JP2001021758A - Manufacture of ferrule and ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing a ferrule capable of forming such a hole that becomes an insertion hole for an optical fiber, has satisfactory hole diameter precision, and allows easy insertion of the optical fiber easily and inexpensively by a mass production by providing the hole in which taper is formed in an end part as the insertion hole for the optical fiber wire. SOLUTION: A stainless wire which is released from a mold and set on an electroforming plating device in an electroforming plating process F1. The stainless wire is pulled out of a thick plating metallic wire in a metallic wire pulling out process F2 to form a ferrule basic material provided with a hole which becomes an insertion hole for an optical fiber. Centerless grinding is applied to outer periphery of the ferrure basic material in a grinding process F3. The ferrule basic material is cut to form the ferrule basic material having a predetermined dimension in a cutting process F4. An electrode is attached on the ferrule basic material for electrolytic polishing in an electrolytic polishing process F5. As a result, a ferrule in which conical taper is formed in one end part of the hole is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a ferrule for an optical fiber connector and a ferrule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional ferrule manufacturing methods include:
Extrusion processing and powder injection molding are used. Hereinafter, only the extrusion method will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the outline of a method of manufacturing a ferrule by a conventional extrusion method. FIG. 8 (a) shows an insulating rod having a through hole, FIG. 8 (b) shows an insulating rod piece, and FIG. (C) shows a state of hole polishing, and (d) shows a state of taper processing. In FIG. 8, 31 is a ferrule, 31a
Is an insulating rod, 31b is an insulating rod piece, 32 is a through hole,
33 is a polishing wire, 34 is a grinding jig, and t is a tapered portion. First, as shown in FIG. 8 (a), an insulating rod material (for example, made of zirconia) 31a having a through hole 32 having a diameter of, for example, 90 μm at the center of a cylindrical shape having a diameter of, for example, 20 mm and serving as a base material of a ferrule is extruded. It is manufactured by the method. Next, for example, as shown in FIG.
And sliced into an insulating bar piece 31b. Next, as a post-processing of the insulating rod piece 31b, the through-hole 32
As shown in FIG. 8C, the polishing wire 3 made of, for example, a piano wire is used to increase the diameter of
Then, as shown in FIG. 8 (d), a conical taper portion t is provided at one end of the through hole 32 by a grinding jig 34 to facilitate the passage of the optical fiber. Thus, the ferrule 31 was completed. This extrusion method is a method of manufacturing a ferrule by machining.

[0003]

However, in the conventional method of manufacturing a ferrule using an extrusion method, the ferrule having a through hole formed in the center is further subjected to polishing, grinding, and the like to further improve the ferrule. Since the process of expanding the hole and forming a conical taper at one end of the through hole is all performed by machining, it takes a lot of time to finish the ferrule and it becomes an expensive part There was a problem. The present invention has been made in order to solve the various problems of the above-described conventional technology, and has a high precision in the diameter of a hole serving as an insertion hole of an optical fiber, and the optical fiber is inserted through the hole. An object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method and a ferrule in which a ferrule having an easy hole can be easily and inexpensively mass-produced.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a subsequent step, a metal wire (w) for drawing for forming a hole to be an insertion hole for an optical fiber wire is electroformed. Electroplating step of plating and providing a thick plating metal (m) around the outer periphery of the metal wire (w) to obtain a thick plating metal wire (1a); A step of drawing a metal wire (w) and providing a hole (2) to form a ferrule base material (1b); and cutting the ferrule base material (1b) to a predetermined size. A cutting step of forming a ferrule base material (1c); and electro-polishing a hole (2) at an end of the ferrule base material (1c) to form a taper (t) at an end of the hole (2). An electropolishing step; and a ferrule manufacturing method for manufacturing the ferrule (1). In the method for manufacturing a ferrule according to the first aspect, by using an electroforming plating process, a metal wire drawing process, a cutting process, and an electrolytic polishing process, a taper is formed at an end as an insertion hole for an optical fiber wire. The ferrule provided with the formed hole can be easily manufactured, and can be manufactured more inexpensively and accurately. The ferrule base material is formed from the thick plating metal (m). Further, a ferrule base material having a predetermined outer diameter can be obtained by the electroforming plating process.

[0005] As a second aspect, the present invention provides that the outer diameter of the ferrule base material (1b) or the ferrule base material (1c) is adjusted to a predetermined outer diameter following the metal wire drawing step or the cutting step. A method for manufacturing a ferrule provided with a grinding process for grinding. In the manufacturing method according to the second aspect, even when the outer diameter of the ferrule base material does not become the predetermined outer diameter in the electroforming plating step, the ferrule base material having the predetermined outer diameter is provided by providing a grinding process. be able to.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a ferrule in which the metal wire for drawing (w) has linearity, and is made of stainless steel, tungsten, or tungsten-cobalt having high rigidity and toughness. . In the method of manufacturing a ferrule according to the third aspect, stainless steel, tungsten, or tungsten-cobalt having linearity and high rigidity and toughness can be preferably used as the drawing metal wire (w).

As a fourth aspect, the present invention resides in a method of manufacturing a ferrule, wherein the metal wire for drawing (w) is a round wire. In the manufacturing method according to the fourth aspect, a round wire can be preferably used as the metal wire for drawing.
The round wire is most suitable for providing an insertion hole for an optical fiber having a circular cross section, but a wire having an arbitrary shape, such as an elliptical wire, can be used depending on the shape of the optical fiber.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a multi-core ferrule, wherein the drawing metal wire (w) is subjected to a release treatment before electroforming plating. In the manufacturing method according to the fifth aspect, since the mold release treatment is performed before the electroforming plating is performed, the metal wire (w) is removed from the plated metal wire (1a) in the metal wire drawing step. It is preferable because it can be easily pulled out.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a multi-core ferrule, wherein the thick plating metal (m) is made of nickel, copper, iron, nickel-cobalt or stainless steel. In the manufacturing method according to the sixth aspect, nickel, copper, iron, nickel-cobalt or stainless steel can be preferably used as the thick plating metal (m).

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing a ferrule, wherein the electroforming plating step comprises a pretreatment comprising preliminary degreasing, electrolytic degreasing, neutralization and activation, and an electroforming plating. In the manufacturing method according to the seventh aspect, as the electroforming plating step, a pretreatment including preliminary degreasing, electrolytic degreasing, neutralization, and activation, and electroforming plating can be preferably used.

According to an eighth aspect, the present invention resides in a ferrule obtained by the ferrule manufacturing method according to each of the above aspects. The ferrule according to the eighth aspect is preferably obtained by the ferrule manufacturing method according to each of the above aspects.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The contents of the present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by this. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an electroforming plating apparatus on which metal wires (round wires) for drawing are set. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a thick plated metal strand. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a ferrule base material provided with holes, wherein FIG. 3A shows a ferrule base material before cutting, FIG. 3B shows a ferrule base material of a predetermined size after cutting, and FIG. (C) is an enlarged vertical sectional view near the hole. FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a ferrule base material insulated except for around a hole at one end. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an electrolytic polishing apparatus. FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a state in which a conical taper is formed at one end of the hole of the ferrule. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the ferrule manufacturing method of the present invention. In these figures, 1 is a ferrule, 1a is a thick plated metal wire, 1b is a ferrule substrate, 1c is a ferrule substrate of a predetermined size, 2 is a hole (insertion hole), 10 is an electroformed plating apparatus, and 11 is an anode. , 12 is a cathode, 13 is a plating solution, 20 is an electropolishing device, 21 is an anode, 22 is a cathode, 2
Reference numeral 3 denotes a polishing solution, c denotes a cut portion, m denotes a thick plated metal, t denotes a taper, w denotes a metal element wire (round wire) for drawing, and z denotes an insulating material.

Embodiment 1 Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 0.126mmφ × as metal wire (w) for drawing
An 80 mm long stainless steel wire (SUS304) was set on a jig (not shown). Next, as a pretreatment before performing the electroforming plating, first, immersion is performed in a neutral detergent at 25 ° C. for 3 to 5 minutes to perform preliminary degreasing, and then, using an alkaline degreasing agent at 25 ° C., and performing cathodic electrolysis at 5 V for 30 to 30 minutes. Degreasing was performed for 60 seconds. Next, neutralization and activation treatment were performed using hydrochloric acid (5%) at 25 ° C. Next, release agent Nikka Nontack A,
B (product name of Nippon Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.) for 10 minutes to perform a release treatment. Next, as an electroforming plating step F1,
The release-treated stainless steel wire (w) was set in the electroforming plating apparatus shown in FIG. 1 (immersed in a plating solution by 50 mm), and a cathode (12) was connected to the stainless steel wire (w).
A positive potential was connected to the anode (11) in (13) to perform electroforming plating. As the plating solution (13), nickel sulfamate 450 g / l, nickel chloride 10 g /
1 and a plating solution of 30 g / l of boric acid at a bath temperature of 55 ° C., plating was performed at a current density of 4 A / dm ² for 24 hours, and a thick plating metal (m) was provided on the outer periphery of the stainless wire (w). A thick plated metal strand (1a) having a diameter of 2.3 mm was shown. Next, as a metal wire drawing step F2, a stainless steel wire (w) is drawn from the thick plated metal wire (1a), and as shown in FIG. The ferrule substrate (1b) provided with 2) (the plated portion was 50 mm). Next, as a grinding step F3, the outer periphery of the ferrule base material (1b) was subjected to centerless grinding (not shown) to have a diameter of 2.0 mm. Next, as a cutting step F4, using a cutting jig (not shown), the ferrule base material (1b) is c-
The ferrule base material (1c) having a predetermined size shown in FIG. Next, electrolytic polishing step F
5, first, an electrode (not shown) is attached to the ferrule base material (1c), and then, as shown in FIG. After that, the insulated ferrule base material (1c) is removed using the electrolytic polishing apparatus (20) shown in FIG.
The ferrule substrate (1c) is connected to the anode (21), and the polishing liquid (2) is set.
A negative potential was connected to the cathode (21) in 3) to perform electropolishing. As a result, a ferrule (1) having a conical taper (t) at one end of the hole (2) was obtained as shown in FIG. The polishing liquid (23) was IC-370.
Bath temperature of 55
Electropolishing was performed at a temperature of 15 ° C. and a current density of 15 A / dm ² for 2 minutes. In the first embodiment, the grinding process F
However, since the thick plated metal wire (1a) having a predetermined outer diameter can be obtained only by the electroforming plating step F1, the grinding step F3 can be omitted.

[0014]

According to the method for manufacturing a ferrule of the present invention, an electroforming plating step, a metal wire drawing step, a cutting step, an electropolishing step, and, if necessary, a grinding step are used, so that an optical fiber A ferrule having a tapered one end of a hole serving as an insertion hole can be manufactured easily, accurately, and at low cost. Therefore, the present invention has an extremely large effect of contributing to industry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an electroforming plating apparatus on which metal wires (round wires) for drawing are set.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a thick plated metal element wire.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a ferrule base material provided with holes, wherein FIG. 3A is a ferrule base material before cutting, and FIG. 3B is a ferrule base material of a predetermined size after cutting; FIG. 3C is an enlarged vertical sectional view near the hole.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a ferrule base material insulated except around a hole at one end.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an electropolishing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a state in which a conical taper is formed at an end of one hole of the ferrule.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a manufacturing process of the ferrule manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an outline of a method of manufacturing a ferrule by a conventional extrusion processing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ferrule 1a Thick plated metal element wire 1b Ferrule base material 1c Ferrule base material of a predetermined size 2 hole (insertion hole) 10 Electroforming plating device 11 Anode 12 Cathode 13 Plating solution 20 Electropolishing device 21 Anode 22 Cathode 23 Polishing solution c Cutting Part m Thick plated metal t Taper w Metal wire for extraction (round wire) z Insulation material

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 15, 1999 (1999.12.
15)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0008

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0008] The present invention as a fifth aspect is the pull metal strands (w), before performing the electroforming plating, in the manufacturing method of the full ferrule release treatment that have been subjected. The fifth
In the manufacturing method according to the above aspect, since the mold release treatment is performed before the electroforming plating is performed, the metal wire (w) is easily drawn from the plated metal wire (1a) in the metal wire drawing step. It is preferable because it can be used.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0009

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0009] The present invention as a sixth aspect, the Atsumekki metal (m) is, nickel, copper, iron, nickel - is the production method of full ferrule cobalt or stainless ing. In the manufacturing method according to the sixth aspect, nickel, copper, iron, nickel-cobalt or stainless steel can be preferably used as the thick plating metal (m).

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A drawing metal wire (w) for providing a hole serving as an insertion hole for an optical fiber wire in a subsequent step.
Electroforming plating on the metal wire (w) to provide a thick plating metal (m) on the outer periphery of the metal wire (w) to obtain a thick plating metal wire (1a); A metal wire (w) is drawn from 1a), a metal wire drawing step of providing a hole (2) to form a ferrule base material (1b); and cutting the ferrule base material (1b) into predetermined dimensions; A cutting step of forming a ferrule substrate (1c) having a predetermined size;
And electropolishing a hole (2) at the end of the ferrule substrate (1c) to form a taper (t) at an end of the hole (2); A method of manufacturing a ferrule, which is manufactured. 2. A grinding step of grinding the outer diameter of the ferrule base material (1b) or the ferrule base material (1c) to a predetermined outer diameter following the metal wire drawing step or the cutting step. The method for manufacturing a ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule is provided. 3. The ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the metal wire for drawing (w) is made of stainless steel, tungsten, or tungsten-cobalt having linearity and high rigidity and toughness. Manufacturing method. 4. The method for manufacturing a ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the metal wire for drawing (w) is a round wire. 5. The ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the drawing metal wire (w) is subjected to a release treatment before electroforming plating. Production method. 6. The method according to claim 6, wherein the thick plating metal (m) is nickel,
6. The method for producing a ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule is made of copper, iron, nickel-cobalt or stainless steel. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electroforming plating step comprises a pretreatment consisting of preliminary degreasing, electrolytic degreasing, neutralization and activation, and electroforming plating.
7. The method for producing a ferrule according to 5 or 6. 8. A ferrule obtained by the ferrule manufacturing method according to claim 1.