An air core optical fiber internal air pressure supplementing device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of hollow core optical fiber internal gas pressure supplement device and method, the device includes: air generator, for outputting certain pressure clean air;Gas path;Gas path one end is connected air generator to access clean air, the other end is connected gas guide mechanism and hollow core optical fiber respectively;Gas guide mechanism is used to export part of gas in gas path to atmosphere.The device structure is simple, convenient to use, can conveniently and quickly realize the gas supplement of batch hollow core optical fiber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of hollow optical fiber technology, specifically relating to a device and method for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fiber. Background Technology

[0002] Hollow-core optical fiber is a novel type of optical fiber with a hollow structure, composed of micron-sized capillaries. A common method for manufacturing hollow-core optical fiber involves drawing a preform from a high-temperature furnace. This drawing process causes a rapid drop in fiber temperature, resulting in an internal pressure significantly lower than the ambient pressure—a negative pressure. This negative pressure allows pollutants from the environment, such as liquid water, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and microscopic solid particles, to easily penetrate the hollow-core fiber, thereby damaging its performance.

[0003] The negative pressure problem of hollow optical fibers can be solved by inflating them with gas. However, existing gas-inflation solutions often involve complex devices and methods, typically requiring large, precision components such as high-pressure chambers and high-pressure gas sources, resulting in high costs. Therefore, these solutions have certain limitations and are mostly only suitable for indoor conditions such as laboratories or workshops. A faster and simpler hollow optical fiber pressurization solution is needed to address various application scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and method for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, so as to achieve efficient and convenient replenishment of internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a device for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, comprising:

[0006] An air generator is used to output clean air at a certain pressure.

[0007] Gas path; one end of the gas path is connected to an air generator to access clean air, and the other end is connected to a gas guiding mechanism and a hollow optical fiber; the gas guiding mechanism is used to export part of the gas in the gas path to the atmosphere.

[0008] According to the above scheme, the air generator includes at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet; the air generator draws in air through the air inlet and compresses and purifies it, and outputs clean air to the air path through the air outlet.

[0009] According to the above scheme, the pressure of the clean air output by the air generator is greater than 0.3 MPa.

[0010] According to the above scheme, when the rated output air pressure of the air generator is set to 1 MPa or below, polyurethane air pipes should be used for the air circuit; when the rated output air pressure of the air generator is set to above 1 MPa, high-pressure nylon pipes or stainless steel pipes should be used for the air circuit.

[0011] According to the above scheme, one end of the gas path is connected to the gas guiding mechanism and the hollow optical fiber respectively through a three-way fitting.

[0012] According to the above scheme, the gas guiding mechanism includes a gas guiding fixture and a capillary tube; the gas guiding fixture is a hollow structure, one end of the gas guiding fixture is connected to the gas path, and the other end is fixedly connected to the capillary tube; part of the gas in the gas path is guided out to the atmosphere through the gas guiding fixture and the capillary tube.

[0013] According to the above scheme, the hollow optical fiber is connected to the gas path through an optical fiber fixture, and the connection between the optical fiber fixture and the hollow optical fiber is coated with sealant; the gas in the gas path enters the hollow optical fiber through the optical fiber fixture.

[0014] According to the above scheme, the air path includes a main air path and multiple terminal air paths; one end of the main air path is connected to the air generator, and the other end is connected to the terminal air path through one or more multi-port ferrules. Each terminal air path is connected to a set of air guiding mechanisms and hollow optical fibers. The number of multi-port ferrules and terminal air paths is determined by the number of hollow optical fibers that need to be replenished with air pressure at one time. The clean air output by the air generator enters the hollow optical fiber through the main air path and the terminal air path in sequence.

[0015] This invention also provides a method for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, which utilizes the aforementioned device for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, and includes:

[0016] S1. Connect the hollow optical fiber to the air passage and seal it in place;

[0017] S2. Turn on the air generator to replenish the internal air pressure of the hollow optical fiber.

[0018] S3. Check whether the air pressure replenishment is normal by monitoring whether the air delivery mechanism continuously outputs airflow.

[0019] The present invention also provides a hollow optical fiber, which is prepared by the internal air pressure replenishment method of hollow optical fiber described above.

[0020] The present invention also provides a hollow optical fiber cable, which is composed of the hollow optical fiber described above.

[0021] Beneficial effects

[0022] This invention provides a clean and sufficiently pressurized air source for replenishing the internal air pressure of hollow optical fibers by incorporating an air generator. This effectively prevents external contaminants from entering the hollow optical fiber during the replenishment process, ensuring that the fiber's performance is not affected by contamination. Simultaneously, it meets the pressure requirements for filling negative pressure within the hollow optical fiber, effectively mitigating performance degradation caused by negative pressure. A gas guiding mechanism allows for the removal of some gas from the air path. This mechanism discharges a portion of the gas into the atmosphere, allowing for intuitive and convenient assessment of the replenishment process's progress by observing the continuous airflow, eliminating the need for complex additional detection components and simplifying the monitoring process. Furthermore, the gas guiding mechanism removes impurities from the air path, preventing contamination. The entire device, through the coordinated operation of the air generator, air path and air guiding mechanism, has a simple and compact structure. It does not rely on complex and precision components such as high-pressure air chambers and large high-pressure air sources. This not only reduces the manufacturing cost of the device, but also makes the device easier to operate and carry. It can be adapted to a variety of application scenarios, breaking the limitation of existing air replenishment solutions that are only applicable to specific indoor environments. It realizes efficient and convenient replenishment of the internal air pressure of hollow optical fibers. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 This is an embodiment of the hollow optical fiber internal air pressure replenishment device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical fiber fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the air guiding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when a hollow optical fiber is connected to the end of the air passage according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] In the diagram: 1. Air generator; 2. Air path; 3. Fiber optic fixture; 4. Air guide fixture; 11. Air inlet; 12. Air outlet; 13. Miniature air compressor; 14. Internal air path; 15. Pressure gauge; 16. Air purifier; 21. Multi-port ferrule; 22. T-port ferrule; 31. Sealant; 41. Capillary tube. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of this disclosure without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0029] This embodiment provides a device for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, including:

[0030] Air generator 1 is used to output clean air with a certain pressure;

[0031] Gas path 2; one end of gas path 2 is connected to air generator 1 to access clean air, and the other end is connected to air guiding mechanism and hollow optical fiber respectively; air guiding mechanism is used to export part of the gas in gas path 2 to the atmosphere.

[0032] Furthermore, the air generator 1 includes at least one air inlet 11 and at least one air outlet 12; the air generator 1 draws in air through the air inlet 11 and compresses and purifies it, and outputs clean air to the air path 2 through the air outlet 12.

[0033] In other embodiments of the invention, the air generator 1 may be replaced with a combination of existing commercial products, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 In this example, the air generator 1 is replaced by a miniature air compressor 13, a pressure gauge 15 and an air purifier 16 connected together by an internal air passage 14, to replace the main body of the air generator 1, thereby achieving a similar effect to this device.

[0034] Furthermore, the clean air output by air generator 1 has a pressure greater than 0.3 MPa.

[0035] Furthermore, when the rated output air pressure of air generator 1 is set to 1 MPa or below, polyurethane air pipe is selected for air circuit 2; when the rated output air pressure of air generator 1 is set to above 1 MPa, high-pressure nylon pipe or stainless steel pipe is selected for air circuit 2.

[0036] Understandably, the material of the piping in air path 2 should be determined based on the output air pressure.

[0037] Furthermore, one end of the gas path 2 is connected to the gas guiding mechanism and the hollow optical fiber respectively through a three-way fitting 22.

[0038] Furthermore, the gas guiding mechanism includes a gas guiding fixture 4 and a capillary tube 41; the gas guiding fixture 4 has a hollow structure, one end of the gas guiding fixture 4 is connected to the gas passage 2, and the other end is fixedly connected to the capillary tube 41; part of the gas in the gas passage 2 is guided out to the atmosphere through the gas guiding fixture 4 and the capillary tube 41.

[0039] Specifically, when the device is performing normal gas replenishment, a small amount of high-pressure gas will leak from the outlet end of the capillary tube 41. Therefore, the presence of a continuous airflow at the end of the capillary tube 41 can be used to determine whether the hollow fiber in the gas path 2 is being properly pressurized. In addition, the capillary tube 41 can also expel some gaseous impurities from the gas path 2. For example, some volatile gases may be generated after the sealant 31 cures. These volatile gases will be discharged through the capillary tube 41 under the action of high-pressure air, thereby preventing contamination of the gas inside the hollow fiber.

[0040] Furthermore, the hollow optical fiber is connected to the gas path 2 via the optical fiber fixture 3, and the connection between the optical fiber fixture 3 and the hollow optical fiber is coated with sealant 31; the gas in the gas path 2 enters the interior of the hollow optical fiber through the optical fiber fixture 3. Multiple hollow optical fibers can be connected to the same optical fiber fixture 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, the gas guiding fixture 4 and the optical fiber fixture 3 have similar structures, both being hollow structures. The end of the structure connected to the gas path 2 can be set as a cylinder, and the end connected to the capillary tube 41 or the hollow optical fiber can be set as a cone.

[0042] Furthermore, the air path 2 includes a main air path and multiple terminal air paths; one end of the main air path is connected to the air generator 1, and the other end is connected to the terminal air path 2 through one or more multi-port sleeves 21. Each terminal air path is connected to a set of air guiding mechanisms and hollow optical fibers respectively; the number of multi-port sleeves 21 and terminal air paths is determined by the number of hollow optical fibers that need to be replenished with air pressure at one time; the clean air output by the air generator 1 enters the hollow optical fiber through the main air path and the terminal air path in sequence.

[0043] Specifically, see Figure 1 In this example, the air outlet 12 of the air generator 1 is connected to a main air path, which is divided into two terminal air paths via a multi-port sleeve 21. See also Figure 6 In this example, the air outlet 12 of the air generator 1 is connected to a main air path. The main air path is divided into two sub-air paths through a multi-port sleeve 21. Each sub-air path is further divided into two terminal air paths through a multi-port sleeve 21, resulting in a total of four terminal air paths. This process continues to increase the number of multi-port sleeves 21, thereby completing the gas replenishment process for a large batch of hollow optical fibers.

[0044] This invention also provides a method for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, which utilizes the aforementioned device for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, and includes:

[0045] S1. Connect the hollow optical fiber to the air passage 2 and seal it in place;

[0046] S2. Turn on air generator 1 to replenish the internal air pressure of the hollow optical fiber.

[0047] S3. Check whether the air pressure replenishment is normal by monitoring whether the air delivery mechanism continuously outputs airflow.

[0048] This embodiment also provides a hollow optical fiber, which is prepared using the hollow optical fiber internal air pressure replenishment method described above.

[0049] This embodiment also provides a hollow fiber optic cable, which is composed of the hollow fiber optic cable described above.

[0050] The beneficial effects of applying this invention include at least the following:

[0051] 1. It can simultaneously perform internal gas pressurization on a large batch of hollow optical fibers. First, one optical fiber fixture 3 can fix multiple hollow optical fibers and connect them to the gas path. Second, using a multi-port ferrule 21, the gas path 2 can be divided into multiple terminals, which can be connected to multiple optical fiber fixtures 3 simultaneously. With one set of equipment, a large batch of hollow optical fibers can be pressurized, efficiently solving the internal negative pressure problem of hollow optical fibers.

[0052] 2. The device is very easy to operate: First, insert the hollow optical fiber into the optical fiber fixture 3 of the device and connect it to the air circuit. Then, apply sealant 31 to the top of the optical fiber fixture and wait for the sealant to solidify before turning on the air generator 1 to perform pressurization treatment on the hollow optical fiber. Furthermore, since the above solution does not include large or medium-sized equipment such as a high-pressure air source, nor does it include precision components such as a high-pressure air chamber, the device is simple and lightweight to use, and its cost is low.

[0053] It should be noted that, depending on the implementation needs, the various steps / components described in this application can be broken down into more steps / components, or two or more steps / components or parts of the operation of steps / components can be combined into new steps / components to achieve the purpose of this invention.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for replenishing internal air pressure in hollow optical fibers, characterized in that, include: An air generator is used to output clean air at a certain pressure. airway; One end of the gas path is connected to an air generator to access clean air, and the other end is connected to a gas guiding mechanism and a hollow optical fiber; the gas guiding mechanism is used to exhaust part of the gas in the gas path into the atmosphere. The gas guiding mechanism includes a gas guiding fixture and a capillary tube; the gas guiding fixture has a hollow structure, one end of which is connected to the gas path, and the other end is fixedly connected to the capillary tube; part of the gas in the gas path is guided out to the atmosphere through the gas guiding fixture and the capillary tube.

2. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, An air generator includes at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet; the air generator draws in air through the air inlet, compresses and purifies it, and outputs clean air to the air path through the air outlet.

3. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clean air output by the air generator has a pressure greater than 0.3 MPa.

4. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the rated output air pressure of the air generator is set to 1 MPa or below, polyurethane air tubing should be used for the air circuit; when the rated output air pressure of the air generator is set to above 1 MPa, high-pressure nylon tubing or stainless steel tubing should be used for the air circuit.

5. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the gas path is connected to the gas guiding mechanism and the hollow optical fiber via a three-way fitting.

6. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hollow optical fiber is connected to the gas path through an optical fiber fixture, and the connection between the optical fiber fixture and the hollow optical fiber is coated with sealant; the gas in the gas path enters the hollow optical fiber through the optical fiber fixture.

7. The air pressure replenishment device inside a hollow optical fiber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas path includes a main gas path and multiple terminal gas paths; one end of the main gas path is connected to the air generator, and the other end is connected to the terminal gas path through one or more multi-port ferrules. Each terminal gas path is connected to a set of air guiding mechanisms and hollow optical fibers. The number of multi-port ferrules and terminal gas paths is determined by the number of hollow optical fibers that need to be replenished with air pressure at a time. The clean air output from the air generator enters the hollow optical fiber through the main air path and the terminal air path in sequence.

8. A method for replenishing internal air pressure in a hollow optical fiber, characterized in that, This method utilizes the internal air pressure replenishment device for hollow optical fibers as described in claim 1, and includes: S1. Connect the hollow optical fiber to the air passage and seal it in place; S2. Turn on the air generator to replenish the internal air pressure of the hollow optical fiber. S3. Check whether the air pressure replenishment is normal by monitoring whether the air delivery mechanism continuously outputs airflow.

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