Apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers

Claim 1

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers, comprising: rotating means (44A, 44B) including a first mecha­nical means (44A) for clamping one of a pair of polari­zation maintaining optical fibers (l0), and for rotating said clamped optical fiber about its axis, a second mechanical means (44B) for clamping the other polariza­tion maintaining optical fiber, and for rotating said clamped optical fiber about its axis, whereby said pair of the optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means (38) for fusion-splicing said pair of optical fibers by an arc discharge after said fibers are aligned with each other; characterized in that said first mechanical means (44A) manually rotates said clamped optical fiber and said second mechanical means (44B) rotates said clamped optical fiber by a motor (72), and characterized by further comprising rotation control means for controlling the rotation of said motor so as to vary the extinction ratio of light emitted from the light emitting end of said pair of optical fibers.

Claim 2

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers, comprising: rotating means (44A, 44B) including a first mecha­nical means (44A) for clamping one of a pair of polari­zation maintaining optical fibers (l0), and for rotating said clamped optical fiber about its axis, a second mechanical means (44B) for clamping the other polariza­tion maintaining optical fiber, and for rotating said clamped optical fiber about its axis, whereby said pair of the optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means (38) for fusion-splicing said pair of optical fibers by an arc discharge after said fibers are aligned with each other; characterized in that said first mechanical means (44A) manually rotates said clamped optical fiber and said second mechanical means (44B) rotates said clamped optical fiber by a motor (72), and characterized by further comprising rotation control means for controlling the rotation of said motor so as to vary the extinction ratio of light emitted from the light emitting end of said pair of optical fibers.

Claim 4

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers, comprising: stopper means (39) to which the end faces of a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (l0) abut; a microscope (90) for observing the alignment of said pair of optical fibers; rotating means (44A, 44B) for clamping said pair of optical fibers, and rotating said pair of clamped opti­cal fibers about their axes manually, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, characterized in that said stopper means (39) is provided with mirror means (l04) for reflecting an image of the end faces of said pair of optical fibers when said mirror means is set at the place where said pair of optical fibers are made abut at the end faces; and said microscope (90) picks up an image of the end faces of said optical fibers via said mirror means, and characterized by further comprising means (ll2, ll6, ll8) for setting said mirror means at the highest position higher than the end face abut­ting position, said end face abutting position, and the lowest position lower than said end face abutting posi­tion.

Claim 5

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers, comprising: stopper means (39) to which the end faces of a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (l0) abut; a microscope (90) for observing the alignment of said pair of optical fibers; rotating means (44A, 44B) for clamping said pair of optical fibers, and rotating said pair of clamped opti­cal fibers about their axes manually, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, characterized in that said stopper means (39) is provided with mirror means (l04) for reflecting an image of the end faces of said pair of optical fibers when said mirror means is set at the place where said pair of optical fibers are made abut at the end faces; and said microscope (90) picks up an image of the end faces of said optical fibers via said mirror means, and characterized by further comprising means (ll2, ll6, ll8) for setting said mirror means at the highest position higher than the end face abut­ting position, said end face abutting position, and the lowest position lower than said end face abutting posi­tion.

Claim 7

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers comprising: fiber clamps (22) and sheath clamps (26) for respectively clamping the exposed fiber portions (l2) and the covered fiber portions (ll) of a pair of polari­zation maintaining optical fibers (l0), said fiber clamps and sheath clamps being interlocked in opera­tion; rotating means (44A, 44B) for clamping said pair of optical fibers and rotating said clamped optical fibers about their axes, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, and characterized by further comprising sheath clamp releasing means (l34, l36, l40, l44, l46) for releasing said sheath clamps from clamping of said covered fiber portions, while said exposed fiber portions are being clamped by said fiber clamps.

Claim 8

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers comprising: fiber clamps (22) and sheath clamps (26) for respectively clamping the exposed fiber portions (l2) and the covered fiber portions (ll) of a pair of polari­zation maintaining optical fibers (l0), said fiber clamps and sheath clamps being interlocked in opera­tion; rotating means (44A, 44B) for clamping said pair of optical fibers and rotating said clamped optical fibers about their axes, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, and characterized by further comprising sheath clamp releasing means (l34, l36, l40, l44, l46) for releasing said sheath clamps from clamping of said covered fiber portions, while said exposed fiber portions are being clamped by said fiber clamps.

Claim 9

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers comprising: rotating means (44Aʹ, 44B) for clamping a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (l0) and rotating said clamped optical fibers about their axes, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means (38) for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, and characterized by further comprising twist preventing means including an arm (242) re­movably coupled with the fusion-splicing apparatus and clamp means (256) for clamping said pair of optical fibers when said arm is coupled with the fusion-splicing apparatus, said clamp means extending from each end of said arm, whereby, when said pair of optical fibers coupled with twist preventing means are removed from the fusion-splicing apparatus, no twist is generated to said pair of optical fibers.

Claim 10

An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers comprising: rotating means (44Aʹ, 44B) for clamping a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (l0) and rotating said clamped optical fibers about their axes, whereby said pair of optical fibers are aligned with each other; and means (38) for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers by an arc discharge, and characterized by further comprising twist preventing means including an arm (242) re­movably coupled with the fusion-splicing apparatus and clamp means (256) for clamping said pair of optical fibers when said arm is coupled with the fusion-splicing apparatus, said clamp means extending from each end of said arm, whereby, when said pair of optical fibers coupled with twist preventing means are removed from the fusion-splicing apparatus, no twist is generated to said pair of optical fibers.