TENSIONING DEVICE HAVING A FLEXURE MECHANISM FOR APPLYING AXIAL TENSION TO CLEAVE AN OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

A tensioning tool device includes a flexible or spring support having a spring bearing that translates a linearly applied external force at an input to linear displacement at an output of the spring bearing. An external force applied to the input of the spring bearing causes the output to pull on a section of the optical fiber and imparts axial strain and tension in the optical fiber. The spring bearing includes one or more sets of parallel flexible beams cantilever-coupled to the input and output, to provide a flexible/spring structure that couples an external force input to an output coupled to the first section of the optical fiber. The external force is applied to displace the input to flex the fixed-guided beam(s) to impart axial tension in the optical fiber at the output of the flexible bearing.

主权项

1. A tensioning device for applying an axial force to cleave an optical fiber that includes an initial crack scribed on the surface of the optical fiber to define a desired cleave location along the optical fiber, the tension device comprising:
a base; a spring bearing including an input and output, and a spring coupling that couples the output to the input; wherein the output fixedly coupled to a first section of the optical fiber at one side of the crack, to prevent axial movement of the first section relative to the output; a frame fixedly coupling a second section of the optical fiber at another side of the crack, to prevent axial movement of the second section relative to the frame, wherein an external force applied to the input of the spring bearing causes linear displacement at the output via the spring coupling, creating a linear axial displacement of the first section of the optical fiber with respect to the second section of the optical fiber, to thereby subject the optical fiber to strain and axial force.