Holder and optical fiber processing method

A holder includes a base including a reference surface and a slider to which an optical-fiber retainer that retains an optical-fiber can be attached. The slider is movable in a front-rear direction with respect to the base, and at least a portion of the optical-fiber retainer is accommodated between the reference surface and the slider when the optical-fiber retainer is attached to the slider and the optical-fiber retainer is positioned with respect to the reference surface by moving the slider toward a reference surface side.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a holder and an optical fiber processing method.

BACKGROUND

A field-installable optical connector is a known example of a device for connecting optical fibers by abutting the optical fibers' respective end surfaces against one another. The field-installable optical connector is a type of optical connector having a structure that can be easily assembled to a terminal of an optical cable at an optical fiber laying site. A built-in fiber is factory-preinstalled in a ferrule of an optical connector before assembly, and an end section of the built-in fiber is arranged in a clamp section (mechanical splice). At the site of assembly, an end section of an insertion fiber that is retained by an optical-fiber retaining element is inserted into the clamp section, and the optical fibers abut against one another and are connected inside the clamp section.

Patent Literatures 1 and 2 describe structures of gripping members serving as optical-fiber retaining elements. The gripping members described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 have projections formed on respective inner surfaces of a pair of side walls, and the projections are wedged into an outer sheath of an optical cable (e.g., an indoor cable), to grip and fix the optical cable between the pair of side walls. Patent Literatures 1 and 2 also describe assembling a field-installable optical connector by using the gripping member (optical-fiber retaining element) retaining the optical fiber.

Patent Literature 3 describes an optical fiber jig for retaining an optical fiber. A jig body of the optical fiber jig of Patent Literature 3 includes a pair of side walls standing up from a bottom wall. An optical fiber is arranged in a fiber accommodation groove between the pair of side walls. By moving a slider and thereby elastically deforming the pair of side walls inwardly so as to reduce the width of the fiber accommodation groove, the optical fiber is tucked between and fixed by the fiber accommodation groove between the pair of side walls. Patent Literature 3 also describes assembling a field-installable optical connector by using the optical fiber jig retaining the optical fiber.

Before inserting an optical fiber (insertion fiber) retained by an optical-fiber retaining element into a clamp section of a field-installable optical connector, a pre-treatment is performed, wherein a cover of the optical fiber projecting from the optical-fiber retaining element is removed to expose bare fiber, and an end section of the optical fiber (bare fiber) is cut. In this way, the projection length of the optical fiber (insertion fiber) projecting from the optical-fiber retaining element and also the cover-removal length are adjusted respectively to predetermined lengths.

Patent Literature 2 describes: arranging a gripping member that grips an optical cable into an optical fiber holder; placing the optical fiber holder, to which the optical cable has been fixed, on an optical fiber processing tool (a fiber cutter or cover-removal tool); and cutting the optical fiber or removing the cover of the optical fiber.

Also, Patent Literature 3 describes: mounting an optical fiber jig (optical-fiber retaining element) retaining an optical fiber onto a holder; placing the holder, to which the optical fiber has been fixed, on an optical fiber processing tool (a cover-removal tool or cutter); and removing the cover of the optical fiber or cutting the optical fiber.

PATENT LITERATURE

Optical-fiber retaining elements for retaining optical fibers come in various shapes, like the gripping members disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 and the optical fiber jig disclosed in Patent Literature 3. Preparing dedicated holders conforming to the various optical-fiber retaining elements having different shapes increases the types of holders. On the other hand, if the holder's accommodation section is simply widened to be able to accommodate various optical-fiber retaining elements with varying shapes, the posture of the optical-fiber retaining element attached to the holder may become unstable, and thus optical fiber processing precision may deteriorate.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments of the invention stably attach optical-fiber retainers having different shapes to a holder.

One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to a holder to which an optical-fiber retainer for retaining an optical fiber can be attached. According to one or more embodiments, the holder includes: a base including a reference surface; and a slider to which the optical-fiber retainer can be attached, the slider being constructed so as to be movable in a front-rear direction with respect to the base. At least a portion of the optical-fiber retainer can be accommodated between the reference surface and the slider in a state where the optical-fiber retainer is positioned with respect to the reference surface by moving the slider toward the reference surface side in a state where the optical-fiber retainer is attached to the slider.

Other features of one or more embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following description and the drawings.

With one or more embodiments of this invention, optical-fiber retainers having different shapes can be attached stably to a holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and the drawings reveal at least the following features of one or more embodiments of the invention.

Disclosed is a holder in accordance with one or more embodiments to which an optical-fiber retainer for retaining an optical fiber can be attached, the holder including: abase including a reference surface; and a slider to which the optical-fiber retainer can be attached, the slider being constructed so as to be movable in a front-rear direction with respect to the base. At least a portion of the optical-fiber retainer can be accommodated between the reference surface and the slider in a state where the optical-fiber retainer is positioned with respect to the reference surface by moving the slider toward the reference surface side in a state where the optical-fiber retainer is attached to the slider. With this holder, optical-fiber retainers having different shapes can be attached stably to the holder.

According to one or more embodiments, the holder further includes a latch that retains a position of the slider with respect to the base. In this way, it is possible to maintain a state where the optical-fiber retainer is positioned with respect to the reference surface of the base.

According to one or more embodiments: the latch includes a base-side latch section provided to the base, and a slider-side latch section provided to the slider; and one of the base-side latch section and the slider-side latch section includes a plurality of notches lined up in the front-rear direction, and the other includes a catch, the catch being caught by one of the notches to thereby retain the position of the slider in the front-rear direction with respect to the base. In this way, it is possible to maintain a state where the optical-fiber retainer is positioned with respect to the reference surface of the base.

According to one or more embodiments: the slider includes a pincher; and the pincher is constructed such that a pinched member that is pinched by the pincher is permitted to move toward the reference surface side but is inhibited from moving toward an opposite side. This construction is particularly advantageous in cases where the position of the slider retained by the latch is discrete.

According to one or more embodiments: the pincher includes a pair of elastic pieces provided so as to project inwardly from respective inner surfaces of a pair of side walls; and each of the elastic pieces is arranged in an inclined manner such that a tip-end of the elastic piece is located more toward the reference surface side than a base-end thereof. In this way, a pinched member can be permitted to move toward the reference surface side while being able to inhibit the pinched member from moving toward the opposite side.

According to one or more embodiments, the pincher includes a plurality of pairs of the elastic pieces. In this way, force applied to the pinched member can be dispersed.

According to one or more embodiments, the holder further includes a latch release that releases a latched state created by the latch. In this way, the position of the slider with respect to the base becomes adjustable, even when the latch firmly retains the position of the slider with respect to the base.

Disclosed is an optical fiber processing method in accordance with one or more embodiments involving: preparing a holder that includes a base including a reference surface, and a slider constructed so as to be movable in a front-rear direction with respect to the base; attaching, to the slider, an optical-fiber retainer that retains an optical fiber; moving the slider toward the reference surface side in a state where the optical-fiber retainer is attached to the slider, to thereby position the optical-fiber retainer with respect to the reference surface; and setting, to an optical fiber processing tool, the holder that accommodates at least a portion of the optical-fiber retainer between the reference surface and the slider, and processing the optical fiber. In this way, optical-fiber retainers having different shapes can be attached stably to the holder, and thus, optical fiber processing precision can be improved.

FIG. 1Ais a diagram illustrating how an optical-fiber retainer10is attached to a holder20according to one or more embodiments.FIG. 1Bis a diagram illustrating a state in which a first optical-fiber retainer10A is attached to the holder20according to one or more embodiments.

In the following description, various directions are defined as illustrated in the figures. The optical axis direction of an optical fiber1is referred to as the “front-rear direction”, the end section side of the optical fiber1is the “front”, and the opposite side is the “rear”. The direction perpendicular to a bottom surface411(the surface to be placed on a mounting base of an optical fiber processing tool) of the holder20is referred to as the “up-down direction”, the side from which an optical-fiber retainer10is attached as viewed from the holder20is “up”, and the opposite side (the side toward which the holder20's bottom surface411faces) is “down”. The direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is referred to as the “left-right direction”, the right-hand side as viewed from rear to front is the “right”, and the left-hand side is the “left”. The left-right direction is also referred to as the width direction.

This holder20is a jig that can be set on an optical fiber processing tool (such as a fiber cutter or a cover-removal tool) in a state where an optical-fiber retainer10retaining an optical fiber1is attached. By attaching the optical-fiber retainer10to the holder20, the optical-fiber retainer10and the optical fiber1can be positioned with respect to the optical fiber processing tool.

FIG. 1Aillustrates three types of optical-fiber retainers10according to one or more embodiments.

A first optical-fiber retainer10A is a gripping member (outer sheath gripping member) disclosed in Patent Literature 1 (JP 2010-231095A) described above. This gripping member has projections formed on respective inner surfaces of a pair of side walls of a main body section11, and the projections are wedged into an outer sheath of a square optical cable (e.g., an indoor cable), thereby being able to grip and fix the square optical cable. Herein, however, the first optical-fiber retainer10A grips and fixes a 0.9-mm-dia. round optical cable3A via an attachment13, instead of an indoor cable. A rear section of the attachment13has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape and accommodates the round optical cable3A, with the round optical cable3A extending out from the rear side. A front section of the attachment13has a V-shaped cross-sectional shape. When the front section of the attachment13is accommodated in the main body section11of the gripping member, the pair of V-shaped side walls of the attachment13is pressed by the projections of the main body section11and elastically deforms inwardly, thereby gripping the outer sheath of the round optical cable3A. A lid12is closed after attaching the attachment13to the main body section11of the gripping member, and thus, the round optical cable3A is gripped and fixed by the first optical-fiber retainer10A. An optical fiber1stripped and exposed from the round optical cable3A extends out from the front side of the first optical-fiber retainer10A.

A second optical-fiber retainer10B is another gripping member (outer sheath gripping member) that grips an outer sheath of a square optical cable3B (e.g., an indoor cable). A rear section14of the second optical-fiber retainer10B has substantially the same shape as the first optical-fiber retainer10A. A lid is closed in a state where the outer sheath of the square optical cable3B is gripped by a main body, and thereby the square optical cable3B is gripped and fixed. A front section15of the second optical-fiber retainer10B is provided with a fiber insertion section having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape in which a fiber accommodation groove is formed between a pair of side walls. Thus, the length, in the front-rear direction, of the second optical-fiber retainer10B is longer than that of the first optical-fiber retainer10A. The square optical cable3B extends out from the rear side of the second optical-fiber retainer10B, and an optical fiber1stripped and exposed from the square optical cable3B extends out from the front side thereof.

A third optical-fiber retainer100is an optical fiber jig disclosed in Patent Literature 3 (JP 2007-156331A) described above. This optical fiber jig includes a rod-shaped jig body16, and a fiber holding section17provided on the front side of the jig body16. The jig body16includes a pair of side walls standing up from a bottom wall. An optical fiber1is arranged in a fiber accommodation groove between the pair of side walls. By moving a slider18and thereby elastically deforming the pair of side walls inwardly so as to reduce the width of the fiber accommodation groove, the optical fiber1is tucked between and fixed by the fiber accommodation groove between the pair of side walls. The optical fiber1extends out from the front and rear of the third optical-fiber retainer100.

The holder20according to one or more embodiments is constructed such that optical-fiber retainers having various shapes can be attached thereto, in addition to the aforementioned optical-fiber retainers10. The construction of the holder20is described below.

FIG. 2is an exploded perspective view of the holder20according to one or more embodiments. The holder20includes a base40and a slider60.

The base40is a section functioning as a jig to be set to an optical fiber processing tool (e.g., a fiber cutter). A bottom surface411of the base40serves as the surface to be placed on a mounting base of the optical fiber processing tool. In one or more embodiments, the base40also serves as a member that retains the slider60so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The base40includes a bottom section41, a front wall section42, and a pair of side wall sections43. An optical-fiber retainer10(or a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10) and the slider60will be accommodated in a space surrounded by the bottom section41, the front wall section42, and the pair of side wall sections43.

The bottom section41is a section constituting the bottom surface411of the holder20, and is also a section constituting a surface for mounting the slider60. The bottom section41is provided with a guide groove412and an engagement section413. The guide groove412is a groove formed along the front-rear direction, and guides, in the front-rear direction, a projection (not illustrated) formed on the lower surface of the slider60. The engagement section413is a section that prevents the slider60from falling out rearward by engaging with the projection formed on the lower surface of the slider60, and is formed on the rear side of the guide groove412.

The front wall section42is a wall-shaped section arranged on the front side of the space in which the optical-fiber retainer10is accommodated, and is a section for positioning the optical-fiber retainer10. A surface on the rear side of the front wall section42serves as a reference surface42A, and positioning of the optical-fiber retainer10is conducted by contact between the reference surface42A and a front end of the optical-fiber retainer10. An upper edge section of the front wall section42is provided with a fiber groove42B through which an optical fiber1extending out from the front side of the optical-fiber retainer10is passed.

The side wall sections43are sections constituting the left and right sides of the holder20. When the holder20is set to an optical fiber processing tool, the side wall sections43function to position the holder20with respect to the optical fiber processing tool in the left-right direction. The slider60is arranged between the pair of side wall sections43.

In the inner surface of each side wall section43, a guide groove431is formed along the front-rear direction. The guide grooves431are sections that guide the slider60in the front-rear direction, and that prevent the slider60from falling out upward.

The side wall sections43respectively have base-side latch sections432. The base-side latch sections432are sections for retaining the position of the slider60in the front-rear direction, and are sections constituting a latch together with slider-side latch sections66. Herein, each base-side latch section432is constituted by a multitude of notches (cutouts) lined up continuously in the front-rear direction.

The base40further includes a fiber holding section44. The fiber holding section44is a member that holds down an optical fiber1extending out from the front side of an optical-fiber retainer10. The fiber holding section44is openable and closable. When the fiber holding section44is open, an optical fiber1can be placed in the fiber groove42B in the front wall section42. When the fiber holding section44is closed, the optical fiber1passed through the fiber groove42B in the front wall section42is sandwiched between the front wall section42and the fiber holding section44, and thereby movement of the optical fiber1is restricted. A groove44A for letting an optical fiber1pass through is formed in the fiber holding section44.

The slider60is a member for attaching an optical-fiber retainer10, and is a member that is movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the base40. An optical-fiber retainer10can be directly or indirectly attached to the slider60, for example, by the slider60retaining a portion of the optical-fiber retainer10or by the slider60retaining an optical cable extending out from the optical-fiber retainer10(for example, the square optical cable3B extending out from the rear side of the second optical-fiber retainer10B). Since the slider60is movable in the front-rear direction, by moving the slider60toward the front side in a state where the optical-fiber retainer10is attached thereto, the optical-fiber retainer10can be positioned with respect to the reference surface42A of the base40. Further, since the slider60is movable in the front-rear direction, the length, in the front-rear direction, of the space for accommodating an optical-fiber retainer10can be adjusted, and thus, optical-fiber retainers10having various shapes can be attached in a positioned state.

The slider60includes a main body section62, front-side extension sections64, and slider-side latch sections66.

The main body section62is a section that is guided by the base40along the front-rear direction. The main body section62is arranged between the pair of side wall sections43of the base40, and is guided in the front-rear direction, with its movement in the left-right direction being restricted by the pair of side wall sections43.

The main body section62is formed in a frame shape. A front-side cutout groove621is formed in a front-side wall section, and a rear-side cutout groove622is formed in a rear-side wall section. The front-side cutout groove621and the rear-side cutout groove622are grooves through which an optical cable (e.g., indoor cable) can be passed. The front-side cutout groove621and the rear-side cutout groove622may also allow a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10(e.g., a rear section of the attachment13of the first optical-fiber retainer10A illustrated inFIG. 1A, or the rod-shaped jig body16of the third optical-fiber retainer10C) to be passed therethrough.

The main body section62is provided with a plurality of elastic pieces623constituting a pincher. The elastic pieces623are formed on respective inner sides of the left and right wall sections (side walls) of the main body section62. The elastic pieces623are sections provided so as to project inwardly from respective inner surfaces of the left and right wall sections, and an optical cable (e.g., indoor cable) will be pinched between each pair of elastic pieces623. Each pair of elastic pieces623may also pinch a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10(e.g., a rear section of the attachment13of the first optical-fiber retainer10A illustrated inFIG. 1A, or the rod-shaped jig body16of the third optical-fiber retainer10C). In this way, an optical-fiber retainer10can be directly or indirectly attached to the slider60. Note that, in the following description, a member (e.g., an optical cable or a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10) pinched between the pair (s) of elastic pieces623may be referred to as a “pinched member”.

In this non-limiting example of one or more embodiments, the elastic piece623is formed as a thin plate, but the elastic piece may be shaped like a rod or a column. According to one or more embodiments, the dimension of the elastic piece623in the up-down direction is greater than the dimension of a pinched member (e.g., indoor cable) in the up-down direction. In this way, the pinched member is less likely to get displaced in the up-down direction.

Each of the elastic pieces623is arranged in an inclined manner with respect to the front-rear direction (the direction of the optical cable) such that a tip-end623A of the elastic piece is located more toward the front side than a base-end623B thereof. In this way, it is possible to permit a pinched member to move toward the front side with respect to the slider60, but inhibit the pinched member from moving toward the rear side with respect to the slider60.

The distance between respective tip-ends623A of a pair of elastic pieces623is set narrower than the width (dimension in the left-right direction) of a pinched member. In this way, when a pinched member is arranged between the pair of elastic pieces623, the elastic pieces623elastically deform and the pinched member is pinched by the restoring force of the elastic pieces623. According to one or more embodiments, the tip-end623A of each elastic piece623is rounded to suppress damaging of the pinched member.

A plurality of pairs of the elastic pieces623are formed on respective inner sides of the left and right wall sections of the main body section62. The elastic pieces623on each of the left and right wall sections are arranged with spacings therebetween. In this way, force applied to the pinched member can be dispersed, and the pinched member can be retained stably. According to one or more embodiments, the elastic pieces623on the left and right wall sections are formed symmetrically. In this way, the pinched member can be inhibited from getting curved/bent.

Incidentally, when an already-bent optical cable is to be processed with an optical fiber processing tool (such as a fiber cutter or a cover-removal tool), the optical cable may get detached from the holder20due to the bend. By providing a pincher (in this non-limiting example of one or more embodiments, the plurality of pairs of the elastic pieces623) to the slider60as in one or more embodiments, the optical cable (and the optical-fiber retainer10) is less likely to get detached from the holder20, thereby facilitating the processing work with the optical fiber processing tool.

Slider-side guide sections624are formed on respective outer surfaces of the left and right wall sections of the main body section62. The slider-side guide sections624are sections projecting outwardly from the respective outer surfaces of the left and right wall sections of the main body section62, and are sections guided in the front-rear direction by the guide grooves431in the respective side wall sections43of the base40. The slider-side guide sections624are restrained in the up-down direction by the respective guide grooves431in the base40, and thereby, the slider60is prevented from falling out upward.

A space between the front surface of the main body section62(i.e., the front-side surface of a wall section on the front side of the main body section62) and the reference surface42A of the base40constitutes a space for accommodating an optical-fiber retainer10. Since the slider60is movable in the front-rear direction, the distance, in the front-rear direction, between the front-side wall section of the main body section62and the reference surface42A of the base40can be adjusted, and thus, optical-fiber retainers10having various shapes can be attached in a positioned state.

The front-side extension sections64are sections extending toward the front side from respective left and right edges of the front-side wall section of the main body section62. At least a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10will be arranged in an accommodation section641between the pair of front-side extension sections64lined up in the left-right direction. Since the front-side extension sections64are arranged on the left and right outer sides of the optical-fiber retainer10, it is possible to suppress misalignment, in the left-right direction, of the optical-fiber retainer10attached to the holder20.

The slider-side latch sections66are sections for retaining the position, in the front-rear direction, of the slider60with respect to the base40, and are sections constituting the latch together with the base-side latch sections432. Each slider-side latch section66includes a catch that is caught by one of the notches of the base-side latch section432. It should be noted that it is possible to instead form the base-side latch section432in a claw-like shape and form a multitude of notches in the slider-side latch section66, to retain the position, in the front-rear direction, of the slider60with respect to the base40. Further, the latch is not limited to a structure in which a catch is caught by a notch.

{Method for Using Holder20}

FIGS. 3A to 3Care diagrams illustrating states when the holder20of one or more embodiments is in use.

First, a worker prepares the holder20of one or more embodiments (seeFIG. 3A). At this time, the worker moves the slider60toward the rear in advance so that the space between the slider60and the reference surface42A of the base40is widened. Also, the fiber holding section44is opened.

Next, the worker attaches an optical-fiber retainer10to the slider60(seeFIG. 3B). In cases of attaching a first optical-fiber retainer10A gripping a round optical cable3A via an attachment13(seeFIG. 1A) to the slider60, the first optical-fiber retainer10A is attached to the slider60by: passing the attachment13(more specifically, the rear section of the attachment13) through the front-side cutout groove621of the slider60; passing the round optical cable3A through the rear-side cutout groove622of the slider60; and pinching the attachment13(more specifically, the rear section of the attachment13) and the round cable with the elastic pieces623. In cases where the first optical-fiber retainer10A, which is an outer sheath gripping member, grips a square optical cable (e.g., indoor cable) without the intervention of an attachment13, the first optical-fiber retainer10A will be attached to the slider60by: passing the square optical cable through the front-side cutout groove621and the rear-side cutout groove622of the slider60; and pinching the square optical cable with the elastic pieces623. In this way, the worker attaches the optical-fiber retainer10to the slider60either directly or indirectly.

According to one or more embodiments, when attaching the optical-fiber retainer10to the slider60, the optical-fiber retainer10is placed as much toward the rear (toward the slider60side) as possible, to an extent that a portion of the optical-fiber retainer10contacts the front surface of the main body section62(i.e., the front-side surface of the wall section on the front side of the main body section62). If the optical-fiber retainer10is attached to the slider60in a state located closer to the front side, then, when the optical-fiber retainer10is made to abut against the reference surface42A as will be described further below, the space between the front surface of the main body section62(i.e., the front-side surface of the wall section on the front side of the main body section62) and the reference surface42A of the base40will become wide, thus making the posture of the optical-fiber retainer10unstable.

In this non-limiting example of one or more embodiments, as illustrated inFIG. 3B, the optical-fiber retainer10is attached to the slider60in a state arranged between the pair of front-side extension sections64of the slider60. In this way, it is possible to suppress misalignment, in the left-right direction, of the optical-fiber retainer10. However, in cases where an optical-fiber retainer10that has a greater width than the distance between the pair of front-side extension sections64is to be attached to the slider60, the optical-fiber retainer10may be arranged more toward the front side than the front-side extension sections64. In this case, since the optical-fiber retainer10is wide, misalignment, in the left-right direction, of the optical-fiber retainer10can be inhibited by the respective inner surfaces of the side wall sections43of the base40. Also, in this case and according to one or more embodiments, the optical-fiber retainer10is attached to the slider60by placing the optical-fiber retainer10as much toward the rear (toward the slider60side) as possible, so that the optical-fiber retainer10contacts the respective front edges of the front-side extension sections64.

Next, the worker moves the slider60toward the front side in a state where the optical-fiber retainer10is attached to the slider60, to cause the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10to contact the reference surface42A of the base40and thereby position the optical-fiber retainer10with respect to the reference surface42A of the base40. At this time, the distance between the reference surface42A and the slider60to which the optical-fiber retainer10is attached decreases, and thus, the posture of the optical-fiber retainer10accommodated between the reference surface42A and the slider60can be stabilized. Further, even when an optical-fiber retainer10with a different shape (particularly, a different dimension in the front-rear direction) is used, since the distance between the slider60and the reference surface42A can be reduced in conformity with the optical-fiber retainer10, the posture of the optical-fiber retainer10can be stabilized.

The holder20of one or more embodiments includes a latch (the base-side latch sections432and the slider-side latch sections66) that retains the position of the slider60with respect to the base40. Thus, after causing the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10to contact the reference surface42A of the base40, the position of the slider60can be retained, thereby making it possible to maintain a state in which the optical-fiber retainer10is positioned with respect to the reference surface42A of the base40. If the slider60moves rearward after having the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10contact the reference surface42A of the base40, then the optical-fiber retainer10will separate from the reference surface42A of the base40; thus, when the holder20is set to an optical fiber processing tool to process the optical fiber1, an error may occur in the projection length of the optical fiber1(insertion fiber) projecting from the optical-fiber retainer10and also in the cover-removal length. With the holder20of one or more embodiments, such an error can be suppressed.

Further, in the holder20of one or more embodiments, the catch of the slider-side latch section66is caught by one of the notches in the base-side latch section432. Thus, the position, in the front-rear direction, of the slider60with respect to the base40can be retained firmly. Thus, in one or more embodiments, after the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10contacts the reference surface42A of the base40, the slider60is less likely to be displaced rearward.

Incidentally, since the position of the slider60is retained by the catch getting caught by one of the notches that are arranged continuously in the front-rear direction, the position of the slider60retained by the latch becomes discrete. Thus, when the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10comes into contact with the reference surface42A of the base40, if the catch of each slider-side latch section66is in the middle of moving over a slope section of the notch, the slider60may get displaced rearward by half a pitch of the notch when the worker releases his/her hand from the slider60.

According to one or more embodiments, when the worker once releases his/her hand from the slider60after moving the slider60toward the front and bringing the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10into contact with the reference surface42A of the base40, the worker further moves the optical-fiber retainer10toward the front with respect to the slider60, so that the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10comes into contact with the reference surface42A of the base40again. In one or more embodiments, the pincher (elastic pieces623) of the slider60is constructed so as to permit a pinched member to move toward the front side (the reference surface42A side) but inhibit the pinched member from moving toward the rear side. Thus, the optical-fiber retainer10can be moved toward the front with respect to the slider60—without moving the slider60—to make the optical-fiber retainer10contact the reference surface42A again, and also, this state—in which the front edge of the optical-fiber retainer10is again in contact with the reference surface42A of the base40—can be maintained.

Finally, the worker closes the fiber holding section44to hold the optical fiber1extending out from the front side of the optical-fiber retainer10. In this way, movement of the optical fiber1is restricted. Then, the worker sets, to an optical fiber processing tool, the holder20to which the optical-fiber retainer10has been attached.

FIG. 4is a diagram illustrating a state in which an optical-fiber retainer10G has been attached to a holder20according to one or more embodiments. The figure also illustrates a plurality of types of optical-fiber retainers10(10A and10C to10G) that can be attached to the holder20of one or more embodiments. The holder20of one or more embodiments is also constructed such that optical-fiber retainers having various shapes can be attached thereto.

FIG. 5is an exploded perspective view of the holder20of one or more embodiments.FIGS. 6A to 6Care diagrams illustrating states when the holder20of one or more embodiments is in use. In one or more embodiments, the holder20includes a base40and a slider60.

In one or more embodiments, the base40includes a bottom section41, a front wall section42, and a pair of side wall sections43. An optical-fiber retainer10(or a portion of an optical-fiber retainer10) and the slider60will be accommodated in a space surrounded by the bottom section41, the front wall section42, and the pair of side wall sections43. The bottom section41is provided with a guide groove412and an engagement section413. A surface on the rear side of the front wall section42serves as a reference surface42A. An upper edge section of the front wall section42is provided with a fiber groove42B. In the inner surface of each side wall section43, a guide groove431is formed along the front-rear direction. The base40further includes a fiber holding section44. A groove44A is formed in the fiber holding section44.

In one or more embodiments, the side wall section43has a base-side latch section432. The base-side latch section432in one or more embodiments is constituted by four notches (cutouts) lined up along the front-rear direction.

In one or more embodiments, the slider60includes a main body section62. The main body section62is formed in a frame shape. A front-side cutout groove621is formed in a front-side wall section, and a rear-side cutout groove622is formed in a rear-side wall section. The main body section62is also provided with a plurality of elastic pieces623constituting a pincher.

In one or more embodiments, the slider60includes a slider-side latch section66. The slider-side latch section66of one or more embodiments includes a catch that is caught by one of the notches of the base-side latch section432. In one or more embodiments, the slider-side latch section66can elastically deform, and thereby, the position of the catch (the section caught by the notch of the base-side latch section432) of the slider-side latch section66can be shifted leftward with respect to the main body section62. In this way, a worker can elastically deform the slider-side latch section66, and thereby, it is possible to release a state (latched state) in which the slider-side latch section66is caught by the base-side latch section432. As described above, the slider-side latch section66of one or more embodiments includes a latch release for releasing the latched state. By providing the holder20with a latch release for releasing a latched state created by the latch as in one or more embodiments, the position of the slider60with respect to the base40becomes adjustable, even when the latch mechanism firmly retains the position of the slider60with respect to the base40. It should be noted that the latch release of the slider-side latch section66is not limited to a mechanism in which a catch is detached from a notch in the base-side latch section432by elastic deformation, but it may be any mechanism capable of releasing the latched state.

In one or more embodiments, the base-side latch section432includes a multitude of notches, and it is possible to position the slider60to a discretionary position with respect to the base40. In contrast, in one or more embodiments, there are only four notches in the base-side latch section432. Thus, in one or more embodiments, the slider60can only be adjusted to four positions with respect to the base40. It is, however, permissible to have only a small number of adjustable positions in cases where the types of optical-fiber retainers10to be set to the holder20are limited. Particularly, it is permissible to have only a small number of adjustable positions in circumstances where the shapes of the optical-fiber retainers10are standardized.

Further, in one or more embodiments, since the number of notches in the base-side latch section432is smaller compared to that in one or more embodiments, the depth of each notch (cutout) can be formed deeper. In this way, one or more embodiments can more firmly retain the position of the slider60in the front-rear direction with respect to the base40compared to one or more embodiments, thereby being advantageous in that the position of the slider60is less likely to get displaced.

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