JP2006235199A - Optical fiber holder and fusion splicing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber holder and a fusion splicing machine which can surely fix an optical fiber in a long groove part of the optical fiber holder, relieve splicing loss, attain sure fusion splicing and enhance the work efficiency of a worker performing the fusion splicing when performing the fusion splicing of the optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The optical fiber holder holds the optical fiber and has a base part having the long groove part in which the optical fiber is stored and a lid part provided to the base part and which presses the optical fiber and the long groove part has a groove part whose cross section becomes the shape of at least two V characters. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a detachable optical fiber holder and a fusion splicer used when fusing optical fibers.

  In recent years, Internet services using FTTH (Fiber To The Home) and the like are increasing. FTTH realizes a high-speed digital communication network by laying optical fibers up to each home. Therefore, with the increase in FTTH, various works related to optical fibers are being carried out.

  The construction work related to the optical fiber includes a construction work for connecting the optical fibers and a construction work for cutting the optical fiber. The worker directly touches the optical fiber and performs the construction work. On the other hand, when performing such construction work, the worker gives guidance to the user to temporarily stop the optical communication of each home using the Internet, etc., and during that time, the optical fiber construction work mentioned above It is carried out. Therefore, the worker is required to perform a quick work.

  In addition, when performing construction work related to optical fibers, accuracy is also required. For example, when optical fibers are connected to each other, if there is a factor such as axial misalignment or bending at the connected portion, optical communication flowing in the optical fiber causes a loss of optical energy at the connected portion, and the optical signal is accurately The problem of not being transmitted arises.

  Therefore, as a method of connecting the optical fiber, the connecting portion of the optical fiber to be connected is discharged and melted by an electrode, and both ends of the optical fiber are connected in a softened state, and then bonded by performing cooling. A connection method is known. And when performing these fusion splicing, the fusion splicer etc. which are shown, for example in patent document 1 are utilized.

  In the fusion splicer shown in Patent Document 1, optical fibers to be connected are accommodated in optical fiber holders, and these optical fiber holders are placed on a fixing base called a holder base and fixed. The operator closes the lid, operates the operation unit, and fuses and connects the optical fibers.

The optical fiber holder described above has, for example, the configuration shown in Patent Document 2 and FIG. FIG. 5 shows a right side view of a conventional optical fiber holder. An optical fiber holder 25 shown in FIG. 5 includes a base part 28 having a concave long groove part 30 and a lid part 27 attached to the base part 28 by a pivot 31. The lid portion 27 opens and closes around the pivot 31. In the optical fiber holder 25 shown in FIG. 5, the lid portion 27 indicated by a solid line indicates a closed state, and the lid portion 27 indicated by a broken line indicates an opened state. Show. In addition, two core wires 29 are accommodated in the concave long groove portion 30.
JP 2004-184543 A Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-101707

  However, in the above-described optical fiber holder 25 shown in FIG. 5, the two core wires 29 accommodated in the concave long groove portion 30 have a gap between the core wires 29 or between the core wire 29 and the wall surface of the long groove portion 30. Exists. Therefore, when the optical fiber is fusion-bonded, it is not fixed because of the gap, and if fusion-bonding is performed in this state, an axis deviation or the like occurs in the fusion-bonded optical fiber. As a result, there is a problem in that light energy is lost near the connection portion and the optical signal cannot be transmitted accurately.

  In order to avoid the above-described problems, an optical fiber holder having a long groove portion 30 corresponding to the thickness of the core wire is also conceivable. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to fuse and connect the core wires with an adhesive or the like. However, in the former case, the optical fiber holder is exchanged for each thickness of the core wire, and in the latter case, the number of work steps is increased. is there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and when the optical fiber is fusion-spliced, the optical fiber is securely fixed in the long groove portion, so that the fusion splicing can be performed more reliably than before, and the work Provide an optical fiber holder with high work efficiency.

  A first aspect of the optical fiber holder of the present invention is an optical fiber holder that holds an optical fiber, and includes a base part having a long groove part in which the optical fiber is accommodated, and the base part, and presses the optical fiber. And a cross section of the long groove portion is at least two V-shaped groove portions.

  According to this aspect, when the optical fibers are fusion-spliced, the core wire is accommodated in the long groove portion, and further, the core wire can be securely gripped by closing the lid portion. Furthermore, since the core wire is housed and fixed in the V-shaped long groove portion, it becomes possible to perform fusion splicing in a stable state.

  The second aspect of the optical fiber holder of the present invention is characterized in that when a plurality of optical fibers are accommodated in the long groove portion, the bottom surface of the closed lid portion and the upper surface of the base portion are substantially parallel. .

  According to this aspect, the lid can be pressed against the core wire with the same force, the core wire is reliably accommodated in the long groove portion, and the stability is increased as compared with the prior art.

  A third aspect of the optical fiber holder of the present invention is characterized in that the base portion has a groove portion that accommodates a fixture that bundles the core wires.

  According to this aspect, when a fixing tool for bundling them to the core wire is attached, the fixing tool can be accommodated in the groove portion, and the disadvantage that the lid portion cannot be closed depending on the size of the fixing tool is solved.

  According to a fourth aspect of the optical fiber holder of the present invention, magnets are provided on the bottom surface of the lid portion and the upper surface of the base portion.

  According to this aspect, the lid portion and the base portion are magnetized, and the core wire is separated from the optical fiber holder.

  A fifth aspect of the optical fiber holder of the present invention is characterized in that the above-described optical fiber holder is detachable from the fusion splicer.

  A first aspect of the fusion splicer of the present invention is a fusion splicer that performs fusion splicing of optical fibers, and includes two holder fixing bases to which the above-described optical fiber holder is fixed, and a holder fixing base. It is a fusion splicer having a fusion splicing part including two discharge electrode parts disposed between, a base stage including the splicing splicing part, and an operation part for performing a fusion splicing operation.

  With the optical fiber holder of the present invention, the core wire is reliably accommodated in the long groove portion, and the stability of the core wire at the time of fusion splicing increases. That is, when fusion splicing is performed, connection loss such as misalignment between optical fibers is greatly reduced, and loss of light energy in optical communication is reduced. Therefore, stable optical communication is possible. Furthermore, by providing at least two V-shaped long grooves, the number of core wires can be one or two or more, and the working efficiency is higher than in the prior art. In addition, since the fusion splicer of the present invention fixes the optical fiber holder in which the cross section of the long groove portion is at least two V-shaped grooves, the stability of the core wire at the time of fusion splicing increases as described above. In addition, work efficiency is improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing how the optical fiber holder of the present invention is arranged in a fusion splicer. The optical fiber fusion machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an operation unit 23 and a base table 19. In the base stand 19, holder fixing bases 21 are disposed at both ends thereof, and further, a fusion splicing portion 13 is disposed between both of the holder fixing bases 21. The fusion splicing portion 13 is provided with two opposing discharge electrodes 15.

  An optical fiber holder 3 is detachably installed on each holder fixing base 21. Each optical fiber holder 3 accommodates a core wire 7. Before the optical fiber 7 is accommodated in the optical fiber holder 3, the coating on one end thereof is removed to a predetermined length as a pretreatment, and the optical fiber 11 is exposed. The exposed optical fiber 11 is cut into a length of approximately 3 mm to 10 mm and then accommodated in the optical fiber holder 3.

  When the optical fiber 7 is accommodated in the optical fiber holder 3, the optical fiber 11 and the optical fiber 7 are accommodated so that the boundary between the optical fiber 11 and the optical fiber 7 is arranged at the tip of the long groove portion 14 of the optical fiber holder 3. When the core wire 7 is accommodated in the optical fiber holder 3, the core wire 7 is confined by the lid 5. When the optical fiber holder 3 is disposed on the holder fixing base 21, the respective optical fibers 11 are disposed so as to face each other on the fusion splicing portion 13.

  When the optical fiber holder 3 in which the core wire 7 is set is installed on the holder fixing base 21, the operator operates the operation unit 20 to start fusion splicing. In the fusion splicing, the optical fibers 11 that are one end portions of the two core wires 7 to be connected are faced to each other on the processing unit 13, heated by the dielectric electrode 15, and when the optical fibers 11 are melted, the optical fibers 11 are joined together. It is connected by stopping heating and cooling.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of the optical fiber holder of the present invention. The optical fiber holder 3 shown in FIG. 2 includes a base part 10 and a lid part 5 attached to the base part 10 via a pivot 16. The upper surface 18 of the base part 10 includes a long groove part 14 in which the core wire 7 is accommodated in the longitudinal direction, and a groove part 6 in which a fixture 17 used for bundling optical fibers is accommodated. The long groove part 14 is comprised from two V-shaped grooves, and the core wire 7 is accommodated with respect to each groove | channel. In addition, as for the core wire 7 shown in FIG. 2, the coating | coated of the one end part is removed and the optical fiber 11 is exposed.

  A magnet 8 is disposed on the upper surface 18 of the base portion 10. This is because the lid 5 is magnetically attached to the upper surface 18 by a magnet when the lid 5 is closed. The magnet 8 may be disposed on the lid 5 and joined to the upper surface 18.

  FIG. 3 is a right side view schematically showing the optical fiber holder of the present invention. The optical fiber holder 3 shown in FIG. 3 includes a base portion 10 having a long groove portion 14 and a lid portion 5 attached to the base portion 10 by a pivot 16. The lid 5 opens and closes around the pivot 16. In the optical fiber holder 3 shown in FIG. 3, the lid portion 5 indicated by a solid line indicates a closed state, and the lid portion 5 indicated by a broken line indicates an opened state. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to each part of the optical fiber holder shown by FIG. 2, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The long groove part 14 shown in FIG. 3 is comprised from two V-shaped groove | channels, and the two core wires 7 are accommodated one by one in each groove | channel. Each core wire 7 is accommodated in contact with the wall surface of the V-shaped groove at two points. Therefore, by making the long groove portion 14 V-shaped, the core wire 7 at the time of fusion splicing is fixed more securely than the conventional concave long groove portion, and the work of optical fiber fusion splicing is performed in a more stable state than before. It can be carried out.

  The bottom surface 12 of the lid 5 is configured to be pressed uniformly against the two core wires 7 accommodated in the long groove portion 14. That is, when the thickness of the covering of the core wire 7 on the side close to the pivot 16 of the two core wires 7 is thicker than the depth of the groove of the long groove portion 14, even if the lid portion 5 is closed, the lid portion 5 is only in contact with the sheath of the core 7 on the side close to the pivot 16 and cannot touch the sheath of the core 7 on the side far from the pivot 16. Therefore, the core wire 7 on the side far from the pivot 16 is housed in an unstable state with respect to the groove, and there is a possibility that an axis deviation or the like occurs when the optical fiber is fusion-bonded.

  Therefore, the configuration of the lid portion 5 of the optical fiber holder 3 of the present invention is the configuration of the lid portion 5 having a bottom surface 12 that is parallel to the upper surface of the base portion 12 when the lid portion 5 is in a closed state. Therefore, both the two core wires 7 are securely fixed to the long groove portion 14, and the fusion-splicing of the optical fibers is reliably performed.

  In FIG. 3, the number of the V-shaped long groove portions 14 is two. However, at least two V-shaped long groove portions 14 are sufficient, and the number of the long groove portions 14 can be increased by increasing the number of the core wires 7.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the optical fiber holder of the present invention. The optical fiber holder 3 shown in FIG. 4 includes a base part 10 and a lid part 5 attached to the base part 10 via a pivot 16. The upper surface 18 of the base portion 10 includes a long groove portion 14 in which the optical fiber 11 is accommodated in the longitudinal direction, and a groove portion 6 in which a fixture (not shown) used for bundling the optical fibers is accommodated. The long groove part 14 is comprised from two V-shaped grooves, and the one core wire 7 is accommodated with respect to one groove | channel. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to each part of the optical fiber holder shown by FIG. 2, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the optical fiber holder 3 according to the present invention can accommodate one optical fiber 7 in the long groove portion 14 and perform fusion splicing of the optical fiber 11. That is, it is possible not only to use it for at least two core wires 7 but also to fuse and connect the optical fibers 11 of one core wire 7. In this case, the groove into which the core wire 7 is inserted may be accommodated in the groove on the side closer to the pivot 16 or may be accommodated in the groove on the side farther from the pivot 16.

  Thereby, in the conventional optical fiber holder having a concave long groove, the problem of the fusion splicing performed in an unstable state of the core wire is solved, and the core wire is accommodated by accommodating the core wire in the V-shaped groove. There is no gap between the wall surface of the groove, the core wire is stable, and reliable fusion connection can be performed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the embodiment in which one lid portion 5 is attached to the optical fiber holder 3 has been described. However, the lid portion 5 is further installed on the side having the groove portion 6 in which the fixture 17 is accommodated. May be.

  Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

  With the optical fiber holder of the present invention, the stability of the optical fiber with respect to the optical fiber holder is increased, and the optical fiber can be fusion-bonded more reliably than before. Therefore, the connection loss that occurs when performing the fusion splicing can be reduced, and stable transmission of optical communication can be supplied. Therefore, the industrial applicability is high.

It is a perspective view which shows a fusion splicer typically. It is a perspective view which shows typically the optical fiber holder of this invention. It is a right view which shows typically the optical fiber holder of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows typically the optical fiber holder of this invention. It is a right view which shows the conventional optical fiber holder typically.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, Fusion splicer 3, 25 Optical fiber holder 5, 27 Cover part 6 Groove part 7, 29 Core wire 8, Magnet 10, 28 Base part 11, Optical fiber 12, Bottom face 13, Fusion splicing part 14, 30 Long groove part 15, discharge electrodes 16, 31 pivot 17, fixture 18 upper surface 19, base table 21, holder table 23, operation unit

Claims (6)

An optical fiber holder for holding an optical fiber,
A base part having a long groove part for accommodating the optical fiber;
A lid portion that is provided in the base portion and presses the optical fiber;
An optical fiber holder in which the cross section of the long groove is at least two V-shaped grooves.   2. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein when the plurality of optical fibers are accommodated in the long groove portion, the bottom surface of the closed lid portion and the upper surface of the base portion are substantially parallel. holder.   The optical fiber holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the base part has a groove part for accommodating a fixture for bundling the optical fibers.   The optical fiber holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein magnets are provided on a bottom surface of the lid portion and an upper surface of the base portion.   5. The optical fiber holder according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber holder is detachable from the fusion splicer. A fusion splicer for performing fusion splicing of optical fibers,
Two holder fixing bases to which the optical fiber holder is fixed according to claim 1;
A fusion splicing part provided between the holder fixing bases and provided with two opposing discharge electrode parts;
Including a base stand,
An operation unit for performing fusion splicing operation;
A fusion splicer.

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