JP2003040652A - Apparatus and method for coating optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly and surely shield light when using a UV flash lamp for the coating of an optical fiber by a UV curable resin. SOLUTION: The apparatus for coating an optical fiber is equipped with a lid 4, a shutter 19 mounted on a peep hole provided on the lid 4, and a lid opening/closing confirmation switch 18. The apparatus shuts the shutter 19 after confirming physically and programmatically that the lid 4 is surely closed, from information of the lid opening/closing confirmation switch 18 and by utilizing information from every part of the coating apparatus. The opening/shutting of the shutter 19 is automatically performed by a control circuit, linking with each process in the course of coating the optical fiber.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device used for producing a coating for protecting an optical fiber or an optical component.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a connection / processing portion of an optical fiber or an optical component, the coating is stripped for connection / processing / connection / processing.
After processing, reinforcement is provided for its protection.

FIG. 10 shows an example of the reinforcing method, in which the reinforcing member is used to replace the coating lost due to the connection / processing. This is covered with a heat-shrinkable tube and attached with a strength member.

Conventionally, this method has been frequently used for manufacturing optical amplifiers and optical components.

However, in recent years, in the manufacture of optical fiber amplifiers and optical parts, there has been a demand for making the reinforcing / recovering portion as small as possible in terms of storage, so that the connection / connection shown in FIGS.
Equipment that recycles only processed parts with ultraviolet (UV) curing resin has come into use. In the following, a coating device for an optical fiber will be described as an example. FIG. 6 is an external view of the optical fiber coating device, and FIG.
8 is a perspective view from the front of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view from the back of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6. These will be described later in detail as an embodiment of the present invention.

This optical fiber coating apparatus has a clamp 2 for holding the optical fiber 1 to be coated, a mold 5 for shaping the UV resin mold portion 13 of the optical fiber 1 into a desired shape, and a mold 5 for UV resin. To the tube 8, a pump 9 that sucks the UV resin from the tank 10 and sends it to the tube 8, a UV light source 12, a UV sensor 14 for measuring the intensity and emission time of UV light emitted from the UV light source 12, and a control system of the apparatus. Control circuit 1
1. A high-voltage power supply 16 for supplying electric power for emitting a UV light source, the entire device 3 accommodating these, a lid 4 and a sliding door 17 provided there, are constructed to form a dark box.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of a control system of this conventional optical fiber coating apparatus. In this optical fiber coating device, the pump 9 is moved by the operation panel 15 to send the UV resin from the tank 10 into the mold 5 through the pipe 8. In addition, when the operator sets a light emission amount and gives a light emission instruction from the operation panel 15, the control circuit
The high voltage power supply 16 operates through 1 to turn on the UV light source 12. The light emission state of the UV light source 12 is observed by the UV sensor 14 and sent to the control circuit 11. The control circuit 11 is the operation panel 1
It is designed to correct the error in the light emission state of the UV light source 12 by comparing the set value from 5 and the observed value from the UV sensor 14.

As described above, in recent years, the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 has come to be used. However, optical multiplex communication (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) is used.
g: WDM) technology has made it necessary to manufacture a large number of optical amplifiers / optical components. Therefore, optical fiber cutting, coating stripping, optical fiber splicing, and stripping part reinforcement (coating regeneration) processing It is required to reduce the processing time in all the steps.

Further, since the optical fiber coating device is increasingly applied to the production of small optical parts, a small device is desired.

In the coating apparatus for the optical fiber illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8 which has been used in recent years, in the past, when the coating removal portion was recoated, the mold was adjusted to the recoating diameter. With the core of the fiber 1 and the UV resin set, the UV light was emitted to the optical fiber 1 by the UV light source 12 capable of emitting the ultraviolet component.

[0011]

However, the conventional
The UV light source 12 uses only a small part of the emission wavelength of the discharge tube. For example, a tungsten lamp emits a large amount of light in the infrared light region, which is longer than the visible light region, and thus has a low UV light emission efficiency. Therefore, the power supply device that supplies the UV light source 12 is also increased in size.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber coating device that efficiently radiates UV light, can shorten the processing time in the processing step, and has a small power supply device, and therefore a small size. is there.

[0013]

The inventor of the present invention has proposed a UV light source 12
Focused on a small UV flash lamp. The reason is that the target re-coating part is small in the optical fiber coating device and the total amount of light required for each curing is also small, so if the total amount of light can be secured, the irradiation time required for curing will be short. This is because it is possible to realize the idea that it is only necessary to be able to irradiate strong UV light for a short time. When this ultraviolet flash lamp is used, the radiation efficiency of UV light is improved, and therefore the optical fiber coating device can be downsized.

However, since the ultraviolet flash lamp emits strong UV light in a short time, the amount of ultraviolet light per unit time becomes so large that it cannot be ignored, and it is necessary to avoid the influence.

In the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 8, the lid 4 blocks the UV light from the viewing window which is a visual confirmation means used for confirming the UV light emitting state and the optical fiber coating state. Although a sliding door 17 for operating the sliding door 17 is provided, the sliding door 17 has conventionally been manually opened and closed by an operator. Even when the drive device or the like can mechanically open and close, the operator manually inputs the opening and closing command from the operation panel 15.

When a UV light source that emits ultraviolet light for a long time is used, even if the operator manually opens or closes the sliding door 17 or operates the operation panel 15,
The process of processing the coating of the optical fiber was not so badly affected. However, when using an ultraviolet flash lamp to shorten the processing time of the processing step, it is required to block UV light more quickly. Moreover, it is necessary to surely block the light in order to avoid the influence from the UV light.

Therefore, the inventor of the present application further uses the ultraviolet flash lamp (hereinafter referred to as a flash lamp).
Inventing an optical fiber coating device capable of automatically and quickly blocking UV light in order to improve the efficiency of coating work when coating an optical fiber using .

The optical fiber coating apparatus of the present invention covers an ultraviolet flash lamp that emits ultraviolet light for curing an ultraviolet curable resin used for coating, and a portion of the optical fiber coated with the ultraviolet curable resin, and the ultraviolet flash. A lid for preventing the ultraviolet light from the lamp from leaking, a visual means for observing the coating operation of the optical fiber from the outside of the lid, and an ultraviolet ray from the ultraviolet flash lamp from the visual means. It has shutter means for preventing light from leaking and shutter control means for applying a command signal for opening and closing the shutter means. The shutter control means automatically opens and closes the shutter means in conjunction with the functional operation of the covering work of the optical fiber.

Also, the shutter control means is preferably a first means for establishing that the lid is closed.
And an second interlock mechanism for establishing that the shutter means is closed.

Further, the shutter control means may be a part of the coating control means of the optical fiber coating device, which controls the control of the optical fiber coating operation.

Further, in order to block the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet flash lamp, a part of the visual recognition means,
An ultraviolet cut filter may be attached together with the shutter means.

[0022]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an optical fiber coating apparatus of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1, 7, and 8 show a schematic structure of an optical fiber coating apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an external view of the optical fiber coating apparatus, FIG. 7 is a perspective view from the front of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. It is a perspective view from the back. However, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the lid 4 is opened in order to explain the optical fiber coating device in detail. Figure 7
Although FIG. 8 and FIG. 8 are also described as the prior art, since the basic configurations are similar, they are also applied to the embodiment of the present invention.

In the optical fiber coating apparatus according to the first embodiment, the observation window provided on the lid 4 is a visual means for observing the optical fiber coating operation. A shutter 19 as shutter means for preventing UV light from leaking from the light source 12 is fitted therein, and a switch 18 for confirming whether the lid 4 is open or closed is provided. Each of them is depicted in perspective in FIG.

The other internal structure and the like are the same as those of the above-mentioned conventional optical fiber coating apparatus, and a clamp 2 for holding the optical fiber 1 to be coated and a UV resin mold portion 13 of the optical fiber 1 are desired. 5, a tube 8 for sending the UV resin to the mold 5, a pump 9 for sucking the UV resin from the tank 10 and sending it to the tube 8, a UV light source 12 and irradiation from there.
UV sensor for measuring UV light intensity and emission time 1
4, a control circuit 11 that controls the control system of the apparatus, a high-voltage power supply 16 that supplies electric power for emitting a UV light source, the entire apparatus 3 that houses these, and a lid 4 constitute a dark box. .

The optical fiber coating apparatus of the first embodiment uses an ultraviolet flash lamp as a UV light source and has a high UV light emission efficiency, so that the processing time of the coating process can be shortened and the UV light source can be shortened. High voltage power supply 16 for power supply
Can be downsized, and the size of the entire apparatus 3 can be reduced.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system of the optical fiber coating apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The operator presses a switch on the operation panel 15 to instruct the control circuit 11 to fill the mold 5 with the UV resin for adjusting the resin mold portion 13 of the optical fiber 1. Upon receiving the instruction, the control circuit 11 operates the pump 9 to inject an appropriate amount of UV resin from the tank 10 into the pipe 8.

On the other hand, the control circuit 11 also functions to give a command to the high-voltage power supply 16 to turn on the UV light source 12, and for that purpose, both the lid opening / closing confirmation switch 18 and the shutter opening / closing confirmation switch 23 are turned on. , The circuits need to be physically connected. The lid opening / closing confirmation switch 18 and the shutter opening / closing confirmation switch 23 are respectively a first interlock mechanism for establishing that the lid 4 is closed and a second interlocking mechanism for establishing that the shutter 19 is closed. Also serves as a switch of the interlock mechanism, and the opening / closing of the lid 4 and the shutter 19 is checked by a computer program when each switch is turned on.
The switches 18 and 23 are double pole double throw switches.

This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, when the coating operation is started in step 1, the optical fiber 1 is set in the mold 5, and in step 2, the fact is confirmed by the control circuit 11 based on the information from each sensor of the optical fiber coating device. Then, in step 3, in response to a command from the control circuit 11, the pump 9 passes the UV resin from the tank 10 through the pipe 8 into the mold 5.
To fill. When the UV resin is filled, the lid 4 is closed,
At the same time, the lid open / close confirmation switch 18 is turned on. In this state, the first interlock mechanism is ready to emit UV light. In step 4, it is also confirmed programmatically whether the lid 4 is closed. When it is established that the lid 4 is closed by the first interlock mechanism, the shutter 19 is closed in response to a command from the control circuit 11 in step 5, and at the same time, the shutter open / close confirmation switch 23 is turned on. In this state, the second interlock mechanism is in a state where the UV light source can emit light. In step 6, for example, whether the shutter 19 is closed or not is programmatically confirmed based on the information from the sensor for measuring the amount of the shutter 19 that is extended. When it is established that the shutter 19 is closed by the second interlock mechanism of the control circuit 11, in step 7, the control circuit is based on the set value of the light emission amount of the UV light source 12 input from the operation panel 15. According to the light emission instruction transmitted from 11, the high voltage power supply 16 operates to turn on the UV light source 12.

As described above, in the optical fiber coating apparatus of this embodiment, since the opening and closing of the shutter 19 is controlled based on the computer program, various functions of the optical fiber coating work such as closing the lid and emitting light from the UV light source are performed. The shutter 19 can be automatically opened and closed in conjunction with the operation. Therefore, the processing time of the covering work is greatly shortened as compared with the manual opening and closing.

Further, in the optical fiber coating apparatus of the present embodiment, not only the physical switches such as the lid opening / closing confirmation switch 18 and the shutter opening / closing confirmation switch 23, but also these switches and the angle sensor of the lid 4 and the shutter 19 are used. Since the interlock mechanism for establishing the opening and closing of the lid 4 and the shutter 19 programmatically by using the information from each sensor of the coating device, such as the feeding amount measuring sensor of the lid 4 and / or the shutter 19 is provided. There is no possibility that the UV light source 12 emits light without being closed.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, the control circuit 11 issues an opening / closing command to the shutter 19, as shown in FIG. That is, the shutter 19
The control means is a part of the control circuit 11 which is the coating control means for controlling the overall control of the optical fiber coating device such as the adjustment of the light amount of the UV light source 12, the control of the pump 9 and the exchange of commands from the operation panel 15. Has become.

When the UV light source 12 emits light after the operation of the first and second interlock mechanisms is established as described above, the emission state of the UV light source 12 is measured by the UV sensor 14, and the control circuit 11 Sent to. The control circuit 11 compares the set value from the operation panel 15 with the measured value from the UV sensor 14 to correct the error in the light emitting state of the UV light source 12.

The control circuit 11 is preferably configured by using a computer, particularly a microcomputer, and a control computer program incorporated in the microcomputer is generated so as to execute various processes described below. ing. First, the control circuit 11 uses the high voltage power supply 16 according to the value of the data table previously written in the ROM (not shown) provided therein.
The UV light source 12 that is supplied with power is turned on. That is, the UV light source 12 is program-controlled by the control circuit 11.

Next, the control circuit 11 receives the command signal from the control circuit 11 and receives the UV light from the UV light source 12 which is excited, and converts the intensity and the light emission time into a corresponding electric signal. Receives output from 14. Hold the received data in a data holding device (not shown),
Compare with the target value of the data table. And
The control circuit 11 determines the UV based on the control error obtained by comparison.
The high voltage power supply 16 is instructed to adjust the light quantity of the light source 12.

[0036] A first embodiment of a shutter 19 for blocking the first embodiment UV light in FIG. 2 (A). FIG. 2A is an external view of the liquid crystal shutter 19 '. The liquid crystal shutter 19 ′ is a panel having a liquid crystal display function, and blocks UV light by displaying the display surface of the panel black, for example.

The opening / closing of the liquid crystal shutter 19 'is performed by the opening / closing sensor 2 provided at the corner portion where the liquid crystal is finally displayed in black.
Judge by 3 '. As the open / close sensor 23 ', various sensors such as a sensor for judging the black color of the liquid crystal and a sensor for judging that the sensor signal such as light is cut off due to the black color of the liquid crystal are conceivable.

By using the liquid crystal shutter 19 ', it is possible to quickly open and close the shutter.

Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the shutter 19 for blocking UV light is shown in FIG. 2 (B). Figure 2 (B) shows mechanical shutter 19 ''
FIG. The mechanical shutter 19 ″ includes a light shield plate 21 made of a light-impermeable material such as thin metal, a drive mechanism 22 such as a gear or a belt for moving the light shield plate 21, and the light shield plate 21 completely. It is composed of an open / close sensor 23 ″ for confirming that it is closed.
As the opening / closing sensor 23 ″, a sensor that detects a physical contact of the light shielding plate 21 with the frame of the mechanical shutter 19 ″,
This is desirable for confirming that the light shielding plate 21 is completely closed.

When the mechanical shutter 19 '' is used, if a light-blocking plate 21 is made of a material such as metal, which is hard to some extent, something falls on the shutter 19 '',
Even if the UV light source 12 is broken, it is hard to break, and the safety at the time of light shielding is enhanced.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram of the configuration of a shutter portion of a second embodiment used in the optical fiber coating apparatus of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8.

The shutter of the first embodiment of the second embodiment shown in the first embodiment FIG. 3 (A), first the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 (A)
The liquid crystal shutter 19 'of the embodiment is provided with a UV cut filter 20.
Is attached.

The shutter of the second embodiment of the second embodiment shown in Second Embodiment FIG. 3 (B), the second first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 (B)
The UV shutter filter 20 is attached to the mechanical shutter 19 ″ of the embodiment.

When the UV cut filter 20 is also used in the shutter portion as in the optical fiber coating device of the second embodiment, if the shutter means is not completely closed.
Even if the UV light is emitted, the UV component can be cut by the UV cut filter 20, so the open / close sensors 23 'and 23''for confirming that the shutter means is closed are not installed. Complete. Therefore, the structure of the optical fiber coating device becomes simpler and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

The present invention can be applied not only to the optical fiber but also to the coating of the optical component using the ultraviolet curable resin. Also, what has been described so far is an example for explaining the present invention, and the contents of the present invention are not limited to the above expressions, terms, embodiments, etc., and can be changed within the scope of the claims. Is.

[0046]

According to the present invention, in an optical fiber coating apparatus using an ultraviolet flash lamp, UV light can be blocked automatically and quickly and reliably, which improves the efficiency of the coating operation and the UV light. It is possible to secure the removal of the impact.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an optical fiber coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 (A) is an external view showing the shutter means of the first example of the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is an external view showing a shutter means of a second example of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 (A) is an external view showing the shutter means of the first example of the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
[Fig. 6] is an external view showing a shutter means of a second example of the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a control system of the optical fiber coating device illustrated in FIG. 1.

5 is a flow chart for explaining an operation process of first and second interlock mechanisms of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 6 is an external view of a conventional optical fiber coating device.

7 is a perspective view from the front of the optical fiber coating device illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG.

9 is a block diagram of a control system of the optical fiber coating apparatus illustrated in FIG. 6;

10 (A) and 10 (B) are views showing an example of a reinforcing member.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 ... Lid 11 ... Control circuit 12 ... UV light source 18 ... Lid open / close confirmation switch 19 ... Shutter 23 ... Shutter open / close confirmation switch

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Tomohiro Akiyama             2-6-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Kawa Electric Industry Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H050 AB03Z BA02 BA03 BA14                       BA18 BA22 BA25 BA32 BB02W                       BC02 BD07                 4G060 AA01 AA03 AD22 AD43 AD58

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ultraviolet flash lamp that emits ultraviolet light for curing an ultraviolet curable resin used for coating an optical fiber with an ultraviolet curable resin, and the ultraviolet flash covering the portion of the optical fiber coated with the ultraviolet curable resin. A lid for preventing ultraviolet light from leaking from the lamp, a visual means for observing the coating operation of the optical fiber inside the lid from the outside, and an ultraviolet ray from the ultraviolet flash lamp from the visual recognition means. It has shutter means for preventing light from leaking and shutter control means for applying a command signal for opening and closing the shutter means, the shutter control means interlocking with the functional operation of the optical fiber covering work. An optical fiber coating device which automatically opens and closes the shutter means. 2. The shutter control means comprises a first interlock mechanism for establishing that the lid is closed, and a second interlock mechanism for establishing that the shutter means is closed. The optical fiber coating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism. 3. The optical fiber coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shutter control means is a part of coating control means that controls the control of the coating operation of the optical fiber. 4. The optical fiber coating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an ultraviolet ray cut filter is mounted together with the shutter means on the visual recognition means. 5. After the step of coating the ultraviolet curable resin used for coating the optical fiber with the ultraviolet curable resin as a jacket of the optical fiber, the portion coated with the ultraviolet curable resin is covered and the ultraviolet curable resin is cured. A first interlocking step to establish that the lid is closed to prevent the leakage of UV light from the UV flash lamp, and the coating of the optical fiber from outside to inside of the lid. A second interlock step for establishing that the shutter means for preventing the ultraviolet light from the ultraviolet flash lamp from leaking from the visual recognition means for observing the work, and then the ultraviolet flash lamp. Illuminating the optical fiber.