JP2007140207A - Optical fiber array assembling tool - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tool that can alternately arrange optical fiber portions of upper and lower ribbon fibers to be easily and reliably housed in V-shape grooves and that can loosen a local bend on the optical fiber portion. <P>SOLUTION: The tool is used for assembling an optical fiber array by vertically stacking a plurality of ribbon fibers 12 and vertically alternately arranging a large number of optical fiber portions 12a protruding from a top end face of a ribbon portion 12b of each ribbon fiber, and fixing the fiber portions as arranged to an array substrate. The device has a wedge base 30 and releasable ribbon pressing pieces 32, 34 with respect to both tapered faces 30a of the wedge base. By nipping the ribbon portion with the tapered face and the ribbon pressing piece, the large number of protruding optical fiber portions can be held as arrayed in a vertically intersecting state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a jig used in assembling an optical fiber array using a plurality of ribbon fibers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a ribbon fiber disposed on both tapered surfaces of a wedge-shaped base. The present invention relates to an optical fiber array assembling jig that can be aligned and held in a state of crossing vertically.

  In recent years, with the advancement of optical communication technology, waveguide elements have been increased in number of cores and increased in density, and accordingly, the pitch between optical fibers in an optical fiber array is required to be narrowed. Ribbon fibers are often used in the production of optical fiber arrays, but in order to shorten the standard pitch between optical fibers, two ribbon fibers are overlapped, and the upper and lower optical fibers are arranged alternately to generate half-pitch light. A fiber array is assembled (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, V-grooves 14 are formed on the upper surface of the array substrate 10 at half the pitch between the optical fibers of the ribbon fibers 12, and the two ribbon fibers 12 are stacked one above the other. In this structure, the upper and lower optical fiber strand portions 12 a are alternately arranged so as to be accommodated in the V-groove 14, and the cover glass 18 is covered with an adhesive 16 and fixed. Note that an adhesive 20 is applied to the tip of the ribbon portion 12 b of the ribbon fiber 12 and fixed to the array substrate 10. The optical fiber strand portion 12a is also covered with a resin 22 for protection. In this way, a half pitch optical fiber array is obtained.

  However, if the two ribbon fibers 12 are simply overlapped, the optical fiber strand portion 12a is in a state of being vertically parallel and protruding from the tip of the ribbon portion 12b. Even if guided, the arrangement is disturbed, or a part of the arrangement is lifted from the V-groove 14 and the assembly workability is poor. For example, to realize a 32-core optical fiber array using 8-core ribbon fibers, four ribbon fibers are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions. In assembly, workability is further deteriorated.

Furthermore, when two ribbon fibers are overlapped, as shown in FIG. 2A, the optical fiber strand portion 12a is locally bent, thereby degrading the optical transmission characteristics, and in severe cases, due to stress. There arises a problem that the optical fiber is broken.
JP-A-9-197193

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the optical fiber strand portions of the upper and lower ribbon fibers can be arranged alternately and easily so as to fit in the V-groove, and the local bending applied to the optical fiber strand portion is conventionally caused. It is to be able to do more slowly than goods.

  In the present invention, a plurality of ribbon fibers are stacked one above the other, and a number of optical fiber strands protruding from the ribbon end surface of each ribbon fiber are alternately arranged one above the other and fixed to the array substrate in that state. A jig used when assembling the optical fiber array, comprising: a wedge-shaped base; and ribbon pressing pieces that can be brought into and out of contact with both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base. The optical fiber array assembly jig is characterized in that by holding the ribbon portion, it is possible to maintain the alignment in a state where a number of protruding optical fiber strands cross each other vertically.

  Here, the ribbon holding piece is made of a magnetic material, and can be opened and closed by a hinge structure with respect to the wedge-shaped base or detachable by a pin-hole fitting structure, and a permanent magnet is embedded in a wedge-shaped base made of synthetic resin. A structure in which the ribbon pressing piece is attracted and held on the wedge-shaped base by magnetic force is preferable. With such a structure, the ribbon fiber can be easily attached. In addition, if a groove for positioning to accommodate the ribbon fiber is formed on both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base and a cushion sheet is pasted on the inner surface of the ribbon holding piece facing the groove, The movement of the ribbon fiber in the width direction is restricted, and accurate positioning can be easily performed, and the cushion fiber can be protected and prevented from shifting.

  When a multi-core optical fiber array is manufactured, a plurality of ribbon fibers can be juxtaposed in the concave grooves on both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base. The angle formed by both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base is preferably about 3 to 8 degrees, more preferably 4 to 6 degrees.

  Since the optical fiber array assembly jig of the present invention is configured to hold the ribbon fiber by both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base, the optical fiber strand portions protruding from the upper and lower overlapping ribbon fibers intersect and alternate. Can be prevented from collapsing. Moreover, all the optical fiber strands are accommodated in the V-groove, and a multi-core optical fiber array can be assembled easily and accurately. Furthermore, although the optical fiber is locally bent during assembly, the bending of the wedge-shaped base becomes gentler than that of the conventional product, and the bending radius of the optical fiber is increased, so that the optical transmission characteristics are deteriorated. Damage to the optical fiber due to stress can be prevented.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an optical fiber array assembly jig according to the present invention. The optical fiber array assembling jig includes a wedge-shaped base 30 and two ribbon pressing pieces 32 and 34 that can be brought into and out of contact with both tapered surfaces 30 a of the wedge-shaped base 30. By holding the ribbon portion 12b between the taper surface 30a and the ribbon pressing pieces 32, 34, the protruding optical fiber strand portions 12a can be aligned and held in a state of alternately intersecting vertically. . An optical fiber array is assembled by mounting and fixing a large number of optical fiber strand portions 12a protruding from the front end face of the ribbon portion 12b of each ribbon fiber 12 on the V-groove portion of the array substrate in an alternately arranged state.

  When manufacturing a multi-core optical fiber array, a plurality of ribbon fibers can be arranged in parallel on both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base. For example, when a 32-core optical fiber array is manufactured using 8-core ribbon fibers, a total of four ribbon fibers are arranged vertically and horizontally. When a 48-core optical fiber array is manufactured, three ribbon fibers may be juxtaposed on each tapered surface. The angle formed by the two tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base is preferably about 5 degrees.

  The assembled optical fiber array is shown in FIG. V-grooves 14 are formed on the upper surface of the array substrate 10 at intervals of half the pitch between the optical fibers of the ribbon fiber 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the ribbon fibers 12 are placed on both tapered surfaces 30a of the wedge-shaped base 30 and fixed with ribbon pressing pieces 32 and 34, whereby the ribbon fibers 12 are stacked one on top of the other. A large number of optical fiber strand portions 12a protruding from the front end surface of the ribbon portion 12b of the fiber 12 are held in an alternately arranged state. Then, the upper and lower optical fiber strand portions 12a are alternately accommodated in the V-grooves 14, covered with a cover glass 18 through a UV adhesive 16, and cured by ultraviolet irradiation to be bonded and fixed. Note that an adhesive 20 is applied to the tip of the ribbon portion 12 b of the ribbon fiber 12 and fixed to the array substrate 10. The optical fiber strand portion 12a is also covered with a resin 22 for protection. In this way, a half pitch optical fiber array is obtained. When an optical fiber array is manufactured using such an assembly jig, the optical fiber strand portion 12a is pulled out at a gentle angle corresponding to the taper of the wedge-shaped base, as shown in FIG. It will be fixed.

  One embodiment of the optical fiber array assembly jig according to the present invention is shown in FIG. A is a perspective view, B represents an upper surface, C represents a side surface, and D represents a bottom surface. Here, a jig for manufacturing a 32-core optical fiber array by combining four 8-core ribbon fibers 40 is shown.

  This optical fiber array assembling jig includes a wedge-shaped base 42 and two ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46 that can be brought into contact with and separated from both tapered surfaces 42a of the wedge-shaped base 42, respectively. Basically, by holding the ribbon portion 40b between the taper surface 42a and the ribbon pressing pieces 44, 46, a plurality of protruding optical fiber portions 40a can be aligned and held alternately in the vertical direction. This is the structure. An optical fiber array is assembled by mounting and fixing a large number of optical fiber strand portions 40a protruding from the front end surface of the ribbon portion 40b of each ribbon fiber 40 in the V-groove portion of the array substrate in an alternately arranged state.

  The wedge-shaped base 42 is made of, for example, a hard synthetic resin (nonmagnetic material) such as polyacetal resin, and a concave groove 48 for positioning that accommodates the ribbon fiber 40 is formed on both tapered surfaces 42a. The angle formed by both tapered surfaces 42a was set to 5 degrees. The depth of the concave groove 48 is set to be equal to or less than the thickness of the ribbon fiber 40. Here, since the jig is a jig for producing a 32-core optical fiber array by combining four 8-core ribbon fibers 40, the width is set so that two ribbon fibers 40 can be accommodated side by side. The concave grooves of the upper taper surface and the lower taper surface are formed so as to be shifted in the groove width direction by half of the arrangement pitch of the optical fibers.

  The ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46 are made of steel (magnetic material). The upper ribbon holding piece 44 has two through holes 50 formed on one side, and is detachable by a fitting structure with two pins 52 planted in the wedge-shaped base 42. The lower ribbon pressing piece 46 can be opened and closed with respect to the wedge-shaped base 42 by a hinge structure 54 provided on one side. Two permanent magnets 56 are embedded in the wedge-shaped base 42 made of hard synthetic resin on the opposite side to the pin 52 or the hinge structure 54, and both ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46 are wedge-shaped base 42 by the magnetic force thereof. It is configured to hold the ribbon fiber 40 that is adsorbed to and trapped.

  Further, thin cushion sheets 60 and 62 made of urethane resin or the like are attached to the inner side surfaces of both ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46 facing the concave grooves 48 formed on both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base 42. The cushion sheets 60 and 62 serve to protect the ribbon fiber 40 to be pressed from being damaged and to prevent the ribbon fiber 40 from being displaced during the assembly operation. Note that three circular portions shown in FIG. 3D (representing the bottom surface) are concave portions for positioning when the jig is mounted on the assembly apparatus.

  When the ribbon fiber 40 is accommodated in the concave groove 48 on the tapered surface of the wedge-shaped base 42 and covered with the ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46, the ribbon pressing pieces 44 and 46 are attracted to the wedge-shaped base 42 by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 56, and the ribbon fiber. 40 is held in place. As a result, the ribbon fibers 40 are stacked one above the other, and a large number of optical fiber strand portions 40a protruding from the front end surface of the ribbon portion 40b of each ribbon fiber 40 are held in a state of intersecting vertically. When placed in the V-groove portion of the array substrate in that state, each optical fiber strand portion is neatly accommodated in the V-groove, so that the half-pitch optical fiber array can be easily assembled by fixing in that state.

The schematic diagram of the optical fiber array assembly jig which concerns on this invention. Comparison explanatory drawing of the optical fiber array produced by the prior art and this invention. Explanatory drawing which shows one Example of the optical fiber array assembly jig which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

12 Ribbon fiber 12a Optical fiber strand part 12b Ribbon part 30 Wedge base 30a Tapered surface 32, 34 Ribbon holding piece

Claims (5)

An optical fiber array in which a plurality of ribbon fibers are stacked one above the other, and a number of optical fiber strands protruding from the ribbon end surface of each ribbon fiber are alternately arranged vertically and fixed to the array substrate in that state. A jig used when assembling
A wedge-shaped base and a ribbon pressing piece that can be brought into contact with and separated from both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base. An optical fiber array assembling jig characterized in that the fiber strand portions can be aligned and maintained in a state where they intersect vertically.   The ribbon holding piece is made of a magnetic material, and can be opened and closed by a hinge structure with respect to the wedge-shaped base or detachable by a pin-hole fitting structure, and a permanent magnet is embedded in a wedge-shaped base made of synthetic resin, and the ribbon is generated by the magnetic force. 2. The optical fiber array assembly jig according to claim 1, wherein the holding piece is held by suction on the wedge-shaped base.   The groove for positioning which accommodates a ribbon fiber is formed in both taper surfaces of a wedge-shaped base, and the cushion sheet is affixed on the inner surface of the ribbon pressing piece facing this groove. Optical fiber array assembly jig.   The optical fiber array assembly jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of ribbon fibers can be juxtaposed on both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base. The optical fiber array assembly jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an angle formed by both tapered surfaces of the wedge-shaped base is 3 to 8 degrees.

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