JPH116943A - Optical fiber cable and its manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the optical fiber cable and its manufacturing method capable of housing a great number of optical fiber cores without lowering the identification property of the optical fiber core and moreover reducing manufacturing costs. SOLUTION: This optical fiber cable is provided with the slot 2 housing plural optical fiber aggregates 7 within the slot groove 3 of a part 1, plural optical fiber cores 4 forming the aggregate 7 of the part 1 are mutually colored into the different color, the wire body 8 respectively colored into the mutually different color are wound onto plural aggregates 7 housed into the slot groove 3 of the part 1 extending in the longitudinal direction, moreover at least one part of the optical fiber core 4 forming these aggregates 7 is mutually colored into the same color in the case of comparing at least two aggregates 7 of plural aggregates 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable accommodating a plurality of optical fiber cores and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a method for connecting a large number of optical fiber cores without deteriorating the distinguishability of the optical fiber cores. The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable that can be accommodated and whose manufacturing cost can be reduced, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many subscriber optical fiber cables having a slot for accommodating a plurality of optical fibers in a slot groove have been used. 2. Description of the Related Art A single optical fiber or a plurality of optical fibers is pulled down to a user. FIG. 4 shows an example of the optical fiber cable. In the optical fiber cable shown here, a plurality of slot grooves 3 are provided on the outer periphery of a slot 2 having a tension member 1 at the center, and a plurality of single optical fiber wires 4, 4,. Are accommodated, and the presser winding 5 and the sheath 6 are sequentially formed on the outer periphery of the slot 2.

The above optical fiber single wires 4, 4,...
Usually, about 10 are accommodated in one slot groove 3 and 1
Optical fiber wires 4, 4, housed in two slots
... so that they can be visually distinguished from each other,
Rings marks that are colored differently from each other or that are colored intermittently in the longitudinal direction are provided.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned optical fiber cable has the following problems. In recent years, with the increase in the number of users, there has been a demand for multi-core optical fiber cables. For this reason, it is being studied to increase the number of single optical fibers accommodated in one slot groove, for example, to 20 or more. However, in the optical fiber cable having the above structure,
When the number of the optical fiber single fibers accommodated in one slot groove is increased by using different colored optical fibers as the optical fiber single fiber, as the color of the optical fiber single fiber, Similar ones have to be adopted. As a result, there is a problem that the discrimination of the optical fiber is reduced, and there is a problem in connecting the single optical fibers.

In the case where a single optical fiber with a ring mark is used as the single optical fiber, the manufacturing process is complicated because the single fiber of the optical fiber is provided with a ring mark, resulting in low production efficiency. As a result, there has been a disadvantage in manufacturing cost. In particular, when a small-diameter optical fiber is used, there is a problem that it is difficult to identify the rings mark and the discrimination of the optical fiber is reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is an optical fiber cable capable of accommodating a large number of optical fiber cores without lowering the discriminability of the optical fiber core and reducing the manufacturing cost. And a method for producing the same.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An optical fiber cable according to the present invention has a slot in which a plurality of optical fiber assemblies are accommodated in one slot groove, and a plurality of optical fibers forming one optical fiber assembly. A plurality of filaments, each of which is colored in a different color and accommodated in one slot groove, are wound in a longitudinal direction with filaments each colored in a different color. When at least two of the aggregates are compared, at least some of the optical fiber cores forming the aggregates have the same color.

In the method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable according to the present invention, a striated body is wound around an outer periphery of a bobbin having both ends opened, and a plurality of optical fiber cores colored in different colors are inserted through the bobbin. In a state in which one end of the striated body is fixed to these optical fiber cores, these optical fiber cores are taken as an aggregate around which the striated body is wound, while the optical fiber cores are being taken off. Form a plurality of
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable for accommodating a plurality of these assemblies in a slot groove of a slot, wherein the filaments wound around the plurality of assemblies accommodated in one slot groove are colored in different colors from each other. When at least two of these aggregates are compared, at least a part of the optical fiber cores forming these aggregates is mutually connected. The same color is used.

[0008]

1 and 2 show one example of an optical fiber cable according to the present invention. In the optical fiber cable shown here, a plurality of slot grooves 3 formed in one-way twist or SZ twist are provided on the outer periphery of a slot 2 having a tension member 1 made of a steel stranded wire or the like at the center. A presser winding 5 made of a nonwoven fabric or the like and a sheath 6 made of polyethylene or the like are sequentially formed.

The optical fiber cable shown here is different from the conventional optical fiber cable shown in FIG. 4 in that a plurality of, preferably two to eight optical fiber single-core wires 4 are provided in a slot groove 3. The point is that a plurality, preferably 2 to 5 fiber aggregates 7 are accommodated.

The optical fiber single fibers 4, 4,... Constituting one optical fiber assembly 7 are colored in different colors from each other. The outermost coating layers of 4,... Are colored layers of different colors. These optical fiber single-core wires 4 form the optical fiber single-core wires 4 forming the aggregates 7 when at least two of the multiple aggregates 7 accommodated in one slot groove 3 are compared. Are made the same color with each other. A bunching thread 8, 8,..., Which is a linear body, is wound around the outer circumference of each of the aggregates 7, 7,.

The bunching yarns 8, 8,...
The optical fiber single wires 4, 4,... Constituting the optical fiber 7,. The bunching yarns 8 wound around the plurality of aggregates 7 accommodated in one slot groove 3 are colored differently from each other. As the bunching yarn 8, nylon yarn, polyester filament,
It is preferable to use cotton thread or the like.

As a specific example of the single optical fiber 4 and the bunching thread 8, in one slot groove 3,
Five bundles 7 composed of four optical fiber single wires 4 are accommodated, and a bunching thread 8 wound around these bundles 7
Are colored red, yellow, green, blue, and purple, respectively, and the optical fiber single wires 4 belonging to these aggregates 7 are red, yellow,
Those colored green and blue can be mentioned. In this specific example, while the number of the single optical fibers 4 accommodated in one slot groove 3 is 20, the colors of the single optical fibers 4 and the bunching thread 8 used for the single optical fibers 4 and the bunching thread 8 are different. The number is five colors.

Next, a method of manufacturing the optical fiber cable having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 3 shows a manufacturing apparatus used for carrying out an example of the method for manufacturing an optical fiber cable according to the present invention. The manufacturing apparatus shown here is composed of a bobbin 10 and first and second optical fiber cores. It is provided with position adjusting rotating plates 11 and 12 and a housing die 13.

The bobbin 10 collects a plurality of optical fiber cores and winds a bunching thread around its outer periphery. The bobbin 10 has a cylindrical body having openings at both ends and an inner portion formed as an optical fiber core insertion portion. It is. The bobbins 10 are provided in the same number as the number of aggregates to be accommodated in the slot grooves of the slots, and are arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating plates 11 and 12. It is preferable to use two to five bobbins 10 per slot groove.

The first and second optical fiber core position adjusting rotary plates 11 and 12 are provided for arranging optical fiber cores in positions easy to be accommodated in the slot grooves, and are each formed in a disk shape. , And are rotatably supported in the circumferential direction.
These rotating plates 11 and 12 are connected and integrated with each other via a connecting portion 14. Openings 11b and 12b serving as slot insertion portions are formed in the vicinity of the centers of the rotating plates 11 and 12, and at positions closer to the periphery than the openings 11b and 12b,
A plurality of optical fiber insertion holes 11a and 12a are provided. The insertion holes 11a and 12a are
The same number as the number of slot grooves is provided in the circumferential direction of 1 and 12.

The rotating plate 12 is provided with slot phase detecting pins 16 protruding toward the opening 12b. The detection pin 16 is provided so as to be inserted into the slot groove when the slot is inserted through the opening 12b.
The accommodation die 13 is for accommodating the optical fiber core wire in the slot groove of the slot, and is a cylindrical body having a minimum inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the slot.

In this method, first, the slot 2 is sequentially inserted into the openings 11b and 12b of the rotating plates 11 and 12, and the accommodation die 13, and is taken out at a constant speed in the direction of the arrow in the figure. At this time, the slot phase detection pin 16 provided on the rotating plate 12 is inserted into the slot groove 3.

Further, the bunching thread 8 is previously attached to the bobbin 10.
Is wound so that the winding diameter is preferably 6 cm or less, and a plurality of, preferably 2 to 8 single optical fibers 4 are inserted into the bobbin 10, and one end of the bunching thread 8 is connected to the single optical fiber. The optical fiber 4 is fixed to the optical fiber 4.
Is inserted into the insertion holes 11a and 12a of the rotating plates 11 and 12, and is taken out at a constant speed in the direction of an arrow in FIG.

The single optical fiber 4 inserted into one bobbin 10 is colored in different colors, for example, red, yellow, green, and blue, respectively. Further, as the single optical fiber 4 accommodated in one slot groove 3, the single optical fiber 4 inserted into at least two bobbins 10 among the plurality of bobbins 10 into which the single optical fiber 4 is inserted is used. When the optical fibers are compared with each other, at least a part of these optical fiber single wires 4 is used in the same color. The bunching thread 8 wound around the bobbin 10 has a different color, for example, red, between the bobbins 10 through which the single optical fiber 4 to be accommodated in one slot groove is inserted. , Yellow, green,
Those colored blue, purple, etc. are used.

As the slot 2 is withdrawn, the phase of the slot groove 3 of the slot 2 located in the opening 12b of the rotating plate 12 changes. At this time, since the phase detection pin 16 is inserted into the slot groove 3, the rotating plates 11, 12 rotate in the circumferential direction in accordance with the phase of the slot groove 3, and the light passing through the insertion holes 11a, 12a. The single fiber core 4 is arranged at a position corresponding to the phase of the slot groove 3.

As the single optical fiber 4 is pulled, the bunching thread 8 on the bobbin 10 is sequentially fed out and wound around the outer circumference of the single optical fiber 4. The single optical fiber 4 is formed into an aggregate 7 around which a bunching thread 8 is wound, and is sequentially received in the slot groove 3 through the insertion holes 11a and 12a of the rotating plates 11 and 12. At this time, the assembly 7 passing through the bobbin 10 is
The assembly 7 is immediately accommodated in the slot groove 3 after passing through the slots 1 and 12, so that the aggregate 7 is accommodated in the slot groove 3 in a state where the bunching yarn 8 is not disturbed. In this way, after the optical fiber single core wire 4 is accommodated in the slot groove 3 of the slot 2, a coarse winding made of nylon yarn or the like is applied to the outer periphery of the slot 2, and then a press winding made of a nonwoven fabric or the like is applied.
Further, a sheath made of polyethylene or the like is applied to obtain the optical fiber cable.

In the optical fiber cable having the above-described configuration, the plurality of single optical fibers 4 forming one optical fiber assembly 7 are colored in different colors from each other and are accommodated in one slot groove 3. When the bunching yarns 8 colored in different colors from each other are wound around the plurality of aggregates 7 in the longitudinal direction, and at least two of the plurality of aggregates 7 are compared, These aggregates 7
Since at least a part of the optical fiber single wires 4 constituting the same color is the same color, one single optical fiber 4 in the aggregate 7 and one The number of colors used for the single optical fiber 4 accommodated in the slot groove 3 is determined by
Can be less than the number. For this reason, the single optical fiber 4 accommodated in one slot groove 3 without adopting an inferior discrimination as the single optical fiber 4
Can be increased.

In the above-mentioned method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, a bundle 7 is formed by winding a bunching thread 8 around a plurality of single optical fibers 4, and these are assembled into a rotating plate 11.
Steps such as accommodating in the slot groove 3 of the slot 2 through 12 can be performed in one manufacturing line, and the desired optical fiber cable can be efficiently manufactured, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, a single optical fiber 4
Is wound into the slot groove 3 immediately after passing through the bunching yarn 8 and passing through the rotating plates 11 and 12, so that the slot 2
Also, even when the speed of taking off the single optical fiber 4 is increased, the winding pitch of the bunching yarn 8 is not disturbed. Therefore, the production efficiency can be improved.

In the optical fiber cable having the above structure, a single optical fiber is used as the optical fiber accommodated in the slot groove. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May be used.

[0025]

According to the optical fiber cable of the present invention, the optical fiber cores accommodated in one slot groove without deteriorating the discrimination between the optical fiber cores in the aggregate and between the aggregates. The number of colors used for the wires can be less than the number of these optical fiber cores. For this reason, it is possible to increase the number of optical fiber cores accommodated in one slot groove without adopting an optical fiber core having poor discrimination. In the method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, a target optical fiber cable can be efficiently manufactured, the production efficiency can be increased, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of an optical fiber cable according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembly of optical fiber cores of the optical fiber cable shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus used to carry out an example of the method for manufacturing an optical fiber cable of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional optical fiber cable.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... slot, 3 ... slot groove, 4 ... single optical fiber (optical fiber core), 7 ... aggregate, 8 ... bunching thread (filament), 10 ..Bobbins

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiho Sato 1440, Mukurosaki, Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture Inside Fujikura Sakura Plant (72) Inventor Hiroto Watanabe 1440, Musaki, Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture Inside Fujikura Sakura Plant ( 72) Inventor Suehiro Miyamoto 1440, Murosaki, Sakura-shi, Chiba Prefecture Inside Fujikura Sakura Factory (72) Inventor Kazuo Hokari Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Co., Ltd. 3-2-1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Shinichi Furukawa 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber cable having a slot in which a plurality of optical fiber aggregates are accommodated in one slot groove, wherein the plurality of optical fiber cores forming the one optical fiber aggregate are:
A plurality of filaments each having a different color are wound in the longitudinal direction around a plurality of aggregates that are colored in different colors and are accommodated in one slot groove. An optical fiber cable characterized in that at least two of the aggregates are compared, and at least some of the optical fiber cores forming the aggregates have the same color. 2. A wire body is wound around an outer periphery of a bobbin having both ends opened, and a plurality of optical fiber cores colored in different colors are inserted through the bobbin, and the optical fiber core is inserted into the optical fiber core. In a state where one end of the striae is fixed, these optical fiber cores are taken up, and these optical fiber cores are formed into an aggregate around which the filament is wound, and a plurality of the aggregates are formed. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable for accommodating a body in a slot groove of a slot, wherein a plurality of filaments wound around a plurality of aggregates housed in one slot groove are colored in different colors, And as an optical fiber core wire forming the plurality of aggregates,
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, wherein when at least two of these aggregates are compared, at least some of the optical fiber cores forming the aggregates have the same color.