Method of producing an optical cable

• US 20040008956A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 01/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nexans Incorporated (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kleemann, Bernd, Frohne, Christian, Porcher, Klaus, Toften, Tom Eirik
• Application Number:
  US10/387,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008956A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/100
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4488 using metallic tubes

Abstract

A method for producing an optical cable with a metal tube and at least one optical fiber arranged in the metal tube, wherein optical fiber(s) are inserted into a slotted tube, the longitudinal slot in the slotted tube is welded, and the diameter of the welded tube is reduced. After the reducing operation, the welded tube is gripped by a draw-off device and conveyed in the finishing direction and wound up onto a draw-off disk. Between the draw-off device (10) and the draw-off disk (11), a force which causes elastic elongation of the metal tube (13) in the finishing direction is applied by the draw-off disk (11), and the extent of the elastic elongation is regulated through this force.

Claims

1. A method of producing an optical cable having a metal tube and at least one optical fiber situated in the metal tube, whereby a metal strip which is pulled off from a supply coil is gradually shaped into a slotted tube;

while this slotted tube is still open, one or more optical fibers are inserted into the slotted tube;

the longitudinal slot in the slotted tube is welded, and the diameter of the welded tube is reduced, the welded tube is gripped by a draw-off device after the reducing operation and is conveyed in the finishing direction and wound onto a draw-off disk with at least one winding, wherein a force producing an elastic elongation of the metal tube in the direction of finishing is applied by the draw-off disk between the draw-off device and the draw-off disk, and the extent of the elastic elongation is regulated through this force.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the force produced by the draw-off disk is measured by one or more force measuring sensors.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the torque of the drive from the draw-off disk is measured by a torsion sensor, for example.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the force acting on the draw-off disk and/or the housing/frame of the draw-off disk is measured.

5. A device for producing an optical cable having a metal tube and at least one optical fiber situated in the metal tube, comprising a device which continuously shapes a metal strip into a tube, a welding device which closes the longitudinal slot in the tube and is part of a tube reducing device set up downstream from the welding device, a draw-off device which grips the welded tube whose diameter has been reduced, and a draw-off disk, wherein the draw-off disk is mounted on force measuring sensors where the values determined by the force measuring sensors are the controlled variables for the drive of the draw-off disk (11).

6. A device for producing an optical cable having a metal tube and at least one optical fiber situated in the metal tube, comprising a device which continuously shapes a metal strip into a tube, a welding device which closes the longitudinal slot in the tube and is part of a tube reducing device set up downstream from the welding device, a draw-off device which grips the welded tube whose diameter has been reduced, and a draw-off disk, with a drive motor for the draw-off disk, wherein a torque sensor is situated on the shaft connecting the drive motor and the draw-off disk.

7. A device for producing an optical cable having a metal tube and at least one optical fiber situated in the metal tube, comprising a device which continuously shapes a metal strip into a tube, a welding device which closes the longitudinal slot in the tube and is part of a tube reducing device set up downstream from the welding device, a draw-off device which grips the welded tube whose diameter has been reduced, and a draw-off disk, with a drive motor for the draw-off disk, wherein at least one of (i) the drive motor and (ii) a bearing block provided between the drive motor and the draw-off disk, are mounted on force measuring sensors (17).