Rollable Optical Fibre Ribbon Intermittent Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fibre ribbons lack optimization in bond area to achieve both mechanical strength and rollability, which are crucial for handling and packaging high fibre count cables.
Innovation Solution
A rollable optical fibre ribbon with intermittent bonding, where the bonded portions occupy 3 to 20% of the ribbon's area, ensuring mechanical robustness and flexibility by strategically arranging and shaping the bonding regions along the length of the fibres.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the area of connecting portions is increased to improve mechanical strength, then the ribbon becomes less flexible and harder to roll
Solution Approach 1:
The bonding is segmented into discrete connecting portions rather than continuous bonding. The connecting portions are spaced intermittently along the optical fibers, with each portion having a specific length (e.g., 5-15 mm) and spacing (e.g., 20-50 mm between portions). This segmentation provides mechanical strength at bond points while maintaining flexibility in unbonded sections, enabling the ribbon to be rolled for high fiber count cable packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding characteristics are made non-uniform along the length of the ribbon. Connecting portions have localized bonding material application with specific area ratios (e.g., bonding material occupying 10-30% of the connecting portion area), creating regions of high mechanical strength at bonds while maintaining low friction and high flexibility in intermediate sections. This local variation in bonding quality resolves the contradiction between overall strength and rollability.
2Ease of operation
If the area of connecting portions is decreased to improve rollability, then the mechanical strength of the ribbon is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bonding the entire surface area of adjacent fibers, only partial bonding is applied at discrete connecting portions. The bonding material covers a controlled area ratio (e.g., 10-30% of connecting portion area) rather than 100% coverage. This partial bonding action provides sufficient mechanical strength for handling while leaving enough unbonded area to maintain flexibility and enable rolling for cable fabrication.
3Strength
If continuous bonding is used to maximize mechanical strength, then the ribbon loses flexibility and cannot be easily rolled
Solution Approach 1:
Continuous bonding is segmented into discrete connecting portions spaced along the optical fibers. Each connecting portion has defined dimensions (length and width) and is separated by unbonded intervals. This segmentation creates a pattern of rigid bonded zones and flexible unbonded zones, allowing the ribbon to maintain structural integrity at bond points while flexing freely in intermediate regions for rolling and cable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding is applied periodically at regular intervals along the length of the optical fibers rather than continuously. This periodic bonding pattern creates a rhythmic alternation of bonded and unbonded sections, providing mechanical strength at periodic intervals while maintaining flexibility between bonds. The periodic structure enables the ribbon to withstand handling forces while being rollable for high fiber count cable packaging.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a rollable optical fibre ribbon (100) with intermittent bonding. The rollable optical fibre ribbon (100) includes a plurality of optical fibres. The plurality of optical fibres (102) are placed parallel to each other, wherein the plurality of optical fibres (102) adjacent to each other are bonded intermittently along a length by a plurality of bonded portions (104). The plurality of bonded portions (104) occupies 3 to 20% of an area of the rollable optical fibre ribbon of length 1 meter. An area of the plurality of bonded portions (104) is defined as an area projected by the plurality of bonded (104) portions on a plane passing through centres of the plurality of optical fibres (102) of the rollable optical fibre ribbon (100) and extending longitudinally.