JPH0627352A - Multi-optical fiber connector and its manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a multi-optical fiber connector and its manufacturing device by which connection of extremely low loss can be obtained. CONSTITUTION:This manufacturing device is the one for a multi-optical fiber connector in which an aperture 11 capable of loading/unloading individual optical fiber micro-travel means 21 for shaft alignment on a ferrule part 4 to keep the arrangement of a multi-optical fiber 5A is provided, and provided with a core fine adjusting mechanism incorporated the multi-optical fiber capable of performing the shaft alignment of individual optical fiber 5A by the micro travel means 21 in a manufacturing process and the optical fiber micro travel means 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-fiber optical fiber connector and an apparatus for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an ultra-low loss by enabling adjustment of individual core wires to be connected during manufacture of the connector. And a manufacturing apparatus for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an MT connector (Mechanical) has been used as a multi-core optical fiber connector for connecting a plurality of optical fibers which are collectively covered, such as a tape core.
lyTransferableConnector)
There is. As shown in FIG. 6, this type of connector has two connectors (plug members) 1, 1 having connecting surfaces 1A, 1A facing each other, and these connectors 1 for maintaining accurate connection. The guide pin 2 is inserted into both the pin holes 1B, and the clip member 3 for ensuring the connection state.

Further, the connector 1 is formed with a ferrule part 4 for accurately aligning and holding a number of parallel-arranged optical fibers such as a single core, four cores or eight cores. The optical fiber is fixed. 5
Is an optical fiber tape to be connected, which is coated on the plurality of optical fibers. The end faces of the plurality of optical fibers 5A are exposed on the connection face 1A, and in order to suppress Fresnel reflection caused by the joining of the end faces of these fibers, in general, a refractive index matching material is applied or polished on the end faces. Has been done.

Next, a conventional manufacturing and assembling procedure of such an MT multi-fiber optical fiber connector will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, when the outer casing of the connector 1 as shown in FIG. 6 is prepared, the coating of the optical fiber tape 5 is removed to expose the optical fiber 5A, and the optical fiber 5A shown in FIG. ), Each optical fiber 5A is introduced into the ferrule part 4 to form a guide groove 4A formed in the ferrule part 4.
To position. Next, as shown in (B), the thermosetting adhesive 6 is injected into the filling hole 4B of the ferrule part 4, and in this state, individual optical fibers 5A are bored in the connection surface 1A as shown in (C). Insert into the fiber hole 7. Then, after the filling is completed, the thermosetting adhesive 6 filled in the stage shown in (D)
Is hardened by heating, each optical fiber 5A is fixed as it is, and further the connection surface 1A is properly ground to make the connection surface 1A.
Is finished so as to be kept perpendicular to the optical fiber 5A.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional multi-fiber optical fiber connector, the relative posture of each optical fiber 5A is determined by the correctness of the position of the fiber hole 7 provided in the connection surface 1A of the connector 1. Due to the position error and the eccentricity of the optical fiber 5A held by the hole 7, the splice loss is inevitably larger than that in the fusion splicing, and in the case of the MT multi-core connector, the average splice loss is 0.34 dB. Also extends. Further, such connection loss could not be expected to be improved by the assembly technique using the conventional device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-fiber optical fiber connector and a manufacturing apparatus therefor capable of achieving an ultra-low connection loss in order to solve the above conventional problems.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the multi-fiber optical fiber connector of the present invention has a ferrule portion for aligning and holding a multi-fiber optical fiber. A removable opening is provided so that the optical fiber fine moving means can axially align each optical fiber in the manufacturing process.

Further, in the multi-fiber optical fiber connector manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the core of the multi-fiber optical fiber is accurately positioned together with the guide pin, and the reference connector is positioned and joined via the guide pin. An adjusted connector having an opening in a ferrule for aligning and holding the optical fiber for axial center adjustment, a fiber light source for injecting light into the optical fiber held in the adjusted connector, and a ferrule of the adjusted connector A shaft center fine adjustment mechanism having a detachable optical fiber fine moving means in an opening provided, and the light incident on the optical fiber of the connector to be adjusted is taken out through the optical fiber of the reference connector joined, and its output light Based on the measurement information from the optical power measuring means and the optical power measuring means, and controls the axis fine adjustment operation of the axis fine adjustment mechanism. It is characterized in that a control unit, equipped with a to.

[0010]

According to the multi-fiber optical fiber connector of the present invention, in the manufacturing process of the connector, the means for finely moving the individual optical fibers is inserted into the opening provided in the ferrule part, and the individual optical fibers are aligned and held in the ferrule part. The optical fiber can be axially aligned, and thereby it is possible to sufficiently suppress the axis misalignment error due to the connection state after finishing, and to provide an ultra-low loss multi-fiber optical fiber connector. be able to.

Further, according to the manufacturing apparatus of the multi-fiber optical fiber connector of the present invention, the fine adjustment of the axial center has the optical fiber fine moving means detachably attached to the opening of the ferrule portion with respect to the adjusted connector in the manufacturing process. The mechanism enables adjustment by fine movement of the axis of each optical fiber.The adjustment operation makes light from the fiber light source incident on the optical power measuring means through the reference connector and measures its output. Then, it can be realized by the control drive of the shaft center fine adjustment mechanism by the control means. Thus, it is possible to contribute to the manufacture of a stable multicore optical fiber connector with low loss.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail and specifically below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an ultra-low-loss multi-fiber optical fiber connector according to the present invention in an axial alignment stage after the multi-fiber optical fiber is incorporated. In FIG. 1A, 10 is a multi-fiber optical fiber connector according to the present invention, and in this example, 4
Shown for the optical fiber tape 5 of the heart. The optical fiber tape 5 is placed in the guide groove 4A of the ferrule part 4.
The bare optical fiber 5A from which the coating is removed is held, but in the multi-core optical fiber connector 10 according to the present invention, the ferrule part 4 has a guide groove 4A formed on the bottom surface thereof, which is described later in detail. An opening 11 is provided for attaching and detaching the fine movement member 21 of the heart fine adjustment mechanism. Further, the fiber hole 17 formed in the connecting surface 1A is provided with some allowance in the hole diameter so as to allow axial alignment.

Therefore, in the multi-fiber optical fiber connector 10 thus constructed, the multi-fiber optical fiber 5A as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is provided in the lower portion of the ferrule part 4 while being held. The distal end portion of the above-mentioned fine moving member 21 is inserted into the opening 11 and the multi-core optical fiber 5A is kept in a finely adjustable state for each fiber. Then, when the fine adjustment for each optical fiber is completed, it is temporarily fixed with an instant adhesive or the like, and the opening 1
The fine movement member 21 is pulled down from 1. Then, after closing the opening 11 with a tape, a plastic plate, or the like, a thermosetting adhesive is injected from the filling hole 4B in the upper part, and heat-cured. A fiber connector can be realized. It should be noted that although the description has been made here for the 4-core type, for the 8-core type, 16-type
It is needless to say that an ultra-low loss connector can be similarly embodied in a multi-core type such as a dedicated type.

Next, the construction of the above-described ultra-low-loss multi-fiber optical fiber connector manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

Basically, this device has a reference connector 30, an unadjusted multi-fiber optical fiber connector (hereinafter referred to as an adjusted connector) 10 whose axial center is adjusted in the manufacturing process, and a multi-fiber optical fiber. Individual shaft center fine adjustment mechanism 20, an optical power measuring machine 40 for measuring an optical output obtained through the reference connector 30, and a piezoelectric element controller for controlling the drive of the piezoelectric element 22 provided in the shaft center fine adjustment mechanism 20. 50 and an optical fiber light source 60. The reference connector 30 is fixed to the apparatus main body 100, and the guide pin 2 for positioning is fixed to the reference connector 30. The adjusted connector 10 is detachably held by the apparatus main body 100.

Next, an outline of the structure of the shaft center fine adjustment mechanism 20 will be described. This axial center fine adjustment mechanism 20 is disclosed in the one proposed by the present applicant as "multi-core optical fiber core wire connecting device" in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-205763, and its outline is shown in FIG.

Here, 23 supports the lower end of the piezoelectric element 22 and a plurality of fine moving members 21 (in FIG. 3 (A), the fine moving members 21 formed in a plate shape in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface overlap each other. (Shown in the state), and 24 are leg portions provided on each fine movement member 21, and each leg portion 24 is a fine movement member 21 as shown in FIG. Each time the mounting position is changed. Further, in the present example, the fine moving member 21 is configured to support the four bare optical fibers 5A in pairs, and as shown in FIG. On top of it,
It has tapered surfaces 21A and 21B facing each other.

In the shaft center fine adjusting mechanism 20 thus constructed, the pair of fine moving members 21 are moved up and down by the driving of the piezoelectric elements 22, respectively, and each optical fiber 5A is held.
Of the piezoelectric element 22 so that the pair of fine moving members 21 can be simultaneously lifted upward as shown in FIG. 3D as (a). By driving the
The optical fiber 5A can be slightly moved upward by A and 21B. Similarly, if it is desired to slightly move the piezoelectric element 22 directly below, the piezoelectric element 22 may be operated as shown in (C) or (D) if it is desired to slightly move upward one of the directions. Thus, each optical fiber 5A can be finely moved two-dimensionally in the submicron order.

The base 23 of the shaft center fine adjusting mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 2 has a function of moving up and down other whole mechanism including the fine moving member 21 by a driving means (not shown). Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the reference connector 30 and the guide pin 2
The fine movement member 21 can be inserted or pulled down from the lower portion of the opening 11 (see FIG. 1) of the ferrule portion 4 of the adjusted connector 10 coupled via the. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, after the fine moving member 21 of the shaft center fine adjusting mechanism 20 is inserted into the opening 11 (not shown here) of the connector 10 to be adjusted so that the individual optical fibers can be adjusted. The light from the optical fiber light source 60 is guided to the adjusted connector 10 by the optical fiber tape 5.

Thus, the light is guided to the optical power measuring device 40 through the connection surface of the adjusted connector 10 and the connection surface of the reference connector 30, so that the output light from each optical fiber is measured. And the piezoelectric element controller 5 based on the measurement data.
0 can drive and control the piezoelectric element 22 and correct the optical fiber.

Here, the manufacturing process by the above-described manufacturing apparatus for multi-fiber optical fiber connector will be described again with reference to FIGS.
Description will be given in order of (F). FIG. 5A shows a state of the adjusted connector 10 according to the present invention before the optical fiber is inserted. An optical fiber 5A from which the coating of the optical fiber tape 5 has been removed is aligned with the guide groove 4A of the ferrule part 4 as shown in FIG. Thus, the root portion of the optical fiber 5A is temporarily fixed. Then, as shown in (C), the fine moving member 21 of the axial center fine adjusting mechanism is inserted into the opening 11 so that the fine moving member 21 can finely adjust each optical fiber 5A. Each optical fiber 5A
Correct the position of and align the axis.

When the axis alignment is completed, (D)
In the ferrule part 4, each optical fiber 5A is temporarily fixed again with the instant adhesive 8 as shown in FIG.
Is pulled down from the opening 11 to close the opening 11 ((E) in FIG. 5). Then, as shown in (F), the filling hole 4B is filled with the thermosetting adhesive 6 and thermally cured, and then the connection surface 1A is polished and finished to obtain an ultra-low-loss multi-fiber optical connector. it can.

[0024]

As described above, according to the multi-fiber optical fiber connector of the present invention, the individual optical fiber fine moving means for axial alignment can be attached to and detached from the ferrule part for aligning and holding the multi-fiber optical fibers. Since a possible opening is provided and axial alignment of the individual optical fibers can be performed by the optical fiber fine moving means in the manufacturing process, the height of the individual optical fibers in the multi-fiber optical fiber connector, which has been difficult so far, can be improved. It has become possible to realize accurate axis alignment, and it has become possible to provide a multi-fiber optical fiber connector that has extremely low loss compared to the conventional one and that can maintain stable characteristics.

Further, according to the multi-fiber optical fiber manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the reference connector in which the core of the multi-fiber optical fiber is accurately positioned together with the guide pin, and the positioning is performed via the reference connector and the guide pin. A connector to be adjusted which has an opening in a ferrule that is joined and holds the optical fibers in alignment for axial center adjustment; a fiber light source for injecting light into the optical fiber held in the connector to be adjusted; A shaft center fine adjustment mechanism having a detachable optical fiber fine moving means in the opening provided in the ferrule, and the light incident on the optical fiber of the adjusted connector is taken out through the optical fiber of the reference connector joined to the optical fiber.
Optical power measuring means capable of measuring the output light, and control means for controlling the axial fine adjustment operation of the axial fine adjustment mechanism based on the measurement information from the optical power measuring means, In the manufacturing process, the fine adjustment means of the fine adjustment mechanism of the optical axis is provided in the opening provided in the ferrule for the adjusted connector to be aligned, and the optical axis of each optical fiber held in the ferrule is finely adjusted. Can be carried out, and thereby the connection loss of the finished multi-fiber optical fiber connector can be suppressed to a significantly low level.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a relationship between a connector to be adjusted and a fine moving member for adjustment according to the present invention as a perspective view (A), and a state before adjustment in a ferrule as a top view (B). Is.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing a multi-fiber optical fiber connector according to the present invention.

3 is a side view (A), a front view (B), a top view (C), and an operation diagram from the front, showing an outline of the configuration of a multi-core optical fiber axial center fine adjustment mechanism applied to the manufacturing apparatus of FIG. It is explanatory drawing shown by D).

FIG. 4 is a side view of individual fine adjustment moving members of the shaft center fine adjustment mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a manufacturing process of the multi-fiber optical fiber connector according to the present invention for each of steps (A) to (F).

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional multi-fiber optical fiber connector.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing the assembling order of the conventional multi-fiber optical fiber connector in the order of (A) to (D).

[Explanation of symbols]

 1A Connection surface 2 Guide pin 4 Ferrule part 4A Guide groove 4B Filling hole 5 Optical fiber tape 5A Optical fiber 6 Thermosetting adhesive 8 Instant adhesive 10 Multi-core optical fiber connector (adjusted connector) 11 Opening 17 Fiber hole 20 Shaft center Fine adjustment mechanism 21 Fine moving members 21A, 21B Tapered surface 22 Piezoelectric element 23 Base 24 Leg 30 Reference connector 40 Optical power measuring machine 50 Piezoelectric element controller 60 Fiber light source

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A ferrule part for aligning and holding a multi-core optical fiber is provided with an opening to which an individual optical fiber fine moving means for axial alignment can be attached / detached, and each of the fine optical fiber fine moving means is provided with an opening in the manufacturing process. A multi-fiber optical fiber connector, which enables axial alignment of an optical fiber. 2. A reference connector in which a core of a multi-core optical fiber is accurately positioned together with a guide pin, and the reference connector and the reference pin are positionally joined via the guide pin to align the optical fiber for axial center adjustment. A connector to be adjusted having an opening in a ferrule to be held, a fiber light source for injecting light into an optical fiber held in the connector to be adjusted, and an optical fiber fine moving means detachable from the opening provided in the ferrule of the connector to be adjusted An axial fine adjustment mechanism having: an optical power measuring means capable of taking out the light incident on the optical fiber of the connector to be adjusted through the optical fiber of the joined reference connector and measuring the output light thereof; Control means for controlling the axial fine adjustment operation of the axial fine adjustment mechanism based on the measurement information from the power measuring means. Manufacturing equipment for multi-fiber optical fiber connectors.