JPH05169544A - Molding device for optical fiber coupler - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a molding device for the manufacturing of an easily moldable optical fiber coupler with simple backup equipment by providing a discharge pipe maintained vertically through a tube. CONSTITUTION:A discharge pipe 20 is attached to each one of three needles 18a to 18c branching out independently on the tip, and this discharge pipe 20 is fixed to a bracket using a pipe holder 21. In addition, a dispenser 15 discharges an adhesive 40 always satisfactorily, as the discharge pipe 20 provided through a tube 19 is aligned vertically by the holder 21. Therefore, there are no such possibilities that the needles might become obliquely positioned as is the case their not being supported, resulting in the sticking together of discharged adhesive streams, and the discharged adhesive stream might spread around the needle tip to form a shoulder part of the adhesive 40, as causes for the failure to produce a satisfactory mold.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a molding apparatus used for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, optical fiber couplers have been important optical elements in optical communication systems and optical sensor systems. The optical fiber coupler is, for example, one in which two optical fibers are bundled in parallel and the central portion thereof is heated and fused and extended to form a tapered thin extension portion. Is radiated to the clad or is distributed-coupled to be distributed with a predetermined degree of coupling, and is then confined in the core again. In such an optical fiber coupler, the outer diameter of the thin-diameter stretched portion is usually about 30 μm, and it is easily broken, so that it is described in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-29008 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-271208. A reinforced structure is adopted.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, an adhesive 2 is applied to both sides of the extending portion of the optical fiber coupler 1 and the adhesive 2 is applied.
It is held by a plate-shaped reinforcing member 3 or, as shown in FIG. 10, a glass tube 4 is used as a reinforcing member and an optical fiber coupler 1 is fixed in the glass tube 4 with an adhesive 2. is there.

However, with such a reinforcing structure, the adhesive 2 must be applied manually by using a dispenser, and the assembling work is troublesome.

Therefore, the present inventor has previously proposed a mold case for reinforcing an optical fiber coupler which is easy to mold with an adhesive (Japanese Patent Application No. 3-269572, filed October 17, 1991). That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, it is a mold case 6 having on both sides a groove 5 for molding which opens upward. By using the mold case 6, the adhesive can be molded from the upper side of the groove 5, and automation is possible.

[0006]

However, when the adhesive is automatically molded by using the mold case 6 shown in FIG. 7, dispensers having needle-like tips are arranged above the groove 5 respectively. It is necessary to move the dispenser in the longitudinal direction of the groove 5 at a constant speed by an automatic stage. That is, it is necessary to use two motorized stages,
There is a problem that equipment costs increase.

In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler which has simple equipment and can be easily molded.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler according to the present invention, wherein an extending portion of the optical fiber coupler is held inside a molding case, and then the molding case is held. A molding device for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler, in which an adhesive is molded by a dispenser into a groove that is open in a direction that does not coincide with the axial direction at both ends of the optical fiber coupler, and the molding case and the optical fiber coupler are fixed to each other. The distal end portion is composed of a plurality of needles, and the distal ends of the respective needles are arranged apart from each other in the axial direction of the groove, and the distal end portions of the needles are held in the vertical direction. In the second molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler according to the present invention, after the extending portion of the optical fiber coupler is held inside the molding case, the molding machine is held at both ends of the molding case in a direction that does not coincide with the axial direction. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler, in which an adhesive is molded in a groove to be opened by a dispenser to fix the molding case and the optical fiber coupler, wherein the tip of the dispenser is composed of a plurality of needles The distal ends are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the groove, and each of the needles is provided with a discharge pipe held in the vertical direction via a tube. Further, in the above-described molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler having the first or second configuration, when the adhesive is molded in the molding case, it has an elevating means for moving the dispenser vertically upward, and ejects the dispenser. The mold is finished by cutting off the adhesive.

[0009]

Operation: After the dispenser is moved above the grooves on both ends of the mold case, the adhesive is applied all at once in a stopped state to complete the molding. At this time, since the tip of the plurality of needles at the tip of the dispenser and the discharge pipes provided at the tips are held in the vertical direction, the adhesive from each needle does not stick before being applied, and the mold Well done.

[0010]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below based on examples.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler according to an embodiment. As shown in both figures, the molded case 11 has a groove 1 that is open upward at both ends.
2, the optical fiber coupler 13 is held in the mold case holder 14 with the extended portion of the optical fiber coupler 13 accommodated therein. The mold case 11 of this embodiment is formed by joining a semi-cylindrical main body 11a and a top plate 11b with an adhesive, but does not coincide with the axial direction, that is, is inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the axial direction. As long as it has grooves 12 that open in the direction at both ends, it may be an integral type such as one in which both ends of a cylinder are obliquely cut.

On the other hand, the pair of dispensers 15 are attached to a plate-shaped dispenser bracket 16 by a fixture 17, and the needle portion 1 which is the tip of each dispenser 15.
As shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2, the needle 8 is branched into three needles 18a to 18c each having a distal end in the present embodiment, and each needle 18a to 18c.
A discharge pipe 20 is attached to 18c via a tube 19, and this discharge pipe 20 is a pipe holding means 2
It is fixed to the bracket 16 by 1. Further, the discharge pipes 20 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the groove 12,
The distance between both ends of the discharge pipes is equal to the length of the groove 12, and the arrangement direction of the discharge pipes 20 and the mold case 11 are the same.
The groove 12 is aligned with the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pipe holding means 21 includes a holder 21b provided on the bracket 16 and having a V groove 21a for aligning the discharge pipe 20, and a holding plate 21c having a rubber-like elastic force. The discharge pipes 20 are arranged by arranging the discharge pipes 20 in the V-groove 21a, pressing the support pipes 21d, and then fixing them with fastening bolts 21e.

Each needle 1 of the needle portion 18 of this dispenser 15
The discharge pipe 20 at the tip of 8a to 18c is aligned with the position of the groove 12 of the mold case 11, and is orthogonal to the axis of the optical fiber coupler 13 while maintaining the vertical direction by a dispenser moving means (not shown). Direction (X direction in FIG. 5). When aligning the tip ends of the discharge pipes 20, the support tool 21d may be loosened to align the tip ends of the discharge pipes 20 with a smooth surface.

On the other hand, as another embodiment of the dispenser, as shown in FIG. 3, the tips of the branched needles 18a to 18b are lengthened and the tips are aligned by the holding means 21 described above, whereby the needle tips are aligned. The discharge from the
It is possible to uniformly discharge the adhesive 40.

The needles 18a to 18c or the discharge pipe 2
The pitch p between 0a to 20c varies depending on the viscosity of the adhesive 40, but may be 2 mm or more. Thus the pitch p
Is set to 2 mm or more in order to prevent the adhesives 40 from the needles 18a to 18c or the discharge pipe 19 from sticking to each other.

The dispenser 15 thus obtained
Since the discharge pipe 20 provided through the tube 19 at the tips of the needles 18a to 18c is aligned in the vertical direction by the holding means 21, the adhesive 40 can always be discharged favorably as shown in FIG. 8 (A). , The adhesive 40 sticks to each other at an angle as in the case where the needle tip is not held (see FIG. 8B), and as shown in FIG. There is no fear that the shoulder portion 40a of the agent 40 is formed and good molding cannot be performed.

In particular, when the discharge pipe 20 provided on the tip of the needle via the tube 19 is fixed by the holding means 21, the arrangement of the tips of the needles, especially the height direction and the angle are always the same, with high precision. The manufacturing cost can be reduced because the manufacturing is not required while keeping it.

The needles 18a to 18c or the discharge pipe 20
It is preferable that the opening diameter of the tip of the is 0.5 mm or less. Generally, a larger opening diameter makes it easier to release the adhesive at a time, but it is advantageous to arrange thin needles at a short pitch because it is necessary to dispense long and narrow in the molding of an optical fiber coupler. .. However, the pitch cannot be made too short because of the above-mentioned problems, but for this reason also, the needles 18a to 18c or the discharge pipe 2 are provided.
The smaller the opening diameter of 0, the better. According to the experiment, the sphere formed by the surface tension is small, and the opening diameter of the tip of the needles 18a to 18c or the discharge pipe 20 is set to 0.5 mm or less in order to prevent the adhesives from the adjacent needles from sticking to each other. Turned out to be good.

The dispenser 15 may be of a compressed air type, a mono type, a mechanical type, etc., and is driven by a drive source (not shown) such as a compressed air source or a power source connected by a drive source transmission pipe (or wire) 14. It is supposed to be done.

Next, production of an optical fiber coupler using the molding apparatus of this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4, a part of the coating in the longitudinal direction of the two core wires 22 is removed to form a wire portion 23, and the mold case 11 described above is passed through the two core wires 22. Two core wires 22
The core stage clamps 24A and 24B to extend the drawing stage 25
Fix to A and 25B. Next, the wire portions 23 of the two core wires 22 are combined using the wire clamps 26A and 26B, and the flame 28 of the burner 27 welds the central portion 29, which is the portion of the wire portion 23 to be tapered. Then, the wire clamp stage 30A, 30B is used to clamp the wire clamp 26.
After moving A and 26B in the expanding direction, the flame 28 again heats the central portion 29, and at the same time, the stretching stages 25A and 2B.
The core clamps 24A and 24B are moved outward by 5B to form a tapered extension portion in the central portion 29 to form the optical fiber coupler 13. Next, after the flame 28 is moved away, the straight case 31 moves the mold case 11 placed on the bracket 32 that moves in the fiber axis direction, and extends the center part of the mold case 11 as shown in FIG. Make sure that the center of the section matches.

Next, the bracket 1 on which a pair of dispensers 15 are fixed by a dispenser moving device (not shown)
6 in the X direction in FIG. 5, and as shown in FIG.
8 is located above the grooves 12 at both ends of the mold case 11. At this time, the positioning in the Y direction in the drawing is appropriately performed.

Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B), the dispenser 15 is driven by a dispenser drive source (not shown) at the same position to apply a fixed amount of the adhesive 40, and after completion of molding. The bracket 16 to which the dispenser 15 is fixed is moved to its original position.

After the completion of molding, the dispenser 15 may be moved vertically upward by an elevating means (not shown) depending on the discharge condition of the adhesive 40, and the discharge pipe 20 may be moved.
After the adhesive 40 being discharged from the tip of is cut off, it may be retracted to the original position. This is not a problem when the adhesive 40 is filled in the form of water drops, but for the reason that the adhesive 40 is thin in the mold case 11 or the like, the adhesive 40 is filled so as to flow down from the tip of the discharge pipe. If the adhesive 40 is returned to its original position as it is, the adhesive 40 may scatter, and this is to prevent this.

As described above, according to the molding apparatus of this embodiment, good molding can be automatically performed, and since the molding is performed with the dispenser stopped, the apparatus structure is simple.

[0026]

As described above, according to the optical fiber coupler molding apparatus of the present invention, the molding automation can be achieved with a relatively simple apparatus configuration, and the cost of the optical fiber coupler can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a molding operation of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a fixing means of a discharge pipe of a molding apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a fixed state of a needle portion of a dispenser of another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a molding operation by the apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a molding operation by the apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a molding operation by the apparatus of one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a molded case.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an example of discharging an adhesive from a needle portion of a dispenser.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a conventional reinforcing structure.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a conventional reinforcing structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Mold Case 12 Groove 13 Optical Fiber Coupler 15 Dispenser 16 Dispenser Bracket 17 Fixing Tool 18 Needle Part 18a-18c Needle 19 Tube 20 Discharge Pipe 21 Holding Means 40 Adhesive

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An extension part of an optical fiber coupler is held inside a mold case, and then an adhesive is molded by a dispenser into grooves that are opened at both ends of the mold case in a direction that does not coincide with the axial direction of the mold case. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler for fixing the mold case and an optical fiber coupler, wherein the tip of the dispenser comprises a plurality of needles, and the tips of the needles are separated from each other in the axial direction of the groove. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler, which is arranged side by side and holds the tips of the needles in a vertical direction. 2. After holding the extending portion of the optical fiber coupler inside the mold case, an adhesive is molded by a dispenser into grooves that are opened at both ends of the mold case in a direction that does not coincide with the axial direction of the mold case. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler for fixing the mold case and an optical fiber coupler, wherein the tip of the dispenser comprises a plurality of needles, and the tips of the needles are separated from each other in the axial direction of the groove. 2. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler, characterized in that each of the needles is lined up and provided with a discharge pipe held vertically through a tube. 3. The optical fiber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of V grooves formed in the axial direction and the vertical direction of the groove holds the tip end portion of the needle or a discharge pipe. Molding equipment for coupler production. 4. The molding apparatus for producing an optical fiber coupler according to claim 1, further comprising an elevating means for moving the dispenser vertically upward when the adhesive is molded in the molding case, and ejected. A molding apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber coupler, characterized in that the adhesive is cut off and the molding is completed.