JPH0696404B2 - Optical cable carrier - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention conveys an optical cable along various termination devices arranged on a line for inserting a ferrule into an optical cable terminal and performing termination processing. The present invention relates to an optical cable carrying device.

[Conventional technology]

When the terminal is connected to another optical cable or the like, the optical cable is terminated by connecting a connecting tool generally called a ferrule in order to minimize the connection loss. This termination process cuts the end into a shape having an outer skin part of appropriate length, high-strength fiber material, nylon coating part, exposed part of optical fiber so that it fits the inner shape of the ferrule,
Remove the silicon coating layer adhering to the exposed part of the optical fiber,
The work is performed by injecting and filling the inside of the ferrule, inserting the ferrule into the optical cable terminal, and further caulking and fixing the ferrule by a mechanical method in order to prevent the ferrule from being displaced and falling off.

Since such a series of termination processes is conventionally performed manually because of the flexibility of the optical cable,
The transport of optical cables, ferrules, adhesives, etc. to each processing step was also done manually.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, it may not be possible to obtain what is needed at the required time when the necessary processed articles are manually transferred to each of the above processing steps or from one processing step to the next processing step. And the work efficiency is extremely poor.

Further, when each processing step is automated by a machine, it is necessary to automate the transportation method so that each processing step sequentially and smoothly flows.

The present invention has been made in view of the present state of the art of a method for conveying a processed article between the respective steps of the optical cable termination processing described above, and the purpose thereof is various termination apparatuses arranged on a line. There is provided an optical cable conveying device for conveying a processed article such as an optical cable along the optical fiber.

[Means for solving problems]

According to the present invention as a means for solving the above problems,
A feed pallet that has a chuck for correcting the bent habit of the optical cable and that moves the pallet forward along the pallet for transporting the optical cable and various devices for sequentially terminating the optical cable that are provided on the line. Stop device consisting of a knock device and / or a stopper device for stopping the device and the transport pallet at each station provided at an arbitrary interval, and a position detecting device and a non-operating part for passing the pallet on the side part. An upper transfer device having the same, a lower transfer device having a feeding device for returning the transfer pallet, and two sets of vertical transfer devices provided at the front and rear ends of the upper transfer device for lifting and lowering the transfer pallet in the horizontal direction. And a configuration is adopted in which the transport path formed by the transport device has a loop shape.

[Action]

Devices for terminating optical cables are installed sequentially on the line.Each terminating device is, for example, the outer skin of the optical cable, cutting of high-strength fiber material, cutting of nylon coating material, and inspection of cutting state. , Inject the adhesive into the ferrule,
It is provided as an apparatus capable of automatically performing various termination operations such as inserting and fixing the terminal into an optical cable terminal, and applying an adhesive to the exit end of the ferrule lower end optical fiber without human intervention. Therefore, the optical cables processed in each process by each of these termination processing devices should be stopped at each station or moved to the next process depending on the timing and time required for each process. An optical cable transport device is provided along these termination devices so that the optical cable can be automatically transported.

In this optical cable transport device, the optical cable is set on the transport pallet held at the upper level by the vertical transport device at the rear end, and the optical cable end is manually held by the chuck at the operation panel to correct the bending habit of the optical cable. . When the initial setting is completed, an instruction from the operation panel causes the first termination processing device to flow on the upper transfer device at a predetermined speed. When each termination process (including the inspection process) is completed, the transport pallet is sent to the vertical transport device at the front end, where it is lowered from the level of the upper transport device to the level of the lower transport device, and the delivery device above It is sent back in the direction opposite to the flow. When moving from the lower transport device to the rear vertical transport device, the transport pallet is lifted vertically and returned to its original starting position, where the processed optical cable is lowered and the unprocessed optical cable is set again.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall outline of an optical cable transport device arranged along various devices for sequentially terminating an optical cable, which are provided on a line. In the figure, X is an operation panel of a control device for electrically controlling the conveying device and various devices for terminating the optical cable. A is an outer sheath of the optical cable end, an optical cable terminating device for cutting and processing the high-strength fiber material, and B is an optical cable terminating device for cutting and exposing the nylon coating part exposed by the device A. is there. Further, C is an inspection device for inspecting the cut state of the cut optical cable terminal by receiving light from a light source by a halogen lamp with a camera using a charge coupled device memory (hereinafter abbreviated as CCD),
D is an optical cable termination processing device that inserts and fixes a ferrule filled with an adhesive in the internal fitting hole at the optical cable end, and E is an optical cable at the end of the ferrule tip hole for the optical cable where the ferrule is inserted and fixed at the optical cable end. This is an optical cable terminating device for fixing an adhesive around the entire root of the fiber exposed portion.

The transfer device of this embodiment, which is provided along with the device for terminating, includes a transfer pallet 10 and an upper transfer device 2.
0, lower transfer device 30, two sets of vertical transfer devices 40 _F and 40 _A.

The transport pallet 10 is composed of a pallet 12 on which an optical cable 11 wound in a coil shape is placed, and a stop 13 (13) for preventing the optical cable 11 wound in a coil shape from falling off to the front, rear, left and right.
_F , 13 _A , 13 _L , 13 _R ) are provided on this pallet 12, and the end of the optical cable 11 is a chuck provided on the side end of the pallet 12.
The bend is corrected by 14 and it is held vertically.
In this embodiment, four chucks 14 ', 14 ", 14, 14' are provided so that four optical cable ends can be clamped. Further, the mechanical operation of the position detecting sensor is provided at the end opposite to these chucks. Parts 15, 15 ', 15 "are provided. Details of the detection sensor at this position will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pallet 12 is a rectangular flat plate having an L-shaped cross section and a flat upper surface. Ribs are provided on the bottom surface at appropriate intervals, a recess 16 into which a knock 23 'of an upper transfer device 20 described later is fitted is provided in the center of the rib, and both ends of the rib are formed as guides 17. It is slidably fitted to a guide rail 21 'extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper transfer device.

The detailed shape of the chuck 14 is shown in FIG. This chuck 14
Is the chuck body 14 ₁ and the chuck portion 14 ₂
Attached via pin 14 ₃ . The chuck member 14 ₂ knurled the knob 14 _4, spring locking pin 14 ₅ is installed and tightened to always chuck is closed by the spring 14 ₆ attached to the main body. When the chuck is closed, a small hole for holding the optical cable is formed at the break point of the bent portion provided in the chuck body 14 ₁ and the chuck 14 ₂ in opposite directions. The bending of the optical cable is corrected by this chuck, and the optical cable is held vertically.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper transfer device 20 has a cross section of a top plate,
It has a box-shaped carrier support 21 composed of three adjacent hollow cross sections formed by a bottom plate, two side plates, and two intermediate partition plates, and the upper part of the side plate is formed as the guide rail. Endless chain belts 22 (22 _R , 22 _L ) are laid on the top and bottom plates with hollow cross sections on the left and right, respectively, and the upper chain belt supports the lower ribs of the pallet 12 to support the pallet weight while the pallet is running. Can be run. Although not shown, the transport support 21 is supported by a support wall that is erected on a common base plate of the above-described various optical cable termination processing devices. A knock device 23 is provided at an appropriate interval along the lengthwise direction of the carrier device in the central hollow space, and the knock device drives the knock 23 'having a convex tip and the knock 23'. This knocking device serves as a stopping device with a stopper device described later and / or both of them. The knocking device causes the knocking 23 'to be projected by the solenoid 23 ". When the pallet 12 is lifted by fitting in the recess 16 and the guide 17 is pressed against the upper side of the guide rail 21 ', the frictional engagement between the chain belt 22 and the rib of the pallet is released, and the movement of the pallet can be stopped. . Cylinders 25 are provided on the left side surface of the transport support body 21 at appropriate intervals to deactivate the mechanical operating portions 15 and 15 'of the position detecting sensor.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the pallet 12 is sectioned near the center in the width direction. 4 recesses 16 for 4 optical cables
Is provided on the lower surface of the pallet. A stopper device 24 is provided next to the knock device 23 described above.
The stopper device 24 is composed of a stopper 24 'including a guide and a solenoid 24 "for driving the stopper. The stopper device 24 is not provided in a pair with the knock device 23, but provided in a predetermined number as needed. This stopper device 24 is used to accurately stop the movement of the pallet 12 at a predetermined position, and when the pallet is to be stopped, for example, the stopper 24 at the top on the right side shown in FIG. When ′ is raised, the tip of the pallet 12 hits against it and stops.
24 is inactive. The movement of the pallet 12 is stopped at a predetermined position, and then the knock device 23 described above is activated to float the pallet 12 and the movement is completely stopped.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the lower transfer device 30. This cross-sectional shape is almost the same as that of the upper transfer device 20, and an endless chain belt 32 (32 _L , 32 _R ) is also provided. However, the knock device 23 is not provided, and the stopper device 33 similar to the stopper device 24 in FIG. 5 is provided. 34
Is a position detection sensor, which will be described later. And this lower transfer device 30 is for sending back the pallet 12 moved forward by the upper transfer device 20 to the opposite side backward, and it is sent through the tunnel-like space under the common base of the various optical cable termination processing devices described above. Will be returned. Although not shown, the endless chain belts 22 and 32 of the upper transfer device 20 and the lower transfer device 30, respectively, transmit the power of a drive motor provided outside the end of the transfer device via another chain belt. It is formed so as to be rotationally driven by.

FIG. 7 is a main longitudinal sectional view of the vertical transfer device 40 provided at the front and rear ends of the upper and lower transfer devices. The vertical transport device 40 holds the pallet 12 fed from the upper and lower transport devices 20 and 30, and moves the pallet 12 in the up-down direction and then re-delivers the pallet in the horizontal direction. It consists of a lifting device 40 ″.

The pallet feeding device 40 'is generally composed of a frame 41' including a guide rail portion having the same width as that of the upper and lower conveying devices 20 and 30, and inside the frame 41 ', two lines are provided on the extension lines of the two chain belts of the upper and lower conveying devices. Short endless chain belts 42 'are provided, which are rotatable by chain rollers 43', these chain belts comprising a motor 44 'and its worm gear 4'.
It is driven to rotate by 5 '. At the front end of the feeding device 40 ', two guides 46' are provided on the extension lines of the left and right chain belts for moving up and down.

The pallet elevating device 40 ″ is the frame 41 ′ of the delivery device.
A lifting chain 41 ″ with one end fixed to the center of the front end of
Two rollers 42 ″ engaged with the chain, a roller support base 43 ″ for supporting the rollers, a piston 44 ″ for raising and lowering the roller support base, a cylinder 45 ″, and the frame 41 ′.
It has two posts 47 "for fixing a guide base 46" provided at positions corresponding to the left and right guides at the front end thereof.

Vertical transport device provided at the front ends of the upper and lower transport devices 20, 30
At 40 _F , the pallet 12 sent from the upper carrier 20
Is received by the frame 41 'at an upper level of the upper transfer device, the piston 44 "of the pallet lifting device 40" is lowered to lower the frame 41' to a lower level of the lower transfer device. In this type of pallet lifting device, the length of the frame 41 'which is twice the moving amount of the piston 44 "is moved. When the lower level is reached, the drive motor of the pallet feeding device 40' is started and the pallet 12 is moved in the opposite direction. Send back.

Vertical transport device 40 _A provided at the rear end of the upper and lower transport devices 20, 30
Has a shape symmetrical to that of the front end, but is configured to raise the pallet 12 sent from the lower transfer device 30 to the level of the upper transfer device 20 and send it out, opposite to the front end.

The mechanical operating portion 15 of the position detecting device described above includes a light shielding plate 15 _{1 of the} sensor, a toggle 15 ₂ for rotating the light shielding plate 15 ₁ and a pin 15 ₃ . The other mechanical operating unit 15 'has a similar structure. The mechanical operating part 15 ″ is composed of only the light shield plate. Correspondingly, the sensors 26 are provided along the guide rails 21 ′ of the upper conveying device 20 at appropriate positions at the respective stations to form a position detecting device. The above-mentioned cylinder 25 is provided as a non-operating portion corresponding to the sensor 26, and when a defective product or an abnormal operation of the terminating device occurs in each terminating processing at each station, this non-operating portion is provided. The position detecting device is deactivated by pushing up the shading plates 15 ₁ and 15 ₁ ′ by the cylinder 25 of the above part, and the conveying pallet is passed through the next and subsequent processing steps. The pressing lever 50 shown in FIG. Deactivated shield 1
5 _1, 15 ₁ 'is intended for returning to the original horizontal operating position, the pallet 12 by the vertical conveyor device 40 _A of the rear end
When There come rises, and is fixed to an appropriate position so that it is possible to hold the predetermined height shielding it is splashed obliquely positioned plate 15 _1, 15 ₁ 'back to the original state.

In the optical cable carrier of this embodiment constructed as described above, the pallet at the upper level at the rear end position of FIG.
An optical cable is placed on the optical disk 12, and an operator sets the end of the optical cable on the chuck 14 at the position of the operation panel X. After that, the operator operates the operation panel X so that the pallet 12 is
It is automatically processed and conveyed automatically in the order of A, B, C, D, E by an optical cable termination processing device, etc., passes from the front end vertical transfer device 40 _F through the lower transfer device 30, and is lifted by the rear end vertical transfer device 40 _A. Being returned to the original starting position. In this way, the pallet 12 forms a transport path formed by the upper and lower transport devices and the two vertical transport devices in a loop shape, and the optical cable is continuously and automatically terminated through the transport path.

The outline of the automatic termination processing is shown in FIG. The optical cable 1 in the state of (a) is cut into the state of (b) by the termination processing devices A and B by operating the operation panel X. Reference numeral 1 is a skin material, 2 is a high strength fiber material, 3 is a nylon coating portion, and 4 is an optical fiber exposed portion. After inspecting the cutting state of this optical cable terminal with C, the ferrule 5 is inserted into this terminal with D. This insertion method is carried out by prefilling the inside with adhesive (c ″) (c ′), inserting and fixing this with (c), and then applying adhesive 6 on the lower end of the ferrule 5 with E. Is complete.

〔effect〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the upper and lower conveying devices and the two vertical conveying devices are formed so that their conveying paths form a loop, and the upper stage is mainly used so that the optical cables on the pallets can be stopped at the respective stations. A stop device was installed along the transport device, and the pallet stop and feed operations were instructed by the control device by detecting the position of the pallet by the position detection device, so it was difficult to automate the conventional optical cable termination process. The processing can be automated by using this carrying device, and the working efficiency of the termination processing can be greatly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an optical cable transport device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a detailed plan view of a pallet, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an upper stage transport device including the pallet, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a detailed view, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the upper transfer device partially sectioned along the length direction, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lower transfer device, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the vertical transfer device. ,
FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the termination processing. 10 …… Conveying pallet, 12 …… Pallet, 14 …… Chuck, 20 …… Upper conveying device, 22 …… Endless chain belt,
23 ... Knock device, 24 ... Stopper device, 30 ... Lower transfer device, 40 ... Vertical transfer device, 40 '... Pallet feeding device, 40 ″ ... Pallet lifting device.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Reference number within the agency FI Technical indication location B65G 47/88 D 8010-3F G02B 6/24 (72) Inventor Narumi Kiyoyuki Konoka Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture Sumitomo Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Osaka Works (56) References JP-A-52-88878 (JP, A) JP-A-61-69007 (JP, A) JP-A-55-111313 (JP) , A) JP-A-53-89901 (JP, A) JP-A-57-114351 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport pallet for transporting an optical cable, which has a chuck for correcting the bending tendency of the end of the optical cable, and a variety of devices for sequentially terminating the optical cable, which are sequentially provided on a line. Feeding device for advancing pallet and transporting Pallet is stopped at each station provided at arbitrary intervals Knocking device and / or stopper device Stop device consisting of either or both and position detecting device and pallet are passed through side Therefore, an upper stage conveying device having a non-operating portion, a lower stage conveying device having a feeding device for returning the conveying pallet, and a front and rear end of the upper and lower stage conveying device for moving the conveying pallet up and down and horizontally A pair of vertical transport devices, and the transport path formed by the transport devices is formed into a loop shape. Le transport device.