Patent US3259715A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0427705A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0427705A1
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EP
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Apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers
Assignee: Fujikura Ltd
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Filing: 1987-05-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-05-20
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for fusion-splicing a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers comprises stopper means (39) to which the end faces of the fibers (10) abut, a microscope (90) for observing the alignment, rotating means (44A, 44B) and means for fusion-splicing said pair of aligned optical fibers. The stopper means (39) is provided with a mirror and the microscope (90) picks up an image of the end faces of said optical fibers via said mirror means. Further the apparatus comprises means (112, 116, 118) for setting said mirror at different positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenichiro Itoh
- 👤 Takeshi Yamada
- 👤 Tsutomu Onodera
- 👤 Mikio Yoshinuma
- 👤 Yasuyuki Kato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/255; G02B6/2555; G02B6/2551; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3801; G02B6/3803; G02B6/3805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
200 words
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 (10) 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, 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 (104) 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 (112, 116, 118) 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 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said rotating means (44A, 44B) includes a first mechanical means (44A) for clamping one of said pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (10), 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 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), 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 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said rotation control means includes light amount detecting means (92) for detecting an amount of light at said light emitting end of the optical fibers, and motor control means (94) for controlling the rotation of the motor according to the light amount as detected by said light amount detecting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said mirror means (104) is a mirror for directing image light beam from the end faces of said pair of optical fibers toward said microscope.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising fiber clamps (22) and sheath clamps (26) for respectively clamping the exposed fiber portions (12) and the covered fiber portions (11) of a pair of polarization maintaining optical fibers (10), said fiber clamps and sheath clamps being interlocked in operation: and sheath clamp releasing means (134, 136, 140, 144, 146) 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 6
Dependent Claim
82 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 1, 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 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The fusion-splicing apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said arm (242) of said twist preventing means is variable in length in its axial direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0091738A2
Cited
DE3329293A1
Cited
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