Angled Reinforcing Members in Elongated Fiber Optic Cables
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber optic cables face challenges in accommodating larger optical fiber ribbons due to limited transverse cross-sectional area, which restricts flexibility and ease of bending during installation and handling.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic cable design featuring an elongated outer jacket with a non-circular transverse cross-sectional profile, allowing for a larger central fiber passage and angled reinforcing members that diverge towards the minor axis, enabling easier bending and improved mechanical reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the transverse cross-sectional area of the cable is increased to accommodate larger optical fiber ribbons, then the cable's flexibility and ease of bending are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a circular cross-sectional profile to an elongated non-circular profile, utilizing the second dimension (width versus thickness) to increase the central fiber passage area while maintaining manageable cable dimensions. This dimensional change allows the cable to accommodate larger optical fiber ribbons without proportionally increasing the overall cable size in all directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an asymmetric elongated cross-sectional profile where the width along the major axis is significantly greater than the thickness along the minor axis. This asymmetric geometry creates an elongated central fiber passage that can accommodate larger optical fiber ribbons while the thinner dimension (thickness) allows the cable to bend more easily, thus resolving the contradiction between passage size and flexibility.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional reinforcing member configurations are used, then the cable structure is simple, but the cable cannot accommodate larger optical fiber ribbons effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reinforcing member configuration into multiple discrete reinforcing members positioned at specific locations within the outer jacket. Each reinforcing member is strategically placed to provide structural support in different regions, enabling the cable to accommodate larger optical fiber ribbons in the central passage while maintaining overall structural integrity through distributed reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning reinforcing members at specific locations within the outer jacket rather than using a uniform distribution. The reinforcing members are placed to provide targeted structural support in regions where the elongated profile and larger central fiber passage create potential weak points, thus enabling increased fiber capacity while maintaining cable strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A fiber optic cable includes an outer jacket, an optical fiber ribbon, and reinforcing member configurations. The outer jacket has an elongated transverse cross-sectional profile that defines a major axis and a minor axis that meet at a lengthwise axis of the fiber optic cable. The outer jacket defines a central fiber passage that extends through the outer jacket along a lengthwise axis of the outer jacket. The optical fiber ribbon is positioned within the central fiber passage. The reinforcing member configurations are positioned within the outer jacket on opposite sides of the central fiber passage. Each of the reinforcing member configurations has a transverse cross-sectional profile that includes first and second legs that are angled relative to one another such that they diverge as the first and second legs extend toward the minor axis.