Array of tubes for optical cables

Abstract

An assembly having a tube and at least one optical cable with the optical cable being placed inside the tube. The tube has an inner diameter D and in that the optical cable has an outer diameter d, the ratio d/D ranging from 0.10 to 0.80.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising: a tube; and at least one optical cable, said optical cable configured to be placed inside said tube by sliding in the said tube, wherein the tube has an inner diameter D and in that the optical cable has an outer diameter d, the ratio d/D ranging from 0.10 to 0.80, wherein the tube has a Young's modulus ranging from 450 MPa to 700 MPa, wherein the tube comprises a main layer comprising at least one first polymer material, wherein the tube comprises an inner layer comprising at least one second polymer material different from the first polymer material, said inner layer being surrounded by the main layer, and wherein the first polymer material comprises at least one polymer of polyimide chosen from among the polyetherimides, the polyamideimides, the copolymers of polyetherimide-siloxanes, and one of the mixtures thereof.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tube has an inner surface having a dynamic friction coefficient ?d1 and in that the optical cable has an outer surface having a dynamic friction coefficient ?d2, the difference between ?d1 and ?d2 having an absolute value ranging from 0.05 to 0.70.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tube has an inner surface having a static friction coefficient ?s1 and in that the optical cable has an outer surface having a static friction coefficient ?s2, the difference between ?s1 and ?s2 having an absolute value ranging from 0.05 to 0.70.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical cable comprises a central part comprising one or more optical fibres, the central part being surrounded by a protective jacket.

5. The Assembly according to claim 4, wherein the protective jacket comprises at least one third polymer material comprising a fluorinated polymer.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the protective jacket comprises a fabric screen and a protective sheath, the protective sheath surrounding the fabric screen.

7. An array of optical cables, wherein said array comprises one or more assemblies according to claim 1.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly is configured to be applied as an aeronautics assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

(2) FIG. 1 represents a cross-sectional view of an assembly comprising a tube and several optical cables according to an embodiment of the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 represents a front view of an assembly according to the invention in which an optical cable is inserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) For reasons of clarity, only the elements that are essential for an understanding of the embodiments set out hereinbelow have been represented schematically, and with no respect to scale.

(5) According to a first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, an assembly 1 according to the first subject of the invention comprises a tube 2 and five so-called simplex optical cables 6 and three multifibre optical cables 4.

(6) The tube 2 comprises a main layer 3 made of a first polymer material comprising a copolymer of polyetherimide siloxane, and an inner layer 5 made of a second polymer material comprising a fluorinated polymer. A space 8 between the optical cables 4 and 6 is filled with air.

(7) The multifibre optical cables 4 comprise a protective jacket 12 surrounding the central part 15. The jacket 12 comprises a protective sheath 14 made of a third polymer material comprising a copolymer of fluorinated ethylene and propylene. The jacket 12 also comprises a fabric screen 13 placed between a central part 15 and the protective sheath 14.

(8) The central part 15 comprises twelve optical fibres 16 which are surrounded by gel 17.

(9) The so-called simplex optical cables 6 comprise a jacket 12 comprising a fabric screen 13 and a protective sheath 14 and a central part 15 comprising a single optical fibre 16.

(10) The tube 2 has an inner diameter D with a value of 6 mm. The multifibre optical cables 4 have an outer diameter d1 with a value of 2 mm and the simplex optical cables 6 have an outer diameter d2 with a value of 0.9 mm. The ratio d1/D is therefore 0.33 and the ratio d2/D is therefore 0.15.

(11) FIG. 2 illustrates an array 20 comprising an assembly 24 according to a second embodiment of the invention placed on a wall 22. The assembly 24 comprises the tube 2 with a length of 25 m and a single multifibre optical cable 4 that is not visible.

(12) The tube 2 is formed by extrusion from a polypropylene polymer.

(13) In this exemplary embodiment, the multifibre optical cable 4 is installed in the tube 2 previously installed on the wall 22. The optical cable was able to be slid into the tube 2 from the entry 28 to a length of 15 metres, and without the optical cable being damaged.