JP2006201483A - Manufacturing method of optical cable - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an optical cable manufacturing method that reduces the twisting of an optical cable to be stored and that enables the optical cable to be manufactured at a low cost without causing damage to a slot. <P>SOLUTION: In storing a optical fiber 22 in the slot groove 21 in which a spiral direction is alternately inverted, a guide pipe 32 for introducing and guiding the optical fiber 22 into the slot groove 21 is formed with a flexible material, with the tip end of the guide pipe 32 restrained with a pressing means 33 by dropping the tip end into the slot groove 21. As a result, the optical fiber 22 is prevented from being deformed and made to follow the track of the slot groove 21, so that the optical fiber 22 can be surely housed in the slot groove 21. Damage to an SZ slot 20 caused by interference with the slot groove 21 can also be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical cable, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing an optical cable in which an optical fiber core wire is accommodated in an SZ slot having slot grooves whose spiral directions are alternately reversed.

Conventionally, a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which an optical fiber core wire is accommodated in a slot groove in which the spiral direction of the SZ slot is alternately reversed has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 4).
For example, in the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the tape core wire is passed through the guide pipe immediately before the position where the tape core wire is accommodated in the slot groove of the SZ slot, and the guide pipe is inserted into the slot groove. The tape core wire is accommodated in the slot groove by reciprocatingly rotating around the slot.
In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3, the tape core wire is passed through the guide pipe immediately before the position where the tape core wire is stored in the slot groove of the SZ slot, and the guide pipe follows the slot groove. Thus, the tape core wire is accommodated in the slot groove by reciprocatingly rotating around the slot, but the tape core wire is constrained in the pipe guide.
Further, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 4, the tape core wire is stored in the slot groove of the SZ slot by the tape core wire guide. The guide guide is housed in the SZ slot groove.
JP-A-9-33785 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-133848 JP 11-1119071 A JP 2002-258124 A

By the way, when the guide pipe described above is reciprocally rotated around the slot by following the SZ slot groove, there is a disadvantage that the cost of the optical cable is increased because the device for controlling the rotation mechanism is expensive. . Further, since the guide pipe is thinned and is inserted into the slot groove, it is worn out and has a disadvantage that its life is short.
Further, when the optical fiber core wire is stored in the slot groove using the guide pipe, there is a disadvantage that the tape core wire stored at the outlet of the pipe is bent and the transmission loss is increased if the guide pipe is rigid. there were.
Further, when the tape core guide guide is completely inserted into the slot groove, it is necessary to make the size of the slot groove larger than that of the tape core guide, so that the size of the slot cannot be reduced. was there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the twist of the optical fiber to be accommodated, and to manufacture it at a low cost without causing damage to the slot groove. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an optical cable that can achieve a long life.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, the method of manufacturing an optical cable according to the present invention is such that an SZ slot having slot grooves whose spiral directions are alternately reversed passes through a slot fixed passage guide. A method of manufacturing an optical cable, the position of which is regulated so as not to rotate around the axis, and the optical fiber core wire is inserted from the inlet end to the outlet end by a guide pipe and guided to the slot groove of the SZ slot whose rotation is restricted. The guide pipe is made of a flexible material, and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by pressing means.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, the guide pipe for guiding and guiding the optical fiber core wire into the slot groove is flexible when the optical fiber core wire is stored in the slot groove whose spiral direction is alternately reversed. It is made of material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means, so that the deformation of the optical fiber core can be prevented and the optical fiber core can follow the slot groove. Can be securely stored in the slot groove. In addition, damage to the SZ slot due to interference with the slot groove can be prevented.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The guide pipe is made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyacetal.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, the guide pipe is formed by using a wear-resistant material such as polyether ether ketone or polyacetal, so that it can withstand the friction with the optical fiber and the slot groove to achieve a long life. be able to.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The guide pipe has a cross-sectional shape in which a distal end partly protrudes from the slot groove.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, since the tip of the guide pipe partially protrudes from the slot groove, the slot groove can be reduced and the optical cable can be reduced in diameter. become.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The guide pipe has a cross-sectional shape in which a tip enters the slot groove and is positioned in an outer peripheral arc of the SZ slot.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, since the tip of the guide pipe enters the slot groove, it is possible to reliably prevent the guide pipe from jumping out of the slot groove.

  The optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention, as described above, is an optical cable manufacturing method in which the tip of the guide pipe is constrained to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means, and the pressing means is a collecting die. It is characterized by that.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, the collective die as the pressing means restrains the tip end of the guide pipe, so that the guide pipe can be prevented from being displaced from a predetermined slot groove. Further, by using the collective die, the guide pipe can be constrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the die even if the guide pipe is increased in size and partially protrudes from the slot groove. In addition, since the guide pipe can be increased in size and thickened, the wear resistance can be improved.

  The optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is, as described above, a method for manufacturing an optical cable in which the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means, and the pressing means is connected to the SZ slot. It is characterized by the fact that it is a wrapping string wound around.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, the winding string as the pressing means restrains the tip of the guide pipe, so that the guide pipe can be prevented from being displaced from the predetermined slot groove.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The guide pipe is supported at the inlet end side of the optical fiber core wire so as to be swingable by the groove fixed passage guide, and the pipe rear end position on the groove fixed passage guide and the slot groove of the SZ slot. The difference in the circumferential angle of the pipe in the slot circumferential direction with respect to the pipe tip position is set to 180 ° or less.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, it is possible to prevent the laminated state of the optical fiber and the optical fiber ribbon from being disturbed.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. And the horizontal angle difference of the pipe seen from the slot of the said guide pipe is set to 15 degrees or less, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, it is possible to prevent the laminated state of the optical fiber and the optical fiber ribbon from being disturbed.

  In addition, as described above, the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical cable in which the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material and the tip of the guide pipe is restrained so as to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The distance between the groove fixed passage guide and the pipe tip position in the slot groove of the SZ slot is set to an integral multiple of the slot groove pitch of the SZ slot.

  In the optical cable manufacturing method configured as described above, since the guide pipe can be prevented from swinging in the slot circumferential direction, the wear of the guide pipe can be reduced and the life can be extended.

  According to the present invention, the guide pipe for guiding and guiding the optical fiber core wire into the slot groove is formed of a flexible material, and the tip end of the guide pipe is restrained to be dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. The deformation of the wire can be prevented, and the track of the slot groove can be followed, so that the optical fiber core wire can be securely stored in the slot groove. In addition, damage to the SZ slot due to interference with the slot groove can be prevented.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an optical cable manufacturing apparatus for carrying out a first embodiment of an optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a collecting section, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a collecting die, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a part of the guide pipe constrained to the slot groove by the pressing means protrudes from the slot groove, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the guide pipe is constrained to completely enter the slot groove by the pressing means. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a circumferential angle difference between the inlet end and the outlet end of the guide pipe, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a lateral angle difference between the inlet end and the outlet end of the guide pipe, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a distance between a set point and a groove fixed passage guide.

Based on FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus used in order to implement the manufacturing method of the optical cable of this invention is demonstrated. In addition, since the manufacturing apparatus used conventionally can be used, an outline is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 1, the manufacturing apparatus 10 includes a drum 11a around which an SZ slot 20 having slot grooves 21 (see FIG. 3) in which spiral directions are alternately reversed is wound on the upstream side (left side in FIG. 1). The SZ slot sending unit 11 for supplying the SZ slot 20 at a predetermined speed by the sending machine 11b. On the downstream side of the SZ slot delivery unit 11, the number of the slot grooves 21 includes, for example, a tape core 22 as an optical fiber core having a tape shape of 1 to 8 cores in the slot groove 21 of the supplied SZ slot 20. Only the optical fiber delivery section 12 for supplying the tape and the aggregate section 30 for storing the supplied tape core wire 22 in the slot groove 21 are provided. On the downstream side of the gathering portion 30, there is a rough winding portion 13 for winding the thread and the presser winding tape 13 a around the outer periphery of the SZ slot 20 so that the tape core wire 22 housed in the slot groove 21 does not jump out of the slot groove 21. Have. Furthermore, on the downstream side, there is a winding unit 14 that winds the SZ slot 20 taken up by the take-up machine 14a around the winding drum 14b.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the gathering portion 30, in the vicinity of the upstream side of the gathering point P0 (left side in FIG. 2), the slot groove 21 of the SZ slot 20 running in a straight line is prevented from rotating around the axis. 21 has a groove fixed passage guide 31 having a protrusion 31a protruding inside. A plurality of protrusions 31 a are provided according to the number and arrangement of the slot grooves 21.
Accordingly, at the groove fixed passage guide 31 position P1, the slot groove 21 of the SZ slot 20 always passes through a certain position.

The fixed groove passage guide 31 is provided with a guide pipe 32 made of a flexible material that guides and guides the tape core wire 22 inserted from the inlet end 32a to the slot groove 21 from the outlet end 32b. The guide pipe 32 is preferably made of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyacetal (POM) which is resistant to wear at least on the outlet end 32b side. Thereby, the guide pipe 32 can endure the friction with the tape core wire 22 and the slot groove | channel 21, and can achieve lifetime extension.
Further, the guide pipe 32 is provided with, for example, a conical or spherical rocking support portion 32c in the vicinity of the inlet end 32a so that the outlet end 32b can swing in accordance with the locus of the slot groove 21, thereby fixing the groove fixed passage guide. 31 is swingably supported.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet end 32 b that is the tip of the guide pipe 32 is restrained by the collective die 33 that is a pressing means, and is dropped into the slot groove 21 so as not to deviate from the slot groove 21. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the guide pipe 32 from being displaced from the predetermined slot groove 21.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the guide pipe 32 may have a cross-sectional shape in which the outlet end 32 b partially protrudes from the slot groove 21. In such a case, if the guide pipe 32 is made of, for example, polyacetal, the wear resistance of the guide pipe 32 can be improved, and at the same time, the slot groove 21 can be made smaller by the amount of protrusion, and the SZ slot can be reduced. The diameter of 20 can be reduced.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the guide pipe 32 may have a cross-sectional shape that is located within the outer peripheral arc of the SZ slot 20 so that the outlet end 32 b completely fits inside the slot groove 21. In such a case, if the guide pipe 32 is formed of, for example, polyether ether ketone, the polyether ether ketone is superior in workability compared to the above-described polyacetal, and thus the guide pipe 32 can be easily thinned. Further, if the guide pipe 32 has an inner diameter corresponding to the size of the tape core wire 22 and an outer diameter of the guide pipe 32 is the size of the slot groove 21, the SZ slot 20 can be reduced in diameter.

As shown in FIG. 6, the guide pipe 32 has an SZ slot between an inlet end 32 a which is a pipe rear end position on the groove fixed passage guide 31 and an outlet end 32 b which is a pipe front end position in the slot groove 21 of the SZ slot 20. The circumferential angle difference θ of the guide pipe 32 in the 20 circumferential direction is set to be 180 ° or less.
The maximum value θ _max of the circumferential angle difference θ is given by θ _max = φ · sin (Lπ / P). Here, φ is the inversion angle of the slot groove, L is the planar distance between the groove fixed passage guide 31 (ie, position P1) and the set point P0, and P is the pitch of the slot grooves 21.
This prevents the laminated state of the tape core wires 22 from being disturbed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the guide pipe 32 is set such that the lateral angle difference η between the inlet end 32a and the outlet end 32b of the guide pipe 32 viewed from above the SZ slot 20 is 15 ° or less. The lateral angle difference η is given by η = tan ⁻¹ (a · (sin θ _max ) / L). Here, a is a planar distance between the center CL0 of the SZ slot 20 and the center CL1 of the guide pipe 32 at the set point P0. When θ> 90 °, sin θ _max = 1.
This prevents the laminated state of the tape core wires 22 from being disturbed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the distance L between the groove fixed passage guide 31 (position P1) and the outlet end 32b (aggregation point P0) of the guide pipe 32 in the slot groove 21 of the SZ slot 20 is the slot groove of the SZ slot 20. An integer multiple n of the pitch P is set. That is, L = n · P. In this case, when the groove fixed passage guide 31 cannot serve as a support member for the inlet end 32 a of the guide pipe 32, the support member 34 of the guide pipe 32 needs to be provided separately from the groove fixed passage guide 31. . Note that n = 1 corresponds to the case where the groove fixed passage guide 31 also serves as the support member 34 of the inlet end 32a of the guide pipe 32, and shows the case of FIG.
Thereby, since the deflection of the guide pipe 32 in the circumferential direction of the SZ slot 20 can be suppressed, the wear of the guide pipe 32 can be reduced and the life can be extended.

  As described above, according to the optical cable manufacturing method described above, the guide pipe 32 that guides and guides the tape core wire 22 to the slot groove 21 can be provided when the tape core wire 22 is housed in the slot groove 21 whose spiral direction is alternately reversed. Since the leading end of the guide pipe 32 is constrained to be dropped into the slot groove 21 by the collecting die 33, the tape core wire 22 can be prevented from being deformed and follow the locus of the slot groove 21. Thus, the tape core wire 22 can be reliably stored in the slot groove 21. In addition, damage to the SZ slot 20 due to interference between the guide pipe 32 and the slot groove 21 can be prevented.

(Example 1)
In this example, the SZ slot 20 having an outer diameter of 9 mmφ and a slot groove pitch P = 400 mm was used, and the guide pipe 32 having an outer diameter of 1.95 mm and an inner diameter of 1.75 mmφ was used. The distance between the fixed groove passage guide position P1 and the set point P0 was set to L = 47 mm. When the tape core wires 22 are gathered in the slot groove 21 under these conditions, the guide pipe 32 position on the groove fixed passage guide 31 (position P1) and the circumferential angle difference θ at the gathering point P0 of the gathering die 33 (see FIG. 6), θ = 106 °, which is 180 ° or less. Further, the lateral angle difference η (see FIG. 7) was 5.94 ° <15 ° at the maximum value, and the arrangement of the tape core wires 22 was good. Note that the circumferential angle difference θ is 180 ° or less, but is preferably 135 ° or less. Furthermore, when the distance L between the fixed groove passing guide position P1 and the set point P0 is set in accordance with the slot groove pitch P, the circumferential angle difference θ at the set point P0 becomes small and the wear of the guide pipe 32 is reduced. We were able to.
(Example 2)

  In this example, the SZ slot 20 having an outer diameter of 9 mmφ and a slot groove pitch P = 400 mm was used, and the guide pipe 32 having an outer diameter of 1.95 mm and an inner diameter of 1.75 mmφ was used. Further, the distance between the groove fixed passage guide position P1 and the set point P0 was set to L = 400 mm, and the distance from the support member 34 of the guide pipe 32 to the set point P0 was set to 47 mm. As a result, the arrangement of the tape core wires 22 was good.

Next, a second embodiment of the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described.
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of an assembly portion in the second embodiment of the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the site | part which is common in the case of 1st Embodiment mentioned above, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the assembly part 30B in this optical cable manufacturing method, a winding string 35 wound around the SZ slot 20 is used as the pressing means. Other structures are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.
It is desirable that at least one end of the winding cord 35 is fixed and the other end is coupled to an elastic means (not shown) and is given an elastic force in a tensile direction.
With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the guide pipe 32 from being displaced from the predetermined slot groove 21 and to absorb damping at the outlet end 32b of the guide pipe 32.

  In addition, the manufacturing method of the optical cable of this invention is not limited to each embodiment mentioned above, A suitable deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible.

  As described above, in the optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention, the guide pipe for guiding and guiding the optical fiber core wire into the slot groove is formed of a flexible material, and the tip of the guide pipe is dropped into the slot groove by the pressing means. Thus, the deformation of the optical fiber core wire can be prevented, and the effect of being able to follow the slot groove trajectory and securely store the optical fiber core wire in the slot groove is provided. This is useful as a manufacturing method of an optical cable for storing an optical fiber core wire using a guide pipe in an SZ slot having slot grooves whose directions are alternately reversed.

It is a block diagram which shows the manufacturing apparatus of the optical cable which implements 1st Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the optical cable which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram of a gathering part. It is sectional drawing of an assembly die. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in which a part of guide pipe restrained by the slot groove | channel by the press means protrudes from the slot groove | channel. It is sectional drawing which shows the state restrained so that a guide pipe may enter into a slot groove | channel completely by a press means. It is explanatory drawing which shows the circumferential direction angle difference of the entrance end and exit end of a guide pipe. It is explanatory drawing which shows the angle difference of the horizontal direction of the entrance end and exit end of a guide pipe. It is a side view which shows the distance between a gathering point and a groove | channel fixed passage guide. It is a block diagram of the gathering part in 2nd Embodiment of the manufacturing method of the optical cable which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

20 SZ slot 21 Slot groove 22 Tape core (optical fiber core)
31 Groove fixed passage guide 32 Guide pipe 32a Inlet end (tip)
32b Outlet end 33 Collecting die (pressing means)
35 Winding string (pressing means)
L distance P slot groove pitch θ circumferential angle difference η lateral angle difference

Claims (9)

An SZ slot having slot grooves whose spiral directions are alternately reversed passes through the fixed groove passage guide so that the passing position of the slot groove of the SZ slot does not rotate around the axis, and the optical fiber core wire is guided by the guide pipe. A method of manufacturing an optical cable that guides and guides the rotation into the slot groove of the SZ slot, the rotation of which is controlled by being inserted from the inlet end toward the outlet end,
A method of manufacturing an optical cable, wherein the guide pipe is formed of a flexible material, and the tip end of the guide pipe is restrained to be dropped into the slot groove by a pressing means.   The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 1, wherein the guide pipe is made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyacetal (POM).   The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 2, wherein the guide pipe has a cross-sectional shape with a tip partly protruding from the slot groove.   3. The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 2, wherein the guide pipe has a cross-sectional shape in which a tip enters the slot groove and is positioned in an outer peripheral arc of the SZ slot.   The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 1, wherein the pressing means is a collecting die.   The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 1, wherein the pressing unit is a winding string wound around the SZ slot.   The guide pipe is supported by the groove fixed passage guide so that the inlet end side of the optical fiber core wire is swingable, and the pipe rear end position on the groove fixed passage guide and the pipe front end in the slot groove of the SZ slot The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 1, wherein the difference in the circumferential angle of the pipe in the slot circumferential direction with respect to the position is set to 180 ° or less.   8. The method of manufacturing an optical cable according to claim 7, wherein a difference in the lateral angle of the pipe as viewed from above the slot of the guide pipe is set to 15 [deg.] Or less. The distance between the groove fixed passage guide and the pipe tip position in the slot groove of the SZ slot is set to an integral multiple of the slot groove pitch of the SZ slot. An optical cable manufacturing method.

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