Optical Fiber Ribbon Asymmetric Resin Coupling for Dense Cabling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fiber ribbons face issues with adhesive breaking or peeling when bent, and they often cannot be housed in optical fiber cables at high density due to adhesive protrusion or uneven resin application.
Innovation Solution
An intermittently coupled optical fiber ribbon design with resin applied on both sides, ensuring that the average thickness of coupling portions on one side is between D/4 and D/2, and the other side is less than D/4, preventing resin breaking and peeling, and allowing high-density cable housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If adhesive member is applied to both upper and lower surfaces of optical fibers, then bonding strength is improved, but adhesive breaks or peels when bent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different adhesive thicknesses to different locations: the first adhesive portion (on the bending outer side) has thickness D/4 or less, while the second adhesive portion (on the bending inner side) has thickness greater than D/4. This local differentiation allows the thinner adhesive on the outer side to resist breaking during bending, while the thicker adhesive on the inner side maintains bonding strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates asymmetric adhesive distribution by applying adhesive of different thicknesses to the upper and lower surfaces of the optical fibers. The asymmetric design ensures that the adhesive layer is thinner on the side that will experience tensile stress during bending, preventing adhesive breakage and peeling.
2Strength
If adhesive resin is applied thickly to prevent breaking, then bonding strength is improved, but cross-sectional area increases reducing housing density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies adhesive selectively with different thicknesses at different locations rather than uniformly thick adhesive across the entire ribbon. The first adhesive portion has controlled thickness (D/4 or less) to minimize cross-sectional area, while the second adhesive portion has greater thickness to maintain bonding strength, achieving both compact size and strong bonding.
3Ease of manufacture
If adhesive is applied uniformly to all optical fibers, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but housing density decreases due to adhesive protrusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective adhesive application where the first adhesive portion is applied to certain optical fibers with controlled thickness (D/4 or less) and the second adhesive portion is applied to other optical fibers with greater thickness. This local differentiation prevents adhesive protrusion that would increase cross-sectional area, enabling high-density housing while maintaining manufacturability through a systematic application process.
Data Source
AI summary
An intermittently coupled-type optical fiber ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged in parallel and intermittently coupling portions formed by coupling parts between the adjacent optical fibers with a resin. In the coupling portions, the resin is provided on one side surface and the other side surface of the optical fiber ribbon. When an average of maximum values of thicknesses TF of the coupling portions on the one side surface is set as TFave and an outer diameter of each optical fiber is set as D, D/4≤TFave≤D/2. When an average of maximum values of thicknesses TB of the coupling portions on the other side surface is set as TBave, TBave<TFave.