the present invention. Through the above description, relevant personnel can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the content in the specification, and the technical scope must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

[0073] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the technical concept of the present invention, a variety of simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, and these simple modifications all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0074] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not further describe various possible combinations.

[0075] In addition, various embodiments of the present invention may be arbitrarily combined, and as long as they do not violate the concept of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the contents disclosed by the present invention.

Claims

1. An air-blown optical cable, characterized in that: The invention comprises a cable core (1) and an outer sheath (3) covering the cable core (1); the cable core (1) comprises a plurality of optical fibers (11) and a bonding portion (12) for bonding the plurality of optical fibers (11) discontinuously in the axial direction; after the outer sheath (3) is formed, a protruding piece is arranged on the outer sheath (3); the protruding piece is spirally wrapped around the outer surface of the outer sheath (3); the protruding piece extends outward along the radial direction of the air-blown optical cable and protrudes from the outer sheath (3).

2. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two adjacent pitches of the spiral protrusions are equal.

3. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pitches of two adjacent spiral protrusions are not equal.

4. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The protruding parts are arranged intermittently.

5. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The protruding pieces are arranged continuously.

6. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: A placement groove (7) is formed on the outer sheath (3) in a radially inwardly recessed manner, and the protruding piece is arranged in the placement groove (7) and partially protrudes out of the placement groove (7).

7. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 6, characterized in that: The protruding piece is configured as a convex strip (51), and the convex strip (51) is disposed in the placement groove (7).

8. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 7, characterized in that: The convex strips are arranged in an arc shape and are arranged discontinuously.

9. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 6, characterized in that: The protruding member is configured as a ball (52), a plurality of the ball (52) are provided, and the plurality of ball (52) are evenly arranged in the placement groove (7).

10. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 9, characterized in that: The balls (52) are spread over the placement groove (7).

11. The air-blown optical cable according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: An embedded spiral groove (6) is arranged in the placement groove (7), the embedded spiral groove (6) is arranged in the placement groove (7), the ball (52) is arranged in the embedded spiral groove (6), the embedded spiral groove (6) includes an embedded body (61) and a ball groove (62) opened on the embedded body (61), and the opening of the ball groove (62) is smaller than the diameter of the ball (52).

12. A production process for air-blown optical cables, characterized in that: Including steps, S1, a plurality of optical fibers (11) and a water-blocking yarn (13) are provided, and two colored wires (14) are wound forwardly and reversely on the outside of the optical fibers (11) and the water-blocking yarn (13) to form an optical fiber bundle; S2, a plurality of optical fiber bundles are twisted to form a cable core (1), and the cable is then put into a mold; S3, the mold rotates, and the cable core (1) extrude the outer sheath (3) in the mold; S4, vacuum sizing the outer sheath (3) after solidification; S5, providing a protruding piece on the outer sheath (3).

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