Optical cable and communication system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides an optical cable and a communication system, and relates to the technical field of communication equipment. The optical cable comprises an optical unit, a sheath and a fiber filler. Wherein the optical unit comprises an optical fiber. And the sheath is sleeved outside the optical unit. And the fiber filler is filled in the sheath, and the material of the fiber filler comprises a fiber material. Wherein the optical unit is embedded in the fiber filler, and the optical unit is arranged in the sheath in a bending manner, so that the optical unit passes through at least one plane where the center line of the sheath is located for multiple times. The optical cable has large excess length, the probability of breakage of the optical fiber is reduced, the reliability of the optical cable is improved, and the service life of the optical cable is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of communication equipment, and in particular to an optical cable and a communication system. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the fifth generation mobile networks (5G) and the next generation fixed networks, there are numerous demands for fiber to access terminal terminals, such as fiber to antenna, fiber to camera, fiber to traffic light, fiber to room, fiber to ceiling, etc. Fiber to access terminal terminals will build the foundation of high-speed and timely communication in the intelligent era, and guarantee the demand for massive information and high-quality bandwidth in the intelligent era.

[0003] Optical cables usually include optical fibers and a protective layer outside the optical fibers. By connecting the optical cables to the terminals, a communication system can be built. However, during the process of connecting the optical cables to the terminals, the optical fibers in the optical cables are prone to breakage. Utility Model Content

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide an optical cable and a communication system, the purpose of which is to increase the excess length of the optical cable without increasing the diameter of the optical cable, thereby avoiding breakage of optical fibers in the optical cable and improving the reliability of the optical cable.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, an optical cable is provided. The optical cable comprises an optical unit, a sheath and a fiber filler.

[0007] The optical unit includes an optical fiber, a sheath is arranged outside the optical unit, and a fiber filler is filled in the sheath. The optical unit is embedded in the fiber filler, and the optical unit is bent multiple times in the sheath.

[0008] In the optical cable provided in the embodiment of the present application, the optical unit is not arranged in a straight line along the center line of the sheath in the sheath, but is arranged in a curve in the sheath, and the optical unit is bent multiple times in the sheath, and the bending shape of the optical unit is maintained by a fiber filler filled in the sheath and wrapped outside the optical unit. Therefore, without changing the size of the sheath, that is, without changing the diameter of the optical cable, the total length of the optical unit can be greater than the total length of the sheath, effectively increasing the excess length of the optical cable. During the stress process of the optical cable, for example, when the optical cable is subjected to tensile stress caused by lateral wind, the probability of breakage of the optical fiber with a longer excess length is lower, thereby improving the reliability of the optical cable and delaying its service life.

[0009] At the same time, an optical cable with a longer excess length can also have a larger safe use span, so that the optical cable can be suitable for a variety of application scenarios with different requirements.

[0010] In addition, in the optical cable provided by the present application, there is no need to increase the tensile strength of the optical cable by adding additional reinforcement members to avoid the problem of optical fiber breakage. Therefore, the size and weight of the optical cable will not be increased, which is conducive to the lightweight and miniaturized design of the optical cable, thereby improving the compatibility between the optical cable and the pre-installed connector that requires a small-sized optical cable. At the same time, the optical cable with a lighter weight can also effectively reduce its assembly difficulty and preparation difficulty.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the light unit is arranged in a spiral around a center line of the sheath.

[0012] By spiraling, the total length of the optical fiber (i.e., the optical unit) is made longer than the length of the optical cable, i.e., longer than the length of the sheath of the optical cable. Thus, during the construction process or during the use of the optical cable, the optical cable can have better tensile properties. Even if the first layer of protective barrier sheath of the optical cable is cracked, the internal core component optical unit, especially the optical fiber, has better buffering, which effectively prevents the core component optical fiber from breaking.

[0013] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the light unit is arranged in a wave shape along an extension direction of a center line of the sheath.

[0014] The optical unit is folded back and forth to form a wavy structure, so that the total length of the optical fiber (i.e., the optical unit) is greater than the length of the optical cable, that is, greater than the length of the sheath of the optical cable. Therefore, during the construction process or when the optical cable is in use, the optical cable can have better tensile properties. Even if the first layer of protective barrier sheath of the optical cable is cracked, the core component optical unit inside, especially the optical fiber, has better buffering, which effectively prevents the core component optical fiber from breaking.

[0015] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the optical unit includes a plurality of components arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line of the sheath, each component includes two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line of the sheath as a symmetry point; and the plurality of components are located on the same plane.

[0016] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the optical unit includes a first component and a second component arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line of the sheath, and the first component and the second component both include two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line of the sheath as a symmetry point; the first component is located on a first plane, and the second component is located on a second plane; the first plane and the second plane are both parallel to the center line of the sheath, and the first plane intersects with the second plane.

[0017] That is, in the optical cable provided in the embodiment of the present application, the optical unit is not limited to wave folding on one plane, but can be folded in multiple directions around the center line of the sheath, thereby expanding the space in which the optical unit can be wave folded, thereby increasing the number of folding times of the optical unit and further increasing the excess length of the optical cable.

[0018] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the first plane and the second plane are perpendicular to each other, there are multiple first components and multiple second components, and the multiple first components and multiple second components are alternately arranged in the extension direction of the center line of the sheath. This makes the overall stress of the optical unit more balanced and uniform, and can further reduce the risk of optical fiber breakage.

[0019] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the optical unit includes a plurality of components arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line of the sheath, each component includes two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line of the sheath as a symmetry point; there is an angle between the planes where two adjacent components are located, and with the center line of the sheath as the rotation axis, the planes where the plurality of components are located are arranged in sequence in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

[0020] This allows the optical unit to have more wave folding space, further increasing the excess length of the optical cable. At the same time, it can also make the overall stress of the optical unit more balanced and uniform, thereby further reducing the risk of optical fiber breakage.

[0021] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the light unit is spirally arranged, and the pitch of the light unit is 100mm to 500mm; or, the light unit is wave-arranged, and the distance between the crests of two adjacent waves in the extension direction of the center line of the sheath is 100mm to 500mm.

[0022] By setting the value range of the pitch or wavelength of the optical unit, the optical fiber can be bent to the maximum extent and the excess length of the optical cable can be increased without affecting the communication effect of the optical cable or excessively increasing the stress of the optical unit.

[0023] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the end of the optical unit coincides with the center line of the sheath, so that even if the excess length of the optical cable is increased, it can still be adapted to the existing pre-assembled connector, reducing the difficulty of assembling the optical cable.

[0024] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the side wall of the sheath is provided with at least one hole, and an extension direction of a center line of the hole is the same as an extension direction of a center line of the sheath.

[0025] The pores can relieve and dissipate the stress on the sheath, thereby further improving the protection capability of the optical fiber.

[0026] In a possible implementation of the first aspect, the side wall of the sheath is provided with a plurality of pores, and the plurality of pores are symmetrically arranged with the center line of the sheath as the symmetry axis, so that the stress in the sheath is relatively balanced, the probability of the sheath being pulled and torn is reduced, and the protection capability of the optical fiber is further improved.

[0027] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the optical cable further includes a strength member, and the strength member is filled in the pores.

[0028] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, a plurality of optical units are sleeved in the sheath.

[0029] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the material of the fiber filler includes glass yarn and / or aramid.

[0030] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, a bending direction of the light unit is consistent with a bending direction of at least part of the fibers in the fiber filler.

[0031] In a possible implementation manner of the first aspect, a cross section of the sheath perpendicular to its center line is circular or elliptical.

[0032] In a second aspect, a communication system is provided, the communication system comprising a plurality of communication devices and an optical cable provided by any one of the embodiments in the first aspect, wherein different communication devices are electrically connected via the optical cable.

[0033] The technical effects brought about by the communication equipment in the second aspect can refer to the technical effects brought about by the design of the optical cable in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0034] In a third aspect, a method for preparing an optical cable is provided, the method comprising:

[0035] The optical unit is embedded in the fiber filler; the optical unit includes an optical fiber; the material of the fiber filler includes a fiber material. The optical unit embedded in the fiber filler is bent multiple times to form a sheath; the sheath is sheathed outside the optical unit, and the fiber filler is filled in the sheath. The optical unit passes through at least one plane where the center line of the sheath is located multiple times.

[0036] In a possible implementation of the third aspect, the multiple bending of the light unit embedded in the fiber filler includes:

[0037] The light unit and the fiber filling are twisted synchronously so that the light unit is arranged in a spiral.

[0038] In a possible implementation of the third aspect, the multiple bending of the light unit embedded in the fiber filler includes:

[0039] The light unit embedded in the fiber filler is moved multiple times in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the light unit, so that the light unit is arranged in a wave shape.

[0040] The technical effects brought about by the preparation method in the third aspect can refer to the technical effects brought about by the design method of the optical cable in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an optical cable provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of an optical unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 4 For along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the section line A-A';

[0045] Figure 5 For along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along the section line BB';

[0046] Figure 6 Another structural schematic diagram of an optical cable provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 7 Another structural schematic diagram of the optical unit provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 8 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view along the section line AA';

[0049] Fig. 9 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view along the section line BB';

[0050] Fig.10 Another structural schematic diagram of the optical unit provided in the embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Fig.11 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view along the section line BB';

[0052] Fig.12 For along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view along the section line C-C';

[0053] Fig.13 For along Fig.11Another cross-sectional view along the section line CC';

[0054] Fig.14 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view along the section line BB'. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0056] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0057] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "including" is interpreted as an open, inclusive meaning, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "exemplarily" or "some examples" and the like are intended to indicate that specific features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0058] In the following, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0059] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled", "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The terms "coupled" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connected" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0060] “At least one of A, B, and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B, or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B, and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B, and C.

[0061] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0062] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within the acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism may be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality may be, for example, the difference between the two equalities is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0063] Exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views and / or plan views that are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are conceivable. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments should not be interpreted as being limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but include deviations in shape due to, for example, manufacturing. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shapes of regions of the device, and are not intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0064] In addition, the scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. A person of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that, with the emergence of new scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0065] This embodiment of the application provides a communication system 1000, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] like Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 1000 includes a plurality of communication devices 200 and at least one optical cable 100 .

[0067] See also Figure 1 , two different communication devices 200 are electrically connected via the optical cable 100, thereby achieving communication between the different communication devices 200.

[0068] Exemplarily, the communication system 1000 may be any type of long-distance optical communication system using the optical cable 100 as a communication carrier.

[0069] For example, the communication system 1000 may be a metropolitan area optical network system, a wide area optical network system, or other local area optical network systems.

[0070] Exemplarily, the communication device 200 in the communication system 1000 may be an optical fiber transmission device such as an optical line terminal, an optical terminal, or an optical switch.

[0071] Exemplarily, the communication system 1000 may also include a pre-installed connector, which may be pre-set at both ends of the optical cable 100, so that during the assembly process, the optical cable 100 may be simply connected to the communication device 200 through the pre-installed connector, thereby effectively improving the construction efficiency of the optical cable 100 connection.

[0072] In order to facilitate the construction of the communication system 1000, the optical cable 100 in the communication system 1000, especially the optical cable 100 connected to the communication device 200 through the pre-installed connector, needs to be lightweight and miniaturized. However, the lightweight optical cable 100 has poor tensile strength. For example, in the process of connecting the optical cable 100 over a long distance, the force on the optical cable 100 is large and complex, and the core component optical fiber inside the optical cable 100 is prone to strain, resulting in optical fiber breakage, affecting the normal use of the optical cable 100 and shortening the safe use span of the optical cable 100.

[0073] In some embodiments, in order to obtain an optical cable 100 that can be adapted to a pre-installed connector (i.e., a pre-connected optical cable), the optical cable 100 is usually configured as a central optical cable structure, that is, the optical fibers in the optical cable 100 are approximately located on the center line of the optical cable 100. However, the excess length of the central optical cable structure is small, which makes the optical fibers more likely to break under the influence of stress, further reducing the reliability of the optical cable 100 and shortening the safe use span of the optical cable 100.

[0074] In other embodiments, in order to improve the tensile strength of the optical cable 100, thereby increasing the performance and safe use span of the optical cable 100, a reinforcement member is usually added to the optical cable 100 to protect the optical fibers in the optical cable 100 and improve the strength of the optical cable 100. However, the preparation cost of the optical cable 100 with the reinforcement member will increase significantly, and after the reinforcement member is added, the diameter and weight of the optical cable 100 will increase. The optical cable 100 with an increased diameter cannot be compatible with the mainstream pre-installed connectors in the industry, resulting in difficulty in connecting the optical cable 100 with the communication equipment 200 during the construction of the communication system 1000, and the increased weight of the optical cable 100 will also increase the construction difficulty when building the communication system 1000.

[0075] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application further provides an optical cable 100.

[0076] Figure 2 A structural diagram of an optical cable 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0077] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the optical cable 100 includes an optical unit 10 , a jacket 20 and a fiber filler 30 .

[0078] Figure 3 A structural diagram of the optical unit 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 4 For along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the section line A-A' in FIG. Figure 5 For along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the section line BB' in FIG. Figure 6 Another structural diagram of the optical cable 100 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0079] Figure 7 Another structural diagram of the optical unit 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 8 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view of the section line AA' in FIG. Fig. 9 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view of the section line BB' in FIG.

[0080] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 , the optical unit 10 includes an optical fiber 11 .

[0081] The optical fiber 11 is a main component of the optical cable 100, which is used to transmit optical signals. For example, after the optical cable 100 is connected to the optical network unit (ONU) of the user's home and the information box in each room, that is, the miniaturized optical line terminal (OLT), the optical fiber 11 in the optical cable 100 realizes the signal transmission between the main optical modem and the information box.

[0082] Exemplarily, the optical fiber 11 may be a single-mode optical fiber or a multi-mode optical fiber.

[0083] Exemplarily, the number of optical fibers 11 in an optical unit 10 may be one or more.

[0084] The optical fiber 11 is extremely sensitive to water vapor. On the one hand, water vapor can easily cause cracks on the surface of the optical fiber 11 to expand, thereby damaging the strength of the optical fiber 11. On the other hand, water vapor can chemically react with the optical fiber 11, resulting in greater loss of the optical fiber 11, affecting the communication quality of the optical cable 100.

[0085] For example, see Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The optical unit 10 further includes a fiber paste 12 and a loose tube 13 .

[0086] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The fiber paste 12 is wrapped around the outer surface of the optical fiber 11 to protect the optical fiber 11.

[0087] Exemplarily, the fiber paste 12 has waterproof and moisture-proof properties, thereby protecting the optical fiber 11 from water vapor and moisture, extending the service life of the optical cable 100 , and optimizing the communication quality of the optical cable 100 .

[0088] For example, the material of the fiber paste 12 may include oil, inorganic filler, thickener or antioxidant.

[0089] The loose tube 13 is disposed around the optical fiber 11 , and the fiber paste 12 is filled in the loose tube 13 .

[0090] The loose tube 13 plays a role of mechanical buffering, and together with the fiber paste 12 , it protects the optical fiber 11 , thereby preventing the optical fiber 11 from being broken or damaged due to pressure inside or outside the optical cable 100 .

[0091] Exemplarily, the material of the loose tube 13 may include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), and the like.

[0092] Exemplarily, the loose tube 13 may include a multi-layer structure, and the multi-layer structure is sleeved together. Exemplarily, the materials of the multi-layer structure of the loose tube 13 may be different from each other.

[0093] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The sheath 20 is sleeved on the outside of the optical unit 10 .

[0094] The sheath 20 serves as the first barrier to protect the optical fiber 11 from external damage and has good mechanical reinforcement and corrosion resistance.

[0095] Exemplarily, the sheath 20 may include a multi-layer structure, which is sleeved together. Exemplarily, the materials of different layer structures in the sheath 20 may be different, for example, one layer structure may be a metal layer, such as a metal wire or a metal belt, which has good mechanical support, or for example, the structures arranged on the inner and outer sides of the metal layer may both be made of corrosion-resistant materials, or for example, the outermost structure of the sheath 20 may also be made of flame-retardant materials.

[0096] Exemplarily, the stiffness of the sheath 20 may be greater than the stiffness of the loose tube 13 , and the toughness of the loose tube 13 may be stronger than the toughness of the sheath 20 .

[0097] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The fiber filler 30 is filled in the sheath 20 , and the aforementioned light unit 10 is embedded in the fiber filler 30 , that is, the fiber filler 30 is wrapped outside the light unit 10 , so that the fiber filler 30 provides support for the shape of the light unit 10 .

[0098] The fiber filler 30 is also used to provide mechanical buffering for the optical unit 10 . Exemplarily, the fiber filler 30 may also have anti-aging and anti-ultraviolet properties so as to increase the service life of the optical cable 100 .

[0099] The material of the fiber filler 30 may include fiber material.

[0100] For example, the material of the fiber filler 30 may include glass yarn and / or aramid.

[0101] That is, the material of the fiber filler 30 may include only glass yarn, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the optical cable 100 .

[0102] Alternatively, the material of the fiber filler 30 may include only aramid, thereby improving the tensile strength of the optical cable 100 .

[0103] Alternatively, the material of the fiber filler 30 may include a mixture of glass yarn and aramid, thereby taking into account both the preparation cost and the tensile strength of the optical cable 100 .

[0104] Exemplarily, the bending direction of the light unit 10 is consistent with the bending direction of at least part of the fibers in the fiber filler 30 .

[0105] For example, when the material of the fiber filler 30 is aramid, some aramid fibers are bent along with the light unit 10 , so that the bending direction of the aramid fibers is substantially the same as the bending direction of the light unit 10 .

[0106] It should be noted that the “bending direction” here can be understood as the direction or trend of the bending. For example, when the light unit 10 is arranged in a spiral, at least part of the fibers of the fiber filler 30 are also arranged in a spiral along with the light unit 10 (see Figure 6 ).

[0107] Exemplarily, a plurality of light units 10 may be mounted in the sheath 20 , and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the number of the light units 10 .

[0108] Exemplarily, the extension paths of the plurality of light units 10 may be substantially parallel.

[0109] Exemplarily, the shapes of the plurality of light units 10 are substantially the same.

[0110] It is understandable that the aforementioned protective structures such as fiber paste 12, loose tube 13, fiber filler 30 and sheath 20 are wrapped and surrounded in the entire extension direction of the optical fiber 11. During the installation of the optical cable 100, it is necessary to tear off part of the protective structure outside the optical fiber 11 to expose the end of the optical fiber 11, so as to facilitate the fiber fusion of the optical fiber 11 or the connection of the optical fiber 11 with the pre-installed connector.

[0111] In the examples provided in this application, see Figure 5 and Fig. 9 The light unit 10 is bent multiple times in the sheath 20. For example, the light unit 10 is bent multiple times so as to pass through at least one plane (for example Figure 5 and Fig. 9The reference plane M in the sheath), and the fibrous fiber filler 30 wrapped outside the light unit 10 can support the light unit 10, so that the light unit 10 can maintain the bent shape in the sheath 20.

[0112] It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application explains the structural position of the optical unit 10 when the optical cable 100 (for example, the sheath 20 in the optical cable 100) extends in a straight line. For example, the optical cable 100 is horizontally arranged, and the center line Li of the sheath 20 is a straight line extending in the horizontal direction.

[0113] Furthermore, it is understandable that the “multiple bending configuration” of the optical unit 10 does not include a folding configuration, that is, the optical unit 10 can only extend forward and cannot be folded backward to avoid breaking the optical fiber 11 in the optical unit 10 .

[0114] To sum up, in the embodiment provided in the present application, the optical unit 10 is not arranged in a straight line along the center line Li of the sheath 20 in the sheath 20, but is arranged in a curve in the sheath 20, and the optical unit 10 is bent multiple times in the sheath 20, and the bending shape of the optical unit 10 is maintained by the fiber filler 30 filled in the sheath 20 and wrapped outside the optical unit 10, so that the total length of the optical unit 10 can be greater than the total length of the sheath 20 without changing the size of the sheath 20, that is, without changing the diameter of the optical cable 100, thereby effectively increasing the excess length of the optical cable 100. During the stress process of the optical cable 100, for example, when the optical cable 100 is subjected to the tensile stress of the lateral wind, the optical fiber 11 with a longer excess length has a lower probability of breaking, thereby improving the reliability of the optical cable 100 and delaying its service life.

[0115] At the same time, the optical cable 100 with a longer excess length can also have a larger safe use span, so that the optical cable 100 can be suitable for a variety of application scenarios with different requirements.

[0116] In addition, in the optical cable 100 provided in the present application, there is no need to increase the tensile strength of the optical cable 100 by adding additional reinforcement members, so the problem of breakage of the optical fiber 11 can be avoided. Therefore, the size and weight of the optical cable 100 will not be increased, which is conducive to the lightweight and miniaturized design of the optical cable 100, thereby improving the compatibility between the optical cable 100 and the pre-installed connector that requires a small-sized optical cable. At the same time, the optical cable 100 with a smaller weight can also effectively reduce its assembly difficulty and preparation difficulty.

[0117] In some embodiments, Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the optical unit 10 is arranged in a spiral shape around the center line Li of the sheath 20 (see Figure 3), that is, the optical unit 10 can pass through the plane where the center line Li of the sheath 20 is located multiple times in a spiral manner (for example Figure 5 The reference plane M in the optical unit 10 is effectively increased to effectively increase the excess length of the optical unit 10 and prevent the optical fiber 11 from breaking.

[0118] That is, by spiraling, the total length of the optical fiber 11 (i.e., the optical unit 10) is made greater than the length of the optical cable 100, i.e., greater than the length of the sheath 20 of the optical cable 100, so that during the construction process or during the use of the optical cable 100, the optical cable 100 can have better tensile properties. Even if the first layer of protective barrier sheath 20 of the optical cable 100 is cracked, the internal core component optical unit 10 (especially the optical fiber 11) also has better buffering, which effectively prevents the core component optical fiber 11 from breaking.

[0119] For example, see Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The optical unit 10 is embedded in the aforementioned fiber filler 30 and spirally arranged, for example, see Figure 4 In the spiral light unit 10, a fiber filler 30 is filled between two adjacent threads, see Figure 5 The spiral tube formed by the spiraling of the light unit 10 is also filled with a fiber filler 30 so that the fiber filler 30 can protect the light unit 10 to the maximum extent.

[0120] Exemplarily, the optical cable 100 can be prepared by simultaneously twisting the optical unit 10 and the fiber filler 30 so that the optical unit 10 can be arranged in a spiral shape, and the fiber filler 30 can be wrapped around the side of the optical unit 10 to protect the optical unit 10 and support the spiral shape of the optical unit 10, thereby effectively improving the structural stability of the optical cable 100.

[0121] For example, see Figure 6 The optical unit 10 and the fiber filler 30 are twisted together, and at least part of the fibers of the optical unit 10 and the fiber filler 30 are arranged in a spiral.

[0122] It should be noted that in order to illustrate the twisting trend of the optical unit 10 and the fiber filler 30, Figure 6 The size of the fibers in the fiber filler 30 is magnified in FIG. 1 . It can be understood that the fibers included in the fiber filler 30 are elongated, small in size, and may also be in a flocculent state, rather than in a spherical shape. Figure 6 The columnar shape shown, and Figure 6 In the embodiment, the outer surface of the light unit 10 is also wrapped with some fibers of the fiber filler 30, in order to avoid blocking the light unit 10, Figure 6 The state in which the fiber filler 30 completely wraps the light unit 10 is not shown.

[0123] It should be noted that, since the optical unit 10 in this embodiment is arranged in a spiral manner, Figure 4 The cross-sectional view in FIG. 1 can only show the portion of the light unit 10 passing through the cross section, and the running trajectory of the other parts of the light unit 10 passes through Figure 4 The dashed line in the figure shows that Figure 5 Similarly, the dotted lines and arrows indicate the spiral direction and spiral trajectory of the light unit 10. It can be understood that Figure 4 and Figure 5 The overall structure of the optical unit 10 can be referred to Figure 3 The structure diagram in .

[0124] In some embodiments, Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, the optical unit 10 is arranged in a wave shape along the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20 (see Figure 7 ), that is, the light unit 10 may pass through at least one plane (eg Fig. 9 The reference plane M in the optical unit 10 is effectively increased to effectively increase the excess length of the optical unit 10 and prevent the optical fiber 11 from breaking.

[0125] That is, the optical unit 10 is folded back and forth to form a wavy structure, so that the total length of the optical fiber 11 (i.e., the optical unit 10) is greater than the length of the optical cable 100, that is, greater than the length of the sheath 20 of the optical cable 100, so that during the construction process or in the use of the optical cable 100, the optical cable 100 can have better tensile properties, even if the first layer of protective barrier sheath 20 of the optical cable 100 is cracked, the internal core component optical unit 10 (especially the optical fiber 11) also has better buffering, which effectively prevents the core component optical fiber 11 from breaking.

[0126] It should be noted that the “wave shape” here can be a regular sine wave shape, a square wave shape, or an irregular wave shape, etc. As long as the shape can make the light unit 10 fold back and forth, it is within the protection scope of the embodiment of the present application.

[0127] For example, see Figure 8 The light unit 10 may also pass through the center line Li of the sheath 20 multiple times, that is, the wavy light unit 10 may be located at the center of the sheath 20 .

[0128] It is understandable that the optical unit 10 can also be set offset from the center line Li of the sheath 20. For example, during the use of the optical cable 100, the optical unit 10 can be loosely placed in the sheath 20. As the optical cable 100 bends and moves, a part of the optical unit 10 can be closer to the inner wall of the sheath 20 relative to the center line Li of the sheath 20, thereby improving the toughness of the optical cable 100 and further improving the reliability of the optical cable 100. The same is true for the aforementioned embodiment (helical optical unit 10).

[0129] For example, similar to the above embodiment (helical light unit 10), the light unit 10 is embedded in the above fiber filler 30 to form a wave arrangement (see Figure 8 and Fig. 9 ), so that the fiber filler 30 can surround the side of the optical unit 10, protect the optical unit 10, and support the wavy shape of the optical unit 10, effectively improving the structural stability of the optical cable 100.

[0130] Exemplarily, the wavy light unit 10 may be prepared by moving the light unit 10 from the position where the center line Li of the sheath 20 is located toward the inner wall of the sheath 20 .

[0131] Alternatively, illustratively, during the process of laying the light unit 10 , the light unit 10 may be formed in a wavy shape by means of periodic eccentricity.

[0132] Various embodiments of the light unit 10 being in a wave shape are provided below.

[0133] In some embodiments, Figure 8 and Fig.10 As shown, the optical unit 10 includes a plurality of components G arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20, each component G may include two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line Li of the sheath 20 as a symmetry point, and the plurality of components G are arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20 and are connected end to end.

[0134] For example, see Figure 8 The multiple components G may be located on the same plane, for example, see Figure 8 The multiple components G are arranged vertically (with Figure 8 For example, the orientation of the plane.

[0135] Or, for example, see Fig.10 The optical unit 10 may include a first component G1 and a second component G2 which are sequentially arranged along an extending direction of a center line Li of the sheath 20 .

[0136] Among them, the first component G1 is a partial component G among the multiple components G, and the second component G2 is another partial component G among the multiple components G, that is, the first component G1 and the second component G2 also include two waves that are centrally symmetrical with the point on the center line Li of the sheath 20 as the symmetry point.

[0137] See also Fig.10 The first component G1 is located on the first plane M1, and the second component G2 is located on the second plane M2.

[0138] For example, see Fig.10 The component G arranged on the first plane M1 (ie, the first component G1) and the component G arranged on the second plane M2 (ie, the second component G2) can be arranged alternately in sequence.

[0139] Or for example, a plurality of first components G1 may be disposed continuously on the first plane M1 first, and then a plurality of second components G may be disposed continuously on the second plane M2.

[0140] The first plane M1 and the second plane M2 are both parallel to the center line Li of the sheath 20 (for example, the first plane M1 and the second plane M2 may both pass through the center line Li), and the first plane M1 intersects the second plane M2.

[0141] That is, in the optical cable 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application, the optical unit 10 is not limited to wave folding on one plane, and the optical unit 10 can be folded in multiple directions around the center line Li of the sheath 20, thereby expanding the space in which the optical unit 10 can be wave folded, thereby increasing the number of folding times of the optical unit 10 and further increasing the excess length of the optical cable 100.

[0142] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the light unit 10 is only illustrated by taking the wave arrangement of the light unit 10 on the first plane M1 and the second plane M2 as an example. In other embodiments, the light unit 10 can also be wave-folded on multiple planes such as the third plane and the fourth plane that intersect the first plane M1 and the second plane M2. The present application does not limit the number of times the component G is arranged.

[0143] For example, see Fig.10 When the first component G1 of the light unit 10 is arranged on the first plane M1 and the second component G2 of the light unit 10 is arranged on the second plane M2, the first plane M1 and the second plane M2 may be perpendicular to each other, for example, the first plane M1 may be arranged horizontally and the second plane M2 may be arranged vertically.

[0144] In this case, there are multiple first components G1 and multiple second components G2, and the multiple first components G1 and the multiple second components G2 are alternately arranged in sequence in the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20, that is, the component G of the optical unit 10 located on the first plane M1 and the component G of the optical unit 10 located on the second plane M2 are alternately arranged in sequence in the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20, so that the overall stress of the optical unit 10 is more balanced and uniform, which can further reduce the risk of breakage of the optical fiber 11.

[0145] For example, in other embodiments, among the multiple components G of the optical unit 10, there is an angle between the planes where two adjacent components G are located (that is, the optical unit 10 can be set on multiple intersecting planes), and the center line Li of the sheath 20 is used as the rotation axis, and the planes where the multiple components G are located are arranged in sequence in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

[0146] The light unit 10 in this embodiment can be understood as Figure 7 The light unit 10 is twisted in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction along the center line Li of the sheath 20 , so that each component G of the light unit 10 is located on a different plane.

[0147] For example, the angle between the planes where two adjacent components G are located can be 15°, that is, along the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20, a component G is set every 15° rotation, so that the optical unit 10 has more wave folding space, further increasing the excess length of the optical cable 100, and at the same time, it can also further make the overall stress of the optical unit 10 more balanced and uniform, thereby further reducing the risk of breakage of the optical fiber 11.

[0148] In some embodiments, see Figure 4 When the light unit 10 is arranged in a spiral, the pitch d1 of the light unit 10 (i.e., the distance between two adjacent highest points on the same side of the center line Li of the sheath 20) is approximately 100 mm to 500 mm. For example, it can be 100 mm, 230.5 mm, 378.54 mm, 420.312 mm or 500 mm.

[0149] Or, for example, see Figure 8 In the case where the light unit 10 is arranged in a wave shape, the distance between two wave crests of the light unit 10 located on the same side of the center line Li of the sheath 20 and arranged adjacently in the extension direction of the center line of the sheath, that is, the wavelength d1, is approximately 100 mm to 500 mm. For example, it can be 100 mm, 230.5 mm, 378.54 mm, 420.312 mm or 500 mm.

[0150] By setting the value range of the pitch d1 or the wavelength d1 of the optical unit 10, the optical fiber 11 can be bent to the maximum extent and the length of the optical cable 100 can be increased without affecting the communication effect of the optical cable 100 or excessively increasing the stress of the optical unit 10.

[0151] In some embodiments, Figure 2 As shown, the end of the optical unit 10 coincides with the center line Li of the sheath 20. That is, the end of the optical unit 10 is still arranged on the center line Li of the sheath 20, for example, the portion of the optical unit 10 other than the two ends is arranged in a spiral or wavy manner, and the positions of the two ends of the optical unit 10 are still located on the center line Li of the sheath 20, so that when the optical cable 100 is increased in length, it can still be adapted to the existing pre-installed connector, reducing the difficulty of assembling the optical cable 100.

[0152] Fig.11 and Fig.14 For along Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view along the section line BB' in the figure, Fig.12 For along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view along the section line C-C'; Fig.13 For along Fig.11 Another cross-sectional view along the section line CC'.

[0153] In some embodiments, see Fig.11 The side wall of the sheath 20 is provided with at least one hole Ho, and the extension direction of the center line of the hole Ho can be substantially the same as the extension direction of the center line Li of the sheath 20 (see Fig.12 and Fig.13 ).

[0154] The pores Ho can relieve and dissipate the stress on the sheath 20 , thereby further improving the protection capability of the optical fiber 11 .

[0155] Exemplarily, the side wall of the sheath 20 is provided with a plurality of pores Ho, and the plurality of pores Ho can be symmetrically arranged with the center line Li of the sheath 20 as the axis of symmetry, so that the stress in the sheath 20 is more balanced, reducing the probability of pulling and tearing of the sheath 20, thereby further improving the protection capability of the optical fiber 11.

[0156] For example, see Fig.12 and Fig.13 A material with higher strength can be filled in the pore Ho to form a reinforcement member 70, so that the reinforcement member 70 can be set without increasing the diameter of the sheath 20, thereby enhancing the strength of the sheath 20 and preventing the sheath 20 from shrinking, thereby further improving the protection capability of the optical fiber 11.

[0157] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 and Fig.14 The cross section of the sheath 20 perpendicular to its own center line Li is circular or elliptical.

[0158] For example, when the optical unit 10 is arranged in a spiral shape, or the components G of the optical unit 10 are arranged in waves in multiple directions, the cross section of the sheath 20 perpendicular to the center line Li thereof may be circular.

[0159] For example, when the optical unit 10 is wavy and the components G of the optical unit 10 are all in the same plane, the cross-section of the sheath 20 can be elliptical so that the force on the optical cable 100 is more uniform, and the flat optical cable 100 can be flexibly and stably set in a variety of application scenarios, such as on a platform or in a gap.

[0160] Exemplarily, the cross section of the sheath 20 perpendicular to its own center line Li may also be in other shapes, such as a rectangular shape, etc., which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0161] The above is only a specific implementation of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that a person skilled in the art can think of within the technical scope disclosed in the present disclosure should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An optical cable (100), characterized in that: include: An optical unit (10), the optical unit (10) comprising an optical fiber (11); A protective sheath (20) is sleeved outside the optical unit (10); A fiber filler (30) filled in the sheath (20); The light unit (10) is embedded in the fiber filler, and the light unit (10) is bent multiple times in the sheath (20).

2. The optical cable (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The optical unit (10) is arranged in a spiral shape around a center line (Li) of the sheath (20).

3. The optical cable (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical unit (10) is arranged in a wave-like manner along the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20).

4. The optical cable (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The optical unit (10) comprises a plurality of components (G) arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20), each component (G) comprising two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line (Li) of the sheath (20) as a symmetric point; The plurality of components (G) are all located on the same plane.

5. The optical cable (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The optical unit (10) comprises a first component (G1) and a second component (G2) which are sequentially arranged along the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20); the first component (G1) and the second component (G2) both comprise two waves which are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line (Li) of the sheath (20) as a symmetric point; The first component (G1) is located on a first plane (M1), and the second component (G2) is located on a second plane (M2); the first plane (M1) and the second plane (M2) are both parallel to a center line (Li) of the sheath (20), and the first plane (M1) intersects with the second plane (M2).

6. The optical cable (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first plane (M1) and the second plane (M2) are perpendicular to each other, the first component (G1) and the second component (G2) are both multiple, and the multiple first components (G1) and the multiple second components (G2) are alternately arranged in sequence in the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20).

7. The optical cable (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The optical unit (10) comprises a plurality of components (G) arranged in sequence along the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20), and each component (G) comprises two waves that are centrally symmetrical with a point on the center line (Li) of the sheath (20) as a symmetric point; There is an angle between the planes where two adjacent components (G) are located, and with the center line (Li) of the sheath (20) as the rotation axis, the planes where the multiple components (G) are located are arranged in sequence in a clockwise direction or a counterclockwise direction.

8. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The optical unit (10) is arranged in a spiral manner, and the pitch (d1) of the optical unit (10) is 100 mm to 500 mm; or, The optical unit (10) is arranged in a wave pattern, and the distance (d1) between the crests of two adjacent waves in the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the sheath (20) is 100 mm to 500 mm.

9. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The end of the optical unit (10) coincides with the center line (Li) of the sheath (20).

10. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The side wall of the jacket (20) is provided with at least one hole (Ho), and the extension direction of the center line of the hole (Ho) is the same as the extension direction of the center line (Li) of the jacket (20).

11. The optical cable (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that: The side wall of the jacket (20) is provided with a plurality of pores (Ho), and the plurality of pores (Ho) are symmetrically arranged with the center line (Li) of the jacket (20) as the axis of symmetry.

12. The optical cable (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that The optical cable (100) further comprises: A reinforcing member (70), wherein the reinforcing member (70) is filled in the pore (Ho).

13. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: A plurality of the light units (10) are sleeved in the protective sheath (20).

14. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The material of the fiber filler (30) includes glass yarn and / or aramid.

15. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The bending direction of the light unit is consistent with the bending direction of at least part of the fibers in the fiber filler.

16. The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The cross section of the sheath (20) perpendicular to its own center line (Li) is circular or elliptical.

17. A communication system (1000), characterized in that: include: The optical cable (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 16; A plurality of communication devices (200), different communication devices (200) are electrically connected via the optical cable (100).

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