Reduced-Height Reinforcement Sleeve for Optical Fiber Splice
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reinforcement sleeves for optical fiber fusion splice portions are limited in the number of optical fibers they can hold due to standardized dimensions, making it difficult to increase capacity within existing housings as the number of optical fibers in cables increases with higher communication demands.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcement sleeve design featuring a base member, a cover member, and adhesive layers that sandwich the fusion splice portion, with a reduced height corresponding to 1/n of the standardized height, allowing for increased optical fiber capacity without modifying the housing, where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2, enabling more sleeves to be stacked and thus more fibers to be held.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If reinforcement sleeves are designed according to standardized dimensions, then compatibility with existing housing and sleeve reception portions is ensured, but the number of optical fibers that can be held in a housing is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement sleeve is divided into a base member and a cover member that can be assembled together. The base member has a reduced height of 1/n of the standardized height, allowing multiple base members to be stacked vertically within the same sleeve reception portion, thereby increasing the number of optical fibers that can be held while maintaining compatibility with existing housings
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the number of optical fibers by expanding the horizontal dimensions (width), the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by reducing the height of each reinforcement sleeve. This allows multiple sleeves to be stacked vertically within the constrained horizontal space of existing sleeve reception portions, effectively increasing capacity without modifying the housing structure
2Quantity of substance
If the height of reinforcement sleeve is reduced to increase fiber capacity, then more fibers can be held in existing housing, but the structural integrity and protection of fusion splice portion may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement sleeve is segmented into a base member and a cover member. The base member provides the reduced height for increased stacking capacity, while the cover member is designed to fit over the base member and enclose the fusion splice portion. This segmentation allows the protective function to be maintained through the cover member while the base member enables height reduction for increased capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed to nest over the base member, creating a complete reinforcement structure. The cover member has an inner circumference that fits the outer circumference of the base member, forming a nested configuration that provides full protection to the fusion splice portion while maintaining the reduced overall height for increased stacking capacity
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 design allows for a remarkable increase in the number of optical fibers that can be held in a housing, doubling or tripling the capacity depending on the reduction in height, without altering the sleeve reception portion, at a low cost and with ease of identification of specific fibers.
Implementation Method 1
a first adhesive layer disposed between the base member and the plurality of optical fibers, and a second adhesive layer disposed between the cover member and the plurality of optical fibers. The first adhesive layer is held in intimate contact with the base member and the plurality of optical fibers. The second adhesive layer is held in intimate contact with the cover member and the plurality of optical fibers.
Data Source
AI summary
A reinforcement sleeve for connecting a plurality of optical fibers to each other by fusion splice includes: a base member; a cover member that sandwiches a fusion splice portion of the plurality of optical fibers between the cover member and the base member; a first adhesive layer disposed between the base member and the plurality of optical fibers; and a second adhesive layer disposed between the cover member and the plurality of optical fibers. A width of the reinforcement sleeve is defined by a reinforcement sleeve standard relating to a reinforcement sleeve, and a height of the reinforcement sleeve is 1/n of a height defined by the reinforcement sleeve standard, where n is an integer equal to or larger than 2.