JP5503383B2 - Optical fiber unit and optical fiber cable - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber unit having a plurality of optical fibers and an optical fiber cable containing the optical fiber unit.

  In recent years, with the widespread use of the Internet, FTTH (Fiber To The Home) that realizes a high-speed communication service by drawing an optical fiber directly into a general home is rapidly expanding. Generally, an optical fiber cable used for FTTH contains a plurality of optical fiber units in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled and integrated (for example, Patent Document 1). When pulling an optical fiber from this optical fiber cable to the FTTH user's home (intermediate post-branch), a desired optical fiber unit is taken out from the optical fiber cable, and a desired optical fiber single fiber (hereinafter referred to as an optical fiber unit) , A single-core optical fiber) is separated and taken out.

Therefore, in the optical fiber cable, identification means (knots, rings or flags) are provided on the bundle yarn of each optical fiber unit, or the bundle yarn is colored so that each optical fiber unit can be easily identified. Techniques have been proposed (for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3). Moreover, in order to easily identify the single-core optical fiber constituting the optical fiber unit, a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel, and adjacent optical fibers are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction (hereinafter referred to as the optical fiber tape core wire). (Patent Document 4), for example, has been proposed.
As described above, in the conventional optical fiber cable, a single-core optical fiber is simply assembled, or an intermittent tape core wire is rounded and a bundle yarn is wound around the outer periphery to form an optical fiber unit, which is provided on the bundle yarn. The optical fiber unit is identified by the identification means (knot, ring or flag) provided or coloring of the bundle yarn.

JP 2003-302560 A JP 2007-10918 A JP 2007-10919 A Japanese Patent No. 4143651

However, the conventional optical fiber unit requires a bundle yarn that is specially devised different from a general bundle yarn, so that the cost is hindered and the diameter of the optical fiber cable is reduced by the identification means. There is a possibility that high density may be hindered. Further, since the bundle yarn is thin and cannot be distinguished from the optical fiber bundled by the bundle yarn, it cannot be said that the workability of the intermediate post-branch is excellent.
In particular, in an optical fiber unit in which single optical fibers are bundled, it is difficult to identify single optical fibers that are constituent elements of the unit.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the workability of an intermediate post-branch of an optical fiber cable by a simple method without impeding the reduction in diameter and density of the optical fiber cable containing an optical fiber unit. And

The invention described in claim 1 was made to achieve the above object,
A set of a plurality of the above-described constituent elements, each of which is composed of a plurality of single-core optical fibers arranged in parallel and the adjacent single-core optical fibers are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction by a connecting portion. the material to be bound body composed of an optical fiber unit that bundles in bundle material,
The bundle material is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction while vertically floating in the width direction with respect to the components of the bundled body arranged in parallel.

The invention according to claim 2 is the optical fiber unit according to claim 1,
The components of the bundled body can be distinguished from each other by coloring (in the case of a single-core optical fiber or a tape core, a colored coating. However, the colored coating is not limited to a tape material, and can be distinguished from an optical fiber. May be carried out by color coding).
A predetermined color arrangement is formed by the components of the bundled body.

The invention according to claim 3 is the optical fiber unit according to claim 1 or 2,
The bundle material is knitted alternately with respect to the components of the bundled body.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the optical fiber unit according to any one of the first to third aspects, the bundle material is composed of a plurality of pieces.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the optical fiber unit according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the bundle material is colored in an identifiable manner.

  The invention described in claim 6 is an optical fiber cable characterized in that the outer periphery of the cable core containing the optical fiber unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is covered with a jacket. .

According to the optical fiber unit according to the present invention, simply by pulling the optical fiber unit to both sides, the components (intermittent tape core ) of the bundled body constituting the optical fiber unit are arranged in a predetermined order. It can be easily identified the components of each of the bundles. Therefore, the workability of the intermediate post branching of the optical fiber cable is remarkably improved. Further, since the shape of the optical fiber unit itself is likely to change, there is no possibility that the reduction in the diameter and density of the optical fiber cable will be hindered by accommodating the optical fiber unit.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment which comprised the to-be-bound body with the single core optical fiber. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber cable which accommodated the optical fiber unit of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the modification of the optical fiber unit of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the optical fiber unit of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the optical fiber unit of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which concerns on 2nd Embodiment which comprised the to-be-bound body with the intermittent type | mold tape core wire. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber cable which accommodated the optical fiber unit of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the modification of the optical fiber unit of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the optical fiber unit of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the optical fiber unit of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the optical fiber unit of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which comprised the to-be-bound body by the subunit. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which comprised the to-be-bound body with the tape core wire. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which comprised the to-be-bound body with the tape core wire. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber unit which comprised the to-be-bound body by the subunit which consists of an optical fiber unit of 1st Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical fiber unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a state where an arbitrary section of the optical fiber unit 1A (for example, a section taken out by the intermediate post branching operation) is expanded on both sides.
As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber unit 1 </ b> A according to the first embodiment bundles a bundled body 11 including a set of a plurality of (for example, eight) single-core optical fibers 11 a, 11 a. It is comprised by.

The single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are, for example, optical fiber cores with a diameter of φ0.25 mm that have been subjected to primary coating, and are arranged in parallel according to a predetermined order. That is, in the first embodiment, each of the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,. Further, the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are colored (preferably different colors), and the optical fiber units are arranged according to the color arrangement when the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,. 1A can be identified. In addition, when the single-core optical fibers 11a are the same color or different colors but have the same color arrangement, they can be identified by the difference in color of the bundle material.
The bundle material 12 is, for example, a thread-like or tape-like bundle, and is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction while floating up and down in the width direction with respect to the single optical fibers 11a, 11a. In the first embodiment, the bundle material 12 is knitted so as to float up and down every other piece in the width direction.
Note that the weaving pitch P1 of the bundle material 12 may be in a range in which the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Can be easily identified, for example, about 5 to 500 mm, and preferably about 5 to 100 mm.

  The optical fiber unit 1A can be manufactured, for example, using the same principle as a loom. That is, the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Serving as warps are arranged in parallel, and a gap is formed by dividing the upper and lower parts (for example, odd-numbered up and even-numbered down from one end) in the width direction. . The bundle material 12 serving as a weft is inserted into the formed gap from one end side. Next, the separated single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are turned upside down to form a gap, and the bundle material 12 is inserted into the formed gap from the other end side. The bundle material 12 is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction by repeating this process while the bundled body 11 is traveling at a predetermined linear velocity.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical fiber cable that houses the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, in the optical fiber cable 100, a cable core is constituted by five optical fiber units 1A, 1A,.
The optical fiber cable 100 includes a spacer 104 having five storage grooves 105 along the longitudinal direction. The spacer 104 is made of, for example, polyethylene, and the optical fiber unit 1 </ b> A is accommodated in each of the storage grooves 105.
A presser winding tape 106 is vertically provided on the outer periphery of the spacer 104. And the outside is covered with a jacket (sheath) 107 made of polyethylene or the like. At the center of the spacer 104, a tension member (strength member) 103 made of, for example, a steel wire, a steel stranded wire, or a glass reinforcing fiber is disposed.

  Note that the optical fiber cable 100 shown in FIG. 2 is an example of an optical fiber cable to which the present invention is applied, and may be an optical fiber cable having a cable structure that does not use the spacer 104. When a plurality of optical fiber units 1A, 1A,... Are stored in the storage groove 105, these optical fiber units 1A, 1A,... Are formed by single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,. Since the color arrangement to be performed is different, the optical fiber units 1A, 1A,. In this case, it is possible to identify optical fiber units having the same color arrangement by changing the color of the bundle material as usual.

As described above, in the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment, the bundle material 12 floats up and down in the width direction with respect to the constituent elements (optical fibers 11a, 11a,...) Of the bundled bodies 11 arranged in parallel. However, it is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction.
Thereby, the single-fiber optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are arranged in order by taking out the optical fiber unit 1A from the optical fiber cable 100 and grasping and expanding both ends of the taken-out section. Therefore, since the individual optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Can be easily identified, the workability when the optical fiber cable 100 is branched after the middle is remarkably improved. Moreover, the collective fusion splicing work of the optical fiber unit 1A is facilitated.
Furthermore, since the optical fiber unit 1A can be flexibly deformed when accommodated in the optical fiber cable 100, there is a possibility that accommodating the optical fiber unit 1A may hinder the reduction in diameter and density of the optical fiber cable 100. Absent.

  Further, in the optical fiber unit 1A, a predetermined color array is formed by the constituent elements (a plurality of single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,...) Of the bundled body 11. Thereby, the desired optical fiber unit 1A can be easily identified by the color arrangement when the optical fiber unit 1A is expanded. Of course, it is also possible to identify the bundle material 12 by coloring it as in the prior art.

  Further, in the optical fiber unit 1A, every other bundle material 12 is knitted alternately with respect to the constituent elements (optical fibers 11a, 11a,...) Of the bundled body 11. Thereby, when the optical fiber unit 1A is expanded, the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are reliably arranged in order. Therefore, since the individual optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Can be reliably identified, the workability at the time of intermediate and post branching of the optical fiber cable 100 is further improved.

[Modification]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment.
In the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment, every other bundle material 12 is knitted alternately with respect to the constituent elements (optical fibers 11a, 11a,...) Of the bundled body 11, FIG. The optical fiber unit 1B shown is configured such that every two bundle members 12 are knitted. Even in this case, since the single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... Are arranged in a certain order, the individual optical fibers 11a, 11a,. can do.
Depending on the number of single-core optical fibers constituting the optical fiber unit, the bundle material 12 may be knitted at a predetermined interval such as every third, every fourth, and so on.

4 and 5 are diagrams showing another modification of the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment.
In the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment, the bundled body 11 is bundled by one bundle material 12, but as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bundled body is bundled by two bundle materials 12a and 12b. The body 11 may be bundled.
In the optical fiber unit 1 </ b> C shown in FIG. 4, the two bundle members 12 a and 12 b are knitted at the same cycle, but the knitted form when moving from one end side to the other end side in the width direction is reversed. That is, when the bundle members 12a and 12b are knitted from left to right, one bundle member 12a is single-centered from one end side (upper side in FIG. 4) to the other end side (lower side in FIG. 4). The optical fiber 11a, 11a ··· is knitted so that it passes through the top (the front side of the paper) → the bottom (the back side of the paper) → the top → the bottom ···, and the other bundle material 12b is from the one end side (the upper side in Fig. 4) to the other end side. Single fiber optic fibers 11a, 11a,... (Lower side in FIG. 4) are knitted so as to pass through lower → upper → lower → upper.
Further, in the optical fiber unit 1D shown in FIG. 5, the two bundle members 12a and 12b are knitted in the same cycle, and the knitting form when moving from one end side to the other end side in the width direction is the same. . That is, when the bundle members 12a and 12b are knitted from left to right, both the two bundle members 12a and 12b are directed from one end side (upper side in FIG. 4) to the other end side (lower side in FIG. 4). The single optical fibers 11a, 11a are woven so as to pass through the upper, lower, upper, lower, and so on.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical fiber unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a state where an arbitrary section of the optical fiber unit 2A (for example, a section taken out by the intermediate post branching operation) is expanded on both sides.
As shown in FIG. 6, the optical fiber unit 2 </ b> A of the second embodiment bundles a bundled body 21 including a set of a plurality of (for example, four) intermittent tape cores 21 a, 21 a. It is constituted by.

The intermittent tape core 21a has, for example, a plurality of (for example, eight) φ0.25 mm optical fiber cores 211 with primary coating arranged in parallel, and two adjacent optical fiber cores 211 and 211 are connected to each other. The portion 212 is configured to be intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction. The connecting portion 212 is formed by applying and curing a known adhesive resin such as an ultraviolet curable resin or a thermosetting resin in a predetermined pattern.
In addition, in the optical fiber unit 2A, the connection mode of the intermittent tape core wire 21a (arrangement mode of the connection portion) is not particularly limited, and intermittent tape core wires of various connection modes can be applied.

In the optical fiber unit 2A, the above-described intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,... Are rounded and arranged in parallel according to a predetermined order. That is, in the second embodiment, each of the intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,.
The bundle material 22 is, for example, a thread-like or tape-like bundle, and is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction while vertically floating in the width direction with respect to the intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a. In the second embodiment, it is knitted so as to float up and down every other line in the width direction.
Note that the weaving pitch P2 of the bundle material 22 may be in a range in which the intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Can be easily identified, for example, about 5 to 500 mm, and preferably about 5 to 100 mm.
Similar to the first embodiment, the optical fiber unit 2A can be manufactured using the same principle as that of a loom, for example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical fiber cable that houses the optical fiber unit of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in the optical fiber cable 200, a cable core is constituted by five optical fiber units 2A, 2A,.
The optical fiber cable 200 includes a spacer 204 having five storage grooves 205 along the longitudinal direction. The spacer 204 is made of, for example, polyethylene, and the optical fiber unit 2 </ b> A is housed in each housing groove 205.
A presser winding tape 206 is vertically provided on the outer periphery of the spacer 204. And the outside is covered with a jacket (sheath) 207 made of polyethylene or the like. In the center of the spacer 204, a tension member (strength member) 203 made of, for example, a steel wire, a steel stranded wire, or a glass reinforcing fiber is disposed.
Note that the optical fiber cable 200 illustrated in FIG. 7 is an example of an optical fiber cable to which the present invention is applied, and may be an optical fiber cable having a cable structure in which the spacer 204 is not used.

Thus, in the optical fiber unit 2A of the second embodiment, the bundle material 22 is arranged in the width direction with respect to the components (intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,...) Of the bundled bodies 21 arranged in parallel. It is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction while floating up and down.
As a result, the optical fiber unit 2A is taken out from the optical fiber cable 200, and the both ends of the taken-out section are gripped and spread, whereby the intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,. Therefore, since the individual intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Can be easily identified, the workability at the time of intermediate and post branching of the optical fiber cable 200 is significantly improved.
Further, since the optical fiber unit 2A can be flexibly deformed when accommodated in the optical fiber cable 200, there is a possibility that the reduction in diameter and density of the optical fiber cable 200 may be hindered by accommodating the optical fiber unit 2A. Absent.

  Further, in the optical fiber unit 2A, every other bundle material 22 is knitted alternately with respect to the constituent elements (intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,...) Of the bundle 21. As a result, when the optical fiber unit 2A is expanded, the intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Are reliably arranged in order. Therefore, the individual intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Can be reliably identified, so that the workability when the optical fiber cable 200 is branched after the middle is further improved.

[Modification]
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the optical fiber unit 2A of the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, the intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Are arranged in parallel and are knitted into the bundle material 22; however, as in the optical fiber unit 2B shown in FIG. A configuration may be adopted in which the bundles 22 are knitted by arranging the core wires 21a, 21a,. In the optical fiber unit 2B, not only the intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,... Are arranged in a predetermined order when they are spread, but also single-fiber optical fibers constituting the respective intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,. .. Are uniquely determined, so that the desired single-core optical fiber 211 can be easily identified.

FIG. 9 is a view showing another modification of the optical fiber unit 2A of the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, every other bundle material 22 is knitted alternately with respect to the constituent elements (intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,...) Of the bundled body 21, but the light shown in FIG. It is good also as a structure knitted every two bundle materials 22 like the fiber unit 2C.

10 and 11 are diagrams showing another modification of the optical fiber unit 2A of the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, the bundled body 21 is bundled by one bundle member 22, but as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the bundled body 21 is bundled by two bundle members 22a and 22b. It may be.
In the optical fiber unit 2D shown in FIG. 10, the two bundle members 22a and 22b are knitted in the same cycle, but the knitting form when moving from one end side to the other end side in the width direction is reversed. That is, one bundle material 22a passes from the upper side to the lower side to the upper side to the lower side of the intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a... From one end side (upper side in FIG. 10) to the other end side (lower side in FIG. 10). The other bundle material 22b is laid down from one end side (upper side in FIG. 10) to the other end side (lower side in FIG. 10) of the intermittent tape core wires 21a, 21a,. It is knitted to pass through.
Further, in the optical fiber unit 2E shown in FIG. 11, the two bundle members 22a and 22b are knitted in the same cycle, and the knitting form when moving from one end side to the other end side in the width direction is the same. . That is, both the two bundle members 22a and 22b are directed from the one end side (the upper side in FIG. 11) to the other end side (the lower side in FIG. 11). It is knitted to pass through.

As mentioned above, although the invention made by this inventor was concretely demonstrated based on embodiment, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change in the range which does not deviate from the summary.
For example, the bundled body according to the present invention is not limited to the case where it is configured by a set of single-core optical fibers or intermittent tape core wires shown in the above-described embodiment, and as shown in FIG. The bundled body may be configured by a set of subunits 31a, 31a,. That is, the optical fiber unit 3 shown in FIG. 12 is configured by bundling a bundled body 31 composed of a set of subunits 31a, 31a,.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a bundle of tape cores 41a, 41a,... In which a plurality of (for example, 4) optical fiber cores 411, 411,. You may make up your body. That is, the optical fiber units 4A and 4B shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 are configured by bundling a bundled body 41 composed of a set of tape cores 41a, 41a,. In this case, the bundle material 42 may be knitted with the tape cores 41a, 41a,... Flat as shown in FIG. 13, or the tape cores 41a, 41a,. The bundle material 42 may be knitted in the state of being made.

  Furthermore, a further optical fiber unit can be configured by using the optical fiber units 1A to 1D, 2A to 2E, 3, 4A, and 4B described above as components of the bundled body. For example, when the optical fiber unit 1A of the first embodiment is used as a component of the coupled body, the configuration is as shown in FIG. That is, the optical fiber unit 5 shown in FIG. 15 is configured by bundling a bundled body 51 composed of these sets with a bundle material 52 using the optical fiber unit 1A as a subunit.

In the first embodiment, the bundled body 11 is constituted by eight single-core optical fibers 11a, 11a,... In the second embodiment, the bundled body 21 is formed by four intermittent tape cores 21a, 21a,. Although comprised by *, the number of the components of a to-be-bound body is not limited to this.
Of course, as in the prior art, the bundle material for bundling the objects to be bound may be colored or provided with an identification means.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Optical fiber unit 11, 21 Bundled body 11a Single-core optical fiber 12, 22 Bundle material 21 Bundled body 21a Intermittent tape core wire 100, 200 Optical fiber cable

Claims (6)

A set of a plurality of the above-described constituent elements, each of which is composed of a plurality of single-core optical fibers arranged in parallel and the adjacent single-core optical fibers are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction by a connecting portion. the material to be bound body composed of an optical fiber unit that bundles in bundle material,
The optical fiber unit, wherein the bundle material is knitted in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction while vertically floating in the width direction with respect to the components of the bundled body arranged in parallel. The components of the bundled body are colored so that each can be identified,
The optical fiber unit according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined color array is formed by the components of the bundled body.   The optical fiber unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bundle material is knitted alternately with respect to the components of the bundled body.   The optical fiber unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bundle material includes a plurality of bundle materials.   The optical fiber unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the bundle material is colored in an identifiable manner.   An optical fiber cable, wherein an outer periphery of a cable core containing the optical fiber unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is covered with a jacket.

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