BACKGROUND It may be difficult to splice or join single optical fibers and optical fiber ribbons in optical fiber systems when connecting optical fiber cables having in excess of 200 optical fibers. Up to the present, multiple splicing cassettes have been used where the respective excessive optical fiber is wound in loops into the splicing cassette and is cut to the correct length. By the continued handling of the optical fibers, individual optical fibers or fiber ribbons are lifted out from the splicing cassette and are brought to an adjacent optical fiber fusion machine. When the optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons have been fused together and a protective sleeve has been shrunk-on the optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons are wound back into the splicing cassettes.

Since the trend is towards an increasing number of optical fibers per optical fiber ribbon and towards an increasing number of optical fiber ribbons per optical fiber cable, there will be a great demand for appropriate equipment and suitable methods of handling the optical fibers in a structured manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By providing a splice plate having two planes connecting directly on to each other, several optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons from different optical fiber systems may be handled for splicing or jointing, without any need for the individual optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons to cross each other. With the splice plate according to the invention, optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons may be inserted onto the splice plate without being looped or roughly cut to the correct length. Optical fiber ends may then be fused together without removing the optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons from the splice plate. This is made possible by the excess length that is already provided and that enables extension of the optical fiber ends directly out to a fusion machine to be fused together and jointed. Finally, protective sleeves for the optical fiber ends may be secured to the

splice plate, on its sleeve holders. Using the splice plate designed in accordance with the invention, optical multiple fiber ribbons may be handled rationally by the fusion splicing and termination thereof.

The invention will now be described more closely by means of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating a splice plate in accordance with the invention; and.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the splice plate in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figs. 1 and 2 are side and top views, respectively, of a splice plate arranged in accordance with the invention. Here, the splice plate consists of a lower rectangular bottom plate 1 and an upper tray 2 that is pivotally connected to the bottom plate. The bottom plate has fixed inner radius limiters 3 and outer holders 4 for optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons. A pivot mechanism 5 for the tray is provided at one end of the bottom plate and a support 6 for the tray is provided at the other end. The tray may be angled out from the bottom plate by means of the pivot mechanism, so that in the angled-out position it permits access to existing optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons that have been placed there. The tray may be fixed at the correct distance from the bottom plate by means of the support on the bottom plate. On the tray there is a centrally positioned rod-shaped sleeve holder 7, attached to the tray, for positioning the sleeves with the joints of the optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons, radius limiters 8 and several outer support brackets 10 arranged by the side walls 9. In order to provide access to the lower bottom plate the tray is provided with several inspection openings 11. At the end thereof that is opposite to that of the pivot the tray is provided with a lock 12 for connecting the tray to the support 6 of the bottom plate.

When the tray is in a raised position, single optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons from a first optical fiber cable connected to the splice plate may be placed on the bottom plate 1 between the outer brackets 4 and the radius limiters 3. Then, the respective optical fiber ends and/or

optical fiber ribbon ends may be brought up on the tray. In the same manner, single optical fibers/optical fiber ribbons from another optical fiber cable that is connected to splice plate, may be placed on the bottom plate and the respective optical fiber ends and/or optical fiber ribbon ends may be brought up on the tray. After fusing together, splicing and jointing the respective optical fiber ends and/or optical fiber ribbon ends, the optical fiber splices or joints and/or optical fiber ribbon splices have been provided with protective sleeves and the sleeves with the splices have been positioned in the rod-like sleeve holder on the tray that is then lowered.

Naturally, the invention is not restricted to the embodiment that has been described above and that is illustrated on the drawing, but may be modified within the scope of the attached patent claims.