JPH0660967B2 - Optical fiber all-in-one fusion splicing method - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber cable splicing technique, and more particularly to a method for collectively splicing and reinforcing a large number of optical fibers.

(Prior Art and Problems to Be Solved) Conventionally, a fusion splicing method in which fusion is performed by heat of air discharge is widely applied to permanent connection of optical fibers. In recent years, a multi-core optical fiber ribbon has been put into practical use in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a plane and a common coating layer is provided on them to integrate them. Line-to-line batch connection technology is also being developed.

On the other hand, as the optical fiber cable, there are a cable in which a large number of the single-core optical fiber cores as described above are made into a cable, and a cable in which the required cores of the multi-core optical fiber ribbon are collectively made into a cable.

Under such circumstances, a technique for collectively fusion-splicing the group of single-core optical fiber cores, and a technique for collectively fusion-bonding the group of single-core optical fiber cores and a multi-core optical fiber ribbon Has not been considered so far.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a conventional optical fiber cable connection technique in which a large number of single-core optical fiber cores are made into a cable. FIG. 9A is a connection state diagram, and FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of a fiber connection part.

As shown in the drawing, an optical fiber cable (A) accommodating a large number of optical fiber cores (B) is divided into individual optical fiber cores (B) in the vicinity of its end, and each optical fiber core (B) is divided. The optical fibers (C) of the wires (B) are fusion-spliced (2) separately, and each of the connection portions (2) individually has, for example, a reinforcing core (31) housed inside and a hot-metl adhesive ( It is reinforced by a reinforcing material such as a heat shrinkable tube (30) having 32).

However, according to the connecting method as described above, there is a problem that a large amount of labor and time are required to connect a large number of optical fibers to each other, and the size of the connecting portion becomes large.

(Means for Solving Problems) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, enables quick connection and downsizing of the size of the connection portion, and further enables connection with a multi-fiber optical fiber ribbon. It provides a possible fusion splicing method of optical fibers, which is characterized by arranging a plurality of individually independent optical fiber cores in a plane and clamping them with a terminal fixing tool. After that, the coating of the optical fiber core wire group is removed and the exposed end portion of the optical fiber is cut at a time, and then the fusion connection of the optical fiber is performed at a time, and the connecting portion of the optical fiber is performed. It is to remove the terminal fixing tool after reinforcing only, and finally perform extra length processing.

FIG. 1 is a state diagram in which the vicinity of the ends of a plurality of optical fiber cores are clamped by a terminal fixing tool in the collective fusion splicing method of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A to 2C show optical fibers having a large number of cores. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the core wire clamped by the terminal fixing tool, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view for collectively removing the coating of the optical fiber core wire group clamped by the terminal fixing tool, and FIG. 4 is exposed by removing the coating. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of cutting the end portions of the optical fiber group at once, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a state of being set in a fusion splicer, and FIG. 6 (a) and FIG. FIG. 8 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the reinforcing portion, and FIG. 8 is a top view of the optical fiber connecting portion obtained by the collective fusion splicing method of the present invention.

Next, the work procedure of the collective fusion splicing method of the present invention will be described step by step.

A plurality of individually independent optical fiber core wires (B) of the optical fiber cable are arranged in a plane without adhering to each other, and the vicinity of the terminal portion is clamped by the terminal fixing tool (1) (Fig. 1). .

The terminal fixture (1) has an optical fiber core (B) on the upper surface.
A base (11) having a V-groove (12) for positioning of the top cover (13) having an adhesive layer (14) on its inner surface (FIG. 2A), or a flat top surface. An upper lid (13) having an adhesive layer (14) on its inner surface is superposed on a base (11) having a groove (15) for accommodating a plurality of optical fiber core wires (B) arranged in Or a groove (15) for accommodating a plurality of optical fiber core wires (B) arranged in a plane on the upper surface (FIG. 2B).
The base (11) and the upper lid (13) are provided so that they can be opened and closed by the hinge (16), and the base (11) and the upper lid (1
A magnet having a structure in which a magnet (17) is embedded in the opposing surfaces of (3) (Fig. 2C) is used.

The coating of the end portion of the optical fiber core wire (B) group clamped to the terminal fixing tool (1) is collectively removed by using the optical fiber coating remover (4) (FIG. 3).

The end portions of the optical fiber (C) group exposed by collectively removing the coating of the terminal portion are collectively cut using the scratching blade (5) (FIG. 4).

Prepare a group of optical fibers on the other side that have been subjected to the steps 1 to 3 and set them on a multi-core batch fusion splicer with the end faces of the optical fibers (C) facing each other as shown in FIG. Connect.

In FIG. 5, (6) is a fine movement table on which the terminal fixture (1) is placed, (7) is a connection stage, (8) is a clamp for the optical fiber (C), and (9) is a discharge electrode rod. Is.

After taking out the above from the fusion splicer and reinforcing only the set to the optical fiber reinforcement, remove the terminal fixing tool (1),
Perform post-processing for extra length processing.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of an example of reinforcing the splicing part. A stiffening plate (20) consisting of a flat plate (21) having a hot melt adhesive layer (22) on the inner surface of the splicing part (2) of the optical fiber is arranged from above and below. It is sandwiched and heated by a heater (23) to melt and integrate the adhesive layer (22).

Further, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of another example of reinforcing the connection part, in which a heat-shrinkable tube (24) having a hot melt adhesive layer (26) on the inner surface is preliminarily placed on one optical fiber core (B) group. After being inserted and collectively fusion-bonded with the optical fiber (C), the heat shrinkable tube (24) is positioned on the optical fiber connection part (2) and heated by a heater (23) to heat the adhesive layer. (26) is melted and integrated. In the figure, (25) is a reinforcing core.

The multi-core batch fusion splicer in this method is one in which two optical fibers are abutted by outer diameter alignment, and the type of optical fiber (single mode, multi-mode, etc.) does not matter.

Further, it is clear that the method of fusion splicing of the present invention can also be applied to a multi-core optical fiber tape core wire in which the optical fiber core wire of the other party integrates a plurality of optical fibers. The branch portion of the wire into the single-core optical fiber is small and can be quickly formed.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the batch fusion splicing method of the present invention significantly shortens the working time and achieves the advantages of the conventional fusion splicing of single-core optical fibers one by one. The size of the connected portion can be reduced.

In addition, it is possible to reliably perform a fusion splicing between the multi-core optical fiber cable cores or the tape cores, which is small in size,
In addition, it is possible to form a connection with a small connection loss.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a state diagram in which the vicinity of the ends of a plurality of optical fiber cores is clamped by a terminal fixing tool in the collective fusion splicing method of the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the optical fiber core wire clamped by the terminal fixing tool, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of collective covering removal of the optical fiber core wire group clamped by the terminal fixing tool, and FIG. 4 is collective cutting of the optical fiber group. And FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the state of being set in the fusion splicer, FIGS. 6 (a) and 7 (a) are all explanatory views of reinforcement, and (b) is the crossing of the reinforcing portion. FIG. 8 is a plan view of an optical fiber splicing portion obtained by the collective fusion splicing method of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of an example of a connection technology of an optical fiber cable in which a large number of conventional single-core optical fibers are made into a cable. FIG. 9A is a connection state diagram, and FIG. 9B is an optical fiber. It is a cross-sectional view of a connection part. A ... Optical fiber cable, B ... Single-core optical fiber core wire, C ... Optical fiber, 1 ... Terminal fixture, 2 ... Optical fiber connection part, 3 ... Reinforcing material, 4 ... Coating remover 5 ...
… Scratch blade, 6 …… Slightly moving table, 7 …… Connection stage, 8 ……
Clamp, 9 ... Discharge electrode rod, 20 ... Reinforcing plate, 24 ... Heat shrink tube.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Asano 1 Taya-cho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Yokohama Works (56) Reference JP-A-60-217314 (JP, A) 61-252508 (JP, A) JP-A-59-74518 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of individual optical fiber core wires of an optical fiber cable are arranged in a plane without adhering to each other and clamped by a removable terminal fixing tool to form an optical fiber core wire group. After that, the coating of the group of optical fiber cores is removed in a batch and the end portion of the exposed optical fiber is cut in a batch, and then the fusion connection of the optical fibers is performed in a batch, and the connecting portion of the optical fibers is performed. A method for collective fusion splicing of optical fibers, characterized in that the terminal fixing device is detached and extra length treatment is carried out after reinforcement only.