Patent Description:
In <CIT>, hereinafter PTL1, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon in which a connection portion at which adjacent optical fibers are connected to each other with an adhesive resin, and a non-connection portion at which the adjacent optical fibers are not connected to each other with the adhesive resin, are intermittently provided in a longitudinal direction, in a state where a plurality of optical fibers are arranged to be in parallel, is described.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> each form part of the state of the art relative to the present disclosure and disclose optical fiber ribbons.

According to the invention, there is a manufacturing method of an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon as recited in claim <NUM> below. with an adhesive resin, and a non-connection portion at which the adjacent optical fibers are not connected to each other with the adhesive resin, are intermittently provided in the longitudinal direction, the method including: a step of coating a surface of the optical fiber with marking for recognition by arranging the plurality of optical fibers to be in parallel; a step of coating the plurality of arranged optical fibers with the adhesive resin; a smoothing step of smoothing the adhesive resin used in coating; a step of providing the connection portion by hardening the adhesive resin; and a step of providing the non-connection portion by intermittently forming a slit in a longitudinal direction between a part or the entirety of optical fibers, from the surface opposite to the resin coated surface.

When an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is used as an optical fiber ribbon which is accommodated in an optical fiber cable or in an optical fiber cord, it is possible to easily perform detaching of a desirable optical fiber at the time of intermediate branching.

In order to improve the density of the optical fiber cable or the optical fiber cord which accommodates the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon having excellent workability at the time of intermediate branching therein as described above, it is detected that the outer diameter of the optical fiber which is used in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is generally <NUM> (<NUM>) to <NUM> (<NUM>) (for example, PTL <NUM>).

However, in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon described in PTL <NUM>, since an adhesive resin exists between each of the optical fibers, it is not possible to reduce a space area in the optical fiber cable or in the optical fiber cord, and to sufficiently improve the density of the optical fiber cable or the optical fiber cord.

Here, an object of the disclosure is to provide an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon which can improve the density of an optical fiber cable and an optical fiber cord, and an optical fiber cable and an optical fiber cord which use the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon which can improve the density of an optical fiber cable and an optical fiber cord, and an optical fiber cable and an optical fiber cord which use the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon.

First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.

It is possible to easily smooth the surface even when the adhesive resin rises or irregularity occurs when coating the surface with the adhesive resin.

Specific examples of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, the optical fiber cable, and the optical fiber cord according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings hereinafter.

First, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to a first embodiment, not forming part of the claimed invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> is a sectional view illustrating an example of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to the first embodiment. <FIG> is a plan view illustrating an example of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to the first embodiment, and is a view illustrating a state where a non-connection portion is widened in an arrange direction.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> according to the first embodiment is arranged to be in parallel as at least a part of a plurality (<NUM> in the examples of <FIG> and <FIG>) of optical fibers 11A to <NUM> come into contact with each other. The optical fibers 11A to <NUM> are single-core covering optical fibers including a glass fiber <NUM> and two-layer covering layers 2a (inner covering layer) and 2b (outer covering layer) which cover the glass fiber <NUM>. In addition, a Young's modulus of the covering layer 2a may be equal to or less than <NUM> MPa. By setting the Young's modulus of the inner covering layer 2a to be equal to or less than <NUM> MPa, it is possible to suppress deterioration of lateral pressure characteristics due to reduction of the thickness of the covering layers (2a and 2b) of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>.

An outer diameter dimension A of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is equal to or less than <NUM>, and for example, the diameter of the glass fiber of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is <NUM>, and the diameter of the outer covering layer 2b is <NUM> ± <NUM>. In addition, in the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>, the covering layer 2b is colored with colors different from each other in order to make it possible to identify the optical fibers from each other, or may include a coloring layer at an outer circumference of the covering layer 2b.

In addition, a part of the surfaces of the plurality of optical fibers 11A to <NUM> which are arranged to be in parallel is coated with an adhesive resin <NUM> for connecting the optical fibers to each other, and the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> are arranged to be arranged in a shape of a tape. The adhesive resin <NUM> is, for example, an ultraviolet ray hardening type resin or a thermosetting type resin. In addition, it is preferable that the adhesive resin <NUM> is a resin having excellent peeling properties in order to make work for separating single cores of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> easy.

Areas which are coated with the adhesive resin <NUM> are, for example, as illustrated in <FIG>, only lower portions of the wires which link top portions of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the sectional area of a connection portion <NUM> with the adhesive resin <NUM> so as to be small. Since it is possible to reduce the sectional area of the connection portion <NUM>, for example, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> so as to be equal to or less than <NUM>. By suppressing the thickness of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, it is possible to improve the density of the optical fiber cable or the optical fiber cord which uses the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>.

As described above, in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, the connection portion <NUM> in which adjacent optical fibers are connected to each other and a non-connection portion <NUM> in which the adjacent optical fiber wires are not connected to each other are intermittently provided in the longitudinal direction with the adhesive resin <NUM> used in coating. In addition, the connection portion <NUM> connected with the adhesive resin <NUM> is provided such that an inter-center distance (hereinafter, referred to as inter-core pitch) P of the adjacent optical fibers in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> becomes <NUM> ± <NUM>.

In addition, <FIG> illustrates a state where the non-connection portion <NUM> of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is widened in the arrange direction, but as illustrated in <FIG>, by setting a state where the optical fibers of the non-connection portion <NUM> are in contact with each other, it is possible to make the width of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> the minimum value.

By the above-described configuration, in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, it is possible to make the sectional area smaller than that of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon of the related art.

In addition, at the time of intermediate branching in the optical fiber cable which uses the plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM>, in order to make it possible to easily recognize the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, marking may be performed on at least one of the adhesive resin <NUM> and the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>. In addition, when there is a marking on the adhesive resin <NUM>, when mounting the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> on the optical fiber cord or on the optical fiber cable, there is a possibility that the marking disappears due to friction or the like. Therefore, it is preferable that the marking is performed on the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>.

Next, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to a second embodiment, also not forming part of the claimed invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> is a sectional view illustrating an example of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to the second embodiment. <FIG> is a plan view illustrating an example of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to the second embodiment, and is a view illustrating a state where the non-connection portion is widened in the arrange direction. In addition, areas similar to those of the configuration of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment will be given the same reference numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, in an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, the non-connection portion <NUM> is not provided in a longitudinal direction between two cores of at least a part of the optical fiber. For example, in the examples of <FIG> and <FIG>, the non-connection portion <NUM> is not provided between each of optical fibers 21A and 21B, 21C and 21D, 21E and 21F, <NUM> and <NUM>, 21I and 21J, and <NUM> and <NUM>.

In addition, <FIG> illustrates a state where the non-connection portions <NUM> of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is widened in the arrange direction, but as illustrated in <FIG>, by setting a state where the optical fibers of the non-connection portion <NUM> are in contact with each other, it is possible to make the width of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> the minimum value.

Even in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon having the above-described configuration, similar to the configuration of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment, the outer diameter dimension of the optical fibers 21A to <NUM> is equal to or less than <NUM>, and an inter-center distance of the adjacent optical fibers is <NUM> ± <NUM>.

A coating method of the adhesive resin <NUM> in a manufacturing method <NUM>, not according to the claimed invention, of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> and <NUM> according to the first and second embodiments will be described using an example of coating the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment with the adhesive resin <NUM>, with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG> dispensers (adhesive resin supply device) <NUM> are installed in a tape width direction between each of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>. In addition, by periodically applying a pressure to the dispenser <NUM>, an adhesive resin <NUM> is discharged from a nozzle <NUM>, and a part between a predetermined optical fibers is intermittently coated with the adhesive resin <NUM>. As the adhesive resin <NUM> used in coating is hardened, the adjacent optical fibers are intermittently connected to each other. In this manner, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of <NUM> cores illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG> is manufactured. For example, by using the ultraviolet ray hardening type resin as the adhesive resin <NUM>, by irradiating the resin after the coating with an ultraviolet ray, it is possible to harden the adhesive resin <NUM>. In a case of <FIG>, in the connection portion <NUM> of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM>, only one surface (side surface) of the plurality of optical fibers 11A to <NUM> in a state of being arranged to be in parallel is connected with the adhesive resin <NUM>.

In addition, when control of combination or discharge timing of the nozzle <NUM> through which the adhesive resin <NUM> is discharged is changed, it is also possible to manufacture the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> according to the second embodiment (which is configured with the plurality of optical fibers 21A to <NUM>).

In addition, in a case where the outer diameter dimension of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is small, when the plurality of dispensers <NUM> are horizontally disposed in one row, an interval between the adjacent dispensers <NUM> becomes narrow, the disposition becomes difficult, and thus, the dispensers <NUM> may be disposed to be shifted in the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>. For example, the plurality of dispensers <NUM> may be disposed to be shifted to be different from each other in a zigzag manner.

Next, a manufacturing method <NUM>, according to the claimed invention, of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> and <NUM> according to the first and second embodiments will be described with reference to <FIG>. <FIG> is a schematic configuration view of the manufacturing device which is used in the manufacturing method <NUM> of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon. <FIG> is a schematic view illustrating a state where a surface on which the plurality of optical fibers are arranged is coated with the marking for recognition. <FIG> is a schematic view illustrating a dice-like rubbing member in the manufacturing device of <FIG>. <FIG> is a schematic view illustrating a slit processing portion in the manufacturing device of <FIG>.

A manufacturing device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is configured with supply bobbins 61a to <NUM>, an ink jet printer <NUM>, a coating device <NUM>, a rubbing member <NUM>, an adhesive resin hardening device <NUM>, a slit processing portion <NUM>, and a winding bobbin <NUM>.

In the following description, manufacturing of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> according to the first embodiment will be described, but the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> according to the second embodiment can also be manufactured similarly.

As illustrated in <FIG>, by setting a state where the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> supplied from each of the supply bobbins 61a to <NUM> are arranged to be in parallel, surfaces of each of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> are coated with, for example, a bar-like marking <NUM> by the ink jet printer <NUM> or the like. Since the surfaces are coated with the marking <NUM> before coating the adhesive resin <NUM>, the marking <NUM> exists on a layer below the adhesive resin <NUM>, and when mounting the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> on the optical fiber cord or on the optical fiber cable, it is possible to prevent the marking <NUM> from disappearing due to friction or the like.

Next, by the coating device <NUM>, one surface (side surface) of the plurality of optical fibers 11A to <NUM> in a state of being arranged to be in parallel is coated with the adhesive resin <NUM> as a resin coated surface. Unlike the coating method of the adhesive resin <NUM> in the manufacturing method <NUM> of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon, the coating device <NUM> performs coating such that all of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> adheres with the adhesive resin <NUM>. By the smoothing process which will be described later, the adhesive resin <NUM> of the resin coated surface extends and is smoothed, and thus, the coating device <NUM> may perform the coating with the adhesive resin not being limited to a configuration in which the dispenser <NUM> is installed between each of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

The optical fibers 11A to <NUM> coated with the adhesive resin <NUM> allow the dice-like rubbing member <NUM> to pass therethrough as illustrated in <FIG> (smoothing process). By allowing the rubbing member <NUM> to pass, the adhesive resin <NUM> with which the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is coated extends and the surface thereof is smoothed. Accordingly, when performing the coating with the adhesive resin <NUM> by the coating device <NUM>, it is possible to easily smooth the surface even when the adhesive resin <NUM> rises or irregularity occurs.

Next, by using the adhesive resin hardening device <NUM>, the adhesive resin of the surface layers of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is hardened. In a case where the adhesive resin <NUM> is, for example, the ultraviolet ray hardening type resin, the adhesive resin hardening device <NUM> is an ultraviolet ray irradiating device or the like.

Next, as illustrated in <FIG>, from the surface which is not coated with the adhesive resin <NUM> in the optical fibers 11A to <NUM>, by intermittently inserting blades 66a to <NUM> (for example, a rotating blade in which round teeth are installed in a roller) between predetermined optical fibers at a predetermined insertion pattern and timing, slits are intermittently formed with respect to the adhesive resin <NUM> between the optical fibers. The areas at which the slits are formed become a non-connection portion at which the adjacent optical fibers are not connected to each other with the adhesive resin <NUM>. Since the blades 66a to <NUM> are inserted from the surface which is not coated with the adhesive resin <NUM>, a guide effect by a cavity between the optical fibers is likely to be obtained. Therefore, the position at which the slit is formed is shifted, and it is possible to suppress a defect that the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> are damaged or a defect that the slit cannot be reliably formed.

As described above, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is manufactured. In addition, for example, by changing the insertion pattern and the timing of the blades 66a to <NUM>, when changing the area at which the slit is formed, it is possible to manufacture the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> according to the second embodiment. In addition, the manufactured intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>) is wound by the winding bobbin <NUM>.

Next, the optical fiber cord according to the embodiment will be described with reference to <FIG> is a sectional view illustrating an example of the optical fiber cord which uses the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment.

As illustrated in <FIG>, an optical fiber cord <NUM> includes a jacket <NUM> and the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>). In addition, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>) is covered with, for example, the cylindrical jacket <NUM>. In addition, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>) may be bound by an inclusion <NUM> by Kevlar or the like.

Next, with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the optical fiber cable according to the embodiment will be described. <FIG> is a view illustrating an example of the slotless type optical fiber cable which uses the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment. <FIG> is a view illustrating an example of the tape slot type optical fiber cable which uses the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment.

The optical fiber cable illustrated in <FIG> is a slotless type optical fiber cable <NUM> including a cylindrical tube <NUM> and the plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM>. The plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> may be bound by an inclusion <NUM>, such as an aramid fiber. In addition, the plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> may include markings different from each other. In addition, a structure in which the resin which becomes the tube <NUM> is extruded and formed around the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> while twisting the plurality of bound intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM>, and the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is formed being covered with a jacket <NUM> together with a tension member <NUM>. In addition, in a case where waterproof properties are required, absorptive yarn may be inserted into the tube <NUM>. As the resin which becomes the cylindrical tube <NUM>, for example, a hardening material, such as PBT or HDPE, is used. In addition, <NUM> indicates a tear string.

The optical fiber cable illustrated in <FIG> is a tape slot type optical fiber cable <NUM> including a slot rod <NUM> having a plurality of slot grooves <NUM>, and the plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM>. The tape slot type optical fiber cable <NUM> has a structure in which the plurality of slot grooves <NUM> are provided in a radial shape in the slot rod <NUM> having a tension member <NUM> at the center thereof. The plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> are accommodated in a state of being respectively layered on the plurality of slot grooves <NUM>. The plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> may have markings different from each other. In addition, a jacket <NUM> is formed around the slot rod <NUM>.

In addition, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> which is used in the optical fiber cables <NUM> and <NUM> may be the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the second embodiment.

Above, in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>) according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment which are described in detail, at least a part of the plurality of optical fibers 11A to <NUM> (21A to <NUM>) in a state of being arranged to be in parallel come into contact with each other, and between a part or the entirety of the optical fibers, the connection portion <NUM> at which the adjacent optical fibers are connected to each other with the adhesive resin <NUM>, and the non-connection portion <NUM> at which the adjacent optical fibers are not connected to each other with the adhesive resin <NUM>, are intermittently provided in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the outer diameter dimension of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> (21A to <NUM>) is equal to or less than <NUM>, and the inter-center distance of the adjacent optical fibers is <NUM> ± <NUM>.

Accordingly, the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>) according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment can make the sectional area smaller than that of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon of the related art.

As described above, the optical fiber cord <NUM> including the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> (<NUM>) which can make the sectional area smaller than that of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon of the related art, can make the outer diameter thereof smaller than that of the optical fiber cord of the related art. In addition, it is possible to improve the density to be higher than that of the optical fiber cord <NUM>.

In addition, the slotless type optical fiber cable <NUM> which uses the plurality of intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> (<NUM>) can make the density higher than that of the optical fiber cable of the related art. For example, in <NUM> core optical fiber cables which use the intermittent type optical fiber ribbon (the diameter of the core is <NUM> and the inter-core pitch is <NUM>) of the related art, <NUM> intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons having <NUM> cores are mounted in the cylindrical tube. Meanwhile, the optical fiber cable <NUM> having the same outer diameter as that of the optical fiber cable of the related art can mount <NUM> intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbons <NUM> (<NUM>) having <NUM> cores according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment, and the number of optical fibers can be <NUM>. In addition, when the number of cores is the same, the outer diameter thereof can be made smaller than that of the optical fiber cable of the related art.

In addition, in the optical fiber cable <NUM> which uses the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> (<NUM>), similarly, the number of optical fibers can increase to be greater than that of the optical fiber cable having the same outer diameter on which the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon of the related art is mounted. In other words, the tape slot type optical fiber cable <NUM> of the embodiment can make the density higher than that of the optical fiber cable of the related art. In addition, when the number of cores is the same, the outer diameter thereof can be made smaller than that of the optical fiber cable of the related art.

Next, Example and Comparative Examples <NUM> and <NUM> will be described.

As illustrated in <FIG>, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of Comparative Example <NUM> has a structure in which optical fibers <NUM> having an outer diameter of <NUM> come into contact with each other and are arranged to be in parallel, and the periphery thereof is coated with an adhesive resin <NUM>. The inter-core pitch P of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM>, and the width W of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM>. In addition, the structure of the optical fiber <NUM> is a single-core covering optical fiber including a glass fiber <NUM> and two-layer covering layers 102a (inner covering layer) and 102b (outer covering layer) which cover the glass fiber <NUM>.

When the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is simply approximated as an aggregate of the optical fiber, and a thickness B (outer diameter A) of the aggregate is <NUM>, the sectional area of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM><NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of Comparative Example <NUM> has a structure of being arranged to be in parallel after coating the periphery of each of the optical fibers having an outer diameter of <NUM> with an adhesive resin <NUM>, and in which the inter-core pitch P is <NUM>. The width W of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM>. In addition, the structure of an optical fiber <NUM> is a single-core covering optical fiber including a glass fiber <NUM> and two-layer covering layers 202a (inner covering layer) and 202b (outer covering layer) which cover the glass fiber <NUM>.

When the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is simply approximated as an aggregate of the optical fiber, and a thickness B (outer diameter A) of the aggregate is <NUM>, the sectional area of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM><NUM>, and a decrease rate is approximately <NUM>% compared to Comparative Example <NUM> by the cross-sectional ratio.

Regarding the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon of Example, in the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of the first embodiment illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the outer diameter A of the optical fibers 11A to <NUM> is <NUM>, and the inter-core pitch P is <NUM>. At this time, the width of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> is <NUM>.

In the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon <NUM> of Example, when a sectional shape of the adhesive resin <NUM> is simply approximated by an isosceles triangle, the sectional area thereof is <NUM><NUM>. A decrease rate is approximately <NUM>% compared to Comparative Example <NUM> by the cross-sectional ratio.

In Comparative Example <NUM>, while the outer diameter of the optical fiber is <NUM> which is generally used, in Comparative Example <NUM> and Example, the optical fiber which can be mounted to the optical fiber cable with high density and of which the outer diameter is <NUM> which is a small outer diameter, is used. The sectional area of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is made in Comparative Example <NUM> or Example in which the outer diameter of the optical fiber is small, smaller compared to that in Comparative Example <NUM>, but when the decrease rate of the sectional area of Example is approximately <NUM>%, the decrease rate increases to be greater than approximately <NUM>% which is the decrease rate of the sectional area of Comparative Example <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A manufacturing method for manufacturing an intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon (<NUM>), the method comprising:
a step of coating a surface of an optical fiber (11A to <NUM>) with marking for recognition by arranging a plurality of optical fibers to be in parallel;
a step of coating the plurality of arranged optical fibers with an adhesive resin (<NUM>);
a smoothing step of smoothing the adhesive resin used in coating;
a step of providing a connection portion by hardening the adhesive resin; and
a step of providing a non-connection portion (<NUM>) by intermittently forming a slit in a longitudinal direction by intermittently inserting blades between a part or the entirety of optical fibers, from the surface opposite to the resin coated surface,
wherein an outer diameter dimension of the optical fiber is equal to or less than <NUM>, and an inter-center distance of an adjacent optical fibers is <NUM> ± <NUM>,
wherein at least a part of the outer periphery of the optical fiber has no adhesive resin attached thereto, and
wherein only one side surface of the intermittent connection type optical fiber ribbon is coated with the adhesive resin.