Coupling device for the ends of two groups of filametary lightguides.

The invention relates to an apparatus for pairwise coupling the ends of two groups of fiber-shaped light waveguides, which are each held on a substantially moveable in longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide carriage by means of clamping devices, so that the end faces of the ends of a group of optical fiber in each case against the end faces of the ends of the other group of optical fibers have been displaced, are arranged between the carriage alignment block having the orientation of each fiber guide grooves, in which sorted the threaded into assigned Auffächerungskämme ends of the fiber and held by different pressure forces exerting pressure elements.

Such devices, as described in Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. Lt-2, No. l, l984, page 28, are described, be required to align to be welded pairs of optical fiber to each other. However, they are also suitable for the fiber-free to low-attenuation light-conducting connection to couple to perform as measuring operations can.

In the known case both soft andrückende pressing elements are each arranged in front of the connection point on the alignment block and hard andrückende respectively on the carriage for each group of fiber. to the soft andrückenden slipping laterally out of the fibers prevent from the guide troughs and still permit an axial displacement in the direction of the guide groove.

In the guide grooves of the carriage, the fibers are hand held immovably in the longitudinal direction.

The invention has for its object to simplify the known device and to improve in terms of positioning accuracy.

The object is achieved in that for each group of fiber a pressing is provided, which exerts a gravitational force on the FO on a support element, and that the pressure element is a magnet armature is arranged, which in the sphere of influence of a substantially against gravity towards the armature of lying pressing element toward movable permanent magnet is, with which the contact force can be amplified.

Since according to the invention, each one pressing element, both a soft and a fixed pressing force is generated, the total length of the guide groove can be reduced. Moreover, the ends of the fiber are firmly pressed to the alignment in the immediate vicinity of the joint, so that the relative alignment position of the individual fibers to each other is better secured. As has proven particularly advantageous that the fixed pressing forces gently act during the displacement of the permanent magnets on the fibers, so that is no longer the risk of causing fiber breaks when placing hard andrückender elements.

Further, permanent magnets offer the possibility of simple design means accurate metered by adjusting the air gap between the permanent magnets and the associated anchors, the size of the pressing force.

Thus, the contact pressure is distributed evenly on all fiber optic group, is provided according to an advantageous development of the invention that the support element is pivotally mounted on a pivot lever.

The threading of the individual fiber of one group over the Auffächerungskamm in the guide grooves is facilitated by the Auffächerungskämme the guide troughs associated components of the alignment block and are located immediately in front of the guide grooves.

Thus, the ends of the optical fiber of an already threaded group can unintentionally when threading the fiber of the other group not having this come into contact, whereby damage to the connection end faces of the fiber would be possible, in particular, is provided as a particularly advantageous development of the invention that between one of Auffächerungskämme and the junction of the groups of the optical fiber above the guide grooves, a removable from the field of fiber hold-up member is arranged.

The invention is further illustrated by the description of a shown in the drawings the preferred embodiment.<ul><li>Figure l shows a longitudinal view of an inventively designed device for loose paired coupling of the individual fiber of two optical ribbon cable</li><li>Figure 2 shows the top view of the apparatus of FIG. 2</li></ul>

The device shown in Figures l and 2 serves in particular to the individual optical fiber of two optical ribbon cable to be coupled with each other to achieve a low-loss as possible optical passage. An optical ribbon cable includes a plurality of optical fiber that are mutually connected in a flat plane with the same distance to each other firmly. Thus compounds of the single fiber of a ribbon cable with the individual optical fiber of another ribbon cable can be produced, the individual fiber must first be dissolved to a certain length from each other and separated with it. Further, the fiber must be freed from their protective coating. Thus pretreated groups of two fiber ribbon cables are then aligned by means of the device shown in the figures to each other and guided with the end faces in pairs to each other.

On a base plate l an alignment block 2 is fixed. On both sides of the double arrows 3 and 4 movable slide 5 and 6 are arranged, which are moved with the holding blocks 7 and 8 respectively, on which the connecting end portions can be fixed to two ribbon cable by means of the clamping lever 9 and l0 in direction. At the clamping levers 9 and l0 adjustable ferromagnetic anchor ll and l2 are attached, which are attracted to the right in Figure 2 recognizable magnets l3.

On the alignment block 2 Auffächerungskämme are L4 and L5 arranged having a number of optical fiber of the ribbon cable corresponding plurality of deep slots, into which the LWL are to each other can be threaded at the desired distance. The recognizable in Figure l rounded and sloping contour of the ridges l4 and l5 facilitates insertion of the fiber optic.

Immediately adjacent to the slits of the combs L4 and L5 to follow this aligned, preferably triangular and parallel extending guide grooves l6 and l7.

The two sets of optical fiber to be connected can be fixed by pressing members l8 and l9 in the guide grooves l6 and l7 of the alignment block. 2 They consist of pivotally mounted in the bearing block 20 levers 2l, 22, at their end regions armature 23 and 24 are respectively fixed. In the central region bearing elements 25 and 26 articulated so that they press evenly with her, preferably made of hard plastic to not fitting on all FOC.

A small, longitudinal displacement of the fiber permitting pressure force resulting from the applied weight of the pressing l8 and l9, which are pivotally supported by the l9 for the element position shown in the drawn for the item l8 position.

A reinforcement of the bearing forces is possible by longitudinal displacement of guided in the alignment block 2 magnet 27 in the direction of the magnetic armature 23 and 24 respectively. The operating knob 28 of the not shown, the armature 23 associated magnet is in the raised position with strong support force. The operating knob 29 of the magnet 27, however, is set in the lower position, in which virtually no additional force of the magnets results in 27th

A high retention pin 30 is l7 above the range of the guide groove. He is out in the attached to the bearing block 20 guide sleeve 3l and retractable by means of the hand knob 32nd Its function will be explained later.

The bearing block 20 is fixed on the knobs 33 and 34 on the alignment block 2, so that it, together with the attached elements for cleaning purposes is easily removable. Also, the tungsten carbide block 35, in which the guide gutters are incorporated L6 and L7, is after release of locking screws 36 to be lifted out cleaning.

First, the separated fiber will be threaded a ribbon cable with the region which is adjacent to the cable network in the comb l4. They are automatically placed in the guide grooves l6. Then the end of the ribbon cable is manually retracted, they glide under the loosely resting pressure element l8, until the ends of the optical fiber in the region of the slot 37 of the carbide block 35 are. After the ribbon cable is clamped to the holding block 7 by means of the clamping lever. 9

Subsequently, the fiber of the other ribbon cable to be threaded in the same way in the comb l5, where they initially rest on the high retaining pin 30, so that they can not come into contact with the already inserted fiber of the other ribbon cable in an uncontrolled and damaging enables manner. Then the cable is pulled back, the FO of the two groups can no longer touch. The high retention pin 30 is withdrawn and the fiber optic slide down into the guide grooves l7. The pressing is then easy l9 and the clamping lever l0 firmly placed. Thereafter, the carriage 5 and 6 are moved toward each other until all faces of the two fiber optic ribbon cable abut in pairs, a compensation of length tolerance of the individual optical fibers by different strong bulge is made possible in particular in the curved portion 38th Finally, the operation buttons 28 and 29 are moved upward, so that the bearing forces of the pressure elements are 2l and 22 enlarged so that a longitudinal displacement of the fiber in the guide grooves l6 and l7 is no longer possible.

The invention has been described in a form suitable for loose coupling of fiber optic device. However, it would be easily possible to further develop the device illustrated with corresponding elements, which allow subsequent welding of the optical fiber pairs.