Optical fiber cutting device and optical fiber cutting method

Abstract

To make it possible to arrange glass parts of a plurality of optical fibers in a row in an optical fiber cutting device.SOLUTION: An optical fiber cutting device 1 comprises: a fiber holder 2 that holds a plurality of optical fibers 100 each having a glass part 101 and a covering part 102 for covering the glass part 101; an arrangement member 3 with an insertion slot 31; and a blade member 5 that makes a cut on surfaces of the plurality of glass parts 101 while moving in a first orthogonal direction relative to a base 4. The arrangement member 3 is undetachably attached to the base 4. The arrangement member 3 is attached to the base 4 so as to move in a lengthwise direction and in a second orthogonal direction crossing the first orthogonal direction at a right angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical fiber cutting device and an optical fiber cutting method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber cutting device that collectively cuts a number of optical fibers arranged in a row. In the optical fiber cutting device of Patent Document 1, in order to align the end faces of the cut optical fibers, the optical fibers are respectively stored in a number of V-grooves of an optical fiber installation V-groove section, thereby arranging the optical fibers in a row. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-108083 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when actually cutting a plurality of optical fibers at once, the coatings are removed from the plurality of optical fibers to expose a plurality of glass parts, and these glass parts are cut. The exposed glass parts are likely to cross each other or overlap in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers and the alignment direction of the plurality of optical fibers. For this reason, it is difficult to store the plurality of glass parts in the plurality of V-grooves as in Patent Document 1. In addition, two adjacent glass parts may be attracted to each other due to the surface tension of the coating removal liquid (e.g., alcohol) or dielectric polarization due to static electricity, and may fall out of the V-groove. Therefore, the optical fiber cutting device in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it is difficult to align a plurality of glass parts in a row.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide an optical fiber cutting device and an optical fiber cutting method that can easily align multiple glass parts in a row. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The optical fiber cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a line in a first orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, an alignment member having an insertion hole through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted, a base having a first mounting portion for mounting the fiber holder and a second mounting portion for mounting the alignment member, the base being spaced apart from the first mounting portion and having a first mounting portion for mounting the alignment member, and a blade member that scratches the surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion relative to the base in the first orthogonal direction. The inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole are aligned in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole. The alignment member is attached to the base in an undetachable manner. The alignment member is attached to the base so as to move in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction relative to the base.

[0007] The optical fiber cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a line in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, an alignment member having an insertion hole through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted, a base having a first mounting portion for mounting the fiber holder and a second mounting portion for mounting the alignment member, the base being spaced apart from the first mounting portion and having a blade member that damages the surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion in the first orthogonal direction relative to the base. The inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole are aligned in a line in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole. The alignment member has a locking recess. The second mounting portion of the base has a locking protrusion that is inserted into the locking recess of the alignment member. The alignment member is detachable from the base.

[0008] The optical fiber cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a line in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, an alignment member having an insertion hole through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted, a base having a first mounting portion for mounting the fiber holder and a second mounting portion for mounting the alignment member, the base being spaced apart from the first mounting portion and having a first mounting portion for mounting the alignment member, and a blade member that scratches the surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion relative to the base in the first orthogonal direction. The inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole are aligned in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions located in the insertion hole. The alignment member is attached to the base in an undetachable manner. The alignment member is attached to the base so as to rotate about a fulcrum axis parallel to the first orthogonal direction.

[0009] In the above-mentioned optical fiber cutting device, multiple optical fibers are held by a fiber holder, and multiple glass portions extending from the fiber holder are inserted into the insertion holes of the alignment member. Then, the fiber holder and the alignment member are simply moved away from each other, thereby easily aligning the portions of the multiple glass portions located between the fiber holder and the alignment member in a row in the first orthogonal direction.

[0010] In one embodiment of the optical fiber cutting device of the present invention, the alignment member may include a mounting table having a mounting surface on which a plurality of glass portions are placed, and a cover member movable between a first position in which the mounting surface is spaced apart from the mounting surface in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction to form the insertion hole between the mounting surface and a second position in which the mounting surface is opened.

[0011] In the optical fiber cutting device according to one aspect of the present invention, the cover member may be connected to the stage so as to be rotatable between the first position and the second position.

[0012] In one embodiment of the optical fiber cutting device of the present invention, the height dimension of the insertion hole in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction may be greater than the diameter dimension of the glass portion and less than twice the diameter dimension.

[0013] An optical fiber cutting method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes preparing an optical fiber cutting device including a fiber holder, an alignment member having an insertion hole, and a blade member, using the fiber holder to hold a number of optical fibers having a glass portion and a coating portion covering the glass portion, arranged in a row in a first orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, inserting the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder into the insertion hole, moving only the alignment member so as to move away from the fiber holder while the fiber holder is fixed, or moving both the fiber holder and the alignment member so that the fiber holder and the alignment member move away from each other, aligning the glass portions so that portions of the glass portions located between the fiber holder and the alignment member are arranged in a row in the first orthogonal direction, and using the blade member to damage the surfaces of the glass portions.

[0014] In the above-mentioned optical fiber cutting method, multiple optical fibers are held by a fiber holder, and multiple glass portions extending from the fiber holder are inserted into the insertion holes of the alignment member. Then, the fiber holder and the alignment member are simply moved in directions away from each other, so that the portions of the multiple glass portions located between the fiber holder and the alignment member can be easily aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, when cutting the glass portions of a plurality of optical fibers collectively, the plurality of glass portions can be easily aligned in a row. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of an optical fiber cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a plurality of optical fibers handled in the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 2 is a side view showing an alignment member of the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4]2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. [Figure 6A] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. [Figure 6B] 6B is a plan view specifically illustrating the relative movement of the fiber holder and the alignment member shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. [Figure 6C] 6B is a plan view specifically illustrating the relative movement of the fiber holder and the alignment member shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. [Figure 6D] 6B is a plan view specifically illustrating the relative movement of the fiber holder and the alignment member shown in FIG. 6A. FIG. [Figure 7] 2A to 2C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. [Figure 9] IX-IX cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a first modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a second modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a third modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a fourth modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a fifth modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a sixth modified example of the alignment member. [Figure 16] 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by an optical fiber cutting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 17A to 17C are cross-sectional views for explaining a method of cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] 17A to 17C are cross-sectional views for explaining a method of cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 19] 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by an optical fiber cutting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] 20A to 20C are cross-sectional views for explaining a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 19. [Figure 21] 20A to 20C are cross-sectional views for explaining a method for cutting a plurality of optical fibers by the optical fiber cutting device shown in FIG. 19. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an optical fiber cutting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The optical fiber cutting device 1 of this embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is a device that collectively cuts a plurality of optical fibers 100 as exemplified in Fig. 2. Each of the plurality of optical fibers 100 includes a glass portion 101 and a coating portion 102 that coats the glass portion 101. The plurality of optical fibers 100 cut by the optical fiber cutting device 1 may be, for example, a multi-core tape optical fiber in which the plurality of optical fibers 100 are connected in a line, or may be a plurality of optical fibers 100 that are not connected. Furthermore, the plurality of optical fibers 100 cut by the optical fiber cutting device 1 may have a configuration in which the plurality of optical fibers 100 are connected in a line just before cutting.

[0018] In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100 is indicated in the X-axis direction. A first orthogonal direction in which the optical fibers 100 are arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100 is indicated in the Y-axis direction, and a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction of the optical fiber 100 is indicated in the Z-axis direction. In the following description, the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) may be referred to as the width direction, and the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) may be referred to as the up-down direction.

[0019] 1, the optical fiber cutting device 1 includes a fiber holder 2, an alignment member 3, a base 4, and a blade member 5. The optical fiber cutting device 1 also includes a pair of clamps 6 and a pressing member 7. The pair of clamps 6 is composed of a first clamp 6L located on the left side and a second clamp 6R located on the right side.

[0020] The fiber holder 2 holds the multiple optical fibers 100 illustrated in Fig. 2 in a row in the first orthogonal direction. The fiber holder 2 mainly holds the portions of the multiple optical fibers 100 including the coatings 102 in such a way that they are sandwiched from the second orthogonal direction. The fiber holder 2 holds a portion of the multiple optical fibers 100 in the longitudinal direction. While held by the fiber holder 2, the multiple optical fibers 100 are fixed so as not to move in the longitudinal direction or the first orthogonal direction.

[0021] 1 and 3, the alignment member 3 has an insertion hole 31. The insertion hole 31 receives a plurality of glass portions 101 exposed from the coating portion 102 of a plurality of optical fibers 100 extending from the fiber holder 2. The inner surface of the insertion hole 31 is formed so that the glass portions 101 located in the insertion hole 31 are aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction without overlapping in the second orthogonal direction. The inner surface of the insertion hole 31 is also formed so as not to press the glass portions 101 located in the insertion hole 31.

[0022] Specifically, the insertion hole 31 is formed in an elongated shape extending in the first orthogonal direction when viewed from the penetration direction (X-axis direction) of the insertion hole 31. The width dimension W of the insertion hole 31 in the first orthogonal direction is equal to or greater than the sum of the diameter dimensions D of the multiple glass portions 101 passing through the insertion hole 31. Moreover, the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 in the second orthogonal direction is greater than the diameter dimension D of the glass portions 101 and smaller than twice the diameter dimension D.

[0023] As a result, the multiple glass portions 101 passing through the insertion holes 31 are aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction without overlapping in the second orthogonal direction, and are not pressed by the inner surface of the insertion holes 31. Then, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the alignment member 3 can be moved relatively to the fiber holder 2 in the longitudinal direction of the optical fibers 100 while holding the multiple optical fibers 100 with the fiber holder 2 and inserting the multiple glass portions 101 extending from the fiber holder 2 into the insertion holes 31. Then, by moving either or both of the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 in directions away from each other, the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 3, the alignment member 3 of this embodiment has a mounting base 32 and a cover member 33. Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 1, 6A, and 7, the alignment member 3 has a locking recess 35. As will be described later, a locking protrusion 44 of a second mounting portion 42 is inserted into the locking recess 35. By inserting or removing the locking protrusion 44 into or from the locking recess 35, the alignment member 3 can be freely attached to or detached from the base 4. The mounting table 32 has a mounting surface 32a on which the multiple glass parts 101 are placed. The mounting surface 32a is a flat surface extending in the first orthogonal direction and constitutes a part of the inner surface of the insertion hole 31. Specifically, the mounting table 32 has a recess 321 recessed in the second orthogonal direction. The mounting surface 32a described above is made of the bottom surface of the recess 321. In this embodiment, the width dimension of the recess 321 in the first orthogonal direction corresponds to the width dimension W of the insertion hole 31 described above, and the depth dimension of the recess 321 in the second orthogonal direction corresponds to the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 described above.

[0025] The lid member 33 is movable between a first position P1 and a second position P2 relative to the mounting table 32. The first position P1 is a position of the lid member 33 where the lid member 33 is disposed at a distance in the second orthogonal direction (upper side) from the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32, thereby forming an insertion hole 31 between the lid member 33 and the mounting surface 32a. The second position P2 is a position of the lid member 33 where the lid member 33 is disposed at a position not facing the mounting surface 32a, thereby opening the mounting surface 32a. When the lid member 33 is disposed at the first position P1, the opposing surface 33a of the lid member 33 facing the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 forms, together with the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32, the inner surface of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3. The opposing surface 33a of the lid member 33 is formed flat. In other words, the lid member 33 does not have a recess formed therein, unlike the mounting table 32.

[0026] In this embodiment, the lid member 33 is connected to the mounting table 32 so as to be rotatable between a first position P1 and a second position P2. A rotation shaft 34 that connects the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 so as to be rotatable relative to each other is attached to one end of the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) so that the axis of the rotation shaft 34 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100 (X-axis direction).

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the base 4 has a first mounting portion 41 on which the fiber holder 2 is mounted, and a second mounting portion 42 on which the alignment member 3 is mounted. The second mounting portion 42 has a locking protrusion 44 that is inserted into the locking recess 35 of the alignment member 3. The first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are positioned at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100. The first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 maintain the distance between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 when the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are mounted on the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42, and in particular, prevent the distance between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 from becoming smaller than a predetermined value. Specifically, when the alignment member 3 is mounted on the second mounting portion 42, the locking protrusion 44 formed on the second mounting portion 42 is inserted into the locking recess 35 formed on the alignment member 3, thereby maintaining the position of the alignment member 3 mounted on the second mounting portion 42. In addition, a locking wall portion 43 is formed on the second mounting portion 42 side (positive X-axis direction side) of the first mounting portion 41, and the fiber holder 2 placed on the first mounting portion 41 abuts against this locking wall portion 43, thereby maintaining the position of the fiber holder 2 relative to the alignment member 3. In this embodiment, the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are detachable from the base 4 .

[0028] The pair of clamps 6 are provided on the base 4 and are arranged between the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 with a gap between them in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100. The pair of clamps 6 grip the glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in a state where the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are mounted on the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42. Each clamp 6 (the first clamp 6L and the second clamp 6R) has a lower clamp 6A and an upper clamp 6B that sandwich the glass portions 101 from the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction). In other words, the first clamp 6L has a first lower clamp 6LA corresponding to the lower clamp 6A and a first upper clamp 6LB corresponding to the upper clamp 6B. The second clamp 6R has a second lower clamp 6RA corresponding to the lower clamp 6A and a second upper clamp 6RB corresponding to the upper clamp 6B. The portions of the lower clamp 6A and the upper clamp 6B that come into contact with the glass portion 101 may be provided with elastic pads made of rubber or the like.

[0029] The blade member 5 is moved in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) between the pair of clamps 6 (between the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42) relative to the base 4, thereby damaging the surfaces of the multiple glass parts 101 located between the pair of clamps 6. The blade member 5 damages the surfaces of the multiple glass parts 101 by passing below (on the negative Z-axis direction) the multiple glass parts 101 located between the pair of clamps 6.

[0030] The pressing member 7 presses and bends the damaged portions of the glass parts 101 that have been damaged by the blade member 5, thereby cutting the glass parts 101. The pressing member 7 presses against the glass parts 101 arranged between the pair of clamps 6 from above (the positive Z-axis direction side), thereby cleaving the glass parts 101 from the damaged portions of the glass parts 101 as starting points.

[0031] Next, an example of a cutting method (optical fiber cutting method) for cutting a plurality of optical fibers 100 by the optical fiber cutting device 1 of this embodiment will be described. When cutting the multiple optical fibers 100, first, the multiple optical fibers 100 are held by the fiber holder 2 while being aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction, as shown in Fig. 4. Next, as shown in Fig. 5, the coating portion 102 is removed from the portion of the multiple optical fibers 100 extending from the fiber holder 2 (the portion of the optical fibers 100 located to the right of the fiber holder 2 in Fig. 5) to expose the multiple glass portions 101.

[0032] Thereafter, the portions of the plurality of glass parts 101 extending from the fiber holder 2 that are located near the fiber holder 2 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3. Here, in the alignment member 3 of this embodiment, the mounting base 32 and the cover member 33 are connected to be rotatable as shown in FIG. 3. Therefore, when the plurality of glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, the cover member 33 is first placed in the second position P2, and the plurality of glass parts 101 are placed in the recess 321 of the mounting base 32 and placed on the mounting surface 32a. By the plurality of glass parts 101 entering the recess 321, the plurality of glass parts 101 can be stably placed on the mounting surface 32a. Thereafter, the cover member 33 is moved from the second position P2 to the first position P1, thereby obtaining a state in which the plurality of glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3.

[0033] After the glass portions 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, as shown in FIG. 6A, the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are moved in a direction away from each other in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the optical fibers 100. That is, the fiber holder 2 is moved along the direction indicated by the arrow L, and the alignment member 3 is moved along the direction indicated by the arrow R. Here, the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) is larger than the diameter dimension D of the glass portion 101 and is smaller than twice the diameter dimension D. Therefore, when the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are moved in a direction away from each other, the portions of the glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction without overlapping in the second orthogonal direction (see FIGS. 3 and 8). Furthermore, since the alignment member 3 does not hold the multiple glass portions 101, stresses (e.g., bending stress, torsional stress, tensile stress) caused by the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 do not act on the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3.

[0034] In this embodiment, both the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are moved along the directions indicated by the arrows R and L in Fig. 6A so that the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 move away from each other. The present invention is not limited to this method of movement. With the fiber holder 2 fixed, only the alignment member 3 may be moved along the direction indicated by the arrow R so as to move away from the fiber holder 2. With the alignment member 3 fixed, only the fiber holder 2 may be moved along the direction indicated by the arrow L so as to move away from the alignment member 3.

[0035] Next, with reference to FIGS. 6B to 6D, a method for aligning a plurality of glass portions 101 by the relative movement of fiber holder 2 and alignment member 3 in FIG. 6A described above will be described in more detail. 6B to 6D, only the multiple glass parts 101, the fiber holder 2, the alignment member 3, the first clamp 6L, the second clamp 6R, and the cutting position CP are shown, and other members constituting the optical fiber cutting device are omitted. The cutting position CP is the position where the multiple glass parts 101 are cut by the blade member 5.

[0036] First, as shown in FIG. 6B, the alignment member 3 is disposed between the fiber holder 2 and the first clamp 6L with the glass parts 101 inserted through the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3. In this case, the glass parts 101 are aligned between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 (i.e., on the left side of the alignment member 3). On the other hand, in the area on the right side of the alignment member 3, the glass parts 101 are overlapped with each other and are not aligned. In particular, at the scratching position CP located between the first clamp 6L and the second clamp 6R, the glass parts 101 are overlapped with each other in multiple layers. In such a state shown in FIG. 6B, since the glass parts 101 are not aligned between the first clamp 6L and the second clamp 6R, when the glass parts 101 are scratched at the scratching position CP, the glass parts 101 cannot be cut so that the end faces of the glass parts 101 are aligned.

[0037] Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, in a state where the glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, the alignment member 3 is slid away from the fiber holder 2 along the direction indicated by the symbol R. That is, the alignment member 3 is moved toward the right side from the state shown in FIG. 6B. As a result, the alignment member 3 passes (goes over) the first clamp 6L and reaches a position between the first clamp 6L and the second clamp 6R. This movement of the alignment member 3 gradually eliminates the overlapping state of the glass parts 101. After the alignment member 3 has passed, the glass parts 101 do not overlap each other between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 (i.e., on the left side of the alignment member 3), and the overlapping state of the glass parts 101 is eliminated, that is, the glass parts 101 are aligned. However, in the state shown in FIG. 6C, the glass parts 101 are not aligned at the scratch position CP.

[0038] Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, in a state where the glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, the alignment member 3 is slid further away from the fiber holder 2 along the direction indicated by the symbol R. That is, the alignment member 3 is further moved toward the right side from the state shown in FIG. 6C. As a result, the alignment member 3 passes (goes over) the second clamp 6R and reaches a position on the right side of FIG. 6D. This movement of the alignment member 3 further resolves the overlapping state of the glass parts 101. That is, a state in which the glass parts 101 are aligned is obtained at the scratching position CP located between the first clamp 6L and the second clamp 6R. In the state shown in FIG. 6D, the glass parts 101 are scratched at the scratching position CP (see FIG. 7, described later), so that the glass parts 101 can be cut while being neatly aligned.

[0039] 6B to 6D, a case has been described in which, with the fiber holder 2 fixed, only the alignment member 3 is moved along the direction indicated by the arrow R. The movement method is not limited to this, and any method of relatively moving the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in directions separating them from each other can provide the same actions and effects as those shown in Figs. 6B to 6D.

[0040] 7, the fiber holder 2 is placed on the first mounting portion 41 of the base 4, and the alignment member 3 is placed on the second mounting portion 42 of the base 4. In this state, the multiple glass portions 101 are lined up in a row in the first orthogonal direction and extend from the first mounting portion 41 to the second mounting portion 42. Even in this state, no stress caused by the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 acts on the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3.

[0041] Thereafter, the multiple glass portions 101 arranged in a row between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are gripped by a pair of clamps 6. As a result, the multiple glass portions 101 positioned between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 are positioned so as not to be misaligned with each other in the second orthogonal direction, as illustrated in FIG.

[0042] Then, the blade member 5 is moved between the pair of clamps 6 in the first orthogonal direction (the direction in which the multiple glass parts 101 are lined up) to damage the surfaces of the multiple glass parts 101. The two-dot chain line in Fig. 8 indicates a trajectory T of the upper end of the blade member 5 that damages the multiple glass parts 101. As shown in Fig. 8, the multiple glass parts 101 are positioned without being shifted from each other in the second orthogonal direction, so that it is possible to suppress or prevent variation in the damage caused to the multiple glass parts 101 by the blade member 5.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 2, some of the glass parts 101 may not be aligned in a row, but may overlap or intersect in the second orthogonal direction. In this case, even if the glass parts 101 are held by a pair of clamps 6, some of the glass parts 101 (the glass part 101 on the left side in Fig. 9) will be misaligned in the second orthogonal direction relative to the other glass parts 101, as shown in Fig. 9. This causes variations in the damage caused to the glass parts 101 by the blade member 5.

[0044] Finally, the optical fiber cutting method is completed by using the pressing member 7 (see FIG. 8) to bend the damaged portions of the glass parts 101 located between the pair of clamps 6, thereby cutting the glass parts 101. When the pressing member 7 is pressed against the glass parts 101, the glass parts 101 are cleaved starting from the damaged portions of the glass parts 101 caused by the blade member 5, and the glass parts 101 are cut.

[0045] As described above, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of this embodiment, multiple optical fibers 100 are held by the fiber holder 2, and multiple glass portions 101 extending from the fiber holder 2 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3. Then, by simply moving the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in directions away from each other, the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 can be easily aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction. Furthermore, because the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 can be aligned in a row in the first orthogonal direction, it is possible to suppress variation in the damage to the multiple glass portions 101 when the blade member 5 is moved in the first orthogonal direction to damage the multiple glass portions 101. Therefore, the end faces of the multiple cut glass portions 101 can be aligned.

[0046] Moreover, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of the present embodiment, the multiple glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3 without being pressed by the alignment member 3, that is, the alignment member 3 does not grip the multiple glass parts 101. Therefore, in a state in which the multiple optical fibers 100 are held by the fiber holder 2 and the multiple glass parts 101 extending from the fiber holder 2 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, and then the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are moved in a direction away from each other, no stress caused by the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 acts on the multiple glass parts 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3. As a result, even if the blade member 5 is used to cut the multiple glass parts 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3, it is possible to suppress or prevent the angle that the end face of the cut glass part 101 makes with respect to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 100 from deviating from perpendicular (90 degrees).

[0047] Furthermore, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of this embodiment, the alignment member 3 is detachable from the base 4. Therefore, when cutting multiple glass parts 101 arranged in a line, it is possible to select whether or not to use the alignment member 3. For example, if the rigidity of the glass parts 101 is high due to a large diameter dimension D of the glass parts 101, the rigidity of the glass parts 101 can align the multiple glass parts 101 in a line without using the alignment member 3. If the alignment member 3 is not used, the number of steps for cutting the optical fiber 100 can be reduced.

[0048] Moreover, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of the present embodiment, the alignment member 3 includes a mounting table 32 having a mounting surface 32a, and a cover member 33 movable between a first position P1 at which the mounting surface 32a is covered with respect to the mounting table 32 to form an insertion hole 31 between the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33 and a second position P2 at which the mounting surface 32a is opened. Therefore, after placing the plurality of glass parts 101 on the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 with the cover member 33 disposed at the second position P2, the plurality of glass parts 101 can be easily inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3 by simply moving the cover member 33 from the second position P2 to the first position P1. That is, compared to a simple alignment member 3 in which only the insertion holes 31 are formed, the plurality of glass parts 101 can be easily inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3.

[0049] Furthermore, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of this embodiment, the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 are rotatably connected to each other, making the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 non-detachable. This makes it possible to prevent either the mounting table 32 or the lid member 33 from being lost, compared to a case in which the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 are detachable.

[0050] Moreover, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of the present embodiment, the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 in the second orthogonal direction is larger than the diameter dimension D of the glass portion 101 and is smaller than twice the diameter dimension D of the glass portion 101. Therefore, in a state in which a plurality of glass portions 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, it is possible to reliably prevent portions of the two glass portions 101 located in the insertion holes 31 from overlapping in the second orthogonal direction. Therefore, by moving the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in directions away from each other with a plurality of glass portions 101 inserted into the insertion holes 31, it is possible to easily and reliably align the portions of the plurality of glass portions 101 located between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in a line in the first orthogonal direction.

[0051] Furthermore, according to the optical fiber cutting device 1 of the present embodiment, the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 in the second orthogonal direction is larger than the diameter dimension D of the glass portion 101. This makes it possible to prevent the alignment member 3 from pressing or gripping the multiple glass portions 101 inserted into the insertion hole 31. This makes it possible to prevent stress caused by the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 from acting on the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 positioned between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 after the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 are moved in directions away from each other to align the multiple glass portions 101 positioned between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 in a row.

[0052] Although the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0053] 10, in the alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the recesses 331 constituting the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3 may be formed only in the cover member 33. In this case, the width dimension of the recesses 331 of the cover member 33 in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) corresponds to the width dimension W of the insertion holes 31 (see FIG. 3), and the depth dimension of the recesses 331 of the cover member 33 in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) corresponds to the height dimension H of the insertion holes 31 (see FIG. 3).

[0054] 11, in the alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, recesses 321, 331 constituting the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 may be formed in both the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33. In this case, the width dimension of the recesses 321, 331 of the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33 in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) corresponds to the width dimension W of the insertion hole 31 (see FIG. 3), and the sum of the depth dimensions of the recesses 321, 331 of the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33 in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) corresponds to the height dimension H of the insertion hole 31 (see FIG. 3).

[0055] 12, the alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention may not be formed with the recesses 321, 331 (see FIG. 11, etc.) that define the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 in the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33. That is, the inner surface of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 may be formed only by the flat mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 and the flat opposing surface 33a of the cover member 33, which face each other with a gap in between in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) when the cover member 33 is disposed at the first position P1.

[0056] In the alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, for example, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, a plurality of guide protrusions 37 may be provided on the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32. The plurality of guide protrusions 37 are arranged at intervals in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction). The plurality of guide protrusions 37 are aligned at equal intervals in the first orthogonal direction. In this way, with the plurality of glass portions 101 inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, the guide protrusions 37 are interposed between two adjacent glass portions 101, so that the plurality of glass portions 101 can be aligned at equal intervals in the first orthogonal direction. Moreover, the distance between adjacent guide protrusions 37 in the first orthogonal direction is larger than the diameter dimension D of glass portion 101. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent the glass portion 101 from being sandwiched between two guide protrusions 37 adjacent to each other in the first orthogonal direction and from being subjected to stress.

[0057] 13, the protruding height of each guide protrusion 37 protruding in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) from the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 is smaller than the height dimension H (see FIG. 3) of the insertion hole 31 in the second orthogonal direction. In this case, even if multiple guide protrusions 37 are formed on the inner surface of the insertion hole 31, multiple glass parts 101 can be easily inserted into the insertion hole 31.

[0058] 14, the protruding height of each guide protrusion 37 protruding in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) from the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 is equal to the height dimension H (see FIG. 3) of the insertion hole 31 in the second orthogonal direction. Therefore, the insertion hole 31 is divided into a plurality of divided holes 311 aligned in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction) by the plurality of guide protrusions 37. In this case, with the plurality of glass portions 101 inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, it is possible to more reliably align the plurality of glass portions 101 at equal intervals in the first orthogonal direction.

[0059] 13 and 14, the guide protrusions 37 may be provided, for example, on the opposing surface 33a of the lid member 33, or may be provided on both the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 and the opposing surface 33a of the lid member 33. The guide protrusions 37 illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 are not limited to the alignment member 3 in which the recess 321 is formed only on the mounting table 32, but may be applied to an alignment member 3 in which the recess 331 is formed only on the lid member 33 (see Fig. 10), an alignment member 3 in which the recesses 321, 331 are formed both on the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 (see Fig. 11), and an alignment member 3 in which the recesses 321, 331 are not formed both on the mounting table 32 and the lid member 33 (see Fig. 12).

[0060] In the alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the lid member 33 may be provided so as to be detachable from the mounting table 32. That is, by attaching the lid member 33 to the mounting table 32, the lid member 33 may be disposed at a first position P1 where the lid member 33 forms the insertion hole 31 together with the mounting table 32, and by removing the lid member 33 from the mounting table 32, the lid member 33 may be disposed at a second position P2 where the mounting surface 32a of the mounting table 32 is exposed.

[0061] The alignment member 3 of the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to being composed of two components, the mounting table 32 and the cover member 33, and may be composed of a single component, for example, as shown in Fig. 15. In this case, it is preferable that the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 opens to one side of the alignment member 3 in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction). This makes it possible to easily insert the multiple glass parts 101 into the insertion hole 31 from the openings 312 of the insertion hole 31 in the first orthogonal direction. 15, the dimension of the opening 312 of the insertion hole 31 in the second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction) may be formed to become larger toward the outside of the alignment member 3 in the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction). This makes it easier to insert the multiple glass parts 101 into the insertion hole 31 through the opening 312 of the insertion hole 31.

[0062] 16 to 21, in the optical fiber cutting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the alignment member 3 may be undetachably attached to the base 4 so as to be movable between a placement position P3 where the alignment member 3 is placed on the second placement portion 42 and a separated position P4 away from the second placement portion 42. In this case, compared to the case where the alignment member 3 is detachable from the base 4, it is possible to prevent the alignment member 3 from being lost.

[0063] 16 to 18, the alignment member 3 is attached undetachably to the base 4. Meanwhile, the alignment member 3 is attached to the base 4 so as to be movable in a second orthogonal direction (Z-axis direction). The second orthogonal direction is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) and the first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction). In the illustrated example, the second mounting portion 42 is provided with a rod 46 extending upward (positive direction of the Z axis) in the second orthogonal direction. The tip of the rod 46 is formed larger than the other parts of the rod 46 and is inserted into a cavity 38 formed in the alignment member 3. The cavity 38 is formed so that the tip of the rod 46 does not slip out of the cavity 38 and so that the alignment member 3 can move a predetermined distance in the longitudinal direction of the rod 46 (second orthogonal direction). This allows the alignment member 3 to move in the second orthogonal direction between a mounting position P3 (see FIG. 18) where the alignment member 3 is mounted on the second mounting portion 42 and a separated position P4 (see FIGS. 16 and 17) away from the second mounting portion 42. The separation position P4 of the alignment member 3 is preferably a position where, when the multiple glass parts 101 are passed through the insertion hole 31, the multiple optical fibers 100 and the fiber holder 2 holding the multiple optical fibers 100 do not interfere with each part of the optical fiber cutting device 1C (the base 4, the blade member 5, the pair of clamps 6, etc.). The penetrating direction of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 attached to the base 4 coincides with the direction in which the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are aligned (X-axis direction) regardless of the position of the alignment member 3 (mounting position P3, separated position P4).

[0064] 16 to 18, when cutting the multiple glass portions 101, first, similarly to the above embodiment, the multiple optical fibers 100 are gripped by the fiber holder 2 (see FIG. 4), and the coating 102 is removed from the portions of the multiple optical fibers 100 extending from the fiber holder 2 to expose the multiple glass portions 101 (see FIG. 5). Next, as shown in FIG. 16, with the alignment member 3 placed at the separated position P4, the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located near the fiber holder 2 are inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3.

[0065] 17, the fiber holder 2 is moved in a direction away from the alignment member 3 (leftward in FIG. 17). Here, the penetration direction of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 attached to the base 4 coincides with the direction in which the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are aligned. Therefore, when the fiber holder 2 is moved away from the alignment member 3, the fiber holder 2 moves in the direction in which the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are aligned.

[0066] 17, the multiple glass portions 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3, and the alignment member 3 is fixed, and the fiber holder 2 is moved away from the alignment member 3. As described with reference to FIGS. 6B to 6D, as the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3 move relative to each other, that is, as the fiber holder 2 moves as shown in FIG. 17, the overlapping state of the multiple glass portions 101 gradually disappears. After the fiber holder 2 has passed, the multiple glass portions 101 do not overlap each other between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 (that is, to the right of the fiber holder 2), and the multiple glass portions 101 are in an unoverlapping state, that is, aligned.

[0067] 18, the fiber holder 2 is placed on the first mounting part 41, and the alignment member 3 is moved from the separated position P4 to the mounting position P3 and placed on the second mounting part 42. Thereafter, similar to the above embodiment, the multiple glass portions 101 positioned between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 can be cut by being held by the pair of clamps 6, scratched by the blade member 5, and bent by the pressing member 7.

[0068] 16 to 18, the alignment member 3 is attached to the base 4 so as to be movable in the second orthogonal direction. Therefore, with the alignment member 3 placed at the separated position P4, the fiber holder 2 can be moved relative to the alignment member 3 along the direction in which the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are aligned. This makes it possible to easily align the fiber holder 2 with respect to the first mounting portion 41 while moving the fiber holder 2 relative to the alignment member 3.

[0069] In the optical fiber cutting device 1D shown in Figs. 19 to 21, the alignment member 3 is attached to the base 4 in an undetachable manner. Meanwhile, the alignment member 3 is attached to the base 4 so as to be rotatable about a fulcrum shaft 8 parallel to a first orthogonal direction (Y-axis direction). When the alignment member 3 is placed at the placement position P3 (first placement portion 41) as shown in Fig. 21, the fulcrum shaft 8 is located farther from the first placement portion 41 than the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 in the direction in which the first placement portion 41 and the second placement portion 42 are aligned (X-axis direction). Furthermore, when the alignment member 3 is placed at the placement position P3, the penetration direction of the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3 coincides with the direction in which the first placement portion 41 and the second placement portion 42 are aligned. 19 and 20, when the alignment member 3 is rotated from the mounting position P3 to the separated position P4, the penetration direction of the insertion hole 31 is inclined upward (positive direction of the Z axis) from the first mounting portion 41 toward the second mounting portion 42 in the direction in which the first mounting portion 41 and the second mounting portion 42 are aligned. As a result, when the alignment member 3 is arranged at the separated position P4, with the multiple glass portions 101 passed through the insertion holes 31, the multiple optical fibers 100 and the fiber holder 2 holding them do not interfere with each portion of the optical fiber cutting device 1D (the base 4, the blade member 5, the pair of clamps 6, etc.).

[0070] 19 to 21, when cutting the multiple glass portions 101, first, similarly to the above embodiment, the multiple optical fibers 100 are gripped by the fiber holder 2 (see FIG. 4), and the coating portion 102 is removed from the portions of the multiple optical fibers 100 extending from the fiber holder 2 to expose the multiple glass portions 101 (see FIG. 5). Next, as shown in FIG. 19, with the alignment member 3 placed at the separated position P4, the portions of the multiple glass portions 101 located near the fiber holder 2 are inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the alignment member 3.

[0071] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 20, the fiber holder 2 is moved in a direction away from the alignment member 3 (upper left direction in FIG. 20). Specifically, in a state where the plurality of glass parts 101 are inserted into the insertion holes 31 of the alignment member 3 and the alignment member 3 is fixed, the fiber holder 2 is moved in the upper left direction so as to be away from the alignment member 3. As described with reference to FIG. 6B to FIG. 6D, with the relative movement between the fiber holder 2 and the alignment member 3, that is, with the movement of the fiber holder 2 shown in FIG. 20, the overlapping state of the plurality of glass parts 101 is gradually eliminated. After the fiber holder 2 has passed, the plurality of glass parts 101 do not overlap each other between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 (that is, on the lower right side of the fiber holder 2), and the overlapping state of the plurality of glass parts 101 is eliminated, that is, the plurality of glass parts 101 are aligned.

[0072] 21, the alignment member 3 is rotated from the separated position P4 to the placement position P3, whereby the fiber holder 2 is placed on the first placement portion 41 and the alignment member 3 is placed on the second placement portion 42. If the fiber holder 2 placed on the first placement portion 41 is misaligned in the arrangement direction (X-axis direction) of the first placement portion 41 and the second placement portion 42 as illustrated in FIG. 21, the fiber holder 2 may be moved in the arrangement direction on the first placement portion 41. Thereafter, similarly to the above embodiment, the multiple glass portions 101 positioned between the alignment member 3 and the fiber holder 2 can be cut by being held by the pair of clamps 6, scratched by the blade member 5, and bent by the pressing member 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] Reference Signs List 1, 1C, 1D...optical fiber cutting device, 2...fiber holder, 3...alignment member, 4...base, 5...blade member, 8...fulcrum shaft, 31...insertion hole, 32...mounting table, 32a...mounting surface, 33...cover member, 41...first mounting portion, 42...second mounting portion, 100...optical fiber, 101...glass portion, 102...coating portion, P1...first position, P2...second position

Claims

1. a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a state where the optical fibers are aligned in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical fibers; an alignment member having insertion holes through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted; a base having a first mounting portion on which the fiber holder is mounted, and a second mounting portion located at a distance from the first mounting portion and on which the alignment member is mounted; a blade member that scratches surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member in the first orthogonal direction between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion relative to the base; Equipped with an inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole are aligned in a line in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole; The alignment member is attached non-detachably to the base, The alignment member is attached to the base so as to move in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction. Optical fiber cleaver.

2. a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a state where the optical fibers are aligned in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical fibers; an alignment member having insertion holes through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted; a base having a first mounting portion on which the fiber holder is mounted, and a second mounting portion located at a distance from the first mounting portion and on which the alignment member is mounted; a blade member that scratches surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member in the first orthogonal direction between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion relative to the base; Equipped with an inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole are aligned in a line in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole; The alignment member has a locking recess, the second mounting portion of the base has a locking protrusion to be inserted into the locking recess of the alignment member, The alignment member is detachable from the base. Optical fiber cleaver.

3. a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, each having a glass portion and a coating portion that coats the glass portion, in a state where the optical fibers are aligned in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical fibers; an alignment member having insertion holes through which the glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted; a base having a first mounting portion on which the fiber holder is mounted, and a second mounting portion located at a distance from the first mounting portion and on which the alignment member is mounted; a blade member that scratches surfaces of the plurality of glass portions by moving the blade member in the first orthogonal direction between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion relative to the base; Equipped with an inner surface of the insertion hole is formed so that the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole are aligned in a line in the first orthogonal direction and so as not to press the plurality of glass portions positioned in the insertion hole; The alignment member is attached non-detachably to the base, The alignment member is attached to the base so as to rotate about a fulcrum axis parallel to the first orthogonal direction. Optical fiber cleaver.

4. The alignment member is a mounting table having a mounting surface on which a plurality of glass portions are placed; a cover member that is movable between a first position in which the insertion hole is formed between the mounting surface and the cover member by being spaced apart from the mounting surface in a second orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction, and a second position in which the mounting surface is opened; Equipped with The optical fiber cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. the cover member is connected to the mounting table so as to be rotatable between the first position and the second position; 5. The optical fiber cutting device according to claim 4.

6. A height dimension of the insertion hole in a second orthogonal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction is greater than a diameter dimension of the glass portion and is smaller than twice the diameter dimension. The optical fiber cutting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. preparing an optical fiber cutting device including a fiber holder, an alignment member having an insertion hole, and a blade member; Using the fiber holder, a plurality of optical fibers having a glass portion and a coating portion that covers the glass portion are held in a line in a first orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the optical fibers, The glass portions of the optical fibers extending from the fiber holder are inserted into the insertion holes; moving only the alignment member away from the fiber holder while the fiber holder is fixed, or moving both the fiber holder and the alignment member away from each other; aligning the plurality of glass portions such that portions of the plurality of glass portions located between the fiber holder and the alignment member are aligned in a line in the first orthogonal direction; The blade member is used to scratch the surfaces of the plurality of glass portions. Optical fiber cleaving method.

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