A concealed optical cable and a method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of invisible optical cable and preparation method thereof, belong to optical cable technical field, including multiple optical fibers, and sleeve is arranged at the periphery of multiple optical fibers, and sleeve is prepared using transparent material.The woven yarn is further provided in the sleeve in the application, and the woven yarn is in mesh structure, and multiple optical fibers are sequentially and side by side arranged in the mesh structure of woven yarn.In the application, the arrangement order of each optical fiber is naturally limited by the mesh structure of woven yarn, and each optical fiber can be accurately distinguished by observing the position of optical fiber in the mesh during construction, without any color marking or special identification equipment, especially suitable for multi-core invisible optical cable.The yarn of woven yarn is extremely thin, and the mesh structure is invisible under normal visibility, the overall transparency of optical cable is high, and it is perfectly integrated with indoor environment, maintaining excellent invisible effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of optical cable technology, specifically relating to an invisible optical cable and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Invisible fiber optic cables are specifically designed for indoor environments. Their outer sheath and internal structure are often made of transparent or highly transparent materials, allowing them to blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment when laid on walls, baseboards, door frames, and other surfaces. This significantly reduces visual obtrusiveness and meets the stringent aesthetic requirements of Fiber to the Home (FTTH), Fiber to the Building (FTTB), and high-end residential and office spaces. An ideal invisible fiber optic cable should simultaneously possess excellent optical transparency, mechanical flexibility, ease of installation, and long-term environmental stability.

[0003] Existing stealth optical cables face a significant problem in practical applications stemming directly from their transparency: difficulty in fiber identification. To ensure stealth, the outer sheath, tight jacket, and even the filling material are all made of colorless and transparent materials. Under this structure, traditional color codes, color rings, printing, or colored tight jackets used to distinguish multiple fibers cannot be directly applied—any visible color or marking would disrupt the overall transparency of the cable, thus negating its stealth purpose. Therefore, in multi-core scenarios (such as 4-core, 8-core, or 12-core), most stealth optical cables on the market are almost impossible to quickly distinguish visually. Construction workers must rely on fusion splicers, OTDRs, or repeated light transmission tests to identify the fibers, significantly reducing construction efficiency. Current technology proposes spraying transparent fluorescent ink onto the tight jacket surface for identification under ultraviolet light. While this method alleviates the identification problem to some extent, the fluorescent material may still exhibit slight color differences under natural light, and prolonged exposure can cause it to yellow and become cloudy, ultimately weakening the stealth effect. Other solutions use peelable color strips or temporary labels, but the labels are prone to falling off and getting confused during construction, making it impossible to form a reliable and durable means of differentiation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of one or more of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the prior art, the present invention provides an invisible optical cable to solve the problem that the internal optical fibers of existing indoor invisible optical cables are difficult to identify due to the use of transparent materials.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an invisible optical cable, comprising: Multiple optical fibers, a sleeve disposed around the periphery of the multiple optical fibers, and an outer sheath disposed around the periphery of the sleeve, wherein both the sleeve and the outer sheath are made of transparent material; The sleeve is also provided with braided yarn, which has a mesh structure, and multiple optical fibers are sequentially and side by side inserted into the mesh structure of the braided yarn.

[0006] As a further improvement of the present invention, the braided yarn comprises multiple yarns arranged side by side, and each pair of adjacent yarns are intermittently bonded together along the axial direction.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the breaking force between two adjacent yarns in the braided yarn is 0.1~0.5N.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the braided yarn is wound around the yarn at one end of the parallel direction of the multiple optical fibers as the axis.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, the diameter of the yarn at one end of the multiple optical fibers arranged in a parallel direction is larger than the diameter of the other yarns.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the braided yarn is formed by bonding at least two yarns side by side at one end of the multiple optical fibers in a parallel direction.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, water-resistant powder is adhered to the surface of the yarn.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the sleeve is made of nylon 12.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the outer periphery of the sheath is provided with a groove extending axially.

[0014] The present invention also includes a method for preparing a stealth optical cable, which includes the following steps: S1. Arrange multiple yarns side by side, and apply glue intermittently along the axial direction between adjacent yarns to form a woven yarn; S2. Unfold the braided yarn into a mesh structure and thread multiple optical fibers side by side along the axis of the braided yarn. S3. Wind up the braided yarn structure with multiple optical fibers threaded through it; S4. Extrude a sleeve onto the outer periphery of the braided yarn.

[0015] The aforementioned improved technical features can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0016] In summary, the beneficial effects of the above-described technical solutions conceived by this invention compared with the prior art include: (1) The invisible optical cable of the present invention naturally limits the arrangement order of each optical fiber by utilizing the mesh structure of the braided yarn. During construction, it is only necessary to observe the position of the optical fiber in the mesh to accurately distinguish each optical fiber without any color marking or special identification equipment. It is especially suitable for multi-core invisible optical cables. The yarn of the braided yarn is extremely fine, and the mesh structure is invisible under normal viewing distance. The overall transparency of the optical cable is high, which can be perfectly integrated with the indoor environment and maintain excellent invisibility. Moreover, the optical fibers are fixed in an orderly manner in the mesh of the braided yarn. They will not be tangled or displaced like traditional bundled tube structures. Even under bending and vibration conditions, the relative order of each optical fiber remains unchanged, ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the identification information and ensuring the effective identification of the optical fibers in the invisible optical cable.

[0017] (2) The invisible optical cable of the present invention forms a braided yarn by intermittently bonding yarns side by side, so that each yarn between the braided yarns can be separated. When it is necessary to lead out the optical fiber inside the invisible optical cable, it is only necessary to tear the yarn where the optical fiber is located to remove the optical fiber without damaging the optical fiber, which is easy for indoor construction of the invisible optical cable.

[0018] (3) The invisible optical cable of the present invention uses transparent polyester yarn or transparent nylon yarn as the braiding material, which can provide reliable mechanical fixation, stable intermittent bonding interface, transparency and strength maintenance over long-term use, and good processing adaptability without sacrificing the invisibility effect. In addition, both transparent polyester yarn and transparent nylon yarn have good flexibility and resistance to repeated bending, making them suitable for indoor wiring scenarios that require frequent bending. They also have relatively smooth surfaces and low coefficients of friction with optical fibers, making it less likely to damage the optical fiber coating during fiber threading. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the invisible optical cable in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another invisible optical cable in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the optical fiber threading structure within the braided yarn in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another braided yarn structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic flowchart of the method for preparing the invisible optical cable in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same technical features, specifically: 1. Optical fiber; 2. Braided yarn; 3. Sleeve; 4. Reinforcing element; 5. Sheath. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0022] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that, unless otherwise stated, the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "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 invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 limiting this invention.

[0023] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, 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 indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly 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 part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0026] Example: Please see Figures 1-4 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the invisible optical cable includes multiple optical fibers 1 and a sleeve 3 disposed around the periphery of the multiple optical fibers 1, and the sleeve 3 is made of a transparent material. In the present invention, the sleeve 3 is also provided with braided yarn 2, which has a mesh structure, and the multiple optical fibers 1 are sequentially arranged side by side within the mesh structure of the braided yarn 2.

[0027] Specifically, the invisible optical cable of this invention abandons the original method of marking the surface of the optical fiber 1. Instead, it uses a braided yarn 2 structure, with the mesh structure of the braided yarn 2 forming the accommodating port for the optical fiber 1. By orderly threading the optical fiber 1 through the braided yarn 2, the optical fiber 1 is arranged in an orderly manner. In this way, the optical fiber 1 is identified based on its arrangement rather than its color, without relying on color for identification. In this invisible optical cable, the outer sheath 3 is made of transparent material, and the braided yarn 2 is entirely made of fine threads. The mesh structure is invisible at normal viewing distances, and the optical fiber 1 has no color layer, eliminating the need for color differentiation. This results in high overall transparency of the optical cable, allowing it to blend perfectly into the indoor environment and maintain excellent invisibility. In addition, the braided yarn 2 in this invention is not connected to the optical fiber 1, and does not restrict or position the optical fiber 1. It does not cause micro-bending of the optical fiber 1, affecting the transmission loss of the optical fiber 1. Moreover, unlike traditional bundled tube structures, the optical fibers do not entangle or shift. Even under bending and vibration conditions, the relative order of the optical fibers 1 remains unchanged, ensuring the long-lasting effectiveness of the identification information and guaranteeing the effective identification of the optical fiber 1 within the invisible optical cable. In this invention, optical fiber 1 refers to a transparent optical fiber 1 without a coloring layer.

[0028] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the braided yarn 2 comprises multiple yarns arranged side by side, with each pair of adjacent yarns intermittently bonded together along the axial direction. During optical cable construction, it is often necessary to branch and connect the internal optical fibers 1, which presents the problem of stripping the optical cable and removing the internal optical fibers 1. Although the optical fiber 1 is threaded within the braided yarn 2, during construction, a certain length of the optical fiber 1 needs to be pulled out from the braided yarn 2 for subsequent fusion splicing and other processes. The braided yarn 2 can affect the extraction of the optical fiber 1 within the invisible optical cable. Therefore, the present invention forms the braided yarn 2 by intermittently bonding the yarns along the axial direction. When it is necessary to extract the optical fiber 1, the two yarns constraining both sides of the optical fiber 1 can be pulled apart to the sides, opening the braided yarn 2 that constrains the optical fiber 1, allowing the optical fiber 1 to be extracted normally, significantly improving the splicing efficiency.

[0029] Optionally, the diameter of the yarn in this invention is 0.1~0.5mm. A yarn diameter between 0.1~0.5mm makes the yarn virtually invisible indoors, and the braided yarn structure formed by the yarn does not affect the invisibility of the invisible optical cable.

[0030] Optionally, the yarn in this invention is made of a transparent material, preferably transparent polyester yarn or transparent nylon yarn. Besides using a smaller diameter yarn as the substrate for the braided yarn 2, this invention can also directly prepare the braided yarn 2 using transparent materials. Using transparent polyester yarn or transparent nylon yarn as the material for the braided yarn 2 provides reliable mechanical fixation, a stable discontinuous bonding interface, long-term transparency and strength retention, and good processing adaptability without sacrificing the invisibility effect. Furthermore, both transparent polyester yarn and transparent nylon yarn have good flexibility and resistance to repeated bending, making them suitable for indoor wiring scenarios requiring frequent bending. Their relatively smooth surfaces result in a low coefficient of friction with the optical fiber 1, reducing the risk of damaging the coating layer of the optical fiber 1 during fiber threading.

[0031] Optionally, the breaking force between adjacent yarns within the braided yarn 2 in this invention is 0.1~0.5N. In this invention, adjacent yarns within the braided yarn 2 are bonded together with adhesive. By controlling the breaking force between adjacent yarns, the braided yarn 2 is easy to open, facilitating the removal of the internal optical fiber 1. The breaking force in this invention refers to the stripping force required to separate the two yarns from the bonding point when the yarns are pulled apart from both sides of the bonding point.

[0032] Furthermore, as an optional embodiment of the present invention, the braided yarn 2 is wound around the yarn at one end of the parallel-direction direction of multiple optical fibers 1. This winding method ensures a clear distinction between the inner and outer sides of the parallel-arranged optical fibers 1. When the braided yarn 2 is unwound, workers can use either the inner or outer side of the wound yarn 2 as a starting point to sequentially label the optical fibers 1, achieving orderly identification of each fiber 1. It is worth noting that during cable stripping, the unstripped side of the optical fiber 1 remains wound. The unwound braided yarn 2 can be used as a reference to distinguish the inner and outer sides of the braided yarn 2, preventing workers from being unable to effectively identify the fiber 1 numbers after the braided yarn 2 is unwound. Additionally, the winding method of the braided yarn 2 reduces the overall space occupied by the optical fibers 1 and the braided yarn 2, allowing for the use of a smaller-sized sleeve 3, thus achieving miniaturization of the invisible optical cable.

[0033] Furthermore, such as Figure 4As shown, in an optional embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of the yarn at one end of the braided yarn 2 where multiple optical fibers 1 are arranged side-by-side is larger than the diameter of the other yarns. Besides distinguishing the inner and outer sides of the braided yarn 2 through winding, the present invention can also set a yarn of a special size at one end of the braided yarn 2 along the side-by-side direction of the optical fibers 1. Using this as a reference, the optical fiber 1 closest to the end with the larger diameter yarn is designated as fiber 1, and then the optical fibers 1 are numbered sequentially to achieve fiber 1 identification. Of course, in addition to increasing the diameter of specific yarns in the braided yarn 2, yarns of specific shapes can also be prepared, such as setting the cross-section of specific yarns to square, triangular, or polygonal forms. This simply requires setting the specific yarn as an irregular shape, using this irregular yarn as the start and end point, and numbering the optical fibers 1 in an orderly manner based on the relative positions of the optical fibers 1 and the irregular yarns.

[0034] It is worth noting that when a special-shaped yarn is used as the basis for numbering optical fiber 1, the braided yarn 2 does not need to be wound, and the braided yarn 2 can be coiled freely inside the sleeve 3.

[0035] Further, as an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the braided yarn 2, at least two yarns are bonded side-by-side at one end of the multiple optical fibers 1 arranged in a parallel direction. Optionally, to improve the yarn preparation efficiency and the forming efficiency of the braided yarn 2, the present invention can directly bond two yarns side-by-side at one end of the optical fibers 1 arranged in a parallel direction to form a larger yarn, thereby distinguishing this yarn from other yarns. Optionally, the present invention can also obtain a yarn with a special size or shape by twisting two yarns together or by bonding multiple yarns.

[0036] Furthermore, as an optional embodiment of the present invention, water-blocking powder is also adhered to the surface of the yarn. When the optical cable is damaged and water enters, the water-blocking powder can quickly absorb water and expand, blocking the damaged area of ​​the optical cable, preventing external moisture from continuously spreading along the axial direction of the sleeve 3, and protecting the undamaged area of ​​the optical fiber 1 from water immersion. The water-blocking powder of the present invention can be adhered to the surface of the yarn by spraying or impregnation.

[0037] Furthermore, as an optional embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve 3 is made of nylon 12. Nylon 12 material has low water absorption, a wide temperature range (-45℃~105℃), good performance stability in both normal temperature and high and low temperature environments, and excellent impact resistance, stress fracture resistance, and chemical stability. It also possesses good transparency, effectively achieving the invisibility of the optical fiber 1 and providing reliable protection against damage. In addition, nylon 12 material has good flowability, suitable for high-speed extrusion of the sleeve 3 of the optical fiber 1, ensuring the uniformity of the sleeve 3's thickness and further improving the invisibility effect and structural stability.

[0038] Furthermore, as an optional embodiment of the present invention, the sleeve 3 is provided with a groove extending axially along its outer periphery. The groove can form a weak area on the outer periphery of the sleeve 3. When it is necessary to remove the internal optical fiber 1, the construction personnel can tear the sleeve 3 along the groove without the need to use a stripping tool, thus avoiding damage to the internal optical fiber 1 and improving the stripping efficiency.

[0039] More preferably, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this invention, the outer periphery of the sleeve 3 is also provided with a sheath 5, which is made of transparent low-smoke halogen-free flame-retardant polyolefin material (LSZH). Transparent low-smoke halogen-free flame-retardant polyolefin material has good transparency, flexibility, and easy peeling properties, does not affect the invisibility of the optical cable, and also has the advantages of flame retardancy and environmental friendliness (complies with IEC 60332-1 and IEC 60754 standards), making it suitable for indoor use. In addition, the transparent LSZH has moderate adhesion to the nylon 12 sleeve 3, facilitating the peeling of the sheath 5, and will not yellow or crack with long-term use.

[0040] It is worth noting that when the sleeve 3 in this invention has a groove on its surface, the overall structure of the invisible optical cable consists of optical fiber 1, braided yarn 2, and sleeve 3. When a sheath 5 is provided outside the sleeve 3, the groove structure needs to be provided on the surface of the sheath 5.

[0041] Optionally, in this invention, a reinforcing member 4 is embedded axially within the sheath 5. The reinforcing member 4 is made of glass fiber reinforced composite material, used to improve the tensile and bending resistance of the optical cable, preventing breakage and deformation during wiring and use, and ensuring the structural stability and communication reliability of the optical cable. Preferably, the reinforcing members 4 are symmetrically arranged within the sheath 5.

[0042] Optionally, the optical fiber 1 in this invention is one or more of a solid optical fiber 1, a hollow optical fiber 1, or a multi-core optical fiber 1.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, in relation to the invisible optical cable of this invention, this invention also includes a method for preparing the invisible optical cable, which comprises the following steps: S1. Arrange multiple yarns side by side, and apply glue intermittently along the axial direction between two adjacent yarns to form woven yarn 2. S2. Unfold the braided yarn 2 into a mesh structure, and thread multiple optical fibers 1 side by side along the axis of the braided yarn 2. S3. Wind the braided yarn 2 structure with multiple optical fibers 1 threaded through it. S4. Extrude sleeve 3 around the outer periphery of the braided yarn 2.

[0044] 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. An invisible optical cable, characterized in that, include: Multiple optical fibers, with a sleeve disposed around the periphery of the multiple optical fibers, the sleeve being made of a transparent material; The sleeve is also provided with braided yarn, which has a mesh structure, and multiple optical fibers are sequentially and side by side inserted into the mesh structure of the braided yarn.

2. The invisible optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The braided yarn comprises multiple yarns arranged side by side, and each pair of adjacent yarns are intermittently bonded together along the axial direction.

3. The invisible optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The breaking force between two adjacent yarns in the woven yarn is 0.1~0.5N.

4. The invisible optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The braided yarn is wound around the yarn at one end of multiple optical fibers arranged in a parallel direction as the axis.

5. The stealth optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the yarn at one end of the multiple optical fibers arranged in a parallel direction is larger than the diameter of the other yarns.

6. The stealth optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The braided yarn is formed by bonding at least two yarns side by side at one end of multiple optical fibers in a parallel direction.

7. The stealth optical cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The yarn surface is coated with water-resistant powder.

8. The invisible optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve is made of nylon 12.

9. The stealth optical cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer circumference of the sleeve is provided with a groove extending axially.

10. A method for preparing an invisible optical cable, used to prepare an invisible optical cable as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Arrange multiple yarns side by side, and apply glue intermittently along the axial direction between adjacent yarns to form a woven yarn; S2. Unfold the braided yarn into a mesh structure and thread multiple optical fibers side by side along the axis of the braided yarn. S3. Wind up the braided yarn structure with multiple optical fibers threaded through it; S4. Extrude a sleeve onto the outer periphery of the braided yarn.

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