JPH10278016A - Manufacture of sleeve for optical ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sleeve manufacturing method for an optical ferrule by which a sleeve can be manufactured simply. SOLUTION: A gypsum with a sleeve-shaped frame 12 is manufactured. When a suspension 16 into which ceramic 18 is added is injected into the frame 12, ceramic particles are made to adhere on the wail face of the frame 12 to form an adhesion molded layer 20. The suspension 16 in the frame is discharged and gypsum is dried to form a dry molded layer 22. The dry molded layer 22 formed on the frame 12 is dried and sintered to form a sintered body. The sintered body is processed to form a sleeve 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a sleeve for an optical ferrule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Optical ferrules for connecting optical fibers are precisely arranged by a sleeve that is processed with high precision, and the sleeve is manufactured by an injection molding method or an extrusion molding method. In both methods, molding is performed by forcibly applying pressure using the fluidity of the organic binder.

In the extrusion molding method, a sleeve is completed by forming a long molded body having the same shape as the sleeve, cutting the molded body into a required length, and then processing the molded body. That is, after processing the ceramic powder and the binder, which are the materials of the sleeve, respectively, they are mixed in a vacuum and extruded. Next, after the molded body formed by extrusion is forcibly dried in an oven, it is aged at about 200 ° C. to 300 ° C., and further sintered at about 1500 ° C. After sintering, the sleeve is completed by processing the longitudinal direction and the inner and outer diameters of the molded body and slitting.

[0004] The injection molding method is a pressure molding method, in which a high-precision fluid material is put into a predetermined mold to make a sleeve having the same shape as the mold. In the injection molding method, ceramic of a sleeve material and about 50% of a binder are processed and then mixed in a vacuum to perform injection molding. Next, the molded body formed by injection is heat-treated (degreased) at about 500 ° C. to 700 ° C. to remove the binder. When the binder is removed, the molded body is sintered, the longitudinal direction and the inner and outer diameters of the molded body are processed, and the sleeve is completed by slitting.

[0005] However, both of these methods are complicated in the manufacturing process because there is a heat treatment step for removing the binder added during raw material processing. In addition, a kneader for mixing the ceramic and the binder, an injector or an extruder for molding, and a degreasing furnace for removing the binder are further provided. To rise. In addition, since a binder addition and a vacuum mixing process are required to impart fluidity to the ceramic particles, a raw material processing process is required, and the manufacturing cost is further increased by separately manufacturing a mold for forming the sleeve.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a sleeve for an optical ferrule, which can easily manufacture a sleeve.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a sleeve for an optical ferrule, which solves the above-described problem, by manufacturing a plaster having a sleeve-shaped mold formed thereon, and a method of manufacturing a plaster having a ceramic added thereto. The process of pouring the suspension into the mold, the process of forming an adhered molding layer by the ceramic particles adhering to the walls of the mold, and the drying molding layer by drying the gypsum after the suspension in the mold has been opened. , A step of forming a sintered body by drying and sintering the dry molded layer formed on the mold, and a step of processing the sintered body to form a sleeve. The suspension is obtained by mixing a ceramic with an organic dispersant coated to prevent the aggregation of ceramic particles. As the organic dispersant, a dispersant having a lowest zeta potential value at pH 7 or lower or 8 or higher is used. The ceramic comprises zirconia or alumina, or a mixture thereof. The suspension further contains ball media to disperse the ceramic, from 40 WT% to 60 WT of the total weight.
% Ceramic and 30% to 5% of the volume of the suspension containment vessel
0% ball media is mixed. The ceramic particles adhere to the walls of the formwork due to the capillary pressure of the gypsum.

[0008]

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

FIG. 1 is a view showing a state in which a suspension is put into a mold formed inside gypsum for manufacturing a sleeve. FIGS. 2A to 2D are schematic views showing a process of manufacturing the sleeve.

As shown in FIG. 1, polyvinyl chloride (pol)
A rod having a diameter about 1.5 mm longer than the outer diameter of the sleeve 26 shown in FIG. 2D is formed using yvinyl chloride (PVC). By putting this PVC rod into unset gypsum, the gypsum 10 having the mold 12 formed inside is manufactured. Next, the container 14 containing the ceramic 18, the organic dispersant 30, the ball media 28, and water
Is rotated for 2 to 4 hours to produce a suspension 16 having an average particle size of 0.5 μm. At this time, the ceramic 18 is made of one of zirconia, alumina and a mixture thereof, and the organic dispersant 30 has an acidic or basic hydrogen ion concentration (pH) in order to prevent aggregation of the ceramic particles. . That is, the organic dispersant 30 has a pH of 7 or less or 8 or more, and has the lowest zeta potential value. The container 14 contains about 40 WT% of the total weight of the suspension raw material.
60 WT% ceramic 18 is mixed with water and ball media 28 of about 30% to 50% of the volume of container 14 is added to container 14.

Thereafter, the suspension 16 is poured into the mold 12 formed inside the gypsum 10 and settled for about 5 to 20 minutes.
Here, as shown in FIG. 2A, the ceramic particles 18 in the mold 12 adhere to the wall surface of the mold 12 by the capillary pressure, which is a characteristic of gypsum, to form the adhesion molding layer 20. Here, since the water content of the suspension 16 is reduced while the ceramics 18 form the adhesion molding layer 20, a supply tank for automatically supplying the suspension 16 to the mold 12 is used to prevent this. May be provided.

After a certain period of time, when the inner diameter of the adhesion forming layer 20 becomes a certain size (about 2.5 mm), the gypsum 10 is turned upside down for about 5 minutes except for the suspension 16 remaining in the mold 12. Dry in the condition. When the inner diameter of the adhesion molding layer 20 becomes uniform, the gypsum 10 is returned to its original state. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2B, the adhesion molding layer 20 becomes the dry molding layer 22 while maintaining a predetermined gap 32 with the mold 12. By appropriately drying the dried molded layer 22 formed inside the mold 12 and then sintering, the sintered body 2 as shown in FIG.
4 are formed. Both sides 24a, 24b of this sintered body 24
Is cut, processed in the vertical direction, and further subjected to slit processing to complete the sleeve 26 as shown in FIG. 2D.

[0013]

According to the present invention as described above, the process can be simplified because the aggregation of ceramic particles can be prevented without using a binder, and a separate kneader, molding device and degreasing furnace are not required. Manufacturing costs are reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a suspension is poured into a mold inside gypsum.

FIGS. 2A to 2D are schematic views of a process of manufacturing a sleeve.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Gypsum 12: Mold 14: Container 16: Suspension 18: Ceramic 20: Adhesive molded layer 22: Dry molded layer 26: Sleeve 28: Ball media 30: Organic dispersant 32: Gap

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A process for producing gypsum on which a sleeve-shaped mold is formed, a process for pouring a suspension containing a ceramic into the mold, and a process in which ceramic particles adhere to a wall surface of the mold. The process of forming a molding layer, the process of forming a dry molding layer by drying the gypsum after the suspension in the mold is opened, and the drying and sintering of the dry molding layer formed on the mold A method for manufacturing a sleeve for an optical ferrule, comprising a step of forming a sintered body and a step of processing the sintered body to form a sleeve. 2. The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the suspension comprises a mixture of an organic dispersant coated with a ceramic for preventing agglomeration of ceramic particles and ceramic. 3. An organic dispersant having a pH of 7 or less or 8 or less.
The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 2, which is as described above. 4. The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 2, wherein the dispersant having the lowest zeta potential value is used as the organic dispersant. 5. The ceramic is zirconia or alumina,
3. The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 1, comprising a mixture thereof. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the suspension further includes a ball media for dispersing the ceramic. 7. The suspension may comprise from 40 WT% to 60 WT of the total weight.
% Ceramic and 30% to 5% of the volume of the suspension containment vessel
7. The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 6, wherein 0% of the ball media is mixed. 8. The method for producing a sleeve for an optical ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic particles adhere to the wall surface of the mold by the capillary pressure of the gypsum.