Optical Fibre Ribbon Stack Square Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fibre ribbon cables are limited to 12 fibres per ribbon, making it difficult to achieve high fibre counts, leading to inefficient packing, increased cable diameter, and limited access for base access in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing applications.
Innovation Solution
An optical fibre ribbon with a coating layer and slits between fibres, arranged in a square configuration to increase fibre count, packing efficiency, and reduce cable diameter, while providing easy access to bases through multiple slits for improved flexibility and planarity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If optical fibre ribbons are arranged in a rectangular ribbon stack, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but the packing efficiency is not optimum and cable diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional rectangular ribbon stack arrangement to a square configuration arrangement of optical fibre ribbons. This asymmetric change in geometry optimizes the packing efficiency, reduces wasted space, and consequently decreases the overall cable diameter while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized ribbon stacking processes
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional optical fibre ribbon cables are limited to 12 fibres per ribbon, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the fibre count is insufficient for high-density applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple conventional 12-fibre ribbons into a single integrated ribbon structure containing 24 fibres. This is achieved by arranging two layers of 12 fibres each in a unified ribbon configuration, effectively doubling the fibre count while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing processes and handling mechanisms
3Ease of manufacture
If a rectangular ribbon stack is used, then the arrangement is conventional and easy to implement, but base access is difficult and networking is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces slits that segment the continuous ribbon structure at specific locations. These slits create accessible openings that allow direct base access to individual fibres or fibre groups without requiring complex disassembly procedures, thereby simplifying networking operations while maintaining the overall ribbon structure
4Quantity of substance
If the diagonal length of the rectangular ribbon stack increases, then more fibres can be accommodated, but the cable diameter increases and space utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a square configuration instead of a rectangular arrangement, which provides superior packing efficiency. The square geometry allows fibres to be arranged in a compact grid pattern that minimizes the overall envelope dimensions, thereby accommodating high fibre counts without proportionally increasing cable diameter or wasted space
Data Source
AI summary
The optical fibre ribbon of the present disclosure has one or more base access. The optical fibre ribbon of the present disclosure includes a plurality of optical fibres, a coating layer bonding the plurality of optical fibres, and a slit. The slit in the optical fibre ribbon is made between two optical fibres of the plurality of the optical fibres. The optical fibre ribbon has flat surface on top and corrugated surface in bottom. The optical fibre ribbon has a coating layer that is a layer of matrix material. The coating layer is made of single layer of matrix material.