JPH0535372Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field] The present invention provides a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit made by arranging a plurality of optical fibers in parallel in a plane and covering them with a protective layer. It is about improvement.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, a tape-shaped optical unit 5 as shown in Fig. 3 has been used.
has been devised. This method involves forming an array of optical fibers by arranging a plurality of optical fibers 3 in parallel in a plane, each of which is made by coating an optical fiber 1 with a coating layer 2 made of an ultraviolet curable resin or the like. The fiber array body is coated with a protective layer 4 made of nylon, ultraviolet curing resin, or the like.
By the way, a conventional manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing this tape-shaped optical unit is shown in FIG. As this figure shows, the conventional one has a bobbin 11,
11..., the optical fiber strands 2, 3...
are supplied and arranged in parallel in a plane by the alignment device 12 to form an optical fiber alignment body, and then,
The optical fiber array is coated with a resin by a coating device 13 to provide a protective layer 4, and is taken up by a take-off machine (not shown) and wound up by a wind-up machine or the like. Of course, if the resin of the protective layer 4 is an ultraviolet curable resin, an ultraviolet curing furnace that irradiates ultraviolet rays is provided between the coating device 13 and a take-up machine (not shown), and if the resin is a thermosetting resin, a heating furnace is provided. The resin of the protective layer 4 is then cured. Further, if the resin is a thermoflexible resin, an extrusion coating machine is used as the coating device 13. Incidentally, one of the most important points in this tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing apparatus is the tension adjustment of each optical fiber strand 3 up to the coating device 13. That is, if the tension of each optical fiber strand 3 entering the coating device 13 is not uniform and constant, uneven arrangement of each optical fiber strand 3 is likely to occur, and as a result, the shape of the tape-shaped optical unit is likely to be distorted. As a result, a problem arises in that dimensional accuracy is not achieved or distortion remains in the optical fiber strand 3, causing characteristic deterioration. Now, if we look at the conventional tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing equipment from this perspective, the tension of each optical fiber wire 3, 3... is adjusted by a brake provided for each bobbin 11, 11... are doing.
However, with this individual adjustment method,
It is very difficult to make the tension of each optical fiber strand 3, 3, . . . uniform. This is because the bobbin 11
This is because the tension of the optical fiber strand 3 supplied by the bobbin 1 is different, and therefore delicate brake adjustment is required for each bobbin 11 and each time.
In addition, since the amount of optical fiber wire 3 wound around the bobbins 11, 11... decreases with time,
In order to maintain constant tension at all times, it is also necessary to adjust the brake in accordance with the decrease in the number of optical fiber strands 3.
However, in addition to equalizing the tension of each of the optical fiber strands 3, 3, . . ., it is nearly impossible to maintain the tension constant over time using the conventional method described above.

[Purpose of invention]

In view of the above problems, the purpose of the present invention is to maintain a uniform and constant tension in each optical fiber strand immediately before reaching the coating device, and to create a tape-shaped optical unit with a stable shape and less deterioration of transmission characteristics. The objective is to provide manufacturing equipment for manufacturing.

[Structure of the idea]

In order to achieve the above object, an apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit of the present invention includes an aligning device for arranging a plurality of optical fiber strands in parallel in a plane to form an optical fiber array; It has a tension adjustment device that adjusts the tension of each optical fiber strand, and a coating device that coats the optical fiber alignment body whose tension is adjusted with the tension adjustment device with a protective layer, and the tension adjustment device includes the alignment device and the coating device.

[Example of idea]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. As shown in this figure, in the present invention, optical fiber wires 3, 3... are supplied by bobbins 11, 11..., respectively, and these are arranged in parallel in a plane by an alignment device 12 to form an optical fiber alignment body. Form. Subsequently, the optical fiber array is guided to the tension adjustment device 14, where each optical fiber strand 3, 3, . . . of the optical fiber array is uniformly coated.
Then, a certain tension is applied, and then the resin for the protective layer 4 is uniformly coated on the optical fiber array body by the coating device 13, taken up by a unillustrated pulling machine, and then taken up by a winding machine or the like. It is something to be rolled up. Of course, if the resin of the protective layer 4 is an ultraviolet curable resin, an ultraviolet curing furnace that irradiates ultraviolet rays is provided between the coating device 13 and a take-up machine (not shown), and if the resin is a thermosetting resin, a heating furnace is provided. The resin of the protective layer 4 is then cured. Moreover, if this resin is a thermo-flexible resin, the coating device 13 includes:
Use an extrusion coating machine. In addition, adhesive tension adjustment device 1
4, as shown in FIG. 1, cylindrical variable speed rolls 15A and 15B are provided, and the optical fiber alignment body is hung along the outer peripheral surface of the rolls, so that the rotational speed of the variable speed roll 15 and the optical fiber alignment are adjusted. Due to the difference in running speed of the bodies, tension is applied to the optical fiber alignment body.
Alternatively, only the variable speed roll 15A may be a variable speed roll, and the reference numeral 15B may be a free rotating roll. Furthermore, if there is only the variable speed roll 15A and no roll 15B, the variable speed roll 1
5A, the optical fiber array is wound at least once in a bead shape. In addition, as a method simpler than that shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, the optical fiber alignment body is sandwiched between soft members 16A and 16B such as felt, and the optical fibers are aligned by adjusting the pinching force. Each optical fiber wire of the body 3, 3...
A uniform and constant tension may be applied to. Here, the bobbins 11, 11... are provided with a sufficient amount of backfill to prevent the bobbins 11, 11... from spinning idly and unwinding the wound optical fiber wires 3, 3... when the entire manufacturing apparatus stops. Pour on the water.

According to the apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit of the present invention thus constructed, the optical fiber wires 3, 3...
There is no need to adjust the brakes of the bobbins 11, 11... that supply..., and the tension adjustment device 14 installed in front of the coating device 13 uniformly and uniformly applies the tension to each optical fiber strand 3, 3... at once. Tension can be easily applied. That is, each optical fiber wire 3, 3...
Since a constant tension is applied at the same place and at the same time, each optical fiber strand 3, 3... has a uniform tension.
And a constant tension can be applied. Therefore, the coating device 13 is supplied with the optical fiber strands 3, 3, . Deformation of the shape of the tape-shaped optical unit, such as uneven arrangement, does not occur. In addition, the optical fiber wire 3
There is no distortion unevenness, and there is little deterioration in transmission characteristics.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, according to the tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the tension of each optical fiber strand of the optical fiber array immediately before entering the coating apparatus can be easily kept uniform and constant. As a result, it is possible to manufacture a tape-shaped optical unit that is stable in shape and exhibits little deterioration in transmission characteristics.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one embodiment of the tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the tension adjustment device shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a tape-shaped optical unit, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a conventional tape-shaped optical unit manufacturing apparatus. 3... Optical fiber wire, 4... Protective layer, 5...
Tape-shaped optical unit, 14...Tension adjustment device, 1
5...Variable speed roll, 16...Soft member.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) An alignment device that forms an optical fiber array by arranging a plurality of optical fibers in parallel in a plane;
a tension adjustment device that adjusts the tension of each optical fiber strand of the optical fiber array; and a coating device that coats the optical fiber array whose tension has been adjusted with the tension adjustment device with a protective layer; An apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit, characterized in that an adjustment device is provided between the alignment device and the coating device. (2) Utility model registration claim 1, characterized in that the tension adjustment device has a variable speed roll on the outer circumferential surface of which each of the optical fiber strands is stretched.
An apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit as described in . (3) The apparatus for manufacturing a tape-shaped optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the tension adjusting device has a soft member that sandwiches the optical fiber array.