JP2006227285A - Optical fiber cable and color marking method for coated optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate wearing and peeling of color marking without particularly preparing a protective layer on the surface of the color marking provided on the surface of the coating layer of a coated optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: Color marking composed of a dyeing ink is applied onto the surface of the coating layer of the coated optical fiber and heated for a prescribed time, thereby the dyeing ink is impregnated into the coating layer and fixed on the surface thereof. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable that uses an optical fiber core as a transmission medium, and an optical fiber core color marking and coloring method for coloring a color marking on the outer periphery of the optical fiber core.

In the optical communication field, with the increase in transmission capacity, the number of optical fiber cores is increasing.
For this reason, various types of identification functions are required in order to be able to more clearly identify multi-fiber optical fibers.
The conventional general identification function of the optical fiber core has been the one in which a colored layer is formed on the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core. Was the limit.

  Therefore, conventionally, in order to cope with the increase in the number of optical fiber cores, after forming the surface colored layer of the coating layer of the optical fiber core, the ink is placed on the colored layer in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber core. By forming color markings (identification layers) such as ring marks and dots applied at predetermined intervals, an identification function corresponding to an increase in the number of optical fiber cores is increased.

  However, conventional color markings such as ring marks and dots are easily worn away or peeled off due to contact friction with other objects or contact with fillers inside the cable such as compounds, and the color marking identification function is easily lost. Met.

  Therefore, the optical fiber core wire 11 having a fiber core and a clad disclosed in Patent Document 1 is one or a plurality of synthetic resin coatings for protecting the optical fiber core wire 11 as shown in FIG. A coating 12 is provided, which is directly provided with color markings made of lacquers that are cured in IR or UV, in the form of spaced apart color rings 13. Since the color ring 13 protrudes from the coating 12 with a thickness of about 3 to 4 μm, in consideration of wear, there is provided a UV or other lacquer or other layer 14 based on a transparent or translucent polyimide or polyurethane. Yes. This layer is coated over its entire length with fibers having color markings. Then, for example, a black or blue single or double ring 13 made of IR curable lacquer is colored yellow, red, blue or green, preferably UV curable, other viscous lacquer layer 14 The entire color marking is protected and the identification function is achieved.

JP-A-9-506980 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-77537 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-77538 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-77539

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the color marking is worn or peeled off even if a protective layer is not particularly provided on the surface of the color marking provided on the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core in the optical fiber cable. It is in the point to avoid.

  The optical fiber cable of the present invention is an optical fiber cable for the purpose of preventing the color marking from being worn or peeled off without providing a particularly transparent protective layer on the surface of the color marking. Color coating composed of dye-based ink is applied to the surface of the coating layer.

  Further, the color marking coloring method of the optical fiber core of the present invention is such that the color marking made of a dye-based ink is applied to the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core and the color marking is heated for a predetermined time. And a step of fixing the color marking on the surface of the coating layer.

  In the optical fiber cable of the present invention, the color marking is formed on the surface of the coating layer by applying the dye ink to the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core wire and forming the color marking that penetrates into the coating layer. Even if the color marking is brought into contact with another object or immersed in a filler such as a compound, the color marking does not peel off. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a further transparent protective layer on the surface of the color marking, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The method for coloring a color marking of an optical fiber cable according to the present invention comprises applying a color marking made of a dye-based ink on the surface of a coating layer of an optical fiber core, and heating the applied color marking for a predetermined time. Since the color marking is fixed on the surface of the coating layer, the color marking is firmly fixed on the surface of the coating layer, and the color marking is in contact with another object or immersed in a filler such as a compound. However, the color marking does not peel off. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a further transparent protective layer on the surface of the color marking, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The color marking coloring method of the optical fiber cable of the present invention is such that the color marking made of a dye-based ink is applied to the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core wire and the color marking is heated for a predetermined time, so that it penetrates into the coating layer. Color marking made of dye-based ink applied to the coating layer can be efficiently fixed on the surface of the coating layer in a short time, and the production efficiency of the optical fiber cable can be improved.
In the color marking coloring method of the optical fiber cable of the present invention, it is possible to heat and hold the color marking applied to the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core wire for a predetermined time by irradiating ultraviolet rays with high thermal efficiency. The color marking can be performed continuously by heating and holding continuously.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a method for forming the color marking 5 on the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core 1 to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

The optical fiber core of the present invention includes an optical fiber core 1, a coating layer made up of a primary coating 2 and a secondary coating 3, a colored layer 4, and a color marking 5.
The 1st formation method of the color marking 5 to the surface of the colored layer of the optical fiber core wire 1 is demonstrated.
In the first forming method, the color marking 5 is applied to the surface of the colored layer 4 by a ring mark, a dot or the like with a dye-based ink, and then placed in a thermostat (not shown) at a temperature of about 85 ° C. for a predetermined time. It is a method of heating and holding.
In the first method of forming the color marking 5, the dye-based ink of the color marking 5 applied to the surface of the colored layer 4 is colored while the optical fiber core wire 1 is heated and held in the thermostat for a predetermined time. It penetrated and fixed inside the layer 4.

Then, it was confirmed that the color marking 5 was not peeled off from the surface of the colored layer 4 even if the optical fiber core wire 1 with the color marking 5 was wiped with alcohol every day.
In addition, when the coating method of the same color marking 5 was implemented with the pigment-type ink, when it wiped off with alcohol, the peeling phenomenon of the color marking 5 was seen.

  A second method of forming the color marking 5 on the surface of the colored layer 4 of the optical fiber core 1 is to apply the color marking 5 to the surface of the colored layer 4 with a ring ink or a dot using a dye-based ink, and then UV ( This is a method of irradiating with ultraviolet light.

In this second forming method, 600 W UV light was irradiated at a linear velocity of 200 to 600 m / min.
The color marking 5 formed by the second forming method of the color marking 5 is peeled off even if the UV light is continuously irradiated at a linear velocity of 200 m / min even if the alcohol is wiped after that. It was confirmed that the first forming method had an effect equivalent to that heated and held at 85 ° C. for 24 hours.

Thereby, while continuously applying the color marking 5 on the surface of the colored layer 4 of the optical fiber core wire 1, the applied color marking 5 is continuously heated and held stably. Production efficiency is improved.
In addition, although loss increase of about 0.02 to 0.03 dB / km occurs after manufacturing, the loss is reduced with time, and loss is generated by color marking so as to affect transmission characteristics. do not do.

  The first and second forming methods of the color marking 5 can be applied to optical fiber cables having various uses and structures using an optical fiber core as a transmission medium.

Sectional drawing of the optical fiber core wire of this invention. The side view of the optical fiber core wire of the present invention. The perspective view of the optical fiber core wire of a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical fiber core wire 1a Core 1b Clad 2 Primary coating layer 3 Secondary coating layer 4 Colored layer 5 Color marking

Claims (4)

An optical fiber core comprising a color marking formed by applying a dye-based ink to a surface of a coating layer of the optical fiber core so that the dye-based ink penetrates into the coating layer. The optical fiber cable according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber core wire according to claim 1 is coated with a color marking made of the dye-based ink. By applying a color marking composed of a dye-based ink on the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core wire and heating the color marking for a predetermined time, the dye-based ink penetrates into the coating layer, A method for coloring an optical fiber core wire, characterized by being fixed on a surface. When the color marking made of the dye-based ink applied to the surface of the coating layer of the optical fiber core wire is heated for a predetermined time by ultraviolet irradiation, it penetrates into the coating layer and is fixed on the surface of the coating layer. The color marking coloring method for an optical fiber according to claim 3.

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