JPH01219033A - Production of optical-fiber bundle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily heap up many optical rods in a glass tube in an orderly manner by using a specified aligning guide means when many optical rods are regularly packed in the acid-soluble glass tube, the diameter of the tube is reduced by heating, and then the tube is dissolved to produce the title optical fiber bundle. CONSTITUTION:Many optical rods 2 are regularly packed in the glass tube 4 soluble in acid, etc., the diameter is then reduced by heating, and thereafter the tube 4 is dissolved by acid, etc., to produce an optical fiber bundle. In this case, the rods 2 are packed in the tube 4 as described later. Namely, the rods 2 are placed in the aligning guide means 1 with the polygonal inner surface having plural sides directed at an angle of 60 deg. or 180 deg. to a datum side, and heaped up in an orderly manner. The regularly arranged rods 2 as such are transferred into the tube 4, and packed (by using an extruding jig 5, etc.).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle in which a large number of optical fibers are aligned to transmit an image.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, optical fiber bundles were made by winding the optical fibers while arranging them and cutting them at the end. However, in recent years, manufacturing methods have been streamlined, and after a large number of optical rods are arranged and filled in a glass tube with a circular cross section that is dissolved by acid, etc.
They are heated and pulled in the axial direction to form a thinner diameter.
Thereafter, the glass tube was melted using acid or the like to produce an optical fiber bundle.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In order to correctly transmit an optical image by an optical fiber bundle, a large number of optical fibers are required to constitute the optical fiber bundle.

There must be regular alignment at both ends of the optical R18 bundle. For this purpose, the optical fibers need to be arranged in a so-called stacked arrangement as shown in FIG.

However, in the conventional optical m-resonance manufacturing method, the first
As shown in Fig. 0, since the optical rods 52 were placed directly inside the glass tube 51 with a circular cross section, the optical rods 52 were lined up along the circumference, resulting in a reference surface for arranging them in a stacked shape. Moreover, each time an optical rod 52 is added, the optical rod 52 moves within the glass tube 51, so it is extremely difficult to align the optical rods 52 in a stacked bale shape, and it is extremely difficult to arrange the optical rods 52 in a stacked bale shape. This required unstable and uncertain work such as applying vibration and rotation until the parts were aligned.

Also, when applying repeated vibrations or rotations, the optical
Tiny pieces of glass or foreign objects may get into the gaps between the fibers and damage the optical fibers during the subsequent heating process.

Image defects such as sunspots and half-sunspots occurred.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an optical lam bundle, which eliminates such conventional drawbacks and allows a large number of optical rods to be easily arranged in a stacked manner in a glass tube.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle of the great invention includes the following steps: After aligning and filling a large number of optical rods into a glass tube that is dissolved by acid or the like, In a method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle, the glass tube is heated to have a narrow diameter, and then the glass tube is melted with acid or the like to manufacture an optical fiber bundle.A large number of optical rods are filled in the glass tube. Before doing so, first, measure 60
The above-mentioned optical rods are placed in an alignment guide means whose inner surface is formed into a polygonal shape having a plurality of sides forming an angle of 120 degrees, and the optical rods are arranged in a stack, and in this aligned state, the optical rods are It is characterized in that the rod is moved into the glass tube and filled.

[Function] In the bale stack arrangement, there are three reference lines whose included angles are 60 degrees and 120 degrees. Therefore, when the optical rods are placed in an alignment guide means having multiple sides at an angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees with respect to one reference side, the optical rods can be very easily aligned in a stacked shape using those sides as a reference. Ru. Then, by transferring the optical ports 7 arranged in a bale-like manner within the alignment guide means into a glass tube in the same aligned state, the optical rods are filled in the glass tube in a state in which they are arranged in a bale-like manner.

If the inner surface of the alignment guide means is formed into a regular hexagonal shape, all sides will be 60 degrees or 120 degrees, so the optical rod will be
They are arranged in a stacked bale shape using the six sides as a reference. Furthermore, if the inner surface of the alignment guide means is formed into a trough-like shape with three sides having an included angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees, the optical rods can be aligned in a stacked manner with these three sides as a reference.

[Example] Examples will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a tubular alignment guide means with a diameter of about 10c+s, the inner surface of which is formed into a regular hexagon;
A large number of optical rods 2 having uniform thicknesses, for example, about 0.5 square meters in diameter, are placed therein. As shown in FIG. 2, this optical rod 2 has a core 2a made of a glass material with a high refractive index and high transparency, the outer side of which is covered with a clara 12b made of a glass material with a low refractive index. It is coated with acid-soluble glass 2c that is dissolved in acid.

A slit 3 is formed at the upper end of the alignment guide means 1, and the optical rod 2 can be inserted into the alignment guide means 1 through the slit 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the optical rod 2 partially inserted into the alignment guide means 1. In this way, several tens to hundreds of optical rods 2 are inserted into the alignment guide means 1, and small vibrations are applied to the whole for a short period of time. Then, since the inner surface of the alignment guide means 1 of this embodiment has a regular hexagonal shape and coincides with the reference line for bale stacking, the optical rod 2 inserted into the alignment guide means 1 naturally stacks bales. Align to the state of.

Once the optical rods 2 are filled in the alignment guide means 1, a glass tube 4 having a circular cross section and a diameter comparable to that of the alignment guide means 1 is arranged in series with the alignment guide means 1, as shown in FIG. This glass tube 4 is made of an acid-dissolved glass material that dissolves in acid.Next, the extrusion jig 5 is inserted from the end of the alignment guide means 1, and the optical rod 2 is pushed into the glass tube 4. Then, the optical rod 2 is aligned with the glass tube 4 by the alignment guide means l while keeping it aligned in the bale stack.
move inside. The extrusion jig 5 is, for example, one in which a flat plate 5a shaped to match the inner surface shape of the alignment guide means 1 and a push rod 5b are connected, but various shapes can be used depending on the actual situation of the work. can.

The steps after the optical rods 2 are arranged in bales and filled into the glass tube 4 are well known. Therefore, although not shown in the drawings, the next step is to heat and stretch them to make them thinner in diameter, cut them to the required length, and then immerse all but the ends in acid to melt the acid-dissolved glass material, and then complete the entire structure. Form flexibly. Depending on the application, the acid-soluble glass material part may not be melted.
Sometimes it is used as a thin stick.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the inner diameter of the glass tube 24 is a circle inscribed in the regular hexagonal alignment guide means 21. In this case, the flat plate 25a of the extrusion jig 25 has a circular shape slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the glass tube 24. In this way, by one extrusion operation of the extrusion jig 25, the optical rods 22 can be filled into the glass tube 24 in bales without any gaps. 22a is an optical rod that remains on the alignment guide means 1 side during the extrusion operation.

FIG. 6 shows an alignment guide means according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The alignment guide means 31 is formed into a gutter shape by three consecutive sides of six sides of a regular hexagon in cross section. In this case, a certain amount of optical rods, for example several hundred to several thousand rods, are arranged in a stack on the alignment guide means 31 and pushed into the glass tube, and then the optical rods are inserted into the glass tube in the same manner. Fill by repeating the process of inserting additional rods. In this way, the alignment guide means of the present invention
The inner surface does not necessarily have to include all sides of the regular hexagon, and at least three sides can be used sufficiently.

Furthermore, the inner surface of the alignment guide means of the present invention does not necessarily have to be a regular hexagon, but may be a hexagon in which each side forms an angle of 60 degrees or 1201°, and the lengths of adjacent sides are different. Also, it does not necessarily have to be a hexagon; it is a polygonal shape with angles that are a multiple of 6, and a 5-sided polygon with an angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees with respect to one standard side.
Any polygon having two sides may be used. FIG. 7 shows a case of a regular dodecagon. When the optical rods are filled in the alignment guide means 61, the optical rods are aligned in a stacked shape with the lower side 62 as a reference. At the same time, the parts along the other five sides 63 that form 60 degrees or 120 degrees are also arranged in a stacked bale shape,
The whole is arranged in a stacked bale shape using these six sides as a reference.

Further, the alignment guide means of the present invention may have an inner surface having a polygonal shape that is a multiple of 3, and FIG. 8 schematically shows a case where the inner surface is an equilateral triangle. The optical rod 82 is shown thicker than it actually is. In this case, as in the case of a regular hexagon, it is very easy to obtain a bale-like arrangement. In addition, in the case of a polygon that is a multiple of 3 and not a multiple of 6, such as a regular nonagon, if it has two sides that are at an angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees with respect to the standard side, then those 3 The whole is arranged in a stacked bale shape using the sides as reference and the same operation as above.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle of the present invention, the optical rods are easily aligned in a bale-like manner along the inner surface within the alignment guide means, and by moving the optical rods into a glass tube. ,
The optical rods can be packed in a glass tube very easily in an array in a bale-like manner.

Therefore, it is possible to stably manufacture well-aligned optical fiber bundles in a short working time, and there is no chance of glass fragments or foreign matter getting mixed in during the work, reducing sunspots and half-spots, etc. It also has the excellent effect of significantly improving the quality of.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view of the alignment guide means of the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the optical rod, FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the alignment guide means, and FIG. 4 is the first embodiment of the alignment guide means. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention; FIGS. 7 and 8 are aligned A schematic diagram showing a case where the inner surface of the guide means is a regular dodecagon or a regular triangle; FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a state of bale stacking; FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional manufacturing method of an optical fiber bundle. It is a diagram. 1.21.31... Alignment guide means, 2, 22... Optical rod, 4.24... Glass tube, 5.25... Extrusion jig. Agent Patent Attorney Kazuhiko Mitsui Figure 6 Figure 3 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 5

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) After arranging and filling a large number of optical rods into a glass tube that can be melted with acid, etc., they are heated to form a thinner diameter, and then the glass tube is melted with acid, etc. to form an optical fiber bundle. In the method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle, before filling a large number of optical rods into the glass tube, first, the glass tube has a plurality of sides forming an angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees with respect to one side serving as a reference. The optical rods are placed in an alignment guide means whose inner surface is formed into a polygonal shape, and the optical rods are arranged in a stacked manner, and in this aligned state, the optical rods are transferred into the glass tube and filled. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle, characterized in that: (2) The inner surface of the alignment guide means has a polygonal shape with an angle that is a multiple of 6, and is 60 degrees or 1
2. The method of manufacturing an optical fiber bundle according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber bundle has five sides with an angle of 20 degrees. (3) The method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle according to claim 2, wherein the inner surface of the alignment guide means has a regular hexagonal shape. (4) The method for manufacturing an optical fiber bundle according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the alignment guide means is formed into a trough-like shape with three sides having an included angle of 60 degrees or 120 degrees.