GB2416042A

GB2416042A - Clamp for an optical fibre fusion splicing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2416042A
Application number: GB0415406A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Davis Lister Myers; Stephen John Curd; John Thomas David Pemberton
Original assignee: TRITEC DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: TRITEC DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 2004-07-09
Filing date: 2004-07-09
Publication date: 2006-01-11
Also published as: GB0415406D0

Abstract

A clamp for holding an optical fibre in an optical fibre splicing device, said clamp including a lower part 1 having a v-groove 5 formed in a portion 4 of an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre and an upper part 2 moveably mounted above the lower part 1 for movement between a first position wherein said upper part 2 is spaced from the v-groove 5 to permit an optical fibre to be placed therein and a second position wherein said upper part overlies said lower part to clamp said optical fibre into the v-groove 5, wherein at least said portion 4 of said lower part 1 having said v-groove 5 formed therein is formed from a transparent or translucent material, an edge of said portion being illuminated by means of a light source 9 in order to assist placement of an optical fibre in said v-groove. A slicing device having such a clamp is also disclosed.

Description

24 1 6042

CLAMP FOR AN OPTICAL FIBRE FUSION SPLICING APPARATUS

The present invention relates to a clamp for holding an optical fibre and in particular a clamp for holding an optical fibre in an optical fibre fusion splicing apparatus.

The process of joining optical fibres by fusion splicing is well established.

After accurately aligning the ends of the two optical fibres to be joined, a controlled high voltage electric arc is struck across the ends of the optical fibres such that they become partially molten and the ends of the optical fibres are brought together under automatic control so that they fuse together. An example of an apparatus for performing optical fibre fusion splicing is disclosed in GB 2,271,433 A. In known optical fibre fusion splicing devices, the ends of the optical fibres to be joined are mounted in respective clamps each clamp comprising a first part provided with an accurately machined v-groove in which an optical fibre is located, and a second part which is closable against the first part to clamp an optical fibre in the v-groove provided in the first part of the clamp. The clamps are spaced either side of a pair of splicing electrodes and control means are provided to move the clamps towards one another until the free ends abut in the region of the electrodes. Magnifying means are usually provided to enable the user to precisely locate the ends of the optical fibres in the correct position.

Standard optical fibres used for communications are made of clear glass and are approximately 125 microns in diameter and are therefore very difficult to see when loading into the clamps. Fusion splicing devices currently on the market either illuminate the clamps from above or from below. Illumination from above enables the v-groove to be clearly seen but the fibre is still difficult to see because it is clear glass. Illumination from below the clamps enables the operator to see the fibre but it is then difficult to locate the v-groove.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a clamp for holding an optical fibre in an optical fibre splicing device, said clamp including a lower part having a v-groove formed in a portion of an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre and an upper part moveably mounted above the lower part for movement between a first position wherein said upper part is spaced from the v-groove to permit an optical fibre to be placed therein and a second position wherein said upper part overlies said lower part to clamp said optical fibre into the v-groove, wherein at least said portion of said lower part having said v-groove formed therein is formed from a transparent or translucent material, an edge of said portion being illuminated by means of a light source in order to assist placement of an optical fibre in said v-groove.

Preferably said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

In a preferred embodiment said light source comprises an ROB light emitting diode connected to control means whereby the user can vary the colour of the illumination of the clamp to a desired hue.

Preferably said portion of the lower part of the clamp having the vgroove formed therein is formed from a translucent ceramic, such as Pyrex. In a preferred embodiment said portion has a ground or roughened surface finish to provide diffuse illumination of the v-groove.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a fusion splicing apparatus for splicing optical fibres comprising first and second clamps into which can be mounted respective ends of two optical fibres to be joined, a pair of electrodes mounted between said first and second clamps, control means for providing a high voltage across said electrodes to generate an electric arc between the electrodes and means for displacing at least one of said first and second clamps with respect to the other to permit the ends of the optical fibres to be abutted in the region of the electrodes, each of said first and second clamps including a lower part having a v-groove formed in a portion of an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre and an upper part moveably mounted above the lower part for movement between a first position wherein said upper part is spaced from the v-groove to permit an optical fibre to be placed therein and a second position wherein said upper part overlies said lower part to clamp said optical fibre into the v-groove, wherein at least said portion of said lower part having said v- groove formed therein is formed from a transparent or translucent material, an edge of said portion being illuminated by means of a light source in order to assist placement of an optical fibre in said v-groove.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an optical fibre clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention shown in the open position; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the clamp of Fig. 1 with the upper part of the clamp removed; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, the optical fibre clamp according to the invention comprises a lower part 1 and an upper part 2, pivotally connected together by means of a hinge pin 3. A portion 4 of the lower part 2 has a v-groove 5 formed in an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre (not shown).

The upper part 2 of the clamp is pivotally moveable with respect to the lower part 1 between an open position (as shown in Fig. 1), wherein an optical fibre can be placed into the v-groove 5, and a closed position wherein a clamping face 6 of the upper part 2 abuts the v-groove 5 to clamp and hold an optical fibre therein.

The portion 4 of the lower part 2 in which the v-groove 5 is formed is formed (Rho] from a translucent ceramic material, preferably Pyrex, having a roughened or ground surface finish in the region of the v-groove. The portion 4 is received in a corresponding recess 7 in the lower part 1 and is held in place and partially covered by a cover plate 8. An ROB light emitting diode (LED) 9 is located in said recess 7 having electrical connections 10 passing through an aperture in an inner end of the recess 7 communicating with a lower face of the lower part 1 and connected to control means (not shown) such that the LED 9 can illuminate an inner end 11 of the portion 4. The cover plate 8 is formed from a opaque material to shield the LED and prevent unwanted light emissions therefrom and prevent light emission from surface of the portion 4 in regions other than the v-groove 5.

In use, the control means is activated to illuminate the LED 9 whereby the v- groove 5 is diffusely illuminated to assist placement of an optical fibre into the v-groove. The control means be utilised to adjust the colour of the light emitted by the LED 9 to a preferred hue. The roughened surface finish to the portion 4 in the region of the v-groove 5 provides a diffuse illumination of the surface of said portion 4.

Once the optical fibre is in the desired position within the v-groove 5 the upper part 2 of the clamp is closed whereby the clamping face 6 of the upper part abuts the v-groove and the optical fibre located therein to hold the optical fibre in place in the clamp.

In an optical fibre fusion splicing apparatus according to the invention, a pair of clamps as described above in relation to the drawings are provided, one of each side of the fusion electrodes for holding respective ends of two optical fibres to be joined. s

Claims

1. A clamp for holding an optical fibre in an optical fibre slicing device, said clamp including a lower part having a v-groove formed in a portion of an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre and an upper part moveably mounted above the lower part for movement between a first position wherein said upper part is spaced from the v-groove to permit an optical fibre to be placed therein and a second position wherein said upper part overlies said lower part to clamp said optical fibre into the v-groove, wherein at least said portion of said lower part having said v-groove formed therein is formed from a transparent or translucent material, an edge of said portion being illuminated by means of a ilght source in order to assist placement of an optical fibre in said v-groove.

2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

3. A clamp as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light source comprises an ROB light emitting diode connected to control means whereby the user can vary the colour of the illumination of the clamp to a desired hue.

4. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said portion of the lower part of the clamp having the v-groove formed therein is formed from a translucent ceramic.

5. A clamp as claimed in claim 4, wherein said portion has a ground or roughened surface finish to provide diffuse illumination of the v-groove.

6. A clamp for holding an optical fibre in an optical splicing device, substantially as hereinbefore described as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A fusion splicing apparatus for splicing optical fibres comprising first and second clamps into which can be mounted respective ends of two optical fibres to be joined, a pair of electrodes mounted between said first and second clamps, control means for providing a high voltage across said electrodes to generate an electric arc between the electrodes and means for displacing at least one of said first and second clamps with respect to the other to permit the ends of the optical fibres to be abutted in the region of the electrodes, each of said first and second clamps including a lower part having a v-groove formed in a portion of an upper surface thereof for receiving an optical fibre and an upper part moveably mounted above the lower part for movement between a first position wherein said upper part is spaced from the v-groove to permit an optical fibre to be placed therein and a second position wherein said upper part overlies said lower part to clamp said optical fibre into the v-groove, wherein at least said portion of said lower part having said vgroove formed therein is formed from a transparent or translucent material, an edge of said portion being illuminated by means of a light source in order to assist placement of an optical fibre in said v-groove.

8. A fusion splicing apparatus for splicing optical fibres substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.