JPS59211003A - Method for inserting optical fiber to grooved central wire - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable sure and stable insertion of optical fibers to a grooved central wire by a profiling means having projections engaging with grooves and a guiding means in a method for inserting the optical fiber to the central wire. CONSTITUTION:A groove profiling jig 7 which rotates around a central wire 1 having spiral grooves is provided. Projections 6 engaging with the grooves are provided to said jig 7 to permit stable profiling. A strap 9 which has guiding holes 8 for optical fibers and rotates together with the jig 7 is provided. The positional relation between the jig 7 and the holes 8 is adjusted and is fixed by a fixing member 10, by which the optical fibers are housed into the grooves in profiling on the grooves. A retaining tape is thereafter applied on the fibers by a taping machine. The positional deviation of the strap 9 is detected by a light emitting element on the strap 9 and a photodetector in the flange part of a cylinder 14 of an assembling machine supplied from a supply cage, by which the deviation of the supply from the strap 9 is corrected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a method of inserting an optical fiber into the groove of the centerline in an optical fiber cable having a centerline with a groove for storing the optical fiber.

[Prior art]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cable with a grooved centerline.

The plurality of grooves shown in FIG. 1 have a uniform spiral shape in the longitudinal direction.

In this type of cable, the optical fiber can move within the groove of the center line, so that when tension is applied to the optical fiber, there is an elongation-reducing effect. Furthermore, even if external pressure is applied, the optical fiber is not easily affected by it.

Due to the above characteristics, it is currently being used quite widely.

Conventionally, when manufacturing this type of cable, the center line 1 shown in Fig. 1 is manufactured in advance by extrusion using a rotating die or cutting using a rotating tool, and then the optical fiber 2 is housed in a separate process. A pressing tape 3 is then applied to cover the outer protective layer 4.

However, the conventional manufacturing method in which manufacturing the grooved center line 1 and housing the optical fiber 2 in the center line 1 are performed in separate steps has the following problems.

As shown in FIG. 1, if the pitch of the grooves 5 along the center line 1 and the gathering pitch of the optical fibers 2 completely match in the longitudinal direction, the optical fibers 2 can be housed in the grooves 5 without any problem.

However, the pitch of the normal grooves 5 is affected by changes in tension during manufacturing,
Due to twisting during winding onto a drum, uneven cooling, etc., it fluctuates by about a factor of ±5 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, when storing the optical fiber 2 in the groove 5, the pitch of the groove 5 is detected, and the cage rotation speed or take-up speed of the optical fiber supply is controlled accordingly.

However, with this method, as the linear speed increases, the control becomes difficult, and measures such as spraying with an air jet to assist in storage are required. Furthermore, it is necessary to monitor the storage status.

As described above, in the conventional manufacturing method in which the production of the grooved center line 1 and the storage of the optical fiber 2 into the center line 1 are performed in separate processes, the manufacturing speed cannot be increased, and the storage state is There are problems such as the need for constant monitoring.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to more reliably accommodate the optical fiber in the center line, thereby improving manufacturing capacity.

[Structure of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for inserting an optical fiber into a grooved centerline, in which the optical fiber is accommodated in the groove of a centerline having a plurality of continuous spiral grooves in the longitudinal direction. a copying means having a protrusion that engages with the groove and rotating around a center line following the groove; a guide means that rotates together with the copying means and guides the optical fiber; and the guide means. The present invention is characterized in that the optical fiber is inserted while correcting the relative positional deviation using a detector that detects the relative positional deviation between the optical fiber supply and the optical fiber supply.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

A method of manufacturing the optical fiber cable shown in FIG. 1 according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the manufacturing equipment, Figure 3 is a sectional view of the continuous image jig and batten used in the present invention, Figure 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of section A in Figure 2, and Figure 5 is FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of a detector that detects a relative positional deviation between a batten and a supply side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the grooved center line 1 is supplied by a supply 11, and the destination fibers 2 are supplied from a plurality of supply cages 13 of a consolidator 12. The cylinder part 14 of the collector 12 has a tip flange 20, and a plurality of arms 21 are attached to the flange 20 so as not to obstruct the course of the optical fiber 2. A holder 22 is fixed. Inside this holder 22, a batten 9 and a continuous image jig 7 are provided via bearings 23.

Here, the continuous image jig 7 and the batten 9 will be explained in detail. The continuous image jig 7 has a protrusion 6 that engages with the groove of the grooved center line 1 with some clearance, and is connected to the eye plate 9 having a plurality of holes 8 for guiding optical fibers by screws. Fixing member 1 such as
It is fixed at 0.

In addition, in a structure in which the continuous image jig 7 and the eye plate 9 are fixed by a fixing member 10 as shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion 6 of the continuous image jig 7 is not necessarily aligned with the center line. The number of grooves does not necessarily have to match 1.

For example, in the case of FIG. 3, the number of the protrusions 6 may be one, but
In order to perform stable copying, it is sufficient to have two opposing protrusions.

Next, as shown in FIG.
However, a light receiving element 25 is further attached to the flange 20 of the flange 14.

Further, 26 and 27 are holes for transmitted light. This part is the fifth
It is shown enlarged in the figure.

As shown in FIG. 5, the light emitting element 24, the light receiving element 25, and the respective holes 26 and 27 for transmitted light are provided facing each other on the same circumference. Here, a plurality of light receiving elements 25 and their transmitted light holes 27 are provided on the flange 20, each on the same circumference.

Note that there is one light emitting element 24 and one hole 26 for transmitted light.

The light-emitting element 24 and the plurality of light-receiving elements 25 detect the relative positional deviation between the batten 9 and the supply side, that is, the collecting machine 2, and correct the rotation speed or take-up speed on the supply side.

Now, the groove copying jig 7 rotates following the groove of the center line 1 supplied from the supply 11, and at the same time the batten 9 having the guide hole 8 for the optical fiber 2 supplied from the supply cage 13 also rotates. It rotates together with the groove copying jig 7.

Note that the positional relationship between the guide hole 8 and the groove copying jig 7 is adjusted in advance, and then both are fixed with the fixing member 10.

After the optical fiber 2 is housed in the groove of the center line 1 while tracing the groove of the center line 1 in this way, it is pressed and wound by the taping machine 15, a protective coating layer is provided by the extruder 16, and the optical fiber 2 is placed in the cooling water tank 17. It is cooled, taken up by a take-up machine 18, and wound up by a wind-up machine 19.

Here, short-term fluctuations in the groove pitch of the center line 1 are handled by the groove copying jig 7, and when long-term fluctuations, that is, relative positional deviations between the batten 9 and the supply side accumulate, the above-mentioned light emitting and light receiving elements The deviation is corrected by a detection device consisting of:

Next, using FIGS. 6 and 7, the eye plate 9 by the detection device is
We will show how to detect the relative positional deviation between the supply side and the supply side (1) and correct the deviation.

FIG. 6 shows a plurality of transmitted light holes 270.27 on the supply side, that is, on the light receiving side provided on the same circumference on the 7 langes 20.
A, 27B, 27a, 271) are shown. Note that the light receiving elements 25 are separately attached to the back sides of these holes.

The current standard condition is center hole 27. shall be. That is, the transmitted light hole 26 of the generating element 24 and this 27. The standard state is when the two match. Here, it is assumed that the groove pitch of the center line 1 gradually changes and the supply side lags behind the copying jig 7 and the batten 9 integrated therewith. In this case, the light emitting element 24
If the supply side is rotating in the direction of the arrow, the light is received through the holes 27a to 27b.

As shown in FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents the displacement θ from the central hole 27, and the vertical axis represents the current increment ΔI to the supply side drive motor. As mentioned above, if the supply side lags behind the batten 9 and the light emitted from the light emitting element 240 is received by the light receiving element on the back side of the hole 27a or 271), then the drive current on the supply side corresponds to f or g. This will cause the supply side to catch up.

Conversely, if it advances too far and is caught by the holes 27A and 27B, it will decelerate.

Note that the greater the number of holes and light receiving elements on the light receiving side, the more stable control can be achieved.

In the above, the relative positional deviation is corrected by the rotational speed of the collecting machine, but of course the same result can be obtained even if the relative positional deviation is corrected by the take-up speed.

Figure 8 shows the center line 1 from the optical fiber guide hole 8 of the eye plate 9.
An optical fiber introducing jig 30 is provided between the grooves 5 and the optical fiber 2 to insert the optical fiber 2 more reliably.

The introduction jig 30 is pipe-shaped, and its tip reaches just before the groove 5 on the center line 1. However, if the pipe-shaped introduction jig 30 is made of soft resin, the tip is It's even better if you put it in the groove. In addition, the introduction jig 30
It is preferable that the optical fiber 2 be transparent because the state of the optical fiber 2 can be seen from the outside.

Next, if the width of the groove 50 on the center line 1 is sufficient, as shown in FIG. optical fiber 20
It is easier to provide the guide hole 40.

Naturally, in this case, a bearing is provided on the outer periphery of the groove copying jig 7, and the groove copying jig 7 rotates following the groove 5 on the center line 1.

In this case, unlike the case shown in FIG. 3, the number of protrusions 6 cannot be reduced because they are also battens, and only the grooves along the center line 1 are required.

Further, in the above case, the light emitting element 24 for detecting the relative positional deviation with respect to the collecting machine side is attached to the groove copying jig 7, and the hole 26 for transmitted light is also attached to this groove copying jig 7. It is a provision.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when inserting an optical fiber into a grooved center line, even if the pitch of the groove is short-term or long-term speed can be increased, and the monitoring work can also be reduced. This significantly improves manufacturing efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber cable using a grooved center line, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus used to carry out the method of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber cable using a grooved center line. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the light emitting element and light receiving element, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the jig and batten.
, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram and graph for explaining the detection of relative positional deviation between the batten and the collecting machine and its correction method, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram when an optical fiber introduction jig is provided on the batten, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a groove copying jig that serves both as a batten and a groove copying jig. 1. Grooved center line, 2. Optical fiber, 6. Protrusion,
7. Groove copying jig, 8. Optical fiber guide hole, 9. Grain plate, 10 Fixing jig, 14. Collection machine cylinder,
23... Bearing, 24... Light emitting element, 25... Light receiving element,
30... Optical fiber introduction jig, 40. Optical fiber guide hole. Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 19

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a method for inserting an optical fiber into a grooved center line, the optical fiber is housed in the groove of a center line having a plurality of continuous spiral grooves in the longitudinal direction, in which a protrusion that engages with the groove is provided. a copying means that rotates around a center line following the groove; a guide means that rotates together with the copying means and guides the optical fiber to the groove of the center line; A method for inserting an optical fiber into a grooved center line, characterized in that the optical fiber is inserted while correcting the relative positional deviation using a detector that detects the relative positional deviation of the fiber supply. (2) The method for inserting an optical fiber into a grooved centerline according to claim 1, wherein the guide means has an optical fiber introduction jig directed toward the groove of the grooved centerline. . (3) The grooved centerline according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber guide hole of the guide means is provided in a protrusion of the copying means that engages with the groove of the centerline. How to insert optical fiber into.