JP3048694B2 - Optical fiber cable terminal protection structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable terminal protection structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a terminal of an optical fiber cable has an optical connector connected to an end of an optical fiber for connection with an optical terminal equipment, and is exposed to the optical connector. A protective sleeve made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or the like is provided to protect the single-core cord of the optical fiber, but a member is also provided between the sleeve and the terminal for transportation during transportation. I have.

Conventionally, such a terminal protection structure uses a spiral tube. As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of optical fiber cords 2 coming out from the end of the optical fiber cable 1 and the entire optical connector 3 connected to their ends are wound around a spiral tube 20. However, since the spiral tube 20 has a certain degree of rigidity, the spiral tube 20 may not be in close contact with the optical fiber cord or the optical connector, and a displacement may occur between the spiral tube and the optical connector. In particular, when protecting the two optical connectors 3 as shown in FIG. 5, the tension member 4 may not come into contact with the spiral tube. When the optical connector is displaced in this way, there is a problem that the optical connector is not united and cannot be substantially protected. In addition, when four optical connectors are combined at one location, there is a problem in work that the diameter of the portion covered by the spiral tube becomes large, making it difficult or impossible to store in the protective sleeve.

[0004] In addition, there has been proposed an optical fiber cord in which a plurality of optical fiber cords are fixed with an adhesive vinyl tape and protected with a thick and elastic soft tube.
19761), the optical connector is exposed in the soft tube, and there is a gap between the soft tube and the optical fiber cord and the optical connector, so that the protection against vibration and impact during transportation is not complete.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional terminal protection structure for optical fiber cables, and has an optical fiber cable terminal protection structure that is easy to attach to the terminal and has a high protection effect. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a terminal protection structure for an optical fiber cable, which protects each optical fiber cord of the optical fiber cable and an optical connector connected to a distal end thereof. In the terminal protection structure for an optical fiber cable, the connection portion between the optical fiber cord and the optical connector and the optical connector are covered with an elastic tubular fabric, particularly preferably connected at the same location. A plurality of optical connectors are each covered with an elastic tubular fabric, and the whole is further covered with an elastic tubular fabric so as to be double protected.

[0007]

The elastic tubular fabric functions as a buffer between the vinyl sleeve and each optical fiber cord and optical connector, and protects the optical fiber cable terminal from vibration and impact during transportation. Further, the optical fiber cord and the optical connector can be covered in close contact with each other, and the displacement of the optical connector and the like can be prevented. In particular, when the optical connector is doubly covered with an elastic tubular fabric, a sufficient protective effect can be obtained.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical fiber cable terminal protecting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the optical fiber cable 1 is composed of 24 optical fiber cords 2, and an optical connector 3 is fixed to the tip of the optical fiber cord 2 extending from the end. The optical connectors 3 are evenly arranged four by four around the tension member 4, and are sequentially arranged at six positions in the axial direction of the cable. The terminal protection structure protects from the end of the optical fiber cable 1 to the optical connector 3 as shown in FIG.
A protective sleeve 5 covering the entire terminal as shown in FIG.
The split caps (cable side and pulling end side) 6 and 7 for fixing the protective sleeve 5 to the terminal and the four optical connectors 3 arranged at the same location are each provided with a tubular woven fabric having elasticity for protection. Hereinafter, the elastic fabric 9), the optical connector 3 covered with the elastic fabric 8, and the elastic fabric 9 covered on the portion including the bare optical fiber cord 2.
Consisting of

The protective sleeve 5, the split caps 6, 7 are the same as the conventional one. The elastic fabrics 8 and 9 are net-like fabrics or fabrics woven with elastic yarns, for example, elastic yarns such as cotton-wound rubber cords or spandex.
As shown in the figure, a material woven in a cylindrical net shape is used.
Preferably, one having an elongation of 200% or more is used. By using such a material, it is extremely easy to mount and remove the optical connector 3 and to have good adhesion to the optical connector 3.

First, four optical connectors 3 are made of this elastic fabric 7.
Can be fixed so as not to shift around the tension member 4 (FIG. 3). Further, by covering the entire optical connector 3 and the bare optical fiber cord 2 with the elastic fabric 8, The optical fiber cord 2 is protected, and the portion of the optical connector 3 that is vulnerable to external impact is double protected. In addition, since it is in close contact with the optical fiber cord 2 and the optical connector 3, it is not bulky and can be easily inserted later when the protective sleeve 4 is inserted.

In order to mount the optical fiber cable terminal protection structure having such a configuration, the optical fiber cable extends from the end of the optical fiber cable, and the optical connector 3 is fixed to the end.
The four optical fiber cords 2 are bundled with a spiral tube as necessary, and the entire optical fiber cord 2 is bundled with a spiral tube. Next, the first four optical connectors 3 are evenly arranged around the tension member 4,
The elastic fabric 8 is covered and fixed. At this time, since the elastic fabric 7 has an elastic net shape, it can be easily attached.
In the same manner, the subsequent set of four optical connectors 3 is equally arranged around the tension member 4 in the same manner and covered with the elastic fabric 9.

Next, an elastic fabric 9 is further covered over the entire optical connector 3 covered with the elastic fabric 8 as described above. In this case, the elastic elastic fabric 9 having a tubular shape can be first brought close and contracted, and can be covered while being stretched from the end. However, the optical connector 3 is inserted into a dedicated insertion tube 10 as shown in FIG. If the elastic woven fabric 9 is put on the insertion tube 10 and one end of the insertion tube 10 is pulled out while holding one end of the insertion tube 10, the attachment can be easily performed.

Finally, the protective sleeve 5 is put on the entire surface, the split caps 6, 7 are aligned on the cable side and the pulling end side, and the split sleeves 6 are fitted to the protective sleeve 5. The vinyl tape 11 or the like presses the split caps 6, 7 to complete the mounting. I do. Note that, in the present embodiment, an example in which a plurality of sets of optical connectors are individually covered with an elastic fabric and the whole is further double-covered with an elastic fabric has been described, but in a case where a plurality of optical connectors are fixed at one place. Needless to say, may be single.

[0014]

As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the terminal protecting structure of the optical fiber cable of the present invention, the terminal of the optical fiber cable including the optical connector is covered with the elastic fabric. Can be firmly fixed around the tension member, and the displacement can be prevented. In addition, due to the elasticity of the elastic woven fabric, the end of the optical fiber cable can be reliably protected from external vibrations and shocks, and particularly when the elastic woven fabric is doubled, the protection effect is high. Furthermore, since the elastic woven fabric has an elastic cylindrical shape, it is extremely easy to mount and remove the elastic woven fabric, and can be in close contact with an optical fiber cord or an optical connector.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a terminal protection structure for an optical fiber cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing one embodiment of an elastic fabric.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the terminal protection structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view showing how to mount the terminal protection structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional optical fiber cable terminal protection structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber cable 2 ... Optical fiber cord 3 ... Optical connector 8, 9 ... Elastic fabric

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-153801 (JP, A) JP-A-62-174706 (JP, A) JP-A-62-239109 (JP, A) JP-A-61-239109 84613 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/00 G02B 6/44

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical fiber cable terminal protection structure for protecting each optical fiber cord of an optical fiber cable and an optical connector connected to a distal end thereof, wherein the connection between the optical fiber cord and the optical connector is provided. A terminal protection structure for an optical fiber cable, wherein the portion and the optical connector are covered with an elastic tubular fabric.