# US 2018/0022569 A1 · Method for controlling rotation of a winding spool of a proof-testing machine for optical fiber, corresponding system, computer program product and non-transitory computer-readable carrier medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022569 A1 - Document ID: US20180022569A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/546,748 - Filed: 2015-02-13 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-13 - Assignees: Draka Comteq B.V. - Applicants: Draka Comteq BV - Inventors: Nelly Montaigne; Paul Shirley; Philippe Marle; Sebastien Milleville - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022569A1 ## CPC - B65H 59/385: {Regulating winding speed} - B65H 63/036: characterised by the combination of the detecting or sensing elements with other devices, e.g. stopping devices for material advancing or winding mechanism - G01M 11/088: {of optical fibres; Mechanical features associated with the optical testing of optical fibres} - B65H 2701/32: Optical fibres or optical cables - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for controlling rotation of a winding spool (30) onto which an optical fiber (100) is wound in a proof-testing machine, the optical fiber being guided in the proof-testing machine at a given line speed from an input pulling device (10) to an output pulling device (20), then to the spool (30), the input and output pulling device being arranged to subject the optical fiber to a predetermined tensile stress, the method comprising: upon detection of a break between an output point (A) of the input pulling device and between an input point (B) of the output pulling device, a step of controlling the rotational speed of the spool to bring it to a complete stop; —a step of passing the optical fiber between an output point (C) of the output pulling device and an input point (D) of the winding spool in a fiber accumulation zone (90) adapted to accumulate a predetermined fiber length preventing an fiber broken end resulting from the break going beyond the input point (D) of the winding spool. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling rotation of a winding spool onto which an optical fiber is wound in a proof-testing machine, said optical fiber being guided in the proof-testing machine at a given line speed from an input pulling device to an output pulling device, then to the winding spool, said input and output pulling device being arranged to subject said optical fiber to a predetermined tensile stress, the winding spool having a rotational speed servo-controlled on the given line speed, the method comprising a step of: upon detection of a break between an output point of the input pulling device and between an input point of the output pulling device, controlling the rotational speed of the winding spool to bring the winding spool to a complete stop, and between an output point of the output pulling device and an input point of the winding spool, passing said optical fiber in a fiber accumulation zone adapted to accumulate a predetermined fiber length preventing an fiber broken end resulting from the break going beyond the input point of the winding spool. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising a step of, upon detection of a break by a first sensor, triggering a complete stop of the winding spool, and wherein said predetermined fiber length is superior or equal to a distance travelled by the broken end from the instant of detection of a break detected by the first sensor until the complete stop of the winding spool, minus a predefined distance travelled by the broken end between the input point and the output point of the output pulling device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein said distance is calculated on the basis of: a first length of fiber accumulated during a reaction duration elapsed between the instant of detection of a break and an instant of triggering of a stop of the winding spool, a second length of fiber accumulated during a breaking duration elapsed between the instant of triggering of a stop and the instant the winding spool is stopped. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein: the first length is a function of a predetermined maximal line speed and a predetermined reaction duration, the second length is a function of the predetermined maximal line speed and a predetermined minimum breaking duration assuming a maximal diameter of fiber wound onto the winding spool. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, comprising steps of: upon detection of a break by a first sensor, changing the rotational speed of the winding spool by triggering a first deceleration; upon detection of a passage of the fiber broken end by a second sensor, changing the rotational speed of the winding spool by triggering a second deceleration, which overrules the first deceleration until the complete stop of the winding spool; and wherein said predetermined fiber length is superior or equal to a distance travelled by the broken end from the instant of detection of the passage detected by the second sensor until the complete stop of the winding spool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein said distance is calculated on the basis of: a first length of fiber accumulated during a reaction duration elapsed between the instant of detection of the passage and an instant of triggering of a second deceleration of the winding spool, a second length of fiber accumulated during a breaking duration elapsed between the instant of triggering of a second deceleration and the instant the winding spool is stopped. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein: the first length is a function of a current line speed and a predetermined reaction duration, the second length is a function of the current line speed and a breaking duration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the first deceleration is computed on the basis of a current line speed determined at the instant of detection of a break, a predetermined reaction duration and an assumed fiber accumulation length corresponding to the distance travelled by a broken end between the output point of the input pulling device and the input point of the winding spool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A computer program product comprising program code instructions for implementing the method according to claim 1, when said program is executed on a computer or a processor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A non-transitory computer-readable carrier medium storing a computer program product according to claim 9. ### Claim 11 A system for controlling rotation of a winding spool onto which an optical fiber is wound in a proof-testing machine, said optical fiber being guided in the proof-testing machine at a given line speed from an input pulling device to an output pulling device, then to the winding spool, said input and output pulling device being arranged to subject said optical fiber to a predetermined tensile stress, the winding spool having a rotational speed servo-controlled on the given line speed, the system comprising: means for detecting a break between an output point of the input pulling device and between an input point of the output pulling device; and between an output point of the output pulling device and an input point of the winding spool, a fiber accumulation zone through which passes said optical fiber and which is adapted to accumulate a predetermined fiber length preventing an fiber broken end resulting from the break going beyond the input point of the winding spool, a control device configured to controlling the rotational speed of the winding spool to bring it, upon activation of said detecting means, to a complete stop, as a function of the predetermined fiber length.