Optical cable member

Abstract

An optical cable member (1) comprises: an optical cable (2) that includes a plurality of optical fiber core wires (21), one or more connectors (23) attached to tips of the plurality of optical fiber core wires (21), and a jacket (22) that covers the plurality of optical fiber core wires (21); a protective tube (3) that houses the one or more connectors (23) and the plurality of optical fiber core wires (21) exposed from the jacket (2); and a connecting member (4) that connects the optical cable (2) and the protective tube (3). The protective tube (3) has a tubular shape with a contoured inner surface at an end section where the connecting member (4) is attached. The connecting member (4) comprises: a first member (41) that comprises a first insertion section (411) that is inserted into the interior of the protective tube (3) and a first protruding section (412) that engages with a recessed section of the inner surface of the protective tube (3); and a second member (42) that comprises a second insertion section (421) that is inserted into the interior of the protective tube (3) and a second protruding section (422) that engages with a recessed section of the inner surface of the protective tube (3).

Description

Optical cable components

[0001] The present disclosure relates to optical cable members.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Application No. 2023-095543 filed on June 9, 2023, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of the aforementioned Japanese application.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose optical cables equipped with a pulling section. The outer jacket is stripped from the tip of the optical cable, and a connector is attached to the tip of the optical fiber exposed from the jacket. The pulling section has a protective tube for protecting the optical fiber with the connector attached. The protective tube is attached to the optical cable with the optical fiber with the connector attached housed inside the protective tube. After the optical cable is pulled by the pulling section and laid, the protective tube is removed from the optical cable, and the optical fiber is connected to another optical fiber or the like using a connector.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-125903 U.S. Publication No. 2022 / 0120988 International Publication No. 2022 / 045139

[0005] The optical cable member of the present disclosure comprises: an optical cable having a plurality of optical fiber cores, at least one connector attached to the ends of the plurality of optical fiber cores, and an outer jacket covering the plurality of optical fiber cores; a protective tube that houses the plurality of optical fiber cores exposed from the outer jacket and the at least one connector; and a connecting member that connects the optical cable and the protective tube, wherein the protective tube has a tubular shape with an uneven inner surface at the end where the connecting member is attached, and the connecting member comprises: a first member having a first insertion portion that is inserted into the protective tube and a first protrusion that engages with a recess on the inner surface of the protective tube; and a second member having a second insertion portion that is inserted into the protective tube and a second protrusion that engages with the recess on the inner surface of the protective tube.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical cable member according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical cable member taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, viewed from the direction of the arrows. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a connecting member of the optical cable member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first front connecting portion or a second front connecting portion of the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first front connecting portion or a second front connecting portion of the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 6C is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 6D is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 6E is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member according to FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical cable member according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a first front connecting portion of the connecting member according to FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a first front connection portion of the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second front connection portion of the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 11D is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 7 . FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical cable member according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a first front connection portion of the connecting member of FIG. 12 . FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a first front connection portion of the connecting member of FIG. 12 . FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a second front connection portion of the connecting member of FIG. 12 . FIG. 16A is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 12 . FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connecting member of FIG. 12 . Fig. 16C is a diagram showing a method of connecting an optical cable and a protective tube using the connection member of Fig. 12. Fig. 17 is an exploded view illustrating a configuration of an optical cable member according to Modification 1. Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the optical cable member of Fig. 17. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an optical cable member according to Modification 2.Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of an optical cable member according to Modification 3. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of an optical cable member according to Modification 4. Fig. 22 is an exploded view illustrating the configuration of a lid of a protective tube. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the protective tube of Fig. 22. Fig. 24A is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting the lid and main body of the protective tube of Fig. 22. Fig. 24B is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting the lid and main body of the protective tube of Fig. 22. Fig. 24C is a diagram illustrating a method of connecting the lid and main body of the protective tube of Fig. 22. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of an optical cable member used in a cable pulling method.

[0007] [Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure] When laying an optical cable in an underground conduit, the outer diameter of the portion where the protective tube is connected to the optical cable becomes large, which may make it difficult to pass the optical cable through the underground conduit. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is desired to configure the protective tube so that it can be easily detached from the optical cable.

[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an optical cable member that allows an optical cable to be easily laid and that allows a protective tube to be easily removed from the optical cable after the optical cable has been laid.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an optical cable member in which an optical cable can be easily laid and in which the protective tube can be easily removed from the optical cable after the optical cable has been laid.

[0010] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. The optical cable member of the present disclosure includes: (1) an optical cable having a plurality of optical fiber cores, at least one connector attached to the ends of the plurality of optical fiber cores, and an outer jacket covering the plurality of optical fiber cores; a protective tube that houses the plurality of optical fiber cores exposed from the outer jacket and the at least one connector; and a connecting member that connects the optical cable and the protective tube, wherein the protective tube has a tubular shape with an uneven inner surface at an end where the connecting member is attached, and the connecting member includes: a first member having a first insertion portion that is inserted into the protective tube and a first protrusion that engages with a recess on the inner surface of the protective tube, and a second member having a second insertion portion that is inserted into the protective tube and a second protrusion that engages with the recess on the inner surface of the protective tube.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the first member and the second member can be easily attached to the protective tube by inserting the insertion portion into the protective tube and hooking and engaging the protruding portion with the recessed portion on the inner surface of the protective tube. After the optical cable is installed, the first member and the second member can be easily removed from the protective tube by removing the protruding portion from the recessed portion on the inner surface of the protective tube to release the engagement with the recessed portion. Furthermore, because the first member and the second member are installed inside the protective tube, the connecting member can be configured so that it is not larger than the protective tube. As described above, an optical cable member can be provided that is easy to install the optical cable and allows the protective tube to be easily removed from the optical cable after installation.

[0012] (2) In the above (1), the connection member may have a third member attached to the jacket of the optical cable, and the third member may be fixed to at least the first member.

[0013] According to the above configuration, in the connection member, the portion attached to the jacket of the optical cable and the portion attached to the protective tube are made of different materials, so that the degree of freedom in designing each member can be increased.

[0014] (3) In (2) above, the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, and a first hole formed in the first fixing portion that penetrates the first fixing portion; the second member has a second fixing portion fixed to the third member, and a second hole formed in the second fixing portion that penetrates the second fixing portion; the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member and the second member, and a third hole formed in the third fixing portion that penetrates the third fixing portion at a position corresponding to the first hole, and a fourth hole formed in the third fixing portion that penetrates the third fixing portion at a position corresponding to the second hole; and the connecting member may include a first screw member inserted into the first hole and the third hole, and a second screw member inserted into the second hole and the fourth hole.

[0015] According to the above configuration, the first member and the second member can be removably fixed to the third member by the screw members.

[0016] (4) In (2) above, the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member, the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion has an outer peripheral surface on which a male thread portion is formed, and the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion, which does not have a male thread portion formed on its outer peripheral surface, may have an inner peripheral surface on which a female thread portion is formed to screw into the male thread portion.

[0017] According to the above configuration, by screwing one of the first member and the third member into the other of the first member and the third member, the first member and the third member can be removably fixed together without using any tools.

[0018] (5) In (2) above, the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member, an L-shaped hole is formed in the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion, and the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion not having an L-shaped hole may have a protrusion that engages with the L-shaped hole.

[0019] According to the above configuration, by inserting one of the first member and the third member into the other of the first member and the third member and rotating them, the first member and the third member can be removably fixed together without using tools.

[0020] (6) In any one of the above (2) to (5), the first member and the second member may be fixed with an adhesive.

[0021] According to the above configuration, the first member and the second member can be firmly fixed together.

[0022] (7) In any one of the above (2) to (6), the third member may be fixed to the jacket of the optical cable with an adhesive.

[0023] According to the above configuration, the third member can be firmly fixed to the jacket of the optical cable.

[0024] (8) In any of (2) to (7) above, the third member may have a fifth hole formed therein that penetrates the third member, and the optical cable member may include a screw member that is inserted into the fifth hole and abuts against the outer sheath of the optical cable.

[0025] According to the above configuration, the third member can be removably fixed to the jacket of the optical cable by the screw member.

[0026] (9) In the above (7) or (8), the third member may have a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in a radial direction of the optical cable.

[0027] According to the above configuration, the third member can be fixed to the optical cable even after the coated optical fiber and the connector have been inserted into the protective tube, which increases the degree of freedom in the workability of attaching the third member.

[0028] (10) In any of (1) to (9) above, the protective tube may have a lid portion and a main body portion that houses the plurality of optical fiber cores exposed from the outer sheath and the at least one connector, the main body portion having a first end to which the connecting member is attached and a second end to which the lid portion is fixed, the main body portion having a tubular shape with an uneven inner surface at the first end and the second end, and the lid portion may have: a first member having a first insertion portion inserted into the inside of the main body portion and a first protrusion that engages with a recess on the inner surface of the main body portion; and a second member having a second insertion portion inserted into the inside of the main body portion and a second protrusion that engages with the recess on the inner surface of the main body portion.

[0029] According to the above configuration, the lid portion can be removably fixed to the main body portion by inserting the insertion portions of the first member and the second member into the main body portion and hooking the protrusion into the recess on the inner surface of the main body portion to engage with the recess.

[0030] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Specific examples of optical cable members according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In addition, the scales of the drawings used in the following description have been appropriately changed to make each member recognizable.

[0031] In the drawings, arrow U indicates the upward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow D indicates the downward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow F indicates the forward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow B indicates the rearward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow R indicates the rightward direction of the illustrated structure. Arrow L indicates the leftward direction of the illustrated structure. These directions are used for convenience to facilitate understanding of the illustrated structure, and are not intended to limit the direction or posture of the structure when actually used.

[0032] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 shows a configuration example of an optical cable member 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the optical cable member 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the connection member 4 of the optical cable member 1 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show configuration examples of the first front connection portion 41 or the second front connection portion 42 of the connection member 4 of Fig. 1. In this example, the first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42 have the same shape, and therefore will both be described using Figs. 4 and 5.

[0033] 1 , the optical cable member 1 includes an optical cable 2, a protective tube 3, and a connection member 4. The optical cable member 1 is a member for laying the optical cable 2 by, for example, an air pressure feeding method. Specifically, the optical cable member 1 is used to insert the optical cable 2 into an air pressure feeding microduct, push the optical cable 2 while feeding high-pressure compressed air into the duct, and lay the optical cable 2 to a predetermined position. After the optical cable 2 is laid, the protective tube 3 is removed from the optical cable 2.

[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the optical cable 2 includes a plurality of optical fiber cores 21, an outer jacket 22, and a plurality of connectors 23. The optical fiber cores 21 are formed, for example, of a glass fiber composed of a core and a cladding, and a coating layer that covers the outer periphery of the glass fiber. The outer jacket 22 is provided to cover the plurality of optical fiber cores 21. The plurality of optical fiber cores 21 are housed within the outer jacket 22, for example, as single fibers or in the form of an optical fiber ribbon in which the optical fiber cores 21 are connected in parallel. The connectors 23 are attached to the ends of one or more of the optical fiber cores 21. Note that the number of optical fiber cores 21 and the number of connectors 23 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 2 . The optical cable 2 may further include a tension member, a water-absorbing tape, etc.

[0035] The protective tube 3 is configured to house the plurality of optical fiber cores 21 exposed from the jacket 22 and the plurality of connectors 23. The protective tube 3 is made of, for example, metal or resin. The protective tube 3 has a main body 31 and a lid 32.

[0036] The main body 31 extends along the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 and is configured to house the multiple optical fiber cores 21 exposed from the jacket 22 and the multiple connectors 23. A lid 32 is fixed to a front end 311 of the main body 31. A connecting member 4 is attached to a rear end 312 of the main body 31. The main body 31 has a tubular shape with an uneven inner surface 31A at least at the rear end 312. In this example, the main body 31 has a tubular shape with an uneven inner surface 31A and an uneven outer surface 31B over its entire longitudinal length. In other words, in this example, the main body 31 has a bellows-like tubular shape over its entire longitudinal length. The front end 311 is an example of a second end. The rear end 312 is an example of a first end.

[0037] The lid portion 32 is attached to the front end portion 311 of the main body portion 31. The lid portion 32 has a tip portion 321 and an attachment portion 322. The tip portion 321 has a curved shape, such as a sphere, a half football, or a bell shape. The tip portion 321 has an outer diameter, for example, that is equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the main body portion 31. The attachment portion 322 is disposed inside the front end portion 311 of the main body portion 31 and is attached to the inner surface 31A of the front end portion 311 of the main body portion 31.

[0038] The connection member 4 is configured to connect the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. The connection member 4 is formed of metal or resin. In this example, the connection member 4 has a first front connection portion 41, a second front connection portion 42, and a rear connection portion 43. The first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42 are each attached to the rear end portion 312 of the main body portion 31 of the protective tube 3. The rear connection portion 43 is attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. Furthermore, the rear connection portion 43 is fixed to the first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42. The first front connection portion 41 is an example of a first member. The second front connection portion 42 is an example of a second member. The rear connection portion 43 is an example of a third member.

[0039] 2 to 5 , the first front connection portion 41 has a first insertion portion 411 and a first protrusion 412. The first insertion portion 411 is configured to be inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first insertion portion 411 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3 (the front-rear direction in this example). The first protrusion 412 is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first protrusion 412 extends from the front end of the first insertion portion 411 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0040] The first front connecting portion 41 also has a first fixing portion 413. The first front connecting portion 41 is fixed to the rear connecting portion 43 by the first fixing portion 413. In this example, the first fixing portion 413 has a semi-cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first insertion portion 411, and extends from the rear end of the first insertion portion 411 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. A first through hole 4131 that penetrates the first fixing portion 413 is formed in the first fixing portion 413. The first through hole 4131 extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3 (in this example, the up-and-down direction). The first through hole 4131 is an example of a first hole.

[0041] 5 , the first front connection portion 41 has a first protrusion 414 and a first positioning recess 415. The first protrusion 414 extends in a direction facing the second front connection portion 42 (in the vertical direction in this example). The first positioning recess 415 is recessed in a direction facing the second front connection portion 42.

[0042] The second front connection portion 42 has a second insertion portion 421 and a second protrusion 422. In this example, the second front connection portion 42 has the same shape as the first front connection portion 41. The second insertion portion 421 is configured to be inserted into the inside of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second insertion portion 421 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 422 is configured to engage with a recess on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second protrusion 422 extends from the front end of the second insertion portion 421 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0043] The second front connecting portion 42 also has a second fixing portion 423. The second front connecting portion 42 is fixed to the rear connecting portion 43 by the second fixing portion 423. In this example, the second fixing portion 423 has a semi-cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the second insertion portion 421, and extends from the rear end of the second insertion portion 421 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. A second through hole 4231 that penetrates the second fixing portion 423 is formed in the second fixing portion 423. The second through hole 4231 extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3 (in this example, the up-and-down direction). The second through hole 4231 is an example of a second hole.

[0044] 5 , the second front connection portion 42 has a second protrusion 424 and a second positioning recess 425. The second protrusion 424 extends in a direction facing the first front connection portion 41 (in the up-and-down direction in this example). The second positioning recess 425 is recessed in a direction facing the first front connection portion 41. The second protrusion 424 is inserted into the first positioning recess 415 of the first front connection portion 41. The first protrusion 414 of the first front connection portion 41 is inserted into the second positioning recess 425. This positions the second front connection portion 42 with respect to the first front connection portion 41.

[0045] 2 and 3, the rear connection portion 43 has a cable fixing portion 431. The cable fixing portion 431 is configured to be fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2. In this example, the cable fixing portion 431 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical cable 2 including the outer sheath 22 is inserted inside. The cable fixing portion 431 is fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2 by, for example, an adhesive.

[0046] The rear connecting portion 43 also has a connecting portion fixing portion 432. The rear connecting portion 43 is fixed to the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42 by the connecting portion fixing portion 432. In this example, the connecting portion fixing portion 432 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical fiber 21 exposed from the jacket 22 is inserted therein. In this example, the outer diameter of the connecting portion fixing portion 432 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first fixing portion 413 of the first front connecting portion 41 and the outer diameter of the second fixing portion 423 of the second front connecting portion 42, and the first fixing portion 413 and the second fixing portion 423 are fixed to the outside of the connecting portion fixing portion 432. A through hole 4321 is formed in the connecting portion fixing portion 432 at a position corresponding to the first through hole 4131 of the first front connecting portion 41. Furthermore, through holes 4322 are formed in the connecting portion fixing portion 432 at positions corresponding to the second through holes 4231 of the second front connecting portion 42. The through holes 4321 and 4322 each extend in a direction (in the vertical direction in this example) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The connection portion fixing portion 432 is an example of a third fixing portion. The through hole 4321 is an example of a third hole. The through hole 4322 is an example of a fourth hole.

[0047] The connecting member 4 further has a first screw member 44 and a second screw member 45. The first front connecting portion 41 is removably fixed to the rear connecting portion 43 by the first screw member 44. The second front connecting portion 42 is removably fixed to the rear connecting portion 43 by the second screw member 45. Specifically, the first screw member 44 is inserted into the first through hole 4131 of the first front connecting portion 41 and the through hole 4321 of the rear connecting portion 43, with the first fixing portion 413 of the first front connecting portion 41 positioned outside the connection portion fixing portion 432 of the rear connecting portion 43. As a result, the first fixing portion 413 of the first front connecting portion 41 is fixed to the connection portion fixing portion 432 of the rear connecting portion 43. Furthermore, the second screw member 45 is inserted into the second through-hole 4231 of the second front connection portion 42 and the through-hole 4322 of the rear connection portion 43, with the second fixing portion 423 of the second front connection portion 42 disposed outside the connection portion fixing portion 432 of the rear connection portion 43. As a result, the second fixing portion 423 of the second front connection portion 42 is fixed to the connection portion fixing portion 432 of the rear connection portion 43.

[0048] (Method of connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3) Next, a method of connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 using the connection member 4 will be described with reference to Figures 6A to 6E. Note that the optical fiber core 21 and the connector 23 of the optical cable 2 are not shown in Figures 6A to 6E.

[0049] First, a terminated optical cable 2 is prepared, and the rear connection portion 43 is attached to the jacket 22 of the terminated optical cable 2. The termination process involves removing the jacket 22 from the front end of the optical cable 2 and attaching the connector 23 to the tip of the optical fiber 21 exposed from the jacket 22.

[0050] Specifically, the terminated optical cable 2 is passed through the rear connection part 43. Then, with the optical fiber 21 and the connector 23 exposed from the jacket 22 extending from the front end of the rear connection part 43, the cable fixing part 431 of the rear connection part 43 is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 with adhesive 46, as illustrated in Fig. 6A .

[0051] Next, the first front connection part 41 is attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 6A , the first insertion part 411 and the first protruding part 412 of the first front connection part 41 are inserted into the rear end part 312 of the protective tube 3, and the first protruding part 412 is hooked onto and engaged with the recessed part 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end part 312 of the protective tube 3 (see Fig. 6B ).

[0052] Next, the second front connecting portion 42 is attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 6B , the second insertion portion 421 and the second protruding portion 422 of the second front connecting portion 42 are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the second protruding portion 422 is hooked onto and engaged with the recessed portion 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3 (see Fig. 6C ).

[0053] Then, the first protrusion 414 of the first front connection part 41 is inserted into the second positioning recess 425 of the second front connection part 42, and the second protrusion 424 of the second front connection part 42 is inserted into the first positioning recess 415 of the first front connection part 41. This positions the second front connection part 42 with respect to the first front connection part 41.

[0054] Next, the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42 are fixed to the rear connecting portion 43. Specifically, the optical fiber 21 and the connector 23 exposed from the jacket 22 are inserted into the protective tube 3 through the inside of the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42. Then, the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42 are moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 6C , and the connecting portion fixing portion 432 of the rear connecting portion 43 is inserted into the inside of the first fixing portion 413 of the first front connecting portion 41 and the second fixing portion 423 of the second front connecting portion 42.

[0055] At this time, the first fixing portion 413, the second fixing portion 423, and the connection portion fixing portion 432 are positioned so that the first through hole 4131 of the first front connection portion 41 corresponds to the through hole 4321 of the rear connection portion 43, and the second through hole 4231 of the second front connection portion 42 corresponds to the through hole 4322 of the rear connection portion 43 (see FIG. 6D ). For example, the front surface of the cable fixing portion 431 of the rear connection portion 43 is abutted against the rear surface of the first fixing portion 413 of the first front connection portion 41 and the rear surface of the second fixing portion 423 of the second front connection portion 42.

[0056] Next, the first screw member 44 is inserted into the first through hole 4131 of the first front connection portion 41 and the through hole 4321 of the rear connection portion 43. Furthermore, the second screw member 45 is inserted into the second through hole 4231 of the second front connection portion 42 and the through hole 4322 of the rear connection portion 43. As a result, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected by the connecting member 4, as illustrated in FIG.

[0057] On the other hand, after the optical cable 2 has been laid, the first screw member 44 and the second screw member 45 are removed, and the first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42 are detached from the rear connection portion 43. Then, the first protrusion 412 of the first front connection portion 41 is removed from the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3, and the first front connection portion 41 is removed from the protective tube 3. Similarly, the second protrusion 422 is removed from the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3, and the second front connection portion 42 is removed from the protective tube 3. This allows the protective tube 3 to be removed from the optical cable 2.

[0058] According to the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the first front connecting portion 41 can be easily attached to the protective tube 3 by inserting the first insertion portion 411 into the protective tube 3 and hooking the first protrusion 412 into the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3 to engage with the recess 31A1. Furthermore, because the first insertion portion 411 and the first protrusion 412, which are portions that connect to the protective tube 3, are attached to the inside of the protective tube 3, the first front connecting portion 41 can be configured not to be larger than the protective tube 3.

[0059] Similarly, the second front connecting part 42 can be easily attached to the protective tube 3 by inserting the second insertion part 421 into the protective tube 3 and hooking the second protruding part 422 into the recessed part 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3 to engage with the recessed part 31A1. Furthermore, because the second insertion part 421 and the second protruding part 422, which are parts that connect to the protective tube 3, are attached to the inside of the protective tube 3, the second front connecting part 42 can be configured so as not to be larger than the protective tube 3.

[0060] Furthermore, after the optical cable 2 is laid, the first front connecting portion 41 can be easily removed from the protecting tube 3 by removing the first protruding portion 412 from the recessed portion 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protecting tube 3 to release the engagement with the recessed portion 31A1. Similarly, the second front connecting portion 42 can be easily removed from the protecting tube 3 by removing the second protruding portion 422 from the recessed portion 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protecting tube 3 to release the engagement with the recessed portion 31A1.

[0061] Therefore, it is possible to provide the optical cable member 1 in which the optical cable 2 can be easily laid and the protective tube 3 can be easily removed from the optical cable 2 after the optical cable 2 has been laid.

[0062] In this embodiment, the connection member 4 is attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 by the rear connection portion 43. In this manner, in the connection member 4, the portion attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 and the portion attached to the protective tube 3 are made of different materials, which increases the degree of freedom in designing each member.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, the first forward connection portion 41 and the second forward connection portion 42 are fixed to the rear connection portion 43 by the first screw member 44 and the second screw member 45, and therefore can be removably fixed to the rear connection portion 43.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear connection portion 43 is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 by the adhesive 46 , and therefore can be firmly fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 .

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42 are not bonded to each other and can be easily disassembled, and therefore can be reused after being removed from the protective tube 3.

[0066] The first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42 may be further fixed to each other with an adhesive. By bonding with an adhesive, the first front connection portion 41 and the second front connection portion 42 can be firmly fixed to each other.

[0067] In this embodiment, the part of the connecting member 4 that is attached to the protective tube 3 is formed of two members (the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42), but it may also be formed of three or more members.

[0068] 7 shows a configuration example of an optical cable member 10 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of explanation, the description of members having the same reference numbers as those already described in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0069] The optical cable member 10 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment in the structure for fixing the first forward connection portion 51 and the second forward connection portion 52 to the rear connection portion 53.

[0070] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , the optical cable member 10 has a connection member 5 that connects the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. The connection member 5 is formed of metal or resin. The connection member 5 has a first front connection portion 51, a second front connection portion 52, and a rear connection portion 53. The first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 are each attached to the rear end portion 312 of the main body portion 31 of the protective tube 3. The rear connection portion 53 is attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. Furthermore, the rear connection portion 53 is fixed to the first front connection portion 51. The first front connection portion 51 is an example of a first member. The second front connection portion 52 is an example of a second member. The rear connection portion 53 is an example of a third member.

[0071] 8 and 9 illustrate the first front connection portion 51. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first front connection portion 51 has a first insertion portion 511 and a first protrusion 512. The first insertion portion 511 is configured to be inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first insertion portion 511 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first protrusion 512 is configured to engage with the recess 31A1 (see FIG. 2 ) on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first protrusion 512 extends from the front end of the first insertion portion 511 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0072] The first front connection portion 51 also has a first fixing portion 513. The first front connection portion 51 is fixed to the rear connection portion 53 by the first fixing portion 513. In this example, the first fixing portion 513 has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first insertion portion 511, and extends from the rear end of the first insertion portion 511 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. A female thread portion 5131 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first fixing portion 513.

[0073] The first front connecting portion 51 has a first protrusion 514 and a first positioning recess 515. The first protrusion 514 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first positioning recess 515 is recessed in a direction facing the second front connecting portion 52.

[0074] 10 illustrates the second front connection portion 52. As illustrated in FIG. 10 , the second front connection portion 52 has a second insertion portion 521 and a second protrusion 522. The second insertion portion 521 is configured to be inserted into the inside of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second insertion portion 521 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 522 is configured to engage with the recess 31A1 (see FIG. 2 ) on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second protrusion 522 extends from the front end of the second insertion portion 521 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0075] The second front connection portion 52 also has a second fixing portion 523. The second front connection portion 52 is fixed to the first front connection portion 51 by the second fixing portion 523. In this example, the second fixing portion 523 has a semi-cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the second insertion portion 521, and extends from the rear end of the second insertion portion 521 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0076] The second front connecting part 52 also has a second protrusion 524 and a second positioning groove 525. The second protrusion 524 extends in a direction facing the first front connecting part 51. The second positioning groove 525 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 524 is inserted into the first positioning recess 515 of the first front connecting part 51. The first protrusion 514 of the first front connecting part 51 is inserted into the second positioning groove 525. This positions the second front connecting part 52 with respect to the first front connecting part 51.

[0077] 7 , the rear connection portion 53 has a cable fixing portion 531. The cable fixing portion 531 is configured to be fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2. In this example, the cable fixing portion 531 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical cable 2 including the outer sheath 22 is inserted inside. The cable fixing portion 531 is fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2 by, for example, an adhesive.

[0078] The rear connecting part 53 also has a connecting part fixing part 532. The rear connecting part 53 is fixed to the first front connecting part 51 by the connecting part fixing part 532. In this example, the connecting part fixing part 532 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical fiber 21 exposed from the jacket 22 is inserted therein. In this example, the outer diameter of the connecting part fixing part 532 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first fixing part 513 of the first front connecting part 51, and the first fixing part 513 is fixed to the outside of the connecting part fixing part 532. The outer peripheral surface of the connecting part fixing part 532 is formed with a male thread part 5321 that screws into a female thread part 5131 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the first fixing part 513 of the first front connecting part 51. The connecting part fixing part 532 is an example of a third fixing part.

[0079] 11A to 11D, a method for connecting the optical cable 2 to the protective tube 3 using the connection member 5 will be described. Note that the optical fiber core 21 and the connector 23 of the optical cable 2 are not shown in FIGS.

[0080] First, a terminated optical cable 2 is prepared, and the rear connection portion 53 is attached to the jacket 22 of the terminated optical cable 2. Specifically, the terminated optical cable 2 is passed through the interior of the rear connection portion 53. Then, with the optical fiber core 21 and connector 23 exposed from the jacket 22 extending from the front end of the rear connection portion 53, the cable fixing portion 531 of the rear connection portion 53 is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, for example, with an adhesive (not shown), as illustrated in FIG.

[0081] Next, the second front connecting portion 52 is attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 11A , the second insertion portion 521 and the second protruding portion 522 of the second front connecting portion 52 are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the second protruding portion 522 is hooked onto and engaged with the recessed portion 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3 (see Fig. 11B ).

[0082] Next, the first front connection part 51 is attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 11B , the first insertion part 511 and the first protruding part 512 of the first front connection part 51 are inserted into the rear end part 312 of the protective tube 3, and the first protruding part 512 is hooked onto and engaged with the recessed part 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end part 312 of the protective tube 3 (see Fig. 11C ).

[0083] Then, the second protrusion 524 of the second front connection part 52 is inserted into the first positioning recess 515 of the first front connection part 51, and the first protrusion 514 of the first front connection part 51 is inserted into the second positioning groove 525 of the second front connection part 52. This positions the second front connection part 52 with respect to the first front connection part 51.

[0084] Next, the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 are fixed to the rear connection portion 53. Specifically, the optical fiber 21 and the connector 23 exposed from the jacket 22 are passed through the inside of the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 and inserted into the protective tube 3. Then, the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 are moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 11C , and the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 are rotated relative to the rear connection portion 53 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 7 , while the female thread portion 5131 of the first fixing portion 513 of the first front connection portion 51 is screwed into the male thread portion 5321 of the connection portion fixing portion 532 of the rear connection portion 53. As a result, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected by the connecting member 5, as illustrated in FIG. 11D .

[0085] According to the optical cable member 10 of the second embodiment of the present disclosure, the first front connection portion 51, the second front connection portion 52, and the rear connection portion 53 can be removably fixed without tools by rotating the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 relative to the rear connection portion 53.

[0086] In the present embodiment, the first front connection portion 51 on which the female thread portion 5131 is formed is located on the upper side, and the second front connection portion 52 is located on the lower side. However, for example, the first front connection portion 51 may be located on the lower side, and the second front connection portion 52 may be located on the upper side.

[0087] In the present embodiment, each of the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 may have a fixing portion having a female thread portion formed on its inner circumferential surface. For example, each of the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 may have a semi-cylindrical fixing portion having a groove formed on its inner circumferential surface, and the grooves of the two fixing portions may be configured to join together to form a female thread portion.

[0088] In addition, in this embodiment, the first front connection portion 51 and the second front connection portion 52 may be fixed to each other with an adhesive.

[0089] In addition, in this embodiment, the part of the connecting member 5 that is attached to the protective tube 3 is formed by two members (the first front connecting portion 51 and the second front connecting portion 52), but it may also be formed by three or more members.

[0090] 12 shows a configuration example of an optical cable member 20 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. For convenience of explanation, the description of members having the same reference numbers as those already described in the first and second embodiments will be omitted.

[0091] The optical cable member 20 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure differs from the optical cable member 10 according to the second embodiment in the structure for fixing the first forward connection portion 61 and the second forward connection portion 62 to the rear connection portion 63.

[0092] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 12 , the optical cable member 20 has a connection member 6 that connects the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. The connection member 6 is formed of metal or resin. The connection member 6 has a first front connection portion 61, a second front connection portion 62, and a rear connection portion 63. The first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 are each attached to the rear end portion 312 of the main body portion 31 of the protective tube 3. The rear connection portion 63 is attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. Furthermore, the rear connection portion 63 is fixed to the first front connection portion 61. The first front connection portion 61 is an example of a first member. The second front connection portion 62 is an example of a second member. The rear connection portion 63 is an example of a third member.

[0093] 13 and 14 illustrate the first front connection portion 61. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the first front connection portion 61 has a first insertion portion 611 and a first protrusion 612. The first insertion portion 611 is configured to be inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first insertion portion 611 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first protrusion 612 is configured to engage with the recess 31A1 (see FIG. 2 ) on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first protrusion 612 extends from the front end of the first insertion portion 611 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0094] The first front connection portion 61 also has a first fixing portion 613. The first front connection portion 61 is fixed to the rear connection portion 63 by the first fixing portion 613. In this example, the first fixing portion 613 has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than that of the first insertion portion 611, and extends from the rear end of the first insertion portion 611 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first fixing portion 613 has an L-shaped hole 6131 formed therein. Specifically, the L-shaped hole 6131 penetrates the first fixing portion 613 in the radial direction of the optical cable 2 and includes a first hole portion 6131A and a second hole portion 6131B. The first hole portion 6131A extends from the rear end of the first fixing portion 613 in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2. The second hole portion 6131B extends from the front end of the first hole portion 6131A in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first hole portion 6131A and the radial direction of the optical cable 2.

[0095] The first front connecting portion 61 has a first protrusion 614 and a first positioning recess 615. The first protrusion 614 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first positioning recess 615 is recessed in a direction facing the second front connecting portion 62.

[0096] 15 illustrates the second front connection portion 62. As illustrated in FIG. 15 , the second front connection portion 62 has a second insertion portion 621 and a second protrusion 622. The second insertion portion 621 is configured to be inserted into the inside of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second insertion portion 621 has a semi-cylindrical shape extending along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 622 is configured to engage with the recess 31A1 (see FIG. 2 ) on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second protrusion 622 extends from the front end of the second insertion portion 621 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0097] The second front connection portion 62 also has a second fixing portion 623. The second front connection portion 62 is fixed to the first front connection portion 61 by the second fixing portion 623. In this example, the second fixing portion 623 has a semi-cylindrical shape with an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the second insertion portion 621, and extends from the rear end of the second insertion portion 621 along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3.

[0098] Furthermore, the second front connecting part 62 has a second protrusion 624 and a second positioning groove 625. The second protrusion 624 extends in a direction facing the first front connecting part 61. The second positioning groove 625 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 624 is inserted into the first positioning recess 615 of the first front connecting part 61. The first protrusion 614 of the first front connecting part 61 is inserted into the second positioning groove 625. This positions the second front connecting part 62 with respect to the first front connecting part 61.

[0099] 12 , the rear connection portion 63 has a cable fixing portion 631. The cable fixing portion 631 is configured to be fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2. In this example, the cable fixing portion 631 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical cable 2 including the outer sheath 22 is inserted inside. The cable fixing portion 631 is fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2 by, for example, an adhesive.

[0100] The rear connection part 63 also has a connection part fixing part 632. The rear connection part 63 is fixed to the first front connection part 61 by the connection part fixing part 632. In this example, the connection part fixing part 632 has a cylindrical shape, and the optical fiber 21 exposed from the jacket 22 is inserted inside. In this example, the outer diameter of the connection part fixing part 632 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first fixing part 613 of the first front connection part 61, and the first fixing part 613 is fixed to the outside of the connection part fixing part 632. The connection part fixing part 632 has a protrusion 6321 that engages with the L-shaped hole 6131. ​​The protrusion 6321 extends radially of the optical cable 2 on the outer peripheral surface of the connection part fixing part 632.

[0101] (Method of connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3) Next, a method of connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 using the connection member 6 will be described with reference to Figures 16A to 16C. Note that the optical fiber core 21 and the connector 23 of the optical cable 2 are not shown in Figures 16A to 16C.

[0102] 16A , the rear connection portion 63 is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. Then, the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 are attached to the protective tube 3. Note that the method of fixing the rear connection portion 63 to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 and the method of attaching the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 to the protective tube 3 are the same as those in the second embodiment, and therefore, description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

[0103] Next, the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 are fixed to the rear connection portion 63. Specifically, the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 are moved in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 16A so that the protrusion 6321 of the connection portion fixing portion 632 of the second front connection portion 62 is inserted into the first hole 6131A of the L-shaped hole 6131 of the first fixing portion 613 of the first front connection portion 61. Then, while guiding the protrusion 6321 within the first hole 6131A of the L-shaped hole 6131, the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 are slid in the longitudinal direction relative to the rear connection portion 63.

[0104] Next, when the protrusion 6321 moves to the front end of the first hole 6131A of the L-shaped hole 6131, the first front connection part 61 and the second front connection part 62 are rotated in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction with respect to the rear connection part 63 (the direction of the arrow in FIG. 16B ) to insert the protrusion 6321 into the second hole 6131B of the L-shaped hole 6131. ​​The first front connection part 61 and the second front connection part 62 are rotated while guiding the protrusion 6321 within the second hole 6131B of the L-shaped hole 6131 until the protrusion 6321 moves to the end of the second hole 6131B of the L-shaped hole 6131. ​​As a result, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected by the connection member 6, as illustrated in FIG. 16C .

[0105] According to the optical cable member 20 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure, the first front connecting portion 61 and the second front connecting portion 62 of the connecting member 6 are bayonet-fixed to the rear connecting portion 63. That is, by sliding and rotating the first front connecting portion 61 and the second front connecting portion 62 relative to the rear connecting portion 63, the first front connecting portion 61, the second front connecting portion 62, and the rear connecting portion 63 can be detachably fixed without using any tools.

[0106] In the present embodiment, the first front connection portion 61 in which the L-shaped hole 6131 is formed is located on the upper side, and the second front connection portion 62 is located on the lower side. However, for example, the first front connection portion 61 may be located on the lower side, and the second front connection portion 62 may be located on the upper side.

[0107] In addition, in this embodiment, each of the first front connection portion 61 and the second front connection portion 62 may be configured to have a fixing portion having a semi-cylindrical shape, for example.

[0108] In addition, in this embodiment, the first front connecting portion 61 and the second front connecting portion 62 may be fixed to each other with an adhesive.

[0109] In addition, in this embodiment, the part of the connecting member 6 that is attached to the protective tube 3 is formed by two members (the first front connecting portion 61 and the second front connecting portion 62), but it may also be formed by three or more members.

[0110] 17 and 18 show Modification 1 of the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that members or parts having the same shapes as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and for the sake of convenience, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0111] The optical cable member 1A according to the first modification is different from the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment in the structure of a rear connection portion 43A of a connection member 4A.

[0112] 17 and 18 , the rear connection portion 43A according to the first modification includes a cable fixing portion 431A and a connection portion fixing portion 432. The cable fixing portion 431A has a plurality of through holes 4311A formed therein, which penetrate the cable fixing portion 431A. In this example, each of the plurality of through holes 4311A extends in the radial direction of the optical cable 2. The through holes 4311A are an example of a fifth hole.

[0113] The connecting member 4A has a plurality of screw members 47 corresponding to the number of the through holes 4311A. The plurality of screw members 47 are inserted into the corresponding through holes 4311A and brought into contact with the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, thereby fixing the cable fixing portion 431A of the rear connection portion 43A to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2.

[0114] According to the optical cable member 1A of the first modification, the rear connection portion 43A can be removably fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 by the screw member 47 .

[0115] In this modification, the cable fixing portion 431A of the rear connection portion 43A may be further fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 with an adhesive.

[0116] This modification can also be applied to the second and third embodiments. Specifically, the rear connection portion 53 of the optical cable member 10 according to the second embodiment and the rear connection portion 63 of the optical cable member 20 according to the third embodiment may also be attached to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 using a screw member.

[0117] 19 shows Modification 2 of the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that members or parts having the same shapes as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and for the sake of convenience, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0118] The optical cable member 1B according to the second modification is different from the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment in the structure of a rear connection portion 43B of a connection member 4B.

[0119] 19 , the rear connection portion 43B according to the second modification has a first portion 431B and a second portion 432B that can be separated in the radial direction of the optical cable 2. The first portion 431B has a cable fixing portion 4311B and a connection portion fixing portion 4312B. The cable fixing portion 4311B is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. Specifically, the cable fixing portion 4311B has a through hole 43111B into which the screw member 47 is inserted. The connection portion fixing portion 4312B is fixed to the first front connection portion 41. The connection portion fixing portion 4312B has a through hole 43121B into which the first screw member 44 is inserted.

[0120] The second part 432B has a cable fixing part 4321B and a connection part fixing part 4322B. The cable fixing part 4321B is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. A through hole 43211B is formed in the cable fixing part 4321B, into which the screw member 47 is inserted. The connection part fixing part 4322B is fixed to the second front connection part 42. A through hole 43221B is formed in the connection part fixing part 4322B, into which the second screw member 45 is inserted.

[0121] When connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 using the connecting member 4B configured in this manner, the first front connecting portion 41 and the second front connecting portion 42 are attached to the protective tube 3, respectively.

[0122] Furthermore, the first part 431B and the second part 432B of the rear connection part 43B are each attached to the optical cable 2. Specifically, the cable fixing part 4311B of the first part 431B is disposed outside the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, the screw member 47 is inserted into the through hole 43111B, and the cable fixing part 4311B is fixed to the jacket 22 by the screw member 47. Furthermore, the cable fixing part 4321B of the second part 432B is disposed outside the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, the screw member 47 is inserted into the through hole 43211B, and the cable fixing part 4321B is fixed to the jacket 22 by the screw member 47.

[0123] Next, the first and second front connection portions 41 and 42 and the first and second portions 431B and 432B of the rear connection portion 43B are fixed together with the first and second screw members 44 and 45. As a result, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected together with the connecting member 4B.

[0124] Here, when the rear connection portion 43 has a cylindrical shape like the rear connection portion 43 according to the first embodiment, it is necessary to fix the rear connection portion 43 to the optical cable 2 after the optical cable 2 has been terminated and before the optical fiber cores 21 and the connector 23 of the optical cable 2 are inserted into the protective tube 3. However, according to the optical cable member 1B according to the second modification, the rear connection portion 43B is separable in the radial direction of the optical cable 2, and therefore the rear connection portion 43B can be fixed to the optical cable 2 even after the optical fiber cores 21 and the connector 23 of the optical cable 2 have been inserted into the protective tube 3. This increases the degree of freedom in the installation workability of the rear connection portion 43B.

[0125] In this modification, the rear connection portion 43 is formed of two members (the first portion 431B and the second portion 432B), but may be formed of three or more members.

[0126] In this modification, the cable fixing portion 4311B and the cable fixing portion 4321B may be fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 with an adhesive.

[0127] This modification can also be applied to the second and third embodiments. Specifically, the rear connection portion 53 of the optical cable member 10 according to the second embodiment and the rear connection portion 63 of the optical cable member 20 according to the third embodiment may also be configured to have a first portion and a second portion that can be separated in the radial direction of the optical cable 2.

[0128] 20 shows Modification 3 of the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that members or parts having the same shapes as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and for the sake of convenience, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0129] The optical cable member 1C according to the third modification is different from the optical cable member 1 according to the first embodiment in the structure of a connection member 4C.

[0130] As illustrated in FIG. 20 , a connection member 4C according to Modification 3 includes a first member 41C and a second member 42C. The first member 41C is configured to be attached to the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. Specifically, the first member 41C includes a first insertion portion 411C, a first protrusion 412C, a connection portion fixing portion 413C, and a cable fixing portion 414C. The first insertion portion 411C is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. The first protrusion 412C is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. The connection portion fixing portion 413C is fixed to the second member 42C. A through hole 4131C is formed in the connection portion fixing portion 413C, into which a second screw member 45 is inserted. The cable fixing portion 414C is fixed to the outer jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, for example, by adhesive.

[0131] The second member 42C is configured to be attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, the second member 42C has a second insertion portion 421C, a second protrusion 422C, and a connection portion fixing portion 423C. The second insertion portion 421C is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 422C is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. The connection portion fixing portion 423C is fixed to the first member 41C. A through hole 4231C is formed in the connection portion fixing portion 423C, and a second screw member 45 is inserted into the connection portion fixing portion 423C.

[0132] When connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 using the connecting member 4C configured in this manner, first, the first member 41C is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. Specifically, the cable fixing portion 414C of the first member 41C is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, for example, by adhesive. Next, the first insertion portion 411C and the first protruding portion 412C of the first member 41C are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the first protruding portion 412C is hooked onto and engaged with the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3.

[0133] Next, the second member 42C is attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, the second insertion portion 421C and the second protruding portion 422C of the second member 42C are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the second protruding portion 422C is hooked onto and engaged with the recessed portion 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3.

[0134] Next, the first member 41C and the second member 42C are fixed together. Specifically, the second screw member 45 is inserted into the through hole 4231C of the second member 42C and the through hole 4131C of the first member 41C, thereby fixing the first member 41C and the second member 42C. As a result, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected by the connecting member 4C.

[0135] According to the optical cable member 1C of the third modification, the first member 41C has a portion that is attached to the protective tube 3 and a portion that is attached to the optical cable 2, so that the number of parts constituting the connecting member 4C and the number of connecting steps can be reduced.

[0136] In this modification, the cable fixing portion 414C may be fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 by forming a through hole in the cable fixing portion 414C and inserting a screw member into the through hole.

[0137] 21 shows Modification 4 of the optical cable member 1B according to Modification 2. Note that members or parts having the same shapes as members or parts of Modification 2 are given the same reference numerals, and for convenience of explanation, their description will be omitted.

[0138] The optical cable member 1D according to the fourth modification is different from the optical cable member 1B according to the second modification in the structure of a connection member 4D.

[0139] 21 , a connecting member 4D according to Modification 4 has a first member 41D and a second member 42D that can be separated in the radial direction of the optical cable 2. The first member 41D is configured to be attached to the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. Specifically, the first member 41D has a first insertion portion 411D, a first protrusion 412D, and a cable fixing portion 413D. The first insertion portion 411D is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. The first protrusion 412D is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. The cable fixing portion 413D is fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2. A through hole 4131D is formed in the cable fixing portion 413D, and a through hole 4131D is formed in the cable fixing portion 413D, into which a screw member 47 is inserted.

[0140] The second member 42D is configured to be attached to the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3. Specifically, the second member 42D has a second insertion portion 421D, a second protrusion 422D, and a cable fixing portion 423D. The second insertion portion 421D is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 422D is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. The cable fixing portion 423D is fixed to the outer sheath 22 of the optical cable 2. A through hole 4231D is formed in the cable fixing portion 423D, and a screw member 47 is inserted into the cable fixing portion 423D.

[0141] When connecting the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 using the connecting member 4D configured in this manner, first, the first member 41D and the second member 42D are each attached to the protective tube 3. Specifically, the first insertion portion 411D and the first protrusion 412D of the first member 41D are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the first protrusion 412D is hooked and engaged with the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3. Furthermore, the second insertion portion 421D and the second protrusion 422D of the second member 42D are inserted into the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3, and the second protrusion 422D is hooked and engaged with the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the rear end portion 312 of the protective tube 3.

[0142] Next, the first member 41D and the second member 42D are each attached to the optical cable 2. Specifically, the cable fixing portion 413D of the first member 41D is disposed outside the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, the screw member 47 is inserted into the through hole 4131D, and the cable fixing portion 413D is fixed to the jacket 22 by the screw member 47. Furthermore, the cable fixing portion 423D of the second member 42D is disposed outside the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2, the screw member 47 is inserted into the through hole 4231D, and the cable fixing portion 423D is fixed to the jacket 22 by the screw member 47. In this way, the optical cable 2 and the protective tube 3 are connected by the connection member 4D.

[0143] According to the optical cable member 1D of variant example 4, the first member 41D and the second member 42D each have a portion that is attached to the protective tube 3 and a portion that is attached to the optical cable 2, so that the number of parts and connection processes that make up the connection member 4D can be reduced.

[0144] In this modification, the connecting member 4D is formed of two members (the first member 41D and the second member 42D), but may be formed of three or more members.

[0145] In this modification, the cable fixing portion 413D and the cable fixing portion 423D may be fixed to the jacket 22 of the optical cable 2 with an adhesive.

[0146] (Protective Tube) Next, the configuration of the protective tube 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 22 and Fig. 23. Fig. 22 is an exploded view illustrating the configuration of the lid portion 32 of the protective tube 3. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the protective tube 3 of Fig. 22.

[0147] As illustrated in FIG. 22 , the protective tube 3 is configured such that the lid portion 32 is detachable from the main body portion 31. The lid portion 32 has a first member 341 and a second member 342. The first member 341 has a first insertion portion 3411, a first protrusion 3412, a first fixing portion 3413, a tip portion 3414, and a first positioning portion 3415. The first insertion portion 3411 is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. In this example, the first insertion portion 3411 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first protrusion 3412 is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the first protrusion 3412 extends from the rear end of the first insertion portion 3411 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The first fixing portion 3413 is configured to be fixed to the second member 342. The first fixing portion 3413 has a first through hole 34131 formed therethrough. The first through hole 34131 extends in a direction facing the second member 342. The tip portion 3414 has a curved shape, such as a sphere, a half football, or a bell shape, and has an outer diameter, for example, equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the main body portion 342. The first positioning portion 3415 is used to position the first member 341 to the second member 342. In this example, the first positioning portion 3415 is a protrusion.

[0148] The second member 342 has a second insertion portion 3421, a second protrusion 3422, a second fixing portion 3423, and a second positioning portion 3424. The second insertion portion 3421 is configured to be inserted into the protective tube 3. In this example, the second insertion portion 3421 extends along the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second protrusion 3422 is configured to engage with a recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the protective tube 3. In this example, the second protrusion 3422 extends from the rear end of the second insertion portion 3421 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the protective tube 3. The second fixing portion 3423 is configured to be fixed to the first member 341. In addition, the second fixing portion 3423 has a second through hole 34231 that penetrates the second fixing portion 3423 and is formed at a position corresponding to the first through hole 34131. The second through hole 34231 extends in a direction facing the first member 341. The second positioning portion 3424 is used to position the second member 342 to the first member 341. In this example, the second positioning portion 3424 is a recess.

[0149] In this example, the first insertion portion 3411 and the first protrusion 3412 of the first member 341 and the second insertion portion 3421 and the second protrusion 3422 of the second member 342 form the attachment portion 322 in Fig. 2. Furthermore, the first fixing portion 3413 and the tip portion 3414 of the first member 341 and the second fixing portion 3423 of the second member 342 form the tip portion 321 in Fig. 2.

[0150] The cover 32 further has a screw member 343. The screw member 343 is inserted into the first through-hole 34131 and the second through-hole 34231 in a state in which the first fixing portion 3413 of the first member 341 and the second fixing portion 3423 of the second member 342 are overlapped. This fixes the first member 341 and the second member 342 together.

[0151] Next, a method for attaching the cover part 32 to the main body part 31 will be described with reference to FIGS. 24A to 24C.

[0152] First, the second member 342 is attached to the main body 31. Specifically, as illustrated in Fig. 24A , the second insertion portion 3421 and the second protruding portion 3422 of the second member 342 are inserted into the front end portion 311 of the main body 31, and the second protruding portion 3422 is hooked and engaged with the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the front end portion 311 of the main body 31 (see Fig. 24B ).

[0153] Next, the first member 341 is fixed to the main body 31. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 24B , the first insertion portion 3411 and the first protrusion 3412 of the first member 341 are inserted into the front end portion 311 of the main body 31, and the first protrusion 3412 is hooked and engaged with the recess 31A1 on the inner surface 31A of the front end portion 311 of the main body 31 (see FIG. 24C ). Then, the first member 341 and the second member 342 are positioned by the first positioning portion 3415 of the first member 341 and the second positioning portion 3424 of the second member 342.

[0154] Next, as illustrated in Fig. 24C , the first member 341 and the second member 342 are fixed together. Specifically, the screw member 343 is inserted into the first through-hole 34131 of the first member 341 and the second through-hole 34231 of the second member 342. This attaches the cover portion 32 to the main body portion 31, as illustrated in Fig. 23 .

[0155] In this way, the cover portion 32 can be configured to be removable from the main body portion 31.

[0156] In this example, the first member 341 having the tip portion 3414 is located on the upper side, and the second member 342 is located on the lower side. However, for example, the first member 341 may be located on the lower side, and the second member 342 may be located on the upper side.

[0157] In this example, each of the first member 341 and the second member 342 may have a tip portion. For example, each of the first member 341 and the second member 342 may be configured to have a hemispherical tip portion.

[0158] In addition, in this example, the lid portion 32 is formed of two members (the first member 341 and the second member 342), but may be formed of three or more members.

[0159] Although the present invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the number, position, shape, etc. of the components described above are not limited to the above embodiments, and can be changed to any number, position, shape, etc. that is suitable for implementing the present invention.

[0160] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the main body 31 of the protective tube 3 is formed in a bellows shape over the entire longitudinal length. However, it is sufficient that at least the inner surface 31A of the rear end 312 to which the connecting member 4 is connected is formed in an uneven shape. When the lid 32 of the main body 31 is composed of two members as shown in FIG. 22 , it is sufficient that at least the inner surface 31A of the front end 311 to which the lid 32 is connected is formed in an uneven shape. That is, the outer surface 31B of the main body 31 may be formed in a flat shape rather than an uneven shape. Furthermore, the inner surface 31A of the main body 31 other than both longitudinal ends (the front end 311 and the rear end 312) to which the connecting member 4 and the lid 32 are not connected may be formed in a flat shape rather than an uneven shape.

[0161] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the connection portion fixing portion of the rear connection portion is disposed inside the first fixing portion of the first front connection portion and the second fixing portion of the second front connection portion. However, the connection portion fixing portion of the rear connection portion may be configured to be disposed outside the first fixing portion of the first front connection portion and the second fixing portion of the second front connection portion. For example, in the second embodiment, a male thread may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first fixing portion 513 of the first front connection portion 51, and a male thread may be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the connection portion fixing portion 532 of the rear connection portion 53. For example, in the third embodiment, a protrusion may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the first fixing portion 613 of the first front connection portion 61, and an L-shaped hole may be formed in the connection portion fixing portion 632 of the rear connection portion 63.

[0162] In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the optical cable members 1, 10, 20, and 1A to 1D are members used to lay the optical cable 2 by the air blowing method. However, the optical cable members 1, 10, 20, and 1A to 1D may also be used to lay the optical cable 2 by the cable pulling method. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 25 , the protective tube 3 may be configured to have a connecting member 33 attached to the lid 32. A wire is connected to the connecting member 33, and the optical cable 2 inserted into the laying tube is pulled to a predetermined position by the wire connected to the connecting member 33.

[0163] 1 Optical cable member, 1A Optical cable member, 1B Optical cable member, 1C Optical cable member, 1D Optical cable member, 2 Optical cable, 3 Protective tube, 4 Connection member, 4A Connection member, 4B Connection member, 4C Connection member, 4D Connection member, 5 Connection member, 6 Connection member, 10 Optical cable member, 20 Optical cable member, 21 Optical fiber core, 22 Outer jacket, 23 Connector, 31 Main body portion, 31A Inner surface, 31A1 Recess, 31B Outer surface, 32 Lid portion, 33 Coupling member, 41 First front connection portion, 41C First member, 41D First member, 42 Second front connection portion, 42C Second member, 42D Second member, 43 Rear connection portion, 43A Rear connection portion, 43B Rear connection portion, 44 First screw member, 45 Second screw member, 46 Adhesive, 47 Screw member, 51 First front connection portion, 52 Second front connection portion, 53 Rear connection portion, 61 First front connection portion, 62 Second front connection portion, 63 Rear connection portion, 311 Front end portion, 312 Rear end portion, 321 Tip portion, 322 Mounting portion, 341 First member, 342 Second member, 343 Screw member, 411 First insertion portion, 411C First insertion portion, 411D First insertion portion, 412 First protrusion, 412C First protrusion, 412D First protrusion, 413 First fixing portion, 413C Connection portion fixing portion, 413D Cable fixing portion, 414 First protrusion, 414C Cable fixing portion, 415 First positioning recess, 421 Second insertion portion, 421C Second insertion portion, 421D Second insertion portion, 422 Second protrusion, 422C Second protrusion, 422D Second protrusion, 423 Second fixing portion, 423C Connection portion fixing portion, 423D Cable fixing portion, 424 Second protrusion, 425 Second positioning recess, 431 Cable fixing portion, 431A Cable fixing portion, 431B First part, 432 Connection portion fixing portion, 432B Second part, 511 First insertion portion, 512 First protrusion, 513 First fixing portion, 514 First protrusion, 515 First positioning recess, 521 Second insertion portion, 522 Second protrusion, 523 Second fixing portion, 524 Second protrusion, 525 Second positioning groove, 531 Cable fixing portion, 532 Connection portion fixing portion, 611 First insertion portion, 612 First protrusion, 613 First fixing portion, 614 First protrusion, 615 First positioning recess, 621 Second insertion portion, 622 Second protrusion, 623 Second fixing portion, 624 Second protrusion, 625 second positioning groove,631 Cable fixing portion, 632 Connection portion fixing portion, 3411 First insertion portion, 3412 First protrusion portion, 3413 First fixing portion, 3414 Tip portion, 3415 First positioning portion, 3421 Second insertion portion, 3422 Second protrusion portion, 3423 Second fixing portion, 3424 Second positioning portion, 4131 First through hole, 4131C Through hole, 4131D Through hole, 4231 Second through hole, 4231C Through hole, 4231D Through hole, 4311A Through hole, 4311B Cable fixing portion, 4312B Connection portion fixing portion, 4321 Through hole, 4321B Cable fixing portion, 4322 Through hole, 4322B Connection portion fixing portion, 5131 Female thread portion, 5321 Male thread portion, 6131 L-shaped hole, 6131A first hole, 6131B second hole, 6321 protrusion, 34131 first through hole, 34231 second through hole, 43111B through hole, 43121B through hole, 43211B through hole, 43221B through hole,

Claims

1. an optical cable including a plurality of optical fiber cores, at least one connector attached to the ends of the plurality of optical fiber cores, and an outer jacket covering the plurality of optical fiber cores; a protective tube that houses the plurality of optical fiber cores exposed from the jacket and the at least one connector; a connecting member that connects the optical cable and the protective tube; It is equipped with the protective tube has a tubular shape with a first inner surface having an uneven shape at a first end to which the connecting member is attached, The connecting member is a first member having a first insertion portion inserted into the protective tube and a first protrusion portion that engages with a recess on the first inner surface of the protective tube; An optical cable member comprising: a second member having a second insertion portion inserted into the interior of the protective tube; and a second protrusion portion that engages with a recess on the first inner surface of the protective tube.

2. the connecting member has a third member attached to the jacket of the optical cable, The optical cable member according to claim 1 , wherein the third member is fixed relative to at least the first member.

3. the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, and a first hole penetrating the first fixing portion is formed in the first fixing portion; the second member has a second fixing portion fixed to the third member, and a second hole penetrating the second fixing portion is formed in the second fixing portion; the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member and the second member, the third fixing portion having a third hole formed therethrough at a position corresponding to the first hole, and a fourth hole formed therethrough at a position corresponding to the second hole, 3. The optical cable member according to claim 2, wherein the connecting member comprises a first screw member inserted into the first hole and the third hole, and a second screw member inserted into the second hole and the fourth hole.

4. the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member, the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion has an outer circumferential surface on which a male thread portion is formed, 3. The optical cable member according to claim 2, wherein the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion, which does not have a male thread portion formed on its outer peripheral surface, has an inner peripheral surface on which a female thread portion is formed to screw into the male thread portion.

5. the first member has a first fixing portion fixed to the third member, the third member has a third fixing portion fixed to the first member, an L-shaped hole is formed in the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion, The optical cable member according to claim 2 , wherein the first fixing portion or the third fixing portion in which an L-shaped hole is not formed has a protrusion that engages with the L-shaped hole.

6. The optical cable member according to claim 2 , wherein the first member and the second member are fixed to each other with an adhesive.

7. The optical cable member according to claim 2 , wherein the third member is fixed to the jacket of the optical cable with an adhesive.

8. a fifth hole penetrating the third member is formed in the third member, The optical cable member according to claim 2 , further comprising a screw member that is inserted into the fifth hole and abuts against the jacket of the optical cable.

9. 9. The optical cable member according to claim 7, wherein the third member has a first portion and a second portion that are separable in a radial direction of the optical cable.

10. the protective tube has a cover portion and a main body portion that houses the plurality of optical fiber cores exposed from the jacket and the at least one connector, the body portion has a second end portion to which the lid portion is fixed; the main body has a tubular shape at the second end, the tubular shape having a second inner surface with a concave-convex shape; The lid portion is a first member having a first insertion portion inserted into the main body portion and a first protrusion portion that engages with a recess on the second inner surface of the main body portion; 9. The optical cable member according to claim 1, further comprising: a second member having a second insertion portion inserted into the main body portion and a second protrusion portion that engages with a recess on the second inner surface of the main body portion.

Images