JP2690622B2 - Optical connector ferrule - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector for connecting optical fibers to each other, and more particularly to an optical connector ferrule in which an auxiliary optical fiber is previously held and fixed in a ferrule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of optical connector ferrule, those shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are known (see Japanese Patent Application No. 63-323248). That is, the sixth
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, two openings 10a, 1 are provided at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the capillary member 10 at a predetermined interval.
0b is provided and the opening 10 on the side of the auxiliary optical fiber 11 is provided.
Since the capillary member 10 is cut by the other opening 10b, the matching agent 14 applied to a does not go around further. Therefore, when the adhesive 16 is applied to the connecting optical fiber 15 and inserted, the optical fiber 15 connected to the auxiliary optical fiber 11 is optically connected by the matching agent 14, and is connected. Since the matching agent 14 does not wrap around the capillary member 10 in the optical fiber 15, it is possible to reliably bond and fix the optical fiber 15 to the capillary member 10. Reference numeral 12 denotes an adhesive.

Further, by forming the capillary member 10 of a light-transmitting substance, it is possible to use a photocurable resin as the adhesive 16 for fixing the optical fiber 15 to be connected.

[0004]

When fixing an optical fiber to be connected to this conventional optical connector ferrule by using a photocurable resin, the photocurable resin is cured mainly for the purpose of curing for a short time. It is necessary to efficiently irradiate a light flux having a wavelength.

However, in order to make the cylindrical ferrule body 13 of this conventional optical connector ferrule coaxial with the core center of the auxiliary optical fiber 11, the outer periphery of the ferrule body 13 is cut and aligned. There is a need. Therefore, since the material of the ferrule body 13 must use metal, the incident position of the light flux that cures the photocurable resin is only the end of the ferrule, and the amount of the light flux that actually cures the photocurable resin is limited. There was a problem that it would be

[0006]

An optical connector ferrule of the present invention is for covering an auxiliary optical fiber, a cylindrical member provided so as to incorporate the auxiliary optical fiber, and an outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical member. An optical connector ferrule configured by combining with an exterior member of, wherein the cylindrical member is
Two end faces, an outer diameter that is coaxial with the center of the core of the auxiliary optical fiber, an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary optical fiber, and a predetermined interval in the approximate longitudinal center of the cylindrical member. And an end portion of an optical fiber to be inserted into the optical connector ferrule, which has two openings formed in the optical connector and is formed of a substance that can transmit a light flux having a wavelength that cures a predetermined photocurable resin. When optically connecting one end of the auxiliary optical fiber and the inside of the cylindrical member, the optical fiber is coated with the photocurable resin and inserted into the cylindrical member, and the photocurable resin is In the optical connector ferrule in which the photocurable resin is cured by irradiating the light flux to fix the optical fiber inside the cylindrical member, the exterior member is the longitudinal direction. Is shorter than the length of the cylindrical member in the longitudinal direction, and when the optical connector ferrule is constructed, the exterior member covers at least the two openings, and To enable irradiation of a light beam from a surface other than the two end surfaces of the cylindrical member at a predetermined position where the photocurable resin is present when the optical fiber is fixed inside the cylindrical member. , The cylindrical member is configured to be combined with the cylindrical member in a state in which the cylindrical member has a surface other than the two end surfaces and is exposed to the outside of the external member. .

[0007]

In the optical connector ferrule of the present invention, since the cylindrical member capable of transmitting the light flux having the wavelength for curing the photocurable resin can be exposed to the outside of the ferrule, the incident direction of the light flux irradiated on the photocurable resin And the amount of light increases compared to the conventional optical connector ferrule.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a first embodiment of an optical connector ferrule of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a state in which an optical fiber to be connected to the optical connector ferrule is inserted and fixed. Is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the cylindrical member 1 capable of transmitting a light beam in the curing wavelength band of the photocurable resin is formed so that its inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary optical fiber 2. At the same time, two openings 1a and 1b are formed at a substantially central position in the longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals. The auxiliary optical fiber 2 is adhesively fixed in the cylindrical member 1 with an adhesive 3 so that the right end surface 2a, which is mirror-polished, is located at the center position of the opening 1a on the left side (the auxiliary optical fiber 2 side). Has been done. Further, the center axis of the outer circumference of the cylindrical member 1 is formed with high accuracy so as to be the same as the center axis of the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 1, and as a result, the core center of the auxiliary optical fiber bonded and fixed to the cylindrical member 1 is formed. The central axis of the outer periphery of the cylindrical member 1 is precisely positioned. Further, the left end faces of the cylindrical member 1 and the auxiliary optical fiber 2 are set to be the same face.

On the other hand, an optically transparent and liquid matching agent 4 having a refractive index substantially equal to that of the core of the auxiliary optical fiber 2 is applied from the left opening 1a and is filled up to the position of the right opening 1b. To be done. At this time, since the cylindrical member 1 is cut by the opening 1b on the right side, the matching agent 4 does not spread over the entire inside of the cylindrical member 1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, after the photocurable resin 5 is applied to the optical fiber 6 to be connected and inserted into the cylindrical member 1, the light beam 8 having the curing wavelength of the photocurable resin 5 is irradiated from the outside of the cylindrical member. By doing
The optical fiber 6 and the cylindrical member 1 are fixed, and the optical fiber 6 connected to the auxiliary optical fiber 2 is optically connected by the matching agent 4. The exterior member 7 prevents dust and the like from entering the openings 1a and 1b, and also prevents breakage of the cylindrical member 1 due to bending or tensile stress applied to the cylindrical member 1.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which frosted glass-like irregularities are formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical member 1. The light flux 8 of the curing wavelength of the photocurable resin 5 is outside the cylindrical member 1 from the air. When it reaches the surface, it diffuses and diffuses and evenly spreads over the entire cylindrical member, and the entire area of the photocurable resin 5 is uniformly cured.

FIG. 4 shows the cylindrical member 1 when the cylindrical member 1 is formed.
Is mixed with a granular substance 21 having a different refractive index and capable of transmitting the light flux 8 having a wavelength for curing the photocurable resin. The light flux 8 is repeatedly reflected and refracted by the granular substance 21, and the entire cylindrical member is Since the light flux 8 is evenly distributed over the entire area of the photocurable resin 5, the entire area of the photocurable resin 5 is uniformly cured. Further, in FIG. 5, the same effect can be obtained even if the granular material 22 is a material 22 which can only be reflected on its outer surface.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, by exposing the cylindrical member transparent to the light for curing the photocurable resin to the outside of the ferrule, the photocurable resin is cured inside the entire cylindrical member. Since the light flux of the wavelength can be evenly distributed, the photocurable resin is efficiently cured, and the optical fiber can be reliably fixed in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of an optical connector ferrule according to claim 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where an optical fiber connected to the optical connector ferrule of FIG. 1 is inserted and fixed.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the optical connector ferrule according to claim 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the optical connector ferrule according to claim 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the optical connector ferrule according to claim 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional optical connector ferrule.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which an optical fiber to be connected to the optical connector ferrule of FIG. 6 is inserted and fixed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cylindrical member 1a, 1b Opening 2 Auxiliary optical fiber 2a Right end surface of auxiliary optical fiber 3 Adhesive 4 Matching agent 5 Photocurable resin 6 Optical fiber 7 Exterior member 8 Luminous flux 10 Capillary member 10a, 10b Opening 11 Auxiliary Optical fiber 11a Right end surface of auxiliary optical fiber 12 Adhesive 13 Ferrule body 14 Matching agent 15 Optical fiber 20 Ground glass irregularities 21 Granular substance capable of transmitting light beam 22 Granular substance capable of reflecting light beam

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Koji Yamamoto 3-20-4 Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, NEC Engineering Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-2-170104 (JP, A) JP Sho 60-198510 (JP, A) Actually opened Sho 60-49509 (JP, U)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light configured by combining an auxiliary optical fiber, a cylindrical member provided so as to incorporate the auxiliary optical fiber, and an exterior member for covering an outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical member. A connector ferrule, wherein the cylindrical member has two end faces, an outer diameter that is coaxial with the core center of the auxiliary optical fiber, an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the auxiliary optical fiber, and the cylinder. The member has two openings formed at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction at a predetermined interval, and is made of a substance capable of transmitting a light flux having a wavelength that cures a predetermined photocurable resin. When optically connecting the end portion of the optical fiber to be inserted into the connector ferrule and the one end of the auxiliary optical fiber inside the cylindrical member, the optical fiber is coated with the photocurable resin to form a cylindrical portion. In the optical connector ferrule, which is inserted into the material, cures the photocurable resin by irradiating the light flux to the photocurable resin, and fixes the optical fiber inside the cylindrical member, The length of the outer member in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the length of the cylindrical member in the longitudinal direction, and when the optical connector ferrule is constructed, the outer member has at least the two openings. In the covered condition, and
To enable irradiation of a light beam from a surface other than the two end surfaces of the cylindrical member to a predetermined position where the photocurable resin will exist when the optical fiber is fixed inside the cylindrical member. In addition, the cylindrical member is
An optical connector ferrule, wherein the exterior member and the cylindrical member are combined in a state of having a surface other than the two end surfaces that is exposed to the outside of the exterior member. 2. The optical connector ferrule according to claim 1, wherein frosted glass-like irregularities are formed on the outer surface of the cylindrical member. 3. A cylindrical member is formed by mixing a granular material having a refractive index different from that of the cylindrical member and transmitting a light flux having a wavelength for curing the photocurable resin, into the cylindrical member. The optical connector ferrule according to claim 1. 4. The optical connector ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member is formed by mixing a granular substance having an outer surface capable of reflecting a light flux having a wavelength for curing the photocurable resin.