JPH0456808A - Method for discriminating positions of multiple coated optical fiber and ferrule for multiple optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To highly accurately and efficiently execute position discriminating work by collating the image information of respective optical fiber end parts with the of respective recessed grooves by an electric/electronic arithmetic means at the time of inserting respective end parts into respective grooves and discriminating the positions of both the end parts and grooves. CONSTITUTION:The images of respective recessed grooves 171 to 174 of a ferrule are previously picked up and its image information is inputted and stored to/in the electric/electronic arithmetic means 41. At the time of inserting respective optical fiber end parts of the multicore-covered optical fiber 1 into respective grooves 171 to 174 of the ferrule 11 through a moving board 32, the images of respective end parts are picked up by an image pickup means 39. The image information relating to these end parts is inputted to the arithmetic means 41 and the image information of respective end parts is collated with that of the grooves 171 to 174 by the means 41. Thereby, whether respective optical fiber end parts are accurately inserted into respective recessed grooves 171 to 174 or not can be discriminated by collating these image information. Thus, the discriminating work can be highly accurately and efficiently executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION r Industrial Field of Application j The present invention relates to a method for determining the position of a multi-core coated optical fiber and a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector.

``Prior art J'' Fig. 5 shows a ferrule for a multi-core coated optical fiber having a tape-shaped outer shape and a corresponding multi-core optical connector.
The device shown in FIG. 6 has already been provided.

The multi-core coated optical fiber l shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a plurality of quartz-based optical fibers 21 to 24 arranged in parallel with each other, and plastic inner coating layers 31 to 24 that cover the outer peripheries of these optical fibers 21 to 24. 34, and a tape-shaped coating layer 4 that collectively covers each of the optical fibers 21-24 from above these internal coating layers 31-34.

The ferrule 11 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 mainly has a plastic body 12, and each part of the body 12 is provided with the following shapes and structures.

Although the body 12 has flanges 13 on a portion of its upper and lower surfaces, its overall shape is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, with its rear end surface serving as an insertion surface 14 and its distal end surface serving as an abutting surface 15.

An abutment surface 15 is formed at the axial center of the body 12 from the insertion surface 14 side.
17. A flat hollow part 16 for inserting optical fibers across the sides, and a concave groove (for example, ■-shaped) for separately fitting optical fibers arranged parallel to each other. - 174, and insertion holes 181 to 184 for inserting individual optical fibers arranged in parallel to each other are formed in series, and on both sides of the body 12, these hollow portions 1B, grooves 171 to 174, and insertion holes are formed. 181-184
A pair of guide holes 18 are arranged in parallel with each other on the insertion surface 1.
It is perforated from the 4th side to the abutting surface 15 side.

In this case, these grooves 171 to 174, insertion holes 181 to 184, such as groove 17 insertion hole 181, groove 172: insertion hole 182, groove 173: insertion hole 183, groove 174: insertion hole 184. The axes of 1=1 and coincide with each other.

In addition, an opening 20 for injecting an adhesive is formed on the upper surface side of the body 12 so as to communicate with the hollow portion 16 .

Note that other multi-core coated optical fibers (not shown) that are paired with the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 are terminal-treated in the same way as the multi-core coated optical fiber 1, and are paired with the ferrule 11. Other ferrules (not shown) are also configured symmetrically with the ferrule 11.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, when attaching the ferrule 11 to the end of the multi-core coated optical fiber l, each optical fiber 21 to 2
4 are inserted all at once into the hollow part 16 of the body 12 from the insertion surface 14 side, and each insertion hole 1 is inserted from inside each groove 171 to 174.
When the six optical fibers 21 to 24 are individually fitted and inserted into the optical fibers 81 to 184 and the end surfaces of the six optical fibers 21 to 24 are held flush with the abutment surface 15, the inner coating R31 of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1
34 are located in each of the grooves 171 to 174, and the tape-shaped coating layer 4 of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 is located in the hollow portion 16.

In order to fix this state, an adhesive is injected into the ferrule 11 from the opening 20 to the hollow part 16.

Similarly, other ferrules are attached to the ends of other multi-core coated optical fibers (not shown).

A pair of guide bins 21 shown in FIG. 5 are reference holes for precisely positioning or aligning the end faces of each optical fiber 21 to 24 when the pair of ferrules are brought together. 21 precisely fits into the guide hole 18.

When aligning the ends of multi-core coated optical fibers with ferrules attached, the guide pin 21 is fitted across the guide holes of both ferrules, and their abutting surfaces abut against each other, so that both multi-core coated optical fibers are aligned. The optical fiber end is
Each pair of optical fiber end faces coincide with each other.

Normally, when attaching the ferrule 11 to the end of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1, manual work is often required, but in order to increase productivity, automation of this work must be established.

rProblem to be solved by the invention J When automating the attachment of ferrules to the end of multi-core coated optical fibers, - Similar to boat-based automation, process analysis, process differentiation, and mechanization or motorization of each differentiated process are required. , combination of each process, determination of pass/fail of each process, execution of each process, etc. must be studied and predetermined hardware and software must be manufactured.

Multi-core coated optical fiber 1 and ferrule 1 in Figures 5 and 6
1, the end of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 and the ferrule 11 are arranged such that the ends of the optical fibers 21 to 24 and the ends of the grooves 171 to 17a face each other. After setting them on the moving table and the fixed table, align each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber with each concave groove of the ferrule via the moving table,
The end of each optical fiber 21-24 is connected to each concave groove 171-174.
It can be said that it is sufficient to insert it inside.

In other words, if a precise moving platform is used and controlled in a predetermined manner, the above-mentioned automation can be achieved.

However, in the case of multi-core coated optical fibers 1, when each of the optical fibers 21 to 24 is exposed from the end of the tape-shaped coating layer 4 by terminal treatment, it is rare that these fibers are warped and the linearity is reduced. Zuar.

Even if such a multi-core coated optical fiber 1 is subjected to predetermined movement control using a precision moving table, each optical fiber 21 to
24 is not correctly inserted into each of the grooves 171 to 174, and work errors occur from the initial stage.

In view of such technical problems, the present invention has been developed to automatically attach a ferrule to the end of a multi-core coated optical fiber, and to attach the ferrule to the end of the optical fiber (on the multi-core coated optical fiber side) and the groove (on the ferrule side). The present invention aims to provide a method that can determine whether the relative position with respect to the object is acceptable or not, and can eliminate work errors during automation through such determination.

1. Means for Solving the Problems J In order to achieve the intended purpose, the position determination method according to the present invention uses a multi-optical method in which a plurality of optical fibers exposed from the end of a tape-shaped coating layer are arranged in parallel with each other. In the relative relationship between the coated optical fiber and the ferrule for a multi-core optical connector, which has a plurality of parallel grooves, each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber and each groove end of the ferrule face each other. After setting the ends and ferrules of these multi-core coated optical fibers on the moving table and fixed table, respectively,
In this method, each optical fiber end of a multi-core coated optical fiber is aligned with each groove of a ferrule via a moving table, and each optical fiber end is inserted into each groove of a ferrule. The concave grooves are imaged by an imaging means, image information regarding each concave groove is stored in an electrical or electronic calculation means, and each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber is inserted into each concave groove of the ferrule. When the optical fiber is inserted into the optical fiber, the imaging means takes an image of each optical fiber end, and inputs image information regarding these optical fiber ends to the calculation means,
Further, the mutual positions of the optical fiber ends and the grooves are determined by comparing the image information of each optical fiber end with the image information of each groove through the calculation means. .

1. In the method of the present invention, each groove of the ferrule is imaged in advance by an imaging means, and image information regarding each groove is input to an electrical or electronic calculation means and stored.

After that, when each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber is inserted into each concave groove of the ferrule via a moving table, each optical fiber end is imaged by the imaging means, and image information regarding these optical fiber ends is captured. is input into the calculation means,
Further, the image information of each optical fiber end portion and the image information of each groove are compared by the calculation means.

By comparing the two pieces of image information in this way, it can be determined whether the end of each fiber is inserted correctly into each groove.

rExample J An example of the method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 31 represents a fixed base, and 32 represents a movable base.

The fixing base 31 is equipped with a known clamping mechanism (not shown) on its upper surface.

The fixed base 31 is held at a predetermined height via known or well-known support means.

The moving table 32 includes an upper table part 33, a lower table part 34, and a support part 35, and the upper surface of the base part 34 is provided with a clamp mechanism (not shown) similar to that described above.

In the above, the upper stand part 33 is assembled to the lower stand part 34 so as to move horizontally back and forth, and the lower stand part 34 is assembled to the support part 35 so as to move horizontally from side to side. It is supported so as to be vertically movable via a well-known elevating mechanism.

Each drive mechanism 36, 37, 38 for moving the upper platform 33, the lower platform 34, and the support section 35 in a predetermined direction includes, for example, a predetermined number of step motors and a predetermined number of fine movement mechanisms that extend and contract via each step motor. It consists of an extender (structure similar to a micrometer) and a predetermined number of springs for pressing an upper stand part 33, a lower stand part 34, and a support part 35 to the tip of each micro extender.

In FIG. 1, an imaging means 39 is provided above the fixed table 31.
and a lighting device 40 are arranged.

As the imaging means 38, for example, a COD camera,
Some are mainly based on image pickup tubes, and representative examples include:
A COD camera will be used.

As the lighting device 40, one using a ready-made electric light is adopted.

In FIG. 1, an electrical or electronic calculation means 41, that is, a computer, has a well-known configuration including a memory, an input/output port, a data storage area, a register, an ALU (the above components are not shown), and a controller 42. , a monitor (CRT) 43 and a keyboard 44 are connected to this.

Further, the arithmetic means 41 has its input port connected to the imaging means 39, and its output port connected to each drive mechanism 36, 37, 38.

In the case of the method of the present invention illustrated in FIG.
1 on the fixing table 31. At this time, the ends of the coated optical fibers 1 are set on the fixed base 31 so that the ends of the optical fibers 21 to 24 and the ends of the grooves 171 to 17a face each other. The ferrule 11 is clamped on the upper base part 33 of the movable base 32, and the ferrule 11 is clamped on the fixed base 31.

Next, the illumination device 40 is placed onto the ferrule 11 before the end portions of the optical fibers 21 to 24 are inserted from the tip side of each of the grooves 171 to 174, that is, from the extension line of each of the grooves 171 to 174. These concave grooves 171 to 174 are
is captured by the imaging means 39.

By the way, the image captured by the imaging means 38 consisting of a COD camera has a width of 61 dots x 5 dots (512 dots).
X 480).

FIG. 2 shows images 171' to 174' of the concave grooves 17+ to 174 captured in this way displayed on the monitor 43, and these images 171' to 174° exhibit the shape of lines parallel to each other. There is.

Note that the Y axis in FIG. 2 represents each concave groove 17. The X-axis in FIG. 2 corresponds to the longitudinal direction of each groove 171 to 174 (=the moving direction of the lower stand 34). ing.

The Y-axis and X-axis in FIGS. 3 and 4, which will be described later, are also the same as in FIG. 2.

In the above, the reason why each of the images 171' to 174° is linear is that when each of the grooves 171 to 174 is irradiated with light, the imaging means starts from the linear bottom of these grooves (■-shaped) 17+'' 1?a. This is because the light is most strongly reflected toward the 39 side.

For these images 171° to 17i'', the Y-axis coordinates in FIG. 2 are determined by image processing using the gravity center measuring function, and the image information is input to the calculating means 41 and stored.

Thereafter, the base portion 33 of the movable base 32 is moved in a predetermined direction to align the respective fibers 21 to 24 of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 with the grooves 171 to 174 of the ferrule 11, and then the lower base of the movable base 32 is moved. By moving the section 34 in a predetermined direction, the ends of these optical fibers 21 to 24 are connected to the ferrule 11.
Insert inside.

After the end portions of the optical fibers 21 to 24 are inserted in this way, each of the concave grooves 171 to 24 is placed on the ferrule 11, as described above.
When light is irradiated from the tip side of the tube 174, captured by the imaging means 39, and displayed on the monitor 43, the result will be as shown in FIG.

In the case of FIG. 3, an image 21 of each optical fiber 21 to 24
.degree. to 24.degree. overlaps the images 171.degree. to 174' in a line that is thicker than each of the images 171' to 174'.

Suppose that each image in FIG. 3 is subjected to image processing in the same manner as described above, and the image information (Y-axis coordinate component) is input to the calculation means 41, and the image in FIG. 3 and the image information in FIG. When compared by the calculation means 41, each optical fiber 2
1 to 24 are correctly inserted into each of the grooves 171 to 174.

The reason for this is that in the image information in FIG.
This is because the image information (images 171° to 17a') is mixed, and one of the image information (images 171° to 17a') becomes a cause of misjudgment.

Therefore, each optical fiber 21 to 2 is inserted into the ferrule 11.
When the end of the ferrule 11 is inserted, the lighting device! 4
The optical fibers 21 to 24 are captured by the imaging means 38.

In such a case, most of the light reflected within each of the grooves 171 to 174 does not reach the imaging means 39 and the optical fibers 21 to 2
Since only the light reflected from the upper surface of the optical fiber 2 enters the imaging means 39, each optical fiber 2 is displayed on the monitor 43 as shown in FIG.
Only images 1 to 24, 21° to 24', are displayed.

The images 21 to 24 (shown in FIG. 4) captured as described above are processed in the same manner as described above, and the image information (Y-axis coordinate component) is input to the calculation means 41. The image information and the image information shown in FIG. 2 are compared by the calculation means 41.

At this time, the calculation means 41 compares and calculates the two image information by numerical processing, and if the angle information matches,
That is, each optical fiber 21-24 is connected to each concave groove 171-1.
74, it will command the execution of the next operation or send an operation continuation signal to the movable table 32 to operate it; conversely, when the angle information does not match, That is, each optical fiber 21 to 24 is connected to each concave groove 1.
If it is not inserted correctly within 71 to 174, the next operation may be stopped, the operation may be restarted, or
An operation stop signal is sent to the moving table 32 to stop it.

In the above, the information collation result by the calculation means 41 is "
If the result is "correct", move the lower base part 34 of the moving base 32 in a predetermined direction, insert the tips of each of the optical fibers 21 to 24 into the insertion holes 181 to 184 of the ferrule 11, and remove the multi-core coating with the ferrule 11. The optical fiber 1 is sent to the next process.

In the above, the information collation result by the calculation means 41 is "
If the message "No" is displayed, either stop the moving table 32 and repeat the insertion operation again, or insert the multi-core coated optical fiber 1.
After removing it from the stand, the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 that is waiting is set on the moving stand 32, and the same operation as above is performed.

Note that when irradiating light onto the ferrule 11, as described above, it is preferable to switch the light from multiple directions depending on the object to be imaged, and to collect the desired image.

In the case of the above-mentioned embodiment, the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 was set on the movable table 32 and the ferrule 11 was set on the fixed table 31, but by reversing this setting, the ferrule 1
1 may be moved.

Generally, a ferrule 1 is attached to the end of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1.
1, the end treatment process of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1, the inspection process of the end treatment part, the process of fitting the ferrule into the end treatment part, the adhesion process of the end treatment part and the ferrule, the polishing process of the ferrule end face, etc. In short, when fully automating this, each process is mechanized or motorized and a line is set up.

That is, each of the mechanized or motorized processes described above is line-coupled via a conveyor or installed on a turntable, and a multi-core coated optical fiber 1 is supplied from a predetermined position. The ferrule 11 is transferred to each process via a manipulator (robot hand).

Therefore, the method of the present invention is applied to the process of fitting the ferrule into the terminal processing section, but it can also be applied to cases where only the fitting process is independently automated.

In addition, the method of the present invention can also be applied to fitting the end of the multi-core coated optical fiber 1 into a ferrule having only grooves 171 to 174 without insertion holes 181 to 184, as a fitting part for optical fibers. I can do it.

Effects of the Invention J As explained above, when the method of the present invention is used, the ends of each fiber of the multi-core coated optical fiber are aligned with the grooves of the ferrule, and the ends of the fibers of each fiber are placed in the grooves of the ferrule. When inserting the optical fiber, the image information of the end of the optical fiber and the groove are compared by electrical or electronic calculation means to determine the mutual positions of the end of the optical fiber and the groove, so the discrimination work is highly accurate. It can be carried out efficiently, and it can also contribute to the automation of attaching ferrules to the terminal parts of multi-core coated optical fibers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the method of the present invention, and FIG.
3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of images captured by the method of the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are a perspective view and a vertical cross-sectional view showing a multi-core coated optical fiber and a ferrule. 1・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Multi-core coated optical fiber 2
1~24......Optical fiber 21''~24
'・・・Image 31-34 of optical fiber...
・・・・・・Inner coating layer 4・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・Tape type coating layer 11 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
Ferrule 12・・・・・・・・・・・・Body 1
3...Flange 14...
・・・・・・・・・Insertion surface 15・・・・・・・・・・
...Abutment surface 16...Hollow portions 171-174...Concave grooves 171゛-174゛...Concave groove image 181
~184...Insertion hole

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the relative relationship between a multi-core coated optical fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers exposed from the end of a tape-shaped coating layer are arranged in parallel with each other, and a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector equipped with a plurality of grooves arranged in parallel with each other. The ends of the multi-core coated optical fiber and the ferrule were set on a moving table and a fixed table, respectively, so that each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber and each concave groove end of the ferrule faced each other. After that, each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber is aligned with each groove of the ferrule via a moving table, and each optical fiber end is inserted into each groove of the ferrule.
Each concave groove of the ferrule is imaged by an imaging means, image information regarding each concave groove is stored in an electrical or electronic calculation means, and each optical fiber end of the multi-core coated optical fiber is imaged by each concave groove of the ferrule. When inserted into the concave groove, each optical fiber end is imaged by an imaging means, image information regarding these optical fiber ends is inputted to the calculation means, and the image information about each optical fiber end is inputted to the calculation means through the calculation means. A multi-core coated optical fiber and a ferrule for a multi-core optical connector, characterized in that the mutual positions of the optical fiber end and the grooves are determined by comparing image information of the part with image information of each of the grooves. How to determine the location of.