JPH08217495A - Core wire for optical fiber tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: Obtain core wire for optical fiber tape capable of providing collective coating with prpoper surface slipperiness and raising production efficiency in producing the core wire. CONSTITUTION: In core wire for optical fiber tape obtained by standing plural optical fiber wires in parallel and collectively coating the wires to integrate them, a urethane acrylate resin containing silicone structure or a urethane acrylate resin mixed with fine particles such as silicone fine particles is used as the collectively coating material. In the core wire for optical fiber tape, the coefficient of friction between the mutual core wires of tape is preferably 0.45-0.55.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber element wires are juxtaposed in parallel and collectively coated to provide an optical fiber tape having an appropriate surface smoothness and a high manufacturing efficiency. Fiber tape core wire.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 has been used for manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon of this type.
Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 denotes an ultraviolet-curable resin coating device. The ultraviolet-curable resin coating device 1 has a plurality of optical fiber strands 2 ... The optical fiber tape core wire 3 is formed by coating the supplied ultraviolet curable resin and irradiating it with ultraviolet rays to cure the resin so that the optical fiber tape core wire 3 is integrated.
An ultraviolet-curable urethane acrylate resin is mainly used as the coating material.

The optical fiber tape core wire 3 which has been collectively coated by the ultraviolet curable resin coating device 1 is then wound by a winding device 4. This winding device 4
The optical fiber tape core wire 3 is reciprocally moved at the same time as the take-up drum 4a rotates and the optical fiber tape core wire 3 is wound so that the newly wound optical fiber tape core wire 3 does not overlap the portion wound immediately before. It is something to wind up.

[0004]

By the way, since the surface of the optical fiber tape core wire 3 manufactured in this way exhibits a slight adhesiveness, it is already wound when it is wound up by the winding device 4. If it does not expand easily when it is rewound, or if it overlaps even a little with the part that was wound immediately before, it will be wound only on the same part. A step is formed, a loss is caused in the length of the optical fiber tape core wire 3, and further, a portion wound in a pile is collapsed, leading to a decrease in manufacturing efficiency.

When the optical fiber ribbon 3 produced as described above is used for an optical cable, a plurality of the optical fibers are housed in a slot and assembled, and a press tape made of paper tape or non-woven fabric is applied on the slot. An optical cable is formed by covering the outer cover with an optical fiber ribbon 3
... adhered to the inner wall of the slot, or adhered to each other with the optical fiber ribbons, and sometimes deteriorated.

For this reason, conventionally, powder of talc or the like was applied to the surface of the optical fiber tape core wire to impart lubricity to the surface, thus avoiding the above-mentioned problems. Excessive nature, collapses when winding,
There was a problem that the powder was scattered during the work.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber tape core wire which can impart appropriate surface smoothness to a collective coating and can enhance the manufacturing efficiency in manufacturing the same. .

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the problems, in an optical fiber tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber element wires are juxtaposed in parallel and collectively coated, an ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin containing a silicone structure is collectively contained. This can be solved by using it as a coating material or by using a UV-curable urethane acrylate resin containing fine particles as a collective coating material. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

The ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin used in the present invention has a relatively low Young's modulus. Fine particles are added to such an ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin to prepare a collective coating material. As the fine particles, fine particles of silica, alumina, calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, etc. having an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 1.0 μm are used.
It is preferably 0.5 to 1% by weight with respect to the amount of resin.

Alternatively, a modified silicone oil is added as a silicone component to the above-mentioned UV-curable urethane acrylate resin to prepare a collective coating material.
As the modified silicone oil, various amino-modified silicone oils, alcohol-modified silicone oils,
Examples thereof include carboxyl-modified silicone oil and alkyl-modified silicone oil, and the amount of addition thereof is preferably 5 to 8% by weight based on the amount of resin. This is because the compatibility of the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin component and the silicone component is poor, and when the amount of the modified silicone oil added is less than the above range, the lubricity is poor, and when the amount of the modified silicone oil is more than the above range, the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin component and the silicone component are silicone. This is because of the inconvenience that the components are separated.

By using the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin containing fine particles or modified silicone oil as a collective coating material as described above, the surface of the collective coating layer becomes fine irregularities due to the fine particles, or Modified silicone oil seeps out on the surface,
As a result, an appropriate surface smoothness is given to the collective coating of the optical fiber ribbons. And, as the degree of the surface smoothness, it is preferable that the coefficient of friction between the optical fiber tape cores is in the range of 0.45 to 0.55.

The friction coefficient between the optical fiber tape core wires in the present invention is obtained by the following measuring method. This method will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 2
3 and FIG. 3 is an apparatus used to determine the friction coefficient of the optical fiber ribbon of the present invention. Reference numeral 5 in the drawing is a mandrel having a diameter of 120 mm. It is supported at its center by a support member 11 and is hung in a freely rotatable state. On the outer circumference of the mandrel 5, five optical fiber tape core wires are adhered to each other over a half circumference or more of the mandrel 5 without a gap therebetween, and form a base tape 6. A sample tape 7 is hung on the base tape 6, and the sample tape 7 is obtained by cutting the optical fiber ribbon to a length of about 100 mm. A weight 8 is suspended at one end of the sample tape 7, and a spring 9 is provided at the other end.
It is fixed so as not to move by the fixing tool 10 via.

At this time, the base tape 6 and the sample tape 7 are those cut from the optical fiber tape core wire of the same manufacturing lot, and the base tape 6 and the sample tape 7 are
The surface that was the front of the optical fiber ribbon and the surface that was the back of the optical fiber ribbon were overlapped so that they would meet.
This is because this method seeks the coefficient of friction between the optical fiber ribbons that overlap each other when the optical fiber ribbons are wound without twisting. This is because even if the coefficient of friction between the face-to-face faces on the front and the back of the core line is measured, different values may be shown on the front and back sides, and the desired value may not be obtained.

In the apparatus as described above, the mandrel 5
Is pulled up at a speed of 10 mm / min, the load when the sample tape 7 starts moving is determined, and the friction coefficient Y is determined by the following equation using this value. Y = 1 / π · ln (x / 100) Y: coefficient of friction x: weight of weight (g) The coefficient of friction obtained by such a measuring method is 0.45
By setting it to be 0.55, the optical fiber tape core wire of the present invention is provided with appropriate surface slipperiness, and adheres to a portion already wound at the time of winding at the time of manufacturing to develop. It is possible to prevent a decrease in manufacturing efficiency, and to prevent a loss due to continuous winding on the same position of the winding drum and a gap between the winding drum and a collapse of the winding drum. . Hereinafter, a concrete example is shown and an effect is clarified.

Example 1 A coating material was prepared by adding 0.5% by weight of silica fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.0 μm to the ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin. Four optical fiber strands were arranged in parallel and were collectively covered with the above-mentioned UV-curable urethane acrylate resin to obtain an optical fiber ribbon. (Example 2) An optical fiber tape core wire was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 1% by weight of the amount of the resin was added to the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin, and the silica fine particles had an average particle size of 1.0 μm. Obtained. Example 3 Without adding silica fine particles as a silicone component to an ultraviolet curable urethane acrylate resin,
An optical fiber tape core wire was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that 8% by weight of the modified silicone oil was added to the resin amount. (Comparative Example) UV curable urethane acrylate resin,
An optical fiber ribbon was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1 except that silica fine particles having an average particle diameter of 1.0 μm and added in an amount of 0.2% by weight of the resin were added.

(Prior Art Example 1) Four optical fiber strands were arranged in parallel and were collectively covered with an ultraviolet-curable urethane acrylate resin to obtain an optical fiber ribbon. (Conventional Example 2) An optical fiber ribbon was formed in the same manner as in Conventional Example 1, and talc was applied to the optical fiber ribbon.

Regarding each of the above-mentioned embodiments and the conventional example,
The finish quality was evaluated based on the friction coefficient, the loss occurrence frequency, the winding collapse frequency, and the winding circumference, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0018]

[Table 1]

Regarding the loss occurrence frequency and the winding collapse frequency in Table 1 above, the optical fiber tape core of 20 km is applied to a winding drum or the like at a tension of 100 g, respectively.
The number of windings was recorded, and the number of times that a loss occurred due to a step or the like during this period and the number of winding collapses was recorded. Regarding the winding circumference, a 3 km optical fiber ribbon was wound around a winding device having a circumference of 94 cm at a pitch of 1.1 mm, and the circumference when the winding was completed was measured. This is an evaluation of the winding state under the condition that winding collapse does not occur.

From the results shown in Table 1, it can be seen that the loss occurrence seen in the conventional examples 1 and 2 is not seen in the examples 1, 2 and 3. However, in the comparative example, the occurrence of loss was observed twice, and the silica fine particles were 0.2% by weight.
It is understood that the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin added with is not suitable as a coating material for the optical fiber tape core wire of the present invention. In addition, the winding collapse seen in Conventional Example 2 is
It can be seen that avoidance was possible in all of Examples 1, 2, 3, and 4. Regarding the winding circumference, Examples 1, 2, 3
Shows that the values were close to each other, and values close to those of the talc-coated product of Conventional Example 2 were obtained, and that a desirable winding state was obtained.

Summarizing the above results, Examples 1, 2 and
The UV-curable urethane acrylate resin used in No. 3 improved the finishing quality of the optical fiber ribbon.
Therefore, silica particles or modified silicone oil is added to the UV-curable urethane acrylate resin to prepare a batch coating material so that the friction coefficient between the optical fiber ribbons is 0.45 to 0.55. It turns out that doing is most effective.

[0022]

As described above, the optical fiber tape core wire of the present invention is obtained by using a urethane acrylate resin containing a silicone structure by adding a silicone component or a urethane acrylate resin containing fine particles as a collective coating material. , When winding during manufacturing, it may be difficult to spread because it adheres to the already wound part, or loss may occur due to continuous winding at the same part of the winding drum and gaps. , It does not cause roll collapse.

If this optical fiber tape core wire is used for an optical cable, it may be deteriorated in a short period of time by being adhered to the inner wall of the slot of the optical cable as in the conventional product, or being adhered to each other by the optical fiber tape core wires. There is no. Further, in the optical fiber tape core wire of the present invention, at the time of winding at the time of manufacturing, it is difficult to spread because it adheres to the already wound portion, or it is continuously wound at the same portion of the winding drum. As a result, there is no loss due to the occurrence of a gap and no winding collapse, so that the manufacturing efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an optical fiber ribbon manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an apparatus used for obtaining a friction coefficient of an optical fiber ribbon according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 ... Optical fiber strand, 3 ... Optical fiber tape core wire.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber tape core made by arranging a plurality of optical fiber strands in parallel and collectively covering them, wherein a urethane acrylate resin containing a silicone structure is used as a collective covering material. Fiber tape core wire. 2. An optical fiber tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in parallel and collectively coated to form an optical fiber tape core, and a urethane acrylate resin containing fine particles is used as a collective coating material. Fiber tape core wire. 3. The optical fiber ribbon according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tape fibers have a friction coefficient of 0.45 to 0.55.