JPH04186307A - Manufacture of multicore optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize manufacture of a multicore optical fiber connector having substantially no connection loss by forming together simultaneously a pair of ferrules of a multicore connector to be connected under opposite connection conditions from the initial stage of the forming process. CONSTITUTION:A cavity formed by an upper mold 7 and a lower mold 8 is divided into two C1, C2 by an intermediate separation V groove base 4 positioned and fixed at the intermediate position of both molds 7, 8. In a V groove formed on the base 4, a pair of common pins 5 for forming engaging pin holes and a specified number of common pins 6 for forming optical fiber core wire holes are placed and fixed so that they extend by the length corresponding to one of ferrule respectively in both cavities C1, C2. Thereafter, a specified fusion forming material is poured in the cavities C1, C2 from their pouring inlets 71, 72 and the casting process is performed. Since the paired ferrules of a multiconnector is formed in opposite connection conditions from the initial stage of the forming process, connection excellent in connection performance can be assured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a multi-core optical fiber connector and a core used in this method.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 shows a plurality of optical fiber cores 11A, respectively.

Two optical fiber cables IA and I including 11B...
This figure explains the state in which B is connected by a multi-core optical fiber connector, but as you can see from this figure,
Each optical fiber cable IA, IB has its optical fiber core wire 11A..., 11B attached to the ferrule 2A, 2B, respectively.
... are held and fixed at a constant interval, and both ferrules 2A, 2B are held in abutting state by a pressing spring or the like so that the optical fibers are in precise coaxial contact with each other.

In order to obtain a good, that is, accurate coaxial connection of the optical fibers of both ferrules, ferrules 2A and 2B are molded using the same mold, and the positions of both ferrules are Fitting pin 3 for alignment
It is also a widely used technique to commonly fit the ferrules into the fitting pin holes formed in both ferrules.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the case of multi-core optical fiber connectors that connect multi-core optical fiber cables containing a large number of optical fiber cores, it becomes difficult to obtain a perfect connection for all the optical fiber cores, and this tendency increases as the number of core wires increases.

The reason for this is that the conventional molding method for manufacturing ferrules is
This can be understood by considering the diagram.

In other words, as shown in the same figure, the conventional ferrule is
A pair of fitting pin hole forming pins 104 and a required number of optical fiber insertion hole forming pins 105 are placed and fixed in the V groove portion 103 formed in 02, and the upper mold 101 is placed on the lower mold 102. Molding is performed by injecting a predetermined molten resin, which is a molding material, into cavities that are formed overlapping each other from a sprue 106.

Therefore, even though the ferrules are molded using the same mold, when used as a connector, the left and right sides are reversed.

Specifically, for example, the distance between the first optical fiber insertion hole and the second optical fiber insertion hole of one ferrule to be connected in an eight-core multi-core optical fiber cable is the same as that of the eighth ferrule of the other ferrule. Since the spacing between the optical fiber insertion hole and the seventh hole corresponds to each other, extremely high precision is required for forming the spacing between the optical fiber insertion holes for all holes. If there is an error, a good connection will not be obtained.

Therefore, as the number of optical fiber cables to be connected increases, it becomes more difficult to manufacture a multi-core connector that can guarantee connections with excellent connection characteristics, resulting in a drawback that overall productivity is significantly reduced.

[Means to solve the problem]

This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and includes a method for manufacturing a multi-fiber optical fiber connector using a mold, in which an intermediate separation V-groove base is provided at the center of the cavity of the mold. A common pin for forming a pair of fitting pin holes and a required number of common pins for forming optical fiber core holes are arranged in the middle separating V-groove base to form two cavities. A method for manufacturing a multi-core optical fiber connector, comprising placing and fixing a common pin in both cavities so as to extend a predetermined length, and then injecting a molten molding material into each of the cavities for molding. It is.

Further, the present invention provides a molding core in which a pair of common pins for forming fitting pin holes and a required number of common pins for forming optical fiber core holes are fixed in advance at predetermined positions of the intermediate separation V-groove base. It provides:

[Effect]

When using the method of the present invention, a pair of ferrules of a multi-fiber connector to be connected by a common pin for forming a mating pin hole and a common pin for forming an optical fiber hole are formed in an opposingly connected state from the beginning of the molding process. Therefore, each optical fiber to be butt-connected is precisely coaxially positioned by this pair of ferrules.

A core in which a pair of common pins for forming mating pin holes and a required number of common pins for forming optical fiber core holes are arranged and fixed in advance at predetermined positions in one block improves the work efficiency of the molding process of this invention method. improve.

〔Example〕

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The cavity formed by the upper mold 7 and the lower mold 8 is divided into two cavities C, , C2 by an intermediate separating V-groove table 4 placed and fixed in the middle.

A pair of common pins 5 for forming fitting pin holes and a predetermined number of common pins 6 for forming optical fiber core holes are installed in the V-groove formed on the intermediate separation V-groove base 4, and the cavities C, ,C
2 so that they each equally extend the length of one ferrule. Therefore, the lengths of the common pin 5 for forming the mating pin hole and the common pin 6 for forming the optical fiber hole are selected to be the width of the intermediate separation V-groove base 4 plus the length of two ferrules. be done.

After this preparation, a predetermined molten molding material may be injected from the hot water lowers 1.72 of each of the cavities C, C2, and the casting process may be carried out in the same manner as in the conventional method.

In order to efficiently carry out the method of this invention, a pair of common pins 5 for forming fitting pin holes are provided in each intermediate separation V-groove base 4.
Instead of mounting and fixing a predetermined number of common pins 6 for forming optical fiber core holes, these common pins are accurately positioned in advance on a metal pin holding block 9 corresponding to the intermediate separation V-groove base 4. A core that is approximately fixed may be used.

This is the core shown in Figure 2.

FIG. 3 shows the order of die cutting in the casting process of the present invention, in which the upper die 7 and the lower die 8 are separated vertically and then the molded product is extracted left and right.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, since the pair of ferrules of the multi-fiber connector to be connected are simultaneously molded in the facing connection state from the beginning of the molding process, each light beam to be butt-connected is The fiber cores are accurately coaxially positioned by the pair of ferrules, and there is an advantage that a good multi-core optical fiber connector with almost no connection loss can be obtained.

In addition, a core in which a pair of common pins for forming mating pin holes and a required number of common pins for forming optical fiber core holes are arranged and fixed in advance at predetermined positions in one block is used in the molding process of the method of the present invention. It has the effect of significantly improving efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mold used in the method of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view similarly showing the core, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view for explaining the die cutting process of the method of the invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mold used in the conventional method, and FIG. 5 is a simplified plan view for explaining a state in which multi-core optical fiber cables are connected by a multi-core optical fiber connector. 4... Intermediate separation V groove base, 5... Common pin for forming fitting pin holes, 6... Common pin for forming optical fiber core holes, C,, C2
···cavity.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a method for manufacturing a multi-core optical fiber connector using a mold, an intermediate separating V-groove table (4) is placed in the center of a cavity of the mold to divide the cavity into two. to form two cavities (C_1, C_2), and a pair of common pins (5) for forming a fitting pin hole in the intermediate separation V-groove base.
, and similarly the required number of common pins (6) for forming optical fiber core holes are placed and fixed in both the cavities so as to extend by a predetermined length, and then each of these cavities (C
_1, C_2) A method for manufacturing a multi-core optical fiber connector, characterized by injecting a molten molding material into the interior of C_2) and molding the connector. 2. A pair of common pins (5) for forming fitting pin holes and a required number of common pins (6) for forming optical fiber core holes are fixed in advance at predetermined positions of the intermediate separation V-groove table (4). molding core.