Coat removing method of coated optical fiber and coat removing apparatus of coated optical fiber

Abstract

A coat removing method of removing a coat of a coated optical fiber 3 made of a glass fiber 3 a and the coat of polyimide resin 3 b covering the glass fiber 3 a includes holding the coated optical fiber 3 with fiber clamps 5 and 7 at two locations spaced by a predetermined distance in a length direction of the coated optical fiber 3 , applying tension to the coated optical fiber 3 in the length direction, pressing a coat removal blade 29 to the coated optical fiber 3 in the tension-applied state in a direction crossing the length direction, to bend the coated optical fiber 3 , and moving the coat removal blade 29 in the length direction along the coated optical fiber 3 in the bent state, thereby removing the coat.

1 . A coat removing method of removing a coat of a coated optical fiber having an optical fiber covered by a coat, comprising:
 holding the coated optical fiber with a pair of holders at two locations spaced by a predetermined distance in a length direction of the coated optical fiber and applying tension to the coated optical fiber in the length direction;   pressing a coat removal blade to the coated optical fiber in the tension-applied state in a direction intersecting the length direction, to bend the coated optical fiber; and   moving the coat removal blade in the length direction along the coated optical fiber in the bent state, thereby removing the coat.   
     
     
         2 . The coat removing method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a load of pressing the coated optical fiber applied by the coated removal blade is adjusted according to   the tension applied to the coated optical fiber in the length direction and   the bending amount of the coated optical fiber that corresponds to the moving amount of the coat removal blade in the direction of pressing the coated optical fiber.   
     
     
         3 . A coat removing apparatus for removing a coat of a coated optical fiber having an optical fiber covered by a coat with the use of a coat removal blade, comprising:
 a pair of holders holding the coated optical fiber at two locations spaced by a predetermined distance in a length direction of the coated optical fiber;   a tension applying unit applying tension in the length direction to the coated optical fiber held with the holders;   a first moving mechanism that moves the coat removal blade in a direction intersecting the length direction to press and bend the coated optical fiber tensioned by the tension applying unit; and   a second moving mechanism that moves the coat removal blade in the length direction along the coated optical fiber bent by the first moving mechanism, thereby removing the coat.   
     
     
         4 . The coat removing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 one of the pair of holders is fixed and the other is movable in the length direction of the coated optical fiber; and   the tension applying unit includes a resilient element biasing the movable holder in a direction away from the fixed holder.   
     
     
         5 . The coat removing apparatus according to  claim 3 , comprising a third moving mechanism turning the coated optical fiber around its axial line.