# US 12,181,712 B2 · Fusion splicing device and method for operating fusion splicing device with electrode discharge test, evaluation, and adjustment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,712 B2 - Document ID: US12181712B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/631,787 - Filed: 2020-08-19 - Published: 2022-09-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-29 - Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Optifrontier Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Optifrontier Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ooki; Makoto Miyamori; Hideaki Yusa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181712B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/2553: {Splicing machines, e.g. optical fibre fusion splicer} - G02B 6/2551: {using thermal methods, e.g. fusion welding by arc discharge, laser beam, plasma torch} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A fusion splicing device includes a fusion splicing unit, a fusion splicing control unit, an imaging unit, and a notification unit. The fusion splicing unit fusion-splices optical fibers by discharge between a pair of electrode rods. The fusion splicing control unit controls an operation of the fusion splicing unit and has an operation mode for performing a discharge test. The imaging unit generates image data of a fusion spliced portion of the optical fibers. The notification unit notifies various kinds of information. The discharge test is to fusion-splice the optical fibers, to check a fusion-spliced state of the optical fibers on the basis of the image data, and to adjust a fusion splicing condition to be close to an optimum condition. When a predetermined start condition is satisfied, the fusion splicing control unit causes the notification unit to notify information for requesting execution of the discharge test. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fusion splicing device comprising: a fusion splicing unit configured to fusion-splice optical fibers by discharge between a pair of electrode rods; a fusion splicing control unit configured to control an operation of the fusion splicing unit and having an operation mode for performing a discharge test; an imaging unit configured to generate image data of a fusion spliced portion of the optical fibers; and a notification unit configured to notify various types of information, wherein the discharge test is to fusion-splice the optical fibers, to check a fusion-spliced state of the optical fibers on a basis of the image data, and to adjust a fusion splicing condition to be close to an optimum condition, and wherein the fusion splicing control unit causes the notification unit to notify information for requesting execution of the discharge test when a predetermined start condition is satisfied. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is first starting of the fusion splicing control unit after shipment of the fusion splicing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is completion of replacement of at least one of the electrode rods. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is completion of a running-in discharge after replacement of at least one of the electrode rods. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is that a shape of at least one of the electrode rods becomes a predetermined shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is that a shape of at least one of the electrode rods is deformed to a predetermined degree from a last-time discharge test. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is that a change amount of either one or both of an air temperature and an air pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold condition from a last-time discharge test. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is that an estimated loss value exceeds a predetermined threshold condition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the start condition is occurrence of defective fusion splicing of the optical fibers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the fusion splicing control unit keeps causing the notification unit to notify the information for requesting execution of the discharge test until the discharge test is executed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fusion splicing device according to claim 10, wherein the fusion splicing control unit refuses a usual fusion splicing operation until the discharge test is completed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit includes a monitor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fusion splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit includes a speaker. ### Claim 14 An operation method of a device that fusion-splices optical fibers by discharge between a pair of electrode rods, the method comprising: causing a notification unit that notifies various types of information to notify information for requesting execution of a discharge test when a predetermined start condition is satisfied, wherein, in the discharge test, the optical fibers are fusion-spliced, a fusion spliced state of the optical fibers is checked on a basis of image data of a fusion-spliced portion of the optical fibers, and a fusion splicing condition is adjusted to be close to an optimum condition.