Anti-bite function cable

Abstract

The utility model relates to a cable with anti-biting function, comprising three cable bodies, the three cable bodies are arranged in a ring shape, a sensing optical fiber is arranged on the outer periphery of the cable bodies by spiral winding, three filling pieces are arranged between adjacent cable bodies to maintain the geometric stability of the internal structure of the cable, a protection module is coated on the outer periphery of the three cable bodies, the sensing optical fiber is embedded in the protection module, one end of the sensing optical fiber extends to the outside of the cable and is connected with a signal processing assembly, the signal processing assembly is used for transmitting optical signals, the signal processing assembly comprises an optical fiber splicing box connected to one end of the sensing optical fiber, and a fusion point is arranged in the optical fiber splicing box; the novel cable has the sensing optical fiber arranged on the outer layer in a spiral shape, ensures close adhesion with the sheath, can efficiently sense the slight vibration of the whole line, realizes positioning through the round-trip time difference of optical signals, the precision is about one meter, has strong anti-electromagnetic interference ability, and is suitable for places with complex electromagnetic environment such as substations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cable technology, specifically to a cable with anti-biting function. Background Technology

[0002] A cable is a power or signal transmission line consisting of one or more mutually insulated conductors and an outer insulating protective layer. It is widely used to transmit electrical energy or electrical signals. A cable is an electrical device used to transmit electrical energy, electrical signals, or data. It typically consists of the following parts: a conductor responsible for transmitting current, commonly made of copper or aluminum; an insulation layer wrapped around the conductor to prevent current leakage and short circuits, made of materials such as polyethylene, PVC, or cross-linked polyethylene; a shielding layer to reduce electromagnetic interference, commonly found in communication cables; and a sheath, the outermost protective layer to prevent mechanical damage, moisture, and chemical corrosion. Depending on their application, cables can be classified as: power cables, communication cables, control cables, and fiber optic cables.

[0003] Common power or communication cables often use sheaths made of materials such as polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, which are of moderate quality and easily attract animals such as rats and squirrels to gnaw on them. Since cables are often laid in underground pipe corridors, cable trays, or remote fields, the damaged sheaths after being gnawed are difficult to detect during inspections. The insulation layer may be gradually damaged, which can lead to short circuits, grounding faults, or even power outages in the long run. This is especially true in areas such as farmland and mountainous regions, where the environment is complex and manual inspections are difficult. Hidden dangers can exist for a long time without timely warnings, seriously affecting the continuity and safety of power supply and communication. Traditional protection methods are costly and cannot solve the problem of "difficulty in detection," so there is an urgent need for intelligent solutions with early detection capabilities. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a cable with anti-bite functionality. A sensing optical fiber is spirally embedded around the outer circumference of the cable, achieving a tight fit. This allows for sensitive detection of minute vibrations along the entire cable, utilizing the round-trip time difference of the optical signal for positioning with an accuracy of approximately one meter. It is also resistant to electromagnetic interference and suitable for strong electromagnetic environments such as power plants. This design solves the problems of common cables with sheaths made of materials easily chewed by rodents, such as polyethylene, which are often laid underground, in cable trays, or in concealed areas, making damage difficult to detect and potentially leading to malfunctions due to gradual insulation damage. It also addresses the difficulties of inspection in farmland and mountainous areas, where potential hazards persist for extended periods.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a cable with anti-bite function, comprising three cable bodies arranged in a ring, with sensing optical fibers arranged in a spiral winding manner on their outer periphery, and three fillers arranged between adjacent cable bodies to maintain the geometric stability of the internal structure of the cable, the three cable bodies are covered with a protective module, the sensing optical fibers are embedded inside the protective module, one end of the sensing optical fibers extends to the outside of the cable and is connected to a signal processing component; The signal processing component is used to transmit optical signals. The signal processing component includes an optical fiber splice box connected to one end of the sensing optical fiber. The optical fiber splice box has a fusion splice point inside, and a host patch cord is installed inside the optical fiber splice box. The fusion splice point of the optical fiber splice box is used to connect the sensing optical fiber and the host patch cord.

[0006] Furthermore, the signal processing component includes a host jumper connected to a distributed fiber optic sensing host at the other end. The distributed fiber optic sensing host integrates a data acquisition and processing unit for receiving and processing backscattered light signals from the sensing fiber.

[0007] Furthermore, a fiber optic cable tray is installed at the splice point of the sensing fiber. The fiber optic cable tray is used to orderly accommodate the host jumpers and maintain the fiber bending radius at no less than the minimum allowable value. The distributed fiber optic sensing host establishes a data connection with the external monitoring equipment through the communication interface to output the original vibration signal or event characteristic data.

[0008] Furthermore, the protection module includes an inner cable sheath covering the outside of the cable body and an outer cable sheath covering the outside of the inner cable sheath. The sensing optical fiber is embedded inside the inner cable sheath and forms a tight bond with the inner sheath material during the extrusion molding process.

[0009] Furthermore, the sensing fiber extends along the cable axis in a helical trajectory, and the sensing fiber is continuously arranged in the length direction of the cable. At the splice position, there is a fiber optic cassette to accommodate the redundant fiber segments after splicing.

[0010] Furthermore, the filler is made of a non-hygroscopic polymer material and fills the gap area between the cable bodies. There is no metal shielding layer or armor layer between the inner sheath and the outer sheath of the cable to block the mechanical coupling path between the sensing optical fiber and the external force.

[0011] Furthermore, the sensing optical fiber adopts a tight-cladding structure, and the sensing optical fiber is extruded and formed simultaneously with the inner sheath of the cable during the cable manufacturing process to form an integrated structure.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects: 1. By spirally winding sensing optical fiber around the outer periphery of the cable body and embedding it inside the inner sheath, a good mechanical coupling path is formed between the optical fiber and the outer surface of the cable. This enables sensitive detection of minute vibrations occurring along the entire length of the cable, such as rodent bites, external pressure, or human damage, effectively avoiding monitoring blind spots. 2. It adopts distributed optical fiber sensing technology and uses the time difference of backscattered light signals to achieve event positioning. The positioning accuracy can reach about one meter and is not affected by electromagnetic interference. It is suitable for power cable monitoring scenarios in strong electromagnetic environments. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the location of a part of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the location of the cable outer sheath of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled three-dimensional structure of this utility model.

[0014] In the diagram: 1. Cable body; 2. Sensing optical fiber; 3. Filler; 4. Inner cable sheath; 5. Outer cable sheath; 6. Fiber optic splice box; 7. Fiber optic coil box; 8. Distributed fiber optic sensing host; 9. Data acquisition and processing unit; 10. Host patch cord. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0016] Please see Figure 1 The anti-bite cable in this embodiment includes three cable bodies 1 arranged in a ring. A sensing optical fiber 2 is spirally wound around the outer periphery of the cable body 1. Three fillers 3 are provided between adjacent cable bodies 1 to maintain the geometric stability of the internal structure of the cable. The three cable bodies 1 are covered with a protective module. The sensing optical fiber 2 is embedded inside the protective module. One end of the sensing optical fiber 2 extends to the outside of the cable and is connected to a signal processing component.

[0017] In this embodiment, by spirally winding the sensing optical fiber 2 around the outer periphery of the cable body 1 and embedding it in the inner sheath, a good mechanical coupling is formed to sensitively detect minute vibrations along the entire length. Combined with distributed optical fiber sensing technology, the backscattered light time difference is used to achieve a positioning accuracy of about one meter, and it is resistant to electromagnetic interference, making it suitable for monitoring in strong electromagnetic environments.

[0018] Please see Figures 1-5In this embodiment, to ensure that the optical fiber is tightly wrapped inside the cable and that vibration can be immediately felt without any blind spots, the signal processing component in this embodiment is used to transmit optical signals. The signal processing component includes an optical fiber splice box 6 connected to one end of the sensing optical fiber 2. The optical fiber splice box 6 has a fusion splice point inside, and a host patch cord 10 is installed inside the optical fiber splice box 6. The fusion splice point of the optical fiber splice box 6 is used to connect the sensing optical fiber 2 and the host patch cord 10.

[0019] In this embodiment, the signal processing component is used to transmit optical signals to realize the acquisition and transmission of vibration information along the entire length of the cable. The component includes an optical fiber splice box 6, which has a fusion splice point inside to connect the sensing optical fiber 2 inside the cable to the host jumper 10, ensuring optical path connectivity. The host jumper 10 is used to lead out the optical signal and transmit it to external analysis equipment. The optical fiber splice box 6 serves to fix and protect the fusion splice point, preventing the optical fiber from being damaged by external forces, while maintaining the bending radius of the optical fiber not less than the minimum allowable value to avoid signal attenuation. The signal processing component as a whole realizes reliable lead-out and stable transmission of sensing optical signals, ensuring monitoring continuity, enabling the cable to have real-time sensing capabilities against external bites or disturbances, and achieving the goal of monitoring the entire line without blind spots.

[0020] It should be noted that the protection module includes an inner cable sheath 4 covering the outside of the cable body 1 and an outer cable sheath 5 covering the outside of the inner cable sheath 4. The sensing optical fiber 2 is embedded inside the inner cable sheath 4 and forms a tight bond with the inner sheath material during the extrusion molding process. The sensing optical fiber 2 extends along the cable axis in a spiral trajectory and is continuously arranged along the length of the cable. A fiber optic coil 7 is provided at the splice position to accommodate the redundant fiber segments after splicing. The inner cable sheath 4 is used to support and protect the internal structure, providing mechanical strength and environmental isolation. It is combined with the sensing optical fiber 2 during the manufacturing process to ensure its stable fixation. The outer cable sheath 5 is used to resist external mechanical damage, moisture and chemical corrosion, and enhance the overall durability and safety of the cable. The sensing optical fiber 2 is used to sense external vibration signals, converting physical disturbances into changes in optical signals to monitor behaviors such as biting. The fiber optic coil 7 is used to store the excess fiber length after splicing, protect the splice point from stretching or bending damage, and maintain the stability of optical signal transmission.

[0021] Please see Figures 1-5In this embodiment, to determine the location of the problem using the round-trip time of the optical signal, with a positioning accuracy of about one meter, and resistant to electric and magnetic field interference, making it suitable for use in places like power plants, the signal processing component in this embodiment includes a distributed optical fiber sensor host 8 connected to the other end of the host jumper 10. The distributed optical fiber sensor host 8 integrates a data acquisition and processing unit 9, which is used to receive and process the backscattered light signal from the sensing optical fiber 2. An optical fiber coil box 7 is installed at the splice point of the sensing optical fiber 2. The optical fiber coil box 7 is used to orderly accommodate the host jumper 10 and maintain the bending radius of the optical fiber not less than the minimum allowable value. The distributed optical fiber sensor host 8 establishes a data connection with external monitoring equipment through a communication interface to output raw vibration signals or event characteristic data.

[0022] In this embodiment, the distributed fiber optic sensor host 8 is used to emit laser pulses, receive backscattered light signals from the sensing fiber 2, and calculate the event location based on the round-trip time difference of the optical signal to achieve high-precision positioning. The data acquisition and processing unit 9 is integrated inside the host and is responsible for high-speed acquisition of optical signal data, filtering, amplification, and feature extraction to complete the digital analysis and pattern recognition of vibration signals. The host jumper 10 is used to connect the sensing fiber 2 and the distributed fiber optic sensor host 8, serving as an intermediate channel for optical signal transmission to ensure continuous and stable optical path. The fiber optic coil box 7 is used to orderly store the host jumper 10 and fusion splice redundancy, preventing excessive bending of the optical fiber, controlling the bending radius to be no less than the safety limit, and avoiding optical signal loss or interruption. The communication interface is set on the host and is used to transmit the processed original vibration signal or event feature data to external monitoring equipment to achieve remote monitoring and data sharing.

[0023] It should be noted that the filler 3 is made of non-hygroscopic polymer material and fills the gap area between the cable bodies 1. There is no metal shielding layer or armor layer between the inner sheath 4 and the outer sheath 5 of the cable to block the mechanical coupling path between the sensing optical fiber 2 and the external force. The sensing optical fiber 2 adopts a tight-packed structure. The sensing optical fiber 2 is extruded and formed simultaneously with the inner sheath 4 during the cable manufacturing process to form an integrated structure. The optical fiber position is fixed and the force is uniform, avoiding the risk of loosening, falling off or damage caused by additional installation after laying, and improving the long-term stability of the system.

[0024] The working principle of the above embodiments is as follows: During operation, when external biting or vibration occurs in the cable, the force acts on the outer sheath 5 and is quickly transmitted to the inner structure. The sensing optical fiber 2, embedded inside the inner sheath, is tightly bonded to the material and immediately senses minute deformations, generating changes in optical signals. The spirally arranged optical fibers are continuously distributed along the entire length of the cable, ensuring that disturbances at any location can be captured. The optical signal is transmitted to the cable end through the sensing optical fiber 2, enters the host jumper 10 through the fusion splice, and the optical fiber splice box 6 protects the fusion splice to prevent signal interruption. The host jumper 10 leads out the optical signal and transmits it to the distributed optical fiber sensing host 8. The host emits laser pulses and receives backscattered light from the optical fiber. It uses the time difference of light propagation in the optical fiber to calculate the location of the event, with a positioning accuracy of about one meter. The data acquisition and processing unit 9 acquires the signal, performs filtering, feature extraction and analysis, and determines the vibration type. The communication interface transmits the processed data to external monitoring equipment to achieve remote real-time monitoring. The filler 3 maintains the stability of the ring structure of the three cable bodies 1, preventing internal deformation from affecting the state of the optical fibers. The entire structure is not disturbed in a strong electromagnetic environment and can work continuously and reliably.

[0025] It should be noted that the control method of this utility model is controlled by a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by those skilled in the art through simple programming. The power supply is also common knowledge in the field. Furthermore, this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, so the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail here.

[0026] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0027] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A bite-resistant cable, comprising three cable bodies (1), characterized in that: Three cable bodies (1) are arranged in a ring, and sensing optical fibers (2) are arranged around their outer periphery by spiral winding. Three fillers (3) are arranged between adjacent cable bodies (1) to maintain the geometric stability of the internal structure of the cable. The three cable bodies (1) are covered with a protection module. The sensing optical fibers (2) are embedded inside the protection module. One end of the sensing optical fibers (2) extends to the outside of the cable and is connected to a signal processing component. The signal processing component is used to transmit optical signals. The signal processing component includes an optical fiber splice box (6) connected to one end of the sensing optical fiber (2). The optical fiber splice box (6) has a fusion splice point inside. The host jumper (10) is installed inside the optical fiber splice box (6). The fusion splice point of the optical fiber splice box (6) is used to connect the sensing optical fiber (2) and the host jumper (10).

2. The anti-biting cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal processing component includes a host jumper (10) connected to a distributed optical fiber sensor host (8) at the other end. The distributed optical fiber sensor host (8) integrates a data acquisition and processing unit (9) for receiving and processing backscattered light signals from the sensing optical fiber (2).

3. The anti-biting cable according to claim 2, characterized in that: A fiber optic cable tray (7) is installed at the splice point of the sensing fiber (2). The fiber optic cable tray (7) is used to orderly accommodate the host jumper (10) and maintain the bending radius of the fiber optic cable not less than the minimum allowable value. The distributed fiber optic sensing host (8) establishes a data connection with the external monitoring equipment through the communication interface and is used to output the original vibration signal or event characteristic data.

4. The anti-biting cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protection module includes an inner cable sheath (4) covering the outside of the cable body (1) and an outer cable sheath (5) covering the outside of the inner cable sheath (4). The sensing optical fiber (2) is embedded inside the inner cable sheath (4) and forms a tight bond with the inner sheath material during the extrusion molding process.

5. The anti-biting cable according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sensing fiber (2) extends along the cable axis in a spiral trajectory. The sensing fiber (2) is continuously arranged in the length direction of the cable, and a fiber optic cassette (7) is provided at the splice position to accommodate the redundant fiber segments after splicing.

6. The anti-biting cable according to claim 5, characterized in that: The filler (3) is made of non-hygroscopic polymer material and fills the gap area between the cable body (1). There is no metal shielding layer or armor layer between the inner sheath (4) and the outer sheath (5) of the cable to block the mechanical coupling path between the sensing optical fiber (2) and the external force.

7. The anti-biting cable according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing fiber (2) adopts a tight-cladding structure and is extruded synchronously with the inner sheath (4) of the cable during the cable manufacturing process.

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