JPS6022328B2 - Optical fiber fusion splicing reinforcement device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a reinforcing device for mechanically performing a reinforcing process when reinforcing a fusion spliced portion of an optical fiber.

In the case of connecting optical fibers, highly accurate axis alignment of the optical fibers is required, so the primary coating layer of the optical fibers is removed to perform the connection. Therefore, the strength of the connection portion is reduced to 1/1 the strength of the optical fiber. Therefore, it is imperative to reinforce the connection. Various reinforcing methods have been studied, such as using a glass sleeve and adhesive, or a heat-shrink tube method, but at present, the method using a V-groove reinforcing device with a lid and adhesive, which is superior in terms of properties, is being considered. Many methods are used. Figure 1 a shows a V with a lid.
A perspective view of the groove reinforcing device, FIG. 1b is a side view of FIG. 1a, FIG. 2a is a side view of the clamp, and FIG. 2b is a front view of the clamp. , first apply adhesive to the reinforcing groove, then the operator inserts the optical fiber connection into the reinforcing groove, closes the reinforcing lid, and then tightens the clamp to prevent the reinforcing lid from opening. The reinforcing device was inserted from both ends.

With this method, there is a possibility that the fiber wire from which the primary toner layer of the optical fiber connection part has been removed may come off the ridge and pinch the optical fiber wire with the lid of the reinforcing device. Sometimes it broke when inserted.

Furthermore, with this method, reinforcing work generally requires two workers, and since the inner diameter of the clamp cannot be much larger than the outer diameter of the reinforcing device, it is difficult to insert the clamp from both ends of the reinforcing device. However, it had some drawbacks such as being very difficult to work with.

In order to solve these drawbacks, the present invention is designed to grip the optical fiber connection portion so that it does not slacken, and to mechanically perform a reinforcing process. The present invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is an optical fiber holding plate for inserting an optical fiber into a reinforcing device booklet, 2 is an optical fiber gripping portion, and 3 is an attachment of the optical fiber gripping portion. 4 is a shaft rotatably attached to the fixing base of the optical fiber reinforcing device, 5 is the optical fiber, 6 is the optical fiber reinforcing device, 7 is the fixing base of the optical fiber reinforcing device, and 8 is the clamp holding part. There is a holding plate 9 for holding down the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device, a clamp storage part 10, and a claw 11 for pushing out the clamp material.
Contains.

12 is a lever rotatably attached to the fixed base of the optical fiber reinforcing device.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are schematic diagrams of a front view and a perspective view of the optical fiber gripping part in FIG. 3, respectively.

Here, a part of the optical fiber holding plate 1 is inserted into a groove provided in the optical fiber gripping part 2 and is held therein. However, the optical fiber holding plate 1 can freely move in the longitudinal direction of this groove. The optical fiber holding plate 1 consists of a part inserted into the optical fiber gripping part 2 and a movable part for holding down the fiber core. Each part is connected by a pin, and the movable part holds the pin. You can center it and move it freely. The lid 14 of the optical fiber grip is connected to the optical fiber grip 2 by a "spring" 13.

It consists of a part connected to the optical fiber gripping part 2 and a movable part for holding down the fiber core, which are connected by pins. To operate this device, the connection part of the fusion spliced optical fiber must be held at the optical fiber grip part 2.
When the optical fiber is inserted into the groove of the optical fiber gripping portion, the optical fiber is fixed in the groove of the optical fiber gripping portion by the gripping force of the “babo” 13 and the optical fiber holding plate 1 shown in FIG.

This optical fiber gripping part 2 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber on the mounting base 3, and after gripping the optical fiber, the optical fiber gripping part 2 is attached to the optical fiber connection part by a "spring" 15. It is designed to be pulled in the direction of applying tension. When the shaft 4 is rotated with a constant tension applied to this optical fiber connection part, the optical fiber connection part is positioned near the groove of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3' is a diagram showing the orthogonal relationship between the optical fiber reinforcing device and the optical fiber gripping portion. In this state, the optical fiber holding plate 1 is not completely retracted, so the optical fiber holding plate 1 is pulled by the "spring" 16, but its movement is prevented by the lid 14 of the optical fiber gripping portion. Next, the optical fiber is held down by the optical fiber holding plate 1, and the optical fiber connection part is completely inserted into the groove of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6.
When the optical fiber holding plate 1 is completely closed, the optical fiber holding plate 1 is moved by the “spring” 16 to hold the lid 1 of the optical fiber gripping portion.
4 and the fiber, and moves in the direction of arrow 17 shown in FIG. 3'. Next, lever 1 shown in Figure 3
By rotating 2, the clamp holding part 8 is positioned above the optical fiber reinforcing device 6.

From this state, the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6 is held down by pressing the clamp holding part 8 from above, and the optical fiber reinforcing device 6 is further clamped so that the lid does not open. The process of clamping this optical fiber reinforcing device 6 is shown in FIGS.
This will be explained according to FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp holding part, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reinforcing device fixing base, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line A-A' in FIG. 6. In FIGS. 5 to 7, 9 is a holding plate for holding down the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device, 10 is a one-sided hinge-shaped clamp housing housing a U-shaped clamp material 18, and 11 is a clamp storage portion for storing the clamp material 18. By pushing down the clamp holding part 8 from above, the holding plate 9 first presses down the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6, and by further pushing it down, the claw 11 forms a U-shape. The clamp material 18 is pushed down, and the clamp material descends from above the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6. When the Clasp material further descends, the tip of the clamp material 18 bends along the uneven portion 19 provided on the reinforcing device fixing base 7, and firmly clamps the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device 6 so that it does not open. In this case, in order to make the tip of the clamp material easier to bend, it is useful to make a very slight scratch near the tip.

Next, when the force applied to the clamp holding part 8 is released, the clamp holding part 8 returns to its original position due to the repulsive force of the "spring" 20 shown in FIG. 3, and the reinforcing work is completed.

In the above embodiments, the clamp holding part is included in a series of operations during reinforcement, but it is also possible to make the clamp part independent only for the purpose of clamping the reinforcing device.

As explained above, the reinforcing device for the optical fiber connection part of the present invention applies tension to the connection part and has an optical fiber holding plate, so that the optical fiber connection part does not sag in the reinforcing groove. , can be inserted securely.

Additionally, the reinforcing device is mechanically clamped and the brace mechanism is hinged on one side, greatly improving work efficiency.

As stated above, the gist of the present invention is to improve the workability in the reinforcement process and to automate the reinforcement work and make the reinforcement work more pupil-enclosed, aiming at reducing the failure rate.

According to this idea, various drive mechanisms can be considered.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1a is a perspective view of the reinforcing device for the V-book with a lid, Figure 1b is a side view of Figure 1a, Figure 2a is a side view of the clamp,
Figure b is a front view of the clamp, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3' is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the optical fiber reinforcing device and the optical fiber gripping part, and Figures 4a and b are FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp holding portion, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reinforcing device fixing base, and FIG. 7 is A-A in FIG. 6. FIG. 1... Optical fiber holding plate, 2... Optical fiber gripping part, 3
. . . Attachment base for the optical fiber gripping portion, 4. Shaft rotatably attached to the fixed base of the optical fiber reinforcing device, 5.. Optical fiber, 6.. Optical fiber reinforcing device, 7.
Optical fiber reinforcing device fixing base, 8...clamp holding part,
9... Pressing plate for holding down the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device, 10... Clamp storage section, 11... Extrusion part (claw) for pushing out the clamp material, 12... Fixing stand for the optical fiber reinforcing device A lever attached to the rotatable frame, 1
3... "Spring", 14... Lid of optical fiber gripping part, 15, 16... "Spring", 1 7... Arrow, 1 8
... U-shaped clamp material, 19 ... uneven portion to make the tip of the clamp material easier to bend, 20 ... "spring". Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 3 Figure 6 Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an apparatus for reinforcing a fusion spliced portion of an optical fiber using a reinforcing device with a lid, tension is applied to the optical fiber spliced portion to prevent the spliced portion from bending. An optical fiber gripping part for gripping, a reinforcing device fixing part for fixing an optical fiber reinforcing device with a lid, and an optical fiber holding mechanism for completely inserting the optical fiber provided in the optical fiber gripping part into the optical fiber reinforcing device. , a clamp holding section that holds a U-shaped clamp material that presses the lid of the optical fiber reinforcing device, a clamp storage section that stores the clamp material, and an optical fiber gripping section, thereby connecting the optical fibers. The optical fiber reinforcing device is characterized by having a mechanism in which a part is located very close to the optical fiber reinforcing device, and a mechanism which bends the tip of the clamp material by applying pressure to the clamp holding portion from above the optical fiber reinforcing device to clamp the optical fiber reinforcing device. Optical fiber fusion splicing reinforcement device. 2. In the optical fiber fusion splice reinforcing device according to claim 1, the optical fiber gripping part and the reinforcing device fixing part are attached to a common base, and the optical fiber gripping part and the base are rotated. The optical fiber gripping portion and the reinforcing device fixing portion are connected by a flexible shaft, and the optical fiber gripping portion and the reinforcing device fixing portion are positioned in such a manner that the optical fiber reinforcing device is located on a moving circumference of the optical fiber. Fiber fusion splice reinforcement device.