JP2005115397A - Fixture and method for assembling optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate possibility of failing to insert an optical fiber into a fiber hole, causing the fiber to strike the inner face of a ferrule and damaging the end face, when the ferrule 20 is fixed on a tool 40, and a feeding member 46 is advanced to insert the optical fiber 12 into the fiber hole 28. <P>SOLUTION: A base 42 is preliminarily divided into a ferrule fixing part 420 and a fiber slide part 422. When the feeding member 46 is advanced, when making the tip end of the optical fiber 12 approach over a guide groove 26, the fiber slide part 422 is tilted with the rear end up. Then, the tip end of the optical fiber 12 is made to enter the guide groove 26 and thereafter guided into the fiber hole 28 without being forced. Thus, the damage on the end face of the optical fiber is prevented, which is particularly effective for the polishing-free assembly. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of assembling a multi-fiber optical connector, particularly an MT connector, and a jig used for assembly.

One of optical connectors for connecting multi-core optical fibers is a resin-molded rectangular MT connector, which has been put into practical use.
[Conventional MT connector ferrule]
An example is shown in FIG. A core wire insertion hole 24 is provided in the main body 22 of the ferrule 20 from the rear surface 220 toward the front, and a fiber hole 28 is provided in a connected state in front of the core hole. A guide groove 26 for guiding the optical fiber 12 into the fiber hole 28 is provided at the bottom of the core wire insertion hole 24. In addition, 30 is a guide pin hole, 32 is a window.

[Non-polishing assembly method]
By the way, one of the problems with MT connectors is the non-polishing assembly method for shortening the assembly time, that is, the optical fiber end face is polished after cutting the optical fiber, and the optical ferrule end face is further polished to the polished ferrule end face. There has been proposed a method in which an optical fiber is fixed at a position where the two are aligned so that a polishing step is not required.

[Conventional non-polishing assembly method]
3 is a jig for assembling and includes a base 42 and a positioning block 44. The base 42 is in the shape of an elongated square thick plate. The positioning block 44 is a quadrangular piece whose surface on the ferrule side is polished, and is fixed to the tip of the base 42. On the base 42, a feed member 46 is guided by a rail 48 so that it can move forward and backward with respect to the ferrule 20.

(1) The ferrule 20 is fixed on the base 42 so that the front end face thereof is in close contact with the positioning block 44. 10 is gripped by the feed member 46 (FIG. 3A).
(2) The feed member 46 is moved forward to feed the optical fiber 12 into the ferrule 20 (FIG. 3B).
(3) The optical fiber 12 is inserted into the fiber hole 28 and stops when the tip of the optical fiber 12 hits the positioning block 44 (FIG. 3C), and is fixed in the ferrule 20.

  In general, when assembling a connector without using a jig, first, the tip of the optical fiber 12 is tilted downward and placed in the guide groove 26, and then pushed along the guide groove 26 to be guided into the fiber hole 28. To be. However, when the jig 40 is used as described above, the optical fiber 12 moves only in the length direction. Therefore, the optical fiber 12 does not enter the guide groove 26 once, but goes straight toward the fiber hole 28. However, since the fiber hole 28 is slightly larger than the diameter of the optical fiber, the fiber hole 28 may fail to enter the fiber hole 28 and hit the inner surface of the ferrule, and the optical fiber may be broken or the end face may be damaged.

In the present invention, a ferrule having a fiber hole and a guide groove for guiding an optical fiber in the fiber hole is fixed on the base of the jig, and the feed for gripping the tape core wire on the base. In the step of moving the member toward the ferrule and inserting the optical fiber into the fiber hole, the base is divided into a ferrule fixing portion and a fiber slide portion, and the feeding member moves forward. When the tip of the optical fiber approaches the guide groove, the fiber slide part is inclined backward and upward, so that the tip of the optical fiber is placed in the guide groove, and then the feed member is further advanced. An optical connector assembling method is provided, wherein the optical fiber tip abuts against a positioning block provided on the ferrule fixing portion. To.
Further, in the present invention, an optical connector assembling jig for guiding an optical fiber to a ferrule and inserting the optical fiber into a fiber hole on the front surface of the ferrule, the assembling jig including a ferrule fixing portion for fixing the ferrule; The ferrule fixing portion and the fiber sliding portion are rotatably connected to each other, and the ferrule fixing portion is inserted into the ferrule. An optical connector assembling jig is provided, wherein a positioning block against which the optical fiber is abutted is provided.
According to the present invention, there is provided an optical connector assembling jig according to claim 2, wherein the ferrule is for multi-core.

(A) The optical fiber can be inserted into the ferrule on the jig.
(B) When the non-polishing assembly is performed, the end face of the optical fiber can be prevented from being damaged.
The connection can be realized.

[Structure of jig 40]
For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the base 42 of the jig 40 is divided into a ferrule fixing part 420 and a fiber slide part 422, and the two are connected by a hinge 424, and the rear part of the fiber slide part 422. Keep the liftable. In addition, the ferrule fixing | fixed part 420 has the positioning block 44, and is a part to which the ferrule 20 is fixed. The fiber slide portion 422 has a rail 48 on the upper surface, and the feed member 46 can move forward and backward on the rail 48.

[assembly]
(1) As before, the ferrule 20 is fixed on the ferrule fixing portion 420 so that the front end face thereof is in close contact with the positioning block 44. The feeding member 46 grips 10 (FIG. 1A).
(2) The feed member 46 is advanced to feed the optical fiber 12 into the ferrule 20 (FIG. 1B).

(3) When the tip of the three optical fibers 12 approaches the guide groove 26, the rear part of the fiber slide part 422 is lifted, and the fiber slide part 422 is rotated a little around the hinge 424 as an axis. Then, the fiber slide portion 422 is inclined forward and downward (FIG. 1C), and the tip of the optical fiber 12 enters the guide groove 26. At this time, if the optical fiber 12 is observed from above with the microscope through the window 32 and is out of the guide groove 26, it is inserted.

(4) Subsequently, the feeding member 46 is continuously advanced to feed the optical fiber 12. The optical fiber 12 is guided into the guide groove 26 and easily enters the fiber hole 28 (FIG. 1D).
(5) Then, the fiber slide part 422 is returned to the original horizontal state (FIG. 1 (e)), the optical fiber 12 is further advanced, and when the tip hits the positioning block 44, it is stopped and fixed.

  In the above description, the case of non-abrasive assembly has been described. However, the present invention can also be used in an assembly in which polishing is performed, and this case also contributes to improving workability. Moreover, it cannot be overemphasized that it can be used not only for many cores but also for single cores.

Explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of the assembly jig and assembly method of this invention. The partial cut perspective view of the conventional ferrule. Explanatory drawing about the assembly jig and assembly method regarding a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tape core wire 12 Optical fiber 20 Ferrule 22 Ferrule main body 220 Rear surface 222 Front surface 24 Core wire insertion hole 26 Guide groove 28 Fiber hole 30 Guide pin hole 32 Window 40 Jig 42 Base 420 Ferrule fixing part 422 Fiber slide part 424 Hinge 44 Positioning block 46 Feeding member 48 Rail

Claims (3)

A ferrule having a fiber hole and a guide groove for guiding an optical fiber in the fiber hole is fixed on the base of the jig, and on the base, the feeding member for gripping the tape core wire, In the step of moving toward the ferrule and inserting the optical fiber into the fiber hole,
The base is divided into a ferrule fixing part and a fiber slide part, and when the feeding member moves forward and the tip of the optical fiber approaches the guide groove, the fiber slide part is lifted backward. For this purpose, the tip of the optical fiber is placed in the guide groove, and then the feed member is further advanced so that the tip of the optical fiber abuts against a positioning block provided in the ferrule fixing part. An optical connector assembling method. An optical connector assembly jig for guiding an optical fiber to a ferrule and inserting the optical fiber into a fiber hole on the front surface of the ferrule,
The assembly jig is divided into a ferrule fixing part for fixing a ferrule and a fiber slide part for slidably mounting an optical fiber, and the ferrule fixing part and the fiber sliding part are rotatably connected. An optical connector assembling jig, wherein the ferrule fixing portion is provided with a positioning block against which an optical fiber inserted into the ferrule is abutted. 3. The optical connector assembling jig according to claim 2, wherein the ferrule is for multi-core.

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