JP2006215268A - Reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem wherein a conventional reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus is substantially difficult to be operated with a single hand because a clamp part is closed when directed to a vertical direction, thus the clamp must be opened with a single hand and an optical fiber is set with the other hand when the connected part of the optical fiber is set in the reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A closing-prevention mechanism 60 composed of a magnet 62 imbedded on the back face 26A of the clamp part 26 and a metal plate 64, prevents the unintentional closing of the clamp part 26 even when the reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus 20 is directed to a vertical state, thus the job to set the connected part of the optical fiber to the reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus is made easier. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a reinforcing sleeve heating device used for reinforcing an optical fiber connecting portion.

  In general, the optical fiber connecting portion is reinforced by a reinforcing sleeve composed of a reinforcing member (formed of a metal rod or a plastic rod) and a heat-shrinkable tube.

  In order to attach the reinforcing sleeve to the optical fiber connecting portion, a reinforcing sleeve heating device is used.

  The reinforcing sleeve heating device includes a heating unit, and the heat-shrinkable tube is contracted by the heating unit. The heat-shrinkable tube can be shrunk in a state where it covers both the optical fiber connecting portion and the reinforcing member disposed along the optical fiber connecting portion.

The reinforcing sleeve heating device is used after the optical fibers are connected to each other. In order to connect the optical fibers, a fusion splicer is generally used.

  Various structures have been proposed as fusion splicers, and for example, there is one described in Patent Document 1. The fusion splicer includes a main body having a display unit and the like, a fusion splicing unit having a set of discharge electrodes and the like, and a monitor mechanism for monitoring the end of the optical fiber. The fusion splicer is formed so that the main body can be held in the hand.

  Such a fusion splicer is small and light, so it is easy for an operator who has entered a work bucket supported at the boom tip of an aerial work vehicle to hold it with one hand or hang it from the neck. There is an advantage that it can be handled.

  After forming the optical fiber connection part by fusing the optical fibers together using the fusion splicer, the optical fiber connection part is installed in a reinforcing sleeve heating device to reinforce the optical fiber connection part. However, in order to efficiently perform the fusion splicing operation of the optical fiber and the reinforcing operation of the optical fiber connection portion, the fusion splicer integrated with the heating splicer and the reinforcing sleeve heating device is integrated. A machine has been proposed.

  FIG. 6 is a heating device-integrated fusion splicer in which a fusion splicer and a reinforcing sleeve heating device are integrated. In FIG. 6, 10 is a fusion splicer, and 20 is a reinforcing sleeve heating device. The reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 is disposed on the upper part of the fusion splicer 10 and is integrated with the fusion splicer 10. The reinforcing sleeve heating apparatus 20 includes a heating unit 22, a temperature control unit 24, and clamp units 26 provided on both sides of the heating unit 22. The fusion splicer 10 has the same structure as the fusion splicer described in Reference 1.

JP 2004-184543 A

  By the way, the heating apparatus-integrated fusion splicer having the above-described configuration may be used not only in a horizontally oriented state but also in a vertically oriented state, and various operations with one hand. May be made.

  As described above, when used in a state where it is oriented in the vertical direction, the conventional reinforcing sleeve heating device has a problem that the clamp portion is closed (FIG. 6 shows a state where the clamp portion 26 is closed). ing). That is, since the clamp portion is configured to be rotatable, there is a problem in that the clamp sleeve rotates and closes when the reinforcing sleeve heating device is directed in the vertical direction. Thus, if the clamp part is closed, when setting the optical fiber connection part to the reinforcing sleeve heating device, the clamp part must be opened and set, and the operation is troublesome. there were. In particular, it may be necessary to operate the reinforcing sleeve heating device with one hand, but if the clamp part closes, the clamp part must be opened with one hand and the optical fiber must be set with the other hand. There was a problem that the work became practically difficult.

  The present invention provides a reinforcing sleeve heating device that solves the above-mentioned problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is a reinforcing sleeve heating device having a clamp portion for positioning an optical fiber connection portion at a predetermined position. The clamp portion includes a close prevention mechanism that maintains an open state unless a closing operation is performed.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the closing prevention mechanism uses a magnet.

  The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that it is integrated with a fusion splicer for fusion splicing of optical fibers.

  The invention as set forth in claim 4 is the reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 3, wherein the fusion splicer can be held in the hand.

  The present invention has the following effects.

  When the clamp portion is provided with a close prevention mechanism that maintains an open state as long as the closing operation is not performed as in the reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 1, the reinforcing sleeve heating device is positioned vertically in use. Even if it makes it, a clamp part does not close. Therefore, the operation of setting the optical fiber connecting portion in the reinforcing sleeve heating device can be easily performed with one hand.

  Further, when the closing prevention mechanism is configured using a magnet as in the reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 2, it is possible to easily maintain the clamp portion open and to easily close the clamp. be able to.

  Further, as in the reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 3, by being integrated with the fusion splicer, the fusion splicing operation of the optical fiber and the reinforcing sleeve heating operation can be performed efficiently.

  Further, as in the reinforcing sleeve heating device according to the fourth aspect, when the fusion splicer is formed so as to be held in the hand, there is an effect that the handling becomes easy.

The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 is an explanatory view of a reinforcing sleeve heating device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view, FIG. 3 is a plan view in a state where a clamp portion is opened, FIG. 4 is a plan view in a state where the clamp portion is closed, FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view of a state in which it is integrated with a fusion splicer.

  The reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 includes a heating unit 22, a temperature control unit 24, and a clamp unit 26.

  The heating unit 22 includes a heater (not shown) and a lid 23. The temperature of the heater is controlled by the temperature control unit 24.

  Clamp parts 26 are provided on both sides of the heating part 22. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the clamp portion 26 is for positioning the optical fiber connection portion 50 and the reinforcing sleeve 52 covering the optical fiber connection portion 50 at a predetermined position, and is configured to be rotatable. The optical fibers 80 positioned on both sides of the optical fiber connecting portion 50 are gripped and fixed.

  The above-described configuration is the same as the conventional one, but the feature of the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 according to the present invention is that the clamp portion 26 is provided with a close prevention mechanism 60 that maintains an open state unless the closing operation is performed. It is in the point given.

As shown in FIG. 1, the closing prevention mechanism 60 includes a magnet 62 embedded in the rear surface 26 </ b> A of the clamp portion 26 and a metal plate 64 that attracts the magnet 62. The metal plate 64 is attached to the rear surface 26A of the clamp portion 26 so that the clamp portion 26 can be kept open when the magnet 62 is attracted thereto. The metal plate 64 in the embodiment is provided integrally with the plate-shaped metal connector 61 on both sides of the plate-shaped metal connector 61, and by attaching the plate-shaped metal connector 61 to the back of the heating unit 22, When the clamp part 26 is opened, the magnet 62 embedded in the rear surface 26A of the clamp part 26 comes into contact.
Therefore, in a state where the magnet 62 is attracted to the metal plate 64, the clamp portion 26 can be kept open even if the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 is directed to the vertical state.

  The clamp part 26 is provided with a rotation claw (not shown), and when the optical fiber connection part is set to the heating part 22, the clamp part 26 is rotated by pushing down the rotation claw with the optical fiber. The optical fiber 80 can be gripped and fixed by the clamp portion 26. As described above, the magnet 62 of the closing prevention mechanism 60 does not move away from the metal plate 64 even when the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 is oriented in the vertical state, but the operation of closing the clamp portion 26, that is, the rotation claw with the optical fiber. It is separated from the metal plate 64 by the pushing operation.

  In addition, since the lid | cover 23 provided in the heating part 22 is comprised so that it may open and close with the clamp part 26, when the clamp part 26 is open, it will open together, and an optical fiber connection part will be heated. There is no problem when setting the unit 22. However, in the case where the lid does not open and close in conjunction with the clamp part and it becomes an obstacle when the optical fiber connection part 50 is installed in the heating part 22, the lid 23 is provided with a close prevention mechanism 60 similar to the clamp part 26. It is necessary to keep.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 as described above is used integrally with the fusion splicer 10. In this way, the heating device-integrated fusion splicer in which the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 and the fusion splicer 10 are integrated may be used in a state of being oriented in the vertical direction or the like. The clamp part 26 is kept open by the closing prevention mechanism 60. The fusion splicer 10 has the same configuration as that described in Reference Document 1.

  In order to form the optical fiber connection portion with the above-described heating apparatus-integrated fusion splicer, the following process is performed. First, the optical fibers are connected by the fusion splicer 10 to form an optical fiber connection portion. Next, the optical fiber connection portion is taken out from the fusion splicer 10, and the optical fiber connection portion is set in the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20. At this time, even if the heating device-integrated fusion splicer is oriented in the vertical direction, the clamp portion 26 of the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 is opened by the action of the closing prevention mechanism 60, so that the optical fiber connecting portion is connected to the reinforcing sleeve. It can be easily set in the heating device 20 with one hand.

  Finally, the heat-shrinkable tube, which is a component of the reinforcing sleeve, is heated and shrunk by the reinforcing sleeve heating device 20.

  As shown in Reference Document 1, since the cover provided on the front surface of the fusion splicer 10 is generally opened downward, the heating device-integrated fusion splicer is oriented in the vertical direction. Even when the optical fiber connection portion is removed from the fusion splicer 10, it does not get in the way.

  As the closing prevention mechanism 60, in addition to using a magnet, a hook mechanism for locking the clamp portion to the hook member is used, and the clamp member and the shaft are arranged so that the clamp portion does not freely rotate around the shaft. Any mechanism such as the use of a friction mechanism that increases the friction can be used.

  The reinforcing sleeve heating device 20 according to the present invention can be used in a state where it is not integrated with the fusion splicer.

Explanatory drawing of the reinforcement sleeve heating device concerning the present invention, A perspective view of the present invention, A plan view with the clamp part open, A plan view with the clamp part closed, The side view of the state which integrated the reinforcement sleeve heating device concerning the present invention into the fusion splicer, The side view of the state which integrated the reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus with the fusion splicer.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Fusion splicer 20 Reinforcement sleeve heating apparatus 22 Heating part 24 Temperature control part 26 Clamp part 50 Optical fiber connection part 60 Closure prevention mechanism 62 Magnet 64 Metal plate

Claims (4)

  In the reinforcing sleeve heating device provided with a clamp portion for positioning the optical fiber connection portion at a predetermined position, the clamp portion has a close prevention mechanism that keeps the open state unless the closing operation is performed. Reinforcing sleeve heating device.   The reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 1, wherein the closing prevention mechanism uses a magnet.   3. The reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing sleeve heating device is integrated with a fusion splicer for fusion splicing of optical fibers.   4. The reinforcing sleeve heating device according to claim 3, wherein the fusion splicer can be held in the hand.

Images