JP2009042488A - Optical fiber cable - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber cable that has superior handleability and mechanical characteristics and that can prevent breaking of a tension member when bent to a small diameter and protruding of a coated optical fiber in a terminal. <P>SOLUTION: A coated optical fiber 5 is arranged in a manner that the center of the cable of the main body 7 becomes the center of the coated optical fiber 5. In addition, On the center line of the cable, there are arranged two tension members 3a, 3b in a manner having the coated optical fiber 5 in-between. Cross sectional shapes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the two tension members 3a, 3b are both roughly rectangular, with the length A of the shorter side not less than the outer diameter of the coated optical fiber 5. Also, the material of the two tension members 3a, 3b is aramid fiber FRP and the shorter side of the cross section of the tension member is 0.245-0.35 mm. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical fiber cable that has excellent handling properties and mechanical properties, and can suppress breakage of a tensile strength member and protrusion of an optical fiber core wire at a terminal when bent to a small diameter.

  In recent years, the construction of optical subscriber line networks has been rapidly progressing, and various optical fiber cables are used. Conventionally, a drop optical fiber cable has been used as a drawing optical fiber cable for drawing into a home such as a home from a trunk optical fiber cable. In addition, indoor optical fiber cables are used in the homes and premises of each home.

  As these optical fiber cables, a glass optical fiber having a soft layer (primary coating layer) and a hard layer (secondary coating layer) applied on the soft layer and an outer diameter of about 0.24 mm Alternatively, an optical fiber core having an outer diameter of about 0.25 mm having a colored layer applied on the hard layer for identification purposes, and a pair of tensile members positioned so as to sandwich the optical fiber core In general, the sheath is integrally coated with a sheath made of polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene.

  The optical fiber indoor cable includes an optical fiber core and a pair of tensile strengths positioned on both sides of the optical fiber core so that the center is positioned on substantially the same plane as the center of the optical fiber core. The body is generally provided with a sheath made of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like. On the other hand, as an optical fiber drop cable, in addition to the optical fiber core and the tensile body, the support wires are arranged so that the centers of the tensile body and the optical fiber core and the center thereof are substantially on the same plane. In general, a sheath is integrally coated.

  The tensile body is mounted on the optical fiber cable for the purpose of preventing the tension from being transmitted to the optical fiber core wire when the optical fiber cable is pulled or stretched or contracted due to a temperature change or the like. As the strength member, a steel wire having a circular cross section and an outer diameter of 0.4 to 0.5 mm, glass FRP, aramid fiber FRP, or the like is generally used.

  By the way, a drop optical fiber cable and an indoor optical fiber cable may be housed and installed in a pipe in a column, in a house, or in the ground, but may be bent to a small diameter in the pipe at the time of installation. . In addition, when laying along a wall surface, there are many occasions where it is bent to a small diameter, such as being bent to a small diameter at a corner of the wall surface. Therefore, an optical fiber cable having a tensile body that does not break when bent to a small diameter has been proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an optical fiber cable having a tensile body made of glass FRP and PET and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tensile body.
JP 2005-49658 A

  In an optical fiber cable in which a tensile body is attached to an optical fiber core, a tensile body of an aramid fiber FRP is increasingly used because of its high tensile strength and difficulty in bending at the time of small-diameter bending.

The tensile body made of aramid fiber FRP has a tensile elastic modulus larger than the compressive elastic modulus, such as a tensile elastic modulus of about 30,000 N / mm ² and a compressive elastic modulus of about 14,000 N / mm ² .

  Thus, the fact that the tensile elastic modulus is larger than the compressive elastic modulus means that it is relatively difficult to pull and is easy to compress.

  When an optical fiber cable having a tensile body made of an aramid fiber FRP that is difficult to pull and easily compresses is bent, the center of bending in each tensile body moves to the outside of the bending than the center of the tensile body.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the occurrence of compressive strain in the optical fiber core wire. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a strain neutral surface in the case of a material having the same tensile stiffness and compression stiffness, and FIG. 4B is a diagram in the case of a material having a tensile stiffness greater than the compression stiffness. It is a figure which shows a distortion neutral surface. FIG. 4C is a diagram showing a strain neutral plane in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion or the indoor optical fiber cable excluding the support line portion of the drop optical fiber cable.

  Here, the strain neutral plane is a plane perpendicular to the bending radius direction in which tensile rigidity and compression rigidity are balanced when the material is bent. That is, the compression rigidity acts on the inner surface side of the bending with respect to the strain neutral surface, and the tensile rigidity acts on the outer surface side of the bending with respect to the strain neutral surface.

  In a material having the same tensile rigidity and compressive rigidity such as metal, as shown in FIG. 4A, the material center plane when the material is not bent coincides with the strain neutral plane when the material is bent. On the other hand, in a material such as a fiber whose tensile rigidity is larger than the compression rigidity, as shown in FIG. 4B, a strain neutral surface is located on the outer side of the bending with respect to the material center plane when the material is not bent. That is, compressive strain is applied to the material center plane.

  When this is applied to an optical fiber cable using a tensile body made of an FRP rod such as an aramid fiber shown in FIG. 4C, the optical fiber cable is bent in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cable. In this case, when the bending radius direction is the x direction, the strain neutral plane of the optical fiber cable is located on the outer side of the bending side with respect to the material center plane of the strength member, and is located at the center of the cross section of the optical fiber cable. Will be subjected to compression distortion.

  For these reasons, if the optical fiber cable is bent, that is, if it is held for a long time in a state where compressive strain is applied to the optical fiber core, the sheath tries to relieve the compressive strain applied to the optical fiber core. Therefore, there arises a problem that the optical fiber core wire protrudes from. In this case, the protruding optical fiber core loses its escape and causes a bending with a small bending radius locally in the connector or in the storage box for storing the optical fiber connection portion, thereby increasing the bending loss or the worst. In the case of, the possibility of breakage cannot be denied.

  On the other hand, when a tensile strength body of steel wire is used, there is no occurrence of compressive strain as described above, that is, no occurrence of protruding optical fiber core, but there is a problem that handling property is not good because of strong bending rigidity. It was. Also, since optical fiber cables are drawn directly into the house from the outside, if lightning strikes and metal members are used in the optical fiber cable, surge currents from lightning strikes the house and damages optical equipment. There was a fear of giving.

  Further, as in Patent Document 1, when a tensile body such as a rectangular glass FRP is used, there is a problem in that mechanical characteristics with respect to the optical fiber cable are deteriorated due to external forces such as impact and lateral pressure.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and has excellent handling properties and mechanical characteristics, as well as bending of a tensile body when bent to a small diameter, and the optical fiber core wire at the terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber cable capable of suppressing protrusion.

The following invention is provided to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.
An optical fiber cable according to a first aspect of the present invention is an optical fiber cable in which an optical fiber core and a tensile body are integrated, and is on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber core. The tensile strength member has a cross-sectional shape that is a rectangle or a substantially rectangular shape in which the bending radius direction of the strength member is a short side, and the material of the strength member is an aramid fiber FRP. The short side is 0.245 to 0.35 mm.

  Thereby, by suppressing the compressive strain applied to the optical fiber core when the optical fiber cable is bent, the protrusion of the optical fiber core can be suppressed and the tensile property can be satisfied.

  In addition, the buckling of the tensile body can be suppressed and the standard condition of the mechanical characteristics for the optical fiber cable due to an external force such as an impact in the bending radius direction or a lateral pressure can be satisfied.

According to the present invention, while satisfying the standard condition of mechanical characteristics for an optical fiber cable due to external force such as impact or lateral pressure in the bending radius direction, the compressive strain applied to the optical fiber core when the optical fiber cable is bent is suppressed. Thus, protrusion of the optical fiber core wire can be suppressed.
Moreover, the buckling of the tensile strength body can be suppressed while satisfying the tensile strength characteristics.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the embodiment described below is for explanation, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, those skilled in the art can employ embodiments in which each or all of these elements are replaced by equivalents thereof, and these embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is an example showing a schematic cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of an optical fiber cable to which the present invention can be applied.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a drop optical fiber cable will be described as an example of the optical fiber cable 1. The optical fiber cable 1 includes a main body portion 7 in which an optical fiber core wire 5 and two strength members 3a and 3b are mounted, and a support wire that is connected to the main body portion 7 by a covering material 2 and in which a support wire 8 is mounted. Part 6.

  The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 7 is formed into a substantially elliptical shape in which the x direction, which is the bending radius direction of the optical fiber cable 1, is the short diameter and the y direction is the long diameter. Is formed. Here, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or the like is used as the covering material 2. Further, the optical fiber core wire 5 is arranged so that the center of the cross section of the main body 7 or a substantially center position (hereinafter referred to as a cable center) is the center of the optical fiber core wire 5.

  In addition, two strength members 3a and 3b are disposed on a line passing through the cable center and parallel to the y direction (hereinafter referred to as a cable center line) with the optical fiber core wire 5 interposed therebetween. The cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the two strength members 3a and 3b are both substantially rectangular shapes in which the x direction is the short side and the y direction is the long side. Here, the length of the short side is A, and the length of the long side is B. A is equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber core wire 5. The material of the two strength members 3a and 3b is aramid fiber FRP.

  Moreover, the notch 4 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the main body part 7, and the main body part 7 can be easily torn from the notch 4 by the operator's hand without using a special tool when laying, The optical fiber core wire 5 inside the main body 7 can be easily taken out.

  In the optical fiber cable 1 as described above, the strength members 3a and 3b are bent in a rectangular shape having a short side in the bending radius direction of the cable as compared with a circle having the same cross-sectional area. The distortion applied to the optical fiber core wire at the time becomes small. This is because as the outer diameter or side size in the bending radius direction increases, the difference between the tensile strain and the compressive strain acting on the tensile body increases, and the shift amount of the strain neutral plane decreases.

  Therefore, by using the optical fiber cable 1 as described above in which the shape of the strength members 3a and 3b is a rectangle having a short side in the bending radius direction of the cable, the tensile strength characteristics can be obtained by increasing the cross-sectional area of the strength members 3a and 3b. While satisfying, the compressive strain applied to the optical fiber core wire 5 when the optical fiber cable 1 is bent can be suppressed, and the protrusion of the optical fiber core wire 5 can be suppressed.

  Further, in the optical fiber cable 1 as described above, by using the aramid fiber FRP as the strength members 3a and 3b, the fiber on the inner side of the bending is not buckled but bent, so that the bending with a small bending radius is prevented. However, it is possible to prevent the optical fiber cable 1 from being broken.

  In addition, in the optical fiber cable 1 as described above, the mechanical properties of the optical fiber cable 1 due to external forces such as impact and lateral pressure in the x direction are such that the lengths of the strength members 3a and 3b in the x direction are outside the optical fiber core 5. Since it is more than a diameter, the influence of the external force with respect to the optical fiber core wire 5 can be suppressed, and a reference condition can be satisfied.

  In particular, in the size of the optical fiber cable 1, the main body 7 has a minor axis of 1.0 to 3.5 mm, a major axis of about 2.0 to 6.0 mm, and an outer diameter of the support wire part 6 of 2.0 to 5. When the outer diameter of the optical fiber core wire 5 is 0.25 mm, the length A of the short sides of the strength members 3a and 3b is set to 0.25 to 0.35 mm, as described above. In addition to having excellent handling properties and mechanical properties, it is possible to suppress breakage of the tensile strength body and protrusion of the optical fiber core wire at the terminal when bent to a small diameter.

  In the optical fiber cable 1 described above, the optical fiber core wire 5 is a single drop optical fiber cable. However, as shown in FIG. 2, the optical fiber core wire 5 has a plurality of drop optical fiber cables (multi-core cable). 11). The reference numerals in FIG. 2 are the same as those in FIG.

  Moreover, although the optical fiber cable 1 mentioned above was a drop optical fiber cable, the indoor optical fiber cable 12 as shown in FIG. 3 may be sufficient. The indoor optical fiber cable 12 in FIG. 3 is the same as the main body portion 7 of the drop optical fiber cable 1 or the multi-core cable 11.

  Next, several preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  In the first embodiment, in the size of the optical fiber cable 1 in FIG. 1, the main body portion 7 has a short diameter of 1.0 to 3.5 mm, a long diameter of about 2.0 to 6.0 mm, and an outer diameter of the support wire portion 6. Is 2.0-5.0 mm. Moreover, the optical fiber core wire 5 has a colored layer, the outer diameter when the colored layer is removed is 0.243 mm, and the outer diameter including the colored layer is 0.25 mm. At this time, the bending characteristics and the cable mechanical characteristics due to the difference in the length A of the short sides of the strength members 3a and 3b and the difference in the materials of the strength members 3a and 3b were investigated.

  Table 1 shows the results of the bending characteristics and cable mechanical characteristics when the short side dimension A of the tensile strength members 3a and 3b of the aramid fiber FRP was 0.10 mm, 0.245 mm, and 0.35 mm. As a comparative example, the results of bending characteristics and cable mechanical characteristics when the short side dimension A of the glass fiber FRP tensile bodies 3a and 3b is 0.15 mm, 0.20 mm, 0.24 mm, and 0.28 mm are also shown. It described in Table 1.

  Here, the long side dimensions B of the strength members 3a and 3b are all 0.63 mm. The bending characteristic is a result of measuring the presence or absence of bending when the bending radius is 2 mm. The result of the bending characteristic is represented by “◯” when there is no break, and “x” when there is a break.

  Also, the cable mechanical characteristics are the result of a lateral pressure test that measured the amount of increase in loss when a lateral pressure load of 240 kgf / 25 mm from the x direction was applied for 1 minute, and a 600 g load with a striking surface diameter Φ20 of 1 m in the x direction. The result of the impact test which measured the amount of increase in loss when it is dropped is shown.

  The presence or absence of loss increase in the results of the side pressure test and impact test is indicated by “◯” indicating no loss increase when the loss increase amount is 0.1 dB or less, and “×” when there is a loss increase when greater than 0.1 dB. ". Also, the amount of loss increase is shown in parentheses.

  As can be seen from Table 1, in Example 1 using the tensile strength members 3a and 3b of the aramid fiber FRP, when the dimension A was 0.10 mm, there was no bending when the bending radius was 2 mm. As a result of the impact test, there was an increase in loss. When the dimension A was 0.245 mm and 0.35 mm, there was no bending when the bending radius was 2 mm, and there was no increase in loss in both the side pressure test and the impact test.

  On the other hand, in the comparative example using the tensile strength fiber FRP of the glass fiber FRP, when the dimension A was 0.15 mm, 0.20 mm, and 0.24 mm, there was no bending when the bending radius was 2 mm. As a result of the impact test, there was an increase in loss. When the dimension A was 0.28 mm, the results of the side pressure test and the impact test showed no increase in loss, but there was a break when the bending radius was 2 mm.

  From the above results, by using the aramid fiber FRP for the strength members 3a and 3b, the fiber on the inner surface side of the bending is not buckled but bent, so that the optical fiber cable 1 can be bent even with a small bending radius. It was found that it was possible to prevent the breakage. Further, the mechanical characteristics of the optical fiber cable 1 due to external forces such as impact and lateral pressure in the x direction are also made larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber core wire 5 before the colored layer is applied to the tensile strength members 3a and 3b. Thus, it was found that the external force can be suppressed by the strength members 3a and 3b, the influence of the external force on the optical fiber core wire 5 can be suppressed, and the reference condition can be satisfied.

  However, when glass fiber FRP is used for the strength members 3a and 3b, it is necessary to bend the FRP to a curvature radius of 2.0 (mm) (for example, when the support wire portion 6 and the main body portion 7 are separated). In order not to break the FRP, the outer diameter needs to be 0.24 mm or less, but the outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter 0.243 mm of the optical fiber core 5 before the colored layer is applied. The mechanical characteristics of the optical fiber cable 1 due to external force are extremely deteriorated. Therefore, it has been found that as long as glass fiber is used, it is impossible to achieve both FRP bending and cable mechanical properties.

  In the second embodiment, in the size of the optical fiber cable 1 of FIG. 1, the main body 7 has a minor axis of 1.0 to 3.5 mm, a major axis of about 2.0 to 6.0 mm, and an outer diameter of the support wire part 6. Is 2.0-5.0 mm. Moreover, the optical fiber core wire 5 has a colored layer, the outer diameter when the colored layer is removed is 0.243 mm, and the outer diameter including the colored layer is 0.25 mm. At this time, the compression strain, the optical fiber protruding amount, and the cable elongation due to the difference in size and shape of the strength members 3a and 3b were investigated.

  The shape and dimensions of the aramid fiber FRP strength members 3a and 3b are “0.1 (circular)” whose outer diameter is a circle of 0.1 mm, the short side dimension A is 0.245 mm, and the long side dimension B is 0. “0.245 × 0.8 (rectangle)” which is a rectangle of 0.8 mm, “0.3 (circle)” which is a circle having an outer diameter of 0.3 mm, and a long side having a short side dimension A of 0.35 mm “0.35 × 0.57 (rectangle)”, which is a rectangle having a dimension B of 0.57 mm, “0.35 (circular)”, which is a circle having an outer diameter of 0.35 mm, and an outer diameter of 0.40 mm “0.40 (circular)” that is circular, and “0.40 × 0.5 (rectangular)” that is a rectangle having a short side dimension A of 0.40 mm and a long side dimension B of 0.5 mm. Table 2 shows the results of measurement of compression strain, optical fiber protrusion amount, and cable elongation for seven samples.

  Here, the compressive strain is a compression rate of the optical fiber core wire 5 due to the compressive strain generated in the optical fiber core wire 5 when the optical fiber cable 1 is bent so that the bending diameter becomes 35 mm. The optical fiber protruding amount is the protruding amount of the optical fiber core wire 5 at the end of the optical fiber cable 1 when aged at 85 ° C. for 30 days. The FRP cross-sectional area is a cross-sectional area on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strength member, and the extension of the cable is an optical fiber cable when a tension of 35 N is applied to the main body portion 7 of the optical fiber cable 1. 1 shows the elongation percentage of the main body 7.

  As can be seen from Table 2, when the cross-sectional shapes of the tensile strength members are the same, the compressive strain generated in the optical fiber core wire 5 increases as the outer diameters of the strength members 3a and 3b increase. Therefore, the amount of optical fiber protruding when aged at 85 ° C. for 30 days is also increased. Further, it is known that the bending loss generated inside the connector exceeds the allowable loss of 0.3 dB when the protruding amount of the optical fiber exceeds 0.3 mm due to the structure of the jacket holding connector attached to the end of the optical fiber cable 1. ing. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress the optical fiber protrusion amount to 0.3 mm or less. That is, when the cross-sectional shape of the strength member is circular, the outer diameters of the strength members 3a and 3b must be 0.35 mm or less.

In addition, when the cross-sectional areas of the strength members 3a and 3b are small, the elongation rate of the main body portion 7 of the optical fiber cable 1 when a tension of 35 N is applied to the main body portion 7 of the optical fiber cable 1 is increased. Moreover, elongation, between 20 years a warranty period of the optical fiber cable is less than 0.3%, the allowable breakage rate 4.7 × even when held in a state where strain is applied 10 ^- It is known that the fracture probability of ³ or less is satisfied, and that the elongation rate of less than 0.3% is a condition for satisfying the elongation characteristics of the optical fiber cable 1, and therefore the tensile strength members 3a and 3b. Must have a cross-sectional area of 0.12 mm ² or more. That is, when the cross-sectional shape of the strength members is circular, the outer diameters of the strength members 3a and 3b must be 0.40 mm or more, and there is no outer diameter that satisfies both the protrusion amount and the elongation rate.

  On the other hand, when the cross-sectional shape of the strength member is rectangular, the length A of the short sides of the strength members 3a and 3b is set to 0.245 to 0.35 mm to satisfy both the protrusion amount and the elongation rate. it can.

  From the above results, in order to satisfy the mechanical properties of the optical fiber cable 1 and the optical fiber protruding amount even when bent to a radius of curvature of 2.0, the tensile strength members 3a and 3b are made of aramid fibers, The outer diameter needs to be in the range of 0.245 to 0.35 mm, but in the case of a circular shape, the tensile rigidity necessary for the strength members 3a and 3b cannot be achieved. For this reason, it has been found that the rectangular shape can increase the cross-sectional area without changing the outer diameter dimension A, and the necessary tensile rigidity can be ensured.

  In Example 1 and Example 2, a colored layer was used as the optical fiber core and an optical fiber core having an outer diameter of 0.25 mm was used, but no colored layer was applied as the optical fiber core. Similar results can be obtained using an optical fiber core having an outer diameter of about 0.24 mm.

  This is because the colored layer is applied for identification and is a very thin layer, so that the influence on the characteristics of the optical fiber core wire is very small.

  Therefore, the influence of the external force on the optical fiber core wire can be suppressed by making the short side of the tensile body larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber core wire before applying the colored layer.

It is an example which showed the cross-sectional schematic diagram perpendicular | vertical to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cable 1 which can apply this invention. It is an example which showed the cross-sectional schematic diagram perpendicular | vertical to the longitudinal direction of the other optical fiber cable 11 which can apply this invention. It is an example which showed the cross-sectional schematic drawing perpendicular | vertical to the longitudinal direction of the other optical fiber cable 12 which can apply this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating generation | occurrence | production of the compressive strain of an optical fiber core wire.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 11, 12 Optical fiber cable 2 Coating | covering material 3a, 3b Strength member 4 Notch 5 Optical fiber core wire 6 Support line part 7 Main-body part

Claims (1)

An optical fiber cable in which an optical fiber core and a tensile body are integrated,
The cross-sectional shape of the strength member on a plane perpendicular to the optical fiber core wire and the longitudinal direction of the strength member is a rectangle having a short side in the bending radius direction of the strength member or a substantially rectangular shape, and the strength Body material is aramid fiber FRP,
The optical fiber cable according to claim 1, wherein the short side of the cross-sectional shape of the strength member is 0.245 to 0.35 mm.

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