JPH052106U - Optical fiber support member - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] The optical fiber support member 1 is provided with two linear grooves 3 and 5 into which the ends of the optical fiber are inserted. Two vent holes 7 and 9 are provided at the bottoms of the grooves 3 and 5 to be connected to the intake holes of the vacuum device. [Effect] When the optical fiber is mounted in the grooves 3 and 5, the optical fiber is sucked by the vacuum device through the ventilation holes 7 and 9. Therefore, the optical fiber is held securely and stably mounted in the grooves 3 and 5.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an optical fiber supporting member used for supporting and fixing an end portion of an optical fiber and optically connecting the optical fiber to an optical waveguide or a light receiving and emitting component.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, there have been the following methods for connecting an optical fiber and an optical waveguide. A method of directly connecting the end faces of an optical fiber and the end faces of an optical waveguide. An adhesive or laser welding is used to fix the two.

An optical fiber support block, in which an optical fiber is placed and fixed in a V groove provided on the upper surface, is joined to an optical waveguide substrate on which an optical waveguide is formed, so that the core end face of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide are How to join the end faces of.

The optical waveguide substrate itself on which the optical waveguide is formed is provided with a groove or a guide protrusion for supporting the optical fiber in advance, and the optical fiber is set and fixed in the groove or the guide protrusion to thereby provide the optical fiber. A method of joining the end face of the core and the end face of the optical waveguide.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the above conventional example has the following problems. (1) In the above method, when connecting one optical fiber to an optical waveguide with multiple light input / output ports (for example, an optical branching waveguide), the number of connections is large. It takes time and workability is poor.

(2) In the above method, since the optical fiber can be mounted in the groove or the guide protrusion in advance, the aligning work of the optical fiber and the optical waveguide becomes easier as compared with the above method. Further, since a plurality of optical fibers can be collectively set in the plurality of grooves or guide protrusions provided, the time required for connecting a plurality of optical fibers can be shortened as compared with the above method. However, even with these methods, the depth of the groove or guide protrusion for mounting the optical fiber is as shallow as 100 μm at the most, and the optical fiber is also very thin, so that multiple optical fibers can be inserted in the groove or guide protrusion one after another. It is difficult to set each optical fiber stably in the groove or guide protrusion from the time of mounting until the fixing work with adhesive etc. There is a problem that it takes time to fix the optical fiber in the groove or the guide protrusion. As a method for solving this problem, when mounting a plurality of optical fibers into a groove or a guide protrusion, for example, each time one optical fiber is mounted, the optical fibers are bonded so that they do not move. A method of temporarily fixing with adhesive and finally fixing the whole again is conceivable, but this method requires waiting for the adhesive to solidify after each temporary fixing, which is also time-consuming. Let's do it.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber supporting member capable of easily and stably mounting a plurality of optical fibers in grooves or guide protrusions.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a groove into which an end of an optical fiber is inserted or one or more pairs of guide protrusions that sandwich the end of the optical fiber, and the groove or one or more pairs of guide protrusions is provided in the guide protrusion. An optical fiber supporting member for optically connecting the end of the mounted optical fiber to another optical component, which is connected to the suction hole of the vacuum device on the substrate at the bottom of the groove or between the pair of guide protrusions. A ventilation hole is provided.

[0009]

[Action]

 When the optical fiber is mounted in the groove or the pair of guide protrusions, the optical fiber is sucked by the vacuum device through the ventilation hole. Therefore, the optical fiber can be securely and stably held in the groove or in the pair of guide protrusions.

Further, since the optical fiber is only fixed by the suction pressure by the ventilation hole, it can be easily attached to and detached from the groove or the guide protrusion of the optical fiber, and the set can be repeated over and over again.

[0011]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1A and 1B are views showing an optical fiber supporting member 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a front view. As shown in the figure, the optical fiber support member 1 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and two linear V-shaped grooves 3 and 5 are provided on the upper surface thereof, and two V-shaped grooves 3 and 5 are provided in each. Vent holes 7 and 9 are provided.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a method of mounting the optical fibers 11, 13 in the two V-shaped grooves 3, 5 of the optical fiber supporting member 1. Reference numeral 20 shown in the figure is a vacuum device, and the vacuum device 20 is configured by providing intake holes 22 and 22 in a table 21 and attaching a suction pipe 23 to the lower surface side of the intake holes 22 and 22.

Then, the optical fiber support member 1 is placed so that the ventilation holes 7 and 9 thereof are located exactly on the suction holes 22 and 22 of the vacuum device 20. Then, when the optical fibers 11 and 13 are mounted in the V grooves 3 and 5 provided in the optical fiber supporting member 1 with the suction pipes 23 and 23 of the vacuum device 20 sucking air in the direction of the arrow, Since the vicinity of the vent holes 7 and 9 of 3 and 5 is in a negative pressure state, the optical fibers 11 and 13 are attracted to the V grooves 3 and 5. As a result, even if the depth of the V-grooves 3 and 5 is at most about 100 μm, the optical fibers 11 and 13 once mounted are not separated from the V-grooves 3 and 5 and are set stably. Held in a state.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a method of connecting the optical fibers 11 and 13 and the optical fiber supporting member 1 to the end face of the optical waveguide 30. As shown in the figure, the optical waveguides provided on the optical waveguide substrate 31 are provided on the end faces of the optical fibers 11 and 13 which are securely fixed to the V grooves 3 and 5 of the optical fiber supporting member 1 by the vacuum device 20. If the end faces of 30 are joined together, the core end faces of the optical fibers 11, 13 and the end face of the optical waveguide 30 can be reliably joined together. Then, in this state, if the optical fibers 11 and 13, the optical fiber support member 1 and the optical waveguide substrate 31 are fixed with an adhesive or the like, this connection work is completed. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connection state of the optical fibers 11 and 13 thus completed, the optical fiber support member 1 and the optical waveguide 30.

5 to 8 are views showing another embodiment of the optical fiber supporting member according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 8B is a front view. That is, in the optical fiber support member 1, as shown in FIG. 5, the shape of the vent holes 7 and 9 in the V grooves 3 and 5 may be elongated, and as shown in FIG. The shape of 5 may be rectangular, or the grooves 3, 5 may be semicircular as shown in FIG. 7, and as shown in FIG. Various modifications can be made such that the ventilation holes 7 and 9 in the shape of elongated holes may be provided in the.

In any of the embodiments, when the optical fibers 11 and 13 are mounted in the grooves 3 and 5, the ventilation holes 7 and 9 are not completely blocked by the optical fibers 11 and 13. Is made. This is because when the vent holes 7 and 9 are completely closed, the optical fibers 11 and 13 are sucked into the grooves 3 and 5 with a strong force, and the positions of the optical fibers 11 and 13 are adjusted in the grooves 3 and 5. It is difficult to do so.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in the figure, V-grooves 3'and 5'are formed directly on the optical waveguide substrate 31 at the end of the optical waveguide 30, and the vent holes 7 for exhaust are provided in the V-grooves 3'and 5 '. By providing ′ and 9 ′, the optical fiber support member 1 ′ is integrally provided on the optical waveguide base plate 31.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment shown in the figure, a pair of guide protrusions 43, 43 for guiding both side surfaces of the optical fiber 47 are provided in the vicinity of the end face of the optical waveguide 40 provided above the substrate 41, and an exhaust gas is provided on the substrate 41 between them. By providing the ventilation hole 45, the optical fiber supporting member 1 ″ is directly provided on the substrate 41.

Although the embodiments of the fiber support member according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and various modifications can be made.

For example, FIG. 3 shows an example in which the optical fibers 11 and 13 and the optical waveguide 30 are connected by using the optical fiber supporting member 1 according to the present invention, but other optical fibers connected to the optical fiber are shown. The component does not have to be an optical waveguide, and any optical component that can be optically connected to an optical fiber may be connected. That is, for example, a plurality of optical fibers are mounted in parallel on an optical fiber supporting member according to the present invention, and while these are sucked by a vacuum device, a semiconductor laser array is attached to the end faces of these optical fibers via a condenser lens. May face each other.

[0021]

[Effect of the device]

 As described in detail above, the optical fiber supporting member according to the present invention has the following excellent effects.

When the optical fiber is mounted in the groove or the guide protrusion provided in the optical fiber supporting member, the mounting operation is facilitated and the mounted state is stable. Therefore, the time required for the mounting is shortened, and the work efficiency is improved.

Since the optical fiber is only fixed by the pulling pressure by the exhaust air vent provided in the optical fiber support member, the optical fiber can be attached to and detached from the optical fiber support member, and the set can be re-executed many times. But it will be possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are views showing an optical fiber support member 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1A being a plan view and FIG. 1B being a front view.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a method of mounting the optical fibers 11 and 13 in the two V grooves 3 and 5 of the optical fiber supporting member 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a method of connecting the optical fibers 11 and 13 and the optical fiber support member 1 to the end face of the optical waveguide 30.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the states of the optical fibers 11 and 13, the optical fiber support member 1, and the optical waveguide 30 which have been connected.

FIG. 5 is a view showing another embodiment of the optical fiber support member according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing another embodiment of the optical fiber support member according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing another embodiment of the optical fiber support member according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing another embodiment of the optical fiber support member according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Optical Fiber Support Member 11,13 Optical Fiber 3,5 V Groove 7,9 Vent Hole 20 Vacuum Device 21,21 Intake Hole 30 Optical Waveguide (Other Optical Parts) 41 Substrate 43,43 Guide Protrusion

Claims (1)

Claims for utility model registration: 1. A groove for inserting an end of an optical fiber or one or more pairs of guide projections sandwiching the end of the optical fiber is provided, and the groove or one or more pairs of guide projections are provided. An optical fiber support member for optically connecting the end of the optical fiber mounted on the optical fiber to another optical component, a vacuum device on the bottom of the groove of the optical fiber support member or on the substrate between the pair of guide projections. 1. An optical fiber support member having a vent hole connected to the intake hole of the optical fiber.