Optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device

An optical-fiber-spliced portion reinforcing heating device comprising:

• paired clamps that respectively grasp one portion and the other portion of a coated portion of an optical fiber, the optical fiber including a fusion-spliced portion, the fusion-spliced portion being coated with a sleeve, the coated portion being exposed from the sleeve;
• at least two or more heaters that are arranged to face each other so as to sandwich the sleeve;
• a first force-applying member that presses at least one of the paired clamps so as to apply a tension to the optical fiber;
• and
• a second force-applying member that applies a pressing force to at least one or more of the heaters via the sleeve by use of one of an elastic member and a magnetic member in accordance with control of a drive source, the heaters being arranged to face each other with the sleeve interposed therebetween, wherein
• a pressing force that is to be applied to the sleeve by the second force-applying member is set to be greater than a tension that is to be applied to the optical fiber by the first force-applying member,
• both the paired clamps are movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber,
• before the optical fiber is grasped, in a state in which one of the paired clamps is separated from the heaters by the first force-applying member and in a state in which the other of the paired clamps moves forward to the heater side and is stopped before the optical fiber is grasped,
• after the paired clamps grasp the optical fiber, the other of the paired clamps starts to move in a backward movement direction away from the heater side, one of the paired clamps moves in a forward movement direction which is due to a tension transmitted through the optical fiber, movement of the other of the paired clamps is stopped at a position away from an end of a movable range of one of the paired clamps,
• therefore, in a state in which the tension is applied to the optical fiber, in one of the paired clamps, a backward movable range in a direction away from the heaters in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber is ensured and a forward movable range that allows movement to the heater side is ensured, and one of the paired clamps is thereby configured to move in a direction in which a tension that is applied to the optical fiber as a result of pressing the sleeve by the heaters and by the second force-applying member is diminished.