JP7407697B2 - fusion machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fusing machine with excellent alignment workability.

A fusion splicer is used to connect optical fibers. A fusion splicer connects optical fibers by abutting optical fibers held in a pair of holders and disposing them between electrodes, and fusing the ends of the optical fibers with an arc.

When optical fibers are fused together, alignment work is required to align the tip positions of the optical fibers. For this reason, in the past, optical fibers were placed facing each other, and an imaging device was used to image the tip position of the optical fibers from the side (in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the optical fibers) to align the fibers. I was going.

On the other hand, when the cross-sectional form has circumferential directionality, such as a so-called polarization-maintaining fiber or a multi-core fiber, rather than a general single-core optical fiber, alignment is not limited only to the tip position, but also to the rotational direction. is also necessary. That is, it is necessary not only to align the optical fiber in the XY direction, but also to align it in the circumferential direction with the axial direction of the optical fiber as the central axis.

In order to perform such rotational alignment of an optical fiber, for example, a reflecting member is placed between the opposing parts of the optical fiber, the end face of the optical fiber is reflected to an imaging device, the image is captured, and the rotation is adjusted by observing the end face. There is a method of doing the heart (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-53625

FIG. 10(a) is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which a reflecting member 103 is arranged between optical fibers 101 arranged facing each other. In the illustrated example, imaging devices 105a and 105b are arranged below the optical fiber 101. At this time, the end face of one optical fiber 101 (on the right side in the figure) can be reflected by the reflecting member 103 toward the imaging device 105a (in the direction of arrow O in the figure). Therefore, the end face of one optical fiber 101 can be imaged by the imaging device 105a.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10(b), by rotating the reflecting member 103 by 180 degrees, the end face of the other optical fiber 101 (left side in the figure) can be reflected by the reflecting member 103 to the imaging device 105b. (direction of arrow P in the figure). Therefore, the end face of the other optical fiber 101 can be imaged by the imaging device 105b.

As described above, the end faces of each optical fiber 101 can be confirmed and rotationally aligned in respective predetermined rotational directions, so that the circumferential positions of both end faces can be aligned.

However, conventional methods require time to image each optical fiber separately. Furthermore, since a rotating mechanism for the reflecting member 103 is required, the mechanism becomes complicated. Furthermore, since the imaging devices that image the end faces of the respective optical fibers 101 are different, the alignment accuracy may be affected by the mounting accuracy and machine differences of the respective imaging devices.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fusion splicer that has good alignment workability and is capable of highly accurate alignment.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a fusion splicer for connecting optical fibers, which includes an optical fiber holder that holds a pair of optical fibers facing each other, and a fusion splicer that holds a pair of optical fibers in opposing directions. a pair of electrodes that are arranged to face each other in a substantially perpendicular direction, and a reflective member that is movable between the optical fibers when the pair of optical fibers are opposed to each other, and the pair of electrodes face each other in the opposing direction. is the X direction, the axial direction of the pair of optical fibers is the Z direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Z direction is the Y direction, and the tip positions of the pair of optical fibers are perpendicular to the Z direction. A first imaging device and a second imaging device capable of capturing images from each direction, a third imaging device that captures an image reflected by the reflecting member, and at least one of the pair of optical fibers, an aligning drive unit capable of aligning the pair of optical fibers by moving in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction and rotating about the opposing direction of the pair of optical fibers; a transport drive unit capable of transporting the optical fiber individually in the axial direction of the optical fiber; and a control unit capable of controlling operations of the alignment drive unit and the transport drive unit , the first The imaging device and the second imaging device can image the tip positions of the pair of optical fibers from the side, and the alignment drive unit can align the pair of optical fibers in the X direction and the Y direction. and
The reflecting member includes a first reflecting surface that reflects an image of an end surface of one of the optical fibers toward the third imaging device, and a first reflecting surface that reflects an image of an end surface of the other optical fiber toward the third imaging device. a second reflecting surface that reflects an image of the end surface of one of the optical fibers on the first reflecting surface, and a second reflecting surface that reflects an image of the end surface of the other optical fiber on the second reflecting surface. The third imaging device simultaneously images the end faces of each of the optical fibers, and the alignment drive unit rotates the pair of optical fibers in the rotational direction with the Z direction as the rotation axis. The control unit operates the transport drive unit based on the image captured by the third imaging device, and individually adjusts the focal position of each captured image of the pair of optical fibers. This is a fusion splicer that is characterized by control .

The fusion splicer includes a lid, and the third imaging device is provided on the lid, and when the lid is closed, the third imaging device captures the vicinity of the tips of the pair of optical fibers. It may be placed at a position where it can be imaged .

It is preferable that a groove is formed on a surface of the reflective member facing the electrode in a direction substantially parallel to a moving direction of the reflective member.

A shielding member is disposed between the reflecting member and the optical fiber when the reflecting member is retracted from the position facing the optical fiber, and when the reflecting member moves to the position facing the optical fiber, Preferably, the reflecting member is movable when the shielding member is opened.

According to the present invention, a reflective member having two reflective surfaces is disposed between opposing optical fibers, and the end faces of the two optical fibers can be imaged and confirmed at the same time. Therefore, the end face of the optical fiber can be confirmed in a short time. Further, since a mechanism for reversing the reflecting member is not required, the mechanism is simple. Furthermore, if there is a transport drive unit that can individually transport each optical fiber in the axial direction, the transport drive unit can adjust the position of the optical fiber in the axial direction. Focus position can be adjusted. Therefore, there is no need for a mechanism for adjusting the focus on the imaging device side.

In particular, the first imaging device and the second imaging device align in the X direction and the Y direction, and the third imaging device simultaneously images the end faces of the two optical fibers. It is possible to suppress the influence of accuracy and machine differences on alignment accuracy.

In addition, by forming grooves in the direction substantially parallel to the moving direction of the reflective member on the side of the reflective member facing the electrode, interference between the reflective member and the electrode can be avoided without making the reflective member smaller. can. Therefore, a sufficient reflective surface can be secured, and a decrease in the strength of the reflective member can be suppressed.

In addition, by placing a shielding member between the reflective member and the optical fiber when the reflective member is retracted from the position facing the optical fiber, it is possible to prevent the reflection by the gas generated when the optical fibers are fused together using an arc. It is possible to prevent the surface from getting dirty.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fusion splicer that has good alignment workability and can perform alignment with high precision.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fusion splicer 1. FIG. An enlarged schematic diagram of the vicinity of the fused part. (a) is a view seen from the axial direction of the optical fiber 21, and (b) is a view seen from the axial direction of the electrode rod 7. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a fusion splicer 1. FIG. (a) is a diagram showing a retracted state of the reflecting member 23, and (b) is a diagram showing a state in which the reflecting member 23 is moved between the optical fibers 21. (a) is a plan view showing a state in which the reflective member 23 is moved between the optical fibers 21, and (b) is an enlarged view of the F section in (a). (a) is a diagram showing a process of performing focus adjustment, and (b) is a diagram showing a process of performing rotational alignment. (a) is a diagram showing a retracted state of the reflecting member 23, and (b) is a diagram showing a process of fusing the optical fibers 21 together. It is a figure which shows other embodiment, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing a conventional end-face imaging method.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a fusion splicer 1. FIG. The fusion splicer 1 includes a holder placement part 11 on which a holder holding an optical fiber is placed, a holding part 5 on which the tip of the optical fiber and an electrode rod 7 are placed, a lid part 3, and the fusion splicer 1. It includes an operation section 15 for performing operations, a display section 17 for displaying various information, and the like. Note that the operation section 15 and the display section 17 may be integrated by using a touch panel as the display section 17.

The optical fiber is held in a V-groove on the holding part 5. Furthermore, a pair of electrodes are arranged to face each other in a V-groove of the holding portion 5 that is formed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the pair of optical fibers face each other. The lid portion 3 is rotatable around a rotating shaft 9. A clamp 13 is provided on the back surface of the lid part 3, and when the lid part 3 is closed, the tip of the clamp 13 is located at a position corresponding to the position of the optical fiber on the holding part 5. That is, the clamp 13 provided on the back surface of the lid part 3 can hold the pair of optical fibers facing each other in the holding part 5 . Furthermore, an imaging device, which will be described later, is built in between the clamps 13, and is placed in a position where it can image the vicinity of the tips of the pair of optical fibers when the lid 3 is closed.

The fusion splicer 1 connects a pair of optical fibers by fusion splicing. The optical fiber is held by a pair of holders (not shown), and the holders are placed on the holder placement section 11 . In this state, the lid part 3 is closed, and by generating an arc between the pair of electrode rods 7 with the tips of the optical fibers butted against each other, the tips of the optical fibers can be melted and joined.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the vicinity of the fusion part with the optical fiber installed, and FIG. (b) is a side view of the electrode rod 7 viewed from the axial direction (X direction in FIG. 2). Note that FIGS. 2, 3(a), and 3(b) show the state in which the reflecting member 23 is retracted. Also, illustrations of configurations unnecessary for explanation are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the following description, the direction in which the electrode rods 7 face each other is defined as the X direction, the direction perpendicular to the X direction and the direction in which the optical fibers 21 face each other is defined as the Z direction, and the direction in which the electrode rods 7 face each other is defined as the Z direction. The direction perpendicular to the direction (vertical direction in the figure) is defined as the Y direction. Further, the direction of rotation with the Z direction as the rotation axis is defined as the R direction.

As described above, the pair of optical fibers 21 are arranged facing each other. Further, a pair of electrode rods 7 are arranged to face each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the optical fiber 21 faces (direction parallel to the X direction). By aligning the tip positions of the optical fibers 21 and generating an arc between the electrode rods 7, the optical fibers can be fused together.

The imaging devices 19a, 19b, and 19c are capable of imaging the tip positions of the pair of optical fibers 21 from a direction (side surface) substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the optical fibers 21 face each other. Further, the imaging device 19b and the imaging device 19c can image the tip position of the optical fiber 21 from, for example, two directions orthogonal to each other.

The reflecting member 23 and the imaging device 19a are respectively arranged in the vertical direction of the optical fiber 21 (Y direction in FIG. 2) so as to face each other. Note that in the illustrated example, the reflecting member 23 is arranged below (on the imaging devices 19b, 19c side), and the imaging device 19a is arranged above (on the lid part 3 side, not shown); It may be. Furthermore, the imaging device 19a and the reflecting member 23 do not have to be located opposite each other.

As shown in FIG. 3(b), the reflective member 23 has reflective surfaces 27a and 27b. The reflective surfaces 27a and 27b are arranged facing in opposite directions, and can each reflect light incident from the Z direction, for example, toward a 90 degree direction (upward in the Y direction). When the pair of optical fibers 21 are placed facing each other, the reflecting member 23 is movable between the optical fibers 21 by the drive unit (in the Y direction in the figure). The imaging device 19a is capable of capturing an image reflected by the reflecting member 23.

In the state where the reflecting member 23 is retracted, the reflecting member 23 is covered by the shielding member 25. That is, the shielding member 25 shields between the reflective member 23 and the optical fiber 21 (fused portion) side when the reflective member 23 is in the retracted state. The shielding member 25 can be opened and closed as the reflecting member 23 moves up and down. The details of the operations of the reflecting member 23, shielding member 25, etc. will be described later.

Next, the configuration of the fusion splicer 1 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 4, the fusing machine 1 includes an imaging device 19 (the imaging devices 19a, 19b, and 19c are collectively referred to as the imaging device 19), an alignment drive unit 31, a conveyance drive unit 33, and a reflection member drive unit. 35, a control section 30 for controlling these, an operation section 15, a display section 17, and the like. Note that configurations such as discharge control that are unnecessary for the description of this embodiment will be omitted.

The operation unit 15 can input various control contents and setting conditions to be performed by the control unit 30. The display unit 17 can display images captured by the imaging device 19 and information such as fusion conditions. The alignment drive section 31 can move the optical fiber 21 in the X, Y, and R directions shown in FIG. 2, respectively. That is, the alignment drive unit 31 moves at least one of the pair of optical fibers in the X direction and the Y direction to align the axial center positions of the pair of optical fibers. be able to. Furthermore, the alignment drive section 31 can align the pair of optical fibers by rotating at least one of the pair of optical fibers around the opposing direction of the pair of optical fibers. Further, the transport drive section 33 can transport each optical fiber 21 individually in the axial direction (Z direction) of the optical fiber 21. The reflective member drive section 35 is capable of moving the reflective member 23 in the vertical direction (Y direction). Note that each drive unit is operated by, for example, a motor.

Next, a method for aligning the optical fiber 21 will be explained. Alignment of the tip position (XY direction) of the optical fiber 21 can be performed by a conventional method. For example, the imaging devices 19b and 19c take images of the tip position of the optical fiber 21 from each direction and display them on the display unit 17, and the operating unit 15 is used to operate the alignment drive unit 31 so that the positions of the two are aligned. The optical fiber 21 can be aligned in the X direction and the Y direction by adjusting the position and direction of the holder placement part 11 and aligning the XY positions with each other.

When connecting single-core optical fibers, alignment work is completed with only XY alignment. On the other hand, when aligning multi-core fibers or polarization-maintaining fibers in which the arrangement of cores, etc. in the cross section has a directionality in the circumferential direction, alignment of the optical fiber 21 is not only performed in the XY direction, but also in rotation. Alignment in direction R is also required. Therefore, in the present invention, a reflecting member 23 and an imaging device 19a that can observe the end face of the optical fiber 21 are used.

Hereinafter, a method of alignment in the rotational direction R will be explained. The operations of the following sections are controlled by the control section 30 through input from the operation section 15 or automatically. FIG. 5(a) is a diagram showing the reflective member 23 in a retracted state. Moreover, a gap is formed between the optical fibers 21 to the extent that the reflective member 23 can be inserted therein. This gap can be formed by moving the optical fiber 21 in the axial direction using the transport drive unit 33.

As described above, the shielding member 25 is disposed above the reflecting member 23 (between the reflecting member 23 and the optical fiber 21) when the reflecting member 23 is retracted from the position facing the optical fiber 21. The pair of shielding members 25 are maintained in a closed state with their tips abutting each other, for example, by an elastic member. The shielding members 25 can be opened and closed by being rotated by the rotating parts 29, respectively. Note that a tapered shape is formed in the lower part of the shielding member 25 so that the distance between the shielding members 25 gradually narrows toward the tip (as the distance from the rotating part 29 increases). Further, the lower part of the reflecting member 23 is also formed with a tapered shape whose width gradually increases as it goes downward (as it goes away from the reflecting member 23).

As shown in FIG. 5(b), when the reflecting member 23 is raised toward between the optical fibers 21 (arrow A in the figure), the lower tapered portion of the reflecting member 23 contacts the tapered portion of the shielding member 25. They make contact and the shielding member 25 is pushed out (arrow B in the figure). That is, the shielding member 25 rotates in opposite directions about the rotating part 29 as the rotational axis, and the upper part opens, so that the shielding member 25 does not interfere with the rising reflecting member 23.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), when the reflecting member 23 rises to between the opposing portions of the optical fibers 21, the rising operation of the reflecting member 23 stops. In this manner, when the reflecting member 23 moves to the position facing the optical fiber 21, the shielding member 25 opens and the reflecting member 23 becomes movable. Note that the opening/closing mechanism of the shielding member 25 is not limited to this example, and any mechanism may be used as long as it can open when the reflecting member 23 is raised and close when it is in the retracted state.

6(a) is a diagram of the state of FIG. 5(b) viewed from the imaging device 19a side, and FIG. 6(b) is an enlarged view of section C in FIG. 6(a). As described above, the reflective member 23 has reflective surfaces 27a and 27b in the direction of each optical fiber 21. Furthermore, a groove 24 is formed on the side of the reflective member 23 facing the electrode rod 7 in a direction substantially parallel to the moving direction of the reflective member 23. The groove 24 is formed at a location corresponding to the tip position of the electrode rod 7.

The electrode rods 7 do not have, for example, a drive mechanism for changing the spacing, and are arranged at intervals suitable for fusion bonding. When moving the reflective member 23 between the optical fibers 21, it is necessary to avoid interference between the reflective member 23 and the electrode rod 7, but when it is difficult to design the reflective member 23 with high processing accuracy. There is. Therefore, the reflective member 23 needs to have a size that does not interfere with the electrode rod 7.

On the other hand, if the width of the reflective member 23 is made too narrow, the strength of the reflective member 23 will decrease and the reflective areas of the reflective surfaces 27a and 27b will decrease. For this reason, it is desirable to ensure the thickness of the reflective member 23 as much as possible while avoiding interference with the electrode rod 7, and to make the reflective surfaces 27a and 27b as wide as possible. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(b), interference between the electrode rod 7 and the reflection member 23 is avoided by forming an interference prevention groove 24 in the reflection member 23 at a position facing the electrode rod 7. At the same time, a sufficient size of the reflecting member 23 can be ensured. Note that if the reflective member 23 has a sufficient size and there is no risk of interference with the electrode rod 7, the groove 24 may not be provided.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, an image of the optical fiber 21 obtained by the reflection member 23 is captured by the imaging device 19a. Note that at this time, by irradiating light from the opposite end surface or side surface of the optical fiber 21, it is possible to clearly image the arrangement of the core and the like on the end surface.

As described above, the reflecting member 23 has a first reflecting surface 27a that reflects an image of the end surface of one optical fiber 21 toward the imaging device 19a (arrow E in the figure), and a first reflecting surface 27a that reflects an image of the end surface of the other optical fiber 21. It has a second reflective surface 27b that reflects the image toward the imaging device 19a (arrow D in the figure). Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously image the end face of one optical fiber 21 and the end face of the other optical fiber 21 using the imaging device 19a.

In this embodiment, the direction in which the image of the end surface of one optical fiber 21 is reflected on the reflection surface 27a and the direction in which the image of the end surface of the other optical fiber 21 is reflected on the reflection surface 27b are the same direction. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously image the end faces of the respective optical fibers 21 using one imaging device 19a. At this time, the imaging range of the imaging device 19a is at least twice the outer diameter of the optical fiber 21 (taking into account the spread of the image from the end surface of the optical fiber 21 to the imaging device 19a, the end surface of the pair of optical fibers 21 is (area that can be imaged side by side).

On the other hand, the direction in which the image of the end surface of one optical fiber 21 is reflected on the reflection surface 27a and the direction in which the image of the end surface of the other optical fiber 21 is reflected on the reflection surface 27b are set as different directions, and a plurality of imaging devices 19a are used. , the end faces of the respective optical fibers 21 may be imaged simultaneously. In this case, the imaging range of each imaging device 19a can be made smaller. That is, it is sufficient to have one or more imaging devices 19a capable of capturing images reflected by the reflecting member 23.

Here, focus adjustment of the end face of each optical fiber 21 is performed by moving each optical fiber 21 in the axial direction (arrows F and G in the figure). As described above, when the optical fibers 21 are fused together, the transport drive unit 33 is provided to move the optical fibers 21 in the axial direction in order to butt the optical fibers 21 together and perform screening after fusion. Therefore, in this embodiment, the focus of each end face can be adjusted by the movement of the optical fiber 21 by the transport drive section 33.

More specifically, by automatically or manually operating the transport drive unit 33 corresponding to each optical fiber 21 by the control unit 30, the focus of the captured image of each optical fiber 21 can be adjusted. When performing focus adjustment with the imaging device 19a, it is necessary to adjust, for example, the position of the imaging device 19a itself or the position of a lens (not shown) so that the end images of the respective optical fibers 21 are brought into focus at the same time. By controlling the transport drive unit 33 by controlling the focal position of the captured image in the imaging device 19a, the end face images of each optical fiber 21 can be acquired simultaneously in real time by the imaging device 19a. The fibers 21 can be focused simultaneously and individually.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), after the focus adjustment is completed, the obtained image is used for centering in the rotational direction R (direction of arrows H and I in the figure). As described above, the end face images of each optical fiber 21 can be acquired simultaneously in real time by the imaging device 19a. For this reason, the control unit 30 automatically or manually controls the alignment of each optical fiber 21 in the rotational direction R by individually controlling the operation of the alignment drive unit 31 corresponding to each optical fiber 21. It can be carried out. Furthermore, it is also possible to align the respective optical fibers 21 in the rotational direction R at the same time. Further, the control unit 30 can also automatically control the amount of rotation of the optical fiber 21 by the alignment drive unit 31 based on images captured by one or more imaging devices.

After alignment in the rotational direction R is completed, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the reflecting member 23 is lowered (arrow J in the figure). That is, the reflective member 23 is brought into a retracted state. At this time, as the reflection member 23 retreats, the shielding member 25 is closed by an elastic member (not shown) or the like.

After the alignment work is completed, as shown in FIG. 8(b), the transport drive section 33 is operated to bring the tips of the optical fibers 21 into contact with each other. Thereafter, an arc is generated between the electrode rods 7 under predetermined conditions to perform the fusing operation. As described above, the optical fibers 21 can be aligned and connected to each other.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the end faces of the pair of optical fibers 21 can be imaged simultaneously, the alignment work is easy. Further, by reflecting the images of each end face in the same direction, the end faces of the pair of optical fibers 21 can be imaged by the same imaging device 19a. Further, by using one imaging device 19a, it is possible to accurately image and align the end face of the optical fiber 21 without being affected by machine differences or the like.

Furthermore, by adjusting the focus of the end face of the optical fiber 21 by moving the optical fiber 21 in the axial direction, the axial movement of the optical fiber 21 can be performed without using a mechanism for adjusting the focus of the imaging device 19a. Can be done individually. Therefore, the focus adjustment of each optical fiber 21 can be performed simultaneously.

Further, by forming the groove 24 on the side surface of the reflective member 23, interference between the electrode rod 7 and the reflective member 23 can be suppressed. At this time, since there is no need to narrow the width of the entire reflecting member 23, there is no need to reduce the strength of the reflecting member 23 and reduce the area of the reflecting surfaces 27a and 27b.

Furthermore, by arranging the shielding member 25 between the reflecting member 23 and the optical fiber 21 when the reflecting member 23 is in the retracted state, the reflecting member 23 can be protected from the heat generated when the optical fiber 21 is fused. At the same time, it is possible to suppress gas and foreign matter from adhering to the reflective surfaces 27a and 27b of the reflective member 23.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 9(a) is a plan view (Y direction arrow view) showing the layout of the vicinity of the tip of the optical fiber 21 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 9(b) is a side view seen from the electrode rod 7 side. (X-direction arrow view). In the following description, components that perform the same functions as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 8, and redundant description will be omitted. Further, in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), illustration of the electrode rod 7 is omitted.

The second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment, but differs in that imaging devices 19b and 19c for side observation are used as imaging devices for imaging the end face of the optical fiber 21. In the illustrated example, the end surface of one optical fiber 21 is reflected by the reflective surface 27a toward the imaging device 19c, and the end surface of the other optical fiber 21 is reflected by the reflective surface 27b toward the imaging device 19b. Note that since the reflecting surfaces 27a and 27b can reflect the image downward (downward in FIG. There is no need to place it on the lid, etc.).

In this way, the second embodiment can also achieve the same effects as the first embodiment. Note that by understanding the position of the end face of the optical fiber 21 in the images taken by the imaging devices 19b and 19c, alignment in the XY direction can be performed only by observing the end face using the imaging devices 19b and 19c. . That is, since the position in the XY direction and the rotation direction R can be determined from the position of the end face of the optical fiber 21 in the captured image, all alignment work can be performed by observing the end face.

Furthermore, when observing the end face of the optical fiber 21, it may be possible to grasp the state of the end face of the optical fiber 21. For example, from an image of the end face, it is possible to determine whether there are any hangs or cracks on a part of the end face. In particular, by understanding the depth of focus and roundness of each part of the end face, you can check the shape of the end face of the optical fiber 21 or the shape of the optical fiber 21, such as when the cut surface is oblique or has a concave shape. Abnormalities in the shape of the end face can be detected. Furthermore, by using an imaging device such as an interference microscope to understand interference fringes on the end face, it is also possible to image the form of the cut surface.

Note that when aligning in the rotational direction, it is desirable to simultaneously image the end faces of the pair of optical fibers 21 with one imaging device in order to reduce the influence of machine differences and the like.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is clear that those skilled in the art can come up with various changes and modifications within the scope of the technical idea stated in the claims, and these naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. It is understood that it belongs.

1... Fusion splicer 3... Lid part 5... Holding part 7... Electrode rod 9... Rotating shaft 11... Holder mounting part 13... Clamp 15... Operation part. 17...Display sections 19, 19a, 19b, 19c...Imaging device 21...Optical fiber 23...Reflection member 24...Groove 25...Shielding member 27a, 27b...Reflection surface 29 ...Rotating section 30 ... Control section 31 ... Aligning drive section 33 ... Transport drive section 35 ... Reflection member drive section 101 ... Optical fiber 103 ... Reflection members 105a, 105b... ...imaging device

Claims (4)

A fusion splicer that connects optical fibers,
an optical fiber holding section that holds a pair of optical fibers facing each other;
a pair of electrodes arranged to face each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing direction of the pair of optical fibers;
a reflective member that is movable between the optical fibers when the pair of optical fibers are placed facing each other;
When the opposing direction of the pair of electrodes is the X direction, the axial direction of the pair of optical fibers is the Z direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Z direction is the Y direction, the tip positions of the pair of optical fibers are a first imaging device and a second imaging device each capable of imaging from a direction perpendicular to the Z direction;
a third imaging device that captures an image reflected by the reflective member;
The pair of optical fibers are aligned by moving at least one of the pair of optical fibers in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction and rotating about the opposing direction of the pair of optical fibers. an aligning drive unit capable of
a transport drive unit capable of individually transporting each of the optical fibers in the axial direction of the optical fibers;
a control unit capable of controlling operations of the alignment drive unit and the conveyance drive unit ;
Equipped with
The first imaging device and the second imaging device image the tip positions of the pair of optical fibers from the side, and the alignment drive section adjusts the pair of optical fibers in the X direction and the Y direction. the mind is capable of
The reflecting member includes a first reflecting surface that reflects an image of an end surface of one of the optical fibers toward the third imaging device, and a first reflecting surface that reflects an image of an end surface of the other optical fiber toward the third imaging device. and a second reflective surface that reflects the light.
The direction in which the image of the end surface of one of the optical fibers is reflected on the first reflecting surface is the same as the direction in which the image of the end surface of the other optical fiber is reflected on the second reflecting surface;
The third imaging device simultaneously images the end face of each of the optical fibers, and the alignment drive unit can align the pair of optical fibers in a rotational direction with the Z direction as a rotation axis ,
The control unit operates the transport drive unit based on the image captured by the third imaging device, and individually controls the focal position of each captured image of the pair of optical fibers. fusion machine. The fusing machine includes a lid,
The third imaging device is provided in the lid,
2. The fusion splicer according to claim 1, wherein when the lid is closed, the third imaging device is placed in a position where it can image the vicinity of the tip ends of the pair of optical fibers. 3. The fusion splicer according to claim 1 , wherein a groove is formed on a surface of the reflective member facing the electrode in a direction substantially parallel to a moving direction of the reflective member. A shielding member is disposed between the reflective member and the optical fiber in a state where the reflective member is retracted from the position facing the optical fiber, and when the reflective member moves to the position facing the optical fiber, 4. The fusion splicer according to claim 1 , wherein the reflecting member is movable when the shielding member opens.

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