Aerial Drop Optical Fiber Cable With Cylindrical Retaining Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aerial optical fiber cables face issues such as excessive force on poles, high maintenance costs due to pole damage, limited access to waveguides, non-round shape making installation in ducts difficult, and inadequate breaking load specifications for cylindrical enclosures and strength members.
Innovation Solution
The development of an aerial drop optical fiber cable with optimized breaking load components, featuring cylindrical retaining elements with a filling coefficient between 0.5 to 0.8 and embedded strength members like stranded brass plated steel wires, which have a breaking load ratio less than or equal to 1 with the cylindrical retaining elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional aerial optical fiber cables use robust embedded components (brass coated steel wire) to increase breaking load, then the cable strength is improved, but the cable exerts excessive force on poles causing damage and increased maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the breaking load parameters of different cable components to achieve optimal balance. Specifically, it sets the breaking load of cylindrical retaining elements to 3-10 N and embedded strength members to 500-700 N, creating a hierarchical strength distribution that prevents pole damage while maintaining cable integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cable into different functional components with distinct strength requirements: cylindrical retaining elements for fiber protection (lower breaking load) and embedded strength members for overall structural support (higher breaking load). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without causing excessive force on poles
2Ease of operation
If aerial optical fiber cables use non-round shapes to accommodate waveguides, then waveguide access is improved, but installation in ducts becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a round cable configuration with cylindrical retaining elements that provide uniform circular geometry. This round shape enables the cable to be easily pushed through ducts and conduit systems while the cylindrical structure still allows for effective waveguide access and maintenance operations
3Reliability
If aerial optical fiber cables increase the breaking load of cylindrical retaining elements to protect waveguides, then waveguide protection is improved, but the cable becomes more prone to breaking under external loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cable into two strength categories: cylindrical retaining elements with breaking load of 3-10 N for waveguide protection, and embedded strength members with breaking load of 500-700 N for overall cable strength. This segmentation ensures that waveguides are protected by the softer cylindrical elements while the cable maintains sufficient overall strength through the embedded members
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the breaking load parameters to create a hierarchical protection system. By setting the cylindrical retaining elements to break at 3-10 N and embedded strength members to break at 500-700 N, the patent ensures that the softer cylindrical elements sacrifice themselves to protect waveguides while the stronger embedded members maintain cable integrity under normal external loads
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an optical fiber cable (100) having a plurality of optical waveguides (102), one or more cylindrical retaining elements (104) housing the plurality of optical waveguides (102), a sheath (106) enclosing the one or more cylindrical retaining elements (104) and embedded strength members (108). In particular, the one or more cylindrical retaining elements (104) has a filling coefficient between 0.5 to 0.8. And, the filling coefficient is a ratio of cross-sectional area of the plurality of optical waveguides (102) inside a cylindrical retaining element (104) and inner cross-sectional area of the cylindrical retaining element (104). The ratio of breaking load of a cylindrical retaining element (104) to an embedded strength member (108) is less than or equal to 1.