JP2005241703A - Optical connector and manufacturing method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for manufacturing an optical connector for fixedly bonding an optical fiber to a ferrule with molten low melting point glass. <P>SOLUTION: This invention relates to the method for manufacturing an optical connector, for fixedly bonding the optical fiber 20 to the ferrule by threading the optical fiber 20 through a fiber insertion hole 12a while feeding the molten low melting point glass to the side of the fiber insertion hole 12a of the ferrule 11, and guiding the molten low melting point glass into the fiber hole 12 of the ferrule 11, and thus, the excellent optical connector in which even if the end face of the ferrule 11 is polished, peeling-off of the low melting point glass serving as a binding material is reduced, is obtained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector in which an optical fiber is bonded and fixed to a ferrule, and a manufacturing method thereof.

In an optical connector, when an optical fiber is bonded and fixed to a fiber hole of a ceramic ferrule, it is well known to use an epoxy resin adhesive. Moreover, a glass-type adhesive agent may be used as an adhesive agent which fixes an optical component (patent document 1).
JP-A-11-160562

  The end face of the optical connector is usually finished through three or more polishing steps from rough polishing to precision polishing. In the final finish polishing process, precision polishing is performed. This process is a glass polishing process in which only the end face of the optical fiber is convexly polished so that the PC connection is possible without polishing the ferrule.

  However, when an optical fiber is bonded and fixed with a resin-based adhesive, the resin-based adhesive is less hard than ferrule materials (ceramics, etc.) or quartz glass. Depending on the polishing conditions (polishing pressure, polishing rate, abrasive particle size, etc.), the adhesive sometimes peeled off. The peeling of the adhesive may occur during the polishing process of each stage. In particular, when peeling occurs at the final glass polishing, the adhesive particles are mixed into the polishing liquid or buffing abrasive and the optical fiber Damage the glass. When scratches occurred on the glass surface in the final polishing step, which is a final polishing step, the product was defective, and it was necessary to start again from rough polishing to precision polishing. Therefore, it is difficult to stabilize the manufacturing yield of the optical connector using the resin adhesive.

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems. Basically, as a bonding material for an optical fiber, a glass-based adhesive, in particular, a molten low-melting glass is used, so that the surroundings can be obtained. The present invention provides an optical connector and an optical connector manufacturing method that eliminates the problem of adhesive peeling that occurs during polishing by reducing the difference in hardness between the member and the adhesive.

  The present invention according to claim 1 is an optical connector in which an optical fiber is built into a ferrule and bonded and fixed, and the built-in optical fiber and the ferrule are fixed with a glass-based adhesive.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the optical connector according to the first aspect, wherein the ferrule is made of a ceramic material.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the optical connector according to the first or second aspect, wherein the glass-based adhesive is a low-melting glass.

  According to the present invention of claim 4, the molten low melting point glass is supplied to the fiber insertion port side of the ferrule, and the molten low melting point glass is guided into the fiber hole of the ferrule through the optical fiber. The method of manufacturing an optical connector is characterized in that the ferrule is bonded and fixed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the optical connector manufacturing method according to the fourth aspect, wherein the melted low-melting-point glass is filled and supplied to the fiber insertion port side as a molten glass pool.

  According to the optical connector of the present invention, since the optical fiber and the ferrule are bonded and fixed with a glass-based adhesive, in particular, a low-melting glass, when polishing the ferrule end surface, unlike the resin-based adhesive, It is difficult to peel off in the process, and in particular, in the final finish polishing process for the purpose of mirror polishing of glass, concerns such as scratches on the end face of the optical fiber are greatly reduced. In other words, glass-based adhesives such as low-melting glass are harder than resin-based adhesives and have the same hardness as quartz glass of optical fibers, so that they are difficult to peel off during polishing.

  By eliminating the need for resin-based adhesives in this way, it is not necessary to mix and apply this adhesive, heat curing that requires a long time, and disposal of residual adhesive (unused). Cost reduction in terms of materials can be obtained, and also contributes to global environmental conservation. Furthermore, in terms of manufacturing, the quality can be stabilized in the polishing process of the optical connector manufacturing line. As a result, man-hours can be reduced and yield can be improved. Furthermore, even during use, the optical connector has connection switching, etc., and the optical fiber end face may be damaged due to scratches. Problems such as material delamination are greatly reduced.

  Moreover, according to the method for manufacturing an optical connector of the present invention, it is only necessary to pass the optical fiber while supplying the molten low melting point glass to the optical fiber insertion port side of the ferrule, and therefore, it can be manufactured easily. In particular, when the molten low melting point glass is used as a molten glass pool and is loaded and supplied to the optical fiber insertion port side, the low melting point glass melted following the insertion of the optical fiber is used without using a special introduction means. It can be automatically introduced into the fiber hole. That is, it is possible to manufacture at a low cost.

  FIG. 1 is a longitudinal end view showing an example of an optical connector according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is an optical connector, 11 is its ferrule, in particular, a ceramic ferrule. Reference numeral 20 denotes an optical fiber inserted into the fiber hole (through hole) 12 of the ferrule 11, and 30 denotes a glass-based adhesive, particularly low-melting glass, as an adhesive material for the fiber hole. The low-melting glass used here has a melting point of 400 ° C. or lower as described later. Moreover, as a material of the ferrule to be used, it is a ceramic, for example, Preferably, the product made from a zirconia or an alumina is used. In addition, a glass material such as borosilicate glass can be used as the ferrule material. When a glass-based material is used, there is an advantage that polishing efficiency is improved because it is softer and more easily scratched than ceramics but is easily polished. The single-core optical fiber 20 is supported by a so-called SC-type or MU-type single-core ferrule, but when there are a plurality of optical fibers 20, of course, a multi-fiber ferrule having a plurality of fiber holes 12 is supported. To do.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus system for carrying out the optical connector manufacturing method according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, 11 is a ceramic ferrule made of zirconia or the like, 20 is an optical fiber inserted into the fiber hole 12 of the ferrule 11, 30a is an adhesive material for the fiber hole, and a molten glass pool of low-melting glass 30; Is a heating means (inductive coil or the like) disposed on the outer periphery of the ferrule 11, and 50 is a clamper with a cooling function for holding the optical fiber 20 while cooling it.

In this manufacturing apparatus system, the heating means 40 is driven to heat the ferrule 11 side to about 400 ° C. In this state, a molten glass pool 30a of the low melting point glass 30 is placed on the fiber insertion port 12a side of the upper end of the ferrule 11 erected in the vertical direction. Insert the tip. The inserted portion of the optical fiber is a glass portion whose coating has been removed in advance, and a portion other than the glass portion is held by a clamper 50 with a cooler. The cooling clamper 50 prevents the high temperature atmosphere at the tip of the optical fiber from affecting other coating portions.

  Then, the low melting point glass 30 in the molten glass pool 30 a is introduced into the fiber hole 12 together with the optical fiber 20. It is desirable to provide an inverted conical tapered portion 12b on the fiber insertion port 12a side so that the low melting point glass 30 can be smoothly introduced. Then, the insertion is stopped when the tip of the optical fiber 20 reaches the lower end surface of the ferrule 11, preferably when it slightly protrudes. Thereafter, if the power supply of the heating means 50 is stopped, the low melting point glass 30 is cooled and cured, so that the optical fiber 20 is bonded and fixed. If the end face of the lower ferrule 11 is polished, the optical connector 10 as shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

  In this manufacturing method, the optical fiber 20 is held by using the clamper 50 with a cooling function. This cooling function can minimize deterioration of the optical fiber itself and the protective tube due to heat. The low melting point glass 30 has a melting point of 400 ° C. or lower because when the ferrule 11 side is heated to about 400 ° C., the low melting point glass 30 is melted and fluidized, following the insertion of the optical fiber 20, This is because it is smoothly introduced into the fiber hole 12. In general, the low melting point glass often has a melting point of 600 ° C. or lower, but in the present invention, it is 400 ° C. or lower. In addition, this manufacturing method also has an advantage that the remaining internal stress can be kept low by heating the entire ferrule 11 to about 400 ° C., thereby reducing the cooling unevenness during cooling.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view showing another manufacturing apparatus system for carrying out the optical connector manufacturing method according to the present invention. In this case as well, basically the same as in the case of FIG. 2, but in order to supply the molten low melting point glass 30 to the upper end side of the ferrule 11, the low melting point glass supply having the glass supply die 61 is provided. Means 60 are provided. Thereby, the stable supply of molten glass is ensured.

1 is a longitudinal end view showing an example of an optical connector according to the present invention. It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed an example of the manufacturing apparatus type | system | group for enforcing the manufacturing method of the optical connector which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed the other example of the manufacturing apparatus type | system | group for enforcing the manufacturing method of the optical connector which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Optical connector, 11 ... Ceramic ferrule, 20 ... Optical fiber, 30 ... Low melting glass, 30a ... Molten glass reservoir, 40 ... Heating means, 50 ... Cooling Functional clamper, 60 ... low melting point glass supply means, 61 ... glass supply die,

Claims (5)

An optical connector comprising an optical fiber incorporated in a ferrule and bonded and fixed, wherein the built-in optical fiber and the ferrule are fixed with a glass-based adhesive. 2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule is made of a ceramic material. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the glass-based adhesive is a low-melting glass. The molten low melting point glass is supplied to the fiber insertion port side of the ferrule, and the molten low melting point glass is guided into the fiber hole of the ferrule through the optical fiber, thereby fixing the optical fiber to the ferrule. An optical connector manufacturing method. 5. The method of manufacturing an optical connector according to claim 4, wherein the molten low-melting glass is supplied as a molten glass pool on the fiber insertion port side.

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