JP2581313B2 - Method and apparatus for removing coating for optical fiber - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for removing an optical fiber coating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for removing the coating of a multilayer-coated optical fiber, a centered and positioned multilayer-coated optical fiber is cut from upper and lower sides as shown in FIG. Then, only the coating layer of the optical fiber 3 is cut, and the coating is removed by sliding the cutting blades 1 and 2 in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 3 as shown in FIG. When inserting the cutting blades 1 and 2 into the coating layer and cutting the coating layer, at least the hard layer 4 of the coating layer is cut.
Need to be completely cut, the cutting blades 1 and 2 are cut into the soft layer 5 of the coating layer.

Since the soft layer 5 is made of a material having a very low mechanical strength such as silicone, the soft layer 5 is broken when the cutting blades 1 and 2 are pulled out.

Similarly, after the cutting blades 1 and 2 are inserted into the state shown in FIG. 1A and only the coating layer of the optical fiber 3 is cut, the optical fiber is fixed in a state where the coating layer is fixed. By pulling out 3, the coating layer may be removed. Also in this case, the soft layer 5 is broken as in the case described above.

[0005]

The above prior art has the following problems.

(1) When the cutting blade inserted into the soft layer made of silicone or the like in the coating layer of the optical fiber is pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, the cutting blade breaks the soft layer, and the inside of the optical fiber is broken. The glass is damaged and the strength is deteriorated, which is not desirable in terms of product reliability.

(2) If the soft layer is broken, it is expected that the glass will be damaged during subsequent handling, and the reliability of the product will be reduced.

(3) When cutting the coating layer with the cutting blade, the strength of the cutting blade deteriorates if the cutting blade comes into contact with the glass of the optical fiber. No. However, conventionally, since the coating layer is pulled out by the cutting blade, a force is applied to the cutting blade, so that the cutting blade is likely to be displaced and the reliability of the apparatus is reduced.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a can with the coating removal process and the removal device for optical fiber to prevent scratching the glass of the optical fiber Is what you do.

[0010]

The object of the present invention is to provide a soft layer.
Some of the coating layers are cut with a cutting blade and cut so that only the remaining hard layer is removed , and then the cut coating layer is placed on the end side of the optical fiber and cut from the cutting blade.
This is achieved by holding with spaced holding blades and removing by pulling out the optical fiber in the longitudinal direction.

[0011] Further, the device is formed by changing the hard layer while leaving the soft layer.
A cutting blade for cutting the coating layer by cutting a part of the coating layer so as to remove only the end of the optical fiber;
This is achieved by having a holding blade located on the side and spaced apart from the cutting blade, for holding the cut coating layer and pulling it out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber to remove it.

[0012]

[Function] The soft layer is made of glass (optical fiber) compared to the hard layer.
High adhesion to the core wire),
Only the hard layer, leaving the soft layer between the cutting blade and the holding blade
Can be removed.

[0013]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, a part of the coating layer is cut by the cutting blades 1 and 2 and cut, and the cut coating layer is located on the end side of the optical fiber 3 and is spaced from the cutting blade. The optical fiber 3 was held by the provided holding blades 6 and 7 and pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 3 and removed. Further, the apparatus, cutting blades 1, 2 for cutting the coating layer by cutting a part of the coating layer,
Located at the end of the optical fiber and spaced from the cutting blade
The optical fiber 3 holding the cut coating layer
And holding blades 6 and 7 for pulling out and removing in the longitudinal direction. By doing so, the cutting blades 1, 2
And holding the soft layer 5 between the blades 6,7 is to remain, it is possible to prevent the scratching the glass of the optical fiber 3.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, cuts are made in the coating layer from above and below with the cutting blades 1 and 2,
At the same time, the tip of the coating layer is chucked by the holding blades 6 and 7, and pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 3 as shown in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2B, the coating layer is removed together with the soft layer 5 by the holding blades 6 and 7, but the cutting blades 1 and 2 and the holding blades 6 and 7 are removed.
In between, the soft layer 5 remains, and the glass surface remains intact. In addition, since the portion from which the coating of the soft layer 5 is removed is a portion to be cut or polished, scratches on the glass surface do not matter.

The remaining soft layer 5 is swollen with alcohol in a later step, and is removed with a very soft cloth so as not to be damaged.

Further, in the prototype device, a series of operations can be automatically performed in a short time by performing sequence control of the above operations. As a result, the coating can be removed with one hand, which is efficient.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the use of the multilayer coating removing apparatus makes it possible to remove the hard layer while leaving the soft layer. Therefore, a low-strength portion due to damage to the glass surface can be eliminated, mechanical strength such as tensile load increases, and reliability can be improved.

In this embodiment, the cut hard layer is pulled out by chucking with a separately provided holding blade. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to mechanically clamp and pull out. In this case, it is possible to remove the hard layer while leaving the soft layer over the entire length of the coating removal portion. However, this method has severe clamping conditions, and there is a concern that the production yield may be reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, an apparatus and a method for removing only a hard layer of an optical fiber coated with a multilayer are provided, but the remaining soft layer is adapted to the intended use. It is desirable to remove by a method. For example, there is a method of removing with a very soft material such as gauze, or in an extreme case, swelling the soft layer without contacting the glass with a solvent or the like.

As described above, the present invention focuses on the fact that a soft layer such as a silicone resin has higher adhesion to glass than a hard layer such as a nylon.

[0022]

As described above, the method of removing coating according to the present invention comprises:
Some of the coating layers are cut with a cutting blade and cut so that only the hard layer is removed while leaving the soft layer , and then the cut coating layer is located on the end side of the optical fiber and
Holding with a holding blade provided at an interval from the cutting blade , pull out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber to remove,
The apparatus of the present invention removes only the hard layer while leaving the soft layer.
So that the, the cutting blade to cut an incision in a portion of the layer of the coating layer, positioned on the end side of the optical fiber and cutting
It is provided at a distance from the blade, and has a holding blade for holding the cut coating layer and pulling it out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber to remove it, so that the software between the cutting blade and the holding blade is soft. layer is to remain, it is possible to prevent the scratching the glass of the optical fiber.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a method for removing a coating for an optical fiber of the present invention, in which (a) shows a state in which a cutting blade cuts and cuts a coating layer and a holding blade is provided, and FIG. (B) is a longitudinal side view showing a state where the holding blade is pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a conventional method for removing a coating for an optical fiber, in which FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a state where a coating layer is cut and cut by a cutting blade, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a state where the cable is pulled out.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Cutting blade 3 Optical fiber 4 Hard layer 5 Soft layer 6, 7 Holding blade

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A soft layer and a hard layer on an optical fiber.
In the optical fiber coating removing method of removing the coating layer of the optical fiber to which the coating layer consisting of is applied in order, so as to remove only the hard layer while leaving the soft layer , some of the coating layers Cut and cut with a cutting blade, and then cut this coated layer to the end side of the optical fiber.
And holding it with a holding blade provided at a distance from the cutting blade , and pulling out the optical fiber in the longitudinal direction to remove the coating. 2. A soft layer and a hard layer on an optical fiber.
An optical fiber coating removing device for removing a coating layer of an optical fiber on which a coating layer consisting of is sequentially applied , wherein the device removes only the hard layer while leaving the soft layer.
As such, a cutting blade for cutting by cutting a part of the coating layer, and located on the end side of the optical fiber and
An optical fiber coating, comprising: a holding blade that is provided at an interval from the cutting blade , holds the cut coating layer, and pulls out and removes the cut coating layer in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. Removal device.