JPH0833507B2 - Tape-type optical fiber manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a tape-type optical fiber.

(Prior art and its problems) As shown in FIG. 4, a tape-type optical fiber means that precoated optical fiber core wires 51 are arranged in a horizontal row to form a resin.
It is integrated with 52 and molded into a tape. An example of the dimensions will be described. For example, the diameter of the optical fiber core wire 51 is 0.25 mm, and in the case of 5 cores as shown in FIG. 4 (A), the width is 1.35 mm and the thickness is 0.4 mm. In the case of four cores as shown in Fig. (B), the width is 1.1 mm and the thickness is 0.4 mm.

When manufacturing such a tape type optical fiber,
Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of optical fiber core wires 51 pulled out from a supply bobbin 53 with a constant tension are arranged in a row in a row by a eye plate 54 or a guide roll, and a resin is formed by a die 55 or a nipple. 52 is integrated with the optical fiber core wire 51 to form a tape type optical fiber. 56 is a collection capstan.

However, in such a conventional tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus, it is extremely difficult to align a plurality of optical fiber core wires 51 in a horizontal row without a gap. Also, since the optical fiber core wire 51 is pulled out horizontally and integrated with the resin 52,
When the resin 52 has a low viscosity, it is irregularly deformed by gravity, and the resulting tape-type optical fiber does not have a regular shape as shown in FIG.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus of the present invention guides a plurality of optical fiber cores drawn from a supply bobbin to change the direction downward. A turn sheave, a plurality of rolls arranged under the turn sheave at appropriate intervals to guide the plurality of optical fiber core wires, and a plurality of optical fiber core wires arranged under these rolls and the resin integrated with each other. A cross head for molding into a tape type optical fiber, and a curing device which is arranged directly under the cross head and cures the resin are provided, and the plurality of rolls have an outer peripheral surface formed into a concave surface and a central portion in the longitudinal direction. A shape having a flat portion having a constant width that is the same as the total width of the plurality of optical fiber core wires, and the plurality of optical fiber core wires are separated in a horizontal row by the plurality of rolls. The configuration is such that they are aligned in a short time and positioned at a predetermined position.

(Operation) A plurality of optical fiber core wires pulled out from the supply bobbin are
It is turned downward by a turn sheave, aligned horizontally in a row by a plurality of rolls and positioned at a predetermined position, integrated with resin by a crosshead to form a tape type optical fiber, and cured by a curing device. It

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, a 10-core tape type optical fiber is manufactured.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is 10 supply bobbins for supplying 10 drawn and pre-coated optical fiber core wires 2, At a position above the supply bobbin 1, a turn sheave 3 for diverting the optical fiber core wire 2 downward is rotatably arranged. The turn sheave 3 has a groove into which the optical fiber core wire 2 is fitted, and the optical fiber core wires 2 are arranged at a pitch of, for example, 1 mm. Immediately below the turn sheave 3, three rotatable rolls 4 are arranged in a zigzag pattern in the vertical direction at appropriate intervals. These rolls 4 are for aligning the optical fiber core wires 2 in a horizontal row without a gap and for aligning the core with a crosshead 7 which will be described later. As shown in FIG. Is formed in a concave surface except
Further, it has a flat portion 4a having a constant width in the central portion in the longitudinal direction.
The width of the plane portion 4a is substantially equal to the width of the ten optical fiber core wires 2 arranged side by side in a row without a gap. The number of rolls 4 to be arranged is not limited to three, but at least two or more are required. Directly below these rolls 4 is arranged a crosshead 7 for integrally forming the optical fiber core wire 2 and the ultraviolet curable resin 5 shown in FIG. An ultraviolet irradiation device 8 for curing the ultraviolet curable resin 5 is arranged immediately below. A take-up capstan 9 for taking up the tape type optical fiber 6 is arranged below the ultraviolet irradiation device 8, and a take-up bobbin for taking up the tape type optical fiber 6 is provided on a side of the take-up capstan 9. 10 are installed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tape type optical fiber 6, and when the diameter of the optical fiber core wire 2 is 0.25 mm, the width of the tape type optical fiber 6 is 2.6 mm and the thickness is 0.4 mm.

Next, the operation will be described. The optical fiber core wire 2 drawn out from the supply bobbin 1 is turned downward by the turn sheave 3 and aligned in a horizontal row at a pitch of 1 mm. Then, the rolls 4 are aligned in a horizontal row without any gap, and are aligned with the crosshead 7. That is, since the outer peripheral surface of the roll 4 is a concave surface as shown in FIG. 2, the optical fiber core wire 2 is naturally guided to the roll 4 and is positioned near the center of the roll 4 in the longitudinal direction. Align them in a line with no gaps. In this state, the roll 4 is arranged so that the optical fiber core 2 and the crosshead 7 are aligned with each other. In the cross head 7, the ultraviolet curable resin 5 is supplied to the optical fiber core wires 2 aligned in a horizontal row without a gap, and both are integrated to form a tape type optical fiber 6. In the ultraviolet irradiation device 8, the uncured ultraviolet curable resin 5 of the tape-type optical fiber 6 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays, whereby the ultraviolet curable resin 5 is cured. Then, the tape type optical fiber 6 is taken up by the take-up capstan 9 and taken up by the take-up bobbin 10.

In this way, since the tape type optical fiber 6 is molded by supplying the ultraviolet curable resin 5 by the cross head 7 while moving the optical fiber core wire 2 in the vertical direction, the ultraviolet curable resin 5 is uncured and is not cured by gravity. It is possible to manufacture the tape type optical fiber 6 having an accurate shape as shown in FIG. 3 without being deformed regularly. Further, since the outer peripheral surface of the roll 4 is concave and the flat portion 4a having a constant width is provided in the central portion in the longitudinal direction, the optical fiber core wires 2 can be accurately aligned in a horizontal row without any gap and the cores of the cross head 7 can be aligned with each other. Therefore, the pitch of the optical fiber core wire 2 and the thickness of the ultraviolet curable resin 5 around the optical fiber core wire 2 can be obtained exactly as specified, and the high quality tape type optical fiber 6 can be manufactured.

(Other Example) In the above example, the ultraviolet curable resin 5 was used as the resin.
The ultraviolet irradiation device 8 is used as a curing device, and this is preferable because the time required for curing is extremely short, but it is not always necessary to do so and a normal resin may be used. In this case, a drying device or the like can be used as the curing device.

In the above embodiment, an example of manufacturing the 10-core tape type optical fiber 6 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the tape-type optical fiber 6 having an arbitrary number of cores can be manufactured.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention as described above, since the tape type optical fiber is molded by supplying the resin by the crosshead while moving the optical fiber core wire in the vertical direction, the resin is not cured. A tape-shaped optical fiber having an accurate shape can be manufactured without being deformed irregularly by gravity.
Further, the outer peripheral surface of the roll is a concave surface, and the flat portion having the same width as the total width of the plurality of optical fiber core wires is provided in the central portion in the longitudinal direction, so that the optical fiber core wires are accurately aligned in a horizontal row without a gap and Since the core can be aligned with the crosshead, the pitch of the optical fiber core and the thickness of the resin around the optical fiber core can be obtained exactly as specified, and a high quality tape type optical fiber can be manufactured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a roll, and FIG. 3 is a tape-type optical fiber manufactured in one embodiment of the present invention. 4A, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are cross-sectional views of a tape type optical fiber, and FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional tape type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus. 1 ... Supply bobbin, 2 ... Optical fiber core wire, 3 ... Turning sheave, 4 ... Roll, 4a ... Flat part, 5 ... UV curable resin, 6 ... Tape type optical fiber, 7 ... Cross head, 8 ... Ultraviolet irradiation device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A turn sheave that guides a plurality of optical fiber cores drawn from a supply bobbin and turns downward, and a plurality of turn sheaves that are arranged directly below the turn sheaves at appropriate intervals to guide the plurality of optical fiber cores. Roll, a crosshead that is arranged directly below these rolls and integrally forms the plurality of optical fiber core wires and resin into a tape-type optical fiber, and is arranged directly below this crosshead to cure the resin. And a curing device, the plurality of rolls, the outer peripheral surface is formed in a concave surface and a shape having a flat portion having the same constant width as the total width of the plurality of optical fiber core wires in the longitudinal center portion, A tape type optical fiber characterized in that the plurality of optical fiber core wires are aligned in a horizontal row without a gap and positioned at a predetermined position by a roll. Manufacturing equipment. 2. The tape-type optical fiber manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resin integrated with the optical fiber core is an ultraviolet curing resin, and the curing device is an ultraviolet irradiation device.