EP2173678A2

EP2173678A2 - Water-resistant optical fiber yarn, and apparatus and method for manufacturing the same

Info

Publication number: EP2173678A2
Application number: EP08778403A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Soon-Kyo Hong; Joo-Hyeon Lee
Original assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation of Yonsei University; LT Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation of Yonsei University; LT Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-07-18
Filing date: 2008-06-27
Publication date: 2010-04-14
Also published as: EP2173678A4; CN101801875A; WO2009011504A2; KR20090008674A; WO2009011504A3; KR100886753B1

Abstract

Disclosed are a water-resistant optical fiber yarn and an apparatus and a method for manu¬ facturing the same. The method includes steps of supplying an optical fiber yarn 100 having a predetermined diameter, forming a scratch surface 120 on a surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 through a sanding treatment or an etching process, coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having the scratch surface with a synthetic resin 200, curing a coated optical fiber yarn 100' by naturally drying the coated optical fiber yarn 100 ' or drying the coated optical fiber yarn 100' using a drier, and storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100'. The apparatus includes a supplying unit 2, a surface treatment unit 4, a coating treatment unit 6, a drying unit 8, and a winding unit 10.

Description

WATER-RESISTANT OPTICAL FIBER YARN, AND APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE

SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a water-resistant optical fiber yarn, and an apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water-resistant optical fiber yarn and an apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the water-resistant optical fiber yarn is obtained by coating an optical fiber yarn with a water-resistant material so that the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be washed without being damaged or broken.

[2]

Background Art

[3] In general, an optical fiber refers to a micro fiber having a diameter of about 0. lmm.

The optical fiber represents a higher refractive index of light at an outer portion thereof and a lower refractive index of light at an inner portion thereof so that a total reflection phenomenon occurs in the optical fiber.

[4] The optical fiber must include a material having a higher transparent property in order to reduce optical loss when transmitting light. For this reason, high purity quartz or polymer materials having superior optical properties are used for the optical fiber.

[5] Recently, the optical fiber is extensively used in an advertisement field by allowing the optical fiber to display various colors.

[6] If light having a predetermined color is irradiated onto the optical fiber which is densely set in the form of characters and figures, the light travels through the optical fiber so that the optical fiber serves as a neon sign.

[7] Since the optical fiber has characteristics of glass fiber, the optical fiber can transmit the light at a high speed and high brightness so that various types of color animations can be displayed by using the optical fiber. In addition, various types of advertisements can be expressed by adjusting the thickness of the glass fiber.

[8] Since the optical fiber uses the light, the optical fiber is suitably used at night or in a dark place. Therefore, visibility can be remarkably improved if clothes or fabrics are fabricated by using an optical fiber yarn.

[9] That is, if the clothes or fabrics are woven by using the optical fiber yarn, the clothes or fabrics can be advantageously utilized for rescue, military use, or leisure activity.

[10] When a light source generates light, the light is transferred to the optical fiber so that light emission may occur at a cutting section of the optical fiber. [11] At this time, the important thing is that the light emission can be realized only when a physically broken section, such as a cutting section, is formed on an outer surface of the optical fiber.

[12] The optical fiber yarn can obtain a uniform light emission effect when fine scratches are uniformly distributed over the whole outer surface of the optical fiber yarn. To this end, conventionally, a sanding treatment is performed to the optical fiber yarn or an etching process is performed relative to the outer surface of the optical fiber yarn to form the scratch surface, thereby allowing the optical fiber yarn to emit light in the lateral direction.

[13]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[14] However, the conventional optical fiber yarn must be formed with scratches to emit light. For this reason, the surface of the conventional optical fiber yarn is damaged by the scratches so that endurance of the optical fiber yarn is degraded, causing the optical fiber yarn to be easily broken or damaged. In particular, the conventional optical fiber yarn has no water-resistant properties, so that products fabricated by using the conventional optical fiber yarn cannot be washed by using water.

[15]

Technical Solution

[16] The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide water-resistant optical fiber yarn and an apparatus and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the water-resistant optical fiber yarn is obtained by coating a surface of an optical fiber yarn having a scratch surface with synthetic resin so that endurance and water-resistant properties of the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be remarkably improved and the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be easily washed by using water.

[17]

Advantageous Effects

[18] According to the present invention, the water-resistant optical fiber yarn is obtained by coating a surface of an optical fiber yarn having a scratch surface with synthetic resin so that endurance and water-resistant properties of the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be remarkably improved and the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be easily washed by using water. Thus, the water-resistant optical fiber yarn can be utilized to fabricate various woven products.

[19]

Brief Description of the Drawings [20] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn according to the present invention;

[21] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an apparatus for manufacturing a water- resistant optical fiber yarn according to the present invention;

[22] FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a coating treatment unit shown in FIG. 2; and

[23] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a woven product fabricated by using a water-resistant optical fiber yarn according to the present invention.

[24]

[25] <Description of Reference Numbers of Main Parts in Drawings>

[26] S 1 -S5 : first to fifth steps 2: supplying unit

[27] 4: surface treatment unit 6: coating treatment unit

[28] 8: drying unit 10: winding unit

[29] 42: sanding device 100: optical fiber yarn

[30] 120: scratch surface 20: synthetic resin

[31]

Mode for the Invention

[32] In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a water- resistant optical fiber yarn, the method comprising: a first step of supplying an optical fiber yarn having a predetermined diameter; a second step of forming a scratch surface on a surface of the optical fiber yarn through a sanding treatment or an etching process; a third step of coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn having the scratch surface with a synthetic resin; a fourth step of curing a coated optical fiber yarn by naturally drying the coated optical fiber yarn or drying the coated optical fiber yarn using a drier; and a fifth step of storing the coated optical fiber yarn by winding the coated optical fiber yarn.

[33] In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn, the apparatus comprising: a supplying unit for supplying an optical fiber yarn; a surface treatment unit for forming a scratch surface on a surface of the optical fiber yarn; a coating treatment unit for coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn having passed through the surface treatment unit with a synthetic resin; a drying unit for curing the synthetic resin by naturally drying a coated optical fiber yarn 100 having passed through the coating treatment unit; and a winding unit for storing the coated optical fiber yarn by winding the coated optical fiber yarn around a roller.

[34] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[35] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing the water-resistant optical fiber yarn according to the present invention.

[36] As shown in FIG. 1, the method for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn includes a first step Sl of supplying an optical fiber yarn 100 having a predetermined diameter; a second step S2 of forming a scratch surface 120 on a surface of the optical fiber yarn 100; a third step S3 of coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having the scratch surface with a synthetic resin 200; a fourth step S4 of curing a coated optical fiber yarn 100'; and a fifth step S5 of storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100'.

[37] Second step S2

[38] The second step S2 is to form the scratch surface 120 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 by applying physical damage to the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 through the sanding treatment or the etching process such that the light can be emitted through the scratch surface 120.

[39] The scratch surface 120 formed on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 must have uniform thickness. To this end, a sanding device 42 is rotatably installed in the vicinity of the optical fiber yarn 100 to uniformly form the scratch surface 120 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 that passes through the sanding device 52.

[40] That is, the sanding device 42 sprays particles having a rough grain size, such as sand, at high pressure toward the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100, thereby forming the scratch surface 120 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100.

[41] In addition, although not shown in the drawings, an etching device can be provided.

The etching device erodes the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 by immersing the optical fiber yarn 100 in an acid solution having an erosive property for a predetermined period of time, thereby forming the scratch surface 120 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100.

[42] Third step S3

[43] The third step S3 is to coat the synthetic resin 200 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100, that is, on the scratch surface 120 of the optical fiber yarn 100 by a predetermined thickness in order to improve endurance and water-resistant properties of the optical fiber yarn 100.

[44] Preferably, at least one synthetic resin layer is coated on the surface of the optical fiber yarn, in which the outermost synthetic resin layer has a predetermined color.

[45] A device for coating the synthetic resin 200 will be described later.

[46] Fourth step S4

[47] The optical fiber yarn 100 that is coated through the third step S3 is cured by naturally drying the optical fiber yarn 100 or drying the optical fiber yarn 100 using a drier.

[48] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an apparatus for manufacturing a water- resistant optical fiber yarn according to the present invention.

[49] As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus A includes a supplying unit 2 for supplying the optical fiber yarn 100; a surface treatment unit 4 for forming the scratch surface 120 on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100; a coating treatment unit 6 for coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having passed through the surface treatment unit 4 with the synthetic resin 200; a drying unit 8 for curing the synthetic resin 200 by drying a coated optical fiber yarn 100' having passed through the coating treatment unit 6; and a winding unit 10 for storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100' around a roller.

[50] The surface treatment unit 4 includes the sanding device 42 that sprays fine sand particles onto the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 at high pressure to form the scratch surface 120. Alternatively, the surface treatment unit 4 may include an etching device (not shown) that forms the scratch surface 120 by eroding the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100.

[51] The surface treatment unit 4 includes a vinyl curtain 44 to prevent sand particles or erosion gas from leaking to the outside.

[52] FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the coating treatment unit 6 shown in FIG. 2.

[53] As shown in FIG. 3, the coating treatment unit 6 transfers the synthetic resin 200 to a melting chamber 3 by extruding the synthetic resin 200 using a spiral tread 1 ' of a screw 1 rotated by a driving motor a. In this process, frictional heat is applied to the synthetic resin 200 due to rotation of the screw 1 and a narrow outlet port 2 so that the synthetic resin 200 is primarily heated. In addition, shearing heat is applied to the synthetic resin 200 that has been transferred to the melting chamber 3 due to a large frictional surface of a rotating shaft 4 so that the synthetic resin 200 melted while being vulcanized and cross-linked.

[54] The melted liquid-phase material is transferred to a head section 5 and then exhausted through a narrow hole 6 of a dice holder. The melted liquid-phase material forms a thin film layer at tips of inner and outer dices 7 and 8 and is coated on the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 that passes through the center of the inner dice 7.

[55] The synthetic resin 200 is generally known in the art, and the present invention does not specially limit the synthetic resin 200.

[56] Preferably, the synthetic resin 200 has a transparent color or a predetermined color to realize the optical fiber yarn having various colors.

[57] The water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' fabricated through the apparatus and method of the present invention can be woven with a general fiber fabric to produce woven products.

[58] FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a woven product fabricated by using the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' according to the present invention. [59] As shown in FIG. 4, when a product 300, such as a shoulder string of a bag or a belt, is fabricated by using the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' according to the present invention is applied to a character part or a figure part 180. In addition, a light source 500, a battery 600, and a controller 700 are connected to the end portion of the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100'.

[60] Thus, as the light source 500 generates light toward the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100', the figure part 180 may be illuminated.

[61] Meanwhile, when the product 300 is washed, the light source 500, the battery 600, and the controller 700 are separated from the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100'. Since the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' is coated with the synthetic resin 200, the water-resistant optical fiber yarn 100' may not be wetted and represent superior endurance against bending force.

[62] Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

[1] A method for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn, the method comprising: a first step Sl of supplying an optical fiber yarn 100 having a predetermined diameter; a second step S2 of forming a scratch surface 120 on a surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 through a sanding treatment or an etching process; a third step S3 of coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having the scratch surface with a synthetic resin 200; a fourth step S4 of curing a coated optical fiber yarn 100' by naturally drying the coated optical fiber yarn 100 ' or drying the coated optical fiber yarn 100' using a drier; and a fifth step S 5 of storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100'. [2] The method according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin 200 has a transparent color or a predetermined color. [3] An apparatus for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn, the apparatus comprising: a supplying unit 2 for supplying an optical fiber yarn 100; a surface treatment unit 4 for forming a scratch surface 120 on a surface of the optical fiber yarn 100; a coating treatment unit 6 for coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having passed through the surface treatment unit 4 with a synthetic resin 200; a drying unit 8 for curing the synthetic resin 200 by naturally drying a coated optical fiber yarn 100' having passed through the coating treatment unit 6; and a winding unit 10 for storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100' around a roller, wherein the surface treatment unit

4 includes a sanding device 42 that sprays fine sand particles onto the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 at high pressure to form the scratch surface 120. [4] An apparatus for manufacturing a water-resistant optical fiber yarn, the apparatus comprising: a supplying unit 2 for supplying an optical fiber yarn 100; a surface treatment unit 4 for forming a scratch surface 120 on a surface of the optical fiber yarn 100; a coating treatment unit 6 for coating the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100 having passed through the surface treatment unit 4 with a synthetic resin 200; a drying unit 8 for curing the synthetic resin 200 by naturally drying a coated optical fiber yarn 100 having passed through the coating treatment unit 6; and a winding unit 10 for storing the coated optical fiber yarn 100' by winding the coated optical fiber yarn 100' around a roller, wherein the surface treatment unit 4 includes an etching device that forms the scratch surface 120 by eroding the surface of the optical fiber yarn 100.