Optical Fiber Unit Grooves for Faster, Twist-Free Air Blowing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber units laid using air pressure suffer from reduced transferring distance and speed due to ineffective application of air pressure, as grooves or protrusions on the sheath layer are formed in the same direction as the air pressure, limiting the driving force and causing twisting during laying.
Innovation Solution
The optical fiber unit features outer grooves on the sheath layer maintaining a constant distance in both longitudinal and circumferential directions, with increasing depth from the front to the rear, and inner grooves forming an air layer, enhancing frictional force and reducing adhesive force, thereby increasing transferring distance and speed while preventing twisting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If grooves or protrusions are formed long in the longitudinal direction of the sheath layer to receive air pressure, then the optical fiber unit can receive lifting force, but the transferring distance and transferring speed decrease because the optical fiber unit cannot effectively receive driving force in the direction of movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the groove configuration from a one-dimensional longitudinal arrangement to a two-dimensional grid pattern with grooves spaced at constant intervals in both longitudinal and circumferential directions. This dimensional change allows air pressure to act uniformly around the circumference, generating both lifting force and driving force simultaneously, thereby resolving the contradiction between receiving lifting force and achieving effective transfer distance and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry in groove depth along the longitudinal direction, with groove depth increasing from the front end to the rear end. This asymmetric depth configuration creates a pressure differential that generates driving force in the direction of movement while maintaining lifting force, thus resolving the contradiction between lifting capability and transfer efficiency.
2Device complexity
If grooves or protrusions are formed with the same direction as air pressure application, then the structure is simple, but the optical fiber unit cannot effectively receive driving force and may twist during laying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds circumferential spacing to the groove arrangement, creating a two-dimensional grid pattern. This additional dimensional control ensures uniform air pressure distribution around the circumference, preventing twisting while maintaining structural simplicity through regular spacing intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different groove depths at different longitudinal positions (shallower at front, deeper at rear) while maintaining constant circumferential spacing. This local variation in groove quality creates the necessary pressure differential for driving force without compromising the overall structural simplicity or causing twisting.
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 increases the transferring distance and speed of the optical fiber unit by uniformly applying lifting and driving forces through frictional forces, while protecting the fiber from external impacts and reducing weight, thus optimizing the laying process.
Implementation Method 1
a lifting force and a driving force due to a frictional force between the outer grooves and the air pressure are uniformly applied
Implementation Method 2
inner grooves forming an air layer, enhancing frictional force and reducing adhesive force
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber unit for an air blown fiber, which is laid in a tube using air pressure, includes at least one optical fiber, a protection layer surrounding the optical fiber, and a sheath layer surrounding the protection layer, wherein a plurality of outer grooves are formed on an outer surface of the sheath layer such that a constant distance between the plurality of outer grooves is maintained in a longitudinal direction and a circumferential direction of the sheath layer, and since the outer grooves maintain the constant distance in the circumferential direction of the sheath layer, a lifting force and a driving force due to a frictional force between the outer grooves and the air pressure are generated, a transferring distance of the optical fiber unit is increased, a transferring speed is increased, and the optical fiber unit is prevented from being twisted in any one direction.