Elastic Mesh Duct Bundle for Flexible Fiber Cable Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical communication cables and duct bundles tend to become stiff and inflexible, making them prone to breaking when installed below ground and difficult to store and transport efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A duct bundle comprising a plurality of elongated ducts with a smooth bore, each housing an optical communication cable, surrounded by an elastic mesh jacket that allows deformation and flexibility, enabling easier installation and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a solid jacket or cross-wound threads are used to form a stiff duct bundle, then protection and structural integrity are improved, but flexibility and ease of storage/transport deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a mesh sleeve made of flexible material (such as polyethylene terephthalate) instead of rigid cross-wound threads or solid jackets. This mesh sleeve surrounds the group of optical cables, providing protection while allowing the bundle to bend and deform easily, thus resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines different materials with complementary properties: the optical cables provide structural strength, while the mesh sleeve provides flexibility and protection. This composite structure integrates the advantages of both rigid and flexible materials, achieving both structural integrity and adaptability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple optical cables are bundled together with a surrounding jacket, then cable organization and protection are improved, but accessibility and ease of branching deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh sleeve's flexible and permeable structure allows individual cables to be accessed by simply pushing them out through the mesh, eliminating the need to cut or open a solid jacket. This maintains cable organization while dramatically improving accessibility for branching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mesh sleeve functions as a porous structure with openings that allow individual cables to be extracted or inserted without disrupting the overall bundle structure. This porous design enables easy accessibility while maintaining the organized bundling of multiple cables.
3Strength
If ducts are made stiff to protect cables during installation, then protection against damage is improved, but susceptibility to breaking under ground pressure worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The mesh sleeve provides a flexible protective layer that can deform under ground pressure without causing stress concentrations that would lead to breaking. This flexible protection is more reliable in underground conditions than rigid structures that cannot accommodate ground movement and pressure variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a static, rigid protection structure to a dynamic, flexible one. The mesh sleeve can adapt its shape and absorb stresses dynamically, allowing the duct bundle to respond to ground pressure and movement without breaking, thus improving reliability in underground installations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The duct bundle provides flexibility to navigate around obstacles, reduces material usage, and facilitates easy access and identification of individual ducts, enhancing installation reliability and spatial efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the jacket is a mesh material comprising a plurality of mesh openings, and wherein the mesh material is elastic
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a duct bundle (1) for aggregating optical communication cables (30) and method for manufacturing said duct bundle. The duct bundle (1) comprises a plurality of elongated ducts (20) extending along a longitudinal direction, each duct having a bore extending through the duct (20) and a smooth outer surface at least one optical communication cable (30) which is loose in the bore and extending through the bore. The duct bundle further comprises a jacket (10) surrounding said plurality of ducts (20) so as to form a bundle of ducts, wherein said jacket (10) is a mesh material comprising a plurality of mesh openings (15), and wherein said mesh material is elastic.