JP2004145081A - Stripper for ribbon of coated optical fibers - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stripper for a ribbon of coated optical fibers that can easily remove an external coating by decreasing the sticking force between a coated optical fiber and the external coating without flawing the coated optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The coated optical fiber stripper 10 is constituted in a scissors shape wherein a couple of movable pieces 11 are rotatably supported, a coated optical fiber is clamped between grip members 1 fitted to tips 12 of the movable pieces 11, and a gripping projection 4 to be made to abut on the coated optical fiber is projected on the meeting surface 2a of each grip member 1 for the opposite-side grip member 1. While the coated optical fiber is clamped between both the gripping projections 4, the position where the coated optical fiber is gripped between both the gripping projections 4 is moved along the length wide of the coated optical fiber by moving the couple of gripping members 1 and/or the coated optical fiber to decrease the sticking force of the external coating of the coated optical fiber. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon stripping tool used to remove the sheath coating of a coated optical fiber that has been separated from a tape core by a single core.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventionally used tape core T. As shown in FIG. The tape core T has a plurality of (four in the figure) optical fiber cores (optical fibers) 21 in which a single core coating 21b is provided around an optical fiber strand 21a. Reference numeral 21 is collectively covered with an exterior coating 22 (tape coating) formed in close contact with the single-core coating 21b.
[0003]
As a method of exposing the optical fiber 21 by removing the outer sheath 22 of the tape core T, as shown in FIG. 6B, cutting between the optical fibers 21 of the tape core T with a blade or the like. Then, after the coated optical fiber 20 (20A to 20D) is separated into a single core, the coated optical fiber 20 separated as a single core is pinched by a finger or the like, and the outer coating 22 is peeled off and removed to expose the optical fiber 21. There is a way to make it happen.
[0004]
Further, using a tool having a pair of blades arranged opposite to each other, the coated optical fiber 20 is sandwiched by the blades of the tool, and the blade is inserted into the outer sheath 22, and the blade is moved in the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber 20. For example, there is a method of removing the outer covering 22 by moving it along (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 08-292327 A [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-0077806
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the case of the method of stripping the outer sheath 22 with a finger or the like, the coated optical fibers 20B and 20C on the center side of the tape core T are cut and separated on both sides of the coated optical fibers 20B and 20C. The outer covering 22 can be easily peeled off with a finger or the like and removed.
However, since the coated optical fibers 20A and 20D at both ends are cut and separated only on one side of the coated optical fibers 20A and 20D, the adhesive force between the outer coating 22 and the optical fiber 21 is strong, and it is easy for fingers. The optical fiber 21 could not be peeled off, and a bending or bending force was applied to the optical fiber 21 with an excessive force, possibly damaging the optical fiber 21.
[0007]
In the method using a tool having a pair of blades, the optical fiber 21 may be damaged by the blade edge.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an optical fiber ribbon strip that reduces the adhesion between the coating and the optical fiber and can easily remove the coating without damaging the optical fiber. It is an object to provide tools.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention is configured in a scissors shape in which a pair of movable pieces are rotatably supported, and a gripping member attached to a tip of each movable piece by bringing the tips of the movable pieces closer to each other. Between the coated optical fiber,
Provided is an optical fiber ribbon stripping tool in which a gripping projection abutting on the coated optical fiber is protruded from a mating surface of each gripping member with a mating gripping member.
By using such an optical fiber ribbon stripping tool, while holding the coated optical fiber between the holding projections of the holding members on both sides, by moving the pair of holding members and / or the coated optical fiber, By moving the gripping position of the coated optical fiber by the gripping protrusions of the gripping member along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber and squeezing the coated optical fiber, the adhesive force between the sheath coating and the optical fiber in the coated optical fiber is reduced. Therefore, the outer coating can be easily peeled off and removed to expose the optical fiber.
[0010]
In such an optical fiber core strip removing tool, the abutting surface of the gripping projections of the pair of gripping members that abuts on the coated optical fiber, the coated optical fiber sandwiched between the pair of gripping members. It is preferable that a dimension of 1 to 3 mm is secured in the direction along the longitudinal direction.
Further, on the mating surface of one or both of the gripping members, a protruding fiber guide portion that forms a storage area of the coated optical fiber between the gripping members when the gripping members are brought close to each other is provided to protrude. It is preferable that the optical fiber housed in the housing area formed by the fiber guide is sandwiched between the holding projections of the pair of holding members.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an optical fiber ribbon stripping tool of the present invention (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as “coating stripping tool”). 2 (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a right side view, and (e) is a left side view showing a gripping member of the coating removing tool. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where the coated optical fiber is placed on the holding member.
4 and 5 show a state in which the coated optical fiber is sandwiched between the gripping members. FIG. 4 is a perspective view, FIG. 5 (a) is a side view, and FIG. 5 (b) is a front view.
[0012]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a coating removing tool. The cover removing tool 10 includes a pair of movable pieces 11 each having a gripping member 1 attached to a front end 12 of a front end portion 11a (left side in FIG. 1), and a support shaft 13 provided at an intermediate portion 11b of the movable piece 11. It is rotatably supported by the pivotal attachment of, and has a scissors-shaped configuration.
The movable piece 11 has a bent and slender shape, and a grip 14 is provided at a rear end 11c (right side in FIG. 1) opposite to the front end 11a of the movable piece 11.
[0013]
A spring 15 is attached between the movable pieces 11 so as to urge the movable pieces 11 such that the rear ends 11c are separated from each other. The spring 15 urges the rear end portion 11c of the movable piece 11 in a direction of expanding and expanding, and the elastic force of the spring 15 reduces the interval between the gripping members 1 at the distal end 12 of the movable piece. ing.
Here, a torsion coil spring (torsion spring) attached to the movable piece 11 by inserting the support shaft 13 into the coil portion is used as the spring 15. However, the type of the spring 15 is not particularly limited, and a compression coil spring, a thin plate spring, or the like may be used.
[0014]
When the grip 14 is gripped and an operation force is applied to bring the grips 14 closer to each other against the elastic force of the spring 15, the gripping members 1 are separated from each other. Here, when the operating force on the grip 14 is released while the coated optical fiber 20 is inserted between the gripping members 1, the elastic force of the spring 15 reduces the distance between the gripping members 1 at the distal end 12 of the movable piece. The optical fiber 20 is sandwiched and gripped by the gripping member 1.
Here, a recess 16 is formed in the front end 11a of the movable piece 11 at a position where the front ends 11a face each other. Thereby, for example, even when removing the outer coating 22 of the coated optical fiber 20 that is single-core separated from the multi-core optical fiber, when the coated optical fiber 20 is gripped by the gripping member 1, another coated optical fiber 20 is removed. A space that can be inserted is secured between the recesses 16, and the other coated optical fiber 20 is prevented from being pinched by the front end 11 a of the movable piece 11.
[0015]
The elastic force of the spring 15 is such that, when the coated optical fiber 20 is sandwiched by the gripping member 1, the adhesive force between the optical fiber 21 and the outer coating 22 can be applied to the coated optical fiber 20 without damaging the outer coating 22. And a moderate pressure acts to reduce the pressure.
[0016]
The gripping member 1 is made of a material such as plastic and has such a hardness as not to damage the surface of the coated optical fiber 20, and has a gripping member main body 2 having a mating surface 2a and a back surface 2b opposite to the mating surface 2a. A protruding flange 3 is provided.
Although the shape of the gripping member main body 2 is not particularly limited, here, the gripping member main body 2 is specifically in a plate shape.
[0017]
The gripping member 1 is configured such that the two gripping members 1 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the movable piece 11 with respect to the distal end 12 of the movable piece 11 by a shaft 3 b inserted through a mounting hole 3 a formed in the flange 3. It is mounted so that it can rotate freely with its axis. The axis of the shaft 3b is parallel to the axis of the support shaft 13.
[0018]
Further, on the mating surface 2a side of the gripping member main body 2, a gripping projection 4 having a contact surface 4a that is in contact with the coated optical fiber 20 is provided in a protruding manner.
Here, the gripping projection 4 is a ridge extending across the mating surface 2a, and the contact surface 4a has a width W of about 1 to 3 mm.
[0019]
A first fiber guide portion 5a protrudes from the mating surface 2a in a direction in which one end of the gripping protrusion 4 extends, and a first fiber guide portion 5a is provided on the other end of the gripping protrusion 4. The second and third fiber guide portions 5b and 5c are provided on both sides in the extending direction of the gripping projection 4 so as to face the guide portion 5a.
As shown in FIG. 4, these fiber guide portions 5a to 5c bring the coated optical fiber 20 closer to the mating surface 2a and the fiber guide portion 5a when the mating surface 2a side of the gripping member 1 is brought close to the joining direction. 5c so as to be inserted between the holding members 1 around the storage area 6 of the coated optical fiber 20.
[0020]
The gripping member 1 is preferably provided with a positioning member 7 for positioning the gripping members 1 so that the gripping projections 4 of the gripping members 1 are arranged to face each other when the gripping members 1 are joined to each other. Here, the first fiber guide portion 5a of one gripping member 1 is disposed so as to fit between the second and third fiber guide portions 5b and 5c of the other gripping member 1, and the fiber guide portion 5a 5c also serve as the positioning member 7.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2A, the second and third fiber guides 5b and 5c move closer to the center of the mating surface 2a in the axial direction of the shaft 3b (vertical direction in FIG. 2A). , The width (length in the left-right direction of FIG. 2A) is increased, and the width of the storage area 6 is reduced.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the second and third fiber guides 5b and 5c are arranged at the center of the mating surface 2a in the width direction of the gripping member 1 (the left-right direction in FIG. 2B). , The protruding height from the mating surface 2a decreases.
[0022]
Reference numeral 8 denotes a marking, which is formed by embedding a colored piece in a recess provided on the back surface 2b or applying an appropriate paint at an appropriate position on the back surface 2b of the gripping member 1. I have.
As shown in FIG. 2A, two markings 8 are provided at positions facing each other with the gripping projection 4 as a center. As shown in FIG. 2B, the area indicated by the marking 8 is located substantially in the middle of the storage area 6, and the coated optical fiber 20 is inserted into the area to cover the storage area 6. The optical fiber 20 can be stored.
[0023]
Next, an example of a procedure for removing the outer coating 22 of the coated optical fiber 20 using the coating removing tool 10 of FIG. 1 will be described.
First, the coated optical fiber 20 is separated into single fibers by cutting the outer sheath 22 (tape sheath) from the tape core T as shown in FIG. Here, of course, the number of cores of the tape core wire T is not particularly limited.
[0024]
The grip 14 of the coating removing device 10 is gripped to separate the two gripping members 1. Then, the coated optical fiber 20 is inserted into the storage area 6 formed between the two gripping members 1 by a required length from the tip. Since the marking 8 indicating the storage area 6 is formed on the gripping member 1, the coated optical fiber 20 is positioned substantially perpendicular to the gripping projection 4 by using the marking 8 as a marker. be able to.
[0025]
Here, when the operation force on the grip 14 is weakened, the gripping member 1 is urged in a direction approaching by the elastic force of the spring 15 until the contact surface 4 a of the gripping projection 4 contacts the coated optical fiber 20. The distance between the gripping members 1 is reduced. Further, an appropriate pressure is applied to the side surface of the coated optical fiber 20 by the elastic force of the spring 15, so that the coated optical fiber 20 is sandwiched between the holding members 1 in a stable posture.
Regarding the posture of the coated optical fiber 20, the direction in which the coated optical fiber 20 is sandwiched between the gripping protrusions 4 (the vertical direction in FIG. 5A) is the thickness direction of the tape core wire T (the vertical direction in FIG. 6A). Does not necessarily coincide with the above, and other postures rolled around the axis may be used.
[0026]
Next, the gripping position 23 where the contact surface 4a of the gripping projection 4 abuts on the outer coating 22 of the coated optical fiber 20 extends along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber 20 toward the distal end of the coated optical fiber 20. Then, one or both of the coating removing tool 10 and the coated optical fiber 20 are relatively moved.
By such an operation, a shift occurs between the optical fiber 21 and the outer coating 22, and the adhesive force between the optical fiber 21 and the outer coating 22 is weakened.
Normally, the gripping position 23 needs to be moved only once in one direction toward the distal end of the coated optical fiber 20 within a range in which the outer coating 22 is to be removed. If the adhesive force between the optical fiber 21 and the outer coating 22 cannot be sufficiently reduced by one operation, it is effective to repeat the same operation a plurality of times as necessary.
[0027]
Furthermore, the optical fiber 21 is exposed by peeling and removing the outer covering 22 of the portion squeezed by the gripping projections 4 with a finger or the like.
At this time, ironing by the gripping projections 4 may cause a part of the exterior coating 22 to be torn or torn. Therefore, if the exterior coating 22 is peeled from such a point as a starting point, the work is further improved. It will be easier.
As described above, with the use of the coating removing tool 10 of the present embodiment, the outer coating 22 of the coated optical fiber 20 can be easily removed. Since the bending or bending force is not applied to the optical fiber 21 by an excessive force, there is no possibility of damaging the optical fiber 21. In addition, since the gripping projections 4 are not cut into the outer sheath 22, there is no inconvenience that the optical fiber 21 is damaged by the gripping projections 4.
[0028]
As described above, the present invention has been described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to only the embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the gripping member 1 is rotatably connected to the distal end 12 of the movable piece 11 via the shaft 3b, but is not limited to this. The coating removing device 10 may be configured such that the gripping member 1 is fixed to the movable piece 11, or may be configured such that the gripping member 1 is formed integrally with the movable piece 11.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the optical fiber ribbon stripping tool of the present invention is configured in a scissors shape in which a pair of movable pieces are rotatably supported, and by bringing the tips of the movable pieces closer to each other, The coated optical fiber is sandwiched between the gripping members attached to the distal end, and a gripping projection that is in contact with the coated optical fiber is provided on a mating surface of each gripping member with respect to the other gripping member. Since the projections are provided, while the coated optical fiber is sandwiched between the gripping projections of the gripping members on both sides, the pair of gripping members and / or the coated optical fibers are moved to cover the gripping projections of the gripping members on both sides. By moving the gripping position of the optical fiber along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber to reduce the adhesive force of the outer coating on the coated optical fiber, the outer coating is peeled off. Easily be removed.
[0030]
Abutment surfaces of the gripping projections of the pair of gripping members that abut against the coated optical fiber have a dimension of 1 to 3 mm in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber sandwiched between the pair of gripping members. By doing so, the contact pressure applied to the coated optical fiber from the gripping projection can be adjusted to an appropriate size, and when the gripping projection is brought into contact with the coated optical fiber, the gripping projection is Penetration of the coating is prevented. With this, when the coated optical fiber is squeezed with the coating removing tool, the gripping position of the coated optical fiber by the gripping protrusion moves smoothly along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber, and the contact force is reduced. Inconveniences such as damage to the optical fiber concentrated on a specific portion of the fiber are suppressed.
[0031]
On the mating surface of one or both gripping members, a protruding fiber guide portion that forms a storage area for the coated optical fiber between the gripping members when the gripping members are brought close to each other is protrudingly provided. The optical fiber housed in the housing area formed by the portion is sandwiched between the holding projections of the pair of holding members.
This allows the coated optical fiber to be guided by the fiber guide portion when or after the coated optical fiber is sandwiched between the gripping members. Inconveniences such as protruding are suppressed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing an optical fiber ribbon stripping tool of the present invention.
2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a front view, FIG. 2C is a bottom view, FIG. 2D is a right side view, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where a coated optical fiber is placed on a gripping member.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where a coated optical fiber is sandwiched between gripping members.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are a side view and a front view, respectively, showing a state where a coated optical fiber is sandwiched between gripping members.
FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a tape core. (B) It is a perspective view which shows an example of a coated optical fiber.
[Explanation of symbols]
T: tape core wire, 1 ... gripping member, 2 ... gripping member main body, 2a ... mating surface, 3 ... flange, 4 ... gripping projection, 4a ... contact surface, 5a to 5c ... fiber guide portion, 6 ... storage area , 8 ... marking, 10 ... optical fiber core wire tape coating removal tool (coating removal tool), 11 ... movable piece, 12 ... movable piece tip, 13 ... support shaft, 14 ... grip, 15 ... spring, 16 ... recess, 20, 20A to 20D: coated optical fiber, 21: optical fiber, 21a: optical fiber wire, 21b: single-core coating, 22: exterior coating, 23: gripping position.

Claims (3)

An optical fiber core strip removing tool used for removing an outer sheath (22) of a coated optical fiber (20) which is separated from a tape core (T) by a single core,
A pair of movable pieces (11) is rotatably supported, and is configured in a scissors shape. By bringing the tips (12) of the movable pieces closer to each other, the gripping members (1) attached to the tips of the movable pieces are moved. The coated optical fiber is sandwiched between
On the mating surface (2a) of each gripping member with respect to the gripping member on the other side, a gripping projection (4) to be brought into contact with the coated optical fiber is provided so as to project between the gripping projections of the gripping members on both sides. By moving the pair of gripping members and / or the coated optical fiber while holding the coated optical fiber therebetween, the gripping position (23) of the coated optical fiber by the gripping protrusions of the gripping members on both sides is set in the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber. An optical fiber ribbon stripping tool (10), which is adapted to reduce the adhesive force of the sheath coating on the coated optical fiber by moving along the coated optical fiber. An abutment surface (4a) of the gripping projection of the pair of gripping members that abuts on the coated optical fiber has a length of 1 to 3 mm in a direction along the longitudinal direction of the coated optical fiber sandwiched between the pair of gripping members. The optical fiber ribbon stripping tool according to claim 1, wherein dimensions are secured. Protruding fiber guide portions (5a to 5c) are formed on the mating surface of one or both of the gripping members to form a storage area for the coated optical fiber between the gripping members when the gripping members are brought close to each other. The optical fiber housed in the housing area (6) formed by the fiber guide portion is sandwiched between holding projections of a pair of holding members. Or the optical fiber core tape covering removal tool according to item 2.

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