FIBER CLAMP

Abstract

The invention relates to a fiber clamp with a base plate and at least two clamping bodies arranged parallel to one another on the base plate, the clamping bodies being pressed towards one another in one direction by means of a tensioning device, so that a fiber that can be arranged between the base plate and the clamping bodies is between the base plate and the clamping bodies can be pinched.

Claims

1.-7. (canceled)

8. A fiber clamp, comprising a base plate and at least two clamping bodies arranged substantially parallel to one another on the base plate, wherein adjacent clamping bodies are pressed towards one another in one direction via a tensioning device, which either is formed in the base plate or in the base plate and the clamping bodies, the fiber clamp configured so that one fiber disposed between the base plate and the adjacent clamping bodies can be clamped with simultaneous contacting of the base plate and the adjacent clamping bodies.

9. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein the clamping bodies are integrally formed with the base plate.

10. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein the clamping bodies have substantially the shape of a cylinder or a partial cylinder.

11. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein the base plate in a region between adjacent clamping bodies comprises a web section with a convex cross-sectional geometry.

12. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein either the clamping bodies alone, or the clamping bodies and the base plate comprise a rubber-like material.

13. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein either the clamping bodies alone, or the clamping bodies and the base plate consist of a rubber-like material.

14. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein the tensioning device comprises at least one spring element.

15. The fiber clamp according to claim 14, wherein the at least one spring element comprises a spring plate.

16. The fiber clamp according to claim 9, wherein the base plate comprises a fastening section with a through hole for fastening to a higher-level unit.

17. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein the clamping bodies have substantially the shape of a cylinder or a partial cylinder.

18. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein the base plate in a region between adjacent clamping bodies comprises a web section with a convex cross-sectional geometry.

19. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein either the clamping bodies alone, or the clamping bodies and the base plate comprise a rubber-like material.

20. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein either the clamping bodies alone, or the clamping bodies and the base plate consist of a rubber-like material.

21. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein the tensioning device comprises at least one spring element.

22. The fiber clamp according to claim 21, wherein the at least one spring element comprises a spring plate.

23. The fiber clamp according to claim 8, wherein the base plate comprises a fastening section with a through hole for fastening to a higher-level unit.

Description

[0019] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the attached figures.

[0020] The figures show:

[0021] FIG. 1: an embodiment of the fiber clamp according to the invention with a fiber inserted and clamped therein in a perspective view

[0022] FIG. 2: a fiber clamp according to FIG. 1 in a side view

[0023] FIG. 3: an embodiment of the fiber clamp according to the invention with a spring element which is embedded in the base plate and an inserted fiber in a sectional view

[0024] FIG. 4: a fiber clamp according to FIG. 3 in a perspective wire view

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a possible embodiment of the fiber clamp 1 according to the invention. It comprises a base plate 2 and two cylindrical clamping bodies 3 and 4 which are made in one piece or are realized integrally with the base plate 2 and are disposed parallel and adjacent to one another, wherein the base plate 2 and the two clamping bodies 3 and 4 comprise an essentially tangential arrangement to one another.

[0026] The base plate 2 and the two clamping bodies 3 and 4 consist of a rubber-like or elastomeric material. In this exemplary embodiment the tensioning device 5 is formed of or realized by the intrinsic elastic or resilient properties of the rubber-like or elastomeric material of the base plate 2 or the clamping bodies 3, 4, i.e. the elastic properties of the rubber-like material of the base plate 2 and of the two clamping bodies 3, 4 ensure that the clamping bodies 3 and 4 are pressed towards one another or pressed against one another in one direction without additional force.

[0027] The base plate 2 comprises a fastening section 7, which comprises a through hole 8. By means of the fastening section 7 or the through hole 8 located therein, fastening of the fiber clamp 1 to a higher-level unit, for example a fiber positioning device, is made possible in a simple manner.

[0028] An optical fiber 6 is disposed or clamped between the two clamping bodies 3 and 4 and the section of the base plate 2 delimited by the clamping bodies.

[0029] The tensioning device 5, i.e. In the present embodiment, the intrinsic elastic properties of the rubber-like material of the base plate 2 and the clamping body 3, 4 ensures that the two clamping bodies 3, 4 are pressed towards one another in one direction. This effects a contacting of the optical fiber 6 which is disposed between the two clamping bodies 3, 4 and the corresponding section of the base plate 2 via three line contacts. The optical fiber 6 is thus clamped from three sides.

[0030] Due to the mechanical and tribological properties of the rubber-like material of the base plate 2 and the clamping bodies 3, 4 with a large elasticity and a comparatively high coefficient of friction, the clamping contact between the fiber 6 and the corresponding section of the base plate 2 and the clamping body 3, 4 results in a holding or clamping, in which a displacement of the fiber 6 in its longitudinal extension or in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the clamping forces acting on the fiber 6 is only possible with increased effort.

[0031] Since due to the high elasticity of the rubber-like material also a large contact area between the fiber 6 and the base plate 2 and the clamping bodies 3, 4 is effected, the aforementioned effect with regard to holding the fiber 6 is further enhanced. At the same time, the high elasticity of the rubber-like material of the base plate 2 and the clamping bodies 3, 4 ensures that the forces, in particular compressive forces, which act on the fiber 6 due to the clamping, remain low, so that internal effects, such as the refraction of light in the case of glass fibers, are greatly reduced or avoided.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the fiber clamp according to FIG. 1 in a side view. In this view, in particular the web section 9 of the base plate 2 between the two clamping bodies 3 and 4 can be clearly seen compared to the illustration in FIG. 1. Here, the web section 9 comprises a convex or bulbous shape in cross section, in which the resulting projection points in one direction to the two clamping bodies 3, 4. The convex cross-sectional shape of the web section 9 ensures in particular that in addition to the line contact between the fiber 6 and the web section 9 of the base plate 2, there is a line contact between the fiber 6 and the respective clamping body 3 or 4. Without the convex-shaped web section 9 there would be the possibility that the two clamping bodies 3, 4 would make contact with one another and thereby possibly prevent contact between the clamping bodies 3, 4 and the fiber 6.

[0033] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a further embodiment of a fiber clamp according to the invention, wherein FIG. 3 corresponds to a sectional illustration and FIG. 4 to a perspective wire illustration.

[0034] The fiber clamp 1 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 differs from the fiber clamp according to FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 only in that the tensioning device 5 additionally comprises a spring element 50 which is embedded in the fiber clamp 1 in the form of a spring plate. With the aid of this spring plate 50, the intrinsic elastic properties of the rubber-like material from which the base plate 2 and the clamping bodies 3 and 4 are made can be strengthened, so that the clamping forces that can be applied to the fiber 6 are correspondingly increased.

REFERENCE LIST

[0035] 1 fiber clamp [0036] 2 base plate [0037] 3, 4 clamping body [0038] 5 tensioning device [0039] 6 fiber [0040] 7 fastening section [0041] 8 through hole [0042] 9 web section (of base plate 2) [0043] 50 spring element