JPH046924B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a communication cable having at least one optical fiber disposed in common with at least one other optical fiber in the core of a communication cable. The present invention relates to a method for color-coding fibers with paint and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

A communication cable with optical fibers - hereinafter referred to as "LWL-cable" or "LWL" for simplicity - is a cable with any number of LWLs made of glass or plastic.
The LWL is housed within the core of such an LWL-cable, which is surrounded by an outer protective cover. LWL has until now been used as a replacement for common metal conductors. LWL has a series of advantages over metal conductors.
These have a very wide band and low attenuation.
As a result, a large number of channels can be transmitted via LWL even if the distance between amplifiers is large compared to copper conductors. These optical fibers are bendable and have a very small diameter, so that the cable cross-section can be reduced. Furthermore, it is completely unaffected by external electric and magnetic fields.

Just like the ordinary conductors of telecommunication cables equipped with metal conductors, LWL also has individual conductors for assembly.
Characterization must be done to allow easy and reliable identification of LWL. This requirement must be met especially when a large number of LWLs are housed in the core of the cable.

The object of the present invention is to develop a method in which at least one optical fiber is characterized in the following manner in a certain work process, that is, to identify whether this one optical fiber is the same among a large number of optical fibers. The purpose is to show how it can be characterized as it can be done.

This problem is solved according to the invention in a method of the type mentioned at the outset, as follows: - The optical fiber is first drawn out from the pay-out reel using a draw-out tool, and its surface is continuously colored. The surface of the colored optical fiber is then pulled through the coloring chamber using a linear paint extruded under pressure from a nozzle that continuously oscillates around the oscillating axis. An axially defined annular marking of a color distinctly different from that of the optical fiber is then jetted, the optical fiber is then guided through a drying area, and the optical fiber is subsequently placed on a take-up reel. It is resolved by being rolled up.

With this method, a single LWL can be individually characterized by successive passes in one working process. Each of the coloring chambers can be provided with any desired color, so that by appropriately exchanging the colors, LWLs can be colored through any number of different passes. These different numbers are LWL - LWL grouped together in the core of the cable.
This can be doubled by not attaching an annular marking to a part of the area.

In principle, this annular marking could be colored.
This can be done while the LWL surface is still wet. However, it was found that markings are more favorable for LWL attenuation suppression if they are applied only after the surface has dried. LWL
For the drying of continuously colored surfaces and the drying of markings, the same drying area where the LWL is passed over many times using deflection rollers can be used more purposefully. be.

The rocking system is controlled in relation to the withdrawal speed of the LWL. This ensures that the markings always remain at equal axial spacing from each other.

The method and device of the invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments of the drawings, in which: FIG.

The LWL to be characterized is wound onto a payout reel 2, from which it is withdrawn for through-guidance through a subsequent device. For this purpose, this LWL is drawn through a guide nipple 3, via a guide roller 4 and then through a cleaning nozzle 5 and then reaches a coloring chamber 6, which is precisely shown in FIG. The LWL 1 is continuously colored in the coloring chamber 6. The colored LWL 1 from the coloring chamber 6 is drawn through a drying zone 7 and guided via deflection rollers 8 and 9 to a rocking system 10 where it is
An annular marking 11 (FIG. 5) is injected onto the LWL1, which is restricted in the axial direction.
The rocking system 10 is in the correct position as is clear from FIG.

After making the annular marking 11, the LWL 1 is again guided through the drying section 7, which is particularly preferably operated with hot air. After that, the surface of LWL1 was dried, and the whole surface was
Drawer disc 12 that serves as a drawer for LWL1
reach. Instead of this pull-out disc 12, it is of course also possible to use other known pull-out devices, such as, for example, crawler pull-out devices. The drawer disc 12 requires only a small amount of space. It is driven by an electric motor whose rotational speed is adjustable.

In the illustrated embodiment, the LWL 1 is pulled through a drying section 7 after coloring and marking. In principle, however, it is also possible for the marking 11 to be carried out before the first drying zone 7, which would then have to be done in such a way that the drying zone is passed through only once. It is also possible to arrange the rocking system 10 where the drawer disk 12 is located and the drawer disk is mounted on the side of the drying area 7 in which the coloring chamber 6 is located. In principle it is also possible to use two separate drying zones. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, between the deflection rollers 8 and 9
It is also possible to guide the LWL 1 through the drying zone 7 or otherwise on the other side.

The drying zone 7 is particularly preferably heated with hot air. This temperature is adjusted to a constant value of up to 110℃.

The cleaning nozzle 3 disposed in front of the coloring chamber 6 is operated with, for example, compressed air, thereby removing dirt attached to the surface of the LWL 1.

Behind the drawer disc 12, the LWL 1 is wound onto a take-up reel 13, which is driven by a speed-controlled electric motor. This rotation speed is
It is controlled in relation to the tension acting on LWL1, which is measured using the rocker 14. The tension is
LWL1 should not be too high so as not to overextend. But it should also not be too low, because otherwise complete winding will not be possible.

In order to prevent the LWL 1 from being damaged by winding, the LWL can be wound up on the take-up reel 13 in a particularly advantageous manner, ie it can be wound up in such a way that a trapezoidal winding in cross section results. It is something. To this end, the winding reel 13 can be displaced in the direction of the two arrows 15 during winding according to a predetermined program.

The coloring chamber 6 is shown enlarged in FIG. This consists of a colored space 16, which is completely filled with paint and through which LWL 1 is drawn through. On both sides the colored space is equipped with perforated seals 17 and 18, the holes being precisely dimensioned so that the LWL 1 can be penetrated without too much friction. A storage container 19 is installed above the coloring space 16, through which the coloring space 16 can be supplied.
It is ensured that there is always sufficient paint in the tank. The coloring chamber 6 is fixed to a holder 21 using screws 20.

The oscillating system 10 for applying an annular marking 11 on the surface of the LWL 1, which is shown enlarged in FIG. 23. The end of the nozzle 23 oscillates with an adjustable frequency in the direction of the double arrow 24, thereby producing an axially restricted annular marking 11 on the surface of the LWL 1 moved at right angles to the drawing plane. It turns out. It is sufficient if the linear paint is applied onto LWL1 only from one side, since its dimensions are too small, so that the paint closes around LWL1 in a ring. Vibrator 22
is particularly preferably driven by a direct current motor, the rotational speed of which is controlled in dependence on the rotational speed of the drawer disk 12, and thereby also the oscillation period of the nozzle 23. A capture chamber 25 with a sieve 26 is installed below the nozzle 23 or LWL1, in which excess paint is collected and returned via a pipe 27 into the paint container.

The method according to the invention operates, for example, as follows.

LWL1 passes through the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in accordance with the explanation given above. This LWL is pulled at a controlled speed in the drawing disc 12. This speed is adjusted depending on manufacturing parameters. This speed can be varied during this method. Nozzle 23 in relation to the rotational speed of the drawing disc and therefore in relation to the drawing speed of LWL1.
The oscillation period is adjusted, so that it is ensured that the annular markings 11 have the same axial spacing from each other.

The LWL 1, according to FIG. 5, consists of specific optical signal-guiding fibers 28, which are coated with a protective layer 29. In the coloring chamber 6 this protective layer is successively applied with a paint layer 30, onto which markings 11 are applied with a vibration system 10.
will be added. The paint used for the marking 11 should be of a color that is clearly different or contrasts with the paint used in the paint layer 30 to color the LWL ₁ continuously. Particularly advantageously, the marking 11 is black.

Feeding reel 2, coloring chamber 6, swing system 1
0, the drawer disk 12 and the take-up reel 13 are mounted on a common base 31 in a particularly advantageous embodiment. The device is therefore of compact construction with a relatively small space requirement. Furthermore, it is also possible to combine three platforms 31 into one space-saving unit in a manner corresponding to FIG.

If sufficiently different paints are not available for the large number of LWLs 1 to be housed in one LWL-cable, LWLs without markings 11 can also be applied to provide a further differentiation aid. . Even in this case, the method and apparatus according to the present invention can also be applied. Only the rocking system 10 is then not used together. In this case, they are clearly to be considered together according to the invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a side view of an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of this apparatus, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partially in section, of the coloring chamber; FIG. 4 is a partially sectional and enlarged view of the rocking system, and FIG. 5 is a normally enlarged view of the characterized LWL. Reference numbers in the figure: 1... LWL (optical fiber, light waveguide), 2... Payout reel, 5... Cleaning nozzle, 6... Coloring chamber, 7... Drying area, 8, 9...
... Deflection roller, 10 ... Rocking system, 11 ...
Marking, 12...Drawer disk, 13...Take-up reel, 16...Coloring space, 17, 18...Packing, 22...Vibrator, 23...Nozzle, 28
... fiber guiding optical signals, 29 ... protective layer, 30 ... paint layer, 31 ... stand.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. At least one optical fiber, which is disposed in the core of a communication cable in common with at least one other optical fiber, is color-coded with paint. In a method for the purpose of Using a linear paint extruded under pressure from a continuously oscillating nozzle 23, the surface of the colored optical fiber is coated with a color limited to the axial direction and consisting of a color clearly different from the color of the coloring chamber 6. The optical fiber 1 is then guided through a drying zone 7 and subsequently the optical fiber 1 is placed on a take-up reel 1.
A method characterized by being rolled up to 3. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the continuously colored optical fiber 1 is already guided through a drying zone 7 before marking. 3. The optical fiber 1 is guided through the same drying zone 7 after leaving the coloring chamber 6 and after making the marking 11 by means of deflection rollers 8, 9, respectively. Paragraph 1 or 2
Method by term. 4. A mechanical rocking system 10 is used for the marking 11, which is driven by a direct current motor that is controlled in relation to the speed of the extractor. Method according to one of paragraphs 3. 5 Optical fiber 1 is connected to pre-cleaning nozzle 3 of coloring chamber 6
5. A method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the method comprises: 6. One of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a drawer disk 12 that can be driven with a variable rotational speed is used as the drawer.
Method by term. 7. A method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the take-up reel (13) is driven with a rotational speed that is controlled in relation to the tension applied to the optical fiber (1). 8. A method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the optical fiber 1 is wound onto a take-up reel 13 so as to form a winding body having a trapezoidal cross section. 9. The optical fiber is first drawn out from a payout reel using a drawing tool, pulled through a coloring chamber in order to continuously color its surface, and then pulled out from a nozzle that swings continuously around a swing axis. Using a linear paint extruded under pressure, an axially limited annular marking of a color distinctly different from the color of the coloring chamber is sprayed onto the surface of the colored optical fiber; The optical fiber is guided through a drying zone, and the optical fiber is then wound onto a take-up reel to form at least one optical fiber that has at least one other optical fiber in common with the at least one other optical fiber. In an apparatus for carrying out a method for color-coding optical fibers such as those disposed in the core of a communication cable with paint, the apparatus comprises a feeding reel 2, a coloring chamber 6,
Device characterized in that the rocking system 10, the drying area 7, the drawer 12 and the take-up reel 13 are mounted on a common platform 31. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that in each unit there are in each case three complete stands 31 for color-coding three optical fibers 1 at the same time. 11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the drying zone 7 is designed as a drying oven with a hot air stream.