JP2015004766A - Optical fiber cable, and manufacturing method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber cable that can improve the visibility of length marks and control the cable length of a support wire part with reduced errors.SOLUTION: A cable part 10 is linked to neck parts 31 intermittently formed in the lengthwise direction of a support wire part 20 in a state of being loose relative to the support wire part 20. Length marks 51 each indicating a cable length in a position on the support wire part are provided on the cable part 10. On the support wire part 20, an identification mark 52 indicating the presence of the length mark 51 is provided on the cable part 10 in a position corresponding to the length mark 51.

Description

  The present invention relates to a self-supporting optical fiber cable with slack and a method of manufacturing a self-supporting optical fiber cable with slack.

  The FTTH (Fiber To The Home) service, which provides a high-speed communication service by directly connecting a telecommunications carrier and a subscriber's home with an optical fiber, has become widespread. As an optical fiber cable, there is a self-supporting optical fiber cable having a support wire for aerial use. The self-supporting type optical fiber cable generally includes a cable portion in which an optical fiber core wire and a tensile body are covered with a jacket made of thermoplastic resin, and a support wire portion in which the support wire is covered with a jacket. It has the structure connected by.

  An optical fiber cable is printed with a length mark serving as a guide for the cable length in order to confirm the cable length during cable laying work (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, the length marks are provided on the optical fiber cable at intervals of 1 m.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-38295

  As a self-supporting type optical fiber cable, the cable part and the support line part are connected with an intermittent neck part in the longitudinal direction, and the cable part is loosened with respect to the support line part. There is a cable. In this case, the actual length of the optical fiber cable is the length of the support line portion. Therefore, in order to manage the cable length of the optical fiber cable, it is appropriate to put a length mark on the support line portion.

  As an example, there is an optical fiber cable in which a steel wire having a diameter of 1.2 mm is used as a support wire, and the support wire is covered with a jacket so that the diameter of the support wire portion is 2.0 mm. In such an optical fiber cable with a thin support line portion, the width for printing the length mark is narrow, and it is not easy to print the length mark at a predetermined position with high accuracy. Even if the length mark can be printed at a predetermined position, the character indicating the cable length must be small, and the visibility is poor.

  Therefore, it is conceivable to print a length mark on a cable portion having a diameter larger than that of the support wire portion. However, in the self-supporting optical fiber cable with slack, the cable part is slack with respect to the support line part, so even if the length mark is printed on the cable part, the length mark printed on the cable part and the cable length It is difficult to achieve alignment with the longitudinal position of the support line portion to be controlled. Therefore, an error in managing the cable length of the support wire portion becomes large.

  In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber cable that can improve the visibility of a length mark and can manage the cable length of a support wire portion with a small error. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable that can manufacture an optical fiber cable having a length mark that has good visibility and can manage the cable length of a support line portion with a small error.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the conventional technology, the present invention provides a support line portion in which a support line is covered with a jacket, and an optical fiber core wire is covered with a jacket and is loosened with respect to the support line portion. A cable portion connected to the support wire portion by a neck portion intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction of the support wire portion, and the cable portion includes cables at respective positions of the support wire portion. The length mark which shows length is attached | subjected, The identification mark which shows that the said length mark is attached | subjected to the said cable part in the position corresponding to the said length mark is attached | subjected to the said support wire part. An optical fiber cable is provided.

  In the above optical fiber cable, in addition to the length mark, the cable portion includes company name information indicating the name of the manufacturer of the optical fiber cable, year information indicating the year of manufacture of the optical fiber cable, and the optical fiber cable. It is preferable that at least one of model number information indicating a model number, lot number information indicating a manufacturing lot number of the optical fiber cable, and customer information as a delivery destination of the optical fiber cable is attached.

  In order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, the present invention makes the support line stretched by applying a predetermined tension to the support line in the longitudinal direction, and the optical fiber core wire and the support line And the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the first covering portion covering the optical fiber core and the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the second covering portion covering the support wire. The first covering portion and the second covering portion are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction in the process of creating a cable having the same length, and during or after the cable is created. Each position of the second covering portion with respect to the first covering portion in the state in which the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the first and second covering portions is the same. With a length mark indicating the cable length in A step of attaching an identification mark indicating that the length mark is attached to the first covering portion at a position corresponding to the length mark, and the length mark and the identification mark By releasing the predetermined tension applied to the support line in the attached cable and loosening the first covering portion with respect to the second covering portion, a self-supporting type with a slack And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable.

  In the method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, the step of attaching the length mark and the identification mark uses a printing device to print the length mark on the first covering portion, and the identification mark is applied to the second mark. It is preferable to print on the covering portion.

  According to the optical fiber cable of the present invention, the visibility of the length mark can be improved, and the cable length of the support line portion can be managed with a small error. According to the method for manufacturing an optical fiber cable of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture an optical fiber cable having a length mark that has good visibility and can manage the cable length of the support line portion with a small error.

It is a side view showing one embodiment of an optical fiber cable. It is a perspective view showing one embodiment of an optical fiber cable. It is a side view which shows the modification of one Embodiment of an optical fiber cable. It is a schematic block diagram of the manufacturing apparatus of the optical fiber cable which implement | achieves one Embodiment of the manufacturing method of an optical fiber cable.

  At least the following matters will be apparent from the description and drawings described below.

  A support line portion in which a support line is covered with a jacket, and an optical fiber core wire is covered with a jacket, and in a state where it is slack with respect to the support line portion, it is intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction of the support line portion. A cable portion connected to the support wire portion by a neck portion, and the cable portion is provided with a length mark indicating a cable length at each position of the support wire portion. The optical fiber cable is characterized in that an identification mark indicating that the length mark is attached to the cable portion is attached at a position corresponding to the length mark.

  With such an optical fiber cable, the visibility of the length mark can be improved, and the cable length of the support line portion can be managed with a small error.

  In the above optical fiber cable, in addition to the length mark, the cable portion includes company name information indicating the name of the manufacturer of the optical fiber cable, year information indicating the year of manufacture of the optical fiber cable, and the optical fiber cable. It is preferable that at least one of model number information indicating a model number, lot number information indicating a manufacturing lot number of the optical fiber cable, and customer information as a delivery destination of the optical fiber cable is attached.

  Thereby, additional information other than the length mark can also be obtained.

  Further, the support wire is stretched by applying a predetermined tension in the longitudinal direction to the support wire, the optical fiber core wire and the support wire are covered with an outer sheath, and the optical fiber core wire is covered. Forming a cable in which the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the first covering portion and the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the second covering portion covering the support wire are the same; and A step of intermittently connecting the first covering portion and the second covering portion in the longitudinal direction in the middle of making or after the cable is made; and A length mark indicating a cable length at each position of the second covering portion is attached to the first covering portion with the same relative length in the longitudinal direction, and the second covering portion is attached. Corresponding to the length mark And a step of attaching an identification mark indicating that the length mark is attached to the first covering portion, and the length mark and the support line in the cable to which the identification mark is attached. And releasing the predetermined tension to loosen the first covering portion with respect to the second covering portion, thereby creating a self-supporting optical fiber cable with a slack. The manufacturing method of the optical fiber cable becomes clear.

  With such a method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, it is possible to manufacture an optical fiber cable having a length mark that has good visibility and can manage the cable length of the support line portion with a small error.

  In the method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, the step of attaching the length mark and the identification mark uses a printing device to print the length mark on the first covering portion, and the identification mark is applied to the second mark. It is preferable to print on the covering portion.

  Accordingly, the length mark can be easily attached to the first covering portion, and the identification mark can be easily attached to the second covering portion.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an optical fiber cable and an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an optical fiber cable will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2, a slack-equipped self-supporting optical fiber cable 100 according to an embodiment includes a cable portion 10 and a support wire portion 20. The cable portion 10 includes an optical fiber core wire 11, a pair of strength members 12 disposed so as to sandwich the optical fiber core wire 11, and an outer sheath made of a thermoplastic resin that covers the optical fiber core wire 11 and the strength member 12. (First covering portion) 13.

  The optical fiber core wire 11 may be one or a plurality of optical fiber strands, or may be one or a plurality of tape core wires. In the case of a tape core, it may be an intermittently fixed tape core. The configuration of the optical fiber core wire 11 is arbitrary. The strength member 12 is formed of, for example, a steel wire or an aramid fiber.

  The support wire portion 20 includes a support wire 21 and an outer cover (second covering portion) 22 made of a thermoplastic resin that covers the support wire 21.

  The cable portion 10 and the support wire portion 20 are connected by a plurality of neck portions 31 that are intermittently arranged in the longitudinal direction. Between the two neck parts 31, it is the window part 32 which the cable part 10 and the support line part 20 left | separated. The jacket 13, the jacket 22, and the neck 31 are integrally formed of a thermoplastic resin. The jacket 13, the jacket 22, and the entire neck portion 31 form an integral jacket.

  The jacket 13, the jacket 22, and the neck 31 are made of, for example, polyethylene. The jacket 13, the jacket 22, and the neck 31 are preferably formed of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE).

  The cable portion 10 is longer than the support wire portion 20 by a predetermined amount of slack. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the cable portion 10 is connected to the support wire portion 20 in a slack and wavy state. The slack amount of the cable portion 10 is, for example, + 0.3% of the length of the support wire portion 20.

  As an example, the support wire 21 is a steel wire having a diameter of 1.2 mm, and the support wire 21 is covered with an outer cover 22 so that the diameter of the support wire portion 20 is 2.0 mm. The dimension of the cable part 10 is a substantially rectangular shape having a cross section of, for example, 2.0 mm × 3.5 mm. The length of the neck portion 31 is, for example, 50 mm, and the length of the window portion 32 is, for example, 250 mm.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cable portion 10 is provided with a length mark 51 that indicates the cable length as a number by printing. The length marks 51 are applied to the optical fiber cable 100 at intervals of 1 m, for example. The length mark 51 indicates the cable length at the position where each length mark 51 is attached. Here, the length mark 51 indicates 1234 m, indicating that the position is 1234 m from the end of the optical fiber cable 100 as a guide.

  The actual length of the optical fiber cable 100 is the length of the support line portion 20, and the length indicated by the length mark 51 indicates the length of the support line portion 20 as a guide. Since the cable length is normally managed with an accuracy of +0 to −0.5%, 1 m indicated by the length mark 51 is actually 995 to 1000 mm.

  Corresponding to the position where the length mark 51 is printed, an identification mark 52 indicating that the length mark 51 is printed on the cable portion 10 is printed on the support line portion 20 by printing. Since the length marks 51 are provided on the cable portion 10 at intervals of 1 m, the identification marks 52 are also provided on the support line portion 20 at intervals of 1 m if the slack of the cable portion 10 is ignored.

  In the present embodiment, the identification mark 52 is, for example, a rectangular mark filled with a single color. The identification mark 52 should just show that the length mark 51 is attached | subjected to the cable part 10 corresponding to the position of the support line part 20 to which the identification mark 52 is attached | subjected. Therefore, the shape and color of the identification mark 52 are arbitrary. What is necessary is just to use the color (for example, white) which is conspicuous with respect to the ground color of the jacket 22 of the support line part 20. FIG. The identification mark 52 may be a symbol. When the identification mark 52 is a symbol, it is preferable to use a simple symbol such as a circle or a triangle.

  The identification mark 52 does not need to be a character and may be a simple figure or a simple symbol, so that the visibility is excellent even if the support line portion 20 is thin.

  FIG. 3 shows a modification of the optical fiber cable 100. As shown in FIG. 3, in addition to the length mark 51, company name information 53 indicating the manufacturer of the optical fiber cable 100 and year information 54 indicating the year of manufacture may be applied to the cable portion 10 by printing. Furthermore, model number information indicating the model number of the optical fiber cable 100, lot number information indicating a manufacturing lot number when the optical fiber cable 100 is manufactured, and customer information indicating a customer management number as a delivery destination of the optical fiber cable 100 For example, various types of information may be added.

  In addition to the length mark 51, at least one of company name information 53, year information 54, model number information, lot number information, customer information, and the like may be added.

  Thus, in addition to the length mark 51, company name information indicating the name of the manufacturer of the optical fiber cable 100, year information indicating the year of manufacture of the optical fiber cable 100, model number information indicating the model number of the optical fiber cable 100, optical fiber cable If at least one of lot number information indicating 100 manufacturing lot numbers and customer information to which the optical fiber cable 100 is delivered is added, additional information other than the length mark can also be obtained.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the optical fiber cable which manufactures the optical fiber cable 100 comprised as mentioned above is demonstrated. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus that realizes the optical fiber cable manufacturing method according to the embodiment.

  In FIG. 4, the optical fiber core wire 11 is sent out from the optical fiber core wire delivery part 110. The two strength members 12 are sent out from the two strength member delivery sections 120. The support line 21 is sent out from the support line sending part 210. The support line 21 is sent out by a feed pulley 211.

  The optical fiber core wire 11, the two strength members 12, and the support wire 21 are guided to the cross head 302, and are arranged in an arrangement as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The extruder 301 coats the optical fiber core wire 11, the two strength members 12, and the support wire 21 with a jacket made of a thermoplastic resin. A control device 300 that controls the entire manufacturing apparatus controls the extruder 301.

  The cable 90 in a state in which the thermoplastic resin is solidified by cooling and the whole of the optical fiber core wire 11, the two strength members 12, and the support wire 21 are covered with the outer sheath is disposed downstream of the crosshead 302. It is taken up by the take-up pulley 212 and is sequentially sent to the downstream side.

  A cutter 304 driven by a drive unit 303 is disposed between the cross head 302 and the take-up pulley 212. The control device 300 controls the drive unit 303. Based on the control by the control device 300, the drive unit 303 is configured to cover the cutter 304 with a portion covering the optical fiber core wire 11 and the strength member 12 of the cable 90 (first covering portion) and a portion covering the support wire 21. It is intermittently pressed against the neck between (second covering part). Then, the cuts 320 are intermittently made in the cable 90.

  The feed speed at which the feed pulley 211 feeds the support wire 21 and the take-up speed at which the take-up pulley 212 pulls the support wire 21 are set to 0.998 to 0.98: 1. That is, the take-up speed of the support line 21 is set slightly faster than the feed-out speed. As a result, the tension applied in the longitudinal direction of the support wire 21 between the delivery pulley 211 and the take-up pulley 212 is greater than the tension applied in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber core wire 11 and the strength member 12.

  On the downstream side of the take-up pulley 212, the tension applied to the support wire 21 is released, so that the support wire 21 contracts and the optical fiber core wire 11 and the strength member 12 are loosened. Then, the notch 320 is opened and the window portion 32 is formed. On the downstream side of the take-up pulley 212, a self-supporting optical fiber cable 100 with a slack is formed in a state where the cable portion 10 and the support wire portion 20 are intermittently connected at the neck portion 31. The optical fiber cable 100 is taken up by a take-up pulley 306.

  The cable 90 between the cross head 302 and the take-up pulley 212 has the same relative length between the first covering portion that will later become the cable portion 10 and the second covering portion that will later become the support wire portion 20. . An inkjet printing apparatus 305 is disposed between the cross head 302 and the take-up pulley 212. The ink jet printing apparatus 305 prints the length mark 51 on the first covering portion and the identification mark 52 on the second covering portion based on the control by the control device 300.

  As a result, the length mark 51 can be attached to the cable portion 10 at a position just corresponding to the identification mark 52. In this embodiment, since the printing apparatus is used as a method of attaching the length mark 51 to the first covering portion and the identification mark 52 to the second covering portion, the length mark 51 and the identification mark 52 are connected to the first covering portion. Each of the covering portion and the second covering portion can be easily attached.

  In FIG. 4, the inkjet printing apparatus 305 is disposed on the downstream side of the cutter 304, but may be disposed on the upstream side of the cutter 304.

  The method for forming the window 32 is not limited to the method using the cutter 304. When the optical fiber core wire 11, the strength member 12, and the support wire 21 are covered with the thermoplastic resin in the cross head 302, when the cable 90 is generated by inserting the shutter at the timing when the window portion 32 should be formed. An intermittent neck 31 may be formed.

  Instead of the ink jet printing apparatus 305, a transfer type printing apparatus using a roller may be used. The type of printing apparatus is arbitrary. The inkjet printing apparatus 305 is preferable because it is inexpensive and enables high-quality printing.

  As described above, the optical fiber cable manufacturing method according to the present embodiment includes the following steps. The description will be made with the strength member 12 omitted.

  The support wire 21 is stretched by applying a predetermined tension to the support wire 21 in the longitudinal direction, and the optical fiber core wire 11 and the support wire 21 are covered with a jacket. Thereby, the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the first covering portion covering the optical fiber core wire 11 and the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the second covering portion covering the support wire 21 are the same. A cable 90 is created. The extruder 301 and the cross head 302 create the cable 90.

  The first covering portion and the second covering portion are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction during or after the cable 90 is formed.

  The method using the shutter is one of the methods in which the first covering portion and the second covering portion are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction during the production of the cable 90. Cutting with the cutter 304 is one of the methods in which the first covering portion and the second covering portion are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction after the cable 90 is formed.

  For example, in the inkjet printing apparatus 305, the cables at the respective positions of the second covering portion with respect to the first covering portion in a state where the relative lengths in the longitudinal direction of the first and second covering portions are the same. A length mark 51 indicating the length is attached. In addition, the inkjet printing apparatus 305 attaches an identification mark 52 indicating that the length mark 51 is attached to the first covering portion at a position corresponding to the length mark 51 with respect to the second covering portion.

  Finally, the predetermined tension applied to the support wire 21 in the cable 90 with the length mark 51 and the identification mark 52 is released, and the first covering portion is loosened with respect to the second covering portion. Thus, the self-supporting optical fiber cable 100 with slack is produced.

  The optical fiber cable 100 of this embodiment and the optical fiber cable 100 manufactured by the manufacturing method of this embodiment have good visibility of the length mark 51. Since the length mark 51 and the identification mark 52 are attached to corresponding positions in a state where the relative lengths of the cable portion 10 and the support wire portion 20 are the same, the cable length of the support wire portion 20 is reduced. It becomes possible to manage with errors.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The configuration inside the cable portion 10 having the optical fiber core wire 11 is arbitrary. The cable portion 10 may have a circular cross section.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Cable part 11 Optical fiber core wire 12 Strength body 13 Outer jacket (1st coating | coated part)
20 Support line part 21 Support line 22 Outer jacket (second covering part)
31 Neck 32 Window 51 Length Mark 52 Identification Mark 53 Company Information 54 Year Information 100 Optical Fiber Cable

Claims (4)

A support wire portion in which the support wire is covered with a jacket;
A cable part connected to the support line part by a neck part intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction of the support line part in a state where the optical fiber core wire is covered with a jacket and is loose with respect to the support line part When,
With
The cable portion is provided with a length mark indicating the cable length at each position of the support wire portion,
The optical fiber cable, wherein an identification mark indicating that the length mark is attached to the cable portion is attached to the support line portion at a position corresponding to the length mark.   In the cable part, in addition to the length mark, company name information indicating the manufacturing company name of the optical fiber cable, year information indicating the manufacturing year of the optical fiber cable, model number information indicating a model number of the optical fiber cable, 2. The optical fiber cable according to claim 1, wherein at least one of lot number information indicating a production lot number of the optical fiber cable and customer information as a delivery destination of the optical fiber cable are attached. The support wire is stretched by applying a predetermined tension in the longitudinal direction to the support wire, the optical fiber core wire and the support wire are covered with a jacket, and the optical fiber core wire is covered. Producing a cable in which the relative length in the longitudinal direction of one covering portion and the relative length in the longitudinal direction of the second covering portion covering the support wire are the same;
A step of intermittently connecting the first covering portion and the second covering portion in the longitudinal direction during or after making the cable,
A length indicating a cable length at each position of the second covering portion with respect to the first covering portion in a state where the relative lengths in the longitudinal direction of the first and second covering portions are the same. Attaching a mark and attaching an identification mark indicating that the length mark is attached to the first covering portion at a position corresponding to the length mark with respect to the second covering portion;
The predetermined tension applied to the support line in the cable with the length mark and the identification mark is released, and the first covering portion is loosened with respect to the second covering portion. A process of making a self-supporting optical fiber cable with slack,
An optical fiber cable manufacturing method comprising:   The step of attaching the length mark and the identification mark includes printing the length mark on the first covering portion and printing the identification mark on the second covering portion using a printing apparatus. The manufacturing method of the optical fiber cable of Claim 3.

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