JPS5926922B2 - Optical fiber twisting device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to an optical fiber twisting device.

For twisting optical fibers, it is possible to use the same twisting machines conventionally used for twisting and assembling copper cables, but since optical fibers are characterized by being extremely light, it is better to take advantage of this property. For example, a simpler mechanism than the conventional wire twisting machine is possible. There are two methods for twisting wire rods: a method without twisting, in which the wire itself is twisted during twisting;
There is a "twisting" method in which the wires are twisted without twisting the wire itself, but the equipment used to achieve the latter method is more complex than the former, and requires less equipment. The price will also increase. On the other hand, it goes without saying that "twisting" is desirable for twisting optical fibers. In other words, in the case of a glass optical fiber which is a fragile material, there is a risk that the fiber may break due to the stress generated when the fiber itself is twisted. The present invention significantly simplifies this twisting mechanism by utilizing the lightweight feature of optical fibers over the conventional method, so the equipment cost is almost the same as a system without twisting. It is something.

Therefore, the economic effects of the present invention are significant. The present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 1 is ``
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the concept of twisting. As shown in the figure, the bobbin 1 always revolves without rotating, so even if the filaments unwound from the bobbin are twisted due to the revolution,
Since it is not subject to its own twist due to rotation, it is in a state of ``twisting''. Figure 2 shows an example of a mechanism conventionally used to achieve this ``twisting''. 1 is held in a cradle 2, and each cradle 2 is attached to a ring 3 which is a part of a rotating cage.The attachment of the cradle 2 to the ring 3 is rotatable, and the shaft of this part is attached to another ring 3. The ring 5 is connected to the link 4, and the link 4 and the ring 3
, 5 are also rotatable.
In such a mechanism, since both rings 3 and 5 rotate at the same rotational speed as shown by the arrows in the figure, the bobbin 1 does not rotate on its own as shown in FIG. Achieve “return”. In addition, in the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, ring 5 is always located below ring 3, and it is common to use another roller to force the rotation center 31 of ring 3 and the rotation center 51 of ring 5 to be fixed points. It is true. In addition, as conventional twisting mechanisms, there is one in which a rotating cage and a cradle are connected through a gear system so that even if the cage rotates, the bobbin does not rotate. In any case, conventional twisting mechanisms are large-scale, and twisting equipment incorporating these mechanisms is expensive. On the other hand, when twisting optical fibers, the untwisting mechanism is greatly simplified because the optical fibers are significantly lighter than conventional copper wires. The present invention uses gravity to prevent the bobbin from rotating, and this is possible because the optical fiber is light. The conventional mechanism shown in FIG. 2 is also considered to be a type of system that utilizes gravity, but the one shown in FIG. 2 requires a large ring 5 and links 4, and therefore cannot be called simple.
The mechanism of the present invention does not require these rings or links, and by placing the center of gravity of the cradle and bobbin combination system below the connection point between the cradle and rotating cage, even if the cage rotates, the mechanism does not require these rings or links. The feature is that the cladding groove and bobbin are prevented from rotating.

The present invention will be explained using the embodiment shown in FIG. In the figure, a bobbin 1 is held in a cradle 2, which in turn is held in a rotating ring or disc 6. Here, a weight 21 is attached to the cradle 2, and the center of gravity of the cradle 2 is located below the bearing A of the shaft of the cradle. Therefore, when bobbin 1 is held, the center of gravity of bobbin 1 and cradle 2 as a whole is also A.
Since it is located below the point, even if the rotating ring or disk 6 rotates, neither the cradle 2 nor the bobbin 1 rotates, and the weight 21 of the cradle 2 always rotates in a state facing vertically downward. In this way, in the present invention, when the bobbin is held in the cradle, the center of gravity is set below the rotatable connection point between the cradle and the rotating cage, thereby preventing the cradle and bobbin from rotating due to the action of gravity. This is possible because optical fiber is lightweight. According to the principles of the invention, a mechanism as shown in FIG. 4 is also possible.

In FIG. 4 as well, the bobbin 1 is held in a cradle 2, and the cradle 2 is rotatably held in a rotary ring or disk 6, but the cradle is bent as shown, so that the bobbin 1 is placed above the bearing A. Since they are held at the bottom, the center of gravity of the bobbin and cradle is below point A, and even if the rotating ring or disk 6 rotates, the bobbin 1 and cradle 2 do not rotate. Note that the mechanism shown in FIG. 4 can be applied not only to optical fibers but also to heavy wires such as copper wires. However, in the case of FIG. 4, the central axis of twisting is below the center of the rotating ring or disc 6.

As described above, the present invention provides a simple 7-twist/7-strand twisting machine that applies twisting using gravity, and therefore can manufacture optical fiber cables that greatly reduce equipment costs. It is a great opportunity to help.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the concept of 7-twisting and 7-twisting, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional twisting mechanism, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of the twisting mechanism of the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an optical fiber twisting device, a cradle for an optical fiber bobbin attached to a rotating ring or disk is rotatably attached to the rotating ring or disk, and the center of gravity of each cradle or the center of gravity of each cradle is By making the center of gravity of the fiber bobbin mounted on the cradle sufficiently eccentric from the rotatable connection point of the rotating ring or disk and the cradle, the cradle and bobbin can be easily aligned even while the rotating ring or disk is rotating. An optical fiber twisting device characterized by being prevented from rotating.