WO2005109060A1 - Reseau de tubes pour fibres optiques - Google Patents

Reseau de tubes pour fibres optiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2005109060A1
WO2005109060A1 PCT/GB2005/001696 GB2005001696W WO2005109060A1 WO 2005109060 A1 WO2005109060 A1 WO 2005109060A1 GB 2005001696 W GB2005001696 W GB 2005001696W WO 2005109060 A1 WO2005109060 A1 WO 2005109060A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
tubes
tube
network
connector
tubular
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2005/001696
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
George Henry Platt Brown
Original Assignee
Emtelle Uk Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB0410459.2A external-priority patent/GB0410459D0/en
Application filed by Emtelle Uk Limited filed Critical Emtelle Uk Limited
Publication of WO2005109060A1 publication Critical patent/WO2005109060A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
    • G02B6/381—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
    • G02B6/3825—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
    • G02B6/4439—Auxiliary devices
    • G02B6/4459—Ducts; Conduits; Hollow tubes for air blown fibres
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/46—Processes or apparatus adapted for installing or repairing optical fibres or optical cables
    • G02B6/50—Underground or underwater installation; Installation through tubing, conduits or ducts
    • G02B6/52—Underground or underwater installation; Installation through tubing, conduits or ducts using fluid, e.g. air

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a network of tubes for accommodating one or more optical fibres or optical fibre cables.
  • the invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a network of such tube's for providing services such as telecommunications, internet and the like, to subscribers.
  • Optical fibre cables carry data at very high speeds and as the demand for broadband' internet access grows, there is an increasing requirement for optical fibre cables providing high speed connection to be deployed directly into individual homes or business premises.
  • optical fibre networks are constructed by setting up a network of tubes, and then subsequently installing the optical fibre cables into the tube network, usually by means of a combination of blowing and . pushing.
  • the tubes by means of which the optical fibre network is constructed are generally assembled into bundles so that they can be more easily managed and installed.
  • An example of such a tube bundle 50 containing 24 tubes 52 is shown in Figure 1.
  • optical fibre cables have been installed into relatively large diameter tubes, typically having external diameters of between 40mm and 50 mm and internal diameters of 33 mm and 42 mm respectively.
  • the optical fibre cables normally contain a relatively high number of individual optical fibres, typically between 96 and 288, and in some cases, even more.
  • Such optical fibre cables are generally used in the trunk network to interconnect cities and also to provide distribution within cities. It is to be noted, however, that the number of optical fibres which needs to be provided to each individual- business premises or home is relatively small. In fact, it is often possible to provide adequate high speed services to an individual home using just one optical fibre, although the more usual option would be to provide two optical fibres.
  • Micro-ducts typically have external diameters of between 3mm and 8mm and an internal diameter of 2.1 mm and 6 mm , as opposed to external diameters of between 40mm and 50mm and internal diameters of 33 mm and 42 mm typical of ducts for traditional optical fibre tubes.
  • FIG. 1 In constructing the network, it might be the case that one or more tube bundles containing twenty four tubes as shown in Figure 1 are installed by the service provider. It is usually the case that one or more tubes are branched out at various points along the route, and connected to a branch tube, for example, to feed various premises.
  • a typical branch tube is shown in Figure 2.
  • Both the tubes 52 of the tube bundle 50 of Figure 1 and the tube 54 of the branch tube 56 have the same dimensions.
  • the tubes are protected in both cases by an outer sheath.
  • the outer sheath is typically constructed from three layers.
  • the second 60 and third 62 layers typically comprise a thermoplastic polyethylene applied by passing the tube , or- tube bundle through a heated die and extruding the polyethylene over the top of the assembly.
  • the branch tube 54 of Figure 2 is much more prone to damage in this respect because it is completely surrounded by the polyethylene of the second 60 and third
  • the tube 52 from the bundle 50 of Figure 1 needs to be cut and connected to a branch tube, to form a tube joint and to facilitate this the outer sheath of the tube bundle and the tube are removed at this point.
  • Each individual tube is generally ' connected to a branch tube using a pneumatic tube connector.
  • the outer protective sheath of the tube bundle and the branch tube has first to be removed. It is therefore necessary to fit a protective cover around the connection to provide the protection, which has been lost as a result of the removal of the outer protective sheath.
  • a typical arrangement of such a tube joint including a protective cover, forming part of a tube network, is shown in Figure 3.
  • the tube 1 from the bundle 2 is connected to a branch tube 3 using a connector 4.
  • the joint, and in particular those parts of tubes 1 and 2 from which the outer protective sheath has been removed, are protected by means of protective cover 5.
  • optical fibres are installed, often by means of blowing down the individual tubes, to provide an optical fibre connection to each of the individual premises.
  • Tubes for accommodating optical fibres are generally manufactured to a certain specification such that they possess the requisite qualities to enable easy management of the tube network.
  • the blowing performance of optical fibre cables is affected by the internal diameter of the tubes into which they are inserted.
  • the larger the internal diameter of the tube the greater the air flow and the greater the distance over which the optical fibre cable can be installed by blowing. It is traditionally desirable therefore to have the internal diameter of the tubes as large as possible. It is traditionally equally desirable to keep the external diameter of the tubes as small as possible so as to reduce the overall diameter of the tube bundles. In using tubes having a small external diameter, it is easier to install tube networks in already congested tube networks within cities.
  • tubes are often manufactured having large internal diameters and small external diameters, resulting in tubes tending to have thin walls.
  • a selection of typical tube dimensions currently employed is listed in Table 1 below.
  • a connector such as that shown in Figure 4 is generally used in the network.
  • the connector 5 includes an angled section 6 which tapers from the internal diameter of the tube 7 from the tube bundle to the internal diameter of the branch tube 8.
  • 3 mm branch tubes which connect to 3 mm tube bundles containing for example 24 tubes are difficult to manufacture.
  • the 3 mm tube is much more easily adversely affected by the heat from the process of applying the outer polyethylene protective layers. '
  • branch tube is much more flexible than a tube bundle containing 24 tubes.
  • Small tubes for example 3 mm tubes, having relatively thin walls are easily distorted, as the flexible branch tubes are bent around tighter radii than might be possible with a tube bundle containing a larger number of tubes.
  • the branch tubes it is desirable therefore for the branch tubes to have a larger external diameter than the tubes of tube bundles containing a plurality of tubes .
  • a pressure drop tends to occur when blowing the optical fibres in a direction from left to right as shown in Figure 4, since the internal diameter of the tube 7 is greater than that of the smaller tube 8.
  • Such a pressure drop can impede the blowing performance, resulting in . less efficient installation of optical fibres into the tube network when blowing techniques are used.
  • Such a pressure drop can also be problematic in that only uni- directional installation of optical fibres by means of blowing is possible, that is, blowing in a direction from a larger tube to a smaller tube. This reduces the flexibility of any installation process.
  • Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome the above disadvantages of the pri'or art.
  • a network of tubes for accommodating one or more optical fibres, said tubes each having a respective predetermined internal diameter and a respective predetermined external diameter, wherein said internal diameters of said tubes are substantially equal, and not all of said external diameters are substantially equal, wherein at least one said tube includes a respective layer of material having a different wall thicknesses to that of another said tube.
  • the further advantage is provided that bi-directional blowing is facilitated, as opposed to uni-directional blowing only, which is the case with known networks which suffer from pressure drops at various locations throughout the network.
  • a branch tube which has a larger outside diameter, for example 5 mm, and the same size internal diameter, for example 2.1 mm, as a (typically) 3 mm tube of the tube bundle, the network can be extended without problems of blowing performance. It has previously been considered by persons skilled in the art that this solution would be unattractive because tubes with thicker wall sections are slower and therefore more expensive to manufacture. However it has been unexpectedly found that such tubes are significantly better in terms of not distorting when outer protective layers are applied by extrusion.
  • a 5 mm outside diameter tube with an internal diameter of 2.1 mm is sufficiently resistant to deformation and it has been found that the external protective coating can be applied in a single layer instead of two layers.
  • the process involves first wrapping the tube with the aluminium foil layer and then applying a single polyethylene outer protective layer. This cost saving benefit reduces the capital investment required and reduces the operating costs required for manufacturing a suitable branch tube.
  • branch tube of the invention is significantly stronger. Looking at the relative dimension of the tube bundle of fig 2 and the b ranch tube of fig 3 it is clear that the branch tube can be easily bent around much tighter radii than the tube bundle. If the wall thickness of the tube of the branch tube is thin then it is much more likely to deform or collapse as the branch tube is bent. This is not the case for the branch tube of the invention.
  • Such a network therefore provides the advantage that tubes which provide the optimum commercial benefit both in terms of their cost of manufacture and in terms of the amount of space they occupy in the duct network can be used for the main body of the network in tube bundles containing a plurality of tubes and tubes having the same or similar internal diameters but different external diameters may be used for example to provide suitable single branch tubes which are easier and cheaper to manufacture and more resistant to damage.
  • a tube could be provided having an external diameter of 5mm and an internal diameter of 2.1mm.
  • a tube could be provided having an external diameter of 8mm and an internal diameter of 3.5mm.
  • the network comprises at least one connector for connecting together at least two said tubes, said connector comprising: at least one first aperture for receiving a first respective said tube; and at least one second aperture for receiving a second respective said tube.
  • At least one said connector may comprise at least one first tubular element defining a respective said first aperture; at least one second tubular element defining a respective said second aperture; and at least one tubular connecting element between the first and second elements for connecting a said first element to a said second . element .
  • At least one said connecting element may comprise a tubular member having an internal diameter substantially' equal to the internal diameter of the tubes.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic cross sectional view of a known tube assembly
  • Figure 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of a known branch tube
  • Figure 3 shows a first known tube joint forming part of a known network
  • Figure 4 shows a second known tube joint forming part of a known network
  • Figure 5 shows a tube joint forming part of the network of the present invention.
  • Figure 6 shows a tube network embodying the present invention.
  • the connector 10 forms part of a tube network 100 as shown in Figure 6.
  • the connector 10 may be a pneumatic connector and comprises a first aperture defined by a first tubular element 11, a second aperture defined by a second tubular element 12, and a tubular connecting element 13 located between the first 11 and second 12 tubular elements.
  • the first tubular element 11 comprises first and second concentric tubular sections 14 and 15 respectively, wherein the first tubular section 14 is of a larger diameter than the second tubular section 15.
  • the second tubular element 12 comprises first and second concentric tubular sections 16 and 17 ' respectively, wherein the first tubular section 16 is of a larger diameter than the second tubular section 17.
  • a first, thick-walled tube 18 may be inserted into the first tubular element 11 of the connector 10, and a second, thin-walled tube 19 may be inserted into the second tubular element 12 of the connector 10.
  • a joint is formed between the two tubes 18 and 19 and a through-hole 20 is formed between the two elements 11 and 12 by way -of the connecting element 13.
  • a thin-walled tube may have an internal diameter which is 0.7 times its external diameter
  • a thick- walled tube may have an internal diameter which is 0.44 times its external diameter.
  • the internal diameters of the tubes 18 and 19 are the same.
  • the internal dimensions and in particular the internal diameter of the first tubular section 15 are the same as the external diameter of the thick-walled tube 18.
  • the internal dimensions and in particular the internal diameter of the first tubular section 17 are the same as the external diameter of the thin-walled tube 19.
  • the tubes 18 and 19 are snugly held within the connector 10.
  • four 0-rings (of which only two are shown) 21 are provided inside each of the tubular sections 14 and 16.
  • the tubular connecting element 13 has an internal diameter the same or similar to the internal diameters of the tubes 18 and 19, and the tubular connecting element 13 ' is concentric with each of the tubular elements 11 and 12 and the interiors of the tubes 18 and 19.
  • the optical fibre cable (not shown), when blown through the connector 10, follows a clear path, and there are no internal steps created inside the connector, caused by either a part of the connector itself or either tube, upon which the optical fibre cable can become lodged.
  • there is no pressure drop created anywhere in the network since the internal diameters of all of the tubes in the network are substantially the same. By eliminating pressure drops within the network, blowing performance is significantly improved.
  • tubes may be connected together, to form tube joints, with substantially no pressure drops occurring within the network.
  • the connector may be adapted to facilitate connection between a plurality of tube pairs.
  • the connector would include a plurality of pairs of tubular elements and a plurality of connecting elements .
  • the network may include tubes having large internal diameters, that is, larger optical fibre tubes as opposed to micro-ducts, as long as the internal diameters of each tube within the network is the same.
  • the present invention is not limited to a network whereby branch tubes are connected to tubes forming part of a bundle, but may also comprise branch tubes connected to other branch tubes, or a tube from a tube bundle connected to another tube from a tube bundle.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un réseau de tubes (18, 19) destiné à loger une ou plusieurs fibres optiques. Les diamètres intérieurs des tubes sont sensiblement égaux et les diamètres extérieurs ne sont pas tous sensiblement égaux. Au moins un des tubes comporte une couche de matière respective présentant une épaisseur de paroi différente de celle d'un autre tube.
PCT/GB2005/001696 2004-05-11 2005-05-06 Reseau de tubes pour fibres optiques WO2005109060A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0410459.2A GB0410459D0 (en) 2004-05-11 2004-05-11 Method and apparatus for connecting tubes for optical fibres
GB0410459.2 2004-05-11
GBGB0413580.2A GB0413580D0 (en) 2004-05-11 2004-06-17 Method and apparatus for connecting tubes for optical fibres
GB0413580.2 2004-06-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2005109060A1 true WO2005109060A1 (fr) 2005-11-17

Family

ID=34968751

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2005/001696 WO2005109060A1 (fr) 2004-05-11 2005-05-06 Reseau de tubes pour fibres optiques

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2005109060A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007113519A1 (fr) * 2006-04-03 2007-10-11 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Montage de câble

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0350245A2 (fr) * 1988-07-04 1990-01-10 BICC Public Limited Company Dispositif de connection pour fibres optiques
EP0780942A1 (fr) * 1995-12-21 1997-06-25 Koninklijke KPN N.V. Procédé d'installation d'un embranchement de tube pour un câble de télécommunication et élément d'embranchement utilisant pour un tel procédé
US5781678A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-07-14 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Optical fiber path joint member and method of blowing optical fiber
US20010032679A1 (en) * 2000-03-08 2001-10-25 Siemens Canada Limited Low restriction hose and seal assembly
US20020079697A1 (en) * 2000-12-27 2002-06-27 Willem Griffioen Y-branch splittable connector
NL1019447C2 (nl) * 2001-11-28 2003-06-02 Nkf Kabel Bv Buisstructuur ten behoeve van een glasvezelnetwerk alsmede een glasvezelkabel omvattende een dergelijke buisstructuur en een werkwijze voor het leggen van een dergelijke buisstructuur of glasvezelkabel.

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0350245A2 (fr) * 1988-07-04 1990-01-10 BICC Public Limited Company Dispositif de connection pour fibres optiques
US5781678A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-07-14 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Optical fiber path joint member and method of blowing optical fiber
EP0780942A1 (fr) * 1995-12-21 1997-06-25 Koninklijke KPN N.V. Procédé d'installation d'un embranchement de tube pour un câble de télécommunication et élément d'embranchement utilisant pour un tel procédé
US20010032679A1 (en) * 2000-03-08 2001-10-25 Siemens Canada Limited Low restriction hose and seal assembly
US20020079697A1 (en) * 2000-12-27 2002-06-27 Willem Griffioen Y-branch splittable connector
NL1019447C2 (nl) * 2001-11-28 2003-06-02 Nkf Kabel Bv Buisstructuur ten behoeve van een glasvezelnetwerk alsmede een glasvezelkabel omvattende een dergelijke buisstructuur en een werkwijze voor het leggen van een dergelijke buisstructuur of glasvezelkabel.

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007113519A1 (fr) * 2006-04-03 2007-10-11 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Montage de câble

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