JPH0996596A - Control method for static fatigue characteristic tester for optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To apply a tension required for the test continuously to an optical fiber to be tested by keeping the tension to be applied to the optical fiber at a set level while comparing the set level with the tension applied to the optical fiber. SOLUTION: A set tension inputted to a CPU in a tester from an external computer is converted into an analog value which is then amplified in order to rotate a motor 7 for giving a tension thus applying tension to an optical fiber to be tested through a movable mandrel. Tension of the optical fiber measured by means of a load cell (tension measuring unit) 8 is amplified and converted into a digital value which is then fed to the CPU and compared with the set tension. If the measurement is lower than the set tension, for example, the motor 7 is controlled to apply a larger tension to the optical fiber. Since the optical fiber is continuously applied with a tension of a required magnitude, static characteristics of tension can be detected accurately for the optical fiber.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for controlling an optical fiber static fatigue tester.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A static fatigue tester has been known for examining characteristics such as tensile strength of an optical fiber when a certain amount of tension is applied to the optical fiber in a static state for a long time. There is. FIG. 2 shows a typical structure of the optical fiber 1. The optical fiber 1 is stretched between a fixed mandrel 2 and a movable mandrel 3, and the movable mandrel 3 is moved away from the fixed mandrel 2 so that the optical fiber 1 is moved. It is to apply tension to. The movable mandrel 3 is fixed to a mandrel mount 4, and the mandrel mount 4 can be pulled from a tensioning frame 5 which is moved by a feed screw shaft 6 via an appropriate tension measuring device 8 such as a load cell. Is configured. The feed screw shaft 6 is fed by the rotation of the motor 7.

[0003]

The operation method of such a static fatigue characteristic tester is important. If the operating method of the tester is not constant, the meaning of the obtained data may be mixed and the meaning of the characteristic test may be lost. The present invention provides a control method of a tester for automatically operating the static fatigue tester for optical fibers and for giving a certain evaluation to the obtained data.

[0004]

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the solution according to the invention of claim 1 is one in which both ends of an optical fiber whose static fatigue characteristics are to be tested are In an optical fiber static fatigue tester, which applies tension to the optical fiber by moving the movable mandrel away from the fixed mandrel after gripping the fixed mandrel and the movable mandrel, respectively, from an external computer to the optical fiber The step of inputting the power setting tension to the central processing unit,
A step of converting the set tension value into an analog value and amplifying it to drive a pulling motor, thereby moving the movable mandrel away from the fixed mandrel, and the magnitude of the pulling force applied to the optical fiber at this time. And the tension applied to the optical fiber to the set tension value while converting the measured value into a digital value and returning it to the central processing unit and comparing it with the previously input set tension value. A method of controlling an optical fiber static-fatigue property testing machine, which includes a step of keeping the same.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows an optical fiber static fatigue characteristic tester to be controlled according to the present invention, in which the feed screw shaft 6 is rotated by the pulling motor 7 as already described in the section of the prior art. As a result, the pulling frame 5 is moved to the left in the figure, and the mandrel mount 4, that is, the movable mandrel 3 on which one end of the optical fiber 1 is held is pulled via the tension measuring device 8 such as a load cell. .

An important step in this tester is to keep a constant tension on the optical fiber 1. Therefore, when the tension decreases due to the elongation of the optical fiber 1, the movable mandrel 3 must be further moved so as to immediately raise it to a predetermined constant tension. Further, since the magnitude of the tension to be applied varies depending on the type of optical fiber to be tested, this set tension must be easily input to the tester.

For the above-mentioned purpose, the following control procedure is used in the present invention. First, a set tension, for example, a value of 2 kg or 3 kg is input to an appropriate external computer, and this set tension is input to the central processing unit CPU in the testing machine. This set value is converted into an analog value by the D / A converter and then amplified to be a voltage until the motor is driven to rotate the pulling motor 7.

On the other hand, the tension value of the optical fiber 1 actually measured by the tension measuring device 8 such as a load cell is amplified and then converted into a digital value by the A / D converter, and the central arithmetic processing in which the set tension is inputted before. It is returned to the device CPU where it is compared with the set tension value. As a result of the comparison, for example, when the actually measured value is smaller, the pulling motor 7 is further rotated so that the optical fiber 1 is further tensioned.

As described above, the optical fiber 1 stretched between the fixed mandrel 2 and the movable mandrel 3 is controlled so that the set tension is continuously applied.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since the optical fiber 1 to be tested is continuously kept in a state in which a tension of a magnitude required for the test is continuously applied, the pulling static characteristic of the optical fiber can be accurately obtained. It is effective. In addition, since the operation of the test machine is completely automatic, it does not require human power for the test,
There is also an advantage that external factors such as skillful measurement of the operator of the testing machine do not enter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified side sectional view showing an example of a static fatigue characteristic tester for an optical fiber which is the object of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Optical fiber 2 Fixed mandrel 3 Movable mandrel 4 Mandrel mount 5 Tension frame 6 Feed screw shaft 7 Tension motor 8 Tension measuring device CPU Central processing unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The movable mandrel (3) is removed from the fixed mandrel (2) after both ends of an optical fiber (1) whose static fatigue characteristic is to be tested are gripped by a fixed mandrel (2) and a movable mandrel (3), respectively. In a static fatigue tester for an optical fiber, which applies tension to the optical fiber (1) by moving it away, a set tension to be applied to the optical fiber (1) from an external computer is applied to a central processing unit (CPU). Input process,
Converting the set tension value into an analog value and amplifying it to drive the pulling motor (7), thereby moving the movable mandrel (3) away from the fixed mandrel (2); The step of measuring the magnitude of the pulling force applied to the optical fiber (1), and converting the measured value into a digital value, and the central processing unit (CPU)
To maintain the tension applied to the optical fiber (1) at the set tension value while comparing with the previously input set tension value.