Optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016202416-A1
Application number	US-201615000497-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device of the invention includes: a pair of clamps that respectively grasp a coated portion of an optical fiber, the optical fiber including a fusion-spliced portion, the fusion-spliced portion being coated with a sleeve, the coated portion being exposed from the sleeve; at least two or more heaters that are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich the sleeve; a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the paired clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber; and a second force-applying member that applies a pressing force to at least one or more of the heaters via the sleeve by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member in accordance with control of a drive source, the heaters being arranged to face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device comprising:
a pair of clamps that respectively grasp one portion and the other portion of a coated portion of an optical fiber, the optical fiber including a fusion-spliced portion, the fusion-spliced portion being coated with a sleeve, the coated portion being exposed from the sleeve; at least two or more heaters that are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich the sleeve; a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the paired clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber; and a second force-applying member that applies a pressing force to at least one or more of the heaters via the sleeve by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member in accordance with control of a drive source, the heaters being arranged to face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween, wherein a pressing force that is to be applied to the sleeve by the second force-applying member is set to be greater than a tension that is to be applied to the optical fiber by the first force-applying member, before the optical fiber is grasped, in a state in which one of the clamps is separated from heaters by the first force-applying member and in a state in which the paired clamps grasp the optical fiber and a tension is not applied to the optical fiber, the heaters press the sleeve by a pressing force by the second force-applying member, as a result of moving the optical fiber in a pressing direction which is due to movement of the sleeve or deformation of the sleeve after starting of the press, one of the clamps is drawn to a forward movement direction by a tension due to movement of the optical fiber, one of the clamps is configured so as to be stopped at a position away from an end of a movable range, therefore, in a state in which a tension is applied to the optical fiber, in one of the clamps, a backward movable range in a direction away from the heaters in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber is ensured and a forward movable range that allows movement to the heater side is ensured, and one of the clamps is thereby configured to move in a direction in which a tension that is applied to the optical fiber as a result of pressing the sleeve by the heaters and by the second force-applying member is diminished.

2 . The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1 , wherein
both the paired clamps are movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber.

3 . The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1 , wherein
one of the heaters that are arranged so as to face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween is movable and the other thereof is fixed.

4 . The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1 , wherein
a pressing force that is to be applied to the sleeve by the heaters exceeds the tension of the fusion-spliced portion of the optical fiber under a rupture evaluation test.

5 . The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1 , wherein
pressing faces of the heaters which face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween are arranged in a substantially vertical direction, a tensile strength member is consistently arranged in a substantially downward direction by utilizing a weight of the tensile strength member that is inserted into the inside of the sleeve, and the direction of the sleeve is thereby constant.

6 . The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1 , wherein
after heating of the sleeve is completed, the heaters are immediately separated from the sleeve, heat-transfer to the sleeve is interrupted, and the sleeve is thereby rapidly cooled by introduction of external air into the periphery of the sleeve.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Kawanishi Noriyuki

Classifications

• G02B6/2558 Primary

  Reinforcement of splice joint · CPC title

• G02B6/2551 Primary

  using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch · CPC title

• H05B1/023

  Industrial applications · CPC title

• G02B6/2553 Primary

  Splicing machines, e.g. optical fibre fusion splicer · CPC title

• G02B6/2555

  Alignment or adjustment devices for aligning prior to splicing · CPC title