GB1595664A - Reel of tape for winding on cable - Google Patents

Description

(54) REEL OF TAPE FOR WINDING ON CABLE (71) We, THE FUJIKURA CABLE WORKS, LIMITED, a Japanese corporation of 5-1, 1-chome, Kiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a reel of tape which is particularly useful for winding on a telecommunication cable.

The insulated core of a telecommunication cable is generally fabricated by winding a thin (generally 30 to 100 microns) insulation paper tape about a travelling fine bare conductor (generally copper or aluminium wire 0.4 to 0.9 mm in diameter) by means of a centre tape winder.

Such winders receive paper tape from a reel and when the reel runs out, the winder has to be stopped to replenish the tape supply.

With a view to reducing the number of these stoppages, attempts have been made to use reels containing greater lengths of paper tape. Such reels having a larger diameter than previous reels give problems because .the tape tends to go out of shape and become unwound during handling of the reel. In addition, since the reels are accommodated within conventional winders, some modification of the winders is necessitated and this has again given rise to problems. In fact, the maximum diameter of reel in practice is about 400 mm.

It has been proposed to use a paper tape reel in which the tape is helically wound, i.e.

the width of the reel is greater than the width of the tape, and successive turns of the tape partly overlap preceding turns. In this manner, a greater length of tape can be loaded on a reel without increasing the reel diameter. There have, however, been problems with these helically wound tape reels, both in their production and use, in that there is a tendency for them to become unwound and for the tape to break.

We have now found that these problems can be reduced and, according to the invention, there is provided a reel of tape for winding on a telecommunication cable, the reel comprising a core having a tape wound thereon, the tape having a thickness of 40 to 80 microns and being helically wound about said core with each winding (other than the first) partly overlapping a preceding winding with a pitch ratio (as herein defined) of from 1/2 to 1/12.

By pitch ratio, we mean the ratios of the pitch of the tape winding on the reel to the width of the tape.

The thickness of the tape may be from 40 to 80 microns. The preferred pitch ratios for varying tape thicknesses are: Tape thickness (microns) 40 1,4 to 1/12 50 1/4 to 1/10 60 1/3 to 1/8 70 1/3 to 1/7 80 1/2 to 1/6 The tape reels of tfle invention are particularly, but not exclusively, useful in the tape winding apparatus as described and claimed in the specification of our copending application No. 9250/78 Serial No. 1595663. Reference should be made to this specification for further details.

Two embodiments of tape reel of the invention are shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of one embodiment, and Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of the other embodiment.

In the two Figures like numerals indicate like parts.

In each case, the reel 10 is formed by helically winding the tape 28 about the reel core 32. The tape has a thickness in the range 40 to 80 microns. The reference "P" denotes the pitch The pitch ratios used in the tape reels of the invention are relatively small i.e. no greater than 1/2 down to 1/12.

The use of small pitch ratios has the following advantages. Where a paper tape 28 is drawn off from a reel 10 as much in a tangential direction (perpendicular to the axis of the reel 10) as possible, an unwinding force is uniformly applied to the whole width of the paper tape 28, offering an advantage in respect of the mechanical strength of the paper tape 28. Where the reel 10 is formed (as in the present invention) with a small overlap pitch, the above-mentioned condition is easily met.

Where the paper tape 28 is wound about a cable core by a tape winder, that point on the reel 10 at which the paper tape 28 leaves the reel, shifts along the axis of the reel 10 as the reel is rotated. As a result, the paper tape 28 tends to travel over a changing route to the cable core. By having a small pitch ratio, the rate of axial shift of the tape is small and as a result the tape is not subjected to unduly large stresses which can arise from faster axial shifts.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A reel of tape for winding on a telecommunication cable, the reel comprising a core having a tape wound thereon, the tape having a thickness of 40 to 80 microns and being helically wound about said core with each winding (other than the first) partly overlapping a preceding winding with a pitch ratio (as herein defined of from 1/2 to 1/12.

2. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 40 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/4 to 1/12.

3. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 50 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/4 to 1/10.

4. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 60 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/3 to 1/8.

5. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 70 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/3 to 1/7.

6. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 80 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/2 to 1/6.

7. A reel of tape substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. following advantages. Where a paper tape 28 is drawn off from a reel 10 as much in a tangential direction (perpendicular to the axis of the reel 10) as possible, an unwinding force is uniformly applied to the whole width of the paper tape 28, offering an advantage in respect of the mechanical strength of the paper tape 28. Where the reel 10 is formed (as in the present invention) with a small overlap pitch, the above-mentioned condition is easily met. Where the paper tape 28 is wound about a cable core by a tape winder, that point on the reel 10 at which the paper tape 28 leaves the reel, shifts along the axis of the reel 10 as the reel is rotated. As a result, the paper tape 28 tends to travel over a changing route to the cable core. By having a small pitch ratio, the rate of axial shift of the tape is small and as a result the tape is not subjected to unduly large stresses which can arise from faster axial shifts. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A reel of tape for winding on a telecommunication cable, the reel comprising a core having a tape wound thereon, the tape having a thickness of 40 to 80 microns and being helically wound about said core with each winding (other than the first) partly overlapping a preceding winding with a pitch ratio (as herein defined of from 1/2 to 1/12.

2. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 40 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/4 to 1/12.

3. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 50 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/4 to 1/10.

4. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 60 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/3 to 1/8.

5. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 70 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/3 to 1/7.

6. A reel of tape according to claim 1, wherein the tape has a thickness of substantially 80 microns and wherein the pitch ratio is from 1/2 to 1/6.

7. A reel of tape substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or 2 of the accompanying drawings.