JP2002053347A - Optical fiber with protective film and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber with a protective film which does not require coating removing work and cutting or polishing wok on the installing site and can favorably protect the front end face of the optical fiber up to the installation time when the optical fiber is connected, and to provide a method for producing the optical fiber. SOLUTION: The coating 2 on a terminal part of a coated optical fiber 3 is removed and a nearly spherical protective film 4 of an ultraviolet-curing resin is disposed in such a way that the front end face 1a and a front end part 1b of the exposed optical fiber 1 are coated with the film 4 to obtain the objective optical fiber 10 with the protective film.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical fiber and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical fiber provided with a protective film and capable of providing good protection from the distal end surface to the distal end portion of the optical fiber until the optical fiber is connected, and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Optical fiber connection methods include a fusion splicing method in which two optical fibers (bare optical fibers) are melted and connected by heat, a connector connection method in which optical fibers are connected by optical fiber connectors, or There is known a method of condensing light using a lens and connecting the optical fibers to each other. These connection methods are different from each other, but keeping the end face of the optical fiber clean is an important point in connection.
This is because when light enters the core where light passes,
This is because if there is a scratch or dust, the light is reflected at that portion and it becomes difficult for the light to enter the fiber.

[0003] Therefore, in the connection of the optical fiber,
For example, just before making a connection at a connection site, the coating of the optical fiber core is removed with a fiber stripper to expose the optical fiber, and then the end of the optical fiber is cut or polished with a fiber cutter to cut the fiber end surface. The field connection method of connecting after making a mirror surface state was taken. Also, as a method of protecting the tip end of the optical fiber in a clean state, the optical fiber cut with a fiber cutter is sandwiched with a sponge or the like so that dust does not stick, so that the fiber end face does not contact with anything other than air. Protection measures had been taken. Further, a method of attaching a protective cap, such as a nylon pipe or a Teflon (registered trademark) pipe, to the distal end surface of the optical fiber has also been performed.

[0004]

The above-mentioned field connection method has a problem that a jig such as a fiber stripper and a fiber cutter is required at the time of connection work, and the work on site is difficult. Further, the method of protection with a sponge or the like requires a special packing box for protection, and has a problem that the packing box becomes large. In addition, when the protective cap is attached, there is a problem in that the protective cap is contaminated. In addition, an optical fiber having a fiber terminal processed, such as TEC processing (diffusion of core by heat), has appeared in the optical fiber terminal, and there has been a problem in a protection method when moving from a processing place to a connection place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned various problems of the prior art, and does not require a coating removal operation, a cutting operation, or a polishing operation on site, and the optical fiber has an optical fiber end face. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber provided with a protective film, which can be protected well until the fiber is connected, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an ultraviolet curable resin in which the coating at the end of an optical fiber is removed and the exposed end surface and the end of the optical fiber are covered. An optical fiber provided with a protective film provided with a protective film. In the optical fiber according to the first aspect, the protective film of the ultraviolet curable resin is provided so as to cover the exposed end surface and the end portion of the optical fiber, so that scratches and dust are not attached until the optical fiber is connected. become. Therefore, the use of the optical fiber of the present invention eliminates the need for a fiber stripper or the like at the time of work on site. In addition, an optical fiber obtained by processing a fiber end is also a good protection method when moving from a processing location to a connection location.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber provided with a protective film in which the protective film has a substantially spherical shape. The substantially spherical shape includes a shape obtained by deforming the spherical shape into a vertically long or horizontally long shape, for example, a substantially elliptical shape or the like. In the optical fiber according to the second aspect, since the protective film has a substantially spherical shape,
It can be easily removed with a finger, and the work at the time of connecting the optical fiber is improved.

According to a third aspect, the present invention is a method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with the protective film according to the first or second aspect, wherein a coating of a predetermined length is removed from a terminal portion of the optical fiber core. A coating removing step for exposing the optical fiber, a cutting or polishing step for cutting or polishing a terminal portion of the exposed optical fiber after the coating removing step to make a tip end surface of the fiber a mirror surface state, and the cutting Or, an ultraviolet-curing resin application step for applying an ultraviolet-curing resin from the distal end surface to the distal end portion of the optical fiber after the polishing step, and curing the resin by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet-curing resin application section after the applying step, An ultraviolet curing step for providing a protective film, and a method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film. The third above
In the method for manufacturing an optical fiber according to the aspect, the coating removing step, a cutting or polishing step, and an ultraviolet curable resin applying step,
By the ultraviolet curing step, an optical fiber provided with the protective film according to the first or second aspect can be manufactured efficiently.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ultraviolet curable resin coating step, a protective film which is dipped substantially vertically into the ultraviolet curable resin from the distal end surface to the distal end portion of the optical fiber to be applied in a substantially spherical shape is provided. In the method of manufacturing the provided optical fiber. In the method for manufacturing an optical fiber according to the fourth aspect, in the ultraviolet curing resin coating step, a substantially spherical protection that can be easily removed with a finger by adopting a coating method in which the coating is immersed substantially vertically in the ultraviolet curing resin. The membrane can be easily provided.

[0010]

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 optical fiber provided with a protective film of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an optical fiber before a protective film is provided. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which an ultraviolet curable resin serving as a protective film is applied vertically from the distal end surface to the distal end of the optical fiber. FIG. 4 is a chart showing a method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film according to the present invention. In these figures,
1 is an optical fiber, 1a is an optical fiber tip surface, 1b is an optical fiber tip, 2 is a coating, 3 is an optical fiber core, 4 is a protective film (ultraviolet curable resin), 4 'is an ultraviolet curable resin, 10'
Is an optical fiber provided with a protective film, and y is a container.

First Embodiment An optical fiber provided with a protective film according to the present invention and a method for manufacturing the optical fiber according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. (1) The coating 2 of the optical fiber core 3 is removed by 30 mm using a fiber stripper (not shown), and the optical fiber 1 is removed.
To expose. (2) Using a fiber cutter (not shown), cut a 15 mm portion from the tip of the optical fiber 1 and
Is made to have a mirror surface. This state is shown in FIG. (3) As shown in FIG. 3, a length of about 2 mm from the distal end surface 1a to the distal end portion 1b of the optical fiber 1 is dipped almost vertically into the ultraviolet curable resin 4 'in the container y and then pulled up. Thereby, a substantially spherical uncured protective film is formed. (4) The uncured protective film is irradiated with ultraviolet rays (not shown), and the ultraviolet curable resin is cured to form a substantially spherical protective film 4.
Then, an optical fiber 10 having a substantially spherical protective film 4 provided from the distal end surface 1a to the distal end portion 1b of the optical fiber 1 was manufactured. This state is shown in FIG.

Second Embodiment A second embodiment of a method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film according to the present invention includes a coating removing step f1 for removing a coating 2 of a predetermined length from an end portion of an optical fiber core 3 and exposing the optical fiber 1; A cutting or polishing step f2 for cutting or polishing the end portion of the exposed optical fiber 1 after the step to make the distal end surface 1a of the distal end portion 1b of the fiber into a mirror surface state, and a tip of the optical fiber after the cutting or polishing step UV curable resin application step f3 for applying UV curable resin 4 ′ from surface 1a to tip 1b
And an ultraviolet curing step f4 for curing the resin by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet-curable resin application section after the above-mentioned step, and providing the protective film 4. In the ultraviolet curing resin application step f3, the tip surface 1a of the optical fiber
It is preferable that the resin is dipped substantially vertically in the ultraviolet curable resin 4 ′ from the top to the tip 1 b and then pulled up to apply the ultraviolet resin in a substantially spherical shape.

-Example of usage of optical fiber provided with protective film of the present invention-An example of usage of optical fiber provided with the protective film of the present invention will be described. At the time of optical fiber connection using the optical fiber 10 provided with the protective film, although not specifically shown, the substantially spherical protective film 4 of the optical fiber 10 is pulled out with a finger and inserted into the optical fiber connector. Optical fibers were connected with each other. At this time, some of the protective films could not be removed. However, when the protective film was immersed in an organic solvent such as acetone for a while to swell the UV-curable resin, the protective film was easily removed. Further, it was confirmed by a microscope that the distal end surface 1a and the distal end portion 1b after the removal of the protective film 4 were in a clean state.

[0014]

The optical fiber of the present invention extends from the distal end surface, which is the cut or polished end surface of the optical fiber, to the distal end.
Preferably, a substantially spherical protective film is provided, so that scratches and dust are not attached until the optical fiber is connected. for that reason,
By using the optical fiber of the present invention, it is only necessary to remove the substantially spherical protective film with a finger at the time of work on site, and then connect the optical fiber, thereby eliminating the need for a fiber stripper or the like. In addition, when the optical fiber of the present invention removes the protective film with a finger, dust and the like near the optical fiber tip surface are also removed,
Even if dust or the like has adhered to the tip surface of the optical fiber before providing the protective film, the dust can be removed.
In addition, it does not become dirty like a cap. In addition, an optical fiber having a processed fiber end has been improved as a protection method when moving from a processing place to a connection place. 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 optical fiber provided with a protective film of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an optical fiber before a protective film is provided.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which an ultraviolet curable resin serving as a protective film is applied vertically from the distal end surface of the optical fiber to the distal end portion.

FIG. 4 is a chart showing a method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical fiber 1a Optical fiber tip surface 1b Optical fiber tip part 2 Coating 3 Optical fiber core wire 4 Protective film (ultraviolet curable resin) 4 'Ultraviolet curable resin 10 Optical fiber provided with protective film y Container

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A protection characterized in that a coating of an end portion of an optical fiber core is removed, and a protection film of an ultraviolet curable resin is provided so as to cover a tip surface and a tip portion of the exposed optical fiber. Optical fiber with a membrane. 2. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the protective film has a substantially spherical shape. 3. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a coating of a predetermined length is removed from an end portion of the optical fiber core wire to expose the optical fiber. A removing step, a cutting or polishing step for cutting or polishing the end portion of the exposed optical fiber after the coating removing step to make the tip end surface of the fiber a mirror surface state, and a tip of the optical fiber after the cutting or polishing step An ultraviolet-curing resin application step for applying the ultraviolet-curing resin from the surface to the tip, and an ultraviolet-curing step for irradiating the ultraviolet-curing resin application section after the application step with ultraviolet rays to cure the resin and to provide a protective film. And a method of manufacturing an optical fiber provided with a protective film. 4. The protective film according to claim 3, wherein the optical fiber is immersed substantially vertically in the ultraviolet curable resin from the distal end surface to the distal end portion of the optical fiber to be applied in a substantially spherical shape. The manufacturing method of the optical fiber provided with.