JP2003276853A - Shipping method for optical submarine cable, shipping line, and shipping carriage - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a shipping method for an optical submarine cable preventing a submarine relay from being laid under vibration during carrying. <P>SOLUTION: This method for taking out the optical submarine cable 11 having the submarine relay 10 from a plant and shipping it on a ship alongside a pier outside the plant includes to mount the submarine relay 10 on a carriage 12, to mount the carriage 12 on a track 13, to move the carriage 12 on the track by applying a traction force to the optical submarine cable 11, and to lead the optical submarine cable 11 to the ship. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical submarine cable shipping method, a shipping line, and a shipping cart.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An unsealed optical submarine cable that is completed by arranging reinforcing strength members and insulating materials around a plurality of optical fibers and further applying sheathing is usually used at a depth of 500 m where the seabed is gentle. It is laid in the deep sea. On the other hand, if there is bedrock, rocks, coral, etc. on the seabed and is easily affected by natural phenomena such as tidal currents and waves, or the seabed along the coast, the use of the uncovered optical submarine cable will cause damage. Therefore, instead of the unsealed optical submarine cable, the unsealed optical submarine cable is used as a cable core, and the armored optical submarine cable in which the cable core is subjected to the external processing is laid. The present invention relates to the uncovered optical submarine cable or the external optical submarine cable.

A considerable number of completed unsealed optical submarine cables or armored optical submarine cables (hereinafter simply referred to as optical submarine cables) are manufactured in a predetermined order in a factory based on the requirements of optical transmission system design and ocean survey results. A submarine repeater is connected between two optical submarine cables that are juxtaposed and adjacent in order.

An optical submarine cable connected to a submarine repeater is
After the system test is completed, it will be loaded on a ship such as a submarine cable laying ship or a freighter, which is docked on the quay outside the factory from the connection factory or the test factory. The total length of optical submarine cables to be loaded may be hundreds to thousands of kilometers, and submarine repeaters will be located every tens of kilometers of the total length.

The conventional equipment for loading has a track such as a roller conveyor laid from the factory to the quay, and a hoist traveling rail laid along the track above the track. When the optical submarine cable is placed on the orbit and the optical submarine cable is towed by the towing device installed on the ship,
The optical submarine cable travels in orbit and is sequentially guided to the ship. When transporting an undersea repeater, it is difficult to place a subsea repeater weighing several hundred kilograms directly on an orbit and move it. Therefore, suspend the pulling of the optical submarine cable and suspend the undersea repeater on a hoist. . After that, when the towing of the optical submarine cable is restarted, the optical submarine cable moves on the orbit, and the undersea repeater moves along the rail while being suspended by the hoist, and is guided to the ship.

[0006]

A submarine repeater is a precision component having a weight of several hundred kilograms and containing an amplifier and other devices therein. It is necessary to hold such precision parts so as not to vibrate during transportation to protect the internal equipment. However, it is difficult to prevent the shake when the hoist is suspended and the submarine repeater is vibrated during the transportation. In addition, since a high-rigidity optical submarine cable is connected to the submarine repeater, if there is a curve in the track, not only the submarine repeater but also the optical submarine cable will shake, and it may contact the pillars in the track. May impair safety.

Further, in the conventional equipment, a hoist traveling rail, which is used only for moving the submarine repeater, is laid above the track over the entire length of the track. Considering that the laying distance from the factory to the quay is hundreds to thousands of meters, not only the laying cost of rails but also the maintenance and inspection costs are enormous. In addition, the speed of movement of the hoist along the rail is determined by the movement of the hoist wheels traveling along the hoist rail that suspends the hoist. It depends. as a result,
It affects shipping costs.

The present invention was developed in view of the above, and an object thereof is to prevent vibration of a submarine repeater during transportation, ensure safety, and further reduce shipping cost. , How to ship optical submarine cables,
It is to provide a shipping line and a truck for shipping.

[0009]

The present invention has the following structure in order to solve the above problems. The gist of the invention according to claim 1 is a method of pulling out an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater from a factory and loading the optical submarine repeater on a ship docked on a quay outside the factory, wherein the submarine repeater is placed on a trolley. Loading the optical submarine cable onto the track, applying a traction force to the optical submarine cable to move the cart on the track, and guiding the optical submarine cable to the ship. In the way. The gist of the invention according to claim 2 is a method of pulling out an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater and two couplings connected to the submarine repeater from a factory and loading the optical submarine cable to a ship docked on a wharf outside the factory. The submarine repeater and the two couplings are individually mounted on a carriage so that a connecting portion between the subsea repeater and each coupling can be bent, and the carriages are mounted on a track. A method of loading an optical submarine cable, comprising: applying a traction force to the optical submarine cable to move the carriage on the track to guide the optical submarine cable to the ship.
The gist of the invention according to claim 3 is a shipping line for loading an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater on a ship and extending between a factory and a quay outside the factory, the track extending from the factory to the quay. And a carriage that mounts the submarine repeater and that is mounted on the track and that moves on the track by the traction force applied to the optical submarine cable. The gist of the invention according to claim 4 is that an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater and two couplings connected to the submarine repeater is loaded on a ship and extends between a factory and a quay outside the factory. A shipping line, which is a track extending from the factory to the quay, three subcarriage units on which the submarine repeater and the two couplings are individually mounted and which are mounted on the track, and are pulled by the traction force applied to the optical submarine cable. An optical submarine cable shipping line, characterized in that it comprises three carriages that move in orbit. The gist of the invention according to claim 5 is a pair of guides provided on both sides of the track that is left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the truck, and guides provided by the guides provided on each of the left and right side portions of the truck. The optical fiber submarine cable shipping line according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising: The gist of the invention according to claim 6 is a trolley used when loading an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater on a ship, and having a loading section on which the submarine repeater is mounted and a base section sliding on an orbit. However, the present invention resides in a carriage for loading an optical submarine cable, characterized in that it moves on the orbit by a traction force applied to the optical submarine cable.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is shown in FIG.
And FIG. 8 showing a schematic plane, the submarine repeater 1
A method of pulling out an optical submarine cable 11 having 0 from a factory 9a and loading it on a ship 9c docked on a quay 9b outside the factory 9a, in which a submarine repeater 10 is mounted on a truck 12 and the truck 12 is driven by a track 13 Mounting the optical submarine cable 11 on the track 13 by applying a traction force to the optical submarine cable 11 and guiding the optical submarine cable 11 to the ship 9c.

The submarine repeater 10 is connected to the optical submarine cable 11, a factory for inspecting the optical submarine cable 11, and the other factory 9a are connected to the submarine repeater 10.
1 is temporarily placed. Although the track 13 extends linearly in the form shown in FIG. 8, it may have not only a linear shape but also a partial curved line and a height, depending on the layout.

The optical submarine cable 11 is pulled out from the factory 9a and placed on the track 13, and moves on the track 13 in the direction of arrow A under the traction force of the traction device 9d installed on the ship 9c. When the optical submarine cable 11 is moved and loaded on the ship 9c, and most of the optical submarine cable 11 in front of the submarine repeater 10 is paid out, the movement of the optical submarine cable 11 is temporarily stopped. After that, the submarine repeater 10 is mounted on the carriage 12 and the carriage 12 is mounted on the track 13 using a hoist or a crane (not shown). In this case, the submarine repeater 10 is placed on the dolly 12, and then the dolly 12 together with the submarine repeater 10 is mounted.
May be mounted on the track 13, or on the contrary, the carriage 12 may be mounted on the track 13 and then the submarine repeater 10 may be mounted on the carriage 12. Depending on the sizes of the submarine repeater 10 and the dolly 12, a part of the submarine repeater 10 may be mounted on the dolly 12, or substantially the entire submarine repeater 10 may be mounted on the dolly 12.

The submarine repeater 10 is mounted on the carriage 12 and the carriage 1
When the traction force is applied to the optical submarine cable 11 after placing 2 on the track 13, the optical submarine cable 11 moves on the track 13. At this time, the submarine repeater 10 receives the traction force, but since the relative slip between the submarine repeater 10 and the carriage 12 is prevented by the frictional force due to the weight of the submarine repeater 10, the carriage 12 ends up on the track 13. It will be moved. In this way, the optical submarine cable 11 and the submarine repeater 10 move and are guided to the ship.

When the carriage 12 is moved, it is necessary not to cause relative slip between the submarine repeater 10 and the carriage 12. For that purpose, the frictional force can be used as described above, but in order to further ensure the reliability, it is preferable to fix the submarine repeater 10 by wrapping the belt 14 attached to the carriage 12 around the submarine repeater 10. . Also, submarine repeater 1
It is preferable that a recessed portion conforming to the outline of 0 is provided in the truck 12 and the submarine relay 10 is mounted on the truck 12 so that the submarine relay 10 fits into the recessed portion. It is more reliable if the submarine repeater 10 is placed in the recess of the carriage 12 and the submarine repeater 10 is fixed with the belt 14.

The present invention also draws an optical submarine cable 11 having a submarine repeater 10 and two couplings 16 and 17 connected to the submarine repeater 10 from a factory 9a and berths a quay 9b outside the factory 9a. It is a method of loading on the ship 9c. This loading method is based on the submarine repeaters 10 and 2
The couplings 16 and 17 are individually mounted on the carriages 12, 19 and 20 so that the joints between the submarine repeater 10 and the couplings 16 and 17 can be bent, and these carriages 12, 19 and 20 are mounted. Place on track 13 and apply traction to optical submarine cable 11
0 on orbit 13 and directing the optical submarine cable 11 to the ship.

As described above, it is possible to move the optical submarine cable 11 even when a part of the submarine repeater 10 is mounted on the carriage 12. However, the optical submarine cable 11 has the submarine repeater 10 and the two couplings 16 and 17, and the size of the couplings 16 and 17 is the submarine repeater 10.
If it is about half of the above, making a large truck 12 on which the submarine repeater 10 and the two couplings 16 and 17 are entirely mounted is not only a problem in the production of the truck 12 but also a curve on the track 13. It's not a good idea because you can't deal with it in some cases. By the way, if the truck 12 on which only the submarine repeater 10 is mounted is used, the two couplings 16,
17 may come into contact with the track 13 and be damaged. According to the present invention, such a problem can be solved.

Submarine repeater 10 and each coupling 16, 1
The bellows 15 is arranged at the connecting portion with the
A gimbal mechanism known per se is incorporated in the inside of 5. The gimbal mechanism is formed so that each coupling 16 and 17 can bend with respect to the submarine repeater 10 in any direction by about 60 degrees. Therefore, submarine repeater 1
0 and two couplings 16 and 17 so that the gimbal mechanism protrudes from the bogies 12, 19 and 20
2, 19 and 20, each coupling 16, while moving
Make 17 bend. As a result, it is possible to prevent the couplings 16 and 17 and the optical submarine cable 11 from coming into contact with the pillars or the like at the bend of the track by the action of the three carriages 12, 19, 20 and the gimbal mechanism at the bend of the track 13. It is possible to prevent the optical submarine cable 11 from being damaged.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 8, the present invention also extends between a factory 9a and a quay 9b outside the factory 9a for loading an optical submarine cable 11 having a submarine repeater 10 onto a ship 9c. A loading line, which is a track 13 extending from the factory 9a to the quay 9b, and a trolley 12 which carries the submarine repeater 10 and which is mounted on the track 13 and moves on the track 13 by the traction force applied to the optical submarine cable 11. Equipped with.

The track 13 is a roller conveyor in the illustrated embodiment. As the track 13, in addition to the roller conveyor, a track for sticking a resin plate having a low coefficient of friction to a sliding surface with the dolly 12 or levitating the dolly 12 with air or magnetism, that is, a low-friction track can be adopted.

The carriage 12 is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
3, a side view, and FIGS. 4 and 5 showing cross sections, a loading section 22 on which a part or the whole of the submarine repeater 10 is placed, and a base section 23 sliding on the track 13.
And has a traction force applied to the optical submarine cable 11 and moves on the track 13.

In the illustrated embodiment, the loading section 22 is composed of a plurality of plate members 24 spaced apart in the moving direction of the carriage 12, and each plate member 24 is provided with a recess adapted to the submarine repeater 10. On the other hand, the base portion 23 is formed in such a manner that the front and rear portions in the moving direction of the carriage 12 are bent upward from the intermediate portion in order to avoid interference with the track 13. A plurality of plate members 24 are fixed on the base portion 23 to form the loading portion 22, and the entire carriage 12 is a so-called sled.

The dolly 12 has at least one belt 1 that is laid around the submarine repeater 10 mounted on the loading section 22.
4 is preferably provided. A plurality of belts 14 are provided at equal intervals in the moving direction so as to exert a substantially uniform tightening force on the submarine repeater 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of guides 25 are provided on both sides of the track 13 which is left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the carriage 12, and guided guides are provided on the left and right sides of the carriage 12 by the guides 25. 26 is preferably provided. The guide 25 has rigidity that does not deform even when the carriage 12 hits it. On the other hand, in order to facilitate relative sliding of the guided member 26 with respect to the guide 25, a low friction resin plate is used as the guide 25.
It is attached to the contact surface with.

As shown in FIG. 5, the loading section 22 of the truck 12 is mounted.
Is made into a shape having a horizontal bottom piece, two vertical pieces, and a recess adapted to the submarine repeater 10, and a base portion 23 made of a plate material is provided on the bottom piece with a bolt 27 and a nut 28.
It is attached by tightening with. On the other hand, the guided member 26 is attached to each vertical piece by tightening it with bolts 29 and nuts 30. It is preferable that a mat 31 made of rubber or resin is attached to a concave portion of the plate member 24 that fits the submarine repeater 10 to prevent the submarine repeater 10 from rattling or sliding during movement.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 in a plan view, and FIG. 7 in a side view, the carts 19 and 20 are sized appropriately for the couplings 16 and 17. Trolley 19, 20
Has a loading portion 32 on which the couplings 16 and 17 are mounted and a base portion 33 that slides on the track 13, and the loading portion 32 includes two plate members 34 that are spaced in the moving direction of the carriages 19 and 20. It is structurally the same as the dolly 12 in that respect. The same is true in that at least one belt 35 for fixing the couplings 16 and 17 is provided.
However, the overall size of the carriages 19 and 20 is smaller than the size of the carriage 12 and is suitable for the couplings 16 and 17.

[0026]

According to the present invention, when a submarine repeater is placed on a trolley and conveyed, the dolly is on an orbit and therefore there is no shake, and the submarine repeater is held by the dolly. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the submarine repeater from being exposed to vibration during transportation. Therefore, the equipment housed inside the submarine repeater is not adversely affected by the vibration during transportation. Moreover, when the optical submarine cable with high rigidity connected to the submarine repeater reaches the curve on the orbit, the submarine repeater suppresses the deflection of the optical submarine cable,
There is no risk that the optical submarine cable will come into contact with the pillars in the track.

When an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater is loaded, the submarine repeater is placed on a dolly and moved on a track together with the dolly, so that a hoist that suspends the submarine repeater and travels along the track is unnecessary. , The rail to run this hoist becomes unnecessary. Conventionally, the rail has been provided over the entire length of the track, and the equipment cost, maintenance, and inspection costs were enormous, but according to the present invention, the rail for traveling the hoist is unnecessary, so the cost is reduced. You can save a lot. In addition, the truck does not have wheels, but moves on the track in the form of a so-called sled.However, in the case of a wheel that moves a hoist along a rail, the moving speed is limited depending on the size of the wheel, etc. In the form (1), such restrictions are lessened, and it is possible to increase the moving speed as compared with the wheel. As a result, workability in shipping optical submarine cables is improved, and shipping costs can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a main part of an embodiment of an optical submarine cable shipping line according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a carriage for loading an optical submarine cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the loading cart shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the loading cart shown in FIG. 2 taken along an imaginary plane orthogonal to the direction of movement of the dolly, showing a submarine repeater and tracks in phantom lines.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the shipping trolley shown in FIG. 2 taken along a virtual plane orthogonal to the moving direction of the trolley, showing the trolley in a completed state.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another embodiment of a shipping vehicle for an optical submarine cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the loading cart shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an outline of improvement and quay layout.

[Explanation of symbols]

9a factory 9b quay 9c ship 9d traction device 10 submarine repeaters 11 Optical submarine cable 12, 19, 20 dolly 13 orbits 14,35 bands 15 Bellows 16,17 Coupling 22, 32 Loading section 23, 33 Base 24, 34 plate materials 25 guides 26 Guided 27, 29 Volts 28,30 nuts 31 mat

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takio Miyamoto             1-2-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo Co., Ltd.             In Ocy Sea F-term (reference) 2H038 CA35 CA67                 3F077 AA01 BA01 BA05 EA28

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method of pulling out an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater from a factory and loading the optical submarine cable onto a ship docked on a quay outside the factory, wherein the submarine repeater is placed on a trolley and the trolley is placed on a track. The method of loading an optical submarine cable, comprising: loading, applying a traction force to the optical submarine cable to move the carriage on the track, and guiding the optical submarine cable to the ship. 2. A method for pulling out an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater and two couplings connected to the submarine repeater from a factory and loading the optical submarine cable on a ship docked on a quay outside the factory. The submarine repeater and the two couplings are individually mounted on a bogie so that the connection between the submarine repeater and each coupling can be bent, and these bogies are placed on a track. Traction force is applied to the optical submarine cable. And moving the trolley on the track to guide the optical submarine cable to the ship. 3. A shipping line for loading an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater on a ship and extending between a factory and a quay outside the factory, the track extending from the factory to the quay, and the submarine relay. A loading line for optical submarine cables, which is a trolley for mounting a container on the track, and a trolley that moves on the track by a traction force applied to the optical submarine cable. 4. A shipping line extending between a factory and a quay outside the factory for loading an optical submarine cable having an undersea repeater and two couplings connected to the undersea repeater onto a ship. A track extending from the factory to the quay, the submarine repeater and the two couplings are individually mounted, and three trucks mounted on the track are moved by the traction force applied to the optical submarine cable. An optical submarine cable shipping line characterized by comprising three trolleys. 5. A pair of guides provided on both sides of the track that is left and right with respect to the traveling direction of the truck, and guided guides provided on the left and right side portions of the truck and guided by the guides. An optical submarine cable shipping line according to claim 3 or 4, comprising: 6. A trolley used when loading an optical submarine cable having a submarine repeater on a ship, comprising a loading section for mounting the submarine repeater and a base section sliding on an orbit. A trolley for loading an optical submarine cable, characterized in that the trolley is moved on the orbit by a traction force applied to the cable.