JPH09184942A - Multi-fiber optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten the assembly time of a ferrule and optical fibers and eliminate deterioration in connection loss due to the flotation of the optical fibers. SOLUTION: A clamp window 40 which extends to a fiber hole 34 from the top surface of a ferrule main body 32 is formed except at the narrow part of the tip part 320 of the ferrule main body 32, and the fiber holes 34 are left only at the main body tip part 320. Only the tips of optical fibers are inserted into the fiber holes 34 and the remaining parts are pressed with a clamp material 50 inserted from the clamp window 40. Consequently, even if the optical fibers rise, the optical fiber tips are still in the fiber holes 34 and the accuracy of its position is held, so there is no increase in connection loss.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-core optical connector, and more particularly, to a simple assembly type multi-core optical connector described below.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A resin-molded rectangular MT connector has been put into practical use as one of the methods for connecting multi-core optical fibers. [Conventional MT connector] Since it is well known, it will not be described in detail, but in FIG. 2, 30 is the whole ferrule, 32 is its body, 34 is a fiber hole, 36 is a guide pin hole, and 38 is a window. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the tape core wire 10 is fed into the ferrule 30, the optical fiber 12 is inserted into the fiber hole 34, and an adhesive is injected from the window 38 to fix the fiber.

There is also proposed a multi-core connector which is compatible with the above MT connector and which can be easily assembled by providing a V groove in place of the fiber hole 34 and clamping a cut optical fiber. An example thereof is shown in FIG. 3 (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-26809).
Briefly, this is because the V groove 22 and the V groove 24 are provided in the base body 20, the optical fiber 12 is housed in the V groove 22, and the guide pin 14 is housed in the V groove 24, and the clamp member 26 presses the optical fiber 12. It is fixed by a holding frame 28.

[Non-polishing connector] By the way, a non-polishing assembling method aiming at shortening the assembling time at the connection site, which is one of the problems of the MT connector, that is, by cutting an optical fiber and polishing its end face, Further, a method has been proposed in which the optical fiber is fixed at a position where the end face of the optical fiber is aligned with the end face of the polished ferrule so that the polishing step is unnecessary. A non-polishing method has also been proposed for the above simple connector.

[0006]

When the non-polishing method is applied to the above simple assembling type, the following problems occur. Since the position of the optical fiber 12 is determined only by the V-groove 22 and the clamping force, if dust, grease, etc. enter the V-groove 22 during assembly, the optical fiber 12 floats up and the connection characteristics deteriorate. The accuracy of the outer diameter of the optical fiber 12 has a strong influence. Since the optical fiber 12 floats according to the change in the pressing force of the clamp member 26, the splice loss depends on it.

[0007]

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a clamp window 40 is formed in a portion of the main body 32 excluding the narrow width portion of the tip end portion 320 by cutting out the upper surface 322 and communicating with the fiber hole 34. The ferrule 31 is formed so that the fiber hole 34 remains only at the body tip 320.
The clamp member 50 that can be inserted into the clamp window 40 constitutes a simple connector, and the optical fiber 12 has only the tip inserted into the fiber hole 34, and the other parts are held by the clamp member 50. To do so.

[Operation] Even if the optical fiber 12 may float under the clamp member 50, the tip of the optical fiber 12 is inserted into the fiber hole 34, and the distance between the left and right positioning guide focus and Accuracy between optical fibers is retained. Therefore, no increase in connection loss occurs.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[Connector itself] As shown in FIG. 1A, the ferrule 31
Has a shape similar to that of the ferrule 30 of the conventional MT connector, but forms a clamp window 40 extending from the upper surface 322 to the fiber hole 34 except for the narrow width D portion of the tip 320 of the main body 32. The width of the clamp window 40 is equal to the fiber hole 3
The size should cover the range where 4 exists. Further, the width D is not particularly limited, but may be any width as long as the following round groove 35 is exposed. Since the window 38 for the adhesive is opened on the upper surface 322 of the main body 32, as shown in FIG.
After that, the clamp window 40 is provided. By providing the clamping window 40, the fiber hole 34 is
It remains only in the narrow width portion of the second tip portion 320. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, under the clamp window 40, for example, the upper half of the fiber hole 34 is eliminated and the round groove 35 remains. The round groove 35 has a function of guiding the optical fiber to the fiber hole 34.

[Clamping member] The clamping member 50, which has a smooth lower surface, is made of, for example, a hard ceramic plate or a plastically deformable material, is fitted into the clamping window 40,
It is a rectangular flat plate member that is completely closed.

[Manufacturing Method] This ferrule 31 uses a conventional mold for manufacturing an MT connector, and with a slight modification (a protrusion is provided at a portion corresponding to the clamp window 40 of the mold). Can be manufactured by.

[How to use] From the state shown in FIG. 1 (c), the tape core wire 10 is fed into the ferrule 31, and the position of the tape core wire is adjusted while looking from above so that the tip of the optical fiber enters the round groove 35. At the same time, only the tip of the optical fiber 12 is inserted into the fiber hole 34, and its end face is made to coincide with the front end face 324 of the main body 32 (FIG. 8 (d)). The optical fiber 12 is pressed by forcibly pushing the clamp member 50 into the clamp window 40. At this time, an adhesive is also used. With the above, the assembly is completed ((e) in the same figure).

[0013]

The assembling time of the ferrule and the optical fiber can be shortened, and the deterioration of the connection loss due to the lifting of the optical fiber can be eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 relates to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a perspective view of a ferrule, (b) is a B sectional view of (a), and (c) to (e).
Is an explanatory view of the assembly process.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional MT connector.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a conventional simple connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Tape Core Wire 12 Optical Fiber 14 Guide Pin 20 Base Body 22, 24 V Groove 26 Clamping Member 28 Holding Frame 30, 31 Ferrule 32 Ferrule Main Body 320 Tip Part 322 Upper Surface 324 Front End Surface 34 Fiber Hole 35 Round Groove 36 Guide Pin Hole 38 Window 40 Clamp window 50 Clamp member

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 28, 1996

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A clamp window, which is cut out from the upper surface of the main body having a plurality of fiber holes arranged in a row in the horizontal direction and which is cut out from the upper surface except the narrow width portion of the tip end, is formed.
A ferrule having a shape in which a fiber hole remains only at the tip of the main body, and a clamp material that can be inserted into the clamp window.The optical fiber has only the tip inserted into the fiber hole, and other portions are A multi-fiber optical connector, characterized in that it is held by the clamp member.