JP2014038146A - Manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of intermittently notched optical fiber ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method of an intermittently notched optical fiber ribbon that cause a smaller impact by a notch when intermittently forming notches between coated optical fibers in an optical fiber ribbon and that enable highly accurate notch positioning.SOLUTION: A manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method are for an intermittently notched optical fiber ribbon. In the intermittently notched optical fiber ribbon, plural lines of coated optical fibers in an optical fiber ribbon 1 are arranged together in parallel and integrated by a common coating. Intermittent notches are applied between the neighboring coated optical fibers in a longer direction. The manufacturing apparatus has a notch mechanism that rotates a notch roller 10 having a no-notch area La and a notch area Lb with a plurality of needle-like projections 15 arranged in a row in a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral surface of a trunk 11, and that makes notches in the optical fiber ribbon 1.

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon in which intermittent cuts are made in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores of the optical fiber ribbon.

  In an optical fiber ribbon integrated with a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in parallel, it is easy to separate the optical fiber cores into a single core and maintain the arrangement of the optical fiber cores. An optical fiber ribbon capable of performing multi-fiber batch fusion connection or the like is known. In this optical fiber ribbon, a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a parallel line, and coupling portions and non-coupling portions are alternately formed in the longitudinal direction, and adjacent optical fiber cores are intermittently connected to each other. Various shapes and manufacturing methods have been proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 does not have a bonding portion to which an adhesive resin or coating resin is applied for a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wires, and an adhesive resin or coating resin for a predetermined distance. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon in which unbonded portions are alternately formed is disclosed.
Further, in Patent Document 2, after UV (ultraviolet curable) resin is applied to the entire length of a plurality of optical fiber cores, UV irradiation is intermittently performed in the longitudinal direction, and a cured portion (non-bonded portion) of the UV resin is obtained. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon in which uncured portions (bonded portions) are alternately formed.
Further, in Patent Documents 3 and 4, an optical fiber tape core wire in which a cut is formed with a cutting roller having a cutting blade in the longitudinal direction of the common coating of the optical fiber tape core wire, and a coupling portion and a non-coupling portion are alternately formed. A manufacturing method is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-232297 JP 2010-2743 A JP 2005-62427 A Japanese Patent No. 2573632

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the method of intermittently applying an adhesive resin or the like between adjacent optical fiber lines has a problem that the resin application control is not easy and it is difficult to increase the production line speed. Further, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, the method of intermittently irradiating UV is not easy to control the driving of the light-shielding shutter that forms the uncured portion, and the light-shielded portion is uncured with a target size. Probability is low, and it is also difficult to increase the production line speed.

  On the other hand, the method using the cutting roller as in Patent Documents 3 and 4 can increase the production line speed by controlling the rotation speed of the cutting roller, etc. It can be formed at a constant ratio. However, in the method using this cutting roller, an impact is likely to occur when the cutting blade is cut between the optical fiber cores of the optical fiber tape, and the cutting blade may be shaken to cause positional deviation.

  In addition, as for the positional deviation in the width direction of the traveling optical fiber ribbon, it is sufficient to provide a guide that suppresses the movement in the width direction, but it is cut to make a cut between the optical fiber ribbons of the optical fiber ribbon. When the cutting blade of the roller is inserted, a portion corresponding to the thickness of the cutting blade protrudes in the tape width direction, and a clearance is required to escape the protruding portion. However, if the clearance is large, the positioning accuracy in the tape width direction is deteriorated, the cutting position of the cutting blade is fluctuated, and the optical fiber core wire may be damaged.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and the impact of the incision when the incision is intermittently made between the optical fiber cores of the optical fiber ribbon is small, and the positioning of the incision can be performed with high accuracy. An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing apparatus and a manufacturing method for an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon.

  An apparatus and a method for manufacturing an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention includes a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in a parallel row and integrated with a common coating, and adjacent optical fiber cores. It is the manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method of the intermittent cutting optical fiber tape core wire in which the intermittent cutting was put in the longitudinal direction between. The manufacturing apparatus rotates an incision roller having a non-incision area and a notch area in which a plurality of needle-like protrusions are arranged in a row in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the body portion, thereby forming an optical fiber. It is characterized by having a cutting mechanism for cutting into the tape core wire.

  It is preferable that a rib portion for positioning the width direction of the optical fiber ribbon is provided on both side portions of the body portion of the cutting roller. Moreover, it is preferable that the space | interval of a collar part is widely formed only by the thickness equivalent to the thickness of a needle-shaped protrusion in the cutting area | region which arrange | positioned the needle-shaped protrusion in a line form. In addition, it is preferable that a plurality of the cutting mechanisms are installed in the manufacturing line direction in accordance with the number of cores of the optical fiber ribbon.

  According to the present invention, the plurality of needle-like projections arranged in a row on the cutting rollers sequentially pierce the common coating of the optical fiber ribbon and push the opening in the width direction. In this way, intermittent slits can be smoothly formed between the adjacent optical fiber cores of the optical fiber ribbon without giving an impact.

It is a figure which shows the example of the intermittent cut optical fiber tape core wire manufactured by this invention. It is a schematic diagram explaining an example of the cutting roller which has arrange | positioned many needle-shaped protrusions used by this invention in the line form. It is a figure explaining the state which cuts into the optical fiber tape core wire which travels in this invention with a needle-shaped protrusion. It is a figure explaining the state which positions the width direction of the running optical fiber tape core wire in this invention, and makes a notch | incision. It is a schematic diagram explaining the example of installation of the cutting mechanism which forms intermittent cutting in the optical fiber tape cable core in this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 (A) to 1 (C) show an example of an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon manufactured by using the manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention. In the drawings, 1a to 1c are intermittently cut optical fiber ribbons. (Intermittent cutting tape core wire), 2 is an optical fiber core wire, 3a to 3c are common coatings, 4 is a cut portion, and 5 is a non-cut portion.

The optical fiber core wire 2 in the present invention is, for example, an optical fiber strand obtained by coating a glass fiber having an outer diameter of 125 μm with a fiber coating having a coating diameter of about 250 μm. A single-core optical fiber including a colored layer on the outer surface of the optical fiber.
Also, the intermittently cut optical fiber ribbons (hereinafter referred to as intermittently cut tape cores) 1a to 1c are tapes in which three or more optical fiber cores 2 are arranged in parallel and integrated by common coatings 3a to 3c. The common coatings 3a to 3c are of a form in which cut portions 4 and non-cut portions 5 having a predetermined length are alternately formed between adjacent optical fiber core wires 2.

  The intermittent cut tape core wire 1a shows an example in which the tape surface of the common coating 3a is flat, and the intermittent cut tape core wire 1b has a wave shape in which the tape surface of the common coating 3b follows the arrangement surface of the optical fiber core wires 2. An example is shown. Further, the intermittently cut tape core wire 1c is an example in which the optical fiber core wires 2 are arranged at intervals, and the common coating 3c covers the entire circumference of each of the optical fiber core wires 2 via the connecting portion 3c ′. An example of connection is shown. Since the intermittently cut tape cores 1b and 1c have a valley portion between the optical fiber core wires, it is easy to position the needle-like projections at the valley portion, and the cut portion 4 is formed with higher accuracy. be able to.

  The cut portions 4 inserted into the common coatings 3a to 3c of the intermittent cut tape cores 1a to 1c are formed so as to penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the tape core wires, and the cut portions 4 are adjacent to each other. The optical fiber core wires are separated from each other and pulled in a direction in which they are separated from each other (a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction), thereby forming a non-coupled portion that can be bent and separated. On the other hand, in the non-cut portion 5 where no cut is made, adjacent optical fiber cores are integrated with each other by the common coating 3 to form a coupling portion that maintains the tape state.

The cut portion 4 and the non-cut portion 5 can be formed in various forms (patterns). The example of FIG. 1A is an example in which adjacent cut portions 4 are all formed at the same position, and all the optical fiber core wires are connected at intermittent positions where the non-cut portions 5 are orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. ing. The example of FIG. 1B is an example in which the positions of the adjacent cut portions 4 are made different so that the positions of the cut portions one distance away from each other coincide. In addition, it can be formed in an arbitrary pattern such as changing the ratio of the cut portion 4 and the non-cut portion 5.
In FIG. 1C, the cut portion 4 and the non-cut portion 5 are not shown hidden, but are formed in the same pattern as in FIG. 1A or FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a cutting roller having a needle-like projection according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a state of making a cut by the needle-like projection, and FIG. It is a figure explaining the state which positions a line. 2 to 4, 1 is an optical fiber ribbon (tape ribbon), 10 is a cutting roller, 11 is a barrel, 12 is a collar, 13 is a guide groove, 13 a is an inclined surface, and 14 is a roller shaft. , 15 indicates needle-like protrusions. Description of other reference numerals is omitted by using the same reference numerals as those used in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the cutting roller 10 has a plurality of needle-like protrusions 15 arranged in a row so as to protrude from the outer peripheral surface in a predetermined area of the body portion 11 in a predetermined circumferential direction. The roller shaft portion 14 is supported as a support shaft so as to be rotatable. The needle-like protrusion 15 is disposed at a predetermined axial position of the cutting roller 10 so as to be inserted between the predetermined optical fiber core wires 2. An optical fiber ribbon (hereinafter referred to as a tape ribbon) 1 indicated by a chain line before the intermittent cut is made travels while being pressed so that the tape surface is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 11 of the cut roller 10. The Moreover, the collar part 12 which serves as a running guide of the tape core wire 1 can be provided on both sides of the body part 11.

  The needle-like protrusion 15 is a metal needle having a sharp tip as shown in FIG. 3C, and has a shaft portion thickness of about 0.2 mm, for example. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 2, the many needle-like protrusions 15 are, for example, about 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm in a predetermined cutting area Lb on the outer peripheral surface of the body 11 of the cutting roller 10. Are arranged in a row so that about 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm protrudes from the surface of the body portion 11 at intervals of.

  If the diameter of the body part 11 of the cutting roller 10 is 63.7 mm, for example, the circumferential length of the body part 11 is 200 mm. Here, if the ratio of the length of the cut portion 4 in FIG. 1 is 6 (for example, 60 mm) and the ratio of the length of the non-cut portion 5 is 4 (for example, 40 mm), the cut region Lb of the cut roller 10 will be described. The needle-like protrusions 15 are arranged so that the non-cut area La is 40 mm. In addition, the ratio of the length of the cut part 4 and the non-cut part 5 can be changed suitably by changing the ratio of the length of the non-cut area La and the cut area Lb.

As shown in FIG. 3 (B), incision by a large number of needle-like protrusions 15 arranged in a row is performed with the tape core wire 1 in a state where a plurality of optical fiber core wires 2 are connected by a common coating 3. As shown in FIG. 3C, the needle-like protrusion 15 is pierced between the adjacent optical fiber core wires 2.
As shown in FIG. 3A, first, the first needle-like protrusions 15a arranged in a row are pierced between the optical fiber core wires, so that the common coating 3 before and after the needle-like protrusions 15a is torn. A tear 4a is produced in the longitudinal direction. Due to the movement of the tape core wire 1 and the rotation of the cutting roller 10, the next needle-like protrusion 15b is pierced between the optical fiber core wires.

  The needle-like protrusion 15b is arranged so as to be inserted near the end of the immediately preceding tear 4a formed by the preceding needle-like protrusion 15a, thereby generating the tear 4b in a form continuous with the tear 4a. Can be made. Next, the next needle-like protrusion 15c is inserted near the end of the tear 4b formed by the preceding needle-like protrusion 15b, and the tear 4c can be generated in a form continuous with the tear 4b.

  In the same manner, the slits 4a to 4n are continuously formed one after another until reaching the needle-like protrusions 15n arranged in a row, and the cut portions 4 having a predetermined length are formed in the cut region Lb described in FIG. The non-cut portion 5 can be formed by the non-cut region La. If a plurality of needle-like protrusions 15 are sequentially inserted and any one of the needle-like protrusions 15 is always stuck between the optical fibers, it can be prevented from shifting in the width direction, and positioning is performed. Increases accuracy.

As shown in FIG. 4A, by providing the flanges 12 on both sides of the cutting roller 10, the guide groove 13 that guides the running of the tape core wire 1 can be formed. Further, by setting the groove width Wa of the guide groove 13 to a width corresponding to the tape width of the tape core wire 1, the tape core wire 1 can be positioned in the width direction.
With this configuration, the tape core wire 1 can be pushed and moved so as to contact the outer peripheral surface of the body portion 11 in a state where the position in the width direction is regulated by the guide groove 13 and positioned accurately.

  In addition, a needle-like protrusion 15 is provided at a predetermined axial position on the outer peripheral surface of the body 11 that is the bottom of the guide groove 13. For this reason, the relative positional relationship of the needle-like protrusions 15 with respect to the width direction of the tape core wire 1 is uniquely determined, and a cut can be made at an accurate position. However, when the needle-like protrusion 15 cuts between the optical fiber cores for cutting, the tape core wire 1 protrudes in the width direction by an amount corresponding to the thickness D of the needle-like protrusion 15.

  FIG. 4B shows a case where the groove width Wb of the guide groove 13 in the region where the cut is made by the needle-like protrusion 15 is the same as the groove width Wa of the region where the cut is not made as shown in FIG. That is, an example is shown in which the groove width of the guide groove 13 of the cutting roll is uniform over the entire circumference. In this case, by making the wall surface of the guide groove 13 the inclined surface 13a as described above, the protruding portion of the tape core wire 1 is allowed to run on the inclined surface 13a and escape as shown in FIG. 4B. can do.

In FIG. 4C, the groove width Wb of the guide groove 13 in the region where the incision is made by the needle-like protrusion 15 is wider than the groove width Wa of the other part by an amount corresponding to the thickness D of the needle-like protrusion 15. This is an example. That is, the groove width of the guide groove 13 of the cutting roll 10 is made different between the groove width Wb in the area where the needle-like protrusions 15 are arranged and the groove width Wa in the area where the needle-like protrusions 15 are not arranged. To do.
In this case, it is preferable to change the left and right groove widths of the needle-like protrusions 15 depending on the arrangement positions of the needle-like protrusions 15 (positions between the optical fiber core lines into which the cuts are made). For example, when the needle-like protrusion 15 is inserted between the second and third cores of a 4-core ribbon, the needle-like protrusion 15 is evenly spread on both the left and right sides as shown in FIG. However, when the needle-like projection 15 is inserted between the first center and the second center, or between the third and fourth centers, either one of the left and right sides of the needle-like projection 15 Increase the groove width.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an installation example of a cutting mechanism in which a cut portion 4 is inserted into the tape core wire 1 to form intermittent cut tape core wires 1a to 1c. As shown in the figure, for example, the tape core wire 1 is assumed to run from the right direction to the left direction on the paper surface. The cutting mechanisms 7a to 7c (three cutting mechanisms when the number of optical fiber cores is 4) are shifted in position in the production line direction (longitudinal direction of the tape core).

  The cutting mechanisms 7a to 7c are configured such that the cutting rollers 10a to 10c described in FIG. 2 are rotated by driving bodies 9a to 9c such as a driving motor. The rotation speed is controlled. The needle-like protrusions 15 of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c are arranged with different cutting positions in the tape width direction, and each of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c is intermittent only between predetermined optical fiber cores. Make a notch 4 in

  Each of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c is in contact with one surface of the tape core wire 1 and presses this surface to guide the travel of the tape core wire 1, and the travel roller on the surface opposite to the tape core wire 1 8a to 8d are arranged so that the tape core wire 1 is not separated from the outer peripheral surfaces of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c. The running rollers 8a to 8d may be provided with a flange portion that suppresses the movement of the tape core wire 1 in the width direction, but the positioning rollers 13a to 10c have a positioning guide groove 13 on the side. May not be provided.

The rotation direction of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c and the running direction of the tape core wire 1 may be the same direction or opposite directions. However, since the needle-like protrusions 15 pierce the joint portions of the common coating of the tape core wire 1, the moving speed of the outer peripheral surfaces of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c and the moving speed of the tape core wire 1 should be the same. Is preferred.
However, the moving speed of the tape core wire 1 is slightly higher than the moving speed of the outer peripheral surface of the cutting rollers 10a to 10c depending on the ease of cutting into the common coating of the tape core wire 1 and the hardness of the needle-like protrusion 15. It can be fast.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber tape core wire (tape core wire), 1a-1c ... Intermittent cutting optical fiber tape core wire (intermittent cutting tape core wire), 2 ... Optical fiber core wire, 3a-3c ... Common coating | cover, 4 ... Cutting part 5 ... Non-cutting portion, 7a-7c ... Cutting mechanism, 8a-8d ... Traveling roller, 9a-9c ... Driving body, 10, 10a-10c ... Cutting roller, 11 ... Trunk, 12 ... Gutter, 13 ... Guide groove, 13a ... Inclined surface, 14 ... Roller shaft, 15, 15a to 15n ... Needle projections.

Claims (5)

An intermittently cut optical fiber in which intermittent cuts are made in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores of an optical fiber ribbon in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel and integrated by a common coating An apparatus for manufacturing a tape core,
By rotating a cutting roller having a non-cutting region and a cutting region in which a plurality of needle-like protrusions are arranged in a row in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the body part, the optical fiber tape core An apparatus for producing an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon, comprising a notch mechanism for making an incision.   2. The intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1, further comprising a flange that positions a width direction of the optical fiber ribbon on both sides of the body of the cut roller. apparatus.   3. The gap between the flanges is formed by a width corresponding to the thickness of the needle-like protrusions in a cut region where the needle-like protrusions are arranged in a row. Manufacturing equipment for optical fiber tape cores.   The intermittent cutting according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of the cutting mechanisms are arranged in a manufacturing line direction in accordance with the number of cores of the optical fiber ribbon. Equipment for manufacturing optical fiber ribbons. An intermittently cut optical fiber in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel and integrated with a common coating, and an intermittent cut is made in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores of the optical fiber ribbon. A method of manufacturing a tape core,
By rotating a cutting roller having a non-cutting region and a cutting region in which a plurality of needle-like protrusions are arranged in a row in a circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the body part, the optical fiber tape core A method of manufacturing an intermittently cut optical fiber ribbon, comprising cutting.