A process for making a quartz optical fiber image bundle

Abstract

The application discloses a manufacturing process of a quartz optical fiber image transmission bundle, which comprises a threading plate and a straight line chuck, a plurality of threading holes are formed on the surface of the threading plate, the plurality of threading holes are arranged in a honeycomb shape, a quartz optical fiber is first perforated to form a threading-out section; glue is dropped on the threading-out section to obtain a first shaped clamping end; the optical fiber is pulled out in parallel until a required length is reached to obtain an optical fiber arrangement bundle, then glue is again dropped on the optical fiber on the back side of the threading plate, and a second shaped clamping end is obtained after solidification; the second shaped clamping end is cut to obtain an optical fiber arrangement section with a third shaped clamping end, and the optical fiber arrangement section is immersed in sulfuric acid to remove the coating layer on the surface of the optical fiber; then the first shaped clamping end and the third shaped clamping end are twisted and glue is dropped, the first shaped clamping end and the third shaped clamping end are cut off after solidification, and the finished product is obtained after grinding and polishing. The application breaks through the blockade of the prior art to prepare the quartz optical fiber bundle, has low cost and is easy to produce.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber manufacturing technology, specifically to a manufacturing process for a quartz optical fiber image bundle. Background Technology

[0002] Fiber optic image bundles are bundled structures composed of multiple optical fibers. They can achieve image transmission effects that are arbitrarily curved. Compared with traditional optical imaging, they have advantages such as light weight, ease of use, and portability, and are widely used in fields such as medicine, military, aerospace, and scientific research.

[0003] Existing fiber optic image bundle materials include plastic fiber, glass fiber, and quartz fiber. Plastic fiber and glass fiber are more common and are glass image bundles, whose transmission wavelength is limited to the visible light band. Quartz fiber, on the other hand, can transmit images in the 200nm-2100nm band and can transmit far-infrared images. Especially in some important places, it is necessary to achieve non-electrical security detection, such as internal detection of nuclear power plants and detection of weapons in national defense and science and technology industries. Therefore, the preparation of quartz fiber is extremely important.

[0004] Among the known manufacturers of quartz image bundles, a foreign company can produce and supply quartz image bundles. However, their method involves splicing together quartz preforms with the same number of optical fibers as the image bundle and then drawing them using an optical fiber drawing tower. This process is unique in the world and cannot be replicated.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for equipment and processes capable of producing fiber optic image bundles made of quartz material. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned technical problems and provide a manufacturing process for quartz fiber image bundles, breaking through the existing technological blockade to prepare quartz fiber bundles, which is low in cost and easy to produce.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a manufacturing process for a quartz fiber image bundle, comprising a threading plate and a linear clamp, wherein the linear clamp is movable along the axial direction of the threading plate, and the threading plate has multiple threading holes arranged in a honeycomb pattern on its surface, comprising the following steps:

[0008] Step 1) First, pull out multiple coated quartz fiber ends from the coil and pass them through the threading holes on the front of the threading plate, and then pass them out 3-8cm from the back of the threading plate to form the outgoing section.

[0009] Step 2) Apply adhesive to the protruding section and wait for it to cure to form a whole, thus obtaining the first shaped clamping end;

[0010] Step 3) The first shaping clamping end is clamped and pulled by the straight clamp, and multiple optical fibers are pulled out in parallel from the threading plate until the required length is reached, so as to obtain the optical fiber bundle of the pre-selected length.

[0011] Step 4) Then, apply adhesive again to the optical fiber on one side of the back of the cable tray and wait for it to cure to form a whole, thus obtaining the second shaping clamping end;

[0012] Step 5) Cut the second shaping clamping end into the third shaping clamping end of the current fiber arrangement bundle and the first shaping clamping end of the next fiber arrangement bundle.

[0013] The fiber optic bundle is formed into a fiber optic segment by its first and third shaping clamping ends; when preparing the next fiber optic segment, the process jumps to step 4);

[0014] Step 6) Immerse the fiber optic section in sulfuric acid to remove the coating layer on the fiber surface;

[0015] Step 7) The first and third shaping clamping ends of the fiber arrangement segment with the coating removed are clamped by the twisting mechanism and twisted to make the fiber in the fiber arrangement segment fit tightly together. Then, glue is applied to bond the fiber between the first and third shaping clamping ends by the siphon principle to obtain a rough segment with the first and third shaping clamping ends.

[0016] Step 8) Cut the rough blank segment, remove the first and third shaping clamping ends, and then obtain the finished product through grinding and polishing.

[0017] Furthermore, the threading hole has a tapered structure, with the larger end located on one side of the front of the threading plate.

[0018] Furthermore, the threading plate is fixed on the frame, and the straight clamp is mounted on the rack and pinion moving assembly.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes a movable wire plate, which is disposed on one side of the back of the wire guide plate. The wire guide hole is provided on the movable wire plate corresponding to the wire guide hole. The wire guide hole and the wire guide hole are provided in a one-to-one correspondence. The diameter of the wire guide hole is larger than that of the wire guide hole. The movable wire plate is provided with two positioning posts. The wire guide plate corresponding to the positioning posts is provided with positioning holes. The positioning posts and positioning holes cooperate to limit the relative position of the movable plate and the wire guide plate.

[0020] Furthermore, the bottom of the threading plate is provided with two support posts, which are respectively located on both sides of the central axis of the threading plate. The movable threading plate is circular, and when the movable threading plate is placed tangentially to the two support posts, the thread-passing hole and the thread-threading hole are on the same axis.

[0021] Furthermore, both ends of the support column are fixedly installed.

[0022] Furthermore, the sulfuric acid is a flowing solution at 120°C.

[0023] Furthermore, the thickness of the threading plate is 5-10mm, the diameter of a single hole is 0.5-1mm, the material is brass, and the number of threading holes is 1000-10000.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0025] 1. This invention uses pre-prepared quartz optical fiber as raw material. The quartz optical fiber preparation technology is mature and of high quality. Based on high-quality quartz optical fiber, the overall quality of the optical fiber image bundle is guaranteed.

[0026] 2. The quartz optical fiber is positioned by the threading plate to ensure that the optical fiber arrangement order is fixed. After fixing the optical fiber by the dripping method, it can be quickly stretched and shaped, reducing the complexity of the preparation.

[0027] 3. By cutting the second shaping clamping end, the end of the current fiber bundle and the beginning of the next fiber bundle can be formed, thereby achieving the effect of one-time perforation and batch production, which improves production efficiency and reduces production cost. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism structure for the preparation and molding of this invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first shaping and clamping end after curing during the preparation of this invention;

[0031] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second shaping clamping end after curing during the preparation of this invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention having a movable line plate and being positioned when the mold is closed;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention having a movable line plate and being located at the parting point;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure for preparing the first shaping clamping end and the second shaping clamping end when the present invention has a movable wire plate. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0036] Reference Figures 1 to 4 As shown, one embodiment of the manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle of the present invention includes a threading plate 1 and a straight clamp 2. The straight clamp is mounted on a rack and pinion moving assembly 9, which drives the straight clamp to move axially along the threading plate. The clamping center of the straight clamp is aligned with the center of the threading plate. The threading plate has multiple threading holes 3 on its surface, the number of which is 1000-10000, selected according to the requirements of the image bundle. The multiple threading holes are arranged in a honeycomb pattern and have a tapered structure, with the larger end located on one side of the front of the threading plate to facilitate the insertion of the quartz fiber. The quartz fiber is a pre-prepared finished product with a coating layer, typically acrylic. The threading plate is fixed to a frame 8 and installed by clamping and locking, facilitating replacement of the threading plate. The threading plate has a thickness of 5-10 mm, a single hole diameter of 0.5-1 mm, and is made of brass, which is easy to process and causes minimal damage to the fiber surface, ensuring manufacturing quality.

[0037] The manufacturing process is based on the aforementioned auxiliary devices, as detailed below:

[0038] First, pull multiple coated quartz fiber ends out of the coil and through the threading holes on the front of the threading plate, extending at least 5cm out from the back of the threading plate to form the exit section 4. The end of this section does not need to be flush, but it must extend to a sufficient length. Then, apply adhesive to the exit section and allow it to cure. The ends of the exit sections are then bonded together to form a single unit, resulting in the first shaping and clamping end 5, which facilitates synchronous pulling. (Refer to...) Figure 3 As shown; and when the flatness of the first shaping clamping end is poor and affects clamping, cutting and grinding can be performed.

[0039] Then, the first shaping clamping end is clamped by the linear clamp and the first shaping clamping end is moved by the rack and pinion moving assembly. Multiple optical fibers are pulled out from the threading plate in parallel. The parallel pulling method can effectively reduce the friction and wear between the optical fiber and the threading hole until the required length is reached, and the optical fiber bundle 6 of the pre-selected length is obtained.

[0040] Then, adhesive is applied again to the optical fiber on one side of the back of the cable tray, and allowed to cure to form a single unit, resulting in the second shaping clamping end 7, as shown in the reference. Figure 4 As shown; the second shaping clamping end is cut, and the second shaping clamping end is divided into the third shaping clamping end of the current fiber arrangement bundle and the first shaping clamping end of the next fiber arrangement bundle.

[0041] The fiber bundle is formed into a fiber segment by the cooperation of its first and third shaping clamping ends. After cutting, the fiber segment can be removed independently. And the next fiber segment can be prepared in the same way. Since the next fiber segment has a first shaping clamping end after cutting, the fiber can be pulled out directly for preparation. This process can be repeated to improve efficiency and eliminate the need for re-perforation.

[0042] In the prepared optical fiber arrangement segment, the surface of the quartz optical fiber has a coating layer. Therefore, the optical fiber arrangement segment needs to be immersed in sulfuric acid, which can be a flowing solution at 120° to remove the coating layer on the surface of the optical fiber.

[0043] After removal, the fiber arrangement segment is taken out. The first and third shaping clamping ends of the fiber arrangement segment with the coating removed are clamped by a twisting mechanism and twisted. The twisting angle and number of turns are limited to ensure that the fiber arrangement positions at both ends are consistent or close, which facilitates subsequent cutting and preparation. After twisting, the fibers in the fiber arrangement segment are tightly attached to reduce the overall size. Then, glue is applied to bond the fibers between the first and third shaping clamping ends through the siphon principle to obtain a rough segment with the first and third shaping clamping ends.

[0044] Finally, the rough blank is cut, the first and third shaping clamping ends are removed, and the finished product is obtained after grinding and polishing.

[0045] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figures 5 to 7 As shown, since it is a dispensing operation, the adhesive can easily enter the threading holes of the threading plate during the delivery process. Therefore, a movable threading plate 10 is also designed. The movable threading plate is set on one side of the back of the threading plate. The threading holes are provided with through holes 11 on the movable threading plate. The threading holes and through holes are set one-to-one. The diameter of the through holes is larger than that of the threading holes to facilitate the threading of optical fibers. Two positioning posts 12 are provided on the movable threading plate. The threading plate corresponding to the positioning posts is provided with positioning holes 13. The positioning posts and positioning holes work together to limit the relative position of the movable plate and the threading plate, realize the mold closing effect, and ensure the accuracy of the alignment of the relative positions of the through holes and the threading holes. The bottom of the cable guide plate has two support posts 14, which are respectively located on both sides of the central axis of the cable guide plate. The movable cable plate is circular. When the movable cable plate is placed tangentially to the two support posts, the cable passage hole and the cable threading hole are on the same axis. The movable plate moves along the two support posts. The support posts not only support the cable but also guide it. The movable plate will not be unable to separate from the cable guide plate due to its own weight, and the movable plate will not cause downward compression damage to the optical fiber after separation due to its own weight, thus providing effective protection. Both ends of the support posts are fixed to ensure dimensional stability during installation.

[0046] Specifically, during the preparation process, the movable wire plate and the threading plate are first assembled together. Then, multiple coated quartz fiber ends are pulled out from the wire spool and passed through the threading holes on the front of the threading plate, and protrude at least 5 cm from the movable wire plate to form a protruding section. The end of this section does not need to be flush, but it needs to extend to a sufficient length. Then, glue is applied to the protruding section and left to cure. The ends of the protruding section are bonded together to form a whole, resulting in the first shaped clamping end.

[0047] Then, the movable plate is moved axially and away from the threading plate. The movable plate moves along with the first shaping clamping end, pulling the optical fiber out of the threading plate. The movement stops after pulling it out 10-15cm, resulting in an auxiliary optical fiber arrangement bundle. Adhesive is then applied again to the optical fiber on the back side of the threading plate, near the movable plate, and allowed to cure, forming a single unit, thus obtaining the second shaping clamping end. (Refer to...) Figure 7 As shown, the second shaping clamping end is then cut into a third shaping clamping end for the auxiliary fiber optic bundle and a first shaping clamping end that is not separated from the fiber. The auxiliary fiber optic bundle and the movable plate are removed. Then, the first shaping clamping end that is not separated from the fiber is clamped by a linear clamp and moved by a rack and pinion moving assembly. Multiple fibers are pulled out parallel from the threading plate. The parallel pulling method can effectively reduce the friction and wear between the fiber and the threading hole until the required length is reached, and a fiber optic bundle of the pre-selected length is obtained.

[0048] Then, apply adhesive again to the optical fiber on one side of the back of the cable tray and wait for it to cure to form a whole, thus obtaining the second shaping clamping end. Cut the second shaping clamping end into the third shaping clamping end of the current optical fiber bundle and the first shaping clamping end of the next optical fiber bundle. Since the optical fiber bundle is in a straight state, the adhesive can be applied slightly away from the cable tray to avoid the adhesive from entering the cable tray's holes.

[0049] The current fiber bundle is formed into a fiber segment by the cooperation of its first and third shaping clamping ends. After cutting, the fiber segment can be removed independently. And the next fiber segment can be prepared in the same way. Since the next fiber segment has a first shaping clamping end after cutting, the fiber can be pulled out directly for preparation. This process can be repeated to improve efficiency and eliminate the need for re-perforation.

[0050] In the prepared optical fiber arrangement segment, the surface of the quartz optical fiber has a coating layer. Therefore, the optical fiber arrangement segment needs to be immersed in sulfuric acid, which can be a flowing solution at 120°C, to remove the coating layer on the surface of the optical fiber. Alternatively, the coating layer can be removed by burning with an alcohol lamp. After removal, the fiber is cleaned.

[0051] After removal, the fiber arrangement segment is taken out. The first and third shaping clamping ends of the fiber arrangement segment with the coating removed are clamped by a twisting mechanism and twisted. The twisting angle and number of turns are limited to ensure that the fiber arrangement positions at both ends are consistent or close, which facilitates subsequent cutting and preparation. After twisting, the fibers in the fiber arrangement segment are tightly attached to reduce the overall size. Then, glue is applied to bond the fibers between the first and third shaping clamping ends through the siphon principle to obtain a rough segment with the first and third shaping clamping ends.

[0052] Finally, the rough blank is cut, the first and third shaping clamping ends are removed, and the finished product is obtained after grinding and polishing.

[0053] This method can effectively avoid the problem of clogging the wire holes during the dispensing process. The movable wire board can be de-adhesived by high temperature and other methods, and can be recycled without affecting the preparation.

[0054] The preparation method of this invention can stably prepare quartz image bundles, which is the first of its kind in China. Although the method is somewhat cumbersome, it can solve the bottleneck problem of quartz image bundles in some special places, and can also achieve small-batch production to meet the needs of enterprises and the market.

[0055] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A manufacturing process for a quartz fiber optic image bundle, characterized in that, The device includes a threading plate and a straight clamp, the straight clamp being movable along the axial direction of the threading plate. The threading plate has multiple threading holes arranged in a honeycomb pattern on its surface. The process includes the following steps: Step 1) First, pull out multiple coated quartz fiber ends from the coil and pass them through the threading holes on the front of the threading plate, and then pass them out 3-8cm from the back of the threading plate to form the outgoing section. Step 2) Apply adhesive to the protruding section and wait for it to cure to form a whole, thus obtaining the first shaped clamping end; Step 3) The first shaping clamping end is clamped and pulled by the straight clamp, and multiple optical fibers are pulled out in parallel from the threading plate until the required length is reached, so as to obtain the optical fiber bundle of the pre-selected length. Step 4) Then, apply adhesive again to the optical fiber on one side of the back of the cable tray and wait for it to cure to form a whole, thus obtaining the second shaping clamping end; Step 5) Cut the second shaping clamping end into the third shaping clamping end of the current fiber arrangement bundle and the first shaping clamping end of the next fiber arrangement bundle. The fiber optic bundle is formed into a fiber optic segment by its first and third shaping clamping ends; when preparing the next fiber optic segment, the process jumps to step 4); Step 6) Immerse the fiber optic section in sulfuric acid to remove the coating layer on the fiber surface; Step 7) The first and third shaping clamping ends of the fiber arrangement segment with the coating removed are clamped by the twisting mechanism and twisted to make the fiber in the fiber arrangement segment fit tightly together. Then, glue is applied to bond the fiber between the first and third shaping clamping ends by the siphon principle to obtain a rough segment with the first and third shaping clamping ends. Step 8) Cut the rough blank segment, remove the first and third shaping clamping ends, and then obtain the finished product through grinding and polishing.

2. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The threading hole has a tapered structure, with the larger end located on one side of the front of the threading plate.

3. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The threading plate is fixed on the frame, and the straight clamp is mounted on the rack and pinion moving assembly.

4. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a movable wire plate, which is disposed on one side of the back of the wire guide plate. The wire guide hole is provided on the movable wire plate corresponding to the wire guide hole. The wire guide hole and the wire guide hole are provided in a one-to-one correspondence. The diameter of the wire guide hole is larger than the diameter of the wire guide hole. The movable wire plate is provided with two positioning posts. The wire guide plate corresponding to the positioning posts is provided with positioning holes. The positioning posts and positioning holes cooperate to limit the relative position of the movable plate and the wire guide plate.

5. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the threading plate is provided with two support columns, which are respectively located on both sides of the central axis of the threading plate. The movable threading plate is circular. When the movable threading plate is placed tangent to the two support columns, the threading hole and the threading hole are on the same axis.

6. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Both ends of the support column are fixedly installed.

7. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sulfuric acid is a flowing solution at 120°C.

8. The manufacturing process of the quartz fiber image bundle as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the threading plate is 5-10mm, the diameter of a single hole is 0.5-1mm, the material is brass, and the number of threading holes is 1000-10000.

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