Optical fiber reel module and winding method therefor

Abstract

A optical fiber reel module including a reel having a continuous outer circumference and an optical fiber wound around the reel. The optical fiber reel module further includes an adjustable diameter between a first length and a second length and after an optical fiber is wound around the reel.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 928,854 filed on Aug. 27, 2004 and claims priority from International PCT Application NO. PCT / JP02 / 03929, filed Apr. 19, 2002, the contents of which are herein wholly incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to an optical fiber module and winding method therefor, and more particularly to an optical fiber reel module and a winding method therefor. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] An optical communication system using an optical amplifier for directly amplifying an optical signal has become general, and an EDF module is used as a basic component of such an optical amplifier having an optical amplifying function. FIG. 1 shows an EDF module 1 in the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the EDF module 1 is configured by winding an Er doped optical fiber 4 around a metal reel 2. By adjusting the length of the Er dop...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a rare-earth doped optical fiber module which can relieve the stress generated in winding a rare-earth doped optical fiber, thereby allowing high-precision adjustment of the amplification characteristic.

[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manufacturing method for a rare-earth doped optical fiber module, including the steps of setting a resin reel having elasticity on a metal reel whose diameter is changeable between a first diameter and a second diameter larger than the first diameter; increasing the diameter of the metal reel to the second diameter to thereby increase the diameter of the resin reel; winding a rare-earth doped optical fiber around the resin reel; decreasing the diameter of the metal reel to the first diameter; and removing the resin reel having the rare-earth doped optical fiber from the metal reel.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, the loss contributing to the amplification characteristic of the Er doped optical fiber 4 itself becomes unclear, so that the adjustment of high-precision amplification characteristic is impossible.

While another metal reel whose diameter is adjustable is used, such a metal reel is complicated in structure and it is therefore costly.

Accordingly, there is a possibility that the coating of the Er doped optical fiber 4 may be deformed and / or damaged.

Further, in adjusting the length of the Er doped optical fiber 4 or in splicing the single-mode optical fibers 12 to the opposite ends of the Er doped optical fiber 4, it is necessary to once remove the bundling tubes 14 and to bundle the Er doped optical fiber 4, so that the operation becomes troublesome.

Images