JP3914405B2 - Manufacturing method of optical fiber coil - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention saves space for use in fiber gyros, sensors, optical amplifiers, lasers, dispersion compensators, nonlinear optical devices, delay circuits, dummy circuits, other long optical fiber application parts, extra length processing tools, etc. It can be, and to a method for manufacturing a low tension of the optical fiber coil.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Optical fiber type devices using optical fibers as devices are widely used in applications such as sensors. In recent years, optical fiber-type devices have attracted attention as optical amplifiers using element-doped optical fibers such as erbium, thulium, and proseodymium, dispersion compensators using dispersion-compensating optical fibers, or nonlinear optical devices. Since an optical fiber device is composed of an optical fiber, it has good connectivity with a transmission line and other devices, has stable characteristics, and is known as an excellent device. The optical fiber type device has an advantage that the bonding property is good as described above, but has a disadvantage that the larger the required fiber length, the larger the volume. In order to avoid this drawback, winding is performed on a small-diameter bobbin. However, even in the case of a small-diameter bobbin, in order to maintain the coil shape of the optical fiber after winding, it is necessary to provide a flange on the bobbin at present. Therefore, an extra volume corresponding to the diameter and thickness of the ridge is required rather than the winding diameter of the optical fiber, which is one factor that hinders downsizing of the device.
[0003]
Further, when the optical fiber is wound to a small diameter, the winding thickness increases, and even if it is wound with a low tension, a large winding tension is generated inside the coil, that is, near the bobbin body. When an optical fiber receives a large force, the loss increases. Therefore, when a long optical fiber is wound around a small bobbin, the loss increases and there is a problem that the optical fiber device cannot be used. FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional optical fiber coil. An optical fiber 1 is wound around a bobbin 3 having ridges 8 and 8 to form an optical fiber coil.
[0004]
In order to avoid this problem, a groove or opening is provided in the bobbin body, and a pin is inserted. After winding, this pin is removed to relieve the pressure inside the coil and reduce the loss of the optical fiber coil. In this method, there is a possibility that the pin cannot be removed if the tension applied to the coil is large, or that the optical fiber may be damaged if the pin is forcibly removed. In order to improve this, in Japanese Patent No. 3201983, two pins are inserted into each of a plurality of grooves, and after winding the coil, the inner pin not in contact with the optical fiber is pulled out, and then the outer pin is removed. It has been proposed to remove. However, in these cases, since the bobbin shape and structure are complicated, there are problems such as high cost.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the above-described problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is capable of saving space is to provide a method for manufacturing inexpensive optical fiber coil more with a simple structure is possible strain relief.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Optical fiber coil of the present invention, even without low, providing the adhesive layer portion or the entire surface of the optical fiber process, the adhesive on the bobbin only torso without a fixed flange by fixing flange It can be produced by a method including a step of winding an optical fiber provided with a layer into a desired shape to form an optical fiber coil, and a step of releasing the fixing of the bobbin by the fixing flange.
[0007]
The optical fiber coil of the second aspect, even without low, step of providing the adhesive layer portion or the entire surface of the optical fiber, on the bobbin only torso without a fixed flange by fixing flange Winding the optical fiber with the adhesive layer into a desired shape to form an optical fiber coil, releasing the bobbin from being fixed by the fixing flange, and removing the bobbin from the center of the optical fiber coil. It can be produced by a method including a removing step.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of an optical fiber coil of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 1 and 2, an optical fiber coil 10 is an optical fiber strand with an adhesive layer in which an adhesive layer 2 is provided over the entire circumference of an optical fiber strand 1 on a bobbin 3 made of only a body without a flange. 1 'is wound, and the optical fiber strands are bonded together to maintain the coil shape.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another example of the optical fiber coil of the present invention, and shows a case where the bobbin is not present in the optical fiber coil 10.
[0009]
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for producing the optical fiber coil of the present invention. FIG. 4A shows a process of forming an adhesive layer on the surface of the optical fiber, and the optical fiber 1 is sent out from the feed reel 5 and passed through the die 4 storing the adhesive 2 '. As a result, an adhesive layer is formed on the surface of the optical fiber 1 and wound on the take-up reel 6. FIG. 4B shows a process of winding the optical fiber strand provided with the adhesive layer into a desired shape, and the wound optical fiber strand 1 ′ with the adhesive layer is reeled. 6 is wound on the bobbin 3 having no defects by the winding machine 7.
[0010]
FIG. 5 shows a case where the respective steps in FIG. 4 are carried out continuously, and the adhesive is applied to the optical fiber by passing the die 4 in which the adhesive 2 'is stored. Next, the adhesive layer-coated optical fiber element 1 ′ on which the adhesive layer is formed is wound into a desired shape as it is without being wound, and an optical fiber coil is manufactured.
[0011]
The optical fiber used in the present invention is appropriately selected and used according to the purpose of the optical fiber coil. For example, quartz or plastic single mode optical fiber, multimode optical fiber, etc. are preferably used.
[0012]
In the present invention, the adhesive constituting the adhesive layer provided on the surface of the optical fiber strand has an adhesive force for maintaining the coil shape corresponding to the tension generated by winding the optical fiber. Any adhesive can be used, for example, urethane, acrylic, epoxy, nylon, phenol, polyimide, vinyl, silicone, rubber, fluorinated epoxy, Various materials such as thermoplastic adhesives such as fluorinated acrylics, thermosetting adhesives, room temperature curable adhesives, ultraviolet curable adhesives, and electron beam curable adhesives can be used. However, from the viewpoint of workability such as ease of handling and the adhesiveness between the optical fibers, a thermosetting, room temperature curable or ultraviolet curable epoxy, urethane or acrylic adhesive is preferably used.
[0013]
In the optical fiber coil manufacturing method of the present invention, in the first step, an adhesive is applied to a part or the entire surface of the optical fiber strand to form an adhesive layer. In this case, it is necessary to apply the adhesive to at least a part of the surface of the optical fiber so that the adjacent optical fibers are bonded and fixed to each other when the coil is wound. As a method for applying the adhesive to the optical fiber, any method may be used as long as the adhesive layer can be provided as described above. For example, a method of applying an optical fiber strand by passing it through a die in which an adhesive is stored, or a method of applying an optical fiber strand in contact with a pad containing the adhesive is preferable. Used. The optical fiber strand provided with the adhesive layer as described above may be once wound on a reel, or may be directly transferred to the next coil winding step.
[0014]
In the coil winding process, the optical fiber strand provided with the adhesive layer is coiled using a winding machine, and then the adhesive is dried or cured using an appropriate method to produce an optical fiber coil. The
[0015]
In this process, when producing an optical fiber coil having a bobbin without wrinkles, a bobbin without wrinkles is inserted into, for example, a stepped shaft, and the bobbin is fixed by fixing flanges from both sides. What is necessary is just to wind up the optical fiber strand in which it was made the shape similar to a bobbin, and was provided with the adhesive bond layer on a bobbin without a wrinkle after that. As the bobbin, a metal made of a metal such as iron or aluminum or a general-purpose plastic may be appropriately selected and used. When an optical fiber coil without a bobbin, that is, a bobbin-less optical fiber coil is manufactured, the bobbin may be removed after winding the optical fiber wire provided with the adhesive layer on the bobbin. . The bobbin can be removed before or after the adhesive is dried or cured. As the bobbin, any one made of the above-mentioned metal or general-purpose plastic can be used before the adhesive layer is dried or cured. Since the bobbin has no wrinkles, it can be easily removed by pushing out the central bobbin portion. In addition, when the bobbin is removed after the adhesive layer is dried or cured, it is necessary that the bobbin be easily removed. As such a bobbin, a fluororesin or silicone having a large releasability is required. What is necessary is just to use what consists of various releasable materials, such as resin. Moreover, what applied these release materials to the surface of the bobbin which consists of said metal or general purpose plastics may be used.
[0016]
【Example】
EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited to this.
[0017]
Example 1
An optical fiber coil was manufactured according to the process shown in FIG. That is, an epoxy-based adhesive (EP171 manufactured by Cemedine Co., Ltd.) was applied to the surface of an optical fiber having a diameter of 250 μm to a thickness of 1 μm. Next, 9 rows × 20 layers (180 turns) (about 40 m) of optical fiber strands coated with an adhesive are wound on a wrinkleless bobbin made of iron having an outer diameter of 60 mm and a height of 2.5 mm. Wound into a state. Winding was performed with a winder TAK-01 (manufactured by Nittoku Engineering Co., Ltd.). Thereafter, the adhesive was cured under the conditions of 100 ° C. and 30 minutes to produce the optical fiber coil of the present invention. The obtained optical fiber coil had an outer diameter of 70 mm and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized.
Moreover, when the optical loss of this optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0018]
Example 2
In Example 1, an optical fiber coil of the present invention was produced in the same manner as in Example 1 except that an epoxy adhesive (Chemedine 1500) was used as the adhesive and cured at room temperature for 5 hours. The obtained optical fiber coil had an outer diameter of 70 mm and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized.
Moreover, when the optical loss of this optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0019]
Example 3
In Example 1, a cyanoacrylate adhesive (Aron Alpha, manufactured by Toa Gosei Co., Ltd.) was used instead of the epoxy adhesive, and the optical fiber coil of the present invention was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that it was cured at room temperature. It was. The obtained optical fiber coil had an outer diameter of 70 mm and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized. Moreover, when the optical loss of this optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0020]
Example 4
In Example 1, a UV curable adhesive (manufactured by Somar, Riocure) was used in place of the epoxy adhesive, and the adhesive was cured by irradiating with 20 mW / cm ² ultraviolet rays for 2 minutes. 1 was obtained to obtain the optical fiber coil of the present invention. The obtained optical fiber coil had an outer diameter of 70 mm and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized.
Moreover, when the optical loss of this optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0021]
Example 5
A bobbinless optical fiber coil was produced according to the process shown in FIG. That is, an epoxy adhesive (Chemedine 1500) was applied to the surface of an optical fiber having a diameter of 250 μm to a thickness of 1 μm. Next, the optical fiber strand on which the adhesive is applied is wound into 9 rows × 20 layers (180 turns) (about 40 m) on a wrinkleless bobbin made of iron having an outer diameter of 60 mm and a height of 2.5 mm. Wound into a state. The bobbin was then removed. That is, a bobbinless optical fiber coil was obtained by taking out a bobbin around which an optical fiber was wound from a winder and pushing the bobbin by hand. Thereafter, the adhesive was cured at 100 ° C. for 30 minutes. The obtained bobbin-less optical fiber coil had an inner diameter of 60 mm, an outer diameter of 70 mm, and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized.
Moreover, when the optical loss of this produced optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km, and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0022]
Example 6
The adhesive layer was formed in the same manner as in Example 5, and after winding the optical fiber, the wrinkleless bobbin was removed. Next, a bobbin-less optical fiber coil was obtained in the same manner as in Example 5 except that it was cured at room temperature for 5 hours. The obtained bobbin-less optical fiber coil had an inner diameter of 60 mm, an outer diameter of 70 mm, and a height of 2.5 mm, and could be used even in a very small installation space. Therefore, by using this optical fiber coil, space saving is achieved, and the optical fiber device can be further miniaturized.
Moreover, when the optical loss of this produced optical fiber coil was investigated, it was 0.21 dB / Km, and the increase of the loss by coiling was not recognized.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the optical fiber coil manufactured according to the present invention, the adhesive layer is wound with an adhesive layer provided on a part or the entire surface of the optical fiber strand. A none bobbin can be used, or it can also be bobbinless. Thus, the optical fiber coil is a small diameter, can be used in very limited space is useful for miniaturization of the optical fiber-type device, and being able to relax the winding tension of the optical fiber coil It produces an excellent effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of an optical fiber coil of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another example of an optical fiber coil of the present invention. Schematic of an example of a method for manufacturing an optical fiber coil of the present invention [FIG. 5] Schematic diagram of another example of a method of manufacturing an optical fiber coil of the present invention [FIG. 6] A cross-sectional view of a conventional optical fiber coil [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber strand, 1 '... Optical fiber strand with an adhesive layer, 2 ... Adhesive layer, 2' ... Adhesive, 3 ... Bobbin, 4 ... Dies, 5 ... Delivery reel, 6 ... Reel, 7 ... Winding machine, 8 ... 鍔, 10 ... optical fiber coil.

Claims (2)

Desirable at least a step of providing an adhesive layer on a part or the entire surface of the optical fiber strand, an optical fiber strand provided with the adhesive layer on a bobbin having only a barrel without a flange fixed by a fixing flange A method of manufacturing an optical fiber coil, comprising the steps of: winding in the shape of an optical fiber coil; and releasing the fixing of the bobbin by the fixing flange. Desirable at least a step of providing an adhesive layer on a part or the entire surface of the optical fiber strand, an optical fiber strand provided with the adhesive layer on a bobbin having only a barrel without a flange fixed by a fixing flange An optical fiber coil comprising the steps of: winding an optical fiber coil into an optical fiber coil; releasing the bobbin fixed by the fixing flange; and removing the bobbin from a central portion of the optical fiber coil. Manufacturing method.

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