JPH03179406A - Ferrule for multi-fiber optical connector and metallic mold for production thereof and production of ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve accuracy by embedding a ceramics substrate formed with V-grooves to be integrally mounted with many pieces of optical fibers into a molded ferrule. CONSTITUTION:The ceramics substrate 2 is set in the prescribed position of a lower mold 11 and an upper mold is superposed on the lower mold 11. A resin material is then packed therein. Namely, core pins 14, 15 are previously set in the state of mounting the same on the respective V-grooves 2a, 2b of the ceramics substrate 2 and the shape of the ceramics substrate 2 mounted with the core pins 14, 15 is maintained constant at all times without generating thermal deformation at the time of the packing of the resin material. The core pins 14, 15 set therein are, therefore, fixed in the correctly positioned state. Thus, the generation of the misregistration and bending of the core pins is effectively prevented even when the resin to be packed into the cavity shrinks after the molding.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a multi-fiber optical connector that can connect a plurality of optical fibers at once, and particularly relates to a ferrule for the multi-fiber optical connector and the ferrule. The present invention relates to a manufacturing mold and a method for manufacturing a ferrule.

[Conventional technology]

In tape electric wires having a plurality of optical fibers arranged therein, a multi-core optical connector is used as a connector for collectively connecting the optical fibers. That is, this type of optical connector uses a ferrule 100 molded into the shape shown in FIG. 7 using a molding material such as plastic resin, and the ferrule 100 is molded into the shape shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, a guide hole 105 is formed on both sides of the hole 101, into which a fitting pin 104 for correctly positioning the optical connectors 102, 103 is fitted.

By the way, when manufacturing this type of ferrule, for example, a pair of molds 106 as shown in FIG.
107, and is molded by transfer molding or the like. That is, one of these molds 106 has core pins 108 of two different diameters, large and small, for forming a small hole 101 for holding the optical fiber and a guide hole 105 for fitting the fitting pin 104. A plurality of V grooves 106a for setting the mold 109 are formed, and the other mold 107 is provided with a transfer bot 107a.

[Problem to be solved]

However, when trying to mold a ferrule using such a mold, the core pin set in the mold may become misaligned or bent due to shrinkage of the molding material after molding, resulting in deformation of the pores and guide holes. There is a possibility that it will be formed under such conditions.

Under these circumstances, ferrules molded using such molds often have non-negligible errors in accuracy in the positions and shapes of the pores and guide holes, which has become a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ferrule in which six holes are formed with high accuracy, a mold for manufacturing the ferrule, and a method for manufacturing the ferrule.

[Means to solve the problem]

That is, the ferrule for a multi-fiber optical connector of the present invention has a ceramic substrate formed with a V-groove for mounting a large number of optical fibers all at once embedded in a molded ferrule.

Further, the mold for manufacturing ferrules of the present invention is a mold consisting of a pair of upper mold and lower mold, in which a ceramic substrate in which grooves of various sizes are formed are fixed at predetermined positions of the lower mold. It has a fixing part for setting.

Further, in the method of manufacturing a ferrule of the present invention, a ceramic substrate is set in a predetermined position of a lower mold, and after the upper mold is polymerized into the lower mold, a resin material is filled.

[Effect]

The ferrule manufacturing mold of this invention has two core pins in advance.
The core pins are mounted in each V-groove on a ceramic substrate, and the ceramic substrate on which these core pins are mounted does not undergo thermal deformation when filled with resin material and maintains its shape at all times. As a result, the core pins set in them can be fixed in a correctly positioned state, and even if the resin filled in the cavity shrinks after molding, the core pins will not be misaligned or bent. This can be effectively prevented.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 3 show a ferrule 1 for a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention. The ferrule 1 is made of a plastic resin material such as epoxy, and has a ceramic substrate 2 inside. is buried.

The ferrule 1 has a guide hole 3 for fitting a guide bin (open circuit) and a small hole 5 for inserting an optical fiber 4 (see Fig. 3) on the side 1a to be connected to another ferrule (open circuit). In addition, a hole 7 for dripping an adhesive is formed on the upper surface side for adhering a tape electric wire 6 on which a plurality of optical fibers 4 are disposed within the ferrule 1.Furthermore, a hole 7 for dripping an adhesive is formed on the upper surface side of the ferrule 1. A hole 9 through which the tape electric wire 6 is inserted through the rubber boot 8 is formed on the side opposite to the surface 1b.In this embodiment, a round hole is formed as the guide hole 3. However, the shape is not limited to this, and for example, a triangular hole 10 as shown in FIG. 4 may be formed.

Next, a mold for manufacturing a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The mold of this example is designed to mold the 7 errules 1 of the previous example by transfer molding or injection molding, and is composed of a lower mold 11 and an upper mold 12. The recess 11 in the lower mold 11 becomes
A ceramic substrate 2 is set in a predetermined position within a.

The lower mold 11 is provided with four fixing parts 13 that support and fix the ceramic substrate 2 at predetermined positions in the recess 11a, and a core bin 1 of large and small diameters is provided in a part of the outer frame.
V grooves 11b, 11C and 10 for placing 4.15
17 A groove lid is formed for insertion of the member 16 (which becomes the hole 9 through which the tape electric wire is passed after the ffl shape).

When the upper mold 12 is polymerized with the lower mold 11, the core bin 14.
A groove 12a is formed to fix the block material 15 and to fit the block material 16 at a position corresponding to WMlld of the lower mold 11 when the block material 15 is overlapped with the lower mold 11. Furthermore, a gate 12b is formed on the top side of the upper mold 12 for filling the molding material into the cavity formed when the upper mold 12 and the lower mold 11 overlap.

Next, a method for manufacturing a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention will be described.

1. Set the ceramic substrate 2, which has been manufactured in advance into a predetermined shape, in the fixed part 13 in the recess 11a of the lower mold 11, and place the large and small diameter core bins 14, 15 on the ceramic μ plate 2.
The block member 16 is mounted and set in the large and small V grooves 2a, 2b and structures 11b, 11c, and the block member 16 is mounted and set in the groove 11d.

2. Further, the lower mold 11 in which the core bins 14, 15 and the block member 16 are set is advanced upward and pressed against the upper mold 12 to clamp the mold.

3.) Fill the molding material into the cavity via 12d.

4. Thereafter, after these molds are cooled by a predetermined cooling means, the lower mold 11 is separated from the upper mold 12 and the molded product inside is taken out. In this way, the ceramic substrate 2
The ferrule with the embedded ferrule is molded with resin.

〔effect〕

As explained above, the ferrule for a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention is molded with resin with a ceramic substrate embedded inside, and as a result, a highly accurate ferrule can be formed and the yield can be improved. .

Further, according to the mold for manufacturing ferrules according to the present invention, the core bins set to form pores for optical fibers are set in a state mounted on each V-groove on the ceramic substrate, and after molding, Since the guide holes and pores are reliably fixed and held in a predetermined position without being affected by the shrinkage of the resin material, there is no risk of the guide holes or pores being formed in a misaligned manner.

Further, according to the method for manufacturing a ferrule according to the present invention,
It is now possible to perform resin molding with the ceramic substrate embedded, and this makes it possible to form ferrules with high precision, making it possible to use, for example, injection molding in addition to conventional transfer molding. Ferrules can be produced in large quantities.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the ferrule shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the ferrule shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view showing a modified example of the ferrule for a multi-fiber optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the lower mold of the mold for manufacturing the ferrule for a multi-fiber optical connector according to the present invention. , FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the upper mold, FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the structure of a conventional ferrule, and FIG. 8 is a connection state of optical connectors formed using the conventional ferrule. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a mold for molding a conventional ferrule. 6... Optical fiber, 1... Ferrule, 2a,
2b...V groove, 2...ceramic substrate, 5...
Pore, 3...Guide hole, 12...Upper mold,
11...lower mold, 11a...recess, 13...
·Fixed part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. V for mounting multiple optical fibers (4) all at once
A ferrule for a multi-core optical connector, characterized in that a ceramic substrate (2) on which a groove (2b) is formed is embedded in a molded ferrule (1). 2. A mold consisting of a pair of upper mold (12) and lower mold (11), comprising a ceramic substrate (2) in which V grooves of different diameters, large and small, are formed in predetermined positions of the lower mold (11). A mold for manufacturing a ferrule, characterized by having a fixing part (13) for setting in a fixed state. 3. Place the ceramic substrate (2) in place on the lower mold (11)
A method for manufacturing a ferrule, comprising: setting an upper mold (12) in the lower mold (11), and then filling the lower mold (11) with a resin material.