JP2583797B2 - Optical fiber cable manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spacer type optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an optical fiber cable in which an optical fiber core wire is SZ-wound around a spacer having a groove in the SZ direction. The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber cable.

[Prior Art] Generally, a spacer type optical fiber cable is provided with a spiral groove on the outer periphery of a synthetic resin spacer having a tension member such as a steel wire as a core material, and the optical fiber core wire is accommodated in the spiral groove. Although the structure of the conventional spacer type optical fiber cable is such that the helical groove is a helical groove in one direction, the optical fiber core wire (hereinafter, referred to as a core) is formed by S or Z winding on the spacer. It is a direction-wound structure.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional one-way-wound spacer-type optical fiber cable, for example, during maintenance or the like after laying the optical fiber cable, the core cannot be removed at an appropriate location in the length direction of the optical fiber cable even if the core is removed. .

On the other hand, if a so-called SZ groove is provided in the outer periphery of the spacer in a spiral shape and alternately reverses the direction, and the core is accommodated in this SZ groove, that is, a structure in which the core is wound SZ around the spacer, the optical fiber Since the core can be removed from any position in the longitudinal direction of the cable, it is convenient at the time of the maintenance or the like. However, when manufacturing such an SZ-wound spacer-type optical fiber cable, it is necessary to ensure that the core is accommodated in the SZ groove provided in the spacer at the gathering point (that is, at the point where the core is wound around the spacer). ), The left and right sides must be alternately reversed in a very short time (period), so that the mutual positional relationship between the spacer and the core must be controlled with high precision, which is extremely difficult.

The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and has as its object to provide an optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus capable of reliably winding an optical fiber core around a spacer having a groove in the SZ direction.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is to continuously send out spacers having SZ grooves whose directions are alternately reversed by spiral grooves on the outer peripheral surface, and to insert the spacers into a center hole formed in the center thereof, thereby radially extending the spacers. The rocking plate in which the optical fiber core wire is inserted into the core hole drilled at a predetermined position is swung and rotated to accommodate the optical fiber core wire in the SZ groove of the spacer, and a spacer type optical fiber cable is inserted. An optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus to be manufactured, wherein a hollow spacer guide sleeve is rotatably supported independently of each other with respect to a center hole of an oscillating plate, and an SZ of a spacer is provided at a spacer entrance of the spacer guide sleeve. A claw that fits into the groove is integrally mounted, and a guide plate provided with a guide hole for an optical fiber is integrally mounted at the outlet of the spacer, and the swing plate and the spacer guide sleeve are further mounted. An angle difference detecting device for detecting a difference between an angle at which the pawl follows the SZ groove of the spacer and swings the spacer guide sleeve and an angle at which the swing plate swings is attached, An apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber cable, characterized in that an angle at which a rocking plate rocks is corrected based on an angle difference signal from a detection device.

[Action]

In the above configuration, the spacer is continuously fed through the center hole of the rocking plate, and the optical fiber core wire is continuously fed through the wire hole at a predetermined radial position of the rocking plate that rotates. The core wire is continuously accommodated in the SZ groove of the spacer at a predetermined position in front of the rocking plate. At this time, a guide plate provided with a guide hole for the optical fiber core installed at the spacer outlet of the spacer guide sleeve follows the true SZ groove of the spacer, winds the optical fiber core, and goes to the optical fiber core. Are assembled into a spacer to manufacture an optical fiber cable.

If a relative angle difference in the rotational direction occurs between the SZ groove of the spacer and the core wire hole of the rocking plate during the above collective operation,
The optical fiber core wire does not surely enter the SZ groove of the spacer. However, the relative angle difference is detected by the angle difference detection device, and based on the detected angle difference signal, the angle difference correction motor operates to rotate the differential shaft of the correction differential transmission. The input shaft of the differential transmission for correction is driven by the main drive device to oscillate at a constant oscillating rotation speed. However, the rotation of the differential shaft causes the differential transmission for correction to be performed. The rotation speed of the output shaft of the machine changes, and the relative angle of the rocking plate core hole to the spacer SZ groove changes. In this way, the relative angle difference is reduced to zero, and the rocking plate is rocked and rotated again without an angle difference between the SZ groove of the spacer and the core wire hole of the rocking plate, and the optical fiber core is removed. The spacer is securely housed in the SZ groove.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the cross section of the SZ-wound spacer type optical fiber cable to be manufactured by the optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus of the embodiment, and the appearance of the spacer. In the drawing, a spacer 1 has a tension member 1a such as a steel wire as a core material, and has a structure in which a groove 1b having a spiral shape and alternately inverting direction (this groove is referred to as an SZ groove) is formed on the outer periphery. An SZ-wound spacer-type optical fiber cable 3 is formed by accommodating an optical fiber core (hereinafter, referred to as a core) 2 and further covering an unillustrated jacket.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the entire optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus of the embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the same. In both figures, reference numeral denotes a delivery device 5 for continuously delivering the spacers 1, reference numeral 6 denotes a guide for guiding the delivered spacers 1, and reference numeral 7 denotes a core delivery device for delivering cores to be assembled on the spacers 1. In the core feeding device 7, a core feeding drum portion (not shown) is installed above, and the core 2 descending from above is guided horizontally by rollers 7a and fed horizontally. Reference numeral 8 is a guide for guiding the spacer 1 and the core 2. Reference numeral 9 denotes an assembling head of an assembling machine that assembles the cores 2 on the spacer 1, and is a main part of the present invention, but details thereof will be described later. Reference numeral 10 denotes the collective head 9
After the core is wound around the spacer in the SZ, a hold-up winding device for roughly winding the outer periphery so that the core does not come off,
Reference numeral 11 denotes a tape winding device for further winding a tape as a jacket on the outer periphery of the roughly wound tape. Reference numeral 12 denotes a take-off machine for taking an optical fiber cable, which takes up the optical fiber cable by winding the optical fiber cable a plurality of times between two capstans.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a dancer roll, and reference numeral 14 denotes a winding device for winding the manufactured optical fiber cable 3.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, in the optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus of this embodiment, a drive motor 15 for driving the whole is installed, and via drive shafts 16 and 17 driven to rotate by the drive motor 15, The take-off machine 12, the outer peripheral tape winding device 1
1. The holding and winding device 10 and the collecting head 9 are respectively driven. In addition, continuously variable transmissions 18, 19, 20, 21 are provided between the drive shafts 16, 17 and the respective components. In this way, the entire device is controlled to operate in synchronization. The collective head 9 is driven by a collective head drive mechanism 22 including the continuously variable transmission 21.

The detailed structure of the collecting head 9 will be described with reference to FIG. In the drawing, the collective head 9 has a rocking plate 26 rotatably supported via a bearing 25 on a bearing box 24 provided in a collective machine frame 23. The rocking plate 26 has a timing belt T A pulley portion 26a is provided integrally with the center wire 26b, a center hole 26b is provided at the center, and the core wire guide holes 2 are provided at a plurality of locations at predetermined radial positions.
6c is open. In the center hole 26b of the swing plate 26,
A spacer guide sleeve 27 is provided rotatably therethrough. The spacer 1 is fed through this spacer guide sleeve 27 as shown. The upstream entrance of the sleeve 27 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 6
Opposite 1 that fits into SZ groove 1b of spacer 1
A pair of claws 28 are integrally attached, and a guide plate for guiding the optical fiber core 2 toward the gathering point (point A) of the optical fiber core wire 2 and the spacer 1 is provided at the outlet end on the downstream side. 29 are attached together. The guide plate 29 is provided with a hole 29a through which the optical fiber 2 is passed.

Further, a potentiometer 30 as an angle difference detecting device is attached to the swing plate 26. The potentiometer 30 includes a detecting unit 30a for detecting relative rotation with respect to the protrusion 27a fixed to the sleeve 27 side.
This is the structure provided in the case 30b. 31 is a bearing.

The details of the collective head driving device 22 will be described with reference to FIG.

The collective head driving device 22 includes a main driving device 32 that outputs rocking rotational power at a constant rocking rotation speed, an angle difference correcting motor 33, and a transmission between the main driving device 32 and the rocking plate 26. A differential transmission for correction 34 provided on the path and an angle difference correction control circuit (angle difference correction control device) 35 for making the angle difference correction motor 33 differential based on the angle difference signal from the potentiometer 30. And

The compensating differential transmission 34 is connected to the input shaft 34a that is oscillated and rotated by the main drive device 32, and to the oscillating plate 26 via the above-described timing belt (that is, a transmission device) T. It has an output shaft 34b and a differential shaft 34c connected to the correction motor 33. In the angle difference correction control circuit 35, a lead wire of the potentiometer 30
In accordance with an angle difference signal from the potentiometer 30, a relative angular difference between the SZ groove 1b of the spacer and the core hole 26c of the rocking plate in the rotational direction is connected via a slip ring 36 attached to the So that the correction motor 33 becomes zero.
The control for operating is performed.

The main drive unit 32 is connected to the above-described continuously variable transmission 21, a differential transmission for phase adjustment 37 connected to the continuously variable transmission 21 via a timing belt, and connected to the differential transmission 37. A constant speed ratio gearbox 38, a crank mechanism 39 for converting one-way rotation of the gearbox 38 into oscillating rotation, and a constant gear ratio connected to the crank mechanism 39 (the reciprocal constant of the gearbox 38). (Speed ratio). The differential transmission 37 for adjusting the phase
Is an input shaft 37a driven by the continuously variable transmission 21, a differential shaft 37c connected to a handle (that is, a rotary operation unit) 37b,
It has an output shaft 37d connected to the gearbox 38.

Further, as shown in FIG.
A disc-shaped crank plate 39a fixed to an output shaft 38a of the gearbox 38, a lever 39b having one end fixed to an input shaft 40a of the speed reducer 40, the lever 39b and the crank plate 39a
And a connecting rod 39c for connecting the crank plate 39a
When the lever 39b rotates in one direction, the lever 39b and the speed reducer input shaft 40a integral therewith are pivotally rotated.

In the optical fiber manufacturing apparatus configured as described above, the spacer 1 continuously fed from the spacer feeder 5 is guided by the guides 6, 8 and sent into the sleeve 27 of the collecting head 9, while the core, That is, the optical fiber core 2 continuously fed from the optical fiber core feeder 7 is also used for the core guide hole 26 c of the swinging plate 26 of the collecting head 9 and the guide plate 29 at the tip of the spacer guide sleeve 27. It is sent through the hole 29a, and is collected by the optical fiber core wire 2 being received in the groove 1b of the spacer 1 at the collecting point A. That is, since the claw 28 provided at the rear end of the spacer guide sleeve 27 is fitted into the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1, the sleeve 27 swings and rotates by following the SZ groove 1b, while the swing plate 26 also oscillates and rotates, so that the optical fiber core wire 2 is accommodated in the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1 at the gathering point A in front of the guide plate 29. That is, the optical fiber core wire 2 is wound SZ around the spacer 1.

The swing plate 26 of the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1 during the above-mentioned gathering operation
When there is a relative angular difference in the rotational direction between the core 2 and the core guide hole 26c, the core 2 cannot enter the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1. However, the relative angle difference is determined by the potentiometer
The angle difference 30 is detected, and based on the detected angle difference signal, the angle difference correcting motor 33 operates to rotate the differential shaft 34c of the correcting differential transmission 34. The input shaft 34a of the differential transmission 34 is a reduction gear
The rotation of the differential shaft 34c causes the rotation speed of the output shaft 34b of the differential transmission 34 to change. The relative angle of 26 to spacer 1 changes. Thus, the angle difference correcting motor 33 is operated until the angle difference becomes zero, and the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1 and the core wire guide hole 26 of the swing plate 26 are again activated.
The swing plate 26 swings and rotates in a state where there is no angle difference between the core 2 and c, and the core 2 is securely accommodated in the SZ groove 1b of the spacer 1.

Note that, at the beginning of the operation of the manufacturing apparatus, the position of the rocking plate 26 is adjusted by rotating the handle 37b of the differential transmission 37 for phase adjustment. That is, when the handle 37b is operated to rotate the differential shaft 37c, the rotation speed of the output shaft 37d changes, whereby the swing rotation speed of the swing plate 26 of the terminal changes, and the swing plate 26 The swing phase is adjusted. After that, the handle 37b is fixed.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention, the spacer (1) having the SZ groove (1b) which is spirally and alternately inverted on the outer peripheral surface is continuously fed out, and the spacer is inserted into the center hole formed at the center thereof. The rocking plate (26) in which the optical fiber is inserted through the optical fiber guide hole (26c) drilled at a predetermined position in the radial direction is oscillated and rotated, and the optical fiber ( In the apparatus for manufacturing a spacer-type optical fiber cable accommodating 2), a hollow spacer guide sleeve (27) is provided with respect to a center hole (26b) of the oscillating plate (26).
Are rotatably supported independently of each other, and a claw (28) that fits into the SZ groove (1b) of the spacer is integrally attached to the spacer entrance of the spacer guide sleeve (27), and a light is Guide hole (29
a) The guide plate (29) provided with a) is integrally attached, and furthermore, the swing plate (26) and the spacer guide sleeve (2) are attached.
7), the angle at which the pawl (28) follows the SZ groove (1b) of the spacer to swing the spacer guide sleeve (27) and the angle at which the swing plate (26) itself swings The angle difference detecting device for detecting the difference between the angle difference detecting device and the angle difference signal from the angle difference detecting device is attached to the oscillating plate (26) to correct the oscillating angle. Even if the undulation, the disorder of the pitch of the SZ groove itself engraved in the spacer, or the relative angle difference between the rotation angle of the spacer guide sleeve and the rotation angle of the swing plate itself occurs,
There is an effect that the optical fiber can be correctly wound around the SZ groove of the spacer without applying excessive tension to the optical fiber core while rotating in the S direction and the Z direction at a very short cycle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a collective head driving device in an optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged view of the collective head drive device in FIG. 6, FIG. The figure is an external view of the SZ-wound spacer.
The figure is a cross-sectional view of an SZ-wound spacer-type optical fiber cable,
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of an optical fiber cable manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a front view of a crank mechanism in a main driving device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Spacer, 1b ... SZ groove, 2 ... Optical fiber core wire (core), 3 ... Optical fiber cable, 7 ... Core feeding device, 9 ... Collective head, 22 ... Collective head drive device 26 …… Swing plate, 26a …… Pulley part, 26b …… Center hole,
26c …… Core guide hole, 27 …… Spacer guide sleeve, 27a
... projecting part, 28 ... nail, 29 ... guide eye plate, 29a ... hole, 3
0: Potentiometer (angle difference detection device), 32: Main drive unit, 33: Motor for angle difference correction, 34: Differential transmission for correction, 34a: Input shaft, 34b: Output shaft, 34c ……
Differential shaft, 35 ... Angle difference correction control circuit (angle difference correction control means), 37 ... Differential transmission for phase adjustment, 37a ... Input shaft, 37b ... Handle, 37c ... Differential shaft, 37d: output shaft, 38: gearbox, 39: crank mechanism, 40: reducer, T: timing belt (transmission).

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An SZ in which the direction is alternately reversed in a spiral on the outer peripheral surface.
The spacer (1) having the groove (1b) is continuously fed out, and the spacer is inserted through a center hole formed in the center of the spacer (1b). The oscillating plate (26) through which the wire is inserted is oscillated and rotated, and the optical fiber core (2) is inserted into the SZ groove of the spacer.
In the apparatus for manufacturing a spacer-type optical fiber cable, the hollow spacer guide sleeves (27) are rotatably supported independently of each other with respect to the center hole (26b) of the rocking plate (26). The spacer guide sleeve (27) has a claw (28) fitted integrally with the SZ groove (1b) of the spacer at the spacer entrance, and a guide hole for the optical fiber (2) at the spacer exit. (29a) and a guide plate (29) provided integrally therewith, and between the rocking plate (26) and the spacer guide sleeve (27), a pawl (28) is provided with an SZ groove ( 1b), an angle difference detecting device for detecting a difference between an angle at which the spacer guide sleeve (27) swings and an angle at which the swing plate (26) swings is attached. Plate (26) swings based on the angle difference signal from Apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber cable, characterized by being configured so as to correct the angle.