JP2018180328A - Coating removal tool and coating removal method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating removal tool and a coating removal method capable of prolonging service life.SOLUTION: A coating removal tool 100 includes a main body and a pair of blade members 40 having a coating removing blade 41 for removing coating of an optical fiber 1. The blade member is disposed slidably with respect to the main body in order to remove the coating by using an un-used portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a coating removal tool and a coating removal method.

It is necessary to remove the coating on the end of the optical fiber as a pretreatment for the optical fiber. Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe a coating removal tool for removing a coating of an optical fiber.
If the inner covering layer is formed on the outer circumference of a bare optical fiber with a diameter of 125 μm and the outer covering layer is formed on the outer side of the inner covering layer with a diameter of 250 μm There is. In this case, if the inner covering layer is removed after the removal of the outer covering layer, the number of working steps is increased. On the other hand, Patent Document 2 describes a coating removal tool capable of stepwise removal of the inner coating layer and the outer coating layer in a single removal step.

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2016-80788 JP, 2002-199536, A

  The member for removing the covering layer (for example, the first holding pair in Patent Document 2 and the covering removal blade described later) wears when the removal of the coating of the optical fiber is repeated. If coating removal is repeatedly performed on the same portion of the member from which the coating layer is removed, the wear will be accelerated. As a result, problems such as shortening of the life of the coating removal tool have arisen.

  Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to extending the life of the coating removal tool.

  Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a body and a pair of blade members having a coating removal blade for removing a coating on an optical fiber, the blade member removing the coating using unused areas For this purpose, the cover removal tool is provided slidably relative to the main body.

  Other features will be clarified by the description of the specification and drawings described later.

  According to some embodiments of the present invention, the life of the coating removal tool can be extended.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 and the blade member 40 removed. FIG. 2A is a top view and a side view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 removed. FIG. 2B is a top view and a side view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 removed from another angle. 4A to 4D are explanatory diagrams of the guiding of the optical fiber 1 by the guiding unit 35. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the blade member 40. FIG. 5B and 5C are explanatory diagrams of the fixed position of the blade member 40 by the engaging portion 42. FIG. 6A to 6E are explanatory views of the use site of the first coating removal blade 41. FIG. FIG. 7A is an explanatory view of an example of the first coating removal blade 41. FIG. FIG. 7B is an explanatory view of the first covering removal blade 41 of the present embodiment. FIG. 7C is an explanatory view of a first covering removal blade 41 of a modification. 8A to 8D are explanatory views of a coating removal method using the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are schematic explanatory drawings of the coating removal of this embodiment. FIG. 9C is an explanatory view of an example of the optical fiber 1 after the coating removal. FIG. 9D is an explanatory view of the optical fiber 1 after the coating removal by the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment.

  At least the following matters will be clear from the description of the specification and drawings to be described later.

  A main body and a pair of blade members having a coating removal blade for removing a coating of an optical fiber, the blade member being slidable relative to the main body to remove the coating using an unused portion It becomes clear that the covering removal tool characterized in that it is provided. Such a coating removal tool can extend the life of the coating removal tool.

  The main body has a base portion and a pair of arm portions extending from the base portion, and each of the arm portions includes an operation portion on which the blade member is mounted, and the pair of operation portions are brought close to each other Preferably, the covering removal blade is configured to sandwich the optical fiber, and a guiding portion for guiding the position of the optical fiber is provided on the opposing surface of each of the operation portions. Thus, even if the position of the optical fiber is shifted, the position of the optical fiber can be guided to a predetermined position.

  The guiding portion has a guiding surface for guiding the optical fiber to a predetermined position when the pair of operating portions are brought close to each other, and the guiding surfaces provided in each of the pair of operating portions are mutually different It is desirable to be provided at different positions. Thereby, even if the initial position of the optical fiber is largely deviated, the position of the optical fiber can be guided to a predetermined position.

  It is desirable that the guiding surface provided in each of the pair of operation parts be provided at a position farther from the base near the end of the optical fiber. Thereby, even if the end of the optical fiber is bent so as to be bent, the position of the optical fiber can be guided to a predetermined position.

  When the pair of blade members are brought into close contact with each other, it is desirable that a gap be formed between the pair of covering removal blades. Thereby, damage to the bare optical fiber can be suppressed.

  It is desirable that a protrusion is formed on the upper and lower edges of one of the covering removal blades, and no protrusion is formed on the other covering removal blade. This facilitates the management of dimensional tolerances.

  Preferably, the body has a gauge for measuring the length of the optical fiber. Thereby, the optical fiber can be set at a predetermined position of the coating removal tool.

  Each of the blade members is preferably provided with the covering removal blade on a double-edged blade, and in order to use the unused covering removal blade, it is preferable that a pair of the blade members can be replaced and mounted on the main body. This can extend the life of the coating removal tool.

  It is desirable that the pair of blade members be a common member. Thereby, the manufacturing cost of the blade member can be suppressed.

  The blade member has an engaging portion, the main body has a plurality of locking portions, and the position of the blade member is obtained by locking the engaging portion to any of a plurality of locking portions. It is desirable to be able to change Thereby, since the blade member can be used in a state in which the blade member is fixed at a predetermined position, the life of the coating removal blade can be easily predicted.

  It is desirable that the material of the blade member be different from the material of the main body. Thus, the coating removal blade can be made of a material suitable for removing the coating.

  It is desirable that the main body has a slide portion for sliding the holder for holding the fiber and an end position stopper for stopping the slide of the holder at a predetermined end position. Thereby, the removal of the coating can be ended at a predetermined position.

  The main body has a start position stopper for positioning the holder at a predetermined start position, and a sliding distance of the holder from the start position to the end position is that the holder is positioned at the start position It is desirable that the length of the end portion of the optical fiber which sometimes protrudes from the covering removal blade is set shorter. This allows the coating to remain at the end of the optical fiber.

  When the holder is slid to the end position, it is desirable that a coating which has not reached the coating removal blade and is not removed remains at the end of the optical fiber. This makes it easier for the operator to visually recognize the end of the optical fiber.

  The body has a base and a pair of arms extending from the base, the base having a start position stopper for positioning the holder at a predetermined start position, the arm having the start position Preferably, a through hole is formed to confirm the holder over the arm when the holder is aligned with the position stopper. This facilitates confirmation of the contact state between the holder and the start position stopper.

  Preferably, the main body includes a fiber guide portion having a V-shaped groove portion whose width is narrowed toward the lower side, and a slit portion having a fixed width shape at the bottom of the V-shaped groove portion. This facilitates the work of inserting the optical fiber into the slit portion.

  Providing a covering removal tool comprising a body and a pair of blade members having a covering removal blade, using the covering removal blade to remove a coating of an optical fiber, and covering the optical fiber After removal, the method of removing the coating of the optical fiber is revealed by sliding the blade member relative to the body and using the unused portion of the coating removal blade to remove the coating of another optical fiber. According to such a coating removal method, the life of the coating removal tool can be extended.

=== First Embodiment ===
FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are schematic explanatory drawings of the coating removal of this embodiment. In the following description, the direction parallel to the optical axis of the optical fiber 1 is referred to as “front-back direction”, the end of the optical fiber 1 is referred to as “front”, and the opposite side is referred to as “rear”.

The optical fiber 1 has a bare optical fiber 1A, an inner covering layer 1B, and an outer covering layer 1C. The bare optical fiber 1A is a portion composed of a core and a clad. As the bare optical fiber 1A, various known optical fibers 1 (for example, single mode optical fiber, multimode optical fiber, polarization maintaining optical fiber, holey fiber, etc.) can be applied. The outer diameter D1 of the bare optical fiber 1A is generally 125 μm, but is not limited thereto.
The inner covering layer 1B is a covering layer covering the outer periphery of the bare optical fiber 1A. The outer diameter D2 of the inner covering layer 1B is generally 250 μm, but is not limited thereto. The inner covering layer 1B is made of, for example, a UV resin. The outer covering layer 1C is a covering layer covering the outer periphery of the inner covering layer 1B. The outer diameter D3 of the outer covering layer 1C is, for example, 500 μm or 900 μm, but is not limited thereto. The outer covering layer 1C is made of, for example, a UV resin.

  The covering removal tool 100 of the present embodiment has a pair of first covering removal blades 41 and a pair of second covering removal blades 34. The first coating removal blade 41 is a blade for removing the inner coating layer 1B. In other words, the first coating removal blade 41 is a blade for removing the coating outside the bare optical fiber 1A. The second coating removal blade 34 is a blade for removing the outer coating layer 1C. The pair of first covering removal blades 41 is disposed closer to the end of the optical fiber 1 than the pair of second covering removal blades 34.

  When the coating of the optical fiber 1 is removed, the optical fiber 1 is pulled out in a state where the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and the pair of second covering removal blades 34 (see FIG. 9A). (See FIG. 9B). As a result, the optical fiber 1 has the inner covering layer 1B (and the outer covering layer 1C) removed by the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and the outer covering layer 1C removed by the pair of second covering removal blades 34. As a result, the inner covering layer 1B and the outer covering layer 1C are steppedly removed in one removal step.

  FIG. 9C is an explanatory view of an example of the optical fiber 1 after the coating removal. The bare optical fiber 1A is exposed at the end of the optical fiber 1 after the coating removal, and the inner coating layer 1B is exposed on the back side, and the non-removed part of the coating is arranged on the outside thereof There is. The coating removal tool 100 described later may remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 as shown in FIG. 9C. However, since the bare optical fiber 1A is thin and transparent, there is a problem that it is difficult for the operator to visually recognize the tip of the optical fiber 1 (the tip of the bare optical fiber 1A) shown in FIG. 9C.

  FIG. 9D is an explanatory view of the optical fiber 1 after the coating removal by the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment. In the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9D, a coating (an inner coating layer 1B and an outer coating that has not been removed before reaching the first coating removing blade 41) Layer 1C) remains. As a result, since a thick coating remains at the end of the optical fiber 1 as compared to the bare optical fiber 1A, the worker can easily view the end of the optical fiber 1.

By the way, the bare optical fiber 1A is made of, for example, glass, and is made of a harder material as compared to the inner covering layer 1B and the outer covering layer 1C made of UV resin. For this reason, the first coating removal blade 41 wears more easily than the second coating removal blade 34, and the wear progresses rapidly if the coating is repeatedly removed at the same site.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the first covering removal blade 41 is configured to be slidable with respect to the main body of the covering removal tool 100. Then, the first covering removal blade 41 is slid, and the covering of the optical fiber 1 is removed using the unused portion of the first covering removal blade 41, thereby increasing the number of times the first covering removal blade 41 can be used , It is possible to extend the life of the coating removal tool 100. Hereinafter, the specific structure of the coating removal tool 100 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 and the blade member 40 removed. FIG. 2A is a top view and a side view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 removed. FIG. 2B is a top view and a side view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coating removal tool 100 with the holder 5 removed from another angle.

  In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 12A on which the holder 5 is mounted is referred to as "vertical direction", the side of the holder 5 as viewed from the mounting surface 12A is referred to as "upper", and the opposite side is referred to as "lower". Do. Further, the direction in which the pair of blade members 40 are arranged is referred to as “left and right direction”, the right hand side when looking forward from the rear side is referred to as “right”, and the opposite side is referred to as “left”.

  The coating removal tool 100 is a tool for removing the coating of the optical fiber 1. The coating removal tool 100 may be called a "stripper" or the like. The covering removal tool 100 has a main body and a blade member 40. The blade member 40 is provided with the aforementioned first covering removal blade 41. The blade member 40 is configured as a separate member with respect to the main body of the covering removal tool 100 and is configured to be removable. In the following description, the main body of the coating removal tool 100 may be simply referred to as the “coating removal tool 100”.

  The covering removal tool 100 (the main body of the covering removal tool 100) has a base 10 and a pair of arm portions 30.

The base 10 is a portion that constitutes the basis of the covering removal tool 100. The base 10 has a base 11 and a support 21.
The pedestal 11 is a plate-like portion that constitutes the bottom of the covering removal tool 100. A slide portion 12 is formed on the rear side of the pedestal portion 11. The slide portion 12 is a portion on which the holder 5 is slidably mounted in the front-rear direction. The slide portion 12 includes a mounting surface 12A on which the holder 5 is mounted, and a pair of side wall portions 12B extending upward from the left and right edges of the mounting surface 12A, and includes the mounting surface 12A and the pair of side surfaces. The holder 5 is guided in the front-rear direction by the inner wall surface of the side wall portion 12B.

  The base portion 11 is formed with a start position stopper 13 and an end position stopper 14. The start position stopper 13 is a portion for aligning the holder 5 at the start position of the coating removal. The start position stopper 13 is a portion protruding upward from the mounting surface 12A of the holder 5, and by contacting the front end surface of the holder 5, the holder 5 is aligned with the start position. The start position stopper 13 is disposed below the arm unit 30. The end position stopper 14 is a portion for stopping the slide of the holder 5 at the time of removing the coating. In other words, the end position stopper 14 is a portion that defines the end position of the movement of the holder 5 at the time of removing the coating. The end position stopper 14 is a portion that protrudes inward from the inner wall surface of the side wall portion 12B of the slide portion 12 and contacts the contact portion (not shown in FIG. 1B) formed on the side surface of the holder 5. Will stop at the end position. In the present embodiment, the end position stopper 14 is provided such that the holder 5 is stopped before the tip of the optical fiber passes the first coating removal blade 41.

  The support portion 21 is a portion protruding upward from the upper surface of the base portion 11. The support 21 is provided in front of the base 11. The support 21 is a portion for supporting the cantilevered arm 30, and the arm 30 extends rearward from the support 21.

  The support portion 21 is formed with a guide portion 22. The guide portion 22 is a portion that regulates the position (mainly, the position in the left-right direction) of the optical fiber 1. The guide portion 22 is formed in an upper open V-shaped groove, and the optical fiber 1 can be inserted between a pair of side walls from above. The guide portion 22 has a V groove portion 22A and a slit portion 22B. The V groove portion 22A is a portion where the width of the pair of inner wall surfaces narrows toward the lower side (bottom side). The slit portion 22B is a portion having a fixed width at the bottom of the V-shaped groove 22A. In the slit portion 22B, the distance between the pair of inner wall surfaces is slightly larger than the diameter of the optical fiber 1 (for example, about 1.1 times the diameter of the optical fiber 1). If the optical fiber 1 is bent, the optical fiber 1 is corrected by inserting the optical fiber 1 into the slit 22B, and the optical fiber 1 is held by the slit 22B. By disposing the V-shaped groove 22A on the upper side of the slit 22B, the operation of inserting the optical fiber 1 into the narrow slit 22B is facilitated.

  By the way, instead of forming the guide portion 22 in a V-shaped groove, it is also possible to configure the guide portion with a through hole parallel to the front-rear direction. In this case, since the position of the optical fiber 1 is regulated by inserting the optical fiber 1 into the through hole, the positional accuracy of the optical fiber 1 can be enhanced. However, in the case where the guide portion is formed of a through hole, if the optical fiber 1 has a bending edge, the operation of inserting the optical fiber 1 into the through hole becomes difficult. On the other hand, when the guide portion 22 is V-shaped as in the present embodiment, the upper side of the guide portion 22 is open although the positional accuracy of the optical fiber 1 in the vertical direction is inferior to that of the through hole. Therefore, the work of inserting the optical fiber 1 into the guide portion 22 is facilitated. As described later, in the present embodiment, even if the position of the optical fiber 1 inserted into the guide portion 22 is shifted in the vertical direction, the position of the optical fiber 1 in the vertical direction during the operation of removing the coating is It will be guided to the normal position (see FIGS. 4A to 4D). For this reason, it is permitted to form guide part 22 in V groove shape.

  A gauge portion 23 is formed on the support portion 21. The gauge portion 23 is a portion for adjusting the length of the optical fiber 1. The gauge portion 23 is a portion that protrudes to the front side relative to the guide portion 22. When inserting the optical fiber 1 into the guide portion 22, by aligning the tip of the optical fiber 1 with the front edge of the gauge portion 23, the optical fiber 1 of a predetermined length extends forward from the first decoating blade 41 Then, the optical fiber 1 can be set to the coating removal tool 100 (see FIG. 8B).

  The arm portion 30 is a portion extending rearward with respect to the base 10 (the support portion 21). The front side of the arm portion 30 is fixed to the support portion 21, and the arm portion 30 is formed in a cantilever shape. The pair of arm units 30 are arranged side by side. The pair of arm portions 30 is configured to be elastically deformable inward so as to be close to each other. The arm unit 30 has a deformation unit 31 and an operation unit 32.

  The deforming portion 31 is a portion that elastically deforms. By elastically deforming the deformation portion 31, the operation portion 32 can be displaced in the left-right direction. The deformation portion 31 is a plate-like portion extending rearward from the support portion 21. The deformation portion 31 is thin in the lateral direction and thick in the vertical direction. Thereby, the operation unit 32 can be displaced in the left-right direction. However, the shape of the deformation portion 31 is not limited to this. Since the pair of plate-like deformation portions 31 are disposed to face each other, the pair of operation portions 32 can be displaced so as to be close to each other.

  The operation unit 32 is a portion operated by a worker. The operation unit 32 is disposed rearward of the deformation unit 31. The pair of operation units 32 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction with a gap. The optical fiber 1 is inserted between the pair of operation parts 32 aligned in the left and right (see FIG. 2B). The operator grips and grips the pair of operation portions 32 with the fingers from the outside in the left-right direction, whereby the pair of operation portions 32 approach each other (the gap between the pair of operation portions 32 is narrowed). When the pair of operation parts 32 approaches each other, the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and the pair of second covering removal blades 34 sandwich the optical fiber 1.

  The operation unit 32 is provided with a mounting unit 33, a second coating removal blade 34, a guiding unit 35, and a confirmation window 36.

  The mounting portion 33 is a portion to which the blade member 40 can be attached and detached. When the blade member 40 is mounted on the mounting portion 33, the first covering removal blade 41 of the blade member 40 protrudes inward from the operation portion 32. When the blade members 40 are respectively mounted on the pair of mounting portions 33, the pair of first covering removal blades 41 are disposed to face each other in the left-right direction and to the inside from the gap between the pair of operation portions 32 aligned in the left-right direction. Project to As described later, the mounting portion 33 of the present embodiment is configured to slide the blade member 40 in the vertical direction. Further, as described later, the mounting portion 33 is provided with a plurality of locking portions (see FIGS. 5B and 5C: first locking portion 331 and second locking portion 332), and the upper and lower sides of the blade member 40 are provided. The position of the direction can be changed stepwise.

  The second coating removal blade 34 is a blade for removing the outer coating layer 1C, as described above. The second coating removal blade 34 is disposed rearward of the mounting portion 33. As a result, the second coating removal blade 34 is positioned rearward of the first coating removal blade 41. The second coating removal blade 34 is configured in a round blade shape. The cutting edge of the round blade-like second covering removal blade 34 may not be a perfect circle but may be an oval. The pair of second coating removal blades 34 are disposed to face each other in the left-right direction. When the pair of operation parts 32 approaches each other, the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of round blade-like second coating removal blades 34, and a removal starting point (surface flaw) is formed on the outer coating layer 1C. The outer coating layer 1C is removed by pulling out the optical fiber 1 in a state where the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of second coating removing blades 34 having a circular blade shape (see FIG. 9B). Since the second coating removal blade 34 is formed in a round blade shape, the contact area with the optical fiber 1 can be made larger than in the case of a flat blade, whereby the pressure applied to the optical fiber 1 can be reduced. The damage to the inner covering layer 1B and the bare optical fiber 1A can be suppressed. However, the second coating removal blade 34 may be configured like a flat blade like the first coating removal blade 41.

  The guiding portion 35 is a portion for guiding the optical fiber 1 to a predetermined position. When the second coating removal blade 34 is formed in a round blade shape as in the present embodiment, when the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of second coating removal blades 34 as compared with the flat blade shape. In addition, since it is necessary to accurately guide the position of the optical fiber 1 to the position of the second coating removal blade 34, it is particularly effective to provide the guiding portion 35.

  In the present embodiment, guide portions 35 are provided on the facing surfaces of the pair of operation portions 32 respectively. The guiding portion 35 is formed in a ridge along the vertical direction. The guide portions 35 of the respective operation portions 32 are disposed so as to protrude inward from the gap between the pair of operation portions 32 arranged in the left-right direction. The induction | guidance | derivation part 35 of each operation part 32 does not oppose in the left-right direction, but is shifted | deviated in the front-back direction, and is arrange | positioned (refer FIG. 2A upper figure). That is, a plurality of induction parts 35 are provided alternately. Here, the guiding part 35 of the left operation part 32 is disposed on the front side of the guiding part 35 of the right operation part 32.

  4A to 4D are explanatory diagrams of the guiding of the optical fiber 1 by the guiding unit 35. FIG. Each drawing is a view of the gap between the pair of operation parts 32 as viewed from the rear side. In the drawing, a pair of second coating removal blades 34, a guiding part 35 of the right operating part 32, and a guiding part 35 of the left operating part 32 are shown. These members are disposed in order of the pair of second covering removal blades 34, the guiding portion 35 of the right operating portion 32, and the guiding portion 35 of the left operating portion 32 from the rear side (from the front side in the figure) ing.

  A guiding surface 351 is formed on the lower surface of the guiding portion 35 of the protrusion. The guiding surface 351 is formed as an inclined surface which is lower as it is closer to the inner wall of the operation unit 32. Both guiding surfaces 351 are provided at positions above the second coating removal blade 34. Further, the guiding surface 351 on the side of the end portion (front side, back side in the figure) of the optical fiber 1 is provided at the upper position. Here, the left guiding surface 351 is provided at a position above the right guiding surface 351.

  When the operator removes the pair of operation portions 32 with fingers from outside in the left-right direction at the time of the covering removal operation, as shown in FIG. 4A, the pair of operation portions 32 come close to each other. However, as shown in FIG. 4A, the initial position of the optical fiber 1 may be located above the position of the second coating removal blade 34.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, when the pair of operation parts 32 approaches each other and the gap between the pair of operation parts 32 narrows, first, the optical fiber 1 is guided by the guiding surface 351 of the left guiding part 35 located on the front side. Contact The guiding surface 351 is inclined downward as it approaches the inner wall of the operation unit 32. Therefore, when the gap between the pair of operation units 32 narrows, the optical fiber 1 illustrated in FIG. Is guided toward the lower side (the position of the second coating removal blade 34).

  As shown in FIG. 4C, when the pair of operation parts 32 further approaches each other and the gap between the pair of operation parts 32 narrows, the optical fiber 1 contacts the guiding surface 351 of the right guiding part 35. The guiding surface 351 on the right side is also inclined so as to be lower toward the inner wall of the operation unit 32, so the optical fiber 1 shown in FIG. It will be guided toward the position of the 2nd covering removal blade 34). In addition, since the right guiding surface 351 is provided at a lower position than the left guiding surface 351, the optical fiber 1 guided downward by the left guiding surface 351 is the right guiding surface 351. Will be led further downward. Thus, if the left and right guiding surfaces 351 are provided at different positions (heights), the optical fiber 1 can be guided by the other guiding surface 351 after the optical fiber 1 is guided by the one guiding surface 351. Therefore, even if the initial position of the optical fiber 1 is largely deviated, it is possible to guide the optical fiber 1 to the position of the second coating removal blade 34 (see FIG. 4D).

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the front (the end of the optical fiber 1) guiding surface 351 is provided on the upper side (the guiding surface 351 on the left side is provided on the upper side than the guiding surface 351 on the right) ). In the case where the end of the optical fiber 1 is bent so that the end of the optical fiber 1 is bent, the position of the end of the optical fiber 1 is shifted upward toward the end (front side) of the optical fiber 1. If the guide surface 351 on the end side is provided on the upper side, it becomes easy to guide the optical fiber 1 with such a bending gusset.

  The confirmation window 36 is a through hole (confirmation hole) for confirming the position of the holder 5. The confirmation window 36 is formed to penetrate in the vertical direction of the operation unit 32. When the start position stopper 13 is provided on the lower side of the arm unit 30 as in the present embodiment, the arm unit 30 interferes with the positioning of the holder 5 and it is difficult to confirm the position of the holder 5, By forming the confirmation window 36 in the arm portion 30 (operation portion 32), when the holder 5 is aligned by the start position stopper 13, the holder 5 can be confirmed through the arm portion 30 (see FIG. 2B). ). Further, in the present embodiment, since the confirmation window 36 is disposed on the upper side of the end surface (contact surface with the holder 5) of the start position stopper 13, the contact state between the holder 5 and the start position stopper 13 can be confirmed. Yes (see Figure 2B). Note that the color of the holder 5 may be different from the color of the start position stopper 13 (that is, the color of the main body of the covering removal tool 100) in order to facilitate confirmation of the contact state between the holder 5 and the start position stopper 13. desirable.

  The base 10 and the arm portion 30 of the above-mentioned coating removal tool 100 (the main body of the coating removal tool 100) are integrally molded of resin. The resin constituting the covering removal tool 100 (the main body of the covering removal tool 100) has appropriate elasticity and durability against elastic deformation since the deformation portion 31 of the arm portion 30 is elastically deformed at the time of covering removal. High resin is desirable. For example, the coating removal tool 100 (the main body of the coating removal tool 100) is made of polyacetal resin (POM).

  The blade member 40 is a member having a first covering removal blade 41. In the present embodiment, since the blade member 40 is configured as a separate member with respect to the main body of the covering removal tool 100, the blade member 40 can be made of a material different from the main body of the covering removal tool 100. In the present embodiment, the blade member 40 can be made of a material suitable for removing the inner coating layer 1B, and is made of, for example, a polyetherimide resin (e.g. Ultem 1000 (registered trademark): Rockwell hardness M109). Can.

  5A is a perspective view of the blade member 40. FIG. The blade member 40 has a first covering removal blade 41 and an engaging portion 42.

  The first coating removal blade 41 is a blade for removing the inner coating layer 1B as described above. The first covering removal blade 41 protrudes from the side surface of the blade member 40 in the left-right direction.

  The first covering removal blade 41 is configured in a flat blade shape. This makes it possible to slide the first coating removal blade 41 and remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 using the unused portion of the first coating removal blade 41. The cutting edge of the flat blade-like first covering removal blade 41 is disposed in parallel in the vertical direction. For this reason, the first covering removal blade 41 is slid along the up and down direction. As described later, the blade member 40 is provided with the first covering removal blade 41 on both the left and right sides. In other words, the blade member 40 includes the first covering removal blade 41 on both blades.

  The engagement portion 42 is a portion for fixing the position of the blade member 40. The engaging portion 42 is a portion hooked on the locking portion of the mounting portion 33 (see FIGS. 5B and 5C: the first locking portion 331 and the second locking portion 332). The engaging portion 42 is a cantilevered portion extending from the upper portion to the lower portion of the blade member 40, and a protrusion is formed at an end portion, and the protrusion is caught on the locking portion of the mounting portion 33. Become.

  5B and 5C are explanatory diagrams of the fixed position of the blade member 40 by the engaging portion 42. FIG. The mounting portion 33 is provided with a first locking portion 331 and a second locking portion 332 as locking portions. The locking portion is a portion on which the engaging portion 42 of the blade member 40 is hooked, and is a portion for fixing the blade member 40 in a predetermined position. The blade member 40 of the present embodiment is slidable in the vertical direction, but the engaging portion 42 is a locking portion of the mounting portion 33 (see FIGS. 5B and 5C: first locking portion 331 and second locking portion 332 ), The position of the blade member 40 is fixed.

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of locking portions (a first locking portion 331 and a second locking portion 332) are provided. Thus, the vertical position of the blade member 40 can be changed stepwise. In addition, the latching | locking part which fixes the blade member 40 in a predetermined position is not restricted to two, Three or more may be sufficient. The first locking portion 331 is a hole-like portion provided in the middle of the inner wall surface of the mounting portion 33. The second locking portion 332 is a lower edge of the inner wall of the mounting portion 33. The first locking portion 331 is provided on the upper side of the second locking portion 332. The shape of the locking portion is not limited to this.

6A to 6E are explanatory views of the use site of the first coating removal blade 41. FIG.
In the state shown in FIG. 6A, the blade member 40 is fixed by the first locking portion 331. In this state, the coating of the optical fiber 1 will be removed using the relatively lower part (the part of the arrow 1 in the figure) of the first coating removal blade 41. When the operator pushes the head of the blade member 40 shown in FIG. 6A downward, the engaging portion 42 of the blade member 40 is disengaged from the first locking portion 331, and the blade member 40 slides downward. The engaging portion 42 is caught by the second locking portion 332, and the state shown in FIG. 6B is obtained.

  The blade and the blade member 40 are fixed by the second locking portion 332 in the state shown in FIG. 6B. In this state, the coating on the optical fiber 1 will be removed using the relatively upper part (the part of the arrow of No. 2 in the figure) of the first coating removal blade 41. As described above, by changing the position of the blade member 40 in the vertical direction, it is possible to change the use site of the first covering removal blade 41. That is, it is possible to slide the first coating removal blade 41 and remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 using an unused portion of the first coating removal blade 41. Thereby, the frequency | count of use of the 1st coating removal blade 41 can be increased.

  As shown to FIG. 6C, the blade member 40 of this embodiment equips the both-blades with the 1st coating removal blade 41. As shown in FIG. For this reason, after one first covering removal blade 41 of blade member 40 wears out (after the life of one first covering removal blade 41 comes to an end), as shown in FIG. 40 is replaced and remounted on the mounting portion 33. As a result, it is possible to remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 using the other unused first coating removing blade 41, and the number of times of using the blade member 40 can be increased.

  In addition, the blade member 40 of this embodiment is comprised in the shape of left-right symmetry. For this reason, a pair of blade members 40 are members of the same shape. As described above, by forming the blade members 40 in a symmetrical shape, the pair of blade members 40 can be made common, and the manufacturing cost of the pair of blade members 40 can be suppressed.

  Even after the left and right blade members 40 are replaced, the first covering removal blade 41 is used in two stages as in the case of the replacement. That is, first, as shown in FIG. 6D, the covering of the optical fiber 1 is removed using the relatively lower part (the part of the arrow of No. 3 in the drawing) of the first covering removal blade 41. Thereafter, the blade member 40 is slid downward, and as shown in FIG. 6E, using the relatively upper part of the first coating removal blade 41 (the part of the arrow of No. 4 in the figure), It will remove the coating. As described above, in this embodiment, even after the left and right blade members 40 are replaced, the first covering removal blade 41 is slid, and the unused portion of the first covering removal blade 41 is used to make the optical fiber 1 It is possible to remove the coating.

  FIG. 7A is an explanatory view of an example of the first covering removal blade 41 (note that in FIG. 7A (and FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C), for convenience of explanation, the length of the first covering removal blade 41 and the length of the optical fiber 1 Diameter etc have been changed). As described above, the first coating removal blade 41 is configured in a flat blade shape. The cutting edges of the pair of first covering removal blades 41 are both parallel to the vertical direction. For this reason, if the pair of blade members 40 is made too close, the gap between the cutting edges of the pair of first covering removal blades 41 becomes extremely narrow, and as a result, the bare optical fiber 1A may be damaged.

  FIG. 7B is an explanatory view of the first covering removal blade 41 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, protrusions 43 are formed on the upper and lower edges of the flat blade shaped first covering removal blade 41. The projecting portion 43 is a portion that protrudes toward the blade member 40 on the other side. When the pair of blade members 40 are brought close to each other, the protruding portions 43 of each other come in contact with each other. When viewed from the projecting portion 43, the cutting edge of the first coating removal blade 41 is provided at a recessed portion. In the present embodiment, even if the pair of blade members 40 are brought close to each other and the blade members 40 contact with each other, a gap is formed between the pair of first covering removal blades 41. For this reason, in the present embodiment, when the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of first coating removal blades 41, damage to the bare optical fiber 1A can be suppressed as compared with the case of FIG. 7A. The amount of projection X1 of the projection 43 is preferably smaller than the radius of the bare optical fiber 1A. In the present embodiment, the protrusion amount X1 of the protrusion 43 is in the range of 25 μm to 55 μm. In other words, the gap between the pair of first covering removal blades 41 when the blade members 40 are in contact with each other is in the range of 50 μm to 110 μm.

  FIG. 7C is an explanatory view of a first covering removal blade 41 of a modification. In the modification, of the pair of first covering removal blades 41, the projecting parts 43 are formed on the upper and lower edges of one of the first covering removal blades 41, and the other first covering removal blades 41 protrude. The part 43 is not formed. Also in this modification, when the pair of blade members 40 are brought into contact with each other, a gap is formed between the pair of first covering removal blades 41. Therefore, also in the modified example, when the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of first covering removal blades 41, damage to the bare optical fiber 1A can be suppressed as compared with the case of FIG. 7A. It is desirable that the projection amount X2 of the projection 43 of the modification be smaller than the diameter of the bare optical fiber 1A. Specifically, the protrusion amount X2 of the protrusion 43 is in the range of 50 μm to 110 μm. In other words, the gap between the pair of first covering removal blades 41 when the blade members 40 are in contact with each other is in the range of 50 μm to 110 μm. In the modified example, the dimension of the gap between the pair of first covering removal blades 41 when the blade members 40 are in contact with each other depends on the protrusion amount X2 of the projecting portion 43 provided on one of the first covering removal blades 41 Therefore, the tolerance management of the dimension of the gap becomes easy (in contrast, when the projection 43 is provided for each of the pair of first covering removal blades 41 as shown in FIG. Becomes tighter, which makes tighter control of the dimension of the gap).

  Also in the modification, it is desirable that each blade member 40 be provided with the first covering removal blade 41 on both blades. In this case, in the modification, the protrusion 43 is formed on one first covering removal blade 41 of each blade member 40, and the protrusion 43 is not formed on the other first covering removal blade 41 . Also in this case, as shown in FIG. 6C, after the first covering removal blade 41 of the blade member 40 is worn (after the life of the first covering removal blade 41 comes to an end), the left and right blade members 40 are removed. And can be re-mounted on the mounting portion 33. In addition, although the blade member 40 of a modification becomes an asymmetrical shape to right and left, since a pair of blade member 40 can be made common, the manufacturing cost of a pair of blade member 40 can be suppressed.

  When the blade member 40 is provided slidably in the vertical direction as in this embodiment, the length in the vertical direction of the flat blade-like first covering removal blade 41 is longer than the slide length of the blade member 40 It is more desirable that the length is longer than the sum of the slide length of the blade member 40 and the outer diameter of the outer covering layer 1C. In other words, the distance between the pair of projections 43 provided on the upper and lower edges of the first covering removal blade 41 is preferably longer than the slide length of the blade member 40, and the slide length of the blade member 40 It is further desirable that the length be longer than the sum of the diameters of For example, when the slide length of the blade member 40 is 3 mm and the outer diameter of the outer covering layer 1C is 500 μm, the length of the first covering removal blade 41 in the vertical direction (or the distance between the upper and lower protrusions 43) is It is desirable to be longer than 3 mm, and more desirable to be longer than 3.5 mm. The slide length of the blade member 40 is a length between the uppermost position and the lowermost position of the blade member 40, and in the present embodiment, between the first locking portion 331 and the second locking portion 332. It corresponds to the distance.

  8A to 8D are explanatory views of a coating removal method using the coating removal tool 100 of the present embodiment.

  First, the operator prepares the coating removal tool 100 and the holder 5 of the present embodiment (see FIG. 7A), and sets the holder 5 in the coating removal tool 100. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2B, the operator places the holder 5 on the slide portion 12 of the cover removal tool 100 and brings the front end surface of the holder 5 into contact with the start position stopper 13 to start the holder 5 Align to the position. In addition, the worker can confirm the contact state between the holder 5 and the start position stopper 13 through the confirmation window 36 (see FIG. 2B). At this time, the optical fiber 1 is not set in the holder 5, and the lid 5A of the holder 5 remains open.

  Next, the worker sets the optical fiber 1 in the coating removal tool 100 and the holder 5 (see FIG. 7B). In this embodiment, since the upper side of the guide portion 22 of the coating removal tool 100 is open, the optical fiber 1 can be set to the coating removal tool 100 by inserting the optical fiber 1 from above the coating removal tool 100. It is convenient.

  When setting the optical fiber 1 in the coating removal tool 100, the operator aligns the tip of the optical fiber 1 with the front edge of the gauge portion 23, as shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. 8B. Thus, the optical fiber 1 can be set on the sheath removal tool 100 such that the optical fiber 1 having a predetermined length extends forward from the first sheath removal blade 41. The operator sets the optical fiber 1 on the coating removal tool 100 as shown in FIG. 8B, and then closes the lid 5A of the holder 5 to fix the optical fiber 1 to the holder 5.

  Next, the operator grips the pair of operation parts 32 of the cover removal tool 100 from the left and right direction as shown by the arrow No. 1 in FIG. 8C. Thereby, the deformation part 31 of the arm part 30 elastically deforms, and a pair of operation parts 32 approach mutually. When the pair of operation parts 32 approaches each other, the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and the pair of second covering removal blades 34 sandwich the optical fiber 1. Even if the position of the optical fiber 1 when it is set in the covering removal tool 100 is shifted in the vertical direction, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D, when the pair of operation parts 32 approaches, the optical fiber 1 The vertical position of the optical fiber 1 is guided to the normal position, so that the optical fiber 1 can be sandwiched between the pair of round blade-like second coating removal blades 34.

  Then, the operator slides the holder 5 to the rear side as indicated by an arrow No. 2 in FIG. 8C while holding the pair of operation parts 32. As a result, in a state where the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and the pair of second covering removal blades 34 (see FIG. 9A), the optical fiber 1 is pulled out (FIG. 9B). reference). As a result, the inner covering layer 1B (and the outer covering layer 1C) is removed by the pair of first covering removal blades 41, and the outer covering layer 1C is removed by the pair of second covering removal blades 34.

  When the operator slides the holder 5 backward, the holder 5 comes into contact with the end position stopper 14 to stop the holder 5 at a predetermined end position as shown in FIG. 8D. In the present embodiment, the sliding distance of the holder 5 from the start position (see FIG. 8C) to the end position (FIG. 8D) is from the first covering removal blade 41 to the front side when the holder 5 is aligned at the start position. The length is set shorter than the length (see FIG. 7B) of the end of the optical fiber 1 which is made to protrude. In other words, in the present embodiment, the end position stopper 14 is provided such that the holder 5 is stopped before the tip of the optical fiber passes the first coating removal blade 41. Therefore, when the removal of the coating is finished when the holder 5 is stopped by the end position stopper 14, the coating can be left at the end of the optical fiber 1, as shown in FIG. 9D. The coating remaining on the end of the optical fiber 1 is a coating that has not reached the first coating removal blade 41 and has not been removed because the holder 5 is stopped by the end position stopper 14.

  After the coating removal operation, the worker opens the lid 5A of the holder 5 and takes out the optical fiber 1. The optical fiber 1 taken out is usually subjected to a cutting process next. According to the present embodiment, since the optical fiber 1 taken out has a coating at the end as shown in FIG. 9D, the operator can easily visually recognize the end of the optical fiber 1, so Work will be easier. In the next cutting step, the bare optical fiber 1A is cut to a predetermined length, and at this time, the remaining portion of the coating of the end of the optical fiber 1 is cut off and removed. . Therefore, even if the coating remains on the end of the optical fiber 1 in the coating removal process, it is acceptable.

  When the above-mentioned coating removal operation is repeated, the first coating removal blade 41 wears, and as a result, it becomes difficult to remove the inner coating layer 1B. Therefore, when it becomes difficult to remove the inner covering layer 1B, the operator pushes the head of the blade member 40 downward as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B (or FIG. 6D and FIG. 6E). Slide down. This makes it possible to remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 using the unused portion of the first coating removal blade 41. The direction in which the blade member 40 is slid is not limited to the direction from the top to the bottom, and may be a direction from the bottom to the top.

  Instead of sliding the blade member 40 after it becomes difficult to remove the inner coating layer 1B, the worker may slide the blade member 40 when the above-described coating removal operation is repeated a predetermined number of times. This allows maintaining normal coating removal. In particular, in the present embodiment, the blade 42 is engaged by the engaging portion 42 of the blade member 40 by being caught by the locking portion of the mounting portion 33 (see FIGS. 5B and 5C: first locking portion 331 and second locking portion 332). Since the member 40 is fixed at a predetermined position, it is easy to predict the life of the first covering removal blade 41, so it is easy to set the number of times of use of the first covering removal blade 41. Note that instead of changing the blade member 40 stepwise (discretely) to a predetermined position as in the present embodiment, the position of the blade member 40 may be continuously changed. However, in this case, it becomes difficult to predict the life of the first covering removal blade 41.

  After the blade member 40 is slid downward, if the coating removing operation is further repeated, the first coating removing blade 41 is worn again, and as a result, it becomes difficult to remove the inner coating layer 1B. Therefore, when it is difficult for the worker to remove the inner covering layer 1B again, or when the blade member 40 is slid down and then the covering removal operation is performed a predetermined number of times, as shown in FIG. 6C, The blade members 40 are replaced and remounted on the mounting portion 33. This makes it possible to remove the coating of the optical fiber 1 using the unused first coating removal blade 41.

  In addition, after the unused part of the 1st coating removal blade 41 lose | eliminates, as shown to FIG. 6E, an operator may replace | exchange the used blade member 40 for the unused blade member 40. As shown in FIG. Thereby, the main body of the coating removal tool 100 can be continued to be used. However, the main body of the covering removal tool 100 may be replaced with a new one when the unused portion of the first covering removal blade 41 disappears.

=== Second Embodiment ===
The covering removal tool 100 of the first embodiment described above has a pair of first covering removal blades 41 and a pair of second covering removal blades 34, and the inner covering layer 1B and the outer covering in a single removal step. It was possible to step off layer 1C. However, the covering removal tool may include the pair of first covering removal blades 41 and may not include the pair of second covering removal blades 34. In this case, the worker may set the optical fiber 1 from which the outer covering layer 1C has been removed in advance to the covering removal tool, and remove the inner covering layer 1B with the first covering removal blade 41 of the covering removal tool.

=== Others ===
The above embodiments are for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not for the purpose of limiting the present invention. It goes without saying that the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

1 optical fiber, 1A bare optical fiber,
1B inner cover layer, 1C outer cover layer,
5 holder, 5A lid,
10 bases, 11 units,
12 slide parts, 12A mounting surface, 12B side wall parts,
13 Start position stopper, 14 End position stopper,
21 struts, 22 guides,
22A V groove, 22B slit,
23 gauge sections,
30 arms,
31 deformation unit, 32 operation unit,
33 mounting portion, 331 first locking portion, 332 second locking portion,
34 2nd covering removal blade, 35 induction parts, 351 induction surface,
36 confirmation windows,
40 blade members,
41 first coating removing blade, 42 engaging portion, 43 projecting portion,
100 Remover

Claims (17)

Body and
And a pair of blade members having a coating removing blade for removing the coating of the optical fiber,
The blade removal tool according to claim 1, wherein the blade member is slidably provided relative to the main body to remove the coating using an unused portion. The cover removal tool according to claim 1, wherein
The body has a base and a pair of arms extending from the base,
Each of the arm units includes an operation unit on which the blade member is mounted, and the pair of covering removal blades sandwich the optical fiber when the pair of operation units are brought close to each other.
The covering removal tool characterized in that a guiding portion for guiding the position of the optical fiber is provided on the opposing surface of each of the operating portions. The cover removal tool according to claim 2, wherein
The guiding portion has a guiding surface for guiding the optical fiber to a predetermined position when the pair of operation portions are brought close to each other.
The cover removal tool characterized in that the guide surfaces provided in each of the pair of operation parts are provided at different positions. The cover removal tool according to claim 3, wherein
The coating removal tool is characterized in that the guiding surface provided in each of the pair of operation parts is provided at a position farther from the base near the end of the optical fiber. The coating removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
When a pair of said blade members are made to approach and contact, a clearance gap is formed between a pair of said coating removal blades, The coating removal tool characterized by the above-mentioned. The coating removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
A covering removal tool characterized in that protrusions are formed on upper and lower edges of one of the covering removal blades, and no protruding part is formed on the other covering removal blade. The covering removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein
The said main body has a gauge part for measuring the length of the said optical fiber, The coating removal tool characterized by the above-mentioned. The coating removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein
Each of the blade members is provided with the covering removal blade on both blades,
A cover removal tool characterized in that a pair of the blade members can be replaced and attached to the main body in order to use the unused cover removal blade. A cover removal tool according to claim 8, wherein
The covering removal tool characterized in that the pair of blade members is a common member. The covering removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein
The blade member has an engagement portion,
The body has a plurality of locking portions,
The covering removal tool characterized in that the position of the blade member can be changed stepwise by locking the engaging portion to any one of a plurality of locking portions. The covering removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein
The material of the blade member is different from the material of the main body. The covering removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein
The cover removal tool characterized in that the main body has a slide portion for sliding the holder holding the fiber, and an end position stopper for stopping the slide of the holder at a predetermined end position. A cover removal tool according to claim 12, wherein
The body has a start position stop for positioning the holder in a predetermined start position;
The sliding distance of the holder from the start position to the end position is set shorter than the length of the end of the optical fiber projecting from the covering removal blade when the holder is aligned at the start position A coating removal tool characterized in that The coating removal tool according to claim 12 or 13, wherein
A coating removal tool characterized in that when the holder is slid to the end position, a coating which has not reached the coating removal blade and is not removed remains at the end of the optical fiber. The covering removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein
The body has a base and a pair of arms extending from the base,
The base has a start position stop which aligns the holder at a predetermined start position;
The covering removal tool characterized in that the arm portion is formed with a through hole for confirming the holder over the arm portion when the holder is positioned by the start position stopper. The coating removal tool according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein
The said main body is equipped with the fiber guide part which has the V-shaped groove part of the shape which becomes narrow toward the lower side, and the slit part of the fixed-width shape in the bottom part of the said V-shaped groove part. Providing a covering removal tool comprising a body and a pair of blade members having a covering removal blade;
Removing the coating of the optical fiber using the coating removal blade;
And removing the coating of the optical fiber, sliding the blade member relative to the main body, and removing a coating of another optical fiber using an unused portion of the coating removal blade.

Images