JP6139264B2 - Optical fiber ribbon and optical cable - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon and an optical cable formed by intermittently connecting adjacent optical fibers.

  With the rapid spread of the Internet, etc., in addition to increasing the speed of information communication and increasing the amount of information, the construction of an optical network for two-way communication and large-capacity communication has recently progressed. FTTH (Fiber To The Home) service that provides high-speed communication services has been started. The demand for wiring work distributed to a plurality of homes and a plurality of terminals is increasing due to the expansion of optical fiber drawing into a subscriber's house and the expansion of a private network.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the laying form of the optical cable. 100 is a service station, 101 and 103 are trunk optical cables, 102, 104 and 106 are first to third closures, 105 and 107 are branch optical cables, and 108 is a subscriber's home. As the trunk optical cable 101 laid between the service station 100 for data communication or the like and the first closure 102, for example, a spacer type underground multi-core wire (up to 1000 cores) is used. Further, as the trunk optical cable 103 laid between the first closure 102 and the second closure 104, for example, a spacer type overhead multi-core wire (up to 200 cores) provided with a support line is used.

  Further, the branch optical cable 105 laid between the second closure 104 and the third closure 106 is an optical cable for wiring, for example, containing a plurality of optical fiber core wires, and supporting line portions. A self-supporting optical cable (up to 8 cores) provided integrally is used. Further, as the branch optical cable 107 laid between the third closure 106 and the subscriber's house 108, for example, a support line portion is used. An optical drop cable of about 1 to 4 cores provided integrally is used.

  In the above, in particular, in the case of an optical cable for wiring, it is necessary to secure a work surplus length at the middle part of the cable in order to take out the optical fiber core wire. A slack of about + 0.3% is given to secure the extra length (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional optical cable with extra length. FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an optical cable with a surplus length, and FIG. 7B is a side view of the optical cable with a surplus length in FIG. 7A. In the figure, 111 is a support wire, 112 is a support wire coating, 113 is a support wire portion, 114 is a tension member (also called a tension member), 115 is an optical fiber core wire, 116 is a body portion coating, 116a is a notch, 117 is A cable main body 118, a connecting portion 118a, a connecting piece 118a, and a window portion 118b.

  The optical cable with a surplus length has a shape in which the support wire portion 113 and the cable main body portion 117 are connected by the connecting portion 118. The support wire portion 113 is formed by covering the outer periphery of a support wire 111 such as a steel wire or a galvanized steel wire with a support wire covering 112 in the same manner as the conventional one. The cable main body 117 is formed by covering a plurality of optical fiber cores 115 and tension members 114 on both sides of the bundle in parallel and integrally covering with a main body covering 116.

  For the tension member 114, a steel wire having an outer diameter of about 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm, a galvanized steel wire, or a material coated with them is used, glass fiber reinforced plastic (G-FRP), Aramid fiber reinforced plastic (K-FRP) or the like can also be used. As the optical fiber core 115, an optical fiber core wire obtained by applying a protective coating made of resin to a glass fiber or a plastic fiber, or a so-called optical fiber strand can be used. Moreover, what is called the optical fiber cord which reinforce | strengthened the optical fiber cord which integrated the some optical fiber in tape shape, and the fiber protective coating can also be used.

  The cable main body 117 has, for example, a form in which the main body covering 116 is formed in a rectangular cross section and a plurality of optical fiber cores 115 are arranged in a line between a pair of tension members 114. The cable main body 117 is formed into a shape that is connected and integrated by the connecting portion 118 in a form that is slackened so as to meander in the widthwise direction with respect to the support line portion 113 (also referred to as having an extra length). The

  Connection integration of the cable main body 117 and the support wire portion 113 is realized by simultaneously forming the support wire coating 112, the main body coating 116, and the connection portion 118 by an extruder. The connecting portion 118 that connects the cable body portion 117 and the support wire portion 113 is formed in a window shape in which connecting pieces 118a and window portions 118b are provided at a predetermined pitch. In addition, as this resin for coating | cover, it consists of resin with good moldability, such as a flame-retardant polyethylene and a vinyl chloride, and is shape | molded collectively with an extruder.

JP 2007-206419 A JP 2005-148394 A

  However, in the case of the optical cable shown in FIG. 7, since the cable main body is slackened, it is more difficult to wind the drum in alignment than the optical cable without slack, and the winding characteristics may adversely affect the transmission characteristics. is there. Further, when an optical cable as long as possible is to be wound around the drum, it is preferable that the cable main body is not loosened because the effective outer diameter is reduced.

  In addition, for optical cables without support wires, it is not possible to give slack to the cable body, so it is common practice to secure the extra length necessary for intermediate branching work by pulling the cable itself. The work itself is troublesome, and it may not be possible to pull the optical cable in a state where the optical cable is stretched without slack.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an optical fiber ribbon that can secure a desired extra length and improve intermediate branch workability without providing slack in the cable body, and An object is to provide an optical cable.

An optical fiber tape core according to the present invention includes a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in a parallel row, and the adjacent optical fiber cores are intermittently connected to each other by a connecting part and a non-connecting part. Among the plurality of optical fiber cores, at least the optical fiber core wires at both ends, the inner optical fiber core wires adjacent to the optical fiber core wires at the both ends are stretched without slack, Looseness is given to each fiber core .

Further, the slack is +0.1 to +1.0 with respect to the optical fiber core that is stretched without slack.
% Is preferably given in the range of% .
An optical cable according to the present invention is characterized in that the optical fiber ribbon in any of the above is covered with a jacket.

  According to the present invention, by providing slack to at least one optical fiber core wire among a plurality of optical fiber core wires constituting the intermittent tape core wire, a desired slack is not provided to the cable body. The extra length can be secured and the intermediate branch workability can be improved.

It is a figure which shows an example of the optical fiber tape core wire by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical fiber tape core wire by this invention. It is a figure which shows the reference example of an optical fiber ribbon . It is the figure which showed typically an example of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber ribbon based on this invention. It is the figure which showed typically the other example of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber ribbon based on this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the laying form of an optical cable. It is a figure which shows the conventional optical cable with extra length.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an optical fiber ribbon and an optical cable according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a view showing an example of an optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention. 1A is a perspective view showing a part in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber ribbon, FIG. 1B shows a BB cross section of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C shows FIG. FIG. 1D shows a DD section of FIG. 1A. In the figure, 10 is an optical fiber ribbon, 1a to 1d are optical fiber cores, and 2 is a connecting portion.

  In this optical fiber ribbon (hereinafter, referred to as intermittent ribbon) 10, a plurality of optical fibers 1 a to 1 d are arranged in a parallel line, and adjacent optical fibers are connected to a connecting portion 2 and a non-connecting portion. Are intermittently connected. Each of the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d is an optical fiber strand in which a glass base material is drawn and a UV curable resin is coated around the glass base material, or a colored layer is applied to the outer surface thereof. In the following, a description will be given by exemplifying four-fiber intermittent tape cores. However, the number of optical fiber cores only needs to be plural, and the number thereof is not particularly limited.

  The connection part 2 connects two adjacent optical fiber core wires among the plurality of single optical fiber core wires 1a to 1d arranged in parallel. The connecting portion 2 is intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape core wire 10. As an example of the dimensions, the length L1 in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 2 is 30 mm, and the length L2 in the longitudinal direction of the single core portion (non-connecting portion) between the connecting portions 2 is 100 mm. The length is not particularly limited.

  Here, in each connection part 2, as shown in FIG.1 (B)-FIG.1 (D), a connection material is filled between two adjacent optical fiber core wires, and thereby each connection part 2 is formed. Has been. For example, an ultraviolet curable resin is preferably used as the connecting material, but a fixing material other than the ultraviolet curable resin may be used.

  With such a configuration, the portions connected by the connecting portion 2 and the single core portions without the connecting portion 2 are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape core wire 10. For this reason, when performing single-core separation at the intermediate portion of the intermittent tape core wire 10, separation work can be performed at the single-core portion without the connecting portion 2.

  The main object of the present invention is to secure a desired extra length and improve intermediate branch workability without providing slack in the cable body. As a configuration for this, as shown in FIG. 1, in the intermittent tape core 10, slack is imparted to at least one of the optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d. In the case of this example, slackness R is given to the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends.

  Here, usually, when an optical cable without slack is laid on the cable body and then disassembled at the intermediate portion, the internal intermittent tape core wire is exposed in a tensioned state without slack. For this reason, it is difficult to grasp a desired single core wire. On the other hand, by providing a slack (extra length) to at least one optical fiber core wire constituting the intermittent tape core wire 10, it is possible to easily take out a desired single core wire triggered by this slackness. it can.

  In addition, the slack of the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends is +0.1 to +1 with respect to the optical fiber cores 1b and 1c that are stretched without slack among the plurality of optical fiber cores 1a to 1d. It is preferable that it is provided in a range of 0.0%. For example, when the stripping length of the cable jacket is 50 cm, and a + 1.0% slack (extra length) is given to the optical fiber core wire, an extra length of about 5 mm can be secured. This extra length facilitates the sorting of the optical fiber cores.

  FIG. 2 is a view showing another example of the optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention. 2A is a perspective view showing a part in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber ribbon, FIG. 2B is a BB cross section of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is FIG. 2A. The CC cross section of is shown. Similarly, in the case of this example, the intermittent tape core wire 10 has a connecting portion 2 that connects two adjacent optical fiber core wires among a plurality of parallel optical fiber core wires 1a to 1d. . The connecting portion 2 is provided intermittently in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape core wire 10.

  In the example of FIG. 2, unlike the example of FIG. 1, the connecting portions 2 that connect each of the adjacent optical fiber cores overlap in the width direction of the intermittent tape core 10. Even in this case, in the intermittent tape core wire 10, at least one of the optical fiber core wires 1a to 1d is slackened. In the case of this example, slackness R is given to the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a reference example of the optical fiber ribbon . Also in the case of this example, as in the example of FIG. 2, the intermittent tape core wire 10 is a connecting portion that connects two adjacent optical fiber core wires among a plurality of parallel optical fiber core wires 1 a to 1 d. 2 and the connecting portion 2 is formed so as to overlap in the width direction of the intermittent tape core wire 10.

  In the example of FIG. 3, unlike the example of FIG. 2, not only the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends but also the optical fiber cores 1b and 1c sandwiched between the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d are loosened R ′. Is granted. That is, slack is imparted to each of the plurality of optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d within a predetermined length range in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape core 10. As said predetermined length, it can be set to 50 cm according to the cable jacket stripping length, for example. In the case of the example of FIG. 3, within the range of 50 cm in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape core wire 10, the slack R of the optical fiber cores 1 a and 1 d at both ends and the slack R ′ of the inner optical fiber cores 1 b and 1 c Are given alternately.

  In this way, by providing slack to each of the optical fiber cores within a predetermined length range in the longitudinal direction of the intermittent tape cores, the working length is reduced for all the optical fiber cores included in the intermittent tape cores. Can be secured.

  In the above, basically, the tension when pulling each optical fiber core is applied while intermittently applying UV curable resin in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent optical fiber cores after a plurality of optical fiber cores. By adjusting, slackness can be imparted to at least one optical fiber core wire.

  Next, an example of a method for imparting slack to at least one optical fiber core wire among a plurality of optical fiber core wires constituting the intermittent tape core wire will be described. Specific examples include a manufacturing method using the following manufacturing apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this example.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention, and schematically shows a main part of the manufacturing apparatus. In this example, after the ultraviolet curable resin is continuously applied in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent optical fiber cores, and a plate-shaped optical fiber tape core wire connected thereby is manufactured, the adjacent optical fiber core wires are By intermittently slitting the UV curable resin, a connected portion and a non-connected portion are formed. Thus, a case where the intermittent tape core wire 10 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 is manufactured will be described. First, optical fiber cores 1a to 1d are fed out from a plurality (four in this case) of supply bobbins 21 around which the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d are wound, and are guided by guide rollers 22 to 25, respectively. Head to roller 26.

  Here, although the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d are pulled with a constant tension, the tensions of the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c are larger than the tensions of the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends. Adjust in advance. Thereby, in the subsequent process, when the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d are formed in a single plate shape, the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c can be internally strained by tension. Since the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c release the above-described distortion by intermittently slitting the adjacent optical fiber cores of the plate-shaped optical fiber cores 1a to 1d, the optical fiber The cores 1b and 1c are contracted in the longitudinal direction, and the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends can be loosened accordingly.

  That is, the optical fiber core wires 1 a to 1 d are collected by the concentrator roller 26, and the four optical fiber core wires 1 a to 1 d arranged in parallel are sent to the coating device 27. In the coating device 27, an ultraviolet curable resin is applied as a material for connecting the adjacent optical fiber cores among the four optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d in close contact with each other on one plane. In addition, as this ultraviolet curable resin, a urethane acrylate resin can be used, for example.

  As the coating device 27, a dispenser, an inkjet head, or the like can be used. An ultraviolet curable resin is supplied from a dispenser or an inkjet head, and the ultraviolet curable resin is continuously applied to predetermined positions of the traveling optical fiber cores 1a to 1d. Then, by continuously supplying the ultraviolet curable resin from the dispenser or the inkjet head, the ultraviolet curable resin can be continuously applied to the surfaces of the traveling optical fiber cores 1a to 1d.

  The four optical fiber cores 1a to 1d coated with the ultraviolet curable resin by the coating device 27 are irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the ultraviolet irradiation furnace 28, and the ultraviolet curable resin is cured. The four optical fiber cores 1a to 1d that have passed through the ultraviolet irradiation furnace 28 are formed in a single plate shape by continuously connecting adjacent optical fiber cores with an ultraviolet curable resin. . The plate-shaped optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d are sent to the slit device 30 through the guide roller 29.

  In the slit device 30, as described above, a cutter or the like is used to form a connection portion and a non-connection portion between adjacent optical fiber cores in the longitudinal direction of the plate-like optical fibers 1 a to 1 d. Thus, slits are intermittently inserted into the connecting portion of the ultraviolet curable resin (intermittent processing). By intermittently inserting slits in this way, the distortion inherent in the inner optical fibers 1b and 1c is released, and thereby the optical fibers 1b and 1c contract in the longitudinal direction. The optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends are pulled in the contraction direction of the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c, and can be loosened. In this way, the intermittent tape core wire 10 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 is manufactured, and the manufactured intermittent tape core wire 10 is wound around the winding bobbin 31.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the manufacturing apparatus for the optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention, and schematically shows the main part of the manufacturing apparatus. In this example, a connecting portion and a non-connecting portion are formed by intermittently applying a predetermined length of ultraviolet curable resin at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of adjacent optical fiber core wires. Thereby, the case where the intermittent tape core wire 10 of FIG. 3 is manufactured will be described. First, similarly to the example of FIG. 4, the optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d are fed out from a plurality (four in this case) of supply bobbins 21 around which the optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d are wound up, and are respectively guided rollers. Guided by 22 to 25 and heads toward the concentrating roller 26.

  In the concentrating roller 26, the optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d are collected, and the four optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d arranged in parallel are sent to the coating device 27. As the coating device 27, the shape of the tip nozzle of the dispenser is designed in accordance with the desired coating shape of the connecting portion 2. Alternatively, a desired shape of the connecting portion 2 may be obtained by a dispenser having a plurality of nozzles. Also in the case of an inkjet nozzle head, a desired shape of the connecting portion 2 may be obtained by the nozzle shape of the inkjet head or the arrangement of a plurality of nozzles.

  In the coating device 27, an ultraviolet curable resin is supplied from a dispenser or an inkjet head, and an ultraviolet curable resin having a predetermined length (for example, 30 mm) is intermittently provided at predetermined positions at predetermined positions of the traveling optical fiber cores 1a to 1d. Applied. In the case of this example, each light is applied by the eccentric cam 32 after the ultraviolet curable resin is applied in the longitudinal direction of the adjacent optical fiber core by the coating device 27 until the next ultraviolet curable resin is applied. The tension of the fiber core is adjusted, and slack is imparted.

  That is, in the coating device 27, the ultraviolet curing type having a predetermined length as the material of the connecting portion 2 between the adjacent optical fiber cores among the four optical fiber cores 1a to 1d that are in close contact with each other on one plane. Resin is applied. Then, the four optical fiber cores 1 a to 1 d coated with the predetermined length of the ultraviolet curable resin are sent to the eccentric cam 32.

  In the eccentric cam 32, the tension of each of the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d is adjusted. For example, in the case of the above-described example of FIG. 3, the maximum displacement point is shifted between the eccentric cam 32 of the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends and the eccentric cam 32 of the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c. Have a phase difference. Specifically, when the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c are not displaced by the eccentric cam 32, the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends are displaced maximum by the eccentric cam 32, and the light beams at both ends. The phase difference is adjusted so that the inner optical fiber cores 1 b and 1 c are displaced maximum by the eccentric cam 32 when the optical fiber cores 1 a and 1 d are not displaced by the eccentric cam 32. Without displacement, the tension of the optical fiber core does not change, and the tension is not slackened. When the maximum displacement is reached, the tension is applied by the change in the tension of the optical fiber. As described above, due to the phase difference of the eccentric cam 32, the slack R is applied to the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends and the slack R 'is alternately applied to the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c in the longitudinal direction.

  Then, in the coating device 27 and the eccentric cam 32, after applying a predetermined length of UV curable resin in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cores 1a to 1d by the coating device 27, the optical fiber is driven by the eccentric cam 32. The operation of imparting slack to at least one of the cores 1a to 1d is repeated at regular intervals. In the example of FIG. 3, slack is alternately applied in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cores 1a and 1d at both ends and the inner optical fiber cores 1b and 1c. The eccentric cam of the optical fiber core wire may be eliminated.

  As described above, the four optical fiber cores 1a to 1d, to which the UV curable resin is intermittently applied in the longitudinal direction by the coating device 27 and the slack is alternately given in the longitudinal direction by the eccentric cam 32, Ultraviolet rays are irradiated in the ultraviolet irradiation furnace 28 to cure the ultraviolet curable resin. Then, the cured ultraviolet curable resin becomes the connecting portion 2, and the intermittent tape core wire 10 as shown in FIG. 3 is manufactured. The intermittent tape core wire 10 is further wound around a winding bobbin 30 via a guide roller 29.

  Although the embodiment of the optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention may be in the form of an optical cable in which the optical fiber ribbon is covered with a jacket. The optical cable can be exemplified as the optical cable for wiring (up to 8 cores) described with reference to FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a-1d ... Optical fiber core wire, 2 ... Connection part, 10 ... Optical fiber tape core wire (intermittent tape core wire), 21 ... Supply bobbin, 22-25, 29 ... Guide roller, 26 ... Concentration roller, 27 ... Coating 28: Ultraviolet irradiation furnace, 30: Slit device, 31: Winding bobbin, 32: Eccentric cam

Claims (3)

A plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in a parallel line, and are optical fiber tape cores formed by intermittently connecting adjacent optical fiber cores by a connecting part and a non-connecting part,
Said plurality of optical fibers for optical fiber of the taut without slack inside adjacent to the optical fiber at both ends, at least the ends of the optical fiber fiber units An optical fiber ribbon that is slackened by the optical fiber tape.   2. The optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the slackness is given in a range of +0.1 to + 1.0% with respect to the optical fiber that is stretched without slack. .   An optical cable, wherein the optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1 or 2 is covered with a jacket.

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