JP2863897B2 - Method and apparatus for dropping core wire into core with SZ groove - 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 of dropping an optical fiber core into an SZ grooved core, and more particularly to a method of dropping one or more optical fiber cores in one groove.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A method and an apparatus for dropping a so-called tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber wires are bundled in a tape shape in parallel into a unidirectionally wound groove are described with respect to a technique of dropping at one longitudinal position on a grooved core. Is, for example,
29087 "Slot type cable manufacturing device", Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-66006 "Tape core assembly device", and the like. Regarding the technique of dropping at two places before and after along the core, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 6-335
653 "Apparatus for manufacturing embedded optical fiber cable with multiple paragraphs" and the like.

A so-called loose-type optical fiber core, in which two or several optical fiber cores are loosely housed in a hollow cladding tube together with a jelly, instead of a tape-shaped tape core, is not a one-way-wound groove, but a S-shaped groove. As a technique of dropping the core into a so-called SZ-grooved core in which the winding and the Z winding grooves appear alternately in the longitudinal direction, a technique of dropping a single optical fiber core wire per groove is known.

[0004]

As described above, there is a prior art for a technique of dropping a single loose type optical fiber core into each groove, but a plurality of loose type optical fiber cores are provided in each groove. The technology for dropping the core has not been developed so far, but the technology for dropping and guiding a plurality of loose-type optical fiber cores together by a core guide tube using at most one. Is only known. In this case, it is not possible to sufficiently cope with the increase in the number of drops.
As shown by (foul), the optical fiber cores 3 rushed into the entrance of the groove 2 at one time collide with each other and do not fit neatly as shown by the symbol S (safe) on the left side. There is a disadvantage that the transmission characteristics are impaired in the event of a collision.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and means for solving the above problem is to provide an SZ grooved core in a longitudinal direction thereof. In the method of dropping a plurality of optical fiber core wires into the SZ-shaped groove while sending the optical fiber core wire around the same while feeding, immediately before dropping the optical fiber core wire, the optical fiber core wire is divided into a plurality of groups for each groove. This is a method of dropping a core wire into an SZ-grooved core, which is characterized by branching.

The invention according to claim 2 has been made in order to prevent the optical fiber core from coming out of the groove after dropping which is likely to occur with the dramatic increase in the number of optical fiber cores. The means is such that a plurality of optical fiber cores are dropped into each of the SZ-shaped grooves while sending the optical fiber cores around the core while feeding the SZ grooved core in the longitudinal direction thereof. A method of dropping a core wire into an SZ-grooved core, characterized in that the retainer plate is prevented from getting out every time and a coarsely wound yarn is wound from above the retainer plate.

[0007] invention shown in Claim 3, shows a device for carrying out the method set forth in claims 1 to 3, solutions are slotted core sending unit for sending so as not to rotate in the slotted core An optical fiber core sending unit for sending out a required number of optical fiber core wires, and a dropping portion for dropping the optical fiber core wire into the groove of the grooved core, wherein the dropping portion is rotationally driven by a drive motor. A rotatable plate in which a branch hole of the optical fiber core wire is formed at an angular position corresponding to the groove, provided downstream of the rotatable plate, and protruding radially inward. Having a groove engaging claw that engages with the groove, and a rear drop-in guide plate having a unified guide hole for guiding the optical fiber core wire at an angular position corresponding to the groove,
A plurality of divided guide holes are coaxially connected to the rear drop guide plate and rotatably connected within a certain angle range, and are radially separated at angular positions corresponding to the unified guide holes. A front dropping guide plate, a holding plate movably attached to the front dropping guide plate and engaging with each groove, a coarse winding device provided immediately downstream of the front dropping guide plate, and a rotation start of the rear dropping guide plate And a device for detecting the direction of rotation and driving the rotatable plate to rotate at a desired angle in the same direction.

[0008]

[Function] Immediately before dropping the optical fiber core, the optical fiber core is divided into a plurality of groups for each groove, so that all the optical fiber cores do not rush into one groove at the same time. Can be dropped without any collision.

The drop guide plate is driven to rotate to the left and right while the SZ groove is being advanced, and the rotatable plate at the rear is rotated following the drop guide plate in the same direction as the drop guide plate. The amount of the wrapping angle at which the optical fiber core wire between the eye plates is wrapped around the grooved core alternately left and right can be reduced to zero or reduced.

[0010] In this method, the dropped optical fiber core is prevented from being escaped by the holding plate in each groove, and the coarsely wound yarn is wound from above the holding plate. It becomes possible to tighten and wind in the groove.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, what is intended by the present invention to drop a core wire into an SZ grooved core will be described. FIG. 6 shows S
1 shows a Z-grooved core 1 in which a plurality of (six in the illustrated example) SZ grooves 2 are formed on the outer peripheral portion of a synthetic resin molded rod-shaped grooved core 1 having a circular cross section. Things. The SZ groove is a helix-shaped groove, in which the S-directional groove 2A and the Z-directional groove 2B alternately and repeatedly appear. The neutral point P at which the winding is converted from S winding to Z winding or from Z winding to S winding appears at a constant interval (referred to as a pitch) in the longitudinal direction of the grooved core 1 and is usually about several hundred mm. The angle is less than 300 degrees. Reference numeral 1A indicates a tension member for improving the tensile strength of the grooved core 1.

A method for dropping the optical fiber core wire 3 already described in the SZ groove 2 along the longitudinal direction thereof will be described later in this specification.

[0013] the entire apparatus used for carrying out the method, there is shown in FIG. 2, reference numeral A ₁ is sending part of the grooved core 1, A ₂ are transmitted portion of the optical fiber 3, Also A ₃
Is a drop portion to be described, and the portion surrounded by the dashed line is enlarged in FIG.

In FIG . 1, the grooved core 1 is sent from the upstream side (right side in the figure) to the left, and a plurality of optical fiber cores 3 are also wrapped around the grooved core 1 for each groove. The required number of pieces are sent to the left in a running position that is angularly close to each groove. The angular position of each of the optical fiber cores 3 is determined by an optical fiber core passage hole (not shown) formed in a rotary plate 4 (which is movably provided so as to be adjustable in the longitudinal direction). Can be

The rotation board 4 is driven by a timing belt 8 by an appropriate drive motor 8 such as an AC servomotor.
1 can be driven to rotate. As will be described later, the rotational drive of the rotary eye plate 4 is limited in its rotation angle amount, and is reset to return to the original position at a predetermined angular position. Reference numeral 41 denotes a reset sensor for detecting the reset position.

The optical fiber core wire 3 is sent from the turning plate 4 to the rear dropping guide plate 5 and then to the front dropping guide plate 6 downstream therefrom. 1 is dropped into the groove 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes a coarse winding device, and a coarse winding yarn 71 is wound around the grooved core 1 in a crossing manner, and the optical fiber core wire 3 just dropped is held down and fixed in the groove.

FIG . 3 is an enlarged view of the rear drop guide plate 5 and the front drop guide plate 6 of FIG. The rear drop-in guide plate 5 is formed in a disk shape in which a passage hole of the grooved core 1 is formed at the center, and is supported rotatably around its own axis. At the circumferentially equal position, a groove engaging claw 51 protrudes in the radial direction corresponding to each groove 2 of the grooved core 1 and engages with the groove 2. For this reason, as the SZ grooved core 1 advances, the rear dropping guide plate 5 is driven to rotate,
Left and right rotation will be repeated.

A spur gear 52 is coaxially fixed to the rear drop-in guide plate 5, and a shaft of the spur gear 53 meshing with the spur gear 52 is connected to an appropriate rotation detecting sensor 14, such as a rotary encoder or a potentiometer.

The front drop guide plate indicated by reference numeral 6 has substantially the same shape as the rear drop guide plate 5.
A plurality of (three in this example) connecting rods 9 provided at equiangular positions are coaxially connected to the rear drop-in guide plate 5. Similarly to the rear drop guide plate 5, a groove engaging claw 61 is formed so as to protrude radially outward corresponding to each groove.

The connecting rod 9 forms a kind of a universal joint by a ball portion 91 and a cover plate 92, as shown in, for example, an enlarged part of FIG. 3, so that the front dropping guide plate 6 and the rear dropping guide plate are formed. 5 is relatively rotatable within a certain angle range.

On the downstream surface of the front drop guide plate 6, a holding plate 10 is movably provided corresponding to each groove 2 of the grooved core 1. The holding plate 10 is formed to be slightly smaller than the width of the groove by an elastic plate material such as a stainless steel plate, a phosphor bronze plate, or a suitable nonmetal elastic material.
This serves to elastically hold down the optical fiber core 3 dropped into the groove so as not to escape from the groove.

If the shaft provided at the base of the holding plate 10 is rotatably mounted in the holding plate support cylinder 11 fixed to the downstream side surface of the front dropping guide plate 6,
It can well follow the change of the groove 2 as the grooved core 1 advances, and can cope with the use of another grooved core having a different pitch. Although not shown, if the shaft of the holding plate 10 is slidable with respect to the support cylinder 11 and is fixed with an adjusting screw, it can be easily applied to grooved cores having different diameters. Will be able to respond.

[0023] The number plan view of the rear darken the guide plate 5 is shown in Figure 4, around the center hole of the grooved core 1 passes as demonstrated in this figure corresponding to the number of grooves 2 Are uniformly formed. This is a hole for guiding the optical fiber core wire 3 to be dropped into each groove so as to pass through the core wire.
The number is the same as the number of the optical fiber passage holes formed in the optical fiber.

The plan view of the guide plate 6 darken forward to the guide plate 5 This rear darken is shown in FIG. As is apparent from this figure, divided guide holes 13 are formed at the same number of conformal positions (six in the illustrated example) corresponding to the respective grooves 2. As the name implies, it is divided into a plurality of pieces (two pieces in this example) in the radial direction, the one located radially outward is the guide hole 13A, and the one located radially inward is precisely the guide hole 13A. It is not a hole, but a guide notch 13B formed in the groove engaging claw 61 and opening at a portion facing the bottom of the groove.

The following meanings of the driving of the rotation detecting sensor 14 and the driving motor 8 by the detection signal (thereby revolution plate 4 rotates) 7 will be described. In FIG. 7, only two optical fiber core wires 3 are drawn for each groove in order to avoid complicated drawing lines. As shown in FIG. 7, the groove engaging claw 51 of the rear drop guide plate 5 is
The grooved core 1A
The rear drop guide plate 5 rotates clockwise as viewed from the upstream side as it proceeds to the left.

The rotating now for example angularly 180 °, 5A portion of the lower rear darken the guide plate 5 above the 5B
Is rotated to the position. As a result, the optical fiber core wire 3 is twisted by 180 degrees with the rotary board 4 as shown by a broken line as shown in the figure. Actually, each groove 2 includes many optical fiber cores 3,
Also, in the case of S winding, the groove of the same direction winding of S winding continues for nearly 300 degrees, so at the time of this twisting, the guide plate 5 is dropped backward from the optical fiber core wire 3 and returned to the original position. The elastic rotation force to be applied acts greatly.

[0027] The guide plate 5 this force is actually backward darken
Acts as a shearing force between the groove engaging claw 51 and the groove 2.
Therefore, it is preferable to make this shear force zero or reduce it. It can be seen that for this purpose, the turning plate 4 may be dropped backward and rotated in the same direction as the guide plate 5. Also, if the rotation is made by the same angle, the above-mentioned force becomes zero, and it can be seen that even if the same amount of angle is not reached, this shearing force is effectively reduced.

[0028]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, immediately before the optical fiber core is dropped, the optical fiber core is divided into a plurality of groups for each groove. There is an effect that the optical fibers can be dropped neatly without simultaneously rushing into the grooves and without collision between the optical fibers.

[0029] According to the invention of claim 2, with suppressed dropped optical fiber to not to escape by presser plate for each groove, a crude winding yarn in a manner of winding from the top of the presser plate Therefore, there is an advantage that it is possible to tighten and wind the optical fiber core wire securely in the groove.

[0030] According to the invention of claim 3, it can be seen that all the inventive method can be carried out according to claim 1 of <br/> stone 2 is obtained. As is obvious from the description above, since this device is a device that naturally drops the optical fiber core without forcibly driving it electrically or mechanically, there is no malfunction and the productivity is high. However, there is an advantage that the manufacturing cost is relatively low and the manufacturing can be performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an example of an apparatus for carrying out a method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the entire optical cable manufacturing apparatus using the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view illustrating a drop guide plate.

FIG. 4 is a plan view as seen from a direction IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view seen from a direction V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an SZ grooved core and dropping an optical fiber core into the groove .

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating the entanglement of the optical fiber according to the rotation of the drop guide plate.

8 is a cross-sectional view of a groove illustrating a disadvantage when dropped a plurality of optical fibers in one groove.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 grooved core 1A tension member 2 SZ grooves 2A S-winding groove 2B Z-winding groove 3 optical fibers fourth rotation plate 5 behind darken guide plate 51 grooves engaging claws 52, 53 spur gear 6 forward darken guide plate 61 groove engagement Dowel 7 coarse winding device 71 coarse winding 8 drive motor 9 connecting rod 10 holding plate 11 holding plate support cylinder 12 unified guide holes 13, 13A, 13B divided guide holes 14 rotation detection sensor

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method of feeding a plurality of SZ-shaped cores (1) in the longitudinal direction thereof and dropping a plurality of optical fiber cores (3) into the SZ-shaped rectangular cross-section grooves (2) while feeding the cores (3) around the cores. In the above, immediately before dropping the optical fiber core (3), the optical fiber core (3)
A plurality of unified guide holes (12) and a plurality of divided guide holes ( 13 ) for each groove (2) for forcibly dividing the core into a plurality of groups. How to drop. 2. A method of dropping a plurality of cores (3) into an SZ-shaped groove (2) while feeding an SZ-groove core (1) in the longitudinal direction thereof while feeding the optical fiber core wire (3) around the core. The inserted optical fiber core (3) is prevented from coming out of each groove (2) by the holding plate (10), and the coarsely wound yarn (71) is wound from above the holding plate (10). The method for dropping a core wire into an SZ-grooved core according to claim 1, characterized in that: 3. A grooved core sending section for sending the grooved core (1) without giving rotation, an optical fiber core sending section for sending a required number of optical fiber cores (3), and the optical fiber core. A groove for dropping the groove into the groove (2) of the grooved core (1). The groove is rotated by a drive motor (8) and corresponds to the groove (2). A rotating eye plate (4) having a branch hole of the optical fiber core wire (3) at an angular position;
A groove engaging claw (51) is provided downstream of the rotary plate (4), protrudes radially inward and engages with the groove (2), and has an angular position corresponding to the groove (2). A rear drop-in guide plate (5) having a unified guide hole (12) for guiding the optical fiber core wire (3) at each position;
A plurality of divided guides are coaxially connected to the rear drop guide plate (5) and rotatably relative to each other within a certain angle range, and are radially separated at angular positions corresponding to the unified guide holes (12). A front drop guide plate (6) having a hole (13) formed therein, and a holding plate (1) movably attached to the front drop guide plate (6) and engaging with each groove (2).
0), the coarse winding device (7) provided immediately downstream of the front drop guide plate (6), and the start and direction of rotation of the rear drop guide plate (5) are detected, and the rotation is performed in the same direction. A device (14, 8) for driving the eye plate (4) to a desired angle of rotation;