Patent Description:
Generally, optical fibres (or optical cables) are used for transmitting optical signals. Herein, unlike wires that transmit electrical signals, optical fibres are capable of transmitting a large amount of information at an ultra-fast rate without any data loss.

Since manufacturers are incapable of manufacturing optical cables at an endlessly long length, optical cables are generally manufactured at a length of approximately <NUM> kilometers (km) and wounded around a drum. Therefore, in order to install the optical cables to a very distant location, the optical cables are required to be connected to one another or ramified along the way.

However, since an inner core of the optical cable is configured of optical fibres having an extremely small diameter, it is very difficult to connect the optical fibres to one another.

A fusion splicing method using a fibre optic fusion splicer and a mechanical splicing method using an optical adaptor or an optical connector are generally used as the optical fibre splicing method.

The important factors of the fibre optic fusion splicer that is used in the fusion splicing method correspond to accurately and stably aligning optical fibre, stably separating fusion-spliced optical fibres from the fusion splicer without damaging the spliced part after splicing the optical fibres, eliminating alignment errors that occur during the mechanical maneuvering (or operation) of the fibre optic fusion splicer or the mechanical coupling of the configuration elements of the fibre optic fusion splicer, and so on.

Therefore, the related art fusion splicing technology requires solutions for the above-described optical fibre alignment, stable separation, elimination of alignment errors, and so on.

Meanwhile, the <CIT> discloses a method for fusion connection of optical fibres to each other, and a fusion connection machine. Herein, fusion splicing is achieved as electrode bars discharge electricity, after a holder accommodating optical fibres is coupled with the fusion splicer, and after the optical fibres are aligned in the v-grooves. After completing fusion splicing, the fusion splicing operation is completed by separating the holder from the fusion splicer. The corresponding Korean patent application introduces a technology that reinforces a fused part of the optical fibres by equipping (or providing) a reinforcing member at a rear end of a ferrule and by having the reinforcing member overlap the optical fibres so as to cover the optical fibres. However, when applying the corresponding Korean patent application, during the process of separating the optical fibres from the fusion splicer after fusing the optical fibres, the electrode bars or v-grooves were often the cause of damage.

<CIT> discloses a fusion splicing device for high-strength optical fiber in which V grooves are moved to align the optical fibers and then a microscope is put in focus on the tip of optical fibers firstly; and the height of the electrodes is adjusted and to places their tip in focus. Then, the optical fibers and electrodes are set at the same height. When the optical fiber cores are set in the V grooves, a windshield is opened. The interval between the tips of the electrodes is extremely narrow, so it is probable that the glass parts of the optical fibers contact the electrodes and damage and then a decrease in strength is caused, but the electrodes are moved along with the windshield integrally, thereby eliminating the probability.

<CIT> Al relates to a device for splicing fiber optic lines having a first and second holder for direct or indirect receiving of at least one fiber optic line each, an alignment means for aligning the ends of the fiber optic lines received in the first and in the second holder to one another and electrodes in the region of the ends of the fiber optic lines aligned to one another for creating a slice connection. The two holders on one side and the alignment means and preferably the electrodes on the other side can move relative to one another between a splicing position and a release position such that the splice connection is released in the release position. Arranged inside a housing is a camera, which shows the precise alignment of the optical fibers to be spliced on a display. A splicing module comprises the aligning means and the electrodes for splicing. The splicing module is also provided with a linear guide, two arresting devices and a shock absorber. The linear guide allows lowering of the splicing module, so that, after the splicing operation, the optical fibers and the spliced connection can be released.

An object of the present invention has been devised in consideration of the above-described problems, and, most particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fibre optic fusion splicer that is capable of performing fusion splicing of aligned optical fibres and, then, stably separating the fusion-spliced optical fibres from the fusion splicer without causing any damage in the spliced part, and, that is also capable of eliminating alignment errors occurring during the mechanical maneuvering (or operation) of the fibre optic fusion splicer or the mechanical coupling of the configuration elements of the fibre optic fusion splicer.

In order to achieve the above-described technical object of the present invention, provided herein is a fibre optic fusion splicer according to the appended claims. Particularly, it includes an alignment part fixing and aligning a first optical fibre and a second optical fibre that are to be fusion coupled, a fusion splicing module being equipped with electrode bars for fusion coupling the first optical fibre and the second optical fibre being fixed and aligned to the alignment part, an optical module photographing (or filming) an alignment state of the first optical fibre and the second optical fibre being achieved by the alignment part and a fusion coupling state of the first optical fibre and the second optical fibre being achieved by the fusion splicing module, a support part having the fusion splicing module and the optical module equipped thereto, and a lift module ascending and descending the support part.

Preferably, the alignment part may include a first fixing part fixing a first holder having the first optical fibre accommodated therein, and a second fixing part fixing a second holder having the second optical fibre accommodated therein.

More preferably, the first holder being fixed to the first fixing part may accommodate a detachable optical connector including a ferrule having the first optical fibre enclosed therein, and a protective cover may be equipped to a rear end of the optical connector, the protective cover covering a fused part of the first optical fibre and the second optical fibre by being adhered while facing into the fused part. Most particularly, a pair of wing parts extending and spreading out from the first optical fibre may be coupled with the rear end of the optical connector, and the protective cover may include an elastic sheet having an adhesive deposited thereto on inner surfaces of the wing parts being mutually adhered to one another or may include silicon being deposited on the inner surfaces of the wing parts being mutually adhered to one another.

The material of the elastic sheet may correspond to any one of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and a mixture of natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

According to the claimed invention, the lift module includes a cylinder tube, and a piston rod being guided to the cylinder tube and being ascended and descended.

The support part is fixedly coupled with the piston rod, and the fibre optic fusion splicer may further include a push-button switch for ascending and descending the lift module.

More preferably, the push-button switch may include a button unit, a lifting member descending the piston rod by applying pressure on a spring when the button unit is pushed and ascending the piston rod by using a restoring force of the spring when the button unit is pushed once again, and a fixing member fixing the lifting member to a position where the piston rod is descended or releasing the fixed state of the lifting member in accordance with the pushing operation performed on the button unit.

According to the present invention, after performing fusion of the aligned optical fibres, an optical fibre protective cover is used to protect the spliced part. Additionally, since the optical fibre is separated from the fusion splicer while the fusion splicing module, which is equipped with electrode bars and v-grooves, is in a state of being descended by the lift module, hindering elements (electrode bars, v-grooves, and so on) that acted as the cause of damage during the separation process are eliminated in advance. Accordingly, the optical fibres may be stably separated from the fusion splicer without any damage in the spliced part.

Meanwhile, even though the fusion splicing module is descended (or lowered) by the lift module for a stable separation, since the optical module, which is used for monitoring the alignment state and the fusion coupling state, and the fusion splicing module are collectively descended, the fibre optic fusion splicer is also capable of eliminating alignment errors occurring during the mechanical maneuvering (or operation) of the fibre optic fusion splicer or during the mechanical coupling of the configuration elements of the fibre optic fusion splicer. More specifically, in case only the fusion splicing module is ascended and/or descended, while the fusion splicing module and the optical module are separated from one another, minor alignment errors may occur in accordance with the ascending and descending of the fusion splicing module. However, in case of the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention, since the fusion splicing module and the optical module are coupled as a single structural body and are collectively ascended and descended accordingly, alignment error does not occur.

Other objects, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent based on the detailed description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which will hereinafter be presented with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, the structure and operation of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the description of the structure and operation of the present invention will be presented according to at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. And, therefore, the technical scope of the present invention and its essential structure and operation will not be limited only to the description of the exemplary embodiment presented herein.

Hereinafter, a preferred exemplary embodiment of the fibre optic fusion splicer will be described in detail.

<FIG> is a perspective diagram and a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention. <FIG> is a perspective diagram showing structures of an alignment part and a fusion splicing module of the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention. And, <FIG> is a perspective diagram showing a structure of a lift module being operatively connected to a fusion splicing module and an optical module of the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention includes an alignment part (<NUM>), a fusion splicing module (<NUM>), an optical module (<NUM>), a support part (<NUM>), and a lift module (<NUM>). Additionally, the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention may further include control buttons for controlling operations of the alignment part (<NUM>), the fusion splicing module (<NUM>), and the optical module (<NUM>), and a display part (not shown) for displaying images taken (or photographed or filmed) by the optical module (<NUM>). The fibre optic fusion splicer may also include a battery for power supply, a power supply port, and a data communication port for transmitting and/or receiving data.

The alignment part (<NUM>) fixes and aligns first and second optical fibres (<NUM> and <NUM>) that are to be coupled by fusion (or fusion coupled).

The alignment part (<NUM>) may be equipped with a first fixing part (<NUM>) accommodating the first optical fibre (<NUM>), and a second fixing part (<NUM>) accommodating the second optical fibre (<NUM>).

The first holder (<NUM>) and the second holder (<NUM>) are equipped with a plurality of pass-through holes, and each of the first fixing part (<NUM>) and the second fixing part (<NUM>) may have a structure of a protruded bar that can be respectively inserted in the first holder (<NUM>) and the second holder (<NUM>). Accordingly, the first fixing part (<NUM>) and the second fixing part (<NUM>) each having the structure of a protruded bar respectively pass through the plurality of pass-through holes being provided in each of the first holder (<NUM>) and the second holder (<NUM>) so as to be fixed.

Meanwhile, the first holder (<NUM>), which is fixed to the first fixing part (<NUM>), detachably accommodates an optical connector (<NUM>), which includes a ferrule (<NUM>) having the first optical fibre (<NUM>) provided therein. Additionally, the optical connector (<NUM>) is equipped with a protective cover (<NUM>) at its rear end. Herein, the protective cover (<NUM>) is adhered to the fused part of the first optical fibre and the second optical fibre while facing into the fused part, thereby covering the fused part.

The protective cover (<NUM>) is coupled with one end, more specifically, the rear end of the optical connector (<NUM>) by having a pair of wing parts (5a and 5b) extend and spread out from the first optical fibre (<NUM>). Most particularly, a member is provided on inner surfaces of the wing parts so as to enable the adhesion of the wing parts.

For example, an elastic sheet having an adhesive deposited thereon may be provided on the inner surfaces of the wing parts. The material of the elastic sheet may correspond to any one of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and a mixture of natural rubber and synthetic rubber. As another example, silicon may be deposited on the inner surfaces of the wing parts. As the elastic sheet is adhered to the inner surfaces of the pair of wing parts (5a and 5b), which configure the protective cover (<NUM>), the elastic sheet covers the fused part by enveloping the fused part with its elasticity.

Conversely, in order to prevent bending of the fused part, it is preferable that the external surfaces of the wing parts are formed of a solid material.

The first fixing part (<NUM>) and the second fixing part (<NUM>) being equipped in the alignment part (<NUM>) have a movable structure that allows the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>) to be spliced at a fusion point that is provided between the electrode bars (<NUM> and <NUM>), which are equipped in the fusion splicing module (<NUM>). Therefore, the first fixing part (<NUM>) and the second fixing part (<NUM>) have a structure that is guided along a rail so as to advance (or move forward) toward the fusion point or to retreat (or move backward) from the fusion point to a predetermined range. It is preferable that a motor is provided for the forward or backward movements of the first fixing part (<NUM>) and the second fixing part (<NUM>).

The fusion splicing module (<NUM>) is equipped with electrode bars (<NUM> and <NUM>) discharging electricity by the supplied power, and the electrode bars (<NUM> and <NUM>) perform fusion coupling of the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>), which are fixed and aligned in the alignment part (<NUM>). The fusion splicing module (<NUM>) may be further equipped with v-grooves (<NUM> and <NUM>), which are used for aligning the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>). When performing fusion splicing by the electrode bars (<NUM> and <NUM>), which are equipped in the fusion splicing module (<NUM>), the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention may be further equipped with a cover (not shown). And, the fibre optic fusion splicer according to the present invention may also be further equipped with an LED lighting device (not shown) in its inside, so as to allow the optical module (<NUM>) to photograph (or film) the inside of the fibre optic fusion splicer even when it is covered by the cover (not shown).

The optical module (<NUM>) is equipped with a lens and a camera, thereby being capable of photographing (or filming) the alignment state of the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>), which is achieved by the alignment part (<NUM>), and photographing (or filming) the fusion coupling state of the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>), which is achieved by the fusion splicing module (<NUM>). Thereafter, the photographed (or filmed) image(s) taken by the optical module (<NUM>) is/are displayed through a display part (not shown).

The support part (<NUM>) corresponds to a supporting structure having the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>) installed thereto. Herein, the support part (<NUM>) fixes the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>) in a uniform frame.

The lift module (<NUM>) ascends and descends (or lifts up and down) the support part (<NUM>) having the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>) fixedly equipped thereto.

The lift module (<NUM>) is equipped with a cylinder tube (<NUM>), a piston rod (<NUM>) being guided to the cylinder tube (<NUM>) and being ascended and descended (or lifted up and down), and a push-button switch (<NUM>).

The support part (<NUM>) is fixedly coupled to the piston rod (<NUM>) so that the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>) can be ascended and descended while being coupled to a structural body. As the support part (<NUM>) is fixedly coupled to the piston rod (<NUM>), the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>), which are fixedly equipped to the support part (<NUM>), are collectively ascended and descended.

The push-button switch (<NUM>) is maneuvered (or operated) by the user for the lifting up and down (or ascending and descending) of the lift module (<NUM>). Herein, the push-button switch (<NUM>) is equipped with a button unit (53a), a lifting member (53b), and a fixing member (53c).

When pushing (or pressing) the button unit (53a), the lifting member (53b) descends the piston rod (<NUM>) by applying pressure on a spring. Thereafter, when pushing the button unit (53a) once again, the lifting member (53b) ascends the piston rod (<NUM>) by using the restoring force of the spring.

The fixing member (53c) fixes the lifting member (53b) or releases the fixed state of the lifting member (53b) at a position where the piston rod (<NUM>) is descended in accordance with the push operation (or maneuver) of the button unit (53a). More specifically, when the piston rod (<NUM>) is descended as pressure is applied to the spring when the button unit (53a) is pushed, the fixing member (53c) fixes the lifting member (53b) so as to restrict the ascending (or lifting up) of the lifting member (53b). Afterwards, when the button unit (53a) is pushed once again, the lifting member (53b) releases the fixed state of the lifting member (53b), so as to allow the piston rod (<NUM>) to be ascended (or lifted up) by using the restoring force of the spring.

As the lift module (<NUM>) descends (or lowers) the fusion splicing module (<NUM>), the optical fibres that are fusion-spliced by the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) are spaced apart from the electrode bars (<NUM> and <NUM>) as well as the v-grooves (<NUM> and <NUM>) so as to be stably separated from the fusion splicer without causing any damage to the spliced part.

Although the present invention has been described according to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in this specification without departing from the scope of the claims.

Thus, it is intended that this specification covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A fibre optic fusion splicer, comprising:
an alignment part (<NUM>) configured to fix and align a first optical fibre (<NUM>) and a second optical fibre (<NUM>) that are to be fusion coupled;
a fusion splicing module (<NUM>) being equipped with electrode bars (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured for fusion coupling the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>) being fixed and aligned by the alignment part (<NUM>);
an optical module (<NUM>) configured to photograph, or film, an alignment state of the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>) being achieved by the alignment part (<NUM>) and a fusion coupling state of the first optical fibre (<NUM>) and the second optical fibre (<NUM>) being achieved by the fusion splicing module (<NUM>);
a support part (<NUM>) equipped with the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>);
a lift module (<NUM>) configured to ascend and descend the support part (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the lift module (<NUM>) comprises a cylinder tube (<NUM>) and a piston rod (<NUM>) being guided to the cylinder tube (<NUM>) and being ascended and descended,
the support part (<NUM>) is fixedly coupled with the piston rod (<NUM>) and is ascended and descended by the piston rod (<NUM>), so that the fusion splicing module (<NUM>) and the optical module (<NUM>), which are installed to the support part (<NUM>), are collectively ascended and descended.