JP2567880B2 - Optical fiber core feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an automatic feeder for optical fiber cores,
The present invention relates to a feed mechanism for an optical fiber core wire.

[Prior art and its problems]

In the construction of optical fiber cable lines, optical fiber connection technology is indispensable, but with the recent introduction of optical fiber cables including subscriber systems, the number of super-multi-core cables reaching several hundred or more, With the increase in the number of connections, higher efficiency of optical fiber connection is desired.

As a method for connecting optical fibers, a fusion splicing technique is generally used because of its low loss and economy.

By the way, fusion splicing consists of each step of terminal device, fusion splicing and reinforcement, and it takes about 10 minutes per splice, and the splicing characteristics and workability are affected by the skill of the splicing operator. was there. For this reason, the construction cost (labor cost) accounts for more than 80% of the connection cost, and there has been a demand for shortening the connection time and reducing the number of workers. Although technological innovations such as work efficiency improvement by multi-core batch connection are being made, considering the occupancy of roads due to construction in manholes and the extension of connection time due to the increase in the number of cables,
There are limits to the optical fiber connection that is mainly performed by hand.

By the way, when the optical fibers are automatically fusion-spliced, 2
Since the optical fibers of the book are abutted with high accuracy, a technique for accurately moving the optical fibers in the optical axis direction and the direction orthogonal thereto is required. If this is manually done, the working time becomes long and the optical fiber cannot be fed with high precision (in units of microns).

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to rationalize an optical fiber connection system and improve accuracy by providing an optical fiber core feeding mechanism that moves an optical fiber with high accuracy.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a clamp means for holding an optical fiber core wire substantially horizontally, a first moving means for moving the clapping means in the optical axis direction of the optical fiber core wire, and an optical clamp for the clamp means. A second moving means for moving the optical fiber in a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to the axis, and moving the optical fiber in the optical axis direction and in a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis. The moving means has a stage part on which the clamp means is mounted, and a ball screw screwed to the clamp means and driven by the first motor, and the optical means is urged in a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis. A ball screw is pivotally mounted on an axis parallel to the axis, and the ball screw is servo-controlled by a first servo drive circuit in a first rotary encoder that adds output pulses during operation of the first motor.
The servo drive circuit can be switched to a constant voltage circuit by a relay so that the clamping means can be moved in the direction of the optical axis with a constant torque. After fusion splicing of the optical fiber core wire, the constant voltage circuit drives the first motor. Is driven with a constant torque, and the output pulse during the operation of the first motor is detected by the first rotary encoder for a predetermined time to determine whether or not the optical fiber core wire is cut.

In the present invention, a sensor for detecting the position of the clamp means in the optical axis direction is installed before and after the moving direction of the clamp means, and the absolute coordinates when the encoder makes one rotation are determined based on these input positions. May be

[Action]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the optical fiber can be moved with high precision by the action of the clamp means, the first moving means, and the second moving means, and the fusion of the optical fiber cable is achieved. Performed by feed servo control in connection, and in the case of strength test after connection, use a constant voltage circuit and switch two control circuits with a relay.
The system can be rationalized.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view (FIG. 1 (a)) and a sectional view taken along the line AA '(FIG. 1 (b)) showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The optical fiber tape 1 is grasped and fixed to the clamp means 2 in a state where the end portion is covered and removed. The clamp means 2 is composed of a clamp portion 2a, a linear guide portion 2b, and a screw coupling portion 2c.

The clamp part 2a has a function of gripping and fixing the optical fiber, can be opened and closed around an axis 2d parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber, and can hold the optical fiber tape 1. In order to make it easier to hold the optical fiber tape 1, a groove 2e is provided in one of the holding members.

The linear guide portion 2b is formed in a reverse concave shape by rail coupling and is movable in the optical axis direction. This straight guide part 2b
Since the contact surface of (1) is processed with high precision in the unit of micron, movement in the optical axis direction can be performed with high precision.

The screw coupling portion 2c has a screw threaded in a direction parallel to the optical axis, and is screwed to the ball screw 3. The ball screw 3 has a rotating member 4 through a bearing (not shown) or the like.
It is fixed to. A gear 5 is attached to one end of the ball screw 3, and the gear 5 is juxtaposed with a gear 7 attached to a motor 6 having a rotating shaft 6a parallel to the axis of the ball screw 3. The gear 5 and the gear 7 are hooked in parallel by a timing belt 8 and rotate in the same direction. A spur gear 9 is attached to the other end of the ball screw 3, and the spur gear 9 is juxtaposed with a spur gear 11 attached to a rotary encoder 10 having a rotary shaft 10a parallel to the axis of the ball screw 3. Has been done. The spur gear 9 and the spur gear 11 mesh with each other.

The rotating members 4, 4 are the shaft 1 parallel to the shaft of the ball screw 3 described above.
It is rotatably attached to a fixed base 13 by means of 2, 12. Axis 1
The reference numerals 2 and 12 are supported by bearing members 13a and 13a which are provided upright in a concave shape.

Further, a ball screw is erected on the rear side of the fixed base, and is mounted via a heater and a bevel gear.

A micrometer head 16 is attached to the sliding plate 15 so that it can be pressed in a direction orthogonal to the ball screw 3 and the ball screw behind the fixed base. The tip portion 16a of the micrometer head 16 is in contact with the clamp means 2,
A spur gear 18 is attached to the other end 16b. Spur gear 18
Meshes with another spur gear 19 mounted on the drive motor 30.

Further, the spur gear 18 meshes with another spur gear 21 attached to the rotary encoder 20.

Next, the operation of this configuration will be described. When the motor 6 rotates, the gear 7 rotates, and the gear 5 rotates by driving the belt. Since the gear 5 is attached to the ball screw 3, the ball screw 3 rotates together with the gear 5. Since the ball screw 3 is screwed to the screw coupling portion 2c, the clamping means 2 is rotated by the rotation of the ball screw 3 to move the clamp member 2 to the stage of the rotating member 4.
4a is horizontally moved in the optical axis direction (hereinafter referred to as "Z direction"). When the ball screw 3 rotates, the rotary encoder 10 rotates due to the gear coupling, and the output pulse during the operation of the motor 6 is detected. The amount of movement in the Z direction can be determined by the number of output pulses of the rotary encoder 10.

When the motor 30 rotates, the micrometer head 16 rotates due to the gear coupling to move the tip portion 16a forward or backward. Since the clamp means 2 is biased in the D direction by the biasing means such as a spring, it is always in contact with the tip portion 16a of the micrometer head. Therefore, when the tip portion 16a moves in the B direction, the clamp means 2 tilts in the C direction. B
Since the amount of movement in the direction is actually about 100 μm, the inclination locus in the C direction can be regarded as a straight line, and fine adjustment in the y direction is realized. When the micrometer head 16 rotates, the rotary encoder 20 rotates due to the gear coupling, and the output pulse during the operation of the motor 30 is detected.

Since the sliding plate 15 is configured to be movable in the x direction by the action of the ball screw and the screw coupling portion, the contact position can be arbitrarily changed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration for determining whether or not the optical fiber core wire of this embodiment is cut. Rotary encoder 10
Are connected to a pulse count circuit 23, and the pulse count circuit 23 is connected to a CPU circuit 24, a servo drive circuit 25, and a constant voltage circuit 26. The servo drive circuit 25 and the constant voltage circuit 26 are configured to be selectively switched by a relay 27. The other end of the relay 27 is connected to the motor 6.

After the optical fibers are fusion-spliced, in order to determine whether or not the two optical fibers are completely connected, each optical fiber is pulled with a constant tension and the presence or absence of disconnection is detected. However, the servo drive circuit can control position and speed, but cannot control force.

Therefore, by switching to a constant voltage circuit capable of controlling the force of the motor with a relay, the motor can be driven with a constant torque.

According to such a configuration, the relay 27 is the servo drive circuit.
If it is set to 25, servo (position, speed) control can be performed, and if it is set to the constant voltage circuit 26, force control by current value can be performed.

Therefore, the feeding in the fusion splicing of the optical fiber cable is performed by the servo control, and the constant voltage circuit 26 is used in the strength test after the splicing. Thus, by switching the two control circuits by the relay 27, the system can be rationalized.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining another embodiment of the feeding mechanism of the optical fiber core wire according to the present invention. In this embodiment, photosensors 28a and 28b are provided near both ends of the ball screw 3.
And 28c are installed, and the clamp means 2 has a light-shielding plate 29.
Installed a, 29b, 29c. Photosensors 28a and 28c
Are the limits of the amount of movement in the Z direction. That is, the clamp means 2 moves in the Z direction until the light blocking plate 29a blocks the photo sensor 28a or the light blocking plate 29c blocks the photo sensor 28c. After the light blocking plate 29a blocks the photo set 28a, the clamp means 2 slightly moves to the right and moves until the light blocking plate 29b blocks the photo sensor 28b. The absolute coordinates when the rotary encoder 6 rotates are determined by using the position where the light shielding plate 29b blocks the photo sensor 28b as a reference point.

According to this embodiment, since the movement position is detected by the sensor, the clamp means can be moved with high accuracy by making the output pulse of the rotary encoder correspond.

In addition, the sensors 28a, 28 indicating the right end limit and the left end limit
In addition to c, since the third sensor 28b is provided between them,
High-precision adjustment can be performed in a short time by moving the clamp means 2 to the photo sensor 28a at high speed and performing fine adjustment at a short distance between the photo sensor 28a and the photo sensor 28b regardless of the position of the clamp means 2. be able to.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the optical fiber can be moved with high accuracy. Also, since the servo drive circuit and the constant voltage circuit can be switched by the relay, the strength test after fusion splicing of the optical fiber can be easily performed, thus streamlining the system and improving the reliability of the optical fiber connection. Can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a feeding mechanism of an optical fiber core wire according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration for determining whether or not the optical fiber core wire of the embodiment is cut, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a view showing another embodiment of the feeding mechanism of the optical fiber core wire according to the present invention. 1 ... Optical fiber tape, 2 ... Clamping means, 3 ...
Ball screw, 4 …… Rotating member, 5,7 …… Gear, 6,30 ……
Motor, 8 ... Timing belt, 9,11,18,19,21 ...
… Spur gears, 10,20 …… Rotary encoders, 12 …… Axis, 1
3 ... Fixed base, 16 ... Micrometer head, 23 ... Pulse count circuit, 24 ... CPU circuit, 25 ... Servo drive circuit, 26 ... Constant voltage circuit, 27 ... Relay, 28 ... Photo sensor , 29 …… Shading plate.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Naoshi Hakada 1 Taya-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Yokohama Works (72) Inventor Tadashi Haibara 1-6, Uchisai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Seiji Nakayama 1-1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (56) Reference JP 62-14606 (JP, A) JP 61 -294403 (JP, A) JP 61-294404 (JP, A) JP 57-4015 (JP, A) JP 57-32411 (JP, A) JP 60-28610 (JP, A) )

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A clamp means for holding an optical fiber core wire substantially horizontally, a first moving means for moving the clamp means in an optical axis direction of the optical fiber core wire, and the clamp means for the optical axis. A second moving means for moving the optical fiber in a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to each other, wherein the optical fiber core feed mechanism for moving the optical fiber in the optical axis direction and a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis, The first moving means has a stage part on which the clamp means is mounted, and a ball screw screwed to the clamp means and driven by a first motor, and is biased in a horizontal direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis. And a ball screw is pivotally attached to an axis parallel to the optical axis in a state where the ball screw is added to the first rotary encoder for adding an output pulse during the operation of the first motor by a first servo drive circuit. Controlled by a servo, the first servo drive circuit can be switched to a constant voltage circuit by a relay, and the clamp means can be moved in the optical axis direction with a constant torque. After the connection, the constant voltage circuit drives the first motor with a constant torque,
Of the optical fiber core wire is provided with a function of determining whether or not the optical fiber core wire is cut by detecting an output pulse during the operation of the motor by the first rotary encoder for a predetermined time. mechanism. 2. A sensor for detecting the position of the clamp means in the optical axis direction is provided before and after the moving direction of the clamp means, and absolute coordinates when the encoder makes one rotation are defined as the input positions. The feeding mechanism for an optical fiber core wire according to claim 1, wherein the feeding mechanism is determined based on a standard.