JP2842629B2 - Multi-core optical fiber cutting equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-core optical fiber cutting device used for connection work and measurement of multi-core optical fibers.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a "stress rupture method" has been used to cut a quartz optical fiber. In this stress rupture method, an initial scratch is formed on the surface of an optical fiber with a very hard cutting edge made of cemented carbide or diamond, and then the optical fiber is bent, pulled, or a combination thereof. This method is to apply a stress to enlarge the initial scratches to break the optical fiber and obtain a mirror surface on the broken surface of the optical fiber.

According to this method, a mirror surface can be formed in a short time without polishing the cut surface of the optical fiber with a grindstone or the like, so that measurement with high reproducibility of a large number of optical fibers can be performed at an optical cable connection construction site or a laboratory. It is effective for

As an apparatus for performing the stress rupture method, an optical fiber cutting apparatus shown in FIG. 11 is known. In the illustrated cutting apparatus, the optical fiber core 2 from which the portion to be cut has been removed is fixed to a fixing jig 3, and the fixing jig 3 is mounted on the apparatus. With this mounting, the optical fiber 1 whose coating has been removed and exposed is placed on the clamp table 4. Then, the upper case 6 is closed, and the optical fiber 1 is held between the clamp table 4 and the clamper 5. Thereafter, the operating lever 7 is operated and the cutting blade 8 is manually driven in a direction perpendicular to the optical fiber 1, so that the lower surface of the optical fiber 1 is scratched initially. After the optical fiber 1 is initially scratched, the cutting head 8 is pressed against the optical fiber 1 from above, and bending and tensile stress are applied to the optical fiber 1. Thereby, the initial flaw is enlarged and the optical fiber 1 is cut.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, since the above-described optical fiber cutting device is a manual device using a lever device, when the optical fiber is cut using the device, the moving speed of the cutting blade varies, and the cutting speed is attached to the optical fiber. The variation in the size of the initial flaw and the like becomes large, and the variation in the inclination angle of the cut end face becomes large. Further, when the multi-core optical fiber is cut at a time, there is a problem that variation in the length of each cut optical fiber (hereinafter, referred to as an irregular cutting amount) increases.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a multi-core optical fiber that can form a cut surface of a multi-core optical fiber with high accuracy and can reduce the amount of irregular cutting when cutting the multi-core optical fiber at once. It is intended to provide a fiber cutting device.

[Means for solving the problem]

A multi-core optical fiber cutting apparatus according to the present invention includes: a holding unit that holds at least two places of a multi-core optical fiber, in which a coating is removed from a multi-core optical fiber core, apart from each other; In this part, the electric motor capable of controlling the speed is used as a drive source, and the cutting blade is driven along the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber, so that the electric damage means for initial scratching the multi-core optical fiber, A cutting head pressed against the multi-core optical fiber from the opposite side of the cut portion to enlarge the initial flaw and cut the multi-core optical fiber. When the cutting head approaches the predetermined position of the multi-core optical fiber in the state, the cutting blade was driven toward the optical fiber in the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber, and the multi-core optical fiber was released from the holding means. State, cutting blade , And returning to the start position before attaching the initial flaw to the multi-core fiber.

[Action]

According to the multi-core optical fiber cutting device of the present invention, the multi-core optical fiber obtained by removing the coating from the multi-core optical fiber core wire is held by the holding unit, and the multi-core optical fiber that appears at the separated portion of the holding unit , An initial scratch is made with a cutting blade. At this time, when the cutting blade is moved along the direction of arrangement of the multi-core optical fiber by the electric motor of the electric damage means, a linear initial scratch is made on one side of the multi-core optical fiber. Then, the cutting head is pressed from the side opposite to the portion where the initial scratch has been made to cut the multi-core optical fiber in the arrangement direction while enlarging the initial scratch.

Also, the multi-core optical fiber is held by holding means,
By driving the cutting blade when the cutting head is brought close to the predetermined position of the multi-core optical fiber, an error in the cutting operation procedure of the multi-core optical fiber is prevented.

Further, when the multi-core optical fiber is released from the holding means, the cutting blade is returned to the starting point position before the initial scratch on the multi-core optical fiber, so that the cutting blade comes into contact with the cut surface of the multi-core optical fiber. Is prevented.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a multi-core optical fiber cutting apparatus according to the present invention.

The illustrated multi-core optical fiber cutting device includes a base 11, a first pivotally pivotally supported by a pivot 14 with respect to the base 11.
The upper case 12 includes a second upper case 13 and the like that are pivotally supported on the base 11 in a similar manner. On the upper surface of the base 11, a recess 15 is formed.
A fixing jig 17 for holding a multi-core optical fiber core (tape core) 16 covered with a resin or the like is fitted into the housing. Then, by loading the fixing jig 17 into the recess 15, as shown in FIG.
Is operated. Further, on the upper surface of the base 11, two lower clamp members 20 forming a lower portion of the holding means are provided apart from each other, and when the fixing jig 17 is fitted into the concave portion 15,
The multi-core optical fiber 19 (the portion that appears when the coating such as resin is removed from the multi-core optical fiber 16) fixed to the fixing jig 17 is bridged over the two lower clamp members 20. Placed in A concave portion 21 is formed between the two lower clamp members 20, and an arcuate cutting edge 22 is disposed therein. The cutting blade 22 is driven in the direction in which the multi-core optical fibers 19 placed on the lower clamp member 20 are arranged by the electric damage means 23 provided in the base 11.

On the other hand, a jig holder 24 is provided on the lower surface of the first upper case 12 pivotally supported on the base 11 so as to correspond to the recess 15 formed in the base 11. Further, at the position corresponding to the lower clamp member 20 provided on the base 11, two upper clamp members 25 forming the upper part of the holding means are provided apart from each other. Therefore, when the first upper case 12 is swung and covers the base 11, the fixing jig 17 is pressed against the bottom of the concave portion 15 by the jig presser 24, and is firmly fixed. Between the member 20 and the upper clamp member 25, the multi-core optical fiber 19 consisting of the portion from which the coating has been removed is sandwiched between the two places, and is firmly held. The upper clamp member 25 and the lower clamp member 20 are made of a flexible material such as rubber, and their surfaces are formed smoothly and flatly. Also, in the first upper case 12,
A U-shaped notch 26 is formed between the upper clamp members 25.

A cutting head 27 protruding from the second upper case 13 is inserted into the notch 26. A pad 28 made of a flexible material such as rubber is attached to the tip of the cutting head 27.

As shown in FIG. 3, a second switch 29 is disposed near the pivot portion of the second upper case 13, and the second switch 29 has the cutting head 27 separated from the multi-core optical fiber 19. Predetermined position, for example, the tip of the cutting head 27 is an optical fiber
It is activated when approaching a position 1 mm above 19 mm.

FIG. 4 shows an electric damage means 23 for driving the cutting blade 22 by using an electric motor as a drive source to make initial damage to the multi-core optical fiber 19.
It is shown.

As shown, the cutting blade 22 is fixed to the tool rest 30, and a lever 31 is pivotally supported on the side of the tool rest 30 so as to be swingable. The tool rest 30 is carried on the slider rail 32 and guided by the tool rest 30 to reciprocate on the slider rail 32. The direction of the reciprocating motion coincides with the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fibers 19 held by the upper and lower clamp members 20, 25. A fixing pin 33 is fixed to the side of the slider rail 32, and the fixing pin 33 is inserted into a long hole 31a formed in the longitudinal direction of the lever 31. A cam 35 is arranged below the slider rail 32, and the cam 35 is driven by a speed-controllable electric motor 36 fixed below the slider rail 32. When the cam 35 rotates, a cam switch 37 provided near the outer periphery of the cam 35 operates. A crank pin 38 that rotates together with the cam 35 is provided upright on the end face of the cam 35, and the crank pin 38 is inserted into the long hole 31 a of the lever 31 into which the fixed pin 33 is inserted. Therefore, when the cam 35 is driven at a predetermined rotation speed by the electric motor 36,
While the lever 31 slides relatively to the fixing pin 33, the lever 31 swings around the fixing pin 33 as a fulcrum, and the tool post 30 moves to the slider rail 32.
It is driven while being guided. The operation of the electric motor 36 is controlled by the first switch 18, the second switch 29, and the cam switch 37 described above.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a connection relationship between the electric motor 36 and each of the switches 18, 29, 37, and shows an initial state of the above-described embodiment apparatus. As can be seen from this figure, the first
The switch 18 and the cam switch 37 are changeover switches for switching between the two circuits.

Next, the operation of the above-described cutting device will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing how the operation of the electric motor 36 is controlled by the above-described switch. FIG. 7 is a view showing a process in which the multi-core optical fiber 19 is cut.

First, a fixing jig 17 holding a multi-core optical fiber 16
Is fitted into the recess 15 of the base 11, the first switch
18 operates and turns on the contact A side. And the first upper case
12 is swung, and the multi-core optical fiber 19 is
It is held between the lower clamp member 20 and the lower clamp member 20. Next, when the second upper case 13 is swung with respect to the base 11 and the cutting head 27 approaches the multi-core optical fiber 19 to a predetermined position (see FIG. 7A), the second switch 29 is turned on. Operates and turns on. At this time, the actuator 37a of the cam switch 37
Is in contact with the small diameter part of the cam 35, so the cam switch
37 is on the C side. Therefore, a closed circuit for supplying electric power to the electric motor 36 is formed, and the electric motor 36 operates at the initially set rotation speed. With this rotation speed,
The cutting blade 22 moves at a predetermined speed along the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber 19, and an initial scratch is made on the surface of the multi-core optical fiber 19 (see FIGS. 7B and 7C). . Then, when the cutting blade 22 has passed below the multi-core optical fiber 19,
The operator of the cam switch 37 comes into contact with the large diameter portion of the cam 35, and the cam switch 37 turns on to the D side. As a result, the supply of electric power to the electric motor 36 is cut off,
36 stops. Then, the second upper case 13 is swung downward, and the multi-core optical fiber 19 is bent downward while the cutting head 27 is in contact with the multi-core optical fiber 19. As a result, the initial scratches on the multi-core optical fiber 19 are enlarged, and the multi-core optical fiber 19 is broken (see FIG. 7D). After the multi-core optical fiber 19 breaks, the second upper case 13 is swung upward, and the second switch 29 is turned off. Then, the first upper case 12 is swung upward, the multi-core optical fiber 19 is released from the upper and lower clamp members 20, 25, and the fixing jig 17 is taken out from the concave portion 15. As a result, the first switch 18 is turned on to the B side, and power is supplied to the electric motor 36 again,
36 rotates. By this rotation, the cutting blade 22 is returned to the starting point position before the initial damage to the multi-core optical fiber 19, and the entire apparatus returns to the initial state. As described above, by controlling the operation of the electric motor 36, the work of cutting the multi-core optical fiber 19 can be reliably performed without erroneous work procedures. The cutting blade 22 does not return to the fulcrum position until it is removed from the device.
When the 22 returns, the cutting edge 22 does not contact the cut end of the multi-core optical fiber 19 and is not damaged.

FIG. 8 shows the relationship between the moving speed of the cutting blade and the angle of the end face of the cut optical fiber. As you can see from this figure,
If the moving speed of the cutting blade is too slow or too fast, the inclination of the cut end face of the optical fiber with respect to the optical axis becomes large. Therefore, the moving speed at which the inclination angle of the end face becomes small, for example, 5 m
It is preferable to drive the cutting blade at m / s.

FIG. 9 shows a comparison between the end face angle of the optical fiber when the optical fiber is cut using the conventional manual cutting device and the end face angle of the optical fiber when the optical fiber is cut using the above-described embodiment apparatus. Shown. When the conventional apparatus is used, the end face angle of the optical fiber varies greatly, and the average value is 0.77 degrees (see FIG. 3A). On the other hand, when the above-described embodiment apparatus was used, the variation was small, the average value was 0.54 degrees, and the inclination of the cut end face was small (see FIG. 13B).

FIG. 10 shows, as a histogram, the results of measuring the amount of irregularities in cutting when five optical fibers are cut at once using the cutting apparatus of the present embodiment described above.

As a result, the maximum cutting irregularity was 28 μm, and the average was 8.77.
μm. Since the cutting irregularity when using the conventional manual cutting device was 35 μm at the maximum and about 10 μm on average, it can be seen that according to the optical fiber cutting device of the present invention, the cutting irregularity is small. .

〔The invention's effect〕

In an optical fiber cutting apparatus according to the present invention, a holding means for holding at least two places of a multi-core optical fiber, in which a coating is removed from a multi-core optical fiber, separated from each other, and a separated portion of the holding means In the above, with the electric motor capable of speed control as a drive source, the cutting edge is driven along the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber, and the electric damage means for initial scratching the multi-core optical fiber, and the initial flaw is provided. Since it has a cutting head that is pressed against the multi-core optical fiber from the opposite side of the part and enlarges the initial scratch and cuts the multi-core optical fiber,
The cut surface of the multi-core optical fiber can be formed with high precision, and the amount of irregular cutting when the multi-core optical fiber is cut at a time can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a multi-core optical fiber cutting apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view showing an operation of a first switch, and FIG. 3 is an operation of a second switch. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the electric injury means, FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram for controlling the operation of the electric motor, FIG. 6 is a first switch, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a process chart showing a process of cutting the optical fiber, and FIG. 8 is a moving speed of the cutting blade and an end face of the cut optical fiber. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the angle and the angle, and FIG. 9 shows the end face angle of the optical fiber when the optical fiber is cut using the conventional manual cutting device and the case where the optical fiber is cut using the cutting device of the present invention. Figure comparing the end face angles of the optical fibers in FIG. 10 is a histogram showing the results of measuring the amount of irregular cutting when five optical fibers are cut at once using the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 11 is a view showing a conventional optical fiber cutting apparatus. It is. 11 ... base, 12 ... first upper case, 13 ... second upper case, 16
... multi-core optical fiber core wire, 17 ... fixing jig, 18 ... first switch, 19 ... multi-core optical fiber, 20 ... lower clamp member (holding means), 22 ... cutting blade, 23 ... electric wounding means, 25 ... upper clamp member (holding means), 27 ... cutting head, 29 ... second switch,
30 ... cut table, 31 ... lever, 32 ... slider rail, 33 ... fixed pin, 35 ... cam, 36 ... electric motor, 37 ... cam switch, 38 ... crank pin.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (56) References JP-A-61-4004 (JP, A) JP-A-55-67139 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G02B 6/00 334

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A holding means for holding at least two places of a multi-core optical fiber, in which a coating is removed from a multi-core optical fiber, separated from each other, and a speed controllable at a separated portion of the holding means. An electric motor as a drive source, driving a cutting blade along the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber, and an electric damage means for initial-scratching the multi-core optical fiber; A cutting head pressed against the multi-core optical fiber from the opposite side to cut the multi-core optical fiber by enlarging the initial scratch. When the cutting head approaches a predetermined position of the multi-core optical fiber in a state where the multi-core optical fiber is held, the cutting blade is driven in the arrangement direction of the multi-core optical fiber toward the optical fiber, and the holding means From A multi-core optical fiber cutting device, wherein the cutting blade is returned to a starting point position before the multi-core optical fiber is initially scratched in a state where the multi-core optical fiber is released.