JP2001051154A - Optical fiber ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an interchangeable ferrule allowing the connection with different kinds of multicore optical connectors or the connection with other optical parts. SOLUTION: This ferrule with fitting pin hole 19a comprises a plurality of optical fiber core wires and fitting pin holes 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d for connection by paired fitting pins. In this ferrule, plural pairs of fitting pin holes having pitches L1, L2 are provided so as to be conformable to plural kinds (pairs) of fitting pin holes different in pitch, and the fitting pin holes are arranged so that the centers of the pitches L1, L2 are conformed to each other and further conformed also to the center of each optical fiber element wire inserting fine pore 24 group provided on a plurality of ferrules with pinhole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ferrule used for an optical connector for connecting a plurality of optical fibers, and more particularly, to a ferrule which can be connected even if the number of cores is different or the outer shape is different. The present invention relates to a ferrule provided with a fitting pin hole for alignment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an optical connector for connecting a plurality of optical fibers, an MT optical connector (JISC5981, F
12 type multi-core optical fiber connector). The schematic diagram is shown in Fig. 5.6.

[0003] In FIG.
Is an optical fiber 11 that has been penetrated through a hollow tape protective member 40 and has a coating of an appropriate length, and the end of the optical fiber 11 is a bare optical fiber (generally a bare fiber) of an appropriate length. It is processed to be 12.

The ferrule 19 has a structure in which a large block 20 and a small block 21 are integrally provided. The ferrule 19 is located on the rear side (here, the large block side is defined as the rear side and the small block side is defined as the front side). An optical fiber tape hole 25 is provided on the rear side of the large block, and fitting pin holes 30 are provided on both sides thereof.

A guide groove 23 is provided in front of the optical fiber tape hole 25 in the small block to guide the optical fiber 11 to the connection end face side, and the optical fiber 12 is provided in front of the guide groove 23. Micro holes (optical fiber holes) 24 to be inserted are provided at equal pitches. Above the guide groove 23 of the small block, a window 22 for injecting an adhesive is provided.

The optical fiber tape 10 comprises an optical fiber 12
The side is inserted from the back of the ferrule 19, and after the tip of the optical fiber reaches the connection end face, the adhesive is injected from the adhesive injection window 22 and fixed.

FIG. 6 is a front end view of the ferrule 19. In FIG. 6, the fine holes 24 are provided so as to at least satisfy the number of cores of the optical fiber tape to be inserted, and the fitting pin holes 30 are provided on both sides thereof. The hole pitch L of the fitting pin hole 30 is constant regardless of the number of cores of the optical fiber tape in a normal ferrule.

The ferrules 19 with the fitting pin holes are connected so that the end faces shown in FIG.
Insert the fitting pin into the connector, position and fix it.

[0009]

In a connection ferrule with a fitting pin for an optical fiber which has been conventionally used, a pair of fitting pins cannot be connected to ferrules having different fitting pin pitches.

[0010] However, when the number of optical fibers is different and connection with a mating side having a different fitting pitch is required, or when a ferrule having a smaller size or an optical fiber is not used,
In the connection between the optical fiber and the other party such as the optical module, it is necessary to support different fitting pin pitches.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of optical fibers are provided and connected by a pair of fitting pins. In the ferrule with a fitting pin hole provided with a fitting pin hole, the ferrule corresponds to a plurality of types (pairs) of fitting pin holes in which the pitch of the fitting pin hole is different. Since the configuration is such that a pair of fitting pin holes are provided, it can be connected to a plurality of mating ferrules having different fitting pin pitches.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2,
2. The ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the centers of a plurality of pairs of fitting pin hole pitches are arranged so as to coincide with each other, and further coincide with the centers of the optical fiber hole groups provided in the plurality of pin hole ferrules. Since the ferrules are arranged so as to be connected to each other, they can be accurately connected to ferrules having different numbers of optical fibers or ferrules having different shapes.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

As an embodiment, an example is shown in which the optical fiber tapes of 8 cores (fitting hole pitch: 4.6 mm) and 16 optical fiber tapes (fitting hole pitch: 6.4 mm) are connected and used.

FIG. 1 shows an optical fiber tape 1 having eight cores.
0a is fixed to the ferrule 19a, and the fixing method is the same as that described in the above-mentioned prior art, so that the description is omitted here. However, the end face A of the ferrule 19a on the small block 21a side has: 8 micro holes 24 and 2
A pair of fitting pin holes 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d are open. Pitch L of a pair of inner sides of the fitting pin holes 30b, 30c.
1 is 4.6 mm, and the pitch L2 between the outsides of the fitting pin holes 30a, 30d is 6.4 mm.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the optical fiber tape 10b having 16 cores is fixed to the ferrule 19b.
The ferrule 19b and the end face B on the small block 21b side have 16
The number of micro holes (optical fiber holes) 24 and the pitch is 6.4 mm
The pair of fitting pin holes 30e, 30f are open.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the ferrules 19a and 19b are connected. A fitting pin 50 passes through a fitting pin hole 30a provided in the ferrule 19a and a fitting pin hole 30e provided in the ferrule 19b. Are connected and fixed to each other. Similarly, the fitting pins 51 penetrate through the fitting pin holes 30d and 30f and are connected and fixed to each other. In this case, the fitting pin holes 30b and 30c provided in the ferrule 19a are not used.

FIG. 4 shows a ferrule 19a and a ferrule 19b.
2 shows a connection-side end face of the hologram. Here, the relationship between the positions of the fine holes and the positions of the fitting pin holes will be described. These positions are designed to be symmetric about the center line 60 in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction) on the paper. In other words, the center position of each optical fiber penetrating fine hole group is provided so as to coincide with the center of each pair of fitting pin holes at the center 60. Further, the horizontal arrangement of these fine holes is determined by each fitting hole. The pin holes are provided horizontally along the center line of the pin holes, and the fine hole pitches are provided at the same pitch. Therefore, the eight cores of the ferrule 19a and the eight cores at the center of the ferrule 19b are positioned and connected for use. On the other hand, the four wire cores located on both outer sides of the ferrule 19b are not connected.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, although not particularly shown, the width of the ferrule 19b is smaller than the width of the ferrule 19a. Even in such a case, the pitch of the fitting pin holes 30e and 30f of the ferrule 19b matches the pitch of the fitting pin holes 30b and 30c of the ferrule 19a. Holes 30e, 3
If the ferrule is designed on the basis of 0f, the ferrule can be positioned and connected to the optical fiber by bridging the fitting pin as in the first embodiment.

[0021]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the present invention, a plurality of types of fitting pin holes having different pitches are provided.
Since a plurality of pairs of fitting pin holes having different pitches are provided to correspond to the (pair) fitting pin holes, it is possible to connect with a plurality of mating sides having different fitting pin hole pitches.

Further, the present invention provides a ferrule having a configuration in which the centers of a plurality of pairs of fitting pin hole pitches are arranged to coincide with each other and arranged so as to coincide with the centers of the optical fiber hole groups. Therefore, even when the optical fiber cores are connected to a plurality of mating sides, there is no connection shift between the optical fibers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ferrule for an 8-core optical fiber.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a ferrule for a 16-core optical fiber.

FIG. 3 is a ferrule connection diagram

FIG. 4 is an end view of a ferrule.

FIG. 5: Ferrule with mating pin

FIG. 6 is an end view of a ferrule with a fitting pin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Optical fiber tape 11: Optical fiber 12: Optical fiber wire 19: Ferrule 20: Large block 21: Small block 22: Window 23: Guide groove 24: Micro hole 25: Hole for optical fiber tape 30: Fitting pin hole 40: Tape protection member 50: Mating pin

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A ferrule having a fitting pin hole provided with a plurality of optical fibers and having a fitting pin hole for connecting with a pair of fitting pins, wherein the ferrule has a pitch of the fitting pin hole. An optical fiber ferrule comprising a plurality of pairs of fitting pin holes having different pitches in order to correspond to a plurality of types (pairs) of fitting pin holes having different sizes. 2. The ferrule for an optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the centers of a plurality of pairs of fitting pin hole pitches are arranged so as to coincide with each other, and further provided on each of the plurality of pin hole ferrules. A ferrule for an optical fiber, wherein the ferrule is arranged so as to coincide with the center of an optical fiber hole group.