592934 玖、發明說明 (發明說明應敘明：發明所屬之技術領域、先前技術、內容、實施方式及圖式簡單說明） [發明所屬之技術領域] 本發明係和光通訊產品有關，更詳而言之，乃是關於 一種熱固性材質光纖連接器成型方法。 5 [先前技術]592934 发明 Description of the invention (The description of the invention should state: the technical field to which the invention belongs, prior technology, content, embodiments, and a brief description of the drawings) [Technical field to which the invention belongs] The present invention relates to optical communication products, more specifically In other words, it is a method of forming a thermosetting material optical fiber connector. 5 [Prior art]
習知之光纖連接器之頭套（Ferrule)製造方法，不外乎 以熱塑性塑膠（例如PPS + Si02)採用射出成形（Injection Molding)，或者以熱固性塑膠（例如Epoxy+Si02)採用傳 送成形（Transfer Molding)兩種方法，其中，前者（熱塑性 10 塑膠以射出成形）之量產性較佳，成形週期大约在30秒左 右，但其成品之耐候性、耐用性較差，通常用以製作低芯 數之光纖連接器，相對的，後者（熱固性塑膠以傳送成形） 之成品較為耐候耐用，為一般傳統之光纖連接器頭套之生 產方式，惟其成形週期較長（大約90秒左右），量產性差， 15 而且所產生之（無法再利用之）廢料較多，造成環保問題。 另一方面，習知之光纖連接器之V形溝槽陣列（V-groove array)之製造方法，則以珍基板姓刻或玻璃基板輪磨之製 造方法為主，然而以姓刻或輪磨加工石夕基板或玻璃基板等 方式之設備投資金額大，且量產性不如射出成形者。 20 [發明内容】 本發明之主要目的即在提供一種熱固性材質光纖連接 器之成型方法，可兼具熱塑性產品之量產性以及熱固性產 品之耐用性。 續次頁（發明說明頁不敷使用時，請註記並使用續頁） -4- 592934 發明說明The conventional manufacturing method of the ferrule of the optical fiber connector is nothing more than injection molding using a thermoplastic (such as PPS + Si02) or transfer molding using a thermosetting plastic (such as Epoxy + Si02). Two methods, of which, the former (thermoplastic 10 plastic is injection molded) has better mass productivity, the molding cycle is about 30 seconds, but the weather resistance and durability of the finished product are poor, and it is usually used to make low-core fiber The connector, in contrast, the latter (thermosetting plastic is formed by transmission) is more weather-resistant and durable, which is the traditional production method of optical fiber connector head cover, but its forming cycle is longer (about 90 seconds), mass production is poor, 15 and More waste material is generated (which cannot be reused), causing environmental issues. On the other hand, the manufacturing method of the conventional V-groove array of optical fiber connectors is mainly based on the manufacturing method of engraving of the substrate or the grinding of the glass substrate. The equipment investment of Shi Xi substrate or glass substrate is large, and the mass productivity is not as good as that of injection molding. [Summary of the invention] The main object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a thermosetting optical fiber connector, which can have both the mass productivity of a thermoplastic product and the durability of a thermosetting product. Continued pages (If the description page of the invention is not enough, please note and use the continued page) -4- 592934 Description of the invention
為達成前揭目的，本發明所提供之熱固性材質光纖連 接器之成型方法包含有下列步騾：步騾a :以一供料裝置 將液態熱固性塑膠原料供給至一料管内；同時使該料管前 端之噴嘴與一模具之澆道入口對合；該模具係受一模溫控 5 制裝置維持於一預定溫度範圍内，前述溫度足以使該液態 熱固性塑膠原料反應而硬化；步騾b :控使該料管内之一 柱塞往前進給，使該料管内之前述液態原料經由該噴嘴注 入該模具内；同時利用一壓力感測裝置感測該料管内之壓 力，該感測裝置可依據壓力值送出對應訊號以控制該柱塞. 10 之運動，藉以使該料管内之壓力到達一預定值並維持預定 壓力一段預定時間；步驟c :在維持前述預定壓力之狀態 下，注入於該模具内之前述熱固性塑膠原料受到模具熱度 而反應硬化，反應完成後，控使該模具開模並頂出成品。 15 [實施方式]In order to achieve the purpose of the previous disclosure, the method for forming a thermosetting material optical fiber connector provided by the present invention includes the following steps: Step 骡 a: Supplying liquid thermosetting plastic raw materials into a material tube by a feeding device; and simultaneously making the material tube The nozzle at the front end is matched with the sprue inlet of a mold; the mold is maintained within a predetermined temperature range by a mold temperature control 5 system, the foregoing temperature is sufficient to make the liquid thermosetting plastic material react and harden; step 骡 b: control A plunger in the material tube is advanced to feed the liquid raw material in the material tube into the mold through the nozzle; meanwhile, a pressure sensing device is used to sense the pressure in the material tube, and the sensing device can be based on the pressure. The corresponding signal is sent to control the plunger. The movement of 10, so that the pressure in the tube reaches a predetermined value and maintains the predetermined pressure for a predetermined time; step c: in the state of maintaining the aforementioned predetermined pressure, injected into the mold The aforementioned thermosetting plastic raw material is hardened by the heat of the mold. After the reaction is completed, the mold is controlled to open the mold and eject the finished product. 15 [Embodiment]
以下即配合附圖舉一較佳實施例對本發明進行詳細說 明，其中： 第一圖係本發明一較佳實施例之過程示意圖，顯示 計量階段之狀態； 20 第二圖係本發明一較佳實施例之過程示意圖，顯示 射出階段之狀態；以及 第三圖係本發明一較佳實施例之簡要流程圖。 茲先簡要描述本發明一較佳實施例所運用之成型設備 (次段再正式說明本發明之成型方法），請先參閱第一圖， -5- 592934The following is a detailed description of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Among them: The first diagram is a process schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the measurement phase; 20 The second diagram is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process schematic diagram of the embodiment shows the state of the injection phase; and the third diagram is a brief flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The following briefly describes the molding equipment used in a preferred embodiment of the present invention (the second paragraph will formally describe the molding method of the present invention), please refer to the first figure, -5- 592934
該設備大體上包含有：_ 成，其内部形成-對庫成:挺具(12)’以二模板(14)合模而 %、成叩形狀之模穴（16)(註：該模具（12) 具有微米級之精度，龙劍你、 表彳乍万法及結構乃習用技藝，例如 US 6342170B01 專利「夕# 夕心光纖連接套筒之製造方法及成 型模具」所揭技術内容）· ’ 一楱溫控制裝置（18)，可使該模 15The equipment generally contains: _ Cheng, its internal formation-the library formation: the quite (12) 'is closed with two templates (14), and the mold cavity (16) is formed into a 叩 shape (Note: the mold ( 12) With micron-level precision, Long Jian You, Watch 彳, and the structure are conventional techniques, such as the technical content disclosed in US 6342170B01 patent "Xi # Xixin Optical Fiber Connection Sleeve Manufacturing Method and Mold". A temperature control device (18) can make the mold 15
/、（12)、隹持在預疋《溫度範園内，本實施例係在模板（μ) 内部設置若干加鱗(22)，藉以提供穩定之熱源（本實施例 &制在180 C左右），—射出裝置㈣，設於一滑移台⑽ 上主要包3料管（28)、一柱塞（32)以及一柱塞控制裝 置（34)㊉料f (28)_端形成_噴嘴⑽，並設有―噴嘴控 制，置（38)可控㈣嘴嘴(36)_或封閉，該柱塞(32)設於 料s (34)後方，㈤‘伸入料管(28)内，該柱塞驅動裝置（3句 則可驅使柱塞(32)前進或後退，此外，射出裝置（24)(所在 之滑移台（26))可受驅控而前進或後退，以使料管（28)前端 之噴嘴（36)接合該模具（12)之澆道入口（42)(如第二圖所 示），或者使料管（28)退離模具（12)(如第一圖所示）；一供 料裝置（44)，用以儲存能快速反應硬化（fast eure)之液態熱 固性塑膠原料’並以一通道（46)連通至該料管（28)，能將 前述液料經由該通道（46)供往料管（28)内部，此外，該通 20道(46)設有一止逆裝置（48)，可使前述液料不致由料管（28) 方面流回供料裝置（44); 一壓力感測裝置（52)，可感測該 料官（28)内之壓力並送出對應訊號。（註：該成型設備尚應 包含能整合前述所有裝置之中控單元，惟圖中未示，且在 以下之動作說明中亦不予特別指出。） -6- 發明說明_胃 請配合參閱第三圖，本發明一較佳實施例提供之「熱 固性材質光纖連接器成型方法」係包含有下列步驟（以下 為單一週期）： 步騾一：在該射出裝置（24)與該模具（12)相隔預定 5 距離之下，該供料裝置（44)使前述液態熱固性塑膠原料經 由該通道（46)(並通過其中之止逆裝置（48))進入該料管（28) 内；此時，該噴嘴控制裝置（38)係控使該噴嘴（26)呈封閉 狀態，使得料管（28)内部逐漸累積前述液料並且持續昇壓， 而讓該柱塞（32)緩慢後退至停止於預定位置。供料裝置（44). 10 持續往該料管（28)供料，直至該壓力感測裝置（52)測得料 管（28)内部之壓力到達預定值（代表計量完成）而送出訊號 令該供料裝置（44)停止供料。如第一圖所示。 步驟二：計量完成後，該射出裝置（24)被往前移送 至定位，使該料管（28)前端之噴嘴（36)接合於該模具（12)之 15 澆道入口（42)。 步騾三：開始進行射出作業，首先該噴嘴控制裝置 (38)會控使該噴嘴（36)呈開啟狀態，接著該柱塞控制裝置 (34)控使該柱塞（32)前進，藉以將該料管（28)内之液態原料 經由噴嘴（36)注入該模具（12)内（註：此時該通道（46)之止 20 逆裝置（48)發揮作用，使前述液料不致流回供料裝置 (44))。該壓力感測裝置（52)持續感測該料管（28)内之壓力， 並送出對應訊號令該柱塞控制裝置（38)適當控制該柱塞 (32)，使前述液料到達設定之壓力值並維持該壓力一段預 定時間。如第二圖所示。 592934 發明說明續頁 步騾四：在保壓的同時，注入至該模具（12)内之液 態熱固性塑膠原料會因為受到（預先加熱之）模具（16)熱度 而反應硬化，當反應完成後（意謂經過預定時間之後），驅 使該射出裝置（24)退離模具（12)，同時控制模具（12)開模， 5 再將成品頂出。本發明可用以成形光纖連接器之頭套及V 形溝槽陣列。/, (12), held in the preliminarily "temperature range garden, this embodiment is provided with several scales (22) inside the template (μ), so as to provide a stable heat source (this embodiment & system is about 180 C ） ， — Injection device ㈣, which is set on a sliding table 主要 mainly consists of 3 material tubes (28), a plunger (32) and a plunger control device (34). Material f (28) _end formation_nozzle ⑽, and with ―nozzle control, (38) controllable ㈣ 口 口 (36) _ or closed, the plunger (32) is set behind the material s (34), and ㈤ 'extends into the material tube (28) The plunger driving device (3 sentences can drive the plunger (32) forward or backward, in addition, the injection device (24) (the sliding table (26) where it is located) can be driven to advance or retreat to make the material The nozzle (36) at the front end of the tube (28) is connected to the sprue inlet (42) of the mold (12) (as shown in the second figure), or the material tube (28) is retracted from the mold (12) (as shown in the first figure) (Shown); a feeding device (44) for storing liquid thermosetting plastic raw materials capable of fast reaction hardening (fast eure) and communicating with the material pipe (28) through a channel (46), capable of feeding the aforementioned liquid material Via this channel (46) Inside the tube (28), in addition, the passage 20 (46) is provided with a check device (48), which can prevent the aforementioned liquid material from flowing back to the feeding device (44) from the side of the tube (28); a pressure sensing The device (52) can sense the pressure in the material officer (28) and send the corresponding signal. (Note: The molding equipment should also include a central control unit that can integrate all the aforementioned devices, but it is not shown in the figure and is shown below. The operation description is also not specified.) -6- Description of the invention _ Please refer to the third figure for the stomach. The "thermosetting fiber optic connector forming method" provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps (below (Single cycle): Step 1: The feeding device (44) passes the liquid thermosetting plastic material through the channel (46) (and the feeding device (44) below a predetermined 5 distance from the injection device (24) and the mold (12)). Enter the material tube (28) through the anti-return device (48)); at this time, the nozzle control device (38) controls the nozzle (26) to be in a closed state, so that the inside of the material tube (28) gradually accumulates. The aforementioned liquid material is continuously raised, and the plunger (32) is slowly retracted to Stop at the predetermined position. The feeding device (44). 10 continues to feed the material tube (28) until the pressure sensing device (52) detects that the pressure inside the material tube (28) reaches a predetermined value (representing the completion of the measurement) ) And send the signal to stop the feeding device (44). As shown in the first figure. Step 2: After the measurement is completed, the injection device (24) is moved forward to the positioning, so that the feeding tube (28) The nozzle (36) at the front end is connected to the sprue inlet (42) of the mold (12). Step 3: Start the injection operation. First, the nozzle control device (38) will control the nozzle (36) to be open. Then, the plunger control device (34) controls the plunger (32) to advance, so that the liquid raw material in the material tube (28) is injected into the mold (12) through the nozzle (36) (Note: At this time, the The stop 20 reverse device (48) of the channel (46) functions to prevent the aforementioned liquid material from flowing back to the feeding device (44)). The pressure sensing device (52) continuously senses the pressure in the material tube (28), and sends a corresponding signal to instruct the plunger control device (38) to properly control the plunger (32), so that the aforementioned liquid material reaches the set point. The pressure value is maintained for a predetermined period of time. As shown in the second figure. 592934 Description of the Invention Continued Step 4: While maintaining the pressure, the liquid thermosetting plastic material injected into the mold (12) will react and harden due to the heat of the (preheated) mold (16). When the reaction is completed ( (Meaning after a predetermined time has elapsed), the injection device (24) is driven to withdraw from the mold (12), and at the same time, the mold (12) is controlled to be opened, and then the finished product is ejected. The invention can be used to form the head cover and V-groove array of the optical fiber connector.
以上即為本發明一較佳實施例提供之「熱固性材質光 纖連接器成型方法」之流程。相較於傳統之光纖連接器成 型方法，本發明所提供之成型方法優點在於：可兼具熱塑 10 性產品之量產性以及熱固性產品之耐用性，實務上，本發 明之成型週期可達35秒以内，遠優於傳統之熱固性塑膠 採用傳送成形法之90秒週期；此外，本發明可在模具上 設計隔熱機構，使得洗道（sprue)、流道（runner)内之熱固 性液料能保持在相對低溫而不會反應硬化，藉此減少廢料 15 的產生（可減少將近50%)，環保性較佳。The above is the flow of the "method for forming a thermosetting material optical fiber connector" provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Compared with the traditional optical fiber connector molding method, the molding method provided by the present invention has the advantages that it can have both the mass production of thermoplastic 10 products and the durability of thermoset products. In practice, the molding cycle of the present invention can reach Within 35 seconds, it is much better than the 90-second cycle of traditional thermosetting plastics using the transfer molding method. In addition, the invention can design a heat insulation mechanism on the mold to make the thermoset liquid material in the sprue and runner It can be kept at a relatively low temperature without reaction hardening, thereby reducing the generation of waste 15 (which can be reduced by nearly 50%), and has better environmental protection.
-8- 592934 發明說明續頁 [圖式之簡單說明】 第一圖係本發明一較佳實施例之過程示意圖，顯示計 量階段之狀態； 第二圖係本發明一較佳實施例之過程示意圖，顯示射 5 出階段之狀態；以及 第三圖係本發明一較佳實施例之簡要流程圖。-8- 592934 Description of the invention continued [Simplified description of the drawings] The first diagram is a process schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the measurement phase; the second diagram is a process schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention , Showing the state of the shooting phase; and the third diagram is a brief flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[主要部份之代表符號] 12模具 14 模板 10 16模穴 18 模溫控制裝置 22加熱棒 24 射出裝置 26滑移台 28 料管 32柱塞 34 柱塞控制裝置 36噴嘴 38 噴嘴控制裝置 15 42繞道入口 44 供料裝置 46通道 48 止逆裝置 52壓力感測裝置[Representative symbols of main parts] 12 mold 14 template 10 16 mold cavity 18 mold temperature control device 22 heating rod 24 injection device 26 slide table 28 material tube 32 plunger 34 plunger control device 36 nozzle 38 nozzle control device 15 42 Bypass entrance 44 Feeding device 46 Channel 48 Non-return device 52 Pressure sensing device
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