JP2590060B2 - Automatic connection method of multi-core optical fiber - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a multi-core optical fiber in which each step is continuously performed in fusion splicing of a multi-core optical fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers are integrated in a plane. The present invention relates to a method for automatically connecting fiber cores.

(Prior Art and Problems to be Solved) For permanent connection of optical fibers, a fusion splicing method has been put to practical use as a highly reliable technique.

In this method, the reinforcing layer at the end of the optical fiber is removed using a coating remover, the end face of the exposed optical fiber is formed into a right-angle mirror surface using an optical fiber cutter, and then the optical fiber is spliced. And then re-strengthening by using an optical fiber heating and reinforcing device.

However, it is difficult to stably realize a high-quality connection with low loss and high strength after reinforcement, because many tools and devices are used in the above method, and each process depends on the skill of an operator. there were.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and provides an automatic connection method of a multi-core optical fiber cable in which each step in the fusion splicing is continuously and fully automated. The feature is that the left and right optical fiber clamp unit, the left and right terminal processing unit, the fusion splicing unit and the reinforcing unit are arranged on the base plate, and the control unit is arranged under the base plate. The terminal part of the multi-core optical fiber core, which is rotatable horizontally with respect to the base plate and is clamped by the core supply device by the rotation, is transported to a terminal processing position, a fusion splicing and reinforcing position, and the terminal At the processing position, the terminal processing unit removes the coating of the terminal portion of the multi-core optical fiber and cuts the stripped bare optical fiber, and performs the fusion splicing and reinforcing position. Then, the bare optical fiber whose coating has been removed is aligned with a V-groove with an alignment guide, the ends of the bare optical fibers are butted by the fusion splicing unit, and fusion splicing is performed. Is to perform continuous reinforcement.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of an automatic connection device for implementing the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit of the device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an operation process of the device of FIG. FIG. 4 shows a plan view showing directions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic connection device for implementing the method of the present invention comprises a left and right optical fiber core clamp unit (2).
(3) The left and right terminal processing units (4) and (5), the fusion splicing unit (6) and the reinforcing unit (7) are arranged on the base plate (1), and under the base (1). Second
A control unit (8) shown in the figure is arranged.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the right and left optical fiber core clamp units (2) and (3) are moved to the position A (core supply) by their respective core movement mechanisms (2a) and (3a). Position), a position B (terminal processing position) and a position C (fusion splicing and reinforcing position), and at the position C, it is also movably provided in the left-right direction in the figure. The left and right terminal processing units (4) and (5) and the reinforcing head (7) are provided so as to be movable in the directions of the arrows in the figure.

Next, an automatic connection method of the present invention using the above-described automatic connection device will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of all steps of the automatic connection method of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a terminal forming step, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a connection reinforcing step.

Prior to the start of the automatic connection device, the optical fiber core and the reinforcing material are set in the optical fiber core clamp units (2) and (3) and the reinforcing unit (7), respectively.

The above-mentioned clamp units (2) and (3) for optical fiber cores
Set to the optical fiber core clamp unit (2)
(3) is positioned at the position A, and then the units (2) and (3) are positioned at the position B, and the terminal processing units (4) and (5) are connected to the optical fiber core clamp units (2) and (3). ), And the terminal processing of the optical fiber is performed.

As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the terminal treatment of the optical fiber core is performed by using a nichrome wire heater, a hot air heater, or the like while the base of the end of the optical fiber core (11) is clamped by the clamp (13). The optical fiber core (1
Preheat the coated part of 1) so that the coating can be removed easily, and then hold the tip of the optical fiber core (11) with the clamp (14) and cover the optical fiber (11). Insert the coating removal blade (16) into the part (b). Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the sheath removing blade (16) and the tip clamp (14) are moved in the direction of the arrow to expose the bare optical fiber (12). At this time, the sheath is not completely removed, but a part of the bare optical fiber (12) is exposed, and the optical fiber core (11) is still clamped at the root side and the tip side.

In this state, the cutting head (17) is raised and brought into contact with the exposed bare optical fiber (12) as shown in FIG. 5 (d) to apply a weak tension to the bare optical fiber (12). Lower the wound blade (18) to the point where the bare optical fiber (1
The wound blade (18) rises again by giving an initial scratch to 2), and then the cutting head (17) is further raised to cut the bare optical fiber (12) as shown in FIG.

The remaining optical fibers cut at the same time are discarded. In the previous section, there are two reasons why the coating is not completely removed but partly left. One is that the waste after cutting does not fall apart and is easy to dispose because it is integrated.
First, by applying a weak tension to the optical fiber at the time of cutting, slack is eliminated and irregular cutting is suppressed. (If the irregularities are large, the gaps between the opposing optical fibers become uneven, and the loss in fusion splicing increases.) The bare optical fiber (12) cut in this manner is adjusted using a V-groove with alignment guide. Connection and reinforcement are performed by centering the axes, but in this case, the left and right terminal processing units (4) (5)
Retreats in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and at the same time, the optical fiber core clamp units (2) and (3) move to the position C.

As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the movable base on which the V-groove (19) and the electrode rod are arranged is raised or the optical fiber core clamp unit is lowered with respect to the opposing bare optical fibers (12). Then, the bare optical fiber (12) is aligned with the alignment guide by the alignment guide of the V-groove (19), and then the clamp (13) is advanced in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. The opposite end faces of the bare optical fiber (12) are fusion-spliced with a butt electrode rod.

At this time, a hole (19a) is made in the center vertical direction of the V-groove (19), a light source for transmitted illumination is installed above, and a small TV camera (20) for observing the optical fiber butt state is installed below, The camera (20) observes the end face spacing, axis deviation, and end face state of the optical fiber (12), and determines whether or not connection is possible, setting the end face spacing before discharge, the amount of pushing in during discharge, appearance inspection after connection, and connection loss. Is automatically estimated.

As is apparent from FIG. 6, in order to observe the multi-core optical fiber, the camera optical axis must be perpendicular to the plane of the multi-core optical fiber. Otherwise, the focus of the camera will not match each optical fiber, and an appropriate measurement will not be performed. Therefore, the camera can be arranged only directly above or below the vertical direction perpendicular to the V-groove in which the optical fiber is mounted.

When the connection is completed, the fusion splicing unit (6) retreats,
The reinforcement unit (7) advances to reinforce the connection.
As shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcing unit (7) includes a reinforcing head (21) capable of moving up and down and forward and backward, and a plurality of reinforcing members (2).
It comprises a reinforcing material magazine (23) containing 2) in multiple stages and a reinforcing material supply head (24) for transferring the reinforcing material (22) stored in the magazine (23) to the reinforcing head (21). Then, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), the reinforcing head (21) moves forward to sandwich the exposed portion of the optical fiber (12) from above and below with the reinforcing material (22) and press in the direction of the arrow, thereby forming the connecting portion. Reinforce low strength parts.

As the reinforcing material (22), a material obtained by laminating an adhesive on opposing surfaces of a flat plate which is vertically separated or vertically connected is used. A heat-softening adhesive may be used as the adhesive, and a heater and a pressure mechanism may be provided in the reinforcing head (21), and the pressure and the heating may be applied by these. The pressure may be increased by a pressure mechanism provided in the reinforcing head (21), and a light-promoting light source may be provided in the reinforcing head (21) using a photoreactive adhesive as an adhesive. May be.

When the reinforcement of the connection is completed, clamp (13)
Is released to take out the optical fiber with the optical fiber connected and reinforced, and a series of connecting work is completed.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the connection method of the present invention described above, the steps relating to the connection are performed continuously and automatically, so that the optical fiber can be efficiently connected in a short time without depending on the skill of the operator. And connection with high quality (high strength, low loss).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of an automatic connection device for carrying out the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an operation direction of the device of FIG. is there. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of all steps of the automatic connection method of the present invention, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a terminal forming step, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a connection reinforcing step, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a reinforcing unit. is there. 1 ... base plate, 2, 3 ... optical fiber core clamp unit, 4, 5 ... terminal processing unit, 6 ... fusion splicing unit, 7 ... reinforcement unit, 8 ... control unit, 11 ... Optical fiber core, 12 ... Optical fiber, 13 ...
Root clamp, 14… Tip clamp, 19… V-groove, 21
…… Reinforcement head, 22 …… Reinforcement material, 23 …… Reinforcement magazine.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Ko Yanagi, Inventor: 1 Tayacho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Yokohama, Ltd. Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (56) References JP-A-60-111206 (JP, A) JP-A Sho JP-A-57-200009 (JP, A) JP-A-59-118 (JP, A) JP-A-61-61104 (JP, A)

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] In a method of fusion splicing a multi-core optical fiber, a left and right optical fiber clamp unit, a left and right terminal processing unit, a fusion splicing unit and a reinforcing unit are arranged on a base plate, and are provided below the base plate. Is a control unit, and the left and right optical fiber clamp units are rotatable horizontally with respect to the base plate, and the terminal portion of the multi-core optical fiber core clamped at the core supply position by the rotation is processed. Position, the fusion splicing and the reinforcement position, and at the terminal processing position, the terminal processing unit removes the coating of the terminal portion of the multi-core optical fiber core and cuts the stripped bare optical fiber. At the splicing and reinforcing positions, the bare optical fiber whose coating has been removed is aligned with a V-groove with an alignment guide, and the end face of the bare optical fiber is fused by the fusion splicing unit. Combined with make fusion splicing multi-fiber optical fiber automatic connection method further characterized by performing reinforcement of fusion splice continuously by the reinforcing unit. 2. The end and the root of the end portion of the multi-core optical fiber core are clamped, and a coating removing blade is inserted vertically between the clamps. Then, the clamp at the end is pulled out in the axial direction. 2. The method for automatically connecting multi-core optical fibers according to claim 1, wherein the coating is removed by moving. 3. The multi-core optical fiber core wire is heated to a temperature of 80 ° C. or higher by a heating device such as a nichrome wire heater or a hot air heater, and thereafter a sheath removing blade is inserted. The automatic connection method of the multi-core optical fiber described in the paragraph. 4. After removing the coating, leaving the clamp at the root and the tip intact, disposing the wound blade and the cutting head to face each other with the exposed bare optical fiber interposed therebetween, and first bringing the cutting head into contact with the bare optical fiber. Patent to apply a weak tension to the bare optical fiber, and then contact the wound blade to cause initial damage to the bare optical fiber and escape, and then press the cutting head to cut the bare optical fiber 2. The method for automatically connecting multi-core optical fibers according to claim 1. 5. A hole is made in the center of the V-groove in the vertical direction, a light source for transmitted illumination is installed above, and a small TV camera for observing an optical fiber butt state is installed below, and the end face interval of the multi-core optical fiber is set by the camera. , By observing the axis deviation and the end face condition, automatically determining whether or not connection is possible by image processing, setting the end face interval before discharge, pushing amount during discharge, appearance inspection after connection, and judgment of connection quality 2. The method for connecting multi-core optical fibers according to claim 1. 6. A patent wherein a reinforcing material is used in which an adhesive is laminated on opposing surfaces of a flat plate which is vertically separated or vertically connected, and a low-strength portion of a connecting portion is sandwiched from above and below to reinforce. 2. The method for connecting a multi-core optical fiber according to claim 1. 7. The method for automatically connecting multi-core optical fibers according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcing members are sequentially supplied to the reinforcing head from a magazine containing a plurality of reinforcing members.