JPS63309908A - Manufacture of water-proof optical fiber unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the positioning control of an optical fiber beam by controlling a jewelry quantity to be supplied in a pipe accurately, by forming a film on the outer periphery of an optical fiber core by extruding a damp-proof admixture from a damp- proof admixture extrusion device with a core positioning mechanism, and extruding the pipe from a pipe extrusion machine to the outer periphery of the film. CONSTITUTION:The optical fiber cores supplied from plural optical fiber core supplies 6 form the optical fiber beam 24, and is inserted to a jewelry extrusion device 16. In the jewelry extrusion device 16, jewelry 18 supplied from a jewelry supplying device 17 is extruded to the outer periphery of the optical fiber beam 24, and a jewelry film with an outer diameter a little larger than the inner diameter of the pipe is applied on the optical fiber beam. At this time, in a case where the viscosity of the jewelry 18 is small and its shape is deformed, a prescribed shape is maintained by using a cooling device 20. The optical fiber beam on which jewelry filming is applied is inserted to a plastic extrusion machine 9, and a plastic pipe 2 is extruded to the outer periphery of the jewelry film from the plastic extrusion machine 9. In such a way, it is possible to perform the supplying control of the jewelry quantity accurately, and the positioning control of the optical fiber beam precisely.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a waterproof optical fiber by storing an optical fiber core or an optical fiber tape core in a pipe and filling the pipe with a moisture-proof mixture. The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a unit.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 5 shows the first conventional waterproof optical fiber unit of this type.
An example cross-sectional structure is shown. It has a structure in which a plurality of optical fiber cores 1 are housed in a plastic pipe 2, and the plastic pipe 2 is filled with a moisture-proof mixture 3.

FIG. 6 shows an outline of a method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit having the structure shown in FIG. 5. A plurality of optical fiber cores supplied from the optical fiber core supply 6 are optical fibers 7 and IPA bundles 2.
4 is formed and fed to a plastic extruder 9. In the plastic extruder 9, the plastic pipe 2 is extruded with the optical fiber bundle 24 inside. On the other hand, a pipe 8 with a nozzle for query supply of a moisture-proof mixture supply device 7 is inserted into a plastic extruder 9, and an extruded plastic containing an optical fiber bundle 24 is inserted into the plastic extruder 9. By supplying and filling the pipe 2 with the query 3 from the pipe 8 with the query supply nozzle,
An optical fiber unit 10 is manufactured.

Figure 7 shows the second conventional waterproof optical fiber unit of this type.
This is an example cross-sectional structure. A plurality of optical fiber cores 1 are housed in a pipe-shaped tape 4 made of plastic, metal, or a composite of plastic and metal, and a plastic pipe 5 as a protective sheath is placed around the outer periphery of the tape 4.
It has a structure in which the tape 4 is extruded and filled with the gel 3.

FIG. 8 shows an outline of a method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit having the structure shown in FIG. 7. A plurality of optical fiber cores supplied from the optical fiber core supply 6 are optical fiber bundles 2.
4 and inserted into the tape forming device 12 together with the tape supplied from the tape supply 11. In the tape forming device 12, while the tape is being formed into a pipe shape containing the light 7 eyelid bundle 24, the tape 4 is filled with the wire 3 supplied from the wire supply device 7, and is inserted into the plastic extruder 9. By doing so, a waterproof optical fiber unit 13 in which the plastic pipe 5 is extruded and formed on the outer periphery of the tape 4 is manufactured.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the manufacturing method of the conventional optical fiber unit example 1 explained in FIG. There is a problem in that precise control of the amount of jelly supplied is required.

Furthermore, in the method of manufacturing the conventional optical fiber unit example 2 explained in FIG. The plastic pipe 5 and the tape 4 may not be in close contact with each other, and the appearance may be poor. Furthermore, if the amount of the wire 3 is small, a problem will arise in the waterproof properties, so precise control of the wire supply signal is required.

Furthermore, in the optical fiber unit of the conventional structure shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, it is desirable that the optical fiber core 1 is located in the center of the plastic pipe 5 from the viewpoint of characteristics. The conventional manufacturing method has a problem in that it is extremely difficult to control the position of the optical fiber bundle 24 housed within the plastic pipe 5.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention solves the conventional problems and provides a method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit that enables accurate control of the amount of fiber supplied into a pipe and control of the position of an optical fiber bundle within the pipe. In the method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit, the optical fiber core or optical fiber A moisture-proof mixture is extruded around the outer periphery of the tape core to an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe from an optical fiber core or a moisture-proof mixture extrusion device equipped with an optical fiber tape core positioning mechanism to form a coating, and then After that, a waterproof optical fiber unit is manufactured by extruding a pipe from a pipe extruder around the outer periphery of the coating formed of the moisture-proofing mixture.

[For production]

The present invention uses an optical fiber bundle extrusion device equipped with an optical fiber bundle guide mechanism to first determine the position of the optical fiber bundle inside the pipe, and then extrude the optical fiber bundle to an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe. By inserting an extrusion coated optical fiber bundle into a plastic extruder, the plastic pipe is extruded and sheathed, so it is possible to precisely control the supply of the optical fiber bundle, and it is possible to Enables positioning control to position it at the center within the pipe. Examples will be described below based on the drawings.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are diagrams showing the cross-sectional structures of Example 1 and Example 2, respectively, of waterproof optical fiber units manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention. Embodiment 1 in FIG. 2 is a waterproof optical fiber having a structure in which a plurality of optical fibers 1, in this embodiment 1, 6 fibers, are housed in the center of a wire 3 filled in a plastic pipe 2. It is a unit.

Embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 3 is a waterproof optical fiber unit having a structure in which a six-core optical fiber core 1 is housed in the center of a jacket 3, a tape 4 is applied to the outer periphery, and a protective sheath of a plastic pipe 5 is provided. be.

FIG. 1 shows an outline of the manufacturing method of the present invention for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit Example 1 having the cross-sectional structure shown in FIG. The optical fiber coated wires supplied from the plurality of optical fiber coated wire supplies 6 form an optical fiber bundle 24 and are inserted into the Jieri extrusion device 16.

In the wire extrusion device 16, the wire 18 supplied from the wire supply device 17 is extruded onto the outer periphery of the optical fiber bundle 24, and the optical fiber bundle 24 is coated with a wire coating having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe. At this time, if the viscosity of the gel 18 is low and the shape collapses, the cooling device 20 is used to maintain the predetermined shape.

A waterproof optical fiber unit 19 is fabricated by inserting the optical fiber bundle coated with a plastic tube into a plastic extruder 9 and extruding the plastic pipe 2 from the plastic extruder 9 onto the outer periphery of the plastic tube 2.

Various types of gels can be used as the moisture-proof mixture in the present invention, but gels that are soft at room temperature and have high viscosity, such as silicone gel, which simplify manufacturing equipment, have high performance, and do not require heating or cooling, Metallic soap grease and the like are suitable.

FIG. 4 shows a Zieri extrusion device 1 applied to the manufacturing method of the present invention.
6 shows a cross section of a main part of Example 6. Like the crosshead of an ordinary extruder, it is equipped with a point 21 for guiding the optical fiber bundle 24 and a die 22 for controlling the outer diameter of the coating of the ring 18. By adjusting the mutual position of the point 21 and the die 22, the optical fiber bundle 24 in the geometry 18 can be
can be easily located.

It is necessary to apply a certain amount of pressure to the interior of the extrusion device 16, and a gear pump, a monopump, a pressurized tank, etc. are used as the extrusion device 17. During actual manufacturing, stable coating can be achieved by adjusting the hole 23 for the over 70 provided in the die feed device 17 and die die extrusion device 16. When applying this ring cover, the outer diameter of the cover 18 is kept slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the plastic pipe 2.

Although the method for manufacturing the waterproof optical fiber unit Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 2 has been described above, the manufacturing method for the waterproof optical fiber unit Embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 3 can be carried out in the same manner. Example 2 of this waterproof optical fiber unit
Although detailed explanation is omitted, in the manufacturing method of the conventional optical fiber unit example 2 shown in FIG. Tape supply 11 for applying tape 4. A tape forming step using the tape forming device 12 may be added.

Furthermore, although the above-mentioned embodiments have been described with respect to optical fiber cores, it is clear that a waterproof optical fiber unit can be manufactured by the same process even when optical fiber tape cores are used.

Next, the second
An optical fiber unit having the cross-sectional structure shown in the figure will be explained. An optical fiber bundle consisting of six optical fiber cores consisting of single mode optical fibers was positioned at the center, and silicone gel was extruded around the circumference to form a coating as a moisture-proof mixture. HDP of diameter 5 fight φ
A 300 m long waterproof optical fiber unit was prototyped by extruding a pipe material made of K. Since the Gieri silicone gel used has extremely high viscosity and soft physical properties at room temperature, a monopump was used as the Zieri supply device. Note that no cooling device was used.

When we measured the change in transmission loss during the manufacturing process for the prototype optical fiber unit, we found that it was ±Q, 1 dB.
Good transmission characteristics were obtained within the measurement error within lKnt.

In addition, as a waterproof test, one end of the prototype optical fiber unit was fitted into a plastic pipe, the plastic pipe was positioned perpendicular to the optical fiber unit, and water was injected at a height of 1 m. After leaving it for 24 hours, the length of water permeation into the optical fiber unit was examined, and it was confirmed that there was no practical problem within 1 m and good waterproof properties could be maintained.

Furthermore, by using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4 in the Zieri extrusion coating process, it was possible to easily control the position of the optical fiber bundle.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention uses a Jieri extrusion device equipped with an optical fiber bundle guide mechanism to first determine the position of the optical fiber bundle in the Jili, and then to shape the outer circumference of the Optical 7 Eyeper bundle according to the pipe inner diameter. This is a method of manufacturing waterproof optical fiber units by extruding and covering a slightly smaller outer diameter with a plastic pipe and then extruding a plastic pipe around the outer periphery of the plastic pipe, so the amount of plastic pipe supplied into the pipe can be precisely controlled. At the same time, the position of the optical fiber bundle within the assembly can be easily controlled, and the effect is excellent.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the optical fiber unit manufacturing method of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 5 are cross-sectional structural diagrams of Example 1 and Example 2 of waterproof optical fiber units manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention, respectively. , FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of a Zieri extrusion device applied to the manufacturing method of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional structural view of a conventional optical fiber unit example 1, and FIG. 6 is a conventional optical fiber unit. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a conventional optical fiber unit example 2, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a manufacturing method of a conventional optical fiber unit example 2. 1... Optical fiber coated wire 2.5... Plastic pipe 3.18... Jieli 4... Tape 6... Optical fiber coated wire supply 7.17... Jieli supply device 8... Pipe with nozzle for supplying plastic 9...Plastic extruder 10.13.19...Optical fiber unit 11.
...Tape supply 12...Tape forming device 16...Gieli extrusion device 20...Cooling device 21...Point 22...Dice 23...Overflow hole 24...Optical fiber bundle

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit, in which a single core or a plurality of optical fiber cores or optical fiber tape cores are inserted into a pipe, and a moisture-proof mixture is filled in the pipe, the optical fiber core being Alternatively, a coating is formed on the outer periphery of the optical fiber tape by extruding the moisture-proof mixture to an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe from an optical fiber core or a moisture-proof mixture extrusion device equipped with an optical fiber tape core positioning mechanism. A method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit, comprising the step of extruding a pipe around the outer periphery of the coating formed from the moisture-proofing mixture using a pipe extruder. (2) The method for manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit according to claim 1, wherein the pipe extrusion step involves extruding plastic from a plastic extruder. (3) In the pipe extrusion step, a plastic tape, a metal tape, or a composite tape of metal and plastic is applied to the outer periphery of the coating of the moisture-proof mixture formed on the outer periphery of the optical fiber core wire or optical fiber tape core wire. 2. The method of manufacturing a waterproof optical fiber unit according to claim 1, further comprising extruding plastic onto the outer periphery of the composite tape from a plastic extruder.