A preform rod bend detection apparatus, correction system and correction method

Abstract

The application relates to a preform rod bending detection device, a correction system and a correction method. The device comprises a first detection assembly, a first laser emitter and a first laser receiver, the first laser emitter emits a first light beam along a first straight line direction, the first laser receiver is used for receiving the first light beam, the first laser emitter and the first laser receiver are arranged on the two sides of a reference axis in a radial direction, the reference axis is perpendicular to the first straight line direction and a second straight line direction and is located in the light path of the first light beam; a second detection assembly, a second laser emitter and a second laser receiver, the second laser emitter is used for emitting a second light beam along the second straight line direction, the second laser receiver is used for receiving the second light beam, the second laser emitter and the second laser receiver are arranged on the two sides of the reference axis in the radial direction, and the reference axis is located in the light path of the second light beam. The application can realize accurate detection on the bending direction and the bending degree of the measured preform rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of optical fiber preform processing technology, and in particular to a preform bend detection device, a correction system and a correction method. Background Art

[0002] During the manufacturing process of optical fiber preforms, after undergoing the OVD sintering process for dehydration and high-temperature sintering to form a transparent optical fiber preform, it is necessary to perform an advanced processing step to heat and soften the lower part of the preform into a tapered shape to facilitate the customer's optical fiber drawing operation.

[0003] During the sintering process, the lower handle of the preform rod will bend relative to the main body of the preform rod during the process of shrinkage and transparency. After the preform rod reaches the front-end processing process, the lower chuck of the front-end processing equipment will easily cause the lower handle rod to break when clamping the lower handle rod that has been bent too much.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to detect the degree of bending of the handle bar before the lower chuck of the front end processing equipment clamps the handle bar so as to perform correction processing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above description, the present invention provides a preform rod handle bending detection device, correction system and correction method to detect the bending degree of the handle before the lower chuck of the front-end processing equipment clamps the handle, and correct the bent handle.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention to solve the above technical problems is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a preform rod handle bending detection device, the technical solution adopted is as follows:

[0008] A preform rod handle bending detection device, comprising:

[0009] a first detection assembly comprising a first laser emitter and a first laser receiver, wherein the first laser emitter is configured to emit a first light beam along a first linear direction, and the first light beam has a set width in a second linear direction perpendicular to the first linear direction; and the first laser receiver is configured to receive the first light beam, wherein the first laser emitter and the first laser receiver are disposed on opposite sides of a reference axis in a radial direction, and the reference axis is perpendicular to both the first linear direction and the second linear direction and is located in an optical path of the first light beam;

[0010] a second detection assembly comprising a second laser emitter and a second laser receiver, wherein the second laser emitter is configured to emit a second light beam along a second straight line direction, and the second light beam has a set width in the first straight line direction; and the second laser receiver is configured to receive the second light beam, wherein the second laser emitter and the second laser receiver are disposed on opposite sides of a reference axis in a radial direction, and the reference axis is located in an optical path of the second light beam;

[0011] Among them, the standard handle rod whose axis coincides with the axis of the preform rod is located in the optical path of the first light beam and the second light beam, and when the axis of the standard handle rod coincides with the reference axis, the first light beam and the second light beam are partially blocked by the standard handle rod, which is suitable for placing the handle rod to be tested in the optical path of the first light beam and the second light beam, and making the axis of the preform rod connected to the handle rod to be tested coincide with the reference axis, and judging whether the handle rod to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod in the second straight line direction according to the comparison result of the width data of the first light beam after being blocked by the handle rod to be tested received by the first laser receiver and the corresponding reference parameter, and judging whether the handle rod to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod in the first straight line direction according to the comparison result of the width data of the second light beam after being blocked by the handle rod to be tested received by the second laser receiver and the corresponding reference parameter.

[0012] Preferably, the width of the first light beam in the second straight line direction and the width of the second light beam in the first straight line direction are both not less than the diameter of the handle.

[0013] Preferably, the reference axis is equidistant from both side boundaries of the first light beam in the second straight line direction, and is equidistant from both side boundaries of the second light beam in the first straight line direction.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present application provides a preform rod bending correction system, comprising:

[0015] The preform rod handle bending detection device as described in the first aspect above, wherein the first straight line direction and the second straight line direction are both horizontal, and the reference axis is vertical;

[0016] A heating device, which is used to heat the handle to soften the handle, and is suitable for restoring the softened handle to a vertical axis state through the action of gravity;

[0017] A controller, wherein the first laser receiver, the second laser receiver, and the heating device are all connected to the controller. The controller determines whether the rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod in the second straight line direction based on the width data of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver, and determines whether the rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod in the first straight line direction based on the width data of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver. The controller is also used to control the start or stop of the heating device.

[0018] Preferably, the controller calculates the angle between the rod axis and the preform rod axis based on the width of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver and the corresponding reference parameters, and the width of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver and the corresponding reference parameters, and controls the heating device to start when the angle exceeds the set value.

[0019] Preferably, the heating device heats the end of the rod close to the preform rod.

[0020] Preferably, the heating device comprises an oxyhydrogen flame heating device.

[0021] In a third aspect, the present application provides a method for correcting the bending of a preform rod handle, which uses the preform rod handle bending correction system described in the second aspect to perform correction.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0023] 1. The detection device of the present application comprises a first detection assembly and a second detection assembly. In the first detection assembly, a first laser emitter emits a first light beam of a set width. For a standard handle, its axis is coaxial with the axis of the preform. When the standard handle is placed in the optical path of the first light beam and its axis coincides with the reference axis, the first light beam is partially blocked by the standard handle. At this time, a first laser receiver receives a portion of the first light beam and uses the width of this portion of the first light beam as a reference parameter. When detecting the handle under test, if the width of the portion of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver changes, it indicates that the handle under test is offset from the standard handle in a second linear direction, i.e., the handle under test is bent relative to the preform in the second linear direction. This allows determination of whether the handle under test is bent in the second linear direction, and the specific bending direction of the handle under test in the second linear direction can be determined based on whether the width of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver increases or decreases. Similarly, the second detection assembly can determine whether the handle under test is bent in the first linear direction and the specific bending direction of the handle under test in the first linear direction, thereby determining whether the handle under test is bent in the preform panel handle. At the same time, based on the width and corresponding reference parameters of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver, the width and corresponding reference parameters of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver, and the distance between the first light beam and the second light beam and the preform rod in the axial direction of the reference axis, the angle between the rod axis and the preform rod axis, as well as the specific bending direction, can be calculated to achieve accurate detection of the bending direction and degree of the tested rod.

[0024] 2. The detection device of the present application makes the width of the first light beam in the second straight direction and the width of the second light beam in the first straight direction not less than the diameter of the handle, and makes the reference axis equal to the boundary distances on both sides of the first light beam in the second straight direction, and equal to the boundary distances on both sides of the second light beam in the first straight direction. When the first light beam is blocked by the handle to be measured, the first laser receiver receives two discontinuous first light beams in the second straight direction. The widths of the two first light beams can be compared with the corresponding width reference values ​​to more accurately determine the degree and direction of bending of the handle to be measured in the second straight direction. Similarly, the widths of the two second light beams received by the second laser receiver can be compared with the corresponding width reference values ​​to more accurately determine the degree and direction of bending of the handle to be measured in the first straight direction.

[0025] 3. The preform rod handle bar bending correction system of the present application detects whether the detected handle bar is bent through a detection device and a controller, and controls the start or operation of the heating device through the controller. When the heating device is started, the handle bar is heated to soften it. Since the axis of the preform rod is vertical, the handle bar will return to the state of vertical axis under the action of gravity after being heated and softened, thereby achieving correction of the bent handle bar; the operator can control whether to start the heating through the controller according to the detection result of the handle bar bending by the controller and the detection device, so as to start the heating device to correct the handle bar when it is bent, so that it can be clamped by the lower chuck of the front processing equipment and avoid the handle bar from breaking. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a preform rod handle bending detection device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a preform rod handle bending detection device provided in an embodiment of the present invention detecting a handle rod to be tested;

[0028] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a preform rod bending correction system provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Description of reference numerals:

[0030] 1. First laser transmitter; 2. First laser receiver; 3. Second laser transmitter; 4. Second laser receiver; 5. Heating device; 6. Controller; 7. Preform rod; 8. Front-end processing furnace; 9. Chuck. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] To facilitate understanding of the present application, the present application will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings provide embodiments of the present application. However, the present application may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the disclosure of the present application more thorough and comprehensive.

[0032] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0033] It will be understood that spatial relational terms such as "under," "beneath," "below," "under," "above," "above," etc., may be used herein to describe the relationship of an element or feature shown in the figures to other elements or features. It will be understood that in addition to the orientations shown in the figures, spatial relational terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the drawings is turned over, the element or feature described as "under" or "beneath" or "beneath" the other elements will be oriented as "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary terms "under" and "under" may include both upper and lower orientations. In addition, the device may also include alternative orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0034] It should be noted that when an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or connected to the other element through an intermediate element. In the following embodiments, "connection" should be understood as "electrical connection", "communication connection", etc., if the connected circuits, modules, units, etc. can transmit electrical signals or data to each other.

[0035] When used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" may also include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "include / comprise" or "have" and the like specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0036] Reference Figure 1-2 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a preform rod handle bending detection device, which includes a first detection component and a second detection component.

[0037] Reference Figure 1-2As shown, the first detection component includes a first laser emitter 1 and a first laser receiver 2. The first laser emitter 1 is used to emit a first light beam along a first straight line direction, and the first light beam has a set width in a second straight line direction perpendicular to the first straight line direction. The first laser receiver 2 is used to receive the first light beam. The first laser emitter 1 and the first laser receiver 2 are arranged on both sides of the radial direction of the reference axis. The reference axis is perpendicular to both the first straight line direction and the second straight line direction and is located in the optical path of the first light beam.

[0038] Reference Figure 1-2 As shown, the second detection component includes a second laser emitter 3 and a second laser receiver 4. The second laser emitter 3 is used to emit a second light beam along the second straight line direction, and the second light beam has a set width in the first straight line direction. The second laser receiver 4 is used to receive the second light beam. The second laser emitter 3 and the second laser receiver 4 are arranged on both sides of the reference axis in the radial direction, and the reference axis is located in the optical path of the second light beam.

[0039] When setting the reference axis position and the widths of the first and second light beams, a standard handle bar, whose axis coincides with the axis of the preform rod 7, is positioned in the optical paths of the first and second light beams. When the axis of the standard handle bar coincides with the reference axis, the first and second light beams are partially blocked by the standard handle bar. During testing, a handle bar to be tested is placed in the optical paths of the first and second light beams, and the axis of the preform rod 7 to which it is connected coincides with the reference axis. Based on the comparison of the width data of the first light beam blocked by the handle bar received by the first laser receiver 2 with the corresponding reference parameter, it is determined whether the handle bar to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod 7 in the second straight direction. Based on the comparison of the width data of the second light beam blocked by the handle bar received by the second laser receiver 4 with the corresponding reference parameter, it is also determined whether the handle bar to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod 7 in the first straight direction.

[0040] For a standard handle rod located in the optical path of the first and second light beams, the first laser receiver 2 and the second laser receiver 4 receive the first and second light beams, respectively, after being blocked by the standard handle rod. The widths of the beams received by the first laser receiver 2 and the second laser receiver 4 serve as reference parameters. If a handle rod under test, located in the optical path of the first and second light beams, is bent relative to the preform rod 7, the axis of the handle rod under test will be offset relative to the axis of the standard handle rod. In this case, the width of the first light beam blocked by the handle rod received by the first laser receiver 2 will vary relative to the reference parameter, and / or the width of the second light beam blocked by the handle rod received by the second laser receiver 4 will vary relative to the reference parameter. Therefore, by comparing the width data of the first light beam blocked by the handle rod received by the first laser receiver 2 with the corresponding reference parameter, it is possible to determine whether the handle rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod 7 in the second linear direction. By comparing the width data of the second light beam blocked by the handle rod received by the second laser receiver 4 with the corresponding reference data, it is possible to determine whether the handle rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod 7 in the first linear direction.

[0041] Reference Figure 1-2 As shown, in order to more accurately determine the bending direction and bending angle of the handle bar under test relative to the preform bar 7, the width of the first light beam in the second straight line direction and the width of the second light beam in the first straight line direction are not less than the diameter of the handle bar. At the same time, the reference axis is equidistant from the two side boundaries of the first light beam in the second straight line direction, and is equidistant from the two side boundaries of the second light beam in the first straight line direction.

[0042] With this setup, for a standard handle rod located in the optical path of the first and second beams, after the first and second beams are blocked by the standard handle rod, the first laser receiver 2 receives two discontinuous first beams in the second straight direction, with the two first beams having the same width and serving as the reference parameter. The second laser receiver 4 receives two discontinuous second beams in the first straight direction, with the two second beams having the same width and serving as the reference parameter. When inspecting a handle rod under test, if the handle rod under test is located in the optical path of the first and second beams and bends relative to the preform rod 7, the axis of the handle rod under test will be offset relative to the axis of the standard handle rod. In this case, the widths of the two first beams blocked by the handle rod received by the first laser receiver 2 will change relative to the reference parameter, and / or the widths of the two second beams blocked by the handle rod received by the second laser receiver 4 will change relative to the reference parameter. Based on the specific changes in the two first beams relative to the reference parameter, the specific bending direction and degree of the handle rod under test in the second straight direction can be determined. Based on the specific changes in the two second beams relative to the reference parameter, the specific bending direction and degree of the handle rod under test in the first straight direction can be determined. Therefore, the bending degree and bending direction of the handle bar to be tested in the first straight line direction and the second straight line direction can be determined more accurately.

[0043] In this embodiment, the first and second light beams lie within a plane perpendicular to the reference axis. During actual testing, the distances between the first and second light beams and the preform 7 connected to the tested handle bar along the reference axis are known parameters. By establishing a spatial coordinate system with the first and second linear directions as the X and Y axes and the reference axis as the Z axis, the bending direction of the tested handle bar axis relative to the axis of the preform 7, as well as the angle between the tested handle bar axis and the axis of the preform 7, can be calculated based on the test data. This allows the operator to determine whether correction is necessary based on the specific degree of bending of the tested handle bar.

[0044] Reference Figure 1-3 As shown, an embodiment of the present application further provides a preform rod handle bending correction system, comprising the preform rod handle bending detection device and the heating device 5 and the controller 6 as described above.

[0045] Reference Figure 1-3 As shown, the first and second linear directions are both horizontal, and the reference axis is vertical. At this time, when the axis of the preform rod 7 connected to the test rod coincides with the reference axis, the axis is in a vertical state. When the test rod is bent, it is in a delayed state relative to the vertical axis. A heating device 5 is provided to heat the rod to soften it, and gravity causes the softened rod to return to its vertical state.

[0046] During the front-end processing, the preform rod 7 is usually clamped and moved by the main shaft moving unit, and the axis of the preform rod 7 is kept vertical. The lower handle rod passes from top to bottom through the front-end processing furnace 8 and is clamped and fixed by the chuck 9. Therefore, the present application sets a preform rod handle bar bending detection device and a heating device 5 according to the state of the preform rod 7 when entering the front-end processing equipment. When the preform rod 7 enters the front-end processing equipment and the lower handle rod has not yet been clamped by the chuck 9 of the front-end processing equipment, the preform rod handle bar bending detection device detects whether the handle rod is bent, and if it is bent, the heating device 5 is activated to correct the handle rod to ensure that the chuck 9 can safely clamp the lower handle rod.

[0047] Reference Figure 1-3 As shown, the first laser receiver 2, the second laser receiver 4 and the heating device 5 are all connected to the controller 6. The controller 6 determines whether the measured handle bar is bent relative to the preform bar 7 in the second straight line direction based on the width data of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver 2, and determines whether the measured handle bar is bent relative to the preform bar 7 in the first straight line direction based on the width data of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver 4. The controller 6 is also used to control the start or stop of the heating device 5.

[0048] Reference Figure 1-3 Specifically, when the rod under test reaches the set position of the front-end processing equipment and is not clamped by the chuck 9, the first laser receiver 2 and the second laser receiver 4 respectively receive the first and second light beams blocked by the rod under test, obtain width data of the received first and second light beams, and transmit the data to the controller 6. The controller 6, which has a built-in program algorithm and database, compares the width data of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver 2 with reference data, and compares the width data of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver 4 with reference data, thereby determining whether the rod under test is bent relative to the preform 7 in the first and second linear directions. Based on the comparison results, the controller 6 determines whether to activate the heating device 5. If the rod under test is bent relative to the preform 7, the controller 6 controls the heating device 5 to activate and heat the rod under test to soften it, causing the rod under the action of gravity to return to a vertical axis. This allows the rod under test to bend and corrected automatically while the preform 7 enters the front-end processing equipment during normal processing, eliminating the need for separate bending detection and correction of the rod under test, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0049] Furthermore, if the degree of bend in the tested handle bar is relatively small, the clamping of the tested handle bar by the chuck 9 is less likely to cause breakage, and in this case, no correction of the tested handle bar is required. Therefore, the controller 6 is configured to calculate the angle between the axis of the handle bar and the axis of the preform 7 based on the width and corresponding reference parameters of the first beam received by the first laser receiver 2, and the width and corresponding reference parameters of the second beam received by the second laser receiver 4, and to activate the heating device 5 when the angle exceeds a set value. Specifically, the distances between the first and second beams along the reference axis and the preform 7 connected to the tested handle bar are known parameters. Based on the width and corresponding reference parameters of the first beam received by the first laser receiver 2, and the width and corresponding reference parameters of the second beam received by the second laser receiver 4, the controller 6 uses a built-in software algorithm to calculate the angle between the axis of the tested handle bar and the axis of the preform 7, thereby determining the degree of bend in the tested handle bar. When the angle between the axis of the tested handle bar and the axis of the preform 7 exceeds the set value, the controller 6 controls the heating device 5 to activate heating and correcting the tested handle bar. When the bending degree of the measured handle bar is small, the measured handle bar does not need to be corrected, thereby reducing the number of working steps and improving production efficiency.

[0050] Reference Figure 3 As shown, further, the heating device 5 adopts a hydrogen-oxygen flame heating device 5, and when the heating device 5 is set, since the end of the rod close to the preform rod 7 is bent relative to the preform rod 7 when the rod is bent, the heating device 5 is set at the end of the rod close to the preform rod 7. The heating device 5 heats the end of the rod close to the preform rod 7 to soften it, and the rod can be restored to the vertical axis state under the action of gravity.

[0051] This embodiment also provides a method for correcting the bending of a preform rod handle, which uses the preform rod handle correction system as described above to perform correction.

[0052] The method for correcting the bending of the preform rod described here is the same as that described in the above embodiment, and for the sake of simplicity, it will not be repeated here.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A preform rod bending correction system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a preform rod handle bending detection device, a heating device (5) and a controller (6), wherein the preform rod handle bending detection device comprises: A first detection component, comprising a first laser emitter (1) and a first laser receiver (2), wherein the first laser emitter (1) is used to emit a first light beam along a first straight line direction, and the first light beam has a set width in a second straight line direction perpendicular to the first straight line direction, and the first laser receiver (2) is used to receive the first light beam, and the first laser emitter (1) and the first laser receiver (2) are arranged on both sides of a reference axis in a radial direction, and the reference axis is perpendicular to both the first straight line direction and the second straight line direction and is located in the optical path of the first light beam; A second detection component, comprising a second laser emitter (3) and a second laser receiver (4), wherein the second laser emitter (3) is used to emit a second light beam along a second straight line direction, and the second light beam has a set width in the first straight line direction, and the second laser receiver (4) is used to receive the second light beam, and the second laser emitter (3) and the second laser receiver (4) are arranged on both sides of a reference axis in a radial direction, and the reference axis is located in the optical path of the second light beam; The first and second linear directions are both horizontal, the reference axis is vertical, the width of the first light beam in the second linear direction and the width of the second light beam in the first linear direction are both no less than the diameter of the handle, and the reference axis is equidistant from both side boundaries of the first light beam in the second linear direction and equidistant from both side boundaries of the second light beam in the first linear direction; wherein a standard handle rod whose axis coincides with the axis of the preform rod (7) is located in the optical path of the first light beam and the second light beam, and when the axis of the standard handle rod coincides with the reference axis, the first light beam and the second light beam are partially blocked by the standard handle rod, which is suitable for placing the handle rod to be tested in the optical path of the first light beam and the second light beam, and making the axis of the preform rod (7) connected to the handle rod to be tested coincide with the reference axis, judging whether the handle rod to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod (7) in the second straight line direction based on the comparison result of the width data of the first light beam blocked by the handle rod to be tested received by the first laser receiver (2) and the corresponding reference parameter, and judging whether the handle rod to be tested is bent relative to the preform rod (7) in the first straight line direction based on the comparison result of the width data of the second light beam blocked by the handle rod to be tested received by the second laser receiver (4) and the corresponding reference parameter; The heating device (5) comprises an oxyhydrogen flame heating device, and the heating device (5) is used to heat the handle rod to soften the handle rod, so as to restore the softened handle rod to a vertical axis state through the action of gravity, and the heating device (5) heats the end of the handle rod close to the preform rod (7); The first laser receiver (2), the second laser receiver (4) and the heating device (5) are all connected to the controller (6).

2. The preform rod handle bending correction system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller (6) determines whether the rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod (7) in the second straight direction based on the width data of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver (2), and determines whether the rod under test is bent relative to the preform rod (7) in the first straight direction based on the width data of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver (4). The controller (6) is also used to control the start or stop of the heating device (5).

3. The preform rod handle bending correction system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The controller (6) calculates the angle formed between the axis of the rod and the axis of the preform rod (7) based on the width of the first light beam received by the first laser receiver (2) and the corresponding reference parameters, and the width of the second light beam received by the second laser receiver (4) and the corresponding reference parameters, and controls the heating device (5) to start when the angle exceeds a set value.

4. A method for correcting the bending of a preform rod, characterized in that: The preform rod bending correction system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is used for correction.

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