JP3207343B2 - Optical fiber connection structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for connecting optical fibers between a master optical fiber on the moving side and a receiving optical fiber on the fixed side used in an optical switch or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, when inspecting and inspecting an optical transmission line or a plurality of optical fiber cores (optical lines) of an optical circuit for an optical transmission abnormality, an inspection apparatus is used for an optical line of each core on a wiring or circuit side. Inspection and inspection of each core are performed by switching and connecting optical lines (optical fibers) on the side, and an optical switch is used for switching connection of the optical lines.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a recently proposed optical switch. In the figure, a receiving optical fiber 3 is arranged in an optical fiber arrangement member 1 having a plurality of V-grooves 5 arranged side by side, with its connection portion 15 side immersed in the longitudinal direction of each V-groove 5 and bonded. It is fixed by the agent 10.
A master optical fiber 4 fixed to a movable stage (not shown) movable in, for example, the X direction and the Y direction in the drawing is provided on the connection section 15 side of the optical fiber 3 on the receiving side. By the movement of the fiber 4, the connecting portion 16 side of the master optical fiber 4 becomes the optical fiber array member 1.
Are selectively inserted into any one of the V grooves 5.

In this optical switch, for example, when the master optical fiber 4 is inserted into the V-groove 5a,
When the master optical fiber 4 is optically connected to the receiving optical fiber 3a, and the master optical fiber 4 is inserted into the V-groove 5b as shown by a chain line in the figure, the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3b are connected. Thus, the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving-side optical fiber 3 can be switched in this manner. A space is provided between the connection end faces 15 and 16 so that the connection end face 15 of the receiving optical fiber 3 does not collide with the connection end face 16 of the master optical fiber 4.

[0005]

Meanwhile [0007], when inserting the master optical fiber 4 to the V-groove 5 is, for example, FIG. 6
As shown in (1), it is considered that the master optical fiber 4 is pressed into the V-groove 5 from the diagonally upper side of the V-groove 5 to be inserted and fixed. In this manner, the master optical fiber 4 is inserted into the V-groove 5. Even if the master optical fiber 4 is to be fixed, the V-groove 5 is not stably lifted in this state.
Is not always fixed. Therefore, for example, FIG. 4
As shown in FIG. 5, a specific point (point P) near the connection end 8 of the master optical fiber 4 is
Pressing against the groove 5 side is considered.

However, when the position near the connection end 8 of the master optical fiber 4 is pressed at a point by the leaf spring 7 or the like and pressed and fixed to the V-groove 5 side, as shown by the arrow in FIG. Is applied only to the contact point P of the leaf spring 7 with the master optical fiber 4, so that the connection tip 8 side of the master optical fiber 4 rises upward from the V-groove 5 as shown by the dashed line in FIG. There is a problem that the connection loss between the optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 becomes extremely large.

As described above, when the master optical fiber 4 is pressed by the leaf spring 7, pressure is applied only to a specific point (point P) where the leaf spring 7 is in contact with the master optical fiber 4. When a large pressure is applied to the point P, the master optical fiber 4 may be damaged in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to connect a master optical fiber to a V-groove in which a receiving-side optical fiber is provided and to connect the two optical fibers by fixing the master optical fiber. An optical fiber that can be inserted and fixed in a V-groove in a stable state without damaging the master optical fiber, and that can connect the receiving optical fiber and the master optical fiber with low connection loss. To provide a connecting portion structure.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the present invention provides means for solving the problems by the following constitution. That is, the present invention provides one or more V
The receiving optical fibers are arranged and fixed in the optical fiber array member having the grooves arranged side by side by immersing the connection portion side in the longitudinal direction of each of the V-grooves. By selectively inserting the connection portion side of the master optical fiber into the V-groove, the connection end surface of the master optical fiber and the connection end surface of the receiving optical fiber are opposed to each other, and An optical fiber connecting portion structure for connecting an optical fiber, wherein a master fixing member is provided for pressing and constraining a connection end side of the master optical fiber to the V groove side with a contact width in a longitudinal direction of the master optical fiber. , The connection part of the receiving optical fiber is
The tip side is inserted into the V-groove without being fixed.
The connector fixing member is connected to the connection end side of the master optical fiber and the
Destination of receiving optical fiber opposite to star optical fiber
The receiving side optical fiber and the master optical fiber
Each having a contact width in the longitudinal direction together with the V-groove
A common fixing member for connecting optical fibers
It is characterized by having achieved .

Further, the optical fiber pressing surface side of the common fixed members before Symbol connecting optical fibers, of the both in a position corresponding to the connection leading end side of the section of the optical fiber connection tip end side and the receiving side of the master optical fiber A feature of the present invention is that an escape recess for preventing contact of the tip of the optical fiber is formed.

[0011] In the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the connection end of the master optical fiber is contacted in the longitudinal direction of the master optical fiber (the contact width in this specification is the width of the connection end of the optical fiber that does not rise from the V-groove. ) Is provided on the V-groove side of the optical fiber array member, so that the master optical fiber is pressed and constrained by the master fixing member with a contact width in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, unlike the case where the master optical fiber is pressed against the V-groove side at a specific point, a large pressure is not applied to a specific point of the master optical fiber. The connection end side of the fiber does not rise, and the master optical fiber is pressed against the V-groove side in a stable state and restrained.

Therefore, in the present invention, the connection loss between the master optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber does not increase due to the floating of the master optical fiber from the V-groove, and the master optical fiber is damaged. In addition, the above problem is solved.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the examples described so far, and the overlapping description will be omitted. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an optical fiber connecting portion structure according to the present invention, taken along the optical axis of a receiving optical fiber 3 and a master optical fiber 4. The connecting part structure of the optical fiber of this embodiment, for example, as the optical switch shown in FIG. 5, an optical fiber formed by juxtaposed V-shaped groove 5 of one or more (10 in FIG. 5) Connection structure between the receiving optical fiber 3 fixedly arranged on the array member 1 and the master optical fiber 4 selectively inserted into one of the V grooves 5 on the connecting portion 15 side of the receiving optical fiber 3. It is.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the characteristic that the the present embodiment, the connection tip 8 side of the master optical fiber 4, with the longitudinal direction contact width L ₁ of the master optical fiber 4 V
That is, a master fixing member 6 that presses and restricts the groove 5 is provided. This master fixing member 6, in this embodiment, Ru Tei formed by the block body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The master fixing member 6 includes a fixing member moving shaft 9.
Is fixed to the fixed member moving shaft 9 via a rod 13 fitted in the rod fitting hole 12 of the master fixing member 6.
Between the lower surface 19 of the fixed member moving shaft 9 and the upper surface 18 of
A spring 11 wound around a rod 13 is provided. The fixed member moving shaft 9 is formed so as to be tiltable in a direction A in the drawing with a rotation support shaft (not shown) provided on the base end side (right side in the drawing) of the master optical fiber 4 as a fulcrum. The optical fiber 4 is V-groove 5 by the moving stage.
When the movable member 9 is selectively moved to the upper side, the fixing member moving shaft 9 tilts and moves to a preset position where the master optical fiber 4 and the master fixing member can come into contact with each other. The connection end 8 side of 4 is pressed against the V groove 5 side by the master fixing member 6 and is restrained. In this embodiment, a groove portion 20 that crosses the V groove 5 is formed in the optical fiber arrangement member 1.

FIG. 2A is a front view of the master fixing member 6 and the master optical fiber 4 used in this embodiment when viewed from the connection end face 16 side of the master optical fiber 4. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, the master optical fiber 4 is formed by the flat optical fiber pressing surface 21 of the master fixing member 6 so that the V-shaped groove 5 is formed.
Pressed to the side. In addition, (b), (c) of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, for example, a U groove 22 and a V groove 23 are formed on the optical fiber pressing surface 21 side of the master fixing member 6, and the master optical fiber 4 is fitted into the U groove 22 and the V groove 23. Alternatively, the master optical fiber 4 can be pressed against the V-groove 5 to be restrained.

In this embodiment , the connecting portion 15 of the receiving optical fiber 3 has its distal end (the connecting distal end 14 side) inserted without being fixed in the V-groove 5 and the master fixing member 6. Is the connection end 8 side of the master optical fiber 4,
Receiving optical fiber 3 facing master optical fiber 4
Wherein the pressing restraining the V-groove 5 side with a connecting tip 14 side, that forms a common fixing member connecting optical fiber
It shall be the.

In this embodiment, the master fixing member 6
Are the receiving optical fiber 3 and the master optical fiber 4
With the contact widths L ₂ and L ₁ in the longitudinal direction, the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 are pressed together and constrained to the V-groove 5 side. It is movably provided above the connection portions 16 and 15 of the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving side optical fiber 3. Each contact width _L 1, _{L 2,} respectively, rising be suppressed from V groove 5 of the master optical fiber 4, that are formed to a width of, for example, about 0.5 to 5 mm.

The present embodiment is constructed as described above, the optical switch according to the connection part structure of the optical fiber of this embodiment, similarly to the conventional optical switch shown in FIG. 5, the master optical The fiber 4 is selectively inserted into any one of the V grooves 5 of the optical fiber array member 1 by the moving stage. At this time, in this embodiment, the fixed member moving shaft 9 is tilted to move the fixed member. The shaft 9 is disposed at a preset position. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber pressing surface 21 of master fixing member 6 fixed to the fixing member moving shaft 9, the master optical fiber 4 is pressed with the longitudinal direction contact width L ₁ of the master optical fiber 4 restraint Is done.

[0020] Therefore, in the present embodiment is inserted into and fixed in a stable condition in the V groove 5 side master optical fiber 4 by the optical fiber pressing surface 21 of master fixing member 6, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, Unlike the case where a specific point (point P) of the master optical fiber 4 is pressed and pressed against the V-groove 5 side by the leaf spring 7 or the like, the connection tip 8 side of the master optical fiber 4 does not rise from the V-groove 5.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the optical fiber pressing surface 21 of the master fixing member 6 presses and constrains the master optical fiber 4 toward the V-groove 5 with a contact width in the longitudinal direction. 4,
Since pressure is averagely applied from the optical fiber pressing surface 21 side of the master fixing member 6, unlike the case where a specific point of the master optical fiber 4 is pressed by the leaf spring 7 or the like, the pressure is concentrated and the master optical fiber 4 Can be prevented from being damaged.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the master optical fiber 4 can be stably inserted and fixed by being pressed against the V-groove 5 without damaging the master optical fiber 4. In order to suppress an increase in connection loss between the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving-side optical fiber 3 due to the lifting of the optical fiber 4 from the V-groove 5 or the like, the connection structure of the optical fiber of this embodiment is changed to an optical switch. By applying this method, a highly reliable optical switch capable of switching optical connections between optical fibers with low connection loss can be constructed.

In this embodiment, together with the master optical fiber 4, the connection end 14 of the receiving optical fiber 3 is pressed against the V-groove 5 with the contact width L ₂ by the master fixing member 6. Therefore, the receiving optical fiber 3 is not damaged, and the connection tip 14 side is not lifted from the V-groove 5, and the arrangement precision of the receiving-side optical fiber 3 in the V-groove 5 is so-called. The position of the receiving end of the optical fiber 3 on the receiving side and the connecting end 8 of the master optical fiber 4 can be reliably aligned without being affected by fiber alignment. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the receiving optical fiber 3 and the master optical fiber 4 can be connected with even lower connection loss.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the optical fiber connecting portion structure according to the present invention, taken along the optical axis of the receiving optical fiber 3 and the master optical fiber 4. As shown in FIG. . This embodiment is constructed substantially similarly to the first embodiment, this embodiment is that the above first embodiment and different characteristic of the common fixing member and forming the connecting optical fiber The two optical fibers 3 are located on the optical fiber pressing surface 21 side of the fixed master fixing member 6 and at positions corresponding to the sections on the connection distal end 8 side of the master optical fiber 4 and the connection distal end 14 side of the receiving optical fiber 3. , 4 are formed with escape recesses 24 for preventing contact.

The second embodiment is constructed as described above . In the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the optical fiber pressing surface 2 of the master fixing member 6 is formed.
1 side is, with a receiving longitudinal direction contact width L ₂ in each of the optical fibers 3 and the master optical fiber 4 of the _side, L _1, in order to restrain pressing each optical fiber 3 and 4 V groove 5 side, the first The same effect as that of the embodiment can be obtained.

Further, the optical fiber 3 of the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving side, at the time of optical fiber manufacturing, and its front end side such deformation, as shown in (b) of FIG. 3, each of the optical fibers 3 and 4
The connection tips 14 and 8 may be slightly upward,
In the second embodiment, the master fixing member 6 escapes to a position corresponding to the section between the connection end 8 of the master optical fiber 4 and the connection end 14 of the receiving optical fiber 3 on the optical fiber pressing surface 21 side. Since the concave portion 24 is formed, it is possible to prevent the connection ends 14, 8 of the optical fibers 3, 4 from being damaged by contacting the master fixing member 6.

As described above, the master optical fiber 4
In the present embodiment, even if the connection tip 8 side of the receiving optical fiber 3 and the connection tip 14 side of the receiving optical fiber 3 are slightly upward, the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 are each With the contact widths L ₁ and L ₂ in the longitudinal direction, the connection end 8 of the master optical fiber 4 and the connection end 14 of the receiving optical fiber 3 are pressed together and constrained to the V-groove 5 side. The connection ends 8 and 14 do not rise extremely from the V-groove 5, and the connection loss between the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving-side optical fiber 3 can be suppressed from becoming extremely large.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can adopt various embodiments. For example,
In the above-described embodiment, the master fixing member 6 is formed of a rectangular parallelepiped block, but the shape of the master fixing member 6 is not particularly limited and may be set as appropriate. However, when the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 are pressed and restrained by the master fixing member 6 against the V-groove 5 side, the optical fibers 3 and 4 are formed in a shape capable of applying a pressure as uniform as possible. It is desirable.

In the above embodiment, the fixed member moving shaft 9 is fixed to the master fixed member 6 via the rod 13 and the spring 11, and the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 are connected to the V-groove 5 side. Although the fiber fixing mechanism for pressing and constraining the optical fiber is configured, the fiber fixing mechanism for pressing and constraining the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 to the V-groove 5 side using the master fixing member 6 is particularly limited. Instead, they are set as appropriate. For example, the spring 11 used in the above embodiment may be omitted, and the master fixing member 6 may be made of an elastic material such as rubber.

Furthermore, the above embodiment are all 5
Although the connection structure of the optical fiber applied to the optical switch as shown in FIG. 5 is adopted, the connection structure of the optical fiber of the present invention is not always applied to the optical switch as shown in FIG. For example, similarly to FIG. 5 , the optical fiber connection structure of the present invention can be applied to an optical switch in which a plurality of receiving optical fibers 3 are arranged and two master optical fibers 4 are provided. In this case, for example, as shown in FIGS. 2D to 2F, the master optical fiber 4 or the receiving optical fiber 3 is pressed by the optical fiber pressing surface 21 formed on the flat surface, or the master fixing member is fixed. U groove 22 and V groove 2 formed on the optical fiber pressing surface 21 side of No. 6
3, the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 may be pressed against the V-groove 5 and restrained.

Further, the connection structure of the optical fiber according to the present invention is similar to the optical switch described above, except that the receiving side optical fiber 3 arranged on the optical fiber arrangement member 1 in which a plurality of V-grooves 5 are arranged in parallel. However, the present invention is not always applied to the connection structure of the optical fiber for switchably connecting the master optical fiber 4 and the master optical fiber 4 and the receiving optical fiber 3 fixed to the optical fiber array member 1 provided with one V-groove 5 and the master. The present invention is also applied as a structure of a connection portion with the optical fiber 4.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the contact width in the longitudinal direction of the contact width L ₁ and the receiving-side optical fiber 3 of the master optical fiber 4 to be bound pressed against the V groove 5 side by the master fixing member 6 L ₂ is about 0.5 to 5
However, the contact widths L ₁ and L ₂ are not particularly limited, and may be set to, for example, appropriate values larger than the widths of the optical fibers 3 and 4.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the plurality of V-grooves 5 are arranged in parallel on the optical fiber array member 1 for arraying and fixing the receiving-side optical fibers 3. The grooves may be provided side by side.

[0034]

According to the present invention, a receiving optical fiber arrayed and fixed to an optical fiber array member having one or more V-grooves arranged in parallel, and a connection end face side of the receiving optical fiber. When connecting a master optical fiber inserted into any of the V-grooves, a master fixing member for pressing and constraining the connection end side of the master optical fiber to the V-groove side with a contact width in the longitudinal direction of the master optical fiber is provided. Therefore, unlike the case where a specific point of the master optical fiber is pressed against the V-groove side and pressed, for example, a large pressure is not applied only to the specific point of the master optical fiber, and the master fixing member and the master optical fiber are not pressed. Depending on the contact width,
The master optical fiber can be reliably pressed against the V-groove side in a stable state and restrained.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by applying a large pressure only to a specific point of the master optical fiber, it is possible to prevent the connection end side of the master optical fiber from floating from the V-groove and to prevent the master optical fiber from being damaged. The optical fiber can be reliably connected to the receiving optical fiber with low connection loss without damaging the master optical fiber.

Also, the connection end of the receiving optical fiber is inserted into the V-groove without being fixed, and the master fixing member is connected to the connection end of the master optical fiber and the light on the receiving side facing the master optical fiber. The connecting end side of the fiber and the receiving optical fiber and the master optical fiber are each formed as a common fixing member for the connecting optical fiber which is pressed against the V-groove side together with a contact width in the longitudinal direction and is constrained .
In order to press and constrain the connection end side of the master optical fiber and the connection end side of the receiving side optical fiber together by the master fixing member to the V-groove side, the receiving side optical fiber may be damaged or the connection end side may be damaged. Is not raised from the V-groove, and the receiving optical fiber and the master optical fiber are accurately aligned without being influenced by the fiber alignment at the time of fixing the arrangement of the receiving optical fiber. This makes it possible to more reliably connect the master optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber with low connection loss.

Further, on the optical fiber pressing surface side of the common fixing member of the connection optical fibers, both of the optical fibers are located at positions corresponding to sections between the connection distal end side of the master optical fiber and the connection distal end side of the receiving optical fiber. According to the present invention in which the escape concave portion for preventing the contact of the fiber tip is formed, each connection tip side of the master optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber is
For example, even if the optical fiber is turned upward due to deformation at the time of manufacturing the optical fiber, it is possible to prevent the optical fiber from being damaged due to the contact between the tip of the upwardly directed master optical fiber and the receiving-side optical fiber and the master fixing member 6. Can be prevented by

As described above, according to the optical fiber connecting portion structure of the present invention, both optical fibers can be reliably connected with low connection loss without damaging the master optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber. In order to achieve this, the connection structure of the optical fiber of the present invention, for example, a plurality of receiving optical fibers are arranged and fixed to the optical fiber array member, and the master optical fiber is relatively fixed to the receiving optical fiber. By applying the present invention to an optical switch that switches and connects optical fibers by moving the optical switch, it is possible to construct an excellent optical switch that can switch freely with low connection loss without damaging the master optical fiber and the receiving optical fiber. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an optical fiber connecting portion structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a master optical fiber is fixed by a master fixing member in the optical fiber connecting portion structure of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram illustrating a second embodiment of an optical fiber connecting portion structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 specifies a master optical fiber 4 using a leaf spring 7
Point P is pressed into V-groove 5 of optical fiber array member 1 and fixed.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a method.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a conventional optical switch.

FIG. 6 shows a master optical fiber in a conventional optical switch.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a method of inserting and fixing a V-shaped groove 4 into a V groove 5.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Receiving side optical fiber 4 Master optical fiber 6 Master fixing member 8,14 Connection tip 24 Escape recess

Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Naoki Nakao 3-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Takashi Ebihara 3-19-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Sun (56) References JP-A-7-113091 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 26/08

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An optical fiber array member having at least one V-groove juxtaposed, an optical fiber on a receiving side is arranged and fixed by immersing a connection side thereof in a longitudinal direction of each V-groove. The connecting end of the master optical fiber and the connecting end of the receiving optical fiber are opposed to each other by selectively inserting the connecting portion of the master optical fiber into one of the V-grooves on the connecting end of the optical fiber. An optical fiber connecting portion structure for connecting the receiving side optical fiber and the master optical fiber to each other, wherein the connection end side of the master optical fiber has a contact width in a longitudinal direction of the master optical fiber and has a contact width in the V groove side. master fixing member is provided for pressing constrained, receiving
The connection part of the optical fiber on the outgoing side is fixed to the V-groove at the tip end.
The master fixing member is
Face the connection end of the fiber and the master optical fiber.
The connection end of the receiving optical fiber is connected to the receiving optical fiber.
Longitudinally contact each of the
Connections that are pressed together and constrained to the V-groove side with a contact width
An optical fiber connection structure , which is a common fixing member for an optical fiber. 2. The optical fiber pressing surface side of the common fixing member of the connection optical fiber, the two optical fibers being located at positions corresponding to the section between the connection distal end of the master optical fiber and the connection distal end of the receiving optical fiber. connecting part structure of an optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the relief recess for preventing contact is formed at the tip.