JP5904195B2 - Inspection device and inspection method for optical fiber ribbon - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is an inspection for inspecting an optical fiber ribbon in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel and a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber cores. The present invention relates to an apparatus and an inspection method.

  In an optical fiber ribbon integrated with a plurality of optical fiber cores arranged in parallel parallel rows, it is easy to separate them into a single core and maintains a parallel parallel holding state of the tape core wires. There is known a technique that enables a collective fusion connection or the like. In this optical fiber ribbon, a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and in the longitudinal direction, coupling portions (coupling portions) and non-coupling portions (non-coupling portions) are alternately formed. The lines are intermittently connected to each other, and various shapes and manufacturing methods have been proposed.

  For example, in the optical fiber ribbon described in Patent Document 1, four optical fiber strands are arranged in parallel on a plane, a part of the periphery of these optical fiber strands is covered with a tape material, and the remaining portion is a tape. The structure is not covered with a material. And the 1st area | region covered with the tape material and the 2nd area | region which is not coat | covered with the tape material exist alternately along a longitudinal direction.

  The optical fiber tape core described in Patent Document 2 is composed of three or more optical fibers arranged in parallel, and a plurality of connecting portions that connect only two adjacent optical fibers are optical fiber tape cores. Are intermittently arranged two-dimensionally in the longitudinal direction and the width direction. And the length of the connection part given to the same optical fiber is shorter than the length of the non-connection part of the same optical fiber, and between the connection parts adjacent in the width direction of the optical fiber ribbon are mutually A separation distance is provided to prevent contact.

  When manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon having a shape in which optical fiber cores are intermittently connected as described above, a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel to intermittently connect and disconnect Therefore, a technique for reliably inspecting that these connecting portions and non-connecting portions are accurately formed as specified is required.

  For example, Patent Document 3 discloses a guide roller having a guide groove having a groove width equal to or larger than the width of the optical fiber ribbon and having at least one step portion at the bottom, and an optical fiber tape core guided by the guide roller. There is disclosed an inspection apparatus including a measuring device that measures a distance between edge portions of lines, the number of edges, or surface irregularities. In this inspection device, optical fiber core wires are separated by a step portion at a portion where the optical fiber core wires are not connected, and the optical fiber strands are separated by an edge interval, the number of edges, or unevenness. And measure the length and period of the unconnected portion.

Japanese Patent No. 4049154 Japanese Patent No. 4143651 JP 2012-42354 A

  However, in the method described in Patent Document 3, since the level difference itself is small, the optical fiber core wire is not sufficiently separated at the level difference portion, and it is difficult to reliably capture edges and surface irregularities. In particular, depending on the degree of tension applied to the optical fiber core, if the optical fiber core is difficult to separate even if there is a step, it is difficult to reliably capture the edges and surface irregularities of the separation portion.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the above actual conditions, The objective is the connection structure about the optical fiber tape core wire to which the adjacent optical fiber core wires were intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction. An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of reliably inspecting.

The inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes an optical fiber tape core in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and a connecting portion and a non-connecting portion are intermittently formed in a longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber core wires. An inspection device for inspecting the formation state of the unconnected portion with respect to the wire, wherein the optical fiber tape core wire is passed in a longitudinal direction, and the presence or absence of the unconnected portion in the vicinity of the roller. A sensor for detecting, and a determination unit for determining whether or not the unconnected portion is properly formed based on a detection result of the sensor, and an outer shape of the roller passes through the optical fiber ribbon. The optical fiber ribbon has a shape of a rotating body whose radius continuously increases in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber ribbon, and the inspection device tensions the optical fiber ribbon. With added By passing the roller over open the unconsolidated portion.

The inspection method according to the present invention is an optical fiber tape core in which a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber cores. An inspection method for inspecting the formation state of the unconnected portion with respect to a wire, wherein the optical fiber ribbon is passed through in a longitudinal direction when the optical fiber core is passed. Using the roller having the outer shape of the rotating body whose radius continuously increases in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber ribbon, the optical fiber ribbon is tensioned. On the basis of the detection result of the sensor, a step of opening the unconnected portion by passing the roller over the roller in a state where Connecting part A determination device whether it is positively formed, using, having a step of determining the state of formation of the non-connecting portion.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the connection structure can be test | inspected reliably about the optical fiber tape core wire to which adjacent optical fiber core wires were intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction.

It is a figure which shows one structural example of the optical fiber tape core wire used as test object in one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing perpendicular | vertical to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber ribbon of FIG. 1A. It is a mimetic diagram showing an example of 1 composition of an inspection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is the figure which looked at the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 from the A direction. It is the figure which looked at the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 from B direction, and shows the state which has passed the roller in the position where the optical fiber tape core wire has a non-connecting part between the No. 1-2 line and the No. 3-4 line. FIG. It is the figure which looked at the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 from the B direction, and is a figure which shows the state which has passed the roller in the position where an optical fiber tape core wire has a non-connecting part between 2-3rd line | wires. It is a figure which shows an example of the output waveform of the sensor in the state of FIG. 3B. It is a figure which shows an example of the output waveform of the sensor in the state of FIG. 3C. It is the figure which looked at the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 from A direction, and is a figure which shows the roller of the example different from FIG. 3A. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other structural example of the test | inspection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other structural example of the test | inspection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

[Description of Embodiment of the Present Invention]
First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.
(1) In the inspection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber cores. An inspection apparatus for inspecting the formed state of the unconnected portion with respect to the optical fiber tape core that has been formed, wherein the optical fiber tape core wire is passed in a state bent in the longitudinal direction; A sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a non-coupled portion, and a determination unit for determining whether or not the non-coupled portion is properly formed based on a detection result of the sensor. The optical fiber tape core has a shape of a rotating body whose radius increases in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber tape when passing through the optical fiber ribbon. Apply tension. By passing over the rollers in a state to open the non-connecting portion. By using this inspection device, it is possible to reliably inspect the connection structure of optical fiber ribbons in which adjacent optical fibers are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction.

  (2) An inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention uses a tapered roller as the roller in the inspection apparatus of (1). By using this inspection apparatus, the connection structure of the optical fiber ribbons can be reliably inspected with a simple configuration.

  (3) An inspection apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention uses a drum-type roller as the roller in the inspection apparatus of (1) above, and the front and rear of the drum-type roller along the rotational axis direction. The optical fiber ribbon is allowed to pass through only half of the range. By using this inspection apparatus, the connection structure of the optical fiber ribbons can be reliably inspected with a simple configuration.

  (4) In the inspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber cores. An inspection method for inspecting the formed state of the unconnected portion with respect to the optical fiber tape core, wherein the optical fiber core is a roller that passes the optical fiber tape core in a state bent in the longitudinal direction. Using a roller having an outer shape of a rotating body whose radius increases in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber ribbon when the optical fiber is passed, the optical fiber ribbon Based on the detection result of the sensor, the step of opening the non-connected portion by passing over the roller in a tensioned state, the sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the non-connected portion in the vicinity of the roller , Above non A determination device whether binding portion is properly formed, using, having a step of determining the state of formation of the non-connecting portion. Thereby, the connection structure can be reliably inspected for the optical fiber ribbon in which adjacent optical fibers are intermittently connected in the longitudinal direction.

[Details of the embodiment of the present invention]
Hereinafter, specific examples of an inspection apparatus and an inspection method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a configuration example of an optical fiber tape core wire (hereinafter simply referred to as a tape core wire) to be inspected in the present embodiment will be described. In FIG. 1A, a 4-core intermittent tape core is given as an example of the tape core, and the tape is opened in the tape width direction. 1B is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the 4-core intermittent tape core of FIG. 1A, showing a cross-section taken along line BB in FIG. 1A in a state where the 4-core intermittent tape core is closed in the tape width direction. It is.

  A tape core wire 1 illustrated in FIG. 1A is an intermittent tape core wire (hereinafter also referred to as a 4-core intermittent tape core wire) composed of four optical fiber core wires 11 having an intermittent structure. That is, the four-fiber intermittent tape core wire 1 includes four optical fiber core wires 11 arranged in parallel (that is, arranged in a parallel line), and a connecting portion 12 in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber core wires 11. The non-connection part (separation part) 13 is formed intermittently.

  In FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a four-fiber intermittent tape core wire (four-core intermittent adhesive tape) is illustrated, but the number N of optical fiber core wires 11 may be two or more. An even number is generally adopted as the number N of the cores of the tape core, but may be an odd number.

  Further, the optical fiber core wire 11 is a single-fiber optical fiber including one that is also referred to as an optical fiber strand obtained by coating a glass fiber with a fiber coating, or one that includes a colored layer on the outer surface of the fiber coating ( An optical fiber single fiber) or a multi-core optical fiber.

  The optical fiber core 11 preferably has a glass diameter of approximately 125 μm, and the outer diameter of the optical fiber core coating (fiber coating) excluding the tape coating layer in the intermittent tape core 1 is 190 μm or more and 220 μm or less. Thereby, the intermittent tape core wire 1 having a pitch between the core wires of about 250 μm can be manufactured, and the diameter of the optical cable can be reduced. However, the outer diameter of the optical fiber core wire 11 is not limited to about 200 μm, and other outer diameter sizes may be adopted. For example, the coating diameter of the optical fiber core wire 11 may be around 250 μm. Further, the outer diameter of the optical fiber coated with a colored layer in order to give the identification of the core is, for example, about 205 μm when the coating diameter of the optical fiber is about 200 μm.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, a tape coating 14 made of an ultraviolet curable resin or the like is formed around the optical fiber core wire 11. In the connecting portion 12, the tape coating 14 of the adjacent optical fiber core wire 11 is continuous, and in the non-connecting portion 13, the tape coating 14 of the adjacent optical fiber core wire 11 is not connected and separated. It has become. 1B shows an example in which the entire circumference of each optical fiber core wire 11 is covered with the tape coating 14, but the adjacent optical fiber core wires 11 are in direct contact and are not covered with the tape coating. It may be in the form.

  1A and 1B, when viewed in the tape width direction, the portions where the connecting portions 12 and the non-connecting portions 13 are alternately arranged and the portion where only the non-connecting portions 13 are arranged are arranged in the longitudinal direction. An example is shown that appears alternately at a predetermined pitch. The length (that is, intermittent pitch) constituted by one connecting portion 12 and one non-connecting portion 13 is, for example, 100 mm, and the tape width is, for example, 3 mm.

  However, the arrangement pattern of the connecting portion 12 and the non-connecting portion 13 is not limited to this example. Further, in FIG. 1A, as a more preferable example, an intermittent pattern that is line symmetric with respect to the boundary between the second line and the third line located in the center in the width direction will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this. If the intermittent pattern is stored in a determination unit (determination device) described later, the inspection can be performed. Of course, the cross-sectional shape of the connection part 12 and its connection method are not ask | required.

  An intermittent tape core wire such as the 4-fiber intermittent tape core wire 1 can be manufactured by a known manufacturing method. For example, the first method is a method in which resin is applied only at a position to be a connecting portion. In this method, a connecting portion to which an adhesive resin or a coating resin is applied for a predetermined length in a longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wires, and a non-connecting portion to which an adhesive resin or a coating resin is not applied for a predetermined length; Are alternately formed. In the second method, an ultraviolet curable resin is applied to the entire length of a plurality of optical fiber cores, and thereafter, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is intermittently performed in the longitudinal direction to cure a cured portion (connecting portion) of the ultraviolet curable resin. And uncured portions (non-connecting portions) are alternately formed. The third method is a method in which a tape core wire is first formed, a cut is formed with a cutter blade in the longitudinal direction of the common coating of the tape core wire, and a connection portion and a non-connection portion are alternately formed. .

  Not only the above example, but the tape core wire to be inspected in the present embodiment has a plurality of optical fiber core wires arranged in parallel, and is not connected to the connecting portion in the longitudinal direction between adjacent optical fiber core wires. The part should just be formed intermittently.

  The inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that inspects the formation state of the unconnected portion with respect to the above-described tape core wire (also exemplified by the tape core wire 1 below). Moreover, the inspection method according to the present embodiment is an inspection method for inspecting the formation state of the unconnected portion with respect to the tape core wire using this inspection apparatus, and includes an opening step and a determination step, which will be described later.

  An example of this inspection apparatus and inspection method will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3A to 3E. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration example of an inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A is a view of the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 as viewed from the A direction. 3B and 3C are views of the roller in the inspection apparatus of FIG. 2 as viewed from the B direction. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the optical fiber ribbon passes through the roller at a position where there is a non-connecting portion between the first and second wires and between the third and fourth wires, and FIG. Is a figure which shows the state which has passed the roller in the position which has a non-connecting part between 2-3 lines.

  The inspection device 2 includes a roller 25 that allows the tape core wire 1 to be bent in the longitudinal direction, a sensor 26 that detects the presence or absence of the unconnected portion 13 in the vicinity of the roller 25, and a detection result of the sensor 26. And a determination unit 28 that determines whether or not the coupling unit 13 is properly formed. Of course, when passing the tape core wire 1, the roller 25 passes the tape core wire in contact with the roller 25 along the width direction instead of the thickness direction.

  Further, in order to pass the tape core wire 1 over the roller 25, the inspection device 2 includes a supply bobbin 21 around which the tape core wire 1 to be inspected is wound and a winding for winding the tape core wire 1 after the inspection. A bobbin 24. Further, a take-up device (not shown) is provided immediately before the take-up bobbin 24. By this take-up device, the tape core wire 1 after the inspection is taken up and taken up by the take-up bobbin 24, and the tape core wire 1 is fed out from the supply bobbin 21 accordingly.

  The roller 25 is configured to freely rotate about the rotation shaft 25a (movably driven by the running of the tape core wire 1) by the movement of the tape core wire 1 by the winding onto the winding bobbin 24. A configuration in which the roller 25 itself is rotationally driven may be employed.

  Further, in order to pass the tape core wire 1 in a bent state on the roller 25, auxiliary rollers 22 and 23 are installed at the front and rear stages of the roller 25 in the pass line extending from the supply bobbin 21 to the take-up bobbin 24. ing. Although FIG. 2 shows an example of the arrangement of the auxiliary rollers 22 and 23 in which the tape core wire 1 is in contact with the semicircular portion of the circumference of the roller 25, the present invention is not limited to this. The auxiliary roller 22 in the front stage is configured to freely rotate about the rotation shaft 22a, and the auxiliary roller 23 in the rear stage is configured to freely rotate about the rotation shaft 23a. However, the auxiliary rollers 22 and 23 themselves are rotationally driven. Such a configuration may be adopted.

  The outer shape of the roller 25 is a rotating body having a different radius (rotating radius) with respect to the tape width direction of the tape core wire 1 when passing through the tape core wire 1 (rotation in which the circumferential length of the cross section is different in the tape width direction). Body). In particular, the radius of rotation increases in one direction, that is, decreases in the opposite direction.

  In FIG. 3A, as a simpler example, a taper type roller having a constant inclination is used as the roller 25. Thereby, the structure of a roller can be simplified and it is easy to produce. 3A to 3C, the tape coating 14 is omitted for the sake of simplicity, and only the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d are shown, and in FIG. 3A, the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d are shown. Only the cross section is shown.

  Further, the taper shape of the roller 25 may have a linear gradient as in the example of FIG. 3A. However, the shape of the rotating body may be any shape that increases the rotational radius in one direction as described above. For example, the straight line may be bent in the middle, or may be curved, or a part (for example, one end or both ends) may have a constant turning radius. In other words, the rotation radius may be a monotonically increasing function having a broad slope (a monotonically decreasing function having a broad meaning when viewed from the opposite side). In any case, a tension gradient according to the outer shape of the rotating body can be given. The monotonically increasing function in a broad sense refers to a function in which the radius of rotation R is R (x1) ≦ R (x2) if x1 <x2 when coordinates are taken in the tape width direction.

  The roller 25 is for passing the tape core wire 1 in a bent state as described above. In the bent state, each of the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d of the tape core wire 1 generates a force (hereinafter referred to as a rigidity force) to return to the original state due to the rigidity in the unconnected portion 13, and the rigidity force causes An attempt is made to open the unconnected portion 13. That is, each of the bent optical fiber cores 11a to 11d attempts to return to a direction closer to the original linear state (so as to increase the bending diameter) by opening the unconnected portion 13. In particular, as the rotation radius of the rotating body in the roller 25 is decreased, the rigidity force is increased.

  Therefore, the two adjacent optical fiber cores bent at a small position are stronger in rigidity than the two adjacent optical fiber cables bent at a position where the radius of rotation is large. For example, the optical fiber core wires 11c and 11d are more rigid than the optical fiber core wires 11b and 11c. Further, in order to increase the rigidity to some extent, it is preferable that the bending diameters of the optical fiber core wires 11a to 11d by the roller 25 are all equal to or less than the pitch (design value) of the intermittent pattern.

  Actually, as an example, if the tape width of the tape core wire 1 is 1 mm, the roller 25 has a diameter of 30 mm or less depending on the magnitude of the tension. The line is loosened and the unconnected portion 13 can be opened. As the pitch of the designed intermittent pattern is longer, the unconnected portion 13 can be opened even if the diameter of the roller 25 is increased. For example, depending on the pitch, the unconnected portion 13 can be opened even when the roller 25 has a diameter of 60 mm.

  On the other hand, the roller 25 is not simply provided to pass the tape core wire 1 in a bent state. If the tape core wire 1 having the four optical fiber core wires 11a to 11d is pulled with a uniform force at the subsequent stage (with no force bias in the tape width direction), the diameter difference of the roller 25 (the difference in the length of the pass line) As a result, among the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d, the tension on the large diameter side (optical fiber core wire 11a side) of the roller 25 is larger than that on the small diameter side (optical fiber core wire 11d side). Thus, by using the roller 25 having a tapered rotating body as an outer shape, it is possible to apply a tension gradient to the optical fiber core wires 11a to 11d.

  Normally, when the tape core wire 1 travels on the roller 25 having the above-described outer shape, the tape core wire 1 has a property of approaching the one with the larger rotation radius (the one with the higher travel speed) due to the difference in frictional force. On the other hand, a tension gradient is generated between the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d as described above, and the tape core has a stronger tension than the optical fiber core wire (mainly the optical fiber core wire 11a) having the larger rotation radius approaches. When the line 1 is pulled, the deviation is eliminated.

  Thus, by adjusting the tension, the frictional force and the tension are balanced, and the traveling position of the optical fiber core wire 11a is stabilized in a certain range in the tape width direction. The tension can be adjusted by the winding control unit 29 controlling the take-up device on the winding bobbin 24 side. The winding control unit 29 and the determination unit 28 can be configured by one control unit 27 as illustrated in FIG.

  Here, when the degree of change in the rotation radius (circumference length) of the rotating body is large, there is a concern that the running line is not stable, for example, the tape core wire 1 slides down to the small diameter side. Therefore, it is preferable to provide jaws at both ends of the roller 25, to install guide members before and after the roller 25, or to rotate the roller 25 itself as described above. It is also preferable that the surface of the roller 25 is made of a material such as urethane or rubber rather than a metal having a low frictional force to improve the frictional force and stabilize the traveling line. However, from the viewpoint of wear, a material obtained by subjecting a metal such as iron, stainless steel, or aluminum to a plating process having high wear resistance such as chromium plating is preferable.

  In this way, the roller 25 gives a tension gradient and a rigid force gradient due to the bending diameter gradient between the optical fiber cores 11a to 11d, and the non-connecting portion 13 is opened using the gradient of the tension and the stiffness. Specifically, when “rigidity of the optical fiber core”> “tension applied to the optical fiber core”, the unconnected portion 13 existing between the adjacent optical fiber cores on the small diameter side is opened. be able to. When this condition is not satisfied, the unconnected portion 13 is not opened.

  Although the above-mentioned rigidity is influenced by the difference in bending diameter (that is, by the outer shape of the roller 25), it can be said that the rigidity is not directly affected by the tension change and is not greatly affected by the tension change. Therefore, the magnitude relationship between the rigidity force and the tension can be adjusted by changing the tension.

  In other words, by changing the tension, for example, whether the unconnected portion 13a between the 3rd and 4th lines is opened as shown in FIG. 3B, or whether the unconnected portion 13b between the 2nd and 3rd lines is opened as shown in FIG. 3C, It is possible to adjust whether or not the unconnected portion between the first and second lines is opened (or whether the unconnected portion is not opened at all). Here, opening the unconnected portion 13b as shown in FIG. 3C means that the unconnected portion 13a existing on the smaller diameter side of the unconnected portion 13b is also opened depending on the progress of the tape core wire 1.

  As described above, the take-up control unit 29 performs control to adjust the tension with respect to the take-up device on the take-up bobbin 24 side, and the take-up control unit 29 opens the unconnected portions 13a, 13b and the like during this adjustment. In consideration of whether or not, the control for changing the tension may be executed. For example, in order to open only the non-connection part 13a, it is necessary to use a tension suitable for that, and in order to open up to the non-connection part 13b, it is sufficient to set a tension suitable for it.

  As described above, the inspection apparatus 2 uses the roller 25 and passes the tape core wire 1 over the roller 25 in a state where tension is applied (stretched in the longitudinal direction). On the other hand, by providing a bending diameter gradient and a tension gradient in the tape width direction (such that the tension and the bending diameter increase in one direction between the optical fiber core wires 11a to 11d), the unconnected portion 13 is opened. This step is the above-described opening step.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the non-connecting portions 13a and 13b of the tape core wire 1 are opened by the rigid force, so that the force applied in the tape width direction is weak and the connecting portion 12 may be separated. Absent. Thus, in the opening step, the intermittent tape core wire 1 can be opened without being separated to expose the intermittent pattern.

  In the determination step, the sensor 26 and the determination unit (determination device) 28 are used to determine the formation state of the unconnected portion 13. The sensor 26 is provided to detect whether or not the unconnected portion 13 is actually opened in a state in which the winding control unit 29 controls the unconnected portion 13 to open as described above. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sensor 26 is preferably arranged around the roller 25 and sensed from the thickness direction of the tape core wire 1.

  Next, the sensor 26 will be described. As the sensor 26, an optical sensor such as a one-dimensional sensor (laser sensor) or a two-dimensional sensor (line sensor) can be used. The laser sensor includes a light emitting element that emits laser light and the like, and a light receiving element that receives reflected light of light emitted from the light emitting element, and outputs an output value corresponding to the light received by the light receiving element.

  As an example, an example will be described in which the winding control unit 29 controls the unconnected portions 13a and 13b to open, and the 3-4 line is sensed with a laser sensor. In this case, the laser beam L is irradiated at the positions shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C. Then, the reflected light in the state where the unconnected portion 13a is opened as shown in FIG. 3B is compared with the reflected light in a position where the unconnected portion 13a is not present (the state where the unconnected portion 13b is opened) as shown in FIG. 3C. The light that can be received by the light receiving element is weak and is detected as a long distance. For example, if the laser sensor outputs an ON state when a predetermined distance or more is detected and outputs an OFF state when the distance is less than the predetermined distance, the ON / OFF state of the unconnected portion 13a is determined. Information can be output.

  Moreover, although the example which detects the non-connection part 13a between 3-4 lines was given, in order to detect the non-connection part between 1-2 lines or 2-3 lines, it moves at the time of a detection, or a laser It is necessary to provide a sensor separately.

  The determination unit 28 receives the output of the sensor 26 as described above, and determines whether or not the unconnected portion 13 is normally formed (so as to match the designed intermittent pattern). Therefore, the designed intermittent pattern may be stored in the determination unit 28 in advance. And the determination part 28 determines whether it is normal by detecting the temporal change of an ON-OFF state as an actual intermittent pattern based on the output from the sensor 26, and comparing it with the designed intermittent pattern. can do. The comparison is basically possible if the determination unit 28 also knows the speed of winding by the winding bobbin 24.

  The control unit 27 including the determination unit 28 and the winding control unit 29 can be configured by an information processing device such as a PC. The information processing device includes a winding control program and a detection unit corresponding to the program. It is sufficient to provide a control processor for executing the program (a program to be compared with the intermittent pattern stored in advance according to the input from the sensor 26). The control unit 27 may issue an alarm when an abnormality occurs. Thereby, the outflow of abnormal goods can be prevented.

  Next, an example of sensing the entire tape core wire 1 with a two-dimensional sensor such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) sensor will be described with reference to FIGS. 3D and 3E. 3D and 3E are diagrams showing examples of output waveforms of the sensor in the state of FIG. 3B and the state of FIG. 3C, respectively. Here, as an example, the case where the winding control unit 29 controls to open the unconnected portions 13a and 13b will be described.

  When the unconnected portion 13a is opened as shown in FIG. 3B, an output waveform as illustrated in FIG. 3D is obtained. The output waveform of FIG. 3D has a high output value Sa at the positions of the optical fiber cores 11a to 11c, a low output value Sb at the position of the unconnected portion 13a, and a high output value Sc (Sa at the position of the optical fiber core wire 11d. And the same value). If it does not become such an output waveform pattern at a position where the unconnected portion 13a should open, it is determined that there is an abnormality.

  On the other hand, when the unconnected portion 13b is opened as shown in FIG. 3C, an output waveform as illustrated in FIG. 3E is obtained. The output waveform of FIG. 3E becomes a high output value Sd (the same value as Sa) at the positions of the optical fiber cores 11a and 11b, and becomes a low output value Se (the same value as Sb) at the position of the unconnected portion 13b. A high output value Sf (the same value as Sa) is obtained at the positions of the core wires 11c and 11d. If the output waveform pattern does not appear at a position where the unconnected portion 13b should open, it is determined that there is an abnormality.

  The one-dimensional sensor (laser sensor) and the two-dimensional sensor have been described by taking the reflection type as an example. However, as will be described later with reference to FIG. These sensors can also be used. For example, when the non-connecting portion 13a is detected using a transmission type laser sensor, the spot of the laser sensor is not connected between the 3rd and 4th lines in the normal state, but the 3rd line ( The spot of the laser sensor hits the optical fiber core wire 11c) or the like and does not pass through, and is turned off.

  In addition, other non-contact sensors such as an image sensor can be used as the sensor 26. When an image sensor is employed as the sensor 26, the determination unit 28 may perform determination by comparing the stored intermittent pattern after performing image analysis by edge detection or the like.

  As described above, the inspection apparatus 2 and the inspection method thereof can be opened without separating the intermittent tape core wire 1 to expose the intermittent pattern, and the soundness of the pattern can be confirmed stably and over the entire length. That is, according to this embodiment, the connecting structure of the tape core wires can be reliably inspected.

  Moreover, in FIG. 2, although the example which inspects with respect to the tape core wire 1 of a finished product (namely, the example which inspects an intermittent pattern offline) was given, the inspection apparatus was built in the manufacturing apparatus of the tape core wire 1, An example in which the tape core wire 1 is inspected while being manufactured (that is, an example in which an intermittent pattern is inlined) may be employed. Similarly, other examples described later can be applied to in-line inspection.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 4, an example of a roller different from that in FIG. 3A will be described. Also in FIG. 4, like FIG. 3A, the tape coating 14 is abbreviate | omitted about the tape core wire 1, and it shows only the cross section of the optical fiber core wires 11a-11d.

  In this example, a drum-shaped roller 25t is used instead of the roller 25, and the tape core wire 1 is allowed to pass through only half of the front and rear along the rotation axis direction of the roller 25t. In this example, a portion of the roller 25t in which the taper shape of the roller 25 is changed to have a curved gradient instead of a linear shape is used, and the tension gradient corresponding to the shape is similar to the roller 25. Can be given. Also, the roller 25t has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. Moreover, it is desirable to provide a convex portion for preventing the tape core wire 1 from shifting at a position where the rotational radius of the roller 25t is the largest.

  Next, another configuration example of the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the inspection apparatus 5 illustrated in FIG. 5, a sensor 26 b disposed immediately above the roller 25, a sensor 26 a disposed at a position before passing through the roller 25, and a sensor 26 c disposed at a position after passing through the roller 25. And have arranged. As the sensors 26a and 26c, since there are detection positions before and after the roller 25, a transmissive sensor can be used.

  The determination unit 28 determines the intermittent pattern in consideration of all the outputs of the sensors 26a to 26c. Thereby, the accuracy of determination can be improved. Of course, determination by the determination unit 28 is possible only by providing, for example, only the sensor 26a or only the sensor 26c. Therefore, when adopting the detection results of the sensors 26a to 26c, the determination unit 28 may determine that there is an unconnected portion if any one can be detected, or determine that there is an unconnected portion if any two can be detected. However, it may be determined that there is an unconnected portion only after all of them have been detected.

  Next, another configuration example of the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition to the roller 25, the inspection device 6 illustrated in FIG. 6 includes a roller 65 that is the same as the roller 25 and is installed so that the gradient of the tapered shape is opposite. Similarly to the roller 25, the roller 65 also rotates around the rotation shaft 65a. Similarly to the auxiliary roller 22 rotating around the rotation shaft 22a and the auxiliary roller 23 rotating around the rotation shaft 23a in the inspection device 2, the inspection device 6 includes the auxiliary roller 62 rotating around the rotation shaft 62a and the auxiliary roller 62 rotating around the rotation shaft 62a. An auxiliary roller 63 that rotates about the rotation shaft 63a is provided.

  And the tension | tensile_strength difference between the optical fiber core wires 11 can be given also to the tape core wire 1 which passes on the roller 25 by keeping the distance on the pass line of the roller 25 and the roller 65 moderately.

  With such a configuration, for the tape core wire 1 passing over the roller 25, the unconnected portion 13 between the 3rd and 4th wires is detected by the sensor 26d, and for the tape core wire 1 passing over the roller 65, the reverse In addition, the unconnected portion 13 between the first and second lines can be detected by the sensor 26e. The sensors 26d and 26e are the same as the sensor 26, and a plurality of sensors may be provided for each of the rollers 25 and 65 as in the example of FIG.

  Note that the unconnected portion 13 between the second and third lines may be detected by the sensor 26d and / or the sensor 26e by changing the tensile force under the control of the winding control unit 29 as described in FIG. 3C. . When the detection results of both the sensors 26d and 26e are employed, it may be determined that there is an unconnected portion if either one can be detected, or it may be determined that there is an unconnected portion only when both are detected.

  Further, another roller and sensor may be provided as an alternative process. More specifically, when a plurality of sets of sensors and rollers provided in the vicinity of the detection position of the unconnected portion 13 in the sensor are provided, for example, in the case of four cores such as the tape core wire 1, an appropriate inclination direction is used. Alternatively, three rollers with different inclinations may be provided. Thus, between the first and second lines, between the second and third lines, and between the third and fourth lines, without changing and adjusting the linear velocity (adjustment of the tension applied to the optical fiber core wire 11) in the winding control unit 29. The unconnected portion 13 can be detected. The number of sets of rollers and sensors may be determined by the number of tape cores, not limited to the case of four cores.

  As described above, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples described above, but is defined by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the scope of the claims. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tape core wire, 2, 5, 6 ... Inspection apparatus, 11, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d ... Optical fiber core wire, 12 ... Connection part, 13, 13a, 13b ... Non-connection part, 14 ... Tape coating, 21 ... Supply bobbin, 22, 23, 62, 63 ... Auxiliary roller, 22a, 23a, 25a, 63a, 62a, 65a ... Rotating shaft, 24 ... Winding bobbin, 25, 65 ... Roller, 25t ... Drum type roller, 26, 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 26e ... sensors, 27 ... control section,
28: determination unit, 29 ... winding control unit.

Claims (4)

A plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and an optical fiber tape core wire in which a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber cores is used for the non-connecting part. An inspection device for inspecting the formation state,
A roller that allows the optical fiber ribbon to pass in a longitudinal direction, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the unconnected portion in the vicinity of the roller, and the unconnected portion is appropriate based on the detection result of the sensor And a determination unit for determining whether or not formed,
The outer shape of the roller has a shape of a rotating body whose radius continuously increases in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber ribbon when the optical fiber ribbon is passed through,
The inspection apparatus opens the non-connection portion by passing the optical fiber ribbon through the roller in a tensioned state.   The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a tapered roller is used as the roller.   The inspection according to claim 1, wherein a drum-type roller is used as the roller, and the optical fiber ribbon is allowed to pass through only in a half range in the front-rear direction along the rotation axis direction of the drum-type roller. apparatus. A plurality of optical fiber cores are arranged in parallel, and an optical fiber tape core wire in which a connecting part and a non-connecting part are intermittently formed in the longitudinal direction between the adjacent optical fiber cores is used for the non-connecting part. An inspection method for inspecting a forming state,
A roller for passing the optical fiber ribbon in a state bent in the longitudinal direction, the radius being in one direction with respect to the tape width direction of the optical fiber ribbon when the optical fiber is passed. By using a roller having an outer shape with a shape of a rotating body that continuously increases toward the outer surface, the optical fiber tape core wire is passed over the roller in a tensioned state to thereby remove the unconnected portion. Opening process,
Using a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the unconnected portion in the vicinity of the roller, and a determination device that determines whether the unconnected portion is properly formed based on the detection result of the sensor, Determining the formation state of the unconnected portion;
Inspection method having

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