JPH0455289Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler used in the fields of optical communications and optical sensors.

(Prior art) As shown in Figure 2, the optical fiber coupler has two
A part of the optical fibers 1-1a, 2-2a of the book is fused and stretched, and one optical fiber 1 (or
The light incident on the optical fiber 2) is split and emitted to the other optical fiber 2 (or optical fiber 1) side at the stretching part, so that the light can be emitted from both optical fibers 1a and 2a. It is used for branching and merging light in the field of optical sensors.

An example of a conventional manufacturing apparatus for this type of optical fiber coupler is shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-232515. Its configuration is shown in Figures 3 and 4. 3rd, 4th
In the figure, 21-21a and 22-22a are optical fibers, 41-41a is an optical fiber fixing device, and 4
2, 42a are optical fiber horizontal position and vertical position adjustment parts, 48 are oxygen/propane flame burners, 49, 49
a is a stretching table, 410 and 410a are stretching device bearings,
411 is a substrate, 412, 412a are wires, 41
3,413a,413b,413c,414,4
14a, 414b, 414c are rotary bearings, 415 is a weight, 416 is a weight support base 418, 41
8a is a bearing gas introduction pipe.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In the conventional device, the optical fibers 21-21
It was necessary to attach the optical fiber fixing devices 41, 41a to the optical fiber fixing devices 41, 41a on the stretching tables 49, 49a, with the side surfaces of the optical fibers a and 22-22a in close contact with each other in parallel. For this reason, during this attachment work, it is not possible to proceed to the next fusion/stretching process, which poses a problem in mass production of optical fiber couplers. In addition, after the optical fiber is attached to the fixing device, it is not possible to inspect the optical fiber for twisting or alignment errors, such as residues of the coating material that should have been removed, due to limited space, which may cause manufacturing inconveniences during the fusing and stretching process. As a result, it was not possible to improve manufacturing yield.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an optical fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus that improves the productivity and manufacturing yield of optical fiber couplers.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a pair of linear bearings fixed on a substrate at an appropriate interval,
At least one movable stretching table that performs linear motion is supported by a bearing, and a pair of optical fibers are disposed on this stretching table with a part fixed and tightly gripping each other's sides. An optical fiber comprising: a device for fixing a pair of optical fibers; a heat source for heating a predetermined position between the optical fiber fixing devices to fuse the optical fibers; and a stretching device for applying tension to the optical fibers and stretching them. In the coupler manufacturing apparatus, the pair of optical fiber fixing devices are supported by removable supports at a constant interval, and are configured to be detachable from the stretching table.

(Function) According to the present invention, it is possible to inspect the torsion alignment error of the optical fibers when arranging the optical fibers, the presence or absence of residual coating material, etc. before installing the optical fibers on the drawing table. Since a large amount of fixing work can be performed in a separate process on the production line, the fusing and stretching equipment can be operated without waste.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, showing only the main parts, and the other configurations are the same as FIGS. 3 and 4. In the figure, 21-21a, 22-22a
is an optical fiber, 41-41a is an optical fiber fixing device, 42, 42a are optical fiber fixing parts, 49, 4
9a is a stretching table equipped with a magnetic support mechanism (not shown); 410, 410a are stretching device bearings; 60, 6
0a is the cartridge side plate, 61, 61a, 61
b, 61c are optical fiber fixing screws, 63, 63
a is an optical fiber support part, and 64 is a cartridge fixing screw.

The cartridge of the present invention has a structure in which a pair of optical fiber fixing devices 41, 41a kept at a constant interval are sandwiched between cartridge side plates 60, 60a that constitute a support, and the cartridge side plates 60, 60a are screwed with cartridge fixing screws 64. It has been stopped.

Next, we will discuss how to use the cartridge.

Optical fiber 21 whose coated side is tightly attached
-21a, 22-22a are adjusted vertically and horizontally using a jig, and the fixing screws 61, 61 are attached to the fixing parts 42, 42a on the optical fiber fixing devices 41, 41a.
a, 61b, and 61c, and the covered portion is fixed using supports 63, 63a. Next, the twist and parallelism of the optical fibers 21-21a and 22-22a,
Inspect for residual coating using a microscope, etc. Next, the cartridge is fixed to the stretching tables 49, 49a via a magnetic support mechanism. After that, remove the cartridge fixing screw 64, and remove the cartridge side plate 60,
Remove 60a.

A stretching device (not shown) and the stretching tables 49, 49a are connected, and the stretching tables 49, 49a are movable on a stretching device bearing 410.

Optical fibers 21-21a,
22-22a was attached to the drawing tables 49, 49a of an optical fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus, and fusion and drawing were performed. Optical fibers 21-21a, 22-2
As 2a, a single mode optical fiber having an outer diameter of 25 μm, a core diameter of 6 μm, and a coating diameter of 350 μm was used and attached to the cartridge. The time required for installation was approximately 10 minutes after the fiber optic coating was removed.
Optical fiber 21-21a in cartridge state,
It took about 10 minutes to test 22-22a. Then, it is fixed to the stretching tables 49, 49a, and the cartridge side plate 6 is
0.60a was removed. This took 30 seconds.

Next, fusion bonding and stretching were performed. During stretching, the stretching tables 49 and 49a were moved in opposite directions. The time required for the fusing and drawing process to create a 3 dB 2 x 21 optical fiber coupler was 15
It was hot in minutes. Then, attach the cartridge side plate 60 again.
Attach a, 60a (20 seconds), stretch table 49, 4
The cartridge was removed from 9a, and the fused/stretched portion was placed in a protective case and sealed using an adhesive to form a coupler. The time required for this step, including the adhesive curing time, was approximately 30 minutes.

The total working time was approximately 52 minutes for attaching the optical fiber to the cartridge, inspection, etc., and approximately 17 minutes for the fusing and stretching process.

On the other hand, in the conventional method, it took about 70 minutes from the installation of the optical fiber to the completion of the coupler, and most of the work was carried out on the optical fiber fixing devices 41, 41a fixed on the stretching tables 49, 49a. By using the cartridge of the present invention, attaching the optical fiber to the cartridge in advance, and performing only the fusing and stretching process in the coupler manufacturing equipment, a productivity increase of 70/17, which is about four times higher, can be achieved. That will happen. By producing a large number of cartridge parts, the expensive optical fiber coupler manufacturing equipment can be used exclusively for the fusing and stretching processes, and the overall productivity is improved.
A yield of 99% could be achieved in the fusing/stretching process using this method.

In addition, the characteristics of the coupler have reproducibility equal to or better than conventional ones, and in the case of a 3dB 2x2 optical fiber coupler, the coupling ratio is within 50% ± 1%, and the insertion loss is less than 0.2dB. achieved. In the embodiment of the present invention, the case where the stretching tables 49 and 49a move in opposite directions has been described, but the cartridge method is also sufficient even when one of the stretching tables 49 and 49a is fixed and only the other moves. Needless to say, it has a great effect.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, in the present invention, the optical fiber fixing device in the optical fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus is made into a cartridge structure so that it can be attached to and detached from the drawing table. Since the arrangement of optical fibers can be inspected, production yield is improved, and an expensive fusing/stretching mechanism can be used effectively, thereby increasing productivity.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of an optical fiber coupler manufacturing device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the optical fiber coupler, and FIG. 3 is a top view of a conventional device. Figure 4 is a side view of the same. 21-21a, 22-22a...optical fiber,
41-41a...Optical fiber fixing device, 42,4
2a...Optical fiber fixing part, 48...Oxygen/propane flame burner, 49, 49a...Stretching table, 41
0,410a...Stretching device bearing, 411...Substrate, 60,60a...Cartridge side plate, 64
...Cartridge fixing screw, 61, 61a, 6
1b, 61c...Fixing screws, 63, 63a...
Optical fiber support.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A pair of linear bearings fixed at appropriate intervals on a substrate, at least one movable stretching table that performs linear motion supported by the bearings, and a part of the stretching table on the stretching table. With the optical fibers fixed and their sides tightly gripped, the pair of optical fibers are heated to a predetermined position between the fixing device for arranging the pair of optical fibers and the optical fiber fixing device to fuse the optical fibers. In an optical fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus equipped with a heat source and a stretching device that applies tension to and stretches the optical fiber, the pair of optical fiber fixing devices are supported by removable supports at a constant interval, and An optical fiber coupler manufacturing device characterized in that it is configured to be detachably attached to a drawing table.