Large-core-number high-density optical cable and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of photoelectric transmission, and particularly discloses a large-core-number high-density optical cable and a manufacturing method thereof. The large-core-number high-density optical cable comprises a cable core and an outer sheath, the outer sheath wraps the periphery of the cable core, the cable core comprises a plurality of water-blocking tapes, the plurality of water-blocking tapes are connected at the central axis of the optical cable in a polymerization mode, and the water-blocking tapes are sequentially bent to make contact with the surfaces of the water-blocking tapes on the sides after being diffused towards the periphery from the central axis. And forming a water blocking network with a plurality of fan-shaped intervals, wherein the plurality of fan-shaped intervals are filled with a plurality of optical fibers. The large-core-number high-density optical cable has the advantages of being simple in structure, high in core number and high in optical fiber density.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of photoelectric transmission, and more particularly relates to a large-core high-density optical cable and a manufacturing method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid development of optical communication, big data and cloud computing technologies, the demand for fiber transmission bandwidth is increasing continuously, but the existing pipe network resources are becoming increasingly scarce, and the construction of new pipe networks is limited by factors such as geography and cost, and faces many difficulties. In order to meet the increasing demand for transmission in limited pipe space, it is urgent to increase the fiber core number and fiber density of optical cables.

[0003] At present, traditional optical cables mainly include central bundle tube type optical cables and layer twisted type optical cables. The central bundle tube type optical cable has a simple structure, but has a low core number. The layer twisted type optical cable has a relatively high core number, but has the problems of low fiber density and large outer diameter due to the need to set a central reinforcing member or a hard isolation frame inside the optical cable to maintain the structure of the optical cable and avoid internal fiber disorder, and it is difficult to meet the increasingly stringent requirements for large core number and high density. SUMMARY

[0004] In view of the defects or improvement needs of the prior art, the present application provides a large-core high-density optical cable and a manufacturing method thereof, which improves the problem that the traditional optical cable is difficult to meet the requirements for large core number and high density at the same time.

[0005] The first aspect of the present application provides a large-core high-density optical cable, which specifically comprises a cable core and an outer sheath, and the outer sheath is wrapped around the outer periphery of the cable core, wherein: The cable core comprises a plurality of water-blocking tapes, the plurality of water-blocking tapes are connected at the central axis of the optical cable, and after spreading from the central axis to the periphery, the water-blocking tapes are bent in turn to contact the surface of the adjacent water-blocking tape, forming a water-blocking network with a plurality of fan-shaped intervals, and a plurality of optical fibers are filled in each of the plurality of fan-shaped intervals.

[0006] As a further preferred, the fan-shaped intervals are arranged in several layers from the inside to the outside with the central axis of the optical cable as the center, and the fan-shaped intervals of each layer are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0007] As a further preferred, the water-blocking tape has a composite tape structure, which comprises a water-swelling layer and a water-blocking yarn layer arranged in layers.

[0008] As a further preferred, the water-blocking tape has a first identifier, and the first identifiers of different water-blocking tapes in the large-core high-density optical cable are different from each other.

[0009] As a further preferred, the plurality of optical fibers in the fan-shaped interval are grouped according to a preset number, and the optical fibers in each group are connected to each other to form an optical fiber ribbon.

[0010] As a further preferred, the optical fiber ribbons have second identities, and the second identities of the different optical fiber ribbons in the fan-shaped sections are different from each other.

[0011] As a further preferred, the outer periphery of the water-blocking network is provided with a lashing yarn.

[0012] As a further preferred, the outer sheath has a plurality of non-metallic reinforcing members embedded therein.

[0013] As a further preferred, the inner side of the outer sheath is provided with a plurality of cable opening ropes.

[0014] As a further preferred, the large-core-count high-density optical cable is of an all-dielectric non-metallic structure.

[0015] As a further preferred, the optical fiber density of the large-core-count high-density optical cable is not less than 5.6 cores / mm 2 .

[0016] As a further preferred, the transmission loss of the optical cable is less than 0.25 dB / km at a temperature of 25℃ and a wavelength of 1550 nm, and the additional attenuation is less than 0.03 dB / km at a temperature of -40℃ and a wavelength of 1550 nm.

[0017] The second aspect of the present application provides a manufacturing method of a large-core-count high-density optical cable, which comprises the following steps: S1. A plurality of water-blocking ribbons are connected along the same line to form a water-blocking ribbon aggregate having a central aggregation line; S2. The water-blocking ribbons are unfolded around the central aggregation line to form a plurality of open areas separated from each other, and then optical fibers are embedded in the open areas; S3. The ribbon width edges of each water-blocking ribbon in the water-blocking ribbon aggregate are bent to contact the surfaces of the adjacent water-blocking ribbons to jointly enclose a plurality of independent fan-shaped sections each containing an optical fiber, and then the water-blocking ribbon aggregate containing the optical fibers is twisted and lashed with a lashing yarn during the twisting process to form a cable core; S4. An outer sheath is wrapped around the outer periphery of the cable core to obtain the optical cable.

[0018] As a further preferred, in step S3, the water-blocking ribbon aggregate containing the optical fibers is SZ twisted, the twisting pitch is 500 mm-2500 mm, and the lashing yarn spacing is 20 mm-35 mm.

[0019] Overall, compared with the prior art, the above technical solutions conceived by the present application mainly have the following technical advantages: 1. The high-density optical cable with a large number of cores provided in the present application is a flexible optical cable with fan-shaped sections separated by water-blocking tapes. By optimizing the arrangement of the water-blocking tapes and the design of the fan-shaped structure, higher fiber density can be achieved under the limitation of the outer diameter, while the bending performance and environmental adaptability are ensured. The optical cable obtained by this design not only has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture and use, but also has a large number of cores and high density, which can meet the demand of high-density network and large-capacity transmission scenarios, and improve the utilization rate of pipeline resources.

[0020] 2. The high-density optical cable with a large number of cores provided in the present application utilizes the unique softness and heat insulation of the water-blocking tapes, simplifies the production process of the optical cable, avoids the influence of the bundling process on the optical fiber ribbon, and can improve the production efficiency. By embedding the non-metallic reinforcing member in the outer sheath, the diameter and weight of the optical cable can be reduced, and the mechanical properties of the optical cable can be ensured.

[0021] 3. The high-density optical cable with a large number of cores provided in the present application is a full-dielectric non-metallic structure, which has the performance of anti-electromagnetic interference and lightning protection, and is convenient for branching and splicing. In particular, the internal sector level identification and the optical fiber ribbon level identification are used in the optical cable, so that the positioning accuracy of the optical fiber ribbon is refined from the sector level to the single optical fiber ribbon level. This double-layer identification design helps users to accurately locate the target optical fiber ribbon during construction and maintenance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the high-density optical cable with a large number of cores and a single-layer fan-shaped section provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 2 is a forming schematic diagram of the water-blocking network provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the middle type connection of the water-blocking tape provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the end type connection of the water-blocking tape provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the high-density optical cable with a large number of cores and a double-layer fan-shaped section provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the water-blocking tape provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the optical fiber ribbon provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 8 is a flowchart of the manufacturing method provided in the embodiments of the present application; Figure 9 is an unfolding schematic diagram of the water-blocking tape partitioning and separating the optical fibers provided in the embodiments of the present application.

[0023] In all the drawings, the same reference signs are used to represent the same elements or structures, wherein: 1. Outer sheath; 2. Water-blocking tape; 2-1. Water-swellable layer; 2-2. Water-blocking yarn layer; 3. Optical fiber; 4. Non-metallic reinforcing member. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0025] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1-9 This application will be described in further detail.

[0026] This application discloses a high-core-count, high-density optical cable. (Refer to...) Figures 1-2 The high-density optical cable with a large core count includes a cable core and an outer sheath 1, with the outer sheath 1 covering the outer periphery of the cable core. The cable core includes multiple water-blocking strips 2, which are connected and converged at the central axis of the optical cable. They then spread outward from the central axis and bend sequentially to contact the surface of the side water-blocking strips 2 to form a water-blocking network with multiple fan-shaped sections. Each fan-shaped section is filled with multiple optical fibers 3.

[0027] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the water-blocking network is formed by connecting and fixing multiple water-blocking strips 2 in the middle of the strip body (i.e., a central connection), and then extending and bending the edges of the strips. That is, the middle parts of multiple water-blocking strips 2 overlap and are fixedly connected, and the two side edges of multiple water-blocking strips 2 extend outward and are bent, so that the edge of the water-blocking strip 2 is attached to the outer surface of the side water-blocking strip 2, thereby forming a water-blocking network that is axially continuous and closed in other directions.

[0028] Of course, in some other embodiments, multiple water-blocking strips 2 can also be stacked into two parallel sets, and the opposing ends of the two sets of water-blocking strips 2 can be fixed together (i.e., end-type connection) to construct a water-blocking network. For ease of understanding, Figure 3 The dashed lines roughly indicate the connection points where multiple water-blocking strips 2 are connected in the middle. Figure 4 The dashed boxes in the image roughly indicate the connection points where multiple water-blocking strips 2 are connected at the ends.

[0029] Preferably, the fan-shaped intervals are arranged in several layers from the inside to the outside with the central axis of the optical cable as the center, and the multiple fan-shaped intervals in each layer are evenly distributed along the circumference.

[0030] like Figure 5As shown, when the number of fan-shaped intervals is greater than one, it is preferable to use water-blocking strips 2 of different lengths to prepare the network structure. Generally speaking, water-blocking strips 2 of different lengths are stacked alternately, and the shorter water-blocking strips 2 are bent to form the inner fan-shaped intervals, while the longer water-blocking strips 2 extend beyond the inner fan-shaped intervals and are then bent to form the outer fan-shaped intervals.

[0031] To achieve the formation of the fan-shaped interval, the outer edge of the unfixed end of the water-blocking strip 2 (i.e., the end away from the central axis) can be bent to contact the arc-shaped outer surface of the adjacent water-blocking strip 2; or, bent to the root of the water-blocking strip 2 (i.e., the centerline of the optical fiber) to fit against the lateral outer surface of the adjacent water-blocking strip 2; or bent to contact another water-blocking strip 2 to jointly enclose the fan-shaped area; or any other feasible enclosure form that can construct the fan-shaped interval can be adopted; the core is to ensure that the optical fibers 3 in each fan-shaped interval are directly physically separated by the water-blocking strip 2.

[0032] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the water-blocking tape 2 is a composite tape structure. For example, the water-blocking tape 2 includes a water-swellable layer 2-1 (such as a water-swellable material, preferably with an expansion rate ≥200%) and a water-blocking yarn layer 2-2, which are stacked together. This water-blocking tape 2 is free of grease or gel filler to form a completely dry water-blocking structure. The number of layers of the water-swellable layer 2-1 and the water-blocking yarn layer 2-2 can be set according to requirements; for example, one surface of the water-blocking yarn layer 2-2 has the water-swellable layer 2-1, or both surfaces of the water-blocking yarn layer 2-2 have the water-swellable layer 2-1 (such as a water-swellable material, preferably with an expansion rate ≥200%). Figure 6 (As shown). Furthermore, the thickness of the water-blocking tape is 0.15mm-0.3mm (double-sided or single-sided water-blocking tape is acceptable, with 0.15mm single-sided tape being preferred), and the width is determined by the number of optical fibers in the partition.

[0033] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the optical fiber 3 is a flexible optical fiber, and multiple optical fibers 3 in the sector are grouped according to a preset number, and the optical fibers 3 in each group are interconnected to form a flexible optical fiber ribbon. That is, each sector is provided with several optical fiber ribbons, and the optical fiber ribbon is a ribbon-like structural unit composed of multiple optical fibers 3. The optical fiber ribbon includes, but is not limited to, spider web optical fiber ribbons.

[0034] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the optical fiber ribbon is preferably obtained by intermittent dispensing of multiple optical fibers 3 arranged side by side. On the surface of the optical fiber ribbon, the dispensing nodes are preferably arranged in an interlaced lattice pattern, so that the entire optical fiber ribbon can be unfolded into a mesh.

[0035] In some embodiments, 12×12F flexible fiber ribbons can be placed in each sector, reaching 144 cores (i.e., the number of optical fibers 3 in a single sector is preferably 1-144), or even higher. Under this design, the fiber density in a high-density optical cable with a large core count can reach 5.6 cores / mm². 2 It can even reach 7 cores / mm 2 Or higher fiber density (i.e., fiber density can reach no less than 5.6 cores / mm²) 2 The number of cores can reach 12, 24 or even higher.

[0036] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the water-blocking strip 2 has a first identifier throughout the entire optical cable, and the first identifiers of different water-blocking strips 2 are different from each other. In some embodiments, the optical fiber strips have a second identifier, and the second identifiers of different optical fiber strips in the sector are different from each other.

[0037] Under this design, by setting a first identifier and a second identifier, it is possible to quickly identify each sector section in the optical cable and the optical fiber strip within each sector section. The first identifier can be a color identifier, a graphic / numerical identifier, or a structural identifier, with color being the preferred choice. The second identifier can also be a color identifier, a graphic / numerical identifier, or a structural identifier, with ring-shaped inkjet printing (ink ring) being the preferred choice.

[0038] Furthermore, in some specific implementations, different colors of the water-blocking strip 2 are used to identify different sector sections. For example, in an optical cable containing three water-blocking strips 2, the sector section corresponding to the uppermost red water-blocking strip 2 is the first sector (starting sector), and the remaining sector sections (the middle layer is white water-blocking strip 2, and the lower layer is black water-blocking strip 2) are arranged in a clockwise direction (e.g., red is the first sector, and the adjacent white sector to its right is the second sector). During construction, the target sector can be quickly located by using the red strip.

[0039] Furthermore, in some specific embodiments, the fiber optic strips are distinguished by spraying rings (ring-shaped markings). The color or position of the spray ring corresponds to the specific function of the fiber optic strip, or they are numbered sequentially (e.g., 1#~12#) to achieve rapid identification of multiple fiber optic strips within a single sector. In this design, by dividing the identification into sector-level and fiber band-level identifiers, the accuracy of finding and locating fiber 3 is refined from the sector level to the single fiber band level. This dual-layer identifier design helps users accurately locate the target fiber band during construction and maintenance.

[0040] For example, after stripping the optical cable, the user first locates the target sector through the red sector, and then directly finds the required fiber ribbon by the color / number of the fiber ribbon spray ring (e.g., the fiber ribbon with a blue spray ring in the red sector is the backbone line, which can be found directly and quickly by stripping the optical cable), without the need for individual fiber inspection. This design can significantly improve the efficiency of optical cable maintenance and construction. The fiber ribbon identification time after stripping can even be shortened to less than 10 seconds (while the traditional design requires more than 30 seconds), the maintenance efficiency can be improved by up to 80%, and the target fiber ribbon positioning accuracy can reach 100%.

[0041] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the outer periphery of the water-blocking network is bound with yarn to improve the structural stability of the water-blocking network, so that the water-blocking strip 2 and multiple optical fiber strips are fixed in the target position to form a whole.

[0042] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, a plurality of non-metallic reinforcing members 4 are built into the sheath of the outer sheath 1. Preferably, two non-metallic reinforcing members 4 are provided and are arranged symmetrically in the radial direction within the sheath of the outer sheath 1, and the non-metallic reinforcing members 4 extend along the axial direction of the optical cable.

[0043] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a plurality of cable opening ropes are provided on the inner wall of the outer sheath 1. The cable opening ropes are located between the cable core and the outer sheath 1 and extend along the circumference of the optical cable.

[0044] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the cable unwinding rope, binding yarn, and outer sheath 1 are all free of metal components, and the high-core-count high-density optical cable is an all-dielectric, metal-free structure.

[0045] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a high-core-count, high-density optical cable is as follows: S1. Multiple water-blocking strips 2 are stacked and connected along the same straight line to form a water-blocking strip aggregate with a central aggregation line; S2. The water-blocking strip 2 is spread outward around the central aggregation line to form multiple mutually separated open areas, and then optical fibers 3 are inserted into the multiple open areas; S3. Bend the bandwidth edge of each water-blocking strip 2 in the water-blocking strip polymer to contact the surface of the adjacent water-blocking strip 2, then twist the water-blocking strip polymer containing optical fiber 3, and perform yarn binding during the twisting process to form a cable core. S4. Cover the outer sheath 1 around the cable core to obtain an optical cable.

[0046] In some embodiments, when a non-metallic reinforcing member 4 is required in the optical cable, the non-metallic reinforcing member 4 is embedded into the sheath layer of the outer sheath 1 during the extrusion process of the outer sheath 1 in step S4, ensuring that it extends continuously along the optical cable axis and is radially symmetrically distributed; if a cable opening rope is required, the cable opening rope is pre-placed between the inner wall of the outer sheath 1 and the cable core along the circumference of the cable core during extrusion, so as to achieve integrated structural molding.

[0047] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the middle portions of multiple water-blocking strips 2 are first stacked and connected (3 or more layers of water-blocking strips 2) through processes such as hot-melt bonding or mechanical embossing, so that the middle portions of multiple water-blocking strips 2 are connected as one unit. Then, the edges of multiple water-blocking strips 2 are unfolded to form multiple (e.g., 6-32) independent and physically isolated sector-shaped sections. The required number of fiber optic strips (e.g., 1~12×12F fiber optic strips, with a single sector reaching 144 cores or even higher) are placed into the sector (e.g., ... Figure 9 (As shown). Then, the edges of each water-blocking strip 2 are bent or folded circumferentially so that the edges of each water-blocking strip 2 fit against the outer edge of the next adjacent water-blocking strip 2, thereby closing the interval edge and ensuring the stability of the optical fiber 3 in each sector interval. Then, the outer layer of the water-blocking network is braided to ensure that the water-blocking strip 2 and the optical fiber strips in the sector interval are fixed, thus forming a stable cable core. Then, the outer sheath 1 is extruded and wrapped around the braided water-blocking network, and the outer sheath 1 is cooled and shaped to form a shape as shown. Figure 1 The high-density optical cable with a large core count is shown.

[0048] In reality, traditional stranded optical cables, after adopting metal reinforcements or rigid isolation frames, not only suffer from low density and large outer diameter, but also have issues with the fan-shaped bulges formed by the rigid isolation frames inside being susceptible to stress deformation, leading to fiber misalignment. Furthermore, metal reinforcements and other components are prone to causing electromagnetic interference (EMI) and lightning strike risks. In addition, due to the complex internal structure of stranded optical cables, the bundling process is cumbersome and can easily damage the fiber coating, potentially causing fiber performance parameters to exceed standards.

[0049] In this design, the flexible, tape-like water-blocking strip 2 simultaneously serves the dual functions of water blocking and separation, eliminating the need for an independent skeleton in this high-core-count, high-density optical cable. Therefore, this application's high-core-count, high-density optical cable does not require a central reinforcement or rigid isolation frame; it directly uses the water-blocking strip to form a fan-shaped partition structure for separating the optical cable. This design is not only structurally simple but also facilitates manufacturing and use. Due to the ample internal space of the optical cable, there are fewer structural components besides the optical fibers, avoiding risks associated with two sets of excess length control, fiber damage caused by yarn binding during the bundling process, and excessive attenuation. This results in an optical cable with a large core count, small outer diameter, high fiber density, and high-density compatibility (achieving 5.0-9.0 cores / mm²). 2 With advantages such as high fiber density (which can even be higher), non-destructive cabling (the fiber ribbon coating is basically undamaged, and the additional attenuation of 1km of optical cable can be <0.03dB at a temperature of -40℃ and a wavelength of 1550nm), and all-dry water-blocking, it can meet the needs of high-density networks, improve the laying utilization rate, and is especially suitable for scenarios with extremely high requirements for space utilization and transmission performance, such as dense urban communication networks and data center interconnection.

[0050] Based on the simplified structural design of this optical cable's unique construction, the overall flexibility of the cable is significantly improved, and the bending radius can be reduced, thus better adapting to complex laying environments. Simultaneously, this design effectively avoids electromagnetic interference and lightning strike hazards associated with metal components, further enhancing system stability and safety. Under this design, the optical cable adopts a fully dry, water-blocking structure, which is not only environmentally friendly and reliable but also significantly reduces the difficulty and cost of later maintenance, extending the cable's service life. The all-dielectric, metal-free optical cable possesses electromagnetic interference and lightning strike protection capabilities and facilitates branching and splicing, providing an innovative path for the lightweight and high-density integration of large-core-count optical cables, and powerfully promoting the development of optical communication networks towards high efficiency, greenness, and sustainability.

[0051] Of particular note is that this solution fully utilizes the flexibility and heat insulation properties of the water-blocking tape 2, simplifying the process and avoiding the adverse effects of the bundling process on the optical fiber ribbon, thereby improving production efficiency. Ultimately, a simple optical cable with a completely dielectric, metal-free structure can be produced. Since the non-metallic reinforcing member 4 in the optical cable is built into the outer sheath 1, this design not only reduces the diameter and weight of the optical cable but also ensures its mechanical properties.

[0052] Under this design, the optical cable exhibits low transmission loss and attenuation. At 25°C and a wavelength of 1550nm, the transmission loss is less than 0.25dB / km; at -40°C and a wavelength of 1550nm, the additional attenuation is less than 0.03dB / km. These performance indicators ensure stable transmission quality even in extreme low-temperature environments, providing a reliable guarantee for long-term stable operation in cold regions and harsh climates. Simultaneously, the optical cable also demonstrates excellent attenuation stability in high-temperature environments, ensuring consistent and efficient signal transmission across the entire temperature range.

[0053] For ease of understanding, Figure 1 An optical cable with single-layer fan-shaped sections is demonstrated. The water-blocking material in the cable consists of 0.15mm thick and 8mm wide water-blocking tape 2. When the three layers of water-blocking tape 2 are unfolded, they form six fan-shaped sections, each capable of holding 12×12F flexible optical fiber ribbons, resulting in 144 cores. The cable core is formed by binding the water-blocking tape 2 and multiple optical fiber ribbons in fixed positions to create an 864F cable core with a diameter of 10mm. The outer sheath 1 can be made of medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to provide robustness together with the non-metallic reinforcement 4 (preferably using an outer strength member FRP). The outer sheath 1 can have a sheath thickness of approximately 1.8mm to 3.0mm, the optical cable diameter is 14mm, and the fiber density can reach up to 5.2 cores / mm². 2 .

[0054] For ease of understanding,Figure 5 This design showcases an optical cable with a double-layered fan-shaped section. It utilizes nine water-blocking strips (the inner fan-shaped section uses a 0.15mm thick, 8mm wide water-blocking strip 2, and the outer fan-shaped section uses a 0.15mm thick, 12mm wide water-blocking strip 2), which unfold to form 18 fan-shaped sections. Each fan-shaped section can accommodate 12×12F flexible optical fiber ribbons, resulting in 144 cores. In this design, the cable core is formed by binding the water-blocking strips 2 and multiple optical fiber ribbons in fixed positions to create a 2592F cable core with a diameter of 17mm. The outer sheath 1 can be made of medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to provide robustness along with the surrounding strength member FRP. The cable diameter is 21mm, and the maximum fiber density is 7.5 cores / mm². 2 .

[0055] It is understandable that in some embodiments, more types of optical cables can be obtained by increasing the number of water-blocking strips 2, the number of sector sections, and the number of layers. For example, 12 water-blocking strips 2 can be used to form 18 sector sections to form a 3456F cable core, with a core diameter of up to 20.5 mm, an optical cable diameter of up to 25 mm, and a core density of up to 8 cores / mm². 2 For example, 24 water-blocking strips can be used to form 18 sector-shaped sections to create a 6912F cable core. The cable core diameter can reach 29mm, the optical cable diameter can reach 33mm, and the core density can reach 9.2 cores / mm². 2 .

[0056] It is important to understand that the central axis of an optical cable refers to the center of symmetry of the cable's geometry, and is also the baseline for the uniform distribution of materials in each layer.

[0057] It should be understood that the water-blocking network described in this application refers to a flexible partition structure formed by multiple water-blocking strips 2 in contact with each other, which divides the cable core into several fan-shaped sections; the fan-shaped section refers to a space with a fan-shaped cross-section enclosed by multiple adjacent or closely spaced water-blocking strips 2; and the optical fiber strip refers to a strip-shaped unit formed by multiple optical fibers 3 arranged in parallel and fixedly connected.

[0058] It should be understood that expressions such as "comprising" and "may include" as used in this application indicate the existence of the disclosed functions, operations, or constituent elements, and do not limit one or more additional functions, operations, and constituent elements. In this application, terms such as "comprising" and / or "having" may be interpreted as indicating a specific characteristic, number, operation, constituent element, component, or combination thereof, but should not be interpreted as excluding the existence or possibility of adding one or more other characteristics, numbers, operations, constituent elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0059] It should be understood that the terms “center,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential” indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0060] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0061] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0062] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A high-core-count, high-density optical cable, characterized in that, The cable includes a cable core and an outer sheath (1), wherein the outer sheath (1) covers the outer periphery of the cable core, wherein: The cable core includes multiple water-blocking strips (2), which are connected at the central axis of the optical cable and spread outward from the central axis and then bend in sequence to contact the surface of the side water-blocking strips (2), forming a water-blocking network with multiple fan-shaped intervals, each of which is filled with multiple optical fibers (3).

2. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sector-shaped intervals are arranged in several layers from the inside to the outside with the central axis of the optical cable as the center, and the sector-shaped intervals of each layer are evenly distributed along the circumference.

3. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water-blocking strip (2) is a composite strip structure, which includes a water-swellable layer (2-1) and a water-blocking yarn layer (2-2) stacked together.

4. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water-blocking strip (2) has a first identifier, and the first identifiers of different water-blocking strips (2) in high-core-count high-density optical cables are different from each other.

5. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple optical fibers (3) in the sector are grouped according to a preset number, and the optical fibers (3) in each group are interconnected to form an optical fiber band.

6. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The optical fiber strip has a second identifier, and the second identifiers of different optical fiber strips in the sector interval are different from each other.

7. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the water-blocking network is provided with binding yarn.

8. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sheath (1) contains several non-metallic reinforcing members (4).

9. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inner side of the outer sheath (1) is provided with several cable ropes.

10. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, This high-density optical cable with a large core count is an all-dielectric, non-metallic structure.

11. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The fiber density of this high-core-count optical cable is no less than 5.6 cores / mm². 2 .

12. The high-core-count, high-density optical cable as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, At a temperature of 25℃ and a wavelength of 1550nm, the transmission loss of the optical cable is less than 0.25dB / km; at a temperature of -40℃ and a wavelength of 1550nm, the additional attenuation is less than 0.03dB / km.

13. A method for manufacturing a high-core-count, high-density optical cable, characterized in that, The manufacturing method includes the following steps: S1. Multiple water-blocking strips (2) are stacked and connected along the same straight line to form a water-blocking strip aggregate with a central aggregation line; S2. The water-blocking strip (2) is spread outward around the central aggregation line to form multiple mutually separated open areas, and then optical fibers (3) are inserted into the multiple open areas; S3. Bend the bandwidth edge of each water-blocking strip (2) in the water-blocking strip aggregate to contact the surface of the side water-blocking strip (2) to jointly form multiple independent fan-shaped intervals containing optical fibers (3). Then twist the water-blocking strip aggregate containing optical fibers (3) and perform yarn binding during the twisting process to form a cable core. S4. Cover the outer periphery of the cable core with an outer sheath (1) to obtain an optical cable.

14. The manufacturing method as described in claim 13, characterized in that, In step S3, the water-blocking tape polymer containing optical fiber (3) is subjected to SZ twisting, with a twisting pitch of 500mm-2500mm and a yarn spacing of 20mm-35mm.

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