Method and apparatus for inspecting intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon and method for manufacturing intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon

An apparatus for inspecting an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, comprising:

• a camera that captures an image along a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a computer that:
• causes the camera to repeatedly capture the image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction to accumulate one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in the width direction, and
• aligns the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction where pixels configuring the one-dimensional image are aligned to create a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, wherein
• a parallel light is irradiated at the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, and
• a light quantity distribution in the width direction of leakage light through the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is detected via a telecentric optical system to obtain the one-dimensional images.

A method for manufacturing an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon comprising:

• manufacturing the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers;
• accumulating one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon by repeatedly capturing an image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• creating a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon by aligning the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction aligned with pixels configuring the one-dimensional image, wherein
• a parallel light is irradiated at the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, and
• a light quantity distribution in the width direction of leakage light through the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is detected via a telecentric optical system to obtain the one-dimensional images.

An apparatus for manufacturing an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon comprising:

• a ribbon forming section that forms the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers;
• a camera that captures an image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a computer that:
• causes the camera to repeatedly capture the image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction to accumulate one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in the width direction, and
• aligns the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction where pixels configuring the one-dimensional images are aligned to create a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, wherein
• a parallel light is irradiated at the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, and
• a light quantity distribution in the width direction of leakage light through the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is detected via a telecentric optical system to obtain the one-dimensional images.

A method for inspecting an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon comprising:

• accumulating one-dimensional images in a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers by repeatedly capturing images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• creating a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon by aligning the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction where pixels configuring the one-dimensional image are aligned;
• based on the two-dimensional image, calculating a mean value of gradation values of a plurality of pixels aligned in the second direction for each position of pixels configuring the one-dimensional image;
• and
• based on an extreme value of each of the mean values, determining a boundary position of at least one of the adjacent optical fibers in the two-dimensional image.

An apparatus for inspecting an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, comprising:

• a camera that captures an image along a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a computer that:
• causes the camera to repeatedly capture the image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction to accumulate one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in the width direction,
• aligns the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction where pixels configuring the one-dimensional image are aligned to create a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon,
• based on the two-dimensional image, calculates a mean value of gradation values of a plurality of pixels aligned in the second direction for each position of pixels configuring the one-dimensional image, and
• based on an extreme value of each of the mean values, determines a boundary position of at least one of the adjacent optical fibers in the two-dimensional image.

A method for manufacturing an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon comprising:

• manufacturing the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers;
• accumulating one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon by repeatedly capturing an image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• creating a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon by aligning the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction aligned with pixels configuring the one-dimensional image;
• based on the two-dimensional image, calculating a mean value of gradation values of a plurality of pixels aligned in the second direction for each position of pixels configuring the one-dimensional image;
• and
• based on an extreme value of each of the mean values, determining a boundary position of at least one of the adjacent optical fibers in the two-dimensional image.

An apparatus for manufacturing an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon comprising:

• a ribbon forming section that forms the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon arranged intermittently with resin that connects adjacent optical fibers;
• a camera that captures an image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along a width direction of the intermittent connection type optical fiber while moving the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in a longitudinal direction;
• and
• a computer that:
• causes the camera to repeatedly capture the image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon along the width direction to accumulate one-dimensional images of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in the width direction,
• aligns the one-dimensional images in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction where pixels configuring the one-dimensional images are aligned to create a two-dimensional image of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon,
• based on the two-dimensional image, calculates a mean value of gradation values of a plurality of pixels aligned in the second direction for each position of pixels configuring the one-dimensional image, and
• based on an extreme value of each of the mean values, determines a boundary position of at least one of the adjacent optical fibers in the two-dimensional image.