Patent ID: 6814124
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
Splicing apparatus for splicing optical fibers to each other, the apparatus comprising:a splicing part having fiber guides and fusion-splicing means for splicing optical fibers, a heating part for heating a protective sleeve placed over spliced portions of spliced optical fibers spliced to each other in the splicing part to make the protective sleeve shrink around the spliced portions tightly enclosing them, and a transport device for in a first position holding optical fibers that are being spliced or have been spliced to each other in a first position in the splicing part and for displacing the held optical fibers from the first position to a second position with spliced portions of the optical fibers located at or at least partly enclosed by the heating part by transferring the transport device to a second position, the transport device comprising clamping devices to firmly hold the optical fibers spliced to each other when transferring the transport device from the first to the second position, wherein the transport device comprises mechanical guides to transfer the clamping devices from the first position of the transport device to the second position along a path including a first segment and a second, substantially straight segment, the first and second segments meeting in an angle to each other.