OPTICAL-FIBER-SPLICED PORTION REINFORCING HEATING DEVICE

• US 20150185419A1
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Inventors: KAWANISHI, Noriyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,448,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2551 using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2553 Splicing machines, e.g. optical fibre fusion splicer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2555 Alignment or adjustment devices for aligning prior to splicing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2558 Reinforcement of splice joint
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/023 Industrial applications

Abstract

An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device of the invention includes: clamps, a fifth force-applying member that sandwiches an optical fiber and applies a pressing force thereto; a first cam mechanism; a mechanism in which displacement of first cam mechanism controls to grasp the optical fiber by the clamps; heaters; a second force-applying member that sandwiches the sleeve and applies a pressing force thereto; a third cam mechanism; and a mechanism in which displacement of the third cam mechanism control to press the sleeve by the heaters. The same motor controls a force of each force-applying member of the clamps and the heaters by the first and third cam mechanism.

Claims

1. An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device comprising:

a pair of clamps that respectively grasp one portion of a coated portion of an optical fiber and the other portion thereof, the coated portion being exposed from a sleeve, the optical fiber being configured to comprise the coated portion and a fusion-spliced portion having a coating-removed portion, which are covered with the sleeve;

a fifth force-applying member that is provided on at least one of the paired clamps that applies a pressing force sandwiching the optical fiber;

a first cam mechanism that is configured to be displaced by being driven to rotate by motor control and thereby controls to grasp the optical fiber due to the displacement;

at least two or more heaters that are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich or the sleeve;

a second force-applying member that applies a pressing force to at least one or more of the two or more heaters with the sleeve interposed therebetween; and

a third cam mechanism that is disposed on a camshaft on which the first cam mechanism is provided or is disposed on the other camshaft parallel to the camshaft, is configured to be displaced by being driven to rotate by the motor control, and thereby controls the heaters to press the sleeve due to the displacement, wherein

the same motor controls a force of each of the force-applying members with respect to the clamps and the heaters by the first and third cam mechanisms.

2. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1, wherein

in two or more cam mechanisms used in the first cam mechanism and the third cam mechanism which are rotationally driven by the same motor, a rotating drive force by the motor is reduced by determining a timing of combining a positive driving that needs a rotary drive torque and a negative driving that receives a torque to be diminished.

3. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 2, wherein

in at least one of two or more cam mechanisms used in the first cam mechanism and the third cam mechanism, an auxiliary movable member is disposed on the opposite side of each operation member with the camshaft interposed therebetween, each operation member is coupled to the auxiliary movable member by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member, a rotary drive torque of each cam mechanism is reversed from positive driving to negative driving as a result of displacing the auxiliary movable member instead of each operation member in accordance with a motion of each cam mechanism, and the positive driving and the negative driving are thereby combined and diminished in the two or more cam mechanisms.

4. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1, wherein

regarding the paired clamps and the heaters, one of them is movable, and the other of them is fixed.

5. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member; and

a mechanism that controls pull of the optical fiber, which is due to tensions of the clamps by the first force-applying member, based on operation of grasping the optical fiber by the clamps or operation of pressing the sleeve by the heaters, wherein

the same motor controls the clamps or the heaters by the force of each of the force-applying members by use of the first and third cam mechanisms and control the tension mechanism by operating the controlled clamps or the controlled heaters.

6. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member;

a position limiting member that is configured of a forward movement stopper or a backward movement stopper, which limits a forward movable range or a backward movable range of at least one of the paired clamps;

a second cam mechanism that is to be rotationally driven by the motor control, the second cam mechanism being disposed on the same camshaft as those of the first and third cam mechanisms or disposed on the other camshaft parallel to the camshaft, the second cam mechanism serving as an additional cam mechanism;

a mechanism in which displacement of the second cam mechanism controls pull of the optical fiber, which is due to tensions of the clamps by the first force-applying member; and

a mechanism in which displacement of the second cam mechanism controls movement of the position limiting member, wherein

the same motor controls the clamps and the heaters by the first to third cam mechanisms.

7. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member;

a third force-applying member that presses to apply a tension in an opposite direction relative to the first force-applying member;

a sixth cam mechanism that is to be rotationally driven by the motor control, the second cam mechanism being disposed on the same camshaft as those of the first and third cam mechanisms or disposed on the other camshaft parallel to the camshaft, the sixth cam mechanism serving as an additional cam mechanism; and

a mechanism in which displacement of the sixth cam mechanism controls an applied force of the first force-applying member or the third force-applying member, wherein

each of the first and third force-applying members presses at least one of the clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member, and

the same motor controls the clamps, the heaters, and the applied force controller by the first, third, and sixth cam mechanisms.

8. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a lid that opens and closes the optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device;

a sixth force-applying member that applies a force of closing the lid thereto by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member;

a fourth cam mechanism that is disposed on the same camshaft as those of the first and third cam mechanisms or disposed on the other camshaft parallel to the camshaft; and

a mechanism in which displacement of the fourth cam mechanism controls the lid to be opened or closed by an applied force of the sixth force-applying member, wherein

the same motor controls the clamps, the heaters, and the lid by the force of each of the force-applying members and by the first cam mechanism, the third cam mechanism, the fourth cam mechanism, and the additional cam mechanism.

9. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a lid that opens and closes the optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device;

a sixth force-applying member that applies a force of closing the lid thereto by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member;

a fourth cam mechanism that is disposed on the same camshaft as those of the first and third cam mechanisms or disposed on the other camshaft parallel to the camshaft; and

a mechanism in which displacement of the fourth cam mechanism controls the lid to be opened or closed by an applied force of the sixth force-applying member, wherein

the same motor controls the clamps, the heaters, and the lid by the force of each of the force-applying members and by the first cam mechanism, the third cam mechanism, the fourth cam mechanism, and the additional cam mechanism.

10. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 8, wherein

at least any of the clamps, the heaters, and the lid is configured by a lever-shaped member that rotationally moves around a rotation support parallel to the optical fiber and the sleeve or is provided at a lever-shaped member.

11. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 9, wherein

at least any of the clamps, the heaters, and the lid is configured by a lever-shaped member that rotationally moves around a rotation support parallel to the optical fiber and the sleeve or is provided at a lever-shaped member.

12. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 10, wherein

a coil spring is used in the second force-applying member that presses the heaters, the paired clamps, the force-applying member that grasps the optical fiber, and the force-applying member of the lid, and

the rotation support is arranged on the same axis as that of the coil spring.

13. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 11, wherein

a coil spring is used in the second force-applying member that presses the heaters, the paired clamps, the force-applying member that grasps the optical fiber, and the force-applying member of the lid, and

the rotation support is arranged on the same axis as that of the coil spring.

14. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 8, wherein

the camshaft is arranged among the rotation support that is disposed under a device, the paired clamps that are disposed above a device, the heaters, and the lid.

15. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 9, wherein

the camshaft is arranged among the rotation support that is disposed under a device, the paired clamps that are disposed above a device, the heaters, and the lid.

16. The optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device according to claim 5, 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, and

in a state in which a tension is applied to the optical fiber by the first force-applying member, one of the clamps applying the tension is configured so that a backward movable range in a direction away from the heaters in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber is ensured, a forward movable range that allows movement to the heater side is ensured, and the clamp moves 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.