Fiber Optic Cable Transition Tube for Sealing Irregular Jackets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fiber optic cables with irregular cable jackets present sealing challenges for sealing blocks, leading to material degradation and incomplete sealing, which can result in moisture and contaminant ingress into enclosures.
Innovation Solution
A fiber optic cable transition tube with a contact surface is used to provide an intermediate sealing surface between the sealing structure and the cable, eliminating the need for direct contact between the sealing structure and the cable jacket, and the cable jacket end is adhesively sealed within the transition tube to ensure effective sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the sealing block directly contacts the cable jacket with irregular surface features, then the sealing block can be simpler in structure, but the sealing effectiveness deteriorates due to material degradation and incomplete sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transition tube as an intermediary component between the cable jacket and the sealing block. The transition tube provides a smooth, compatible contact surface that the sealing block can effectively seal against, while the cable jacket's irregular surface features are isolated from the sealing interface. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable sealing without requiring a complex sealing block design to accommodate surface irregularities.
2Device complexity
If the sealing block directly contacts the cable jacket, then the overall assembly is simpler, but moisture and contaminant ingress occurs due to incomplete sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The transition tube serves as a protective intermediary that creates a reliable barrier between the external environment and the enclosure. By providing a smooth, sealing-compatible surface, it ensures complete sealing that prevents moisture and contaminant ingress, while maintaining relative simplicity in the overall assembly structure.
3Ease of operation
If the cable jacket has irregular surface features for easy removal, then the cable is easier to access and terminate, but the sealing block cannot form an effective seal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cable assembly into distinct functional zones: the cable jacket with its irregular surface features for easy removal and access, and the transition tube with a smooth surface for reliable sealing. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the other - the jacket remains easy to remove while the transition tube ensures effective sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition tube acts as an intermediary that decouples the conflicting requirements of easy jacket removal and effective sealing. The irregular surface features on the cable jacket facilitate easy removal and access, while the transition tube provides a separate, smooth contact surface that enables the sealing block to form an effective seal, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and sealing reliability.
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
This solution compensates for incompatibilities between the cable jacket and sealing blocks, minimizing material degradation and moisture ingress, while ensuring a secure and effective seal around the optical fiber.
Implementation Method 1
The cable jacket is adhesively bonded and sealed within the passage of the transition tube
Data Source
AI summary
A transition tube is provided for receipt of a fiber optic cable with a jacket portion and a stripped fiber portion. The transition tube allows the optical fiber to be placed within a gel block seal so that the gel block need not contact the jacket of the optical fiber cable. In some examples, the transition tube contains inner geometry to allow easy insertion of an optical fiber cable. In other examples, an end of the cable is sealed within the transition tube.