FUSION SPLICING DEVICE FOR OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

PURPOSE:To stabilize a discharge region and to lower fusion splicing loss by forming the part near the front end of a circular columnar electrode rod to a circular truncated cone shape and forming the front end thereof to a circular cone or hemisphere having the vertex larger than the angle formed by the side walls of this circular truncated cone. CONSTITUTION:The part near the front end of the electrode rod 1 consisting of a hard metallic circular columnar body 1-1 is formed as the circular truncated cone 1-2 and the front end thereof is formed to the circular cone 1-3 or the hemisphere 1-4. This electrode rod 1 is formed to the circular truncated cone 1-2 by converging the front end part of the metallic circular columnar body 1-1 having a size D sufficient for supplying discharge current and maintaining mechanical strength down to a size(d) suitable for the discharge characteristic of the electrode. The front end thereof is formed to the circular cone 1-3 or the hemisphere 1-4 so that the vertex thereof has angle alpha larger than angle beta formed by the circular truncated cone 1-2. The arc discharge at the front end does not extend up to the circular truncated cone 1-2 and is limited to the range of the circular cone 1-3 or the hemisphere 1-4 when a high voltage is applied to this electrode rod 1. The electrode consumption is thus reduced and the electrode withstands long-term use.