JPH0353605B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical fiber guiding device in a flat type multi-core optical fiber fusion splicing device.

Background of the Invention At present, multi-core optical fibers are of the five-core flat type (fiber 12 diameter 125 μm) as shown in FIG.
m, spacing of 0.3 mm) has become the standard, so we will explain using it as an example. Note that 14 is a sheath.

When fusion splicing the five-core optical fiber 10,
Five fibers 12 are fused simultaneously. For this purpose, it is necessary to insert and fix the five fibers 12 into the V grooves in the same way as in the case of single-core optical fibers. The circumstances at that time are explained as follows.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a V-groove base, and five V-grooves 22 are provided on the upper surface thereof at equal intervals (0.3 mm intervals) with the fibers 12 of the optical fiber 10 and parallel to each other. The depth of V groove 22 is fiber 1
It is large enough to fit the lower half of 2 (Figure 3).

24 is a horizontal groove, and 26 is an electrode. This V-groove stand 20 is fixed to a frame (not shown) of the fusion device.

28 is a V-groove guide, which is provided at the rear of the V-groove stand 20 (upper left in the figure, see the arrow). This is a nearly square block whose top surface is at the same height as the V-groove base 20, and which has five V-grooves 30.
is provided on the extension line of the V groove 22.

This V groove guide 28 is fixed on a movable table 34. The movable stage 34 is usually provided with an inclined surface 36 in which a square groove 38 is formed in which the sheath 14 of the optical fiber 10 is accommodated.

Then, as shown in FIG.
0,22 and fiber clamps 44,46
(FIG. 3) and then fusion splice the five fibers 12 simultaneously by means of electrodes 26 as described above.

However, as mentioned above, the interval between V grooves 20 and 30 is 0.3 mm, which is very narrow, and the width of the groove itself is also very narrow.
It is very thin, about 0.1mm. Therefore, it is very difficult to fit one fiber 12 into each groove. Even if a person tries to insert each tube into the groove one by one, it is difficult for the human eye to discern the narrow spacing of 0.3 mm.

Due to electrostatic phenomena, the fibers 12 protruding from above often cross each other or open as shown in Figure 4, and are not aligned parallel to each other. make it increasingly difficult to enter.

The present invention is an attempt to solve the above problem, and by using a fiber guide described below, the fiber 12 can be easily accommodated in each groove.

Embodiment In "Figs. 5 and 6", 50 is a fiber guide. This is, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped metal block, and five longitudinal slits 52 extending from the upper surface to near the lower end are provided thereon like the teeth of a comb. The width of the slit 52 is such that the fiber 12 can move freely within it, but not so wide that it rattles. The interval between each slit 52 is 0.3 mm, the same as the V groove 30 and the like.

The fiber guide 50 is fixed on the movable table 34 by fitting its lower half into a hole 54 provided at the rear of the V-groove guide 28, and its upper half fits into the hole 54 provided at the rear of the V-groove guide 28.
It protrudes above the top surface of 0. Further, each slit 52 is arranged on the same straight line as the V grooves 22 and 30.

Operation After the fiber 12 of the optical fiber 10 is pulled out, the fiber 12 near the mouth of the sheath 14 is inserted into the slit 52 of the fiber guide 50, as shown in FIG. Then, each fiber 12 naturally becomes parallel, and remains within the V grooves 30, 22.

Note that especially when the fiber guide 50 is made of metal, the moving table 34 that fixes it is generally made of metal and grounded, so the fiber 12
The electrostatic charge is discharged, and the fiber 12, which had been bent due to the electrostatic phenomenon, immediately becomes straight.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, it is necessary to align the tips of the fibers 12 by applying them to the alignment plate 56 prior to fusing, but at this time the protruding fibers 12 are pushed back. However, since the slit 52 of the fiber guide 50 is cut below the upper surface of the V groove guide 28 (near the lower end of the fiber guide 50), the slit 52 is cut as shown in the imaginary line in "Fig. 6". It can be bent freely and breakage can be avoided.

Effects of the Invention Even in the case of a multicore flat optical fiber in which the fiber 12 spacing is very narrow, for example 0.3 mm, just by inserting the fiber 12 into the slit 52 of the fiber guide 50, the fiber will naturally fit into the V groove 22. 12 fits.

This makes the work much easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 and 2 are explanatory diagrams sequentially showing the work situation for fitting the conventional fiber 12 into the V-groove, and Figure 3 is
The figure is an enlarged sectional view of - in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the fiber 12 does not straighten due to electrostatic phenomenon, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the same. The side view and FIG. 7 are explanatory views of the state in which the tips of the fibers 12 are aligned. 10: Optical fiber, 12: Fiber, 14: Sheath, 20: V groove, 22: V groove, 28: V
Groove guide, 30: V groove, 50: Fiber guide, 52: Slit, 54: Hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A guiding device for multi-core optical fibers 10 using V grooves 22 provided on a V groove table 20, in which the fibers are arranged parallel to each other at intervals equal to the intervals of the fibers 12,
In the case where a plurality of V-grooves 22 are provided, slits are provided behind the V-groove base 20, which are made of blocks of an appropriate shape, have the same number as the V-grooves 22, and within which the fibers 12 can move freely. 52, at least a portion of which protrudes above the upper surface of the V-groove base 20, and is provided such that the slit 52 and the V-groove 22 are aligned on the same straight line. , optical fiber guiding device.