KR910009532Y1 - Multicore optical fiber with optical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

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Description

Optical Connector Multi-core Optical Fiber

1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a multi-core optical fiber that has been blessed with an optical connector according to the present invention.

2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment.

3 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment;

4 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment.

5 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment.

6 is a perspective view showing a sixth embodiment.

7 is a perspective view showing a seventh embodiment.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

1: coated optical fiber 2: optical fiber

11: optical connector 12: end surface of optical connector

13: protrusion part 14: tip surface of protrusion part

15: guide portion 16: guide portion

17: main portion of the protruding end surface 18: guide portion

The present invention relates to a multicore optical fiber having an optical connector attached to the outside of the optical fiber end in a bundle for connecting the plurality of optical fibers to each other.

As one means for connecting the optical fibers to one another, in particular, optical connectors are widely used as reproducible interconnections between the optical fibers. However, such optical connectors are usually attached to the ends of the optical fibers.

In order to mount the optical connector at the end of the optical fiber, the optical connector manufactured by the plastic molding means or the metal processing means is fixed to the outer circumference of the cloned optical fiber end, or the optical fiber end which has been uncovered is placed in the molding die. It is common for plastic molding of the optical connector on the outer periphery of the optical fiber end, so that the tip end surface of the optical connector mounted on the outer periphery of the optical fiber end is then polished to a precise smooth surface simultaneously with the optical fiber end face.

When the optical fibers are connected to each other through the optical connector, the end faces of the optical connectors attached to the optical fiber ends are projected to each other, and the projected state is maintained by the optical adapter.

In this case, it is preferable that the axial centers of the paired optical fibers coincide with each other, and the pairs of optical fibers cross each other in close contact with each other. Less loss

In the above-described conventional method, obtaining the close state between the optical fiber cross sections includes finishing the end faces of the paired optical connectors at right angles with respect to the guide axis at a high precision, and the front end faces and the optical fiber cross sections of the optical connectors. It is necessary to finish the same surface, and furthermore, it is necessary to finish the smoothness of the optical fiber end face with high precision, and it is very difficult to polish the whole optical connector end face with a fairly large size compared to the optical fiber cross section. to be.

In addition, in the case where the front end face of one optical connector and the front end face of the other connector are protruded and connected to each other with a constant force, the protruding connection force per unit area is reduced, and the force connecting and protruding between the optical fiber cross sections is inevitably necessary. It is difficult to obtain a close state in which such a cross section is sufficient.

In particular, in the case of a multicore optical fiber with an optical connector in which optical connectors are collectively attached to the ends of optical fibers in parallel with each other, the optical fiber ends have a large effect such as lack of precision in the end surface of the optical connector and insufficient connection force. It is difficult to achieve a good connection state with little loss.

When projecting connection between the optical fiber cross sections is made by projecting only the optical fiber cross section to the optical connector front end surface, such optical fiber cross section breakage occurs, which is not preferable.

The present invention has the problems described above, and the optical connector tip including the optical fiber cross-section and the optical connector end face is easily obtained a complete close contact between each other, and furthermore, the optical connector with the optical connector can be obtained a sufficient protrusion connection force It is to provide.

In order to achieve the desired purpose, the present invention has a projected portion formed on a part of the end surface of the optical connector in the optical connector-attached multi-core optical fiber in which the optical connectors are collectively attached to the ends of the optical arbors parallel to each other. And an optical fiber end face is exposed at the front end face of the protruding portion, and an optical connector protruding connection guide portion is provided on the front end face of the optical connector except for the protruding portion.

The operation of the optical fiber of the present invention is made as follows.

The multicore optical fiber with optical connector according to the present invention has a protrusion formed on a part of the end surface of the optical connector, and the optical fiber cross section is exposed on one side with the front end surface of the protrusion, so that a plurality of pairs of optical fibers intervene through such an optical connector. Is connected to each other, the tip end faces of which the area is smaller than the tip end face of the optical connector can be connected to each other. In this way, when each pair of optical fibers is connected to each other, an excellent connection state can be obtained.

First, in the case of the present invention, the end face of the optical connector does not need to be polished entirely, and since only the tip end face of the small area needs to be precisely grounded, the precision of the protruding connection surface is easily obtained, so that the superior connection is achieved by the corresponding grinding degree. The state is obtained.

Second, as is well known, when two projecting direct surfaces (area S) are projected to each other between the projecting connection forces F, the projecting contact force f per unit area becomes f = F / S, but in this case f is constant F. In one case, S becomes larger as there are fewer.

In the general optical fiber connection by the optical connector, the above-described protruding connection force f per unit area is reduced in order to allow the front end surface of the optical connector including the optical fiber end face to be projected entirely.

The present invention does not allow the front end face of the optical connector to be projected entirely, so that the front end face of the protrusion having a smaller area than the front end face of the optical connector is connected to each other so that the projecting contact force f per unit area is increased and the optical fiber cross sections are mutually inclined. This highly intimate state is exhibited and an excellent connection state is obtained.

Of course, in the case of the present invention, there is no breakage of the optical fiber cross section found in the case where only the optical fiber cross sections are projected and connected to each other through the front end surface of the protrusion.

Hereinafter, a multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the multicore optical fiber with optical connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, 1 is a covering optical fiber and 11 is an optical connector.

The above-mentioned coated optical fiber 1 has one optical fiber 2 in a secondary cross-sectional coating layer (outer coating layer) of a circular cross section, and a plurality of copies in a secondary coated layer of flat cross-section square (tape type) or circular cross section. And an optical fiber 2.

Usually, the coated optical fiber 1 is provided with the primary coating layer, the buffer coating layer, the secondary coating layer, etc. on the outer periphery of the optical fiber 2, and the one which has a plurality of optical fibers 2 in the secondary coating layer is the primary coating. And each optical fiber after the buffer coating is kept in parallel at equal intervals, and such optical fiber 2 is integrally covered by the secondary coating layer.

In the coated optical fiber 1, the optical fiber 2 is made of glass (quartz, non-oxide, multicomponent), in particular, quartz, but in some cases, plastic, quartz and plastic composite systems. (Core: quartz, crates: plastic), crystal system, etc. are used. Each coating layer covering the optical fiber 2 is made of plastic. The optical connector 11 is made of a plastic molded article, and the cross-sectional shape of the optical connector 11 is generally square or circular, but there may be other shapes.

In the multicore optical fiber with an optical connector of FIG. 1, an optical connector 11 having a square shape is attached to the distal end of the coated optical fiber 1.

The optical connector 11 has a protruding portion 13, which is a rectangular parallelepiped, on a part of the front end surface 12, and the protruding portion 13 has a flat end surface 14 having no irregularities.

Guide parts 15 and 16 are formed in the other part of the front end surface 12 in the optical connector 11 mentioned above.

When the optical connector 11 is connected to the distal end of the tape-shaped coated optical fiber 1, the coating layer at the distal end of the coated optical fiber is removed so that only the required length of each optical fiber 2 is drawn out, and the distal end of the optical fiber 2 is collectively combined. The optical connector 11 is attached to the front end of the corresponding coated optical fighter 1 so as to cover it, and the end surface of each optical fiber 2 is exposed to the front end surface 14 of the projection 13.

When attaching the optical connector 12 to the front end of the coated optical fiber 1 by the plastic molding method, for example, the insert molding method, the tip of the coated optical fiber 1 from which the optical fiber 2 is drawn out as described above is formed in the molding die. The optical connector 11 is formed by molding and injecting resin into the molding die and attaching it to the tip of the coated optical fiber 1. Thereafter, the protruding end face 14 of the optical connector 11 is smoothly polished simultaneously with the respective optical fiber end faces.

In this way, when the front end face 14 of the protrusion 13 is polished, the end face 14 of each optical fiber 2 and the front end face 14 of the protrusion 13 become one surface.

In FIG. 1, one guide portion 15 formed in the front end surface 12 of the optical connector 11 is a hole, and the other guide portion 16 is a pin.

The guide portion 16, which is a pin, is formed by inserting a pin made of plastic, metal, ceramic, glass, or the like into the guide portion 15, which is a hole, and makes the pins extractable or in the hole by an adhesive. Sticks.

The multicore optical fiber with the optical connector of FIG. 2 is substantially the same as that of FIG. 1, but differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the projection 13 formed on the front end surface 12 of the optical connector 11 becomes an angle rod. .

The multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector of FIG. 3 also differs from the above-described projection 13 formed in the front end surface 12 of the optical connector 11.

That is, in the case of FIG. 3, each recessed part 17 is formed between the adjacent parts of each optical fiber cross section in the front end surface 14 of the protrusion part 13 which becomes a rectangular parallelepiped.

In the multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector of FIG. 4, a plurality of protrusions 13 having a separate circumference (good as a circumference) are formed on the front end surface 12 of the optical connector 11 at equal intervals in a horizontal line. The optical fiber end faces are exposed on the front end face 14 of each of the protrusions 13, respectively.

In FIG. 4, the shape of each protrusion 13 may be a column head or a pyramid.

Other components in FIG. 4 are as described above.

In the multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector of FIG. 5, the cross-sectional shape of the optical connector 11 is a perfect shape, and a circumferential protrusion 13 is formed on the front end surface 12 of the optical connector 11 and the line of the protrusion 13 is formed. The optical fiber end face is exposed to the end face 14.

In the optical connector 11 of FIG. 5, the guide parts 15 and 16 which are the above-mentioned holes, pins, etc. are set, but in this example, the guide groove 18 of the key groove shape is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the optical connector 11. Is formed.

The key groove-shaped guide portion 18 corresponds to a key-shaped protrusion (guide portion) formed on the inner circumferential surface of an adapter (not shown), which becomes cylindrical, and these guide portions are fitted to each other.

In the case where the key groove is formed in the adapter, a key-shaped protrusion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the optical connector 11 as a guide portion.

In FIG. 5, the protrusion 13 may be a cone, a pyramid, or the like, and the shape of the protrusion 13 described in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above is also employed in FIG.

Other components in FIG. 5 are the same as described above.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the optical connector 11 is attached to the tip of the tape-shaped coated optical fiber 1 having a plurality of optical fibers 2 in the secondary coating layer, but one optical fiber 2 is placed in the secondary coating layer. Even if a plurality of coated optical fibers 1 are used and the optical connector 11 described above is used, the optical connector-attached optical fiber substantially the same as that described in FIGS. 1 to 5 can be obtained.

One example is shown in FIG.

In the multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector of FIG. 6, a plurality of sheathed optical fibers 1 in which the coating layer of the distal end portion is removed are parallel and parallel to each other, and the optical connector 11 is attached to the outer periphery of the distal end of the coated optical fiber 1, and the protrusions Each optical fiber cross section is rowed on the front end surface 14 of (13).

In the example shown in each of the above drawings, the projections 13 are formed in the center region of the optical connector tip surface 12, but the projections 13 are formed on the left, right, upper side, lower side, etc. of the optical connector tip surface 12. It may be biased somewhere in.

Another example is shown in FIG. 7, and in the multi-core optical fiber with the optical connector of FIG. 7, the projection 13 is biased on the left side of the front end surface 12 of the optical connector.

In the above-described multicore optical fiber with an optical connector, when the optical fibers with a pair of optical connectors are connected to each other by such an optical connector 11, both optical connectors 11 are opposed to each other and the projections 13 of the optical connector 11 are opposed to each other. Each pair of optical fiber end faces are interconnected by the tip end face 13 being protruded.

In this case, both guide portions 15 and 16 are relatively fitted so that the correct shaft is aligned, whereby each pair of optical fibers 8 is an exact match between the windows of the core.

The other guide portion 18 is capable of the exact alignment mentioned above in cooperation with the guide of the corresponding adapter.

As described above, in the case of the optical connector-attached multicore optical fiber according to the present invention, the following effects are obtained.

Since a protrusion is integrally formed on a part of the front end face of the plastic molded optical connector and the end face of each optical fiber is exposed on the front end face of the protrusion, the surface including the optical fiber end face is reduced.

In this way, when the projecting portion having a small tip surface is integrally formed on the optical connector and the actual contact surface of the optical connector is reduced, the area of the tip surface of the projecting portion is small and the accuracy of the actual contact surface can be easily increased. The contact force per unit area can be increased.

Therefore, when the paired optical fibers are connected to each other via the optical connector, the close state and contact force of these optical fiber end faces can be secured for 10 minutes, and a good optical fiber connection state can be obtained. In addition, since only the tip end surface of the small projecting area needs to be polished with high accuracy, the polishing time is shortened compared to the case where the front end surface of the optical connector is precisely finished in the entire area, and the polishing time is shortened. Steps are formed in the protrusions and the other parts, and the positions of these parts are made clear by these steps. When the guide member such as the guide pin is mounted on the tip end of the optical connector, the tip end face and the optical fiber end face of the protrusion are wrong. There is no fear to damage your back.

In addition, since the optical connector is made of a plastic molded article, since the cross-sections of the respective optical fibers are not reinforced (protected), it is possible to easily form protrusions integrally on the cross-sections thereof.

Claims (16)

In a multi-core optical fiber in which a plastic molded optical connector is collectively arranged at the ends of a plurality of parallel optical fibers, a projection is integrally formed on a part of the optical connector end surface, and each optical fiber end is formed on the front end surface of the projection. A multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector, wherein a surface is exposed and a guide for an optical connector is provided on the front end surface of the optical connector excluding the protrusion. The multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein a protruding portion is formed on a front end surface of the optical connector having an outer shape. The multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is formed at a front end surface of the optical connector having an outer shape. The multi-core optical fiber with an optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a protrusion is formed on a front end surface of the optical connector. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of protrusions are formed on a front end surface of the optical connector. The multi-core connector with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein an outer shape of the protrusion is square. 2. The multi-core connector with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a circular shape. 2. The multi-core connector with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein recesses are formed between adjacent portions of respective optical fiber cross sections. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is formed at the center portion of the end surface of the optical connector. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is formed at a portion other than the central portion of the end surface of the optical connector. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is a hole. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is a groove. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is a pin. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion is a projection. 2. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are independent coated optical fibers each having a coating layer. The multicore optical fiber with an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers is a tape-shaped coated optical fiber integrally covered by a single outer coating layer.