JPH09145958A - Connection part of optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To array the end surfaces of optical fibers on the same plane by providing stoppers halfway in positioning grooves and stopping optical fibers put in the positioning grooves from moving further by abutting against the stoppers. SOLUTION: A stopper 40 is provided halfway in a V groove 22 and an optical fiber 12 put in the V groove 22 abuts against it and is stopped from moving further. Stoppers 40 are provided in respective V grooves 22 laterally in array. The stoppers 40 are about 10-20μm thick and a matching oil is made to be present on fiber abutting surfaces, so nearly no connection loss is generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mechanical (non-fusing) connecting portion such as an optical connector which utilizes positioning grooves such as V grooves and U grooves.

A V groove is often used as the positioning groove. Therefore, in order to avoid complexity of the description, the case of the V groove will be described below.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows four single-core optical fiber core wires 10.
The case of butt connection is illustrated as a model. The bare optical fiber 12 of the optical fiber core wire 10 is put into the V-groove 22 of the V-groove element 20 and butted. On the butt surface,
A matching index matching oil (not shown) is interposed.
Then, the optical fiber core wire is fixed to the V groove by covering the lid 30 of aluminum alloy, ceramics or the like.

The same applies to the case of a multi-core tape fiber.

[0005]

It is difficult to arrange the end faces of the optical fibers 12 on the same plane. It is difficult to surely bring the end faces of the optical fiber 12 into contact with each other on the V groove 22. It is also possible that only one optical fiber 12 on one side is inserted too much and the abutting portion is offset. The pressing amount of the left and right optical fibers 12 may become excessive, and unexpected optical loss may occur.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems As exemplified in FIG.
A stopper 40 is provided in the middle of the V groove 22 to prevent the optical fiber 12 put in the V groove 22 from hitting the stopper 40 and further advancing.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a stopper 46 is provided on the lower surface of the lid 30 to prevent the optical fiber 12 put in the V groove 22 from hitting the stopper 46 and further advancing.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An example of connection of four single-core optical fibers will be described with reference to FIGS. [Structure] The V-groove element 20 is made of glass, for example. The stopper 40 has a V shape with the wall portion slightly protruding from the bottom of the V groove 22 to the extent that a part of the periphery of the cladding of the optical fiber 12 is caught, and is integral with the V groove element 20. Reason for V-shape: This is because if the V-shaped grooves 22 are all closed as an inverted triangle, the core 120 is hidden and light cannot pass through (see FIG. 2B). Also, the height h of the stopper 40
Is a degree of hiding a part of the clad, and it is not preferable that the stopper 40 is too close to the core 120 because it causes a connection loss and the like. It should be noted that preventing the core 120 from being hidden is the same for the stopper 42 and the like described later. The stopper 40 is provided in each V groove 22 at a position aligned in one horizontal row. The thickness t of the stopper 40 (FIG. 2) is 10 to
The size is about 20 μm and the connection loss is not a problem.

[How to use] It is shown in FIG. Note that (a) of the same drawing is a plan view, and (b) is an enlarged view of a B cross section of (a). The optical fibers 12 are put into the left and right V-grooves 22 and abutted against the stoppers 40, respectively, and matching oil (not shown) is put between them. Then, a lid (not shown) is put on.

Alternatively, it is possible to insert the optical fibers 12 from the left and right, but prepare a cover 30 with a gap such that the inserted optical fibers 12 hit the stopper 40, and the left and right optical fibers 12 hit the stopper 40. Check and then close the lid. There are various methods for tightening the lid, such as a caulking method and a spring method (neither is shown).

[Production Method] The V groove 22 is formed by a known glass transfer method.
The stopper 40 can be formed at the same time.

[Other Embodiment] FIG. 3A shows an optical fiber 1
A state viewed from two directions or the longitudinal direction of the V groove 22 is (b) is a B cross section (excluding an optical fiber) of (a). Stopper 4
2 is formed so as to rise from the bottom surface of the V groove 22, and the cross section appearing in (b) is, for example, a triangle. The cross section that appears as in (c) may be arcuate.

FIG. 4A shows the optical fiber 12 and the V groove 22.
And (b) is a state viewed from above (excluding the optical fiber). The stopper 44 is formed so as to protrude from the side wall of the V groove 22.

FIG. 5 shows the case of the V-groove element 20 in which the pitch of the V-grooves 22 widens from the middle. This is used, for example, to connect tape fibers having different pitches, or to connect tape fibers to a plurality of single-core optical fibers. As shown in the figure, the stopper 4 is provided near the end of the linear V groove 22.
Set 0 etc. By doing so, the end faces of the optical fibers 12 can be arranged on the same plane.

Although the case where the stopper 40 or the like is provided in the V groove 22 has been described above, the stopper 46 may be provided on the lower surface of the lid 30 as shown in FIG. This is the lid 30 first
This is effective when the optical fiber core wire 10 is inserted into the V groove 22 later.

Further, for example, by preparing a plurality of single-core optical fibers connected to the V-groove element 20 in advance, and connecting the multi-core tape fiber to the V-groove element with the single-core optical fiber, a multi-core fiber can be obtained. The single fiber branching operation of the tape fiber becomes easy.

[0017]

By providing the stopper, the optical fiber can be connected at a predetermined position. In particular, when it is used for a multi-fiber optical fiber, it is possible to connect the connecting surfaces in a horizontal row and uniformly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a usage state in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a different embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 optical fiber core wire 12 optical fiber 120 core 20 V groove element 22 V groove 30 lid 40, 42, 44, 46 stopper

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stopper is provided in the middle of the positioning groove at a connecting portion of the optical fibers in which the left and right optical fibers are abutted in the positioning groove, and the optical fiber put into the positioning groove is the stopper. An optical fiber splice that is characterized by striking against and preventing further advancement. 2. An optical fiber which is inserted into the positioning groove by providing a stopper on the lower surface of the lid at the connecting portion of the optical fibers in which the left and right optical fibers are abutted in the positioning groove and the lid is covered from above. However, the optical fiber splice is characterized in that the striking end is prevented from advancing any further.