Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an optical fiber coating removing apparatus which can remove coating from an optical fiber preform without damaging the optical fiber surface. The apparatus is excellent in workability because positioning or the like for coating removal easily. The invention provides an optical fiber coating removing apparatus for holding coating 1b of an end portion of an optical fiber 1 between a pair of coating removing blades and removing the coating 1b from the optical fiber 1 with the pair of the blades. In each blade 11, 11?, a blade pressing plate 12, 12?, a semicircular blade 13, 13? having a semicircular eating blade portion 13a, and a flat blade 14, 14? having a straight-line eating blade portion 14a having a triangular section are integrally laminated onto a blade bearing plate 15, 15? in that order. The coating 1b is removed without damaging the surface of the optical fiber.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an optical fiber coating removing apparatus which can remove coating from an optical fiber preform without damaging the optical fiber surface. The apparatus is excellent in workability because positioning or the like for coating removal easily. The invention provides an optical fiber coating removing apparatus for holding coating 1b of an end portion of an optical fiber 1 between-a pair of coating removing blades and removing the coating 1b from the optical fiber 1 with the pair of the blades. In each blade 11, 11?, a blade pressing plate 12, 12?, a semicircular blade 13, 13? having a semicircular eating blade portion 13a, and a flat blade 14, 14? having a straight-line eating blade portion 14a having a triangular section are integrally laminated onto a blade bearing plate 15, 15? in that order. The coating 1b is removed without damaging the surface of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Each of optical fibers has a core and stress applying members disposed around the core. End portions of the optical fibers are mounted on a fusion-splicing apparatus, and aligned through the image observation from two different lateral directions of the optical fibers. Then, a distance between positions of a bright portion end and a luminance peak closest to the bright portion end is obtained on each bright portion end of a luminance distribution of the optical fiber obtained from at least one picked-up image. The optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the sum of the distances is adjusted to be minimum. Alternatively, a distance between positions of the luminance peaks respectively closest to the respective bright portion ends is obtained and the optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the distance is adjusted to be maximum.

Abstract: Each of optical fibers has a core and stress applying members disposed around the core. End portions of the optical fibers are mounted on a fusion-splicing apparatus, and aligned through the image observation from two different lateral directions of the optical fibers. Then, a distance between positions of a bright portion end and a luminance peak closest to the bright portion end is obtained on each bright portion end of a luminance distribution of the optical fiber obtained from at least one picked-up image. The optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the sum of the distances is adjusted to be minimum. Alternatively, a distance between positions of the luminance peaks respectively closest to the respective bright portion ends is obtained and the optical fibers are fusion-spliced by aligning the stress applying members so that the distance is adjusted to be maximum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical switch comprising a fiber arranging member having a substrate 1 with a plurality of fiber fixing grooves formed in an upper surface thereof, first optical fibers 2 fixed in the fiber fixing grooves, and a convey mechanism 5 for conveying a second optical fiber 6 to be connected to a corresponding first optical fiber 2 to a corresponding fiber fixing groove, wherein fiber introduction grooves 1h for guiding the end portion of the second optical fiber 6 are formed at the end portions of the fiber fixing grooves that fix the end portions of the first optical fibers 2.

Abstract: A method of heating a quartz glass tube with microwaves, which method comprises supplying a gas for plasma generation in the quartz glass tube, applying microwaves to the quartz glass tube so as to generate a hot plasma in the quartz glass tube and to preheat the quartz glass tube, and then discontinuing the supply of the gas for plasma generation while applying the microwaves, whereby the quartz glass tube absorbs the microwaves to heat the quartz glass tube to a sufficient temperature in a very quick and clear manner.