Tape winding method and tape winding apparatus

Abstract

To provide a tape winding method capable of accurately detecting an outer diameter of a tape roll during a tape winding operation.SOLUTION: A tape winding method for winding a tape around an outer peripheral surface of a cable while conveying the cable in a longitudinal direction includes a step of feeding the tape by rotating a tape roll around which the tape is wound around an axis, a step of guiding the tape fed from the tape roll and winding the tape around the outer peripheral surface of the cable, a step of detecting an outer diameter of the tape roll by a sensor, and a control step of controlling a winding operation of the tape based on a detection result by the sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tape winding method and a tape winding device. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, an optical fiber cable manufacturing device manufactures an optical fiber cable by running a cable core formed by spirally winding an upper winding tape around the outer periphery of a bundle of multiple optical fiber core wires or optical fiber ribbon core wires (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-3378 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A tape winding method for winding tape around the outer periphery of a cable involves unwinding the tape from the outer periphery of a tape roll and guiding the tape to wind it around the outer periphery of the cable. This tape winding method requires controlling the tension of the tape to prevent the tape unwound from the tape roll from loosening. However, as the tape is consumed and the outer diameter of the tape roll changes, the tension of the tape also changes. Therefore, there is a need for a tape winding method and a tape winding device that can accurately detect the outer diameter of the tape roll and wind the tape.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a tape winding method and a tape winding device that can accurately detect the outer diameter of a tape roll during a winding operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The tape winding method disclosed herein is a tape winding method for winding tape around the outer peripheral surface of a cable core while transporting the cable core in the longitudinal direction of the cable core, and includes the steps of rotating a tape roll around which the tape is wound around an axis to unwind the tape, guiding the tape unwound from the tape roll and winding it around the outer peripheral surface of the cable core, detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll while rotating using a sensor, and controlling the tape winding operation based on the detection result by the sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the outer diameter of the tape roll can be detected with high accuracy during the winding operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an optical fiber cable in which a tape is wound spirally around a cable core. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a tape winding device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a front view showing the tape roll, the tape roll holder, the guide, and the distance sensor. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the tape roll, the tape roll holder, the rotating shaft, the actuator, and the power transmission mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the tape winding device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of the tape winding method according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure in the control process. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of the detection results obtained by a plurality of distance sensors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.

[0010] [1] A tape winding method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a tape winding method for winding tape around an outer peripheral surface of a cable core while transporting the cable core in the longitudinal direction of the cable core, the method including the steps of: rotating a tape roll around which the tape is wound around an axis to unwind the tape; guiding the tape unwound from the tape roll to wind it around the outer peripheral surface of the cable core; detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll during rotation by a sensor; and controlling the tape winding operation based on the detection result by the sensor.

[0011] In this tape winding method, the sensor can be used to determine the outer peripheral position of the rotating tape roll, while controlling the tape winding operation. Therefore, this tape winding method can control the tape winding operation, such as by controlling the tape tension in accordance with the outer diameter of the tape roll that has shrunk as the tape is consumed. This tape winding method can stabilize the tape winding quality.

[0012] [2] In the method of [1], in the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, the distance sensor emits light, receives the light reflected by the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll, and measures the distance from a reference point to the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll to detect the outer peripheral position of the tape roll. In this case, by measuring the distance from the reference point to the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll, it is possible to directly detect the shrinkage of the tape roll due to tape consumption.

[0013] [3] In [1] or [2], in the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, the outer peripheral position of the tape roll may be detected by a plurality of the sensors arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll. In this case, even if one sensor cannot detect the outer peripheral position of the tape roll due to the presence of an obstacle between the sensor and the tape roll, the outer peripheral position of the tape roll can be detected by the other sensors, thereby enabling stable detection of the outer peripheral position of the tape roll.

[0014] [4] In any one of [1] to [3], the control step can control the tension of the tape based on the detection result by the sensor. In this case, the tension of the tape can be controlled according to the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, which is the detection result. According to the tape winding method of this aspect, by controlling the tension of the tape, the tape can be wound around the cable core with consistent quality.

[0015] [5] In any one of [1] to [4], the tape winding device includes a brake that brakes the rotation of a tape roll holder that holds the tape roll, and the control step can control the tension of the tape by controlling the braking force of the brake based on the detection result of the sensor. In this case, the braking force can be controlled in accordance with the outer diameter of the tape roll, and the rotation speed of the tape roll can be adjusted to control the tension of the tape.

[0016] [6] In [2], the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll may detect the outer peripheral position of the tape roll using a plurality of the sensors arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll. The control step may control the tension of the tape based on the detection results of the sensors. The tape winding device may include a brake that brakes the rotation of a tape roll holder that holds the tape roll. The control step may control the tension of the tape by controlling the braking force of the brake based on the detection results of the sensors. The control step may control the braking force of the brake based on the detection results of the plurality of distance sensors, which have a longer distance from the reference point to the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll. In this case, the braking force of the brake may be controlled based on the detection result of the tape roll with a smaller outer diameter.

[0017] [7] A tape winding device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a tape roll holder that holds a tape roll around which tape is wound so that the tape can rotate around an axis; a winding mechanism that guides the tape unwound from the tape roll and winds it around a cable core that is moving in the longitudinal direction; a sensor that detects the outer peripheral position of the tape roll while it is rotating; and a controller that controls the tape winding operation based on the detection result by the sensor.

[0018] In the tape winding device of this aspect, the sensor can be used to determine the outer peripheral position of the rotating tape roll, while controlling the tape winding operation. Therefore, with this tape winding device, the tape winding operation can be controlled, for example, by controlling the tape tension in accordance with the outer diameter of the tape roll that has shrunk as the tape is consumed. This tape winding device can stabilize the tape winding quality.

[0019] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations may be designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description.

[0020] [Optical fiber cable 10] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an optical fiber cable 10 in which a ribbon 12 is spirally wound around a cable core 11. In the tape winding method and tape winding device 100 according to this embodiment, the ribbon 12 can be wound around the outer peripheral surface 11a of the cable core 11 while the cable core 11 is transported in the longitudinal direction. The cable core 11 may include an optical fiber core wire. The cable core 11 may also include an optical fiber ribbon core wire. Note that the cable is not limited to the optical fiber cable 10 and may be other cables. The cable may be a cable for communications or a cable usable for other purposes.

[0021] [Tape winding device 100] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a tape winding device 100 according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a front view showing a tape roll 20, a tape roll holder 30, a guide 40, and a distance sensor 50. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the tape roll 20, the tape roll holder 30, a rotating shaft 60, an actuator 70, and a power transmission mechanism 80. The tape roll 20 may include, for example, a cylindrical core and a tape 12 wound around the cylindrical core.

[0022] 2 to 4, the tape winding device 100 includes a tape roll holder 30 that rotatably holds the tape roll 20. The tape roll holder 30 rotates about its axis while holding the tape roll 20. The axis of the tape roll holder 30 is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 2, the tape winding device 100 may include, for example, a base plate 111 and a plurality of stands 112, 113. The base plate 111 is disposed below the cable core 11 and the tape roll holder 30. The base plate 111 has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11. The plurality of stands 112, 113 are supported by the base plate 111 and extend upward. The plurality of stands 112, 113 are disposed apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11. The plurality of stands 112, 113 have through holes formed therein through which the cable core 11 is inserted.

[0024] The tape roll holder 30 is supported by, for example, a stand 112. The tape roll holder 30 is disposed between the stand 112 and the stand 113.

[0025] The tape winding device 100 may include a tape roll holding unit 114 that holds multiple tape rolls 20B before they are attached to the tape roll holder 30. Note that the tape roll held in the tape roll holder 30 will be referred to as the "tape roll 20," and the tape roll before it is attached to the tape roll holder 30 will be referred to as the "tape roll 20B," but the tape rolls 20 and 20B have the same structure. The tape roll holding unit 114 may include a cylindrical body extending in the axial direction of the tape roll 20B. This cylindrical body is supported by, for example, a stand 113. The tape roll 20B can be attached to the tape roll holder 30 by sliding it in the axial direction.

[0026] 4, the tape winding device 100 includes a rotating shaft 60 that rotates together with the tape roll holder 30, a bearing 61 that rotatably supports the rotating shaft 60, an actuator 70 that rotates the tape roll holder 30, and a power transmission mechanism 80 that transmits the driving force of the actuator 70 to the rotating shaft 60. The actuator 70 is, for example, an electric motor. The bearing 61 and the actuator 70 are fixed to a stand 113.

[0027] The power transmission mechanism 80 includes, for example, a gear 81 connected to the rotation shaft of the actuator 70, a gear 82 connected to the rotation shaft 60 of the tape roll holder 30, and a belt 83 wound around the gear 81 and the gear 82. The rotational driving force of the actuator 70 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 60 of the tape roll holder 30 via the gear 81, the belt 83, and the gear 82. As described above, the tape roll 20 and the tape roll holder 30 rotate together with the rotation shaft 60.

[0028] [Brake 120] The tape winding device 100 may include a brake 120 that brakes the rotation of the tape roll holder 30. The brake 120 may be, for example, a hysteresis clutch brake. A hysteresis clutch brake has substantially the same characteristics as a powder clutch brake. In the tape winding device 100, the operation of the brake 120 can brake the tape roll holder 30 and control the tension of the tape 12.

[0029] The hysteresis clutch brake has a first rotor (input) and a second rotor (output). The first rotor may be the rotating shaft 60, and the second rotor may be the cylindrical body 32 of the tape roll holder 30. The hysteresis clutch brake generates torque between the first rotor and the second rotor. The first rotor may include an excitation coil. The first rotor may have, for example, an inner magnetic pole and an outer magnetic pole. The outer magnetic pole is cylindrical, and the inner magnetic pole is disposed inside the outer magnetic pole. The second rotor is disposed between the inner magnetic pole and the outer magnetic pole in the radial direction. The second rotor may include a permanent magnet. The first rotor may be connected, for example, to a rotating shaft of an electric motor, which is the actuator 70. The second rotor may be connected to the tape roll holder 30. The brake 120 is not limited to a hysteresis clutch brake and may be another brake. The brake may slow the rotation of the tape roll holder 30 by increasing the frictional resistance of the rotation shaft 60 of the tape roll holder 30 .

[0030] [Tape Roll Holder 30] 3 holds the tape roll 20 and rotates together with the tape roll 20, as described above. The tape roll holder 30 may include a disk 31 that holds the tape roll 20, a cylindrical body 32, and a support plate 33. The support plate 33 may be substantially Y-shaped when viewed in the axial direction of the tape roll holder 30. The support plate 33 may be substantially triangular when viewed in the axial direction of the tape roll holder 30, or may have another shape.

[0031] The cylindrical body 32 may be part of the rotation shaft 60. The disk 31 and the support plate 33 are arranged apart in the axial direction of the tape roll holder 30. The disk 31 and the support plate 33 are connected via the cylindrical body 32. The tape roll 20 is held in the tape roll holder 30 by being sandwiched between the disk 31 and the support plate 33. The support plate 33 can be attached to and detached from the cylindrical body 32. The outer diameter of the disk 31 may be larger than the outer diameter of the tape roll 20, for example.

[0032] A plurality of guides 40 are provided on the outer periphery of the disk 31 to guide the tape 12 unwound from the tape roll 20. The guides 40 may include guard rollers that are rotatable in contact with the tape 12. The plurality of guides 40 rotate integrally with the tape roll holder 30 and the tape roll 20.

[0033] The tape winding device 100 may also include guides for guiding the movement of the tape 12 in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber cable 10. The tape 12 unwound from the tape roll 20 is guided by a plurality of guides and led to the outer peripheral surface of the cable core 11. The tape winding device 100 may also include a mechanism for winding the tape 12 around the cable core 11.

[0034] [Distance Sensor 50] The tape winding device 100 is equipped with a plurality of distance sensors 50 that detect the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20. The plurality of distance sensors 50 includes a distance sensor 51 and a distance sensor 52. The distance sensors 51 and 52 are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll 20. The distance sensors 51 and 52 may be arranged on opposite sides of the center of the tape roll 20 in the radial direction of the tape roll 20. The distance sensor 50 may be one, or may include three or more distance sensors 51, 52. When the plurality of distance sensors 51, 52 do not need to be distinguished, they may be referred to as distance sensors 50.

[0035] The distance sensor 50 may detect the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 by measuring the distance from a reference point 50a to the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20. The distance sensor 50 emits light and receives the light reflected by the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20. The reference point 50a may be the position where light is emitted by the distance sensor 50. The distance sensor 50 is an example of a sensor. The sensor is not limited to the distance sensor 50 and may be another sensor. The tape winding device 100 may be equipped with multiple types of sensors.

[0036] The distance sensor 50 is disposed at the same position as the tape roll 20 in the axial direction of the tape roll 20. The distance sensor 50 may be disposed at a position that does not overlap with the tape roll 20 in the axial direction of the tape roll 20. The axial direction of the tape roll 20 is along the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11.

[0037] [Controller 200] Next, the controller 200 of the tape winding device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the tape winding device 100 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the controller 200 is electrically connected to the distance sensor 51, the distance sensor 52, the brake 120, the actuator 70, and the actuator 72. The actuator 70 is an actuator for rotating the tape roll holder 30, and the actuator 72 is an actuator for transporting the optical fiber cable 10.

[0038] The controller 200 may include a control circuit 210. The control circuit 210 includes a CPU (Center Processing Unit) 211 and a storage unit 212. The CPU 211 is responsible for overall control of the tape winding device 100. The CPU 211 receives data relating to the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 detected by the distance sensors 51 and 52. Other sensors may be connected. The controller 200 may be connected to a sensor capable of detecting the feeding speed of the cable core 11.

[0039] The storage unit 212 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 213 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 214. The ROM 213 stores various programs for causing the CPU 211 to execute control processes, as well as various data necessary for the operation of the tape winding device 100. The RAM 214 temporarily stores data acquired from the distance sensor 50, etc.

[0040] The controller 200 may compare the data detected by the distance sensor 51 with the data detected by the distance sensor 52. The controller 200 may calculate the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 from the data detected by the distance sensor 51 or the distance sensor 52.

[0041] The controller 200 may adopt, as the correct value, the data detected by the multiple distance sensors 50 that indicates the smaller outer diameter of the tape roll 20. There is a risk that the distance sensor 50 may detect the guide 40 of the tape roll holder 30. The guide 40 is disposed radially outward of the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20. Therefore, when the distance sensor 50 detects the guide 40, the detected value is larger than the outer diameter of the tape roll 20. The "large value" here refers to a case where the guide 40 is erroneously detected as the outer diameter of the tape roll 20, and is detected as a larger outer diameter value in the radial direction, but the distance from the reference point 50a is a small value.

[0042] The distance sensor 50 may also detect objects other than the tape roll 20 and the guide 40. The controller 200 may compare previously detected data with the latest data to determine whether the detection result by the distance sensor 50 is a false detection. As time passes, the amount of tape 12 consumed increases and the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 becomes smaller. Therefore, if the outer diameter value of the tape roll 20 becomes larger than the past data, the detection result by the distance sensor 50 may be determined to be a false detection.

[0043] The controller 200 can send a command signal to the brake 120 to control the operation of the brake 120. The controller 200 can control the braking force of the brake 120 to control the tension of the tape 12. The controller 200 can control the braking force of the brake 120 based on the outer diameter of the tape roll 20.

[0044] The controller 200 may send a torque command value indicating the torque in the tape roll holder 30 to the brake 120. Since the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 decreases as the manufacturing length of the optical fiber cable 10 increases, it is necessary to accurately measure the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 in order to maintain a constant tension in the tape 12. The controller 200 may send a signal to the brake 120 regarding the torque command value integrated with the target tension in the tape 12.

[0045] The memory unit 212 may store data indicating the relationship between the outer peripheral position (outer diameter) of the tape roll 20 and the tension acting on the tape 12. The memory unit 212 may store, for example, data regarding the moving speed of the cable core 11, data regarding the rotation speed of the tape roll 20, etc. The "outer peripheral position" may be a position in the radial direction of the tape roll 20, or may be the length from the center of the tape roll 20 to the outer peripheral surface 20a.

[0046] [Tape wrapping method] Next, a tape winding method according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the steps of the tape winding method according to an embodiment. The tape winding method can be performed using, for example, a tape winding device 100. The tape winding method is a method of winding a tape 12 around the outer peripheral surface of a cable core 11 while transporting the cable core 11 in the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11. The tape winding method may also be a manufacturing method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable 10 by winding a tape 12 around a cable core 11.

[0047] The tape winding method includes a step of transporting the cable core 11 in the longitudinal direction (step S11), a step of rotating the tape roll 20 to unwind the tape 12 (step S12), a step of winding the tape 12 around the cable core 11 (step S13), a step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 (step S14), and a control step of controlling the winding operation of the tape 12 (step S15). These steps are performed in an overlapping manner as appropriate.

[0048] [Step of Transporting Cable Core 11 in the Longitudinal Direction (Step S11)] In the step of transporting the cable core 11 in the longitudinal direction (step S11), the cable core 11 is transported in the longitudinal direction, for example, by rotating a drum for winding up the optical fiber cable 10. The cable core 11 is transported so as to pass through the center of the tape roll 20. The cable core 11 is transported along the axial direction of the tape roll 20.

[0049] [Step S12: Rotating the tape roll 20 to unwind the tape 12] In the step of rotating the tape roll 20 to unwind the tape 12 (step S12), the tape roll holder 30 that holds the tape roll 20 is rotated about its axis to unwind the tape 12. As the tape 12 is unwound, the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 gradually decreases.

[0050] [Step S13: Winding Tape 12 Around Cable Core 11] In the step of winding the tape 12 around the cable core 11 (step S13), the tape 12 unwound from the tape roll 20 is guided and wound around the outer peripheral surface of the cable core 11. The tape 12 is guided, for example, by a guide 40. The tape 12 is guided outward in the radial direction of the tape roll 20 and also guided in the circumferential direction of the tape roll 20. After being guided outward in the radial direction of the tape roll 20, the tape 12 is guided in the longitudinal direction of the cable core 11 and is guided so as to approach the cable core 11. The tape 12 is finally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the cable core 11.

[0051] [Step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 (step S14)] In the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 (step S14), the distance sensors 51 and 52 detect the outer peripheral position of the rotating tape roll 20. The distance sensors 51 and 52 output data relating to the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20, which is the detection result, to the controller 200.

[0052] In the process of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 (step S14), the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 may be detected by irradiating light from the distance sensors 51 and 52, receiving the reflected light reflected by the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20, and measuring the distance from the reference point 50a to the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20.

[0053] In the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 (step S14), the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20 may be detected by distance sensor 51 and distance sensor 52 arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll 20.

[0054] [Control step (step S15)] In the control step (step S15), the controller 200 controls the winding operation of the tape 12 based on the detection results of the distance sensors 51 and 52. The controller 200 may, for example, control the braking force of the brake 120 to control the rotational speed of the tape roll holder 30, thereby controlling the winding operation of the tape 12. The controller 200 may, for example, control the actuator 70 to control the rotational speed of the tape roll holder 30, thereby controlling the winding operation of the tape 12. The controller 200 may, for example, control the actuator 70 to control the feeding speed of the cable core 11, thereby controlling the winding operation of the tape 12.

[0055] In the control step (step S15), the tension of the tape 12 may be controlled based on the detection results of the distance sensors 51 and 52. The controller 200 may control the braking force of the brake 120 to brake the rotation of the tape roll holder 30 and control the tension of the tape 12. The controller 200 may, for example, increase the braking force of the brake 120 to increase the tension of the tape 12.

[0056] 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure in the control step (step S15). As shown in FIG. 7, in the control step (step S15), the controller 200 may execute the processes of steps S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, and S26.

[0057] The controller 200 inputs data that are the detection results from the distance sensors 51 and 52 (step S21). The distance sensor 51 outputs data on a first distance as data on the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20. The distance sensor 52 outputs data on a second distance as data on the outer peripheral position of the tape roll 20. The first distance may be, for example, the distance from the reference point 50a of the distance sensor 51 to the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20. The second distance may be the distance from the reference point 50a of the distance sensor 52 to the outer peripheral surface 20a of the tape roll 20.

[0058] After executing the process of step S21, the controller 200 executes the process of step S22. In step S22, the controller 200 determines whether the difference ΔD between the data regarding the first distance and the data regarding the second distance is less than the judgment threshold. If the first distance and the second distance are approximately equal, the difference ΔD is less than the judgment threshold. If the difference ΔD is less than the judgment threshold (step S22; YES), the controller 200 executes the process of step S24. If the difference ΔD is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold (step S23; NO), the controller 200 executes the process of step S23. If the difference between the detected first distance and second distance is large, the difference ΔD is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold. For example, if one of the values ​​is erroneously detected data, the difference ΔD is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold.

[0059] In step S23, the controller 200 determines whether the first distance is longer than the second distance. If the first distance or the second distance is longer, it means that the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 is small, that is, the remaining amount of the tape roll 20 is small. If the first distance is longer than the second distance (step S23; YES), the controller 200 executes the process of step S25. If the second distance is longer than the first distance (step S23; NO), the controller 200 executes the process of step S26.

[0060] In step S24, the controller 200 controls the braking force of the brake 120 based on the first distance or the second distance, thereby controlling the tension of the tape 12. After executing the process of step S24, the controller 200 ends this process.

[0061] In step S25, the controller 200 controls the braking force of the brake 120 based on the first distance, thereby controlling the tension of the tape 12. After executing the process of step S25, the controller 200 ends the process here.

[0062] In step S26, the controller 200 controls the braking force of the brake 120 based on the second distance, thereby controlling the tension of the tape 12. After executing the process of step S26, the controller 200 ends the process here.

[0063] The controller 200 may repeatedly execute the processes of steps S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, and S26 at predetermined intervals.

[0064] [Example of detection results using multiple distance sensors] FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of detection results obtained by a plurality of distance sensors. The horizontal axis of FIG. 8 indicates the rotation angle of the tape roll 20, and the vertical axis indicates the detected diameter (outer diameter) of the tape roll 20, which is the detection result obtained by the distance sensors 51 and 52. The detected diameter value D1 is the actual outer diameter of the tape roll 20. In FIG. 8, the values ​​indicated by the solid line are the detection results obtained by the distance sensor 51, and the values ​​indicated by the dashed line are the detection results obtained by the distance sensor 52. The distance sensor 51 may be the first sensor, and the distance sensor 52 may be the second sensor. If the light emitted from the distance sensor 51 or the distance sensor 52 is reflected by an obstacle, the detected diameter will be larger than the actual outer diameter D1. An example of the obstacle is the guide 40 shown in FIG. 3.

[0065] Distance sensor 51 and distance sensor 52 are arranged in positions where the emitted light does not hit any obstacles at the same time. Multiple obstacles may be arranged in positions where the emitted light does not hit any obstacles at the same time. For example, when distance sensor 51 and distance sensor 52 are arranged in positions that are 180° different in the rotation direction of tape roll holder 30, multiple obstacles are not arranged in positions that are 180° different. When multiple obstacles are arranged in positions that are 180° different, distance sensor 51 and distance sensor 52 are not arranged in positions that are 180° different.

[0066] [Actions and effects of the tape winding method according to the embodiment] In the tape winding method according to the embodiment, the winding operation of the tape 12 can be controlled while the outer diameter of the rotating tape roll 20 is grasped by the distance sensor 51 or the distance sensor 52. In this tape winding method, the winding operation of the tape 12 can be controlled according to the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 that has shrunk as the tape 12 is consumed. This tape winding method can stabilize the winding quality of the tape 12. In this tape winding method, the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 can be detected with high accuracy during the winding operation.

[0067] According to the tape winding method of this embodiment, the tension of the tape 12 can be controlled with high precision, thereby reducing the shaking of the cable core 11 during movement and improving the productivity of the optical fiber cable 10.

[0068] [Actions and Effects of the Tape Winding Device 100 According to the Embodiment] In the tape winding device 100 of this embodiment, the distance sensor 50 is used to determine the outer diameter of the rotating tape roll 20, while controlling the winding operation of the tape 12. In this tape winding device 100, the winding operation of the tape 12 can be controlled in accordance with the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 that has shrunk as the tape 12 is consumed. With this tape winding device 100, the winding quality of the tape 12 can be stabilized.

[0069] [Tape winding device 100 according to modified example 1] Next, a tape winding device 100 according to a first modification will be described. The tape winding device 100 according to the first modification may include multiple transmission sensors instead of the distance sensor 50. The transmission sensor includes an irradiation unit that irradiates a laser and a light receiving unit that receives the laser irradiated from the irradiation unit. The multiple transmission sensors are arranged at different positions in the radial direction of the tape roll 20 so that the outer diameter of the tape roll 20 can be measured in stages.

[0070] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 100 Tape winding device 10 Optical fiber cable (cable) 11 Cable Core 11a Outer surface 12 Tape 20 tape rolls 20B tape roll 20a Outer surface (outer circumference position) 30 Tape roll holder (tape roll holder) 31 Disc 32 Cylinder 33 Support Plate 40 Guide 50, 51, 52 Distance sensors 60 Rotational Axis 61 Bearings 70 Actuator 72 Actuator 80 Power transmission mechanism 81 Gears 82 Gears 83 Belt 111 Base Plate 112 Stand 113 Stand 114 Tape roll holding part 120 Brake 200 Controller 210 Control circuit 211 CPU 212 Storage section 213 ROM 214 RAM

Claims

1. A tape winding method for winding a tape around an outer peripheral surface of a cable core while transporting the cable core in a longitudinal direction of the cable core, comprising: a step of rotating a tape roll around which the tape is wound, about an axis, to unwind the tape; a step of guiding the tape unwound from the tape roll and winding it around an outer circumferential surface of the cable core; detecting an outer peripheral position of the rotating tape roll by a sensor; and a control step of controlling the tape winding operation based on the detection result by the sensor.

2. 2. The tape winding method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, the outer peripheral position of the tape roll is detected by irradiating light from the sensor, which is a distance sensor, and receiving light reflected from the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll to measure the distance from a reference point to the outer peripheral surface of the tape roll.

3. 3. The tape winding method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, the outer peripheral position of the tape roll is detected by a plurality of sensors arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll.

4. 3. The tape winding method according to claim 1, wherein the control step controls the tension of the tape based on the detection result of the sensor.

5. 5. The tape winding method according to claim 4, wherein the control step controls the tension of the tape by controlling the braking force of a brake that brakes the rotation of a tape roll holder that holds the tape roll based on the detection result of the sensor.

6. In the step of detecting the outer peripheral position of the tape roll, the outer peripheral position of the tape roll is detected by a plurality of distance sensors arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the tape roll, In the control step, the tension of the tape is controlled based on the detection result of the distance sensor. In the control step, the tension of the tape is controlled by controlling a braking force of a brake that brakes the rotation of a tape roll holder that holds the tape roll based on the detection result of the distance sensor; The tape winding method described in claim 2, wherein the control process controls the braking force of the brake based on the detection result from the multiple distance sensors, which is the detection result that has the longer distance from the reference point to the outer surface of the tape roll.

7. a tape roll holder that holds a tape roll around which a tape is wound so as to be rotatable about an axis; a winding mechanism that guides the tape unwound from the tape roll and winds it around a cable core that is moving in the longitudinal direction; a sensor for detecting the outer peripheral position of the rotating tape roll; a controller that controls the tape winding operation based on the detection result by the sensor.

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