JPS63148209A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately and stably position an optical fiber by using columnar members arranged in a recessed groove part for the positioning. CONSTITUTION:The recessed groove part which is sectioned rectangularly is formed in the reverse surface of a 1st member 1 and a recessed groove part which is sectioned rectangularly as well is formed in the top surface of a 2nd member 2; and those recessed groove parts are in the same shape and six columnar members 3a and 3b each are stored in the. The 1st and the 2nd members 1 and 2 are arranged opposite each other on the recessed groove sides and 6-1=5 gaps are formed between those six columnar members 3a and 3b each stored in the respective recessed groove parts. Then, one optical fiber 5 is run through each gap and fixed by soldering 4. Consequently, plural optical fibers are stably and accurately fixed and held, and operation for assembly and fixation is easily and speedily carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical connector used in fields such as optical communications.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a technology in this field, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6
1-138210@The one shown in the publication was rare. This optical connector (optical fiber array) is made by aligning a bundle of optical fibers using a jig, and then using a U-shaped optical fiber alignment fixing component to fix the aligned part of the bundle of optical fibers. This is to align the fibers.

In addition, as another example of the prior art, Utility Model Publication No. 61-2816
There was something shown in Publication No. 9. This optical connector is
It includes a first member having a concave groove and a second member having a convex projection.

A plurality of optical fibers are inserted into the hollow portion formed by engaging the concave groove and the convex protrusion, and these are fixed with an adhesive or the like.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the above conventional technology, the plurality of optical fibers are positioned by grooves etc. formed in the members constituting the optical connector, and these members and the optical fibers are fixed with adhesive, which causes the following problems. was there.

First, it is difficult to form grooves and protrusions with high dimensional accuracy in the members constituting the optical connector, and mass productivity is lacking.

Second, there is a large difference in coefficient of thermal expansion and coefficient of thermal contraction between the members constituting the optical connector and the adhesive, and as a result, mechanical strain is rarely generated in the fixed portion due to temperature changes. This strain has caused a reduction in the life of the optical connector. Thirdly, adhesives made of resin etc.
Bubbles are likely to be generated during solidification, which has had various undesirable effects on the optical fiber. Fourth, adhesives often take a long time to solidify, which often reduces work efficiency. In particular, since the optical connector must be held in a constant state until it hardens, it not only lacks mass productivity, but also requires equipment to hold the optical connector precisely for a long time during solidification. It had become. Fifth, when an adhesive is used for fixing, this component diffuses into the optical fiber, adversely affecting its properties.

On the other hand, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-144613, a technique is known in which an optical component such as a cylindrical lens is fixed to a mounting member using solder. However, this technology is not related to optical connectors for multiple (multi-core) optical fibers, and is
This cannot overcome the problems of the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1-28'169.

Therefore, the present invention provides an optical connector with excellent optical characteristics that can stably and accurately fix and hold multiple optical fibers, and that can perform assembly and fixing operations easily and quickly. The purpose is to

(Means for Solving the Problems) The optical connector according to the present invention includes 2N cylindrical members (N is an integer of 3 or more) having the same outer diameter and a depth substantially equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical members. The cylindrical member includes first and second members each having a concave groove portion whose width is approximately equal to N times the outer diameter of the cylindrical member, and the cylindrical member has a concave groove portion having a width N times the outer diameter of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical members J are arranged in a row, and when the first and second members are opposed to each other, the N-1 cylindrical members with smaller outer diameters are inserted into the N-1 gaps formed by the cylindrical members. It is characterized in that an optical fiber is inserted therethrough and the first and second members, the cylindrical member, and the optical fiber are fixed with solder.

(Function) Since the optical connector according to the present invention is configured as described above, the first and second members work to accommodate and hold the cylindrical member in their respective concave grooves, and the cylindrical member works to hold the cylindrical member in the first member. The optical fiber is passed through and held in the gap formed between the cylindrical members when the second member is made to face each other, and the solder filled between the first and second members is , which serves to secure the cylindrical member and the optical fiber together.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1(A) being a front view and FIG. 1(B) being a side view thereof. Furthermore, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first and second members (array splicer) constituting the optical connector.

As illustrated, a concave groove with a rectangular cross section is formed on the lower surface of the first member 1, and a concave groove with a rectangular cross section is formed on the upper surface of the second member 2. These concave grooves have the same shape, and six cylindrical members 3a and 3b are housed in each of them. Here, the depth of the concave groove is equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical members 3a and 3b,
The width of the concave groove is equal to six times the outer diameter of the cylindrical members 3a, 3b. Therefore, the cylindrical members 3a and 3b are arranged in a line in a dense manner in the concave grooves of the first and second members 1 and 2, respectively.

Note that forming the cylindrical members 3a and 3b with high dimensional accuracy is much easier than forming the concave grooves of the first and second members 1 and 2 with high dimensional accuracy. Therefore, by improving the dimensional accuracy of the cylindrical members 3a and 3b, they can be easily arranged in a line in a dense state.

The first and second members 1 and 2 are arranged to face each other on the concave groove side. At this point, the six cylindrical members 3a, 3 housed in each concave groove are
Between b, 6-1=5 gaps are formed. Therefore, the optical fibers 5 are inserted into this gap one by one, and the solder 4
Fixed by Since the optical fiber 5 is thus fixed using the chemically stable solder 4, impurities will not diffuse into the optical fiber 5. Furthermore, it does not generate bubbles during solidification or mechanical strain due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients.

Next, the manufacturing process of the optical connector according to the above example will be explained in the third step.
This will be explained with reference to the figures.

First, two flat plate-like members 1 and 2 each having a concave groove are prepared (see FIG. 1 (A>Illustrated)).

Then, six cylindrical members 3a are placed in the concave groove portion of the first member 1.
After preheating with an infrared heater or the like, molten solder 4 is poured into the gap. Similarly, six cylindrical members 3b are arranged in the concave groove of the second member 2, and molten solder 4 is placed in the gap.
(Illustrated in the same figure (B)).

Next, the tips of the five optical fibers 5 are placed between each of the six cylindrical members 3b placed in the concave groove of the second member 2 (as shown in FIG. 2C).

Then, the first member 1 and the second member 2 are brought close to each other, and in the five gaps formed by the columnar member 3a on the first member 1 side and the columnar member 3b on the second member 2 side, Above 5
Position the optical fibers 5 one by one (same figure (D))
(Illustrated).

Next, when molten solder 4 is poured between the first and second members 1 and 2 from the end face, the gap is yellowed by the solder 4 (as shown in FIG. 12(E)).

Thereafter, these are cooled, and the optical fibers 5 protruding from the end faces are cut out and mirror-polished to obtain an optical connector as shown in FIG. 1.

In this way, since chemically stable solder is used to fix the members, impurities will not be diffused into the optical fiber, and firm fixation can be achieved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, the number of optical fibers is not limited to five, but may be any number as long as it is two or more. Generally, there are N cylindrical members (N is an integer of 3 or more).
When arranged one by one, N-1 optical fibers can be fixed.

Further, at least one of the surfaces of the first and second members on the concave groove side, the side surface of the cylindrical member, and the side surface of the optical fiber,
Metallization may be performed using a metal such as Au. This method has a special effect of improving the so-called "wetting" of the molten solder.

Generally speaking, the external shapes of the first and second members are not limited to those in the embodiment. For example, the outer shape may be a semi-cylindrical shape or a block shape.

Further, it is preferable to use precision glass for the cylindrical member in order to improve dimensional accuracy, but the material is not limited to this, and for example, fine ceramics or the like may be used.

Generally, forming a cylindrical member with high dimensional accuracy is easier than forming concave grooves on the first and second members with high dimensional accuracy, and is suitable for mass production. Therefore,
Various materials other than those mentioned above can be used for the cylindrical member.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above in detail, in the present invention, the optical fibers are positioned using the cylindrical members arranged in the concave grooves, so that the optical fibers can be positioned accurately and stably.
It also has the effect of being suitable for mass production. In addition, in the present invention, the components are fixed using solder that is chemically stable, has high strength when solidified, and does not have a large coefficient of thermal expansion, etc., so it may not adversely affect the characteristics of the optical fiber. It has the advantage of being excellent in long-term stability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of first and second members constituting the optical connector of FIG. 1, and FIG. This is necessary in the manufacturing process diagram of the optical connector shown in FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... First member, 2... Second member, 3... Optical fiber, 3a, 3b... Cylindrical member, 4... Solder. Patent Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Yoshiki Hase (A) Optical connector of the embodiment Figure 1 First member related to the optical connector of the embodiment Figure 2 (A) Optical connector of the embodiment Manufacturing process diagram 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. 2N cylindrical members (N is an integer of 3 or more) having the same outer diameter, a depth that is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the cylindrical member, and a width that is equal to the outer diameter of the cylindrical member. first and second members each having substantially the same concave grooves as N times, and in which N cylindrical members are arranged in a row in each of the concave grooves; N-1 optical fibers that are inserted into N-1 gaps formed by the cylindrical member when facing each other and have an outer diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical member, the first and second members, and the cylindrical member. and solder for fixing the optical fiber. 2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner surfaces of the concave grooves of the first and second members, the side surfaces of the cylindrical member, and the side surfaces of the optical fiber are metalized with Au.