JP2014228689A - Optical fiber tape core unit and optical fiber cable - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the discriminability of a tape core unit formed by interconnecting a plurality of tape cores.SOLUTION: In the optical fiber tape core unit 2a, a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in line on a flat surface, optical fiber tape cores having a first connection section 12 in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores are set as base tape cores 1a, the plurality of base tape cores 1a are arranged in line on the flat surface, and second connection sections 14 are disposed on at least one surface in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores located at ends of adjacent base tape cores 1a. All second connection sections 14 are made of color resin of the same color.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon unit in which a plurality of optical fiber ribbons each having a plurality of optical fibers arranged in a line on a plane are connected, and an optical fiber cable using the same.

  With the recent expansion of broadband services such as video distribution, IP telephony, and data communications, the number of subscribers to home-use data communications services (FTTH: Fiber To The Home) using optical fibers is increasing. In this FTTH, a drop optical cable is used to drop from a trunk optical fiber cable to a subscriber's house, etc., but a smaller diameter and higher density of the optical fiber cable are desired, and an improvement in the workability of dropping the optical fiber is desired. Has been.

  For this purpose, an optical fiber cable in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in a line on a plane and collectively formed into a tape shape with a common coating (hereinafter referred to as a tape core wire) is used. Many. Usually, a 4-core tape core is frequently used as the tape core, but an 8-core tape is also available. It is also possible to connect two 4-fiber ribbons to form an 8-fiber ribbon, and to make 16-fiber and 24-fiber ribbons.

  However, in order to pull down the optical fiber to a subscriber's house or the like, it is necessary to separate the multi-core tape core wire into, for example, a 4-core tape core wire, and further to a single-core optical fiber core wire. For this reason, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a state in which adjacent optical fiber cores are intermittently connected to each other so that single-core separation of the optical fiber cores is easy and can be bundled into a bundle. A tape core wire (hereinafter referred to as an intermittent tape core wire) is disclosed.

  Moreover, in the intermittent tape cores as described above, for example, as described in Patent Document 2, in order to provide the tape cores with distinguishability, the adjacent optical fiber cores are intermittently provided. The thing using a colored resin for the connection part connected to is known. In Patent Document 3, a plurality of optical fiber cores constituting an intermittent tape core wire are divided into a plurality of groups. For example, four optical fiber core wires are grouped into one group, and each group is identified. In addition, it is disclosed that the color of the colored resin in the connecting portion that intermittently connects between adjacent optical fiber cores is changed for each group.

JP 2007-279226 A Japanese Patent No. 4619424 JP 2010-286735 A

  However, both of the techniques described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 described above connect adjacent optical fiber cores with a colored resin, and identify a tape core by this color. It is not intended to identify multi-fiber ribbon core units connected to each other. For this reason, for example, when a plurality of tape core units are accommodated in one slot in a slot type optical fiber cable, it is difficult to identify individual tape core units.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and is a multi-fiber optical fiber ribbon capable of improving the discriminability of a tape core unit formed by connecting a plurality of tape cores. An object is to provide a unit and an optical fiber cable using the unit.

  An optical fiber ribbon unit according to the present invention includes a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in a line on a plane, and an optical fiber tape core having a first connecting portion formed in a longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores. A plurality of base tape cores are arranged in a line on a plane, and the second tape is disposed on at least one side in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at the ends of adjacent base tape cores. All the 2nd connection parts are formed with the colored resin of the same color.

Moreover, it is preferable that the 2nd connection part is intermittently formed in the at least single side | surface of the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber core wires located in the end of adjacent base tape core wires.
Moreover, it is preferable that the 2nd connection part is continuously formed in the at least single side | surface of the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber core wires located in the end of adjacent base tape core wires.
Moreover, it is preferable that the 1st connection part is intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wires among several optical fiber core wires.
Moreover, it is preferable that the 1st connection part is continuously formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wires among several optical fiber core wires.

  An optical fiber cable according to the present invention is an optical fiber cable in which a plurality of optical fiber tape core units are housed in a cable core, and the plurality of optical fiber tape core units are optical fiber tape core units. The color of the colored resin of the second connecting portion is different every time.

  According to the present invention, a plurality of tape cores are connected by forming a connecting portion that connects adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at the ends of adjacent tape cores with the same colored resin. The discriminability of the tape core unit can be improved.

It is a figure which shows an example of the optical fiber tape core wire used as a base tape core wire by this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the optical fiber tape cable core unit by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical fiber tape cable core unit by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical fiber tape core wire used as a base tape core wire by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical fiber tape cable core unit by this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the optical fiber cable by this invention. It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical fiber cable by this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the manufacturing method which manufactures the optical fiber tape cable core unit by this invention.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As the base tape core wire used in the optical fiber tape core unit of the present invention, for example, the optical fiber tape core wire 1a in FIG. 1 (A) or the optical fiber tape core wire 1b in FIG. 1 (B) is used. In the optical fiber ribbons 1a and 1b, three or more optical fiber cores 11 are arranged in a line on a plane, and the adjacent optical fiber cores are separated from each other by the first connecting portion 12 and the unconnected portion. This is an optical fiber ribbon (hereinafter, referred to as a base ribbon) that is intermittently connected with the portions 13 alternately. In the following, a 4-core tape core is exemplified as the base tape cores 1a, 1b, but an 8-core tape core may be used, and the number of cores is not particularly limited.

In addition, the optical fiber core wire 11 in the present invention is, for example, an optical fiber strand obtained by coating a glass fiber having an outer diameter of 125 μm with a fiber coating having a coating diameter of about 250 μm. A single-core optical fiber including a coating provided with a colored layer on the outer surface is assumed.
The base tape core wire 1a shown in FIG. 1A is positioned in the longitudinal direction so that the first connecting portion 12 that connects the adjacent optical fiber core wires does not overlap the adjacent first connecting portion 12. This is an example formed so as to be different. On the other hand, in the base tape core wire 1b of FIG. 1B, the position of the first connecting portion 12 that connects adjacent optical fiber core wires is the same as that of the adjacent first connecting portion 12 in the longitudinal direction. Thus, it is an example formed so as to be collectively in the whole heart.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the optical fiber ribbon unit according to the present invention. In the figure, 2a indicates an optical fiber ribbon unit (hereinafter referred to as a tape strand unit). That is, a plurality of the base tape cores 1a of FIG. 1A described above are arranged in a line on a plane, and at least in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at the ends of the adjacent base tape cores 1a. In this example, one side is intermittently connected by the second connecting portion 14 to form the tape core unit 2a. A non-connection portion between the second connection portions 14 is referred to as a second separation portion 15.

  The second connecting portions 14 for intermittently connecting the above-mentioned base tape core wires are formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth-core optical fiber core wire positioned at the end of the base tape core wire 1a The first optical fiber core wire of the base tape core wire 1a adjacent to this is connected. For example, when ten base tape cores 1a are arranged in a line on a plane and connected by the second connecting portion 14, a 40-core tape core unit can be obtained. In addition, the location connected by the 2nd connection part 14 is not limited to this example.

  FIG. 3 is a view showing another example of the optical fiber ribbon unit according to the present invention. In the figure, 2b indicates a tape core unit. That is, a plurality of base tape cores 1b (FIG. 1 (B)) collectively arranged with the first connecting portion 12 in the same position in the entire center are arranged in a line on a plane, and are placed at the ends of adjacent base tape cores 1b. In this example, at least one surface in the longitudinal direction between the positioned optical fiber cores is intermittently connected by a second connecting portion 14 to form a tape core unit 2b. A non-connection portion between the second connection portions 14 is referred to as a second separation portion 15. Similar to the example of FIG. 2, for example, if ten base tape cores 1b are arranged in a line on a plane and connected by the second connecting portion 14, a 40-core tape core unit can be obtained.

  A main object of the present invention is to improve the discrimination of a tape core unit formed by connecting a plurality of tape cores. As a configuration for this, in the tape core unit 2a of FIG. 2 or the tape core unit 2b of FIG. 3, all the second connecting portions 14 are formed of the same colored resin. As the colored resin, for example, a colored ultraviolet curable resin (colored UV resin) can be used. Thus, the discriminability of a tape core unit can be given by making all the 2nd connection parts which connect between adjacent base tape core wires into the same color. For example, when five 40-fiber ribbon units in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 are manufactured, blue, yellow, green, red, purple in order for the second connecting portion 14 of each of the first unit to the fifth unit. 5 colors are assigned. Thereby, if the color of the 2nd connection part 14 is blue, it can identify with the 1st unit easily.

  In the above description, the case where the adjacent optical fiber core wires positioned at the ends of the adjacent base tape core wires are intermittently connected by the colored second connecting portion 14 has been described. 14 may be formed continuously in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at the ends of adjacent base tape core wires. In this case, it is preferable to give a certain degree of flexibility to the second connecting portion 14 so as not to impair the deformability of the tape core unit. For this reason, for example, a colored UV resin having a Young's modulus of 10 MPa or less may be used as the second connecting portion 14.

Further, the base tape core wire is not limited to the intermittent type as shown in FIG. For example, tape cores 3a to 3c (collectively referred to as tape core 3) shown in FIGS. The tape cores 3a to 3c are tape cores in a form in which a plurality of optical fiber cores 21 are arranged in a line on a plane and integrated by common coatings 22a to 22c.
A tape core 3a shown in FIG. 4A is a tape surface in which a plurality of optical fiber cores 21 are arranged in parallel on a plane and integrated into a tape shape by a common coating 22a. In this example, both surfaces of 23a are flat.

4B is a tape core 3b in which a plurality of optical fiber cores 21 are arranged in parallel on a plane and integrated into a tape by a common coating 22b. This is an example in which the tape surface 23 b has a corrugated shape so as to follow the outer surface of the optical fiber core wire 21.
4C is a tape core wire 3c in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires 21 are arranged in a parallel line on a plane, and the common coating 22c is filled only in the valley of the optical fiber core wire 21. In this example, the tape surface 23c is flattened. The shape of the tape core wire is not limited to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C, and the number of cores of the optical fiber core wire 21 is 2 cores other than 4 cores, 6 There may be 8 hearts.

  FIG. 5 is a view showing another example of the optical fiber ribbon unit according to the present invention. In the figure, 4 indicates a tape core unit. That is, a plurality of base tape cores 3 (FIG. 4) integrated by a common coating are arranged in a line on a plane, and the longitudinal direction between the optical fiber cores positioned at the ends of adjacent base tape cores 3 is arranged. In this example, at least one surface is intermittently connected by the second connecting portion 24 to form the tape core unit 4. A non-connection portion between the second connection portions 24 is referred to as a second separation portion 25. As in the example of FIGS. 2 and 3, for example, when ten base tape cores 3 are arranged in a line on a plane and connected by the second connecting portion 24, a 40 core tape core unit can be obtained. . Here, in the tape core unit 4 of FIG. 5, as in the above, all the second connecting portions 24 are formed of the same colored resin, facilitating identification of the tape core unit.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an optical fiber cable according to the present invention, in which the above-described optical fiber ribbon unit is incorporated into a slot type optical fiber cable. 6A shows a slot-type optical fiber cable, and FIG. 6B shows a tape core unit accommodated in the slot-type optical fiber cable of FIG. 6A. In this example, the case where the 40 core fiber cord units 2a shown in FIG. 2 are accommodated by 5 each in one slot is shown, but the above-mentioned other tape fiber core units 2b and 4 are applied. Also good.

  In FIG. 6A, an optical fiber cable 30 is formed of, for example, plastic and uses a slot rod 31 in which a tension member 33 such as a steel wire is embedded in the center, and is a spiral or SZ-shaped slot. The tape core unit 2a described above is housed in the groove 32. After the tape core unit 2a is accommodated in the slot groove 32, an upper winding tape (not shown) is wound on the outer peripheral surface by vertical or horizontal winding, and the outer periphery is covered with a jacket 34 such as polyethylene. . In the case of this example, five 40-core optical fiber units 2 a are accommodated in one slot groove 32, so that 200 optical fiber cores are accommodated in one slot groove 32. Since there are five slot grooves 32, 1000 optical fiber cores are accommodated as a whole.

  Here, the plurality of tape core units 2a are formed so that the color of the colored resin of the second connecting portion 14 is different for each tape core unit. In this example, five 40-core fiber cord units 2a are housed in the slot groove 32, and each of the second unit 14 in each of the first unit to the fifth unit in one slot groove 32 is provided. In this order, five colors of blue, yellow, green, red and purple are assigned. Thereby, when taking out the tape core unit 2a from each slot groove | channel 32, a desired tape core unit can be identified and taken out with the color of the colored resin of the 2nd connection part 14. FIG.

  6 (B), four core tape cores 1a are arranged in a parallel row, and one side thereof is connected by the second connecting portion 14, and 40 core tape cores. It is considered as a unit. As shown in FIG. 6B, the second connecting portion 14 is rounded with the second connecting portion 14 inside, but the second connecting portion 14 may be rounded with the outside being rounded. When the second connecting portion 14 is rolled inward, there is an advantage that the tape core unit 2a is easily bent, and when the second connecting portion 14 is rolled out, the tape core unit 2a is identified. There is an advantage that the performance is further improved.

  FIG. 7 is a view showing another example of the optical fiber cable according to the present invention, in which a plurality of the above-mentioned optical fiber tape core units are bundled and assembled into an optical fiber cable. 7A shows an optical fiber cable, and FIGS. 7B and 7C show an assembly of tape core units accommodated in the optical fiber cable of FIG. 7A. The tape core unit 42 of this example may be any of the tape core unit 2a of FIG. 2, the tape core unit 2b of FIG. 3, or the tape core unit 4 of FIG.

  The optical fiber cable 40 is formed, for example, by assembling a plurality of unit assemblies 41 (five sets in the figure) of the tape core unit 42 and bundling them in a circular shape, and covering the outer periphery with a jacket 45 such as polyethylene. A tension member 46 such as a steel wire is embedded in the jacket 45, and a tear string 47 for tearing the jacket is provided.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the unit assembly 41 of the optical fiber cable 40 is formed by bundling a plurality of tape core units 42 so that the cross section has a fan-like shape. As a result, they are formed in an integrated manner. Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (C), a plurality of tape core units 42 may be bundled so that the cross-section becomes a fan shape and assembled and integrated with a horizontal winding tape 43b.

  7B and 7C, for example, the 40-core ribbon unit illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 is used, and five of these are assembled. This is an example of a unit assembly 41a or 41b composed of 200 optical fibers. In addition, the optical fiber cable 40 of FIG. 7A is an optical fiber cable having 1000 optical fiber cores by assembling five sets of unit assemblies 41a or 41b composed of 200 optical fiber cores. Is. In FIG. 7, the unit aggregate 41 a or 41 b has a fan-like cross-sectional shape, but it is a shape that can be easily assembled as an optical fiber cable, and is not limited to this.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining an example of a manufacturing method for manufacturing the optical fiber ribbon unit according to the present invention. In the figure, 50 is a UV resin supply device, 50a is a nozzle, 50b is a colored UV resin, 5a is a base tape core, and 6 is a tape core unit. The base tape core wire 5a is an 8-fiber intermittent tape core wire having a tape thickness of about 280 μm and a tape width of about 2 mm by covering eight optical fiber core wires 51 having a thickness of 250 μm with a tape resin 52. .

  As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of (for example, five) base tape cores 5a are arranged in a parallel line, an optical fiber core 51 positioned at the end of the base tape core 5a, and an adjacent base tape core. The second connecting portion 53 is formed by supplying and applying the colored UV resin 50b with the nozzle 50a between the optical fiber core wire 51 located at the end of 5a. The colored UV resin 50b may be applied intermittently to form the second connecting portion 53 intermittently, or may be applied continuously to make the second connecting portion 53 continuous. You may make it form in.

  In this way, the five base tape core wires 5a in which the colored UV resin 50b is applied and the second connecting portion 53 (before curing) is formed are sent to the ultraviolet irradiation device, and the ultraviolet irradiation device By irradiating with ultraviolet rays, the colored UV resin of the second connecting portion 53 is cured and further wound around a bobbin to manufacture the 40-core ribbon unit 6. In this example, a case is assumed where five 40-core fiber cord units 6 are stored in each slot of the slot-type optical fiber cable of FIG. In each slot, the colored UV resin 50b of the five units has five colors, for example, blue, yellow, green, red, and purple, in order to give distinction to each 40-fiber ribbon unit. , Corresponding to the 1st to 5th units respectively.

  The 40-core ribbon unit 6 is formed by a die or the like to be accommodated in the slot, and has a round shape as shown in FIG. 6B, for example. Is stored in the slot groove. Further, by covering the outer cover, for example, a 1000-core type optical fiber cable as shown in FIG. 6A can be manufactured.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a, 1b, 3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 5a ... Base tape core wire, 2a, 2b, 4, 6, 42 ... Optical fiber tape core unit (tape core wire unit), 11, 21, 51 ... Optical fiber Core wire, 12 ... first connecting portion, 13 ... first separating portion, 14, 24, 53 ... second connecting portion, 15, 25 ... second separating portion, 22a-22c ... common covering, 23a- 23c: Tape surface, 30, 40: Optical fiber cable, 31: Slot rod, 32: Slot groove, 33, 46: Tension member, 34, 45 ... Jacket, 41, 41a, 41b ... Unit assembly, 43a: Vertical Attached tape, 43b ... Horizontally wound tape, 44 ... Presser wound string, 47 ... Tear string, 50 ... UV resin supply device, 50a ... Nozzle, 50b ... Colored UV resin, 52 ... Tape resin.

Claims (6)

An optical fiber ribbon in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a line on a plane and a first connecting portion is formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fibers is used as a base tape, and the base tape An optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of core wires arranged in a line on a plane and having a second connecting portion on at least one side in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber wires positioned at the ends of adjacent base tape wires A unit,
All said 2nd connection parts are optical fiber tape cable core units formed with the colored resin of the same color.   2. The optical fiber tape according to claim 1, wherein the second connection portion is intermittently formed on at least one surface in a longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at an end of the adjacent base tape cores. Core unit.   2. The optical fiber tape according to claim 1, wherein the second connecting portion is continuously formed on at least one surface in a longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores positioned at an end of the adjacent base tape core wires. Core unit.   The said 1st connection part is intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wire among these optical fiber core wires of any one of Claims 1-3. Optical fiber ribbon unit.   The said 1st connection part is continuously formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wire among these optical fiber core wires, The any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. An optical fiber ribbon unit according to item 1. An optical fiber cable in which the optical fiber ribbon unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is accommodated in a plurality of cable cores,
The plurality of optical fiber ribbon units are optical fiber cables in which the color of the colored resin of the second connecting portion is different for each optical fiber ribbon unit.

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