Splice protection heater, fusion splicer including the splice protection heater, and fusion splicing method

An optical fiber fusion splicing method comprising:

• fusion splicing a first optical fiber;
• fusion splicing a second optical fiber;
• covering the fusion spliced portion of the first optical fiber with a first protective sleeve;
• covering the fusion spliced portion of the second optical fiber with a second protection sleeve;
• positioning the first protective sleeve and the first optical fiber on a first heater of a splice protection heater;
• positioning the second protective sleeve and the second optical fiber on a second heater of the splice protection heater;
• turning on the first heater of the splice protection heater at a first timing to start heat shrinking of the first protection sleeve;
• and
• turning on the second heater of the splice protection heater at a second timing to start heat shrinking of the second protection sleeve.

A splice protection heater comprising:

• a heating part configured and arranged to heat shrink a protection sleeve that covers a fusion spliced portion of an optical fiber, the heating part including:
• a housing;
• a heating element disposed within the housing configured and arranged to be selectively turned ON or OFF by a switch;
• a heater cover supported to the housing that is openable and closable around a heat generating portion of the heating element;
• clampers supported to the housing configured and arranged to grip the optical fiber at bilateral ends of the heating element;
• a detecting section disposed to the housing proximate the heating element configured and arranged to detect whether or not the protection sleeve is placed on the heating element;
• and
• an automatic switch section configured to turn the switch ON in response to detection by the detecting section of the protection sleeve being placed on the heating element and further configured to remain OFF in response to the protection sleeve not being placed on the heating element.

An optical fiber fusion splicing method comprising:

• fusion splicing an optical fiber;
• covering a fusion-spliced portion of the optical fiber with a protection sleeve;
• positioning the fusion-spliced portion of the optical fiber and protective sleeve in a housing having a splice protection heater;
• detecting whether the protection sleeve is placed on a heating element of the splice protection heater;
• and
• automatically turning ON a switch of the heating element upon detection of the protection sleeve being placed on the heating element to start heat shrinking the protection sleeve.