Optical Fiber Ribbon Adhesive Application via Rotating Roller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing optical fiber ribbons face challenges in achieving high-speed production without increasing costs, as they struggle with resin viscosity limitations and potential adhesive misapplication, leading to longer manufacturing times and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that use a disk-like adhesive resin conveying roller and a partition plate with a gap or hole to intermittently apply adhesive resin between optical fibers, allowing high-speed production by immersing the roller in uncured resin and using a resin removing member to apply adhesive precisely between fibers, eliminating the need for precise positioning mechanisms and intermittent supply systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a discharge port is provided on a partition piece to intermittently connect optical fibers by controlling resin discharge amount and timing, then optical fiber ribbon can be manufactured with intermittent connections, but manufacturing speed is limited due to resin viscosity and the process requires complex control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive resin conveying roller automatically picks up resin from the tank and applies it to the optical fibers through its own rotation, eliminating the need for external control mechanisms to regulate resin discharge timing and amount. The roller's rotation itself controls the intermittent application, simplifying the system while maintaining manufacturing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical control systems for resin discharge with a simple rotational mechanical system. The adhesive resin conveying roller uses its rotation to automatically control resin pickup and application, substituting elaborate control mechanisms with a straightforward mechanical rolling action that enables high-speed production.
2Manufacturing precision
If adhesive resin is applied to optical fibers using conventional methods, then connections can be formed, but resin may be applied to unnecessary portions leading to misapplication and increased manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive resin is applied only to specific local areas where optical fibers contact the adhesive resin conveying roller, rather than uniformly across all surfaces. This localized application ensures resin is placed precisely where needed for bonding, preventing misapplication and reducing waste, which lowers manufacturing costs while improving precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive resin conveying roller serves as an intermediary between the resin tank and the optical fibers. It selectively transfers resin only to the portions of optical fibers that come into contact with it during rotation, ensuring precise application without requiring direct positioning mechanisms, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
3Productivity
If optical fibers are allowed to run at high speed through the manufacturing process, then productivity increases, but conventional resin application methods cannot keep pace due to viscosity limitations and require longer processing times
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive resin conveying roller rotates continuously as optical fibers pass through, enabling uninterrupted resin application throughout the manufacturing process. This continuous action eliminates idle time between resin applications, allowing high-speed production without extending processing time, as the roller constantly picks up and applies resin in synchronization with fiber movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive resin is pre-loaded into the adhesive resin conveying roller before the optical fibers arrive. This preliminary preparation allows the roller to immediately apply resin when fibers contact it, eliminating delays associated with resin supply control and enabling high-speed continuous manufacturing without increasing processing time.
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
Enables the production of optical fiber ribbons with desired intermittent connections at high speeds without increasing manufacturing costs, reducing processing time and cost, while ensuring accurate adhesive application and preventing resin loss.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive resin conveying roller formed by alternately laminating a disk-like fiber roller installed in the pass line, a disk-like partition plate having a diameter, which is constant in a circumferential direction, larger than that of the fiber roller and including a gap portion for holding the adhesive resin
Implementation Method 2
bringing the optical fibers into contact with the partition plate such that the partition plate is sandwiched between the optical fibers in running, so as to intermittently apply the adhesive resin held in the gap portion to the optical fibers
Implementation Method 3
curing the adhesive resin
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
In a step of intermittently applying an adhesive resin, while rotating an adhesive resin conveying roller formed by alternately laminating a disk-like fiber roller installed in a pass line, a disk-like partition plate having a diameter larger than that of the fiber roller and including a gap portion for holding the adhesive resin in a part of the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion in a circumferential direction, the adhesive resin conveying roller is immersed in the adhesive resin, which is not cured, to hold the adhesive resin in the gap portion, and then the optical fibers are brought into contact with the partition plate such that the partition plate is sandwiched between the optical fibers in running, so as to intermittently apply the adhesive resin held in the gap portion to the optical fibers in a longitudinal direction.