JP2006284613A - Fairing method of optical fiber end surface, cover removal tool and optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exclude the risk due to optical fiber cut pieces caused upon end surface fairing of the optical fiber, and also to obtain an optical performance of optical fiber by no means inferior to that obtained in cutting only optical fiber cores. <P>SOLUTION: The fairing method of optical fiber end surface in which the end part is cut and the end surface of the optical fiber cores 11 is faired with respect to the optical fiber 10 having the optical fiber cores 11 composed of optical waveguide cores and light-shielding clads and cover resin 12 for protecting the optical fiber cores 11 comprises: a step of removing a part of the cover resin 12 so that a part of lateral surfaces of the optical fiber cores 11 may be exposed; a step of applying a local stress or a fine damage which does not reach the optical waveguide cores to the lateral side of the optical fiber cores 11 exposed by removal of the cover resin 12; and a step of bending the optical fiber 10 so as to direct the part to which the local stress or the fine damage is applied to the outside and, thereby, fracturing the optical fiber covers 11 by stress. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber end face shaping method for cutting and shaping an optical fiber end face for optical fiber connection and optical connector manufacture. The present invention also relates to a coating removal tool that is used when performing this shaping method to remove the coating of the optical fiber, and an optical fiber connector that connects the optical fibers shaped by this shaping method.

  Large-scale integrated circuits (LSIs) have been dramatically improved in operating speed by improving the performance of electronic devices such as bipolar transistors and field effect transistors. However, loss of electric wiring, noise, and increase in electromagnetic interference with the increase in operating speed become obvious, and at the printed circuit board level where LSI is mounted and the rack level where the printed circuit board is mounted, the operating speed is suppressed according to the wiring length. The so-called wiring bottleneck, which is forced, has been exposed.

  Several optical wiring devices for optically connecting LSIs have been proposed because of such problems of the electrical wiring device. The characteristics of the optical wiring device are that there is almost no frequency dependence such as loss from DC to 100 GHz or more, and there is no electromagnetic interference in the wiring path and no ground potential fluctuation noise, so that wiring of several tens of Gbps can be easily realized. That is, an optical wiring device can be expected to operate at a very high speed even on a printed circuit board or rack level. Among them, an optical fiber using an optical fiber as an optical wiring path has a loss in the range of several centimeters to several tens of meters except for a propagation delay due to a light speed limit. It has an excellent feature that the wiring performance does not substantially depend on the wiring length, such as transmission bandwidth.

  Due to such a background, optical fibers have been used in fields other than technical fields such as optical communication, and simplification of end face processing and connection operation has been demanded. Optical fiber end face processing (shaping and cutting) is performed to connect optical fibers and attach to optical connectors, etc., but it is necessary to make the cut surface smooth so that a large amount of light loss does not occur on the optical fiber cut surface. There is.

As a conventional method for treating the end face of an optical fiber, after removing the coating of the optical fiber, a fine scratch is made on the optical fiber with a cutting blade, the portion is bent, and the brittle fracture of the glass is used to make the optical fiber. The mirror surface was broken (for example, see Patent Document 1). Also disclosed is a method in which the optical fiber is bent together with the coating, the coating is broken by applying a cutting blade, and then the optical fiber is finely scratched by the cutting blade and then is mirror-cut (for example, see Patent Document 2).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-65903 JP 2004-131323 A

  However, in the optical fiber end face shaping method as in Patent Document 1, each optical fiber strand can be separated by removing the coating at the tip portion in advance or by shifting the optical fiber strand so as to be pulled out from the coating resin. In this state, since the optical fiber strand is cut, fragments (chips) of the optical fiber strand are easily dissipated. The dissipated fragment has a high risk of getting stuck in the skin of hands and feet, and in the worst case, it can move inside the blood vessels by riding in the bloodstream and reach the heart and brain .

  In addition, the method of shaping the end face of the optical fiber as in Patent Document 2 can greatly suppress the dissipation of the fragments of the optical fiber, but there is a problem that the optical fiber cutting yield is significantly reduced due to the thickness distribution of the coating material. was there.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and the optical fiber handler is not exposed to life hazards, and the characteristics of the optical fiber are not cut and inferior. An object of the present invention is to provide an end face shaping method for optical fibers, a coating removal tool, and an optical fiber connector.

  The essence of the present invention is that, in shaping the end face of an optical fiber, the coating resin of the optical fiber removes only the portion that gives micro-scratches and local stress to the optical fiber and the portion that becomes the reference surface, and the coating resin as a whole Then, the optical fiber is cut while the optical fiber is held.

  That is, according to the present invention, an optical fiber having an optical waveguide core and an optical confinement clad and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber is cut at the end portion of the optical fiber. An optical fiber end face shaping method for shaping an end face, the step of removing a part of the coating resin so that a part of a side surface of the optical fiber is exposed, and the exposure of the coating resin by the removal of the coating resin Applying a local stress or a micro-scratch that does not reach the optical waveguide core to a side surface of the optical fiber; and bending the optical fiber so that a portion to which the local stress or the micro-scratch is applied is outside. And a step of stress breaking the optical fiber.

  The present invention also provides a coating removing tool for removing a part of a coating resin from an optical fiber having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber. The coating removal base | substrate which was provided with the guide hole in which an optical fiber is inserted, and the scissors blade provided with the front-end | tip in the insertion direction of the said optical fiber in the middle of the said guide hole were comprised.

  The present invention also provides an optical fiber connector for connecting optical fibers having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is one of the coating resins. The end portion of the optical fiber is shaped by cutting the end portion so that the portion remains, and the optical fiber connector communicates with the introduction portion into which the optical fiber is inserted and the introduction portion. Provided on the same straight line as the introduction part and capable of inserting only the optical fiber, and provided separately from the optical connection part in communication with the introduction part, by cutting the end part And a fragment accommodating portion that accommodates the generated fragment of the optical fiber while being connected to the optical fiber by a part of the coating resin.

  The present invention also provides an optical fiber connector for connecting optical fibers having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber is one of the coating resins. The end portion of the optical fiber is shaped by cutting the end portion so that the portion remains, and the optical fiber connector is formed by cutting the end portion while the optical fiber is inserted. An introduction portion that accommodates a piece of the optical fiber strand while being connected to the optical fiber with the coating resin, and is provided on the same straight line as the introduction portion in communication with the introduction portion, and only the optical fiber strand is provided. And an optical connection portion that can be inserted.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to safely and easily shape the end face of the optical fiber by preventing the dissipation of the fragments of the optical fiber, and the optical performance thereof can be equivalent to the case where the end face is shaped only with the optical fiber, Furthermore, an optical connection that does not generate a fragment of the optical fiber is possible. This makes it possible to apply optical fibers not only to specific fields such as optical communications but also to the general public, and can contribute to the popularization of optical wiring devices and the like and greatly contribute to the advancement of information communication equipment and the like.

  First, before describing an embodiment of the present invention, a reference example of an optical fiber end face shaping method will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view for explaining an optical fiber end face shaping method as a first reference example, in which 10 is a ribbon optical fiber, 11 is an optical fiber, and 12 is a coating resin. In this method, after removing the coating resin 12 at the tip portion in advance, or by shifting the optical fiber strand 11 so as to be pulled out of the coating resin 12, the optical fiber strands 11 are separated. Cut (for example, the arrow in FIG. 11). For this reason, there is a problem that fragments (chips) of the optical fiber 11 are easily dissipated, and there is a high risk that the dissipated fragments may pierce the skin such as hands and feet.

  Optical fiber strands generally used in optical communications are often made of materials such as quartz and multi-component glass, but are transparent and very thin (outside diameter of about 125 μm), making them difficult to see and once dissipating. There is a problem that the recovery becomes substantially difficult. Also, because it is very hard and thin, fragments can easily enter the skin, and when entering the blood vessel, it can move on the bloodstream and move inside the blood vessel, and there is concern that it may cause life risk by reaching the heart and brain Has been.

  Such danger is relatively well known to optical communication engineers, and attention is paid to the handling of optical fiber strands. However, optical fibers have come to be used in fields other than optical communication such as the above-described optical wiring device, and the danger of optical fiber strand fragments is not well known, for example, the feeling of handling wire scraps. Therefore, the risk of directly touching a piece of the optical fiber is increasing.

  When the optical fiber is actually cut, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the optical fiber 11 is held by two clamp portions (sandwiched from above and below by 41a and 41b) and a cemented carbide blade 42 is interposed between them. Move it slightly to rub and make a small scratch. Then, stress is applied so that the side rubbed with the cemented carbide blade 42 becomes convex (outside), and the optical fiber 11 is mirror-cut. The left figure of FIG. 12 shows a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, and the right figure shows a cross section parallel to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber. After cutting the optical fiber, the clamp part is opened (for example, 41b is moved upward). Thus, when the end face shaping is finished, the pieces (chips) of the optical fiber are separated and dissipated.

  Although an optical fiber cutter provided with a chip recovery mechanism has been developed, there still remains a problem of how to dispose of an optical fiber strand. In addition, there is a problem of safety when the fiber cutting fails and a fragment of the optical fiber is generated. For example, when a broken piece of an optical fiber is generated, it is necessary to clean the clamp portions (41a, 41b) of the optical fiber cutter. Not to do. Rather, the actual situation is that there is a high risk of inadvertently shaking off the fragments of the clamp part with bare hands, and this is not an essential solution.

  FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing a method of cutting with an optical fiber cutter while leaving the coating resin 12 as a second reference example. In this case, the cemented carbide blade 42 needs to contact the optical fiber 11, and the optical fiber 11 is scratched while the coating resin 12 is cut, or the coating resin 12 is cut and the optical fiber is cut. There are two possible methods of performing 11 cuts separately. However, the reference is the surface of the coating resin 12 regardless of which method is used, and unless the thickness error of the coating resin 12 can guarantee an accuracy of 1 μm or less, the carbide blade 42 is used. And the optical fiber 11 (the distance between the broken lines in the left figure of FIG. 13) cannot be stably reproduced.

  Usually, the optical fiber coating resin 12 is made of a relatively elastic resin such as an acrylic resin or a silicone resin. For this reason, there is a slight thickness change due to the pressing pressure of the clamp part, and further a thickness change due to thermal expansion occurs at the environmental temperature during work. Above all, the finished thickness changes due to process variations during coating and the coating resin structure (whether it is a single layer or a composite layer). As a result, the optical fiber cutting yield decreases due to the thickness variation of the coating resin 12.

  The present invention realizes an optical fiber end face shaping method, a coating removal tool, and an optical fiber connector that solve such problems. The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical fiber for explaining a method for shaping an end face of an optical fiber according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, 10 is an optical fiber, 11 is an optical fiber, and 12 is a coating resin. The optical fiber 10 is a general term for the optical fiber 11 and the coating resin 12. Here, the optical fiber 10 is shown as a so-called ribbon fiber in which a plurality of optical fiber wires 11 are arrayed, but this may be a single-core optical fiber. The optical fiber 11 generally has a coaxial structure in which a cylindrical core for guiding light is surrounded by an optical confinement cladding, but the internal structure is omitted in FIGS. It shows.

  The optical fiber end face shaping method according to the present embodiment will be described below. In FIG. 1, the optical fiber 11 is made of, for example, a quartz optical fiber having an outer diameter of 125 μm, the coating resin 12 is made of, for example, an acrylic UV (ultraviolet) curable resin, and the combined thickness with the optical fiber is, for example, about 300 μm. In addition to the simple coating as shown in FIG. 1, the coating resin 12 may have a double structure of an individual coating for coating each optical fiber and an entire coating for further bundling it.

  First, the front end of the optical fiber 10 is folded together with the coating resin 12 to be roughly broken, and the front ends are roughly aligned. Here, the roughly broken piece (chip) of the optical fiber 10 is surrounded by a relatively soft coating resin 12 and will not pierce the skin unless it is pierced by force. Moreover, since the opaque resin which is easy to visually recognize is used for the coating resin 12, the visual confirmation of the fragments is also easy. Accordingly, the fragments due to rough breakage may be disposed of with a general adhesive tape or sealed in a glass bottle or the like and disposed of in the same manner as glass waste, and are not particularly dangerous. Furthermore, this rough breaking operation is not a particularly necessary operation as long as the tip of the optical fiber 10 is not extremely messed up, and may be omitted normally.

  Next, the coating resin 12 is partially removed as shown in FIG. For this purpose, for example, a razor blade such as a razor made of carbon steel for blades (not shown) is applied obliquely (for example, 30 to 45 °) toward the distal end of the optical fiber 10, and the razor blade is directly attached to the optical fiber. This can be done by simply sliding the side surface of the wire 11 so as to shave. At this time, when the scissors blade is made of a material harder than the coating resin 12 and softer than the optical fiber strand 11, the surface of the optical fiber strand 11 automatically becomes a guide for removing the coating resin, and the amount of the coating resin 12 removed (Removed shape) Improved reproducibility.

  Further, if the blade is pressed extremely strongly against the optical fiber 10, the optical fiber 10 is damaged, so that the pressing force needs to be moderately adjusted. For example, in the case of a 12-core ribbon optical fiber (acrylic UV curable resin coating) of a general silica-based optical fiber, the coating resin 12 can be removed with a force of about 2 to 3 N using a razor blade made of carbon steel for blades. It is possible to use a pressing pressure of about 5N at the maximum.

  When the coating resin 12 is removed by the method shown here, the coating resin 12 protruding from the side top of the optical fiber 11 is removed as shown in FIG. 1, but the coating is actually removed. Examination of the cross section in detail revealed that the coating resin 12 was removed from the side top of the optical fiber 11 to a portion slightly retracted. This is because when the coating resin 12 is shaved off by the scissors blade, the vicinity of the scissors blade tip of the portion where the coating resin has not been removed is mechanically pulled up, and the coating resin 12 is stretched outside the top of the side of the optical fiber 11. This is considered to be due to being cut in the state of being cut. This phenomenon has a good effect in optical fiber shaping and cutting in the next step.

  Next, the optical fiber 11 is shaped and cut (cleavage or stress rupture). First, a cutting edge (not shown) made of diamond or cemented carbide (for example, WC with Co as a binder) is rubbed along the broken line portion in FIG. Initial wound). Then, a bending stress is applied so that the side on which the minute scratch is formed becomes the outer side (convex portion). Further, instead of forming a minute scratch with a cutting blade, a method of applying a local stress by performing pulse heating with a thin wire heater or a method of applying an ultrasonic wave may be used.

  Here, in forming the fine scratches on the surface of the optical fiber 11, in the example shown in FIG. 13, the thickness distribution of the coating resin 12 becomes a problem and the distance between the cutting edge and the surface of the optical fiber It was difficult to confirm. On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the most convex part on the side to which the cutting edge is applied is the surface of the optical fiber 11, it is possible to impart a minute scratch or the like with very good reproducibility. For this reason, it can be seen that the application of the micro-scratches and the like according to the present embodiment has a characteristic that a result almost the same as that obtained by completely exposing the optical fiber 11 is obtained.

  Further, in the removal of the coating resin 12 by the method of the present embodiment, the outermost portion of the optical fiber 11 and the coating resin 12 are arranged on the same plane on the surface to which a minute scratch or the like is imparted, and the minute scratch is imparted by the cutting blade. There is concern about the possibility of being disturbed by the coating resin 12. However, as described above, the outermost portion of the optical fiber 11 actually protrudes slightly from the coating resin 12, so that minute scratches can be imparted without any problem.

  As a result, the optical fiber 11 is shaped and cut in the broken line region of FIG. 1, and the end face is mirrored. At this time, the cut piece of the optical fiber 11 (the tip side from the broken line of FIG. 1) Is held by the coating resin 12. That is, it looks as it is in FIG. 1 both before and after shaping and cutting, and appears to be slightly bent in the direction in which the coating resin 12 is not removed at the shaping and cutting portion (broken line portion in FIG. 1). In this way, even if the end face of the optical fiber is cut, the fragments do not dissipate because the interface between the coating resin 12 and the optical fiber 11 does not peel off, and most of the coating resin 12 (more than half of the cross section) This is an effect of cutting in a state of surrounding the optical fiber 11. Therefore, it is desirable that the coating resin 12 leave at least half of the cross-sectional area.

  Thereafter, the optical fiber fragment (the tip side from the broken line in FIG. 1) is separated by, for example, folding the coating resin 12 in a direction in which the coating resin 12 is not removed and breaking the coating resin 12. The separated optical fiber fragments can be recovered without being dissipated as the optical fiber 11. Note that the optical fiber fragments can be processed without being separated as will be described later.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a coating removal tool according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is an example of a jig that makes it possible to effectively implement the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes a substrate provided with a guide slot (guide hole) 22 of the optical fiber 10, 23 denotes a cutting waste discharge window, and 24 denotes an oblique end (for example, 30) with the tip portion directed toward the back side of the guide slot 22. ~ 45 °). The guide slot 22 enables the optical fiber 10 to be inserted straight, and a wall that defines the insertion length of the optical fiber 10 is provided in the back of the guide slot 22. The covering removal tool 20 is constituted by the base body 21, the guide slot 22, the discharge window 23, and the scissors blade 24.

  Further, the height of the scissors blade 24 from the bottom of the guide slot 22 at the tip thereof is set to be lower than the total distance of the outer diameter of the optical fiber 11 and the thickness of one side of the coating resin 12. When the optical fiber 10 is inserted in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2A, the tip is pushed up, and the height from the bottom of the guide slot 22 is the outer diameter of the optical fiber 11 and the thickness of both sides of the coating resin 12. It is configured to lift up to a height corresponding to the total height.

  In order to realize the configuration that pushes up the tip of the scissors blade 24 in the simplest manner, the length of the scissors blade 24 is made relatively long, and the tip height changes due to elastic deformation of the scissors blade itself from the fixing portion to the tip. You can do that. This is like a thin blade razor pressed against a flat surface and deformed, and can be constructed relatively simply. Further, in consideration of the durability and cutting characteristics of the blade 24, when the blade is a thick blade and is not easily deformed, the gap between the tip of the blade 24 and the bottom of the guide slot 22 should be sufficiently large. A pressing portion that presses the optical fiber 10 against the scissors blade 24 with a spring or the like may be provided at a position facing the scissors blade 24 widely.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3A, the bottom of the guide slot 22 is kept flat, and the scissors blade 24 is configured to move in parallel up and down, and the spring 31 is used to press the scissors blade 24 toward the bottom of the guide slot 22. You may hold it down. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the bottom of the guide slot 22 is kept flat, and the tip of the scissors blade 24 is configured to rotate up and down about the shaft 32. You may press with the spring 33 so that it may press on 22 bottom part side. Further, as shown in FIG. 3C, the scissors blade 24 may be held by a guide body 35 so as to be slidable in one direction.

  The optical fiber 10 is inserted into the sheath removing tool 20 configured as described above as shown in FIG. At this time, by making the tip of the optical fiber 10 reach the inner wall of the guide slot 22, the coating resin 12 is removed with substantially the same length each time. Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the inserted optical fiber 10 is pulled out in the reverse direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2C, the coating resin 12 is partially removed in the shape shown in FIG.

  Thus, if the coating removal tool of this embodiment is used, the operation becomes a simple operation of simply inserting and pulling out the optical fiber 10, and the portion of the coating resin 12 shown in the first embodiment (FIG. 1). Removal operation can be performed very easily and with good reproducibility. Moreover, the partial removal of the coating resin 12 using the coating removal tool of the present embodiment has high reproducibility of the processed shape, and the first embodiment can be effectively implemented by combination with an optical fiber cutter. become.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the coating resin 12 is partially removed by the coating removal tool of the second embodiment, and a minute flaw for shaping and cutting is imparted by the optical fiber cutter. The cutting blade 42 in FIG. 4 has a tip protruding from the upper surface of the clamp portion 41a as much as necessary to give a minute scratch, and the side surface of the optical fiber 11 directly contacts the upper surface of the clamp portion 41a. For this reason, it is possible to apply micro-scratches under substantially the same conditions each time. This is substantially equivalent to the method in which the optical fiber 11 in FIG. 12 is completely exposed.

  FIG. 5 shows a state in which the formation of micro-scratches is performed by the above-described steps, and bending cut is applied so that the surface to which the micro-scratches are applied is on the outer side, and the shape is cut (stress rupture). In FIG. 5, reference numerals 11a and 11b denote an optical fiber core (11a) and a clad (11b), which have not been shown so far. For example, in a GI (Graded Index) type multimode optical fiber having a core diameter of 50 μm and a cladding diameter of 125 μm, the micro-scratch is given to a depth of, for example, 5 μm as a depth at which the micro-scratch does not reach the core 11a. Reference numeral 11 'denotes a fragment obtained by cutting the optical fiber, and remains at the tip of the optical fiber even after the optical fiber end face is shaped and cut as shown in FIG. After this, it is possible to tear the fragment 11 'so as to be folded back, but it is also possible to perform a process of leaving it alone as shown below.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an optical fiber connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, 61 is a base of the connector, 62 is an optical connecting portion for inserting the optical fiber 11, 63 is an introducing portion for inserting the optical fiber 10 together with the coating resin 12, and 64 is a light as shown in FIG. It is a fragment | piece accommodating part which receives the fragment | piece produced by fiber shaping cutting.

  Holes having the same diameter as that of the optical fiber 10 are provided on the same straight line from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the base body 61 to form the introducing portion 63, and equivalent to the fiber strand 11 so as to connect both introducing portions 63. A hole having a diameter is provided on the same straight line as the introducing portion 63 to constitute the optical connecting portion 62. Further, a hole having a size equivalent to that of the optical fiber 10 is provided in a direction inclined from the introduction portion 63 to constitute the fragment accommodating portion 64.

  As the base 61, for example, a resin such as epoxy resin mixed with about 80% silica filler and the thermal expansion coefficient matched with that of the optical fiber is used, and the base 61 is formed into a shape as shown in FIG. The optical connecting portion 62 is, for example, a 126 μm diameter cylinder so that the positional deviation when the optical fiber 11 (outer diameter 125 μm) is abutted is reduced. For example, the optical connecting portions 63 are formed at intervals of 250 μm, which is an array pitch of general ribbon optical fibers, in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. At this time, an inclined surface made of the material of the base body 61 is formed between the optical connecting portions (cylindrical holes). The angle and length of the inclined surface are inserted into the optical fiber piece 11 ′ from the introducing portion 63. Make it possible to pass through occasionally.

  When the optical fiber processed as shown in FIG. 5 is inserted into the optical fiber connector configured as described above, the coating resin 12 is guided by the inclined surface between the optical connection portions 62 and advances. Fragment 11 ′ is pulled into it and enters fragment housing portion 64. When the optical fiber is further inserted, the fragment 11 ′ that has entered the fragment accommodating portion 64 further enters and is pulled by the optical fiber toward the fragment accommodating portion 64, but the optical fiber 11 is introduced into the introduction portion due to its rigidity. It tries to go in the extension direction of 63. As a result, the coating resin 12 is peeled off from the optical fiber strand 11, the optical fiber strand 11 advances to the optical connecting portion 62 side, and is abutted against the optical fiber inserted in the same manner from the opposite side, The state is as shown in FIG.

  In this state, the optical adhesive is injected into the optical connecting portion 62 and the fragment accommodating portion 64, and the curing process (heating or the like) is performed, thereby completing the connection between the optical fibers. As the optical adhesive, for example, a transparent epoxy adhesive, acrylic adhesive, silicone adhesive, or the like may be used, and the curing process may be performed under each curing condition.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the optical fibers connected in this way do not have to be processed by cutting and cutting the fragments 11 ′, and the safety of the optical fiber end face shaping work and its connecting work is greatly improved. The effect of doing. In combination with the second embodiment, the end processing and connection work of the optical fiber according to the present embodiment includes insertion and extraction of the optical fiber from the coating removal tool, cutting operation by a general optical fiber cutter, and connection to the optical fiber connector. This is a simple operation such as insertion of a cut optical fiber, injection and curing of an optical adhesive, and in the meantime, optical fiber chips are basically not generated, and the fragments 11 ′ are not bonded to the optical adhesive (not shown). ) Is embedded and fixed in the optical fiber connector, so that intrinsic safety can be ensured.

  In addition, since the optical fiber insertion in the optical fiber connector can be smoothly performed by performing the step of injecting the optical adhesive before the optical fiber is inserted, the optical adhesive may be injected first. In the above embodiment, an optical fiber that has been preliminarily shaped and cut by applying bending stress as shown in FIG. 5 is inserted, but this is a state in which only a minute scratch is applied to the optical fiber. You may make it insert, You may make it fracture | rupture with bending stress in the bending part which goes to the fragment | piece accommodating part 64 from the introduction part 63 of FIG. In that case, the operation of the optical fiber cutter has only the effect of giving a micro-scratch, and has the effect of eliminating the risk of generating optical fiber debris due to failure to break when applying bending stress to break.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 8: is sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber connector concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  In the present embodiment, optical fibers are basically connected to each other in the same manner as in the third embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the tip of the optical fiber 10 (part 11 ′ portion) is coated with resin removed. It connects in the state bent to the side which is not.

  In FIG. 9, reference numeral 71 denotes a base of the connector, 72 denotes an optical connection part for inserting the optical fiber 11, and 73 denotes an introduction part for inserting the optical fiber 10 together with the coating resin 12.

  As the base 71, for example, a resin such as epoxy resin mixed with about 80% of silica filler and the thermal expansion coefficient matched with the optical fiber is used, and the base 71 is formed into a shape as shown in FIG. The optical connecting portion 72 is a cylinder having a diameter of 126 μm, for example, so that the positional deviation when the optical fiber 11 (outer diameter 125 μm) is abutted is reduced. The introduction part 73 is set as a space in which a total value of twice the outer diameter of the optical fiber 11 and three times the thickness of one side of the coating resin 12 enters. For example, the optical connection portions 72 are formed at intervals of 250 μm, which is an array pitch of general ribbon optical fibers, in a direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 9.

  When an optical fiber processed as shown in FIG. 9 is inserted into the optical fiber connector configured as described above, the shaped and cut surface of the optical fiber strand 11 advances, and the optical fiber fragment 11 ′ Is turned back and enters the introduction section 73. When a similarly processed optical fiber is inserted from the opposite side, the shaped and cut surface of the optical fiber strand 11 is abutted by the optical connection portion 72, resulting in a state as shown in FIG. If the optical adhesive is injected in this state and the curing process (heating or the like) is performed, the connection of the optical fiber is completed. As the optical adhesive, for example, a transparent epoxy adhesive, an acrylic adhesive, a silicone adhesive, or the like may be used, and the curing process may be performed under each curing condition. Moreover, since the optical fiber can be inserted into the optical fiber connector smoothly by performing the step of injecting the optical adhesive before the optical fiber is inserted, the optical adhesive may be injected first.

  As in the third embodiment, the optical fiber connected in this way does not need to be processed as the chips 11 ′ by shaping and cutting as shown in FIG. 10, and the optical fiber end face is shaped and connected. There is an effect that the safety in the work is remarkably improved. The feature of this embodiment is that the piece 11 ′ is bent before insertion when inserting the optical fiber. Therefore, the coating peeling characteristics inside the optical fiber connector due to the characteristics of the coating resin 12 as in the third embodiment are considered. At least the optical fiber connection can be surely performed.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, the above-described embodiments of the present invention show some specific examples. However, these are merely configuration examples, and other means (materials, dimensions, etc.) may be used for individual elements in accordance with the gist of the present invention. There is nothing. In addition, the materials, shapes, arrangements, and the like shown in the embodiments are merely examples, and the embodiments can be implemented in combination.

  In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The perspective view which shows the schematic structure of an optical fiber for demonstrating the shaping method of the optical fiber end surface concerning 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure and removal process of the coating removal tool concerning 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the modification of the coating removal tool of 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the cutting device which cut | disconnects the optical fiber from which coating resin was removed with the coating removal tool of 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the cutting state of the optical fiber by 2nd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber connector concerning 3rd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state which connected the optical fibers using the optical connector of 3rd Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the optical fiber connector concerning 4th Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the cutting state of the optical fiber used for 4th Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state which connected optical fibers using the optical connector of 4th Embodiment. The perspective view for demonstrating the shaping method of the optical fiber end surface as a 1st reference example. Sectional drawing which shows the cutting method of the optical fiber as a 1st reference example. Sectional drawing which shows the cutting method of the optical fiber as a 2nd reference example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Optical fiber 11 ... Optical fiber strand 11a ... Optical fiber core 11b ... Optical fiber clad 12 ... Coating resin 20 ... Coating removal tool 21 ... Base | substrate 22 ... Guide slot (guide hole)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 23 ... Cutting waste discharge window 24 ... Spear blade 41a, 41b ... Optical fiber clamp part 42 ... Carbide blade 61, 71 ... Optical fiber connector base | substrate 62, 72 ... Optical connection part 63, 73 ... Introduction part 64 ... Fragment storage Part

Claims (11)

Light that cuts the end portion of an optical fiber having an optical fiber consisting of an optical waveguide core and an optical confinement cladding and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber, and shapes the end face of the optical fiber A method for shaping a fiber end face,
Removing a part of the coating resin so that a part of the side surface of the optical fiber is exposed;
Applying a local stress or a micro-scratch that does not reach the optical waveguide core on a side surface of the optical fiber exposed by removing the coating resin;
Bending the optical fiber so that the portion to which the local stress or micro-scratch is applied is on the outside and stress-breaking the optical fiber; and
An optical fiber end face shaping method comprising:   2. The method of shaping an optical fiber end face according to claim 1, wherein, as the step of removing a part of the coating resin, the coating resin is removed in a range of half or less of a cross-sectional area.   The optical fiber is a ribbon optical fiber in which a plurality of optical fiber strands are arranged in parallel to form an array, and by removing the coating resin, a part of the side surfaces of the plurality of optical fiber strands is exposed and exposed. 2. The method of shaping an optical fiber end face according to claim 1, wherein the micro-scratch or local stress is applied in a state in which the side surfaces of the plurality of optical fiber strands are pressed against and aligned with one plane. . For an optical fiber having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber, a coating removing tool for removing a part of the coating resin,
A coating removal base provided with a guide hole into which the optical fiber is inserted;
A scissors blade provided with its tip in the insertion direction of the optical fiber in the middle of the guide hole,
A coating removal tool comprising:   The sheath removing tool according to claim 4, wherein at least a tip portion of the scissors blade is made of a material harder than the coating resin and softer than a surface material of the optical fiber.   The sheath removing tool according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a pressing portion that presses the optical fiber in the direction of the scissors blade at a position facing the scissors blade in the guide hole.   The sheath removal tool according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the scissors blade has a sliding mechanism or a rotation mechanism for moving a tip portion of the scissors blade by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the coating resin.   The sheath removing tool according to any one of claims 4 to 7, further comprising a stopper portion that defines an insertion length of the optical fiber in the guide hole. An optical fiber connector for connecting optical fibers having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber,
The optical fiber is formed by cutting the end so that a part of the coating resin remains and shaping the end face of the optical fiber.
The optical fiber connector includes an introduction part into which the optical fiber is inserted, an optical connection part that is connected to the introduction part and is collinear with the introduction part, and into which only the optical fiber can be inserted. A portion of the optical fiber that is provided separately from the optical connection portion and communicates with the introduction portion and is connected to the optical fiber with a portion of the coating resin. A fragment container;
An optical fiber connector comprising: An optical fiber connector for connecting optical fibers having an optical fiber and a coating resin for protecting the optical fiber,
The optical fiber is formed by cutting the end so that a part of the coating resin remains and shaping the end face of the optical fiber.
The optical fiber connector includes an introduction unit that receives the optical fiber inserted therein and accommodates a piece of the optical fiber that is generated by cutting the end portion while being connected to the optical fiber with the coating resin; and An optical connection portion that is provided on the same straight line as the introduction portion in communication with the introduction portion, and in which only the optical fiber can be inserted;
An optical fiber connector comprising:   The optical fiber connector according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the optical connecting portion is filled with a transparent optical adhesive and cured.

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