Optical Fiber Cable Intermittent Ribbon Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In slot-type optical fiber cables, multiple optical fiber ribbons increase flexural rigidity, making them difficult to handle in confined spaces due to contact with the slot rod and cable sheath, which deteriorates transmission characteristics and limits flexibility.
Innovation Solution
The optical fiber cable incorporates intermittently connected optical fiber ribbons with connecting and non-connecting parts, reducing flexural rigidity by forming a flexible structure that suppresses strain when bent, allowing for a smaller outer diameter and improved handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple optical fiber ribbons are housed in slot grooves to increase capacity, then the number of optical fiber core wires increases, but flexural rigidity increases making the cable difficult to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber ribbon is segmented into multiple independent optical fiber core wires (e.g., 12 separate wires) rather than being a single continuous ribbon. This segmentation allows each wire to move independently, reducing the overall flexural rigidity while maintaining the ability to house multiple fibers in the slot grooves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter of the optical fiber ribbon from a continuous solid structure to a segmented structure with specific spacing between wires. This parameter change reduces the moment of inertia and consequently the flexural rigidity, enabling the cable to be more flexible despite containing multiple optical fiber core wires.
2Productivity
If multiple optical fiber ribbons are used to increase capacity, then transmission capability improves, but the cable outer diameter increases making it difficult to handle in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the optical fiber ribbon into multiple thin, separate core wires, the patent reduces the overall cross-sectional area required to house the fibers. This allows multiple optical fiber core wires to be packed into the slot grooves with minimal space between them, maintaining high transmission capability while keeping the cable outer diameter small enough for handling in confined spaces.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber cable includes optical fiber ribbons of no less than 12, a slot rod including slot grooves in which the optical fiber ribbons are housed, a tension member, and a cable sheath. The optical fiber ribbons include, at a part of or through all of the optical fiber core wires, in a state where the optical fiber core wires are arranged in parallel, a connecting part where adjacent optical fiber core wires are connected and a non-connecting part where adjacent optical fiber core wires are not connected, which are provided intermittently in a longitudinal direction. A relationship between the number “x” of the optical fiber core wires housed in the optical fiber cable and flexural rigidity “y” (N·mm2) of the optical fiber cable satisfies following Expression 1.y≤3e0.0006x (Expression 1)