JP4395389B2 - Optical fiber tape core protecting member and optical fiber connector ferrule connection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a boot structure suitable for a so-called MT optical fiber connector capable of connecting multi-core optical fibers in a lump and a method for connecting to an optical fiber connector ferrule using the same.

With the recent increase in the number of optical fiber cables and the increase in density due to the expansion of a large-scale optical subscriber network, it is indispensable to integrate connections using multi-fiber connectors.
For this reason, a 5-unit batch connection technology is currently put to practical use, in which MT optical fiber connectors (hereinafter referred to as MT connectors) are connected in units of 5 for optical access system cable connections. High-density mounting technology is required.

In response to this requirement, a plurality of optical fiber ribbons are stacked and mounted in order to realize higher density mounting without changing the shape and dimensions of the conventional MT connector. On the contact surface of the connector, a multi-fiber optical connector has been developed that can be two-dimensionally arranged in the XY direction and can be mounted with high density.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-54364 Fujikura Technical Review No. 97 “Two-dimensional array type MT connector”

    As shown in FIG. 1 of the above-mentioned patent document, in order to prevent excessive bending of the optical fiber ribbon in the vicinity of the insertion hole entrance of the optical fiber ribbon drilled in the rear end surface of the MT connector. 1 is attached to the outside of the optical fiber ribbon.

When the boot is mounted, the front end portion of the optical fiber ribbon is inserted in advance on the surface of the optical fiber ribbon before being inserted into the optical fiber ribbon insertion hole.
In other words, when the optical fiber ribbon is inserted into the insertion hole of the MT connector ferrule, the boot is already attached to the tip portion of the optical fiber ribbon.

When mounting the connector ferrule in the optical fiber cord having a example if the optical fiber ribbon, attach the leading end portion of the optical fiber ribbon in MT connector ferrule, then retrofit the boot to the optical fiber ribbons If possible, it is extremely useful and easy to use.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention has been invented in view of this point. The tip of the optical fiber ribbon is supported by the ferrule of the connector and then attached from the outside of the optical fiber ribbon. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber ribbon protective member and a method for connecting an optical fiber connector.

    In the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the first problem-solving means is an optical fiber ribbon pre-connected to an insertion hole of an optical fiber ribbon drilled in the rear end surface of the ferrule of the optical fiber connector. An optical fiber ribbon protection member attached to the optical fiber tape, the optical fiber ribbon protection member having a slit for inserting at least one optical fiber ribbon connected to the ferrule of the optical fiber connector. It is configured to be formed on a side edge portion of the optical fiber ribbon protection member.

    The second problem-solving means is configured such that a single separator is projected in a cantilevered manner along the longitudinal direction of the inner side wall of the optical fiber core protection member, and a plurality of sheets are sandwiched between the separators. The optical fiber ribbon is inserted into the slit and stored.

    The third problem-solving means is configured such that a plurality of separators project in a cantilever state so that two or more optical fiber ribbons can be accommodated.

    According to a fourth means for solving the problem, an optical fiber core protecting member is integrally connected to the opposite side walls on both sides of the optical fiber core protecting member in the longitudinal direction. And it is comprised so that a slit may be formed in each of an upper side board and a lower side board on both sides of this separator.

  According to a fifth means for solving the problem, after connecting each of the optical fiber strands of one or more optical fiber ribbon cores to a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, a light having a slit is provided from the side of the optical fiber ribbon. A fiber tape core wire protection member is mounted, and then the optical fiber tape core wire protection member is slid into an optical fiber tape core wire insertion hole formed in the rear end surface of the ferrule.

    According to the first problem solving means, the optical fiber core protecting member can be additionally attached from the side surface to the optical fiber tape core connected to the rear end surface of the ferrule of the optical fiber connector.

    According to the second problem solving means, a plurality of optical fiber ribbons can be stacked and stored via the separator.

    According to the third problem solving means, a larger number of optical fiber ribbons can be accommodated in a laminated state.

    According to the fourth problem solving means, a plurality of optical fiber ribbons connected to the rear end face of the ferrule of the optical fiber connector can be additionally attached from the front surface and the back surface thereof.

    According to the fifth problem solving means, after connecting the optical fiber strand group of the optical fiber ribbon to the connector ferrule, the protective member for the optical fiber ribbon can be attached later.

    Even after the tip of the optical fiber ribbon is connected to the ferrule of the connector, an advantageous protective member that can achieve the object of being able to attach the optical fiber ribbon protective member is realized.

    As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the outer jacket of the tip portion of the optical fiber cord 1 is removed, and a plurality of, for example, two optical fiber ribbons 2 and 3 are taken out, and each optical fiber tape core is further removed. The coating layer at the tip of the wires 2 and 3 is peeled and removed, and the optical fiber core groups 2A and 3A, for example, 8 cores, 12 cores, or 16 cores of the respective optical fiber ribbons are exposed.

    The optical fiber core groups 2A and 3A pass through the optical fiber tape core wire insertion hole 5 drilled on the rear end face of the MT connector ferrule 4 shown in FIG. After being inserted into the optical fiber core wire guide holes 4A and 4B, they are connected to the ferrule 4 through an adhesive and other fixing means.

    The optical fiber core guide holes 4A and 4B are formed in two stages when the number of optical fiber tape cores connected to the ferrule 4 is two, but the number of optical fiber tape cores connected is the same. Depending on the situation, it can be stacked with 3, 4, or 5 layers.

    After the optical fiber core groups 2A and 3A are connected to the ferrule 4 in this manner, the optical fiber tape cores 2 and 3 are inserted into the slits 8 of the optical fiber tape core protection member 6 (boot) shown in FIG. Is inserted.

    This optical fiber tape core protecting member 6 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer such as natural rubber or ethylene / butadiene rubber, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The wire insertion hole 5 is sufficiently large to be airtightly closed.

    Further, one separator plate 7 is projected and supported in a cantilever state along the longitudinal direction inside one side wall of the optical fiber tape core protecting member 6, and the other side wall extends along the longitudinal direction. Thus, the slit 8 is cut out over the entire length. The separators 7 can be projected and supported in a cantilevered state with a plurality of separators in a parallel state.

    The separator 7 holds the optical fiber ribbons at regular intervals so that the optical fiber strands of the optical fiber ribbons can be easily inserted into the optical fiber guide holes 4A and 4B. Functions as a spacer.

    When the optical fiber ribbon protection member 6 is attached to the optical fiber ribbons 2 and 3 connected to the ferrule 4, the optical fiber ribbons are arranged on both sides of the separator plate 7. So as to be inserted through the slit 8. Next, the optical fiber ribbon core protection member 6 is slid toward the optical fiber ribbon insertion hole 5 to close the insertion hole 5 and fix the optical fiber ribbon to the ferrule 4 for protection. To do.

    The optical fiber tape core protection member 6 has an excess of the optical fiber tape core when an external stress is applied to the optical fiber tape cores 2 and 3 at the base of the ferrule 4 due to its own elasticity. Configured to prevent bending.

  FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the optical fiber core protection member 6, a single separator 7 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber core protection member 6. As shown in FIG. Slits 8A and 8B are formed in the upper side plate and the lower side plate, which are integrally connected to the opposite side walls on both sides and positioned above and below the separator plate 7, respectively.

  When this protective member 6 is mounted, at least one optical fiber ribbon is inserted from one slit 8A, and then at least one optical fiber ribbon is inserted from the other slit 8B.

    FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Compared with the second embodiment, slits 8A and 8B are formed by notching the upper side plate and the lower side plate located with the separator 7 interposed therebetween. Is located on a substantially diagonal line of each side plate. By doing in this way, the position of the opening part of the slit in both ends can be varied, and it can prevent that the core wire protection member 6 becomes easy to detach | leave from an optical fiber tape core wire. Moreover, since the opening part of a side plate can be expanded, it becomes easy to mount | wear.

A conventional connecting method, that is, an optical fiber ribbon protection member 6 is inserted in the middle of one or more optical fiber ribbons in advance, and the optical fiber ribbon is connected to the ferrule 4 and then this cord protection is performed. The member 6 can be slid toward the optical fiber tape core wire insertion hole 5 at the rear end portion of the ferrule and can be fixed to the insertion hole 5.
Furthermore, a new core wire protection member 6 can be attached to an existing ferrule.

The perspective view which shows the optical fiber tape cable core protection member concerning this invention (Example 1) (A), (b): Process diagram showing a method of connecting an optical fiber connector ferrule according to the present invention A perspective view showing a conventional optical fiber connector ferrule The perspective view which shows the optical fiber tape cable core protection member concerning this invention (Example 2) The perspective view which shows the optical fiber tape cable core protection member concerning this invention (Example 3)

Explanation of symbols

1 optical fiber cord 2 optical fiber tape core wire 3 optical fiber tape core wire 4 optical fiber connector ferrule 5 optical fiber tape core wire insertion hole 6 optical fiber tape core wire protection member 7 separator 8A, 8B slit

Claims (5)

  An optical fiber ribbon protection member inserted together with an optical fiber ribbon into an insertion hole of an optical fiber ribbon bored in a rear end surface of a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, the optical fiber ribbon protection member An optical fiber core protecting member, wherein a slit for receiving at least one optical fiber tape core connected to the ferrule of the optical fiber connector is formed at a side edge.   On the inner side wall of the optical fiber core protection member, a single separator is projected along the longitudinal direction in a cantilever state, and a plurality of optical fiber ribbons are respectively sandwiched by the separator. The optical fiber core wire protection member according to claim 1, configured to be inserted from the slit.   The optical fiber core protection member according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the separators are projected in a cantilever state.   Inside the optical fiber core protection member, a single separator is connected to the opposing inner side walls of the optical fiber core protection member along the longitudinal direction, and the separator is sandwiched between the separators. An optical fiber core protecting member in which a slit is formed in each of an upper side plate and a lower side plate. After connecting each optical fiber strand at the tip of one or more optical fiber ribbons to a ferrule of an optical fiber connector, attach an optical fiber ribbon protection member with a slit from the side of this optical fiber ribbon Then, the optical fiber connector core wire protecting member is slid into the optical fiber tape core wire insertion hole formed in the rear end face of the ferrule.

Images