KR20010101161A - Method of manufacturing ferrule - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of manufacturing a ferrule in which one or a plurality of wires 9 such as metal and plastic are used as models, and the wires 9 are removed after electroforming, the wires 9 are held in a straight longitudinal direction. A method for producing a ferrule is employed, which is characterized by electroforming while rotating in one state.

On the basis of this method, the thickness of the electroformed product is uneven and the bending is eliminated, whereby the eccentricity of the hole of the electroformed product is almost eliminated, so that the cross-section of the rod-shaped semifinished product after the electroforming can be obtained a full circle. The nonuniformity can be reduced, and the agitation can be facilitated by employing a method of rotating and flowing the liquid to agitate the electroforming solution, and also prevent the deterioration of the electroforming working environment.

Description

Method of manufacturing ferrules {METHOD OF MANUFACTURING FERRULE}

Conventional ferrules have a shape as shown in Figs. 1 (a) and 1 (b), for example, and a material using zirconia ceramics occupies the mainstream.

Fig. 1 (a) is a single core ferrule 1, which is, for example, a cylindrical shape having a thickness of about 2 mm diameter and a length of about 8 mm, and having a center of about 0.125 mm diameter at the center. The state in which the perfect circular hole 2 was opened is shown, and FIG.1 (b) shows the same dimension as an actual product as a two-core type.

On the other hand, the inventor of the present invention in 1998 No. 375372 filed by the Japanese Patent Office, used one or a plurality of wires of metal or plastic as a mother die (electrode), and electro-casting, and removed the wires As a post-machining method, a metal ferrule made of metal such as nickel has been proposed.

In the patent, for example, electroforming is performed by a schematic apparatus as shown in FIG. 2. In detail, in FIG. 2, the electroforming solution 3, the positive electrode 4, and the holding jig are illustrated. (5: holding jig), air stirring nozzle (6), spring (7), negative electrode (8), and line (9).

A positive electrode (4) in which a nickel sphere was put in a cylindrical titanium basket in an electroforming solution (3) mainly composed of warm sulfonate or the like, and arranged at four corners around the holding fixture (5). In this case, a small amount of air from the air stirring nozzle 6 is set around the holding jig 5 with the negative electrode 8 fixed in a state where the wire 9, such as a stainless steel wire, is pulled with the spring 7. Although a method of electroforming by flowing a DC current while flushing and stirring has been proposed, there have been the following problems.

Nonuniformity in electrical conduction at the contacts of the positive electrodes 4 disposed at the four corners, cavities due to partial blockage of the nickel spheres of the positive electrodes 4, and the like are often caused by the bias of the thickness in the electroforming parts. The cause was eccentricity (or decentering) of the hole.

In addition, since the cross-section of the rod-shaped electroformed product produced by the occurrence of the bias of the thickness of the electroformed portion does not become a perfect circle, it has hindered the machining of subsequent processing.

In addition, due to the occurrence of the bias in the thickness of the electrocast portion, bending often occurs in the electroformed product caused by the internal stress, which causes the eccentricity of the hole during subsequent machining. Processing may become impossible.

In general, since the hole eccentricity of the ferrule is required to have a very precise precision of about ± 0.5 μm, the occurrence of the hole eccentricity in the electroforming process may cause remarkable troublesome centering and processing in subsequent processing. , Or the eccentricity of the hole is too large to extract and process, and it is impossible to obtain a completely circular cross section. There was a problem.

In addition, since air agitation is mainly performed, the humidity in the workplace tends to be remarkably high and acidic, so that the equipments used are easily broken, and there is a problem of deterioration of the working environment for the workers.

Moreover, in general, one rectifier is used to produce current by passing a current to the holding fixtures 5 of about 10 to 30 units. However, it is inevitable that there is a large difference in electrical conduction due to corrosion of the contacts, etc. for each holding fixture. As a result, the unevenness of the thickness may be largely generated in the produced electric casting product, and the electric casting product of the thinnest holding jig must be up to a predetermined thickness, which leads to waste of the electric casting time and the electric casting metal, and the subsequent processing. Machining may take time or cause trouble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention uses one or a plurality of metal wires as a model, and after electroforming, removes the wires, and then processes the ferrules to be machined. It is possible to easily clear the accuracy of the very eccentric eccentricity of ± 0.5 μm by casting, and to obtain a perfect circular cross-section of the rod-shaped semifinished product after electroforming, and to perform air agitation which is not particularly problematic. The purpose of the present invention is to significantly increase the quality and productivity by reducing the thickness nonuniformity and to significantly reduce the machining time, which is a subsequent process, and to significantly lower the manufacturing cost of ferrules by electroforming.

[Initiation of invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts a method of electroforming while rotating the wire while maintaining the linear longitudinal direction, thereby preventing the unevenness of the thickness of the electroformed product and the unevenness of the roundness of the cross section. Furthermore, by moving the wire and the electroforming solution as necessary, air agitation or the like is omitted, or a cumulative ammeter is used as necessary to correct the thickness unevenness between the products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a component, which is called a ferrule, while holding an optical fiber at its center in a connector for an optical fiber and a component of a device.

1 is a cross-sectional view and a side view of a ferrule according to a conventional method;

2 is a configuration diagram of an outline of an electroforming apparatus according to a conventional method;

3 is a schematic side view showing one embodiment of an electroforming apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a side view showing the outline of the configuration of the retaining jig neighborhood of the rotary electroforming apparatus according to the present invention;

5 is a plan view schematically showing another embodiment of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a side view showing a schematic configuration in the vicinity of a retaining jig of a rotary electroforming apparatus of another embodiment according to the present invention;

7 is a plan view and a side cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the electroforming tank according to the present invention;

8 is a plan view and a side cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of electroforming while rotating the electroforming tank in the electroforming tank according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

In order to demonstrate this invention in detail, the specific structure is shown based on the accompanying drawing which shows an Example.

According to the method of the present invention, in the method of manufacturing a ferrule in which a wire 9 such as a metal wire or the like is used as a model and subjected to electroforming, the wire is removed and then machined. By adopting the method of electroforming while rotating, the thickness of the electroformed products is no longer biased and bent, so that the eccentricity of the holes of the electroformed products is almost eliminated. It is possible to reduce the nonuniformity of the thickness, and also to adopt the method of rotating the liquid by flowing the agitation of the electroforming liquid, and the like, so that the stirring can be facilitated and the pollution of the electroforming working environment can be prevented. .

Example 1

3 is one embodiment of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention and shows a schematic configuration.

Electroforming solution (3), positive electrode (4), retaining fixture (5), negative electrode (8), electroforming tank (10), drive motor (11) for chain gear, belt (12), retaining fixture It consists of a drive motor 13, a chain gear 14, and a chain 15. The electroforming liquid 3 is put into the electroforming tank 10, warmed, filtered and stirred, and the positive electrode 4 ) And a direct current flowing through the negative electrode 8 to transmit the rotation of the drive motor 11 for the chain gear to the chain gear 14 by the belt 12 to rotate the retaining fixture circumferentially by the chain 15. The retaining jig 5 can be rotated by the drive motor 13 and the belt 12 for exclusive use of the retaining jig.

The electroforming solution 3 is different for each material of the intended electroforming metal, but for example, nickel or its alloys, iron or its alloys, copper or its alloys, cobalt or its alloys, tungsten alloys, fine particle dispersion metals, etc. Electroforming metals can be employed, nickel sulfamate, nickel chloride, nickel sulfamate, ferrous sulfamate, ferrous fluoroborate, Copper pyrophosphate, copper sulfate, copper fluoroborate, copper fluorosilicate, copper fluorotitanum, copper alkanosulfonate, cobalt sulfate ( Powder fine powder such as silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, boron carbide, zirconium oxide, silicon nitride, alumina, diamond, etc., into an aqueous solution mainly containing an aqueous solution such as cobalt sulfate and sodium tungsten carbide. The liquid which is used.

Among these, a bath containing nickel sulfamate as a main component is suitable in view of ease of electroforming, variety of physical properties such as hardness, chemical stability, ease of welding, and the like.

Then, the electroforming solution is filtered at high speed with a filter of about 0.1 to 5 μm of filtration accuracy, and heated to control the temperature in a suitable temperature range of about ± 3 ° C., and sometimes activated carbon treatment to remove organic impurities. In addition, it is preferable to remove nickel and other metal impurities by conducting nickel-plated iron bone iron with a positive current and carbon with a low current density of about 0.2 A / dm ² .

The positive electrode 4 is different depending on the target electroforming metal, and is selected from nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, and the like, and uses a plate or sphere.

When using a spherical thing, it puts into the basket made of titanium, and may cover with polyester surface, and may use it.

And although the positive electrode 4 is arrange | positioned along the outer wall of the electroforming tank 10, in the position of an electrode, it is not limited to this position, For example, one place etc. in the center of an electroforming tank, etc. Or you may provide in multiple places.

The stirring may be any kind of agitation such as air, propeller, ultrasonic wave or ultra-vibration, but it is also possible to speed up the revolution and rotation of the holding tool and to omit the stirring by adding the anti-pitcher.

4 shows a detail of the vicinity of the retaining jig 5 according to the present invention.

Chain gear 14, chain 15, retaining rod 16, free rotation 17, gear 18, belt 12, electrical insulation 19, negative electrode rod 20, connecting portion 21 ), Holding jig (5), spring (7), wire (9), and clip (22). The rotation of the chain gear (14) is transmitted to the chain (15) and welded to the chain (15). The holding fixture 5 is rotated circumferentially through the retaining rod 16, and idlingly rotated by the free rotation unit 17. The gear 18 receives the rotation of the circumferential movement of the belt 12 to rotate the electrical insulation unit 19, The retaining jig 5 is rotated via the connecting portion 21, and the retaining jig 5 is held in a state where the clip 9 and the spring 7 pull the wire 9.

In this way, by setting the line 9 to the holding jig 5, the line 9 rotates integrally with the holding jig 5 and rotates circumferentially.

Then, the electric casting liquid surface 23 may be brought into position as shown in FIG. 4, and may be pressed against the negative electrode rod 20 so that a negative current flows only through the lower portion of the electric insulation portion 19 to perform electroforming.

Moreover, about 1 cm / sec-about 1 m / sec are suitable for the speed of the circumferential rotation of the holding fixture 5 in Example 1, and about 10-500 rpm is suitable for the speed of rotation.

A 0.125 mm diameter SUS304 wire having a perfect cross section was prepared, and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the holding jig 5 for electroforming was strongly set in a state of being strongly pulled with spring elasticity, and washed. After degreasing, it was immersed for 10 minutes at room temperature in an aqueous solution of a Nikkanontack A, B mixed solution manufactured by Nippon Chemical Industries, Ltd., and then washed well.

On the other hand, an electroforming bath containing nickel sulfamate as a main component was used as a cathode, and a high temperature filtration of the electroforming bath was carried out at a filtration precision of 1 占 퐉 to prepare a tank heated to 50 +/- 2 占 폚.

Then, the retaining jig 5 is connected to the electroforming apparatus by the connecting portion 21, the circumferential rotation speed is 5 rpm, the rotation speed is 100 rpm, the line is the cathode, the nickel is the anode, about 6 A / dm ² The electroforming was carried out at a current density of 11 Hr, and an average of about 1.5 mmφ was used to produce 22 rod-shaped nickel electroformed castings of 400 mm length. It was in the range of ± 0.2 mmφ, was not curved, and was a circular cross section.

Next, grooves are inserted into the electroformed parts at intervals of 40 mm, and the grooves are folded to draw a center line. Then, a grindstone cutter, a centerless processing machine, and a grinding machine are processed to a thickness of 1.25 mm and a length of 6.50 mm. It was set as the finished product.

In this way, there was no hole eccentricity and it was a pass product as a single mode ferrule.

Example 2

Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the electroforming apparatus according to the present invention, and shows a schematic configuration in the case where the holding jig 5 does not rotate around only by rotation.

The line 9 is set in the retaining jig 5 as in the case of the first embodiment, is integrated with the retaining jig 5, and only rotates without circumferential rotation.

On the other hand, in Example 2, the electroforming solution 3, the positive electrode 4, the holding jig 5, the negative electrode 8, the electric casting tank 10, the driving motor 13 for the holding jig self-support And a belt 12, an integrating ammeter 24, a pulley 25, and a fixture fixing structure 26. The electroforming solution 3 is placed in the electroforming tank 10, warmed, and filtered. In a stirred state, the negative electrode 8 and the integrating ammeter 24 are connected to both the positive electrode 4 and the individual holding jig 5 as necessary, so that a direct current flows in a well managed state. Then, the rotation of the retaining jig drive motor 13 is transmitted to the retaining jig 5 coupled to the jig fixing structure 26 through the pulley 25 by the belt 12 to convey the retaining jig 5. Electroforming is performed by rotating, and the structure which stops electric casting in the state which reached the constant integrated current value as needed is employ | adopted.

The electroforming solution 3 of Example 2 was the same as that of Example 1, and the positive electrode 4 was selected from nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, etc. as mentioned above, and used suitably plate shape and spherical shape. do.

The positive electrode 4 is placed at the center of the circular fixture fixing structure 26 so as to be at the same interval as the whole of the holding fixture 5, so that the casting speed becomes constant and the thickness becomes constant. It is preferable to finish the electroforming at about the same time, but the position of the positive electrode 4 is not limited to this position. For example, a plurality of positive electrodes 4 are formed along the outer wall of the electroforming tank 10. You may make it the structure arrange | positioned at.

In Example 2, it is set as the structure which uses one integrating ammeter 24 for one holding fixture 5, and it is current management that a rectifier uses one small thing for each one of holding jig | tools 5. Although it is preferable to carry out, it is preferable, but it is not necessarily limited to this, You may energize many holding | maintenance fixtures 5 with one large rectifier.

On the other hand, the rotation speed of the holding jig 5 in Example 2 is also suitable for about 10 to 1000 rpm.

Hereinafter, the specific manufacturing process based on Example 2 is demonstrated.

After preparing a SUS304 wire having a thickness of 0.125 mmφ having a perfect circular cross section, as shown in FIG. It was immersed in an aqueous solution of a Nikkan Non-Tak A and B liquid mixture manufactured by Nippon Chemical Industries, Ltd. at room temperature for 10 minutes, and then washed well.

On the other hand, in an electrocasting bath containing nickel sulfamate as a main component, nickel spheres were used as anodes, and the electroforming bath was subjected to high-speed filtration with a filtration precision of 1 µm, and heated to 50 ± 2 ° C. The tank shown was prepared.

Then, the retaining jig 5 is connected to the electroforming apparatus by the connecting portion 21, and the rotation speed is 70 rpm, the line is the negative electrode, the nickel is the positive electrode, and a small integrator is added to each of the 22 retaining jig 5. One ammeter was attached.

Using a rectifier for a maximum of 40 A and performing electric casting at the stage of integrated current of 4.5 AHr (16200 coulombs) at a current density of ² to 6 A / dm ² , 9 ± Although 22 rod-shaped nickel electroforming articles of 400 mm length were produced at a thickness of about 1.5 mm phi and finished at a time of about 0.5 Hr, the nonuniformity in thickness between these 22 electroforming products was almost zero, and There was no bias in the thickness, no bending, and the cross section was a perfect circle.

Next, leave the line part in the circumference of the electroformed part, put the V groove at about 40 mm intervals, fold it in this V groove part, and draw the center line by using the phenomenon that the electric casting part is folded without folding the wire, and then grindstone A cutter, a centerless processing machine, a polishing machine, etc., were processed to a thickness of 1.25 mm and a length of 6.50 mm to form a finished product of the MU ferrule.

In this way, there was no hole eccentricity and it was a pass product as a single mode ferrule.

Example 3

6 shows a detailed part of another embodiment according to the present invention.

Fixture fixing structure 26, retaining rod 16, free rotation 17, pulley 27, belt 12, electrical insulation 19, negative electrode spring 28, connecting portion 21, holding It consists of jig 5, spring 7, line 9, and clip 22. The holding rod 16 is welded to the circular jig fixing structure 26, and the free rotation part 17 By idling, the rotation of the belt 12 is transmitted to the pulley 27 and rotated to rotate the retaining jig 5 through the electric insulator 19 and the connecting part 21, and the retaining jig 5 is a clip ( 22 and the spring 7 to hold the wire 9 in a pulled state, and the electric casting liquid surface 23 is pressed against the negative electrode spring 28 at the position as shown in FIG. Electroforming may be performed by energizing a negative current only at the bottom of.

Also in the third embodiment, it is possible to obtain a single mode ferrule without the hole eccentricity as in the first embodiment, and to automatically adjust the diameter of the ferrule.

Moreover, about 10-1000 rpm is suitable also for the speed of the rotation of the holding fixture 5 in Example 3.

In Example 3, the wire 9 is a metal wire such as iron or its alloy, aluminum or its alloy, copper or its alloy, tungsten alloy, thin hand-plated on the metal wire, nylon, polyester or the like. It is suitably selected and used from ceramic wires, such as a plastic wire and glass.

Among them, in the case of plastics and ceramic wires, electroless plating such as nickel and silver is necessary for imparting conductivity to the surface.

The line 9 is required to have high precision in thickness, roundness and linearity, and in the case of extrusion with a die, a metal wire, or a plastic wire, the wire 9 may be adjusted by a method by extending the wire.

Although electroforming is performed with the above apparatus, electroforming is performed for 10 to 20 hours at a DC density of 4 to 8 A / dm ² , and the rod shape has a thickness of about 0.8 to 2.8 mmφ. After growing in the furnace, it is taken out of the electroforming tank, washed well and dried.

The type of wire 9 to be selected determines whether the wire 9 at the center of the electroformed product is drawn out, extruded, or dissolved in a chemical. The one with high strength is pulled out or used for extrusion, and the one that is easy to be dissolved in the chemical uses dissolution.

For example, in the case of iron or an alloy thereof, the wire 9 may be released, subjected to electroforming to form a rod, and then the wire 9 may be taken out.

In the case of the above-mentioned electroless-plated plastic wire, it may be taken out in the same manner.

Among these, stainless steel which is an alloy of iron is particularly preferable.

In the case of mechanical drawing, in the case of drawing, the line 9 may be pulled out and then finished by NC machining, centerless processing, cutter, polishing machine or the like.

In the case of melting, after electroforming with one rod, roughly cutting the length, after dissolving the wire 9 and confirming that the hole has penetrated, finishing with NC machining or the like or machining What is necessary is just to employ | adopt the method etc. which melt | dissolve the wire 9 later.

In addition, an elliptical or circular electroforming tank 10 having a space portion 30 of a shape similar to the outer shape of the inner shape as shown in FIG. 7 is used to form a rectangular column on the inner wall 31 or the outer wall 32. The nickel electrode or the like was put in a titanium basket of the same, and the positive electrode 4 housed in the electrode bag made of polyester fiber was placed without any gaps, and the pump 29 such as one or a plurality of circulation pumps and a filter pump was used. By employing a stirring method in which one or a plurality of nozzles 33 are blown in one direction to rotate the electroforming solution in the electroforming tank, the agitation method of the conventional air agitation can be controlled by moisture, acid gas, or the like. The problem of contamination can be solved and stirring can be performed very easily and reliably.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the positive electrode 4 is disposed on the inner wall surface of the tank having a similar space portion 30 having the same center point at the inner center of the circular electroforming tank 10, and made of stainless steel. By inserting the bearing 36 between the support plate 34 and the base 35 made of the back, and rotating the holding jig 5 while rotating the electroforming tank 10 at a low speed with a motor or the like, Non-uniformity can be made small and stirring assist of an electroforming solution is possible.

In the present invention having the above-described configuration, since no bias or bending of the thickness is generated in the molded electrocasting products such as metal wires, the eccentricity precision of a very rigid hole of ± 0.5 µm can be easily cleared, and further, electroforming Since the cross-section of the subsequent rod-shaped semifinished product can obtain a perfect round shape or reduce the thickness nonuniformity, the machining time of the subsequent process can be remarkably reduced, and the product quality, retention rate and productivity are significantly improved. In addition, the working environment of the electroforming operation can be improved.

Claims (8)

In the manufacturing method of the ferrule which removes the wire 9 after electroforming using one or several wires 9, such as a metal and a plastic, as a model, A method of producing a ferrule, characterized in that the electroforming is performed while the line (9) is rotated while maintaining the linear longitudinal direction. The method of manufacturing a ferrule according to claim 1, wherein in the electroforming tank (10), the line (9) set in the holding jig (5) is electroformed while rotating together with the holding jig (5). The electroforming tank according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the electroforming tank (10), the line (9) set in the holding jig (5) is electroformed while rotating and circumferentially rotated together with the holding jig (5). Ferrule manufacturing method. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroforming tank (10) with the positive electrode (4) is rotated while the line (9) is rotated. The line 9 is rotated together with the holding jig 5 in the electroforming tank, and is integrated in one set of the holding jig 5 in any one of claims 1, 2, and 4. A method of manufacturing a ferrule, characterized in that the thickness is controlled by attaching one ammeter and stopping electroforming when the integrated current value reaches a predetermined value. The method of manufacturing a ferrule according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4, wherein a direct current is caused by one rectifier to one holding fixture (5). The method of manufacturing a ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the interval between the respective retaining jig (5) and the positive electrode (4) is equalized. The electroforming tank according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the electroforming solution is blown in one direction from the nozzle 33 of the circulation pump and the filter pump in the electroforming solution 3 of the electroforming tank 10. A method for producing a ferrule, comprising employing a stirring method of rotating and flowing inside.