JPH0655106U - Glass ferrule for optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a glass ferrule for an optical connector, which has improved insertion performance into a split sleeve, a receptacle, etc. and whose mechanical strength does not deteriorate even after repeated insertion and removal. . A tapered tube (1) made of glass is provided with a tapered tapered chamfer (4) on the outer peripheral surface of the tip, and both are provided at the boundary between the chamfered section (4) and the outer peripheral surface (1a) of the tube. Was provided with an arcuate surface (5) for smooth continuation.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a glass ferrule for an optical connector, which is located at the tip of an optical connector and functions as an optical axis aligning component. Particularly, it improves the performance of insertion into a receptacle and the like, and after repeated insertion and removal. It also relates to a glass ferrule for optical connectors that does not deteriorate in mechanical strength.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, glass, stainless steel, aluminum, zirconia, etc. have been used as ferrule materials for optical connectors. On the other hand, phosphor bronze, alumina, zirconia, etc. are used for the split sleeve that is the insertion partner.

When glass is used as a ferrule material, chamfering is performed on the tip by grinding and polishing to facilitate insertion into a split sleeve.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the conventional glass ferrule with a chamfered tip causes problems such as damage to the inner surface of the sleeve when the split sleeve to be inserted is made of phosphor bronze, and the generated phosphor bronze particles block the optical path. Becomes In addition, when inserting into a sleeve made of alumina or zirconia, the edge part formed at the boundary between the chamfered tip and the side surface of the ferrule is chipped, and the generated glass particles cause a problem such as blocking the optical path. The glass fine particles damage the side surface of the glass ferrule and cause the deterioration of the mechanical strength of the ferrule itself.

An object of the present invention is to provide a glass ferrule for an optical connector, which has improved performance of insertion into a split sleeve, a receptacle or the like, and whose mechanical strength does not deteriorate even after repeated insertion / removal. It is in.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a tapered outer peripheral surface of a glass thin tube with a tapered chamfer, and smoothly connects the chamfered portion and the outer peripheral surface of the thin tube to each other. It is provided with an arcuate surface.

[0007]

[Action]

 The glass ferrule of the present invention has an arcuate surface that removes the sharp edge of the boundary between the outer peripheral surface of the distal end of the thin tube and the chamfered portion with a tapered taper so that it can be smoothly connected. In addition to making it easier, the ferrule itself or the split sleeve is not damaged, and the mechanical strength does not decrease even after repeated insertion and removal.

[0008]

【Example】

 1A is a longitudinal side view showing an embodiment of a glass ferrule for an optical connector according to the present invention, FIG. 1B is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of insertion into a split sleeve, and FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an example of a processing method for forming an arcuate surface that smoothly connects the tip outer peripheral surface of the thin tube and the tapered chamfered portion to each other.

In FIGS. 1A and 1B, (1) is a glass thin tube, (2) is an inner hole for inserting an optical fiber, (3) is a flare portion at one end of the inner hole (2), 4) is a tapered tapered chamfer on the outer peripheral surface of the tip, and 5) is an arcuate surface at the boundary between the chamfered portion 4 and the outer peripheral surface 1a of the thin tube 1.

The glass thin tube (1) is made as a long thin tube having an appropriate inner / outer diameter (for example, 0.13 mm inner diameter, 2.5 mm outer diameter) from a glass parent tube by the redraw method. , For example, the thin tube (1) is created by sequentially cutting it to an appropriate length (for example, 10 mm in length), and after cutting, the thin tube (1) is attached to a drill chuck and rotated to remove diamond abrasive grains or the like. The chamfer (4) is formed by pressing the grinding wheel at a desired angle.

The processing of the chamfered portion (4) of the thin tube (1) is not limited to the above method and may be another method.

The chamfered portion (4) is formed with a taper angle α of 15 ° to 45 ° and a width L in the optical axis direction of 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm with respect to the ferrule optical axis.

The flare portion (3) is formed by etching the end of the inner hole (2) at the rear end of the thin tube (1) with an erosive solution such as hydrofluoric acid.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the processing of the arcuate surface (5) is performed by attaching the thin tube (1) processed by the chamfered portion (4) to the drill chuck (6) and rotating the tip. The chamfered part () was pressed by dropping the polishing liquid (8) containing cerium oxide for polishing from the polishing liquid supply nozzle (9) at an angle θ on a rotating roll (7) coated with buff or polishing leather. 4) and the sharp edge at the boundary between the outer peripheral surface (1a) of the thin tube (1) are removed to form a smoothly continuous arcuate surface (5). The radius of curvature of the arcuate surface (5) is formed in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm. The pressing angle θ of the rotating roll (7) is set to an angle (eg, 28 °) slightly smaller than the taper angle (eg, 30 °) of the chamfer (4). Further, the deformation of the surface of the rotating roll (7) due to the abrasion and abrasion is dealt with by slightly shifting it in the axial direction of the roll after a constant time or after a constant number of machining ends. Further, in the processing of the arcuate surface (5) by the rotating roll (7), not only the edge of the boundary between the outer peripheral surface of the thin tube (1) and the chamfered portion (4) is removed, but also the end surface of the thin tube (1). The edge of the boundary between (1b) and the chamfered portion (4) is also removed to form an arcuate surface (5a), and at the same time, the surface of the chamfered portion (4) is also polished to a smooth finish.

The glass ferrule of the present invention is configured as described above, and an optical fiber (not shown) is inserted from the flare portion (3) at the rear end of the thin tube (1) to the tip inside the inner hole (2). Then, the distal end side is inserted from one end of the split sleeve (10) as shown in FIG. A similar thin tube (1) is inserted from the other end of the split sleeve (10), and the thin tubes (1) (1) on both sides are concentrically buttedly connected in the split sleeve (10). When inserting the tip of the thin tube (1) into the split sleeve (10), the edge of the boundary between the chamfered portion (4) and the outer peripheral surface of the thin tube (1) is removed, and a smoothly continuous arcuate surface ( In the case of the split sleeve (10) made of phosphor bronze, the inner surface of the split sleeve (10) can be prevented from being scratched by the thin tube (1) side because it is provided by 5), and the phosphor bronze fine particles are It is also possible to prevent blocking of the optical path. Further, when the split sleeve (10) is made of alumina or zirconia, it is possible to prevent the edge on the side of the thin tube (1) from being chipped, and it is possible to prevent glass particles from blocking the optical path. Further, it is possible to prevent the outer peripheral surface of the thin tube (1) from being damaged by the glass fine particles and deteriorating the mechanical strength.

Although the above-described embodiment has been described as applied to the split sleeve (10), the glass ferrule of the present invention is applied to a case other than the split sleeve (10) for detachable connection. Can be expected to have the same effect.

[0017]

[Effect of device]

 According to the glass ferrule of the present invention, since the sharp edge is removed, the insertion into the split sleeve is facilitated, and the ferrule itself or the split sleeve is not damaged and insertion / removal is repeated. Even afterward, the mechanical strength does not decrease, and there is an advantage that this kind of ferrule for optical connector can be economically provided at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a vertical sectional side view showing an embodiment of a glass ferrule for an optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged sectional view of a main part.

2 is an explanatory view when the glass ferrule of FIG. 1 is inserted into a split sleeve.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an example of a processing method for forming an arcuate surface that smoothly connects both the outer peripheral surface of the distal end of the thin tube and the chamfered portion with a tapered taper.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Glass capillary 2 Inner hole 3 Flare part 4 Chamfered part 5 Arc surface

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A thin tube made of glass is provided with a tapered tapered chamfer on the outer peripheral surface, and an arcuate surface that smoothly connects the chamfer and the outer circumferential surface of the thin tube. A glass ferrule for optical connectors that is characterized by