JP3108221B2 - Optical fiber cutting equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber cutting device for cutting an optical fiber of an optical fiber core stripped and exposed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a main part of a conventional optical fiber cutting apparatus in an optical fiber cutting operation state. As shown in (a) of the figure, the connection end of the optical fiber core 1 is stripped of the covering material to expose the optical fiber 2, and this optical fiber 2 is a pair of fixed clamps 3, 4.
The pair of movable clamps 5 and 6 are closed above the fixed clamps 3 and 4 to fix the optical fiber 2. In this state, a small scratch is made on the lower surface of the optical fiber 2 between the clamps 3 and 4 by a cutting blade (not shown). In this state, the pressing tool 7 is moved downward from the opposite side of the scratch toward the optical fiber 2. The optical fiber 2 is bent in the pushing direction to be bent and deformed as shown in FIG. 2B, and cut from the scratched portion to separate the optical fiber 2 into 2a and 2b.

In this state, when the pusher 7 is returned upward to its original position, the separated optical fibers 2a and 2b also elastically return in the direction of returning to the bending deformation. The cut surfaces 2b and 2b collide with each other and are rubbed against each other, resulting in damage or adhesion of dust. To avoid this, as shown in FIG.
The pusher 7 is pushed further downward from the time when the optical fiber 2 is cut, and the movable clamps 5 and 6 are opened upward in conjunction with the push-down movement of the pusher 7 to release the clamp. In the clamp released state, the pusher 7 has been returned to the original position as shown in FIG. When the pusher 7 returns, the optical fibers 2a,
Even if the connection end faces of the optical fibers 2a and 2b come into contact with each other by the restoration deformation of the optical fiber 2b in the direction of releasing the bending deformation,
Since the clamping is released as described above, the optical fibers 2a and 2b are in a free state, and the elastic restoring force is weak, so that the cut surface is not damaged. In this clamp released state, the optical fibers 2a and 2b are removed, and the operation of fusion splicing the optical fiber 1 is performed in the next step.

[0004]

However, in the conventional cutting apparatus, the optical fiber 2 is cut by pressing the pusher 7 and then further pressed to release the clamp. The bending deformation becomes extremely large, which increases the bending stress of the optical fiber 2, causing an excessive stress on the optical fiber 2 and causing a problem that the optical fiber 2 is broken.

In the case where a cutting operation is performed by an operator who is not accustomed to the operation of the apparatus, the pusher 7 is once pushed downward to cut the optical fiber 2, and then the clamp release is not performed. It is easy to cause an operation error such that the pusher 7 is returned to the original position. When this operation error occurs, both ends of the optical fibers 2a and 2b are fixed to the clamp by the return of the pusher 7 to the fixed position. In the cantilever state, the bending deformation is elastically restored to the original straight state before the deformation, so that the cut end faces of the optical fibers 2a and 2b collide with each other, causing scratches or debris to adhere and cutting the fiber. Is a problem in terms of reliability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate the problem of stress breakage due to excessive bending deformation of an optical fiber. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber cutting device in which the cut end faces of optical fibers do not collide with each other and rub against each other when the bending deformation is restored after cutting.

[0007]

The present invention is configured as follows to achieve the above object. That is, in the present invention, a scratch is made by the cutting blade at a position between the clamps of the optical fiber that is held and held by the adjacent clamps, and a pushing tool is pushed in from the opposite side of the scratch, and the optical fiber is pressed and bent. In an optical fiber cutting apparatus for cutting, a push-bending locking member for locking a cut optical fiber at a pressing / bending position in conjunction with the pushing movement of the pressing tool, and a push-bending locking member. It is characterized in that it has a lock member that holds the stop position, and a lock release mechanism that releases the locked state of the push-bending locking member after the clamp is released.

[0008]

According to the present invention, the optical fiber is fixed to the clamp, and in this state, the optical fiber is scratched by a cutting blade, and then the pushing tool is pushed in from the opposite side of the scratch, whereby the optical fiber is Pressed and bent to cut from the wound. In conjunction with the pushing movement of the pusher, the pushing / bending locking member is linked in the pushing direction, and locks the cut one side optical fiber at the bending deformation position, and this locked state is locked by the locking member. .

Next, when the pusher is returned to the original position, one side of the cut optical fiber is restored to its original state (state before bending deformation) by releasing the pushing restraining force of the pusher. On the other hand, the other cut optical fiber is locked by the push-bending locking member and maintains the bending deformation state. next,
The clamp is released, and the locking state of the push-bending locking member is released by the lock release mechanism after the release of the clamp, and the optical fiber locked by the locking member is elastically restored to the straight state before bending deformation, The optical fiber cut from the clamp is ready to be taken out.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of this embodiment, the same parts as those of the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of an optical fiber cutting apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, the apparatus main body 10 is provided with a core holder 17. A holding plate 11 is attached to this core holding table 17 so as to be openable and closable by a hinge 12 and the like. The optical fiber core 1 from which the optical fiber 2 is exposed by being held by the holding plate 11 and peeling is set. ing. A pair of fixed clamps 3 and 4 are disposed on the projecting side of the optical fiber 2 at intervals on the apparatus body 10, and the optical fiber 2 of the optical fiber 1 is hung between the fixed clamps 3 and 4. Handed over and placed.

[0011] A tool moving table 13 is provided between the fixed clamps 3 and 4.
The cutting blade 14 is attached to the blade moving table 13 with the direction of the blade being orthogonal to the direction of the optical fiber 2. The tool rest 13 is movable in a direction perpendicular to the projecting direction of the optical fiber 2, that is, in the direction of the blade of the cutting blade 14. By moving, the cutting blade
14, the lower surface of the optical fiber 2 is scratched.

A lock base 15 is fixed at a position near the fixed clamp 4, and a convex lock member 16 is fixed to the lock base 15. The core holder 17
A lid opening / closing lever 18 functioning as a lock release mechanism is swingably mounted on the front side of the cover 20 with a pin 20 as a fulcrum. Further, a magnet 21 for fixing the lid is mounted at a position near the front side of the apparatus main body 10.

A cover plate 22 has a hinge 23 on the rear end side of the apparatus main body 10.
The cover plate 22 is openably and closably mounted, and the cover plate 22 has a pressing spring that presses the holding plate 11 when the cover plate 22 is closed.
24 are provided. Further, the movable clamps 5 and 6 which hold the optical fiber 2 by contacting the fixed clamps 3 and 4 when the lid plate 22 is closed are provided on the lid plate 22.
Further, a fixing member 25 protrudes from the cover plate 22, and a proximal end side of a wire-shaped push-bending locking member 26 is fixed to the fixing member 25. 6
And extends toward the distal end side of the lid plate 22.
When the cover plate 22 is closed, the push / bend locking member 26 is located above the lock member 16 on the apparatus main body 10 side.

As shown in the closed state diagram of FIG. 2, an operating body 27 is vertically slidably mounted between the movable clamps 5 and 6 of the cover plate 22, and this operating body 27 is not shown. It is urged in the direction of arrow A (upward) in FIG. 2 by the urging spring. A fiber pusher 28 is projected from a surface of the operating body 27 on the side facing the push-bend lock member 26, and a lock pusher 30 is fixed to the fiber pusher 28. When the cover plate 22 is closed, the locking part pressing tool 30 is
, More specifically, on the opposite side of the scratch of the optical fiber 2 made by the cutting blade 14.

A cover 31 is provided on the tip end of the cover plate 22. When the cover plate 22 is closed, the cover 31 is held closed by the magnetic force of the magnet 21. .

This embodiment is configured as described above.
Next, the cutting operation of the optical fiber 2 will be described. First, the lid plate 22
With the holding plate 11 open, the optical fiber core 1 is placed on the core holder 17, and the stripped and exposed optical fiber 2 is set between the fixed clamps 3, 4. Then, the cover 11 is closed and the optical fiber core 1 is pressed from above.

Next, when the cover plate 22 is closed, the metal plate 31 is fixed and held by the attractive magnetic force of the magnet 21, and the closed state is maintained. In this closed state, the pressing spring 24 urges the pressing plate 11 in the pressing direction to apply the holding force of the optical fiber 1. Then, the movable clamps 5 and 6 are pressed onto the fixed clamps 3 and 4, and the optical fiber 2 is clamped and held.

In this state, the blade moving table 13 is connected to the optical fiber 2.
When the optical fiber 2 moves in a direction crossing at right angles to the optical fiber 2, a minute flaw is made on the lower surface of the optical fiber 2 by the cutting blade 14. Next, the operating tool 27 is moved from the state shown in FIG.
In this state, the fiber pusher 28 pushes and bends the fiber 2 from the side opposite to the wound, and cuts the fiber 2 from the wound part into 2a and 2b as shown in FIG. When the fiber pusher 28 is pushed in, the locking portion pusher 30 is also pushed downward together with the fiber pusher 28, and as a result, the locker pusher 30 pushes the push-bending locking member 26 downward. Due to this pushing force, the pushing and bending locking member 26
Is bent downward and abuts on the lock member 16, and the push / bend locking member 26 rides over the lock member 16 and locks on the lower surface of the lock member 16. The locking of the push-bending locking member 26 to the lower surface of the locking member 16 is performed almost simultaneously with the cutting of the optical fiber 2.

Next, when the downward pushing force of the operating body 27 is released, the operating body 27 is returned to the original position by the elastic restoring force of the urging spring (not shown). )
As shown in FIG. 4C, the fiber pusher 28 and the locking part pusher 30 are also raised and returned, and the pushing force of the fiber pusher 28 is released, so that the cut optical fiber is Optical fiber 2 on the side gripped by clamps 3 and 5
a is elastically restored to the original position and returns. On the other hand, the cut optical fiber on the other side, that is, the clamps 4, 6
The optical fiber 2b on the side gripped by is maintained in a state where it is held at the pressing and bending position by the pressing and bending locking member 26.

Next, by depressing the operating portion 18a of the lid opening / closing lever 18, the lid opening / closing lever 18 is moved from the horizontal state of FIG. 5A to the clock with the pin 20 as a fulcrum as shown in FIG. As a result, the cover plate 22 is pushed upward by the operating end 18b of the cover opening / closing lever 18, the contact plate 31 is separated from the magnet 21, and the cover plate 22 is slightly opened. In this state, since the contact metal 31 is separated from the magnet 21, the resistance of the pressing spring 24 overcomes the attraction magnetic force of the magnet 21, so that the cover plate 22 is kept slightly open, and the cover plate 22 is slightly released. As a result, as shown in FIG.
Since the movable clamps 5 and 6 move in the opening direction together with the cover plate 22, the clamp of the optical fibers 2a and 2b is released.

At the initial stage of the release of the slight opening of the clamp, the optical fiber 2a is still pressed and bent by the pressing and bending locking member 26, but the cover plate 22 is further released. As a result, the push / bend locking member 26 also moves upward in the cover opening direction integrally with the lid plate 22, so that the push / bend locking member 26 rides on the lock member 16 from the lower side to the upper side and moves. The push-bend locked state of 2b is released. The bending deformation of the optical fiber 2b is elastically returned to the original position before the deformation by releasing the push-bending locked state. At this time, even if the cut surface on the optical fiber 2a side and the cut surface on the optical fiber 2b side come into contact with each other, the clamps between the fixed clamps 3, 4 and the movable clamps 5, 6 have already been released. 2b is in a free state in which the elastic restoring force is extremely weak. Therefore, the force at which the end faces of the fiber collide with each other is extremely weak, and the end face of the optical fiber is not damaged or dust is attached.

After releasing the clamp of the optical fiber, the cover plate 22
Is opened, and then the holding plate 11 is opened to take out the optical fiber core wire 1 from which the optical fiber 2 has been cut and carried to the next fusion splicing work position. Then, the setting of the next optical fiber core wire for cutting the optical fiber is performed, and by repeating the above operation, the cutting operation of the optical fiber is performed one after another.

According to the present embodiment, when the operating body 27 is pushed down and the optical fiber 2 is pushed and bent by the fiber pusher 28, the cut optical fiber 2b on one side is pushed and bent by the bending member 26. Since the push-bending state is maintained by locking at the bending position, when the pressing force of the fiber pusher 28 is released, both cut optical fibers 2a and 2b vigorously elastically recover. As a result, the end surfaces do not collide strongly with each other, and the collision does not damage the cut surface or attach dust.

When the optical fiber 2 is pressed and bent by the fiber pusher 28 and cut, the cut optical fiber 2b on one side is securely locked at the pressed and bent position by the press and bending locking member 26. Therefore, even if an operator unfamiliar with the apparatus operates the apparatus of the present embodiment, the end faces of the optical fibers 2a and 2b cut by an operation error do not strongly collide with each other, and the reliability of the fiber cutting operation is improved. Can be enhanced.

Further, in the apparatus of this embodiment, after the optical fiber is cut, there is no operation of releasing the clamp by pushing and bending the further cut optical fiber as in the prior art. The conventional problem of breakage under stress is effectively solved.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can adopt various embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the push / bend locking member 26 is provided on the lid plate 22 side, but may be provided on other places, for example, on the apparatus main body 10 side.

In the above embodiment, the lid plate 22 is opened by the lid opening / closing lever 18 to release the clamp, and further, the locking lock of the push-bending locking member 26 is released.
A lever for releasing the locking lock of the push-bending locking member 26 may be provided separately and independently of the lid opening / closing lever 18. Also,
The locking of the push-bending locking member 26 may be released when the cover plate 22 is completely opened. In this case, the lid opening / closing lever
Only the release of the clamp is performed at 18, and in conjunction with the subsequent complete opening operation of the lid plate 22, the pushing and bending locking member 26 is moved upward to release the locking lock. 22 functions as a lock release mechanism.

[0028]

According to the present invention, when the pusher is pushed in and the optical fiber is pressed and bent to cut the optical fiber, the optical fiber on one side separated by the cutting is pressed and bent by the locking member. When the pressing force of the pusher is released, the cut optical fibers are both resiliently restored elastically and the cut surfaces collide with each other, causing damage or dust. Is not attached.

Further, as described above, when the pusher is pushed in to cut the optical fiber, the bent state of the cut optical fiber on one side is locked.
Even if an unskilled operator operates the apparatus of the present invention, the end faces of the optical fibers cut by the operation error are elastically restored together and do not collide with each other and are not damaged.

Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention does not require the conventional operation of pressing and bending the optical fiber after cutting by bending the optical fiber, so that the optical fiber is not damaged by excessive stress. It is possible to provide an optical fiber cutting device which is excellent in reliability, operability and operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory view showing one embodiment of a cutting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a fiber pusher portion of the apparatus of the embodiment in a closed state.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an optical fiber cutting operation in the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the operation of the push / bend locking member when the optical fiber is cut in the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of a lid opening / closing lever in the apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an optical fiber cutting operation of a conventional optical fiber cutting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical fiber core wire 2, 2a, 2b Optical fiber 3, 4 Fixed clamp 5, 6 Movable clamp 10 Device main body 16 Lock member 22 Cover plate 26 Press-bending locking member 28 Fiber pressing tool 30 Locking section pressing tool

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-112206 (JP, A) JP-A-2-4203 (JP, A) JP-A 63-19801 (JP, U) JP-A 62- 53402 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/00 G02B 6/25 B26F 3/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cut blade cuts a wound at a position between optical fiber clamps gripped by being held by an adjacent clamp, and pushes a pressing tool from the opposite side of the cut to push and bend the optical fiber to cut. In the optical fiber cutting device, a push-bending locking member that locks one cut optical fiber in a push-bending position in conjunction with the pushing movement of the pressing tool, and locks the push-bending locking member An optical fiber cutting device comprising: a lock member that holds a position; and a lock release mechanism that releases a locked state of a push / bend locking member after the clamp is released.