JPH06186444A - Illuminated plastic optical fiber tube - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the illuminated plastic optical fiber in such a manner that luminescent points appear intermittently and to improve the design effect and reliability thereof by constituting this fiber tube of flexible wire-shaped reflectors of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of bundled plastic optical fibers and a transparent tube coating these bodies and fibers. CONSTITUTION:This illuminated plastic optical fiber tube 1 consists of four pieces of the bundled plastic optical fibers 2, from the whole or desired parts of the flanks of which the light incident from the end faces leaks, and the flexible wire-shaped reflectors 3 which are twisted and doubled with the bundled plastic optical fibers 2 and have substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the bundled plastic optical fibers 2 and a transparent tube 4 covering these fibers and bodies. The illuminated plastic optical fiber tube 1 is installed to the prescribed point and the power source of a light source is closed to make the light from the light source incident on the optical fiber bundles at both ends. The plastic optical fibers 2 allow the leakage of the light from the whole of their flanks and the leaking light overlaps on the light from the other bundled plastic optical fibers 2. The light transmits the transparent tube 4 to illuminate the outside.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminated plastic optical fiber tube in which a bundle of plastic optical fibers leaking from all or a desired portion of the side surface of the optical fiber is covered with a transparent tube, and more particularly, to a linear optical fiber tube. The present invention relates to an illuminated plastic optical fiber tube having an excellent design effect in which a reflector is twisted with an optical fiber and bright spots appear intermittently.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Illuminated plastic optical fibers that leak light from the side are provided by bundling a number of illuminated plastic optical fibers or by twisting them after grouping.
It is used for lighting, decoration, design, display, etc. by being assembled into a sheet shape, a bundle shape, a string shape, and the like. Regarding the illuminated plastic optical fiber, various fiber structures and manufactures have been proposed in the past.

For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 47-42534 relates to a leaky optical fiber. This invention selectively destroys the total internal reflection of an optical fiber mechanically or thermally to cause light leakage, and uses this optical fiber in a textile product. In addition to the above-mentioned conventional technology, the light leakage technology for leaking transmitted light from the side is characterized by the material and structure of the optical fiber, in which transparent particles are dispersed inside the optical fiber (Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-29951). And using an elastomer as the sheath (clad) material (No. Sho 60-112204)
And disperse a translucent or opaque material such as glass particles or a diffusion center such as a bubble in the core of the optical fiber, and preferably increase the density of the diffusion center as the distance from the end of the optical fiber increases to obtain uniform illumination. What to obtain (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-2
No. 47705).

Further, the one in which a cut is formed on the surface of the optical fiber with a blade or the like, the one in which the rotating optical fiber is cut with a blade (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50-83044) and the optical fiber having a specific shape are used. There are those formed on the surface (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-253903) and those forming scratches at specific positions (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 04-18801).

Further, for forming a rough surface or strain on the surface of the optical fiber by heat treatment, a spirally wound synthetic fiber around the optical fiber is used to shrink the heat (Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-325).
No. 82) and a heated projection are pressed against the optical fiber to form light leakage concave portions at predetermined intervals (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-159707).
And a heated rough plate pressed against an optical fiber to form fine irregularities on the surface (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-293505,
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-318502 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 01-3803).

Those which twist or mechanically press down an optical fiber to form a strain include those which twist the optical fiber to leave the strain (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50-83049) and fine protrusions. An optical fiber is formed between rollers having a groove to form fine irregularities on the surface (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-273007), and a member around a tension member is twisted with an optical fiber (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
-108007, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-108008) and a device for forming scratches / strains at predetermined intervals by passing an optical fiber between gears (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.
-123302 and JP-A-04-66904).

[0007] Regarding a string-shaped, rope-shaped or bundle-shaped leaking optical fiber, there is the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 47-42534. ． It is illustrated at 15-17. In Japanese Utility Model No. 04-19578, a rope-shaped optical fiber is leaked by light of a different color for each fiber, and in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 63-14203, a rope-shaped optical fiber is leaked. An example is one in which the outer circumference is covered with a transparent tube. In the actual opening Sho 63-80504, the rope circumference is wrapped with an optical fiber, and in the actual opening 02-5704, an optical fiber is installed. It has been proposed to make a knitted light leak in a knitted pattern.

[0008]

However, conventional illuminated plastic optical fibers are collected into bundles, ropes, cords, etc. and covered with a transparent tube to provide illuminated plastic optical fibers for illumination, decoration, design, display, etc. However, it is not a simple linear light source, but lacks variety as an illumination and is inferior in design effect. In addition, JP-A-03-123302 and JP-A-04-66 of the prior art described above.
If the optical fiber itself is strained or scratched at regular intervals as in No. 904, there is a possibility that the fiber itself may be damaged during use and the reliability may be deteriorated.

The present invention has been made on the basis of the above background, and an object thereof is to provide an illuminated plastic optical fiber tube which has bright dots intermittently, is excellent in design effect, and is excellent in reliability. It is to be.

[0010]

The above-mentioned problems can be solved by the present invention. That is, the illuminated plastic optical fiber tube of the present invention comprises a bundled plastic optical fiber in which light incident from an end face leaks from all or a desired portion of the side surface, and the bundled plastic optical fiber is twisted with the bundled plastic optical fiber. A flexible linear reflector having a diameter substantially the same as that of the transparent plastic tube, a transparent tube covering the bundled plastic optical fiber and the flexible linear reflector,
It is characterized by consisting of.

The optical fiber used in the present invention is a plastic type having a clad (sheath) and a core (core), and its structure is a step index type multimode light whose refractive index changes stepwise. There are a fiber, a step index type single mode optical fiber having a single mode in which the refractive index changes stepwise, and a graded index type multimode optical fiber that propagates different modes. As a material constituting the core material, polymethylmethacrylate resin (PMMA, including homopolymer and copolymer of methyl methacrylate in the present specification), deuterated PMMA, polystyrene-based polymer, poly- 4-Methylpentene-1, a silicon-based polymer or the like can be used.

The clad (sheath) material has a smaller refractive index than the core material, and is, for example, a fluoropolymer such as a vinylidene fluoride polymer (herein,
Including a copolymer, for example, vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (for example, vinylidene fluoride 50 wt% or more, preferably 70 wt% or more 90 wt%
Included below), vinylidene fluoride-propylene hexafluoride copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoroacetone copolymer, vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene copolymer, vinylidene fluoride ternary or more (Including copolymers), perfluoroalkyl methacrylate-based polymers, methacrylic acid ester-based polymers, and the like.

The optical fiber according to the present invention is an optical fiber in which light incident from the end face leaks from the entire side surface or from a desired portion, and the side surface light leak treatment can be performed on the optical fiber by various methods. For example, as its treatment, one that mechanically or thermally selectively destroys the total internal reflection of the optical fiber to leak light, one that disperses transparent small pieces inside the optical fiber, and one that is made of glass on the core of the optical fiber. Those that disperse translucent or opaque materials such as particles or diffusion materials such as bubbles, those that form cuts on the optical fiber surface with a blade, those that form rough surfaces and strains on the optical fiber surface by heat treatment, optical fibers Twisting or mechanically pressing to form a strain. In the present invention, the preferable side light leakage is carried out by using a specific combination of the core and the sheath of the optical fiber, particularly without the light leakage treatment.
As such a combination, a polymethylmethacrylate resin as a core material and a vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer as a clad (sheath) material (for example, vinylidene fluoride is 50% by weight or more, preferably 70% by weight). And 90% by weight or less of the copolymer).

The optical fibers used in the present invention are used in the form of a bundle, and the term "bundle" here means a state in which a plurality of optical fibers are simply assembled, a state in which they are twisted into a rope or a string. , A state in which sheets are aligned and rolled, a state in which the fiber aggregates are further collected and bundled, and a state in which they are twisted. The number of bundled optical fibers that can be used in the present invention is arbitrary and can be appropriately selected and changed according to the purpose. Specifically, for example, 5 to 30 bundles are included in one bundle. Optical fiber is used.

The transparent tube used in the present invention is made of, for example, soft or flexible plastic and has transparency, and is colorless or colored. Specifically, there are vinyl chloride resin, acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin and the like. Sub-materials such as a plasticizer and an auxiliary agent can be added to these main components as appropriate.

The linear reflector used in the present invention has flexibility similar to that of the bundled plastic optical fiber, and the outer surface thereof has a reflection effect and is a metallic glossy surface, a white surface, a matte surface, or the like. . Specific materials are resin, metal,
Fibers and the like, and composite materials thereof. The flexible linear reflector is twisted with the bundled plastic optical fiber and has substantially the same diameter as the bundled plastic optical fiber. The number of flexible linear reflectors used can be appropriately changed and selected according to the application and purpose. For example, about 1/2 to 1/3 of the total number of bundles can be used as the linear reflector.

[0017]

The illuminated plastic optical fiber tube of the present invention having the above construction operates and operates as follows.
The plastic optical fiber leaks light from all or desired portions of its side surfaces. The leaked light overlaps with the light from another bundle of plastic optical fibers, passes through the transparent tube, and illuminates to the outside. During this illumination, the optical fiber bundle and the linear reflector alternately appear at regular intervals, the bright spots and non-bright spots are repeated, and at the location where the linear reflector sunk inside, the adjacent optical fibers The light illuminated from the light is reflected to further enhance the light at the bright spots and enhance the design effect.

[0018]

EXAMPLES Illuminated plastic optical fiber tubes according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples. FIG. 1 shows a schematic external view of an embodiment of an illuminated plastic optical fiber tube according to the present invention. The illuminated plastic optical fiber tube 1 of this embodiment is formed by twisting four bundled plastic optical fibers 2 in which the light incident from the end face leaks from all or a desired part of the side surface and the bundled plastic optical fiber to form a bundled plastic optical fiber. It comprises a flexible linear reflector 3 having substantially the same diameter as the optical fiber, and a transparent tube 4 covering the bundled plastic optical fiber and the flexible linear reflector.

The optical fiber used in this example is a plastic optical fiber composed of polymethylmethacrylate resin as a core material and vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer as a cladding material (trade name Esca CK-30 manufactured by Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.). ) And soft PVC was used as the transparent tube.

A method of manufacturing and using the illuminated plastic optical fiber tube of the above embodiment will be described. First, a plurality of, for example, 5 to 30 illuminated plastic optical fibers are bundled or twisted to prepare four bundled optical fibers. Also, two flexible linear reflectors are prepared at the same time. Then, four bundled optical fibers and two flexible linear reflectors are twisted together and covered with a transparent PVC tube to manufacture a desired illuminated plastic optical fiber tube.

Further, the obtained illuminated plastic optical fiber tube is installed at a predetermined position, the light source is turned on, and the light from this light source is incident on the optical fiber bundles at both ends. This plastic optical fiber leaks light from all of its side surfaces, and the leaked light overlaps with the light from another bundle of plastic optical fibers, passes through a transparent tube, and illuminates to the outside. During this illumination, the optical fiber bundles and the linear reflectors alternately appear at regular intervals, and bright points and non-bright points are repeated. In addition, at the location where the linear reflector is submerged inside, the light illuminated from the adjacent optical fiber is reflected, and the light at the bright spot is further strengthened, and the design effect is further enhanced. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications included in the technical idea disclosed in the present invention are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0022]

As will be concretely demonstrated in the above embodiment, the present invention has the following effects. That is, bright spots appear intermittently, and the design effect and the reliability are excellent.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of an embodiment of an illuminated plastic optical fiber tube according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Illuminated plastic optical fiber tube 2 Bundled plastic optical fiber 3 Flexible linear reflector 4 Tube

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A bundle-shaped plastic optical fiber through which light incident from an end face leaks from all or a desired portion of a side surface, and the bundle-shaped plastic optical fiber is twisted and has a diameter substantially the same as that of the bundle-shaped plastic optical fiber. An illuminated plastic optical fiber tube comprising a flexible linear reflector and a transparent tube covering the bundled plastic optical fiber and the flexible linear reflector.