Shielded welding device for optical fibers

A device for welding optical fibers to each other, the device comprising fiber retaining means, electrodes connected to a high voltage source for forming an electric arc between the electrodes and a casing for shielding the electric arc and protecting ends of the optical fibers at a welding location between the electrodes, wherein the casing comprises two casing halves, the casing halves being substantially identical to each other and mounted for movement into engagement with each other in order to close a region around the welding location, in particular around the electrodes, and for movement away from each other for making the region accessible, each casing half having substantially the shape of a part of the surface of a body having a rotational symmetry about a symmetry axis and each casing half being rotatable about a swinging shaft having a swinging axis substantially coinciding with the symmetry axis.

A device for welding optical fibers to each other, the device comprising fiber retaining means, electrodes connected to a high voltage source for forming an electric arc between the electrodes and a casing for shielding the electric arc and protecting ends of the optical fibers at a welding location between the electrodes, wherein the casing comprises two casing halves, the two casing halves being substantially identical to each other and mounted for movement into engagement with each other in order to close a region around the welding location, and for movement away from each other for making the region accessible, the device further comprising a mechanical coupling mechanically coupling the movements of the two casing halves to each other, so that when manually operating a first casing half in order to move it in a direction towards or away from a second casing half also the second casing half is moved in a corresponding way, in a direction towards or away from the first casing half respectively.

A device for welding optical fibers to each other, comprising electrodes connected to a high voltage source for forming an electric arc therebetween, fiber alignment means and at least one hold-down unit elastically biassed to contact a top side of optical fibers inserted in the alignment means and to press in a direction perpendicular to the optical fibers and in a direction towards the alignment means for retaining the optical fibers therein, the device further comprising releasing means arranged to lift, when the releasing means are operated, the hold-down units away from contact with the optical fibers, the hold-down means maintaining the position, so that the optical fibers inserted in the alignment means are released from the alignment means and their position can be adjusted.

A device for welding optical fibers to each other, the device comprising fiber retaining means, electrodes connected to a high voltage source in order to form an electric arc between the electrodes, a light source for illuminating ends of the optical fibers at a welding location between the electrodes, a light detector receiving light from the light source and the welding location, and further comprising a mirror having a reflecting surface which is directed downwards and deflects light from the light source to the light detector, the light source being placed below a horizontal plane extending through the welding location, the light source being arranged to emit light substantially upwards and the light source being located, so that light emitted from the light source hits the mirror in an angle to the reflecting surface and is deflected by the mirror in an oblique angle to a horizontal plane, the mirror being located above the horizontal plane, wherein the reflecting surface is horizontal, the light detector is arranged below the horizontal plane and the oblique angle is comprised within the interval of 15-75.degree., preferably within the interval of 30-60.degree..