Verfahren zum Vereiningen von optischen Fasern

摘要

After a number of optical fibers (20) are inserted into a tubular member (10) of a shape memory alloy, the tubular member is returned to its memorized shape by heating to reduce a cross-sectional area of a reception space (11) of the tubular member, thereby uniting the optical fibers received in the tubular member. In a modified form of the invention, a number of optical fibers (20) are inserted into a reception space (11K) between two tubular members (10K1, 10K2) at least one of which is made of a shape memory alloy, and then the one tubular member is heated to be returned to its memorized shape to reduce a cross-sectional area of the reception space between the two tubular members, thereby uniting the optical fibers. In another modified form of the invention, a number of optical fibers (20) are inserted into a reception space (41) formed between an inner periphery of a tubular member (40) and a partition plate (45) of a shape memory alloy, and then the partition plate is heated to be returned to its memorized shape to reduce a cross-sectional area of the reception space, thereby uniting the optical fibers.