NL1028898C1 - Pipe system for laying fibre optic cables for fibre to the home applications, comprises foldable plastic sheets with tie wraps - Google Patents

Abstract

Cables are placed inside tubular ducts formed by folding plastic sheets in half. The sheets are unwound from a roll of a strong plastic material such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and cut to length. Tie wraps are used to seal the tubes and act as markings.

Description

Description of the invention

Method and pipe system for laying fiber-optic connections to homes.

5 Background

Since the installation of fiber optic to homes for the purpose of supplying electronic (communication) services has come from the pilot stage, there have been various projects in which more than 30 to 50 percent of the buildings where the fiber optic infrastructure is planned must be connected directly. In such cases it may be more advantageous to bring a fiber optic cable to all premises 10 and to leave the end of it partly rolled up in the ground.

This invention is based on the fact that a glass fiber is brought to almost all buildings in one go, and that afterwards expansion of the number of cables is no longer necessary or hardly necessary. The invention has for its object to provide a simple and easy-to-install solution for this, wherein the risk of later damage to the cables is no greater than with the usual use of HDPE pipes.

The invention consists of a pipe system with the associated method.

20 Pipe system

The pipe system is a sturdy plastic strip with a bulge in one or two longitudinal halves (Figure 1). In the figures the variant is indicated with one bulge. This strip can be supplied on a roll. The material can be HDPE of about 3-7 mm thick, but could also consist of another material or a fiber-reinforced plastic, which offers sufficient flexibility for processing and sufficient strength for the protection of fiber optic cables.

If the pipe system has been rolled out and double folded along the longitudinal direction, a flat pipe is created in which fiber optic cables can be protected (figure 2). For this, the pipe system has a flexible connection between the two longitudinal halves. By applying tie-raps or marking bands around the tube thus formed, it retains its folded shape. However, the flexibility of the tube offers the opportunity to add fiber optic cables on one side.

The proportions shown in the figures are indicative, it is important that the tube system, when unfolded, has a width of at most 28 centimeters, so that it can be rolled out in a standard channel of 30 cm width, and a sufficient inner size has for enclosing a bundle of thin fiber optic cables.

Method 5 The pipe system is used in a street with buildings for which it is desired to connect it directly or indirectly to a network with a fiber optic cable. The pipe system is hereby laid just before the boundary of these buildings, preferably in the sidewalk. Immediately at the first installation, a thin fiber optic cable is laid for each building to be connected from the building to a collection point, such as a street cabinet or handhole. For buildings that are not directly connected, a sufficient length of cable - whether or not in a protective cassette - is buried in the ground (Figure 3).

The way in which the pipe system is processed is as follows (see Figure 4) 1. The pipe system is explained in the trench that runs along the boundaries 15 2. The fiber optic cables are laid in the bulge of the pipe system and, where necessary, removed from the bundle .

3. The pipe system is closed in the longitudinal direction.

4. The folded shape is retained by applying tie-raps or marking tapes, which also serve for the marking.

20

The pipe system is processed at all places where a regular implementation of fiber optic cables is required, and where it is possible to lay the fiber optic cables directly into the folded pipe system without further passage. This will not always be the case with road junctions, as the bundle of fiber optic cables will have to be pushed through a tube over a short length (see figure 5).

If extra connections that are not foreseeable at the time of installation must be taken into account, this can be done by taking along one or more empty tubes from the collection point over the entire length of the product, which can be provided later without digging over a large length. be made of fiber optic cable.

For the protection of the fiber optic cable from the pipe system to the building, a regular HDPE pipe, cover tape or other techniques can be used. This part, as well as coupling pieces of this protection on the pipe system, falls outside the invention.

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List of figures: Figure 1 Sectional view of the pipe system in the folded-open state 5 Figure 2 Sectional view of the pipe system in the closed position, with a continuous bundle of fiber optic cables and one fiber optic cable installed on site Figure 3 Way in which fiber optic cables from a bundle are inserted into the pipe system (shown) in a street with four buildings) figure 4 Step-by-step plan for explaining, filling and closing and closing the pipe system figure 5 Overview of routes in a fictional area where the pipe system can be used (solid line) and not (dotted line).

1028898 "

Claims (5)

1. Method intended for laying fiber-optic connections to large groups of buildings in one area that starts from the laying of an individual fiber-optic cable in one installation to (almost) every building to be connected Method according to claim 1, wherein bundles of cable are laid in an open tube system, which can then be closed to protect the laid cables 3. Method according to claims 1 and 2 wherein individual cables can be removed from the bundle at any location and without having to adjust or interrupt the pipe system Pipe system as claimed in claims 1 to 3, which can be rolled up in the open position and can therefore be transported in large lengths. Method according to claims 1 to 4, wherein keeping the pipe system closed can be combined with applying marking tapes.