JPH01254905A - Fusion connecting method of optical fibers - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To strongly and stably clamp the bare parts of optical fibers and to connect the same without deflecting the parts by moving an upper clamping part having an elastic body which comes into contact with the bare parts so as to hold down the same from above together with clamping means of the covered parts at the time of fusion connection of the fibers. CONSTITUTION:The clamping means 14, 16 which clamp the bare parts 10b, 10'b of the optical fibers 10, 10' include the upper clamping member 26 having the elastic body which come into contact with the bare parts so as to hold down the same from above. This upper clamping member is so constituted as to move together with the clamping means 14, 16 for the covered parts at the time of the fusion connection of the optical fibers. The clamping force of the bare parts is, therefore, strongly stabilized and in addition, even if the outside diameter of the bare parts of the optical fibers fluctuates, such fluctuation is absorbed by the elastic body. The upper clamping member moves together with the clamping means for the covered part, thereby moving the bare parts together with the upper clamping member at the time of the fusion connection of the optical fibers. The optical fibers are thus connected with good accuracy without generating deflection between both the clamping means.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] Wood: 9. The present invention relates to an improvement in a method for fusion splicing optical fiber core wires.

[Prior art]

In order to fusion splice optical fiber cores, the first thing to do is 2.
After removing the coating from the ends of the two optical fibers, the coating and bare portions of these two optical fibers are clamped by a clamping means so that these optical fibers are brought close to each other. Moving. In the prior art, when moving an optical fiber, only the clamping means for clamping the exposed portion of the optical fiber is moved while the clamping means for clamping the bare portion of the optical fiber is fixed.

[The invention will solve the problem I)! ! I! m) In this way, in the conventional technology, only the sheathing part is moved while the bare part of the optical fiber core is fixed, so depending on the clamping force of the bare part, the clamping part of the sheathing part and the clamping part of the bare part may be bent. However, it is difficult to control the position of the optical fiber tip.

It was not possible to accurately fusion splice optical fiber cores.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks, strongly and stably clamp the bare part of an optical fiber core, and to prevent deflection between the clamping part of the covering part and the clamping part of the bare part during fusion splicing. The idea is to provide a way to connect without having to do anything.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention aims to solve two problems that should be connected.
After removing the coating from the ends of the two optical fibers, the coating and bare portions of these two optical fibers are clamped by a clamping means so that these optical fibers are brought close to each other. In the moving fusion splicing method, the clamping means for clamping the bare part of the optical fiber core includes an upper clamp member having an elastic body that contacts the bare part from above so as to suppress it.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fusion splicing optical fibers, characterized in that the upper clamp member moves together with the clamping means of the covering portion during fusion splicing of the optical fibers.

[Function] As described above, the upper clamp member of the clamp means for clamping the bare part of the optical fiber core has an elastic body that comes into contact with the bare part so as to suppress it from above, so that the clamping force on the bare part can be made strong and stable. In addition, even if the outside diameter of the bare part of the optical fiber varies, it can be absorbed by the elastic body, and since the upper clamp member moves together with the clamping means of the coated part, the optical fiber When the core wires are fusion-spliced, the bare portion moves together with the upper clamp member, and no bending occurs between the two clamping means, so that the optical fiber cores can be spliced with high precision.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Figures (A) and (B) show the optical fiber fusion splicing method of the present invention, in which two optical fiber cores 10 and 10 are to be spliced.
'- indicates the coating parts 10A, 10'A of these two optical fibers after removing the coatings [12, 12' from the ends thereof.
and bare portions 10B, 10'B by clamping means 14, 16.
．． The optical fibers 10 and 10'' are clamped at angles of 14° and 16°, respectively, and moved toward each other to be fusion spliced.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 68 is a discharge electrode that fusions the abutting portions of the optical fiber cores by discharging them across the abutting portions.

One set of clamping means 14,16 is shown in FIG. The clamping means 14 includes a movable clamping table 20 that slides along the guide rail 18 and an upper clamping member 22 that clamps the coated portion 10A of the optical fiber core 10 between the movable clamping table 20 and the clamping means 14. 16 is the optical fiber core lO between the fixed clamp stand 24
and an upper clamp member 26 for clamping the bare portion 10B of the. Upper clamping member 2 of clamping means 16
6 is an elastic body 2 that comes into contact with the bare part 10B so as to suppress it from above.
The clamping means 14.16 having 8 has an opening/closing mechanism 30 for opening and closing the upper clamping member 22.26. Lever 36.3
8 and a clamp opening/closing member 40 that displaces the free ends of these arm-shaped levers 36, 38. When this clamp opening/closing member 40 is pushed in the direction of the arrow, the arm-shaped levers 36.
38 rotates clockwise to attach the upper clamp member 22.26.
When the clamp opening/closing member 40 is pulled in the direction opposite to the arrow, the upper clamping member 22,26 is closed. The bins 32 and 34 each have support members 44 extending from the movable clamp base 20 and a movable member 42 to be mounted later.
．． It is attached to 46. The movable member 42 is slidably engaged with a guide rail 48 provided parallel to the guide rail 18, and is connected to a rod connected to the movable clamp base 20 so as to move together with the movable clamp base 20. Clamp moving means 52 for moving the entire clamping means 14 connected to the movable clamping table 20 by 50 and the upper clamping member 26 of the clamping means 16 in the direction of the arrow.
The clamp moving means 52 is provided with a pivot pin 5.
The actuating bar 56 has a push rod 56a which is swingably supported by the movable clamp table 20, and a drive source 58 which swings the actuating bar 56. In this first clamp movement stage 52, the reversible motor 60 is made up of a reversible motor 60, a gear 62, and a micrometer 64 that engages with the free end of the operating lever 56 and moves back and forth to swing the operating lever 56. When rotated in the forward direction, the micrometer 64 moves in the direction of the arrow via the gear 62, and the lever 56 swings in the direction of the arrow. The two-part clamping member 26 of the clamping means] 6 moves together with the elastic body 28 in the direction of the arrow via the support member 46 and the arm-like lever 38. In addition, in FIG. 2, reference numerals 66 and 66
゛ is a spring that urges the movable clamp table 20 and the support member 46 in the direction opposite to the arrow.

Therefore, in order to fusion splice the optical fibers to, io', the coated portions 10A and 10 of the optical fibers 10 and 10' are
' A and bare parts 10B, 10'B are clamped by means 14.
16 respectively, and then the entire clamping means 14 and the clamping means 16 are gripped by the clamp moving means 52.
and the L portion clamp member 26 in the direction of the arrow.

Further, when the discharge electrode 68 is discharged, the optical fiber core wire 10.
10' are fused together. In this case, the bare portions 10B of the optical fibers to, io'.

The upper clamp member 26 of the clamping means 16 that clamps the bare parts 10'B has an elastic body 28 that contacts the bare parts 10B, 10'B so as to suppress them from above.
'The clamping force of B can be made strong and stable, and the bare parts 10B, l'0°B of the optical fiber core 10.10' can be made strong and stable.
The outer diameter of C fluctuates, and this can be absorbed by the elastic body 28. In addition, this upper clamp portion 1426
are arranged to move together with the clamping means 14 of the coated parts 10A and 10'A, so that when the optical fiber cores 10 and 10' are fused S-connected, the bare parts 1OB and 10'B move together with this upper clamping member 26, and the upper clamping members 26 are moved together. The optical fiber core 102 can be clamped without any deflection between the clamping means 14 and 16.
10' can be connected accurately.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, as described above, the bare part of the optical fiber core can be strongly and stably clamped, and the clamp part of the part to be fused and the clamp part of the bare part can be connected during fusion splicing. This method has the practical advantage of being able to connect optical fibers with high accuracy without causing any deflection between the fibers, and easily absorbing variations in the outer diameter of the bare portions of the optical fibers. be.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are top and front views schematically showing the optical fiber fusion splicing method of the present invention, respectively, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one stage of clamp movement. 10.10'----One optical fiber core M, 10A, 10
'A---One covering part, IOB, 10' B---One bare part, 14.16--- Clamping means, 26---
- Upper clamp member, 28 - - Elastic body, 30 -
--- Opening/closing mechanism, 52 --- Clamp moving means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] After removing the coatings from the ends of the two optical fibers to be connected, the coating and bare portions of the two optical fibers are clamped by a clamping means to bring these optical fibers close to each other. In the method for fusion splicing while moving, the clamp means for clamping the bare part of the optical fiber core includes an upper clamp member having an elastic body that contacts the bare part so as to suppress the bare part from above; A method for fusion splicing optical fibers, characterized in that the upper clamp member moves together with the clamping means of the sheathing portion during fusion splicing of the optical fibers.