Optical Fiber Cable Slot Core with Thin-Skin Tube
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical fiber cables with slot cores experience deformation due to rough or press winding, restricting the housing space and preventing multi-coaxiality and high-density fiber arrangements.
Innovation Solution
The optical fiber cable features a slot core with ribs and slot grooves, where subunits of intermittently connected optical fiber ribbons are housed, and a thin-skin-shaped tube with a lower Young's modulus covers the outer peripheral subunits, eliminating the need for deformation-causing windings and allowing for increased fiber density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rough winding or press winding is applied to the outer periphery of the slot groove, then the cable structure is stabilized, but the cable deforms into a polygonal shape restricting the optical fiber housing space
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer layer is introduced as an intermediary between the slot core and the rough winding/press winding. This buffer layer prevents the direct transmission of deformation forces from the winding to the slot core, thereby maintaining the optical fiber housing space while still allowing the cable structure to be stabilized by the winding.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer layer is designed as a flexible thin-layer structure that can accommodate the winding process without transmitting significant deformation to the slot core. This flexible layer absorbs the mechanical stress from the winding while preserving the internal geometry needed for optical fiber housing.
2Strength
If the slot core is wound with press winding, then the cable gains structural strength, but the space for housing optical fibers is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer layer serves as a mediator that allows the press winding to apply strength to the cable structure without directly deforming the slot core. This enables the cable to gain structural strength from the winding while the slot core maintains its geometry for housing a larger number of optical fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable structure is segmented into distinct functional layers: the slot core for housing optical fibers, the buffer layer for isolating deformation, and the rough winding/press winding for providing structural strength. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without interfering with the others.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple optical fiber ribbons are bundled in slot grooves, then high-density arrangement is achieved, but multi-coaxiality becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
Optical fiber ribbons are organized into separate subunits, each housed in its own slot groove. This segmentation allows for systematic arrangement and makes it easier to achieve multi-coaxiality while maintaining high fiber density within each slot groove.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple optical fiber ribbons are nested within subunits that are then arranged in slot grooves. This nested structure allows for high-density packing of fibers while maintaining an organized hierarchical arrangement that facilitates multi-coaxiality.
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 configuration enables a multi-coaxial and high-density optical fiber cable with a core density of at least 5.0 cores/mm², accommodating 288 or more cores in each slot groove without deformation, while maintaining structural strength and adding a waterproof function.
Implementation Method 1
a thin-skin-shaped tube with Young's modulus lower than Young's modulus of a material forming the slot core
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical fiber cable having a slot core which includes a plurality of ribs formed along a cable longitudinal direction and in which slot grooves for housing optical fibers are formed between the ribs. The optical fiber cable includes: subunits each of which is formed by bundling a plurality of intermittent-connection-type optical fiber ribbons in which a connection part where adjacent optical fibers are connected to each other and a non-connection part where adjacent optical fibers are not connected to each other are intermittently provided in the longitudinal direction among some or all of optical fibers; and a thin-skin-shaped tube having Young's modulus lower than Young's modulus of a material forming the slot core. The subunits are housed in the slot grooves, and among the subunits in the slot grooves, at least a subunit located at an outer peripheral part of the slot grooves is covered with the tube.