JP4134833B2 - Optical component device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical component device that can easily obtain a connection structure for connecting an optical component (for example, an optical functional element such as a waveguide device) standardized for optical signal transmission and an optical fiber. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the communication field, optical fibers capable of high-speed and large-capacity transmission have become the mainstream of transmission lines, and most medium- and long-distance trunk lines have already been replaced with optical fiber cables instead of conventional metal cables. Furthermore, efforts are being made at a rapid pace toward the realization of an optical subscriber transmission system in which the transmission line to each home is to be made into an optical fiber in several years.
[0003]
Conventionally, fusion connection or connection by a connector has been performed for butt connection between optical fibers.
However, fusion splicing is highly reliable because it melts the abutment surface of the optical fiber, but it takes time to reinforce after connection, the fusion device is expensive, and the fusion device is activated. The problem is that a power source is required for the operation.
In addition, the connection using the connector requires time and effort for mounting the connector on the end of each optical fiber, the connector itself costs considerably, the connector increases the bulk of the connection, and the storage of the connection is large. The need to secure storage space has become a problem.
[0004]
Therefore, a mechanical splice 51 shown in FIG. 5 has been proposed as an apparatus that can easily and inexpensively realize a butt connection between optical fibers.
The mechanical splice 51 includes a substrate 55 on which a V-groove 54 for aligning the core wire 53 of the optical fiber 52 is formed, a presser plate 56 that presses and fixes the core wire 53 from above, and these substrates 55. And a clamp spring 57 that clamps and holds the presser plate 56 from above and below.
When connecting the optical fiber 52 to the V-groove 54, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), the wedge 59 is inserted into the wedge insertion groove 58 between the substrate 55 and the presser plate 56 and spread. After the optical fibers 52 are inserted into the gap from both ends and the core wires 53 are abutted with each other, the wedge 59 is removed as shown in FIG. The optical fiber 52 is pressed and fixed by the holding plate 56, and the optical fibers abutted on the V-groove 54 are connected to each other (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-318836 [0006]
The mechanical splice 51 shown in FIG. 5 is for a single core, but there is also a four-fiber mechanical splice 61 as shown in FIG. In this mechanical splice 61, V grooves 62 are formed in four rows, and each core wire 63 is inserted into the V groove 62, respectively.
[0007]
By the way, in recent years, for the purpose of maintaining higher transmission quality, optical components for optical signal transmission (for example, waveguide devices, thin film filters for regulating transmission signals, etc. can be raised. There is an increasing number of connection forms for connecting optical fibers to each other via a functional element), and it is desired to develop a mechanical splice that realizes simple connection even in such a connection form.
[0008]
However, the conventional mechanical splice is based on the premise that the optical fibers are connected to each other, and the optical fibers cannot be connected to each other through optical components.
In view of this, a connection structure has been proposed in which an optical component to be butt-connected to the optical fiber on the substrate is positioned on the top surface of the front end of the substrate having a V-groove for positioning the optical fiber (for example, see Patent Document 2).
[0009]
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-230167
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the connection structure disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a structure in which an optical component is merely connected to one end of an optical fiber. When optical fibers are connected to each other via an optical component, for example, the optical component is positioned. It is necessary to align and connect a plurality of substrates having means for performing alignment with higher accuracy, and a jig is necessary for the alignment between the substrates, or a new part for connecting the substrates is newly added. As a result, the assembly process becomes complicated, and high-precision connection becomes difficult.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to eliminate the need for troublesome alignment work and the like for a connection structure for connecting an optical fiber via an optical component for optical signal transmission. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical component device that can be easily obtained.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an optical component device according to the present invention has a component placement area on an upper surface and positions an optical fiber adjacent to the component placement area. A substrate provided with a fiber placement portion to be aligned, a pressing plate that is superimposed on the fiber placement portion and presses an optical fiber, and an optical component that contains an optical signal transmission circuit and is placed in the component placement region. A clamp spring that elastically clamps the substrate and the pressing plate from above and below, and component fixing means for removably fixing the optical component mounted on the component mounting region to the substrate . An opening window through which the optical component is inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the component placement region .
[0013]
In the optical component device configured as described above, the optical component incorporating the optical signal transmission circuit and the optical fibers connected via the optical component are aligned on a single substrate. A connection structure for connecting optical fibers to each other through optical components for optical signal transmission, which eliminates the troublesome work of aligning multiple substrates with technology using a dedicated jig, Can be easily obtained.
In particular, if the fitting tolerance between the opening window penetratingly formed in the holding plate and the optical component is appropriately selected, the optical component can be positioned, fixed, etc. only by fitting to the opening window.
[0014]
Further, in order to achieve the above object, the optical component device according to claim 2 is the optical component device according to claim 1, wherein the component fixing means further connects the substrate and the optical component from above and below. The clamp spring is sandwiched between the clamp springs.
[0015]
In the optical component device configured as described above, the structure for fixing the optical component to the substrate is the same as the structure for fixing the presser plate to the substrate. The increase in points can be suppressed.
[0018]
Incidentally, preferably, the optical components in the optical component unit, as claimed in claim 3, as the light component, waveguide devices, optical filters, fiber gratings, MEMS, the various components of the specified size, such as amplifier It is preferable to have a configuration in which these standardized parts are selectively selected and can be mounted in the part placement area. If it does in this way, the function provided to the junction part of optical fibers can be easily changed by replacement | exchange etc. of optical components.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an optical component device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 and 2 show a first embodiment of an optical component device according to the invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled state, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part.
[0020]
In the optical component device 21 according to the first embodiment, a component placement area 23a having a specified size is provided at a predetermined position on the upper surface, and light is transmitted by V grooves 23b in two front and rear areas adjacent to the component placement area 23a. A base plate 23 provided with fiber placement portions 23c for aligning the fibers 25 and 26, and a press plate for pressing the optical fibers 25 and 26 placed on the respective fiber placement portions 23c and placed in the V-groove 23b. 27, an optical signal transmission circuit in which the ends of optical fibers 25 and 26 installed in the V-groove 23b are butt-connected, and an optical component 29 mounted on the component mounting region 23a, a substrate 23, and a pressing plate 27 Are clamped elastically from above and below, and component fixing means 33 for detachably fixing the optical component 29 placed on the component placement region 23a to the substrate 23 is provided.
[0021]
In the case of the present embodiment, the substrate 23 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape elongated in the axial direction of the optical fibers 25 and 26 to be connected, and a component placement region 23a is set at the center of the upper surface thereof.
In addition, on the upper surface of the substrate 23, regions at both ends in the longitudinal direction sandwiching the component placement region 23a are fiber placement portions 23c each having a V groove 23b.
Each fiber placement portion 23c is formed of four rows of V-grooves 23b, and each core wire of a four-core optical fiber cable is positioned at a predetermined height position and interval to be placed on the component placement region 23a. Align with the placed optical component 29.
[0022]
The clamp spring 31 is formed by bending a plate material such as spring steel into a U-shaped cross section with the substrate 23 and the holding plate 27 sandwiched from above and below.
In the case of the present embodiment, the component fixing means 33 is a clamp spring bent into a U-shaped cross section like the clamp spring 31 and clamps and fixes the substrate 23 and the optical component 29 from above and below.
[0023]
In the case of the present embodiment, the presser plate 27 is a component having an outer dimension corresponding to the upper surface of the substrate 23 so as to collectively cover the two fiber mounting portions 23c at the front and rear. An opening window 27a into which the optical component 29 is inserted is formed at a position corresponding to the placement region 23a.
[0024]
In this embodiment, as the optical component 29, various components such as a waveguide device, an optical filter, a fiber grating, a MEMS, and an amplifier are standardized to specified dimensions, and these standardized components are selectively selected. Then, the optical fibers 25 and 26 installed in the two fiber mounting portions 23c are optical components by mounting the optical fibers 25 and 26 on the fiber mounting portions 23c. A connection structure connected through 29 is obtained.
[0025]
As shown in the figure, a wedge insertion groove 36 for inserting a wedge is provided at the end of the abutting surface between the substrate 23 and the holding plate 27. By inserting the wedge into the wedge insertion groove 36, the space between the substrate 23 and the holding plate 27 is opened against the urging force of the clamp spring 31, and the optical fibers 25 and 26 are inserted into and removed from the fiber placement portions 23c. The point is the same as the conventional mechanical splice.
[0026]
In the optical component device 21 described above, the optical component 29 incorporating the optical signal transmission circuit and the optical fibers 25 and 26 connected via the optical component 29 are aligned on a single substrate 23. Therefore, the troublesome work of aligning a plurality of substrates using a dedicated jig can be omitted.
Therefore, the connection structure for connecting the optical fibers 25 and 26 via the optical component 29 for optical signal transmission can be easily obtained without the troublesome alignment work and the like. By adding a desired signal processing function to the mutual connection parts by the optical component 29, it is possible to maintain excellent transmission quality.
[0027]
Further, in the optical component device 21 of the present embodiment, a clamp spring that clamps and fixes the substrate 23 and the optical component 29 from above and below is adopted as the component fixing means 33, so that the structure for fixing the optical component 29 to the substrate 23 is adopted. However, the structure of the optical component device 21 can be simplified by suppressing the diversification of the fixing parts and the increase in the number of parts by sharing the clamp springs, etc. it can.
[0028]
Further, in this embodiment, since the presser plate 27 that is placed over the two fiber placement portions 23c is integrated into a single component, the presser plate 27 can be used even if the fiber placement portions 23c increase. One is sufficient, and the increase in the number of components of the optical component device 21 can be suppressed, and the cost can be reduced.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the holding plate 27 stacked on the substrate 23 has a configuration in which an opening window 27a for inserting the optical component 29 is formed so as to penetrate the presser plate 27 corresponding to the component placement region 23a on the substrate 23. If the fitting tolerance between the opening window 27a and the optical component 29 is appropriately selected, the optical component 29 can be positioned, fixed, etc. only by fitting to the opening window 27a, and the clamp spring 33 can be simplified or omitted. As a result, an increase in cost can be suppressed.
[0029]
In the present embodiment, the optical component 29 to be installed in the component placement region 23a of the substrate 23 is alternatively selected from various components such as a waveguide device, an optical filter, a fiber grating, a MEMS, and an amplifier. The function imparted to the joint between the optical fibers 25 and 26 can be easily changed by exchanging the optical component 29 or the like, so that various connection demands can be easily and flexibly dealt with.
[0030]
3 and 4 show a reference example of the optical component device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the optical component device of the reference example , and FIG. 4 shows the substrate of the optical component device shown in FIG. It is a perspective view in the state where an optical component was assembled.
The optical component device 37 shown in this reference example is equipped with fiber placement portions 23c and 23c at two locations on the front and rear sides of the substrate 23, and a component placement region 23a is set between these two fiber placement portions 23c and 23c. The optical component 29 is placed on the component placement region 23a, and the optical fibers 25 and 26 attached to the fiber placement portions 23c and 23c are connected via the optical component 29. This is common to the first embodiment.
[0031]
However, in the case of the present reference example, the holding plate 27 for holding the optical fibers 25 and 26 installed in each fiber mounting portion 23c has an independent form for each fiber mounting portion 23c, and each has a cross section individually. It is fixed to the substrate 23 by a U-shaped clamp spring 31.
The optical component 29 is fixed to the substrate 23 by the component fixing means 33 in a state where the optical component 29 is mounted on the component mounting region 23 a on the substrate 23. The component fixing means 33 is a clamp spring having a U-shaped cross section similar to the clamp spring 31, as in the case of the first embodiment, and each presser plate 27 is connected to the wedge insertion groove 36. The point opened by inserting the wedge is the same as in the first embodiment.
[0032]
The optical component 29 mounted on the substrate 23 in this reference example is a waveguide device (PLC) that branches or merges the transmission path 29a as shown in FIG. 4, but in the first embodiment, As described, it can be replaced with any one of an optical filter, a fiber grating, a MEMS, an amplifier, and the like.
[0033]
As in the above reference example , when the holding plate 27 is configured to be independent for each fiber placement portion 23c, the number of the holding plates 27 increases, but the holding plate 27 has an opening window or the like for inserting the optical component 29 or the like. Processing is not necessary, and the structure of the presser plate 27 can be simplified.
[0034]
Note that the implementation of the above, the reference example, since the optical component 29 is placed on the substrate 23 is to bond the optical fibers 25 and 26 mutually disposed opposite, on the substrate 23, component placement Each of the two front and rear regions facing each other across the region 23a is equipped with a fiber placement portion 23c.
However, when the optical component 29 installed on the substrate 23 is a structure in which optical fibers are connected in three directions or four directions by an optical switch such as a MEMS, for example, a fiber to be provided on the substrate 23 correspondingly. Needless to say, the quantity of the mounting portions 23c is changed. Or it can also be set as the laminated structure which laminated | stacked the board | substrate 23 which installed the optical component 29 in the multilayer.
That is, in the optical component device according to the present invention, the number, position, and the like of the fiber placement portion 23c provided on the substrate 23 are not limited to the above embodiment. It is conceivable that the number is increased or decreased as required.
[0035]
Further, the optical component 29 installed on the substrate 23 need not limit the built-in functional circuit to any one of a waveguide device, an optical filter, a fiber grating, a MEMS, an amplifier, and the like. For example, a configuration in which a composite device in which an optical filter function is added to a waveguide device is incorporated may be considered.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
According to the optical component device of the present invention, the optical component incorporating the optical signal transmission circuit and each of the optical fibers connected via the optical component are aligned on a single substrate. The troublesome work of aligning a plurality of substrates used as the above using a dedicated jig becomes unnecessary.
Accordingly, a connection structure for connecting optical fibers via optical components for optical signal transmission can be easily obtained without the need for troublesome alignment work. By adding a desired signal processing function depending on parts, it is possible to easily and flexibly respond to various connection demands.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an optical component device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in which the optical component of the optical component device shown in FIG. 1 is mounted.
FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a reference example of an optical component device according to the present invention.
4 is a perspective view of the optical component device shown in FIG. 3 with optical components assembled to the substrate.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory views of the structure of a conventional mechanical splice, wherein FIG. 5A is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view before inserting an optical fiber, and FIG. (C) is a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a fixed state of the optical fiber inserted on the substrate.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of still another conventional mechanical splice.
[Explanation of symbols]
21 Optical component device 23 Substrate 23a Component placement region 23b V groove 23c Fiber placement portion 25, 26 Optical fiber 27 Press plate 27a Open window 29 Optical component 31 Clamp spring 33 Component fixing means 36 Wedge insertion groove 37 Optical component device

Claims (3)

A component placement region is provided on the upper surface, and a substrate provided with a fiber placement portion that aligns the optical fiber adjacent to the component placement region, and an optical fiber that is superimposed on the fiber placement portion and holds the optical fiber. A holding plate, an optical component that incorporates an optical signal transmission circuit and is placed in the component placement region, a clamp spring that elastically holds the substrate and the retainer plate from above and below, and is placed in the component placement region. Component fixing means for removably fixing the optical component to the substrate,
An optical component device , wherein an opening window for inserting the optical component is formed at a position corresponding to the component placement region of the pressing plate .   The optical component device according to claim 1, wherein the component fixing means is the clamp spring that sandwiches the substrate and the optical component from above and below. As the optical component, various components such as a waveguide device, an optical filter, a fiber grating, a MEMS, and an amplifier are standardized to specified dimensions, and these standardized components are selectively selected and placed on the component. The optical component device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical component device can be mounted in a region .

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