Optical Fiber Coating Removal with Tactile Heating Notification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coating removal devices for optical fibers face challenges in effectively notifying operators of heating completion, especially in noisy or brightly lit environments, due to reliance on LED lamps and buzzers which may not be noticed by operators.
Innovation Solution
A coating removal device equipped with a vibration notification portion, such as a disc-shaped vibration motor, located in the heating portion, allowing for tactile notification of the operator, thereby ensuring information is conveyed even when the operator is not visually focused on the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LED lamp and buzzer are used for notification, then information can be conveyed to the operator, but the notification may not be noticed in noisy or brightly lit environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies mechanical vibration through a vibration motor as a notification mechanism. The vibration motor generates tactile vibrations that can be felt by the operator holding the device, providing reliable notification independent of visual or auditory environmental conditions. This directly addresses the contradiction by using a physical sensation channel that is not affected by noise or lighting interference.
2Reliability
If vibration notification portion is provided in the main body portion, then information can be notified to the operator, but the vibration may not be transmitted certainly when the operator grabs the heating portion
Solution Approach 1:
The heating portion serves as an intermediary structure that transmits vibration from the vibration notification portion to the operator's hand. By placing the vibration notification portion within the heating portion rather than the main body portion, the vibration can be directly transmitted through the heating portion housing to the operator's gripping hand, ensuring reliable tactile notification regardless of which part of the device the operator holds.
3Reliability
If multiple notification methods (LED, buzzer) are used, then information can be conveyed through multiple channels, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical (LED) and acoustic (buzzer) notification systems with a mechanical vibration-based notification system. This substitution simplifies the notification system by using a single vibration motor instead of multiple different notification components, reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving notification reliability through tactile feedback.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures that information, such as heating completion, is communicated to the operator with certainty, reducing operator workload and improving efficiency by allowing tactile notification independent of visual or auditory distractions.
Implementation Method 1
a heater heating a part of the coating that is closer to a tip thereof than the cutting blade
Implementation Method 2
The heating portion includes a vibration notification portion giving information to an operator by vibrating
Data Source
AI summary
A coating removal device removing a coating of an optical fiber along an axial direction of the optical fiber includes a heating portion including a cutting blade making a cut in the coating of the optical fiber, and a heater heating a part of the coating that is closer to a tip thereof than the cutting blade; a main body portion including a control board electrically connected with the heater; a holding portion holding the optical fiber, the holding portion being provided on the opposite side to the heater with the cutting blade being located between the holding portion and the heater; and a slide mechanism allowing the holding portion to slidably move with respect to the heating portion such that the holding portion is distanced away from the heating portion in the axial direction. The main body portion, the heating portion and the holding portion are located in this order in the axial direction, and the heating portion includes a vibration notification portion giving information to an operator by vibrating.