JPH0227642B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical cable, and particularly to a device for preventing breakage of the end portion of the optical cable.

Generally, when optical cables are used to optically connect two devices, each device and the optical cable are often used in a fixed state.
Therefore, in the case of optical fibers in optical cables, especially glass fibers, there is a risk of breakage if handled incorrectly. In other words, if a device, such as a programmable controller, is installed with little movement, it is possible to prevent breakage to a large extent if sufficient care is taken during installation, but if one or the other side of the device is frequently moved. In such cases, optical cables also need to be frequently connected and disconnected from them.

Then, the optical cable is connected to the device,
As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fibers 2, 2 and tension members 5, 5 can be separated by peeling off the outer sheath 6 by a predetermined length from the end thereof, and the tips of the optical fibers 2, 2 can be separated. Plugs 8 and 8 are attached to the

Therefore, the portion of the optical fibers 2, 2 covered with the outer sheath 6 is strong against impact, but the exposed portion where the outer sheath is peeled off is the optical fiber 2, 2.
Because the coating covering the fiber is soft, it can break if the fiber is handled roughly or its bend radius specifications are not followed.

In order to prevent this breakage, it is conceivable to pull the optical cable close to the device and then peel off its jacket, but this has the disadvantage that it is extremely troublesome to handle if work space is restricted.

In FIG. 2, an optical cable 1 is connected to a device 20 housed in a cubicle 23 installed on a duct 18, and this optical cable is passed from the duct 18 through an inlet 19 to the cubicle 23.
the plug 8,8 into the receptor 9,
In this case, when passing the optical cable 1 through the inlet 19 or pulling it out from the inlet 19, the bending radius of the optical fiber 2, 2 relative to the exposed portion 7 from the outer sheath 6 is adjusted. If this is ignored or if too much force is applied to the edge of the inlet 19, breakage will occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to overcome these conventional drawbacks, and to provide a device that allows the exposed portion of an optical cable to be easily exposed with a simple structure and that is easy to handle.

In order to achieve the object, an optical cable is freely inserted into a protective tube having a longer dimension than the exposed portion of the optical fiber from the outer sheath, and the peripheral wall of the protective tube is penetrated through the protective tube. An operating rope is provided, one end of which is connected to one end of the tension member through the inside of the protection tube, and the other end is led out of the protection tube,
In addition, when the operating rope is pulled out from the protective tube, the exposed portion of the optical cable is covered and protected by the protective tube.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

That is, as explained with reference to FIG. 2, the optical cable 1 is constructed by covering the optical fibers 2, 2 and tension members 5, 5 with the outer sheath 6, and the outer sheath is covered at the end of the optical cable 1. Optical fibers 2, 2 and tension members 5, 5 are removed by peeling a predetermined dimension.
An exposed portion 7 is formed which allows the fibers to be separated from each other, and a plug 8, 8 is attached to the end of each optical fiber 2.

On the other hand, the protective tube 11 is made of a hard or soft transparent or opaque material as shown in FIG. Furthermore, it has a sufficient inner diameter to allow the optical cable 1 to be freely inserted therethrough. A pair of holes 12, 12 are provided at one end of the protective tube, penetrating the peripheral wall thereof, and a pair of holes 13, 13 are further provided to intersect with these holes. The protective tube 11 is provided with an operating rope 15 that passes through the peripheral wall of the protective tube 11 by being inserted into the first holes 12, 12, and this operating rope is formed into a loop by connecting both ends of the operating rope. , does not necessarily have to be a loop. Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
The protective tube 11 is connected to one end thereof, and the other end thereof is led out to the outside of the protective tube 11. In addition, the protection tube 11 has a second
A regulating rope 16 is provided which penetrates the peripheral wall by being inserted into the holes 13, 13, and this regulating rope is formed into a loop like the operating rope 15. The regulating rope 16 is the operating rope 1.
The length of the operating rope 15 pulled out from the protective tube 11 is regulated when the operating rope 15 is pulled out together with the other end of the operating rope 5 . That is, as shown in FIG.
The protection tube 11 is positioned with respect to the optical cable 1 so as to cover the exposed portion 7 of the optical fiber 2 in the maximum drawn state.

When laying the optical cable 1 in the above configuration, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the exposed portion 7 is covered and protected with a protective tube 11. In this state, as shown in Figure 8, the optical cable 1
When the protective tube 1 is drawn into the vicinity of the device 20 to be connected through the duct 18 or the inlet 19, etc., and in this state, the protective tube 1 is moved along the optical cable 1 in the direction opposite to the exposed portion 7, as shown in FIG. , the plugs 8, 8 are exposed from the protective tube 11 together with the optical fibers 2, 2. In this state, the fastener 17 may be removed and the plugs 8, 8 may be connected to the receptacles of the device 20. Furthermore, in this state, as shown in FIG. 7, the tension member 5 can be hooked onto the wall of the cubicle 23 with a hook 21 or the like, and the optical cable 1 can be attached to the wall of the cubicle 23 with a saddle 22 or the like.

Conversely, when removing the optical cable 1 from the cubicle 23 or the device 20, the operating rope 15
The optical fibers 2 can be removed without damaging the optical fibers 2, 2 by tying them short near one end, that is, near the protective tube 11.

As described above, the present invention forms an exposed portion at the end of an optical cable consisting of an optical fiber and a tension member by peeling off the outer sheath by a predetermined dimension so that the optical fiber and the tension member can be separated. In addition, the optical cable is inserted so as to be freely inserted into a protective tube having a longer dimension than the exposed portion of the optical fiber, and an operating rope that can be freely inserted through the peripheral wall of the protective tube is provided. One end passes through the inside of the protection tube and is connected to one end of the tension member, and the other end is led out of the protection tube.In addition, with the operating rope pulled out from the protection tube, the optical cable is connected through this protection tube. Since the exposed portion is covered and protected, there is an advantage that the optical fiber will not be damaged when attaching and detaching the optical cable.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a conventional optical cable connection method, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the connecting end of the optical cable, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protective tube in the present invention.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the optical cable and the protection tube, Fig. 5 is a side sectional view showing the exposed portion of the optical fiber covered with the protection tube, and Fig. 6 is a side view showing the state when the optical cable is connected. FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which the optical cable is connected and attached to the device, and FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing the operation of pulling in the optical cable. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Optical cable, 2... Optical fiber, 5... Tension member, 6... Outer cover, 7... Exposed part, 8...
Plug, 11...protection tube, 12...hole, 13...hole, 1
5... Operation rope, 16... Regulation rope, 17... Fastener, 18... Duct, 19... Inlet, 20... Device,
21...key, 22...saddle, 23...cubicle.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. At the end of an optical cable consisting of an optical fiber and a tension member, an exposed portion is formed by peeling off the outer sheath by a predetermined dimension so that the optical fiber and tension member can be separated. Further, the optical fiber is inserted so as to be freely inserted into a protective tube having a dimension longer than the dimension of the exposed portion, and an operating rope is provided in the protective tube so as to be freely inserted through the peripheral wall of the protective tube. Connecting one end to one end of the tension member through the inside of the protection tube,
Furthermore, the other end of the optical cable is led out of the protective tube, and the exposed portion of the optical cable is covered and protected by the protective tube with the operating rope pulled out from the protective tube. Protective device. 2. The optical cable protection device according to claim 1, wherein the operating rope is generally formed into a loop shape. 3. At the end of an optical cable consisting of an optical fiber and a tension member, the outer sheath is peeled off by a predetermined dimension to form an exposed portion that allows the optical fiber and tension member to be separated, and the optical cable is It is inserted so as to be freely inserted into a protective tube having a dimension longer than the dimension of the exposed portion, and an operating rope that can be freely inserted through the peripheral wall of the protective tube is provided, and one end of this rope is connected to the protective tube. connected to one end of the tension member through the inside,
Furthermore, the other end is led out of the protection tube, and one end of a regulating rope is attached to the protection tube to regulate the pull-out length of the operating rope within a predetermined range.
A protection device for an optical cable, wherein the length of the operating rope is regulated by the length of the regulating rope when the other end of the operating rope is pulled together with the other end of the regulating rope.