JP2010101958A - Method of evaluating optical fiber ribbon and method of manufacturing slot type optical cable - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly evaluate the anti-blocking characteristic of an optical fiber ribbon without necessitating the manufacturing of a slot type optical fiber cable. <P>SOLUTION: The method of evaluating optical fiber ribbon is for evaluating the anti-blocking characteristic of the optical fiber ribbon used for a slot type optical fiber cable. A plurality of short optical fiber ribbons 2 are laminated, a prescribed load is applied on them and the optical fiber ribbons are aged in an atmosphere in which the temperature and the moisture are controlled, then the optical fiber ribbons 2 are peeled off one after another while the end in the longitudinal direction of the laminated optical fiber ribbons 2 are fixed, the peeling off force (the force necessary for peeling off ) on peeling off is measured, and finally it is determined that the anti-blocking characteristic is sufficient when the peeling off force is not bigger than a preset reference value of peeling off force. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon evaluation method for evaluating blocking resistance of an optical fiber ribbon used in a slot optical cable, and a slot cable production method.

The slot-type optical cable in which optical fiber tape cores are stacked and accommodated in a spiral groove (slot) formed on the outer periphery of the spacer has been reduced in diameter to make the outer diameter as small as possible. As the type optical cable is reduced in diameter, tape cores (optical fiber tape cores) are being laminated at a higher density in the groove of the spacer.
If the surface properties of the tape cores in the slot type optical cable are not appropriate, the tape cores may be brought into close contact with each other in the groove of the spacer, which may increase the transmission loss of the optical fiber.
When a cable is manufactured using a tape core wire with poor surface properties, an increase in transmission loss is found after the cable is manufactured or when a temperature characteristic test and a long-term reliability test are performed.
As a cause of increased loss,
(A) The friction coefficient of the coating of the tape core wire is high, and the movement in the longitudinal direction is restricted in the groove of the spacer.
(B) A plurality of tape cores stacked at high density in the groove of the spacer are blocked in the stacked state (the tape cores are brought into close contact with each other so that the plurality of tape cores are integrated). For.
Etc.
Among the above causes, the friction coefficient of the tape core wire can be optimized by changing the curing conditions of the ultraviolet curable resin (UV curable resin), and an increase in transmission loss can be prevented.
Causes of blocking include changes in surface properties due to bleed-out of uncured components in addition to the coefficient of friction of the tape core (components that have not cured the resin bleed out over time) Is mentioned.

Various methods have been reported for measuring the coefficient of friction of the surface of the tape core, but in relation to the blocking resistance of the tape core, that is, the difficulty of blocking the tape core, it is not so much. Not reported.

Regarding the blocking resistance of the tape core, there is some description in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-322838: Manufacturing method of tape-shaped optical fiber).
Patent Document 1 is a method of manufacturing a tape core wire that can suppress the occurrence of a tack phenomenon (corresponding to a blocking phenomenon) based on the adhesiveness of the coated surface, and determines the tack property of the surface of the obtained tape core wire. Therefore, a method is described in which the produced tape core is wound around a reel and the tape core is judged based on whether or not the tape core can be smoothly fed out from the reel.
The case where smooth feeding can be performed is “no tackiness”, and the case where a phenomenon such as sneezing occurs and smooth feeding cannot be performed is “tacking” (paragraph number [0031] in Patent Document 1).

Further, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-31860: Tape slot type cable) applies moderate talc to the tape core wire in the spacer groove of the slot type optical cable by applying talc to the tape core wire. This prevents the occurrence of problems such as an increase in transmission loss in the optical closure, but the pulling force when pulling the tape core wire in the spacer groove from the manufactured slot-type optical cable is reduced. By measuring, the binding force with respect to the movement of the tape core wire is measured (paragraph number [0013] of Patent Document 2). The binding force against the movement of the tape core wire is closely related to the blocking resistance.

Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-201957: Tape type optical fiber core wire) is a tape core excellent in non-bleeding and blocking resistance by modifying a UV curable resin as a coating material with a reactive silicon resin. The tape core wire is wound on a plastic bobbin with a constant tension and stored for a long period of time, and then the sticking resistance of the tape core wire wound on the bobbin is checked to ensure blocking resistance. Judgment (paragraph number [0013] etc.).
JP-A-2001-322838 Manufacturing method of optical fiber core of tape JP 2001-311860 TAPE SLOT TYPE CABLE JP-A 06-201957 Tape type optical fiber core wire

Among the above conventional methods for determining the blocking resistance of the tape core wire, the method of Patent Document 1 visually determines whether or not the tape core wire can be smoothly fed out from the reel. Method 3 is to determine visually the degree of sticking of the bobbin-wrapped tape core wire, and since all are based on the sensory judgment of the tester, a clear determination result cannot be obtained.
Moreover, since the method of patent document 1 is whether a tape core wire can be smoothly drawn out from a reel, it can evaluate only the friction coefficient of a tape core wire.
Further, the method of Patent Document 2 is determined by measuring the pulling force when pulling the tape core wire from the manufactured slot-type optical cable, and a numerically clear determination result can be obtained. There is a drawback that it is not possible to make a judgment only after the type optical cable is manufactured. Further, the pulling force is closely related to the blocking resistance, but is not necessarily the same.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the blocking resistance of the tape core wire in the slot-type optical cable does not require the production of the slot-type optical cable and does not depend on human sensory judgment. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for evaluating an optical fiber ribbon that can be clearly determined, and to manufacture a slot-type optical cable that is less likely to cause transmission loss due to blocking of the optical fiber ribbon after laying. It aims to provide a method.

Invention of Claim 1 which solves the above-mentioned subject is an evaluation method of an optical fiber tape core which evaluates blocking resistance about an optical fiber tape core used for a slot type optical cable,
After a plurality of short optical fiber ribbons are laminated and aged in an environment where temperature and / or humidity are controlled with a predetermined load applied from above, the length of the laminated optical fiber ribbons With the end of the direction fixed, peel off the optical fiber ribbon one by one, measure the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling, and the peel force is the set reference peel force It is characterized in that it has blocking resistance at the following times.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for evaluating an optical fiber ribbon according to the first aspect, the weight of the sample optical fiber ribbon is the reference peel force.

The invention of claim 3 is an optical fiber ribbon evaluation method for determining whether or not blocking has occurred for an optical fiber ribbon that is stacked and accommodated in a spacer groove of a slot type optical cable,
The optical fiber ribbon is removed from the slot groove of the slot type optical cable without breaking the laminated state and cut to a predetermined short length, and the longitudinal end of the cut laminated optical fiber ribbon is fixed. In such a state, the optical fiber tape cores are peeled off one by one, the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling is measured, and when the peel force is below the set reference peel force, the slot type optical cable The optical fiber tape core wire is evaluated as having blocking resistance.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a slot-type optical cable, wherein a slot-type optical cable is formed by laminating a plurality of optical fiber ribbons in a spiral groove formed on the outer periphery of a spacer.
Before the optical fiber tape core wire to be accommodated in the spacer groove is accommodated in the spacer groove, the blocking resistance is judged by the evaluation method of the optical fiber tape core wire according to any one of claims 1 to 2, and there is blocking resistance. A slot-type optical cable is manufactured by accommodating the optical fiber ribbon determined to be in a spacer groove.

The invention of claim 5 is an optical fiber ribbon evaluation method for determining whether or not blocking has occurred in an optical fiber ribbon that is stacked and accommodated in a spacer groove of an SZ type slot optical cable. And
A predetermined length of the optical fiber ribbon is taken out from the spacer groove of the slot type optical cable without breaking the laminated state, and is placed almost horizontally, and the uppermost optical fiber tape of the laminated optical fiber ribbons. Measure the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling off by lifting and peeling one place in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber tape of the slot type optical cable when the peel force is less than the set reference peel force The core wire is characterized in that it is evaluated as having blocking resistance.

According to the invention of claim 1, after laminating a plurality of short tape cores and applying a load to create a state simulating the laminated state of the optical fiber ribbons in the spacer groove, and then aging, Since the peel resistance is judged by performing a peel test, the blocking resistance of the optical fiber ribbon is not required to produce a slot-type optical cable and can be judged by human sense. It can be clearly determined regardless.
Moreover, since the state of the laminated tape core wire in the spacer groove in the slot type optical cable is reproduced to evaluate the blocking resistance, it is possible to perform an appropriate evaluation.

  As in claim 2, setting the weight of the optical fiber ribbon of the sample as the reference peel force is effective, appropriate and clear for appropriately evaluating the blocking resistance. Moreover, there is generality independent of the type of the optical fiber ribbon.

  The method for evaluating an optical fiber ribbon of the present invention can be applied to an existing slot type optical cable as in the third aspect.

According to the slot type optical cable manufacturing method of the fourth aspect, it is possible to avoid as much as possible a situation in which, after laying the slot type optical cable, blocking of the laminated tape core wires causes an increase in transmission loss.

According to the evaluation method of the optical fiber ribbon of the fifth aspect, the existing SZ type slot optical cable can be evaluated without cutting the optical fiber ribbon. Therefore, the state of the optical fiber ribbon can be easily checked for the existing SZ type slot optical cable.

  Hereinafter, an optical fiber ribbon evaluation method and a slot type optical cable manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The evaluation method of the optical fiber tape core of the embodiment is intended for an optical fiber tape core (tape core) 2 used in a slot type optical cable 1 as shown in FIG.
In the figure, 3 is a tension member, 4 is a spacer, 5 is a spiral groove (slot) formed on the outer periphery of the spacer 4, 6 is a press-wrapping tape, and 7 is a sheath. The tape core wire 2 is stacked and accommodated in the groove 5 of the spacer 4.
When the surface property of the tape core wire 2 laminated and accommodated in the groove 5 of the spacer 4 is not appropriate, the tape core wires are in close contact with each other and blocking is performed in the laminated state (the tape core wires are in close contact with each other, Sheet tape cores may be integrated).
The evaluation method of the optical fiber ribbon of the present invention is to examine the blocking resistance (that is, the difficulty of blocking) of the tape ribbon 2 used in such a slot type optical cable 1.

The invention of claim 1 is a method for evaluating the blocking resistance of a tape core without producing a slot-type optical cable.
The produced long tape core wire is cut, and a plurality of appropriately short tape core wires are prepared as samples.
The plurality of short tape cores are laminated and a predetermined load is applied from above. The applied load is such that a uniform distributed load acts on the entire surface of the uppermost tape core wire.
A tape core in a state of being laminated and loaded is aged in an environment in which temperature and / or humidity is controlled, for example, in an environment such as a temperature characteristic test, a wet heat test, or a high temperature test, and then the laminated tape With the end of the core wire in the longitudinal direction fixed, the tape core wire is peeled off one by one, the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling is measured, and the peel peel is set as the reference peel It is evaluated that it has blocking resistance when it is below the force.

A specific example evaluation method will be described.
The tape core wire to be evaluated is an 8-core tape core wire.
In the examples, three long tape cores (referred to as taped materials A, B, and C) having different production lots of tape cores were used. Each tape-forming material A, B, C was adjusted in conditions for producing the tape core wire so that the friction coefficients on the surface of the tape core wire immediately after production were approximately the same.
Then, three long tape cores of different tape forming materials A, B, and C were cut, respectively, to produce a large number of 20 cm long tape cores, which were used as samples.
Ten tape cores each having a length of 20 cm and 8 cores were stacked, and a weight of 250 gf was placed thereon to create a state simulating the stacked state of the tape core wires in the spacer grooves.
The laminated tape core wire was put into a temperature characteristic test, a high temperature test or a wet heat test and aged.
As shown in Table 1 to be described later, the aging of the laminated tape core wire is divided into a temperature characteristic test group, a high temperature test group, and a wet heat test group for each group of taped materials A, B, and C, respectively. did.
The aging test is as follows.
・ Temperature characteristics test (-30 ° C to 70 ° C, each 12 hours hold 2 cycles)
・ High temperature test (85 ° C for 2 days)
-Wet heat test (60 ° C 95% RH 2 days)

After aging, for each laminated tape core wire, whether or not the tape core wires are in close contact with each other and blocked is determined by a peel test, that is, the peel force (pull) when peeling (peeling) the same tape core. Judgment was made by measuring peeling force.

Fig. 1 shows the peel test.
As shown in the figure, one end of ten tape cores 2 laminated on a flat base plate 11 is fixed by a fixing member 12, and the free end side (right end side in FIG. 1) in order from the upper layer tape core. Each sheet was lifted and peeled off one by one, and the peel force at the time of peeling was measured.
As a specific method for lifting the tape core wire, the free end side of the tape core wire at the top of the laminated tape core wires is bonded to the vertically moving tension portion of a small tensile testing machine, and the tension portion Was raised to raise the adhesion point upward, in the examples by 5 cm or more.

As a reference peel force that is a criterion for determining whether or not the tape core has blocking resistance, the weight of the sample 20 cm long tape core was employed. That is, if the peel force is less than the force necessary to lift the 20 cm long tape core used in the test by 5 cm or more, it is judged that blocking has not occurred. This reference peel force can be said to be an adhesion force such that the tapes are separated from each other by their own weight when the laminated tape cores are held horizontally.
The lifting distance of the tape core wire is not necessarily 5 cm or more, and an appropriate distance may be set as appropriate.
In the case of the example, since the weight of the tape core wire used as the sample was 0.15 gf / 20 cm, the reference peel force for determining the presence or absence of blocking resistance was set to 0.15 gf.
Furthermore, a slot-type optical cable is manufactured using the same taped material A, B, and C as the tape-formed material from which the sample is collected, a temperature characteristic test is performed on the slot-type optical cable, and an increase in transmission loss is checked. investigated.
The results are shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows the tape core peel force and the temperature characteristic test results after cable formation.

In the sample tape core wire produced from the taped material A, the aging of any of the temperature characteristic test group, the high temperature test group and the wet heat test group has a peel force of 0.15 gf or less, and no blocking occurs. Judged. And after performing the temperature characteristic test of the slot type | mold optical cable produced using the tape core wire of the tape-forming material A, when transmission loss was measured, there was no transmission loss increase especially.
In the sample tape core wire produced from the taped material B, the peel strength was 0.15 gf or less in the temperature characteristic test group and the high temperature test group, but the peel strength was 0.15 gf or more in the wet heat test group. Since it was not all passed with respect to aging, it was determined that there was no blocking resistance. And when the transmission loss was measured after performing the temperature characteristic test of the slot type optical cable produced using the tape core of the taped material B, the transmission loss increased.
In the sample tape core wire produced from the taped material C, the peel force was 0.15 gf or less in the high temperature test group, but the peel force was 0.15 gf or more in the temperature characteristic test group and the moist heat test group. Since it was not all passed with respect to aging, it was determined that there was no blocking resistance. And when the transmission loss was measured after performing the temperature characteristic test of the slot type optical cable produced using the tape core of the taped material C, the increase in the transmission loss was also caused.

In the above test results, it was determined that there was no blocking resistance if all of the aging tests of the temperature characteristic test, high temperature test and wet heat test did not pass the peel test. The correspondence with the increase differs depending on what value the reference peel force is set to. Further, it depends on the specific aging content (temperature, humidity, time, etc.).
Therefore, depending on the set value of the reference peel force, for example, if two types of aged products pass the peel test, it may be determined that there is blocking resistance.
Since the value of the reference peel force cannot always be determined strictly, it is advisable to set an appropriate value for a specific tape core wire in consideration of the result of the transmission loss test. However, as in this example, setting the weight of the sample tape core wire as the reference peel force is effective, appropriate, and clear in order to appropriately evaluate the blocking resistance. Moreover, there is generality independent of the type of the optical fiber ribbon.

The length 20 cm of the sample tape core wire employed in the above embodiment is an appropriate length and effective as a sample for peel force measurement for determining blocking resistance, but the sample length is, for example, 10 to 30 cm. The selection is not necessarily limited, for example, as appropriate.

The evaluation method for the optical fiber ribbon described above evaluates blocking resistance without producing a slot-type optical cable, but whether or not blocking has occurred in the already produced slot-type optical cable tape. Can also be determined.
In this case, the tape core wire is taken out from the spacer groove of the slot type optical cable without breaking the laminated state, and is cut to a length of 20 cm, for example, as described above without breaking the laminated state.
A peel test is performed on the laminated tape core in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.
The procedure for the peel test and the procedure for determining the peel test result are basically the same as described above, and a description thereof will be omitted.
If the blocking resistance of an existing slot-type optical cable can be appropriately evaluated in this way, it is useful for maintenance of the optical communication line.

When the slot-type optical cable 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is manufactured, the above-described optical fiber ribbon evaluation method is adopted to determine the blocking resistance of the optical fiber ribbon (tape ribbon) in advance. be able to.
That is, before the tape core 2 to be accommodated in the groove 5 of the spacer 4 is accommodated in the groove 5 of the spacer 4, the blocking resistance is determined by the above-described optical fiber tape core evaluation method. Then, the tape core wire determined to have blocking resistance is accommodated in the groove 5 of the spacer 4, and the press-wound tape 6 and the sheath 7 are applied to manufacture a slot type optical cable.
As a result, it is possible to avoid as much as possible the situation in which, after the slot-type optical cable has been laid, blocking of the laminated tape cores causes an increase in transmission loss.

The above-mentioned embodiment evaluates a tape core wire having an appropriate short length by cutting the produced long tape core wire, and evaluates without producing a slot-type optical cable. When the slot type optical cable is an SZ type slot type optical cable, the tape core of the manufactured SZ type slot type optical cable may be evaluated without cutting the tape core.
That is, first, a predetermined length of the optical fiber tape core wire is taken out from the spacer groove of the SZ type slot optical cable without breaking the laminated state. In this case, since it is an SZ type slot type optical cable, it is possible to take out the optical fiber tape core wire in a laminated state having an appropriate length in a relaxed state.
Place a part of the optical fiber tape core in the laminated state horizontally on the base plate, lift and peel one longitudinal part of the uppermost optical fiber tape core, Measure peel force (peeling force).
When the peel force is equal to or less than the set reference peel force, it is evaluated that the optical fiber ribbon of the slot type optical cable has blocking resistance.

In this case, if the target is an existing SZ type slot type optical cable, the state of the optical fiber ribbon of the existing SZ type slot type optical cable can be easily checked.
In addition, since aging has already been carried out, naturally, the process of aging anew is unnecessary.
In the case of the SZ-slot type optical cable that has just been manufactured, unlike the case of a short cut optical fiber ribbon, the aging process is not simple, but it is possible to devise and devise it. .

It is a figure explaining the point of the peel test (peeling test) performed in the evaluation method of the optical fiber ribbon of one Example of this invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a slot-type optical cable, showing an example of a slot-type optical cable targeted by the optical fiber tape core evaluation method of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Slot optical cable 2 Tape core (fiber optic tape core)
4 Spacer 5 Spacer groove 11 Base plate 12 Fixing member

Claims (5)

An evaluation method for an optical fiber ribbon that evaluates blocking resistance of an optical fiber ribbon used in a slot-type optical cable,
After a plurality of short optical fiber ribbons are laminated and aged in an environment where temperature and / or humidity are controlled with a predetermined load applied from above, the length of the laminated optical fiber ribbons With the end of the direction fixed, peel off the optical fiber ribbon one by one, measure the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling, and the peel force is the set reference peel force An evaluation method for an optical fiber ribbon, which is evaluated as having blocking resistance at the following times. 2. The evaluation method for an optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the optical fiber ribbon of the sample is the reference peel force. An evaluation method for an optical fiber ribbon that determines whether blocking has occurred for an optical fiber ribbon that is stacked and accommodated in a spacer groove of a slot-type optical cable,
The optical fiber ribbon is removed from the slot groove of the slot type optical cable without breaking the laminated state and cut to a predetermined short length, and the longitudinal end of the cut laminated optical fiber ribbon is fixed. In this state, the optical fiber tape cores are peeled off one by one, and the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling is measured. When the peel force is less than the set reference peel force, the slot type An evaluation method for an optical fiber ribbon, wherein the optical fiber ribbon of an optical cable is evaluated to have blocking resistance. When manufacturing a slot-type optical cable in which a plurality of optical fiber ribbons are laminated in a spiral groove formed on the outer periphery of the spacer,
Before the optical fiber tape core wire to be accommodated in the spacer groove is accommodated in the spacer groove, the blocking resistance is judged by the evaluation method of the optical fiber tape core wire according to any one of claims 1 to 2, and there is blocking resistance. A slot-type optical cable manufacturing method, wherein a slot-type optical cable is manufactured by housing an optical fiber tape core wire determined to be in a spacer groove. An optical fiber ribbon evaluation method for determining whether or not blocking has occurred for an optical fiber ribbon that is stacked and accommodated in a spacer groove of an SZ slot optical cable,
A predetermined length of the optical fiber ribbon is taken out from the spacer groove of the slot type optical cable without breaking the laminated state, and is placed almost horizontally, and the uppermost optical fiber tape of the laminated optical fiber ribbons. Measure the peel force (peeling force) at the time of peeling off by lifting and peeling one place in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber tape of the slot type optical cable when the peel force is less than the set reference peel force An evaluation method of an optical fiber ribbon, characterized in that the core is evaluated to have blocking resistance.

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