JPS61212810A - Plane type optical fiber cord - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve flexibility and to permit free bending by forming stress- supporting members of reinforcing steel wires and wire-like conductors braided on the outside peripheral surface of the steel wires. CONSTITUTION:A pair of the stress-supporting members 1R, 1L are juxtaposed on both sides of two optical fibers F, F to be used as cores in the longitudinal direction thereof. These fibers F, F and the members 1R 1L are integrally coated with a sheath 2 consisting of soft plastic such as PVC. The members 1R, 1L are constituted by braiding continuously the fine wire-like conductors 4 on the outside peripheral surfaces of the respective reinforcing steel wires3 to a prescribed thickness. The outside diameter as the whole of said members is selected larger than the outside diameter of the fibers F, F. The sheath 2is formed thinly with a signal part 2a covering the central fibers F, F and is formed thickly with non-signal parts 2b, 2b covering the right and left members 1R, 1L.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention can be installed under tiles or carpets laid on the floor in areas where furniture is placed or where people and vehicles pass. This invention relates to a flat optical fiber cord used as a signal line to connect devices that make up a computer.

[Prior art and its problems]

Optical fibers have weak mechanical strength and are susceptible to damage or deterioration of transmission characteristics due to the influence of external forces, so a structure that effectively protects them from tension, compressive stress, bending stress, etc. applied during installation is required. .

For this reason, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of tensile strength 'fa30R' made of a steel wire having a larger outer diameter than the optical fiber F is placed on both sides of the optical fibers F and F as the core fibers along the longitudinal direction. , 3or, are installed in parallel, and these optical fibers F
, F and tensile strength line 30R.

30L is integrally covered with an outer cover 31 made of flexible plastic (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-870)
No. 51, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 51-942.44, Utility Model Application No. 51-1
27436 and Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-9184'3). The tensile strength wires 30R and 30L embedded in the jacket 31 serve as stress supporting members, and the optical fibers F and F are supported by compressive stress and bending stress applied in the cross-sectional direction.
This prevents damage and deterioration of transmission characteristics.

However, the tensile strength wire 30R930 which becomes the stress support member
When L is formed only from steel wire as in 9 above,
The rigidity of the cord provided by the steel wire 1 is too strong, making it difficult to bend, and the workability during installation is very poor. Note that if the thickness of the tensile strength lines 30R and '30L is made thinner in order to make the cord easier to bend, each optical fiber F receives compressive stress, which deteriorates the transmission characteristics and makes it more susceptible to compressive damage.

In addition, since this type of cord does not have conductors that serve as power supply lines or communication lines, it is extremely inconvenient and confusing when testing the connection of optical fiber F between adjacent rooms separated by a wall during installation. Ta. In addition, optical fibers F, F and tensile strength wire 3-oR
, 30r- may be arranged in parallel for power supply or communication, but in this case there is a problem that the entire cord becomes wide.

[Purpose of the invention] Therefore, the present invention deals with compressive stress acting on the cord.

Not only does it effectively protect the core optical fiber from external forces such as bending stress, but it also makes it easier to bend the cord than conventional products, greatly improving workability during installation. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel flat optical fiber cord in which conductive wires for power supply or communication can be arranged without making the cord wide.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides one or more optical fibers as core wires, stress supporting members arranged in parallel on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, and stress supporting members arranged in parallel on both sides of the optical fibers. In a flat optical fiber cord composed of a flexible jacket that integrally covers a stress-supporting member, the stress-supporting member is continuous with a reinforcing steel wire and an outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire at a predetermined thickness. It is characterized by being composed of a wire-shaped conductor that is braided or wound around the conductor.

[Action of the invention]

According to the present invention, a stress support member for protecting an optical fiber is formed of a reinforcing steel wire and a linear conductor continuously braided or wound at a predetermined thickness on the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing copper wire. As a result, the thickness of the reinforcing steel wire can be made relatively thinner than in the case of conventional tensile strength wires made of a single steel wire, which makes it easier to bend the cord and improve workability during installation. Significantly improved.

Further, a linear conductor continuously braided or wound around the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire can be used as a power supply line or a communication line.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on specific embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a flat optical fiber cord according to the present invention.

In this example, two optical fibers F,
a pair of stress support members IR on both sides along the longitudinal direction of F;
ILs are arranged in parallel, and these optical fibers F, F and stress support members IR, IL are integrally covered with a jacket 2 made of flexible plastic such as soft polyvinyl chloride.

The stress supporting members IR and IL are each made up of a thin wire conductor 4 continuously braided with a predetermined thickness on the outer peripheral surface of a reinforcing steel wire 3, and the overall outer diameter thereof is larger than the outer diameter of the optical fibers F and F. are also widely selected.

The outer sheath 2 is a signal section 2 that covers the central optical fibers F, F.
a is formed thin, and the left and right stress support members IR, ■jI
, non-signal portions 2b, 2b are formed thickly.

The above is an example of the configuration of a flat optical fiber cord according to the present invention.Next, when this is used as an optical fiber cord for an undercarpet that interconnects office automation equipment (OA equipment) according to a predetermined wiring route. The effect of this will be explained.

First, when laying this flat optical fiber cord, the cord is bent appropriately and wired on the floor, and a carpet or tile is laid on top of it.

Here, the stress support members IR, LL embedded in the jacket 2
Since the reinforcing steel wire 3 and the thin wire-like conductor 4 braided on the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire 3 with a predetermined thickness have a larger outer diameter than the optical fiber F as a whole, the cord The thickness of the reinforcing steel wire 3 that imparts rigidity is much thinner than that of conventional wires, thus imparting sufficient rigidity to the cord to prevent damage to the optical fibers F and F due to excessive bending. At the same time, it also provides extremely good flexibility, making it possible to wire freely according to a desired wiring route, and significantly improving the ease of installation.

In addition, since thin wire conductors 4 are continuously braided on the outer peripheral surface of each reinforcing steel wire 3.3, for example, a connection test of an optical fiber installed between adjacent rooms separated by a wall is carried out. In this case, the pair of conductors 4, 4 can be used as a telephone line or a power supply line, which is very convenient.

Next, when compressive stress is applied in the cross-sectional direction of the cord due to furniture being installed on top of the cord laid in this way or due to the passage of people, this compressive stress is applied to the reinforcing steel wire 3 and its outer periphery. The optical fiber F is reliably supported by the conductor 4 braided with a predetermined thickness on the surface, and is subjected to a compressive load.
Damage to F and deterioration of transmission characteristics are prevented.

As described above, according to the present invention, the stress supporting members IR, I
Since I- is composed of a reinforcing steel wire 3 and a thin conductor 4 braided with a predetermined thickness on the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire 3, the thickness of the reinforcing steel wire 3 can be reduced compared to conventional stress supporting members. It has the advantageous effect that it can be made relatively thin, thereby increasing the flexibility of the cord and making it easier to bend, thereby significantly increasing workability during installation.

In addition, since the conductors 4 are continuously knitted on the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing m-wires 3.3, the pair of conductors 4.4 can be used as a power supply line or a communication line. Even if the power supply line 1 communication line is embedded within the cord, there is also the excellent effect that the entire cord does not become wider compared to conventional products.

In addition, although the above-mentioned example explained the case where the thin wire-shaped conductor 4 was continuously braided on the outer peripheral surface of each reinforcing steel wire 3, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in FIG. A conductor made of insulated copper wire may be continuously wound around the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire 3, and in this case, the flexibility of the cord is said to be even better than in the case of braiding. There are advantages.

Further, in the embodiment, a case has been described in which one stress support member IR, II is arranged on each side of the optical fibers F, F, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a case where a plurality of stress support members are arranged on each side Of course it's fine.

Furthermore, the number of optical fibers F disposed between the stress support members IR and 15 can also be arbitrarily selected.

Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the outer sheath 2 is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and may be formed into any shape, such as an oblate ellipse.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, flexibility is better than that of conventional flat optical fiber cords, and the cable can be bent freely according to the desired wiring route. It has the excellent effect of significantly improving efficiency.

It also has the excellent effect of being able to embed the conductor that will become the feed line 5 communication line while maintaining the same code width as the conventional homogeneous flat optical fiber cord.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are perspective views showing an example of a flat optical fiber cord according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional flat optical fiber cord. Explanation of symbols F-=-optical fiber, IR, LL-stress support member, 2-
Outer cover, 3-reinforced steel wire, 4. 4' - conductor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] One or more optical fibers serving as core wires, stress support members arranged in parallel on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, and a flexible outer material that integrally covers these optical fibers and the stress support members. In the flat optical fiber cord, the stress supporting member includes a reinforcing steel wire and a linear conductor continuously braided or wound with a predetermined thickness on the outer peripheral surface of the reinforcing steel wire. A flat optical fiber cord comprising: