JPS63248745A - Device for charging optical fiber into pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely send an optical fiber into a pipe end without damaging the fiber by arranging a vibration proofing guide having a taper or an R part at the end on the same axis as the pipe end into which an optical fiber is inserted close to the pipe end. CONSTITUTION:When spiral vibration is imparted to a copper pipe roll R through a shaking table 2, the optical fiber 6 supplied from the pipe end 7 at the lower part of the roll is continuously sent into a steel pipe P by the transporting force of the vibration. Namely, the optical fiber 6 is veered out from a spool 13, and moved successively through the spool 13, a holding guide 12, a detector 11, the vibration proofing guide 10, a pipe inlet end 7, the pipe P of the roll, and a pipe terminal end 8 by the vibration of the roll R. The optical fiber is thus charged into the whole roll after a specified time. Although the optical fiber 6 veered out from the spool 13 moves toward the pipe end 7 through the vibration proofing guide 10, the deflection of the fiber to the outside of the pipe end 7 is controlled by the vibration proofing guide 10. Accordingly, the optical fiber is not damaged, the vibrational transfer of the fiber is not counteracted, and the excellent transfer condition can be maintained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to an apparatus for loading an optical fiber into a tube, and more particularly to an apparatus for loading an optical fiber into a metal tube.

(Prior Art) Optical communication cables that have become widely used in recent years are required to have a metal-coated structure because optical fibers are weak in strength. Conventionally, as a method for manufacturing an optical fiber line in which an optical fiber is loaded inside a tube such as a metal tube, a tape forming-welding method (e.g., JP-A-6O-46869) or a vibrator insertion method (e.g., JP-A-58-25606) have been used. It has been known.

The former method involves forming a metal tape into a tubular shape, welding both edges of the tape, and inserting an optical fiber while manufacturing the tube. It is easily affected by welding heat, and the pipe diameter is 2.
If the diameter is as small as mm or less, there are drawbacks such as the fact that it is technically difficult to insert.

On the other hand, the latter method involves manufacturing an aluminum pipe with wires, reducing the diameter of the pipe, and then replacing the steel wire inside the vibrator with an optical fiber, which also complicates the manufacturing process. However, the disadvantages such as the fact that it is difficult to use a long blade because the strength of the fiber cannot be used as a replacement blade due to the risk of breakage have been eliminated.

As a result of various research and experiments aimed at improving the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present applicant et al. were able to efficiently obtain metal-coated optical fibers without going through complicated processes, and in addition, they were able to effectively obtain metal-coated optical fibers without undergoing any complicated processes. We have completed an innovative loading method that can prevent this and allow insertion of optical fibers even into small diameter and long tubes, and have already filed an application (Japanese Patent Application No. 181126/1986).

(Problem to be solved by the invention 1) The invention of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 181126/1983 is based on the principle of gradually loading the optical fiber while applying vibration to the winding body of the tube into which the optical fiber is inserted. However, various problems arise during actual operation. In particular, special consideration is required for the mechanism for feeding the optical fiber into the tube wrapping. For example, when loading an optical fiber into a tubular body,
It is important to be able to easily and reliably insert the optical fiber into the tube end, and to maintain a feeding state that does not impede vibration loading of the optical fiber after insertion. Vibration of the tubular body causes large vibrations in the optical fiber just before it is inserted into the tube end, which impedes smooth vibration loading and may come into contact with the edge of the tube end and damage the surface of the fiber. Become. Furthermore, if the deflection is large, cracks may also occur inside the fiber. For this reason, stable and smooth feeding of the optical fiber to the tube end is desired.

The present invention has been made to solve problems in vibration loading of optical fibers, particularly problems in feeding the optical fiber to one end of the tube winder and in the steady rest mechanism. be.

(F stage for solving the problem) The present invention employs the following configuration to achieve this object. In other words, it is a device that applies vibration to a tube wrapping body, inserts an optical fiber from the tube end, and loads it into the tube. This is an apparatus for loading an optical fiber into a tube, characterized in that a vibration-proofing guide having a rounded section or a rounded section is arranged in close proximity to each other.

(Function) When inserting the optical fiber into the tube end, the presence of the vibration-proof guide will have a negative effect on the vibration loading of the optical fiber! Since the vibration of the optical fiber outside the end of the tube is prevented and the occurrence of scratches on the optical fiber can also be prevented, the vibration loading of the optical fiber can be carried out smoothly and the optical fiber can be fed into the tube in the best condition.

In the previous and subsequent explanations of the present invention, optical fibers include a bare fiber consisting of a core and a cladding layer, a raw fiber coated with synthetic resin, metal, ceramic, etc., and a single core fiber. Alternatively, it includes multi-core or stranded wires. Also, what is a tube?
A metal tube made of steel or aluminum is suitable, but of course a non-metallic tube such as a plastic tube may also be used. Further, the term "vibration" includes not only the spiral vibration described in the previous Japanese Patent Application No. 181126/1982 but also horizontal rotational vibration.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of the apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a vibration table, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show specific examples of vibration-proofing guides. As shown in the figure, the winding body R of the steel pipe P is fixed at the outer peripheral edge of the lower flange of the bobbin 1 and the shaft hole with the fixing jig 9 of the vibration table 2, etc., so as to prevent the vibration of the vibration motors 3a, 31). It is placed and fixed on the vibrating table 2 so as to receive the vibration reliably. The vibration table 2 has a pair of vibration motors, a and 3b, approximately 3 cm from the vertical line.
They are integrally attached at a 0' inclination, and the pair of vibration motors apply vibrations to the wrapping body, that is, the tube, about the central axis of the wrapping body. The vibration table 2 is attached to the pedestal 5 via a spring 4, so that the vibrations of the vibration table are not transmitted to the pedestal 5.

In this specific example, a rotary vibrator that generates vibration by using the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of unbalanced weights installed at both ends of the rotating shaft is used as the vibration motor, and two rotary vibrators are installed on the vibration table 2. Attach it symmetrically with respect to the axis C of the body R. This pair of vibration motors 3a, 3
The angles that the vibration surface b makes with the two horizontally installed vibration tables are equal, and the other vibration conditions of the vibration motor (
The vibration frequency, amplitude, etc.) and rotational direction of the vibrators are also made the same, and the vibration table 2 is configured to give a spiral vibration that is a combination of the vibrations caused by the pair of vibrators. Incidentally, instead of the vibration by the rotary vibrator, crank-type or electromagnetic-type vibration may be applied.

When such vibrations are applied to the vibration table 2, the articles on the table perform a circular motion (in the illustrated example, a counterclockwise circular motion) at a constant angular velocity about the intermediate shaft of the vibration motors 3a, 3b. By placing the winding body R on the vibration table so that the intermediate axis and the winding center axis of the steel pipe winding body R coincide, the axis of the winding body R and the vibration center axis of the vibration table 2 are aligned. can be done.

A copper tube P tightly wound around a bobbin 1 has a tube inlet end 7 at the bottom of the bobbin 1 and a conduit end 8 at the top, and a horizontal anti-vibration guide is provided approximately on the same axis as the tube end 7. 1O are placed in close proximity. Furthermore, the entry side of the vibration-proofing guide (opposite side of the bobbin)
A detection device 11 and a holding guide 12 for detecting the feeding state of the optical fiber are installed at the passage point of the optical fiber. At the rear of the holding guide 12, an optical fiber supply spool 13 for feeding the optical fiber and a drive motor 14 for driving the spool are provided.

The anti-vibration guide IO prevents the large vibration of the fiber near the tube end 7 of the optical fiber 6 that would occur in the absence of the guide, and ensures smooth transfer of the optical fiber 6 into the tube and at the tube end edge. This is to prevent damage to the product. As shown in FIG. 3, a specific example of this is that the entire body is formed into a cylindrical shape, and tapered portions (funnel portions) 10 are opened outward at both ends.
It has a. It is preferable that the boundary between the tapered portion and the pipe inner cylindrical portion be processed into a curved surface without corners. Guide lO
is held horizontally by a support 15 in the middle thereof.

Fig. 4 shows another example of the anti-vibration guide IO, in which the guide cylinder body is thickened and the guide end is rounded (R portion) 10b so that there are no corners at the end. This is what I did. Of course, the tube is not limited to the illustrated example, and other shapes and structures may be used as long as they do not damage the fiber at the tube end.

The length of the anti-vibration guide IO may be determined as appropriate depending on the distance between the tube end 7 and the supply spool 13, and naturally, the longer this distance, the longer the anti-vibration guide will be. Further, the material of the guide IO may be a material having a small friction coefficient, such as glass or plastic, so as not to inhibit the fiber transfer due to vibration.

Next, the operation of the illustrated equipment will be explained. When the above-mentioned spiral vibration is applied to the steel pipe wrapping R through the vibration table 2, the optical fiber 6 supplied from the tube end 7 below the wrapping continuously enters into the steel pipe P due to the conveying force of the vibration. Go. That is, the optical fiber 6 is let out from the spool 13, and is moved from the spool 13→holding guide 12→detector II→
The vibration-proofing guide 10 → the tube end 7 → the pipe P of the winding body → the pipe end end are moved by the vibration of the winding body R, and the whole winding body is loaded after a predetermined time.

In the vibration loading described above, the optical fiber 6 paid out from the supply spool 13 passes through the vibration-proofing guide 10 and then passes through the tube end 7.
However, the vibration-proofing guide 10 suppresses the vibration outside the tube end 7, and maintains a good transport state without damaging the optical fiber or providing any resistance to the vibration transport of the fiber.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the device of the present invention, when loading an optical fiber into a tube, it is possible to reliably feed the optical fiber to the tube end without damaging the optical fiber, thereby realizing smooth loading of the optical fiber. do.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the vibration table, Figs. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another example of the anti-vibration guide. R...Wrapping body, P--Steel pipe, C--Vibration center axis, 1-
...Bobbin, 2...Vibration table, 3a, 3b ”-
Vibration motor, 6... Optical fiber, 7... Pipe inlet end,
8...Pipe end, 10--Vibration proof guide, 11--Detector, 12-Holding guide, 13--Spool, 14--Drive motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] This device applies vibration to a tube wrapping body, inserts an optical fiber from the tube end, and loads the tube into the tube, and has a tapered portion or a 1. A device for loading an optical fiber into a tube, characterized in that a vibration-proofing guide having an R section is arranged in close proximity.