JPH03252608A - Optical fiber cutter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately cut a coated optical fiber emerging from a lower part of an optical fiber connector plug to a specified length by providing an optical fiber cutting means capable of being operated from the outside and a coated optical fiber holding means in a hollow member and moving the cutter while measuring its travel. CONSTITUTION:The rear side of a hollow columnar member 10 is freely slidingly inserted into a holder 20, a tension is always applied on rearward by a spring 9, and the member abuts on a micrometer 6 fixed to the holder 20. The sliding distance of the member 10 is measured by the micrometer 6, and a hole 13 into which a coated optical fiber penetrates when the member 10 is inserted into an optical fiber connector plug is made at the tip of the member 10. A coated optical fiber cutter 5 is formed with a high-hardness material and fixed to the tip of an arm 17 having sufficient rigidity. Consequently, the coated optical fiber at the optical fiber connector plug part of an optical semiconductor module, etc., is accurately cut to a specified length in the order of magnitude of mum.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber cutter. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical fiber cutter that accurately determines and cuts the length of an uncoated optical fiber at the tip of an optical fiber coupled to an optical fiber connector plug or the like.

Conventional technology When attaching an optical fiber to an optical fiber connector, etc.
The end of the optical fiber must have a bare, uncoated core exposed. For this purpose, a device is used that removes the coating from the tip of the optical fiber, exposes a certain length of the optical fiber, and then cuts the optical fiber.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an optical fiber cutter disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 12084/1984. The optical fiber cutter shown in FIG.
．． 2 and 21, coated cutters 4 and 41 provided adjacent to the grips 1 and 11, and an optical fiber core cutter 5 provided adjacent to the coated cutter 4; The head part A is attached to a handle B which is large enough to be grasped with one hand and configured so that the head part A operates when the head part A is grasped.

The operation of the optical fiber cutter shown in FIG. 4 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 5(d). 5(a) to 5(d) are enlarged views of the head portion A of the optical fiber cutter shown in FIG. 4 to illustrate its operation. First, Figure 5 (a
), gripping parts 1 facing each other without gripping the handle B
．． 11 and 2.21 are opened, and the optical fiber 50 is set between them. Next, grip the handle B slightly and hold the grips 1.11 and 2 as shown in Figure 5(b).
．． 21 is closed and the optical fiber 50 is crimped and held. At this time, the covering forces 4 and 41 are applied to the optical fiber 5 at the same time.
It is in a state where it bites into the coating 52 of 0.

When the handle B is further squeezed, the head part A opens between the gripping parts 1.11 and 2.12, as shown in FIG. 5(C).
Coating 52 is removed from optical fiber 50, exposing optical fiber core 51. When the optical fiber coated wire 51 is exposed by a certain length, the optical fiber coated wire cutter 5 makes minute scratches 53 on the optical fiber coated wire 51.

Thereafter, the handle B is further grasped to apply tension to the optical fiber 50, as shown in FIG. 5(d), and the optical fiber core wire 51 is cut from the scratch 53.

Furthermore, an optical fiber cutter using a piezoelectric vibrator, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-118203, has also been announced.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, when an optical fiber is coupled to an optical fiber connector plug or the like, a bare, uncoated core wire must be exposed at the tip of the optical fiber. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the optical fiber connector plug 55 to which the optical fiber gutter 0 is coupled. Optical fiber core 51 at the tip
The exposed optical fiber 50 is fixed to a through hole 56 provided at the bottom of the optical fiber connector plug 55. The length β of the optical fiber core 51 protruding from the bottom of the optical fiber connector plug 55 affects the coupling efficiency, so the length must be determined with as high precision as possible.

However, when using the above-mentioned conventional cutter, the coating on the tip is removed in advance and the cut optical fiber is attached to the optical fiber connector plug, so adjustment on the μm order is not possible. Further, the exposed length of the optical fiber core at the tip of the optical fiber cannot be arbitrarily determined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel optical fiber cutter that solves the problems of the prior art described above.

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, there is provided a hollow member which can be inserted into an optical fiber connector plug and has a hole on the bottom surface through which the optical fiber core wire passes when inserted into the optical fiber connector plug, and which can be operated from the outside. Further, an optical fiber cutting means and an optical fiber core holding means provided inside the hollow member, a moving means for moving the hollow member in the axial direction, and a moving distance of the hollow member in the axial direction by the moving means. An optical fiber cutter is provided, characterized in that it comprises a measuring means for measuring.

The optical fiber cutter of the present invention is particularly capable of accurately determining and cutting the length of the optical fiber core protruding from the bottom of the optical fiber connector plug, of the optical fiber coupled to the optical fiber connector plug. This is the purpose.

To this end, the optical fiber cutter of the present invention includes a hollow member that can be inserted into an optical fiber connector plug and has a hole on the bottom surface through which the optical fiber core wire penetrates when inserted. Inside this hollow member, optical fiber cutting means and optical fiber holding means that can be operated from the outside are provided.

The hollow member is axially movable while measuring the distance traveled.

The procedure for using the optical fiber cutter of the present invention is as follows. First, an optical fiber with an exposed optical fiber core at its tip is inserted into an optical fiber connector plug. At this time, the optical fiber core penetrates into the hollow member. The hollow member is then brought into contact with the bottom of the fiber optic connector plug and then retracted the appropriate distance. By cutting the optical fiber in this state, it is possible to accurately determine the length of the optical fiber that protrudes from the bottom of the optical fiber connector plug.

Although any measuring means can be used for the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, a micrometer is preferable, for example. The reasons for this include high measurement accuracy and ease of handling.

In the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, in order to more accurately determine the length of the above-mentioned optical fiber core wire, the end portion is shaped like an optical fiber connector receptacle, and the above-mentioned optical fiber connector plug is fixed. It is preferable that you can.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples, but the following disclosure is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention in any way.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an example of the optical fiber cutter of the present invention. The optical fiber cutter shown in Fig. 1 consists of a metal hollow cylindrical member 1 whose outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the optical fiber connector plug.
0, an optical fiber core cutter 5 provided at the front inside the hollow cylindrical member 10, and gripping parts 1 and 11 provided at the rear inside the hollow cylindrical member 10.

The hollow cylindrical member 10 is slidably housed in the holder 20 at its rear side, is always kept under tension backward by the spring 9, and is in contact with the micrometer 6 attached to the holder 20. The sliding distance of the hollow cylindrical member 10 is measured by a micrometer 6. Further, a hole 13 is provided at the tip of the hollow cylindrical member 10, into which the optical fiber core wire passes when the hollow cylindrical member 10 is inserted into the optical fiber connector plug.

The optical fiber cable hook 5 is made of, for example, a hard material such as diamond, and is attached to the tip of an arm 17 having a sufficiently high rigidity.

The arm 17 is precisely positioned so that the distance from the tip of the hollow cylindrical member 10 of the optical fiber cutter 5 is a predetermined value, and is suspended by a plurality of minute springs 7. It is coupled to the knob 14. When the knob 14 is pressed, the arm 17 is lowered, and the optical fiber coated wire cutter 5 scratches the optical fiber coated wire located directly below. The movement of the arm 17 is regulated by a stopper 18 so that the optical fiber coated wire cutter 5 does not go down too much and damage the optical fiber coated wire more than necessary.

Moreover, the gripping parts 1 and 11 are arranged near the rear end inside the hollow cylindrical member 10 so as to face each other. The grip part IX is always pushed forward by the elastic force of the spring 16, but can slide backward. The grip portion 1 is coupled to a knob 14 via a leaf spring 8 bent backward. When the knob 14 is pressed, the grip part 1 also lowers together with the arm 17, and the grip part 1
An optical fiber is sandwiched between the two. When the knob 14 is further pressed, the leaf spring 8 is deformed, and a downward force is applied to the grip portion 1, as well as a backward downward force. As mentioned above, since the gripping part 11 is slidable backward, tension is applied to the optical fiber core wire held between the gripping part 1 and the gripping part 1.

As described above, in the optical fiber cutter of this embodiment, when the knob 14 is pressed, the optical fiber cutter 5 scratches the optical fiber, and the grips 1 and 11 apply tension. , the optical fiber is cut directly below the optical fiber cable hook 5.

Further, a return spring 15 is provided below the knob 14, and returns to the original position when the above-mentioned work is completed.

FIG. 2 shows how the optical fiber cutter described above is used to cut the core wire of the optical fiber fixed to the optical fiber connector plug shown in FIG. 3. The optical fiber connector plug 55 to which the optical fiber 50 is fixed is fixed in contact with the tip of the holder 20.

The hollow cylindrical member 10 is inserted into the optical fiber connector plug 55 until its tip abuts the bottom 57 of the optical fiber connector plug 55. At this time, the core wire 5 protruding from the optical fiber connector plug 55 of the optical fiber 50
1 penetrates into the inside of the hollow cylindrical member 10 from a hole 13 at the tip of the hollow cylindrical member 10 . The protrusion length p of the core wire 51 is determined by retracting the hollow cylindrical member 10 by a predetermined distance using a micrometer, and the core wire 51 is cut.

The core wire 51 is cut by pressing the knob 14 as described above. When the knob 14 is pressed, the core wire 51 is held between the grips 1 and 11 with appropriate pressure, and tension is applied to the core wire 51 in the right direction in the drawing due to the deformation of the leaf spring 8. At the same time, the optical fiber core cutter 5 hits the core wire 51 and creates a flaw, so that the core wire 51 is cut at the flawed portion.

As described above, in the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, the protrusion length p of the optical fiber core 51 from the optical fiber connector plug 55 is determined by the distance that the cylindrical member 10 retreats.

Since this distance is measured with the micrometer 6, the protruding length l of the optical fiber core 51 can be determined accurately.

As described in detail, by using the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, the length of the optical fiber core in the optical fiber connector plug portion of an optical semiconductor module or the like can be precisely controlled on the order of μm. Therefore, it is effective to use it for assembling modules using optical fibers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an example of the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows how the optical fiber cutter of FIG. 1 is used to cut the optical fiber core of the optical fiber connector plug. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector plug targeted by the optical fiber cutter of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional optical fiber cutter. 5(a) to 5(d) are diagrams showing the operation of the optical fiber cutter of FIG. 4. FIG. [Main reference numbers] 1.2.11.21... Gripping part, 4.41... Sheathing cutter, 1 5... Optical fiber core cutter, 6... Meter, 7... Minute Spring, 8... Leaf spring, 9.15.16... Spring, 10... Hollow cylindrical member, 13... Hole, 14... Knob, 20... Holder, 50... Light Fiber, 55... Optical fiber connector plug, 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A hollow member that can be inserted into an optical fiber connector plug and has a hole on the bottom surface through which the optical fiber core wire passes when inserted into the optical fiber connector plug, and an optical member provided inside the hollow member that can be operated from the outside. It is characterized by comprising a fiber cutting means, an optical fiber core holding means, a moving means for moving the hollow member in the axial direction, and a measuring means for measuring the distance moved in the axial direction of the hollow member by the moving means. Optical fiber cutter.