JPS60225805A - Optical fiber member tied by wrapping material - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical fiber member comprising an optical fiber and a covering material surrounding at least a part of the outer circumference of the optical fiber in the axial direction, a method for manufacturing the same, and an apparatus or tool for manufacturing the same.

Optical fibers made of, for example, quartz, multi-component glass, or synthetic resin are known. Since these are generally extremely thin, they tend to be permanently deformed when subjected to a force perpendicular to the fiber axis; for example, those made of quartz or multi-component glass tend to break, and those made of synthetic resin bend or break. Easy to do.

Therefore, in order to avoid permanent deformation (breakage, bending, etc.) of optical fibers during the distribution process or processing and handling,
Alternatively, to avoid hydrolysis and weakening due to moisture adhesion, flexible synthetic resin coatings (primary) are generally used.
coat).

However, when the optical fiber is actually used under conditions where it is frequently subjected to relatively large external forces, the synthetic resin coating described above is not strong enough to reliably prevent permanent deformation of the optical fiber. In addition, such synthetic resin coatings generally have a large clearance between them and the optical fiber, and since a slipping agent such as silicone is present in this clearance, the optical fiber is fixed when a large force is applied in the fiber axis direction. This will result in misalignment with the optical fiber.

Therefore, in order to protect the optical fiber from relatively large external forces or to fix the optical fiber against external forces, it has been conventional to enclose the optical fiber with a ferrule. for example,
An optical connector plug has the shape of an optical connector plug, and has a ferrule in the center with a passage for inserting an optical fiber in which a hole is drilled with high precision, and the optical fiber is inserted into the passage. It is manufactured by fixing with adhesive. The hole for the optical fiber insertion passage is drilled with high precision to match the outer shape of the optical fiber as much as possible, but in order to insert the optical fiber, it is necessary to make the passage larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber. As mentioned above, the use of adhesive is essential for fixing.

For this reason, conventional techniques for fixing optical fibers with ferrules have the drawbacks of not only complicating the process due to the use of adhesives, but also requiring a long time to assimilate the π1 agent and having poor product yields. there were.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber member in which the optical fiber is tightened by contacting a part of the inner circumferential surface of the enveloping material facing the outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an optical fiber component according to the present invention, which allows the optical fiber component of the present invention to be manufactured with extremely simple operations, in an extremely short time, and at a high yield.

Still another object of the present invention is a crimping device or tool for crimping a wrapping material to an optical fiber, which can be suitably used when manufacturing an optical fiber member of the present invention by the manufacturing method of the present invention. Our goal is to provide the following.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description below.

According to the present invention, the above objects and advantages of the present invention provide an optical fiber member comprising at least one optical fiber and a covering material surrounding at least a part of the outer circumference in the axial direction of the optical fiber. , in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber, the enveloping material tightens the optical fiber on both inner surfaces facing the optical fiber in the meridian direction of the optical fiber, and at least one of the inner surfaces of the enveloping material in the equatorial direction This is achieved by an optical fiber member characterized by having at least a minute gap with the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber.

According to the present invention, the optical fiber member of the present invention is a pipe or rod having at least one hollow passage or at least one slit-like passage made of a plastically deformable material; An optical fiber is inserted into the slit-like passage, and at least a portion of opposing circumferential surfaces of a pipe or rod surrounding the optical fiber in the meridian direction of the cross section of the optical fiber and/or in a direction parallel to the meridian. It can be manufactured by a method characterized in that the optical fiber inserted through the hollow passage or the slit-like passage is tightened by applying stress to the optical fiber.

The pipe or rod provided with the optical fiber insertion passage used in the method of the present invention is made of a plastically deformable material. A material that can be plastically deformed deforms when stress is applied to opposing circumferential surfaces of a pipe or rod by the method of the present invention, and when the optical fiber insertion passage of the pipe or rod is released. It is capable of maintaining sufficient deformation to tighten the optical fiber. Preferred examples of such materials include steel, zinc, lead, aluminum, alloys containing these metals, gold IAh such as brass, or suitable synthetic resins.

The pipe has at least one hollow passage through which the optical fiber is inserted, and at least one slit-like passage through which the optical fiber is inserted. The outer shape of the pipe and rod can be any shape, such as a round, elliptical, or square cross-sectional profile.

The optical fiber insertion passage may be a hook having a space through which the optical fiber can be inserted or accommodated, and its cross-sectional shape may be of any shape. For example, the hollow passage may be round, oval,
It can have a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and the slit-like channel can have, for example, a U-shaped cross-sectional shape.

Preferably, the pipe and the rod have a round or oval cross-sectional profile, the hollow passage has a round or oval cross-section, and the slit-like passage has a U-shaped cross-section. There is. The optical fiber passages, ie, the hollow passages and the slit-like passages, preferably have smooth inner surfaces and extend smoothly in the longitudinal direction toward both ends.

The wall thickness of a pipe or rod having a passage for optical fiber insertion varies depending on its material, etc., but when stress is applied to opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod according to the method of the present invention, the passage will undergo plastic deformation. The thickness should be such that it produces Specifically, the vibrator rod body has an average wall thickness of approximately O1 to 2.5 mm (diameter when the area according to the contour of the outer periphery is a circle to the diameter when the area according to the contour of the passage is a circle). (defined as 1). In addition, the knob has a cross section perpendicular to its axial direction, for example, about 0.0 mm.
Having a hollow passageway with an average diameter of 2 to about 4.8 mm, the rod can be pierced with one slit of, for example, about 0.05 to about 3 mg. In addition, pipes and rods are approximately 1 to 1O (1+
It can have a length of m. The above-mentioned average diameter means the diameter when the area obtained by subtracting the area due to the passage contour from the area due to the outer peripheral contour is a circle.

In the method of the present invention, an optical fiber is first inserted into the hollow passage or slit-like passage of the pipe or rod as described above.

According to the method of the invention, these passages can then be deformed to a size that allows the insertion of optical fibers with sufficient margin, thereby preventing the accident of breaking thin optical fibers when inserting the emitting fibers. can be prevented.

Preferably, the average diameter of the hollow passages of the pipes or the maximum diameter of the slits of the slit-like passages of the rod has about i,ooi to 60 times the diameter of the light 7 eyers inserted into those passages.

In the method of the present invention, stress is then applied to the pipe or rod through which the optical fiber is inserted.

Stresses need to be applied in the meridian direction of the cross-section of the optical fiber and/or in the direction parallel to the meridian, on opposing surfaces of at least a portion of the pipe or rod surrounding the optical fiber. The meridian direction of the cross-section of an optical fiber should be understood to be an imaginary line passing through the center of the cross-section of the optical fiber.

Therefore, if a stress is applied to a pipe or rod in the meridian direction of the cross-section of the optical fiber, then the pipe or rod will be subjected to exactly 180° of the pipe or rod in one direction passing through the center of the cross-section of the optical fiber. Two forces of exactly the same magnitude and in completely opposite directions are applied from the shifted circumferential surface, and
When stress is applied to a pipe or rod in a direction parallel to the meridian direction of the cross-section of the optical fiber, stress is applied to the pipe or rod in one direction that does not pass through the center of the cross-section of the optical fiber but is parallel to the center. Exactly the same magnitude and completely opposite force will be applied from the circumferential surface of the pipe or rod that is exactly 180° shifted. In the present invention, it is extremely important to apply stress as described above. In other words, for a pipe or rod, in multiple directions, for example two directions, passing through the center of the cross section of the optical fiber, the circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod are exactly the same size and in completely opposite directions. It is not possible to avoid breaking the optical fiber when applying a force of
This seems to be due to the fact that a large force in the opposite direction perpendicular to the fiber axis acts at different positions in the fiber axis direction.

According to the method of the present invention, when stress is applied as described above to a pipe or rod having an optical fiber inserted through the passage, the passage, that is, the hollow passage or the slit-like passage, deforms inward in the direction in which the stress is applied. This leads to tightening of the optical fiber inserted into the passage. The deformation of the m path must be carried out at least at a point where the opposing inner surfaces of the optical fiber in the meridian direction contact the outer surface of the optical fiber. It can be said that the distance at which the opposing inner surfaces of the passage are in contact with each other is 1. The stress should be approximately 1 to 800 k, for example, per the area of the circumferential surface (knock 2) that ultimately receives the load. The stress is preferably about 10-5ooky/
Rai 1, more feminine 50-300ky/Tomo 2.

Stress is applied to the opposing circumferential surfaces of the vibe notch frame surrounding the optical fiber, in whole or in part in the axial direction. In other words, it is possible to apply stress to the opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or the sacred object in the entire axial direction, thereby deforming the opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or the sacred object throughout the axial direction, and \ Stress is applied to the opposing circumferential surfaces of the vibrator or rod only in a part of the axial direction, for example, only the central part, and stress is applied to the opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod only in a part of the axial direction, for example, only the central part. It can also be modified in

According to the latter method, in which only the axial center of the pipe or rod is deformed, the optical fiber is located approximately at the center of the undeformed end of the pipe or rod (the center of the passage in the axial cross section). be able to. In addition, according to the latter method, which applies stress only to a part of the pipe or rod in the axial direction, stress can be applied intermittently to the pipe or rod. Alternatively, an undeformed portion can be provided to alleviate the axial strain occurring in the rod. If the pipe or rod is relatively long, it is desirable to apply stress intermittently as described above.

! Additionally, the stress applied to at least some of the opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod can be applied simultaneously or over time along the axial direction of the pipe or rod.

In other words, the stress is applied to the stress-receiving portion of the pipe or rod and the suppressing surface of the device that applies the stress simultaneously over the entire axial direction of the pipe or rod or along the axial direction of the pipe or rod. can be applied to opposite circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod by contacting them gradually, for example starting from the center of the pipe or rod and progressing towards the ends.

The stress applied to at least some opposing circumferential surfaces of a pipe or at least some opposing circumferential surfaces of a rod is applied to the center of the circumferential surface along the axial direction of the pipe or rod. It is preferable to control the applied stress so that it is applied earlier than the stress applied to both ends of the circumferential surface. By controlling in this way, it is possible to release the axial strain that occurs in the pipe or rod from the center toward the end when it is deformed, and the method of the present invention can be advantageously carried out by preventing breakage of the optical fiber. can do. In addition, in the method of the present invention, after or before tightening the optical fiber by applying stress, the optical fiber slightly protruding from one end of the enveloping material is heated and melted, and the optical fiber material is attached to the end. A convex curve consisting of {circle around (2)] For example, a curved surface such as a convex lens shape, a six-ellipse shape, a convex spherical shape, etc. can be formed. This convex curved surface is similar to the various convex curved surfaces created by the liquid at the tip of the capillary. Forming a convex curved surface provides the advantage that light can be effectively received and received through the end of the optical fiber without polishing the end of the optical fiber.

According to the present invention, the method of the present invention includes a covering material, that is, a pipe or a rod having an optical fiber insertion passage that covers at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber along the fiber axis of the optical fiber. At least one piece movable in the meridian direction of the optical fiber or in a direction parallel thereto, capable of applying stress to opposing circumferential surfaces of at least a part of the enveloping material. This can be easily carried out by using a suppressing member having two pressing surfaces including one pressing surface.

The suppression members extend south of the 92 suppression surfaces as described above.

At least one of the two pressing surfaces is movable so as to approach each other.

The two pressing surfaces are movable relatively to each other on a common imaginary axis, and furthermore, when pressing the opposing circumferential surfaces of the pipe or rod, the opposing circumferential surfaces They have a surface shape that produces stresses of exactly the same magnitude but in opposite directions. For example, in two pressing surfaces or flat surfaces that are both substantially perpendicular to the virtual axis as described above, there is a thin rod along the axial direction of the pipe or rod. The pressing surface having 2 1 (/d) can be adopted as the pressing surface of the above-mentioned suppression member.According to the research of the present inventor, a particularly preferable suppression surface is one that has the same shape as the enveloping material in the fiber axial direction of the optical fiber. It has been found that the structure is such that stress can be applied to the enveloping material before the central part of the surface that finally comes into contact with the end part.

Such a suppressing surface is curved gently so that, for example, the center part of the surface that will ultimately come into contact with the enveloping material is bulged out in the direction of contact with the enveloping material than the end parts. There is.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a covering material having an optical fiber insertion passage that covers at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber along the fiber axis of the optical fiber is provided in the meridian direction of the optical fiber or in the meridian direction. A compression having at least one pressing surface capable of applying 8!1 peaks in any of the parallel directions, which is capable of applying stress to at least a portion of opposing circumferential surfaces of the enveloping material. At the same time, both surfaces of the suppressing member that come into contact with the enveloping material are arranged so that the center part of the surface that will finally come into contact with the enveloping material in the fiber axis direction of the optical fiber is located earlier than the end thereof. There is provided a crimping device for an optical fiber enveloping member, characterized in that it is configured to be able to apply stress to the enveloping member.

Thus, according to the present invention, as described above, there is provided an optical fiber member comprising at least one optical fiber and a covering material surrounding at least a part of the outer circumference in the axial direction of the optical fiber. In a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis, the encasing material tightens the optical fiber in the cylinder facing the optical fiber 9 in the meridian direction of the optical fiber, and at the same time, in the equatorial direction, a small portion of the inner surface of the encasing material It will be understood that the optical fiber member of the present invention is provided, which is characterized in that the optical fiber member has at least a minute gap with the outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber.

In addition to the above, the optical fiber member of the present invention is characterized by a cross-sectional structure perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber. That is, in the optical fiber member of the present invention, in the above-mentioned cross section, the cylindrical inner surface of the enveloping material facing the optical fiber in the meridian direction of the optical fiber is in close contact with the optical fiber and tightened, and At least one of the inner surfaces of the enveloping material has at least a minute gap with the outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber in a direction perpendicular to the meridian direction and passing through the center of the optical fiber. In other words, the cross section of the optical fiber member of the present invention has both surfaces that are in close contact with the optical fiber in a direction passing through the center of the optical fiber and a surface that is not in contact with the optical fiber in a direction that intersects this direction. An encapsulant is present with the optical fiber.

The gap that exists in the equator direction depends on the material and type of the enveloping material,
Depending on the shape of the passage in the enveloping material or the degree of deformation of the passage,
They differ in their number, size and shape.

For example, the optical fiber member of the present invention can have two gaps at opposite positions in the equatorial direction, and the shape can be substantially close (1'1.). , the gap on one side is about 0.001 to about 150 times the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber, preferably about 0.0
It can have a cross-sectional area of 0.01 to about 75 times, more preferably about 0.1 to about 10 times.

The optical fiber member of the present invention has a covering material having various external shapes that reflect the structure of the pressing surface of the crimping device or tool used to manufacture the optical fiber member, depending on the structure of the pressing surface. For example, the inner surface tightening the optical fiber and the opposing outer surfaces are both substantially flat along the optical fiber axis, at least in part of the optical fiber axis;
Alternatively, both surfaces may be composed of two substantially flat surfaces extending in the axial direction and a convex surface extending in the optical fiber axial direction located between the two flat surfaces.

The encapsulant may also tighten the optical fiber along the optical fiber axis over the entire length of the encapsulant, or may tighten the optical fiber in the center of the encapsulant along the axis of the optical fiber, and The optical fiber may be released from tension at both ends of the wrapping material. - The enveloping material has a diameter of about 1=10 in the optical fiber axis direction, for example.
For example, the optical fiber may have a length of 0 m and the optical fiber may be tightened for a length of at least about 1 to about 50 meters in the optical fiber axis direction.

Further, in the optical fiber member of the present invention, the distance between the opposite end edges in the equatorial direction can be, for example, about 025 to about 5 mm in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis.

In the present invention, the optical fiber is made of, for example, quartz, multi-component glass, synthetic polymer, etc., and can be used without being limited to the material. Optical fibers made of multi-component glass are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 51-29524,
It is disclosed in JP-A-53-3352, JP-A-53-3354, JP-A-53-60240, etc. Optical fibers made of synthetic polymers are disclosed in JP-A-55-103504, etc. has been disclosed.

In the present invention, an optical fiber that is composed of a core and a cladding and whose cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis is substantially circular is preferably used, and the outer diameter of the cross section is, for example, about 50 to 1.0001 μm, Preferably about 10
It can be 0-600μ.

The optical fiber member of the present invention is an optical fiber having a covering material at least on one end, and the optical fiber has a convex curved surface at at least one end having the covering material. I can do it. Such a convex curved surface is effective for efficiently irradiating and receiving light due to the convex lens effect.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which specific embodiments are illustrated.

1 and 2 respectively illustrate examples of a pipe and a rod having passages for passing optical fibers used in the method of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a pipe 1 with a round cross-sectional outer shape and a hollow passage 2 with a round cross-section, and FIG. 2 shows a slit-like passage 2 with a U-shaped cross section.
A rod 1' having a round cross-sectional outline and having one rod 1' is shown. Other examples of pipes and rods used in the method of the present invention will be easily understood from these examples in conjunction with the above description.

FIG. 3α shows a state in which the optical fiber 3 is inserted into the hollow passage 2 of the pipe l shown in the first frame 11. The hollow passage 2 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber 3 and the hollow passage 2
It can be seen that there is a sky 1 river at 1111 with the inner surface of . Figure $,3b shows aχ3a, pipe 1 in the state shown in the figure.
The manner in which stress is applied to is illustrated as a schematic explanatory diagram. It's i? J'y 3 CN5d and 3C both show an axial cross section of an optical fiber member starting from A. will be explained in detail.

A pipe in which an optical fiber 3 is pushed through a hollow passage 2] (Fig. 3a) Fi, r+-r-'i (force F in the opposite direction in the meridian direction of the optical fiber 3)
, F' (f, Q a b diagram). pipe 1
A stress F sufficient to plastically deform 7. When + / is applied, the pipe l begins to deform, and the inner surface 21 of the passage 2 and the outer circumferential surface 3 of the optical fiber 3
1 come into contact with the optical fiber 3 in the meridian direction, and if stress is continued to be applied, the deformation progresses further as shown in FIGS. 3d and 3e, and the passage 2
The gap formed in the equator direction between the inner surface 21 of the optical fiber 3 and the outer circumferential surface 31 of the optical fiber 3 is even smaller than that shown in FIG. 3C. The conditions illustrated in FIGS. 3C, 3d, and 3e are the conditions in which stresses J', P'/ are applied by two substantially flat suppression surfaces (not shown), and the deformed The outer meridional surface of the pipe 1 is substantially flat.

FIG. 4a shows that for the pipe 1 in the state shown in FIG.
A simulated explanatory diagram shows a state in which substantially flat planes P, . In this case, the stress p (the same applies to p') is applied to the contact area 1 between the suppressing surface and the pipe 1, respectively. ．． 1. It will be understood that in the direction parallel to the meridian direction of the optical fiber, the stress fl , It is first applied to the pipe 1 f (Q).

Two suppression planes P, from the situation shown in FIG. 4a.

As PI' moves closer, the pipe 1 begins to deform, and the inner surface 21 of the passage 2 and the outer surface 31 of the optical fiber 3 are aligned in the meridian direction of the optical fiber 3, as shown in 3C and 1. Finally, as shown in Figure 4b, a small gap is left in the equator direction and the suppressed surfaces Pr (P f) and P2 (P4)
A plane 11 extending in the axial direction and a convex portion 12 reflecting the surface structure of
An optical fiber member is provided having an outer surface in a meridional direction having an outer surface having

Although the grooves on the pressing surface in FIG. 4a have a semicircular cross section in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the grooves may have other shapes such as a shallow semicircle, a U-shape, or a polygonal shape such as a triangle. . The axially perpendicular groove 1] (width of the open portion) is preferably larger than the diameter of the optical fiber.

FIG. 5a schematically shows a state in which the pressing surfaces P1 and Pζ, which are gently convex in the axial direction of the pipe 1, are in contact with the pipe 1 at the axial center of the pipe 1. . When the suppressing surfaces p, , p/ approach further from the state shown in Fig. 5α, the pipe l and the passage 2 begin to deform from the center in the axial direction due to the suppressing surfaces p, , p/, and the deformation gradually progresses toward the ends. do.

According to the embodiments of FIGS. 5α and 5b, the pressure applied to the center of the circumferential surface of the pipe or rod along the axial direction of the pipe or rod also reduces the stress applied to both ends of the circumferential surface. It is understood that he will join soon. Such stress can also be applied by using a pipe or frame as shown in FIG. 6, in which the outer diameter of the central portion is larger than the outer diameter of both ends.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a wrapping member crimping device or tool that can be used in the present invention.

p: In Figure 7, 72.72' is a pair of nondles, and the lever 73.7 is connected by a pin 81.81', respectively.
3' are mutually pivotally connected. pin 81.8
Leno<-73, 73' connected by 1' and the handle '12.12' form a pair of arms.

The nondles 72.72' are pivotably connected to each other by a pin 80, and the i-lever 73.73' is connected to the lever support 74 by a pin 82.82'. The levers 73 and 73' are pivotable about pins 82 and 82', respectively. The levers 73, 73', without lever support 74, are each provided with a coupling part 84, 84', as shown in FIG. It can also be connected to

Thus, it will be understood that the arm 71, which consists of the lever 73 and the handle 72, and the arm 71', which consists of the lever 73' and the handle 72', form a pair of arms that are pivotally connected to each other. .

One end of the lever 73.73', that is, the arm 71°71'
A suppressing member 75 is pivotally connected to one end of each by a pin 83, 83'.

The suppressing member 75 has a base 90.90', a base 90°90/
It consists of a pressing actuating part 91,91' and a guide member 93, which are respectively fixed to and have pressing surfaces 92, 92'. The guide member 93 has an opening 94 through which a pipe or rod having an optical fiber inserted therein is fed between the pressing surfaces 2°92'.

The guide element 93 is, for example, a cylinder, and the suppression actuator 91,91' is, for example, a piston, which can slide in the channel of the cylinder in the direction of its longitudinal axis. cylinder 93
U, in a thread that can slide with either piston 91 or 91', it is possible to define relative movement only on the common axis of pistons 91 and 91'; It is also possible to provide such movement of the piston in a fixed relationship with one of the pistons and a sliding relationship with the other.

An enlarged perspective view of the aperture of FIG. 7 is shown at bottom 9. According to FIG. 9, pressing surfaces 92, 92. ' respectively have grooves 95 and 95', and it is understood that it is extremely easy to position a pipe or rod with an optical fiber inserted between the pressing surfaces 92, 92' in the through opening (94). Good morning.

Crimping tool or device 0 of FIG. 7, pressing surface 92 in opening 94
, 92', the handles 72, 72' are operated by moving the handles 72, 72' closer to each other, for example by digging by hand. The mutual approach of the handles 72.72' causes a pivot about the pin 80, and the pivot is transmitted to the lever 73.73' through the pin 81.81', and the lever 73.73'
rotate around the bins 82, 82', respectively, and transmit the rotation to the suppressing member 75 through the pins 83, 83' to bring the pressing surfaces 92, 92' closer to each other. Thus, the pipe or rod through which the optical fiber is inserted, which is located between the suppression surfaces 92, 92', is exposed to the suppression surface either in the meridian direction or in a direction parallel thereto in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber. The fiber optic material of the present invention is well suppressed.

Repression surface 92.9 with grooves 95.95' shown in FIG.
According to the crimping device or tool of the present invention having 2', the 4th b.
It will be appreciated that an optical fiber member of the present invention having the cross-sectional shape shown in the figures is obtained.

The optical fiber member of the present invention has an extremely simple structure and securely fixes the optical fiber by tightening it with a covering material. The optical fiber member of the present invention reliably protects the easily-breakable optical fiber from stress applied in the fiber axis direction and the direction perpendicular to the fiber axis, thereby greatly expanding the application of the optical fiber to various application fields.

For example, FIG. 10 shows an example in which an optical fiber member of the present invention is incorporated into an optical connector plug.

Optical connector plug 50 includes a molded ferrule 51 and holder 52 that define the plug. The ferrule 51 has a stepped cylindrical shape, and a hole 54 is provided inside the ferrule 51 through which the wide-diameter fiber 3 that fits into the holder 52 can be inserted. The optical fiber member of the present invention, consisting of the optical fiber 3 and the enveloping material 1, is fitted into the small diameter hole 51b at the portion A where the optical fiber is tightened by the enveloping material.

The part of the optical fiber 3 that slightly protrudes from one end of the enveloping material l is connected to the hole 5 of the tip 53 of the ferrule 51.
4 is inserted.

The holder 52 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and has an optical fiber cable 33 (an optical fiber 3 connected to a flexible coating 3
A wide diameter hole 52α through which the end portion 10α of the covering material is inserted and a narrow diameter hole 52b into which the end portion 10α of the covering material is fitted and fixed are provided.

The small-diameter hole 52b has a P-shaped hole, and the end 10α of the wrapping material is fixed with a step 52c.

To assemble the optical connector plug 50 shown in FIG. 52a is fitted to the cable 33, and a covering material, that is, a pipe or (n body) provided with a passage for passing the optical fiber is inserted into the optical fiber 3 from the distal end side and wrapped in the step 52C of the small diameter hole 52b of the holder 52. The covering materials are brought into contact with each other, and then the length A of the covering material L is crimped by the method of the present invention to tighten the covering material and the optical fiber together, and then a collar 55 and a washer 56 are attached to the holder 52.
, attach the cushion 57, and attach the ferrule 51 so that its wide diameter hole 5iiz is connected to the holder 52 and its narrow diameter hole 51 is connected to the holder 52.
This is done by inserting b into the enveloping material 1 until it fits snugly, and finally polishing the tip of the optical fiber that slightly protrudes from the nozzle 54 to make the tip of the optical fiber a mirror surface. be able to.

In another embodiment of the optical connector plug using the optical fiber member of the present invention, the tip end of the optical connector plug 50 can be made, for example, like the eleventh one.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, in the optical fiber member of the present invention, the tip end of the optical fiber 3 is processed into a spherical shape 3α. The tip of the optical fiber 3 can be easily processed into a spherical shape by melting the tip of the optical fiber. Such processing is extremely easy when the optical fiber is made of multi-component glass. The optical fiber member of the present invention having a spherical tip has a great effect of converging light emitted from the tip due to the lens action of the convex surface, and is advantageous for minimizing optical signal loss.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 shows the -fIJ of Kubu used in the present invention.
This is a perspective view. FIG. 2 shows the φ゛FF diagram of an example of the rod used in the present invention. FIG. 3α is a schematic diagram of the fishing part 1r4 showing a state in which an optical fiber is inserted into the intermediate passage of the nob of FIG. 1. FIG. 3b is a schematic diagram 1 for explaining how a cutting saw is added to the cutting board in the state shown in FIG. 3α. 3C, 3d, and 3e all show schematic cross-sections 4 of an example of the optical fiber member of the present invention. Figure 4α is the state shown in Figure 3α.
This is a schematic explanatory diagram of a different aspect from that shown in the figure. FIG. 4b is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical fiber member of the present invention obtained by the method shown in FIG. 4α. FIG. 5α is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the suppressing surface, which is gently convex in the axial direction of the pipe, is in contact with the pipe. FIG. 56 is a schematic explanatory diagram for explaining a state in which the suppressing surfaces further approach each other from the state shown in FIG. 5α, deforming the pipe and its passage. FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of an example of a rod used in the present invention. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of the crimping device or tool of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing another way of connecting the arms of the crimping device or tool of the present invention. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the opening of the device or tool of FIG. 7; FIG. FIG. 10 is a sectional view of an example of an optical connector plug assembled using the optical fiber member of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the tip of an optical connector plug using the optical fiber member of the present invention in which the tip of the optical fiber is processed into a spherical shape. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Pipe, 1'... Rod body, 2... Hollow passage, 2'... Slit-shaped passage, 3...
...Optical fiber, 21...Inner surface of passage, 31...
Outer peripheral surface of optical fiber Patent applicant Optsen Co., Ltd. 2 people Figure 3e Figure 4o Figure 50 Figure 5b Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber member consisting of at least one optical fiber and a covering material surrounding at least a part of the outer periphery in the axial direction of the optical fiber, perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber. In the cross section, the enveloping material tightens the optical fiber on both inner surfaces facing the optical fiber in the meridian direction, and at least one of the inner surfaces of the enveloping material in the equatorial direction is at least close to the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber. An optical fiber member characterized in that both have a minute gap. 2. Claim 1, wherein in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber, the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber and the inner surface of the enveloping material form at least two minute gaps at positions facing each other in the equator direction. The optical fiber component described. 3. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the two gaps have substantially similar shapes in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber. 4. In the cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber, the above-mentioned one gap is approximately 0.00 of the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber.
The optical fiber member of claim 1 having a cross-sectional area of 1 to about 150 times. 5. Claim 1, wherein the encasing material has two substantially flat outer peripheral surfaces facing each other along the optical fiber axis direction in at least a portion of the optical fiber axis direction. The optical fiber component described. 6. The above-mentioned encasing material has two outer peripheral surfaces facing each other along the optical fiber axial direction in at least a portion of the optical fiber axial direction, and each outer peripheral surface extends in the optical fiber axial direction. 2. An optical fiber member according to claim 1, comprising two substantially flat planes and a convex surface located therebetween extending in the axial direction of the optical fiber. 7. The encasing material tightens the optical fiber at the center of the encasing material along the optical fiber axis, and releases the optical fiber from the tension at both ends of the encasing material. Optical fiber component described in Section 1. 8. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the encasing material has a length of about 1 to about 100 meters in the optical fiber axis direction. 9. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the encasing material tightens the optical fiber over a length of at least about 1 to about 50 mm in the axial direction of the optical fiber. 10. The optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the opposite end edges in the equatorial direction in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis of the optical fiber is about 0.25 to about 5 m+i. Element. 11. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the material of the enveloping material is a plastically deformable metal. 12. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber has a substantially circular cross section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis. 13. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber has an outer diameter of about 50 to about i, o o o μ in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis. 14. The optical fiber member according to claim 1, wherein the material of the optical fiber is quartz or multi-component glass. 15. The optical fiber has the above-mentioned enveloping material on at least one end thereof, and the optical fiber has a convex curved surface at at least one end having the above-mentioned enveloping material.
'f An optical fiber member according to claim 1. 16. The optical fiber is a single optical fiber consisting of a core and a cladding II.
(An optical fiber member according to item 1. 17. A pipe or rod having at least one hollow passage or at least one slit-shaped passage made of a plastically deformable material. Insert an optical fiber into the passage, and the meridian of the cross section of the optical fiber is 7↑1J (
The optical fiber inserted into the hollow passageway or the slit-like passageway is controlled by applying stress to opposing peripheral surfaces of at least some of the pipes or rods surrounding the optical fiber in the direction and/or in the direction parallel to the meridian. 5.'' (manufacturing method) of an optical fiber member characterized by tightening. 18.
J The stress applied to at least part of the opposing circumferential surfaces of the compact body is determined by the stress applied to the center of the circumferential surface along the axial direction of the pipe or rod, and the stress applied to the center of the circumferential surface at both ends of the circumferential surface. 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the pipe or rod has a substantially circular hollow passage and a substantially circular cross section perpendicular to its axial direction. 18. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that it has a substantially U-shaped slit-like passageway. Hollow passages with an average diameter of approximately 0.
Claim 1 having an average wall thickness of 1 to 2.5 m
The method described in Section 7. 21. The rod has a cross section perpendicular to its axial direction,
A slit-like passage in the slit of about 0.05 to 3 dew and about 0
18. The method according to claim 17, having an average wall thickness of 1 to 2.5 ml. 22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the passage of the pipe or rod extends smoothly in its longitudinal direction. 23. The method of claim 17, wherein the pipe or rod has a length of about 1 to 100 mm. 24. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the pipe or rod is a plastically deformable metal. 25. The average diameter of the hollow passage of the pipe or the maximum 1j of the slit of the slit-like passage of the rod is approximately 1.001 to 6 of the diameter of the optical fiber inserted through those passages.
18. The method of claim 17, which is 0x. 26. Insert an optical fiber into the passage of the pipe or rod, and apply a stress of about 1 to 800 Yu/2 to the circumferential surface that will ultimately receive the load on the opposing surfaces of the pipe or rod. 18. The method of claim 17. 27. The method according to claim 17, wherein stress is applied to opposing surfaces of the pipe or rod by suppressing surfaces having a surface shape different from that of the circumferential surface. 28 Either before or after tightening, the optical fiber is heated and melted at one end of the pipe or rod to form a convex curved surface.
The method described in section. 29. A covering material having an optical fiber insertion passage that covers at least a part of the outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber along the fiber axis of the optical fiber is placed in either the meridian direction of the optical fiber or a direction parallel thereto. a restraining member having at least one restraining surface movable in a direction capable of applying stress to opposing circumferential surfaces of at least some of the covering material in the direction; Both surfaces that contact the material are configured such that the center part of the surface that will finally contact the enveloping material in the fiber axis direction of the optical fiber can apply stress to the enveloping material earlier than the end thereof. A crimping device or tool for an optical fiber enveloping material, characterized in that: 30. The device or tool according to claim 29, wherein the pressing surface presses a substantially flat surface. 31. The device or tool according to claim 29, wherein the suppression surface comprises two substantially flat planes and a groove sandwiched between the planes. 3z A patent claim in which the pressing surface is configured such that stress can be applied to the encasing material earlier than the end portions of the central part where the pressing surface finally comes into contact with the encasing material in the fiber axis direction of the optical fiber. The device or tool according to item 29. 33. A pair of arms that are rotatably connected to each other, a suppressing member that is rotatably connected to one end of each of the arms, and a pair of arms that are rotatably connected to each other, and a pair of arms that are rotatably connected to each other, and a pressing member that is rotatably connected to one end of each arm, and a pair of arms that are rotatably connected to each other. A guide member and a cage are provided for guiding the suppressing member so that the suppressing member can move freely, and a suppressing surface is formed at the other end of the suppressing member, whereby the suppressing member of the suppressing member can be moved by pivoting one arm relative to the other. 1. A crimping device or tool for an optical fiber enveloping material, characterized in that surfaces are movable in a direction in which surfaces approach each other and in a direction in which they move apart.