JP7470530B2 - Supply device and supply method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a supply device and a supply method.

Patent Document 1 describes a method for supplying resin for coating a filament, in which resin for coating is supplied from a large-capacity tank located gravitationally above the die to a die that coats a traveling optical fiber. The method described in Patent Document 1 detects the pressure inside the die, and appropriately variably controls the opening amount of an electromagnetic valve installed in the supply path between the tank and the die according to the detected pressure, thereby keeping the internal pressure of the die constant at all times.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-309268

However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, the resin is supplied to the die from the bottom of a tank located above the die, so if there is foreign matter that has settled at the bottom of the tank, there is a risk that the resin will be supplied to the die along with the foreign matter.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present invention is to provide a supply device and a supply method that can efficiently supply resin while minimizing the inclusion of foreign matter in the resin.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply device comprising a storage container for storing resin and having an outlet for the resin, a measuring mechanism for measuring the amount of the resin stored in the storage container, and a tilting mechanism for tilting the storage container toward the outlet based on the amount of the resin measured by the measuring mechanism.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply method that includes measuring the amount of resin stored in a storage container having a resin outlet, and tilting the storage container toward the outlet based on the amount of resin.

According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently supply resin while minimizing the inclusion of foreign matter in the resin.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a resin supplying system including a resin supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a resin supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a resin applying section in the resin applying apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a process in a resin supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the inclination of a large storage container in a resin supplying device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[One embodiment]
A resin supplying device and a resin supplying method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the configuration of a resin supply system including a resin supply device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a resin supply system according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a resin supply device according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a resin application section in a resin application device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the resin supply system 1 according to this embodiment includes a resin supply device 10, a resin application device 20, and a control device 30. The resin supply system 1 according to this embodiment is a supply system configured such that resin is supplied from the resin supply device 10 to the resin application device 20, and the resin application device 20 applies the resin to an object. The resin supply system 1 applies resin to the outer periphery of an optical fiber drawn by a drawing device as an object to be coated with the resin, forming a coating layer such as a primary coating layer and a secondary coating layer, as described below.

The resin supply device 10 is installed in a storage room SR that provides a storage area for storing resin. The resin application device 20 and the control device 30 are installed in a clean room CR that provides a work area for carrying out resin application work. The storage room SR is a room provided separately from the clean room CR. The clean room CR is a room in which a specified range of air cleanliness required for application work by the resin application device 20 is ensured and which maintains a higher air cleanliness than the storage room SR. In this embodiment, the resin supply device 10 is installed in the storage room SR, which is a room separate from the clean room CR, to store resin, so that the space of the clean room CR can be effectively utilized.

The resin supply device 10 does not necessarily have to be installed in the storage room SR, and may be installed in the clean room CR together with the resin application device 20. The resin application device 20 does not necessarily have to be installed in the clean room CR, and may be installed in a location that meets the conditions required for the resin application environment. The control device 30 also does not necessarily have to be installed in the clean room CR, and may be installed in a separate room such as a management room.

The resin supplying device 10 is a supplying device that supplies resin to the resin application device 20. The resin supplying device 10 has storage sections 102-1 and 102-2 and tilting mechanisms 104-1 and 104-2. The resin supplying device 10 also has supply source pipes 106-1 and 106-2, supply source pipe 108, on-off valves 110-1 and 110-2, on-off valves 112-1 and 112-2, on-off valve 114, and drive source 116.

The storage unit 102-1 has a mounting unit 120-1, a large storage container 122-1, a weight measuring mechanism 124-1, a weight monitor 126-1, and a ratchet 128-1. The storage unit 102-2 has a mounting unit 120-2, a large storage container 122-2, a weight measuring mechanism 124-2, a weight monitor 126-2, and a ratchet 128-2.

The tilting mechanisms 104-1, 104-2, the weight measuring mechanisms 124-1, 124-2, the on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, the on-off valve 114, and the drive source 116 are each communicatively connected to the control device 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the installation section 120-1 in the storage section 102-1 is a box in which the large storage container 122-1 is stored and installed so that it can be inserted and removed. The installation section 120-1 is, for example, a rectangular or cubic box, although it is not particularly limited thereto. An opening 130-1 is provided on at least one side of the installation section 120-1, with all or part of the side panel missing. An outlet 134-1 for the large storage container 122-1 stored in the installation section 120-1 is directed toward the opening 130-1, as described below.

Furthermore, in installation section 120-1, a handle 132-1 is provided on the end of the top plate on the side opposite to the side on which opening 130-1 is provided.
As described below, the handle 132-1 is used when the tilt mechanism 104-1 lifts the edge of the top plate on the side opposite the opening 130-1 of the installation section 120-1 to tilt the installation section 120-1.

The large storage container 122-1 stores liquid resin to be supplied to the resin application device 20. The large storage container 122-1 is, for example, a rectangular or cubic container, though it is not particularly limited thereto. An outlet 134-1 is provided on the side of the large storage container 122-1 for removing the stored resin. The weight of the large storage container 122-1 is, for example, 1000 kgf, though it is not particularly limited thereto, when the maximum weight of resin that can be stored is stored.

The resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the object to which the resin is to be applied. For example, the resin is an ultraviolet-curable resin that hardens from a liquid to a solid when irradiated with ultraviolet light.

The material of the large storage container 122-1 is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the resin material, etc., and may be made of metal or plastic, for example. For example, when storing ultraviolet-curing resin, the material of the large storage container 122-1 may be a material that has light-shielding properties that at least block ultraviolet rays to prevent deterioration of the resin due to ultraviolet rays.

The large storage container 122-1 is placed on a weight measuring mechanism 124-1 installed on the bottom surface of the installation section 120-1 and stored in the installation section 120-1. The large storage container 122-1 is positioned so that the removal port 134-1 faces the opening 130-1.

On the end of the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 on the opening 130-1 side of the large storage container 122-1 stored in the installation section 120-1, a pawl 128-1 is installed to prevent the large storage container 122-1 tilted by the tilting mechanism 104-1 from tipping over or slipping. The pawl 128-1 is a wall-like member formed along the side where the removal opening 134-1 of the large storage container 122-1 is provided, at a height lower than the removal opening 134-1. When the large storage container 122-1 is tilted by the tilting mechanism 104-1, the side is supported by the pawl 128-1, so that the large storage container 122-1 is prevented from tipping over or slipping. The pawl 128-1 may be configured to prevent the large storage container 122-1 from tipping over or slipping. The structure of the pawl 128-1 is not particularly limited, and may be any structure that can prevent the large storage container 122-1 from tipping over or slipping.

The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 measures the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 housed in the installation section 120-1. The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 measures the total weight of the large storage container 122-1 including the stored resin, and subtracts the weight of the empty large storage container 122-1 from the total weight. This allows the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 to measure the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1. The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 stores the weight of the empty large storage container 122-1 in advance. The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 may measure the total weight of the large storage container 122-1 including the stored resin as a weight that reflects the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1. The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 is not particularly limited, but may be composed of a load cell such as a strain gauge type or a capacitance type.

The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 also transmits a weight signal indicating the measured weight of the resin to the control device 30 and the weight monitor 126-1. The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 can transmit the weight signal continuously or periodically.

The weight measuring mechanism 124-1 may also have an alarm function that monitors the measured value obtained by measuring the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 and issues an alarm based on the measured value. In this case, the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 can issue an alarm when the measured value falls below a predetermined value. In this case, the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 can issue an alarm by, for example, but not limited to, displaying the alarm on the weight monitor 126-1, outputting audio to a speaker (not shown), sending an alarm signal to the control device 30, or the like. The alarm lets the worker know when it is time to replace the large storage container 122-1.

The weight monitor 126-1 is communicatively connected to the weight measuring mechanism 124-1. The weight monitor 126-1 is a display unit that displays the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 based on the weight signal received from the weight measuring mechanism 124-1. The weight monitor 126-1 is installed inside or outside the installation unit 120-1 so that the display contents can be visually confirmed by an operator. The weight monitor 126-1 can display the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1, for example, in the form of a graph showing the change over time in the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1. The operator can check the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 by visually checking the display contents of the weight monitor 126-1.

In this way, the storage unit 102-1 is configured. The storage unit 102-2 has the same function and configuration as the storage unit 102-1. The installation unit 120-2 corresponds to the installation unit 120-1, the large storage container 122-2 corresponds to the large storage container 122-1, the weight measurement mechanism 124-2 corresponds to the weight measurement mechanism 124-1, the weight monitor 126-2 corresponds to the weight monitor 126-1, and the pawl 128-2 corresponds to the pawl 128-1. The installation unit 120-2 is provided with an opening 130-2 that corresponds to the opening 130-1. The installation unit 120-2 is provided with a handle 132-2 that corresponds to the handle 132-1. The large storage container 122-2 is provided with an outlet 134-2 that corresponds to the outlet 134-1.

The tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the installation section 120-1 housing the large storage container 122-1 based on the weight of the resin measured by the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 under the control of the control device 30, tilting the large storage container 122-1 together with the installation section 120-1. The tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the large storage container 122-1 toward the removal opening 134-1 provided on its side.

More specifically, when tilting the installation section 120-1 and the large storage container 122-1, the tilting mechanism 104-1 lifts up the top plate end of the installation section 120-1 opposite the opening 130-1 via a handle 132-1 provided on the installation section 120-1. As a result, the tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the large storage container 122-1 together with the installation section 120-1 so that the side of the large storage container 122-1, including the removal port 134-1 facing the opening 130-1, tilts forward.

By tilting the installation section 120-1 with the tilting mechanism 104-1, the large storage container 122-1 installed on the installation section 120-1 is tilted, so there is no need to use a special container with a structure for tilting as the large storage container 122-1. Therefore, a general-purpose container can be used as the large storage container 122-1.

The tilting mechanism 104-1 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a crane with a hook that can be hoisted by a wire. In this case, the tilting mechanism 104-1 hooks a handle 132-1 with a hook hole, hoists it with a wire, and moves the position of the hook a predetermined distance toward the opening 130-1. This allows the tilting mechanism 104-1 to tilt the installation section 120-1 and the large storage container 122-1 at a predetermined forward tilt angle.

The tilting mechanism 104-2 has the same function and configuration as the tilting mechanism 104-1, and tilts the installation section 120-2 and the large storage container 122-2 in the same manner as described above, according to the control of the control device 30.

The supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 are pipes that serve as a resin flow path for supplying the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 to the resin application device 20. The supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 form part of the pipes that connect the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6.

The material of the supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the resin material, etc. For example, when supplying an ultraviolet curable resin, the material of the supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 can be a material that has a light blocking property that blocks at least ultraviolet rays to prevent deterioration of the resin due to ultraviolet rays. Specifically, the material of the supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 can be, for example, stainless steel (Steel Special Use Stainless, SUS).

The upstream end of the supply source pipe 106-1 is connected to the outlet 134-1 of the large storage container 122-1. The upstream end of the supply source pipe 106-2 is connected to the outlet 134-2 of the large storage container 122-2.

The downstream end of the supply source pipe 106-1 and the downstream end of the supply source pipe 106-2 are connected to the upstream end of the supply source pipe 108. The downstream end of the supply source pipe 108 is connected to the suction port of the pump 202, which will be described later.

On-off valve 110-1 and on-off valve 112-1 are provided upstream and downstream of supply source pipe 106-1, respectively. On-off valve 110-2 and on-off valve 112-2 are provided upstream and downstream of supply source pipe 106-2, respectively. On-off valve 114 is provided in supply source pipe 108.

The supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 are supported, for example, so that they can move in response to the tilting of the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 by the tilting mechanisms 104-1, 104-2. In addition, the supply source pipes 106-1, 106-2 and the supply source pipe 108 may be configured, for example, so that they can be bent in response to the tilting of the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 by the tilting mechanisms 104-1, 104-2.

The on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, and the on-off valve 114 are on-off mechanisms that open and close under the control of the control device 30, and open and close the flow paths through which the resin of the piping in which they are installed flows. The on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, and the on-off valve 114 are, but are not limited to, on-off valves that are driven by electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, or other methods. The on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, and the on-off valve 114 are connected to a drive source 116 that supplies them with a drive force according to the drive method.

The driving source 116 operates according to the control of the control device 30 and supplies driving force to the on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, and the on-off valve 114.

In this way, the resin supply device 10 is constructed.

The resin application device 20 is an application device that applies the resin supplied from the resin supply device 10 to an object. The resin application device 20 has a pump 202, small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, and resin application units 206-1 to 206-6. The resin application device 20 also has a supply destination pipe 208, supply destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6, supply destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6, and on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6. The resin application device 20 also has weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, and a drive source 218.

The pump 202, the on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6, the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, and the drive source 218 are each communicatively connected to the control device 30.

The pump 202 is a transfer mechanism that transfers resin from the large storage container 122-1 or 122-2 of the resin supplying device 10 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The pump 202 operates under the control of the control device 30, and sends out and transfers the resin supplied from the resin supplying device 10 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The downstream end of the supply source piping 108 of the resin supplying device 10 is connected to the suction port of the pump 202. The upstream end of the supply destination piping 208 is connected to the discharge port of the pump 202.

The destination pipe 208 and the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6 are pipes that serve as flow paths for supplying the resin supplied from the resin supply device 10 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The destination pipe 208 and the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6 form part of the pipes that connect the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6.

The destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 are pipes that serve as resin flow paths for supplying the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 to the resin application units 206-1 to 206-6, respectively. The destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 are pipes that connect the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 and the resin application units 206-1 to 206-6, respectively.

The material of the destination pipe 208, the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6, and the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately selected depending on the resin material, etc. For example, when supplying an ultraviolet curable resin, the material of the destination pipe 208, the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6, and the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 can be a material that has a light blocking property that blocks at least ultraviolet rays to prevent deterioration of the resin due to ultraviolet rays. Specifically, the material of the destination pipe 208, the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6, and the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 can be, for example, stainless steel (Steel Special Use Stainless, SUS).

The downstream end of the destination pipe 208 branches off and is connected to each of the upstream ends of the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6. The downstream ends of the destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6 are connected to the inlets of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively. The upstream ends of the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 are connected to the outlets of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively. The downstream ends of the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6 are connected to the resin application sections 206-1 to 206-6, respectively.

The on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 are provided in the supply pipes 210-1 to 210-6, respectively. The on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 are opening and closing mechanisms that open and close under the control of the control device 30, and open and close the flow path through which the resin of the pipe in which they are provided flows. The on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 are, but are not limited to, on-off valves that are driven by electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, or other methods. The on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 are connected to a drive source 218 that supplies them with a drive force according to the drive method.

The drive source 218 operates according to the control of the control device 30 and supplies drive force to the on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6.

The small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 each store resin supplied from the resin supply device 10. The resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 is supplied to the resin application sections 206-1 to 206-6, respectively. The small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 each store less resin than the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2, and are smaller than the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2, respectively. The weight of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 10 kgf when the maximum weight of resin that can be stored is stored. The small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 may be the same container or different containers.

The small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 have inlets to which the downstream ends of the supply pipes 210-1 to 210-6 are connected, respectively, and through which the resin is introduced. In addition, the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 have outlets to which the upstream ends of the supply pipes 212-1 to 212-6 are connected, respectively, and through which the resin is discharged.

The material of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 is not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the resin material, etc., and may be made of metal or plastic, for example. For example, when storing ultraviolet-curing resin, the material of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 can be a material that has light-shielding properties that at least block ultraviolet rays to prevent deterioration of the resin due to ultraviolet rays.

The weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 measure the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively. The weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 measure the total weight of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively, including the stored resin, and subtract the weight of the empty small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 from the total weight. This allows the weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 to measure the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 prestore the empty small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively. The weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 may measure the total weight of the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 including the stored resin, as a weight that reflects the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 are not particularly limited, but may be configured with load cells such as strain gauge type or capacitance type. In the case of the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 configured with load cells, the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 are placed on the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, respectively.

The weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 also transmit weight signals indicating the measured weight of the resin to the control device 30. The weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 can transmit the weight signals continuously or periodically.

The weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 may also have an alarm function that monitors the measured values obtained by measuring the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 and issues an alarm based on the measured values. In this case, the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 can issue an alarm when the measured values fall below a predetermined value. In this case, the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 can issue an alarm by, for example, but not limited to, displaying a message on a monitor (not shown), outputting audio to a speaker (not shown), or sending an alarm signal to the control device 30. The alarm lets the operator know when it is time to replace the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6.

The resin application units 206-1 to 206-6 apply resin supplied from the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 via the destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6, respectively, to the object. The resin application units 206-1 to 206-6 can be configured according to the object to which the resin is to be applied. Specifically, the resin application units 206-1 to 206-6 are, for example, coating dies, dispensers, etc.

In the resin supply system 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the optical fiber 40 drawn by a drawing device can be used as the object to be coated with resin. The optical fiber 40 is a linear body having a core in the center and a cladding covering the outer periphery of the core, the cladding having a higher refractive index than the core, through which light propagates. When the optical fiber 40 is the object, the resin coating unit 206-1 can be configured as a funnel-shaped closed or open coating die into which the optical fiber 40 running from above to below enters from the top and exits from the bottom. In this case, the optical fiber 40 passes through the resin 50 that is supplied from the small storage container 204-1 to the coating die, which is the resin coating unit 206-1, and is filled with the resin. This causes the resin to be applied to the outer periphery of the optical fiber 40. The resin 50 applied to the outer periphery of the optical fiber 40 is hardened in a curing furnace. In this way, a coating layer is formed on the outer periphery of the optical fiber 40 by hardening the applied resin 50. The resin coating units 206-2 to 206-6 can also be configured as coating dies in the same way.

In this way, the resin application device 20 is constructed.

The control device 30 is an information processing device that manages and controls each part of the resin supply device 10 and each part of the resin application device 20 in the resin supply system 1. The control device 30 constitutes a part of each of the resin supply device 10 and the resin application device 20. The control device 30 has a monitor 302, which is a display unit that displays various screens such as a management screen showing the status of the resin supply system 1 and a control screen for controlling the resin supply system 1. The control device 30 also has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) that executes various calculations, control, discrimination, and other processes. The control device 30 also has a storage device (not shown) that stores various control programs executed by the CPU, databases referenced by the CPU, and the like. The control device 30 also has a RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown) that temporarily stores data being processed by the CPU, input data, and the like.

The control device 30 is not particularly limited, but may be configured as a general-purpose computer device such as a personal computer, or may be configured as a computer device dedicated to the resin supply system 1. Furthermore, each function of the control device 30 may be realized by a single computer device, or may be realized by multiple computer devices.

The control device 30 manages the weight of the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2 based on the weight signals received from the weight measurement mechanisms 124-1 and 124-2 in the resin supply device 10. The control device 30 displays the weight of the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2 on the monitor 302 based on the weight signals received from the weight measurement mechanisms 124-1 and 124-2. The control device 30 can display the weight of the resin on the monitor 302 in a graph format showing the change over time in the weight of the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2, for example. The operator can check the weight of the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2 by visually checking the contents displayed on the monitor 302.

The control device 30 also controls the operation of the tilt mechanisms 104-1, 104-2, the on-off valves 110-1, 110-2, the on-off valves 112-1, 112-2, the on-off valve 114, and the drive source 116 in the resin supply device 10.

The control device 30 also manages the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 based on the weight signals received from the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 in the resin application device 20. The control device 30 displays the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 on the monitor 302 based on the weight signals received from the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6. The control device 30 can display the weight of the resin on the monitor 302 in a graph format showing the change over time in the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, for example. The operator can check the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 by visually checking the contents displayed on the monitor 302.

The control device 30 also controls the operation of the pump 202, on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6, and drive source 218 in the resin application device 20.

In this way, a resin supply system 1 is constructed, which includes a resin supply device 10, a resin application device 20, and a control device 30.

Next, the processing in the resin supply system 1 according to this embodiment will be further described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing in the resin supply system 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining the inclination of the large storage container 122-1 in the resin supply device 10.

In the following, we will explain the case where the supply of resin starts from large storage container 122-1, out of large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2, and large storage container 122-2 is used as a spare storage container. In addition, we will assume that the large storage containers 122-1 and 122-2 are not tilted, and the process starts in a state where on-off valves 110-1 and 110-2, on-off valves 112-1 and 112-2, on-off valves 114, and on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 are closed, and pump 202 is stopped.

During processing, the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 measures the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 and outputs a weight signal. Also, during processing, the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 measure the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 and output a weight signal.

Based on the weight signals received from the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, the control device 30 determines whether the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 is equal to or less than the first threshold (step S102). The control device 30 repeats the determination until the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 is equal to or less than the first threshold (step S102, NO). The first threshold is a value that is preset for the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 as the weight of the resin to be replenished with resin. The first threshold is not particularly limited, but can be set to, for example, 50% of the maximum weight of the resin that can be stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6. The same first threshold may be set for the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, or different first thresholds may be set. The control device 30 treats small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 whose resin weight is determined to be equal to or less than the first threshold as containers that require resin replenishment.

When the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is equal to or less than the first threshold (step S102, YES), it makes a determination as to the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1. That is, the control device 30 determines whether the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 is equal to or less than the second threshold based on the weight signal received from the weight measurement mechanism 124-1 (step S104). The second threshold is a value that is preset for the large storage container 122-1 as the weight of resin at which the large storage container 122-1 should be tilted. The second threshold is not particularly limited, but can be set to a value such as 50%, 30%, etc. of the maximum weight of resin that can be stored in the large storage container 122-1.

When the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is not equal to or less than the second threshold value (step S104, NO), the control device 30 proceeds to processing in step S112 to supply resin from the large storage container 122-1 without tilting the large storage container 122-1.

On the other hand, when the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is equal to or less than the second threshold (step S104, YES), it further determines the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1. That is, the control device 30 determines whether the weight of the resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 is equal to or less than the third threshold based on the weight signal received from the weight measurement mechanism 124-1 (step S106). The third threshold is a value that is preset as the weight of the resin for which the large storage container 122-1 should be switched to the spare large storage container 122-2. The third threshold is a value smaller than the second threshold. The third threshold is not particularly limited, but can be set to, for example, 10% of the maximum weight of resin that can be stored in the large storage container 122-1.

When the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is equal to or less than the third threshold value (step S106, YES), it switches the resin supply source from large storage container 122-1 to large storage container 122-2 (step S108). When switching, the resin that has come into contact with air may be removed by suction to prevent unnecessary air from entering large storage container 122-2 during switching.

On the other hand, if the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is not equal to or less than the third threshold value (step S106, NO), it controls the tilting mechanism 104-1 to tilt the large storage container 122-1 using the tilting mechanism 104-1 (step S110).

The tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the installation section 120-1 and the large storage container 122-1 in accordance with control by the control device 30 so that the side of the large storage container 122-1, including the removal port 134-1, tilts forward. The tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the large storage container 122-1 from the pre-tilt state shown in FIG. 5(a) to the post-tilt state shown in FIG. 5(b). This allows the resin in the large storage container 122-1 to be directed toward the removal port 134-1 and collected when the remaining amount of resin stored in the large storage container 122-1 falls below the second threshold. This allows the resin to be reliably supplied even when the remaining amount of resin is low.

The tilt mechanism 104-1 can change the tilt angle of the large storage container 122-1 according to the weight of the resin indicated by the weight signal received from the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 under the control of the control device 30. That is, the tilt mechanism 104-1 can tilt the large storage container 122-1 so that the tilt angle of the large storage container 122-1 increases as the weight of the resin indicated by the weight signal received from the weight measuring mechanism 124-1 decreases. The tilt angle here refers to the angle between the vertical direction and the side of the large storage container 122-1, including the removal port 134-1. By changing the tilt angle according to the weight of the resin in this way, the resin in the large storage container 122-1 can be more reliably directed toward the removal port 134-1 and collected.

When supplying resin to form coating layers such as the primary coating layer and secondary coating layer of optical fiber, resin stored in a relatively small storage container weighing, for example, about 10 kgf, may be used. However, with small storage containers, the frequency of replacing the storage container increases as the optical fiber base material becomes larger, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency. In addition, when replacing the storage container, foreign matter such as air and pollutants may enter the storage container, so with small storage containers that are replaced frequently, the number of management items for maintaining quality increases, making management more complicated.

On the other hand, if resin is stored in a relatively large storage container, for example of about 1000 kgf, and then supplied to form the coating layer of the optical fiber, the storage container will need to be replaced less frequently, improving production efficiency. However, if resin is simply supplied from a large storage container, the resin will remain at the bottom of the storage container, and the resin remaining at the bottom will have to be discarded as it cannot be supplied, which is uneconomical.

The method of supplying resin from the bottom of a tank to a die as described in Patent Document 1 may prevent resin from remaining at the bottom of the tank, but if there is foreign matter such as sediment at the bottom of the tank, the foreign matter may be supplied to the die. There is also a method of pumping the resin by applying pressure to a storage container that stores the resin, but if the storage container itself is made of plastic, which is easier to transport, rather than metal, this is not suitable for pumping. It is also possible to transfer the resin to a metal storage container in order to pump it, but this can lead to other problems such as contamination and the inclusion of unnecessary air, making it difficult to maintain the quality of the resin.

In contrast, in this embodiment, resin is supplied from the outlet 134-1 provided on the side of the large storage container 122-1, so that even if foreign matter has settled at the bottom of the large storage container 122-1, the resin can be supplied while suppressing the inclusion of foreign matter in the resin. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the remaining amount of resin in the large storage container 122-1 becomes small, the tilting mechanism 104-1 tilts the large storage container 122-1 to supply resin from the outlet 134-1. Therefore, even if the remaining amount of resin becomes small, resin can be supplied from the large storage container 122-1, and the amount of resin that cannot be supplied and remains in the large storage container 122-1 can be reduced. In addition, since the large storage container 122-1 can be a large one that stores a large amount of resin, it does not need to be replaced frequently. Therefore, in this embodiment, when resin is applied to the optical fiber in the resin application units 206-2 to 206-6 to coat the optical fiber with resin, the optical fiber can be continuously coated with resin.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, resin can be efficiently supplied from the resin supply device 10 to the resin application device 20 while minimizing the inclusion of foreign matter in the resin. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the productivity of applying resin to an object in the resin application device 20 can be improved.

When the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin is not equal to or less than the second threshold value (step S104, NO), or after step S108 or step S110, the control device 30 opens the on-off valves of the resin supply device 10 (step S112). That is, if step S108 has not been completed, the control device 30 opens the on-off valves 110-1 and 112-1 of the supply source pipe 106-1, and the on-off valve 114 of the supply source pipe 108. On the other hand, if step S108 has been completed, the control device 30 opens the on-off valves 110-2 and 112-2 of the supply source pipe 106-2, and the on-off valve 114 of the supply source pipe 108.

Next, the control device 30 drives the pump 202 (step S114).

Then, the control device 30 opens the on-off valves of the resin application device 20 (step S116). That is, the control device 30 opens the on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 of the supply destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6. Here, the control device 30 can open the on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 of the supply destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6 connected to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 to which resin should be replenished.

The control device 30 can execute steps S112, S114, and S116 in any order other than the above order.

In this way, the on-off valve is opened and the pump 202 is driven, so that resin is supplied from the resin supply device 10 to the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 of the resin application device 20.

Based on the weight signals received from the weight measuring mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, the control device 30 determines whether the weight of the resin in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 has reached a specified amount at which replenishment should be completed (step S118). The specified amount at which replenishment should be completed is set in advance. The control device 30 continues to make the determination until the weight of the resin has reached the specified amount (step S118, NO).

When the control device 30 determines that the weight of the resin has reached a specified amount (step S118, YES), it stops the pump 202 (step S120).

Next, the control device 30 closes the on-off valves of the resin application device 20 (step S122). That is, the control device 30 closes the on-off valves 214-1 to 214-6 of the supply pipes 210-1 to 210-6.

Then, the control device 30 closes the on-off valves of the resin supply device 10 (step S124). That is, if step S108 has not been carried out, the control device 30 closes the on-off valves 110-1 and 112-1 of the supply source pipe 106-1, and the on-off valve 114 of the supply source pipe 108. On the other hand, if step S108 has been carried out, the control device 30 closes the on-off valves 110-2 and 112-2 of the supply source pipe 106-2, and the on-off valve 114 of the supply source pipe 108.

The control device 30 can execute steps S120, S122, and S124 in any order other than the above order.

In the resin application sections 206-1 to 206-6 of the resin application device 20, resin supplied from the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, respectively, is applied to the object (step S126).

The control device 30 determines whether or not application of the resin is complete based on, for example, the time elapsed since the start of processing, the amount of remaining resin, the amount of object to which the resin has been applied, etc. (step S128). If the control device 30 determines that application of the resin is complete (step S128, YES), it ends the processing. If the control device 30 determines that application of the resin is not complete (step S128, NO), it repeats the above processing.

In this way, according to this embodiment, resin can be efficiently supplied from the resin supply device 10 to the resin application device 20 while minimizing the inclusion of foreign matter in the resin.

[Modified embodiment]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

For example, in the above embodiment, the weight measurement mechanisms 124-1, 124-2 are used to measure the weight of the resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the weight measurement mechanisms 124-1, 124-2, a measurement mechanism that measures the amount of other resin, such as the volume of resin stored in the large storage containers 122-1, 122-2, can be used. In this case, processing can be performed based on the amount of other resin instead of the weight of the resin.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6 are used to measure the weight of the resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, but this is not limited to the above. Instead of the weight measurement mechanisms 216-1 to 216-6, a measurement mechanism that measures the amount of other resin, such as the volume of resin stored in the small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6, can be used. In this case, processing can be performed based on the amount of other resin instead of the weight of the resin.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the resin supplying device 10 having two large storage containers 122-1, 122-2 has been described as an example, but this is not limited to this. The number of large storage containers may be one or more than two. In this case, the number of corresponding installation units, tilting mechanisms, supply source piping, and opening and closing valves can be changed depending on the number of large storage containers.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the resin application device 20 having six small storage containers 204-1 to 204-6 has been described as an example, but this is not limited to this. The number of small storage containers may be one or a number other than six. In this case, the number of corresponding supply pipes, on-off valves, and resin application units can be changed depending on the number of small storage containers.

1...resin supply system 10...resin supply device 20...resin application device 30...control device 40...optical fiber 102-1, 102-2...storage section 104-1, 104-2...tilt mechanism 106-1, 106-2...supply source pipe 108...supply source pipe 110-1, 110-2...on-off valve 112-1, 112-2...on-off valve 114...on-off valve 116...driving source 120-1, 120-2...installation section 122-1, 122-2...large storage container 124-1, 124-2...weight measurement mechanism 126-1, 126-2...weight monitor 128-1, 128-2...Ratchets 130-1, 130-2...Openings 132-1, 132-2...Handles 134-1, 134-2...Removal port 202...Pumps 204-1 to 204-6...Small storage containers 206-1 to 206-6...Resin coating section 208...Destination pipes 210-1 to 210-6...Destination pipes 212-1 to 212-6...Destination pipes 214-1 to 214-6...Opening and closing valves 216-1 to 216-6...Weight measuring mechanism 218...Drive source 302...Monitor CR...Clean room SR...Storage room

Claims (6)

A supply system for supplying a resin that forms a coating layer on an outer periphery of an optical fiber,
A supply device is provided.
The supply device comprises:
At least one first storage container for storing a resin and having an outlet for the resin;
A first measuring mechanism that measures the amount of the resin stored in the first storage container;
a tilting mechanism for tilting the first storage container toward the outlet based on the amount of the resin measured by the first measuring mechanism ,
The outlet is provided on a side of the first storage container,
The supply device has an installation part in which the first storage container is installed,
The tilting mechanism tilts the installation portion to tilt the first storage container,
the supply device has a pawl that prevents the first storage container tilted by the tilting mechanism from tipping over or sliding;
The supply system comprises:
at least one second storage vessel smaller than the first storage vessel;
A pipe connecting the first storage container and the second storage container;
An opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing a flow path of the piping;
a pump for transferring the resin from the first storage container to the second storage container;
A second measuring mechanism for measuring the amount of the resin stored in the second storage container;
a control device for controlling the opening/closing mechanism and the pump;
having
The control device opens the opening/closing mechanism based on the amount of the resin measured by the second measuring mechanism, and transfers the resin from the first storage container installed outside the clean room to the second storage container installed in the clean room by the pump.
A supply system comprising: The supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the first measuring mechanism measures the weight of the resin as the amount of the resin. 3. The supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the tilting mechanism changes an angle at which the first storage container is tilted in accordance with the amount of the resin measured by the first measuring mechanism . The supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the first measuring mechanism issues an alarm based on a measured value of the amount of the resin. The supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the piping has a light-shielding property. A supply method using the supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Measuring the amount of the resin stored in the first storage container;
A supply method comprising: tilting the first storage container toward the outlet based on the amount of the resin.

Images