Microduct Cable Sheath Design for Power and Fiber Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently delivering both power and optical fiber signals to high-density devices, as separate infrastructures are often required, leading to inefficiencies and high costs when specifications change, and the installation of copper and optical fiber cables in microducts results in deformation and inconvenience due to different termination practices.
Innovation Solution
A cable system integrating optical fiber and copper media within a single cable, with a polymer sheath having a tensile modulus of at least 1.5 GPa, allowing for the installation of copper conductors with high power transmission capacity and Ethernet data signals into microducts alongside optical fibers, and a flexible distribution frame for convenient termination of both media types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If copper conductors are installed in microducts for power delivery, then power transmission capability is improved, but the cable deforms under axial compressive loads during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a polymer sheath surrounding the copper core that provides flexibility for installation while maintaining structural integrity. The sheath acts as a protective shell that prevents the copper conductor from deforming under compression during blowing installation through microducts, yet allows the cable to be flexible enough for routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite cable structure combining copper conductors with a polymer sheath. This composite construction leverages the high electrical conductivity of copper for power transmission while the polymer material provides mechanical protection and resistance to compressive deformation during installation.
2Productivity
If optical fiber and copper media are integrated in a single cable, then deployment efficiency is improved, but termination complexity increases due to different termination practices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the cable into separate functional elements - optical fiber cores and copper conductor cores - that can be independently terminated. This segmentation allows different termination techniques to be applied to each media type without interfering with the other, reducing overall termination complexity while maintaining integration benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces distribution frames as intermediary devices that facilitate the termination and interconnection of both optical fiber and copper media. These frames provide standardized interfaces and mounting structures that simplify the termination process for both media types, acting as mediators between the integrated cable and the network infrastructure.
3Strength
If a polymer sheath with high tensile modulus is used to prevent cable deformation, then cable stiffness is improved, but the cable diameter increases beyond microduct specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a polymer sheath with a tensile modulus of at least 1.5 GPa, which provides sufficient stiffness to prevent copper conductor deformation during installation. This parameter selection balances the need for cable rigidity with the constraint of maintaining a compact diameter suitable for microduct installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a thin polymer sheath that provides the necessary mechanical strength and stiffness to protect the copper core from compression while maintaining a small overall cable diameter. The sheath acts as a thin protective film that prevents buckling without significantly increasing the cable's external dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a cable for power distribution and/or data transmission, the cable comprising a core comprising one or more metallic conductors and a sheath surrounding the core. the sheath being formed from a polymer having a tensile modulus of at least 1.5 GPa, wherein the outside diameter of the sheath is no more than 13.5 mm and the stiffness of the cable is at least 0.01 Nm2. Advantageously, embodiments of the cable can be readily blown and pushed through a microduct without deforming.