JPH07306330A - Feed device for optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an axial shift and damage by moving a V-shaped groove unit forward at the same time when a driving mechanism moves optical fiber forward. CONSTITUTION:When the driving mechanism 40 moves the optical fiber 24 forward, the V-shaped groove unit 10 is simultaneously moved forward. Thus, the relationship of position between the optical fiber 24 and the 9-shaped groove unit 10 is not changed in the midst of moving foward. Therefore, it is welded while holding the aligned state. Also, the optical fiber 24 is prevented from being damaged by the V-shaped groove unit 10. When the driving mechanism 40 moves the optical fiber 24 forward, both the V-shaped groove unit 10 and a clamping means 30 may simultaneously move forward.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mainly relates to a fusion splicer for multi-core optical fibers, and more particularly to a feeder for advancing an aligned optical fiber in the discharge region direction and abutting optical fibers on both sides. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The above portion is schematically shown in FIG. 5 (an example of a fixed V groove). (A) is a side view, (b)
3A is a state of viewing (a) from the B direction, and (c) is a state of enlarging the C cross section of (b). 10 is a V groove unit, 12
Is a main body of the left and right integrated V-groove unit, and 14 is a V-groove formed on the upper surface of the V-groove unit so as to face each other in a straight line. Reference numeral 20 is the whole multi-core optical fiber tape, 22 is a coating portion, 24 is a bare optical fiber, and 26 is a coating clamp that holds the optical fiber tape with a magnet chuck type lid. Reference numeral 40 denotes a clamp table on which an upper surface of the coated clamp is placed, the upper surface of which is inclined, and the coated clamp slides on the clamp table in a butt direction.

At the time of fusion bonding, the optical fibers 24 on both sides are pressed by the cover clamps, and the tip portions are inserted into the V groove 14 obliquely from above. Then, the covering clamps 26 on the left and right are slid by a moving mechanism (not shown), and the tips of the optical fibers on both sides are butted against each other. After that, an accurate end face interval of the optical fiber 24 is set, discharge is started, and pushing at the time of fusion is performed.

[0004]

Conventionally, an optical fiber 24 has been used.
Had been advanced along the V groove 14 formed on the main body 12 (V groove base) of the fixed V groove unit, but the tip portion protruding from the V groove that cannot be pressed by the clamp has eccentricity or the like. Pitch shift may occur due to habit.
Further, the optical fiber is pressed by the clamp and advances while contacting each side of the V groove 14, but dust such as quartz is vapor-deposited on the V groove, and the surface of the bare optical fiber is scratched.
The fusion splicing strength was reduced.

Further, in the fusion splicer of the individual alignment type in which the shape of each V groove is individually changed and the position of each core wire of the multi-core optical fiber is individually adjusted for axial alignment, the fusion splicer is not pressed before fusion. However, since the V-grooves have different heights, the centered optical fiber tip may pop out in an unintended direction and disperse as it is pushed forward. there were.

[0006]

In an optical fiber feeding device including a positioning groove for an optical fiber and a drive mechanism for advancing the optical fiber arranged in the positioning groove, the drive mechanism is configured to move the optical fiber. When advancing, the optical fiber and the positioning groove translate, or the clamping means translates with the positioning groove. Further, the clamp means is a cylindrical clamp.

[0007]

[Operation] When the optical fiber and the positioning groove in which the optical fiber is arranged are translated, the positional relationship between the optical fiber and the positioning groove does not change during the forward movement of the optical fiber. Therefore, the optical fiber can be extended while maintaining the initially aligned state. Moreover, the optical fiber 24 is not damaged by the positioning groove.

(2) When the optical fiber and the positioning groove in which the optical fiber is arranged and the clamping means are translated at the same time, in addition to the function described in (1) above, the friction between the clamp and the positioning groove during the forward movement of the optical fiber. The force that displaces the optical fiber 24 in the traveling direction due to the above does not act at all.
Therefore, the fusion can be performed while keeping the aligned state completely. Further, the optical fiber is not damaged by the positioning groove and the clamp means.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The feeding device of the present invention is a conventional left and right integrated type V
It is not applied to the groove unit, but the V groove unit is used for the left and right separate bodies. These V-groove units are driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) equipped with an actuator and can approach and separate only in two directions. [1] In the case of FIG. 1: For example, the lower portion of the clamp base is projected forward to provide a protruding portion. V on the protruding part 44
The groove unit 10 is fixed. As described above, the left and right V-groove units 10 can be separately separated and moved toward and away from each other. The V-groove unit 10 is a fixed V-groove type, and the clamp 32 is V-shaped.
The optical fiber 24 is arranged on the V groove unit in a state of being lifted so as not to contact the groove unit 10, and then,
The clamp 32 is lowered and the optical fiber 24 is pressed and fixed in the V groove. At the time of fusion pushing, the clamp device 26 on the clamp base 40 is fixed without sliding. However, in the step of disposing and inserting the optical fiber in the V groove 14,
The clamp device 26 slides slightly. The movable base 42 is z
When the optical fiber tape 2 is advanced in the direction ((b) of the same figure),
The 0 and V groove units 10 translate and move forward in the z direction at the same time. At the same time, the V-groove unit 10 on the opposite side also translates in the direction opposite to the above, and the distance between the left and right V-grooves approaches. In the first setting, the V grooves on the left and right are arranged in a straight line. Therefore, even if they are brought close to each other, the linear relationship is maintained.

[2] In the case of FIG. 2: In addition to the above structure, the movement of the clamp means 30 and the movement of the V groove unit 10 are made to coincide with each other. As one example thereof, the base of the bracket 46 is fixed to the movable table 42, and the free end is projected forward in the z direction.
The clamp means 30 is attached and fixed to the bracket 46. Initially, in order to dispose the optical fiber 24 on the V-groove unit, the clamping means 30 is a mechanism that can be detached from the V-groove unit and lifted, as described above. In the case of FIGS. 1 and 2, the clamp 32 of the clamp means 30 is made of a hard material or an elastic body, and its cross section in the optical fiber direction is wedge-shaped, circular, etc., and does not necessarily have a flat bottom as shown in the drawing. However, the bottom surface when viewed from the end face direction of the optical fiber is preferably a flat bottom (horizontal). When the movable table 42 moves forward in the z direction ((b) in the figure), the optical fiber tape 20, the V groove unit 10 and the clamp means 30 translate in parallel, and at the same time move forward in the z direction by the same amount.

[3] Individually aligned V-groove: A model is shown in FIG. One slope 140 of the V groove 14 is fixed, while the other slope 142 is movable. The inclined surface 142 is formed on the upper surface of the movable plate 144. Movable plate 1
When each 44 moves up and down individually (the driving means is not shown),
The optical fibers 24 are individually displaced. Utilizing this, the optical fibers 24 are individually aligned.

As a result of aligning the optical fibers 24 individually, the height of the optical fibers 24 may differ. If the lower part 320 of the clamp 32 is made of elastically deformable sponge, rubber or the like, all the optical fibers 24 can be reliably clamped even if the heights of the optical fibers 24 are different.

However, the clamped portion is only the area on the V groove, and the portion protruding from the V groove is free from restriction. After the individual alignment is completed, the height and the position of the tip of the optical fiber in the portion protruding from the V groove are different depending on the height of the V groove. When the fusion splicing is started and the optical fiber 24 is pushed toward the discharge area, the positional distance between the optical fibers tends to be wider than the initial position at the time of completion of the alignment, and the eccentricity of the optical fiber 24, It is further promoted by the degree of. The same applies to the fixed V-groove method to some extent.

Either one or both of the fixed V groove and the flat bottom / hard clamp means 30 in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2 are replaced by the individual alignment V groove and the elastic body type clamp means 30. It may be replaced. That is, the following modifications exist. The V-groove unit 10 of FIG. 1 is an individual alignment type. The V-groove unit 10 of FIG. 1 is an individual alignment type, and the clamp means 30 is an elastic body type. The V-groove unit 10 of FIG. 2 is an individual alignment type. The V-groove unit 10 of FIG. 2 is an individual alignment type, and the clamp means 30 is an elastic body type.

In order to bring the optical fibers 24 close to each other,
It is not always necessary to advance the optical fibers 24 on both sides. The optical fiber 24 on one side may be advanced and the optical fiber 24 on the other side may be fixed in position. Therefore, as another embodiment, the drive mechanism is provided only on the V groove unit 10 on one side, and the V groove unit 10 on the other side is fixed without adding the drive mechanism. Since the drive mechanism is only on one side, the device cost can be reduced. However, a drive mechanism may be provided in the V-groove units 10 on both sides to drive only one side and stop driving the other side. The above applies not only to the fixed V-groove method but also to the individual alignment method and each embodiment described later.

[4] In the case of high-strength fusion: For the purpose of minimizing the deterioration of the tensile strength in the vicinity of the connecting portion, the optical fiber is not directly pressed, but the optical fiber tape 20 is coated as shown in FIG. The part 22 may be set in the V groove unit 10. Since the optical fiber 24 does not come into contact with the V-groove, there is no risk of scratches and the like, and the fusion strength is improved.
This method may be applied to the cases shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this case, the modified V groove 15 having a flat bottom is used, but the term “V groove” in the present specification includes this modified V groove. That is, the term "V-shaped groove" in the present invention does not necessarily indicate only an accurate V-shaped groove, but collectively refers to a positioning groove in which an optical fiber is arranged and positioned, and includes a modification of the V-shaped groove. .

Further, in the above embodiment, the movable base and the V-groove unit or the clamp means are integrally formed to advance the V-groove unit 10 in conjunction with the optical fiber 24. However, in view of the gist of the present invention, it is not necessarily limited to the integral type, and it is also possible to add as a separate example a drive mechanism that advances the same amount at the same time.

Also, instead of using a flat bottom clamp,
As shown in FIG. 4B, if the roller-shaped cylindrical clamp 33 having a hard or elastic surface is used and it is rotatable about the shaft 33A, friction with the optical fiber is eliminated and the mechanism can be simplified. Is obtained.

The foregoing has all been described for "multicore" optical fibers. However, it goes without saying that the invention is also applicable in the case of "single core" optical fibers.

[0020]

【The invention's effect】

(1) At the same time that the drive mechanism advances the optical fiber,
Since the positioning groove such as the groove is also translated, as described above, no axial misalignment occurs in the optical fiber during the forward movement. Therefore, fusion can be performed while maintaining the aligned state. The optical fiber is not scratched by the V groove during the forward movement during fusion. Therefore, the strength of the connecting portion can be prevented from being lowered. (2) At the same time that the drive mechanism advances the optical fiber,
If the groove unit and the clamp means are also translated, axial misalignment and scratches caused by friction between the optical fiber and the clamp during forward movement can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an individual alignment V groove.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment to which the present invention is applied, in which (a)
Shows the set state of the optical fiber in the high strength fusion splicing method, and (b) shows the case of a cylindrical clamp.

FIG. 5 is a model explanatory view of a conventional fusion splicing device.

[Explanation of Codes] 10 V-groove unit 12 V-groove main body 14 V-groove 140 One slope of V-groove 142 The other slope of V-groove 144 Movable plate 15 Modified V-groove 20 Optical fiber tape 22 Coated part 24 Optical fiber 26 Coated clamp 30 Clamping means 32 Clamp 34 Spring 42 Movable stand 44 Projection part 46 Bracket

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber feeding device comprising a positioning groove for an optical fiber and a drive mechanism for advancing the optical fiber arranged in the positioning groove, when the drive mechanism advances the optical fiber. An optical fiber feeding device in which the optical fiber and the positioning groove are translated, or a clamp means is translated together with the positioning groove. 2. An optical fiber feeding device comprising an optical fiber positioning groove and a drive mechanism for advancing the optical fiber arranged in the positioning groove, wherein the optical fiber clamping means is a rotatable cylindrical clamp. Is a fiber optic feeder.