JP2000206366A - Optical connector assembling tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the workability of optical connector assembling work by inclining a holder in which a connector ferrule and an optical fiber can be set so that the forward end face of the set connector ferrule is directed upward. SOLUTION: A ferrule set part 20 of a holder 1 is so constructed that a groove 23 where a collar part L projected on the outer peripheral surface of a connector ferrule A is fitted is formed on the upper surface of a block 21, and when the connector ferrule A is set with the collar part L fitted in the groove 23, the positional deviation of the ferrule A is prevented. The ferrule set part 20 is inclined so that the forward end face of the connector ferrule set in the part is directed upward. In this case, an adhesive is filled through a window of the connector ferrule A to fix the connector ferrule A and the optical fiber by bonding, and the filling adhesive is kept from oozing to the outside through fine holes of the ferrule A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector assembling tool for inserting an optical fiber into a connector ferrule and fixing it with an adhesive at a site such as a manhole or a fictitious site to assemble an optical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art To assemble an optical connector, an optical fiber is inserted into a connector ferrule, and the connector ferrule and the optical fiber are bonded and fixed with an adhesive (for example, an epoxy-based adhesive). The end surface of the optical fiber exposed to or protruding from the end is polished. At present, this optical connector assembling operation is performed as follows using at least three tools: a holding tool, a heating tool, and a polishing tool. . As shown in FIG. 3, a tape-shaped optical fiber B from which a coating layer on the tip side has been removed is manually inserted into a mounting hole D opened in a rear end face C of the connector ferrule A, and the connector ferrule A is removed. The exposed distal end of the optical fiber B is inserted into each of the micro holes F opened in the distal end surface E of the optical fiber B. . As shown in FIG. 4, the connector ferrule A and the optical fiber B inserted therein are set in the holder G. The holder G is composed of a ferrule holder H and a fiber holder I, and the connector ferrule A is connected to the ferrule holder H
And the optical fiber B is set on the fiber holder I. . The holding tool G is set on the heating tool M as shown in FIG. . An adhesive (epoxy adhesive) is filled from the window K on the upper surface of the connector ferrule A, and the connector ferrule A and the optical fiber B are bonded and fixed. . After the adhesive is cured and the connector ferrule A and the optical fiber B are bonded and fixed, the connector ferrule A and the optical fiber B are set on a polishing tool (not shown) to be exposed at the tip end surface E of the connector ferrule A or to be exposed therefrom. The protruding tip surface of the optical fiber B is polished.

[0003]

Conventionally, at the time of assembling an optical connector, at least three tools of a holding tool G, a heating tool M, and a polishing tool are used as an assembly tool for inserting and fixing an optical fiber into a connector ferrule. The cost is high due to the need. In addition, it takes time and effort to set the holder G on the heating tool M or remove the holder G from the heating tool M and set it on the polishing tool. Therefore, it is required to reduce the cost of assembling the optical connector and improve the working speed. Here, the following two methods are conceivable as methods for satisfying the above-mentioned requirements. In order to further improve the work speed, it is conceivable to use both of them. 1) Assuming that the tip surface of the optical fiber is polished,
Using an adhesive that quickly cures at room temperature as an adhesive for bonding and fixing the connector ferrule and optical fiber,
To shorten the curing time of the adhesive. 2) The optical fiber is cut by an optical fiber cutting device capable of forming a mirror-like end surface to make the end surface into a mirror surface, and then inserted into a connector ferrule to polish the optical fiber end surface in the field. Omit work.

[0004] When the method 1) is adopted by the conventional assembling tools (holding tool G, heating tool M, polishing tool), the method 2) is adopted because the curing time of the adhesive is reduced. In this case, it is possible to reduce the work time by the amount of the omission of the polishing work. However, using the above two methods in combination has the following problems. 1) Since adhesives that cure quickly at room temperature generally have low viscosity, if the connector ferrule is set in a horizontal ferrule folder and the adhesive is filled through the window of the connector ferrule, the filled adhesive will be subject to capillary action. In addition, it leaks out from a gap between the fine hole of the connector ferrule and the optical fiber inserted therein, and adheres to the distal end surface of the optical fiber, thereby causing an increase in connection loss. Therefore, even if the front end surface of the optical fiber is mirror-cut in advance,
A polishing operation is eventually required to remove the adhered adhesive. When only the method 1) is adopted, the adhesive is removed by polishing, so that there is no problem of connection loss. Further, when only the method 2) is adopted, the adhesive does not adhere to the tip end surface of the optical fiber because the viscosity of the adhesive is high.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the workability of an optical connector assembling operation by enabling the two methods for improving the speed of the optical connector assembling operation to be used in combination. It is to provide an assembly tool.

The first optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
A holder in which a connector ferrule and an optical fiber inserted therein can be set is inclined such that the distal end face of the connector ferrule set therein is upward.

[0007] The second optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
A holder in which a connector ferrule and an optical fiber inserted therein can be set is rotatable so that the distal end face of the connector ferrule set therein is upward.

The third optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
The holder according to claim 1 or 2 includes a ferrule holder capable of setting a connector ferrule and a fiber holder capable of setting an optical fiber, and the tip surface of the connector ferrule set in the ferrule holder faces upward. As described above.

The fourth optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
The optical fiber set in the holder according to claim 1 or claim 2 or the fiber holder according to claim 3,
It is movable so that it can be inserted and removed from the connector ferrule.

[0010] The fifth optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
An observation mechanism for observing the distal end surface of the connector ferrule is provided.

A sixth optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
In the fifth optical connector assembly tool, the observation mechanism is movable so that the distal end surface of the connector ferrule can be observed from two or more different angles.

[0012] The seventh optical connector assembly tool of the present application is:
The optical connector assembling tool according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a pusher for pushing back the optical fiber projecting from the distal end surface of the connector ferrule into the connector ferrule.

[0013]

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of an optical connector assembly tool according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b). The optical connector assembling tool of the present invention shown in these figures has a base 1 formed in a substantially L-shape by connecting a side plate 11 to one longitudinal end of a bottom plate 10 as shown in FIG.
2, a holder 1, an observation mechanism 4, and a pressing tool 5 are installed. The holder 1 has a connector ferrule A
And a fiber setting unit 30 that can set the optical fiber B.

The ferrule set section 20 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a flange L (FIGS. 3 and 4) projecting from the outer peripheral surface of the connector ferrule A is fitted on the upper surface of the block 21 installed on the bottom plate 10. A possible groove 23 is formed. When the connector ferrule A is set by fitting the flange L into the groove 23, the misalignment of the ferrule A is prevented. As shown in FIG.
Tip surface E of connector ferrule A set on it
(FIG. 4) is inclined so as to face upward. It is desirable that the inclination angle of the ferrule set section 20 is in the range of 0 ° to 45 °, but may be other than this.

The fiber setting section 30 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), it is provided on the bottom plate 10 on the side opposite to the side plate 11 with the ferrule set portion 20 interposed therebetween. The fiber setting unit 30 includes a block 32 fixed on the bottom plate 10 as shown in FIG.
2 comprises a fiber support portion 34 slidably mounted in the direction of the arrow aa in the figure and an operation bolt 36 for sliding the fiber support portion 34. Specifically, the fiber support 34 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the front and rear surfaces of a slide plate 40 which is slidably fitted in the direction of arrow aa in FIG. A substantially U-shaped holding member 42 is provided.
By inserting the optical fiber B between the optical fiber B and the slide plate 40, the optical fiber B can be held.

As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the fiber support portion 34 is attached to an operation bolt 36 which penetrates the block 32, and rotates the operation bolt 36 in the left or right direction. , And slides to the ferrule set section 20 side, and when rotated in the other direction, slides to the opposite side. A knob 44 is formed at the end of the operating bolt 36, and the outer peripheral surface of the knob 44 is knurled to prevent slippage. As shown in FIG. 1A, the fiber setting section 30 is inclined in accordance with the inclination of the ferrule setting section 20.

The pusher 5 comprises a pressing portion 50 which can be expanded and contracted in the directions of arrows bb in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), and an adjusting bolt 52 which operates to expand and contract the pressing portion 50.
2 is rotated in the left or right direction, the pressing portion 50 projects toward the ferrule set portion 20 side, and the set portion 20
Hole F of connector ferrule A set to
The distal end of the optical fiber B projecting outward from FIGS. 3 and 4 is pushed back into the fine hole F and rotated in the opposite direction so that the pressing portion 50 returns to the original position. As with the operation bolt 36, the adjusting bolt 52 has a knob 54 formed at the tip, and the outer peripheral surface of the knob 54 is knurled.

The observation mechanism 4 is, as shown in FIG.
An arrow c- in FIG.
A microscope 64 that is rotatable in the same direction by being attached to the tip of a support arm 62 that is rotatably mounted in the c direction.
And a light 68 attached to the tip of an auxiliary arm 66 protruding from the support arm 62 so as to be rotatable in the same direction together with the microscope 64.
While irradiating the light of the light 68 to the distal end face E of the connector ferrule A (the distal end face of the optical fiber B), the microscope 64 can observe the distal end face E of the connector ferrule A.

(Example of Use) Inserting and fixing the optical fiber B to the connector ferrule A using the optical connector assembly tool of the present invention shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a connector ferrule A is set on a ferrule set portion 20 of the holder 1 so that a front end face E thereof faces the pusher 5 side. At this time, the flange portion L of the connector ferrule A is fitted into the groove 23 of the ferrule set portion 20 so that the connector ferrule A
Is regulated so as not to be misaligned. 2. Slide plate 40 of fiber setting section 30 of holder 1
The optical fiber B is inserted between the optical fiber B and the holding member 42, and the optical fiber B is set on the fiber setting section 30. At this time, the end of the optical fiber B (the part inserted into the connector ferrule A) is set so as to protrude outward from the end of the slide plate 40. In addition, the tip of the optical fiber B is mirror-cut in advance. 3. By rotating the operation bolt 36, the slide plate 40 is made to approach the ferrule set section 20, and the tip of the optical fiber B set therein is inserted into the mounting hole D of the connector ferrule A (FIG. 3). 4. Further, the slide plate 40 is moved closer to the ferrule set section 20, and the tip of the optical fiber B is inserted into the fine hole F (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the connector ferrule A. At this time, the optical fiber B is inserted until the tip of the optical fiber B projects only slightly outside from the fine hole F. 5. The adjusting bolt 52 of the pressing tool 5 is rotated to press the pressing portion 50.
Is projected toward the ferrule set section 20, and the tip of the optical fiber B projecting from the micro hole F of the connector ferrule A is pushed back into the micro hole F. As a result, the distal end surface of the optical fiber B and the distal end surface E of the connector ferrule A can be completely flush. 6. The connector ferrule A and the optical fiber B are filled with an adhesive through the window K (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the connector ferrule A.
And fixed by adhesive. At this time, connector ferrule A
Is set on the inclined ferrule set portion 20 and the tip end surface E is directed upward, so that the filled adhesive does not seep out from the fine holes F of the ferrule A. 7. When the adhesive has hardened, the observation mechanism 4 observes the distal end surface E of the connector ferrule A (the distal end of the optical fiber B) to confirm the presence or absence of a flaw or the presence of a deposit. Thus, the optical fiber B is inserted and fixed in the connector ferrule A.

During the steps 1) to 6), the observation mechanism 4 is used.
Can be rotated to the position indicated by the imaginary line in FIG. 1 to escape to a position where it does not interfere with the work, and can be returned to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1 for observation before the step 7). In the above 5), the tip of the optical fiber B protruding from the micro hole F of the connector ferrule A by the pressing tool 5 is moved to the micro hole F.
However, the distal end of the optical fiber B can be returned into the fine hole F by rotating the operation bolt 36 in the reverse direction to move the slide plate 40 away from the ferrule holder 2. However, in this case, if the optical fiber B is returned too much, the distal end surface of the optical fiber B and the distal end surface E of the connector ferrule A cannot be made flush, so that it is necessary to adjust the amount of pullback of the slide plate 40 accurately. There is.

(Embodiment 2) A second embodiment of the optical connector assembling tool of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The basic configuration of the ferrule / fiber assembly apparatus of the present invention shown in the figure is the same as that shown in FIG. The difference is that, as shown in FIG. 2, a ferrule holder 2 in which a connector ferrule A can be set in a holder 1 and a fiber holder 3 in which an optical fiber B can be set are provided. Only the rotatable member is rotatable in the direction of arrow d-d in the figure.

The fiber holder 3 shown in FIG. 2 has the same structure as the fiber setting section 30. The optical fiber B set in the fiber holder 3 is moved in the direction of the ferrule holder 2 and in the opposite direction to the ferrule holder. Insert into the connector ferrule A set in 2.
It can be removed.

[0023]

The first invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the holder is inclined obliquely so that the tip surface of the connector ferrule set on the holder faces upward, even if a low-viscosity adhesive is filled through the window of the connector ferrule, the adhesive remains It does not seep out from the gap between the hole and the optical fiber inserted therein and adhere to the tip of the optical fiber. Therefore,
By using an adhesive with a high curing speed and further cutting the tip of the optical fiber into a mirror surface in advance and inserting the optical fiber into the connector ferrule, it is possible to greatly reduce the working time.

The second invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the holder is rotatable so that the distal end face of the connector ferrule set therein faces upward, even when the device cannot be arranged horizontally, the connector ferrule can be inclined by an optimal inclination angle. it can.

The third invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the holder includes a ferrule holder and a fiber holder, and the ferrule holder is rotatable so that the distal end surface of the connector ferrule set therein faces upward, even when the device cannot be arranged horizontally. In addition, the connector ferrule can be inclined by an optimum inclination angle. . Since the ferrule holder is rotatable (swingable), the optical fiber can be smoothly inserted into the connector ferrule set therein.

The fourth invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the holder or the fiber holder is movable so that the optical fiber set therein can be inserted into and removed from the connector ferrule, it can be easily inserted into the connector ferrule at the tip of the optical fiber.

The fifth invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since an observation mechanism for observing the distal end surface of the connector ferrule is provided, it is possible to inspect and confirm whether the distal end surface of the connector ferrule (the distal end surface of the optical fiber) is flawed or adhered.

The sixth invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the observation mechanism is movable so that the distal end surface of the connector ferrule can be observed from two or more different angles, it is easy to find scratches and deposits on the distal end surface of the connector ferrule.

[0029] The seventh invention of the present application has the following effects. . Since the pusher for pushing back the optical fiber projecting from the distal end surface of the connector ferrule into the connector ferrule is provided, the distal end surface of the optical fiber and the distal end surface of the connector ferrule can be easily and reliably flushed. .

[0030]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a first embodiment of an optical connector assembling tool of the present invention, wherein (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the optical connector assembling tool of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a part of an assembly process of the optical connector.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an example of a jig used for assembling a conventional optical connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Holder 2 Ferrule holder 3 Fiber holder 4 Observation mechanism 5 Pusher A Connector ferrule B Optical fiber E Tip face of connector ferrule

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Kazuhiro Takayama 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Masao Shinoda 2-6-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akio Goto 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Masaaki Takaya 3-19 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Shinji Nagasawa 3-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) 2H036 JA02 QA23 QA24

Claims (7)

[Claims] A holder (1) capable of setting a connector ferrule (A) and an optical fiber (B) inserted therein.
An optical connector assembly tool characterized in that the connector ferrule (A) set therein is inclined such that the tip end surface (E) of the connector ferrule (A) faces upward. 2. A holder (1) in which a connector ferrule (A) and an optical fiber (B) inserted therein can be set.
An optical connector assembling tool, wherein the connector ferrule (A) set on the optical connector is rotatable so that the distal end surface (E) faces upward. 3. A holder (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2.
Has a ferrule holder (2) in which a connector ferrule (A) can be set and a fiber holder (3) in which an optical fiber (B) can be set, and the ferrule holder (2)
Is an optical connector assembly tool characterized in that the connector ferrule (A) set therein can be rotated so that the distal end surface (E) faces upward. 4. A holder (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2.
An optical connector assembling tool according to claim 3, wherein the optical fiber (B) set therein is movable so that the optical fiber (B) can be inserted into and removed from the connector ferrule (A). . 5. An end surface (E) of a connector ferrule (A).
The optical connector assembly tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising an observation mechanism (4) for observing (1). 6. The optical connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein the observation mechanism is movable so that the distal end face of the connector ferrule can be observed from two or more different angles. tool. 7. A tip surface (E) of a connector ferrule (A).
The optical connector assembling tool according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a pusher (5) for pushing back the optical fiber (B) protruding from the connector ferrule (A).