JPS58143302A - Manufacture of optical fiber assemblage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To array optical fibers quickly and easily by using optical fibers having magnetic materials and attracting the same with a magnet. CONSTITUTION:Optical fibers 1 wherein magnetic materials are provided on the inner or outer side of covering layers are used, and these are assembled by means of a magnet 4. For example, a cylindrical frame 5 is provided on the inner side of the magnet 4 formed to a cylindrical shape, and the fibers 1 provided with the magnetic materials are put in the frame 5 and are attracted to the inside circumferential surface of the frame 5. The magnet 4 may be any of an electromagnet, magnetic steel or the like as far as the magnet can attract the fibers 1. Many pieces of the optical fibers are thus attracted instantaneously to a desired array; therefore, the optical fibers are arrayed extremely quickly and easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing optical fiber assemblies such as fiber bundles for optical fiber communication cables, image guides, light guides, etc.

Conventionally, the methods shown in Figures 1 (a) and (b) were used to manufacture image guides, light guides, etc. made up of a large number of optical fibers.
This was carried out by the method shown in C-1.

The one shown in Figure 1 (a) is a tape coated with adhesive so that a plurality of optical fibers BL are lined up on top, and the one shown in (b) is a metal tape formed into an appropriate shape. A large number of optical fibers Mlr are placed in the frame C, and an adhesive is poured into the frame C to fix the optical fiber B'. The optical fibers b are stacked one by one in a line on an L-shaped support d provided in the middle of the yarn path.

However, among the above methods, when all adhesive is used, if it is installed in a place with high mud for a long time, the adhesive on the ☆:, ;: surface of the optical fiber will soften and melt, reducing the light transmission efficiency. There is a drawback.

Furthermore, the method shown in FIG. 1(c) has the disadvantage that the winding speed cannot be increased, resulting in a decrease in work efficiency.

The present invention is designed to solve all of these difficulties by making it possible to collectively fix a large number of optical fibers without using adhesives.

Therefore, in the present invention, the coating layer (2) is used as the optical fiber (1).
) with a magnetic material (3) placed inside or outside, and all of the magnets (4) K are assembled together.

As an example of the present invention, the one shown in FIG. 2 has a cylindrical frame (5) provided inside a cylindrical shaped magnet (4), and a magnetic material (3) provided within this frame (5). Optical fiber (lli
The frame (5) is made to adhere to the inner circumferential surface of the frame (5).

The one shown in Figure 3 has the inside of the magnet (4) shaped into a star shape,
A similar star-shaped frame (5) is attached inside the frame, and a magnetic material is provided inside the frame (5) to form an optical fiber.

The one shown in Figure 4 is made by providing a frame (5) around the outer periphery of a magnet (4) formed into a rectangular shape, and completely attracting an optical fiber (1) having a magnetic material on the outside of the frame (5). It is.

The magnet (4) in the present invention may be of any type, such as an electromagnet or magnetic steel, as long as it can attract an optical fiber (11) having a magnetic body (3).

As the optical fiber (1) having the magnetic material (3), for example, powdered or granular magnetic material may be applied continuously in a curved manner in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber (1) or repeatedly at appropriate intervals. It is preferable to use one that is attached in a spiral manner.

As shown above, the present invention uses an optical fiber (1) having a magnetic material (3), which is attracted by a magnet (11).
Alternatively, by forming the frame (5) into a predetermined shape in advance, it is possible to suction a large number of optical fibers (1) into a desired single line instantly, thereby making the alignment work extremely easy. It can be done quickly and easily.

Since there is no need to use adhesive yet, there is no need to leave it standing until the adhesive dries and hardens.
In some cases, the magnet (4) may
I') Adsorb the r-plane and fix with adhesive only those original fibers that need to be fixed in a predetermined arrangement.
It is also possible to release the magnetism after the adhesive has dried and solidified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1(a), 9(b) and 9 are explanatory diagrams showing various methods of manufacturing conventional optical fiber aggregates, FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are various explanatory diagrams of the present invention, and FIG. Figure 6 shows different types of optical fibers used in the present invention, (A) is a front view, (A) is a front view, (
B) is a side view. (1) is an optical fiber, (3) is a magnetic material, (4) is a magnet,
(5) is a frame. Agent Patent Attorney Shoji Kobayashi Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A method for manufacturing an optical fiber assembly in which two or more optical fibers provided with a magnetic material are attracted by a magnet. (2) A method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical fibers are attracted to the outside of the magnet. (3) A method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical fibers are attracted to the inside of a magnet. (4) The method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical fibers are placed in a suitably shaped frame, and the optical fibers are all attracted by a magnet provided outside the frame. (5) The method of manufacturing an optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein all the magnets are placed in a frame of an appropriately shaped frame, and the optical fibers are attracted from inside the frame.