Patent Application
20050213919
The present invention relates to holding equipment for optical fiber to hold relatively short length optical fiber (hereinafter, to also simply be referred to as fiber) having length less than several tens meters, for example, such as 2 m or 5 m.
In an optical communication field, relatively short length optical fiber having length less than several tens meters, for example such as 2 m or 5 m, is used in addition to long optical fiber being used for optical communication path. Such short length optical fiber is used with collimator for a device such as isolator, WDM and so on, that is attached to the end portion of the fiber.
It is needed for such optical fiber in its manufacturing process that many kinds of processing, for example, such as attaching collimator to the terminal of the fiber, attaching ferule to the terminal of the fiber, polishing of the terminal surface of the fiber, forming antireflective layer on the terminal surface of the fiber in a vaporized deposition system, have to be done after cutting the fiber to length of, for example, 2 m or 3 m.
In the conventional process, the handling of the optical fiber in the above-mentioned process or delivery is performed in such way in which the optical fiber is wound into a coreless loop and is tied up by using spiral tubes or is fixed by adhesive tape, and then, in a case wherein collimator or ferule is attached to the terminal of the fiber, or in a case wherein the terminal surface of the fiber is polished and so forth, the work is done by unwinding necessary part of the fiber which is the vicinity of the end portion of the fiber, and in a case of delivery, the coreless-loop-styled fiber is delivered by being fixed on a small plastic plate using vinyl tape and put it into a case. When antireflective layer is formed on the terminal surface of the optical fiber using a vacuum vaporized deposition device, the temperature around the fiber goes up beyond 100° C., therefore it is not favorable to use the spiral tubes or adhesive tape, and the components which hold the optical fiber should be removed and instead of that components for vacuum should be used to hold the optical fiber because all components to fix or hold the optical fiber should be components which do not gas in above-mentioned environment and do not harm to antireflective layer in its quality due to the gas.
In
In the conventional process, the optical fiber was wound into a loop as shown in
As was previously known, optical fiber is weak against bending, moreover, it is hard, therefore, in a case wherein the fiber wound into a coreless loop as shown in
Furthermore, in the process of the terminal portion of the fiber, yield of process is apt to become lower because of loosing of the loop, difficulty of drawing out the fiber to constant length, snapping of the fiber by bending stress in the process.
In order to solve such problems, a winding method to wind the optical fiber to a reel like a spool and a winding method using a reel which has side wall or ditch are presented, but, owing to its bad points which are not only that the diameter of the reel must be large due to hardness of the fiber but also that processing time becomes long due to, for example, the fiber wound to the reel is apt to unwind, and owing to its bad point which is that accuracy of processing is low, they could not be used.
In order to attempt improving the accuracy of processing and reduction of cost, automated process in which fiber is cut to such short length of 2 m, 3 m etc. from fiber of one bundle of 10 km wound on a reel and each of the fibers is processed to easy to handle style is not provided at all.
And, in a case wherein antireflective layer is formed on the terminal surface of the optical fiber, when gas come out from components which hold the optical fiber, strength of the antireflective layer is weaken and a satisfactory antireflective layer can not be formed, consequently, components for vacuum is used. Furthermore, because in a case of the conventional holding method for the optical fiber, it can not hold the optical fiber into stable and compact style, consequently, it is impossible to form high quality antireflective layer having almost equal characteristics on the terminal surface of the fiber of a large number of optical fibers at one time.
In case of transportation or delivery, there are also problems of a large case and expensive cost, and at the receiver side of the delivered fiber there are also similar problems of handling.
As was previously known, in a case of relatively short length optical fibers being used in the optical communication having length less than several tens meters such as 2 m or 5 m, there are several different type, for example, so-called buffered fiber having diameter of 0.25 mm, so-called core fiber having diameter of 0.9 mm, a fiber, hereinafter, to be referred to as 2-ribbon fiber which is packaged two buffered fibers putting them side by side and covered with resin in tape state, a fiber, hereinafter, to be referred to as 4-ribbon fiber which is packaged four buffered fibers putting them side by side and covered with resin in tape state, a fiber, hereinafter, to be referred to as 8-ribbon fiber which is packaged eight buffered fibers putting them side by side and covered with resin in tape state, a fiber, hereinafter, to be referred to as 12-ribbon fiber which is packaged twelve buffered fibers putting them side by side and covered with resin in tape state, and so on. Aforementioned each ribbon fiber is that, for example, thickness of every ribbon fiber is 0.3 mm, width of 4-ribbon fiber is 1˜1.1 mm, width of 8-ribbon fiber is 2˜2.2 mm.
Aforementioned problems of holding optical fiber which is relatively short optical fiber having length less than several tens meters, for example, such as 2 m or 5 m, in a case of processing or delivery, are also big problems for each case of buffered fiber, core fiber, and ribbon fiber, and, for example, in a case of ribbon fiber, that are serious problems.
In consideration of these problems, a purpose of the present invention is to provide such holding equipment for the optical fiber that snapping or jumbling of the fiber in handling for processing dose not occur, preparing process to manufacture and manufacturing itself are easy, automated process is available, fiber is not unwound automatically when the fiber is held by the holding equipment having diameter less than, for example, 10 cm without aforementioned special treatment to hold the fiber cut to required length by using spiral tubes or to paste the fiber by adhesive tape and the fiber held by the holding equipment is placed on the working table, and in a case of transportation or delivery, conventional large and expensive case is not necessary, and to provide such holding equipment for the optical fiber that it is possible to hold the fiber in compact and it is inexpensive. In addition, another purpose of the present invention is to provide inexpensively such holding equipment for optical fiber that, as aforementioned, handling in process and delivery is easy, and moreover, there is no problem in out-gassing when antireflective layer is formed on the terminal surface of the optical fiber using a vacuum vaporized deposition device, even if the same holding equipment is put in the vacuum vaporized deposition device as is.
The present invention was performed to achieve above-mentioned purpose.
The present invention has many kind of characteristics, one of the major characteristics is that the holding equipment for the optical fiber comprises at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other and constitute holding unit for the optical fiber, and comprises elastic projections on at least one said side wall, and the holding equipment for the optical fiber is capable to hold many kind of optical fiber, given the details later, by constituting the projections appropriately.
Moreover, another major characteristics of the present invention is to provide such holding equipment for optical fiber that it is compact and inexpensive holding equipment and it can be used in a vacuum vaporized deposition device by forming the projections using fluorocarbon elastomers for material of the projections, for example, forming the whole holding equipment by one-piece molding technology using fluorocarbon elastomer.
To achieve the purpose of the present invention, many kinds of modes having the following characteristics are available for the present invention. Followings are characteristics of examples of the modes of the present invention.
The present invention relates to holding equipment for optical fiber, and the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by being able to put optical fiber in it and to hold optical fiber in it, and comprising at least one holding unit for optical fiber comprising at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other and plural elastic projections placed on at least one said side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one said holding unit for optical fiber comprises core of reel wherein optical fiber can be wound on it, said core of reel is placed by connecting with said side wall or closing to said side wall, said projections placed on at least one said side wall of holding unit are placed at plural locations of said side wall that is positions, hereinafter, to be also referred to as the inner part of side wall, namely, positions which are inner side from a fringe of the side wall of holding unit, that is, closer positions to said core of reel on the side wall, and said projections are formed as elastic projections which stick out from one side wall toward the opposite side wall, and by that at least said one pair of side walls, said elastic projections and said core of reel construct optical fiber holding area in which optical fiber can be held.
In an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, though, for the shape of fringe of said core of reel on which optical fiber can be wound, many kind of shape are available and for the shape of fringe of said core of reel, especially circular shape, ellipsoidal shape, and polygonal shape are desirable, and also, for the shape of said side wall of at least one said holding unit for optical fiber, many kind of shape are available and for the shape of major part of at least one of said side wall, especially flat board state is desirable, and for the shape of fringe of said side wall, especially circular shape, ellipsoidal shape, and polygonal shape are desirable.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one said side wall, plural projections placed on the wall and core of reel connected to the wall are formed into one-piece.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that plural of said projections have such shape that the shape is shape, hereinafter, to be referred to as slender shape, for example, shape like a pole, flat shape, and have such measure that length of the projection sticking out from the side wall on which the projection is formed is longer than the maximum measure of cross section of the projection, defining the cross section of the projection is that crossing at right angles to the center line of length direction of the projection and the measure of the cross section is measured as a straight line from one end to the opposite end through the center of the cross section.
An example of holding equipment having said slender shape projections for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that each of plural of said elastic projections is formed slanted such that a length directional mean central axis of said projection which is a imaginary axis, hereinafter, to be referred to as a length directional center line, slants toward inner side of the optical fiber holding area as making required angle θ1 with the perpendicular line of said side wall at the place, and especially it is desirable that all the projections formed for at least one said holding unit are formed slanted such that each length directional center line slants toward inner side of the optical fiber holding area as making required angle θ1 to the perpendicular line of said side wall at the place. And when the angle θ1 is smaller than 10 degree, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention shows noticeable effect.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said projection which is placed on the side wall of at least one holding unit is formed slanted such that a length directional center line slants toward one direction along the fringe of the side wall as making required angle θ3, and especially it is desirable that all the projections formed on the side wall of at least one holding unit are formed slanted such that each length directional center line of it slants toward one direction along the fringe of the side wall as making required angle θ3. When said required angle θ3 is smaller than 10 degree, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention shows noticeable effect.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that each of said plural projections is that outside tangent of outline of the projection of radius direction of the side wall on which the projection is placed and inside tangent of outline of the projection of radius direction of the side wall crosses as making required angle θ2 on the cross section which include the center point of the side wall on which the projection is placed, the center point of the root of the projection and the end point of the center line of the projection, except parts having large alteration for example root around and the end point around of the projection, and the projection is dwindling from root of it to the end point of it, and especially it is desirable that each of all the projections of at least one said holding unit is that outside tangent of outline of the projection of radius direction of the side wall on which the projection is placed and inside tangent of outline of the projection of radius direction of the side wall crosses as making required angle θ2 on the cross section which include the center point of the side wall on which the projection is placed, the center of the root of the projection and the tip of the center line of the projection, except parts having large alteration for example root around and the end point around of the projection. When the required angle θ2 is smaller than 15 degree, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention shows noticeable effect.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that dimension of the cross section of said elastic projection of at least one holding unit is such that a mean diameter of the projection at the middle part in length direction is 0.4˜2 mm, and especially it is desirable that each of all said elastic projections of at least one holding unit is that dimension of the cross section of said elastic projection is such that a mean diameter of the projection at the middle in length direction is 0.4˜2 mm.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that shape of the tip of said elastic projection is a part of circle having diameter of 0.2˜1 mm on the cross section of the projection including the center of the side wall on which the projection is placed.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said projection is such projection that diameter of the tip around is smaller than diameter of the root around.
For an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, from such point of view as easy to handle and realizing high reliability it is desirable that length of at least one said elastic projection is longer than one fourth of space between a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other, and suitable length of the projection is depend on a form of the optical fiber.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that length of at least one said elastic projection is longer than one half of space between a pair of said side walls which are placed in opposition each other.
For an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, it is desirable that in case where the holding equipment is used for the buffered fiber, the length of at least one said elastic projection is shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than space between a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can show noticeable effect for holding relevant parts to the optical fiber using of such pair-projection which is a pair of projections that space between the two projections is 0 or narrower than two times of mean diameter of a outer circle which touch and include tightly the projection inside of it in addition to using of the single projection.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the center position of each projection not forming the pair-projection and/or the center position of each said pair-projection are placed in equivalent pitch in a direction along the fringe of the wall on at least one said side wall of at least one said holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that all the elastic projections are formed only on one side wall of a pair of said side walls which are placed in opposition each other.
In a case of a desirable example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention where all the elastic projections formed only on one side wall, it is desirable that 24 of said single projection and/or said pair-projection are formed on at least one side wall of at least one holding unit for optical fiber, and each center of two nearest neighbor projections which are two nearest neighbor single projections or two nearest neighbor pair-projections or one single projection and one nearest neighbor pair-projection make the center angle of 15° against the center of said side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said elastic projections are formed on both side walls which are placed in opposition each other, of the side wall, hereinafter, to be also referred to as the first side wall and the side wall, hereinafter, to be also referred to as the second side wall, and at least one pair of said elastic projections which are placed on both side walls can be placed at the position which are in opposition each other, also can be placed at the alternate position of both side wall.
Desirable length of projections for above-mentioned case is that in a case where the projections are placed in opposition, the sum total length of both projections is longer than one fourth of space between a pair of said side walls which are placed in opposition each other, and more desirable length of projections is one half of space between a pair of side walls. And in a case of buffered fiber, when optical reliability is thought important, said sum total length of both projections of shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than space between the pair of side walls is desirable. In a case wherein the projections are not placed in opposition and are placed at shifted position each other, when sum total length of one projection and one of the most neighbor projection is, same as above description, longer than one fourth of space between said both side wall, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can show noticeable effect for wide ribbon fiber, when sum total length of one projection and one of the most neighbor projection is longer than one half of space between said both side wall, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can show noticeable effect also for narrow ribbon fiber, and especially to use for buffered fiber, when sum total length of one projection and one of the most neighbor projection is shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than space between a pair of said side walls, an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can show noticeable effect having high reliability.
Moreover, in case where the projections are not placed in opposition, when sum total length of two projections which are one projection of one side wall and the nearest neighbor projection of the other wall is longer as 0.05˜0.24 mm than space between said both side walls, a holding equipment for optical fiber which is easy to use and has especially high reliability can be realized.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention in which the projections are formed on both side wall which are placed in opposition each other is characterized by that the center of each projection not forming the pair-projection and/or the center of each said pair-projection are placed in equivalent pitch in a direction along the fringe of the wall on one said side wall or both said side wall of at least one said holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention in which the projections are formed on both side wall which are placed in opposition each other is characterized by that 48 of said single projection and/or said pair-projection are formed on one side wall and/or both side wall of at least one said holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention in which the projections are formed on both side wall which are placed in opposition each other is characterized by that both of each center of two projections which are two nearest neighbor single projections or two nearest neighbor pair-projections or one single projection and one nearest neighbor pair-projection makes the center angle of 7.5 against the center of said side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one side wall of said side walls having elastic projections is a side wall, hereinafter, to be also referred to as a side wall comprising projections on both side, comprising plural said elastic projections on one side and the other side of the side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said side wall, plural said projections formed on the side wall and the core of reel are formed in one body.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one projection of said projections is a projection, hereinafter, to be also referred to as belt styled projection or belt projection, which has such size that size of the projection measured along the fringe of the wall is lager than size of the projection measured toward the radius of the wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that area of cross section of root around, namely raising up place from the side wall, of said belt styled projection is lager than area of cross section of end portion of it.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that plural said belt styled projections are formed on the same side of at least one side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that number of said belt styled projections which are formed on the same side of at least one side wall is four.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that a belt styled projection, hereinafter, to be also referred to as projection A, and a projection which is not a belt styled projection, hereinafter, to be also referred to as projection B, are formed on the same side of at least one side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said core of reel is formed on one side of said side wall and also said core of reel is formed on the other side of said side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that size of said core of reel of one side of said side wall that is measured perpendicular direction to the wall and size of said core of reel of the other side of said side wall that is measured perpendicular direction to the wall are different.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one side wall among the side wall having said elastic projections is a side wall having projections on both side of it, that is, a side wall which has plural said projections on one side and the reverse side of the wall respectively.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that space between two projections placed on one side of at least one side wall having projections on both side of it and space between two projections placed on the other side of the side wall are different space.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that shape and size of projections placed on one side of at least one side wall having projections on both side of it, and shape and size of projections placed on the other side of the side wall are different shape and size.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that only projections which are not belt styled projections are placed on one side of at least one side wall having projections on both side of it, and at least two belt styled projections are placed on the other side of the side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one side wall having projections on both side of it has at least two belt styled projections near to fringe of the side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that projections which are not belt styled projections are placed on one side of at least one side wall having projections on both side of it, and four of belt styled projections are placed near to fringe of the other side of the side wall and, in addition, at least two pair of said pair-projections are placed at the position which is nearer position to core of reel than the position at which the belt styled projections are placed.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that distance from fringe of at least one side wall which is a side wall having projections on both side of it to the outside surface of the core of reel, that is width of the side wall, is different at one side of that side wall and the other side of that side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that width of side wall having belt styled projections near to fringe of the wall which is one side of the side wall having projections on both side of it, hereinafter, to be also referred to as the second width of side wall is larger than width of side wall having projections which are not belt styled projections near to fringe of the wall which is the other side of the side wall having projections on both side of it, hereinafter, to be also referred to as the first width of side wall.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized in that said side wall has four of ditches or slits, namely cut parts.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized in that said cut part reaches to position of the core of reel on the side wall having the projections.
Though above explanation of many sorts of characteristics of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is made mainly focusing characteristics of examples of elastic projections which are placed on said side wall forming the optical fiber holding area, the side wall and the core of reel, but the present invention is not limited narrowly to above mentioned characteristics, and it is obvious from above explanation and following explanation that the present invention comprises also some of the above mentioned characteristics together as there is not technical contradiction.
One of the most noteworthy characteristic of the present invention is that such holding equipment for optical fiber became practicable that diameter of holding equipment is smaller than 8 cm, being wound and being unwound of the fiber are easy, it can prevent effectively unwinding due to an accident of drop and it is inexpensive, by using an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention having the above mentioned many sorts of characteristics, while previously it was considered that to hold the relatively short length, for example 2 m or 3 m length, optical fiber winding into ring having diameter smaller than 8 cm is impossible in view of characteristics of the fiber.
In addition, followings are explanation about manufacturing such a holding equipment made of elastomers for optical fiber that can be used as is for processing vaporized deposition of antireflective layer on the terminal surface of optical fiber.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said at least one pair of side walls and projections formed on said side wall are made of fluorinated elastomer.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that hardness of the fluorinated elastomer which forms said holding equipment for optical fiber is 70˜90 in Shore hardness.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that hardness of the fluorinated elastomer which forms said holding equipment for optical fiber is 75˜85 in Shore hardness.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized in that said fluorinated elastomer is vinylidenefluoride elastomer or tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomer.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that contents of fluorine of said fluorinated elastomer is 65˜70%.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer is thermally treated for more than 1 hour at 250˜400° C. on the manufacturing process.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer is thermally treated for 8˜24 hours at 260˜270° C. on the manufacturing process.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said holding equipment for optical fiber is a holding equipment which was post-vulcanized at 204˜260° C. after formed holding equipment for optical fiber.
In addition, an example of said elastic projections, side wall, core of reel of the present invention can be formed by material other than fluorinated elastomers.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber which is not used for vacuum vaporized deposition of the present invention is characterized by that said core of reel, said at least one pair of side walls and projections formed on said side wall of at least one holding unit are made of silicone elastomer. Such holding equipment for optical fiber makes possible to provide inexpensive products.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized in that said silicone elastomer is colored, opaque against a visible ray.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that color of said silicone elastomer can be used for distinction of said holding equipment for optical fiber. By such application, attributes of optical fiber can be indicated easy to distinguish.
In addition, followings are explanation about more details of characteristics of composition of an example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the holding equipment for optical fiber has at least two holding unit for optical fiber of the first holding unit and the second holding unit, and the first holding unit has said elastic projections on one said side wall of at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other or both said side wall of at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the second holding unit has said elastic projections on one said side wall of at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other or both said side wall of at least one pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the second holding unit has at least one pair of side walls which have not said elastic projections.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that all of the side wall, the core of reel and the elastic projections of the first holding unit and the second holding unit are made of elastic materials.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the first holding unit and the second holding unit are composed being able to be connected in one body by using unit-connection-part.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said unit-connection-part is a part which connect said the first holding unit and the second holding unit in one body by inserting the part into a hole or a cavity formed on the first holding unit and into a hole or a cavity formed on the second holding unit to hold said the first holding unit and the second holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said the first holding unit and the second holding unit are made of elastic material into one body by using one-piece molding.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said the first holding unit and the second holding unit are made of different materials.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the materials which construct the second holding unit are the materials having characteristics of a rigid body as a holding unit for optical fiber.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that a connection-part by which said the first holding unit can be connected with said the second holding unit in a condition of removable and re-connectable is formed in one body with the second holding unit as a extended part from the second holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that an attaching part in style of concave part or convex part that can combine with at least one of the first and the second holding unit is formed as a part of the connection-part, and a combining part which is concave part or convex part is formed on the holding unit which is connected to the attaching part.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that one side wall of a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other of the second holding unit is the back side of the side wall which is one of a pair of side walls of the first holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said the second holding unit has a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other and different from that of the first holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said holding equipment for optical fiber has the third holding unit for optical fiber in addition to the first holding unit and the second holding unit.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the third holding unit is formed such structure as capable being connected with the first holding unit or the second holding unit into one body.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the third holding unit has a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other, and at least one of the pair of side walls is a side wall having said projections.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one of said side walls is a side wall formed as being able to be fit between two side walls after formed independently of the other component being comprised in said holding equipment for optical fiber and to construct two holding unit for optical fiber.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one of said side walls is a side wall having said projections on its both side.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least two of said optical fiber holding area of each of at least two of said holding unit have different depth of the holding unit respectively.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that at least one of side wall constructing boundary of said two holding unit is a side wall having said ditches or slits.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that size of projection of the fringe of said side wall is within a circle having 10 cm in diameter.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that thickness of said holding equipment for optical fiber is thinner than 3 mm.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized in a holding equipment for optical fiber into which the optical fiber having length within 5 m can be wound, wherein the holding equipment for optical fiber comprises optical fiber holding area, where-into the optical fiber can be hold wound on a core of reel, comprising, at least, a core of reel having shape of its fringe of circle or ellipse or polygon on which optical fiber can be wound, at least one pair of side walls placed in opposition each other, connected with said core of reel or combined to said core of reel, having shape of fringe of circle or ellipse or polygon and having shape of flat board, elastic projections which are formed at place near the fringe and inner of the fringe on the side wall, stick out from the wall toward the opposite side wall, and hollow formed at the core of reel and the side walls.
Followings are explanation of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, having more comprehensive characteristics than aforementioned characteristics, made of fluorinated elastomer.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that the holding equipment for optical fiber is holding equipment being able to hold the fiber by winding and made of cured fluorinated elastomer.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that hardness of said fluorinated elastomer is 70˜90 in Shore hardness.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that hardness of said fluorinated elastomer is 75˜85 in Shore hardness.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer is vinylidenefluoride elastomer or tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomer.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer contains 65˜70% of fluorine.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer is thermally treated for more than 1 hour at 250˜400° C. on the manufacturing process.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said fluorinated elastomer is thermally treated for 8˜24 hours at 260˜270° C. on the manufacturing process.
An example of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is characterized by that said holding equipment is a holding equipment which was post-cured at 204˜260° C. after formed holding equipment.
Although the above has provided an explanation a part of the characteristics of the present invention, as described above, the present invention makes many kinds of mode practicable as described later, and an example of the present invention is characterized by that there are some cases showing one of aforementioned characteristics and showing combined characteristics of aforementioned characteristics.
The following provides an explanation of a mode for carrying out the present invention with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, although each of the drawings used in the explanation schematically shows the dimensions, shape and layout relationship of each constituent component to a degree that enables the present invention to be understood. For the sake of convenience in providing the explanation, those components may be illustrated while partially changing the enlargement factor, those components may be illustrated only essential parts, and there are cases in which they may not always resemble the actual objects or descriptions of the embodiments and so forth. In addition, in each of the drawings, similar constituent components are indicated by assigning the same reference symbols, and duplicate explanations may be omitted.
In
Further, above described side wall 2 and 3 in
In
The holding equipment for optical fiber 1 is formed by press molding process and by using above-described fluorinated elastomers. The elastic projections indicated by reference symbols 5a1˜5a5, 5b1˜5b5 are placed inside of the side walls 2 and 3, namely the side where optical fiber is held, and each of the projections 5a1˜5a5 and each of the projections 5b1˜5b5 are placed at positions which are not placed in opposition each other and such positions where each of the projections placed on the side wall 2 and each of the projections placed on the side wall 3 are located alternatively like that projection 5b1 is placed in-between projection 5a1 and projection 5a2, projection 5b2 is placed in-between projection 5a2 and projection 5a3, and so forth.
Cross section of the fringe of side walls 2 and 3 shown in
Measure of d1 means a measure from the interior wall 7 of side wall 2, 3 to the fringe 35, 36 of side wall 2, 3, measure of d2 means a measure from the interior wall 7 to the interior portion of each projection 5a1, 5b1, and so on, measure of d3 means a measure from the interior wall 7 to the center of convex 31, 33 which is formed on the exterior of side wall 2, 3 as a protruded part, namely a processed portion, measure of d4 means the depth of optical fiber holding aria 10, namely a measure from the interior of each projection to the bottom surface 6 formed on the side of optical fiber holding aria. Measure of w1 means the maximum thickness measure of holding equipment for optical fiber, measure of w2 means a measure of thickness measure of the part of holding equipment for optical fiber at where the convex 31˜34 are not formed on the exterior of the side wall. Measure of t2 and t1 mean a measure of thickness measure of the part of the side wall 2, 3 at where the convex 31˜34 are not formed on the exterior of the side wall.
According to the result of experiment of the inventor of the present invention, length of the projection 5 longer than one fourth of width of the optical fiber holding area, namely space between side wall 2 and side wall 3 of the optical fiber holding area 10 is desirable for performing to wind the fiber into the holding equipment for optical fiber and to unwind the fiber of required length from the holding equipment in which the fiber is wound and held, with light force like that worker feels natural action, and also desirable to prevent some kind of obstruction to such process as, for example, attaching collimator to the terminal of the fiber held in the holding equipment for optical fiber or polishing of the terminal surface of the fiber due to unwinding the fiber from the holding equipment or deforming shape, and processing vaporized deposition of antireflective layer on the terminal surface. In
In an example of embodiment of the present invention, the inventor of the present invention manufactured, as an example of the holding equipment for optical fiber described using
As was previously known, optical fiber having diameter of 250 μm with the first coated layer is weak against bending and hard, therefore when said unwound part for the processing of the fiber held into a conventional holding equipment is pulled or terminal around of said unwound part of the fiber held into a conventional holding equipment is moved, strong force is exercised on the fiber, then shape of the ring of the fiber is put into disorder and it become obstacle to the process, but in the case of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, when the fiber held into the holding equipment of the present invention is pulled by usual force, a part of the fiber for a length corresponding to the force is coming out from the holding equipment by slipping out reliably over the elastic projections placed as holding spring on the side wall 2 and 3, and also remaining fiber which is wound in the holding equipment except the unwound part is held into the holding equipment and kept suitably and safely in requested shape and size in the holding equipment, then strong force is not exercised on the fiber and there are no obstacle to the process due to snapping of the fiber, disorder of the shape.
In addition, even though the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention is formed of elastic resin like synthetic rubber, according to the effect of the convex 31˜34 which are placed on the exterior side of the side wall of the holding equipment as processed portion, it comes possible that many of holding equipments for optical fiber of the present invention can be installed in such way that many holding equipments are put into a case so-called magazine under condition of slightly pressed for field of automatic machining, without such problem which is a fatal problem for automatic machine that plural of the holding equipments cling firmly each other, then plural of holding equipments are took out while one holding equipment should be took out.
The cut parts 2a1˜3 can be utilized in such case, for example, wherein a bundle of fiber held to the optical fiber holding area is took out as is, wherein some construct which described later is attached to the holding equipment for optical fiber as a combining means between the construct and sidewall 2, wherein optical fiber is shifted from one holding area to other holding area of the holding equipment for optical fiber which is constructed by combining plural of the holding equipments which will be described later. The cut parts 2a1˜3 placed on the side wall 2 can be formed on one of side wall 2 and 3, also can be formed on both of side wall 2 and 3, and also can be not formed on both of side wall 2 and 3, and that is selected depend on the purpose of application and/or materials of the holding equipment, and so on.
While the cut parts 2a1˜3 are used for combining means between the holding equipment and parts for control, when the holding equipment is used for some kind of automatic machine or in a vacuum vaporized deposition device, accurate operation comes possible.
Furthermore, in a case of above-described holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention which is made of fluorinated elastomers being able to be used in vacuum by one-piece molding technology, when thickness of the side wall etc. is made too thin for the sake of convenience in taking out the bundle of optical fiber held in the holding equipment from the holding equipment as is, there are also some cases where it is not easy to handle the holding equipment for optical fiber. For the sake of convenience in application of the holding equipment for optical fiber, there are also case where material is selected over the sacrifice of bend of the holding equipment. Taking such condition into consideration, in an example of embodiment of holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, some constructs can be used for attaching to the holding equipment by combining with the interior wall and/or the side wall.
As an example of such construct which can combine with the holding equipment for optical fiber having dimensions of d1˜d7 described above, being not shown in the drawing, there is a construct comprising a hollow disk which can attach to the exterior surface of the side wall by touching and a hollow cylinder which is connected with said hollow disk and is used by being inserted into the interior wall 7. An example of dimensions of such construct which is used for the holding equipment for optical fiber having dimensions of d1˜d7 described above are such dimensions that thickness of the hollow disk is 0.5 mm, outside diameter of the hollow disk is 70 mm, inside diameter of the hollow disk is 63 mm (namely, thickness of hollow cylinder part is 65−63=2 mm), length of the cylinder part (namely, dimension of raising-up part from the disk) is 2.6 mm, and the tip part of the cylinder of which length is 0.8 mm is formed as a taper with angle of 15 toward inner side. According to such shape and dimensions, such construct can be inserted easily into the interior wall of the holding equipment for optical fiber, and also when the hollow cylinder of the construct is inserted until the hollow disk touches to the exterior surface of the side wall, the part where is not tapered, namely the part of which length is 1.8 mm raised up from the hollow disk is bound tightly by contracting force of said interior of the holding equipment for optical fiber, then the construct can keep its position reliably, and such construct can play a role of reinforcement for the holding equipment for optical fiber and/or combining with parts for control, then such construct can make the holding equipment for optical fiber easier being used.
Furthermore, each projection is formed as slanted as each of the center line of projections 40 and 42 makes specified angle −θ5 with the perpendicular line of the side wall where the projections are formed, the center line of projection 41 makes specified angle θ5 with the perpendicular line of the side wall where the projection is formed. It is desirable that above specified angle θ5 is smaller than 10°, then it is easy to handle such as winding and unwinding of optical fiber, the optical fiber held in the holding equipment for optical fiber by being wound in it is hard to unwind naturally during its handling, and it is possible to hold optical fiber into the holding equipment for optical fiber with high reliability. Projections 40 and 42 are placed on the same side wall 3 and projection 41 is placed on the side wall 2 which is placed in opposition to the side wall 3.
In addition, the perpendicular component against the side wall of projections 40˜42 is longer than ¼ (one fourth) of distance between said side walls, and especially, when it is shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than the distance, namely the space between said side walls, the holding equipment can show such noticeable effect as keeping easy winding of optical fiber, having excellent characteristics against fall, and having high reliability of holding equipment.
The projections shown in
Projection 43˜48 are formed as slanted as each of the center line of projections 43, 44, 47, 48 makes specified angle −θ6 with the perpendicular line of the side wall, each of the center line of projection 45, 46 makes specified angle θ6 with the perpendicular line of the side wall. It is desirable that above specified angle θ6 is smaller than 10°, then it can realize holding equipment having excellent handling characteristics. Furthermore, projections 43, 44, 47, 48 are placed on the same side wall, and projections 43, 44 and projections 47, 48 are closely placed respectively as forming such pair-projection that space between two roots of projection is 0 or narrower than two times of diameter of a outer circle which touch and include tightly the root of projection inside of it. Projections 45 and 46 are also placed on the side wall which is placed in opposition to the side wall on that projections 43, 44, 47, 48 are placed, and projections 45 and 46 are placed as forming pair-projection too. In addition, when the perpendicular component to the side wall of the length of projections 43˜48 is longer than ¼ of distance between said side walls, and especially, when it is shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than the distance, namely the space between said side walls, the holding equipment can show such noticeable effect as being easy to handle, having excellent characteristics against fall, namely, even for buffered fiber, being able to prevent a part of the fiber coming out from the holding equipment on account of fall by accident, and having high reliability of holding equipment.
When the projections are formed slanted to one direction concerning with the fringe of the side wall, for example downward in the drawing, namely where the position of the tip of the projection is lower than the position of the root of the projection as shown in
Furthermore, when the perpendicular component to the side wall of the length of the projection is longer than a half of distance between said side walls, the holding equipment for optical fiber can show such noticeable effect as to prevent optical fiber unwinding and coming out from the holding equipment.
Projections shown in
In
The center line of projections 79 and 80 and other projections (not shown in the drawing) are formed as slanted toward bottom surface, namely outside potion of the core of reel, as the center line makes specified angle θ7 with the perpendicular line of the side wall where the projections are placed.
It is desirable that above specified angle θ7 is smaller than 10°, then it can realize holding equipment having excellent characteristics of easy handling and high reliability.
According to said projections formed slanted as shown in
In
As a result of said projections formed longer than ¼ of distance between said side walls and shorter than the distance between said side walls as shown in
In
In
When the projections are formed slanted to one direction concerning with the fringe of the side wall, for example downward in the drawing as shown in
In
When the projections are formed slanted to direction concerning with the fringe of the side wall, for example downward in the drawing, namely where the position of the tip of the projection is lower than the position of the root of the projection as shown in
In addition, projection explained in
In
In
Projection 703 is formed protruded from side wall 707 toward side wall 708, is formed perpendicular to the side wall 707, or slanted as forming specified angle specified angle θa with the perpendicular line of the side wall 707 measured toward the outside portion of core of reel 701a, or slanted as forming specified angle θb with the perpendicular line of the side wall 707 measured to the perpendicular line of the side wall 707 along fringe direction of the side wall, or slanted as both of said angle θa and angle θb are exist. It is desirable that above specified angle θa and θb are smaller than 10 from easy handling and hard unwinding point of view.
It is desirable that length as height of projection 703 measured perpendicular to the side wall 707 toward side wall 708 is longer than ¼ of distance between side wall 707 and side wall 708, then the holding equipment can be used for wider applications. In addition, when its length is longer than ½ of distance between side wall 707 and side wall 708 and is shorter as 0.05˜0.15 mm than distance between side wall 707 and side wall 708, the holding equipment can show such noticeable effect that it is easy to install, easy to attach collimator to the fiber using the holding equipment in which the fiber is installed, easy to process vaporized deposition of antireflective layer on the terminal surface of the fiber, and there is no fear of coming out the optical fiber wound into the holding equipment from the holding equipment due to fall of the holding equipment by accident during handled.
When optical fiber 710 is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber explained using
When thus optical fiber 710 of ribbon fiber is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber explained using
By making the projection 703 of appropriately flexible materials, optical fiber can be drawing out from either terminal side.
In addition, due to existing of processed portion 704, 705, 706, many of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can be treated piled up without fear of clinging firmly each other, and a large quantity of the holding equipment for optical fiber can be installed in small space.
In
In
Processed portion 755, 756 are processed by surface processing and/or heat treatment, then they do not cling firmly each other when they are pressed. Processed portion 755 is formed along innermost position side wall 757 and 758, namely interior of side wall 757 and 758, and placed slightly inner position of outside portion of core of reel on side wall 757 and 758. Processed portion 756 is formed in such place where inner fringe of the processed portion 756 is placed slightly outer position than the position corresponding to the center of projection 753, 754, and outer fringe of the processed portion 756 is placed slightly inner position from fringe of the side wall 757, 758.
Projection 753 is formed protruded from side wall 757 toward side wall 758, is formed perpendicular to the side wall 757, or slanted as forming specified angle θc with the perpendicular line of the side wall 757 measured toward the outside portion of core of reel 751a, or slanted as forming specified angle θd measured to the perpendicular line of the side wall 757 along fringe direction of the side wall, or slanted as both of said angle θc and angle θd are exist. It is desirable that above specified angle θc and θd are smaller than 10, when angle θc and θd are 5˜10°, it can realize holding equipment showing such excellent characteristics as easy to install even by weak force and to prevent reliably unwinding optical fiber installed in that.
In
Projection 753 and 754 look as contact in
Shape of cross section of the projection in the direction where the projection protrude, like projection 703, is a stick styled projection, when all of the projections are placed only on one side wall of a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other, almost the same bigness of projection is available from the vicinity of the root to the vicinity of the tip, the shape of the vicinity of the root is raising up as arc from the surface of side wall 707, the shape of the tip is hemisphere. Such shape shows such preferable effect as excellence in work and high reliability of handling.
When the projections are placed on both side wall of a pair of side walls which are placed in opposition each other as projections 753 and 754, it is desirable to form projection becoming thinner gradually from root toward tip, for example in cross section of
In
Attaching part 774 is a ditch formed at the middle of interior surface of core of reel. Application and effect of that is the same as case of attaching part 760 explained by using
Projection 778 is an example of projection which can show almost the same effect as the effect of the projection having desirable shape explained by using
About making molding pattern to forming projection 778, at the first, female pattern is formed into shape of the base part 777, next to it, the middle part of the base part 777 is delved into shape of the middle part 776, next to it, the middle part of the middle part 776 is delved cavity into shape of the tip 775, then molding pattern for projection 778 is formed. Such shape of molding pattern is relatively easy to be made, reduction of manufacturing cost can be realized. Though characteristics of projection having such shape is not completely the same as that of projection 753, 754, but it shows similar characteristics.
It is possible to realize the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention of which said side wall has such smaller size than 10 cm in maximum size in radius direction, or in diameter in a case of circular fringe of the side wall. Previously it was considered that to hold optical fiber winding into such compact holding equipment is impossible in view of said characteristics of the fiber as solidity and easy to be snapped. But according to research of the inventor of the present invention, it is proved that summing additional idea with above composition, the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can be realized such smaller diameter of said side wall than 10 cm of course, even than 8 cm.
As example of the present invention described using
Furthermore, when optical fiber is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber by user's hands, a part of the optical fiber is put and pressed on the projection 753 or the projection 754, and the projection 753 or the projection 754 is bent toward inner side of the optical fiber holding area, and the optical fiber is put into optical fiber holding area 759, and then the optical fiber is wound to outside portion of core of reel 751a.
In addition, when side wall 757 and side wall 758 are formed in such shape that the shape of vicinity of fringe of each side wall has outline of arc in the cross section shown in
While such optical fiber wound into the holding equipment for optical fiber having above-mentioned measure for the outside portion of core of reel and the fringe of side wall intend to unwind to larger diameter, due to effect of suitable structure of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, especially effect of the elastic projections 753 and 754, the optical fiber is being kept in the holding equipment for optical fiber without unwinding spontaneously due to effect of suitable structure of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, especially effect of the elastic projections 753 and 754. In addition, in a case of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention, it is not needed that the optical fiber is fixed by compulsion using tape to be kept in regular shape, as needed in the conventional case, furthermore, if pulling force is exercised over the optical fiber during work, it does not occur that the optical fiber is bent to smaller diameter than diameter of the outside portion of core of reel and there is no fear of snapping of the optical fiber as occurred in conventional case. In addition, since the optical fiber is not pulled out from the holding equipment except necessary length of it during work, there is no fear of jumbling of the fiber in handling for processing, and it does not need large space for work.
As described above, in a case where the optical fiber is being held in the holding equipment explained using
The shape of projection in examples of embodiment of the present invention as explained with reference to the drawings
In a case where the belt styled projection is used, it is desirable from winding and unwinding point of view of the fiber that size of the projection measured along the fringe of the side wall is less than a half of size of the fringe of side wall measured along the fringe of the side wall at the position where the projection is placed, especially the size is less than one fourth of that, and the projection is used together with said slender shaped projection.
In
In a case of installing of 4-ribbon fiber having such size that width Wp is 1˜1.1 mm, thickness Tp is 0.3 mm into the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention explained using
Thickness of 8-ribbon fiber is 0.3 mm and width of it is 2˜2.2 mm, and in addition to that as ribbon fiber there are many kinds of ribbon fiber like 2-ribbon fiber, 12-ribbon fiber and width of them are different while thickness of them are almost the same. To consider above-mentioned fact is useful when the holding equipment is used for ribbon fiber.
A holding unit having an optical fiber holding area which comprises side walls placed in opposition each other and elastic projections placed on at least one said side wall as explained using
Furthermore, followings are explanation about example of the holding equipment comprising the second holding unit having another optical fiber holding area in addition to the first holding unit having an optical fiber holding area which comprises said elastic projections placed in the vicinity of fringe of the side wall explained using
In
Into the first holding unit 183 optical fiber is mainly installed by wound and into the second holding unit 184 parts attached to the optical fiber are installed, and the optical fiber can travel between the first holding unit 183 and the second holding unit 184 through ditch or slit formed at the side wall 173 and 179. Reference symbol 189 indicates hollow portion formed at the center part of side wall 172, 173, 178, 179 and unit-connection-part 185 which locate at the center part of core of reel 171 and 177.
In
In a case where optical fiber is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber constructed by using the side wall having ditches or slits explained using
In addition, it is obvious from the explanation about the present invention that other side wall than the side wall explained using
In
In
According to construct the holding equipment for optical fiber in such way where at least two side walls of side wall 192, 193, 198, 199 are formed as the same side walls having ditch or slit as explained using
When optical fiber is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber 614 which is constructed as shown in
In
In
The optical fiber can travel between the first holding unit 153 and the second holding unit 161 through ditch or slit, for example as explained using
Reference symbol 166 indicates a hollow portion formed at the center part of core of reel 155 that is placed at the center part of side wall 142, 143, 148, 149, 156 and 157. The thickness of core of reel 141, core of reel 147 and core of reel 155 can be the same thickness, and, for example, in a case of optical fiber being wound into holding equipment for optical fiber 612 where the optical fiber is such that an optical component like filter is connected at the middle part of the optical fiber, namely the first optical fiber and the second fiber having suitable length are connected to the both end of the optical component, and connecter is attached at the terminal of the first optical fiber and the second fiber respectively, when the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber are held into the first holding unit and the third holding unit by wound respectively, the fiber travels between holding units through the ditch or slit formed in the side wall existing between each two holding units, and the optical component is held into the second holding unit, then-the holding equipment for optical fiber can be used as a compact, excellently reliable, and excellent to be used holding equipment for optical fiber to treat relatively short optical fiber, that could not be expected in conventional holding system. In above-mentioned case, by forming such the second holding unit that the space between the side walls of the second holding unit is wider than the space between the side walls of other holding unit and/or the depth of optical fiber holding area of the second holding unit is deep (namely, the thickness of core of reel is thin), the optical components and/or connecters can be held compactly.
In
The first holding unit 153 and the second holding unit 161, and the third holding unit 154 and the second holding unit 161 are connected in one body by unit-connection-part 158 and 159 respectively.
The first holding unit 153 and the third holding unit 154 are placed symmetrically with respect to the second holding unit 161, and such construction can reduce manufacturing cost.
When optical fiber is installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber, as shown in
In addition, it is obvious from the above and following explanation about the present invention that other side wall than the side wall explained using
Followings are explanation about an example of manufacturing of fluorinated elastomers which can be used for the present invention. Fluorinated elastomers being used in an example of embodiment of the present invention are bridge constructed fluorinated elastomers, thermal treatment in high temperature will be explained later is performed in its manufacturing process, and for example, compound of fluorinated elastomers (A1) or thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers (A2) are used.
As compound of fluorinated elastomers (A1), compounds of fluorinated elastomer made of following fluorinated elastomer by added, in necessity, curing agent, vulcanization promoter, acid accepter, filler are used.
As fluorinated elastomers, conventional materials can be used widely, for example, followings can be listed up vinylidenefluoride elastomers, tetrafluoroethylene-propylene elastomers, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomers, perfluoro-silicone elastomers, perfluorophosphagen elastomers and so on.
As vinylidenefluoride elastomers, specifically, there are, for example, copolymer elastomers of vinylidenefluoride (Vdf) and hexafluoropropylene elastomers (HFP) (for example: Viton A-200, DDE Co. Ltd.), copolymer elastomers of vinylidenefluoride and pentafluoropropylene elastomers, copolymer elastomers of vinylidenefluoride and chlorotrifluoroethylene elastomers, ternary polymerization elastomers of vinylidenefluoride (Vdf), hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) for example: Viton B, Viton F, GF, DDE Co. Ltd.), as tetrafluoroethylene-propylene elastomers, there is, for example, copolymer elastomers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and propylene (Pr) (for example, Afulas, Asahigalasu Co. Ltd.), as tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomers, there is, for example, elastomers in which a little monomer for bridge construction is added to copolymer elastomers of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluorovinylether elastomers, as fluorophosphagen elastomers, there is, for example, elastomers which is made by reaction of long-chain rubber (PNCl2)n which is made from thermal resolution of trimer of dichlorophosphonitrile and fluoroalcoholate, and as perfluoro-silicone elastomers, there is, for example, copolymer elastomers of methyltrifluoropropylsiloxane and vinylmethylsiloxane. In such fluorinated elastomers, vinylidenefluoride elastomers and tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomers are desirable.
As examples of curing (vulcanizing) agent, there are amine-curing agent (a), polyol-curing agent (b), peroxide-curing agent (c), triazine-curing agent (d), as amine-curing agent (a), specifically, followings can be listed up, for example, hexamethyenediaminecarbamate, N,N′-dicinnamylidene-1,6-hexanediamine, hexamethylenediamine carbamate, and so on, as polyol-curing agent (b), followings can be listed up bisphenol A F, 4,4′-dihydroxylationdiphenyl, and so on, as peroxide-curing agent (c), followings can be listed up, for example, α,α′-bis (t-butylperoxy-m-isopropyl) benzene (Perbutyl: Nofcorpotation), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy) hexane (Perhexa 25B Nofcorpotation), dicumylperoxide (Percumyl D: Nofcorpotation), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-(t-butylperoxy) hexyne-3 (Perhexyne 25B: Nofcorpotation), benzoylperoxide (Nyper B: Nofcorpotation), and so on, as triazine-curing agent (d), triazine can be listed up.
As vulcanization promoter, specifically, followings can be listed up, for example, triallylisocyanurate (Taic: Nipponkasei Chemical Co. Ltd.), ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate (Sanester EG: Sanshin Chemical Ind. Ltd.), trimethylolpropanetrimethacrylate (Sanester TMP: Sanshin Chemical Ind. Ltd.), polyfunctionalmethacrylatemonomer (Hi-cross M: Seiko Chemical Co. Ltd.), polyhydricalcoholmethacrylate and acrylate, metal acid of methacrylate, and so on.
As acid acceptors, specifically, followings can be listed up dihydric oxide, hydroxide or compound of dihydrometalic compound and metallic acid. As dihydric metal, specifically, there are magnesium, calsium, lead, zinc, and so on. Such metals are used as oxide or hydroxide, or compound with week metal acid such as stearic acid, benzoic acid, carbonic acid, oxalic acid, phosphorous acid and so on.
As such acid acceptors, more specifically, followings can be listed up, for example, Ca (OH)2, MgO, and so on. As vulcanization accelerator, there are, for example, quaternaryphosphonium salt, quaternaryammonium salt, quaternaryammonium salt of 8-alkyl (or, aralkyl)-1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-7-undecene, aminophosphinic acid derivative and so on.
As filler, specifically, followings can be listed up, for example, carbon black, barium sulfate, titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, magnesium silicate (talc), aluminum silicate (clay), and so on.
For such compound of fluorinated elastomers, against 100 weight of fluorinated elastomers, 0.5˜10 weight of curing agent, desirably 0.5˜5 weight of curing agent, 1˜20 weight of vulcanization promoter, desirably 3˜10 weight of vulcanization promoter, 1˜40 weight of acid acceptor, desirably 2˜20 weight of acid acceptor, 0.1˜10 weight of vulcanization accelerator, desirably 0.3˜2 weight of vulcanization accelerator, 1˜100 weight of filler, desirably 5˜40 weight of filler are used.
Processing of such compound of fluorinated elastomers is that, at first, each said component such as curing agent and so on of above-mentioned weight ratio are added to fluorinated elastomers, then they are mixed and kneaded using for example roller. As such compound of fluorinated elastomers, specifically, followings can be listed up, for example, (x1) compound of fluorinated elastomers comprising vinylidenefluoride elastomers, amine curing agent, acid acceptor, vulcanization accelerator and filler, (x2) compound of fluorinated elastomers comprising vinylidenefluoride elastomers, polyol-curing agent, acid acceptor, vulcanization accelerator and filler, (x3) compound of fluorinated elastomers comprising vinylidenefluoride elastomers, peroxide-curing agent, vulcanization promoter and filler, (x4) compound of fluorinated elastomers comprising tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomers, polyol-curing agent, acid acceptor, vulcanization accelerator and filler, (x5) compound of fluorinated elastomers comprising tetrafluoroethylene-perfluorovinylether elastomers, triazine-curing agent, acid acceptor, vulcanization accelerator and filler.
Thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers (A2), comprising both of elastomer typed polymer-chain-segment and plastomer typed segment wherein at least one of them is chain-segment including fluorinated elastomer, shows rubber elasticity at room temperature around and shows plastic mobility when it is heated up.
As such thermoplastic fluorinated elastomer, conventional materials can be used widely, for example, elastomers comprising fluorinated rubber component (plastomer typed polymer-chain-segment) and fluororesin component (elastomer typed polymer-chain-segment) can be listed up.
As elastomer typed polymer-chain-segment, followings can be listed up, (1) ternary polymerization elastomers of vinylidenefluoride-hexafluoropropylene or pentafluoropropylene-tetrafluoroethylene, wherein in 100 mol % of copolymer, 40˜90 mol % of vinylidenefluoride unit, 5˜50 mol % of hexafluoropropylene or pentafluoropropylene unit, 0˜35 mol % of tetrafluoroethylene unit are included respectively, or (2) ternary polymerization elastomers of perfluoroalkylvinylether-tetrafluoroethylene-vinylidenefluoride, wherein in 100 mol % of copolymer, 15˜75 mol % of perfluoroalkylvinylether unit, 0˜85 mol % of tetrafluoroethylene unit, 0˜85 mol % of vinylidenefluoride unit are included respectively, and molecular weight of (1) or (2) is approximately 30˜1200 thousand.
As plastomer typed polymer-chain-segment, followings can be listed up, (3) copolymer of vinylidenefluoride-tetrafluoroethylene, wherein in 100 mol % of copolymer, 0˜100 mol % of vinylidenefluoride unit, 0˜100 mol % of tetrafluoroethylene unit are included respectively, or (4) multi-copolymer of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene, 3,3,3-trifluoropropylene-1 or perfluoroalkylvinylether, wherein in 100 mol % of copolymer, 40˜60 mol % of ethylene unit, 60˜40 mol % of tetrafluoroethylene unit, 0˜30 mol % of hexafluoropropylene unit are included respectively, and molecular weight of (3) or (4) is approximately 30000˜400 thousand. Concerning thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers, the details are described in Japanese laid open patent S53-3495 (1978), Japanese applied patent S60-109141 (1985).
In a case of such thermoplastic fluorinated elastomer, ratio of elastomer typed polymer-chain-segment and plastomer typed polymer-chain-segment is approximately 40˜95:60˜5 in weight ratio.
Such copolymer of fluororubber and fluororesin, namely, thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers is on sale, for example, Dai-el Thermo (Daikin Ind. Co.Ltd.).
We can make a preliminary mold from the thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers, according to conventional method. We can make it to fill mold of metal having requested pattern with the thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers, heat it and then cool it. In this case, curing agent, filler and so on of above-mentioned may not necessarily be add to said elastomers, but depending on a case, such curing agent as polyol, peroxide, and so on can be added.
Requested cured thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers can be made curing three dimensionally such preliminary mold of the thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers by radioactive ray.
In a case of curing such preliminary mold by radioactive ray, it is exposed generally to 3˜300 K gray of, desirably 70˜200 K gray of radioactive ray. As radioactive ray, X-ray, gamma ray, electron beam, proton beam, deuteron beam, α-ray, β-ray etc. can be used.
To reduce emission of gas from the elastomers due to its high temperature treatment in its applications, above-mentioned bridge constructed compound of fluorinated elastomers (A1) or thermoplastic fluorinated elastomers (A2) is thermally treated for more than 1 hour at 250˜400° C., desirably 8˜24 hours at 260˜270°. However, thermal treatment in excess of above-mentioned range for fluororubber brings thermal resolution of fluororubber or deterioration of it. Furthermore, in a case of thermal treatment under 250° C., volatile ingredient including in the fluororubber can not be emmited r eliminated, then the fluororubber remains as fluororubber emitting much gas in high vacuum environment. In a case of said fluororubber thermally treated in above described, volume of emitted gas per unit surface area after being held 12 hours at normal temperature (25° C.) in vacuum atmosphere of 1*10−5˜1*10−8 is less than 1*10−7 Torr·1/sec·cm2, desirably less than 5·10−8·1 Torr·1/sec˜cm2. As emitted gas, for example, hydrocarbon, water, low molecular composition of base polymer can be listed up.
In a case of fluorinated elastomers, the second cure may be performed, also may not be performed, before thermal treatment of above-mentioned hour and temperature. To use for the present invention, said fluorinated elastomers can be performed reduced pressure treatment under 100 Torr, desirably under 1 Torr, before said high temperature thermal treatment or after said high temperature thermal treatment. Such reduced pressure treatment can be performed more than 0.1 hours desirably more than 0.1 hours, at 25˜400° C., desirably 100˜200° C. Over 100 Torr, said reduced pressure treatment is not effective. Further, the pressure of reduced pressure treatment is lower, the hour is shorter and the temperature is lower.
Further, for application in the present invention, said cured fluorinated elastomers may contact with solvent before said high temperature thermal treatment or after said high temperature thermal treatment. To make contact said cured fluorinated elastomers and solvent, cured fluorinated elastomers can be dipped into solvent. Through such contact fluorinated elastomers and solvent, some kind of volatile components being emitted in application under vacuum atmosphere can be took away beforehand, then volume of emitted gas in application under vacuum atmosphere can be reduced.
As solvent, organic solvent, inorganic solvent, mixed solvent can be listed up. As organic solvent, polar solvent such as acetone, methylethylketon (MEK) and alcohol, nonpolar solvent such as benzene and toluene can be listed up. In such organic solvent, polar solvent is desirable. Such polar solvent can easily permeate into the said cured fluorinated elastomers, then component for gas is easily abstracted.
As inorganic solvent, water and so on can be listed up. As mixed solvent, water-acetone mixed solvent, water-alcohol mixed solvent, and so on can be listed up. In such solvent, water not having problem of environmental pollution is desirably used.
As water, pure water is desirable, especially pure water having higher than 105 Ω·cm of resistivity measured at 25° C. is desirable. About contact hour etc. between the solvent and said cured fluorinated elastomers, it changes due to component of said cured fluorinated elastomers, sort and concentration of solvent used, and in a case of using above-mentioned pure water, for example, the cured fluorinated elastomers can be contacted with pure water of higher than 25° C., desirably heated to 95˜100° C., more than 0.1 hours, desirably 0.3˜5 hours.
Through above-mentioned process, fluorinated elastomers from which emission is very low level are realized.
Followings are more specific explanation about an embodiment of fluorinated elastomers which can be used for the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to that example narrowly.
The compound of fluorinated elastomers having following constituent is made. Wherein, duality—fluororubber made of vinylidenefluoride and hexafluoropropylene is made (Followings are included in fluororubber 100 mole % vinylidenefluoride unit 77 mole %, hexafluoropropylene 23 mole %. Molecular weight of fluororubber is 100,000.):
Fluororubber—100 weight, magnesium oxide—3 weight, carbon black—30 weight, calcium hydroxide—6 weight, vulcanization accelerator (quaternaryammonium)—1 weight, curing agent (bisphenol A F)—1 weight.
Above-mentioned compound of fluorinated elastomers is put into mold of metal, then the first cure of the compound is performed 10 minutes at 170° C., under pressure of 30 Kgf/cm2, Consecutively, high temperature thermal treatment of the compound which is performed the first cure is performed 16 hours, at 250° C., under atmospheric pressure.
Consequently, the thermally treated fluororubber showed that volume of emitted gas per O ring surface area after being held 12 hours at normal temperature in vacuum atmosphere of 1*10−7˜1*10−8 was 4.8*10−8 Torr·1/sec·cm2.
High temperature thermal treatment of the compound which is the same compound as example 1 and is performed the first cure in the same way as example 1 is performed 16 hours, at 270°0 C., under atmospheric pressure.
Consequently, the thermally treated fluororubber showed that volume of emitted gas per O ring surface area after being held 12 hours at normal temperature in vacuum atmosphere of 1*10−7˜1*10−8 was 2.3*10−8 Torr·1/sec·cm2.
A mold was made directly using the compound which is the same compound as example 1 and is performed the first cure in the same way as example 1.
Consequently, the mold showed that volume of emitted gas per O ring surface area after being held 12 hours at normal temperature in vacuum atmosphere of 1*10−5˜0.1*10−5 was 0.41*10−5 Torr·1/sec·cm2.
High temperature thermal treatment of the compound which is the same compound as example 1 and is performed the first cure in the same way as example 1 is performed 24 hours, at 230° C., under atmospheric pressure.
Consequently, the thermally treated fluororubber showed that volume of emitted gas per O ring surface area after being held 12 hours at normal temperature in vacuum atmosphere of 0.1*10−5˜1*10−7 was 2.2*10−7 Torr·1/sec·cm2.
It is obvious from above explanation about example 1, example 2, comparative example 1, comparative example 2 that volume of emitted gas of the example 1 and the example 2 are clearly less than volume of emitted gas of the comparative example 1 and the comparative example 2.
Thus example of fluorinated elastomers being able to be used for the present invention has been described in detail. When the elastic projections, side wall, core of reel which construct the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention are made of above-mentioned fluorinated elastomers, such holding equipment for optical fiber can show such noticeable effect that work to be done under atmospheric pressure which is attaching optical component such as collimator, filter etc. to the optical fiber, polishing of the terminal surface of the optical fiber becomes easy by using the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention held relatively short optical fiber having length of 20 m or shorter as described above, in addition, above-mentioned holding equipment for optical fiber can show such noticeable effect that work to be done in vacuum and high temperature environment such as formation of antireflective layer on the terminal surface of the fiber in a vacuum vaporized deposition device can be done without fear of harm to antireflective layer in its quality due to the emitted gas, consequently, vaporized deposition can be performed by mounting the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention holding said optical fiber in the vacuum vaporized deposition device.
The holding equipments for optical fiber made of above-mentioned fluorinated elastomers are especially desirable examples of the present invention which show extremely remarkable effect.
However, the present invention is not narrowly limited to above-mentioned example. Namely, there are many cases of processing for the optical fiber having length of 20 m, for example, 2 m, 3 m, 5 m where the process does not need vacuum environment. There are cases where the fiber should be held in compact size, for example, before vacuum processing, after vacuum processing, in carrying of completed products, in application for automatism. In such cases, as previously described, the conventional process has difficulties due to absent of suitable holding equipment for optical fiber. For such cases, the holding equipments for optical fiber made of said fluorinated elastomers are available, however, there are cases where more inexpensive holding equipment or holding equipment of different nature are desired.
The present invention meets also such request. The holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can be made by using silicone elastomers as materials for said elastic parts. By using silicone elastomers, holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention having said effects explained in said each embodiment of the present invention except application in vacuum environment can be provided.
In addition, metal can be used for components of the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention. For example, the construct for reinforcement being inserted to interior of core of reel can be made of stainless steel, furthermore, optical fiber holding unit can be made by using aluminum, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy. Due to use such metals, the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can be applied more widely and life of it becomes longer.
Type of the optical fiber being able to show excellent effect installed into the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention are many kinds of optical fiber, for example, buffered fiber having diameter of 0.25 mm about which is needless to say, core fiber, ribbon fiber, and a result of applied them for the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention showed excellent effect described above.
As described above, the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can hold the optical fiber having length of 20 m, for example, 2 m, 3 m, 5 m in compact, and can show excellent effect such as easy to handle, easy to wind and unwind, no fear of snapping in processing, stable against fall, keeping required small sized shape with high reliability, furthermore, being able to be used for forming antireflective layer on the terminal surface of the optical fiber in vacuum environment. In addition, due to that plural of the holding equipments do not cling firmly each other when they are piled up under condition of slightly pressed, machining process and/or automated process can be realized by using the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention.
As described above, due to said characteristics, the holding equipment for optical fiber of the present invention can be widely applied to industrial field using optical fiber typically optical communication, for example, can be widely used for said many kind of process, storage, caring of relatively short optical fiber used in optical communication, can be widely used for processing of optical fiber having length of 2 m, 3 m, 5 m, then, can contribute to the progress of said industrial field.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-365348 | Oct 2001 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP02/11134 | 10/28/2002 | WO | 4/28/2005 |
