JPH04134406A - Production of coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make efficient mass production of the coupler having stable quality by heating and fusing fibers by arc discharge, applying tension to the fibers at the time of the heating and fusing or after the heating and fusing and working the part near the fused part to a circular conical shape. CONSTITUTION:Two pieces of the fibers 1 and 2, 5 and 6 arrayed side by side are heated by the arc discharge to fuse the parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a thereof by a desired length in the longitudinal direction. The fibers 1 and 2, 5 and 6 heated and fused in these parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a are disposed to face each other and the end faces 3, 4 and 7, 8 facing each other are heated by the arc discharge by which the end faces are fusion spliced. The parts near the fused part 9 of the previously fused end faces 3, 4 and 7, 9 are worked to the circular conical shape by applying the tension to the fibers 1, 2, 5, 6 while subjecting the fibers to the fusion splicing or by applying the tension to the fibers 1, 2, 5, 6 while freshly heating the fibers by the arc discharge after the fusion.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing couplers used for branching, branching, etc. for optical communications by arc discharge.

[Conventional technology]

The conventional method for manufacturing couplers involves stretching two fibers arranged side by side while heating and fusing them with a flame such as a microtorch, and processing the heat-fused portion into a conical shape.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional manufacturing method described above, since a flame such as a microtorch is used as a heating means, the following problems occur. a. Since the width and strength of the flame is unstable or the flame wavers, the heating fusion width of the fiber becomes unstable and the quality of the manufactured optical couplers varies. When this changes, the optical coupling length of the resulting coupler varies. b. The flame of a microtorch has low firepower, so it takes time to fuse the fibers together (several tens of minutes to make one coupler), and the manufacturing process is difficult to automate, so mass production is not possible. .

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing couplers that can solve the above-mentioned problems and efficiently mass-produce couplers of stable quality.

[Means to solve the problem]

The method for manufacturing a coupler according to claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that
As shown in the figure, two fibers 1 and 2 arranged side by side are heated by arc discharge and fused in the longitudinal direction of the parallel portions 1a and 2a, and the end faces 3.
4 is butted against the end faces 7, 8 of another fiber 5.6 whose parallel portions 5a and 68 are similarly heat-fused, and the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 are heat-fused by arc discharge. At the time of fusion or after heat fusion, tension is applied to the fibers 1, 2, 5, 6, and the vicinity of the fused portion 9, which was previously heat fused, is shaped into a conical shape. A method for manufacturing a coupler according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a method for manufacturing a coupler according to a second aspect of the present invention.
As shown in the figure, the end faces 3.4 of the two fibers 1 and 2 arranged side by side and the end faces 7.8 of the other two fibers 5.6 arranged side by side are butted together, and the end faces 3. .4 and 6.7 are heat-fused by arc discharge, and then fibers 1 and 2.
5 and 6 are heated by arc discharge to fuse the parallel portions 1a and 2a, 5a and 68 in their longitudinal direction, and during or after the heating and fusion, the end surfaces 3.4 and 6.7 are While heating the fused portion 9 by arc discharge, the fiber 1
, 2.5.6 are processed into a conical shape in the vicinity of the fused portion 9 by applying tension.

[Effect]

According to the method for manufacturing an optical coupler of the present invention, fiber 1.
2.5.6 are heated by a narrow arc, so the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 of the butted fibers 1, 2 and 5, 6
The length of the fused portion 9 can be made constant. In addition, since the fibers 1, 2.5, and 6 are heated by a narrow arc and their parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a are fused in the longitudinal direction, it is easy to fuse them to a certain length. . Furthermore, the fused portion 9 is heated by narrow arc discharge.
Since the vicinity of is processed into a conical shape, it is easy to process into a conical shape of a certain shape.

【Example】

In order to manufacture an optical coupler by the manufacturing method of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
) is finished with a mirror finish on the end surface 3.4 (7, 8) and then
As shown in the drawings and FIG. 2, the fibers are housed in two tanks side by side in the fiber guide 14. Next, the two fibers 1, 2.5 and 6 arranged side by side are heated by arc discharge, and their parallel parts 1a, 2a, 5
A and 6a are fused to a desired length in the longitudinal direction. The fibers 1.2 and 5.6 in which the parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a are heat-sealed are placed opposite each other, and the opposing end surfaces 3.4, 7, and 8 are heated by arc discharge and fused and spliced. At this time, tension may be applied to fiber 1.2.5.6 while fusion splicing, or tension may be applied to fiber 1.2.5.6 while arc discharge heating is performed after fusion splicing. The vicinity of the fused portion 9 of the end faces 3.4 and 7, 8 is machined into a conical shape as shown in FIG. To process the fused part 9 into a conical shape, use the fibers 1.2, 5.
．． After or at the time of fusing the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 of 6,
The fibers 1, 2, 5, and 6 may be heated, twisted together, fused, heated, and formed. Since the arc of arc discharge is narrow and the heating range is narrow,
In order to heat a wide area, the fiber guide 14 can be moved relative to the electrode 15 for arc discharge, or conversely, the fiber guide 14 can be fixed and the electrode 15 can be connected to the fibers 1, 2.5.
．． 6 in the axial direction. In this case, since the fibers 1, 2, 5, and 6 are precisely positioned on the fiber guide 14, rather than moving the fiber guide 14 relative to the electrode 15, the fiber guide 14 is fixed and the electrode 15 is moved. It is more efficient to maintain accuracy. Furthermore, in order to heat a particularly wide area, it is preferable to arrange the electrodes 15 diagonally from above to below in the axial direction of the fibers 1, 2, 5, 6, as shown in FIG. In the above embodiment, the parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a of two fibers 1.25.6 arranged side by side are first fused in the longitudinal direction, and then the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 facing each other are fused together in the longitudinal direction. However, in the present invention, the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 are first fusion spliced, and then the parallel parts 1a, 2a, 5a of the main fiber 1.2.5.6 are fusion spliced. 6a may be heat-fused in its longitudinal direction.

【Effect of the invention】

The method for manufacturing a coupler of the present invention has the following effects. a Parallel parts 1a, 2a, 5a of fiber 1.2.5.6
and 6a are heated by arc discharge, so that the parallel parts 1a and 2a, 5a and 6a can be accurately heat-fused to a desired length. Therefore, a coupler can be obtained in which the fused portion is constant and the optical coupling length in that portion is constant. b. The fused part 9 of the end faces 3.4 and 7.8 of the fiber 1.2.5.6 is heated by arc discharge and processed into a conical shape, so the shape of the conical part is constant and it can be used as a coupler. When used, the optical coupling length etc. are stable, and a coupler with excellent quality can be obtained. The arc of C-arc discharge is narrow and does not waver, and the arc discharge can be controlled by turning the power on and off, so the heating condition is stable and couplers of constant quality can be mass-produced. d, fiber 1, 2-fiber tape core wire 11 as 2.5.6
If you use , the end of the same tape core $911 is already formed into a tape shape, so you can obtain an optical coupler by processing only the conical part, making it easy to manufacture and providing an inexpensive coupler. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the method of manufacturing a coupler of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of the arrangement of fibers in a fiber guide, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of a coupler obtained by the method of manufacturing a coupler of the present invention. An explanatory diagram showing an example, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the arrangement of electrodes in the same manufacturing method, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a two-core tape. 1, 2.5.6 are the fibers 1a, 2a, 5a, 6a are the parallel parts 3.4.7.8 are the end faces 9 are the fused parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) The parallel parts 1a and 2a of two fibers 1 and 2 arranged side by side are heated by arc discharge and fused in the longitudinal direction, and the end faces 3 and 4 of the fused fibers 1 and 2 are Similarly, the parallel parts 5a and 6a are butted against the end surfaces 7 and 8 of the other heat-fused fibers 5 and 6, and the end surfaces 3, 4 and 7, 8 are heat-fused by arc discharge. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing a coupler, which comprises applying tension to the fibers 1, 2, 5, and 6 after heat-fusion and processing the vicinity of the fused portion 9, which was previously heat-fused, into a conical shape. (2) The end faces 3 and 4 of the two fibers 1 and 2 arranged side by side and the end faces 7 and 8 of the other two fibers 5 and 6 arranged side by side are butted together, and the butted end faces 3 and 4 are brought together. and 6 and 7 are heated and fused by arc discharge, and then each of fibers 1 and 2, 5 and 6 is heated by arc discharge to form parallel parts 1a, 2a and 5.
a and 6a in their longitudinal direction, and during or after the heating and fusing, the fused portions 9 of the end faces 3, 4 and 6, 7 are heated by arc discharge, and the fibers 1, 2, 5 are heated.
, 6 to form a conical shape in the vicinity of the fused portion 9.