JP2002286970A - Optical fiber connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent fine dust suspended in the air from interposing between the end faces of two optical fibers in the case of connecting them together. SOLUTION: The connecting device is equipped with a connector 1, a through- hole 2 which is linearly drilled in the connector 1 and which enables the tip end of an optical fiber 9 to be inserted from each end of the hole, fasteners 10 for fixing two optical fibers 9, 9 to the connector 1 in a state where the tip ends of the two optical fibers 9 each inserted from both ends of the through- hole 2 are in close contact with each other, and a vent 5 through which a purge gas is blown into the place of the close contact of the two optical fiber 9, 9 tip ends in the through-hole 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber connecting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a laser beam emitted from an oscillator is used in a working device for medical treatment, welding, fusing, or the like, an optical fiber attached to the oscillator and an optical fiber attached to the working device are separated. They need to be connected to each other.

In such a case, conventionally, the ends of the optical fibers are inserted from both ends of a through hole formed in a straight line in the connector, and the ends of two optical fibers inserted from both ends of the through hole, respectively. The two optical fibers are fixed to a connector with a fixture in this state, and the distal ends of the two optical fibers inserted from both ends of the through hole are closely connected. .

At the time of connecting the optical fiber, the connection is made after cleaning the inside of the through hole of the connector and the tip of the optical fiber so that there is no foreign matter.

[0005]

However, when the tip portions of the two optical fibers are closely connected in the through hole formed in the connector, two fine dusts floating in the air are generated. The tip of the optical fiber may be pinched between the end faces, and when the tip of the optical fiber is connected with such fine dust interposed therebetween, the optical fiber may be burned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves such a problem and prevents fine dust floating in the air from intervening between the end faces of the two optical fiber tips when connecting the two optical fiber tips. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber connection device according to the above.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber connecting device comprising: a connecting device; a through-hole which is formed in the connecting device in a straight line, and into which a tip of an optical fiber can be inserted from each end;
A fixture for fixing the two optical fibers to the connector in a state where the tips of the two optical fibers respectively inserted from both ends of the through hole are in close contact with each other;
An air supply hole for injecting a purge gas into a portion where the tip ends of the two optical fibers are in close contact with each other.

In the optical fiber connection device of the present invention, the air sealed in the through-hole by the purge gas blown from the air supply hole is blown away together with the dust and replaced by the purge gas. The ends of the fibers are connected to each other.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an embodiment of the connector 1, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3. The connector 1 has a straight through hole 2 as shown in FIG. A male screw 3 is engraved on each of the outer peripheral surfaces from both ends, and the male screw 3 is formed in the axial direction of the cylindrical connector 1 as shown in FIG. An extending groove 4 is provided. Also, on the upper side and the side of the axial center of the connector 1,
An air supply hole 5 and a small-diameter exhaust hole 6 communicating with the through-holes 2 are respectively formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 1 is
Although fixed to the base plate 8 via the legs 7, the legs 7 and the base plate 8 are not necessarily required.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an example of an embodiment of a fixing device 10 provided at the distal end portion of the optical fiber 9. A flexible tube coating 11 is provided around the optical fiber 9. An end fitting 13 having a protruding portion 12 is fixed to a tip end of the optical fiber 9, and a fixing tool 10 is fitted to an outer periphery near a tip of the end fitting 13.

The protruding portion 12 of the end fitting 13 can be fitted tightly into the through hole 2 of the connector 1 shown in FIG. It is located on the same plane as the tip end face 15. Projection 12
An engagement projection 16 is provided on the surface of the end fitting 13 slightly away from the base end of the connector 1 in the radial direction, and when the projection 12 is fitted into the through hole 2 of the connector 1, The mating projection 16 engages with the groove 4 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the connector 1, so that the end fitting 13 can be slid in the axial direction with respect to the connector 1, but cannot be rotated. .

A ring-shaped ridge 17 protrudes from the outer periphery near the distal end of the end fitting 13, and is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fixture 10 fitted on the outer periphery near the distal end of the end fitting 13. The ridge 17 is engaged with the ring-shaped concave groove 18 provided, and the fixing tool 10 can be rotated with respect to the end fitting 13, but cannot be displaced in the axial direction. . In addition, the fixture 10 closer to the protruding portion 12 than the concave groove 18.
On the inner peripheral surface, a female screw 1 that can be screwed into the male screw 3 of the connector 1
9 is engraved.

When connecting the distal ends of the two optical fibers 9, the distal end of the purge gas blowing pipe 20 is attached to the air supply hole 5 of the connector 1 as shown in FIG. The purge gas supply pipe 21 and the hand valve 2
2, a purge gas such as helium is supplied. When the hand valve 22 is opened, the purge gas blow-in pipe 20 passes through the air supply hole 5 to the center of the through hole 2.
A clean purge gas such as helium is blown.

With the hand valve 22 closed, the projecting portions 12 of the end fittings 13 fixed to the distal ends of the respective optical fibers 9 are inserted into the through holes 2 of the connector 1 from both ends. When the fitting is pushed in, the engaging projection 16 of the end fitting 13 (see FIG. 2) engages with the groove 4 of the connector 1, and
Is positioned in the rotation direction of the end fitting 13 and the optical fiber 9. When the hand valve 22 is opened in this state, the purge gas is blown into the center of the through hole 2 from the purge gas injection pipe 20 through the air supply hole 5, and the protrusions 12, 12 fitted from both ends in the through hole 2 are formed. The air trapped in between is discharged to the outside through the exhaust hole 6 (see FIG. 3), and at the same time, the dust adhered to the end face 14 of the protruding portion 12 and the end face 15 of the optical fiber 9 (see FIG. 2). Is also blown off, and the inside of the through hole 2 between the protruding portions 12 is replaced with a purge gas containing no dust.

With the hand valve 22 kept open, the fixture 10 is rotated to connect the female screw 19 (see FIG. 2) to the connector 1.
When the screw is screwed into the male screw 3 of the
2 is further pushed into the through hole 2, and the end face 14 of the protrusion 12 from which dust has been blown off and the end face 15 of the tip end of the optical fiber 9 come into close contact with each other from both sides as shown in FIG. Here, when the hand valve 22 is closed and the blowing of the purge gas is stopped, the end fitting 13 is connected to the connector 1 by the fixture 10.
, And the end face 15 of the distal end portion of the optical fiber 9 is kept in a state of being tightly connected with no dust.

[0018]

According to the present invention, since the ends of optical fibers can be connected to each other without dust, the burning of the optical fiber due to the presence of fine dust can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing an example of an embodiment of a fixture used in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view showing an example of an embodiment of a connector used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 2 Through-hole 5 Air supply hole 9 Optical fiber 10 Fixture

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector, a through hole which is pierced linearly in the connector, and through which both ends of an optical fiber can be inserted from both ends, and two ends of the optical fibers respectively inserted from both ends of the through hole. A fixture that fixes the two optical fibers to the connector in a state where the portions are in close contact with each other, and an air supply hole that blows a purge gas into a place where the tips of the two optical fibers in the through hole are in close contact with each other. An optical fiber connection device, comprising: