Patent EP-2833175-A1 (EP)
Inventor: KAWANISHI NORIYUKI
IPC: G02B6/255
Filed: 2012-12-20
Abstract: An optical fiber fusion splicer includes: an apparatus body having a heat fusion portion that fusion-splices a pair of optical fibers; a windshield cover that is formed so as to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus body and that includes one or more cover members that cover the heat fusion portion in a closed state; a pair of fiber mounting portions that are provided on left and right sides of the heat fusion portion and comprise either a coating clamp type including a coating clamp, the coating clamp having a lower clamp member attached to the apparatus body and an upper clamp member pivotally attached to the lower clamp member so as to be openable and closable with respect to the lower clamp member, the coating clamp holding a coated portion of the optical fiber between the lower clamp member and the upper clamp member, or a fiber holder type including a holder mounting portion on which a fiber holder is mounted, the fiber holder serving as the coating clamp, the fiber holder having a base plate and a lid member pivotally attached to the base plate so as to be openable and closable with respect to the base plate, and the fiber holder holding a coated portion of the optical fiber between the base plate and the lid member is detachably placed; a pair of positioning grooves that are provided on the left and right sides of the heat fusion portion,the positioning grooves being disposed between the fiber mounting portions and the heat fusion portion; a pair of fiber clamp members that are connected to the cover members, the fiber clamp members pushing the optical fibers into the positioning grooves when the cover members are closed; a cover member detector that detects opening and closing of the cover members; a pair of fiber mounting detectors that are provided in the fiber mounting portions and that detect that the optical fiber has been mounted by detecting either that the upper clamp member of the coating clamp has been closed with respect to the lower clamp member or that the optical fiber has been placed on the lower clamp member of the coating clamp when the fiber mounting portions comprise the coating clamp and by detecting either that the fiber holder has been mounted on the holder mounting portion or the optical fiber held and fixed to the fiber holder has been disposed at a predetermined position on the holder mounting portion when the fiber mounting portions comprise the holder mounting portion; a cover open and close power source that generates power to open and close the cover member; and a driving control device that controls driving of the cover open and close power source based on detection signals from the fiber mounting detectors. Also, when both the fiber mounting detectors detect that the optical fibers have been mounted in a state where the cover member is open, an operation to close the cover member by driving the cover member with the cover open and close power source is performed, the fusion splice is performed, connection portion inspection is performed, and an operation to open the windshield cover by driving the windshield cover with the cover open and close power source is performed after the connection portion inspection is completed.