Optical Fiber Unit Colored Bundle Tape Identifiability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical fiber cables lack sufficient identifiability due to the thickness of identification yarns being similar to that of optical fibers, making it difficult to distinguish and secure the optical fiber units effectively.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber unit with a colored bundle tape that covers the entire circumference of the optical fiber ribbon bundle, where the tape's end portions overlap and join, providing enhanced identifiability and preventing collapse, and can be shrunk with heat to adhere tightly around the fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If identification yarn is wound around optical fiber ribbons, then identification is provided, but the identifiability is insufficient due to similar thickness between yarn and optical fiber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies colored bundle tapes with different colors (e.g., red, blue, green, yellow) to wrap around optical fiber ribbon bundles. This color-coding system provides clear visual identification that is easily distinguishable from the optical fibers themselves, resolving the identifiability issue caused by using thin identification yarns that are similar in thickness to the optical fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses flexible bundle tapes that wrap around and conform to the shape of the optical fiber ribbon bundles. These tapes act as flexible shells that provide both identification through color and structural support to prevent collapse of the ribbon bundles, replacing the insufficient identification yarn approach.
2Measurement precision
If bundle tape is wrapped around optical fiber ribbon bundle, then identifiability is improved, but structural stability may be compromised without proper joining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the bundle tape: identification through color, structural support through wrapping, and stabilization through joining the end portions. By merging these functions into a single component with proper joining, the system achieves both high identifiability and structural stability without requiring separate identification and support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures the bundle tape is wrapped tightly and evenly around the optical fiber ribbon bundle, creating uniform contact and distribution of stabilizing force. This equipotential wrapping approach ensures consistent structural support around the entire bundle, preventing localized collapse while maintaining the identification function.
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
The solution significantly improves the identifiability and prevents collapse of the optical fiber units, allowing for a higher density of units in optical fiber cables while maintaining easy identification and compactness.
Implementation Method 1
can be shrunk with heat to adhere tightly around the fibers
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber unit includes an optical fiber ribbon in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel, and a colored bundle tape which is longitudinally wrapped or spirally wrapped around an optical fiber ribbon bundle in which the plurality of optical fiber ribbons are stranded together. One end portion in a width direction of the bundle tape and the other end portion in the width direction of the bundle tape overlap each other and are joined to each other, and the bundle tape covers an entire circumference of the optical fiber ribbon bundle.