Reinforcing sleeve, reinforcing structure of spliced portion of optical fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022229236-A1
Application number	US-202217578529-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2022
Priority date	Jan 19, 2021
Publication date	Jul 21, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A reinforcing sleeve is a member for collectively reinforcing spliced portions of a plurality of optical fiber core wires disposed side by side. The reinforcing member includes a heat-shrinkable tube, a heat-meltable member, a tension member, and so on. The heat shrinkable tube is a cylindrical member having an approximately circular cross section. The heat-meltable member, which is a first heat-meltable member, is in a cylindrical shape having an approximately circular or elliptical cross section. The tension member is a rod-shaped member. The tension member and the heat-meltable member are inserted into the heat-shrinkable member. A thick portion is provided at a substantially center portion of a width direction of the heat-meltable member. Thus, on a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heat-meltable member, an amount of the heat-meltable member at proximity of the center portion of the width direction of the heat-meltable member is greater than an amount of the heat-meltable member at proximity of the end portions of the width direction of the heat-meltable member. This forms a flow of the heat-meltable member from the center portion toward the end portions in the width direction at the time of melting the heat-meltable member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reinforcing sleeve for collectively reinforcing spliced portions of a plurality of optical fiber core wires disposed side by side, the reinforcing sleeve comprising:
a heat-shrinkable tube; a tension member; and a heat-meltable member, the tension member and the heat-meltable member being inserted into the heat shrinkable tube, wherein the heat-meltable member includes a convex portion protruding toward an inner surface side of the heat-meltable member, the convex portion being formed on a side of the tension member at proximity of a center portion of a width direction in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tube-shaped heat-meltable member.

2 . A reinforcing sleeve for collectively reinforcing spliced portions of a plurality of optical fiber core wires disposed side by side, the reinforcing sleeve comprising:
a heat-shrinkable tube; a tension member; and a heat-meltable member, the tension member and the heat-meltable member being inserted into the heat shrinkable tube, wherein the heat-meltable member includes a thick portion having a thickness that is greater than thicknesses of the other parts, the thick portion being formed at proximity of a center portion of a width direction in a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heat-meltable member.

3 . The reinforcing sleeve according to claim 2 , wherein
the thick portion is formed on a side of the tension member of the heat-meltable member and an inner surface side of the heat-meltable member is formed in a protruding shape protruding toward a center of the heat-meltable member.

4 . A reinforcing sleeve for collectively reinforcing spliced portions of a plurality of optical fiber core wires disposed side by side, the reinforcing sleeve comprising:
a heat-shrinkable tube; a tension member; and a heat-meltable member, the tension member and the heat-meltable member being inserted into the heat shrinkable tube, wherein the heat-meltable member includes a first heat-meltable member having a tube shape and a second heat-meltable member that is disposed at a center portion of a width direction of the first heat-meltable member.

5 . The reinforcing sleeve according to claim 4 , wherein
the second heat-meltable member is disposed between the first heat-meltable member and the tension member, and an outer shape of the second heat-meltable member is formed in a protruding shape protruding toward the first heat-meltable member.

6 . A reinforcing structure of a spliced portion of an optical fiber using the reinforcing sleeve according to claim 1 , wherein
the heat-meltable member unifies the spliced portion of optical fiber ribbons with the tension member as one body, each of the optical fiber ribbons including a plurality of optical fiber core wires that are placed side by side and bonded to each other at intervals in a longitudinal direction.

7 . A reinforcing structure of a spliced portion of an optical fiber using the reinforcing sleeve according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat-meltable member unifies the spliced portion of optical fiber ribbons with the tension member as one body, each of the optical fiber ribbons including a plurality of optical fiber core wires that are placed side by side and bonded to each other at intervals in a longitudinal direction.

8 . A reinforcing structure of a spliced portion of an optical fiber using the reinforcing sleeve according to claim 4 , wherein
the heat-meltable member unifies the spliced portion of optical fiber ribbons and the tension member as one body, each of the optical fiber ribbons including a plurality of optical fiber core wires that are placed side by side and bonded to each other at intervals in a longitudinal direction.

9 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 6 , wherein
the number of the plurality of optical fiber core wires forming each of the optical fiber ribbons is 12 or more.

10 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 7 , wherein
the number of the plurality of optical fiber core wires forming each of the optical fiber ribbons is 12 or more.

11 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 8 , wherein
the number of the plurality of optical fiber core wires forming each of the optical fiber ribbons is 12 or more.

12 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 6 , wherein
a pitch between the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

13 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 7 , wherein
a pitch between the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

14 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 8 , wherein
a pitch between the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

15 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 6 , wherein
an outer diameter of a glass fiber of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 110 μm or less.

16 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 7 , wherein
an outer diameter of a glass fiber of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 110 μm or less.

17 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 8 , wherein
an outer diameter of a glass fiber of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 110 μm or less.

18 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 6 , wherein
an outer diameter of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

19 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 7 , wherein
an outer diameter of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

20 . The reinforcing structure of the spliced portion of the optical fiber according to claim 8 , wherein
an outer diameter of each of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is 200 μm or less.

Assignees

• Furukawa Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akiyama Tomohiro
• Takaoka Ryuji
• Tanabe Akio

Classifications

• G02B6/4403

  with ribbon structure (G02B6/4429, G02B6/4439, G02B6/4479 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/2558 Primary

  Reinforcement of splice joint · CPC title

• G02B6/2552

  reshaping or reforming of light guides for coupling using thermal heating, e.g. tapering, forming of a lens on light guide ends · CPC title

• G02B6/2551 Primary

  using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch · CPC title