Abstract:
The cleaning apparatus for electrodes includes a supporting container provided with a replaceable brush body; and a rotation mechanism for the rotation of the supporting container. The brush body accepts the insertion of the electrodes and cleans the tip end thereof by rotation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for electrodes applied to an optical fiber fusion splicer.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    An optical fiber fusion splicer comprises a pair of blocks on which two optical fibers are placed respectively, a pair of electrodes which generates an arc discharge therebetween so as to fuse and splice the optical fibers. A tip end of each electrode is of a tapered shape so as to generate an arc discharge easily and the electrodes are connected to a power source device which generates high voltage. The tapered shape of the tip ends of the electrodes are shaped precisely to achieve a correct splicing of fine optical fibers. The fusion splicer is housed in an appropriate chassis.  
           [0005]    Fusion splicing of optical fibers is described as follows. First, two optical fibers are fixed on the respective blocks and the tip ends thereof are contacted mutually. Second, the pair of electrodes are brought closed to the contact point of the optical fibers. Next, a high voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes so as to generate an arc discharge and to fuse the contact point with heat generated by the arc discharge. The optical fibers are further pressed to each other, thereby the fusion splicing between the optical fibers is accomplished and finished.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    According to the proposed fusion splicer described above, arc discharges have a tendency of the shape or position thereof changing after discharging several times. In that case, fusion splicing cannot be accomplished normally because heat is applied to an inadequate position of the optical fibers, and, in severe cases, the product may be rejected. When the electrodes are inspected in such cases, extraneous substances adhered thereon are frequently observed.  
           [0007]    If the adhered extraneous substances are chipped away with an edge tool and the like, the electrodes can be recovered, so as to be able to generate an arc discharge normally. However, the tip ends of the electrodes are easily deformed or scratched with the edge tool, therefore the cleaning operation causes a failure of the shape accuracy of the electrode tip end. Thus the electrodes often need to be changed, and it raises production costs. Furthermore, when cleaning or changing the electrodes, the chassis of the fusion splicer must be opened and the electrodes must be detached therefrom. This operation damages the productivity of the fusion splicing.  
           [0008]    The present invention is accomplished in view of the above problems and the purpose is a provision of a cleaning apparatus for electrodes with which the tip ends of the electrodes are perfectly cleaned by an easy procedure.  
           [0009]    According to the first aspect of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus for electrodes includes a supporting container provided with a replaceable brush body; and a rotation mechanism for a rotation of the supporting container. The brush body accepts insertion of the electrodes and cleans the tip end thereof by rotation.  
           [0010]    The tip end of the electrode is rubbed with the brush body so that any extraneous substances are removed therefrom. The tip end of the electrode is prevented from asymmetric deformation because the tip end is rubbed axis-symmetrically and is prevented from scratching because there is no use of an edge tool. Furthermore the cleaning operation is easily achieved simply by pressing the electrode into the brush body. The electrode is recovered so as to be reused with the easy operation, thereby the electrode may be reused until it has been worn off.  
           [0011]    According to the second aspect of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus includes a chuck to which an electrode is detachably attached; and a rotation mechanism for a rotation of the chuck. The tip end of the electrode attached to the chuck accepts abutting of a brush body filled in a supporting container and is cleaned by the brush body with the rotation thereof.  
           [0012]    According to the constitution, in addition to the effect according to the first aspect, the electrode is positioned coaxially with the rotation axis when fixed to the chuck thereby an eccentric rotation thereof is prevented. Therefore the cleaning operation is further made easier.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning apparatus for the electrodes of an optical fiber fusion splicer according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cleaning apparatus for the electrodes of an optical fiber fusion splicer according to the second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a whole constitution of an optical fiber fusion splicer. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    A first embodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    The cleaning apparatus  20  according to the present invention comprises a chassis  21  housing a motor (not shown); a chuck  23  engaged with a rotation axis  22  of the motor; and a supporting container  24  fixed to the chuck  23 . The chuck  23  may be inserted into and engaged with the rotation axis  22 , and may be extracted and detached therefrom. A brush body  25  is replaceably filled in the supporting container  24 . As the brush body  25 , a steel wool and a nylon brush are preferably exemplified. The supporting container  24  of the brush body  25  is shaped to be, for example, an angular tube so as not to rotate the brush body  25  in relation to the supporting container  24 . The supporting container  24  is fixed to the chuck  23  and the chuck  23  is further inserted into the rotation axis  22  so as to be engaged.  
         [0018]    In a case where an electrode  10  needs to be cleaned, a tip end thereof may be inserted into the brush body  25  filled in the supporting container  24  as the electrode  10  is kept installed in an optical fiber fusion splicer shown in FIG. 3. Or else, the electrode  10  maybe detached from the fusion splicer, the proximal end thereof fixed appropriately and the tip end thereof inserted into the brush body  25 . The tip end of the electrode  10  is closely covered with the brush body  25  and the rotation axis  22  is driven by the motor housed in the chassis  21 . The brush body  25  rotates in connection with the supporting container  24  fixed to the chuck  23  and continuously rubs the tip end of the electrode  10 .  
         [0019]    The tip end of the electrode  10  is rubbed by the brush body  25  so that the extraneous substances adhered thereon are removed without difficulty. The tip end of the electrode  10  is prevented from asymmetric deformation because the tip end is rubbed axis-symmetrically and is prevented from scratching because there is no use of an edge tool. Furthermore the cleaning operation is easily achieved simply by pressing the electrode  10  into the brush body  25 . The electrode  10  is recovered without difficulty so as to be reused until it has been worn off. Therefore the cleaning apparatus contributes to a suppression of production costs.  
         [0020]    A second embodiment of the present invention is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2.  
         [0021]    According to the second embodiment, in contrast with the first embodiment, the brush body  25  is fixed and the electrode  10  rotates. The electrode  10  is fixed to the chuck  23  at the proximal end thereof and rotates in connection with the rotation axis  22 . The supporting container  24  filled with the brush body  25  may be supported appropriately with hands and the like.  
         [0022]    The electrode  10 , when cleaning, is detached from the optical fiber fusion splicer and the proximal end thereof is fixed to the chuck  23 . And the chuck  23  is inserted to the rotation axis so as to be engaged therewith. Next, the supporting container  24  is supported with hands and the like and the brush body  25  is pressed to the end tip of the electrode  10  so that the tip end of the electrode  10  is closely covered therewith. In that condition, the motor housed in the chassis  21  drives the rotation axis  22  to rotate so that the brush body  25  continuously rubs the tip end of the electrode  10 , as is the case with the first embodiment.  
         [0023]    The tip end of the electrode  10  is rubbed by the brush body  25  so that the extraneous substances adhered thereon are removed without difficulty. The tip end of the electrode  10  is prevented from asymmetric deformation because the tip end is rubbed axis-symmetrically and is prevented from scratch because of none use of an edge tool. The electrode  10  is positioned coaxially with the chuck when fixed so that the rotation is prevented from decentering. Furthermore the cleaning operation is easily achieved simply by pressing the electrode  10  into the brush body  25 . The electrode  10  is recovered without difficulty so as to be reused until it has been worn off. Therefore the cleaning apparatus contributes to a suppression of production costs.  
         [0024]    The contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-367501 (filed on Nov. 30, 2001) are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0025]    Although the invention has been described above by reference to certain embodiments of the invention, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the embodiments described above will occur to those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings.