Patent ID: 6854293
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A fusion splicing method for splicing optical fibers, comprising: a fusion splicing process in which fusion splicing is performed by a butting end faces of two optical fibers together; and a heat treatment process in which the fusion spliced part of the optical fibers and the vicinity thereof are heated, wherein heating in the heat treatment process is performed using an arc heating unit having a pair of opposing arc electrodes, the fusion spliced optical fibers being placed therebetween; the heating center position of the arc electrodes being shifted by a relative movement with respect to the optical fibers in a direction other than the Y-axis direction, a direction perpendicular to both Z-axis direction and the opposing direction of arc electrodes, and Z-axis direction, the axial direction of the optical fibers, via the fusion spliced part in the Y-Z plane which is formed by the Z-axis direction and Y-axis direction.