JPH0875934A - Method for aligning glass fibercord - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a device for easily aligning plural coated optical fibercords transversely to on row without damaging the coatings as a pretreatment for turning to ribbon, etc. CONSTITUTION: An assembling block 30 is previously raised and the coated optical fibers 20 are dropped line sequentially one piece by one piece into a slit 40 to align the plural coated optical fibers in one longitudinal row. A pressing member 54 (held pushed up by a spring) of a pressing block 50 enters a window 42 to securely clamp the group of the coated optical fibers 20 aligned in the slit 40 when the assembling black 30 is fallen side-ways. Then, the coated optical fiber group which facilitates the next treatment and is aligned in one transverse row is obtd. Since the coated optical fibers 20 are kept free from excessive stresses during the alignment, there is no possibility of damaging the coatings.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to efficiently perform fusion splicing, for example, a plurality of single-core optical fibers may be aligned and fixed in a horizontal row so as to be in contact with each other, and then adhesively assembled to form a tape. . The present invention relates to an aligning method for aligning and fixing a plurality of single-core optical fiber core wires in a horizontal row, which is used in the above cases and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a device shown in FIG. 5 has been announced (1991 IEICE Spring National Convention Proceedings, B-88).
See 4). Reference numeral 10 is an alignment block. A spring 12 is provided at the rear of the upper surface (upward, backward, forward, and lateral, see arrow 11), a fiber guide 14 is provided at the front, and an alignment lid 18 is provided openably and closably on the side. There is. Fiber guide 1
4 can be moved laterally while being fitted in the groove 16.

The optical fibers are aligned as follows. The optical fiber core wire 20 is fixed by being sandwiched between the springs 12 in the order of the wire numbers. The alignment lid 18 is closed. At that time, the alignment block 10
A gap is formed between the upper surface of the cover and the lid 18 so that two optical fiber cores cannot overlap each other. When the fiber guide 14 is moved to the center, the plurality of optical fiber core wires 20 are aligned in a row in contact with each other.

After aligning, processing according to each purpose is performed, but the apparatus of FIG. 5 is adapted to continuously perform tape forming. That is, an adhesive is applied to the aligned optical fiber core wires 20 to form a tape. After applying to the terminal, until the adhesive cures,
Hold while applying tension. The fiber fixing jig 24 is placed on the fixing jig base 22 (or is placed in advance), and the assembly of the optical fiber cores formed into a tape is sandwiched therebetween. Then, it is removed from the apparatus and set in, for example, a fusion splicing apparatus.

[0005]

In the above case, since the optical fiber core wires 20 are sandwiched one by one in the spring 12, the coating portion of the optical fiber core wire is damaged, and the coating and the clad are covered. There is a risk of peeling between the parts. It takes a lot of work time.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) As illustrated in FIG. 1, an aligning device including the collecting block 30 and the pressing member 54 is used. (2) The main body 32 of the assembly block 30 can be erected with one side as an axis or can be laid sideways (FIG. 1,
(Fig. 4). Further, the main body 32 is provided with a slit 40 having a width capable of containing only one optical fiber 20 and having an appropriate depth so as to pass through in the front-rear direction and open at the end face of the main body opposite to the axis. It is provided in. A window 42 communicating with the slit 40 is provided on the lateral surface of the main body 32. (2) The pressing member 54 is the collecting block 30 in the collapsed state.
It is provided at a position corresponding to the window 42 of the
(C)), and at least a part can enter the window 42. (3) Further, when at least a part of the pressing member 54 enters the window 42 (FIG. 4C), a force in the direction of approaching each other acts between the pressing member 54 and the assembly block 30. To do so.

[0007]

[Work]

(1) The main body 32 of the assembly block 30 is made to be able to stand upright with one side as an axis and to fall sideways.
A slit 40 having a width capable of containing only a book and having an appropriate depth
Are provided so as to pass through in the front-rear direction and open at the end faces, so that the main body 32 is erected and the optical fiber is inserted into the slit 40 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A. When the core wires 20 are dropped one by one in consideration of the arrangement order of the core wires, a predetermined number of the optical fiber core wires 20 are aligned in a vertical row (vertical direction) in contact with each other. (2) A window 42 communicating with the slit 40 is provided on the lateral surface of the main body 32, and a holding member 54 is provided at a position corresponding to the window 42 of the collapsed collecting block 30, and at least one of the windows 42 is provided. When the pressing member 54 and the assembly block 30 are in a state in which at least a part of the pressing member 54 is inserted into the window 42, a force in the direction of approaching each other is applied between the pressing member 54 and the collecting block 30. Therefore, as described in (1) above, the slit 4
A main body 32 in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires 20 are aligned in 0
4C, the holding member 54 moves the window 42
To enter and contact the group of optical fiber cores 20 aligned in the slit 40 and clamp them tightly.

[0008]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 shows the whole. 30 is a collective block,
When viewed as a whole, the main body 32 has, for example, a rectangular thick plate shape. As shown in FIG. 2 (enlarged vertical sectional view of only the main body 32), the main body 32 includes an L-shaped member 34 and an I-shaped member 36, and a screw 38.
It is the one that is combined and integrated by (is easy to disassemble and has excellent maintainability). A slit 40 is formed by slightly separating the upper portions of the L-shaped member 34 and the I-shaped member 36. The width of the slit 40 is 1 for the optical fiber 20 (250 μm diameter).
Only books can be inserted, but the width is so narrow that two books cannot be overlapped, and the width is changed uniformly or as necessary. Further, the depth can be arranged in a row in a state where a predetermined number of optical fiber core wires 20 are in contact with each other in consideration of the tape width such as 4, 8 and 12 cores,
There is some margin. Slits 40 are provided on both sides of the entrance to facilitate insertion of an optical fiber. Also,
A window 42 communicating with the slit 40 is provided on the lateral surface of the main body 32. The window 42 may have any shape such as a square or a circle. The assembly block main body 32 is attached to the base 4 by the spindle base 44 and the spindle 46.
It is a retractable type so that it can be mounted on the table 8 and can stand upright (in the state shown in FIG. 1) or can be tilted sideways (in the direction of arrow 49).

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged vertical section of only the pressing block 50 as a whole. This is one in which a holding member 54 is fitted in a housing of a hollow base 52 so as to be movable up and down. A lower side of the holding member 54 has a collar portion 54A, and the collar portion is the housing. Slide on the inner wall. Further, the upper side of the base 52 forms an upper side portion 52A bent inward, and the collar portion 54A abuts against the upper side portion and is caught, so that the upward movement of the pressing member 54 is restricted and it does not fall out. . The pressing member 54 is constantly pushed upward by the spring 56.
The pressing member 54 protruding upward from the base 52 is provided with the window 42.
It has a shape (for example, a square) and a size that allow it to penetrate. An elastic member 58 such as a rubber plate having elasticity with an appropriate thickness is attached to the upper surface of the pressing member 54 with an adhesive or the like. 60 is a magnet. In addition, the magnet catch 43 corresponding to this is provided in the assembly block 30 (FIG. 1). The pressing block 50 is fixedly provided on the base 48 at a position where the pressing member 54 enters the window 42 when the collecting block 30 is tilted, and a part of the elastic member 58 or the elastic member 58 is tilted at the position. All together hold down the sides of the row of single-core optical fibers.

The optical fiber core wire 20 is aligned as follows. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A, the assembly block 30 is set upright, and the optical fiber core wire 2 is inserted into the slit 40.
Drop 0s one by one in the order of the wire numbers and align them vertically. Then, to prevent the optical fiber core from jumping out,
The plate 41 of the filling member is inserted into the slit 40, and the optical fiber core wire is pressed from above and temporarily fixed (FIG. 4B).

The width of the slit 40 may be set so that one optical fiber core wire 20 is finally inserted (while receiving a little resistance). Then, the optical fiber core wire 20 is pushed by the plate 41 (thinner than the width of the slit 40). Then, the pushed optical fiber core wire 20 cannot easily move from the position due to friction with the wall surface of the slit 40. In this state, the optical fiber core wire is not guaranteed to be linear.

The assembly block 30 is laid down and laid down (FIG. 4C). The holding member 54 of the holding block 50 fits into the window 42, the elastic member 58 contacts the group of optical fiber core wires 20 aligned in a horizontal row, and the holding member 54
Is slightly pushed down while compressing the spring 56. This state is maintained by the action of the magnet 60 and the magnet catch 43. At this time, the plate 41 is also fixed at the same time.
As a result, the slits 40 contact each other in the slit 40
A group of optical fibers that are horizontally aligned in the row and elastically clamped by the holding member 54 is obtained.

The role of the aligning device of the present invention has been described above. After aligning, as described in the above-mentioned section of the prior art, processing according to each purpose is performed. An example will be described below. The tip end side of the aligned optical fiber core wires 20 is applied with an adhesive or adhered and fixed with an adhesive tape or the like to form a tape. The optical fiber core made into a tape is sandwiched between fixing jigs (see FIG. 5). After that, for example, the tip is stripped and then set in a fusion splicing device or the like, and a multi-fiber collective connection is performed as in the case of a normal optical fiber tape.

[0014]

【The invention's effect】

(1) Since it is sufficient to insert the optical fiber core wire into the slit, the single-core optical fibers can be easily aligned and assembled. Moreover, since the handling is performed while maintaining the straight state, the possibility of scratching the coating of the optical fiber core wire is reduced. (2) By simply tilting the main body 32 in which the plurality of optical fiber core wires 20 are aligned in the slit 40 in the upright state, the group of the optical fiber core wires 20 is securely held by the pressing member 54 fitted in the window 42. Is clamped. Therefore, it is easy to obtain a group of optical fibers which are aligned in contact with each other in a horizontal state of one row, which is easy to carry out the next process such as tape formation.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of only a part of the assembly block body 32 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of only a portion of a presser block 50 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an alignment work of optical fiber core wires by the device of the present invention in the order of steps.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 alignment block 12 spring 14 fiber guide 16 groove 18 alignment lid 20 optical fiber core wire 22 fixing jig stand 30 assembly block 32 assembly block body 34 L-shaped material 36 I-shaped material 38 screw 40 slit 41 plate 42 window 43 magnet catch 44 Spindle base 46 Spindle 48 Base 50 Presser block 52 Units 54 Presser member 56 Spring 58 Elastic member 60 Magnet

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The main body can be erected on one side as an axis and can be laid sideways, and the main body has a lateral width capable of containing only one optical fiber core wire. And a slit having an appropriate depth is provided so as to pass through in the front-rear direction and open at the end surface of the main body opposite to the shaft, and a window communicating with the slit is provided on the lateral surface of the main body. A plurality of single-core optical fibers are sequentially dropped into the slit, and then the collective block is tilted, and the side surface of the single-core optical fiber row is pressed down from the window to be horizontal. A method for aligning a single-core optical fiber, which is characterized in that: