JP3031199B2 - Welding type used for end face treatment of plastic optical fiber - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a welding type used for processing an end face of a plastic optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, plastic optical fibers used in optical sensors and optical communications have their end faces formed as smooth as possible in order to prevent light attenuation at the end faces of the optical fibers serving as open ends and connection ends. It is preferable to put
As a forming method, other than a method of polishing an optical fiber end using a polishing apparatus, a method of cutting with a hot knife, and a method of pressing an optical fiber end against a mirror-finished hot plate, a mirror-finished hot plate is pressed. A welding method for transferring the plate surface to the optical fiber side is conceivable.

[0003] However, the method of polishing the end of the optical fiber has a problem that a large number of work steps and work time are required for the polishing operation, and the method of cutting with a hot knife requires a sufficiently smooth end face. There is a problem in that the optical fiber cannot be obtained and the precision is inferior. Therefore, it is advantageous to perform the end face treatment of the optical fiber by a welding method that can form a smooth and simple end face.

[0004]

As described above, even when the end of the optical fiber is formed smoothly, the reflection of light on the end surface causes a decrease in sensitivity and an adverse effect on the element. In the worst case, In some cases, communication failure may occur.

Therefore, a method for effectively preventing such end-face reflection has been intensively studied. Instead of forming the end face of the optical fiber at 90.degree. It has been found that the end face reflection is minimized if the end face is formed so as to have a constant inclination angle.

However, the above-mentioned welding method is a method of forming an end face by pressing an end of an optical fiber against a hot plate. Therefore, in order to form an end face so as to have a fixed inclination angle with respect to the axis, Although the optical fiber must be pressed in a state of being inclined with respect to the hot plate surface, it is difficult to always maintain the optical fiber at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the hot plate surface, and the adjustment of the inclination angle is also difficult. There is a problem that it cannot be easily performed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the welding method that can form a smooth end face simply and accurately as described above, thereby achieving a smooth and constant inclination angle with respect to the axis. the end faces having to provide an end face <br/> treatment welding type used sense of the plastic optical fiber which can be easily and accurately formed.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a ferrule having a tip end surface cut at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to an axis of a plastic optical fiber. Is inserted so as to protrude slightly, and the tip of the ferrule is pressed against a mirror-finished hot plate surface while keeping the inclination angle by aligning the ferrule with the welding mold. The welding type used for processing the end face of the plastic optical fiber used when forming the end face on which the finished hot plate surface is transferred to the tip of the plastic optical fiber , and penetrates up and down.
A guide body having a ferrule guide hole, and the guide body
A base for tiltably supporting the hot plate on a hot plate;
A holding hand for holding the guide body to the base at an arbitrary inclined position
And a step.

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

[0012]

[0013] Further , the guide hole has a plurality of shapes in the guide body.
May be implemented.

The base is provided with a support portion having a receiving surface of the guide body formed in an arc shape,
The lower surface of the guide body is formed in an arc shape so as to be in sliding contact with the receiving surface of the support portion, and the guide body and the support portion are provided with the guide body in an arc shape on the receiving surface of the support portion. A guide means which is slidable only in the circumferential direction of the lower surface is provided, and the holding means is formed on an operation gear supported by the base and an arc-shaped lower surface of the guide body, and meshes with the operation gear. It can also be constituted by a driven gear. In addition, a plurality of the guide holes may be provided.

[0015]

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[Function] The plastic optical fiber constructed as described above
In the welding type used for the end surface treatment of the bar, the guide body having the guide holes is supported on the hot plate by the base so as to be tiltable, and the guide body is held on the base at an arbitrary tilting position by the holding means. When the guide body is tilted at a predetermined inclination angle and held on the base, the guide holes provided in the guide body are also inclined accordingly. Ma
Further, a plurality of the guide holes are formed in the guide body.
In the case of multiple plastic optical fibers,
End face processing can be performed.

[0021] In particular, a support portion having an arc-shaped receiving surface is provided on the base, and a lower surface of the guide body is formed in an arc shape.
A guide means for a guide body, wherein the holding means is constituted by an operation gear supported by the base and a driven gear formed on an arc-shaped lower surface of the guide body and meshing with the operation gear. In that case, by rotating the operation gear, the guide body is automatically tilted and held at that position.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Principle) First, prior to the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention will be described.
The principle of the welding type will be described. Welding type 10 in FIG. 1, this
Example of a virtual proposal to explain the principle of the invention
In this case, a guide hole 12 penetrating from the upper surface 11a to the lower surface 11b is provided in a rectangular parallelepiped metal block body 11, and as shown in FIG.
0 on the upper surface 20a.

The through hole 12 is formed with the block body 11 mounted on the upper surface 20a of the hot plate 20 and having an inclination angle α with respect to the upper surface 20a. The ferrule is set slightly larger than the outer diameter of the ferrule so that a ferrule attached to the end of the fiber can be inserted.

Note that the inclination angle α may be set to an angle at which the end face reflection is the least based on the NA (numerical aperture) of the plastic optical fiber to be subjected to the end face processing.

Hereinafter, a method for treating an end face of a plastic optical fiber using the welding mold 10 will be described. FIG.
As shown in (a), the ferrule 40 cut so that the tip end surface 41 has a predetermined inclination angle β with respect to the axis.
Then, the plastic optical fiber F is inserted so that the tip thereof protrudes slightly. Note that the inclination angle β of the distal end surface of the ferrule 40 and the inclination angle α of the guide hole 12 of the welding mold 10 are the same.

Then, the welding mold 10 is set on the upper surface 20a of the hot plate 20, and as shown in FIG.
Ferrule 40 with plastic optical fiber F inserted
Is inserted into the guide hole 12 of the welding die 10 and the ferrule 40 is inserted.
Is pressed against the upper surface 20a of the hot plate 20.

At this time, since the ferrule 40 and the plastic optical fiber F are maintained at the inclination angle α with respect to the upper surface 20a of the hot plate 20 by the guide holes 12, the upper surface 20 of the hot plate 20 is maintained.
An end face having an inclination angle α with respect to the axis, that is, an end face parallel to the tip face 41 of the ferrule 40 is formed at the tip end of the plastic optical fiber F pressed against a. Since the upper surface 20a of the hot plate 20 is mirror-finished, the end surface of the plastic optical fiber F is
The mirror-finished upper surface 20a is transferred as it is,
The state becomes extremely smooth.

The end of the plastic optical fiber F crushed by the hot plate 20 spreads out from the fiber insertion hole 40a of the ferrule 40 at the end of the ferrule 40 which has been subjected to the end face treatment as described above. 3 functions as a stopper for the plastic optical fiber F with respect to the ferrule 40.
A ferrule 40 having a tapered large diameter portion 40b whose inner diameter increases toward the distal end at the distal end of the fiber insertion hole 40a is used as in the second proposal example shown in FIGS. Then, the tip of the plastic optical fiber F crushed by the hot plate 20 is accommodated in the large-diameter portion 40b, and functions to prevent the plastic optical fiber F from being pulled out of the ferrule 40, and the tip of the plastic optical fiber F is connected to the ferrule 40. Tip surface 4
A terminal portion whose end face is along the front end face 41 of the ferrule 40 without protruding from 1 is formed.

FIG. 4 shows an end face processing method when the ferrule is not used (third proposed example) . In this end face processing method, first, as shown in FIG. 4A, the coating material c at the tip end of the plastic optical fiber F in which the outer periphery of the fiber core wire f is coated with the coating material c is slightly peeled off.

Then, the plastic optical fiber F from which the coating material c at the end has been peeled off is inserted into the guide hole 12 of the welding mold 10 as shown in FIG. Hot fiber 20
Pressed on the upper surface 20a of the. The welding die 10 used at this time needs to have a guide hole 12 whose diameter is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the plastic optical fiber F so that the plastic optical fiber F can be inserted. .

At this time, as in the case of the first proposed example , when the tip of the plastic optical fiber F is pressed against the hot plate 20, the plastic optical fiber F itself is maintained in a state of being inclined at a predetermined inclination angle. Therefore, an end surface having a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the axis is formed at the tip of the plastic optical fiber F.

In the third proposed example , the plastic optical fiber F in which the outer periphery of the fiber core wire f is covered with the coating material c.
However, for example, it is also possible to use a plastic optical fiber consisting of only a bare fiber core wire having no covering material. However, in the welding type used in this case, the diameter of the guide hole needs to correspond to a plastic optical fiber consisting of only a fiber core wire.

[0033]

[0034]

[0035]

[0036]

[0037]

[0038]

(One Embodiment) FIGS. 5 to 10 show one embodiment of a welding type.
The welding die 30 includes a guide body 35 having a ferrule guide hole 35a penetrating vertically, a base 31 that supports the guide body 35 to be tiltable on a hot plate, and the guide body 35 at an arbitrary tilt position. And holding means 37 for holding the base 31.

The base 31 is provided with a support portion 33 of the guide body 35 formed in an arc shape at both ends on a substrate 32 whose central portion is open. The receiving surface 33a of the guide body 35 is formed in an arc shape. A front plate 34 having an upper end formed in an arc shape is attached to the front surface of the base 31 along the upper end edge of the support portion 33. The front plate 34 is formed in an arc shape. Angle scale 3 on the edge of the top edge
4a is attached.

The lower surface of the guide body 35 is formed in an arc shape as a whole, and a slider 36 extending in the circumferential direction along the lower surface is formed at the center of the lower surface in the width direction. The slider 36 is supported by the support 33
The guide body 35 can be slid only on the receiving surface 33a of the support portion 33 in the circumferential direction of the lower surface formed in an arc shape by fitting into the slide guide portion 33b formed on the support portion 33. The guide holes 35a are formed one by one on both sides of the slider 36, avoiding the slider 36.
As shown in FIG. 9 , the lower end of 5a has a peripheral edge projecting downward.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 , the holding means 37 is provided at the center of the lower surface of the slider 36 in the width direction.
A gear 38 formed over the entire length of the slider 36
And an operating shaft 39 having a worm gear 39a meshed with the gear 38.
9 is rotatably supported on the base 31 by a bearing 39b built in the support portion 33. A groove 33c for accommodating the gear 38 is formed on the lower surface of the slide guide portion 33b of the support portion 33.

The operation shaft 39 has both ends protruding outward from the support portion 33, and an operation knob 39c is formed at the distal end thereof. Therefore, this operation knob 39
By turning the c, the gear 38 and the teeth engaged by and the worm gear 39a rotates, the said guide body 35 with which it slides on the receiving surface 33a of the support portion 33, as shown in FIG. 6 Then, the guide body 35 is held in an inclined state on the base 31.

In this state, since the guide hole 35a formed in the guide body 35 is also inclined, the angle scale 34 is formed.
When the inclination angle of the guide body 35 is set by a, the guide hole 35a can be set to an arbitrary inclination angle.

Therefore, with the guide hole 35a inclined in this way, the welding die is placed on a hot plate, and the ferrule into which the plastic optical fiber has been inserted as described above is passed through the guide hole 35a. When the tip is pressed against the hot plate surface and welded, the end face treatment of the plastic optical fiber can be easily performed.

In the welding mold 30, since the inclination angle of the guide hole 35a can be arbitrarily changed, it is possible to perform end face treatment of various plastic optical fibers having different numerical apertures.

[0047]

[0048]

[0049]

[0050]

[0051]

The plastic light constructed as described above
According to the welding type used for the end face treatment of the fiber, a guide body having a guide hole is tiltably supported on a hot plate by a base, and the guide is held on the base at an arbitrary tilting position by holding means . Therefore , the guide hole of the ferrule can be set to an arbitrary inclination angle only by holding the guide body at a predetermined inclination angle and holding it on the base, so that it is not necessary to prepare various types of welding dies. Versatility is improved. Further, the guide hole is provided in the guide.
If the body has more than one,
Work can be performed because the end face of plastic optical fiber can be processed.
The performance is improved.

In particular, a support portion having an arc-shaped receiving surface is provided on the base, and the lower surface of the guide body is formed in an arc shape.
A guide means for a guide body, wherein the holding means is constituted by an operation gear supported by the base and a driven gear formed on an arc-shaped lower surface of the guide body and meshing with the operation gear. In that case, by rotating the operation gear, the guide body is automatically tilted and held at that position, so that the usability is very good.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first proposed example of a welding type according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing a first proposed example of a method for treating an end face of a plastic optical fiber according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process chart showing a second proposed example of the above.

FIG. 4 is a process chart showing a third proposed example of the above.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a welding type.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing one use state of the same.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the welding type according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side view showing the welding type according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG . 7;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line YY of FIG . 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Welding type 12 Guide hole 20 Hot plate 20a Upper surface 30 Welding type 31 Substrate 32 Substrate 33 Supporting part 33a Receiving surface 33b Slide guide 33c Groove 35 Guide body 35a Guide hole 36 Slider 37 Holding means 38 Gear 39 Operating shaft 39a Worm gear 39b Bearing 39c Operation knob

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/00 G02B 6/10 G02B 6/24 G02B 6/36

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plastic optical fiber is inserted into a ferrule cut so that a front end surface thereof has a predetermined inclination angle with respect to an axis, so that a front end portion thereof slightly protrudes,
By keeping the inclination angle by aligning the ferrule with the welding mold, the tip is pressed against the mirror-finished hot plate surface, and the mirror-finished hot plate surface is transferred along the tip surface of the ferrule. End treatment of a plastic optical fiber used when forming a bent end face at the tip of the plastic optical fiber
Guide body having a guide hole of a ferrule penetrating vertically , which is the welding type used for
And the guide body is supported on the hot plate so as to be tiltable.
A base and a holder for holding the guide body on the base at an arbitrary inclined position.
End treatment of plastic optical fiber with holding means
Welding type used. 2. A plurality of said guide holes are formed in said guide body.
2. The end of a plastic optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein
Welding type used for surface treatment. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the base is formed in an arc shape.
An arc-shaped supporting portion having a receiving surface of the guide body , wherein the guide body is in sliding contact with the receiving surface of the supporting portion.
The guide body and the support portion have the guide body,
Only on the receiving surface of the support portion in the circumferential direction of the arc-shaped lower surface.
A guide means for slidable is provided, wherein the holding means comprises an operating gear supported by the base,
It is formed on the arc-shaped lower surface of the guide body, and is
And a driven gear that meshes with said driven gear.
Is an end face treatment of the plastic optical fiber according to claim 2.
Welding type used for