JPH01310312A - Simultaneous connection method for multifiber optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a juncture which is stable and highly reliable by butting both optical fibers against each other in the slit part formed to a connector, packing an optical matching agent into said part and adhering and fixing the entire part of the connector. CONSTITUTION:Optical fiber insertion holes are formed to the tubular connector 11 and the slit part 13 is formed to the longitudinal central part. The optical fibers 15a, 15b are inserted into the connector 11 from both sides and the end faces of the two fibers are opposed to each other at the point of the slit part 13. The optical matching agent is packed therein. The entire part of this connector is then placed on a base plate 7 and is fixed by an adhesive agent 21. The centering of both the fibers 15a, 15b is, therefore, surely executed and the stable and highly reliable juncture is obtd. by fixing the same onto the base plate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a method for collectively connecting multi-core optical fibers when connecting multi-core optical fibers containing a plurality of optical fibers.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, when mechanically connecting multiple optical fibers of a multi-core optical fiber core wire at once, a connector body with a plurality of grooves formed on the top surface and a holding plate placed over the connector body were used. Generally, the corresponding optical fibers are placed in each V-groove of the connector body, their end faces are butted together, and a presser plate is pressed onto the fibers to maintain the connection (for example, see Utility Model Application Publication No. 54-96651). Such).

〔assignment〕

However, with this type of connection method, when multiple optical fibers are butted against each other on the groove and covered with a holding plate, some of the optical fibers may lift up and the butt state cannot be maintained. The problem is that it is difficult to work with. Furthermore, when filling an optical matching agent between the end faces of optical fibers, it is necessary to provide a gap between the end faces of the optical fibers. This is a difficult task because each of them is free. Furthermore, when pressing the presser plate, it is difficult to apply force evenly to each optical fiber, and there is also the problem that the connection state tends to vary depending on the optical fiber.

[Means for solving problems and their effects]

The present invention provides a method for collectively connecting multi-core optical fibers that solves the above-mentioned problems. Line up a plurality of tubular connectors with the above-mentioned slotted parts aligned, and insert into each of them a plurality of optical fibers of the multi-core optical fiber core wire to be connected from both ends. The end faces of the fibers are faced to each other with a required gap maintained, and the gap is filled with an optical matching agent to abut the end faces of the optical fibers on both sides, and the tubular connector, the optical fibers on both sides thereof, and the multi-core optical fiber core are connected. It is characterized by placing the part including the wire coating on a substrate and hardening it with adhesive.

That is, the present invention uses a tubular connector to restrain the end of each optical fiber to ensure alignment of the optical fibers, and provides a slotted portion in the tubular connector to confirm the distance between the end faces of the optical fibers and to perform optical alignment. This makes it easier to fill the adhesive and further stabilizes the connection by solidifying the entire connection part with the substrate and adhesive.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the method of the present invention, first, as shown in FIG. 11 are arranged so that the slotted portions 13 are aligned in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of optical fibers 15a and 1 of the multi-core optical fibers 14a and 14b are to be connected to each of them from both ends.
5b is inserted, and the end surfaces of the optical fibers 15a and 15b on both sides are opposed to each other at the slotted portion 13 while maintaining a required gap d. Each tubular connector 11 is a thin tube like a capillary tube,
-M is made of glass, but it can also be made of ceramic or hard plastic.

Next, the gap d is filled with an optical matching agent 16 as shown in FIG. 2, and then the optical fibers 16 on both sides are
Butt the end faces of 5a and 15b together.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4A, the tubular connector 11 and the portion including the optical fibers 15a-15b on both sides thereof and the coatings of the multi-core optical fibers 14a and 14b are placed on the substrate 17. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the board 17 has a connector mounting groove 18 in the longitudinal center of the upper surface, fiber mounting grooves 19a and 19b at both ends thereof, and core wire mounting grooves 20a and 20b at both ends thereof. The tubular connector If part is in the connector mounting groove 18, and the optical fiber 15a-15b part is in the fiber mounting groove 19a-19b.
In addition, the coated portions of the multi-core optical fibers 14a and 14b are respectively mounted in the fiber mounting grooves 20a and 20b. Connector mounting groove 18 and fiber mounting groove 19a
i9b is a ■groove, and the former is formed deeper by the thick bone of the tubular connector 11 (see v!J-6C and D)
.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, an adhesive 21 is applied to the entire upper surface of the substrate 17 so as to embed the covering portions of the tubular connector 11, the optical fibers 15a-15b, and the core wires 14a-14b. As the adhesive 21, an ultraviolet curing adhesive, an epoxy adhesive, or the like can be used.

Note that if the adhesive has the properties required as the optical matching agent, the optical matching agent and the adhesive may be made of the same material.

Finally, as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D, the cover plate 22 is placed over the adhesive 21 and the adhesive 21 is solidified to complete the connection.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, each optical fiber is butted against each other within the tubular connector, so that each of the plurality of optical fibers can be reliably aligned. Since the slotted part is formed, it is possible to maintain an appropriate distance between the end faces of the optical fibers in that part and easily fill the optical matching agent. Since the portion including the coating of the core wire is placed on the substrate and hardened with adhesive, the connection state of each optical fiber is stabilized, and a highly reliable connection portion can be constructed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention; Figures IA and B are a plan view and a side view of an optical fiber inserted into a tubular connector; Figure C is a sectional view taken along line 1-■ of Figure B; Figure-
2 is a plan view of the state in which an optical matching agent is filled between the end faces of the optical fibers, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the optical fibers butted together, and FIG. 4A is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. Figure, Figure B is a plan view of the same board, Figure C and Figure B are ■-■
Line sectional view, Figure 5 is a plan view with adhesive applied to the substrate, Figure 6A is a longitudinal sectional view with a cover plate placed over it, and Figures B to D are Figure A, respectively. m-m line of, IV-
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line IV and line V-V. 11: Tubular connector, 12: Hole, 13: Slotted part, 1
4a/14b: Multi-core optical fiber, 15a/15
b: optical fiber, 16: optical matching agent, 17: substrate, 21
: Adhesive, 22: Lid plate. Figure-IA Figure-IB Figure-IC J Figure-3 Figure-4Δ Figure-4C Figure-6A

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of tubular connectors, each having a hole in the center for inserting an optical fiber and a slotted part of approximately half the circumference formed in the center in the longitudinal direction, should be lined up with the slotted parts aligned, and each connector should be connected from both ends. A plurality of optical fibers of the multi-core optical fiber core are inserted, the end surfaces of the optical fibers on both sides are faced to each other with a required gap maintained at the above-mentioned slit, and then an optical matching agent is filled in the above-mentioned gap to align both sides. A bundle of multi-core optical fibers, characterized in that the end faces of the optical fibers are butted together, and the parts including the tubular connector, the optical fibers on both sides thereof, and the covering of the multi-core optical fibers are placed on a substrate and fixed with adhesive. Connection method.