Method of introducing optical cable into a solid bed
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsLothar Finzel, Dieter Kunze, Günter Zeidler, Rainer Kossat
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for introducing an optical cable, in the form of a microcable or minicable (1), in solid ground (17) with the aid of a laying unit (23). The microcable or minicable (1) used for this purpose comprises a homogeneous and pressurized-water-tight tube (8) which has an external diameter of from 2.0 to 10 mm and into which optical waveguides (3) are introduced.
Claims115
A process for introducing an optical cable, consisting of a tube and optical waveguides introduced therein, into solid ground with the aid of a laying unit, characterized in that the optical cable laid is a microcable or minicable (1) with an external diameter of the tube (8) of 2.0 to 10 mm, the tube (a) being homogeneous and pressurized-water-tight, wherein the process comprises cutting a laying channel (19) with a width of 4.5 to 12 mm which is adapted to the diameter of the microcable or minicable (1) in the fixed underlying laying surface (17) using the laying unit (23), introducing the microcable or minicable (1) into the laying channel (19) by means of a feed element such that the microcable or minicable is held at a constant laying depth, and filling the laying channel (19) with filling material (20) with a filling device (16) following the insertion of the microcable or minicable (1), wherein filling the laying channel comprises at least partially filling the laying channel with a water-resistant material that is different than the material removed to form the laying channel to thereby protect the optical cable from water intrusion.
A process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laying channel (19) is milled in a supporting layer (47) of the underlying laying surface (17) using a milling wheel (15) which is arranged in the laying unit, and the laying channel is subsequently cleaned.
A laying unit for producing a laying channel for receiving a minicable or microcable, characterized in that it contains a cutting-wheel arrangement on whose drive axle (AS) there is arranged two blades (TS1, TS2) and, located therebetween, a spacer ring (DR) adapted to the overall thickness and sized such that the combination of the two blades and the spacer ring have a predetermined thickness, wherein the spacer ring is exchangeable to thereby permit the predetermined thickness of the combination of the two blades and the spacer ring to be altered.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.