JP2002303755A - Optical fiber array - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber array in which no adhesive is peeled from a V-grooved board in bending optical fibers and hence the optical fibers are free from disconnection. SOLUTION: The optical fiber array is equipped with a plurality of optical fibers with coating removed at the end, a V-grooved board having a plurality of V-grooves in which the coating-removed parts of these optical fibers are arranged in an array and further having a support which is formed on the extension of the V-grooves and holds the coated parts of the optical fibers, a cover for fixedly covering the V-grooves together with the coating-removed parts of the optical fibers, and an adhesive for covering and fastening the coated parts of the optical fibers on the V-grooved board. In this optical fiber array, a through-hole is formed at the position of the coated parts on the support of the V-grooved board and the adhesive is filled in this through-hole.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber array for connecting an optical fiber to a waveguide element, and more particularly, to an optical fiber array which is free from fiber breakage due to bending of an optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows a side view of a conventional optical fiber array.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional optical fiber array has a plurality of optical fibers 2 whose end portions are removed.
And a V-groove array portion 1 in which a plurality of V-grooves 7 in which the coating removal portions 2a of these optical fibers 2 are arranged in an array are formed
a and optical fibers 2 formed on extensions of these V-grooves 7
V-groove substrate 1 having a supporting portion 1b for supporting the covering portion 2c
And a cover 3 for covering and fixing the V groove 7 together with the coating removal portion 2a of the optical fiber 2.

[0004] Then, the optical fiber 2 is covered with a cover 3 with an ultraviolet curable resin 5 serving as an adhesive interposed between the V-grooves 7 in which the coating removal portions 2a are provided, and is cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet light. It is bonded and fixed.

Further, the coating removing portion 2 exposed from the V groove 7
Similarly, in order to restrict the optical fiber 2 from freely moving on the support portion side of the V-groove substrate 1, the ultraviolet rays are coated on the support portion 1 b of the V-groove substrate 1 so as to cover the coating portion 2 c. A hardening resin 4 is provided, is hardened by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, and is adhered and fixed.

The ultraviolet curing resin 4 for fixing the coating portion 2c of the optical fiber 2 is made of a material softer than the ultraviolet curing resin 5 for fixing the coating removal portion 1a in order to absorb the stress generated in the optical fiber 2. For example, it is necessary that the viscosity be as high as 1000 CP or more and the saturation moisture absorption is as low as 1% or less.

[0007] This is because the coating removal portion 2b of the optical fiber 2 exposed from the V-groove array portion 1a on the substrate support portion side is potted with the ultraviolet curable resin 4 to prevent the coating removal portion 2b from being damaged. At the same time, the effect of stress caused by moisture absorption on the optical fiber 2 is reduced.

By using such an ultraviolet curing resin 4 as an adhesive for the covering portion 2c, when a stress is applied to the optical fiber 2, the portion of the optical fiber 2 closer to the substrate end than the coating removing portion 2a of the optical fiber 2 To prevent the optical fiber 2 from breaking.

[0009]

However, when the V-groove substrate 1 having the above-mentioned structure is used to fix the coating removal portion 2b and the coating portion 2c of the optical fiber 2 with the ultraviolet curing resin 4, the optical fiber 2 has When a stress is applied by bending the covering portion 2c up and down or left and right, the UV-curable resin 4 is separated from the V-groove substrate 1 due to the absorbed stress, and when this occurs, the coating removing portion 2b and the covering portion 2c of the optical fiber 2 are removed. Is applied to the optical fiber 2 due to the bending of the fiber, and the optical fiber 2 may be disconnected.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art and to provide an optical fiber array in which the adhesive is not peeled from the V-groove substrate and the optical fiber is not broken when the optical fiber is bent. Is to do.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber apparatus comprising: a plurality of optical fibers each having an end whose coating has been removed; A V-groove array portion having a plurality of V-grooves formed thereon, a V-groove substrate formed on an extension of these V-grooves, and a support portion for supporting a coating portion of the optical fiber; An optical fiber array comprising: a lid that covers and fixes the entirety of the coating removal portion; and an adhesive that fixes the V-groove substrate so as to cover the optical fiber coating portion. A through hole is formed at the position of the portion, and the through hole is filled with an adhesive.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the support portion of the V-groove substrate is provided with support walls on both sides of the coating portion of the optical fiber.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a cover for covering the optical fiber is provided on the supporting portion of the V-groove substrate.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the adhesive filled in the through-hole and cured becomes resistant to the stress of the optical fiber, the adhesive is separated from the V-groove substrate even when the optical fiber is moved. It becomes difficult to do.

According to the configuration of the second aspect, the lateral movement of the covering portion of the optical fiber is regulated by the support wall.

According to the configuration of the third aspect, the vertical movement of the coating portion of the optical fiber is restricted.

[0017]

Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1A shows a side view of an optical fiber array according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B shows a top view thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1A, an optical fiber array is composed of a plurality of optical fibers 12 whose end portions are removed.
And the coating removal portion (core wire) 12 of these optical fibers 12.
a having a V-groove array portion 11a formed with a plurality of V-grooves 17 in which a is arranged and accommodated in an array, and a support portion 11b formed on an extension of the V-groove 17 and supporting a coating portion 12c of the optical fiber 12. V-groove cover 1 for fixing and covering groove substrate 11 and V-groove 17 together with coating removal portion 12a of optical fiber 12
3 is provided.

In the V-groove substrate 11, the height of the support portion 11b is
The coating portion 12c and the coating removal portions 12a, 1 of the optical fiber 12
The optical fiber 12 is connected to the V-groove substrate 1 due to a difference in external dimensions from the V-groove substrate 2b.
In order to prevent the optical axis from being bent when mounted on the device 1, it is formed in a shape lower than the height of the V-groove array portion 11a and provided with a step.

The V-groove substrate 11 has a structure shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, two through holes 11 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber at the position where the covering portion is placed on the support portion 11b.
c is formed.

The through-hole 11c is made of an ultraviolet curable resin 14
Is formed to penetrate the V-groove substrate 11 so as to be easily filled, and has a diameter approximately equal to the width in which a plurality of optical fibers 12 are arranged.

The optical fiber 12 is provided with a coating removing section 12.
a is housed in each V-groove 17 and V
Cover removing portion 12b and covering portion 12c exposed from groove 17
Is mounted on the support portion 11b, and the V-groove 17 is covered with a V-groove lid 13 with the first UV-curable resin 15 interposed therebetween.

Similarly, the coating removal portion 12b and the coating portion 12c exposed from the V-groove 17 are also formed on the V-groove substrate 11 in order to restrict the optical fiber 12 from freely moving on the support portion 11b side. 11 on the support portion 11b
A second ultraviolet-curable resin 14 is provided so as to cover the through hole 11a, and the ultraviolet-curable resin 14 is continuously filled in the through-hole 11c without being divided, and is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light to be adhered and fixed.

The end face of the optical fiber array is polished when bonding to the waveguide element. At this time, if the first UV-curable resin 15 is too soft, it will be clogged during polishing.
Desirably, it is ⁴ kg / cm ² or more.

In order to keep the stress applied to the optical fiber low, these ultraviolet curable resins 14 and 15 are -50
It is desirable that the Young's modulus in the range of -80 ° C is 10 ⁶ N / cm ² or more.

Next, the operation will be described.

The optical fiber array shown in FIG.
When the coating portion 12c of the second ultraviolet curable resin 1b is bent vertically or horizontally and subjected to stress, the stress is applied to the second ultraviolet curable resin 1c.
4, the ultraviolet curable resin 14 filled and cured in the through hole 11c of the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11.
Becomes resistance, and it becomes difficult for the ultraviolet resin 14 to peel off from the V-groove substrate 11.

As a result, stress due to bending of the fiber is not applied to the coating removal portion 12b and the coating portion 12c of the optical fiber 12, so that the occurrence of disconnection of the optical fiber 12 can be prevented.

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

The case where a four-core tape fiber 20 is used as an optical fiber will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 2, this optical fiber array is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that an optical fiber array is provided on a support portion 11b of a V-groove substrate 11 of the optical fiber array.
When the four-core tape fiber 20 is provided with the concave portion 16 having the support wall on both sides of the second covering portion 12d, the four-core tape fiber 20 is stored in the concave portion 16.

In this embodiment, in addition to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a concave portion 1 is newly formed in the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11.
Except for the configuration 6, the configuration of the optical fiber array is the same.

That is, the V-groove array portion 1 of the V-groove substrate 11
The optical fiber 12 is inserted into the plurality of V-grooves 17 formed on the
Of the V-groove substrate 1 are accommodated in an array.
The coating removal portion 12b and the coating portion 12d of the optical fiber 12 exposed from the V groove 17 are supported by the concave portion 16 formed on the support portion 11b which is an extension of the V groove array portion 11a.

Then, although not shown, the V-groove array portion 11a removes the coating removal portion 12b of the optical fiber 12 and the coating portion 12d of the optical fiber inside the concave portion 16 of the support portion 11b.
Is covered with an ultraviolet curable resin. Further V
The concave portion 16 and the through hole of the support portion 11b of the groove substrate 11 are bonded by an ultraviolet curing resin.

The ultraviolet curable resin that adheres or covers each part is provided continuously (integrally) without being divided.

With such a configuration, the concave portion 16 provided in the support portion 11c of the V-groove substrate 11 becomes a wall,
Further, the adhesive force between the inner wall of the concave portion 16 and the ultraviolet curable resin becomes a resistance when the tape fiber 20 is bent up and down or left and right, so that the ultraviolet curable resin is prevented from peeling off from the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11, and Disconnection due to bending can be prevented.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, this optical fiber array is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in that an ultraviolet ray is formed on the upper surface of a concave portion provided in the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11 of the optical fiber array. That is, the lid 18 for the supporting portion is bonded and fixed by using a cured resin.

In this embodiment, in addition to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, except that a cover 18 for the support portion is newly fixed to the upper surface of the concave portion provided on the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11,
The configuration of the optical fiber array is the same.

That is, on the optical fiber array shown in FIG. 2, an ultraviolet curing resin 14 is applied on the upper surface of the concave portion provided in the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11, and a support having substantially the same area as the support portion 11b is formed thereon. The part cover 18 is adhered and fixed.

With this configuration, the concave portion provided in the support portion 11b of the V-groove substrate 11 becomes a wall, and the adhesive force between the inner wall of the concave portion and the ultraviolet curable resin 14 causes the optical fiber to move vertically or horizontally. It becomes a resistance when bent, and furthermore, the supporting portion lid 18 attached to the upper surface of the supporting portion 11b prevents the optical fiber on the supporting portion 11b from being bent in the vertical direction. It is possible to prevent the ultraviolet curable resin 14 from peeling off, thereby preventing the optical fiber from being disconnected due to bending.

Further, as a modified example of the cover for the support portion in FIG.
A support portion lid 19 having a U-shaped cross section formed with a support wall 19w for restricting the movement of the support portion of the optical fiber in the left-right direction is formed on the flat lid body. The coating may be covered.

The use of such a support cover 19 can also restrict the movement of the support portion of the optical fiber in the up-down direction and the left-right direction, and the same operation and effect as in the present embodiment can be expected.

In the present embodiment, the V-groove 17 in which the coating removal portion 12a of the optical fiber 12 is accommodated is formed in a V-shaped cross section, but the present invention is not limited to this shape. U groove may be used.

In the present embodiment, the support 1
Although two through holes 11c of 1b are formed along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 12, one or three or more through holes 11c may be formed.

[0048]

In summary, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize an optical fiber array free from fiber breakage due to fiber bending.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a top view of an optical fiber array showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an optical fiber array showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an optical fiber array showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of the support portion lid of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a conventional optical fiber array.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 V-groove substrate 11 a V-groove array portion 11 b support portion 11 c through hole 12 optical fiber 12 a coating removal portion 12 b coating removal portion 12 c coating portion 13 groove lid 14 first adhesive (ultraviolet curable resin) 15 second adhesive (Ultraviolet curing resin) 16 recess 17 V-groove 18 support lid 19 support lid 20 4-core tape fiber

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of optical fibers having a coating removed at an end, a V-groove array portion formed with a plurality of V-grooves in which the coating removing portions of the optical fiber are arranged in an array, and the V-groove. A V-groove substrate formed on an extension of the optical fiber and having a support portion for supporting the coating portion of the optical fiber; a lid for covering and fixing the V-groove together with the coating removal portion of the optical fiber; In an optical fiber array provided with an adhesive that covers and covers the fiber covering portion, a through hole is formed at the position of the covering portion of the support portion of the V-groove substrate, and the through hole is filled with an adhesive. An optical fiber array, characterized in that: 2. The optical fiber array according to claim 1, wherein supporting portions of said V-groove substrate are provided with support walls on both sides of said optical fiber covering portion. 3. The optical fiber array according to claim 2, wherein a cover for covering the optical fiber is provided on the support of the V-groove substrate.