JP3102487B2 - Image transmitter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an optical transmitter in which the center of the refractive index distribution is eccentric from the center of the optical transmitter, and the optical transmitter transmits an image from a specific direction. It has the feature that image transmission is possible only when it is incident, so that it can be used as a device having an optical switching function such as an optical computer or an optical memory.

[Problems to be Solved by the Related Art and the Invention] Since the graded-index optical transmitter can perform image transmission, an array in which a number of the graded-index optical transmitters are arranged in parallel is a copier, an electronic blackboard. Alternatively, it is usefully used as a facsimile image reading apparatus. Since the center of the refractive index distribution and the center of the optical transmission body of these refractive index distribution type optical transmission bodies almost coincide with each other, image transmission can be performed. The rate distribution type optical transmission body is not known so far.

Means for Solving the Problems The gist of the present invention is a refractive index distribution type optical transmission body having a circular cross section with a diameter R, wherein the center of the refractive index distribution is eccentric at least 25 μm from the center of the optical transmission body. There is, and the refractive index distribution is continuously reduced from the center of the refractive index distribution toward the outer periphery of the optical transmission body, and the center of the refractive index distribution in a plane including the center of the refractive index distribution and the center of the optical transmission body. An image transmission body having an asymmetric shape with respect to an axis.
This optical transmission body can be created, for example, by the following method.

A polymerizable mixture of a polymer and a monomer that is liquid at room temperature, and two or more polymerizable mixtures having different refractive indices are formed into a predetermined shape in a laminated structure using an eccentric composite spinning nozzle or the like. Polymerizing and curing after diffusing and transferring the monomers of the polymerizable mixture between the layers.As the polymer used in carrying out the present invention, methyl methacrylate homopolymer, fluorinated alkyl methacrylate homopolymer, methyl methacrylate and Copolymers with fluorinated alkyl methacrylates, copolymers of methyl methacrylate or fluorinated alkyl methacrylates with other copolymerizable monomers and the like can be mentioned.

Examples of the fluorinated alkyl methacrylate used in obtaining the polymer include 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl methacrylate, and 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexa. Examples thereof include fluorobutyl methacrylate and 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl methacrylate.

Other copolymerizable monomers include, for example, monofunctional (meth) acrylates such as ethyl (meth) acrylate, n-propyl (meth) acrylate, isopropyl (meth) acrylate, and tertiary butyl (meth) acrylate , Cyclohexyl (meth) acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate, 2-phenoxyethyl (meth) acrylate, 2- (n-butoxy) ethyl (meth) acrylate, glycidyl (meth) acrylate, 2-methylglycidyl (meth) ) Fluorinated alkyl acrylates such as acrylate, phenyl (meth) acrylate, benzyl (meth) acrylate,
Examples thereof include 2-trifluoroethyl acrylate, styrene, chlorostyrene, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid.

Further, as the monomers used in carrying out the present invention, methyl (meth) acrylate, ethyl (meth) acrylate, n-propyl (meth) acrylate, isopropyl (meth) acrylate, tertiary butyl (meth) acrylate, cyclohexyl ( (Meth) acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate, 2-phenoxyethyl (meth) acrylate, 2- (n-butoxy) ethyl (meth) acrylate, glycidyl (meth) acrylate, 2-methylglycidyl (meth) acrylate,
Monofunctional (meth) acrylates such as phenyl (meth) acrylate and benzyl (meth) acrylate, 2,2,
2-trifluoroethyl (meth) acrylate, 2,2,3,3
-Tetrafluoropropyl (meth) acrylate, 2,2,
3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl (meth) acrylate, 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluorobutyl (meth) acrylate, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5- Fluorinated alkyl (meth) acrylates such as octafluoropentyl (meth) acrylate, alkylene glycol di (meth) acrylate, trimethylolpropane di or tri (meth) acrylate, pentaerythritol di, tri or tetra (meth) acrylate, di Glycerin tetra (meth) acrylate, dipentaerythritol hexa (meth) acrylate, and other diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonates, fluorinated alkylene glycol poly (meth)
Examples include polyfunctional (meth) acrylates such as acrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, styrene, chlorostyrene, and the like.

Since the image transmitting body of the present invention relates to an optical transmitting body, it is essential that the polymer mixture produced is transparent. Therefore, the polymerizable mixture used in producing the image transmitting body of the present invention must have good compatibility between the polymer and the monomer.

In carrying out the present invention, two or more polymerizable mixtures having a different refractive index from a polymer and a monomer that is liquid at room temperature are prepared. The refractive index of the polymerizable mixture having different refractive indices can be adjusted by specifying the polymer and changing the kind and the amount of the monomer to be added to the polymer. Of these two or more polymerizable mixtures, a polymer mixture that produces a higher refractive index is used inside the unpolymerized product, and a polymer mixture that produces a lower refractive index is used more around the unpolymerized molded product. Thus, an image transmission body whose refractive index distribution gradually decreases from its center toward its outer periphery can be obtained, and by conversely, an image transmission body whose refractive index distribution increases from its center toward its outer periphery.

A thermosetting catalyst and / or a photocuring catalyst are also added to the polymerizable mixture.

An ordinary peroxide catalyst is used as the thermosetting catalyst. As a photopolymerization catalyst, benzophenone, benzoin alkyl ether, 4'-isopropyl-2-hydroxy-2-methyl-propiophenone, 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone, benzylmethyl ketal, 2,2-diethoxyacetophenone, chlorothioxanthone, Thioxanthone compounds, benzophenone compounds, ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, isoamyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate, N-methyldiethanolamine, triethylamine and the like.

The polymerizable mixture must have a viscosity of 10 ³ to 10 ⁵ poise and be curable. If the viscosity is less than 10 ³ poise, thread breakage occurs by spinning, and it is difficult to form a thread. Also the viscosity is greater than 10 ⁵ poises, it is difficult to spinning operability obtain less filamentous material of径斑becomes poor.

In order to obtain the image transmission body of the present invention, for example, using an eccentric composite spinning nozzle, of two or more polymerizable mixtures having different refractive indices, a polymer mixture that produces a higher refractive index is disposed at the center of the eccentric nozzle. A polymer mixture giving a low refractive index is supplied to be arranged around the eccentric nozzle, spun and shaped into a circular laminated structure.

Next, for example, the formed unpolymerized excipient is passed through a guide tube made of quartz gasla through which an inert gas is passed, and during this time, the monomers between the respective layers are mutually diffused between the layers to form a refractive index distribution type filamentous material. Thereafter, when the curing treatment is performed, the eccentric refractive index distribution type image transmission body of the present invention is obtained. In the mutual diffusion part of the monomer, if necessary, the filamentous shaped material is volatilized from the surface of the heated molded product, or a low-refractive-index monomer is further applied and diffused into the filamentous molded object. A method is also possible.

Next, in order to cure the uncured filament, heat or light, preferably ultraviolet rays, is applied from the surroundings in the curing section to form a filament containing a thermosetting catalyst and / or a photocuring catalyst.
Heat treatment or light irradiation may be performed.

The present invention can be carried out using, for example, the yarn forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a process diagram schematically showing the yarn forming apparatus, in which only the interdiffusion section 3 and the hardening section 4 are formed in a longitudinal sectional view, and the symbol 1 in the figure is an eccentric composite nozzle, and 2 is extruded. The uncured thread-like material, 3 is a mutual diffusion part for diffusing the monomers of each layer of the thread-like material to each other to give a refractive index distribution, 4 is a curing treatment part for curing the uncured material, 5 Denotes a take-up roller, 6 denotes a manufactured refractive index distribution type plastic optical transmission body, 7 denotes a winding section, 8 denotes an inert gas inlet, and 9 denotes an inert gas outlet. In order to remove volatile substances liberated from the thread 2 from the interdiffusion section 3 and the curing section 4, an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas is introduced from the inert gas inlet 8.

The refractive index distribution type optical transmission body of the present invention may be further provided with a coating layer of a low refractive index monomer, and may be diffused into an uncured molded article, if necessary. To form the coating layer, trifluoroalkyl acrylate, pentafluoroalkyl acrylate, hexafluoroalkyl acrylate, fluoroalkylene diacrylate, 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroheptadecafluorodecyl acrylate, hexanediol diacrylate, Pentyl glycol diacrylate, dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate and the like are appropriately mixed, and if necessary, the fluorinated acrylate or methacrylate polymer is added in order to adjust coatability and refractive index. Is preferably used.

As a light source for photopolymerization, a carbon arc lamp, a high-pressure mercury lamp, an ultra-high-pressure mercury lamp, a low-pressure mercury lamp, a chemical lamp, a xenon lamp, a laser beam, or the like that emits light having a wavelength of 150 to 600 nm is used.

[Effect of the Invention] The eccentric refractive index distribution type image transmitting body of the present invention is different from the conventionally used non-eccentric type refractive index distribution type image transmitting body when light is incident from a specific direction. This is a novel image transmission body that has a great feature that image transmission is possible only and has an optical switching function, so that it can be used as a device such as an optical computer.

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of examples.

Example 1 Polymethyl methacrylate ([η] = 0.56, 25 in MEK)
46 parts by weight, 44 parts by weight of benzyl methacrylate, 10 parts by weight of methyl methacrylate, 0.2 parts by weight of 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone and 0.1 part by weight of hydroquinone are heated and kneaded at 70 ° C., and the center of the uncured molded product is measured. Was used as the first layer stock solution. Also, 50 parts by weight of polymethyl methacrylate ([η] = 0.41, measured at 25 ° C. in MEK), 50 parts by weight of methyl methacrylate, 0.2 parts by weight of 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone and 0.1 part by weight of hydroquinone were heated and kneaded at 70 ° C. To obtain a second layer stock solution for forming a peripheral layer of the uncured molded product. Both of these stock solutions were simultaneously extruded using an eccentric composite spinning nozzle having a peripheral stock solution inlet as a center stock solution inlet shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 to prepare a thread. The viscosity at the time of extrusion was 4.5 × 10 ⁴ poise for the first layer stock solution, and 2.0 × 10 ⁴ poise for the second layer stock solution. The heat retention temperature of the composite nozzle was 55 ° C.

Then, using an apparatus having a schematic structure shown in FIG. 2, the uncured thread-like molded product was passed through a 90 cm-long interdiffusion section to cause mutual diffusion of the monomer between the layers, and then a peripheral length of 120 cm. Of 4
A fiber is conducted through the center of a quartz tube in which 12 fluorescent lamps are grounded at equal intervals in a circle, and the fiber is hardened by passing at a speed of 25 cm / min, taken up by a nip roller, wound up by a winding machine,
A fiber having a diameter of 1000 μm was obtained.

The refractive index distribution of the image transmission body prepared with an ejection ratio of the first layer: the second layer = 1: 2 was measured by an interfaco interference microscope (manufactured by Carl Zeiss, East Germany).
513, the peripheral portion was 1.494, and the refractive index decreased continuously from the central portion to the peripheral portion.

Furthermore, the center of the refractive index distribution is 25μ from the center of the fiber.
m away. The image transmitting body was cut into 3.5 cm, and both ends were polished, and then an image was viewed through the image transmitting body.
At this time, when the light transmission body was rotated once with respect to the central axis, an image could be transmitted only in a certain direction.

Example 2 The stock solution for forming the first layer and the stock solution for forming the second layer used in Example 1 were mixed with polymethyl methacrylate ([η] = 0.34, ME
(Measured at 25 ° C in K) 45 parts by weight, 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl methacrylate 35 parts by weight, methyl methacrylate 20 parts by weight, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone 0.2 part by weight Parts and 0.1 part by weight of hydroquinone
Using the stock solution for forming the third layer heated and kneaded at 70 ° C., the stock solutions of the first layer, the second layer and the third layer were separated using the eccentric spinning nozzle as shown in FIG. , 12 were simultaneously extruded concentrically to prepare uncured filaments. The viscosity at the time of extrusion was 4.5 × 10 ⁴ poise for the first layer stock solution, and 2.100 for the second layer stock solution.
0 × 10 ⁴ poise, and the stock solution of the third layer was 2.2 × 10 ⁴ poise.
The heat retention temperature of the composite nozzle was 60 ° C.

Next, using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the monomer was subjected to a diffusion treatment and a curing treatment in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain a fiber having a diameter of 1000 μm (the mutual diffusion part in FIG. 1 was 45 cm).

The image transmission medium obtained with a discharge ratio of 1st layer: 2nd layer: 3rd layer = 1: 1: 1 is applied to the (a) and (b) planes of FIG. It was measured by an interference microscope and shown in FIG. 1 (b). Its refractive index distribution is 1.51 at the center of the distribution
2. The peripheral portion is 1.470, and the center of the refractive index and the center of the image transmission body are separated by 50 μm as shown in FIG. 1 (a), and the refractive index decreases continuously from the central portion to the peripheral portion. , And distributed asymmetrically with respect to the central axis of the refractive index distribution.
Methyl methacrylate in this image carrier, 2,2,3,3,4,
The unpolymerized monomer residue composed of 4,5,5-octafluoropentyl methacrylate and benzyl methacrylate is 1.
It was 2% by weight.

After cutting the image transmission body to 2.0 cm and polishing both end surfaces, the image transmission body is rotated once about the central axis while viewing the image through the image transmission body, and the image is transmitted only in a certain direction. I was able to.

Example 3 First layer forming stock solution used in Example 1 and 50 parts by weight of polymethyl methacrylate ([η] = 0.40), 20 parts by weight of methyl methacrylate, 30 parts by weight of benzyl methacrylate, 1 part by weight
-Hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone (0.2 part by weight) and hydroquinone (0.1 part by weight) were heated and kneaded at 65 ° C to give a second
A stock solution for forming a layer, and a stock solution for forming a second layer used in Example 1 were used as a stock solution for forming a third layer, 50 parts by weight of polymethyl methacrylate ([η] = 0.40), 30 parts by weight of methyl methacrylate, 2,2 20 parts by weight of 1,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl methacrylate, 0.2 part by weight of 1-hydroxycyclohexylphenyl ketone and 0.1 part by weight of hydroquinone were heated and kneaded to obtain a stock solution for the fourth layer. The four kinds of stock solutions were simultaneously extruded using eccentric composite nozzles having eccentricity to prepare a thread. The viscosity during extrusion was 4.5 × 10 ⁴ poise for the first layer stock solution, 4.0 × 10 ⁴ poise for the second layer stock solution, and 2.0 × 1 for the third layer stock solution.
0 ⁴ poise, a fourth layer stock solution was 2.2 × 10 ⁴ poise. The heat retention temperature of the composite nozzle was 60 ° C.

Next, using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the diffusion treatment of the monomer and the curing treatment of the uncured molded product were performed in the same manner as in Example 1 to obtain a fibrous image transmitter having a diameter of 1050 μm (inter-diffusion portion).
30cm).

The discharge ratio is 1st layer: 2nd layer: 3rd layer: 4th layer = 2: 1: 1: 1
The refractive index distribution of the obtained image transmission medium measured by an interfaco interference microscope was 1.511 at the center of the distribution and 1.479 at the periphery, and decreased continuously from the center to the periphery. The residual amount of the monomer was 1.1% by weight. The center of the refractive index distribution was 60% from the center of the image transmitter.
μm apart. After cutting this optical transmission body to 1.6 cm and polishing both end faces, while viewing the image through this image transmission body, this image transmission body is rotated once about the central axis, and the image is transmitted only in a certain direction. We were able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 (a) is a view schematically showing an eccentric state of an image transmission body obtained according to a second embodiment. FIG. 1 (a) shows a plane passing through the center of the image transmission body and the center of the refractive index distribution. , (B) are planes passing through the center of the refractive index distribution and perpendicular to the (a) plane,
FIG. 1 (b) is a diagram showing the refractive index distribution of the image transmitting body on each of the plane (a) and the plane (b) of FIG. 1 (a), and FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an example of a yarn forming apparatus that can be usefully used for making a transmission body, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an eccentric composite nozzle useful for making an image transmission body of the present invention.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Uozu 20-1, Miyukicho, Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture Inside Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Nobuhiko Toyota 20-1, Miyukicho, Otake City, Hiroshima Mitsubishi Inside the Rayon Co., Ltd. Central Research Laboratory (72) Inventor Masaaki Oda 20-1, Miyukicho, Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. Central Research Laboratory (56) References JP-A-63-60403 (JP, A) Hei 1-1101501 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A refractive index distribution type optical transmission body having a circular cross section with a diameter R, wherein the center of the refractive index distribution is from the center of the optical transmission body.
It is located at an eccentric position of 25 μm or more and the refractive index distribution is
It has a continuous decrease from the center of the refractive index distribution toward the outer periphery of the optical transmission body, and has an asymmetric shape with respect to the central axis of the refractive index distribution in a plane including the center of the refractive index distribution and the center of the optical transmission body. An image transmission body, characterized in that the image transmission body is characterized in that: