Optical Fiber Coating With Intermittent UV Curing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The reduction in ultraviolet ray output during the curing process of a curable resin composition in optical fiber manufacturing leads to insufficient curing, failing to meet the required protective characteristics of the coating layer.
Innovation Solution
Implementing intermittent ultraviolet radiation with non-radiation periods and adjusting the number and duration of these periods to inhibit radical re-bonding, allowing for efficient curing of the curable resin composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the output of ultraviolet ray radiation is decreased to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but the curing of the curable resin composition becomes insufficient and the coating layer cannot satisfy protective characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by intermittently radiating ultraviolet rays with non-radiation periods in between. The ultraviolet ray is radiated, then stopped for a specific duration (non-radiation period), and radiated again. This periodic on-off radiation pattern allows radicals to diffuse and react properly during non-radiation periods while still achieving sufficient curing through multiple radiation cycles, thereby maintaining coating layer quality while reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous high-output radiation.
2Reliability
If continuous ultraviolet ray radiation is used to ensure sufficient curing, then curing quality is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous radiation, the patent implements periodic radiation with alternating radiation and non-radiation periods. This allows the system to achieve the same curing effect by distributing the total radiation energy over multiple intervals, reducing peak power requirements and overall energy consumption while maintaining adequate curing quality through cumulative exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-radiation periods serve as preliminary preparation time between radiation cycles, allowing radicals generated during radiation to diffuse and position themselves for subsequent reactions. This preliminary action during non-radiation periods ensures that when radiation resumes, the curing reaction can proceed efficiently, maintaining quality while reducing total radiation time and energy consumption.
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
Achieves high-degree curing of the coating layer with reduced power consumption, maintaining high Young's moduli and heat cycle resistance of the optical fiber, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a curable resin composition containing a photopolymerization initiator is applied so that an outer circumference of a glass fiber including a core and a cladding is coated, and a coating layer is formed by radiating an ultraviolet ray to the curable resin composition and curing the curable resin composition
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing an optical fiber includes applying a curable resin composition containing a photopolymerization initiator so that an outer circumference of a glass fiber including a core and a cladding is coated, and forming a coating layer by radiating an ultraviolet ray to the curable resin composition and curing the curable resin composition. Forming the coating layer includes providing two or more non-radiation periods and intermittently radiating the ultraviolet ray three or more times so that a total time of the non-radiation periods is 0.010 seconds or more.