JPH08292343A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve yield without causing the bias of the positions of arranging fiber holes or synthetic resin on the side of a ferrule to the inner periphery of a connector member by forming the connector member to be provided around an abutting end face with plural optically transparent split bodies. CONSTITUTION: A ferrule 11 in which the front face of a projecting part projecting toward the front side is an abutting end face 11a is fitted to the end part of an optical fiber tape 12, and an optically transparent connector member 13 is provided around the abutting end face 11a. The ferrule 11 is formed so that plural opened fiber holes are longitudinally formed in parallel in the abutting end face 11a at the front part at prescribed pitches. The ferrule 11 is confronted to or abutted on an optical device on the abutting end face 11a. The connector member 13 is formed by adhering four split bodies 13a-13d with an adhesive, in which an opening is formed at its center, and the end face is inclined. The split bodies 13a-13d consist respectively of optically transparent 'Pyrex(R)' glass, for example.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector, and more particularly to an optical connector in which an optically transparent connecting member is provided around the abutting end face of a ferrule and the connecting member is composed of a plurality of divided bodies.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some optical connectors have an optically transparent connecting member attached to their abutting end faces in order to connect to an optical device such as an optical waveguide component in a short time by using a photocurable adhesive. . As such an optical connector, for example, the optical connector shown in FIG. 7 will be described.
Attaches to the end of the tape fiber 3 the ferrule 2 having a protrusion 2a protruding on the front surface, and
An optically transparent connecting member 4 is provided around a. In the optical connector 1, each optical fiber 3a forming the tape fiber 3 is adhesively fixed to a plurality of fiber holes formed in the ferrule 2 so that the end face is exposed at the protruding portion 2a and is polished together with the protruding portion 2a and the connecting member 4. ing.

The optical connector 1 thus constructed is connected by abutting other optical connectors and optical devices with the end faces of the projecting portion 2a and the connecting member 4 as the abutting end faces.
It is manufactured as follows. First, the connection member 4 shown in FIG. 8 in which the opening 4a is formed by hollowing out the center with an optically transparent material, for example, quartz glass or the like is manufactured.

Next, the connecting member 4 is previously attached to the ferrule 2
Then, the ferrule 2 having a plurality of fiber holes is formed while the connecting member 4 is provided around the projecting portion 2a by insert molding in which a molding die is incorporated into the mold and a synthetic resin such as an epoxy resin is poured. Then, after inserting each optical fiber 3a of the tape fiber 3 into each fiber hole of the ferrule 2 and adhering the same, the end face of each optical fiber 3a is polished together with the protrusion 2a and the connecting member 4 to complete the optical connector 1.

[0005]

The above-mentioned manufacturing method has an advantage that the dimensional accuracy for molding the ferrule is high. However, since the connecting member is formed by hollowing out quartz glass or the like, there are disadvantages that the processing cost of the optical connector increases and the dimensional accuracy of the inner peripheral portion of the connecting member is not good. Therefore, in the manufactured optical connector, there is a problem that the synthetic resin, which is the arrangement position of the fiber holes and the ferrule, is biased with respect to the inner circumference of the connecting member.

[0006] In addition, during manufacture of the connecting member, many scratches and irregularities are formed on the inner peripheral portion. Therefore, when the ferrule is molded, cracks and cracks occur in the connecting member starting from the scratched portion due to the stress caused by the resin pressure during molding and the resin shrinkage that occurs during cooling after molding. There is a problem that the yield of the connector is reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an inexpensive optical connector having a good yield without the arrangement position of the fiber holes and the synthetic resin on the ferrule side being biased with respect to the inner circumference of the connecting member. With the goal.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a butt end surface facing or abutting an optical device and at least one fiber hole opening in the butt end surface are provided. In an optical connector including a ferrule in which one end of an optical fiber is adhesively fixed in a fiber hole, the ferrule is configured such that a connecting member composed of a plurality of optically transparent split bodies is provided around the butt end surface. It is what

[0008] Preferably, the connection member is formed by fusing a plurality of divided bodies each of which is a square pole.

[0009]

Since the connecting member provided around the butt end face is composed of a plurality of optically transparent divided members, it can be processed accurately without causing scratches or irregularities. Therefore, the optical connector is free from cracks or cracks during molding of the ferrule. At this time, if the connecting member is configured by fusing a plurality of each divided body composed of a quadrangular prism, the dimensional accuracy is improved.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, in the optical connector 10, the front surface of the protruding portion protruding toward the front surface is a butt end surface 11
The ferrule 11 to be a is attached to the end of the tape fiber 12, and an optically transparent connecting member 13 is provided around the butt end face 11a.

The ferrule 11 has a front butt end surface 11
A plurality of fiber holes opened in a are formed in parallel in the front-rear direction at a predetermined pitch. The ferrule 11 faces or abuts the optical device at the abutting end face 11a.
The tape fiber 12 is a tape-shaped optical fiber bundle in which a plurality of optical fibers 12a are arranged in parallel at a predetermined pitch and covered with a synthetic resin. In the tape fiber 12, each optical fiber 12a exposed by removing the coating on the front end side is inserted into the fiber hole of the ferrule 11 and fixed by adhesive.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connecting member 13 is formed by adhering four divided bodies 13a to 13d with an adhesive, and has an opening formed in the center and an end face inclined. Split body 13
Each of a to 13d is made of optically transparent material such as Pyrex glass. The connection member 13 was produced as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 3, the flat glass G _{1 to} G ₄ having a predetermined thickness whose both front and back surfaces were polished was attached to the ferrule 1.
Adhesive body 15 was produced by vertically stacking so that cavity C corresponding to the protruding portion of No. 1 was located in the center, and adhering it with an adhesive.

Here, the flat glasses G _{1 to} G ₄ may be fused by laser light, and the dimension of the connecting member 13 in the thickness direction is larger than that when bonded by an adhesive when fused by laser light. Accuracy is improved. At this time, since the adhesive body 15 is made by adhering the flat glass G _{1 to} G ₄ having a predetermined thickness, whose front and back surfaces are polished, with an adhesive, it is very easy to manufacture, and the inner surface on the cavity C side is smooth. There were almost no scratches or irregularities.

Next, as shown in FIG. 4, both sides of the adhesive body 15 are cut so that the cavity C is located at the center, and the connecting member 1 is cut.
A long body 16 corresponding to the width of 3 was obtained. Then, the long body 1
As shown in FIG. 5, 6 was obliquely cut into a predetermined thickness to form a plurality of connecting members 13. At this time, the connecting member 13
Adhesive body 15 with a smooth inner surface on the side of the cavity C with almost no scratches or irregularities
Since it was cut, there was almost no scratches or irregularities on the inner circumference, and it had high dimensional accuracy. The connecting member 13 is
The portion cut out from the adhesive body 15 at the beginning is not used because the end face shape is different from the connecting member 13 of the optical connector 10 shown in FIG.

Each connecting member 13 produced in this way
Is set in a mold in which a molding die is preliminarily assembled in the shape of the ferrule 11, and a synthetic resin such as an epoxy resin is poured into the ferrule 11 to provide the connecting member 13 around the abutting end face 11a and to have the ferrule 11 having a plurality of fiber holes. Was molded. At this time, since the connecting member 13 has a high dimensional accuracy, when the ferrule 11 is molded, the arrangement position of the fiber holes and the synthetic resin forming the ferrule 11 are biased with respect to the inner circumference of the connecting member 13. There was no. Furthermore, since the connecting member 13 has almost no scratches or irregularities on the inner circumference,
When the ferrule 11 is molded, even if the resin pressure during molding and the stress due to resin shrinkage that occurs during cooling after molding act,
It did not crack or crack.

Thereafter, the optical fiber 12a of the tape fiber 12 with the coating removed was inserted into each of the fiber holes of the molded ferrule 11 and fixed by adhesive. Then, the end face of each optical fiber 12a is polished together with the butt end face 11a and the connecting member 13, and the optical connector 1 shown in FIG.
0 was produced. The manufacturing cost of the above-described optical connector 10 of the present invention is drastically reduced to about 1/10 as compared with the manufacturing cost of the conventional optical connector manufactured by using a connecting member such as quartz glass whose center is hollowed out. It was

Here, as the connecting member, for example, like the connecting member 17 shown in FIG. 6, divided bodies 17a to 17d made of flat glass having a predetermined width and having both sides polished are laminated in the width direction and bonded with an adhesive. You can also use it. The connecting member 17 having such a configuration is effective when high dimensional accuracy in the width direction is required.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an optical connector having a good yield, in which the arrangement positions of the fiber holes and the synthetic resin on the ferrule side are not biased with respect to the inner circumference of the connecting member. Can be provided at low cost. When the connecting member is formed by fusing a plurality of divided bodies each of which is a quadrangular prism, the dimensional accuracy is improved as compared with the case where the connecting members are bonded by the adhesive.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connecting member composed of a divided body.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an adhesive body for explaining a procedure for producing a connecting member, in which four flat glass plates having a predetermined thickness and having both front and back surfaces polished are adhered with an adhesive agent.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where a long body is produced by cutting both sides of the adhesive body of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the elongated body of FIG. 4 is cut into a plurality of connecting members.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a modified example of the connection member.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an optical connector manufactured using a conventional connecting member.

8 is a perspective view of a connecting member used in the optical connector of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Optical Connector 11 Ferrule 11a Butt End Face 12 Tape Fiber 12a Optical Fiber 13 Connection Member 13a to 13d Split Body 17 Connection Member 17a to 17d Split Body G _{1 to} G ₄ Planar Glass

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takeo Shimizu 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hisashi Yanagawa 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akira Morinaka 1-6 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Kazunori Senda 1-1-6 Uchisai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Nobuo Tomita 1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Naoyuki Atobe 1-6, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo No. Japan Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A butt end surface facing or abutting an optical device, and at least one opening to the butt end surface.
An optical connector comprising a ferrule having two fiber holes, and one end of an optical fiber being adhesively fixed in the fiber hole, wherein the ferrule has a connecting member formed of a plurality of optically transparent split bodies. An optical connector provided around the end face. 2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member is formed by fusing a plurality of divided bodies each of which is a quadrangular prism.