JP2005300828A - Optical connection structure and method for manufacturing same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make assembly easy, to simply perform a connection work without damaging optical fiber fixing positions of an optical component and an optical module and to effectively utilize space on a base board. <P>SOLUTION: When a plug 3 into which an optical fiber 1 forming a bent part is inserted is engaged with an adaptor 4 and a through hole member 5 into which an optical fiber 2 is inserted is fixed on the adaptor 4, the bent part of the optical fiber 1 in the plug 3 is extended like a straight line and shifted to the tip direction, so that the tip of the optical fiber 1 and the tip of the optical fiber 2 are abutted on each other to form optical connection. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connection structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to a technique suitable for connecting single-core and multi-core optical fibers.

  Connection parts (connectors) such as FC, SC, MU, LC, and the like for MPF, MPX, and MTP types are provided for single-fiber connection of optical fibers, and for multi-fiber connection. Generally, these connectors can be connected by abutting from the axial direction of the optical fiber. For example, in an MPO type optical connector, plugs are inserted into the adapter from both sides, so that the plugs are positioned within the internal housing built into the adapter, and the MT connector ferrules held at the tip of the plug are abutted and connected. Is done. In particular, a push-pull method that facilitates insertion and removal of the optical fiber in the axial direction has been proposed. These push-pull connectors are inserted and removed in the axial direction of the optical fiber to be connected. Regarding the connection with the adapter attached to the apparatus wall surface, there is a feature that an optical fiber can be easily connected.

By the way, in the conventional optical connection structure, when used for optical fiber connection on a printed circuit board (for example, a mother board) or in an apparatus, an optical connector is attached to the tip of the optical fiber connected to various optical components and optical modules. In many cases, the optical fiber connected to the optical component or the optical module is inserted and removed while bending the optical fiber.
On the other hand, as a technology related to this type, a connecting means for connecting butted ends of a pair of optical fibers to each other is connected to a base formed at the center of the upper surface, and a lid attached to the upper surface side of the base A thing provided with a body is proposed (for example, refer to patent documents 1).
JP-A-8-240731 (page 2-4, FIGS. 1 to 3)

In the conventional optical connection structure, when an optical fiber connected to an optical component or an optical module is inserted or removed while bending, an excessive force due to the bending acts on the fixing portion of the optical module of the optical fiber, and the fixing portion may be damaged. was there.
Also, in the conventional optical connection structure, the field of view of the operator in the insertion / removal direction is deteriorated, so that the work time becomes long, and when inserting, the end of the ferrule is split and brought into contact with the sleep or the guide shaft, resulting in breakage or damage. There was a fear. In addition, it is necessary to consider the arrangement of other devices in order to secure the space for inserting and removing the connector, and the space on the board cannot be effectively used because it cannot be installed.
Further, in the conventional optical connection structure, the attaching / detaching direction is not stable, and the optical fiber connecting component may come into contact with the surrounding components due to the reaction, which may damage the optical fiber or the surrounding components. Further, in order to shorten the connection time or improve the connection workability, the latch is engaged at the time of attachment / detachment using a latch mechanism to simplify the attachment / detachment operation. Although the pressure is stably maintained, this method complicates the structure and increases the number of parts, so that it takes a lot of time and money to design the optical connector, which increases the cost.
On the other hand, what was described in Patent Document 1 was not considered for connecting the optical fiber after being bent.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and when connecting optical fibers, it is easy to assemble, and the connection work can be performed without damaging the optical fiber fixing portion in the optical component or the optical module. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connection structure that can be easily performed and that can effectively use a space on a substrate, and a method for manufacturing the same.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes the following means.
The invention according to claim 1 is an optical connection structure for optically connecting the ends of optical fibers to each other on an adapter having an upper surface opened upward, wherein the first light is plugged into the adapter. While inserting the fiber and bending the distal end side of the first optical fiber as a bent portion in the plug, the rear portion of the bent portion of the first optical fiber is fixed to the plug, and the second optical fiber is bent. At the time when the optical fiber is fixed on the adapter, the plug is mounted at a position facing the second optical fiber in the adapter, and when the bent portion of the first optical fiber extends linearly, The tip of the first optical fiber is butted against the tip of the second optical fiber.
Thereby, in the connection of the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus, the first optical fiber is fixed to the plug in advance, and a bent portion is formed on the tip side from the fixed portion, In order to fix the second optical fiber on the adapter and attach the plug to the adapter, and then move the tip of the first optical fiber in the direction of the second optical fiber to connect the optical fibers. There is no fear of breakage due to impact caused by sudden contact between optical fibers, and connection work can be performed easily and safely.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the optical connection structure according to the first aspect, the plug has a bent cell portion as a space for accommodating the bent portion of the first optical fiber, and at one end thereof, the first An optical fiber insertion portion for inserting and fixing a rear portion from a bent portion of one optical fiber is provided.
Thereby, since the optical fiber is inserted into the optical insertion portion of the plug and the tip portion thereof is bent in the bent cell portion, the bent portion of the optical fiber can be favorably formed.
The invention according to claim 3 is the optical connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first optical fiber is pressed against the plug to form the bent portion, while the bent portion is opened. A jig is detachably attached.
Thereby, the bent portion of the optical fiber can be formed by the pressing member attached to the plug, and the bent portion of the optical fiber is opened by removing the pressing member from the plug, so that the bent portion can be easily extended, The bent portion can be formed and released satisfactorily.
The invention according to claim 4 is the optical connection structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first optical fiber is inserted into the plug and is slidably attached in the axial direction of the optical fiber. The bent portion is formed based on sliding of the sliding member, and the bent portion is opened.
Thereby, since the sliding member moves in the plug, a bent portion is formed in the optical fiber or the bent portion is opened, so that the bent portion can be formed and opened satisfactorily.
The invention according to claim 5 is the optical connection structure according to claim 4, wherein when the sliding member is attached to the plug in a state where the first optical fiber is inserted, the fixed side of the optical fiber is provided. This is characterized in that the axis and the axis on the tip side are displaced in the vertical direction.
Thus, the sliding member can surely form the bent portion of the optical fiber, and when the bent portion is opened, the bent portion is extended by its own elastic restoring force, so that the tip of the first optical fiber is moved to the second optical fiber. It can be moved to the fiber.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the optical connection structure according to the first aspect, the plug is provided with a temporary fixing means for holding the bent portion of the first optical fiber and releasing the hold on the bent portion. It is characterized by that.
Thereby, since the temporarily fixing means holds or releases the bent portion of the optical fiber, the bent portion can be held and released from the outside of the plug.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the optical connection structure according to the sixth aspect, the temporary fixing means has a pressing plate attached to the upper support portion of the plug by a screw so as to be movable in the vertical direction.
As a result, the optical fiber can be held between the upper support portion and the pressing plate by holding the optical fiber, and the bent portion can be opened by releasing the optical fiber. Can be configured.
The invention according to an eighth aspect is the optical connection structure according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the plug is attached to and detached from the upper surface of the adapter in a crossing direction.
Accordingly, when the plug is attached to and detached from the upper surface of the adapter in the crossing direction, the optical fiber is not bent suddenly at the attachment portion of the optical module or the end of the optical component, and the attachment portion is not damaged.
The invention according to claim 9 is a method for producing an optical connection structure in which each of the first and second optical fibers is optically connected to each other on an adapter whose upper surface is opened upward. Bending the tip side of the optical fiber in the plug to form a bent portion, fixing the back of the bent portion of the optical fiber to the plug, and mounting the plug to the adapter; and Fixing the second optical fiber on the adapter, extending the bent portion linearly, moving the tip of the first optical fiber, butting the tip of the second optical fiber, and optically connecting And a process.
As a result, the first optical fiber can be bent, and the distal end of the first optical fiber can be advanced by releasing the bending, and can be optically connected by abutting against the distal end of the second optical fiber. Therefore, the optical connection structure can be easily manufactured.
The invention according to claim 10 is a method for producing an optical connection structure in which each of the first and second optical fibers is optically connected to each other on an adapter whose upper surface is opened upward. And bending the tip end side of the optical fiber in the plug to form a bent portion, and fixing the back of the optical fiber to the plug with the optical fiber temporary fixing means provided on the plug. A step of holding the bent portion of the first optical fiber, a step of attaching the plug to the adapter, a step of fixing the second optical fiber on the adapter, opening the bent portion and elastically restoring it, A step of moving the tip of the first optical fiber, butting it with the tip of the second optical fiber, and optically connecting them.
As a result, the first optical fiber can be bent, and the distal end of the first optical fiber can be advanced by releasing the bending, and can be optically connected by abutting against the distal end of the second optical fiber. Therefore, the optical connection structure can be easily manufactured.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for producing an optical connection structure according to the ninth or tenth aspect, wherein the bending step presses the optical fiber with a pressing member to form a bent portion.
Thereby, since a press member forms a bending part in the 1st optical fiber, formation of a bending part can be performed easily and a connection operation can be performed rapidly.
The invention according to claim 12 is the method of creating an optical connection structure according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the bending step includes a sliding member attached to the plug so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the optical fiber. The bent portion is formed by pressing the first optical fiber.
Thereby, since the sliding member forms a bent portion in the first optical fiber, the bent portion can be easily formed, and the connection work can be performed quickly.
The invention according to claim 13 is the method for producing an optical connection structure according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the mounting step is configured such that the plug is detachably mounted in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the adapter. Features.
As a result, the plug can be attached to the adapter without contacting the surrounding parts, so that not only the surrounding parts are not damaged, but the optical fiber itself is not damaged, and the optical connection structure is good. Can be produced.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the plug having the first optical fiber in which the bent portion is formed is attached to the adapter, and the bent portion of the first optical fiber is opened and extended so that the optical fibers are mutually connected. As it is configured to be optically connected, it is easy to assemble, and can be easily connected without damaging the optical fiber fixing part in the optical component or optical module. Furthermore, the space on the board can be used effectively. Therefore, the yield is improved and the connection work efficiency is improved.

  According to the invention concerning Claim 2, the effect that the bending part of an optical fiber can be formed favorably is acquired.

  According to the invention of claim 3, since the bent portion of the optical fiber is formed by the pressing member or the bent portion is opened, the effect that the bent portion can be formed and opened satisfactorily can be obtained.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the bent portion of the optical fiber is formed by the sliding member or the bent portion is opened, the effect that the bent portion can be formed and opened satisfactorily can be obtained.

  According to the invention of claim 5, when the sliding member opens the bent portion, the bent portion can be extended by its own elastic restoring force, and the tip of the optical fiber can be moved to the second optical fiber. The effect that the connection between optical fibers can be satisfactorily obtained is obtained.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, there is an effect that the temporary fixing means can hold and release the bent portion of the optical fiber from the outside of the plug.

  According to the invention of claim 7, since the bent portion of the optical fiber can be held by sandwiching the optical fiber between the upper support portion and the pressing plate, and the bent portion can be opened by releasing the sandwiching, The effect that it can be configured easily is obtained.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 8, an optical fiber does not bend abruptly in the attachment site | part of an optical module or an optical component end, an attachment site | part is not damaged, and the effect as which the reliability as an optical connection structure improves is improved. can get.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the first optical fiber can be bent, and the distal end of the first optical fiber is advanced by releasing the bending, and is brought into contact with the distal end of the second optical fiber. As a result, the optical connection structure can be easily produced.

  According to the invention of claim 10, the first optical fiber can be bent, and the distal end of the first optical fiber is advanced by releasing the bending, and is brought into contact with the distal end of the second optical fiber. As a result, the optical connection structure can be easily produced.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 11, since a press member forms a bending part in the 1st optical fiber, the formation of a bending part can be performed easily and the effect that a connection operation | work can be performed rapidly is acquired.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, since the sliding member forms the bent portion in the first optical fiber, the bent portion can be easily formed, and the effect that the connection work can be performed quickly is obtained. .

  According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, since the plug can be attached to the adapter without contacting the surrounding parts, there is no risk of damaging the surrounding parts, and the optical fiber itself is also broken. There is no effect, and an effect that the optical connection structure can be satisfactorily produced is obtained.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an optical connection structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
In the optical connection structure of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber 1 is bent using a plug 3, an adapter 4, and two through-hole members 5 and 5 as positioning means. When the plug 3 inserted in step 1 is attached to the adapter 4 and the through-hole member 5 in which the optical fiber 2 is inserted is fixed to the adapter 4, the optical fiber 1 in the plug 3 is linearly extended and shifted in the distal direction. Thus, the tip of the optical fiber 1 and the tip of the optical fiber 2 are brought into contact with each other so as to be optically connected.

The plug 3 has a plate-like body as shown in FIG. 2, and optical fiber insertion portions 6a and 6b are provided on both sides in the length direction, and between the optical fiber insertion portions 6a and 6b, A bent cell portion 7 is provided.
Insertion holes 6c for inserting the optical fiber 1 are respectively provided in the optical fiber insertion portions 6a and 6b. The bent cell portion 7 is for forming a space in which the optical fiber 1 can bend and bend, and a hole formed in a rectangular shape by passing a central portion in the length direction of the plug 3 vertically. I am doing. The plug 3 is provided with a latch portion 8 for mounting on the adapter 4. The latch 8 protrudes inward from the tip of a leg 8 a that extends downward at the bottom of the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the adapter 4 has a so-called upwardly open flat plate shape that is open at the top, and has a plug mounting surface 4 a on which the plug 3 is mounted on its upper surface. A second placement surface 4b for placing the two through-hole members 5 and 5 and a third placement surface 4c for placing the optical fiber 2 are provided at positions adjacent to the placement surface 4a. Yes. Further, on both sides of the bottom portion of the adapter 4, there are provided engaging portions 9 that engage with the latch portion 8 of the plug 3 along the length direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the through-hole member 5 has a rectangular shape, and a through-hole 11 through which the optical fibers 1 and 2 are inserted is provided at the center. The through hole member 5 has substantially the same width as the plug 3 and the adapter 4.

A method for manufacturing the optical connection structure of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of a method for producing an optical connection structure.
In FIG. 5, first, the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a on one end side (left side) of the plug 3 and led to the bent cell portion 7, and from the bent cell portion 7 to the other end side ( Insert the through-hole member 5 into the plug 3 by inserting it into the through-hole 11 of one through-hole member 5 by inserting it into the through-hole 11 of one through-hole member 5. Installing. Hereinafter, the through-hole member 5 on the plug 3 side is also referred to as “first through-hole member 5”.
At this time, in the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3, the optical fiber 1 is bent so as to be bent downward to form a bent portion 1 a, and the optical fiber 1 is kept in this state in one end side (left side). By fixing to the fiber insertion part 6a with the adhesive 20, the optical fiber insertion part 6a is set as a fixing part (FIG. 5A).
Further, the optical fiber 2 is inserted through the other through-hole member 5, and the through-hole member 5 having the optical fiber 2 is mounted on the second placement surface 4 b of the adapter 4 and fixed with the adhesive 20. . The through-hole member 5 on the adapter 4 side is also referred to as “second through-hole member 5”.

  Next, one end side (left side) of the adapter 4 is inserted between the leg portions 8 a (front side of the figure) and 8 a (back side of the figure) of the plug 3 having the optical fiber 1, and the latch part 8 is engaged with the engagement portion 9 of the adapter 4. In this state, the plug 3 is slid in the direction of the optical fiber 2 along the adapter 4, and the first through hole member 5 of the plug 3 is moved to the second through hole member 5 on the second placement surface 4b. The optical fiber 1 in the first through hole member 5 and the optical fiber 2 in the second through hole member 5 are aligned with each other (FIG. 5B).

  Next, in the optical fiber 1, when the bent portion 1a bent in the bent cell portion 7 of the adapter 4 is linearly extended along the insertion hole 6c of the optical fiber insertion portion 6a, the tip of the bent portion 1a passes through the first penetration. It protrudes from the hole member 5 and is inserted into the through-hole 11 of the second through-hole member 5, and comes into contact with the tip of the optical fiber 2 inside the second through-hole member 5 to be optically connected to each other (FIG. 5 ( c)).

  Therefore, according to this embodiment, when connecting the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus, the first optical fiber 1 is inserted in advance into the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3 and used as a fixing portion. The bent portion 1a is formed in the bent cell portion 7 on the distal end side of the fixing portion, the second optical fiber 2 is fixed on the adapter 4 with the adhesive 20, and the plug 3 is connected to the adapter 4 In order to connect the optical fibers 1 and 2 by moving the tip of the optical fiber 1 in the direction of the optical fiber 2 after mounting so as not to move, the impact due to the sudden contact between the optical fibers 1 and 2 There is no fear of breakage, and connection work can be performed easily and safely.

In addition, as described above, the optical fiber 1 is fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a with the adhesive 20 in the plug 3 as described above, so that when the optical fiber 1 is inserted and removed, In spite of having the bent portion 1a, it is possible to prevent an excessive force from acting on the fixing portion and to prevent the fixing portion from being damaged.
Further, since the upper surface of the adapter 4 is opened and the plug 3 is mounted in the vertical direction with respect to the upper surface of the adapter 4, the plug 3 can be easily attached and detached, and the plug 3 can be connected without considering the arrangement of other devices. 3 can be easily attached and detached, and the space on the substrate can be used effectively.
Furthermore, since the connection work can be performed after mounting the optical component on which the plug 3 and the optical fiber are fixed on the substrate, excessive stress does not act on the optical fibers 1 and 2, and the optical fiber is damaged at the end of the optical component. The yield is improved and the connection work efficiency is improved.

Then, according to this method for producing an optical connection structure, the distal end side of the optical fiber 1 is bent in the plug 3 to form the bent portion 1a, and the rear portion of the optical fiber 1 from the bent portion 1a is the light of the plug 3. The bending step of fixing to the fiber insertion part 6a, the mounting step of mounting the plug 3 to the adapter 4, the step of fixing the optical fiber 2 on the adapter 4, and the bending portion 1a are extended to extend the tip of the optical fiber 1 Since it has the process of moving, butting | matching with the front-end | tip of the optical fiber 2, and optically connecting, the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be connected favorably and an optical connection structure can be produced easily.
However, the method of bending the optical fiber 1 is not particularly limited to the above embodiment, and may be as follows, for example.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pressing member applied to the optical connection structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
That is, in this embodiment, when the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 1 is manufactured, the plug 3 shown in FIG. 2, the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 3, and the through-hole member 5 as the alignment means shown in FIG. In addition, the pressing jig 12 shown in FIG. 6 is used. As shown in FIG. 6, the pressing jig 12 is provided with a pressing protrusion 13 on the upper surface of a main body 12 a made of a plate. The pressing protrusion 13 has an arc shape and can be inserted into the bent cell portion 7 of the adapter 4.

A method for manufacturing an optical connection structure using the pressing jig 12 will be described below with reference to FIGS.
First, the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted from the left optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3 through the bent cell portion 7 and the right optical fiber insertion portion 6b, and the first through-hole member 5 is inserted into the distal end portion. Then, the first through-hole member 5 is fixed to the distal end portion of the plug 3, and the optical fiber 1 is fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a with the adhesive 20 to form a fixing portion.
Next, the pressing jig 12 is placed on the plug 3 so that the pressing protrusion 13 of the pressing jig 12 enters the bent cell portion 7, and the pressing protrusion 13 is below the optical fiber 1 in the bent cell portion 7. By applying a pressing force, the optical fiber 1 bar is bent in the bent cell portion 7 to form a bent portion 1a (FIG. 7A).

  On the other hand, in the optical fiber 2, the tip end portion is inserted into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5, and the second through hole member 5 is mounted on the second placement surface 4 c of the adapter 4. The second through-hole member 5 and the optical fiber 2 are fixed to the adapter 4 with the adhesive 20 (FIG. 5A). In this case, the tip end of the optical fiber 2 does not protrude from the through hole 11 to the outside in the second through hole member 5 and is recessed in advance by a predetermined dimension.

  Next, the latch portion 8 of the plug 3 on which the pressing jig 12 is mounted is engaged with the engagement portion 9 of the adapter 4, and the plug 3 is slid on the adapter 4 so that the first through-hole member 5 The plug 3 is attached to the adapter 4 by contacting the second through-hole member 5 (FIG. 7B).

  Thereafter, when the pressing jig 12 is removed by removing it upward from the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3, the bent optical fiber 1 extends to the distal end side by its own elasticity, and enters the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5. Since it is inserted, it is optically connected to the optical fiber 2 inside the second through-hole member 5 (FIG. 7C).

  Therefore, according to this optical connection structure, when the plug 3 is used with the pressing jig 12, the optical fiber 1 is made to be the bent portion 1a in the bent cell portion 7, and when the plug 3 is attached to the adapter 4, When the pressing jig 12 is removed, the optical fiber 1 extends in the distal direction by its own elastic restoring force and can be connected to the optical fiber 2, that is, the pressing jig 12 forms the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1. Since the bent portion 1a is elastically restored to a straight line, it is not necessary to manually form the bent state of the optical fiber 1 or to return it to the straight line, so that the optical connection can be performed easily. it can.

  In this optical connection structure manufacturing method, the distal end side of the optical fiber 1 is bent in the plug 3 by the pressing jig 12 to form the bent portion 1a, while the rear portion of the bent portion 1a is the light of the plug 3. By fixing the fiber insertion portion 6a, attaching the plug 3 to the adapter 4, attaching the optical fiber 2 on the adapter 4, and removing the pressing jig 12 to extend the bent portion 1a. The optical fiber 1 has a step of moving the tip of the optical fiber 1 to abut the tip of the optical fiber 2 and optically connecting the optical fiber 1, so that the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be satisfactorily connected to each other, and an optical connection structure is easily produced. be able to.

In this embodiment, the pressing jig 12 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 6, and may have any shape as long as it can be bent without damaging the optical fiber 1. However, it is preferable to push the side surface of the optical fiber with a curved surface having a bending radius or more at which the optical fiber 1 is broken.
Further, although the material of the pressing jig 12 is not limited, it is not deformed by the repulsive force of the optical fiber 1 so that the bent shape is uniquely determined by being mounted on the plug 3. Further, in order to bend the optical fiber 1 smoothly without difficulty, it is preferable that the surface has slipperiness.
According to this embodiment, since the optical fiber 1 can be bent and the tip of the optical fiber 1 can be moved with only a simple jig without providing a special device in the plug 3, the optical connection structure is simplified. Can be made.

8 and 9 show an optical connection structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
8, the optical connection structure of this embodiment includes a sliding member 14 in addition to the plug 3 shown in FIG. 2, the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 3, the through-hole member 5 as the alignment means shown in FIG. It is obtained by using.
That is, the sliding member 14 is slidably mounted along the axial direction of the optical fiber 1 on the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3 as shown in FIG. A rectangular optical fiber fixing portion 15 is projected from the upper surface of the main body 14a. The optical fiber fixing portion 15 is sized to be inserted into the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3, and an insertion hole 15 a through which the optical fiber is inserted is provided at the center thereof.

A method for manufacturing the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 8 will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 10, first, the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a on one end side (left side) of the plug 3 and led to the bent cell portion 7, and is mounted on the bent cell portion 7. After being inserted through the insertion hole 15a of the optical fiber fixing portion 15 of the sliding member 14 being
The optical fiber fixing portion 15 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6b on the other end side (right side) and drawn out to the outside, and the leading end portion of the drawn optical fiber 1 is inserted into the through hole 11 of the first through hole member 5. Then, the first through-hole member 5 is fixed to the tip of the plug 3 (FIG. 10A).

At this time, in the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 3, the sliding member 14 is separated from the optical fiber insertion portion 6b toward the optical fiber insertion portion 6a, and the optical fiber 1 is bent so that the optical fiber 1 is bent downward. 1a is formed, and the optical fiber 1 is fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a with the adhesive 20 in this state to form a fixing portion.
On the other hand, the second through-hole member 5 and the optical fiber 2 are fixed to the adapter 4 in the same manner as in FIGS.

  Next, the latch portion 8 of the plug 3 on which the sliding member 14 is mounted is engaged with the engaging portion 9 of the adapter 4, and the plug 3 is slid on the adapter 4 so that the first through-hole member 5 The plug 3 is attached to the adapter 4 by coming into contact with the second through-hole member 5 (FIG. 10B).

  Thereafter, the plug 3 is bent when the sliding member 14 is slid rightward on the bending cell portion 7 and the optical fiber fixing portion 15 of the sliding member 14 is brought into contact with the second optical fiber insertion portion 6b. The optical fiber 1 extends toward the tip side due to its own elasticity and is inserted into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5, so that it is optically connected to the optical fiber 2 inside the second through hole member 5. (FIG. 10 (c)).

  Therefore, according to this optical connection structure, when the sliding member 14 is attached to the plug 3, the bending portion 1 a of the optical fiber 1 is held in that state in the bending cell portion 7 of the plug 3 by the sliding member 14. When the sliding member 14 comes into contact with the second optical fiber insertion portion 6a on the bent cell portion 7, the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 is opened, and the tip of the optical fiber 1 is extended by its own elastic restoring force. Thus, the optical connection with the tip of the optical fiber 2 can be easily performed. Therefore, basically the same operational effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  Then, according to the method for manufacturing the optical connection structure, the distal end side of the optical fiber 1 is bent in the plug 3 to form the bent portion 1a, and the rear portion of the bent portion 1a is the optical fiber insertion portion of the plug 3. The step of fixing to 6a, the step of holding the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 in the bent cell portion 7 by sliding the sliding member 14, and the step of opening the bent portion 1a, and the plug 3 to the adapter 4 A step of fixing the optical fiber 2 on the adapter 4, and a step of releasing the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 by the sliding member 14, the bent portion 1a is stretched by elastic restoring force, Since the optical fiber 1 has a step of moving the end of the optical fiber 1 to abut the end of the optical fiber 2 and optically connecting the optical fiber 1, the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be satisfactorily connected to each other. It can be easily produced.

  Further, in the optical connection structure in which the optical fiber 1 is bent by the sliding member 14, as shown in FIG. 11, the axial position of the optical fiber 1 fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3, and the sliding member 14 so that the axial position of the optical fiber 1 held by the optical fiber 1 is not on the same straight line, that is, in the optical fiber 1, the position where the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a of the plug 3 and sliding By separating a small dimension L along the vertical direction from the position inserted through the insertion hole 15a of the member 14, the bent portion 1a can be easily held, and the elastic restoring force of the bent portion 1a can be increased. We are trying to get it well.

As described above, the holding and releasing of the sliding member 14 with respect to the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 does not depend on the sliding member 14 as long as the optical fiber 1 is not damaged or does not affect the optical characteristics. Any method may be used, for example, fixing with an adhesive or mechanical gripping. The material is not particularly limited as long as it is not deformed or damaged by the bending operation of the optical fiber, but it is preferable that the material is slippery.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, by providing the plug 3 with the sliding member 14 having a simple configuration, the optical fiber 1 can be bent or released in the plug 3, so that a quick optical connection structure can be produced. Is possible.

12 to 14 show an optical connection structure according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
In the above-described embodiment, the optical fiber is bent by the pressing member and the sliding member, but in this embodiment, the plug 16 is provided with the temporary fixing means 17.
12 (a) and 12 (b), the plug 16 has an optical fiber insertion portion 6a, a bent cell portion 7, and a latch portion 8, and the bent cell portion 7 is opposite to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a. Temporary fixing means 17 is provided on the surface. This temporary fixing means 17 is for holding or releasing the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 in the bent cell portion 7 in the plug 16, and as shown in FIG. 17a and a pressing plate 19 attached to the upper support portion 17a by a screw 18 so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 13, the pressing plate 19 forms a rectangular plate that enters between the side walls 17 b and 17 b that hang down on both sides of the upper support portion 17 a of the plug 16, and has a female screw hole 19 a that is screwed into the screw 18. Is provided. The tip of the screw 18 is inserted through an insertion hole 17c provided through the upper support portion 17a, and is screwed into the female screw hole 19a of the pressing plate 19.
Therefore, by rotating the screw 18, the pressing plate 19 moves toward the upper support portion 17a, and the optical fiber 1 is sandwiched between the pressing plate 19 and the upper support portion 17a, while the pressing plate 19 is in the opposite direction. The movement of the optical fiber 1 is released by moving.

A method for manufacturing an optical connection structure using the plug 16 will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 14, first, the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a on one end side (left side) of the plug 16 and guided to the bent cell portion 7, and from the bent cell portion 7 to the other end side ( By inserting between the upper support portion 17a of the temporary fixing means 17 on the right side) and the pressing plate 19 and pulling out to the outside, and inserting the leading end portion of the pulled optical fiber 1 into the through hole 11 of the first through hole member 5. The first through-hole member 5 is attached to the plug 16 (FIG. 14A).

At this time, the distal end of the optical fiber 1 is fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a with the adhesive 20, so that the insertion portion 6a is set as a fixing portion. In addition, the pressing member 12 is used in the bent cell portion 7 of the plug 16. A pressing force is applied to the optical fiber 1 by the pressing protrusion 13 of the pressing member 12, and the optical fiber 1 is bent so that it bends downward to form a bent portion 1a, and as it is, as shown in FIG. Further, the bent portion 1 a is held by tightening the screw 18 of the temporary fixing means 17.
Next, after the pressing member 12 is removed from the plug 16, the second through-hole member 5 and the optical fiber 2 are fixed to the adapter 4 in the same manner as in FIGS. 5 and 7.

Next, the above-described plug 16 is mounted on the adapter 4 to which the second through-hole member 5 is fixed, and the latch portion 8 is engaged with the engaging portion 9 to be fixed (FIG. 14C).
In this state, the screw 18 of the temporary fixing means 17 is loosened and the pressing plate 19 is moved downward to release the holding of the bent portion 1a, whereby the bent portion 1a is stretched by its own elasticity and the tip of the optical fiber 1 is extended. It is inserted into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5 on the adapter side and optically connected to the optical fiber 2 inside (FIG. 14 (d)).

  Therefore, according to this embodiment, since the temporary fixing means 17 provided on the plug 16 holds or releases the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1, the temporary fixing means 17 is attached when the plug 16 is attached to the adapter 4. When the holding of the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 is released, the optical fiber moves forward to the second fixing member 5 by its own restoring force and is optically connected to the optical fiber 2, so that the optical connection can be simplified. It can be carried out.

  Then, according to the method for manufacturing the optical connection structure, the distal end side of the optical fiber 1 is bent in the plug 3 by the pressing jig 12 to be formed as the bent portion 1a, and the rear portion from the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 is formed. Is fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3, a mounting step of mounting the plug 3 to the adapter 4, a step of fixing the optical fiber 2 on the adapter 4, and an extension of the bent portion 1a. In addition to the step of moving the tip of the fiber 1 to abut against the tip of the optical fiber 2 and optically connecting it, the temporary fixing means 17 is fastened and unfastened to hold the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 temporarily. Since the process and the opening process of opening the bent part 1a and extending the bent part 1a are provided, the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be connected to each other satisfactorily, and the optical connection structure is made well. It can be.

In the embodiment described above, the optical fiber temporary fixing means 17 holds and opens the bent portion 1a by sandwiching the optical fiber 1 between the pressing plate 19 and the upper support portion 17a with the screw 18. However, other methods may be used as long as the bent state can be maintained so that the optical fiber 1 can be reopened without damaging the optical fiber 1, and the method is not particularly limited.
That is, if the temporary fixing means 17 is provided on the plug 16 as described above, the plurality of optical fibers 1 can be held in a bent state in advance before the optical connection structure is manufactured. It is no longer necessary to bend them one by one, and a plurality of optical connection structures can be produced at once, and the connection work can be performed more easily and smoothly.

  The optical fiber 1 may be fixed at the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug by any method, and may be introduced into a groove or a through-hole and fixed with an adhesive or mechanically held. . Furthermore, the method for fixing the second optical fiber 2 to the adapter is not particularly limited. For example, the second optical fiber 2 may be directly fixed with an adhesive, or may be mechanically gripped if it does not affect the optical characteristics of the optical fiber. . Further, the present invention is not limited to this, and other plugs similar to those described above may be fixed to the adapter in advance by fixing the plug to the adapter in advance and fixing the optical fiber to the plug.

  Still further, as a method of attaching the plug to the adapter, the engagement structure by the latch portion 8 is adopted in the above, but the method is not limited to this method, and the plug and the adapter are bonded and fixed, or the uneven portions are fitted to each other. Any method can be used as long as the adapter and the plug can be fixed, such as fixing by a dynamic friction force. If the plug can be mounted so that the optical fiber can be aligned with the adapter, the mounting direction is not particularly limited. However, when the plug is mounted on a board or mounted on an optical component or optical module, it is attached to the top surface of the adapter. The plug is preferably mounted in the vertical direction. As a result, the optical fiber is not bent suddenly at the attachment portion of the optical module or the end of the optical component, the attachment portion is not damaged, and the optical fiber is not damaged.

The material and shape of the plug used in the optical connection structure of the above-described embodiment are not particularly limited, and the material made of plastic, ceramic, metal, zirconia, glass metal, or the like is preferably used. The shape is not particularly limited as long as the plug can be securely fixed to the adapter.
In addition, although a through-hole member is used as an optical fiber alignment means, the present invention is not limited to this, and other methods such as a method of aligning an optical fiber within a groove, as long as the optical fiber can be easily aligned, are available. The positioning means may be used. Also, as the material for the optical fiber alignment means, those made of plastic, ceramic, metal, zirconia, glass metal, etc. are preferably used.

The optical fiber used for the optical fiber connecting component of the present invention is appropriately selected and used according to the application purpose of the optical fiber connecting component. For example, a single mode optical fiber made of quartz or plastic, a multimode optical fiber, etc. Preferably used. Moreover, there is no restriction | limiting in the number of optical fibers connected at once, The opposite optical fiber for the number of alignment grooves can be connected. Therefore, there is no particular limitation on the number of optical fibers fixed to the connection member.
The optical fiber connection method is not limited in any way, and any existing optical fiber connection method can be used. For example, a connection method as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 below may be used.

15 and 16 show an optical connection structure according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
In this case, the ferrule 21 shown in FIG. 16 is used, and the ferrule 21 is attached to the plug 3 so that the bent state of the optical fiber is maintained or released.
That is, as shown in FIG. 15, the ferrule 21 forms a sleeve 22 through which the optical fiber 1 is inserted, and a collar portion 23 is provided at one end of the sleeve 22 in the axial direction, and the sleeve 22 is shown in FIG. As described above, the second optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3 can be inserted. Therefore, the plug 3 of this embodiment is formed to have an optical fiber insertion part 6d through which the optical fiber 1 is inserted through the ferrule 21 in addition to the optical fiber insertion part 6a, the bent cell part 7 and the latch part 8. ing.

A method for manufacturing this optical connection structure will be described below with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 16, first, the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3 and led to the bent cell portion 7, and the bent cell portion 7 is inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6d. The ferrule 21 is attached to the plug 3 by being inserted into the sleeve 22 of the ferrule 21. At this time, in the bent cell portion 7, the flange portion 23 of the ferrule 21 is separated from the optical fiber insertion portion 6d, so that the optical fiber 1 is bent so as to be bent downward to form a bent portion 1b. The optical fiber 1 is fixed to the optical fiber insertion part 6a on one end side (left side) with the adhesive 20 as it is, so that the optical fiber insertion part 6a is set as a fixing part (FIG. 16A).

At this time, the tip end portion of the optical fiber 2 is inserted and attached to the second ferrule 24, and the second ferrule 24 is fixed to the third placement surface 4 c of the adapter 4. Similar to the ferrule 21, the second ferrule 24 has a sleeve 25 and a flange portion 26 projecting from the end thereof, and the flange portion 26 is provided in a groove (not shown) provided on the third placement surface 4 c of the adapter 4. And the sleeve 25 is attached so as to extend to the second placement surface 4b side on the third placement surface 4c, and the split sleeve 27 is attached to the sleeve 25.

Next, the plug 3 is mounted on the adapter 4 by engaging the latch portion 8 of the plug 3 having the ferrule 21 with the engaging portion 9 of the adapter 4 from above (FIG. 16B).
Thereafter, in the plug 3, when the flange portion 23 of the ferrule 21 moves until it comes into contact with the second optical fiber insertion portion 6a, the tip of the sleeve 22 of the ferrule 21 is moved into the split sleeve 27 of the second ferrule 24 along with the movement. At the same time, the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 is opened, so that the bent portion 1a extends due to its own elasticity, and the tip of the optical fiber 1 extends to the optical fiber 2 in the sleeve 25 of the second ferrule 24. It will contact and be optically connected. (FIG. 16 (c)).

  In this case, if a refractive index matching agent is applied between the optical fibers 1 and 2 in advance, the optical connection becomes good, and even if a PC (Physical Contact) connection is performed by butting the optical fibers together. Good. In the case of using a refractive index matching agent, the material, form, and installation method are not particularly limited, and the material may be selected and used depending on the refractive index of the optical fiber and the material, for example, silicone oil, Silicone grease or the like is preferably used. The form of the refractive index matching agent may be liquid or solid, and may be, for example, oil, grease, gel, or film.

  Therefore, according to this embodiment, when the bent portion 1 a of the optical fiber 1 is held by the ferrule 21 provided on the plug 3 and the plug 3 is attached to the adapter 4, the ferrule 21 is connected to the second ferrule in the plug 3. When the bent portion 1a of the optical fiber 1 is opened by moving in the 24 direction, the optical fiber 1 is moved in the direction of the second ferrule 24 by its own elastic restoring force, and is optically connected to the optical fiber 2. Optical connection can be made easily.

Then, according to the manufacturing method of the optical connection structure, the bent portion 1 a is formed in the optical fiber 1 in the bent cell portion 7 by the ferrule 21 that is slidably attached to the adapter 3 along the axial direction of the optical fiber 1. And a step of maintaining the bent state and an opening step of releasing the bent state of the optical fiber 1 by the movement of the ferrule 21, so that the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be well connected to each other, and the optical connection The structure can be manufactured satisfactorily.
Note that, in any of the embodiments of the present invention described above, the optical fiber is once bent and then extended so that it abuts the other optical fiber. When the extension length of the optical fiber or the accuracy of the fixing location is not sufficient when this extension is performed, the optical fiber may collide with another optical fiber with some bending remaining after the extension. Although this may occur, such a case is also within the scope of the present invention.

Next, specific examples of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
[Example 1]
In order to produce the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 1, 15 mm from the end of the coating of the 250 μm diameter optical fiber core wire is removed, and the optical fiber (125 μm diameter) is cut at 10 mm from the end of the coating, Two fibers corresponding to the optical fibers 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 7 were prepared.
Next, the plug 3 shown in FIG. 2, the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 3, and the pressing jig 12 shown in FIG. 6 were made of ABS resin. Further, as the first and second through-hole members 5 shown in FIG. 4, an 8-core MT ferrule was cut and only the tip portion was used.

An optical connection structure is produced using each of the above members as shown in FIG.
7A, the first through-hole member 5 is fixed to the plug 3, and the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the through-hole 11 of the first through-hole member 5 from the optical fiber insertion portion 6a side of the plug 3. The optical fiber 1 was fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a of the plug 3 with an adhesive while protruding 1 mm from the tip of the hole member 5.
The second through-hole member 5 is fixed to the adapter 4 with an adhesive 20, and the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the second through-hole 11. In this case, the optical fiber 2 was fixed with the adhesive 20 when the tip of the optical fiber 2 was drawn into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5 by 1 mm.

  Next, the pressing jig 12 is attached to the plug 3 manufactured as described above, and the bent portion 1a is formed by bending the optical fiber 1, whereby the tip of the optical fiber 1 is connected to the through hole 11 of the first through hole member 5. It was pulled in (Fig.7 (a)). Thereafter, the plug 3 is attached to the adapter 4 by engaging the latch portion 8 with the engaging portion 9 (FIG. 7B), and the optical jig 1 is bent by removing the pressing jig 12 from the plug 3. The portion 1a was opened, and the optical fiber 1 returned to its original linear shape by elastic restoring force, so that the optical fibers 1 and 2 were optically connected to each other, thereby producing the optical connection structure of the present invention (FIG. 7 (c)). .

As described above, the optical connection structure obtained in Example 1 is fixed so that the plug does not move to the adapter when the plug is attached to the adapter in the connection of the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus. After that, the end of the optical fiber was moved to connect the optical fiber, so that the connected optical fibers were not subjected to shock due to sudden contact, and there was no risk of breakage. It was possible to do it safely and safely. Therefore, the yield was improved and the connection work efficiency could be improved. Furthermore, since the optical fiber can be bent and the end of the optical fiber can be moved with only a simple jig without providing a special device for the plug, the optical connection structure can be simplified.
Thereafter, when the connection loss was measured at the connection point between the optical fibers, the result was 0.5 dB or less, and the optical connection structure was excellent in terms of characteristics and could be used sufficiently.

[Example 2]
In order to produce the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 8, 15 mm from the end of the coating of the 250 μm diameter optical fiber core wire is removed, and the optical fiber (125 μm diameter) is cut at 10 mm from the end of the coating, Two optical fibers corresponding to the optical fibers 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 8 were prepared.
Further, the plug 3 shown in FIG. 2, the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 3, and the sliding member 14 shown in FIG. 9 were made of ABS resin. Further, as the first and second through-hole members 5 shown in FIG. 4, an 8-core MT ferrule was cut and only the tip portion was used.

An optical connection structure is produced using each of the above members as shown in FIG.
10A, the sliding member 14 and the first through hole member 5 are attached to the plug 3, and the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the sliding member 14 and the through hole member 5 from the optical fiber insertion portion 6a side of the plug 3. Then, the optical fiber 1 was fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a with the adhesive 20 in a state of protruding 1 mm from the tip of the first through-hole member 5.
The second through-hole member 5 is fixed to the adapter 4 with an adhesive 20, and the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the second through-hole 11. In this case, the optical fiber 2 was fixed with the adhesive 20 when the tip of the optical fiber 2 was drawn into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5 by 1 mm (FIG. 10A).

Next, the sliding member 14 of the plug 3 manufactured as described above is slid in the direction of the optical fiber insertion portion 6a of the plug 3 to bend the optical fiber 1 to form a bent portion 1a. The tip was drawn into the through hole 11 of the first through hole member 5 (FIG. 10A).
Next, after the plug 3 is mounted on the adapter 4 by engaging the latch portion 8 with the engagement portion 9 (FIG. 10B), the sliding member 14 of the plug 3 is slid toward the optical fiber insertion portion 6b. Then, the bent portion 1a is released, and the bent portion 1a returns to the state of being stretched by the elastic restoring force to optically connect the tips of the optical fibers 1 and 2, thereby producing the optical connection structure of the present invention ( FIG. 10 (c)).

In the optical connection structure obtained in Example 2, as described above, when connecting the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus, the plug was fixed so as not to move to the adapter when the plug was attached to the adapter. Since the end of the optical fiber can be moved later to connect the optical fiber, the optical fibers fixed to the plug are not subjected to shock due to sudden contact, and there is no risk of breakage. It was easy and safe to do. Therefore, the yield has been improved and the connection work efficiency has been improved. Furthermore, by providing a simple sliding member on the plug, the optical fiber can be bent even with the plug alone, so that the optical connection structure can be quickly produced.
Thereafter, when the connection loss was measured at the connection point between the optical fibers, the result was 0.5 dB or less, and the optical connection structure was excellent in terms of characteristics and could be used sufficiently.

Example 3
In order to produce the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 14, 15 mm from the end of the coating of the 250 μm diameter optical fiber core wire is removed, and the optical fiber (125 μm diameter) is cut at 10 mm from the end of the coating, Two fibers corresponding to the optical fibers 1 and 2 shown in FIG. 14 were prepared.
Moreover, the plug 16 shown in FIG. 12, the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 3, and the pressing jig 12 shown in FIG. 6 were made of ABS resin. Further, as the first and second through-hole members 5 shown in FIG. 4, an 8-core MT ferrule was cut and only the tip portion was used.

An optical connection structure is manufactured using each of the above members as shown in FIG.
In FIG. 14A, the first through-hole member 5 is attached to the plug 16, the optical fiber 1 is inserted from the optical fiber insertion part 6 a side of the plug 16, and protrudes 1 mm from the tip of the first through-hole member 5. The optical fiber 1 was fixed to the optical fiber insertion portion 6 a of the plug 3 with the adhesive 20.
The second through-hole member 5 is fixed to the adapter 4 with an adhesive 20, and the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the through-hole 11. In this case, when the tip of the optical fiber 2 was pulled into the through hole 11 of the second through hole member 5 by 1 mm, the optical fiber 2 was fixed with the adhesive 20 (FIG. 14B).

Next, the pressing jig 12 is attached to the plug 3 manufactured as described above and the optical fiber 1 is bent to form the bent portion 1a (FIG. 14A), and the end of the optical fiber is connected to the inside of the through hole 11. The optical fiber 1 was sandwiched between the plugs 16 by tightening the pressing plate 19 of the temporary fixing means 17 with screws 18 and temporarily fixed with the bent portion 1a held (FIG. 14B).
Thereafter, the latch portion 8 is engaged with the engaging member 9 to fix the plug 16 to the adapter 4 (FIG. 14C), the screw 18 of the plug 16 is loosened, and the optical fiber 1 is released from the temporary fixing means. As a result, the optical fiber 1 returned to the extended state, and the tip of the optical fiber 1 was moved and connected, thereby producing the optical connection structure of the present invention (FIG. 14D).

In the optical connection structure obtained in Example 3, as described above, when connecting the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus, the plug was fixed so as not to move to the adapter when the plug was attached to the adapter. Since the end of the optical fiber can be moved later to connect the optical fiber, the optical fibers fixed to the plug are not subjected to shock due to sudden contact, and there is no risk of breakage. It was easy and safe to do. Therefore, the yield has been improved and the connection work efficiency has been improved.
Furthermore, by providing the optical fiber temporary fixing means on the plug, the optical fiber can be bent and held before the production of the optical connection structure, so that it is not necessary to bend the optical fiber at the time of connection, and the connection work can be performed smoothly. It has become possible.
Thereafter, when the connection loss was measured at the connection point between the optical fibers, the result was 0.5 dB or less, and the optical connection structure was excellent in terms of characteristics and could be used sufficiently.

Example 4
In order to produce the optical connection structure shown in FIG. 16 (c), two MU ferrules (manufactured by Sanwa Denki Kogyo, including zirconia ferrules) forming ferrules 21 and 24 as shown in FIG. By removing the vicinity of the end of the coating of the wires 1 and 2 (Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., 900 μm diameter), the optical fiber strand (125 μm diameter) was exposed and inserted, fixed, and polished into a ferrule.
Further, the plug 3 and the adapter 4 shown in FIG. 16 were made of ABS resin.

An optical connection structure is produced using each of the above members as shown in FIG.
That is, in FIG. 16 (a), one ferrule 21 having an optical fiber attached to the plug 3 is slidably inserted into the optical fiber insertion portion 6d of the plug 3, and light is applied to the optical fiber insertion portion 6a by the adhesive 20. Fiber 1 was fixed. The other MU ferrule 24 was provided with a metal split sleeve (manufactured by Sanwa Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd., phosphor bronze) 27 and fixed to the adapter 4 with an adhesive (not shown).

Next, the bent portion 1a was formed by slightly retracting the MU ferrule 21 of the plug 3 manufactured as described above in the direction of the optical fiber insertion portion 6a (FIG. 16A).
Thereafter, the plug portion 3 is attached to the adapter 4 by engaging the latch portion 8 with the engagement portion 9 (FIG. 16B), and then the flange portion 23 of the MU ferrule 21 is brought into contact with the optical fiber insertion portion 6d. Then, when the tip of the MU ferrule 21 is inserted into the metal split sleeve 27, the bent portion 1a in the bent cell portion 7 is released accordingly, and the bent portion 1a is stretched by the elastic restoring force and returned to the linear shape. The optical fibers 1 and 2 were brought into optical contact with the ends of the optical fibers 1 and 2, thereby producing the optical connection structure of the present invention (FIG. 16C).

In the optical connection structure obtained in Example 4, as described above, when connecting the optical fiber on the printed circuit board or in the apparatus, the plug was fixed so as not to move to the adapter when the plug was attached to the adapter. Because the optical fiber end attached to the ferrule was moved later to connect the optical fiber, the ferrule fixed to the plug and the optical fiber were not damaged by abrupt contact and damaged. There was no fear, and the connection work could be done easily and safely. As a result, the yield was improved and the connection work efficiency was improved.
Further, by providing the ferrule as a sliding member on the plug, the optical fiber can be bent even with the plug alone, as in Example 2, so that the optical connection structure can be quickly produced.
Thereafter, when the connection loss was measured at the connection point between the optical fibers, the result was 0.2 dB or less, and the optical connection structure was excellent in terms of characteristics and could be used sufficiently.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the optical connection structure which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an explanatory perspective view showing a plug. It is an explanatory perspective view showing an adapter. It is an explanatory perspective view which shows the through-hole member attached to a plug. It is explanatory drawing which shows 1st Embodiment which concerns on the preparation methods of the optical connection structure shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for description of the pressing jig applied to the optical connection structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the optical connection structure which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the optical connection structure which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view for explanation which shows a sliding member. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the preparation methods of the optical connection structure shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the dimensional relationship of the one end side and other end side of the bending part of an optical fiber in the optical connection structure shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the optical connection structure which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a perspective view for description of a plug, (b) is a side view similarly. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the temporary fixing means in a plug. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the manufacturing method of the optical connection structure shown in FIG. It is a perspective view for explanation of a ferrule to which an optical connection structure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows the preparation methods of the optical connection structure which concerns on 5th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 Optical fiber 1a Bending part 3 Plug 4 Adapter 5 Through-hole member 6a Optical fiber insertion part (fixed part)
7 Bending cell part 11 Insertion hole 12 Pressing jig 14 Sliding member

Claims (13)

An optical connection structure for optically connecting the tips of the first and second optical fibers with each other on an adapter whose upper surface is opened upward,
The first optical fiber is inserted into a plug attached to the adapter, and the distal end side of the first optical fiber is bent as a bent portion in the plug, while the bent portion of the first optical fiber is bent. Fix the rear part to the plug,
Fixing the second optical fiber on the adapter, and mounting the plug at a position facing the second optical fiber in the adapter;
An optical connection structure characterized in that, when the bent portion of the first optical fiber extends linearly, the tip of the first optical fiber is abutted against the tip of the second optical fiber. The optical connection structure according to claim 1,
The plug has a bent cell portion as a space for accommodating the bent portion of the first optical fiber, and an optical fiber fixing portion for fixing a rear portion from the bent portion of the first optical fiber at one end portion. An optical connection structure comprising: The optical connection structure according to claim 1 or 2,
An optical connection structure, wherein the first optical fiber is pressed against the plug to form the bent portion, and a pressing jig for opening the bent portion is detachably attached. The optical connection structure according to claim 1 or 2,
The plug has a sliding member inserted through the first optical fiber and slidable in the axial direction of the optical fiber, and forms the bent portion based on the sliding of the sliding member. An optical connection structure characterized in that the bent portion is opened. The optical connection structure according to claim 4,
When the sliding member is attached to the plug in a state in which the first optical fiber is inserted, the axis on the fixed side and the axis on the tip side of the optical fiber are displaced in the vertical direction. Optical connection structure. The optical connection structure according to claim 1,
An optical connection structure characterized in that the plug is provided with temporary fixing means for holding the bent portion of the first optical fiber and releasing the holding of the bent portion. The optical connection structure according to claim 6, wherein
The optical connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the temporary fixing means is attached to the upper support portion of the plug by a screw so as to be movable in the vertical direction. In the optical connection structure in any one of Claims 1-7,
The optical connection structure, wherein the plug is attached and detached in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the adapter. A method for producing an optical connection structure in which each of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber is optically connected to each other on an adapter having an upper surface opened upward,
The bending step of bending the distal end side of the first optical fiber in a plug to form a bent portion, and fixing the rear of the bent portion of the optical fiber to the plug, and mounting for mounting the plug on an adapter A step of fixing a second optical fiber on the adapter, extending the bent portion, moving the tip of the first optical fiber, butting the tip of the second optical fiber, and optically connecting A method for manufacturing an optical connection structure. A method for producing an optical connection structure in which each of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber is optically connected to each other on an adapter having an upper surface opened upward,
A bending step of bending the distal end side of the first optical fiber within the plug to form a bent portion, and fixing the rear of the bent portion of the optical fiber to the plug, and temporary fixing of the optical fiber provided in the plug Means for holding the bent portion of the first optical fiber by means, attaching the plug to the adapter, fixing the second optical fiber on the adapter, and releasing the bent portion for elasticity. A method of manufacturing an optical connection structure, comprising: restoring, moving the tip of the first optical fiber, butting it with the tip of the second optical fiber, and optically connecting. In the manufacturing method of the optical connection structure of the optical connection structure according to claim 9 or 10,
In the bending process, the optical fiber is pressed by a pressing member to form a bent portion. In the manufacturing method of the optical connection structure according to claim 9 or 10,
In the bending step, a sliding member attached to the plug so as to be slidable in the axial direction of the optical fiber presses the first optical fiber to form a bent portion. Structure fabrication method. In the manufacturing method of the optical connection structure in any one of Claim 9 to 12,
In the mounting step, the plug is detachably mounted in an intersecting direction with respect to the upper surface of the adapter.

Images