JP2004354228A - Holder for inspecting optical fiber cutting end face - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate observation by the microscope at the cutting end face of an optical fiber in respect to a holder for inspecting the optical fiber cutting end face attached to the microscope for inspecting the cutting end face of the optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The holder for inspecting the optical fiber cutting end face comprises an attaching part attached to the front of an objective lens of the microscope, an optical cable fixing part arranged and fixed so as to intersect an optical cable 30 including the optical fiber at substantially right angles to an inspection direction from the objective lens, and an opening 212 communicating between the objective lens and an end 32 of the optical fiber. The optical cable fixing part comprises a groove 223 for positioning the optical cable 30, an optical cable push plate 26 supported rotatably around a rotating shaft substantially parallel to the groove 223, a magnet 28 for fixing the optical cable push plate 26 on the optical cable fixing part, and a lever 29 for detaching the optical cable push plate 26 from the magnet 28. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a holder for inspecting an optical fiber cut end surface attached to a microscope for inspecting an optical fiber cut end surface.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, an optical fiber is cut to a predetermined length, and an optical fiber connector for connecting the optical fibers to each other or the optical fiber and the optical transmitting unit or the optical receiving unit is attached to the cut end. Is being done. When installing this optical fiber connector, visually observe the cut end surface of the optical fiber with a microscope and check for any abnormalities that may interfere with normal optical transmission after the optical fiber connector is attached, such as chipping or attachment of foreign matter to the end surface. There is an inspection process. Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe observing a cut end face of the optical fiber.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-60-254103 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-63-113334
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The method of observing the cut end face of the optical fiber disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a method of observing the cut end face from the front. In this case, the edge of the end face of the optical fiber is cut off, It is difficult to find foreign matter attached to the side. Foreign matter adhering to the side surface of the optical fiber may move to the cut end surface of the optical fiber when the optical fiber connector is attached, and it is necessary to find foreign matter on the side surface of the optical fiber.
[0005]
Patent Document 2 describes that a cut end surface of an optical fiber is observed from a side surface of the optical fiber. When the cut end surface of the optical fiber is observed from the side surface, a chipped edge of the cut end surface or a foreign substance attached to the side surface can be easily found. When observing the cut end face of the optical fiber from the side, it is necessary to place the cut end face securely within the field of view of the microscope and to focus the microscope on the cut end face. Accurate positioning is required in both the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the microscope and the optical axis of the microscope. Patent Document 2 only describes that, in this regard, the optical fiber is fixed to a jig and the cut end face is observed with a microscope while rotating the jig. When the optical fiber is fixed to any jig, the above-described positioning is accurately performed. No mention is made as to whether it can be carried out.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an optical fiber cut end surface inspection holder that facilitates observation of a cut end surface of an optical fiber with a microscope.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The holder for cutting end face inspection of the present invention that achieves the above object is a holder for optical fiber cutting end face inspection attached to a microscope for optical fiber cutting end face inspection, and an attaching part attached to the front surface of the objective lens of the microscope, An optical cable fixing section for arranging and fixing an optical cable including an optical fiber so as to be substantially orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens, and an opening communicating between the objective lens and an end of the optical fiber are provided. It is characterized by.
[0008]
The cut end face inspection holder of the present invention has a mounting portion attached to the front surface of the objective lens of the microscope, whereby the position of the optical fiber end face fixed to the cut end face inspection holder in the optical axis direction is determined. become.
[0009]
Further, since the cut end face inspection holder of the present invention includes the above-described optical cable fixing portion, the optical fiber can be accurately arranged and fixed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis.
[0010]
In this way, according to the holder for inspecting the cut end face of the present invention, the cut end face of the optical fiber is easily arranged and fixed in a state where it is accurately positioned, so that efficient observation with a microscope is possible.
[0011]
Further, in the holder for inspecting a cut end face of the present invention, the optical cable fixing portion is rotatably supported around a groove for positioning the optical cable and a rotation axis substantially parallel to the groove. It is preferable that the optical communication device further comprises an optical cable holding plate made of: a magnet for fixing the optical cable holding plate to the optical cable fixing portion; and a lever for detaching the optical cable holding plate from the magnet.
[0012]
When the optical cable fixing portion is configured in this manner, the optical cable can be easily arranged at an accurate position and securely fixed at that position by arranging the optical cable in the groove and pressing the optical cable with the optical cable pressing plate.
[0013]
In addition, the optical cable holding plate fixes the optical cable in a state where it is attracted to the magnet, and is easily detached from the magnet by the lever described above. And its detachment from the optical cable fixing portion becomes easy.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a microscope used for observing a cut end surface of an optical fiber.
[0016]
In this microscope 10, it is fixed to a tripod 13, and an observer's eyes are placed on an eyepiece 11 of the microscope 10, and a cut end surface of an optical fiber (not shown in FIG. 1) is observed.
[0017]
Further, the objective section 12 of the microscope 10 is provided with a holder receiving section 121 to which a cut end face inspection holder of the present embodiment described later is attached. At the center of the holder receiving portion 121, an opening 121a is formed which communicates with an objective lens (not shown) provided inside the microscope 10. A plurality of ball plungers 121b are provided on the inner wall of the opening 121a. A mounting portion of a cutting end surface inspection holder described later is fitted into the opening 121a, and the cutting end surface is formed by engagement of the mounting portion and the ball plunger 121b. Attachment of the inspection holder to the microscope 10 is performed.
[0018]
The microscope 10 is provided with a light source (not shown) for irradiating observation light from the opening 121a toward the object to be observed. By turning on the light source, the light from the light source is reflected by a reflecting plate (not shown) on the objective lens side, and observation is performed using reflected observation light that has reentered the microscope 10 through the opening 121a. Can also be performed.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the microscope also shown in FIG. 1 and a holder for inspecting a cut end face as one embodiment of the present invention, which is fixed to the microscope.
[0020]
As described with reference to FIG. 1, the cut end face inspection holder 20 is attached to the holder receiving portion 121 provided on the objective section 12 of the microscope 10, and the cut end face inspection holder 20 includes the optical cable 30. The tip is fixed.
[0021]
Details of the cut end surface inspection holder 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0022]
3 is a front view showing a holder for inspecting a cut end face as one embodiment of the present invention also shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a view of the holder for inspecting a cut end face shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the holder for inspecting the cut end face shown in FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
[0023]
FIGS. 3 to 5 show the outer shape of the microscope 10 shown in FIG. 1 and the outer shape of the holder receiving portion 121 of the microscope 10 by a two-dot chain line in addition to the cut end surface inspection holder 20.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4, the cut end surface inspection holder 20 is provided with a mounting portion 21 on the back side. The side surface 211 of the mounting portion 21 is a tapered surface whose tip end is widened, and the mounting portion 21 fits into the opening 121a of the holder receiving portion 121 shown in FIG. It is attached to the microscope 10. In the center of the mounting portion 21, a through-opening 212 for observing the cut end face of the optical fiber is formed on the optical axis of the objective lens (not shown) of the microscope 10. The through-opening 212 also penetrates the base 22 as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a long groove 221 in the left-right direction is formed at a position corresponding to the through opening 212 of the base 22, and a positioning plate 23 is slidably fitted in the groove 221 in the left-right direction. , Screws 24 are fixed to the base 22. The positioning plate 23 has an opening 231 that is long in the left-right direction at a position corresponding to the through opening 212, and a screw hole 232 through which the screw 24 penetrates is also formed in a horizontally long shape. It can be loosened and adjusted left and right. At the left end of the positioning plate 23, an abutment plate 25 is integrally provided in an upright state. Although the operation of the abutment plate 25 will be described later, when adjusting the position of the positioning plate 23 in the left-right direction, the abutment plate 25 is moved from the target of the scale 222 while looking at the scale 222 drawn on the base 22. The position of the positioning plate 23 in the left-right direction is adjusted to match the position.
[0025]
5, a V-shaped groove 251 is formed in the center of the abutment plate 25. The V-shaped groove 251 is formed on the base 22 on the left side of the groove 221 and is aligned with the groove 251 of the abutment plate 25 in the left-right direction. A cable groove 223 in which the optical cable 30 (see FIG. 6) is arranged is formed on the line (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 3, the cable groove 223 extends in the left-right direction, and the left and right central portions are formed in a wide groove 223a that is wide and deep in the depth direction. The deep thick groove 223a can receive both the optical cable 30 having a coating and the large-diameter cable (not shown) including the optical cable 30, a buffer (not shown), and a jacket. Below the cable groove 223, a cable holding plate 26 that is rotatable around a rotation axis extending in parallel with the left-right direction in which the cable groove 223 extends is attached. The cable holding plate 26 is made of metal that is attracted to a permanent magnet 28 described below, and has a urethane rubber 26a that presses the optical cable 30 (FIG. 6) in the cable groove 223 when closed. I have. On the right side of the cable holding plate 26, a reflection plate 27 that is rotatable around a rotation axis that also extends in parallel with the cable groove 223 is attached. The cable holding plate 26 serves to hold the optical cable arranged in the cable groove 223. The reflection plate 27 reflects external light to the object to be observed and the through-opening 212, or reflects observation light emitted from the microscope 10 via the through-opening 212 and returns to the inside of the microscope 10 from the through-opening 212. It has a role to send.
[0026]
Further, a permanent magnet 28 is fixed to the upper part of the cable groove 223 of the base 22 shown in FIG. 3, and a lever 29 is provided on the left side thereof. The fixed magnet 28 is for holding the cable holding plate 26 in a closed state by attracting the cable holding plate 26 when the cable holding plate 26 is closed. The lever 29 is rotatably supported around a shaft 291 as shown in FIG. 5. When the cable holding plate 26 is closed and attracted to the permanent magnet 28, the lever 29 is moved to the position shown in FIG. By tilting to the position shown, the cable holding plate 26 is released from the attraction of the permanent magnet 28, and plays a role of opening the cable holding plate 26 to the open state shown in FIG.
[0027]
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state in which the optical cable is arranged on the cut end surface inspection holder.
[0028]
As shown in FIG. 6, the coating of the optical cable 30 is stripped at the distal end, and the optical fiber 31 inside the coating is exposed at the distal end. The tip 32 of the optical fiber 31 is in a cut state. Here, the length of the exposed portion of the optical fiber 31 at the end of the optical cable 30 is predetermined for each product in which the optical fiber connector is attached to the end of the optical fiber. The position of the positioning plate 23 including the abutment plate 25 in the left-right direction is adjusted so that the tip 32 of the optical fiber 31 is located substantially at the center of the through-opening 212 when the optical cable 30 is placed in the fiber groove 223. Is done.
[0029]
The V-shaped groove 251 (see FIG. 5) provided in the abutment plate 25 is set to have such a width that the exposed optical fiber 31 passes and the coating cannot pass through the portion. When arranging the optical cable 30 in the cable groove 223, the bare optical fiber 31 is fitted into the V-shaped groove 251 of the abutment plate 25, and the coated tip of the rear end of the exposed portion is placed in the groove 223. It abuts against the abutment plate 251. By doing so, the exposed distal end 32 of the optical fiber 31 is disposed substantially at the center of the through opening 212.
[0030]
7 and 8 are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing the cut end face inspection holder in a state where the cable pressing plate is closed.
[0031]
When the cable holding plate 26 is closed, as shown in FIG. 8, the cable 30 is fixed in a state of being fitted into the cable groove 223 (see FIG. 9). The observer looks into the microscope 10 in this state, observes the distal end 32 of the optical fiber 31 and the periphery thereof, which are visible in the field of view of the microscope 10, and inspects the state of the distal end and the presence / absence of foreign matter.
[0032]
When the optical cable 30 is removed after the observation is completed, the lever 29 is rotated to open the cable holding plate 26. In this state, the observed optical cable 30 is removed, and the next observation optical cable 30 is similarly arranged in the cable groove 223.
[0033]
FIG. 9 is a front view showing the cut end surface inspection holder in a state where the reflection plate 27 is further closed from the state shown in FIG.
[0034]
When it is observed in the state shown in FIG. 7 that the distal end 32 of the optical fiber 31 and its surroundings are dark, and when it is desired to observe in a brighter state, a light source (not shown) for illumination inside the microscope 10 is used. The light is turned on, and the reflection plate 27 is further closed as shown in FIG. By doing so, the observation light illuminating the distal end 32 of the optical fiber 31 and its surroundings through the through-opening 212 is reflected not only by the optical fiber 31 but also by the reflector 27 and enters the microscope 10, and becomes bright. Observations can be made.
[0035]
According to the holder for inspecting the cut end face of the present embodiment described above, the optical fiber is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the microscope, and the cut end face of the optical fiber is arranged and fixed in a state where it is accurately positioned with respect to the microscope. It is possible to efficiently observe the cut end face of the optical fiber and its peripheral portion, and it is easy to replace the optical fiber.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is easy to observe the cut end surface of the optical fiber with a microscope.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a microscope used for observing a cut end surface of an optical fiber.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cut end surface inspection holder as one embodiment of the present invention fixed to the microscope of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view showing a holder for inspecting a cut end surface as one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the cut end surface inspection holder shown in FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a side view showing the cut end surface inspection holder shown in FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state in which an optical cable is arranged in a cut end surface inspection holder.
FIG. 7 is a front view showing the cut end surface inspection holder in a state where the cable pressing plate is closed.
FIG. 8 is a side view showing a holder for inspecting a cut end surface in a state in which a cable holding plate is closed.
FIG. 9 is a front view showing the cut end surface inspection holder in a state where the reflection plate is further closed from the state shown in FIG. 7;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Microscope 11 Eyepiece part 12 Object part 13 Tripod 121 Holder receiving part 121a Opening 20 Cutting end face inspection holder 21 Mounting part 211 Side surface 212 Through opening 22 Base 221 Groove 222 Scale 223 Cable groove 223a Thick groove 23 Positioning plate 231 Opening 232 Screw hole 24 Screw 25 Butt plate 251 V-shaped groove 26 Cable holding plate 27 Reflector plate 28 Permanent magnet 29 Lever 30 Optical cable 31 Optical fiber 32 Tip

Claims (2)

An optical fiber cut end inspection holder attached to a microscope for optical fiber cut end inspection,
An attachment portion attached to the front surface of the objective lens of the microscope, an optical cable fixing portion for arranging and fixing an optical cable including the optical fiber so as to be substantially orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective lens, and An optical fiber cut end face inspection holder, comprising: an opening communicating between the ends. The optical cable fixing portion includes a groove for positioning the optical cable, an optical cable holding plate that is rotatably supported around a rotation axis substantially parallel to the groove and that is at least partially made of a magnetic material, and the optical cable holding plate. The optical fiber cut end face inspection holder according to claim 1, further comprising a magnet for fixing the optical fiber to the optical cable fixing portion, and a lever for releasing the optical cable pressing plate from the magnet.

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