Quick conversion device for guide wheels and optical fiber drawing apparatus

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of optical fiber manufacturing, and discloses a guide wheel quick conversion device and an optical fiber drawing equipment. The guide wheel quick conversion device comprises a base and a guide wheel conversion assembly. The top of the base is provided with a vertical through optical fiber guide groove for the vertical passing of optical fiber. The guide wheel conversion assembly comprises a rotating seat and guide wheels rotatably installed on the rotating seat. The guide wheels are circumferentially spaced apart along the rotating seat. The outer diameters of the guide wheels are different, and the outer periphery of each guide wheel is provided with a guide wheel groove. The rotating seat is rotatably installed on the base. When a guide wheel is in a working position, the optical fiber vertically passes through the optical fiber guide groove and is wound in the guide wheel groove of the guide wheel. By using the guide wheel quick conversion device, the operator does not need to disassemble and assemble the guide wheels. The operator only needs to select the corresponding guide wheel according to the requirement, rotate the guide wheel to the working position, and then pass the optical fiber through the optical fiber guide groove and wind the optical fiber in the guide wheel groove. In this way, the operation process is simplified, and the guide wheels are prevented from being damaged due to frequent disassembly and assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber manufacturing technology, and in particular to a guide wheel rapid conversion device and optical fiber drawing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the global specialty optical fiber market has maintained rapid and stable growth. The accelerated application of fiber lasers has led to a continuous increase in market demand for high-power laser fibers and power transmission fibers. Polarization-maintaining fibers, due to their unique characteristics, are finding increasingly wider applications in aerospace, aviation, marine, industrial manufacturing, and communications fields, and the industrialization level of specialty optical fibers is also continuously improving.

[0003] Due to their unique and customized characteristics, specialty optical fibers require constant adjustments to production processes and equipment based on specific requirements. This results in low production efficiency, high costs, and persistently high prices. Fiber diameter is a crucial indicator for specialty fibers used in lasers, power transmission, and polarization maintenance. For example, laser fibers come in various diameters such as 130μm, 250μm, and 400μm. During fiber drawing, large-diameter fibers require wide grooves and large-diameter guide rollers, while small-diameter fibers require narrow grooves and small-diameter guide rollers. Current fiber production techniques require manual replacement of guide rollers each time the fiber is drawn, a cumbersome process that leads to significant downtime. Frequent replacements also increase the risk of guide roller damage and potential fiber quality issues.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a guide wheel quick conversion device and an optical fiber drawing equipment to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide a guide wheel quick-change device to solve the problems of cumbersome manual guide wheel replacement, low efficiency, easy damage to the guide wheel, and thus affecting the quality of optical fiber.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] The guide wheel quick-change device is characterized by comprising:

[0008] The base has a vertically penetrating optical fiber guide groove on its top, which is used for optical fibers to pass through.

[0009] The guide wheel conversion assembly includes a rotating base and at least two guide wheels rotatably mounted on the rotating base. The at least two guide wheels are spaced apart circumferentially along the rotating base. Each guide wheel has a different outer diameter and a guide wheel groove is provided on its outer circumference. The rotating base is rotatably mounted on the base so that any guide wheel can switch between a working position and a clearance position. The rotation axis of the rotating base and the rotation axis of the guide wheels are both horizontally arranged along the X direction.

[0010] When one of the guide wheels is in the working position, the optical fiber passing through the optical fiber guide groove can be arranged vertically within the guide wheel groove of the guide wheel and located between the optical fiber guide groove and the guide wheel. The other guide wheels are all in the avoidance position and are located on the side of the optical fiber away from the guide wheel in the working position.

[0011] As an optional technical solution for a guide wheel quick conversion device, when one of the guide wheels is in the working position, the angle between the line connecting the rotation center of the guide wheel in the working position and the rotation center of the rotating seat and the horizontal plane is θ, and the value of θ is the same for any guide wheel.

[0012] As an optional technical solution for a quick conversion device for guide wheels, the guide wheel grooves of all the guide wheels are symmetrical about the same vertical plane, and the vertical plane is perpendicular to the X direction.

[0013] As an optional technical solution for a guide wheel quick conversion device, the rotating seat includes a central seat and a rotating rod. The central seat is rotatably mounted on the base. The rotating rod extends radially along the central seat and is arranged in a plurality of positions circumferentially along the rotating seat. The guide wheel is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the rotating rod and is rotatably mounted at the end of the rotating rod away from the central seat.

[0014] As an optional technical solution for a quick guide wheel conversion device, the guide wheel conversion assembly further includes a fixing device for locking the rotating seat so that the guide wheel being used is fixed in the working position.

[0015] As an optional technical solution for a guide wheel quick conversion device, the larger the radius of the guide wheel, the larger the width of the guide wheel groove.

[0016] As an optional technical solution for a guide wheel quick conversion device, the guide wheel quick conversion device includes a positioning device, which is disposed at the top of the base and is used to detect the position of the optical fiber relative to the vertical direction.

[0017] As an optional technical solution for the guide wheel quick conversion device, the bottom of the base is provided with an XY moving stage, which is used to drive the base to move along the X and Y directions. The Y direction is horizontally set and perpendicular to the X direction.

[0018] As an optional technical solution for a guide wheel quick conversion device, the guide wheel quick conversion device includes a controller, and the XY moving stage and the positioning device are both connected to the controller. The controller can control the movement of the XY moving stage according to the information detected by the positioning device.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber drawing device for drawing optical fibers of different diameters.

[0020] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0021] Fiber optic drawing equipment, including any of the aforementioned guide wheel quick-change devices.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0023] The guide wheel quick conversion device provided by the present invention, by setting a guide wheel conversion assembly with at least two guide wheels of different outer diameters, allows for the selection of a suitable guide rail according to the diameter of the optical fiber when drawing optical fibers of different diameters. The guide wheel is then rotated to the working position, so that the optical fiber passing through the optical fiber guide groove can be wound around the guide wheel groove. This eliminates the need to disassemble and assemble the guide wheel, thus satisfying the drawing of optical fibers of different diameters, improving the efficiency of optical fiber drawing, and avoiding damage caused by frequent disassembly and assembly of the guide wheel.

[0024] The optical fiber drawing equipment provided by the present invention can quickly change guide wheels of different specifications by using the above-mentioned guide wheel quick conversion device to draw optical fibers of different diameters. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the guide wheel quick conversion device of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a side view schematic diagram of the guide wheel quick conversion device of the present invention.

[0027] In the picture:

[0028] 1. Base; 2. Guide wheel conversion assembly; 21. Rotary seat; 211. Center seat; 212. Rotating rod; 22. Guide wheel; 221. Guide wheel groove; 3. Fiber optic guide groove; 4. Positioning device; 5. Fiber optic cable; 6. XY moving stage; 61. X moving platform; 62. Y moving platform. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, and not all of the structures.

[0030] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0032] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0033] In order to enable users to quickly change the guide rollers 22 when drawing optical fibers 5 of different diameters, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and reduce quality problems, this embodiment provides a guide roller quick change device.

[0034] like Figure 1As shown, the guide wheel quick conversion device includes a base 1 and a guide wheel conversion assembly 2. The top of the base 1 is provided with a vertically penetrating optical fiber guide groove 3, which is used for the vertical passage of optical fiber 5. The guide wheel conversion assembly 2 includes a rotating seat 21 and at least two guide wheels 22 rotatably mounted on the rotating seat 21. The at least two guide wheels 22 are spaced apart circumferentially along the rotating seat 21. Each guide wheel 22 has a different outer diameter and a guide wheel groove 221 on its outer circumference. The rotating seat 21 is rotatably mounted on the base 1 so that any guide wheel 22 can switch between a working position and a clearance position. The rotation axis of the rotating seat 21 and the rotation axis of the guide wheel 22 are both horizontally arranged in the X direction. When one guide wheel 22 is in the working position, the optical fiber 5 passing through the optical fiber guide groove 3 can be arranged vertically around the guide wheel groove 221 of the guide wheel 22 and located between the optical fiber guide groove 3 and the guide wheel 22. The remaining guide wheels 22 are all in the clearance position and are located on the side of the guide wheel 22 away from the one in the working position.

[0035] In this embodiment, the guide wheel 22 is replaced by the guide wheel conversion assembly 2 to accommodate optical fibers 5 of different diameters, allowing the optical fiber 5 to pass perpendicularly through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and fit into the guide wheel groove 221 on the guide wheel 22. Using the quick guide wheel conversion device, the operator does not need to disassemble or assemble the guide wheel 22; they only need to select the corresponding guide wheel 22 according to their needs, fix it in the working position, and then pass the optical fiber 5 through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and wind it around the guide wheel groove 221. This simplifies the operation process and prevents damage to the guide wheel 22 due to frequent disassembly and assembly, thus affecting the quality of the optical fiber 5.

[0036] Specifically, when a guide wheel 22 is in the working position, the angle between the line connecting the rotation center of the guide wheel 22 and the rotation center of the rotating base 21 and the horizontal plane is θ. The value of θ is the same for each guide wheel 22, facilitating the user to rotate the rotating base 21 and place the guide wheel 22 in the working position. Furthermore, by setting the distance between the rotation centers of guide wheels 22 of different sizes and the rotation centers of the rotating base 21, it is ensured that the tangent point of the guide wheel 22 in the working position, closest to the rotating base 21 and in contact with the optical fiber 5, is equidistant from the rotation center of the rotating base 21 along the Y-direction. The Y-direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the X-direction. Figure 2 As shown, the guide wheel groove 221 of each guide wheel 22 is symmetrical about the same vertical plane, and the vertical plane is perpendicular to the X direction. This arrangement can better define the working position of each guide wheel 22, ensuring that the optical fiber 5 can extend vertically and be wound around the guide wheel groove 221, simplifying the operation process and improving efficiency.

[0037] In this embodiment, the rotating base 21 includes a central base 211 and rotating rods 212. Several rotating rods 212 extend radially along the central base 211 and are spaced apart circumferentially along the rotating base 21. Guide wheels 22 are correspondingly arranged on each rotating rod 212 and rotatably mounted at the end of the rotating rod 212 away from the central base 211. Users can install rotating rods 212 and guide wheels 22 of different sizes onto the central base 211 according to their needs, increasing the applicability of the quick-change guide wheel device.

[0038] Specifically, the guide wheel conversion assembly 2 includes three guide wheels 22, with an included angle of 120° between any two adjacent guide wheels 22. The rotating rods 212 of guide wheels 22 of different sizes have different lengths, and the larger the outer diameter of the guide wheel 22, the longer the rotating rod 212, so as to ensure that when any guide wheel 22 is in the working position, the optical fiber 5 can pass vertically through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and be wound around the guide wheel groove 221 of the guide wheel 22.

[0039] Furthermore, the guide wheel conversion assembly 2 also includes a fixing device for locking the rotating seat 21, so that the guide wheel 22 being used is fixed in the working position. During operation, the fixing device can position and lock the selected guide wheel 22 in the working position, making it convenient for the user to wind the optical fiber 5 into the guide wheel groove 221, and preventing the guide wheel 22 from shaking during the drawing process, which could affect the quality of the optical fiber 5 or even cause the optical fiber 5 to break.

[0040] Specifically, the base 1 is provided with positioning holes, and the rotating seat 21 is provided with through holes corresponding to each guide wheel 22. When the guide wheel 22 in use rotates to the working position, its corresponding through hole and positioning hole are coaxial. The user inserts a positioning pin to fix the positioning hole and the through hole, thus fixing the guide wheel 22 in the working position. With this setting, when the user rotates the rotating seat 21, they only need to align the through hole with the positioning hole to place the guide wheel 22 in the working position, and then insert the positioning pin to fix the position of the guide wheel 22. Through a set of devices, both positioning and locking functions are achieved, and the structure is simple and highly reliable.

[0041] Each rotating rod 212 is preferably provided with the aforementioned through hole, so as to lock the position of the guide wheel conversion assembly 2 by positioning and limiting the position of the rotating rod 212.

[0042] In this embodiment, the larger the radius of the guide wheel 22, the wider the corresponding guide wheel groove 221. When drawing optical fibers 5 of different diameters, larger diameter optical fibers 5 require guide wheels 22 with larger radii to prevent breakage, while larger diameter optical fibers 5 require wider guide wheel grooves 221 for winding. Conversely, if smaller diameter optical fibers 5 are wound in wider guide wheel grooves 221, the optical fiber 5 will shift and slip, resulting in uneven fiber drawing and severely affecting the quality of the optical fiber 5. Therefore, a larger radius guide wheel 22 corresponds to a wider guide wheel groove 221, and a smaller radius guide wheel 22 corresponds to a narrower guide wheel groove 221, which ensures that the optical fiber 5 will not shift and slip in the guide wheel groove 221, thus ensuring the quality of the optical fiber 5.

[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, the guide wheel quick conversion device includes a positioning device 4, which is located at the top of the base 1. The positioning device 4 is used to detect the position of the optical fiber 5 relative to the vertical direction. The user can adjust the position of the guide wheel quick conversion device according to the position status of the optical fiber 5 fed back by the positioning device 4, so as to ensure that the optical fiber 5 can pass vertically through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and be wound in the guide wheel groove 221, thus ensuring the quality of the optical fiber 5 drawing.

[0044] Furthermore, an XY moving stage 6 is provided at the bottom of the base 1 to drive the base 1 to move along the X and Y directions, with the Y direction being horizontal and perpendicular to the X direction. By setting up the XY moving stage 6, the user can fine-tune the position of the guide wheel 22 without moving the guide wheel quick-change device, ensuring that the optical fiber 5 can pass vertically through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and be wound around the guide wheel groove 221. Specifically, the XY moving stage 6 includes an X moving platform 61 and a Y moving platform 62. The X moving platform 61 is set on the Y moving platform 62, and the base is set on the X moving platform 61. The X moving platform 61 drives the base to move horizontally in the X direction, and the Y moving platform 62 drives the base to move horizontally in the Y direction. Each of the two moving platforms is driven by a servo motor, reducing adjustment time and improving efficiency.

[0045] Preferably, the guide wheel quick conversion device also includes a controller, which controls the XY moving stage 6 to move according to the position information of the optical fiber 5 detected by the positioning device 4. Specifically, the servo motors driving the X and Y moving platforms are controlled by the controller. When the user passes the optical fiber 5 through the optical fiber guide groove 3 and wraps it around the guide wheel groove 221, the positioning device 4 starts to detect the position of the optical fiber 5 and transmits the information to the controller. The controller controls the servo motors to drive the X and Y moving platforms according to the deviation of the optical fiber 5 relative to the vertical direction, so that the optical fiber 5 is pulled to a vertical state. At this time, the servo motors stop working, and the guide wheel quick conversion device realizes the automatic alignment of the optical fiber 5, eliminating the time and unstable factors spent on manual alignment and reducing the quality loss caused by the eccentricity of the optical fiber 5.

[0046] This embodiment also provides an optical fiber drawing device, including the aforementioned guide wheel quick conversion device, which can draw optical fibers 5 of different diameters without disassembling and replacing the guide wheel 22, greatly reducing downtime, improving efficiency, and reducing quality risks.

[0047] Other structures in the optical fiber drawing equipment can refer to existing technologies, which are not the focus of this invention and will not be described in detail here.

[0048] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A guide wheel quick-change device, characterized in that, include: The base (1) has a vertically penetrating optical fiber guide groove (3) on its top, which is used for the optical fiber (5) to pass through. The guide wheel conversion assembly (2) includes a rotating base (21) and at least two guide wheels (22) rotatably mounted on the rotating base (21). The at least two guide wheels (22) are spaced apart circumferentially along the rotating base (21). Each guide wheel (22) has a different outer diameter and a guide wheel groove (221) is provided on the outer periphery of the guide wheel (22). The rotating base (21) is rotatably mounted on the base (1) so that any guide wheel (22) can switch between a working position and a clearance position. The rotation axis of the rotating base (21) and the rotation axis of the guide wheel (22) are both horizontally arranged in the X direction. When one of the guide wheels (22) is in the working position, the optical fiber (5) passing through the optical fiber guide groove (3) can be arranged vertically in the guide wheel groove (221) of the guide wheel (22) and located between the optical fiber guide groove (3) and the guide wheel (22). The other guide wheels (22) are all in the avoidance position and are located on the side of the optical fiber (5) away from the guide wheel (22) in the working position. By setting the distance between the rotation center of the guide wheels (22) of different sizes and the rotation center of the rotating seat (21), it is ensured that the tangent point of the guide wheel (22) in the working position that is close to the rotating seat (21) and contacts the optical fiber (5) is the same distance from the rotation center of the rotating seat (21) along the Y direction. The Y direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the X direction. This can better define the working position of each guide wheel (22) and ensure that the optical fiber (5) can extend vertically and be wound around the guide wheel groove (221). When one of the guide wheels (22) is in the working position, the angle between the line connecting the rotation center of the guide wheel (22) in the working position and the rotation center of the rotating seat (21) and the horizontal plane is θ. The value of θ is the same for any guide wheel (22). The guide wheel grooves (221) of all the guide wheels (22) are symmetrical about the same vertical plane, and the vertical plane is perpendicular to the X direction; The guide wheel quick conversion device includes a positioning device (4), which is located at the top of the base (1) and is used to detect the position of the optical fiber (5) relative to the vertical direction. The base (1) is provided with an XY moving stage (6) at its bottom. The XY moving stage (6) is used to drive the base (1) to move along the X and Y directions. The Y direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the X direction. By setting the XY moving stage (6), the user can fine-tune the position of the guide wheel (22) without moving the guide wheel quick conversion device, so as to ensure that the optical fiber (5) can pass vertically through the optical fiber guide groove (3) and be wound in the guide wheel groove (221).

2. The guide wheel quick-change device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating seat (21) includes a central seat (211) and a rotating rod (212). The central seat (211) is rotatably mounted on the base (1). The rotating rod (212) extends radially along the central seat (211) and is provided with several of them at circumferential intervals along the rotating seat (21). The guide wheel (22) is provided in correspondence with the rotating rod (212) and is rotatably mounted at the end of the rotating rod (212) away from the central seat (211).

3. The guide wheel quick-change device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide wheel conversion assembly (2) also includes a fixing device for locking the rotating seat (21) so that the guide wheel (22) being used is fixed in the working position.

4. The guide wheel quick-change device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The larger the radius of the guide wheel (22), the larger the width of the guide wheel groove (221).

5. The guide wheel quick-change device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide wheel quick conversion device also includes a controller. The XY moving stage (6) and the measuring device (4) are both connected to the controller. The controller can control the XY moving stage (6) to move according to the information detected by the measuring device (4).

6. An optical fiber drawing device, characterized in that, Includes the guide wheel quick conversion device as described in any one of claims 1-5.

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