Optical fiber fusion splicer and method for estimating a shape of beam discharged by the optical fiber fusion splicer
First Claim
1. A method for fusion splicing of an optical fiber using an optical fiber fusion splicer comprising a setting means for setting respective end surfaces of two optical fibers that are to be spliced in order to abut against each other, a heating means for generating an arc discharge between two discharge electrodes and heating an abutment portion of said optical fibers using a discharge beam, and an image pickup means for picking up an image of said discharge beam, the method comprising:
- measuring, from image signals obtained by said image pickup means when a preliminary arc discharge is generated between said discharge electrodes when no optical fibers have been placed in a discharge area, brightness distributions on a plurality of lines that are set at different positions along a rectilinear direction between said discharge electrodes and run in a direction substantially at right angles to the rectilinear direction;
estimating a heating center of the arc discharge along an axial direction of the optical fiber from the plurality of brightness distributions;
controlling a position of said setting means along the axial direction of the optical fiber such that the abutment portion of said two optical fibers is positioned in the estimated heating center; and
thereafter controlling said heating means such that a main arc discharge is generated and said abutment portion is heated by said discharge beam.
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Abstract
The present invention is provided for fusion splicing optical fibers with low splice loss even when a shape of a discharge beam for the splicing is distorted. In the present invention, a preliminary discharge is performed with the optical fibers outside a discharge area and an image of the discharge beam thereof is picked up. Based on this image, brightness distributions of the discharge beam are estimated on a plurality of lines in a Z direction that are set in different positions in an X direction, and a discharge center of the beam is found from the plurality of brightness distributions. Then, the abutment portion of the optical fibers is positioned at the discharge center, and a main discharge is performed so as to fusion splice the distal ends of the optical fibers.
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Citations
2 Claims
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1. A method for fusion splicing of an optical fiber using an optical fiber fusion splicer comprising a setting means for setting respective end surfaces of two optical fibers that are to be spliced in order to abut against each other, a heating means for generating an arc discharge between two discharge electrodes and heating an abutment portion of said optical fibers using a discharge beam, and an image pickup means for picking up an image of said discharge beam, the method comprising:
- measuring, from image signals obtained by said image pickup means when a preliminary arc discharge is generated between said discharge electrodes when no optical fibers have been placed in a discharge area, brightness distributions on a plurality of lines that are set at different positions along a rectilinear direction between said discharge electrodes and run in a direction substantially at right angles to the rectilinear direction;
estimating a heating center of the arc discharge along an axial direction of the optical fiber from the plurality of brightness distributions;
controlling a position of said setting means along the axial direction of the optical fiber such that the abutment portion of said two optical fibers is positioned in the estimated heating center; and
thereafter controlling said heating means such that a main arc discharge is generated and said abutment portion is heated by said discharge beam. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- measuring, from image signals obtained by said image pickup means when a preliminary arc discharge is generated between said discharge electrodes when no optical fibers have been placed in a discharge area, brightness distributions on a plurality of lines that are set at different positions along a rectilinear direction between said discharge electrodes and run in a direction substantially at right angles to the rectilinear direction;
Specification