Alignment jig

Abstract

This alignment jig comprises: a mounting part on which a fiber holder for holding a plurality of optical fibers is mounted; and an alignment mechanism part that is disposed adjacent to the mounting part and aligns the plurality of optical fibers. The alignment mechanism part has a base part, and a first lid and a second lid that are rotatably supported with respect to the base part. The first lid is disposed between the mounting part and the second lid and is configured to hold the plurality of optical fibers. A plurality of slits that respectively accommodate each of the plurality of optical fibers are provided in a surface facing the base part in the second lid or a surface facing the second lid in the base part. The plurality of slits is provided so as to spread radially with increasing distance from the first lid.

Description

Alignment jig

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-072567, filed April 26, 2024, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers in an aligned state. Patent Document 2 discloses a ribboning assembly that includes an alignment device. Patent Document 3 discloses a fiber holder that has a plurality of parallel compartments that can each accommodate a plurality of optical fibers in parallel.

[0003] International Publication No. WO 2012 / 140991 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0278511 International Publication No. WO 2018 / 047513

[0004] The alignment jig of the present disclosure comprises a mounting portion for mounting a fiber holder that holds a number of optical fibers, and an alignment mechanism portion that is arranged adjacent to the mounting portion and aligns the plurality of optical fibers held in the fiber holder, the alignment mechanism portion having a base portion, a first lid that is rotatably supported on the base portion, and a second lid that is rotatably supported on the base portion, the first lid being arranged between the mounting portion and the second lid and configured to hold the plurality of optical fibers, and a plurality of slits that accommodate each of the plurality of optical fibers are provided on a surface of the second lid facing the base portion or a surface of the base portion facing the second lid, and the plurality of slits are arranged to expand radially as they move away from the first lid.

[0005] Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an alignment jig in a straightened state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an alignment jig in a folded state. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a first alignment mechanism unit of the alignment jig. Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a locking unit of the alignment jig in use. Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a method of using the alignment jig. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a method of using the alignment jig. Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a method of using the alignment jig.

[0006] (Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure) In a fiber holder, the wider the parallel spacing of the guide portions, the easier it is for an operator to align multiple optical fibers in parallel. However, if the parallel spacing of the guide portions is wide, the width of the fiber holder increases accordingly, which may make it difficult to attach to a general-purpose fusion splicer. While a general-purpose fiber holder with a predetermined parallel spacing can be used to attach a general-purpose fusion splicer, the parallel spacing of such a general-purpose fiber holder is narrow, making it difficult for an operator to align multiple optical fibers.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an alignment jig that makes it easy to align a plurality of optical fibers and to easily guide the aligned optical fibers into a general-purpose fiber holder.

[0008] (Description of One Embodiment of the Present Disclosure) First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. (1) An alignment jig according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a mounting portion for mounting a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers, and an alignment mechanism portion that is disposed adjacent to the mounting portion and aligns the plurality of optical fibers held in the fiber holder, the alignment mechanism portion having a base portion, a first lid that is rotatably supported with respect to the base portion, and a second lid that is rotatably supported with respect to the base portion, the first lid being disposed between the mounting portion and the second lid and configured to hold the plurality of optical fibers, a plurality of slits that accommodate each of the plurality of optical fibers are provided on a surface of the second lid that faces the base portion or a surface of the base portion that faces the second lid, and the plurality of slits are disposed so as to radially expand with increasing distance from the first lid.

[0009] The alignment jig of the present disclosure includes a mounting portion for mounting a fiber holder, and an alignment mechanism portion disposed adjacent to the mounting portion for aligning multiple optical fibers. Therefore, an operator can easily place a general-purpose fiber holder on the mounting portion and guide the multiple optical fibers aligned by the alignment mechanism portion into the general-purpose fiber holder.

[0010] Additionally, according to the present disclosure, a plurality of slits are provided on the surface of the second lid facing the base portion or on the surface of the base portion facing the second lid, and the plurality of slits are arranged to radially expand as they move away from the first lid. Because the slits are spaced farther apart in the radially expanding portion, it is easy for an operator to insert each optical fiber into the slit and align multiple optical fibers. Furthermore, because the alignment mechanism includes the first lid in addition to the second lid, it is possible to sandwich and hold the aligned multiple optical fibers between the first lid and the base portion.

[0011] (2) In the above (1), a parallel section through which the plurality of optical fibers arranged in parallel while being narrowed by the plurality of slits may be provided on a surface of the first lid facing the base section or a surface of the base section facing the first lid, and the parallel width of the plurality of optical fibers in the parallel section may be the same as the parallel width of the plurality of optical fibers at the narrowest position of the plurality of slits.

[0012] When multiple optical fibers are housed in multiple slits, the optical fibers passing through slits farther from the center (radially outer) among the multiple radially expanding slits are curved more than the optical fibers passing through slits closer to the center (radially inner). This can result in differences in length among the multiple optical fibers passing through the slits. According to the present disclosure, a parallel section through which the multiple optical fibers pass is provided in a first cover or base portion adjacent to the multiple slits. Because the parallel section through which the multiple optical fibers pass without being fixed is provided, it is easy to adjust the length of each of the multiple optical fibers along the passing direction, and it is easy to eliminate length differences.

[0013] (3) In (1) or (2) above, at least one of the first lid and the second lid may be formed of a transparent material, and a lens surface may be provided on the surface of the transparent material opposite to the surface facing the base portion.

[0014] According to the present disclosure, at least one of the first lid and the second lid is formed of a transparent member, and further has a lens surface formed on the surface opposite to the surface facing the base portion, which allows an operator to easily view the multiple optical fibers passing through the transparent member by magnifying them using the lens surface.

[0015] (4) In any of (1) to (3) above, the alignment mechanism may further have a holding portion that holds the plurality of optical fibers, and the second lid may be positioned between the first lid and the holding portion.

[0016] According to the present disclosure, a holding portion is provided to hold the plurality of optical fibers, and the second lid is positioned between the first lid and the holding portion, which makes it easier to insert the plurality of optical fibers held by the holding portion into the plurality of slits.

[0017] (5) In any of (1) to (4) above, the base portion or the second lid may have an identification surface on the surface facing the multiple slits, on which multiple different identification colors are applied corresponding to each of the multiple slits.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, an identification surface having a plurality of different identification colors corresponding to the plurality of slits is provided on a surface facing the plurality of slits. If the plurality of optical fibers also have different identification colors, it is easy for an operator to recognize the order in which the identification colors of the optical fibers and the identification colors of the identification surface should be matched. Therefore, it is easier to align the plurality of optical fibers in a predetermined order.

[0019] (6) In any of (1) to (5) above, the alignment mechanism may further have a support portion between the placement portion and the first lid that supports the plurality of optical fibers so as to move them away from the base portion.

[0020] According to the present disclosure, a support portion is provided between the mounting portion and the first lid to support the multiple optical fibers so as to move them away from the base portion, making it easier to place the multiple optical fibers on the mounting portion and further improving alignment workability.

[0021] (7) In any of the above (1) to (6), the alignment jig may include two alignment mechanism units, and the placement unit may be provided between the two alignment mechanism units.

[0022] According to the present disclosure, a mounting section is provided between two alignment mechanisms, so that with one alignment jig, multiple optical fibers can be aligned by one alignment mechanism and guided to the fiber holders of the mounting section, or aligned by another alignment mechanism and guided to the fiber holders of the mounting section.

[0023] (8) In (7) above, the two alignment mechanisms may include first and second alignment mechanisms connected to be rotatable around a single rotation axis, and the alignment jig may transition between a first state in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism are aligned in a straight line, and a second state in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism rotate around the rotation axis from the first state to approach each other, thereby folding the alignment jig.

[0024] According to the present disclosure, the alignment jig transitions between a first state (linear state) in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism are aligned in a straight line, and a second state (folded state) in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism are rotated around a rotation axis from the first state so as to approach each other and are folded. Therefore, by setting the alignment jig to the first state during alignment work and to the second state in which the two alignment mechanisms are folded when not being used, the alignment jig can be easily stored when not in use.

[0025] Effect of the Present Disclosure According to the present disclosure, an alignment jig is provided that makes it easy to align a plurality of optical fibers and to guide the aligned optical fibers into a general-purpose fiber holder.

[0026] (Details of an embodiment of the present disclosure) A specific example of an alignment jig 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the terms "upward," "downward," "leftward," "rightward," "forward," and "rearward" refer to relative directions set for the alignment jig 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 for the sake of convenience. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included.

[0027] First, the configuration of an alignment jig 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. The alignment jig 1 is configured to align a plurality of optical fibers 100 and guide the aligned optical fibers 100 to a fiber holder 2 (Figures 6 and 7). Each optical fiber 100 is, for example, an optical fiber core formed by coating the outer periphery of a glass fiber consisting of a core and a cladding with a resin. The outer peripheries of the plurality of optical fibers 100 may be marked with different identification colors. The outer diameter of each optical fiber 100 is, for example, 200 µm or more and 250 µm or less.

[0028] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an alignment jig 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the alignment jig 1 includes a mounting unit 90, a first alignment mechanism unit 10, and a second alignment mechanism unit 20. The mounting unit 90 is provided between the first alignment mechanism unit 10 and the second alignment mechanism unit 20.

[0029] The mounting portion 90 is configured to mount the fiber holder 2 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The fiber holder 2 may be a general-purpose product that holds multiple optical fibers 100 in parallel at a predetermined interval. The fiber holder 2 has a holder lid 3. The fiber holder 2 is configured to transition between an open state in which the holder lid 3 is open and a closed state in which the holder lid 3 is closed.

[0030] The first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 are each disposed adjacent to the mounting unit 90 and configured to align the plurality of optical fibers 100 held in the fiber holder 2. In this embodiment, the first alignment mechanism 10 is disposed to the right of the mounting unit 90, and the second alignment mechanism 20 is disposed to the left of the mounting unit 90. The plurality of optical fibers 100 aligned by the first alignment mechanism 10 are guided from the first alignment mechanism 10 to the mounting unit 90. The plurality of optical fibers 100 aligned by the second alignment mechanism 20 are guided from the second alignment mechanism 20 to the mounting unit 90.

[0031] The first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable about a common rotation axis 91. The common rotation axis 91 is, for example, provided at the bottom end of the second alignment mechanism 20 and is a pair of protrusions extending forward and backward from the mounting portion 90, respectively, and is provided to pass through holes provided at the bottom end of the first alignment mechanism 10. The alignment jig 1 is configured to transition between a straight state and a folded state. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the straight state of the alignment jig 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the folded state of the alignment jig 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the straight state is a state in which the first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 are aligned linearly. The folded state is a state in which the first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 rotate about the common rotation axis 91 from the straight state to approach each other, thereby folding the alignment jig 1. The straight state is an example of the first state. The folded state is an example of the second state.

[0032] Next, the first alignment mechanism 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 . FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the first alignment mechanism 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first alignment mechanism 10 includes a base 11, a first lid 12, a second lid 13, a third lid 14, and a support 15. The base 11 has a plate shape extending in a first direction. The first direction is the direction extending along the optical fibers 100 to be aligned (from right to left in the figure). In this embodiment, the placement unit 90 is located to the left of the first lid 12 and above the base 11. The base 11 includes a first upper surface 111 facing the first lid 12, a second upper surface 112 facing the second lid 13, and a third upper surface 113 facing the third lid 14.

[0033] The first lid 12 is disposed between the placement portion 90 and the second lid 13. The first lid 12 is rotatably supported relative to the base portion 11. More specifically, the first lid 12 is configured to rotate about a first rotation axis A11 provided at the rear of the base portion 11. The first lid 12 is configured to be displaceable between a closed state and an open state. The closed state of the first lid 12 is a state in which the first lid 12 overlaps the base portion 11 ( FIG. 2 ). The open state of the first lid 12 is a state in which the first lid 12 rotates from the closed state about the first rotation axis A11 and moves away from the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ).

[0034] The first lid 12 has a first back surface 121 that faces the first top surface 111 of the base portion 11 when the first lid 12 is in the closed state, and a first front surface 122 that is the surface opposite the first back surface 121. A first magnet M1 may be provided on each of the first back surface 121 of the first lid 12 and the first top surface 111 of the base portion 11. The magnetic forces of the two first magnets M1 pull the first lid 12 and the base portion 11 closer to each other when the first lid 12 transitions from the open state to the closed state, and maintain the first lid 12 in the closed state.

[0035] The first lid 12 is configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers 100 when the first lid 12 is placed on the base portion 11, in other words, when the first lid 12 is in a closed state.

[0036] The first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 is provided with a parallel section 114 configured to pass the plurality of optical fibers 100. When the first lid 12 is in a closed state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 arranged in parallel while being narrowed by a plurality of slits 16 (described later) are sandwiched between the first lid 12 and the base portion 11 and pass over the parallel section 114 without being fixed.

[0037] The first lid 12 is formed of a transparent member. A lens surface 123 is provided on a first surface 122 of the first lid 12 ( FIG. 2 ). The lens surface 123 has a shape that is convex from the first surface 122 so as to extend away from the first back surface 121. The first lid 12 may have, for example, a cylindrical lens as the lens surface 123. When the first lid 12 is in the closed state, the lens surface 123 allows an operator to view a magnified view of the multiple optical fibers 100 sandwiched between the first lid 12 and the base portion 11.

[0038] A support portion 15 is provided between the mounting portion 90 and the first lid 12. The support portion 15 is configured to move the plurality of optical fibers 100 upward and away from the base portion 11. The support portion 15 is, for example, a convex protrusion extending from the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 toward the first lid 12 in the closed state. The support portion 15 has a slope that increases from the first lid 12 toward the mounting portion 90. The plurality of optical fibers 100 guided from the first lid 12 to the mounting portion 90 are lifted and supported by the support portion 15 from bottom to top, away from the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11.

[0039] The second lid 13 is located between the first lid 12 and the third lid 14. The second lid 13 is rotatably supported relative to the base 11. More specifically, the second lid 13 is configured to rotate about a second rotation axis A12 provided at the rear of the base 11. The second rotation axis A12 is adjacent to the first rotation axis A11. The second rotation axis A12 may be coaxial with the first rotation axis A11. The second lid 13 is configured to be displaceable between a closed state and an open state. The closed state of the second lid 13 is a state in which the second lid 13 overlaps the base 11 ( FIG. 2 ). The open state of the second lid 13 is a state in which the second lid 13 rotates from the closed state about the second rotation axis A12 and moves away from the second upper surface 112 of the base 11 ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ).

[0040] The second lid 13 has a second back surface 131 that faces the second top surface 112 of the base portion 11 when the second lid 13 is in the closed state, and a second front surface 132 that is the surface opposite the second back surface 131. A second magnet M2 may be provided on each of the second back surface 131 of the second lid 13 and the second top surface 112 of the base portion 11. The magnetic forces of the two second magnets M2 pull the second lid 13 and the base portion 11 closer to each other when the second lid 13 moves from the open state to the closed state, and maintain the closed state of the second lid 13. The second lid 13 is configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers 100 between the second lid 13 and the base portion 11 when the second lid 13 is in the closed state.

[0041] The second back surface 131 of the second lid 13 is provided with a plurality of slits 16 configured to accommodate each of the plurality of optical fibers 100. The plurality of slits 16 are provided so as to expand radially with increasing distance from the first lid 12. The plurality of slits 16 are, for example, twelve grooves provided in the second back surface 131 of the second lid 13. Each groove may be formed so that the depth of the groove increases with increasing distance from the first lid 12.

[0042] By accommodating the optical fibers 100 from right to left in the radially expanding slits 16, the optical fibers 100 are narrowed and aligned in parallel, and are guided to the first cover 12 and the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11. The aligned width W1 of the optical fibers in the aligned portion 114 provided on the first upper surface 111 is the same as the aligned width W2 of the optical fibers at the narrowest position of the slits 16.

[0043] An identification surface 115 is provided on the second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11. The identification surface 115 is a flat surface provided on the base portion 11 so as to face the multiple slits 16. The identification surface 115 is provided so as to radially expand as it moves away from the first cover 12. The parallel arrangement width W3 of the multiple optical fibers at the widest position of the identification surface 115 is the same as the parallel arrangement width W4 of the multiple optical fibers at the widest positions of the multiple slits 16. The identification surface 115 is provided with multiple different identification colors corresponding to the multiple slits 16, respectively.

[0044] The third lid 14 is disposed at the right end of the base 11, opposite the placement portion 90, with the first lid 12 and the second lid 13 sandwiched between them. The third lid 14 is rotatably supported on the base 11. The third rotation axis A13 may be coaxial with the first rotation axis A11 and the second rotation axis A12. More specifically, the third lid 14 is configured to rotate about the third rotation axis A13 provided at the rear of the base 11. The third lid 14 is configured to be displaceable between a closed state and an open state. The closed state of the third lid 14 is a state in which the third lid 14 overlaps the base 11 ( FIG. 2 ). The open state of the third lid 14 is a state in which the third lid 14 rotates from the closed state about the third rotation axis A13 and moves away from the third upper surface 113 of the base 11 ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ).

[0045] The third lid 14 has a third back surface 141 that faces the base portion 11 when the third lid 14 is in a closed state, and a third front surface 142 that is the surface opposite the third back surface 141. A third magnet M3 may be provided on each of the third back surface 141 of the third lid 14 and the third top surface 113 of the base portion 11. The magnetic forces of the two third magnets M3 pull the third lid 14 and the base portion 11 closer to each other when the third lid 14 moves from an open state to a closed state, and maintain the third lid 14 in a closed state. The third lid 14 is configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers 100 between the third lid 14 and the base portion 11 when the third lid 14 is in a closed state. The third lid 14 and the base portion 11 are examples of a holder.

[0046] Next, details of the second alignment mechanism 20 will be described. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the second alignment mechanism 20 has a base 21, a first lid 22, a second lid 23, and a third lid 24. The configuration of the base 21 of the second alignment mechanism 20 is similar to the configuration of the base 11 of the first alignment mechanism 10, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0047] In the second alignment mechanism 20, a first rotation axis A21, a second rotation axis A22, and a third rotation axis A23 are provided in the front part of the base part 21. The first lid 22 to the third lid 24 of the second alignment mechanism 20 are supported so as to be rotatable around the rotation axes provided in the front part of the base part 21, whereas the first lid 12 to the third lid 14 of the first alignment mechanism 10 are supported so as to be rotatable around the rotation axes provided in the rear part of the base part 11. The configurations of the first lid 22 to the third lid 24 of the second alignment mechanism 20 are similar to the configurations of the first lid 12 to the third lid 14 of the first alignment mechanism 10 except for the positions of the corresponding rotation axes, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0048] The second alignment mechanism 20 further includes a locking portion 25. The locking portion 25 is disposed on the base 21, between the third cover 24 and the second cover 23. The locking portion 25 is configured to lock the outer sheath of the optical cable 110 having a plurality of optical fibers 100. FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the locking portion 25 in use. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the locking portion 25 is held by the third cover 24 and configured to lock the outer sheath of the optical cable 110 being led from the third cover 24 to the second cover 23. The locking portion 25 is, for example, two pairs of claws provided on the front and rear of the base 21.

[0049] Next, a method of using the alignment jig 1 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Figures 5 to 7 are perspective views illustrating an example of how the alignment jig 1 is used.

[0050] The following describes a method of using the alignment jig 1 when using the first alignment mechanism 10. In other words, a method will be described in which the first alignment mechanism 10 aligns the multiple optical fibers 100 and guides them from the first alignment mechanism 10 to the mounting unit 90. When the second alignment mechanism 20 is used, the process is the same as when the first alignment mechanism 10 is used, except that the direction in which the multiple optical fibers 100 are guided to the mounting unit 90 is reversed in the left-right direction, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] First, the worker closes the first lid 12 and the second lid 13 as the initial state of the alignment jig 1. Next, the worker places the plurality of optical fibers 100 into the plurality of slits 16 ( FIG. 5 ). At this time, the plurality of slits 16 have wide parallel spacing in the radially expanding portion of the plurality of slits 16, making it easy for the worker to place each optical fiber in the slits 16. The worker may sandwich the plurality of optical fibers 100 between the third lid 14 and the base portion 11 in advance, shift the third lid 14 from the open state to the closed state, and then place the plurality of optical fibers 100 into the plurality of slits 16.

[0052] Because the second lid 13 is in the closed state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 are sandwiched and held between the second lid 13 and the second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11. The second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11 is provided with an identification surface 115 that faces the plurality of slits 16 and is marked with a plurality of different identification colors. This makes it easy for an operator to recognize that the order in which the identification colors of the optical fibers are matched to the identification colors of the identification surface 115 is the order in which the plurality of optical fibers 100 should be aligned.

[0053] Because the first lid 12 is in the closed state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 are sandwiched and held between the first lid 12 and the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11. With the first lid 12 in the closed state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 located to the right of the support portion 15 are less likely to float upward from the first upper surface 111. The plurality of optical fibers 100 arranged in parallel while being narrowed by the plurality of slits 16 in this manner pass over the parallel portion 114 provided on the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 without losing their parallel state.

[0054] The first lid 12 is formed of a transparent member, and a lens surface 123 is provided on a first surface 122 of the first lid 12. The lens surface 123 allows an operator to view a magnified view of the multiple optical fibers 100 arranged in parallel by the multiple slits 16.

[0055] Next, the worker places the fiber holder 2 in the open state on the mounting portion of the alignment jig 1 and places the multiple optical fibers 100 on the fiber holder 2. At this time, a support portion 15 that is convex from the base portion 11 toward the first lid 12 in the closed state is provided between the mounting portion 90 and the first lid 12. The multiple optical fibers 100 guided from the first lid 12 to the mounting portion 90 are lifted and supported by the support portion 15 so as to be away from the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11, making it easy for the worker to place the multiple optical fibers 100 on the fiber holder 2. Thereafter, the worker shifts the second lid 13 from the closed state to the open state ( FIG. 6 ).

[0056] Before the second cover 13 is displaced to the open state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 are housed in the plurality of slits 16. At this time, among the plurality of slits 16 radially extending in the first direction, the optical fibers passing through the slits 16 farther from the center (radially outer) are curved more than the optical fibers passing through the slits 16 closer to the center (radially inner). For this reason, differences in length may occur among the plurality of optical fibers passing through the slits 16.

[0057] When the second lid 13 is shifted from the closed state to the open state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 are released from the plurality of slits 16, and the difference in length can be resolved to some extent. Because the first lid 12 is in the closed state, the plurality of optical fibers 100 are held between the first lid 12 and the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11, and the parallel state of the plurality of optical fibers 100 is maintained. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 is provided with a parallel section 114 through which the plurality of optical fibers 100 pass without being fixed. This makes it easy for the operator to adjust the length of each of the plurality of optical fibers 100 along the first direction, and to resolve the difference in length.

[0058] In addition to using the first lid 12 of the first alignment mechanism unit 10 to hold multiple optical fibers 100 between the first lid 12 and the first upper surface 111 of the base unit 11, the worker may also use the first lid 22 of the second alignment mechanism unit 20 to hold multiple optical fibers 100 between the first lid 22 and the base unit 21.

[0059] Next, the operator transitions the fiber holder 2 from the open state to the closed state, thereby displacing the first lid 12 of the first alignment mechanism 10 from the closed state to the open state ( FIG. 7 ). When the first lid 22 of the second alignment mechanism 20 is in the closed state, the operator further displaces the first lid 22 from the closed state to the open state. The multiple optical fibers 100 aligned by the first alignment mechanism 10 are held in the fiber holder 2. If the fiber holder 2 is a general-purpose product, the fiber holder 2 can also be used in other general-purpose equipment. For example, the fiber holder 2 may be attached to a general-purpose fusion splicer while holding the multiple optical fibers 100 aligned by the first alignment mechanism 10.

[0060] As described above, the alignment jig 1 of this embodiment includes the mounting portion 90 on which the fiber holder 2 is mounted, and the first alignment mechanism 10 that aligns multiple optical fibers. Because the first alignment mechanism 10 is disposed adjacent to the mounting portion 90, an operator can easily guide the multiple optical fibers 100 aligned by the first alignment mechanism 10 to the fiber holder 2. Furthermore, by mounting a general-purpose fiber holder 2 on the mounting portion, the fiber holder 2 can be used with other general-purpose equipment while holding the aligned multiple optical fibers 100.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of slits 16 are provided on the back surface of the second lid 13, and the plurality of slits 16 are arranged so as to radially expand as they move away from the first lid 12. Because the parallel spacing between the slits 16 is wide in the radially expanding portion, it is easy for an operator to insert each optical fiber into the slits 16 and align multiple optical fibers in parallel. Furthermore, because the alignment mechanism has the first lid 12 in addition to the second lid 13, it is possible to sandwich and hold multiple aligned optical fibers between the first lid 12 and the base 11.

[0062] When the multiple optical fibers 100 are housed in the multiple slits 16, differences in length may occur among the multiple optical fibers passing through the slits 16. In this embodiment, the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 is provided with parallel sections 114 that allow the multiple optical fibers 100 to pass through without being fixed. This makes it easy to adjust the lengths of the multiple optical fibers 100 along the first direction, and to eliminate differences in length.

[0063] The first lid 12 is made of a transparent material, and a lens surface 123 is formed on the surface of the first lid 12. This makes it easy for an operator to view the multiple optical fibers 100 passing between the first lid 12 and the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11 by magnifying them using the lens surface 123.

[0064] The first alignment mechanism 10 can hold the plurality of optical fibers 100 between the third cover 14 and the base 11. This makes it easy for the worker to insert the held plurality of optical fibers 100 into the plurality of slits 16.

[0065] The second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11 is provided with an identification surface 115 that is marked with a plurality of different identification colors corresponding to the plurality of slits 16. This makes it easy for an operator to recognize the order in which to match the identification colors marked on the plurality of optical fibers 100 with the identification colors on the identification surface 115. This makes it easier to align the plurality of optical fibers 100.

[0066] The first alignment mechanism 10 has a support 15 between the mounting unit 90 and the first lid 12 that supports the plurality of optical fibers 100 so as to move them away from the first upper surface 111 of the base 11. Because the plurality of optical fibers 100 are lifted and supported by the support 15 so as to move them away from the first upper surface 111, an operator can easily guide the plurality of optical fibers 100 from the first lid 12 to the mounting unit 90.

[0067] The alignment jig 1 of this embodiment includes a first alignment mechanism 10 and a second alignment mechanism 20, and the placement unit 90 is provided between the first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20. Therefore, an operator can align multiple optical fibers 100 using the first alignment mechanism 10 and guide them to the fiber holder 2 of the placement unit 90, or can align them using the second alignment mechanism 20 and guide them to the fiber holder 2 of the placement unit 90. The ability to guide multiple optical fibers 100 from either the right or left of the placement unit 90 increases the convenience of the alignment jig 1.

[0068] The first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 are connected to be rotatable about a common rotation axis 91. The alignment jig 1 transitions between a linear state in which the first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 are aligned in a straight line, and a folded state in which the first alignment mechanism 10 and the second alignment mechanism 20 rotate about the common rotation axis 91 from the linear state so as to approach each other, thereby folding the alignment jig 1. By putting the alignment jig 1 in the folded state when not in use, the storage capacity of the alignment jig 1 is improved.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the multiple slits 16 are provided on the second back surface 131 of the second lid 13, and the difference in length between the multiple optical fibers 100 is easily eliminated by shifting the second lid 13 from the closed state to the open state. However, the location of the multiple slits 16 is not limited to the second back surface 131. The multiple slits 16 may also be provided on the second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11. In this case, the identification surface 115 may be provided on the second back surface 131 of the second lid 13. Alternatively, the multiple slits 16 may be provided on both the second back surface 131 and the second upper surface 112. Furthermore, the second lid 13 may be formed of a transparent member, and a lens surface 123 may be provided on the second surface 132 of the second lid 13. Even in such a case, the multiple optical fibers 100 are easily aligned in parallel by the multiple slits 16 that extend radially, achieving the same effect as described above. In addition, when the second lid 13 is in the closed state, the lens surface 123 allows an operator to magnify and visually view the multiple optical fibers 100 sandwiched between the second lid 13 and the base portion 11.

[0070] The parallel section 114 may be provided on the first back surface 121 of the first lid 12. Even in this case, the parallel section 114 allows the plurality of optical fibers 100, which are narrowed and arranged in parallel by the plurality of slits 16, to pass through without being fixed, making it easy for the worker to perform the alignment work.

[0071] The support portion 15 may be interlocked with the closed state of the second lid 13. For example, a protruding portion 17 is provided on the second upper surface 112 of the base portion 11 ( FIG. 3 ), and when the second lid 13 is placed on top of the base portion 11 and displaced to the second state, the second lid 13 extrudes the extruding portion. In conjunction with the extruded extruding portion, the support portion 15 may lift and support the plurality of optical fibers 100 so as to move away from the first upper surface 111 of the base portion 11.

[0072] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Alignment jig 2 Fiber holder 3 Holder lid 10 First alignment mechanism 11 Base 111 First upper surface 112 Second upper surface 113 Third upper surface 114 Parallel portion 115 Identification surface 12 First lid 121 First back surface 122 First surface 123 Lens surface 13 Second lid 131 Second back surface 132 Second surface 14 Third lid 141 Third back surface 142 Third surface 15 Support portion 16 Slit 17 Push-out portion 20 Second alignment mechanism 21 Base 22 First lid 23 Second lid 24 Third lid 25 Locking portion 90 Placement portion 91 Common rotation axis 100 Optical fiber 110 Optical cable A11, A21 First rotation axis A12, A22 Second rotation axis A13, A23 Third rotating shaft M1 First magnet M2 Second magnet M3 Third magnet W1, W2, W3, W4 Parallel width

Claims

1. An alignment jig comprising: a mounting section for mounting a fiber holder that holds a plurality of optical fibers; and an alignment mechanism section that is arranged adjacent to the mounting section and aligns the plurality of optical fibers held in the fiber holder, wherein the alignment mechanism section has a base section, a first lid that is rotatably supported on the base section, and a second lid that is rotatably supported on the base section, wherein the first lid is arranged between the mounting section and the second lid and is configured to hold the plurality of optical fibers, and a plurality of slits that accommodate each of the plurality of optical fibers are provided on a surface of the second lid facing the base section or a surface of the base section facing the second lid, and the plurality of slits are arranged to expand radially as they move away from the first lid.

2. An alignment jig as described in claim 1, wherein a parallel section is provided on the surface of said first lid facing said base section or on the surface of said base section facing said first lid, through which said plurality of optical fibers that are narrowed by said plurality of slits and aligned in parallel pass, and the parallel width of said plurality of optical fibers in said parallel section is the same as the parallel width of said plurality of optical fibers at the narrowest position of said plurality of slits.

3. An alignment jig as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one of the first lid and the second lid is formed from a transparent material, and a lens surface is provided on the surface of the transparent material opposite to the surface facing the base portion.

4. An alignment jig as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the alignment mechanism further has a holding part that holds the plurality of optical fibers, and the second lid is positioned between the first lid and the holding part.

5. An alignment jig as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base portion or the second cover has an identification surface on the surface facing the plurality of slits, on which a plurality of different identification colors are applied corresponding to each of the plurality of slits.

6. An alignment jig as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alignment mechanism further has a support portion between the placement portion and the first lid that supports the plurality of optical fibers so as to move them away from the base portion.

7. An alignment jig as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the alignment jig comprises two alignment mechanism parts, and the placement part is provided between the two alignment mechanism parts.

8. An alignment jig as described in claim 7, wherein the two alignment mechanisms include first and second alignment mechanisms connected to be rotatable around a single rotation axis, and the alignment jig transitions between a first state in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism are aligned in a straight line, and a second state in which the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism rotate around the rotation axis from the first state to approach each other, thereby folding the alignment jig.

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