Optical fiber re-coating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016228907-A1
Application number	US-201514904479-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical fiber re-coating device of the invention includes an optical fiber coater that includes: an inner glass opening-and-closing unit including: a pair of glass members having grooves formed thereon; and a pair of mounting tables which are coupled to each other via a first hinge; and an outer opening-and-closing unit including: a pair of covers which are coupled to each other via a second hinge, one of the paired covers having a magnet provided therein, the other of the paired covers having a magnet catch provided therein, the magnet and the magnet catch facing each other when the paired covers are in a closed state; and light sources that cure a resin used to coat an optical fiber provided in the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and are provided in the respective paired covers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical fiber re-coating device comprising: an optical fiber coater that cures resin and coats a coating-removed portion of an optical fiber therewith, the optical fiber coater comprising:
an inner glass opening-and-closing unit comprising: a pair of glass members having grooves formed thereon; and a pair of mounting tables on which the respective glass members are provided and which are coupled to each other via a first hinge, wherein a hollow that is used to coat an optical fiber is formed by matching the grooves of the paired glass members when the mounting tables are in a closed state; and an outer opening-and-closing unit comprising: a pair of covers into which the respective paired mounting tables are fitted and which are coupled to each other via a second hinge, one of the paired covers having a magnet provided therein, the other of the paired covers having a magnet catch provided therein, the magnet and the magnet catch facing each other when the paired covers are in a closed state; and light sources that cure a resin used to coat an optical fiber provided in the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and are provided in the respective paired covers, wherein the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and the outer opening-and-closing unit are removable, and when the paired covers are in a closed state, the magnet attracts the magnet catch, the paired glass members are butt-jointed to each other, and the hollow is thereby in a closed state.

2 . An optical fiber re-coating device comprising an optical fiber coater that cures resin and coats a coating-removed portion of an optical fiber therewith, the optical fiber coater comprising:
an inner glass opening-and-closing unit comprising: a pair of glass members having grooves formed thereon; and a pair of mounting tables on which the respective glass members are provided and which are coupled to each other via a first hinge, wherein a hollow that is used to coat an optical fiber is formed by matching the grooves of the paired glass members when the mounting tables are in a closed state; and an outer opening-and-closing unit comprising: a pair of covers into which the respective paired mounting tables are fitted and which are coupled to each other via a second hinge, one of the paired covers having a magnet provided therein, the other of the paired covers having a magnet catch provided therein, the magnet and the magnet catch facing each other when the paired covers are in a closed state; and a light source that cures a resin used to coat an optical fiber provided in the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and is provided in one of the paired covers, and wherein the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and the outer opening-and-closing unit are removable, and when the paired covers are in a closed state, the magnet attracts the magnet catch, the paired glass members are butt-jointed to each other, and the hollow is thereby in a closed state.

3 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first hinge comprises a play-reducing mechanism that is used to reduce play.

4 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 3 , wherein
the play-reducing mechanism is a pressing mechanism that presses, toward a center of the ball bearing, against a peripheral surface of an outer ring of a ball bearing provided in the first hinge.

5 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first hinge comprises a first ball bearing used for open and close and a second ball bearing that is used to reduce play, and the pressing mechanism presses the second ball bearing.

6 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second hinge comprises a friction applying mechanism that comes into contact with a peripheral surface of a rotation shaft of the second hinge, thereby generates a frictional force thereon, and is used to reduce an impact during operation of opening and closing the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and the outer opening-and-closing unit.

7 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 6 , wherein
the second hinge comprises a friction applying control mechanism that limits a range in which the rotation shaft is in contact with the friction applying mechanism during rotation of the rotation shaft.

8 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 2 , wherein
the first hinge comprises a play-reducing mechanism that is used to reduce play.

9 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 8 , wherein
the play-reducing mechanism is a pressing mechanism that presses, toward a center of the ball bearing, against a peripheral surface of an outer ring of a ball bearing provided in the first hinge.

10 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 9 , wherein
the first hinge comprises a first ball bearing used for open and close and a second ball bearing that is used to reduce play, and the pressing mechanism presses the second ball bearing.

11 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 2 , wherein
the second hinge comprises a friction applying mechanism that comes into contact with a peripheral surface of a rotation shaft of the second hinge, thereby generates a frictional force thereon, and is used to reduce an impact during operation of opening and closing the inner glass opening-and-closing unit and the outer opening-and-closing unit.

12 . The optical fiber re-coating device according to claim 11 , wherein
the second hinge comprises a friction applying control mechanism that limits a range in which the rotation shaft is in contact with the friction applying mechanism during rotation of the rotation shaft.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Yokota Koichi
• Kawanishi Noriyuki
• Kanda Yoshiharu
• Hasegawa Ryo

Classifications

• G02B6/2558

  Reinforcement of splice joint · CPC title

• C03C25/26

  Macromolecular compounds or prepolymers · CPC title

• C03C25/12 Primary

  General methods of coating; Devices therefor · CPC title

• B29C39/10

  incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. casting around inserts or for coating articles {(coating a surface by casting in general B05D1/30, B29C39/126 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B05C13/02 Primary

  for particular articles · CPC title