JP5401337B2 - Assembly method of optical fiber with ferrule, jig for ferrule bonding work - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule by adhering and fixing a ferrule to the tip of the optical fiber, and a jig for a ferrule bonding operation that can be suitably used for this assembling method.

Conventionally, as a ferrule of a single-core optical connector assembled at the tip of an optical fiber (coated optical fiber) such as an optical fiber core wire or an optical fiber strand, an optical fiber tip (for example, a bare fiber drawn out to the tip of the optical fiber) A capillary type optical fiber) is widely used (for example, Patent Document 1). Examples of the ferrule forming material include zirconia ceramics and glass.
In order to attach the ferrule to the tip of the optical fiber, a fiber hole, which is a fine hole penetrating the ferrule, is filled with an adhesive, the tip of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole, and the adhesive is fixed by curing the adhesive. It is common to do.

JP-A-8-201654

  By the way, the operation of inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber into the fiber hole of the above-described capillary ferrule has been conventionally performed manually by an operator. For this reason, after inserting the tip of the optical fiber into the ferrule, the ferrule is moved back and forth (moved in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber) or turned with respect to the optical fiber until the adhesive is cured. There have been problems such as variations in the insertion length of the optical fiber and damage due to sliding with the inner surface of the bare optical fiber at the tip of the optical fiber inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule.

  In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention can reliably set the insertion length of the optical fiber to the ferrule in the operation of inserting and fixing the optical fiber to the ferrule, and the adhesive is cured. Until then, the method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule that can regulate the back and forth movement and rotation of the ferrule with the optical fiber inserted into the optical fiber, and as a result, can prevent damage to the optical fiber (bare optical fiber) inserted into the ferrule, The purpose is to provide a ferrule bonding jig.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following configuration.
One aspect of the present invention is an assembly method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule by inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber into a fiber hole penetrating the ferrule, and a fiber holder that holds the optical fiber is assembled. by is slid to advance towards the ferrule at the full Eruruhoruda is base provided for holding said ferrule, thereby inserting the tip portion of said optical fiber to said fiber holes of the ferrule A fiber insertion step of restricting the slide movement of the fiber holder by a slide movement restricting means provided on the base in a state where the distal end portion of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule, and After the front of the ferrule while maintaining the state where the sliding movement of the fiber holder is regulated Curing the adhesive that has been filled into the fiber holes, provided with adhesive fixing step of bonding and fixing the ferrule to the optical fiber tip, the base is a straight line on the fiber holder in the base table The ferrule holder attached to the holder attaching portion in the fiber insertion step, and a holder attaching portion for detachably attaching the ferrule holder. It provides a method of assembling a ferrule with optical fiber characterized that you insert the distal end portion of the optical fiber into the fiber holes of the ferrule held in.
The holder attaching portion may function as a ferrule holder that attaches a ferrule instead of the ferrule holder.
Before SL sliding movement regulating means may method characterized by regulating the sliding movement of the fiber holder by holding the fiber holder engage and the fiber holder with a clamping force.
A coated optical fiber covered preconfiguration Symbol optical fiber by a bare optical fiber coating material, in the fiber insertion step, the bare optical fiber that has been yarn end finding the tip of the coated optical fiber, fiber of the ferrule Inserting into a positioning hole part that is a part of the hole and that opens at the distal end surface of the ferrule, and a covering part that is a part covered with the coating material of the coated optical fiber has a larger diameter than the positioning hole part Inserted into the formed covering portion receiving hole, and the tip of the covering portion is shifted rearward from the stepped surface or tapered surface located at the boundary between the positioning hole and the covering portion receiving hole. It is good also as a method characterized by restricting slide movement of the fiber holder so that it may become a position .
In front Symbol fiber insertion step, is inserted the tip portion of said optical fiber to said fiber holes of the ferrule, insert a portion of the tube which had been extrapolated to the optical fiber into the fiber holes, said fiber The tube may be extended to the rear side from the opening at the rear end of the hole, and the bonding and fixing step may be performed while maintaining this state .
As the full Eruruhoruda, characterized in that the holding position of the ferrule when mounted to the holder mounting portion, selects use different from each other in the longitudinal direction in sliding the said fiber holder at the base on A method may be used.
Before fixed position relative to the base of the notated Eruruhoruda may be wherein the at the base on can be changed in the sliding direction of said fiber holder.
After the previous SL bonded process, collectively polishing the front end surface of the ferrule with the ferrule to the interpolation fixed part of the optical fiber, joining end face is polished surface continuous including the tip of the ferrule tip and the optical fiber It is good also as a method characterized by comprising the polishing process which forms .
One aspect of the present invention is a ferrule bonding operation jig used for an operation of inserting and fixing an end portion of an optical fiber into a fiber hole penetrating the ferrule and bonding and fixing with an adhesive. a base having an upper surface for the grasped fiber holder slides, and full Eruruhoruda that holds the ferrule provided on the base, toward the ferrule is slid the fiber holder at the base And a slide movement restricting means for restricting the slide movement of the fiber holder in a state where the distal end portion of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule. a holder guide portion for slidably guiding the fiber holder on a straight line at the top, the ferrule holder desorption own It has a holder attachment part attachable, to provide a ferrule bonding operation jig according to claim.
The holder attaching portion may function as a ferrule holder that attaches a ferrule instead of the ferrule holder.
Previous SL sliding movement regulating means may be configured, wherein said fiber holder engage and the fiber holder are engaged holding means for holding with a clamping force.
The Holder attachment portion has a ferrule fitting groove in which the ferrule is fitted into removable, pre-notated Eruruhoruda is a holder body having a ferrule holding portion for holding the ferrule, it is projected to the holder body ; and a mounting rod-like protrusion which is held before Kiho holder mounting portion by fitting to removably to said ferrule fitting groove before Kiho holder mounting portion, the front notated Eruruhoruda, for that the attachment fitting the rod-like protrusion on the ferrule fitting groove before Kiho holder mounting portion, attached to the front Kiho holder mounting portion as the holder body is disposed on the holder mounting portion by remote the base front it is, its fiber hole the ferrule at the base forward of the front Kiho holder mounting portion by the ferrule holding portion of the ferrule holder of the mounting rod-shaped projecting pieces May be configured, characterized in that it is capable of holding a position in communication with the fiber guide section is extending grooves formed or through holes for side direction length.

According to the present invention, the fiber holder holding the optical fiber is slid on the base and moved forward toward the ferrule held by the ferrule holder provided on the base, and the tip of the optical fiber is moved. By inserting into the fiber hole of the ferrule and restricting sliding movement of the fiber holder on the base, the optical fiber inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule is displaced in the axial direction of the fiber hole of the ferrule. Instead, the adhesive filled in the fiber hole of the ferrule can be cured, and the optical fiber can be bonded and fixed to the ferrule.
In addition, the optical fiber inserted into the ferrule and the ferrule are prevented from being displaced in the axial direction of the optical axis of the optical fiber relative to the ferrule and rotating around the optical axis of the optical fiber until the optical fiber is fixed to the ferrule. It is also possible to prevent the optical fiber from being damaged due to sliding with the inner surface of the fiber hole. Thereby, it is possible to prevent damage to the optical fiber from affecting optical characteristics such as optical loss, and it is possible to stably secure desired optical characteristics in the optical fiber with a ferrule formed by adhering and fixing the ferrule to the tip of the optical fiber.

It is a perspective view which shows the ferrule adhesion | attachment operation | work jig | tool (state which does not attach the attachment / detachment holder) used for the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule which concerns on this invention, and a fiber holder. It is a figure explaining the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule concerning the present invention, Comprising: The state which installed the fiber holder which grasped the optical fiber in the back side movement limit position on the base of the jig for ferrule adhesion work FIG. 2 is moved from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit, and the tip of the portion of the optical fiber that protrudes to the front side of the fiber holder is held by the base protrusion holder of the ferrule bonding jig. It is a perspective view explaining the fiber insertion process inserted in the manufactured ferrule. It is a perspective view explaining the structure of the fiber holder of FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure which looked at the fiber holder of FIG. 1 from the rear end side. It is a disassembled perspective view explaining the structure of the fiber holder of FIG. It is a figure explaining the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule using the ferrule adhesion work jig | tool with a detachable holder which attaches a detachable holder to the ferrule adhesion work jig | tool of FIG. 1, Comprising: The fiber holder which hold | gripped the optical fiber It is a perspective view which shows the state which installed in the back side movement limit position on the base. It is a perspective view which shows the attachment / detachment holder of FIG. The fiber holder of FIG. 7 is moved from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit, and the tip of the portion of the optical fiber held by the fiber holder that protrudes to the front side of the fiber holder is fitted into the ferrule holding part of the attachment / detachment holder. It is a perspective view explaining the fiber insertion process inserted in the ferrule fixed by. It is a figure explaining an example of the ferrule used for the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule which concerns on this invention, Comprising: (a) is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a ferrule, (b) is light to the ferrule of Fig.10 (a). Sectional drawing which shows the state which inserted the fiber, (c) is sectional drawing which shows the state which completed the grinding | polishing process which grind | polishes the front end surface of the ferrule which completed the fiber insertion process and the adhesion fixing process. It is a figure explaining the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule which concerns on this invention, Comprising: A ferrule is hold | maintained at the base protrusion installation holder of the ferrule adhesion work jig | tool which is not attaching the attachment / detachment holder, It is a model figure (plan view) which shows the state where the fiber holder was installed in the rear side movement limit position on the base. The fiber holder shown in FIG. 11 is moved from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit position, and the tip of the portion of the optical fiber that protrudes to the front side of the fiber holder is used as a base protrusion holder for the ferrule bonding jig. It is a model figure (plan view) which shows the state inserted in the held ferrule. It is a model figure (plan view) explaining an example of the adhesion fixing process according to the present invention. It is a perspective view explaining an example of the fiber insertion process using the ferrule of the structure which mounted | wore with the flange components. (A) is sectional drawing explaining an example of the ferrule of the structure which mounted | wore with the flange components, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the state which inserted the optical fiber in the ferrule of Fig.15 (a). The perspective view explaining an example of the fiber insertion process which inserts an optical fiber in the fiber hole of a ferrule by inserting the ferrule with a spacer which fitted the C-shaped spacer on the ferrule of the structure which mounted | wore the flange part, in a base protrusion holder. It is. (A), (b) is sectional drawing explaining the assembly method of the optical fiber with a ferrule which inserts the tube extrapolated to the optical fiber in the fiber hole of a ferrule. (A), (b) is a figure explaining another aspect of a base. It is a figure explaining the other aspect of a base, and is a guide protrusion accommodated between a pair of bottom side extension protrusions of the base member of the cross section portal shape of a fiber holder as a guide part for guiding a fiber holder. It is a model figure which shows the base of the structure by which the part protruded. It is a side view explaining another aspect of the ferrule of the structure which mounted | wore with the flange components.

Hereinafter, the ferrule-attached optical fiber assembling method and ferrule bonding work jig according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 2, the method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule described here is a ferrule holder 22 (first 1) provided on a base 21 of a ferrule bonding jig 20 (hereinafter also simply referred to as a jig). A ferrule holder (hereinafter also referred to as a base protruding holder), or a ferrule holder 23 (second ferrule holder, hereinafter referred to as a detachable holder) that is detachably attached to the ferrule holder 22 of the jig 20 as shown in FIG. ), The fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 is slid (moved forward) toward the ferrule 2 on the base 21 of the jig 20, so that the fiber of the optical fiber 1 is moved. A fiber hole 2a penetrating the capillary-like ferrule 2 at the tip protruded from the holder 10 (see FIG. 1, FIG. 10 (a), etc.) After inserting (fiber inserting step) and adhering and fixing to the ferrule 2 (adhesive fixing step) with the adhesive 6 provided in the fiber hole 2a, the tip surface 2b of the ferrule 2 adhered and fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1 Are collectively polished together with a portion inserted and fixed to the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber 1, and as shown in FIG. 10C, the tip of the ferrule 2 and a portion located in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber 1 By forming a bonded end surface 2d, which is a polished surface continuous with the distal end of the optical fiber 1, an optical fiber 3 with a ferrule having a bonded end surface 2d at the distal end of the ferrule 2 fixedly bonded to the distal end of the optical fiber 1 (FIG. 10 ( c) See) is obtained (assembled).
2 to 9, 14, 16, 18 (a), 18 (b), and 19, the upper side is the upper side and the lower side is the lower side.

  The optical fiber 1 is a bare optical fiber 1a, such as a single-core optical fiber or an optical fiber, in which a coating material 1b, which is a resin coating layer covering the outer periphery, is formed (coated optical fiber).

  As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the ferrule 2 is, for example, an SC type optical connector (F04 type optical connector established in JIS C 5973. SC: Single fiber Coupling optical fiber connector), an MU type optical connector (established in JIS C 5983). F14 type optical connector, which is a capillary ferrule used for a single-fiber optical connector such as a MU (Miniature-Unit coupling optical fiber connector). The ferrule 2 is made of, for example, zirconia ceramics or glass. As shown in FIG. 10A and the like, the fiber hole 2 a is a through hole that penetrates the inside of the capillary ferrule 2. The outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 2 is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis of the fiber hole 2a.

  As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 10 (a), etc., the end face of one end in the axial direction of the ferrule 2 is a joining end face for abutting with another ferrule by polishing after the optical fiber 1 is inserted and fixed to the ferrule 2. 2d (see FIG. 10C). Hereinafter, this end surface is also referred to as a front end surface 2b. Further, in the axial direction of the ferrule 2, the front end surface 2 b side is described as the front end side, and the opposite side is described as the rear side.

  The ferrule-equipped optical fiber 3 is obtained by inserting the optical fiber 1 into the ferrule 2 and bonding and fixing it, and then polishing the front end surface 2b of the ferrule 2 to form a joined end surface 2d. The joining end face 2d is formed by polishing the ferrule tip end face 2b. The ferrule 2 and the optical fiber 1 inserted and fixed to the ferrule 2 are polished together to form the joining end face 2d at the tip end of the ferrule 2. The optical fiber 1 is formed with a tip surface (polished surface) continuous with the joining end surface 2d. As this polishing, for example, PC polishing (PC: Physical Contact) or APC polishing (APC: Angular Physical Contact) can be employed.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the fiber hole 2 a is a fine hole for positioning the bare optical fiber 1 a led to the tip of the optical fiber 1, and is a positioning hole that opens on the tip surface 2 b of the ferrule 2. 2a1, a covering portion accommodating hole 2a2 formed on the rear side (rear side in the ferrule 2) of the positioning hole portion 2a1 and having a diameter larger than that of the positioning hole portion 2a1 and opening to the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2, Between the positioning hole portion 2a1 and the covering portion storage hole portion 2a2, a tapered hole portion 2a3 formed in a tapered shape having a diameter increasing from the positioning hole portion 2a1 toward the covering portion storage hole portion 2a2 side. Configured.
Further, the covering portion receiving hole 2a2 and the tapered hole 2a3 are formed coaxially with the axis of the positioning hole 2a1.

  As shown in FIGS. 10B and 10C, a covering portion that is a portion covered with the covering material 1b of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the covering portion receiving hole 2a2. Further, the rear end portion of the covering portion accommodating hole portion 2a2 is a tapered tapered rear end opening portion 2a4 that is expanded toward the rear side in order to facilitate the insertion of the optical fiber 1 into the fiber hole 2a. It is said that.

(Fiber holder)
First, the fiber holder 10 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 4 and the like, the fiber holder 10 includes a long plate-like base member 11 and a long plate-like plate-like pressing member 12 that is pivotally attached to the base plate member 11 and can be opened and closed. And the optical fiber 1 can be gripped so as to be sandwiched between the base member 11 and the plate-like pressing member 12.

  In the fiber holder 10, the optical fiber 1 is stored in a fiber positioning groove 11 b formed on one side (hereinafter also referred to as an upper surface 11 a) of the base member 11 over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11. It is held between the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 and the plate-shaped pressing member 12 so as to be pressed by the base member 11 by the plate-shaped pressing member 12 closed so as to overlap with the member 11.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fiber positioning groove 11b is formed at the center of the upper surface 11a of the base member 11 (hereinafter also referred to as the upper surface of the base member) in the center in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the base member 11. It is formed straight along the longitudinal direction of the member 11.
In the illustrated fiber holder 10, the fiber positioning groove 11b is a V-groove, but the fiber positioning groove 11b is not limited to the V-groove as long as it is a groove recessed from the base member upper surface 11a. Semicircular grooves), square grooves, and the like can also be used.

The plate-like pressing member 12 is pivotally attached to one end in the width direction of the base member 11 that coincides with the width direction of the base member upper surface 11a, and rotates with respect to the base member 11 with a rotation axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11. It is attached as possible.
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, in the illustrated fiber holder 10, the plate-like pressing member 12 is specifically a long plate pivotally attached to the base member 11 and opened and closed with respect to the base member 11. An engaging piece 13b for releasably engaging the base member 11 with the main plate portion 13a and maintaining the main plate portion 13a closed with respect to the base member 11, and the fiber positioning A holding member main body 13 provided with a holding and fixing portion 13c for holding the optical fiber 1 accommodated in the groove 11b into the base member 11 and holding and fixing it between the base member 11 and the holding member. The main plate portion 13a of the main body 13 is mounted on the upper surface side opposite to the mating surface 13d that faces the base member upper surface 11a when the main plate portion 13a is closed to the base member 11. It is configured by including the sex plate 14.

The plate-like pressing member 12 has a pivoting protrusion 13e, which is a columnar protrusion protruding from both longitudinal ends of the main plate portion 13c of the pressing member main body 13, on one side in the width direction of the base member 11. The main plate portion is inserted into a bearing recess 11d formed in a bracket portion 11c projecting at two locations spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 at the end (one side portion). One end (one side portion) in the width direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction of 13c, is pivotally attached to one side portion of the base member 11, and the pivotable protrusion 13e is used as a rotation axis with respect to the base member 11. It is provided to be rotatable and openable.
The pivot wearing protrusions 13e are provided so as to protrude from one end of the main plate portion 13c at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13c of the pressing member main body 13.

  Note that the plate-shaped pressing member 12 is pivotally attached to one side of the base member 11 and can be attached to the base member 11 so as to be rotatable and openable with a rotation axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 ( As described above, the pivoting protrusions 13e at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 are used as the bearings of the bracket portions 11c provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of one side of the base member 11 as described above. The configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the recess 11d is rotatably inserted around the axis and supported. For example, instead of the bracket portion 11c at both longitudinal ends of one side of the base member, a protrusion (pivoting protrusion) is provided with a pivoting protrusion for pivotally supporting a plate-like pressing member. Part) in a protruding state, and insert the pivoting protrusions of each pivot support protrusion into bearing recesses formed at both longitudinal ends of one side of the main plate part of the pressing member body of the plate-like pressing member, A structure in which a plate-like pressing member (specifically, a main plate portion of the pressing member main body) is pivotally supported by the pivoting projections of each pivot-supporting protrusion, and the plate-like pressing member and the base member are supported by these plate-like pressing members and It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the base member is pivotally attached via a rod-like rotating shaft that is separate from the base member.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the pressing member main body 13 (specifically, the main plate portion 13 a) has a dimension in the direction (longitudinal direction) along the longitudinal direction of the base member 11. It is formed in a long plate shape slightly shorter than the directional dimension. The plate-like pressing member 12 is closed with respect to the base member 11 so that one end in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member main body 13 (specifically, the main plate portion 13 a) is overlapped with one end in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11.

Hereinafter, with respect to the base member 11, the end on the side where the pressing member main body 13 is overlapped is also referred to as a front end, and the opposite end is also referred to as a rear end. The fiber holder 10 will be described with the front end side of the base member 11 as the front and the rear end side as the rear.
Further, the side of the plate-like pressing member 12 that is superimposed on the base member 11, that is, the side on which the mating surface 13d of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 is formed will be described as the joining side, and the opposite side as the upper surface side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the plate-like pressing member 12 has one end in the width direction, that is, the end opposite to one side in the width direction of the main plate 13 a of the pressing member main body 13 (the other side). The engaging protrusions 13b formed on the end portion (other side portion) opposite to the one side portion on the rotating shaft 13 side in the width direction of the base member 11 By engaging with the base member 11, it is possible to maintain a closed state (hereinafter also referred to as a closed state) with the base member 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the engagement piece 13 b has an engagement protrusion 13 b 1 protruding from the other side of the main plate portion 13 a of the pressing member main body 13 to the joining side. When the plate-like pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11, the base member 11 of the engaging protrusion 13b1 disposed on the other side of the base member 11 (in detail, other The engaging projection 13b2 projecting on the side facing the side portion is detachably engaged with the locking projection 11g projecting on the other side of the base member 11 (under the locking projection 11g). It is possible to maintain a closed state (closed state) with the base member 11 by entering the side and abutting on the locking protrusion 11g from below.

  The engaging piece 13b is supported on the other side portion of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 through an elastic connecting portion 13f. The engaging piece 13b is slightly slightly centered on the axis along the axis of rotation of the plate-like pressing member 12 with respect to the base member 11 due to elastic deformation of the elastic connecting portion 13f with respect to the other side portion of the main plate portion 13a. This rotation allows the engagement protrusion 13b2 to be engaged with and disengaged from the base member 11 and the locking protrusion 11g. The elastic connecting portion 13f includes a hinge portion that supports the engaging piece 13b with a slight rotation with respect to the other side portion of the main plate portion 13a, and an engaging piece 13b on the other side portion of the base member 11. It functions as an elastic biasing portion that elastically biases and maintains the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 13b2 with the locking protrusion 11g of the base member 11.

  The engagement piece 13b in the illustrated example has an operation lever portion 13b3 that extends to the opposite side of the engagement protrusion 13b1 via the elastic coupling portion 13f. The operator can rotate the other side of the main plate portion 13a by operating with fingers, and can easily engage / disengage the engaging projection 13b2 with respect to the locking projection 11g of the base member 11.

The base member 11 extends to the rear side of the gripping plate portion 11e, and a gripping plate portion 11e on which the main plate portion 13a of the presser member main body 13 of the plate-like pressing member 12 closed to the base member 11 is superimposed. And a rear extension 11f. When the plate-like pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11, the rear extension portion 11f is not covered with the plate-like pressing member 12, and the exposed state is maintained.
The engaging protrusion 11g of the base member 11 is formed on a portion of the other side portion of the base member 11 that is positioned on the grip plate portion 11e.

  Although the base member 11 in the illustrated example is an integrally molded product made of plastic, the material of the base member 11 is not limited to plastic but may be metal or the like. Moreover, as a base member, the structure which consists of multiple members, such as the thing of the structure which integrated the grip board part 11e which consists of a mutually separate member, and the rear side extension part 11f, for example, is also employable.

  In the illustrated base member 11, the locking protrusion 11 g is specifically a notch-shaped recess that is recessed so as to cut from the side surface (end surface) on the other side of the base member 11 to the one side. Of the inner surface of 11h, it protrudes from the back surface 11i (recess back surface) located on one side of the base member 11. The recess 11h is formed in a portion of the other side portion of the base member 11 that is positioned on the grip plate portion 11e.

The pressing member main body 13 of the illustrated plate-shaped pressing member 12 is an integrally molded product made of plastic.
On the other side of the main plate portion 13 a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-shaped pressing member 12, a position corresponding to the recess 11 h of the base member 11 when the plate-shaped pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11. In addition, a notch-shaped recess 13h is formed which is recessed so as to cut from the side surface (end surface) on the other side of the main plate portion 13a to the one side. The engagement piece 13b is formed in a plate shape, and a main plate is formed by rod-shaped elastic connection portions 13f protruding from inner side surfaces 13i located on both sides of the recess 13h in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member body 13 respectively. It is supported along a virtual vertical plane perpendicular to the mating surface 13d of the portion 13a and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a.

  The engaging piece 13b is supported at both ends along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a by the elastic connecting portion 13f, and is connected to the main plate portion 13a via the elastic connecting portion 13f projecting from the inner side surfaces 13i on both sides of the recess 13h. It is connected. The engagement piece 13b has a main plate portion with an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a (parallel to the rotation axis of the plate-like pressing member 12 with respect to the base member 11) due to elastic deformation of the elastic connecting portion 13f in the torsional direction. A slight rotation is allowed with respect to 13a, and this rotation allows the engagement protrusion 11g of the base member 11 to be engaged and disengaged.

As the elastic connecting portion, the engaging piece 13b is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the main plate portion with an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion (in other words, parallel to the rotation axis of the plate-like pressing member with respect to the base member). As the elastic urging portion that maintains the engagement state of the engagement protrusion 13b2 with the locking protrusion 11g of the base member 11 by elastically urging the hinge portion and the engagement piece 13b to the other side portion of the base member 11. Any functional configuration may be used, and the specific configuration is not limited. For example, a thin wall portion provided between the other side portion of the main plate portion and the engagement piece can be employed.
In addition, as the plate-like pressing member according to the present invention, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which an elastically deformable member is employed as the engagement piece and the elastic connecting portion is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a slit 13j extending along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a is formed at the center in the width direction of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-like pressing member 12. The slits 13j extend from the upper surface side opening portion that opens to the upper surface side opposite to the mating surface 13d of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member body 13 to both sides in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a as going to the mating surface 13d side. It is formed in a tapered shape.

  The fiber holder 10 is a mating surface that is an opening that opens to the mating surface 13d of the main plate portion 13a of the slit 13j when the plate-like pressing member 12 (specifically, the main plate portion 13a) is closed to the base member 11. A side opening 13 m is arranged on the positioning groove 11 b of the base member 11. The slit 13j is formed to have a width dimension that coincides with or substantially coincides with the groove width of the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 over its entire length, and the optical fiber 1 floating from the positioning groove 11b can enter. The floating of the optical fiber 1 on 11b from the base member 11 is allowed.

Further, pressing side fiber grooves 13n communicating with both ends of the slit 13j in the extending direction coincident with the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a through the slits 13j of the main plate portion 13a. Is formed. The holding-side fiber grooves 13n on both sides of the slit 13j are formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a, and one end of the extending direction is formed in the mating surface side opening 13m of the slit 13j. The other end in the extending direction extends in the front end or the rear end of the main plate portion 13a.
The pressing-side fiber grooves 13n at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a are the lengths of the positioning grooves 11b of the base member 11 when the plate-shaped pressing member 12 (specifically, the main plate portion 13a) is closed to the base member 11. Arranged on both ends in the direction.

When the main plate portion 13a of the presser member main body 13 is closed to the base member 11, the plate-like pressing member 12 is formed by the portion where the pressing side fiber grooves 13n are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a. The optical fiber 1 on the 11 positioning grooves 11b can be pressed into the base member 11 so as not to drop out of the positioning grooves 11b.
The slit 13j is formed through the thickness of the main plate portion 13a. The portion of the slit 13j located between both ends in the extending direction of the upper surface side opening and the pressing side fiber groove 13n at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a is from the pressing side fiber groove 13n to the upper surface side opening. The taper groove portion 13k is formed so that the depth from the mating surface 13d of the main plate portion 13a becomes deeper as it goes to the side.

Further, the fiber pressing portion 13p, which is a portion where the pressing side fiber groove 13n of the main plate portion 13a is formed, has the optical fiber 1 on the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 when the main plate portion 13a is closed to the base member 11. Is prevented from dropping from the positioning groove 11b, and the optical fiber 1 is allowed to move in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 and the plate-like pressing member 12, and the optical fiber 1 is strongly pressed into the base member 11 and light is transmitted. The fiber 1 is not fixed to the base member 11. The fiber pressing portion 13p of the main plate portion 13a prevents the optical fiber 1 from dropping from the positioning groove 11b on the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 when the main plate portion 13a is closed to the base member 11, and the base member 11 and the depth of the pressing-side fiber groove 13n are adjusted so as to allow movement of the optical fiber 1 in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped pressing member 12.
The fiber pressing portion 13p is configured to restrict lifting from the positioning groove 11b of the optical fiber 1 on the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 when the main plate portion 13a is closed to the base member 11, and positioning of the optical fiber 1. Any configuration that allows slight lifting from the groove 11b can be employed.

When the plate-like pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11, the optical fiber 1 on the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 is moved to the base member by the holding and fixing portion 13c (see FIG. 4) at the rear end of the main plate portion 13a. The optical fiber 1 is fixed to the base member 11 by pressing firmly onto the base member 11.
As shown in FIGS. 4-6, the said holding | grip fixing | fixed part 13c is an arch-shaped curved piece which curves so that it may protrude over the joining side from the width direction both ends of the main board part 13a. The central part between both ends of the holding and fixing part 13c protrudes to the joining side with respect to the mating surface 13d of the main plate part 13a, and when the main plate part 13a is closed so as to overlap the base member 11, The optical fiber 1 on the positioning groove 11b of the base member 11 is pressed into the base member 11 and fixed. The gripping and fixing portion 13c is elastically deformable, and when pressed against the optical fiber 1 on the positioning groove 11b, the contact area of the optical fiber 1 with respect to the outer peripheral surface is increased by elastic deformation, so that the base member 11 and the plate shape A grip force for preventing the optical fiber 1 from being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the pressing member 12 can be easily secured. Thereby, when the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 is closed so as to overlap the base member 11, the movement of the optical fiber 1 in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 and the plate-shaped pressing member 12 can be restricted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the illustrated fiber holder 10, when the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-shaped pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11, the grip fixing portion 13c. However, the optical fiber 1 enters the transverse groove 11j formed so as to cross the positioning groove 11b at a portion of the base member upper surface 11a located at the rear end of the holding plate portion 11e, and the optical fiber 1 is placed on the flat groove bottom surface 11k of the transverse groove 11j. Thus, the optical fiber 1 can be held and fixed more reliably between the holding and fixing portion 13 c of the plate-like pressing member 12 and the base member 11.

According to the fiber holder 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the fiber holder 10 is held and fixed to the ferrule holder 22 of the jig 20 by sliding movement of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 of the jig 20. The tip of a portion 1c (see FIG. 1; hereinafter also referred to as a front protrusion) of the optical fiber 1 gripped by the fiber holder 10 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2. In the work, a pushing force toward the rear side of the fiber holder 10 acts on the front protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1 due to abutment of the tip of the optical fiber 1 to the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2 or insertion resistance to the fiber hole 2a. Of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 at the front and rear ends of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13. Portion located between the handle portion 13p may form raised by flexures to enter from the base member 11 into the slit 13j by pushing force applied to the front-side extending portion 1c. As a result, with the formation of the bent portion, the front protrusion 1c of the optical fiber 1 is pushed into the fiber holder 10.
The bending part formed in the optical fiber 1 is accommodated in the slit 13j.

  As described above, when the front-side protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1 is pushed to the rear side of the fiber holder 10, the front-side protruding portion 1c can be pushed into the fiber holder 10 as long as it is configured to be pushed. It is possible to prevent inconveniences such as the front protrusion 1c of 1 being broken by excessive stress.

Further, in this fiber holder 10, not only the fiber pressing portion 13p on the front side of the slit 13j of the plate-shaped pressing member 12 (in the figure, the reference numeral 13p1 is added to the fiber pressing portion 13p), but also the plate-shaped pressing member. The fiber pressing portion 13p (indicated by reference numeral 13p2 in the figure) on the rear side of the slit 13j of the member 12 also allows the optical fiber 1 to move in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 and the plate-shaped pressing member 12 to be the base. Although it is a fiber movable pressing part pressed into the member 11, as the fiber holder 10 according to the present invention, for example, the optical fiber 1 is used as the fiber pressing part on the rear side of the slit 13j of the plate-like pressing member 12 and the base member 11 and You may employ | adopt the structure fixed with respect to the plate-shaped pressing member 12. FIG. For example, a configuration in which the above-described holding and fixing portion 13c is used instead of the fiber pressing portion 13p on the rear side of the slit 13j may be employed.
The fiber pressing portion 13p1 on the front side of the slit 13j is preferably surface processed with low friction and low friction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base portion 11 of the fiber holder 10 protrudes into the positioning groove 11 b and is used to form a bend for facilitating the formation of the bend on the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10. The protrusion 11w is protrudingly provided.
The bending forming projections 11w are portions facing the front and rear fiber pressing portions 13p through the slits 13j of the plate-like pressing member 12 in the front and rear direction (longitudinal direction) of the base portion 11 (both front and rear ends of the holding plate portion 11e). A portion in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 and positioned by the positioning groove 11b is slightly pushed up locally toward the plate-like pressing member 12 side. . Therefore, a raised portion slightly lifted from the positioning groove 11b is formed in the vicinity of the bending forming protrusion 11w of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 and accommodated in the positioning groove 11b. The deflection forming projection 11w does not protrude on the base member upper surface 11a.

  Therefore, in the fiber holder 10, when a pushing force to the rear side of the fiber holder 10 acts on a portion of the optical fiber 1 protruding forward from the fiber holder 10 in a state where the optical fiber 1 is gripped, The optical fiber 1 is easily bent from the vicinity of the protrusion 11 w for forming the deflection located between the front and rear fiber pressing portions 13 p through the slits 13 j of the plate-like pressing member 12. Is bent smoothly, and the optical fiber 1 is pushed into the fiber holder 10 smoothly.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the fiber holder 10 is fixed to the main plate portion 13 a of the elastic plate 14 attached to the upper surface side of the main plate portion 13 a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-shaped pressing member 12. Further, an elongated plate-like movable plate portion 14a extending from the fixed portion 14b is disposed so as to cover the opening on the upper surface side of the main plate portion 13a of the slit 13j of the main plate portion 13a. In the fiber holder 10, the front protrusion 1 c of the optical fiber 1 gripped by the fiber holder 10 is pushed into the rear side of the fiber holder 10, so that the fiber holder 10 is positioned between the fiber pressing portions 13 p at both front and rear ends of the pressing member body 13. Then, the bending portion formed in the optical fiber 1 pushes up the movable plate portion 14a of the elastic plate 14 through the slit 13j (see the movable plate portion 14a shown by the phantom line in FIG. 3). Even if the gap between the member 11 and the plate-like pressing member 12 is not opened, the operator can easily visually recognize that the bent portion is formed in the optical fiber 1 from the outside of the fiber holder 10.

  For this reason, for example, in the operation of inserting the tip of the portion of the optical fiber 1 gripped by the fiber holder 10 that protrudes from the fiber holder 10 to the front side, the portion of the optical fiber 1 that protrudes from the fiber holder 10 to the front side, By pushing up the movable plate portion 14a, it was confirmed that the leading end of the ferrule 2 was abutted against the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2 or excessive insertion resistance when inserted into the fiber hole 2a. Immediately after that, the operation of inserting the optical fiber 1 into the ferrule 2 is stopped, thereby avoiding the inconvenience that the portion of the optical fiber 1 protruding from the fiber holder 10 to the front side is damaged or broken by excessive bending or the like. Is also possible.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the elastic plate 14 is specifically a single plate-like member made of plastic or metal, and has an elongated plate-like movable plate portion 14a and the movable plate portion. 14a is formed of a plate-like (square plate-like in the illustrated example) fixing portion 14b formed so as to project from one end in the longitudinal direction to both sides (both sides in the width direction), and only the fixing portion 14b is formed on the main plate portion 13a. It is fixed and attached to the pressing member main body 13. The movable plate portion 14a is not fixed to the main plate portion 13a, and can be displaced in the floating direction from the main plate portion 13a by bending (bending) deformation with respect to the fixed portion 14b.

The movable plate portion 14a of the elastic plate 14 is formed on the upper surface side of the main plate portion 13a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-shaped pressing member 12 and extends along the longitudinal direction of the main plate portion 13a. It is arrange | positioned so that the opening part (refer FIG. 6) of the said slit 13j opened in the groove bottom face of the said elastic board accommodation groove | channel 13q may be inserted.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the elastic plate 14 has portions that protrude from the movable plate portion 14 a of the fixed portion 14 b to both sides (both sides in the width direction of the movable plate portion 14 a). 13 main plate portions 13a are inserted into elastic plate fixing portion insertion grooves 13s formed in a slit shape into the rear end portions of the side wall portions 13r located on both sides (both sides in the width direction) of the elastic plate housing grooves 13q, The fixing portion 14b includes a bottom plate portion 13t that forms the front end of the elastic plate fixing portion insertion groove 13s (the back end as viewed from the rear end of the pressing member body 13) and the bottom surface of the elastic plate housing groove 13q of the main plate portion 13a. Only the fixing portion 14b is mainly disposed by being fitted between a claw-like stopper projection 13v projecting on a bottom plate rear end portion 13u that is a portion extending rearward from the side wall portion 13r. Is fixed to section 13a is attached to the pressing member main body 13.

The elastic plate fixing portion insertion groove 13s is formed on an extension of the flat groove bottom surface of the elastic plate housing groove 13q. For this reason, the operation of pushing the fixing portion 14b of the elastic plate 14 into the elastic plate fixing portion insertion groove 13s can be easily performed.
The elastic plate 14 pushes the fixing portion 14b into the elastic plate fixing portion insertion groove 13s, and this fixing portion 14b is connected to the front end of the elastic plate fixing portion insertion groove 13s and the bottom plate rear end portion 13u of the bottom plate portion 13t of the main plate portion 13a. By being arranged so as to fit between the claw-like stopper protrusions 13v projecting upward, the stopper protrusions 13v restrict the withdrawal from the pressing member body 13 to the rear side, and the mounting state with respect to the pressing member body 13 Is kept stable.

The movable plate portion 14a is formed in a thin plate shape that can be easily bent and deformed by the bent portion of the optical fiber 1 and can be easily bent. The elastic plate 14 in the illustrated example is a plate-like member having a uniform thickness as a whole. For example, a configuration in which the plate thickness of the movable plate portion 14a is thinner than that of the fixed portion 14b can be employed.
Moreover, as an elastic board, it is good also as a structure which consists of multiple members, such as the employment | adoption of the fixing | fixed part of the structure which fixed the board | plate material to the both surfaces of the longitudinal direction one end of the elongate plate-shaped movable board part 14a, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the elastic plate housing groove 13q is formed to extend from the longitudinal center of the main plate portion 13a to the rear side, and the slit 13j formed in the main plate portion 13a. The portion extending forward from the elastic plate housing groove 13q is not covered by the movable plate portion 14a of the elastic plate 14, and functions as an observation window 13o for observing the inside of the slit 13j from the outside of the fiber holder 10.
Further, a window hole 14c for observing the inside of the slit 13j from the outside of the fiber holder 10 through the elastic plate 14 is formed at the end of the movable plate portion 14a of the elastic plate 14 on the fixed portion 14b side. The window hole 14c functions to easily bend the fixed portion 14b due to elastic deformation of the movable plate portion 14a.

  In addition, the bending part formed in the optical fiber 1 between the fiber holding | maintenance parts 13p of the front-and-rear both ends of the pressing member main body 13 by pushing the front side protrusion part 1c of the optical fiber 1 hold | gripped by the fiber holder 10 to the fiber holder 10 rear side. Are curved so that the apex is in the vicinity of an intermediate position between the fiber pressing portions 13p at both front and rear ends of the pressing member main body 13. For this reason, even if the elastic plate 14 is not disposed so as to cover the entire length of the slit 13j, the movable plate portion 14a has an intermediate position between the fiber pressing portions 13p at the front and rear ends of the pressing member body 13 in the slit 13j and If it is arranged so as to cover the portion corresponding to the vicinity from the upper surface side of the main plate portion 13a, the push-up by the bending portion formed in the optical fiber 1 can be performed efficiently.

(jig)
Next, the jig 20 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the jig 20 holds the ferrule 2 between a base 21 and a pair of elastic pieces 22 a protruding from the base 21 and holds it in a predetermined position. A base projecting holder 22 (first ferrule holder) and projecting on the base 21 and detachably engaged with an engaging portion 15 formed on the fiber holder 10, thereby allowing the fiber holder 10 to An elastic engagement piece 24 for restricting sliding movement on the base 21 is provided.

The illustrated jig 20 is an integrally molded product made of plastic formed by integrally forming the base projecting holder 22 and the elastic engagement piece 24 on the plate-like base 21.
In the jig 20, the base projecting holder 22 and the elastic engagement piece 24 are integrally provided on the plate-shaped base 21 (a base body 21p described later in the illustrated example). Any configuration may be used, and a configuration in which one or both of the base projecting holder 22 and the elastic engagement piece 24 are separate members with respect to the base 21 can also be employed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on the base 21, a pair of guide walls 21b for guiding a fiber holder 10 that slides on an upper surface 21a (hereinafter also referred to as a base upper surface) of the base 21 is provided. They extend in parallel to each other. The base 21 has a plate-like base main body 21p, and the pair of guide walls 21b is formed in a ridge shape extending and formed at two positions on the base 21 (the base main body 21p) that are separated from each other. It has become. The base upper surface 21a is located between a pair of guide walls 21b spaced apart from each other. That is, the base upper surface 21a is an upper surface of the base main body 21p located between the pair of guide walls 21b.

  The width of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 is aligned with the distance between the pair of guide walls 21b on the base 21 of the jig 20, and is inserted between the pair of guide walls 21b. It can be mounted on the base upper surface 21a between the guide walls 21b. The fiber holder 10 has a pair of base members 11 placed on the base upper surface 21a with the optical fiber 1 held between the base member 11 and the plate-like pressing member 12. It can be inserted between the guide walls 21b and slid on the base 21 on one straight line (virtual straight line) that coincides with the extending direction of the pair of guide walls 21b. The pair of guide walls 21b function as a holder guide for guiding the fiber holder 10 to be slidably movable on a straight line on the base 21.

  The protruding dimension of the pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21 of the jig 20 of the illustrated example from the base upper surface 21a is smaller than the thickness dimension of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10. When the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 is inserted between a pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21 of the jig 20 and installed on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a), the fiber holder 10 is The base member 11 (more specifically, a bottom-side extending protrusion 11s described later) is guided by the pair of guide walls 21b and slides in the front-rear direction of the jig 20 with only the base wall 11b contacting the guide walls 21b. Moving.

In addition, about the jig | tool 20, the extending direction of a pair of guide wall 21b is also hereafter called the front-back direction. Moreover, the said base protrusion holder 22 is provided in the edge part of the one side of the front-back direction of the jig | tool 20, and the side in which the said base protrusion holder 22 is provided is front and reverse about the jig | tool 20. The side will be described later. More specifically, the jig 20 has a front side on the right side and a rear side on the left side in FIG.
The guide walls 21b protrude from both ends of the base 21 in the width direction (which coincides with the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the base upper surface 21a).

The base projecting holder 22 (elastic piece 22a) projects from the front end of the base 21 of the jig 20 (the front end of the base body 21p).
The fiber holder 10 has a pair of guides on the base 21 of the jig 20 with the plate-like pressing member 12 closed to the base member 11 and the front-rear direction thereof being aligned with the front-rear direction of the jig 20 (base 21). It can be installed on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a) by being inserted between the walls 21b, and is guided to the base 21 while being guided by the pair of guide walls 21b on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a). Then, it can be slid in the front-rear direction, that is, moved forward and backward with respect to the base projecting holder 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the operation of inserting the optical fiber 1 into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 using the jig 20 and the fiber holder 10, the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 is The rear end of the jig 20 is aligned with the front-rear direction of the jig 20 (base 21) so that the rear end of the jig 20 is positioned on the opposite side of the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20. It inserts between a pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21, and installs on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a).

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 7, etc., the fiber holder 10 in the illustrated example is inserted between a pair of guide walls 21 b of the base 21 of the jig 20, and the base 21 (base upper surface 21 a). When the base member 11 is slid in the front-rear direction (forward or backward), the base member 11 protrudes on the bottom surface side opposite to the base member upper surface 11a so as to protrude on both sides in the width direction of the base member 11. A protrusion-shaped abutting protrusion 11m extending along the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 from the front end to the rear end of the member 11 abuts (slidably contacts) with the guide wall 21b of the jig 20 to form a pair. It is guided by the guide wall 21b.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the grip plate portion 11e of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 is disposed at both ends in the width direction on one side of the elongated plate-like base main plate portion 11r, in the longitudinal direction of the base main plate portion 11r. A ridge-shaped bottom-side extending protrusion 11s extending along the entire length of the base main plate portion 11r (the entire length of the gripping plate portion 11e) is formed in a substantially gate-shaped cross section. The contact protrusion 11m is a part of the bottom extending protrusion 11s (described later).

The rear extending portion 11f of the base member 11 is a plate-like piece protruding from the gripping plate portion 11e so that the base main plate portion 11r of the gripping plate portion 11e extends from the gripping plate portion 11e to the rear side. . The rear side extending portion 11f is not formed with the bottom side extending protrusion 11s.
The base member upper surface 11a has a plate-like surface (hereinafter also referred to as the main plate upper surface) opposite to the side (bottom surface side) on which the bottom-side extending protrusion 11s of the base main plate portion 11r projects. It is constituted by one surface of the rear side extension portion 11f and a surface (upper side of the rear side extension portion) located on the extension of the upper surface of the main plate portion of the base main plate portion 11r. The bottom side extending protrusions 11 s are formed to extend in parallel to each other on the bottom surface side over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the grip plate part 11 e of the base member 11.

The portion of the gripping plate portion 11e where the contact protrusion 11m protrudes on both sides in the width direction is also referred to as a front plate portion 11n. A portion of the base main plate portion 11r located on the front plate portion 11n (hereinafter also referred to as a front main plate portion 11p) is a portion of the base main plate portion 11r located on the rear side from the front main plate portion 11p. Compared to 11q, it is formed in a narrow and narrow plate shape.
The pair of bottom-side extending protrusions 11s are formed straight on the base main plate portion 11r along the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 (which coincides with the extending direction of the positioning groove 11b). In the rear plate portion 11o which is a portion on the rear side from the front plate portion 11n in the grip plate portion 11e, a pair of the protrusions projecting from both ends in the width direction on the bottom surface side of the rear main plate portion 11q. The outer surface located on the opposite side to the mutually facing inner surface side of the bottom side extending protrusion 11s is formed flush with the side surfaces on both sides in the width direction of the rear main plate portion 11q.

  Further, portions of the pair of bottom side extending protrusions 11s extending to the front side plate portion 11n protrude so as to protrude from both width direction ends on the bottom surface side of the front side main plate portion 11p to both sides in the width direction of the front side main plate portion 11p. It is installed. The contact protrusion 11m of the front plate portion 11n is a portion of the bottom extending protrusion 11s that is located at the front plate portion 11n, and is a part of the bottom extending protrusion 11s.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and the like, the recess 11h and the engagement protrusion 11g of the base member 11 are formed in the front side plate portion 11n. In the fiber holder 10, the engagement piece 13 b of the plate-like pressing member 12 engaged with the engagement protrusion 11 g is closer to the front main plate portion 11 p than the contact protrusion 13 m of the base member 11 (one of the base members 11). Arranged on the side). In the illustrated fiber holder 10, specifically, the engagement piece 13b engaged with the engagement protrusion 11g enters the recess 11h of the base member 11, and the side on which the engagement protrusion 13b2 protrudes. The surface (outer surface) opposite to the one surface (inner surface; the surface facing the inner surface 11i of the recess 11h of the base member 11) is aligned with the extension of the end surface on the other side of the base member 11. Be placed.
Therefore, when the fiber holder 10 is inserted between the pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21 of the jig 20 and is slid in the front-rear direction on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a), the plate-like pressing member 12 is used. The engaging pieces 13b do not come into contact with the guide walls 21b of the jig 20, and the bottom-side extending protrusions 11s on both sides in the width direction of the base member 11 are respectively connected to the pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21 of the jig 20. By the contact, the fiber holder 10 is positioned in the width direction of the jig 20.

  For the fiber holder 10, as a configuration for avoiding the engagement piece 13 b of the plate-like pressing member 12 engaged with the engagement protrusion 11 g of the base member 11 from contacting the guide wall 21 b, for example, a fiber When the holder 10 is inserted between the pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21 of the jig 20 and installed on the base 21 (base upper surface 21a), the holder 10 is engaged with the engaging protrusion 11g of the base member 11. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the engaging piece 13b of the plate-like pressing member 12 is arranged to be spaced upward from the guide wall 21b.

  Further, in order to maintain the state in which the optical fiber 1 is gripped between the base member and the plate-shaped pressing member pivotally attached to the base member and opened / closed with respect to the base member, the plate-shaped pressing member is closed with respect to the base member. As a configuration for maintaining the state (closed state) (however, the configuration in which the plate-shaped pressing member can be opened and closed with respect to the base member), the engaging piece 13b protruding from the plate-shaped pressing member 12 as described above. It is not limited to the structure which engages with the engagement protrusion 11g of the base member 11 so that engagement / disengagement is possible. For example, the base member may have a configuration in which an engagement piece that removably engages with an engagement protrusion that protrudes from the plate-like pressing member 12 or a magnet (permanently) on one of the base member and the plate-like holding member. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the plate-like pressing member is kept closed with respect to the base member by an attractive force that magnetically attracts the magnetic member provided on the other of the base member and the plate-like pressing member. .

The width dimension of the main plate portion 13 a of the pressing member main body 13 of the plate-shaped pressing member 12 of the fiber holder 10 is aligned with the width dimension of the front plate portion 11 n of the base member 11, and the rear plate portion 11 o of the base member 11. It is slightly smaller than the width dimension.
In the fiber holder 10, when the plate-like pressing member 12 is closed to the base member 11, the rear side plate portion 11 o of the base member 11 protrudes to both sides in the width direction of the plate-like pressing member 12. 11o can be used as an operation gripping part for performing a forward / backward movement operation or the like of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 of the jig 20 by the operator holding it with fingers.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, on the rear end portion of the base 21 of the jig 20, the fiber holder 10 protrudes from the base main plate portion 11r between a pair of bottom side extending protrusions 11s. The stopper contact projection 11t is contacted to restrict the rearward movement of the fiber holder 10 relative to the jig 20, and from the base 21 of the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 to the rear. A rear stopper protrusion 25 is provided to prevent the dropout of the rear stopper. More specifically, the rear stopper protrusion 25 protrudes from the base body 21 p of the base 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the fiber holder 10 inserted between the pair of guide walls 21b and disposed on the base 21 has the stopper contact projection 11t protruding from the rear end of the base 21. The position where the side stopper protrusion 25 abuts from the front side is the rear movement limit position (rear movement limit position) with respect to the base 21. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 9, the slide restricting engagement protrusions 11u (engagement) which are shifted from the rear side movement limit position to the front side and project on both sides in the width direction of the front side plate portion 11n. The position where the elastic engagement pieces 24 on both sides in the width direction of the base 21 are engaged with each other is a front movement limit position (front movement limit position) of the fiber holder 10 with respect to the base 21. The fiber holder 10 can be switched between a rear movement limit position and a front movement limit position by sliding movement (back and forth movement) on the base 21.

  As shown in FIG. 1, on the base 21, protruding rail-like rail portions 21 c extending in the front-rear direction are provided on both sides in the width direction, and the fiber holder 10 includes the base member 11. The bottom-side extending protrusions 11 s protruding from both sides in the width direction on the bottom side are placed on the base 21. The fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 slides in the front-rear direction with respect to the base 21 while the pair of bottom-side extending protrusions 11s slides on the rail 21c of the base 21. Moved.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the stopper abutting protrusion 11t of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 of the illustrated example is specifically formed on the protruding piece portion 11t1 protruding from the base main plate portion 11r to the bottom surface side. An insertion piece portion 11t2 protruding to the rear side of the member 11 is formed in an L-shape protruding. The rear movement limit position of the fiber holder 10 is an insertion hole 25a formed by opening the insertion piece portion 11t2 of the stopper abutting projection 11t to the front side of the rear stopper projection 25 of the jig 20. (See FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) This is the position when the projecting piece 11 t 1 is brought into contact with the rear stopper projecting portion 25 from the front side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stopper abutting protrusion 11t of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 has a longitudinal center portion of the base member 11, specifically, a longitudinal center portion of the elongated plate-like front side plate portion 11n. It protrudes on the bottom side.
When the fiber holder 10 is placed on the base 21 in a state where the optical fiber 1 is gripped and disposed at the rearward movement limit position, the stopper contact protrusion 11t is projected in the longitudinal direction of the base member 11. The portion near the position and the front side from the protruding position (the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the front side plate portion 11n and the front side portion from the central portion) are placed on the base 21 between the pair of guide walls 21b, A portion of the rear side from the vicinity of the protruding position of the stopper contact projection 11t is projected from the base 21 to the rear side.

The operation of sliding and moving the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 in the front-rear direction on the base 21 is performed by the operator holding the rear side plate portion 11o of the base member 11 with fingers. This can be done manually.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, when the fiber holder 10 is at the front movement limit position, most of the rear plate part 11 o of the base member 11 protrudes rearward from the base 21.
Therefore, since the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 always maintains the state in which the rear plate portion 11o of the base member 11 protrudes rearward from the base 21, the rear plate portion 11o of the base member 11 is maintained. The operator can easily and smoothly perform an operation of sliding the fiber holder 10 in the front-rear direction on the base 21 by using the finger as a grip for operation.

When the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 is at the rearward movement limit position on the base 21, the stopper abutting protrusion of the base member 11 is inserted into the insertion hole 25 a of the rear stopper protrusion 25 of the jig 20. When the 11t insertion piece portion 11t2 is inserted, the fiber holder 10 is prevented from being lifted from the base 21. This prevents the fiber holder 10 from tilting with respect to the base 21 so that the front end portion is higher than the rear end portion due to the weight of the portion protruding rearward from the base 21. Can do.
Since the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 can be prevented from tilting with respect to the base 21 even if the length of the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 is extended from the base 21 to the rear side, the fiber holder 10 can be prevented from tilting. In view of ensuring the workability of the operation of moving the fiber holder 10 in the front-rear direction with respect to the base 21 by gripping the portion (for example, the rear plate portion 11o) protruding rearward from the base 21 of the base member 11 with fingers. Thus, it is possible to easily reduce the front-rear direction dimension of the base 21 in order to sufficiently secure the protruding dimension of the base member 11 from the base 21 to the rear side.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 9, the recess 11v formed in the center in the extending direction along the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 of the rear plate 11o is recessed from the both sides in the width direction to the center. This effectively contributes to reliably and smoothly performing an operation in which the person grips the rear plate part 11o with fingers and slides the fiber holder 10 in the front-rear direction on the base 21.

The rear plate portion 11o is not limited to the configuration in which the recess portion 11v is formed. For example, a simple plate shape in which the recess portion 11v is not formed, and a plurality of grooves extending in the thickness direction on both sides in the width direction. A formed configuration, a configuration in which a plurality of protrusions protrude in a dot shape, or the like can also be employed.
Further, the rear plate portion 11o may have a configuration in which the width dimension is slightly smaller than the width dimension of the front plate portion 11n.
In the illustrated fiber holder 10, the rear extending portion 11 f of the base member 11 can also be used as an operation gripping portion of the fiber holder. In this regard, the rear extension portion 11f has a configuration in which recesses 11v are formed on both side surfaces in the width direction, a configuration in which a plurality of grooves are formed, a configuration in which a plurality of projections are provided in a dot shape, and the like. be able to.

Further, as the fiber holder, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the rear plate portion 11o of the base member 11 does not function as an operation gripping portion, and only the rear extension portion 11f functions as an operation gripping portion. is there. In this case, it is not necessary to form the recess 11v or the like in the rear side plate portion 11o. Further, the fiber holder is configured such that when the front plate 21 is at the front side movement limit position, the entire length (or almost the entire length) of the rear plate portion is inserted between the pair of guide walls 21 b of the base 21. It is also good.
The bottom side extending protrusion 11s of the gripping plate portion 11e may be discontinuous at a location corresponding to the recessed portion 11v.

When the fiber holder 10 of the illustrated example is at the front side movement limit position, the front side plate portion 11n of the base member 11 and the front end portion in the extending direction of the rear side plate portion 11o (a portion located in front of the recess portion 11v) are The jig 20 is inserted between a pair of guide walls 21 b of the base 21. The width dimension of the portion excluding the recessed portion 11v of the rear side plate portion 11o (that is, the maximum size in the width direction of the rear side plate portion 11o) is the width size of the front side plate portion 11n (the front main plate portion 11p of the contact protrusion 11m). When the front end portion in the extending direction of the rear side plate portion 11o is inserted between the pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21, the pair of guide walls 21b is included. , It contributes to the prevention of rattling of the fiber holder 10 with respect to the jig 20 and the stable maintenance of the positioning state by the pair of guide walls 21b.
In addition, this invention also includes employ | adopting what becomes the structure which the rear side board part 11o is not inserted between a pair of guide walls 21b of the base 21, when it exists in the front side movement limit position as the fiber holder 10. FIG. .

As shown in FIG. 1, the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 is protruded at a location separated from the base 21 of the projecting portion 26 projecting on both sides in the width direction of the front end portion of the base 21. ing.
In the illustrated jig 20, the elastic engagement piece 24 specifically includes a U-shaped elastic piece portion 24 a protruding from the overhang portion 26 and the overhang portion 26 of the elastic piece portion 24 a. It is the end opposite to the connected one end (base end) and is opposite to the one end of the elastic piece 24a from the other end (tip) disposed on the base 21 side as compared to the one end. And an engagement piece portion 24b that protrudes so as to project to the side of the fiber holder 10 and removably engages with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10. The U-shaped elastic piece portion 24a is formed such that both end portions (one end portion and the other end portion) are the upper end and the top portion of the curved portion between the both end portions is the lower end.

As shown in FIG. 1, the other end of the elastic piece 24 a of the elastic engagement piece 24 is a base protrusion holder 22 and a guide wall provided at a position spaced rearward from the base protrusion holder 22. It is provided between the front end of 21b and is arranged on a virtual extension in the longitudinal direction of the base 21 at the upper end of the guide wall 21b of the base 21. The engagement piece portion 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 protrudes from the virtual extension of the upper end portion of the guide wall 21b to the base upper surface 21a side.
The other end of the elastic piece 24a and the engagement piece 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 can be displaced in the width direction of the base 21 by elastic deformation of the elastic piece 24b.

The slide restricting engagement protrusions 11u protruding from both sides in the width direction of the front side plate portion 11n of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 are specifically triangular protrusions in a plan view. The engagement piece portion 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 is a plate-like piece projecting from the other end portion (tip portion) of the elastic piece portion 24a to the base upper surface 21a side, and this engagement piece portion. A cutout portion 24c (hereinafter also referred to as a fitting cutout portion) into which the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u is fitted is formed in 24b. The engagement notch 24c of the engagement piece 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 in the illustrated example shown in FIG. 1 or the like has a triangular shape, but has an arc shape (including a semicircular shape) or a trapezoidal shape, for example. It may be formed.
The elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 is engaged with the slide restriction engagement protrusion 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 by fitting into the fitting notch 24c of the engagement piece 24b. It engages with the protrusion 11u and regulates sliding movement of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 (sliding movement in the longitudinal direction of the base 21).
The elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 functions as a slide movement restricting means and an engagement holding means according to the present invention.

  The slide protrusion engaging projection 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 is fitted into the fitting notch 24c of the engaging piece 24b of the elastic engaging piece 24 of the jig 20, so that the elasticity of the jig 20 is reached. The position of the fiber holder 10 where the engagement piece 24 is engaged with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u and the slide movement in the front-rear direction of the base 21 is restricted is the front side movement limit of the fiber holder 10 with respect to the base 21. Position.

  The fiber holder 10 held at the front movement limit position by the engagement between the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 and the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u causes the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 to elastically deform. The base member 11 can be forcibly pulled out rearward with respect to the jig 20 by applying a displacement force enough to release the engagement of the base member 11 with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u.

  In the case of the illustrated jig 20, when the fiber holder 10 is at the front movement limit position, the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 is held so as to be sandwiched between the elastic engagement pieces 24 on both sides of the jig 20. . Therefore, the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 and the slide restricting engagement protrusion are not provided unless the displacement force for forcibly extracting the fiber holder 10 to the rear side is applied to the fiber holder 10 as described above. The engagement state with 11u is not easily released, and the state in which the fiber holder 10 is held at the front movement limit position is kept stable.

  The slide restricting engagement protrusions 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 are provided on both sides in the width direction of the front end portion of the front plate portion 11n of the base member 11. Further, the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11 u is formed on the base member upper surface 11 a side with respect to the contact protrusion 11 m of the base member 11. The engagement piece portion 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 protrudes from the elastic piece portion 24a to the base upper surface 21a side, and the rear side on the base 21 of the jig 20 When the fiber holder 10 disposed at the movement limit position is slid forward to hold the fiber holder 10 at the front movement limit position, the slide restricting engagement protrusions 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 are elasticized by the jig 20. The engaging piece 24 can be surely inserted into the fitting notch 24 c of the engaging piece 24 b of the engaging piece 24.

The engaging piece portion 24b of the elastic engaging piece 24 of the jig 20 also functions as a holding piece that presses the fiber holder 10 (particularly the front side plate portion 11n) into the base 21 and prevents the lifting from the base 21. . That is, the engagement piece 24b of the elastic engagement piece 24 engages with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u of the fiber holder 10 and the contact of the base member 11 when the fiber holder 10 is disposed at the front movement limit position. The fiber holder 10 (particularly the front side plate portion 11n) is pressed against the base 21 in contact with the contact protrusion 11m, and is prevented from being lifted from the base 21.
This configuration effectively contributes to preventing displacement of the optical fiber 1 inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 with respect to the ferrule 2 in the fiber insertion process.

  In the illustrated fiber holder 10, the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u of the base member 11 is formed in a protrusion shape protruding upward from the contact protrusion 11m. The slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u is not separated from the contact protrusion 11m, and there is no gap between the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u and the contact protrusion 11m. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u is provided at a position separated from the contact protrusion 11m toward the base member upper surface 11a side.

  As the elastic engagement piece of the jig, the base 21 of the fiber holder is engaged by engaging with the slide protrusion engaging protrusion of the fiber holder that has been slid forward from the rearward movement limit position on the base 21. A U-shape extending from an overhanging portion 26 protruding so as to protrude in the width direction of the base 21 from the front end of the base 21 as shown in the example is sufficient as long as it can be configured to restrict the sliding movement above. It is not limited to the structure which consists of the elastic piece part 24a and the engagement piece part 24b. For example, a configuration in which an engagement piece projects from the end of an elastic piece that extends upward from an end surface (side surface) in the width direction of the base 21 at the front end of the base 21 can be employed.

(Ferrule adhesion jig with attachment / detachment holder)
As shown in FIG. 7, the detachable holder 23 can be detachably attached to the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 as described above.
The attachment of the attachment / detachment holder 23 to the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 will be described as a ferrule bonding work jig 20A with attachment / detachment holder (hereinafter also referred to as a jig with attachment / detachment holder). To do. This jig 20A with a detachable holder also functions as a jig according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the detachable holder 23 includes a holder main body 23c having the ferrule holding portion 23a formed with a ferrule fitting groove 23b into which the ferrule 2 is removably fitted, and the holder main body 23c. And a mounting bar-shaped protruding piece 23d held by the base protruding holder 22 by being removably fitted between a pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base protruding holder 22. ing.

  The ferrule holding part 23a is a C-shaped projecting piece projecting on one side of a plate-shaped holder main body 23c, and the inside thereof is the ferrule fitting groove 23b into which the ferrule 2 is removably fitted. ing. The inner peripheral surface of the ferrule fitting groove 23b is formed in a cylindrical surface that is curved so as to match the outer peripheral surface of the ferrule 2 that is fitted into the ferrule fitting groove 23b.

  The mounting rod-like projecting piece 23d has a rear side (ferrule holding portion) from a back plate portion 23e erected on the rear end portion opposite to the front end portion on which the ferrule holding portion 23a of the holder main body 23c projects. It is a rod-shaped piece projecting to the opposite side of 23a. The back plate portion 23e is protruded so as to rise to the surface (upper surface 23f) on which the ferrule holding portion 23a of the holder main body 23c protrudes.

In addition, although the attachment / detachment holder 23 in the illustrated example is specifically an integrally molded product made of plastic, it is not limited to this, and may be configured by a plurality of members.
Further, the ferrule holding part 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 only needs to have a structure in which a ferrule fitting groove 23b into which the ferrule 2 is removably fitted is formed, and is not necessarily limited to the one having a C-shaped cross section.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the attachment / detachment holder 23 pushes the mounting rod-like protrusion 23d into the ferrule fitting groove 22b between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base protrusion holder 22 from the upper side, thereby protruding the base. The holder 22 can be attached to the jig 20 by being held and fixed. In addition, the attachment / detachment holder 23 holds the mounting bar-shaped protruding piece 23d on the base protruding holder 22, and the back plate portion 23e protrudes on the front end portion of the base 21 of the jig 20. A detachable holder provided that is a portion of the pair of holder protective walls 21d provided on both sides of the base projecting holder 22 in the width direction of the base 21 and located on the front side of the base projecting holder 22 The holder wall 23e is abutted from the front side, and the holder main body 23c rear end portion is on a holder mounting base portion 21f that is a portion of the base 21 of the jig 20 that protrudes forward from the detachable holder receiving wall 21e. Is mounted on the jig 20 stably without wobbling.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the detachable holder 23 has a contact piece 23g that protrudes from the holder body 23c to the bottom surface opposite to the top surface 23f. The attaching / detaching holder 23 holds the mounting bar-like projecting piece 23d on the base projecting holder 22, the back plate portion 23e is brought into contact with the attaching / detaching holder receiving wall 21e of the jig 20, and the holder main body 23c. When the rear end portion is placed on the holder mounting portion 21f of the base 21 of the jig 20, the contact piece 23g can be brought into contact with the front end of the base 21 of the jig 20, Thus, the wobbling with respect to the jig 20 can be more reliably prevented and attached to the jig 20.

(Specific example of assembly method of optical fiber with ferrule)
Next, a specific example of the method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule according to the present invention will be described.
First, a method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule using the jig 20 (the jig 20 to which the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached) will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule described here first holds and holds the ferrule 2 in the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20, and the optical fiber 1. The fiber holder 10 holding the fiber holder 10 is placed on the base 21 of the jig 20, the fiber holder 10 is slid on the base 21, and the fiber holder 10 of the optical fiber 1 gripped by the fiber holder 10. A fiber insertion step of inserting the front protruding portion 1c, which is a portion protruding from the front end, into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is performed (see FIGS. 3, 9, and 12).
In this fiber insertion step, the fiber holder 10 is placed at the rear movement limit position on the base 21 in a state where the optical fiber 1 is gripped, and then the rear movement limit position by sliding movement on the base 21. The base 21 is moved from the front side to the front side movement limit position. The tip of the front protrusion 1c of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 by moving the fiber holder 10 from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit position.

  In this fiber insertion process, the ferrule 2 is fitted into the base protrusion holder 22 or the attachment / detachment holder 23 and attached to the jig 20 with the front end surface 2b being the front side and the rear end surface 2c being the rear side. .

  1 and 3, a ferrule 5 with a spacer formed by detachably fitting a C-shaped spacer 4 (hereinafter also referred to as a C-shaped spacer) to the ferrule 2 is a pair of elastic pieces 22 a of a base projecting holder 22. A configuration is illustrated in which the ferrule 2 is pressed and fitted into the ferrule fitting groove 22b therebetween, and the ferrule 2 is fixed to the jig 20 via the C-shaped spacer 4. The ferrule 5 with a spacer is pushed into the ferrule fitting groove 22b of the base projecting holder 22 from above so that the C-shaped spacer 4 is gripped between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base projecting holder 22. To do. Thereby, the ferrule 2 can be firmly fixed to the jig 20 via the C-shaped spacer 4.

The ferrule 5 with a spacer is pushed from above between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base projecting holder 22, and is supported between the base 21 of the jig 20 and the pair of elastic pieces 22a. The ferrule 2 is gripped by the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 by placing the spacer 4 on the support 22c (see FIG. 1) (the spacer 4 is placed on the support protrusion 22c). The optical fiber 1 positioned by the positioning groove 11b (see FIG. 4) of the base member 11 is positioned so as to be positioned on the extension of the center axis (hereinafter also referred to as positioning axis).
Therefore, when the fiber holder 10 installed at the rearward movement limit position on the base 21 is moved to the frontward movement limit position, the base member 11 is moved from the front end of the fiber holder 10 of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10. The front protruding portion 1c protruding on the extension of the positioning axis of the optical fiber 1 by the positioning groove 11b can be smoothly inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2.

  Further, the ferrule 5 with a spacer has a ferrule fitting groove 22b between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base projecting holder 22, and a ferrule fitting groove 22b side of the protruding ends of the pair of elastic pieces 22a protruding from the base 21. By pushing so as to be arranged closer to the base 21 (lower side) than the pressing protrusion 22d protruding from the support, the pressing protrusion 22d is pressed into the support protrusion 22c, preventing rattling in the vertical direction. Is done.

In inserting the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 by the sliding movement of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 held by the base protrusion holder 22, the optical fiber 1 When the front end of the optical fiber 1 abuts against the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2 due to a bending hook or the like of the front protrusion 1c, or due to a slight deviation of the front end of the optical fiber 1 with respect to the axis of the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 When the insertion resistance of the optical fiber 1 into the fiber hole 2a becomes excessive, a bent portion is formed in the optical fiber 1 in the fiber holder 10, and the front protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1 enters the fiber holder 10. The bending force acting on the optical fiber 1 between the ferrule 2 and the front end of the fiber holder 10 is alleviated. Come, it is possible to prevent inconveniences such as breakage of the optical fiber 1 by the bending force.
As a result, the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 is moved to the rear side of the base 21 and moved to the ferrule 2 without re-opening the bare optical fiber 1a at the tip of the optical fiber 1 or holding the optical fiber 1 by the fiber holder 10. The optical fiber 1 can be inserted again.

In addition, as the C-shaped spacer 4, a plurality of types having different inner peripheral surface dimensions are prepared and selectively used so that they can be securely fitted onto the ferrule according to the outer diameter of the ferrule fixed to the base projecting holder 22. It is possible. Thereby, fixation and holding | maintenance of the ferrule to the base protrusion holder 22 are realizable corresponding to various ferrule outer diameters.
The outer peripheral surface of the C-shaped spacer 4 is a curved surface located on (overlapping the circumference of) the circumference around the axis of the ferrule fitted inside. However, the curvature radius of the outer peripheral surface of the C-shaped spacer 4 is set so that the base protrusion holder 22 can be securely gripped according to the design such as the distance between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base protrusion holder 22. The plural types of C-shaped spacers 4 (multiple types of C-shaped spacers 4 having different inner peripheral surface dimensions) have the same radius of curvature on the outer peripheral surface even if the inner peripheral surface dimensions are different from each other. Aligned.

  Moreover, as a ferrule, it is also possible to employ | adopt what has an outer diameter which can be directly hold | gripped, without attaching the C-shaped spacer 4 between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig | tool 20. is there. In this case, the ferrule is pushed between the pair of elastic pieces 22a of the base projecting holder 22 without directly fitting the C-shaped spacer 4, and directly held by the pair of elastic pieces 22a. Further, by placing the ferrule on a support protrusion 22c (see FIG. 1) provided between the pair of elastic pieces 22a from the base 21 of the jig 20, the axis of the fiber hole becomes the base The optical fiber 1 is positioned so as to be positioned on the extension of the central axis of the optical fiber 1 that is gripped by the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21 and positioned by the positioning groove 11 b (see FIG. 4) of the base member 11.

An optical fiber 1 having a length sufficiently longer than the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the fiber holder 10 is used. The fiber holder 10 grips the coating portion of the optical fiber 1 and secures a slight protruding dimension from the front end thereof so that the optical fiber 1 (covering portion) protrudes and the optical fiber 1 extends from the rear end. .
The fiber holder 10 is installed on the base 21 of the jig 20 in a state where the covering material 1b protruding from the front end of the optical fiber 1 is removed and the bare optical fiber 1a is exposed. Place at the movement limit position.

  The protruding length of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 and the lead-out length of the bare optical fiber 1a are determined when the fiber holder 10 is moved from the rear movement limit position and held at the front movement limit position. Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the coated portion of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the coated portion receiving hole 2 a 2 of the ferrule 2, and the bare optical fiber 1 a led out to the tip of the optical fiber 1 is positioned to position the ferrule 2. It penetrates the hole 2a1 so as to protrude from the front end surface 2b of the ferrule 2 (see FIGS. 3, 9, and 12). Further, the covering material 1b of the covering portion of the optical fiber 1 inserted into the covering portion receiving hole 2a2 of the ferrule 2 by adjusting the protruding length of the optical fiber 1 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 and the lead length of the bare optical fiber 1a. The end face (tip face) of the ferrule 2 is prevented from coming into contact with the inner surface of the tapered hole 2a3 of the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is preliminarily filled with a liquid adhesive 6 before the optical fiber 1 is inserted. The optical fiber 1 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 while the adhesive 6 is in a liquid state before curing.
The adhesive 6 filled in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is not particularly limited. Here, the adhesive 6 is cured by heating in an adhesive fixing step as will be described later, for example, a thermosetting property such as an epoxy resin composition. Use one.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the fiber holder 10 held at the front side movement limit position on the base 21 is disposed at a position separated from the rear side of the base protrusion holder 22. An operator inserts a rod-like or sheet-like cleaning member such as a cotton swab between the fiber holder 10 and the base projecting holder 22 and inserts the optical fiber 1 into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 to insert the fiber hole. A working space (working space) for wiping off the adhesive 6 overflowing from 2a to the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2 can be secured.

In this fiber insertion step, the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 is engaged with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 moved from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit position. Thus, the sliding movement of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 is restricted. As a result, a pulling force is applied to the fiber holder 10 toward the rear side of the jig 20 to release the engagement between the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11 u and the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20. Unless the fiber holder 10 is forcibly pulled out to the rear side, the fiber holder 10 is stably held at the front side movement limit position.
Since the fiber holder 10 is restricted from being displaced in the width direction of the base 21 by the holder guide portion (the pair of guide walls 21b) of the base 21 of the jig 20, the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u is used. As a result of the sliding movement in the front-rear direction on the base 21 and the lifting from the base 21 being prevented by the engagement between the jig 20 and the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20, as described above, the jig 20 is moved to the rear side. As long as it is not forcibly extracted, the base 21 will not be displaced.

When the fiber insertion step is completed, the fiber holder 10 is slid on the base 21 by the engagement between the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 and the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10. The adhesive 6 that has been put in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is cured in the regulated state, and an adhesive fixing process is performed in which the ferrule 2 is adhesively fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, the ferrule 2 held in the base protrusion holder 22 together with the front end portion where the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20 is provided using the heater 7. Is heated to cure the adhesive 6, which is a thermosetting resin composition, in the fiber hole 2 a of the ferrule 2, and the ferrule 2 is bonded and fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1.

As the heater 7, the holding state of the fiber holder 10 with respect to the base 21 (the state where the fiber holder 10 is held at the front movement limit position) and the holding state of the ferrule 2 in the base protrusion holder 22 are changed from when the fiber insertion process is completed. There is no particular limitation as long as it can heat the ferrule 2 while keeping it without being made.
As the heater 7, for example, as shown in FIG. 13, together with the ferrule 2 held on the base protruding holder 22 and the fiber holder 10 installed on the base 21, the fiber insertion process is completed. It is configured in a plate shape that can be placed while maintaining the above state, and by placing the front end portion of the base 21, the front end portion of the base 21, the base protruding holder 22, and the ferrule 2 are heated together to ferrule Heating for housing and heating the one having a heating plate 7a capable of curing the adhesive 6 in the fiber hole 2a, and the front end of the base 21, the base protruding holder 22, and the ferrule 2 The thing of the structure which has a chamber can be employ | adopted.

Next, as described above, the tip surface 2b of the ferrule 2 bonded and fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1 is collectively polished together with the portion inserted and fixed to the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber 1 to obtain FIG. 10 (c). As shown, a polishing step is performed to form a joining end surface 2d that is a continuous polishing surface across the tip of the ferrule 2 and the tip of the portion located in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 of the optical fiber 1. In this polishing step, for example, the ferrule 2 and the fiber holder 10 are removed from the jig 20 and a portion of the bare optical fiber 1a of the optical fiber 1 protruding from the distal end surface 2b of the ferrule 2 is cut. The ferrule tip end face 2b is polished using a polishing apparatus such as a polishing disk that rotates the polishing member.
By completing the polishing step, the ferrule-attached optical fiber 3 (see FIG. 10C) having the joining end face 2d at the tip of the ferrule 2 bonded and fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1 is obtained.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the method of assembling the optical fiber 3 with a ferrule according to the present invention is a jig 20A with a desorption holder assembled by attaching a desorption holder 23 to a base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20. It is also possible to use.
In this case, the assembly of the optical fiber 3 with a ferrule is performed by first fitting and holding the ferrule 2 in the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 of the jig 20A with attachment / detachment holder, and holding the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 After the jig 20 is installed at the rear movement limit position on the base 21, the fiber holder 10 is moved from the rear movement limit position to the front movement limit position by sliding movement on the base 21, and the light A fiber insertion step is performed in which the tip of the front protruding portion 1c of the fiber 1 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 (see FIGS. 3, 9, and 12). Next, the adhesive 6 that has been put in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is cured, and an adhesive fixing process for adhesively fixing the ferrule 2 to the tip of the optical fiber 1 and a polishing process are performed.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, in the fiber insertion step, the protruding length of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 and the lead-out length of the bare optical fiber 1a are set to the rear movement limit position. When the installed fiber holder 10 is moved to the front movement limit position, a front protruding portion 1c (a reference numeral 1c2 is added in the figure) is a portion protruding from the front end of the fiber holder 10 of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10. The bare optical fiber 1a led out to the tip of the ferrule 2 passes through the positioning hole 2a1 of the ferrule 2 and protrudes from the tip surface 2b of the ferrule 2 (see FIGS. 10B and 9), and FIG. As shown in b), the coating portion of the optical fiber 1 is adjusted so as to be inserted into the coating portion accommodation hole portion 2a2 of the ferrule 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the covering portion accommodating hole 2a2 of the ferrule 2 by adjusting the protruding length of the optical fiber 1 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 and the lead length of the bare optical fiber 1a. The end surface (tip surface) of the covering material 1 b of the covering portion of the optical fiber 1 is prevented from coming into contact with the tapered hole portion 2 a 3 of the fiber hole 2 a of the ferrule 2.

  However, the distance from the fiber holder 10 arranged at the front movement limit position on the base 21 to the ferrule 2 held by the ferrule holding part 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 is the same as that of the fiber holder 10 arranged at the front movement limit position. Since the distance from the ferrule 2 held by the base protrusion holder 22 is longer than the distance from the front end of the fiber holder 10 of the front protrusion 1c2 of the optical fiber 1, the protrusion length from the front end of the fiber holder 10 is as shown in FIG. The front protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1 when the tip end portion of the optical fiber 1 held by the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 held by the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 not attached with the attachment / detachment holder 23 ( It is made longer than the protrusion length from the front end of the fiber holder 10 (indicated by reference numeral 1c1 in the figure).

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the attachment rod-like protrusion 23d of the attachment / detachment holder 23 has the light accompanying the movement from the rearward movement limit position to the frontward movement limit position over the entire length in the longitudinal direction. A fiber guide groove 23h (fiber guide portion) for guiding the movement of the front protrusion 1c2 of the fiber 1 is formed. The fiber guide groove 23h is formed so as to open over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the upper portion of the attaching rod-like protruding piece 23d of the attaching / detaching holder 23 fitted and attached to the base protruding holder 22. Further, the fiber guide groove 23h in the illustrated example accommodates the front protruding portion 1c2 of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10, and the positioning groove 11b of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 is the optical fiber 1. V-grooves, round grooves (grooves having a semicircular cross section), square grooves, etc. (V-grooves in the illustrated example) that can be positioned on the extension of the positioning axis.

The ferrule 2 is held in a state of being positioned so that the axis of the fiber hole 2 a is positioned on the extension of the positioning axis of the fiber holder 10 by being fitted into the ferrule holding part 23 a of the attachment / detachment holder 23.
When the fiber holder 10 is moved forward from the rear movement limit position toward the front movement limit position, the front protrusion 1c2 of the optical fiber 1 is positioned on the extension of the positioning axis of the fiber holder 10 by the fiber guide groove 23h. Thus, the operation of inserting the tip end portion of the optical fiber 1 (tip end portion of the front protruding portion 1c2) into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 can be performed smoothly.

In this fiber insertion step, the tip of the optical fiber 1 gripped by the fiber holder 10 is adjusted to the jig 20 (by adjusting the protrusion length of the front protrusion 1c2 of the optical fiber 1 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 as described above. In the same manner as when inserting the fiber holder 10 into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 held by the base projecting holder 22 of the jig which is not attached to the base projecting holder 22, the fiber holder 10 is moved to the rear movement limit position. The tip of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 held by the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 of the jig 20A with attachment / detachment holder. it can.
The fiber holder 10 that has moved to the front movement limit position is fixed to the base 21 by the engagement of the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11 u of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 and the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20. Slide movement on the table 21 is restricted.

Further, the attaching / detaching holder 23 of the illustrated example is provided with a ferrule holding portion 23a located at the front end of the attaching / detaching holder 23 so as to be separated from the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece 23d at the rear end of the attaching / detaching holder 23 on the holder main body 23c. An operator puts his / her finger between the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece 23d and the ferrule holding portion 23a, and the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 so that it overflows from the fiber hole 2a to the rear end face 2c of the ferrule 2. A work space (work space) for wiping off the adhesive 6 that has come out is secured.
Note that the work space secured between the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece 23d and the ferrule holding portion 23a cannot be inserted into the operator's finger, and is a rod-shaped rod such as a cotton swab that is much thinner than the operator's finger. Alternatively, it may be narrow enough to insert a sheet-like cleaning member and wipe the adhesive 6 overflowing the rear end surface 2c of the ferrule 2.

In the bonding and fixing step, for example, the ferrule 2 is heated using a heater such as the heater 7 illustrated in FIG. 13 to cure the adhesive, which is a thermosetting resin composition in the fiber hole 2a, A ferrule 2 is bonded and fixed to the tip of the fiber 1.
In this bonding and fixing step, after completion of the fiber insertion step, the fiber holder 10 is fixed to the base 21 by the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20, and the sliding movement on the base 21 is restricted, and the detachment The state in which the ferrule 2 is held in the ferrule holding portion 23a of the holder 23 is maintained until the curing of the adhesive in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is completed.

In the polishing step after the completion of the bonding and fixing step, the assembly of the optical fiber 3 with a ferrule is assembled with the ferrule 2 on the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 to which the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached as illustrated in FIGS. May be performed in the same manner as the above-described polishing step after the completion of the bonding and fixing step when the fiber insertion step is performed while holding the fiber. For example, the fiber holder 10 and the ferrule 2 are removed from the jig 20A with the attachment / detachment holder, and the polishing is performed.
However, for example, after the completion of the bonding and fixing step, the fiber holder 10 is fixed to the base 21 by the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20 and the sliding movement on the base 21 is restricted, and the attachment / detachment holder 23 The tip surface 2b of the ferrule 2 protruded from the ferrule holding part 23a is polished while keeping the ferrule 2 held in the ferrule holding part 23a, and then the fiber holder 10 from the jig 20A with the attachment / detachment holder and The ferrule 2 may be removed.

According to the above-described method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule, the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 without the attachment / detachment holder 23 as shown in FIG. 2, or the base of the jig 20 as shown in FIG. The ferrule 2 is held by the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 that is detachably attached to the base protrusion holder 22, and the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 is directed to the ferrule 2 on the base 21 of the jig 20. The fiber is inserted into the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 (see FIG. 10 (a), etc.), and then cured. The fiber holder 10 is fixed to the base 21 by the elastic engagement piece 24 of the tool 20, and the sliding movement on the base 21 is restricted, and the ferrule holding of the attachment / detachment holder 23 is maintained. Since the adhesive fixing process of curing the adhesive in the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is performed while keeping the state in which the ferrule 2 is held in the portion 23a, the ferrule is completed after the fiber insertion process is completed until the adhesive fixing process is completed. The displacement of the optical fiber 1 with respect to 2 can be prevented. According to the method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule using the jig 20 and the fiber holder 10 described above, the fiber holder 10 is held at the front movement limit position with respect to the base 21 in the fiber insertion process, so that the base 21 Not only the movement of the fiber holder 10 above, but also the rotation of the ferrule 2 around the axis of the optical fiber 1 around the front protrusion of the optical fiber 1 held by the fiber holder 10 is restricted.
As a result, the ferrule 2 can be bonded and fixed at a target position in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 1. Further, there is no fear that the optical fiber 1 (particularly the bare optical fiber 1a) or the inner surface of the fiber hole 2a of the ferrule 2 is damaged due to the displacement of the optical fiber 1 with respect to the ferrule 2.

  In addition, according to the method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule using the jig 20 and the fiber holder 10 described above, the fiber holder 10 is held at the front side movement limit position with respect to the base 21 in the fiber insertion process. The elastic engagement piece 24 of the tool 20 prevents the fiber holder 10 from being lifted or tilted from the base 21. For this reason, since the fiber holder 10 is fixed so as not to be displaced with respect to the jig 20, for example, even if vibration or the like acts on the jig 20 or the fiber holder 10, Misalignment can be prevented, and displacement of the optical fiber 1 relative to the ferrule 2 can be prevented more reliably.

The assembled optical fiber with a ferrule can be used for assembling an optical connector.
When assembling the optical connector, the optical connector housing is assembled, and the ferrule of the optical fiber with a ferrule is accommodated in the housing.
In addition, as an optical fiber with a ferrule used for the assembly of an optical connector, what was assembled using the ferrule (refer FIG. 15 (a), (b), FIG. 20, etc.) which has a flange part as mentioned later as a ferrule. It can be used suitably.

  In the method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule using the jig 20, as shown in FIG. 2, the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20 without the attachment / detachment holder 23 attached, or as shown in FIG. By selectively fitting the ferrule 2 to the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 detachably attached to the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20, the holding position of the ferrule 2 in the longitudinal direction of the base 21 can be determined. You can choose.

  Selection of the holding position of the ferrule 2 in the front-rear direction of the base 21 is, for example, as shown in FIGS. 14, 15A and 15B, as a ferrule, a capillary-like ferrule body 81 and a sleeve-like flange part 82. Is inserted and fixed, and the flange part 82 has a rear extending cylindrical portion 82b extending from the portion fixed to the ferrule main body 81 to the rear end side opposite to the front end surface 81a of the ferrule main body 81. When (ferrule 8. ferrule with flange) is used, it can be performed according to the extension length of the rear-side extending cylinder portion 82b extending rearward from the rear end of the ferrule body 81.

As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the ferrule 8 is inserted with a bare optical fiber 1 a that is a through hole inside the ferrule body 81 and is exposed at the tip of the optical fiber 1. A positioning hole 8a1, which is a fine hole for positioning the bare optical fiber 1a so as to be on the axis of the cylindrical ferrule body 81, and a portion of the positioning hole 81a1 located on the rear end side of the ferrule body 81 are divergent. Tapered hole portion 8a3 (main body rear end tapered opening portion) having a configuration expanded in a tapered shape, and an inner hole inside the rear extending cylindrical portion 82b of the flange part 82, and a covering portion into which the covering portion of the optical fiber 1 can be inserted A fiber hole 8a, which is a through hole made up of the part housing hole 8a2, is provided.
The covering portion accommodating hole portion 8a2 communicates with the positioning hole portion 8a1 through the tapered hole portion 8a3. Further, the covering portion accommodating hole portion 8a2 and the tapered hole portion 8a2 are formed coaxially with the axis of the positioning hole portion 8a1.

The flange part 82 has a sleeve-like tube portion 82a and a flange portion 82c projecting over the entire outer periphery of a portion of the tube portion 82a that is externally fixed to the ferrule body 81. . A portion of the cylindrical portion 82a that extends rearward from the rear end of the ferrule body 81 is the rearward extending cylindrical portion 82b.
The flange portion 82 c functions as the flange portion 82 a of the ferrule 8.

  The assembly of the ferrule-equipped optical fiber 3A using the ferrule 8 is similar to the assembly of the ferrule-equipped optical fiber using the ferrule 2 described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 10A. This can be realized by performing an adhesion fixing step and a polishing step after the insertion step. That is, a fiber insertion process, an adhesion fixing process, and a polishing process may be performed using a ferrule 8 with a flange part instead of the ferrule 2.

  The fiber insertion step is detachably attached to the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20 (see FIG. 1) to which the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached or to the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20 as shown in FIG. The ferrule 8 is held on the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attaching / detaching holder 23 in such a direction that the front end surface 81a of the ferrule main body 81 is the front side and the rear extending protrusion 82b of the flange part 82 is the rear side. Then, by moving the fiber holder 10 holding the optical fiber 1 from the rear side movement limit position to the front side movement limit position on the base 21, as shown in FIG. The portion 1c is inserted from the rear end into the rear extension protrusion 82b of the flange part 82 of the ferrule 8, and the bare optical fiber 1a led out to the front end of the optical fiber 1 (front end of the front protrusion 1c) is used as a ferrule body. The ferrule body 81 is protruded from the front end surface 2b through the positioning hole portion 2a1 of 81.

  When holding the ferrule 8 on the base protrusion holder 22 of the jig 20 (see FIG. 1) to which the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached, for example, the C-shaped spacer 4 is externally fitted to the ferrule body 81 of the ferrule 8 and assembled. Further, the ferrule 83 with a spacer (see FIG. 16) is pushed into the ferrule fitting groove 22b between the elastic pieces 22a of the base projecting holder 22 and fitted. Alternatively, the ferrule body 81 of the ferrule 8 to which the C-shaped spacer 4 is not externally fitted is directly pushed into and fitted into the ferrule fitting groove 22b.

  When holding the ferrule 8 on the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 that is detachably attached to the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20, for example, the ferrule 8 that does not have the C-shaped spacer 4 externally fitted thereto. The ferrule body 81 is directly pushed into and fitted into the ferrule fitting groove 23b of the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23. Further, depending on the outer diameter of the ferrule body 81 (when it is smaller than the inner diameter of the ferrule fitting groove 23b of the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23), a C-shaped spacer having an appropriate size is externally fitted to attach the ferrule with a spacer to the ferrule holding portion 23a. It may be fitted into the ferrule fitting groove 23b.

  In this fiber insertion step, as shown in FIG. 15B, the fiber holder 10 that has been moved forward from the rear movement limit position on the base 21 is moved to the front movement limit position by the elastic engagement piece 24 of the jig 20. When the optical fiber 1 is held, the coating portion (tip portion of the coating portion) of the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the coating portion receiving hole portion 8a2 of the ferrule 8 and the inner hole inside the rear side extending cylindrical portion 82b of the flange part 82, The bare optical fiber 1a led out at the tip of the optical fiber 1 (tip of the front protruding portion 1c) passes through the positioning hole 8a1 of the ferrule body 81 and protrudes from the tip surface 2b of the ferrule body 81. FIG. 15B shows that the fiber holder 10 is advanced from the rear movement limit position on the base 21 by adjusting the protruding length of the optical fiber 1 from the front end of the fiber holder 10 and the lead length of the bare optical fiber 1a. When moved, the end surface (tip surface) of the covering material 1b of the covering portion of the optical fiber 1 inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 of the ferrule 2 does not contact the tapered hole portion 8a3 of the ferrule body 81. The configuration in which the taper is disposed at a position slightly shifted to the rear side from the inner surface of the tapered hole portion 8a3 is illustrated.

  As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, when assembling the ferrule-equipped optical fiber 3A using the ferrule 8, the fiber insertion step is performed with the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule body 81 filled with an adhesive. After the fiber insertion step is performed in a state in which not only the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule body 81 but also the inner side (inner hole) of the rear side extending cylindrical portion 82b of the ferrule 8 is filled with adhesive. It is preferable to perform an adhesive fixing step.

  In the assembling work of the ferruled optical fiber 3A using the ferrule 8 (assembling method of the ferruled optical fiber), for example, the extension length of the rear extension tube portion 82b is long and the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached. When the ferrule 8 is held in the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20, the ferrule 8 is moved from the rear side movement limit position to the front side movement limit position on the base 21 by the rear extension tube portion 82 b of the ferrule 8. When the fiber holder 10 is brought into contact, the ferrule 8 is fitted into the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attaching / detaching holder 23 fitted into the jig 20 by fitting the mounting rod-like protruding piece 23d into the base projecting holder 22. It is possible to perform a fiber insertion process normally by holding | maintaining by.

  When the ferrule 8 is fitted and held in the ferrule holding portion 23a of the attachment / detachment holder 23 attached to the jig 20, the rear extension tube portion 82b is compared with the case where the ferrule 8 is held in the base projecting holder 22. Even if a ferrule 8 having a long extension length is used, the fiber insertion process can be performed normally, that is, the state in which the ferrule 8 is inserted at the target position in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 1 can be reliably obtained by the fiber insertion process. Is possible.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 16, the extension length of the said rear side extension cylinder part 82b of the flange part 82 of the ferrule 8 is short (or there is no rear side extension cylinder part 82b), and the attachment / detachment holder 23 is not attached. Even if the ferrule 8 (reference numeral 8A is added to the ferrule 8 in the illustrated example) is fitted and held in the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20, it moves forward from the rear limit position on the base 21. When the fiber holder 10 that has moved to the limit position does not come into contact with the rear extension tube portion 82b of the ferrule 8, the fiber insertion process is performed with the ferrule 8 held by the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20. It goes without saying that it can be done.

  Further, the holding position of the ferrule 2 in the front-rear direction of the base 21 is not limited to being performed according to the extension length of the rear extension cylinder portion 82b of the flange part 82 of the ferrule 8 as described above. After completion of the bonding and fixing step, the fiber holder 10 is placed on the holder mounting base of the polishing apparatus while the optical fiber 1 is held by the fiber holder 10, and the ferrule bonded and fixed to the tip of the optical fiber 1 is used as the ferrule of the polishing apparatus. Subsequent steps performed while the optical fiber 1 is held by the fiber holder 10, such as selection according to the distance between the holder mounting base of the polishing apparatus and the ferrule fixing portion when the polishing step is performed while being fixed to the fixing portion It is possible to select according to.

  In the method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule according to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b), a flange part 82 is formed in the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 in the fiber insertion process. The optical fiber 1 that is much thinner than the inner diameter (the inner diameter of the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2) of the rear side extending cylinder portion 82b, that is, the outer diameter of the covering portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the rear side extending cylindrical portion 82b. When inserting the optical fiber 1 having such a size that the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the rear extension cylinder portion 82b can secure the clearance allowing the covering portion to move freely in the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2. A flexible tube 9 made of synthetic resin is extrapolated in advance to a front protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1 (indicated by reference numeral 1B in the figure) held by the optical fiber 10, and on the base 21 The fiber holder 10 The optical fiber 1B is moved from the side movement limit position to the front movement limit position and the optical fiber 1B is inserted into the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8, and a part of the tube 9 in the longitudinal direction (part of one end side) of the ferrule 8 is inserted. The part other than the part inserted into the fiber hole 8a and inserted into the fiber hole 8a may be extended from the ferrule body 8 to the rear side, and the bonding and fixing step may be performed while maintaining this state.

  The diameter (outer diameter) of the bare optical fiber 1a of the optical fiber 1B in the illustrated example is the same as the diameter of the bare optical fiber 1a of the optical fiber 1A illustrated in FIG.

  The fiber insertion step is performed in a state where not only the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule body 81 but also the rear extension cylinder portion 82b of the cylinder portion 82a of the ferrule 8 is filled with adhesive. Then, the tube 9 is bonded and fixed to the ferrule 8 together with the optical fiber 1B in the bonding and fixing step.

Specifically, the tube 9 is inserted into the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2 of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8.
As shown in FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b), the tube 9 has an axis with respect to the axis of the covering portion receiving hole 8a2 of the optical fiber 1B in the covering portion receiving hole 8a2 (coincident with the axis of the fiber hole 8a). In order to suppress the displacement, particularly the axial displacement of the positioning hole portion 8a1 with respect to the axis, and arrange the shaft in alignment with the axis of the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2, the outer diameter thereof is equal to the inner diameter of the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 of the ferrule 8 The one having substantially the same diameter (equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2) and having the inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the optical fiber 1B (equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber 1B) is used.

  Moreover, as the tube 9, the length which can accommodate and cover the opening located in the rear end of the fiber hole 8a and the portion located in the vicinity of the optical fiber 1B in which the insertion of the ferrule 8 into the fiber hole 8a is completed. Use a short length that is secured. The length of the tube 9 is set to be equal to or shorter than the length of the covering portion of the front protruding portion 1c of the optical fiber 1B, excluding the bare optical fiber 1a led out to the front end of the front protruding portion 1c. The tube 9 in the illustrated example uses a tube having a shorter length than the covering portion of the front protruding portion 1c.

  As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, in the fiber insertion process, the tube 9 is inserted into the sheath hole 8a2 of the ferrule 8 at one end in the longitudinal direction and inserted into the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8. By setting the part other than the part extended from the ferrule body 8 to the rear side, it is put in a state of covering the opening part of the rear end of the fiber hole 8a of the optical fiber 1B and the part located in the vicinity thereof. Then, the tube 9 is bonded and fixed to the ferrule 8 together with the optical fiber 1B by performing the bonding and fixing step while maintaining this state.

As a result, in the optical fiber 3 with a ferrule that has been assembled (in the figure, the optical fiber with a ferrule is labeled 3B), the rear end of the ferrule 8 (the rear end of the rear extension tube portion 82b) is rearward. The tube 9 can relieve bending stress acting on the optical fiber 1B extending to the side in the vicinity of the rear end of the ferrule 8, that is, in the vicinity of the rear end of the rear extending cylindrical portion 82b of the ferrule 8. For this reason, the inconvenience that the optical fiber 1B is damaged by bending near the rear end of the ferrule 8 or bending with an extremely small bending radius can be prevented.
The tube 9 functions as a protective tube for protecting the optical fiber 1B in the vicinity of the rear end of the ferrule 8.

  As shown in FIG. 15B and the like, the optical fiber 1A has an outer diameter (outer diameter of the covering portion) that is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the rear extension tube portion 82b of the flange part 82 of the ferrule 8 (rear extension). The inner diameter of the covering portion inserted into the rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 82b is suppressed by the inner surface of the rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 82b from being displaced with respect to the axis of the covering portion accommodation hole 8a2. And aligned with the axis of the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the optical fiber 1B, which is thinner than the optical fiber 1A, was inserted into the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2 inside the rear extension tube portion 82b. The inner surface of the tube 9 is aligned with the axis of the covering portion receiving hole 8a2.

Temporarily, when the amount of deviation of the axis deviation of the covering portion of the optical fiber 1B inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 with respect to the axis line of the positioning hole portion 8a1 of the fiber hole 8a is large, The base end portion of the bare optical fiber 1a led out at the tip of the optical fiber 1B and inserted in the positioning hole 8a1 of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 (the optical fiber 1B coating on the bare optical fiber 1a led out at the tip of the optical fiber 1B) It becomes easy to affect the optical characteristics of the bare optical fiber 1a (increased loss, etc.) due to stresses such as bending acting on the end portion on the part side.
On the other hand, if it is the structure which can align the coating | coated part of optical fiber 1A, 1B inserted in the coating | coated part accommodation hole part 8a2 with the axis line of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8, it will be led out to the front-end | tip of the optical fiber 1B, and Since it is possible to suppress (or eliminate) the application of stress such as bending to the proximal end portion of the bare optical fiber 1a inserted in the positioning hole portion 8a1 of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8, the optical fibers 1A, 1B This is advantageous in that it can be avoided that the axial deviation of the covering portion relative to the axis of the positioning hole 8a1 affects the optical characteristics of the bare optical fiber 1a, and the desired optical characteristics can be reliably obtained.

The tube 9 is interposed between the inner surface of the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2 inside the rear extending cylinder portion 82b and the optical fiber 1B (its covering portion) inserted in the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2. It functions as a spacer (spacer tube) for arranging the covering portion of the optical fiber 1B having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 in alignment with the axis of the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2.
Therefore, as a ferrule for inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber, the inner diameter of the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2 is larger than the outer diameter of the covering portion of the optical fiber, and is inserted into the covering portion accommodating hole 8a2. The tube 9 is covered even when an optical fiber covering portion and an inner surface of the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 that have a clearance that allows the optical fiber to float within the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 are employed. By inserting the optical fiber covering portion inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2, the tube 9 allows the tube 9 to connect the axis of the positioning hole portion 8a1 of the fiber hole 8a and the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2. Axis alignment is possible.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, as the ferrule 8, the rear side of the inner diameter that allows the coated portion of the optical fiber 1A inserted into the fiber hole 8a to be aligned with the axis of the fiber hole 8a. The one having an extended cylindrical portion 82b (see FIG. 15B) is employed, and the tip end of the optical fiber 1B thinner than the optical fiber 1A is inserted into the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 and bonded and fixed. Even when the optical fiber 3B with a ferrule is assembled, a tube 9 having inner and outer diameters corresponding to the inner diameter of the rear extension tube portion 82b of the ferrule 8 and the diameter of the optical fiber 1B (outer diameter of the covering portion) is prepared as described above. In the fiber insertion step, the tube 9 is inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 inside the rear extending tube portion 82b of the ferrule 8, so that the optical fiber 1B inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 is covered. Part of it axial alignment with the axis of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8.

  That is, it is necessary to insert the tube 9 into the covering portion receiving hole 8a2 inside the rear extension tube portion 82b of the ferrule 8, and the covering portion receiving hole portion inside the rear extension tube portion 82b of the ferrule 8. In accordance with the selection of the inner diameter of the tube 9 to be inserted into 8a2 (the outer diameter of the tube 9 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the rear extension tube portion 82b), it corresponds to the diameter of the optical fiber 1 to be inserted into the ferrule 8 (outer diameter of the covering portion). In the fiber insertion step, it is possible to achieve axial alignment with respect to the axis of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 of the covering portion of the optical fiber 1B inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2.

For example, as a ferrule 8 that is bonded and fixed to the distal end portion of the optical fiber 1A that is an optical fiber core wire having an outer diameter of 0.9 mm, a rear extension tube portion 82b having an inner diameter of 1.0 mm is used. It can be suitably used. When the ferrule 8 is employed, the covering portion of the optical fiber 1A inserted in the rear extension cylinder portion 82b can be aligned with the axis of the rear extension cylinder portion 82b.
In the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8 (the inner diameter of the rear extension tube portion 82b is 1.0 mm), for example, an optical fiber core wire having a diameter (covering portion outer diameter) of 0.4 mm or a diameter (covering portion outer diameter) is provided. When an optical fiber 3B with a ferrule is assembled by inserting and fixing the tip of an optical fiber 1B having a coating portion outer diameter that is significantly smaller than the optical fiber 1A, such as an optical fiber of 0.25 mm, as described above. As described above, the optical fiber inserted into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 by inserting the tube 9 into the covering portion receiving hole portion 8a2 inside the rear extending cylindrical portion 82b of the ferrule 8 in the fiber inserting step The coating portion of 1B can be aligned with the axis of the fiber hole 8a of the ferrule 8.

As shown in FIG. 10A, the tube 9 inserts an optical fiber in the fiber insertion step into the covering portion accommodation hole 2a2 of the fiber hole 2a formed in the ferrule 2 itself that is a capillary member. Can also be used.
In addition, in this specification, the rear-side extended cylindrical portion of the ferrule refers to a cylindrical portion whose inner side is a covering portion accommodating hole portion of the fiber hole, and the ferrule illustrated in FIG. As in FIG. 8, the configuration is not limited to a part of the cylindrical portion of the flange part 82 that is externally fixed to the ferrule body 81. For example, in the ferrule 2 illustrated in FIG. 10A, a cylindrical portion having the covering portion accommodation hole portion 2a2 as an inner hole functions as a rear extending cylindrical portion.

In addition, this invention is limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the main point, it can change suitably.
In the above-described embodiment, the jig 20, the slide movement restricting means provided on the base 21, and the engagement holding means for restricting the slide movement of the fiber holder 10 on the base 21 (back and forth movement by sliding). As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, etc., notches 24c are formed as recesses into which the slide restricting engaging protrusions 11u protruding from both sides of the base member 11 of the fiber holder 10 can be fitted. The engagement piece 24b is detachably engaged with the slide restricting engagement protrusion 11u, and the engagement piece 24b also restricts the lifting of the fiber holder 10 from the base 21. Although the piece 24 is illustrated, the slide movement restricting means and the engagement holding means according to the present invention are not limited thereto.
The slide movement restricting means and the engagement holding means are configured to be detachably engaged with the fiber holder, or a direction orthogonal to the advancing / retreating direction (front-rear direction) with respect to the ferrule holder by sliding the fiber holder on the base. Any configuration that can switch between the state where the fiber holder slide movement (back and forth movement by sliding) on the base is restricted and the state where the restriction is released, such as a configuration that can be clamped by the clamping force of and can be released. good. Examples of the slide movement restricting means configured to clamp the fiber holder by the clamping force (engagement with the fiber holder is not essential) include, for example, a structure that can clamp the fiber holder from both sides in the width direction of the base. A configuration in which the fiber holder is pressed against the base (specifically, a plate-shaped base body) by a pressing member provided on the base (fixed between the pressing member and the base) can be used. is there.
Further, the slide restricting engagement protrusion does not necessarily need to be configured to restrict the lifting of the fiber holder from the base when the slide movement on the base is restricted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the detachable holder 23 that is detachable from the base projecting holder 22 of the jig 20 is used as a configuration for changing the holding position of the ferrule in the front-rear direction of the jig 20 and the base 21. Although the configuration is exemplified, in the present invention, the configuration for making it possible to change the holding position of the ferrule in the front-rear direction of the jig and base is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and various configurations can be adopted. It is.

  For example, like the base 21A of the ferrule adhering work jig shown in FIG. 18 (a), the base is placed on one end (front end) in the front-rear direction (left / right in FIG. 18 (a)) of the base main body 21p. A holder fitting hole 21g (holder mounting portion) that can hold the ferrule holder 27 upright on the base 21A by fitting the ferrule holder 27 (first ferrule holder) from above the base 21A is positioned in the front-rear direction. It is also possible to adopt a base having a configuration provided at a plurality of places (two places in the illustrated example) with different from each other. The ferrule holder 27 is an insertion fitting that can be fitted into the holder fitting hole 21g in a ferrule holding portion 27a (a portion in which a ferrule fitting groove (not shown) is formed) for holding the ferrule so as to be detachable. The ferrule holding portion 27a is provided in a standing state on the base 21A by fitting the insertion fitting portion 27b into the holder fitting hole 21g. The insertion fitting portion 27b can be inserted into and removed from the holder fitting hole 21g from the base 21A.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 18B, the base 21 (base main body 21p) of the jig 20 illustrated in FIG. A base 21B having a configuration in which a holder fitting hole 21g into which the ferrule holder 27 illustrated in FIG. 1 can be fitted is provided, and the insertion fitting portion 27b of the ferrule holder 27 is inserted into the holder fitting from the base 21B. The ferrule holding part 27a of the ferrule holder 27 may be provided in a standing state on the base 21B by being inserted into and fitted into the hole 21g. The ferrule holder 27 functions as a second ferrule holder according to the present invention. The ferrule holding portion 27a of the ferrule holder 27 attached to the base 21B can hold the ferrule on the optical fiber positioning axis in the fiber holder installed on the base 21B. The ferrule held by the ferrule holding portion 27a has the tip of the front protruding portion of the optical fiber gripped by the fiber holder by the forward movement of the fiber holder on the base 21B. It can be inserted through the ferrule fitting groove 22b.

Note that the holder mounting portion for detachably mounting the ferrule holder to the base is not limited to the holder fitting hole 21g illustrated in FIGS. 18A and 18B. For example, the holder mounting portion protrudes on the base. It is also possible to employ a fitting projection on which the ferrule holder is fitted.
In addition, as in the base 21A illustrated in FIG. 18A, a base having a configuration in which holder mounting portions are provided at a plurality of positions in the front-rear direction at the front end of the base (the front end of the base main body 21p) is used. The fiber insertion process may be performed by attaching a plurality of ferrule holders to the base. In this case, among the plurality of ferrule holders, the ferrule holder located closest to the rear end of the base functions as the first ferrule holder according to the present invention, and the other ferrule holder functions as the second ferrule holder according to the present invention.
In addition, as the holder mounting portion, for example, a base portion having a rail portion for guiding sliding movement of the ferrule holder in the front-rear direction of the base, and a base by an elastic engagement claw protruding from the ferrule holder. It can be attached to a desired position in the front-rear direction of the base by means of attachment such as engagement and screwing, and when the attachment state by the attachment means is released, the ferrule holder can be moved in the front-rear direction, and the ferrule holder can be moved relative to the base. A configuration in which the attachment position can be changed can also be adopted.
In addition, the ferrule holder (first ferrule holder) that can be attached to and detached from the holder mounting portion has a holding position of the ferrule (in other words, a position of the ferrule holding portion) when mounted on the holder mounting portion on the base. Thus, different ones in the front-rear direction, which is the direction in which the fiber holder is slid, can be selected and used. In other words, the ferrule holding position in the front-rear direction of the base by the ferrule holder can be selected by selecting and using the ferrule.

The fiber holder may have any structure as long as it can grip an optical fiber between a plate-like base member and a plate-like pressing member pivoted on the base member and opened and closed with respect to the base member. There is no particular limitation on the construction.
However, as in a fiber holder H shown in FIG. 19, for example, the base member H1 is configured such that the optical fiber 1 extends straight on the base member H1 on one side (upper surface) of the plate-like base main plate portion H11. It is preferable to use one in which a positioning groove H12 for placement is extended. Further, the base member H1 has a bottom surface of the plate-like base main plate portion H11 in that the base member H1 smoothly slides in the front-rear direction without causing wobbling in the base width direction on the base. It is preferable that a pair of bottom-side extending protrusions H13 extending along the extending direction of the positioning groove H12 on the side is formed in a cross-sectionally-portion shape projecting at two positions spaced apart from each other.
In FIG. 19, reference numeral H2 denotes a plate-like pressing member, and H3 denotes a pivoting portion where the plate-like pressing member H2 is pivotally attached to the base member H1. Needless to say, the fiber holder 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 and the like corresponds to the fiber holder H illustrated in FIG.

  As guide portions for guiding the fiber holder so as to be slidable on a straight line on the base, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the guide 21 is provided at both ends in the width direction of the base 21 (specifically, the base body 21p). It is not limited to the protruding guide wall 21b. As the guide portion, for example, as shown in FIG. 19, a fiber protruding in the shape of a ridge extending in the front-rear direction at the center portion in the width direction of the plate-like base body 21p and installed on the base body 21p. It is also possible to employ guide protrusions 21h that are accommodated between bottom-side extending protrusions H13 that protrude from both ends in the width direction on the bottom surface side of the base member H1 of the holder H. The fiber holder H installed on the base body 21p of the base 21C adopting the guide protrusion 21h as a guide part has a pair of bottom-side extended protrusions H13 on the bottom surface side of the base member H1. By being in sliding contact with both end faces of the width direction (left and right in FIG. 19) of the portion 21h, the guide 21h is guided so as to be slidable on one straight line on the base 21C.

In the above-described embodiment, as the second ferrule holder, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the mounting rod-shaped projecting piece 23 d and the ferrule holding portion 23 a that can be detachably fitted to the base projecting holder 22 are provided. The attachment / detachment holder 23 is configured to be attached to the base by fitting the mounting rod-shaped protrusion 23 d into the base protrusion holder 22, and the ferrule holding portion 23 a is disposed on the front side of the base protrusion holder 22. However, the attachment / detachment holder that can be attached to the base by fitting the attachment rod-like protruding piece into the base protrusion holder 22 so as to be attachable / detachable is not limited to the configuration shown in the drawing. For example, the attachment / detachment holder 23 illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9 has a fiber guide portion for guiding the front-side protruding portion of the optical fiber held by the fiber holder on the base to the fiber hole of the ferrule held by the ferrule holding portion 23a. As described above, the fiber guide groove 23h formed to extend over the entire length of the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece 23d is employed. However, as the fiber guide portion formed on the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece, the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece is used. A configuration in which a through hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) is also employable.
In addition, the attachment / detachment holder 23 illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9 has a configuration in which the ferrule holding portion is provided at a position separated from the mounting rod-shaped protruding piece. However, the attachment / detachment holder (second ferrule holder) according to the present invention is used. For example, a configuration in which the ferrule holding portion is not separated from the mounting bar-shaped protruding piece and is provided integrally with the mounting bar-shaped protruding piece may be employed.

As a ferrule, it is not limited to the structure illustrated to the above-mentioned embodiment, The thing of various structures can be used.
In FIG. 1, FIG. 7, etc., the configuration using the ferrule 2 (ferrule body) that does not have the flange portion is illustrated, but for example, as shown in FIG. 20, the center of the ferrule 2 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) It is also possible to employ a ferrule 2A having a configuration in which a flange part 2e, which is a metal ring, is externally fixed to the part and the flange part 2e is used as a flange part (hereinafter, the flange part 2e is also referred to as a flange part).
The ferrule 2A can also be held by being fitted into a ferrule holder in the state of a ferrule with a spacer by externally fitting a C-shaped spacer 4 (see FIG. 1 and the like). In this case, as the C-shaped spacer 4, for example, a ferrule body 2 that can be externally fitted from the flange portion 2 e to the front side (tip surface 2 b side) is used.

  The method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule according to the present invention and the ferrule bonding jig are configured by inserting an optical fiber into a fiber hole of a single-core ferrule configured to have a capillary-shaped ferrule body and bonding and fixing In addition to assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule, for example, an optical fiber is inserted into a fiber hole of a multi-core ferrule such as an MT type optical connector (F12 type optical connector established in JIS C 5981. MT: Mechanically Transferable). It can also be applied to assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule by inserting and fixing a fiber.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A, 1B ... Optical fiber (ferrule main body), 1a ... Bare optical fiber, 1b ... Cover material, 1c, 1c1, 1c2 ... Front side protrusion part, 2 ... Ferrule (ferrule main body), 2A ... Ferrule, 2a ... Fiber hole 2a1 ... positioning hole portion, 2a2 ... covering portion receiving hole portion, 2a3 ... tapered hole portion, 2a4 ... tapered rear end opening, 2b ... tip end surface, 2c ... rear end surface, 2d ... joint end surface, 2e ... flange component, 3, 3A, 3B ... Optical fiber with ferrule, 4 ... Spacer (C-shaped spacer), 5 ... Ferrule with spacer, 6 ... Adhesive, 7 ... Heater, 8 ... Ferrule (ferrule with flange parts), 8a ... Fiber hole 8a1 ... positioning hole, 8a2 ... covering hole, 8a3 ... tapered hole, 81 ... ferrule body, 81a ... tip surface, 82 ... flange component, 82a ... cylindrical part 82b ... rear extending cylinder portion, 82c ... flange portion, 9 ... tube,
10: Fiber holder,
20 ... Ferrule bonding jig, 20A ... Ferrule bonding jig (ferrule bonding jig with attachment / detachment holder), 21, 21A, 21B, 21C ... Base, 21a ... (of base) upper surface, 21b ... guide part (guide wall), 21e ... guide part (guide protrusion), 21g ... holder mounting part (holder fitting hole), 21h ... guide part (guide protrusion), 22 ... ferrule holder, first ferrule Holder, holder mounting portion (base protruding holder), 22a ... elastic piece, 22b ... ferrule fitting groove, 23 ... ferrule holder, second ferrule holder (detaching holder), 23a ... ferrule holding portion, 23b ... ferrule fitting Groove, 23c ... Holder body, 23d ... Mounting rod-like protruding piece, 23e ... Back plate part, 23f ... Upper surface, 23g ... Contact piece part, 23h ... Fiber guide part (fiber guide groove), 24 ... Ride movement restricting means, engaging retaining means (elastic engagement pieces), H ... fiber holder.

Claims (12)

An assembly method for assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule by inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber into a fiber hole penetrating the ferrule,
The fiber holder holding the optical fiber, by advancing towards the ferrule is slid in the off Eruruhoruda is base provided for holding said ferrule, said ferrule tip portion of said optical fiber Inserting the fiber holder into the fiber hole and restricting the slide movement of the fiber holder by slide movement restricting means provided on the base in a state where the tip of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule After the step and the fiber insertion step, the adhesive filled in the fiber hole of the ferrule is cured while maintaining the state where the slide movement of the fiber holder is restricted, and the ferrule is attached to the tip of the optical fiber. It has an adhesive fixing process for adhesive fixing ,
The base includes a holder guide for guiding the fiber holder so as to be slidably movable on a straight line on the base, and a holder mounting portion capable of detachably attaching the ferrule holder. ,
Wherein at fiber insertion step, the assembly method of the ferrule with optical fiber characterized that you insert the distal end portion of the fiber holes in the optical fiber of the ferrule held in said ferrule holder attached to the holder mounting portion. The method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the holder attaching portion also functions as a ferrule holder for attaching a ferrule instead of the ferrule holder. The ferrule according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slide movement restricting means restricts the slide movement of the fiber holder by engaging with the fiber holder and holding the fiber holder with a clamping force. Assembling method of optical fiber. The optical fiber is a coated optical fiber having a configuration in which a bare optical fiber is covered with a coating material, and the bare optical fiber that has been exposed to the tip of the coated optical fiber in the fiber insertion step is a fiber hole of the ferrule. The covering portion, which is a portion covered with the covering material of the coated optical fiber, is formed with a diameter larger than that of the positioning hole portion. The position where the front end of the covering portion is shifted to the rear side from the stepped surface or the tapered surface located at the boundary between the positioning hole portion and the covering portion receiving hole portion. The method of assembling an optical fiber with a ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the sliding movement of the fiber holder is restricted so that In the fiber insertion step, the tip of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule, and a part of the tube that has been extrapolated to the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole. a state in which the tube is extended to the rear side from the opening of the rear ferrule with light according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the adhesive fixing process while maintaining this state Fiber assembly method. As the full Eruruhoruda, characterized in that the holding position of the ferrule when mounted to the holder mounting portion, selects use different from each other in the longitudinal direction in sliding the said fiber holder at the base on method of assembling a ferrule with optical fiber according to any one of claims 1 to 5,. Before fixed position relative to the base of the notated Eruruhoruda is, the ferrule with optical fiber according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is changeable in the sliding direction of said fiber holder at the base on Assembly method. After the bonding and fixing step, the front end surface of the ferrule is collectively polished together with a portion inserted and fixed to the ferrule of the optical fiber, and a joining end surface that is a continuous polishing surface including the ferrule front end and the front end of the optical fiber is formed. claim 1-7 assembling method of the ferrule with optical fiber according to any one of which is characterized by comprising a polishing step of forming. A ferrule bonding work jig used for the work of inserting and fixing the tip of an optical fiber into a fiber hole penetrating the ferrule and bonding with an adhesive,
A base having an upper surface for sliding the fiber holder holding the optical fiber, and full Eruruhoruda that holds the ferrule provided on the base, the said fiber holder is slid in the base A slide movement restricting means for restricting the slide movement of the fiber holder in a state where the tip of the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule by being advanced toward the ferrule;
The base includes a holder guide for guiding the fiber holder so that the fiber holder can be slidably moved on a straight line on the base, and a holder mounting portion capable of detachably attaching the ferrule holder. Features a jig for bonding ferrules. The ferrule bonding jig according to claim 9, wherein the holder attaching portion also functions as a ferrule holder for attaching a ferrule instead of the ferrule holder. The ferrule bonding work jig according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the slide movement restricting means is an engagement holding means that engages with the fiber holder and holds the fiber holder with a clamping force. Before Kiho holder mounting portion has a ferrule fitting groove to be fitted to allow the ferrule is removed before notated Eruruhoruda is a holder body having a ferrule holding portion for holding the ferrule, protrude to the holder body is provided with a mounting rod-like protrusion which is held before Kiho holder mounting portion by fitting to removably to said ferrule fitting groove before Kiho holder mounting portion,
Before the notated Eruruhoruda, it fitted the said mounting bar-shaped protrusion on said ferrule fitting groove before Kiho holder mounting portion, said that the holder body is disposed remote the base front by the holder mounting portion by attaching the Kiho holder mounting portion before in the said ferrule holder the ferrule holder Kiho holder mounting portion and the ferrule its fiber holes rod-like protrusion for the attachment of at the base forward of the front by the The ferrule bonding work according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that it can be held at a position communicating with a fiber guide portion which is a groove or a through-hole extending over the entire length in the longitudinal direction. jig.

Images