KR20230149889A - Division And Connection Assembly For Optical Fiber and Power Line Composite Cable - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aggregate cable branch assembly in which assembly or workability is improved and volume is minimized by separating the mechanical protection structure and the sealing structure for watertightness in the branch structure when branching one aggregate cable into a plurality of branch cables. will be.

Description

Division Cable Branch Assembly {Division And Connection Assembly For Optical Fiber and Power Line Composite Cable}

The present invention relates to cable branch assemblies. More specifically, the present invention provides an aggregate cable that improves assembly or workability and minimizes volume by separating the mechanical protection structure and the sealing structure for watertightness in the branch structure when branching one aggregate cable into a plurality of branch cables. It's about branch assembly.

In relation to a conventional base station system, when the antenna is installed on a base station tower tens of meters high, loss increases in the coaxial cable connecting the base station on the ground and the antenna, and signal loss in the coaxial cable causes signal loss in the base station. Since the provided signal does not reach the required signal strength from the antenna and is attenuated, the conventional method in which TMA (Tower Mounted Ampilfier) is installed to compensate and amplify this is that the TMA uses a relatively large amount of power to amplify the signal. Since it consumes a lot of money, from the overall system perspective, it costs a lot of money for maintenance, which leads to the problem of low efficiency.

Recently, a number of antennas equipped on the base station tower that constitutes the RRH (Remote Radio Head) type base station system are connected to the baseband unit (BBU) and power supply unit (PSU) of the RRH system on the ground. The photoelectric composite cable is connected to the terminal box. It is branched into a plurality of optical, power, or photoelectric jumper cables and then connected to an RRU (Remote Radio Unit). The BBU's communication signal is supplied to the RRU through the optical unit that makes up the photoelectric composite cable, and the power of the PSU is supplied to the photoelectric composite cable. It is supplied to the RRU through the power units that make up the .

And the RRU is installed right below the base station antenna at the top of the base station tower, and the RRU and antenna are connected with a coaxial cable.

Since the signal converted into an RF signal can be supplied to the antenna using a coaxial cable, the length of the coaxial cable is minimized, minimizing the amount of attenuation of the RF (Radio Frequency) signal just before radiation, and eliminating the need for TMA, which used to consume a lot of power. It will not be done. These technical features have become a special advantage of the RRH system in terms of maintenance of the base station.

In this RRH system, conventionally, the RRU and antenna were connected 1:1 to the TX line and RX line, respectively, to configure a SISO (Single Input Single Output) system, but recently, MIMO (Multi Input Multi Output) communication has been implemented for each generation or service. In order to provide or operate the antenna as a cosite, at least one RRU can be connected to one antenna and multiple TX lines and RX lines. In this case, there may be one or more RRUs connected to one antenna, and when multiple RRUs are connected to an antenna, even if each RRU and antenna are connected to multiple TX lines and RX lines, the antenna side uses multiple TX lines. and can be connected to the RX line.

In addition, even if it is not MIMO, an example in which multiple RRUs are connected to one antenna through individual TX and RX lines can also be considered.

In all of these cases, one coaxial cable can be connected to the TX input terminal and RX output terminal of the antenna, but in order to connect multiple RRUs to one antenna, a coaxial cable with a branched one-to-many structure is applied. must be

In general, the cable branch structure for branching cables installed in an outdoor environment is a watertight structure to prevent moisture infiltration into the cable from rain and snow, and to protect the branch structure from movement by wind or attack by birds or rodents. It must be designed to provide a mechanical protection structure for the purpose.

Therefore, in an outdoor environment, a plurality of TX lines or a plurality of RX lines are usually aggregated to branch multiple branch cables to be connected to one or more RRUs from one aggregate cable connected to an antenna, etc. And after the branch cables branched by the branch portions are mounted with protective structures that accommodate or support each, molding or heat shrink film, etc. may be mounted on the outside thereof to provide a watertight function.

In order to construct a watertight structure using a heat-shrinkable film, a shrinkage process may be performed in which the heat-shrinkable film is mounted and the heat-shrinkable film is shrunk using a hot air gun, etc. In the case of branch cables branched from a collective cable, multiple cables are arranged adjacent to each other, so securing space for mounting and shrinking the heat shrink film is required. Therefore, it is inevitable that the branch portion and branch cable area of the cable branch structure or cable branch assembly that branches off the collective cable into a plurality of branch cables have a certain volume and size for installation and shrinkage of the heat shrink film.

The present invention provides an aggregate cable branch assembly with improved assembly or workability and minimized volume by separating the mechanical protection structure and the sealing structure for watertightness in the branch structure when branching one aggregate cable into a plurality of branch cables. Make it the problem you want to solve.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention includes an aggregate cable connection unit to which one aggregate cable providing a plurality of communication lines is connected; A branch portion in which the collective cable branches off into a plurality of branch cables and is watertight; a plurality of core cables branching from the branch portion and constituting a plurality of branch cables; A protective tube having a corrugated pipe structure that is mounted on each of the plurality of core cables and forms the outer shape of the branch cable; a spacer member for spaced apart and arranging the plurality of branch cables at predetermined positions; a plurality of coupler members coupled to each end of the protective tube and mounted on the spacer member; and a branch housing through which the core cable branched from the branch is disposed and fastened to the spacer member.

Additionally, the watertight treatment of the branch portion may be a molding treatment using a molding material.

Additionally, the protective tube may be installed in the entire area of the branch cable.

Here, the spacer member may be arranged to have a plurality of mounting holes on which the branch cable is seated, spaced apart in the circumferential direction.

In this case, the coupler member is formed to protrude from a press-fitting portion press-fitted into the protective tube, a fastening portion fastened to the mounting hole of the spacer member, and a boundary between the press-fitting portion and the fastening portion. It may be provided with a dividing flange part.

Additionally, the mounting hole may have a structure that is open outward.

Additionally, the coupler member may be configured in the form of a pipe and may have a structure developed around a cut line cut in the longitudinal direction.

Additionally, the press-fitting unit may be provided with a plurality of steps in which an inclination in the insertion direction inside the protective tube is smaller than an inclination in the extraction direction.

Here, threads are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fastening part and the mounting hole of the spacer member, so that the fastening part and the mounting hole can be screwed together.

In this case, threads are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spacer member and the inner peripheral surface of the branch housing, so that the spacer member and the branch housing can be screwed together.

Additionally, a connector may be mounted on each end of the branch cable.

Additionally, the aggregate cable connection portion may be composed of a corresponding connector that is coupled to the connector of the aggregate cable.

Here, the aggregate cable and the branch cable are composed of coaxial cables, the aggregate cable is connected to an antenna constituting a mobile communication base station, and the branch cable can be connected to at least one RRU below the antenna of each base station tower. there is.

In addition, the antenna and the RRU may be connected one-to-many in order for the antenna to connect a plurality of TX lines and RX lines for providing MIMO communication services.

According to the collective cable branch assembly according to the present invention, the mechanical protection structure of the branch cable branched from the branch structure of the collective cable and the sealing structure for watertightness are separated, and the mechanical protection is provided on the outside of the branch cable branch having the sealing structure. Since there is no need for a heat shrink tube installation space to seal the mechanical protection structure or a work space to secure the shrink space, the cable branch structure can be configured compactly.

In addition, since the aggregate cable branch assembly according to the present invention is configured relatively compactly, base station tower space can be efficiently utilized, thereby significantly reducing base station equipment costs.

Figure 1 shows a configuration diagram of a base station tower system installed with an aggregate cable branch assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a collective cable branch assembly according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a main part of the collective cable branch assembly shown in FIG. 3.
4 and 5 show a perspective view and an exploded perspective view of a coupler member constituting a cable branch assembly according to the present invention.
Figures 6 and 7 show a perspective view of a spacer member constituting a collective cable branch assembly according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and so that the spirit of the invention can be sufficiently conveyed to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

Figure 1 shows a configuration diagram of a base station tower system 1 installed with a collective cable branch assembly 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The RRH (Remote Radio Head) system of the base station tower shown in Figure 1 minimizes signal loss by transmitting optical signals up to just before the base station antenna 20, and provides an RF signal capable of radiating optical signals just before the antenna 20. It is a technology that converts to .

The RRH system shown in FIG. 1 separates the RRU (41, Remote Radio Unit) from the conventional BTS (Base Transceiver Station), places it under the antenna 20 of the base station tower, and remotely controls it.

Here, the remaining part (10) of the existing BTS from which the RRU is separated from the RRH system, that is, the Baseband Unit (BBU) and Power Supply Unit (PSU), includes a large number of optical units and a large number of power units with very low attenuation per length. The photoelectric composite cable 100 is connected to the terminal box 300 and the branched jumper cable 50 is connected to the RRU 40, so that communication signals from the BBU and PSU are transmitted through the photoelectric composite cable 100 and the jumper cable 50. is supplied to the RRU through the optical units that make up the , and power is supplied to the RRU through the power units that make up the photoelectric composite cable (100) and the jumper cable (50).

The terminal box 300 can be replaced with a branch body of various shapes that can branch the photoelectric composite cable 100 into a plurality of jumper cables 50.

The jumper cable 50 may be in the form of separate optical jumper cables and power jumper cables, or may be in the form of an integrated opto-electric composite jumper cable.

In this RRH system, the RRU (40) converts the optical signal supplied through the optical unit of the jumper cable (50) into a radiable RF signal and supplies it to the antenna (20) through the coaxial cable (30).

The RRU 40 and the antenna 20 can be branched and connected via the aggregate cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention. As described above, in order to provide MIMO communication for each generation or service, or to operate the antenna as a cosite, at least one RRU may be connected to one antenna and multiple TX lines and RX lines. In this case, there may be one or more RRUs connected to one antenna, and when multiple RRUs 40 are connected to one antenna 20, each RRU and antenna are connected to a plurality of sets of single TX lines and Even when connected via the RX line, the antenna side can achieve the effect of being connected via multiple TX lines and RX lines.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows an example in which a plurality of RRUs 40 are connected to one antenna 20 through a cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention, but various modifications are possible.

The cable branch assembly 200 is provided with a branch part 260, and the TX and RX coaxial cables 30 connected to the antenna 20 can be connected to the branch part 260, respectively. A plurality of branch cables 250 may have a structure in which they are branched or connected.

In other words, this branch 260 may be a configuration in which a plurality of TX and RX branch cables 250 are aggregated, and a single coaxial cable 30 is connected to the branch 260.

Such communication base station towers are installed outdoors, exposed to rain and wind, and can be accessed by animals such as rodents or birds, so the branch cables 250 connected to the RRU 40 are small in diameter and can be easily exposed to the beaks of animals. , can be easily damaged by teeth or claws.

Therefore, the cable branch assembly needs to be reinforced with both a watertight structure and a physical or mechanical protection structure to ensure watertightness of the cable. However, the protection structure of the conventional collective cable branch assembly first installs a physical protection structure on the outside of the branch, and then adds a watertight structure to the outside using heat shrink film, etc. to ensure watertightness, thereby integrating the watertight structure and the protection structure. As the method was used, there was a problem in that the volume of the entire cable branch assembly 200 or the branch portion 260 was increased due to the need to secure mounting space for heat shrinkable tubes, etc. to ensure watertightness and work space for shrinkage work.

However, the collective cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention provides a watertight structure and a protective structure, but unlike the conventional one, the watertight structure and the protective structure are separated, and watertightness is secured after first constructing a watertight structure in the branch portion 260. By installing a protective structure on the outside of the branch portion 260, the collective cable branch assembly 200 could be configured as compactly as possible. Explain its specific structure.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the aggregate cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the main portion of the aggregate cable branch assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2.

The aggregate cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention includes an aggregate cable connection portion 270a to which one aggregate cable providing a plurality of communication lines is connected; The collective cable is branched into a plurality of branch cables 250 and has a watertight branch section 260; a plurality of core cables 253 branching from the branch portion 260 and constituting a plurality of branch cables; A protection tube 251 having a corrugated pipe structure that is mounted on each of the plurality of core cables 253 and constitutes the external shape of the branch cable; a spacer member 255 for arranging the plurality of branch cables 250 to be spaced apart at predetermined positions; A plurality of coupler members 254 coupled to an end of each protective tube 251 and mounted on the spacer member 255; And, a branch cable branch assembly 200 including a branch housing 256 through which the core cable 253 branched from the branch 260 is disposed and fastened to the spacer member 255. It can be configured as follows.

Here, 'aggregated cable' refers to a cable in which a plurality of communication lines are aggregated within a single cable, and the aggregated cable may be a coaxial cable 30 connected to the antenna 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

The aggregate cable connection portion 270a is a connection portion to which the connector 70 mounted on the end of the aggregate cable is connected and may be configured in the form of a corresponding connector.

When the aggregate cable is composed of a coaxial cable, the aggregate cable connection portion 270a may also be configured in the form of a coaxial connector.

The collective cable connected to the collective cable connection part 270a may be branched into a plurality of branch cables at the branch part 260 located on the upper part of the collective cable connection part 270a, and a connector 270b, etc. may be installed at the end of at least one It can be configured to be connected to communication equipment such as the above RRU.

The branch cable 250 may be a cable of the same type as the aggregate cable, and may be connected to the antenna 20 by forming a single communication line.

The branch portion 260 may be formed by dividing the aggregate cable into a plurality of branch cables 250 and then the branch area may be watertight treated by a method such as molding using a molding material 261.

That is, the branch portion 260 is formed by water-tightening the branch area itself where the collective cable branches into a plurality of branch cables 250 with a molding material 261, and the physical protection structure mounted on the outside of the branch is a separate Omit the waterproof structure.

A spacer member 255 may be provided on the branch portion 260 to space the plurality of branch cables 250 at predetermined positions. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the collective cable is branched into five branch cables 250, and the branch cables 250 are divided into five branch cables 250 to prevent the branch cables 250 from being tilted and bent during the connection process with the RRU, etc. The cables 250 may be mounted on mounting holes 255h provided at positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the spacer member 255. A detailed description related to the spacer member 255 will be postponed later.

The spacer member 255 supports the branch cable 250 at a distance from each other, and the branch housing 256 may be fastened to the lower portion thereof using a screw connection method.

As shown in FIG. 3, the shape of the upper part of the branch housing 256 may be a funnel shape, and the shape of the lower part is such that the upper end of the branch housing 260 is formed by a method such as molding. It may have a shape that is inserted and mounted.

In addition, the branch cables 250 branched from the branch portion 260 may each have a core cable 253 mounted within a protective tube 251 to form a physical protection structure.

The protective tube 251 may be a pipe member with a corrugated pipe structure. Accordingly, the branch cable 250 in a branched and narrow state can minimize damage caused by attacks by birds or rodents, or damage caused by continuous wind, etc.

In addition, the protection tube 251 is a structure that protects the internal branch cable 250, but since it is a hollow structure made of resin, it can easily fall off when mounted directly on the spacer member 255. Therefore, the protection tube 251 is It can be mounted on the mounting hole 255h of the spacer member 255 via a coupler member 254.

4 and 5 show a perspective view and an exploded perspective view of the coupler member 254 constituting the cable branch assembly according to the present invention.

The coupler member 254 stably connects the protection tube 251 of the branch cable 250 and the spacer member 255, and allows the branch cable 250 to be disposed therein.

The coupler member 254 includes a press-fitting portion 254a press-fitted into the protective tube 251, a fastening portion 254b fastened to the mounting port 255h of the spacer member 255, and the press-fitting portion 254a. ) and a flange portion 254f that is formed to protrude from the boundary of the fastening portion 254b and divides the press-fitting portion 254a and the fastening portion 254b.

The coupler member 254 may be fastened to the protective tube 251 made of a flexible material through a press fit method and may be fastened to the spacer member 255 through a screw coupling method.

Accordingly, the press-fitting portion 254a fastened to the protective tube 251 is provided with a plurality of steps 254p to prevent the press-fitting state from being easily released.

The step 254p may be formed in a ring shape on the outer peripheral surface of the press-fitting portion 254a, and has a shape in which the inclination in the insertion direction inside the protection tube 251 is smaller than the inclination in the pulling-out direction, thereby reducing press-in resistance but providing high separation resistance. It can be configured to have any shape.

The steps 254p may be formed in parallel as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 .

In addition, the fastening portion 254b of the coupler member 254 may be fastened to the mounting hole 255h of the spacer member 255 by press-fitting, respectively, and may be threaded as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It may also be fastened using a screw connection method.

When the fastening portion 254b of the coupler member 254 is screwed to the mounting hole 255h of the spacer member 255, the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 255h of the spacer member 255 also has corresponding threads. can be formed.

To limit the press-fitting depth of the coupler member 254 into the protective tube 251 or the fastening depth of the spacer member 255 between the press-fitting portion 254a of the coupler member 254 and the fastening portion 254b. A flange portion 254f may be further provided.

The flange portion 254f may be formed in a boundary area between the press-fitting portion 254a and the fastening portion 254b, and the flange portion 254f is composed of a ring-shaped protrusion and is formed within the inner diameter of the protection tube 251 or It may be configured to have an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 255h.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the coupler member 254 is provided with a cut line 254l in the longitudinal direction of the outer circumferential surface and may be configured in a structure that can be deployed when the branch cable 250 is mounted.

Therefore, even when a connector, etc. is mounted on the end of the branch cable 250, the coupler member 254 can be deployed and mounted on the branch cable 250 based on the cut line 254l of the coupler member 254. .

6 and 7 show a perspective view of the spacer member 255 constituting the aggregate cable branch assembly 200 according to the present invention. Specifically, Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the spacer member 255 of the aggregate cable branch assembly shown in Figures 2-4, and Figure 7 shows a perspective view of another embodiment.

The spacer member 255 is configured to support the branch cable 250 branched from the branch 260 by spaced apart from each other and may be provided with a plurality of mounting holes 255h spaced apart from each other, and the coupler member 254 When the fastening part 254b is mounted on the mounting hole 255h by screwing, threads may also be formed on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 255h of the spacer member 255.

Additionally, in order to improve the workability of attaching the branch cable 250 to the mounting hole 255h, the mounting hole 255h may be configured with one side open.

As shown in FIG. 7, when each of the mounting holes 255h adopts a structure in which the mounting holes 255h are open in the direction of the circumferential surface, workability can be improved because there is no limitation on the order of mounting the mounting holes 255h of the branch cable 250. there is.

In addition, it is preferable that the width of the open area of the mounting hole 255h is smaller than the maximum width of the mounting hole 255h to prevent the mounted branch cable 250 from being easily separated.

In addition, the upper part of the spacer member 255 is formed with a mounting hole 255h and serves to block the inner space of the branch housing 256, and the outer peripheral surface of the lower part of the spacer member 255 is the branch. A thread may be formed to engage the base housing 256.

In this case, since it is impossible to rotate and screw the spacer member 255 while the branch cable 250 is mounted on the mounting hole 255h, the branch cables 250 must be mounted on each mounting hole 255h. In one state, the branch housing 256 can be rotated and fastened to the spacer member 255, and the upper end of the molded branch housing 260 can be mounted and fixed to the lower part of the branch housing 256. .

Although this specification has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art may make various modifications and changes to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims described below. It will be possible to implement it. Therefore, if the modified implementation basically includes the elements of the claims of the present invention, it should be considered to be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1: Base station tower system
20: Antenna
40:RRU
100: Photoelectric composite cable
200: aggregate cable branch assembly

Claims (14)

An aggregate cable connection unit to which one aggregate cable providing a plurality of communication lines is connected;
A branch portion in which the collective cable branches off into a plurality of branch cables and is watertight;
a plurality of core cables branching from the branch portion and constituting a plurality of branch cables;
A protective tube having a corrugated pipe structure that is mounted on each of the plurality of core cables and forms the outer shape of the branch cable;
a spacer member for spaced apart and arranging the plurality of branch cables at predetermined positions;
a plurality of coupler members coupled to each end of the protective tube and mounted on the spacer member; and,
A branch cable branch assembly comprising a branch housing through which the core cable branched from the branch is disposed and fastened to the spacer member. According to paragraph 1,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that the watertight treatment of the branch portion is molded using a molding material. According to paragraph 1,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that the protective tube is installed in the entire area of the branch cable. According to paragraph 1,
The spacer member is a collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that a plurality of mounting holes on which the branch cable is seated are arranged to be spaced apart in the circumferential direction. According to paragraph 4,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that the mounting port has a structure open in an outward direction. According to paragraph 1,
The coupler member includes a press-fitting portion that is press-fitted and mounted within the protective tube, a fastening portion that is fastened to the mounting hole of the spacer member, and a flange that is formed to protrude from a boundary between the press-fitting portion and the fastening portion and divides the press-fitting portion and the fastening portion. A collective cable branch assembly characterized by having a section. According to clause 6,
The coupler member is a pipe-shaped assembly cable branch assembly, characterized in that it has a structure developed around a cut line cut in the longitudinal direction. According to clause 6,
The press-fitting part is a collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that the press-fitting part is provided with a plurality of steps in which an inclination in the insertion direction inside the protection tube is smaller than an inclination in the withdrawal direction. According to clause 6,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that threads are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting port of the fastening portion and the spacer member, so that the fastening portion and the mounting port are screwed together. According to paragraph 1,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that screw threads are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spacer member and the inner peripheral surface of the branch housing, so that the spacer member and the branch housing are screwed together. According to paragraph 1,
A collective cable branch assembly, characterized in that a connector is mounted on each end of the branch cable. According to paragraph 1,
An aggregate cable branch assembly, characterized in that the aggregate cable connection portion is composed of a corresponding connector that is coupled to the connector of the aggregate cable. According to paragraph 1,
The aggregate cable and the branch cable are composed of coaxial cables, the aggregate cable is connected to an antenna constituting a mobile communication base station, and the branch cable is connected to at least one RRU at the bottom of the antenna of each base station tower. assembly cable branch assembly. According to clause 13,
An aggregate cable branch assembly, characterized in that the antenna and the RRU are connected one-to-many so that the antenna connects a plurality of TX lines and RX lines for providing MIMO communication services.