JPH0453601Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] [Industrial application field]

This invention relates to an optical fiber fusion splicing device of a type that includes a heating reinforcing device in addition to a fusion splicer.

[Conventional technology]

When fusion splicing optical fibers, the protective coating layer is peeled off to expose the bare optical fibers, so after fusion splicing, it is necessary to cover this part with a heat shrink tube and heat shrink it to strengthen it. There is. For this reason, optical fiber fusion splicing devices equipped with a heating reinforcing device have conventionally been used. This optical fiber fusion splicing device equipped with a heating reinforcing device is equipped with a heating reinforcing device in line with the fusion splicer, and while fusion splicing optical fibers on one side, simultaneously heats other optical fibers on the other hand. It is very convenient because it can also perform reinforcing actions.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in this optical fiber fusion splicing device equipped with a heating reinforcing device, the fusion splicer and the heating reinforcing device are sometimes used at the same time, so the maximum power consumption is large and a powerful power supply device is required. There is. This is a serious problem because this type of optical fiber fusion splicing device is used in a variety of sites and requires miniaturization. In other words, since a household AC power supply or battery is used, it is necessary to use a large power supply circuit or battery with a large maximum output to convert the household AC voltage to the required voltage. This is because it will no longer be the case. This idea improves the power supply by reducing maximum power consumption so that only a small power supply is required.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber fusion splicing device equipped with a heating reinforcing device, which can reduce the size of the entire device.

[Means to solve the problem]

The optical fiber fusion splicing device according to this invention is equipped with a heating reinforcing device having a heater in addition to an optical fiber fusion splicer having a discharge electrode connected to a discharge circuit. a first switch that is inserted between the power supply device and the discharge circuit and turns on/off the power supply from the power supply device to the discharge circuit; a second switch inserted between the power supply device and the heater, which turns on and off power supply from the power supply device to the heater; and a second switch connected in series to the second switch, linked to the first switch. The third switch is switched to the other side when the first switch is on, and is switched to the on side when the first switch is off.

[Effect]

This idea is based on the fact that the arc discharge for fusion splicing optical fibers usually takes a few seconds, which is extremely short compared to the heating time for reinforcement (usually more than 1 minute).
Considering the thermal inertia of the heater and the reinforcing material to be heated, this method was developed based on the fact that there is no problem even if the power supply to the heater is cut off for a short period of time during heating. That is, by operating the second switch and turning it on, power is supplied to the heater to perform the heating reinforcement operation, and on the other hand, by operating the first switch and turning it on, it is possible to perform the heating reinforcement operation. The optical fibers can be fused and spliced by supplying power to the circuit and causing an arc discharge between the discharge electrodes, but a third switch is connected in series to the second switch. This third switch is adapted to operate in conjunction with the first switch. Therefore, if the first switch is turned on to perform fusion splicing while the second switch and the third switch are turned on and power is supplied to the heater to perform a heating reinforcement operation, Since the third switch is switched to the other side in conjunction with the first switch being turned on, the power supply to the heater can be cut off or the power supplied thereto can be reduced. As a result, in a configuration in which one power supply device is shared by the discharge circuit and the heater, and power is supplied from the one power supply device to the discharge circuit and the heater, fusion splicing occurs during heating reinforcement operation. When performing this, the maximum power consumption can be suppressed.

【Example】

As shown in FIG.
A fusion splicer 2 and a heating reinforcing device 3 are arranged on the top. The fusion splicer 2 consists of a V-groove block 21 and a discharge electrode 22. Two optical fibers 4 whose protective coatings are peeled off at their tips to form bare optical fibers 41 are placed in the V-groove of the V-groove block 21, and the abutting portions of the bare optical fibers 41 meet the arc of the electrode 22. It is heated by electric discharge and fusion spliced. On the other hand, in parallel with this fusion splicing, reinforcing processing is performed using a heating reinforcing device 3. The heating reinforcing device 3 consists of a main body 31 in which a U-shaped groove 32 is provided, a heater housed within the main body 31, and a lid 33. The fusion-spliced optical fiber 4 is placed in the groove 32 while being covered with a reinforcing material, the lid 33 is closed, and the fiber 4 is heated. For example, as shown in Fig. 3A and B, the reinforcing material is
Hot melt type plastic tube 51
, a reinforcing wire 52 such as a stainless steel wire attached vertically thereto, and a heat-shrinkable tube 53 . When heated in the heating reinforcing device 3, the plastic tube 51 first melts and the bare optical fiber 4
1, and then the heat shrink tube 53 is shrunk to cover the entire fusion splice including the reinforcing wire 52. As shown in FIG. 1, the heating heater 13 of the heating reinforcing device 3 is connected to a switch 1
6 and a switch 15 connected in series to this switch 16. Further, electric power is supplied to the discharge circuit 12 connected to the discharge electrode 22 from the power supply device 11 via the switch 14. In this embodiment, the switch 14 and the switch 15 are mechanically interlocked, and are tilted upward (black circle side) when not operated. When heating is performed by the heating reinforcing device 3, the switch 16 is operated to turn it on and power is sent to the heating heater 13. In this embodiment, the power consumption of the heater 13 is 12W, and when the switch 16 is turned on, 12W is consumed as shown in FIG. 4A. On the other hand, the power consumption of the discharge circuit 12 is 18W, and when the switch 14 is turned on, 18W is consumed as shown in FIG. 4B. However, when the switch 14 is turned on, the switch 15 linked thereto is turned off, cutting off the power supply to the heater 13. That is, when power is being consumed in the discharge circuit 12, the heater 13
As shown by the solid line in Figure A, power consumption becomes zero. Therefore, if the heater 13 of the heating reinforcing device 3 is turned on and the arc discharge is performed for a few seconds to perform fusion splicing while heating, the total power consumption will be a maximum of 18W as shown in Figure 4C. It just becomes. On the other hand, if the power to the heater 13 is not cut off when power is applied to the discharge circuit 12 as in the conventional case, the power consumption of the heater 13 remains 12W as shown by the dotted line in FIG. Since the power consumption of 18W is added, the maximum value of the total power consumption becomes 30W as shown by the dotted line in Figure 4C. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment. In this figure, when the switch 14 is operated to turn on the discharge circuit 12 and the switch 15 is moved downward, power is supplied to the heater 13 through the resistor 17. This resistor 17 is a current limiting resistor, and through this resistor 17, less electric power is supplied to the heater 13. Therefore, the power supply to the heater 13 is not completely cut off, but only the amount of power supplied is reduced. Therefore, the maximum power consumption is larger than that in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but on the other hand, the power supply to the heater 13 is not cut off at all, so the drop in temperature at the heating reinforcing device 3 can be reduced. I can do it. Although the switches 14 and 15 are mechanically interlocked in these embodiments, they may be electrically interlocked, such as semiconductor switching elements such as transistors and thyristors, or relays. The specific connection relationships among the power supply device 11, the discharge circuit 12, the heating heater 13, and the switches 14 to 16 are not limited to these.

[Effect of the idea]

According to the optical fiber fusion splicing device with a heating reinforcing device of this invention, maximum power consumption can be suppressed. Therefore, when a power supply device is built-in, a small one with a small maximum output can be used as the power supply device, so the overall size and weight can be reduced. Even if a separate power supply device is used, it can be small and lightweight. When using a battery, a small and lightweight battery may be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the electrical connections of an optical fiber fusion splicing device equipped with a heating reinforcing device according to an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection relationship of an optical fiber fusion splicing device equipped with a heating reinforcing device. Perspective view showing external appearance, 3rd
Figures A and B show the structure of the reinforcing material, and Figure 3A
is a vertical cross-sectional view, Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 3A, Figures 4A, B, and C are time charts showing the temporal changes in power consumption, and Figure 5 FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection relationship of the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Base, 11... Power supply device, 12... Discharge circuit, 13... Heater, 14-16... Switch, 17... Resistor, 2... Fusion splicer, 21
... V-groove block, 22 ... discharge electrode, 3 ... heating reinforcing device, 31 ... main body, 32 ... U-shaped groove, 33
... Lid, 4 ... Optical fiber, 41 ... Optical fiber bare wire, 51 ... Plastic tube, 52 ...
Reinforcement wire material, 53...Heat shrink tube.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An optical fiber fusion splicer having a discharge electrode connected to a discharge circuit, a heating reinforcing device having a heater, a power supply device that supplies power to these discharge circuits and the heater, and between the power supply device and the discharge circuit. A first switch inserted between the power supply device and the heater to turn on and off the power supply from the power supply device to the discharge circuit, and a second switch inserted between the power supply device and the heater to turn on and off the power supply from the power supply device to the heater. a third switch connected in series to the second switch, which is linked to the first switch and is switched to the other side when the first switch is on and switched to the on side when the first switch is off. An optical fiber fusion splicing device comprising: a switch.