Optical fibre tensioning device and method of controlling the tension applied to an optical fibre

Method of controlling the tension applied to an optical fibre along a path of advance of an optical fibre (35), the said method comprising the stage of forming a portion (35b) of the said path having a length (Dp) which can be varied to modify the tension applied to the said fibre,

• characterized in that it comprises the stage of measuring (56) the tension applied to the optical fibre and the stage of controlling the said length (Dp) in an automatic way, by means of a motor, in accordance with the said measured tension, to keep the tension applied to the optical fibre practically constant.

Optical fibre processing system, comprising a source of optical fibre (37), an optical fibre tensioning device (1) capable of receiving at its input the optical fibre (35) from the source of optical fibre (37), and an optical fibre storage device (40) capable of receiving the optical fibre from the tensioning device (1), the said tensioning device (1) comprising at least one movable pulley (9) around which the optical fibre (35) is wound, for a certain length at least;

• the position of the said movable pulley (9) being variable to modify the tension applied to the said optical fibre;
• the said system being characterized in that the said tensioning device (1) comprises a tension measuring device (56) capable of measuring the said applied tension and of generating a signal indicating the tension (Tmis), and a motorized movement device (7, 24, 26) capable of receiving the said signal indicating the tension and of moving the movable pulley (9) in accordance with the said signal indicating the tension, to automatically keep the tension in the fibre essentially constant.