Method of manufacturing optical fiber, optical fiber manufacturing apparatus, and control apparatus therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857746-B2
Application number	US-201816004914-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2018
Priority date	Feb 10, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber of the invention includes: preparing one or more direction changers; drawing the bare optical fiber from an optical fiber preform; providing a coated layer on a periphery of the bare optical fiber; obtaining an optical fiber by curing the coated layer; changing the direction of the bare optical fiber at the position between the bare-optical-fiber formation position and the coated-layer provision position; detecting the position of the bare optical fiber in at least one of the direction changers; and adjusting the introduction flow rate of the fluid into the direction changer based on positional information obtained by the detection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control apparatus comprising:
one or more direction changers that change a direction of a bare optical fiber at a position between a drawer and a coater of an optical fiber manufacturing apparatus, each direction changer comprising a guide groove, an internal space into which fluid is introduced from an outside, and an outlet nozzle, the guide groove being configured to guide the bare optical fiber, the outlet nozzle being formed in the guide groove and being configured to blow off the fluid from the internal space and thereby cause the bare optical fiber to float inside the guide groove;
a detector that detects a position of the bare optical fiber in at least one direction changer of the one or more direction changers; and
a controller that controls an introduction flow rate of the fluid into the at least one direction changer based on positional information associated with the bare optical fiber which is measured in the detector, the controller detecting a position of the bare optical fiber in at least one direction changer and thereby controlling the introduction flow rate of the fluid into the at least one direction changer based on the positional information obtained by the detection, wherein
the control apparatus stabilizes a flotation position of the bare optical fiber in the at least one direction changer, and thereby causes a fiber inlet position at which the bare optical fiber enters a coater to be constant.

2. An optical fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a control apparatus according to claim 1 ;
the drawer that forms the bare optical fiber by drawing the bare optical fiber from an optical fiber preform;
the coater that provides a coated layer made of a resin on a periphery of the bare optical fiber; and
a curer that cures the coated layer.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector is located between the at least one direction changer and the coater.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the detector is provided in a downstream side of the at least one direction changer in a fiber drawing direction.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the detector is located at a position apart from the at least one direction changer in the downstream side of the at least one direction changer in the fiber drawing direction.

6. A control apparatus comprising:
one or more direction changers that change a direction of a bare optical fiber at a position between a drawer and a coater of an optical fiber manufacturing apparatus, each direction changer comprising a guide groove, an internal space into which fluid is introduced from an outside, and an outlet nozzle, the guide groove being configured to guide the bare optical fiber, the outlet nozzle being formed in the guide groove and being configured to blow off the fluid from the internal space and thereby cause the bare optical fiber to float inside the guide groove;
a detector that detects a position of the bare optical fiber in at least one direction changer of the one or more direction changers; and
a controller that controls an introduction flow rate of the fluid into the at least one direction changer based on positional information associated with the bare optical fiber which is measured in the detector, the controller controlling an introduction flow rate of the fluid into the at least one direction changer based on a relationship between a position of the bare optical fiber in at least one of the direction changers, an introduction flow rate of the fluid into the at least one direction changer, and a drawing tension that is to be applied to the optical fiber, wherein
the control apparatus stabilizes a flotation position of the bare optical fiber in the at least one direction changer, and thereby causes a fiber inlet position at which the bare optical fiber enters a coater to be constant.

7. An optical fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a control apparatus according to claim 6 ;
the drawer that forms the bare optical fiber by drawing the bare optical fiber from an optical fiber preform;
the coater that provides a coated layer made of a resin on a periphery of the bare optical fiber; and
a curer that cures the coated layer.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the detector is located between the at least one direction changer and the coater.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the detector is provided in a downstream side of the at least one direction changer in a fiber drawing direction.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the detector is located at a position apart from the at least one direction changer in the downstream side of the at least one direction changer in the fiber drawing direction.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Okada Kenji

Classifications

• C03C25/32

  obtained otherwise than by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title

• Y02P40/57

  Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates · CPC title

• C03B37/032

  for glass optical fibres · CPC title

• C03B37/0253

  Controlling or regulating (for glass fibre manufacture in general C03B37/07) · CPC title

• B29L2011/0075

  Light guides, optical cables · CPC title