Optical fiber drawing device

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of devices for coating coatings on the surfaces of fibers or filaments made of glass, in particular to an optical fiber drawing device. The optical fiber drawing device comprises a broken fiber monitoring device, a controller, a material collecting assembly and a tower body connecting plate used for being fixed to a tower body of a drawing tower, a coating cup support is fixed to the tower body connecting plate, a coating cup is placed on the coating cup support, a through hole used for allowing fiber to penetrate through is formed in the bottom wall of the coating cup, and the controller is electrically connected with the broken fiber monitoring device. The material collecting assembly comprises a driving mechanism and a material collecting hopper, a connecting frame is installed on the tower body connecting plate, the driving mechanism is installed on the connecting frame and provided with a linear output end, the controller is connected with the driving mechanism and controls the linear output end to work, and the material collecting hopper is installed at the linear output end of the driving mechanism and provided with a corresponding material receiving position and an avoiding position; the optical fiber drawing device disclosed by the utility model is simple in structure, short in linear stroke, small in occupied space and capable of improving the drawing quality and efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of apparatus for coating the surface of fibers or filaments made of glass, and more particularly to an optical fiber drawing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] The primary raw material for optical fiber manufacturing is high-purity glass, whose extremely high transparency is fundamental for optical signal transmission. When fabricating optical fibers using glass, the glass material is first made into a moisture-free optical fiber preform. This preform is then heated to soften it, and under gravity, it is slowly stretched into extremely fine fibers. Simultaneously, a polymer coating is applied to the surface of the fibers. This coating enhances the fiber's flexibility and mechanical strength, increasing its lifespan. During the coating process, fiber breakage often occurs. This breakage may be due to impurities or defects in the preform, or it may be caused by inappropriate heating temperature or excessive stretching speed. When fiber breakage occurs during the drawing and coating process, the coating material leaks downwards from the fiber perforations in the coating cup mold, dripping onto the channel below the coating cup and subsequent equipment. This causes the coating material dripping onto the channel and equipment to affect the drawing parameters during subsequent drawing processes. Furthermore, frequent cleaning of the channel and equipment is required to maintain the fiber's quality.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, Chinese utility model patent CN205061893U, with an authorization announcement date of March 2, 2016, discloses an automatic coating collection device for fiber breakage in optical fiber preform drawing equipment. This collection device includes a pushing mechanism, a tray, and a controller. The pushing mechanism comprises a solenoid valve and a drive cylinder. The solenoid valve is electrically connected to the controller, and the drive cylinder is connected to the solenoid valve via an air pipe. A pivot is fixed on the drawing equipment, and the tray is oscillatingly connected to the pivot via a connecting rod. The piston rod of the drive cylinder is movably connected to the connecting rod. When the piston rod moves within the drive cylinder, it pushes the connecting rod to rotate and causes the tray to oscillate. Upon receiving a fiber breakage signal, the controller controls the pushing mechanism to push the tray to oscillate around the pivot until the tray reaches below the coating outlet of the drawing equipment.

[0004] The above solution collects the paint leaking from the paint outlet by swinging the tray below it. However, due to the large swing stroke of the tray, it occupies a large space and the complex structure of the device. Installing the tray inside the drawing equipment will result in cramped internal space, making drawing difficult. At the same time, the large swing stroke may prevent the tray from reaching the paint outlet in time, causing the paint to fall from the paint outlet before the tray reaches it, contaminating the lower channel and downstream equipment. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an optical fiber drawing device that solves the problems of existing equipment having a large swing stroke, resulting in large space occupation, complex structure, and inability to reach the bottom of the coating outlet in a timely manner.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the optical fiber drawing device of this utility model adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] An optical fiber drawing device includes a fiber breakage monitoring device, a controller, a material collection assembly, and a tower body connecting plate for fixing to the tower body of a drawing tower. A coating cup support is fixed to the tower body connecting plate, and a coating cup is placed on the support. The bottom wall of the coating cup has perforations for passing through the fiber filament. The controller is electrically connected to the fiber breakage monitoring device. The material collection assembly includes a drive mechanism and a material collection hopper. A connecting frame is mounted on the tower body connecting plate. The drive mechanism is mounted on the connecting frame and has a linear output end. The controller is connected to the drive mechanism and controls the operation of the linear output end. The material collection hopper is mounted on the linear output end of the drive mechanism and has a corresponding receiving position and a clearance position.

[0008] Furthermore, the connecting frame has an L-shaped structure, with one side wall of the connecting frame connected to the tower body connecting plate, and the driving mechanism installed on the other side wall.

[0009] Furthermore, the driving mechanism is a driving cylinder, which is controlled by a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve is connected to a controller, and the solenoid valve controls the linear output end of the driving mechanism to output linear motion.

[0010] Furthermore, the connecting frame is detachably connected to the tower body connecting plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the linear output end of the drive mechanism is detachably connected to the hopper.

[0012] Furthermore, the driving mechanism is a driving cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, the driving cylinder includes a cylinder body and a cylinder rod, the cylinder rod forming the linear output end, the cylinder body and the hopper being located on opposite sides of the connecting frame, and the linear output end being disposed through the connecting frame.

[0014] Furthermore, the hopper is a rectangular hopper.

[0015] Furthermore, the controller is a PLC controller.

[0016] Furthermore, the coating cup support is a horizontally arranged plate structure.

[0017] Beneficial Effects: This utility model's optical fiber drawing device is an improved invention. By fixing the tower body to the drawing tower via a connecting plate, it provides stable support for the coating cup support and connecting frame, ensuring stability during the optical fiber preform drawing process. A fiber breakage monitoring device monitors the drawing process; when a fiber breakage occurs, the monitoring device sends a breakage signal to the controller. The controller receives the signal and controls the linear output end of the drive mechanism to output a linear motion, thereby driving the collection hopper connected to the linear output end to synchronously perform a linear motion. This moves the collection hopper from the clearance position to the receiving position, that is, below the perforation of the coating cup, to collect the coating material leaking from the perforation. In this device, the collecting hopper moves in a straight line, occupying less space. Compared to a swing motion, the straight-line motion has a shorter stroke and a faster response speed. When the controller receives a fiber breakage signal, it can quickly control the drive mechanism to move the collecting hopper to the bottom of the coating cup perforation, thus collecting the paint leaking from the perforation. This effectively prevents paint from dripping onto the lower channel and downstream equipment, thereby reducing the frequency of cleaning the lower channel and downstream equipment by the operators. The collected paint can also be reused. This device has a simple structure, short straight-line stroke, and small space occupation, which can improve the quality and efficiency of fiber drawing. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fiber drawing device of this utility model when the hopper is in the clearance position.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the drive mechanism and the collecting hopper in one embodiment of the optical fiber drawing device of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the hopper in the receiving position in one embodiment of the optical fiber drawing device of this utility model.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Tower body connecting plate; 2. Coating cup support; 3. Coating cup; 4. Drive mechanism; 5. Collection hopper; 6. Connecting frame; 7. Linear output end. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The features and performance of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments.

[0023] During the fiber preform drawing process, a coating needs to be applied to the surface of the fiber to protect it from damage. However, when a fiber breaks, the coating leaks from the coating outlet, dripping onto the lower channel and downstream equipment, causing contamination. Existing equipment uses a tray placed below the coating outlet. When a fiber breaks, a pushing mechanism pushes the tray, causing it to swing directly below the coating outlet to collect the leaked coating. However, this device is complex, occupies a large space, has a long swing stroke, and a long reaction time to fiber breaks. Therefore, by changing the swing motion of the tray to a linear motion, the travel distance of the tray can be shortened, allowing the tray to reach the area below the coating outlet more quickly. Based on the above inventive concept, this utility model proposes a fiber drawing device. By connecting a collection hopper to the linear output end of a drive mechanism, the linear output end of the drive mechanism drives the collection hopper to move linearly, enabling the collection hopper to quickly reach the area below the perforation of the coating cup with the fastest speed and shortest displacement, thus collecting the coating leaking from the perforation.

[0024] Implementation method of the optical fiber drawing device of this utility model:

[0025] See Figures 1 to 3As a basic embodiment of this utility model, the optical fiber drawing device includes a fiber breakage monitoring device, a controller, a material collection assembly, and a tower body connecting plate 1 for fixing to the tower body of the drawing tower. A coating cup support 2 is fixed on the tower body connecting plate 1, and a coating cup 3 is placed on the coating cup support 2. The bottom wall of the coating cup 3 has perforations for passing through the fiber filament. The controller is electrically connected to the fiber breakage monitoring device. The material collection assembly includes a drive mechanism 4 and a material collection hopper 5. A connecting frame 6 is installed on the tower body connecting plate 1. The drive mechanism 4 is installed on the connecting frame 6 and has a linear output end 7. The controller is connected to the drive mechanism 4 and controls the operation of the linear output end 7. The material collection hopper 5 is installed on the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4 and has corresponding receiving positions and clearance positions. In use, the tower body connecting plate 1 is fixed to the tower body of the drawing tower, providing stable support for the coating cup support 2 and the connecting frame 6, thus maintaining stability in the fiber preform drawing process. The fiber breakage monitoring device monitors the drawing process; when a fiber breakage occurs, the fiber breakage monitoring device... A fiber breakage signal is sent to the controller. The controller receives the signal and controls the linear output terminal 7 of the drive mechanism 4 to output a linear motion, thereby driving the collection hopper 5 connected to the linear output terminal 7 to move synchronously in a linear motion. This causes the collection hopper 5 to move from the initial avoidance position to the receiving position, that is, to move the collection hopper 5 below the perforation of the coating cup 3 to collect the paint leaking from the perforation. In this device, the collection hopper 5 moves in a linear motion, occupying less space. Compared with the swing motion, the linear motion has a shorter stroke and a faster response speed. When the controller receives the fiber breakage signal, it can quickly control the drive mechanism 4 to move the collection hopper 5 to reach the area below the perforation of the coating cup 3 in a timely manner, realizing the collection of paint leaking from the perforation of the coating cup 3. This effectively prevents paint from dripping onto the lower channel and downstream equipment, thereby reducing the frequency of cleaning the lower channel and downstream equipment by the operators. The collected paint can also be reused. This device has a simple structure, short linear stroke, and small space occupation, which can improve the quality and efficiency of wire drawing.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the connecting frame 6 has an L-shaped structure. One side wall of the connecting frame 6 is connected to the tower body connecting plate 1, and the driving mechanism 4 is installed on the other side wall, so that the linear output end 7 of the driving mechanism 4 extends towards the coating cup 3. In the initial position, the linear output end 7 of the driving mechanism 4 is in a clearance position with the hopper 5 connected to it. At this time, the connecting piece 6 and the hopper 5 will not affect the drawing process, thus avoiding positional conflict between the connecting frame 6 and the fiber passing through the perforation, which would lead to fiber breakage during the drawing process.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the driving mechanism 4 is a driving cylinder controlled by a solenoid valve connected to a controller. The solenoid valve controls the linear output terminal 7 of the driving mechanism 4 to output a linear motion. Simultaneously, the controller is connected to a fiber breakage monitoring device. When a fiber breakage occurs, the monitoring device sends a fiber breakage signal to the controller. Upon receiving the signal, the controller controls the solenoid valve to open rapidly, causing the linear output terminal 7 of the driving mechanism 4 to output a linear motion. The collecting hopper 5 moves synchronously with the linear output terminal 7 of the driving mechanism 4, ensuring that when a fiber breakage occurs, the collecting hopper 5 quickly reaches the perforation of the coating cup 3 with the fastest speed and shortest displacement, thus collecting the coating. In other embodiments, the driving mechanism 4 can also be configured as an electric push rod with a linear output terminal 7. The electric push rod is directly electrically connected to the controller. When the controller receives the fiber breakage signal from the monitoring device, it directly controls the linear output terminal 7 of the electric push rod to output a linear motion, installing the collecting hopper 5 on the linear output terminal 7 of the electric push rod, thereby collecting the coating leaking from the perforation of the coating cup 3.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the connecting frame 6 is detachably connected to the tower body connecting plate 1. Before drawing the wire, the connecting frame 6 can be installed on the tower body connecting plate 1. The material collection component on the connecting frame 6 can collect the paint leaking from the perforation of the coating cup 3. After the drawing is completed, the connecting frame 6 can be directly disassembled, which is convenient for cleaning and maintenance of the connecting frame 6. It is also convenient to disassemble and assemble and does not affect the use.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4 is detachably connected to the collection hopper 5. When the collection hopper 5 is full of paint leaking from the perforation of the coating cup 3, the collection hopper 5 can be disassembled, the paint in the collection hopper 5 can be poured out and collected uniformly. The collected paint can be reused after appropriate processing to avoid waste. The collection hopper 5 is detachably connected to the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4, which facilitates regular cleaning and replacement of the collection hopper 5. In addition, the collection hopper 5 is directly installed on the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4. When the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4 outputs a linear action, it can directly drive the collection hopper 5 to move linearly in sync, ensuring that the collection hopper 5 can react quickly and reach the bottom of the perforation of the coating cup 3 with the shortest linear stroke to collect the paint leaking from the perforation of the coating cup 3.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the driving mechanism 4 is a driving cylinder. The driving cylinder controls the collecting hopper 5 to move linearly in sync with the linear output end 7 of the driving cylinder, allowing the collecting hopper 5 to quickly reach below the perforation of the coating cup 3, thus collecting the coating that has leaked through the perforation. In other embodiments, the driving mechanism 4 can also be a hydraulic cylinder, which can also drive the collecting hopper 5 to output linear motion, causing the collecting hopper 5 to quickly move from its initial clearance position to its receiving position.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the driving cylinder includes a cylinder body and a cylinder rod, the cylinder rod forming the linear output end 7. The cylinder body and the collecting hopper 5 are located on opposite sides of the connecting frame 6, and the linear output end 7 passes through the connecting frame 6. In this case, the connecting frame 6 can provide support and guidance for the linear output end 7 of the driving cylinder, facilitating the horizontal movement of the linear output end 7. In other embodiments, the driving cylinder and the collecting hopper 5 can also be located on the same side of the connecting frame 6. In this case, the driving cylinder and the collecting hopper 5 need to be located on the side closer to the coating cup 3. This arrangement ensures that when fiber breakage occurs, the linear output end 7 of the driving mechanism 4 can drive the collecting hopper 5 to move below the perforation of the coating cup 3.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the collecting hopper 5 is a rectangular collecting hopper. The rectangular collecting hopper has a relatively regular shape, which takes up less space without affecting the collection of paint. When the driving mechanism 4 drives it to make linear movements, it can also be done more quickly and is easy to use.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the controller is a PLC controller, which is electrically connected to the fiber breakage monitoring device and the solenoid valve to realize the transmission of the fiber breakage signal.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the coating cup support 2 is a horizontally arranged plate structure. This arrangement ensures that the coating cup 3 is always in a horizontal state, and that the contact area between the coating in the coating cup 3 and the fiber filament passing through the perforation is always consistent, thus avoiding uneven coating on the surface of the fiber filament due to the tilt of the coating cup 3.

[0035] The optical fiber drawing device of this utility model is used as follows: During the normal drawing process of the optical fiber preform, the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4 and the collection hopper 5 connected to the linear output end 7 are both located on one side of the drawing path of the optical fiber preform, that is, the collection hopper 5 is in the clearance position. When fiber breakage occurs, the coating in the coating cup 3 will leak down along the perforation. At the same time, the fiber breakage monitoring device sends a fiber breakage signal to the controller. The controller controls the linear output end 7 of the drive mechanism 4 to output a linear action. The collection hopper 5 connected to the linear output end 7 moves in a linear motion synchronously with the linear output end 7, so that the collection hopper 5 moves quickly from the initial clearance position to the receiving position, that is, to the bottom of the perforation of the coating cup 3, to collect the coating that leaks from the perforation.

[0036] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. The patent protection scope of the present utility model shall be determined by the claims. Similarly, any equivalent structural changes made based on the description and drawings of the present utility model shall also be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An optical fiber drawing device, comprising a fiber breakage monitoring device, a controller, a material collection assembly, and a tower body connecting plate for fixing to the tower body of a drawing tower, wherein a coating cup support is fixed on the tower body connecting plate, a coating cup is placed on the coating cup support, and the bottom wall of the coating cup is provided with a perforation for passing through the fiber filament, and the controller is electrically connected to the fiber breakage monitoring device, characterized in that: The material collection assembly includes a drive mechanism and a material collection hopper. A connecting frame is installed on the tower body connecting plate. The drive mechanism is installed on the connecting frame and has a linear output end. The controller is connected to the drive mechanism and controls the operation of the linear output end. The material collection hopper is installed on the linear output end of the drive mechanism and has a corresponding receiving position and a clearance position.

2. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting frame has an L-shaped structure, with one side wall connected to the tower body connecting plate and the driving mechanism installed on the other side wall.

3. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving mechanism is a driving cylinder, which is controlled by a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve is connected to the controller, and the solenoid valve controls the linear output end of the driving mechanism to output linear motion.

4. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting frame is detachably connected to the tower body connecting plate.

5. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The linear output end of the drive mechanism is detachably connected to the hopper.

6. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The driving mechanism is a driving cylinder.

7. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The drive cylinder includes a cylinder body and a cylinder rod, the cylinder rod forming the linear output end, the cylinder body and the hopper are located on both sides of the connecting frame, and the linear output end is set through the connecting frame.

8. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The hopper is a rectangular hopper.

9. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is a PLC controller.

10. The optical fiber drawing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coating cup support is a horizontally arranged plate structure.

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