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US 2023/0406751 A1Published application
Optical fiber manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus
AssigneeSumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
InventorsHiroshi KOHDA, Shinobu HATA, Satoshi YOSHIKAWA, Iwao OKAZAKI
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Abstract
Provided is an optical fiber manufacturing method where an optical fiber preform is drawn while being heated in a drawing furnace to form an optical fiber, the method including acquiring a captured image obtained by simultaneously photographing the optical fiber preform and an opening of the drawing furnace before drawing the optical fiber preform, and adjusting a position of the optical fiber preform so that a center of the optical fiber preform and a center of the opening match based on the captured image.
Claims7
1:
- An optical fiber manufacturing method where an optical fiber preform is drawn while being heated in a drawing furnace to form an optical fiber, the method comprising:
- acquiring a captured image obtained by simultaneously photographing the optical fiber preform and an opening of the drawing furnace before drawing the optical fiber preform;
- and
- adjusting a position of the optical fiber preform so that a center of the optical fiber preform and a center of the opening match based on the captured image.
1 more element
2:
- The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein
- the captured image includes a first captured image and a second captured image, and
- in acquiring the captured image,
- the first captured image is acquired by photographing the optical fiber preform and the opening with a first camera, and the second captured image is acquired by photographing the optical fiber preform and the opening with a second camera installed at a position different from the first camera.
1 more element
3:
- The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein
- in acquiring the captured image,
- the optical fiber preform is irradiated with a first light ray emitted from a first illumination device,
- the optical fiber preform is irradiated with a second light ray emitted from a second illumination device and having a wavelength different from that of the first light ray,
- a first captured image is acquired by photographing the optical fiber preform and the opening with a first camera having a first filter capable of transmitting only the first light ray, and
- a second captured image is acquired by photographing the optical fiber preform and the opening with a second camera having a second filter capable of transmitting only the second light ray.
3 more elements
4:
- The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein
- a wavelength of the first light ray is red and a wavelength of the second light ray is blue.
5:
- The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein
- acquiring the captured image includes,
- irradiating the optical fiber preform with a first light ray emitted from a first illumination device at a first timing,
- opening a shutter of a first camera in accordance with the first timing to acquire the captured image illuminated only by the first light ray,
- irradiating the optical fiber preform with a second light ray emitted from a second illumination device at a second timing different from the first timing, and
- opening a shutter of a second camera in accordance with the second timing to acquire the captured image illuminated only by the second light ray.
3 more elements
6:
- The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein
- in acquiring the captured image, the optical fiber preform is irradiated with a reflected light ray reflected by a screen located on a back surface of the optical fiber preform.
7:
- An optical fiber manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
- a drawing furnace that heats and draws an optical fiber preform to form an optical fiber;
- a feeder that can grip an upper end of the optical fiber preform and move a position of the optical fiber preform;
- at least one camera for simultaneously photographing the optical fiber preform and the opening of the drawing furnace before drawing the optical fiber preform;
- and
- a control unit for controlling the feeder so that a center of the optical fiber preform and a center of the opening match based on the captured image acquired by the at least one camera.
3 more elements