JPS5968715A - Polishing jig of branching optical fiber and manufacture of optical branching device using the jig - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately and easily perform the butt connection of polished surfaces, by installing two sets of arc-shaped polishing tables having a pair of positioning surfaces, and positioning an optical fiber after polishing by placing both the polishing tables opposite another by using a positioning pin. CONSTITUTION:A polishing jig 3 is composed of a polishing table 4 having an arc-shaped surface and a pair of butt positioning surfaces 5 and 5' are formed on the surface of the table 4. Also positioning pin fitting grooves 6 and 6' are installed to the surfaces 5 and 5' and optical fiber fitting grooves 7 are installed to the central part of the table 4. A polishing surface 1A is formed in such a way that an optical fiber 1 is put in the fitting groove 7 and adjusted to the plane of the positioning surface 5. Another polishing surface 2A is formed in the same way with another polishing table 4. Then a positioning pin 10 is inserted into one pin fitting groove 6 and the two polishing tables 4 are placed so that they face to each other and, thereafter, both the polishing tables 4 are glued and fixed to each other while the polishing surfaces 1A and 2A are positioned utilizing the pin 10. Therefore, butt connection of the two polishing tables 4 can be made easily and accurately.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a branching optical fiber polishing jig used when polishing a branching optical fiber, and a method for manufacturing an optical splitter using the same.

As the optical splitter 11, a curved 1 as shown in FIG.
It has been proposed that the top surfaces of a pair of optical fibers 1 and 2 are polished and the polished I surfaces are butted against each other and connected. In such an optical splitter 11, light incident from port A is branched to port B and port D and output.

Conventionally, such an optical splitter 11 was manufactured by temporarily fixing optical fibers to a polishing jig, polishing them one by one, removing the polished optical fibers from the polishing jig, positioning them under a microscope, and polishing the polished surface. The structure shown in FIG. 1 was created by butting them together and bonding or fusing them together.

However, such a manufacturing method has the drawback that it requires sophisticated technology such as bonding while detecting the amount of light transmitted when bonding the polished surfaces. Further, when the optical fiber is removed from the polishing jig, it becomes difficult to determine the position of the polished surface, and the optical fiber portion becomes weak at the polished portion, which requires careful handling.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the sheathing degree of the butt connection of polished surfaces,
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber polishing jig for branching which can be easily performed and which can solve the problem of a decrease in mechanical strength at the polishing position of the optical fiber, and a method of manufacturing an optical branching device using the same.

The branching optical fiber polishing jig according to the present invention includes a polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface, and a tangential direction of the polishing table on both sides of the polishing table in the longitudinal direction. a pair of abutting positioning surfaces formed on each abutting positioning surface, a positioning pin fitting groove formed in each abutting positioning surface in the tangential direction of the arcuate top of the polishing table, and the abutting positioning surface between the abutting positioning surfaces. This polishing table is characterized by having an optical fiber fitting groove formed in an arcuate direction on the surface of the polishing table.

One of the methods for manufacturing an optical branching device using the branching optical fiber polishing jig according to the present invention includes: a polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface; a pair of abutting positioning surfaces formed in the tangential force -5= direction on the arcuate tops on both sides in the horizontal direction, and a pair of abutting positioning surfaces formed in the tangential direction of the arcuate top of the polishing table on each of the abutment positioning surfaces. Both polishing steps are performed using a pair of branching optical fiber polishing jigs each having a positioning pin fitting groove and an optical fiber fitting groove formed in an arcuate direction on the surface of the polishing table between the abutting positioning surfaces. With the optical fibers fitted into the optical fiber fitting grooves of the jig in an arc shape, the arcuate tops of the respective fibers are polished to form polished surfaces, and the polishing jigs are placed facing each other. The corresponding butted positioning surfaces and the polished surfaces of the fibers of each party are butted, respectively, and the locating pins are respectively fitted between the locating pin fitting grooves facing each other on the butted butted positioning surfaces. The polished surfaces of each of the optical fibers are positioned so that they abut, and the two optical fibers are bonded and fixed at the abutting points of their polished surfaces to obtain an optical splitter. The feature is that the ingredients are removed.

Another method of manufacturing an optical splitter using the branching optical fiber polishing jig according to the present invention is to provide a polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface; a pair of abutting positioning surfaces formed in the tangential direction of the arcuate apex on both sides in the length direction of the polishing table; and a pair of abutting positioning surfaces formed in the six abutment positioning surfaces in the tangential direction of the arcuate apex of the polishing table. Both polishing steps are performed using a pair of branching optical fiber polishing jigs each having a positioning bin fitting groove and an optical fiber fitting groove formed in an arcuate direction on the surface of the polishing table between the abutting positioning surfaces. With the optical fibers fitted into the optical fiber fitting grooves of the jig in an arc shape, the arcuate tops of each of the optical fibers are polished to form polished surfaces, and both polishing jigs are faced. abutting the corresponding abutting positioning surfaces and the polished surfaces of each of the optical fibers;
Positioning bins fitted between the positioning bin fitting grooves facing each other on the abutted positioning surfaces position the polished surfaces of each of the optical fibers in abutting state, and the two-party fibers are aligned. An optical splitter is obtained by gluing and fixing the polishing surfaces at the butt points 2, and then using each of the polishing jigs, leaving the vicinity of the clamping part of the optical splitter as a reinforcing member and cutting off the other parts. This is a characteristic feature.

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

2 to 4 show an example of the branching optical fiber polishing jig 3 according to the present invention.

This polishing jig 3 has a polishing table 4 made of a metal layer having a certain length and an arcuate surface. A pair of abutment positioning surfaces 5.degree. 5' are formed in the tangential direction on the arc tops on both sides of the polishing table 4 in the length direction. These abutting positioning surfaces 5.5' have positioning pin fitting grooves 6, 6 in the tangential direction of the arcuate top of the polishing table 4.
' are formed respectively. Both butt positioning surfaces 5
, 5', an optical fiber fitting groove 7 is formed in the optical surface of the polishing table 4 in an arcuate direction. In this embodiment, the depth of the groove 7 is selected to be smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber to be polished, and to a depth that allows only the portion of the optical fiber to be cut to protrude.

Such a polishing jig 3 uses, for example, an electroforming mold 8 made of stainless steel or the like as shown in Figs. It is formed by applying a 2- to 3-layer thick layer.

Moreover, such a polishing jig 3 can be formed by press working or the like.

Next, a specific example of a method for manufacturing an optical branching device using such a polishing jig 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. #i? ,8A
do. The optical fiber 1 to be polished is fitted into the optical fiber fitting groove 7 of the polishing table 4 in an arc shape as shown in FIG. 7, and the arc-shaped top portion of the optical fiber 1 is polished. Form surface IA. Similarly, the optical fiber 2 is set on another polishing table 4 and its arcuate top is polished to form two polishing surfaces. Next, a high refractive index adhesive is applied to both polishing surfaces IA and 2A, and the positioning pin fitting grooves 6 and 6' of one polishing jig 3 are filled with positioning pins such as a bottle gauge as shown in FIG. 10 are fitted together, as shown in FIG. 9, both polishing jigs 4 are placed facing each other, and the corresponding abutment positioning surfaces 5 and 5.5' = 9- and 5' and each optical fiber 1, 2 are aligned. The polished surfaces IA and 2A of each fiber 1 and 2 are aligned against each other by using the positioning action of the positioning bottle 10, and the polished surfaces IA and 2A are aligned with each other. An optical branching device 11 as shown in FIG. 1 is obtained by adhesively fixing the optical fiber to

After the adhesive on the adhesive part has sufficiently hardened, remove each polishing jig 4.
remove.

Another manufacturing method of the present invention is to further bond the adhesive from the α and α′ directions at the stage shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, a part of the polishing tables 4, 4 in the vicinity of Once the turnout 11' is obtained, one with excellent mechanical reinforcement can be easily manufactured.

As explained above, the optical fiber polishing jig for branching according to the present invention is provided with abutment positioning surfaces on both sides of the polishing table having an arcuate surface in the 10- length direction, and these abutment positioning surfaces have polishing surfaces. Since the positioning pin groove is provided in the tangential direction of the arcuate top of the stand, it is possible to easily and accurately position the polished surfaces against each other after polishing the peripheral surface of the optical fiber. Since the positioning pin # is used as the positioning means, it does not protrude from the positioning surface, and therefore has the advantage that the positioning means does not get in the way during polishing.

Next, the method for manufacturing an optical splitter using the optical fiber polishing jig for branching according to the present invention uses the polishing jig sound described above, so the polishing of the optical fiber and the subsequent butting of the polished surfaces of the optical fibers are performed. Bonding can be performed easily, accurately, and efficiently. Particularly, since the butt positioning of the polished surfaces of the optical fibers is performed with reference to the positioning pin fitted in the pin fitting groove at position 1, it can be easily performed mechanically without using a microscope or the like.

Next, in the second invention of the method for manufacturing an optical splitter using the branching optical fiber polishing jig according to the present invention, a part of the polishing table is used as a reinforcing material, so that 11- Excellent mechanical strength is achieved. A further advantage can be obtained that the optical splitter can be manufactured easily.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical splitter, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical splitter. 6 and 4 are perspective views, side views, and front views of one embodiment of the branching optical fiber polishing jig according to the present invention, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are electrical A cross-sectional view showing an example of a casting mold and a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a polishing process using the polishing jig of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing how the positioning pin fits into the positioning pin fitting groove after polishing is completed, Fig. 9 is a side view showing the process of bonding each fiber with each polishing jig facing each other, and Fig. 10 FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical splitter formed according to the second aspect of the present invention. 1.2... Optical fiber, IA, 2A... Polished surface, 3
Polishing jig, 4... Polishing table, 5, 5'... Butt positioning surface, 6, 6'... Positioning pin fitting groove, 7...
・Optical fiber fitting groove, 9...Positioning pin, 11...
・Optical splitter, Fig. 1 Fig. 2 6' Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface, and a pair of butts formed in the tangential direction on the arcuate top surfaces on both sides of the polishing table in the length direction. a positioning surface;
a positioning bottle fitting groove formed in the tangential direction of the arcuate top surface on each of the abutting positioning surfaces; and an optical fiber fitting groove formed in the arcuate direction on the surface of the polishing table between the abutting positioning surfaces. An optical fiber polishing jig for branching, comprising: (2) A polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface, and a pair of butt positioning units formed on the arcuate top surfaces on both sides of the polishing table in the tangential direction thereof. a positioning pin fitting groove formed in the tangential direction of the arcuate top surface on each of the abutment positioning surfaces, and an optical fiber formed in the arcuate direction on the polishing table surface between the abutment positioning surfaces. An optical fiber polishing jig for branching equipped with a fitting groove is
polishing the arcuate top surfaces of each of the optical fibers to form a polished surface; The two polishing jigs are faced to each other, the corresponding butt positioning surfaces 9 and the polishing surfaces of each optical fiber are butted, and the butted positioning surfaces are inserted into the facing positioning pin fitting grooves. Positioning the polished surfaces of each of the optical fibers in a butting state using the fitted positioning bins, and adhesively fixing the two fibers at the abutting points of the polished surfaces to obtain an optical splitter;
A method for manufacturing an optical splitter using a branching optical fiber polishing jig, characterized in that each polishing jig is then removed from the optical splitter. (3) A polishing table having a predetermined length and an arcuate surface, and a pair of butt positioning units formed in the tangential direction on the arcuate tops on both sides of the polishing table in the length direction. The face and
a positioning pin fitting groove formed in each of the abutting positioning surfaces in a tangential direction to the arcuate top of the polishing table; and an optical fiber fitting formed in an arcuate direction on the surface of the polishing table between both the abutting positioning surfaces. A pair of branching optical fiber polishing jigs 'f' equipped with matching grooves are used, and each of the optical fibers is fitted into the optical fiber fitting grooves of both polishing jigs in an arc shape. Polishing each of the arcuate tops of the fibers to form a polished surface, and placing the polishing jigs facing each other and abutting the corresponding abutting positioning surfaces and the abrasive surfaces of each of the optical fibers, so that these abutted surfaces are abutted. Positioning pins fitted between the positioning pin fitting grooves facing each other on the butt positioning surface position the polished surfaces of each optical fiber in a butt state, and both optical fibers are aligned on the polished surfaces. A branching device characterized in that a light splitter is obtained by bonding and fixing at abutting points, and then each of the polishing jigs is used to leave the vicinity of the clamping part of the light splitter as a reinforcing member and cut off the other parts. A method for manufacturing an optical splitter using an optical fiber polishing jig.