JPH01228771A - Convex polishing method for optical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To arrange so that convex abrasion may be able to be conducted easily on the united end surface of a square shaped light connector by using abrasive plates having inclined abrasive surfaces. CONSTITUTION:An abrasive plate 3 which has a rough abrasion abrasive surface having an inclination of more than 85 deg. but less than 90 deg. against the rotational shaft 4 of the abrasive plate 3, is rotated, and rough abrasion and medium abrasion is conducted on the united end surface 11 of a square shaped light connector by means of this abrasive surface. Next, finish abrasion is conducted on this united end surface 11 by the use of a finish abrasive plate having a finish abrasion abrasive surface which has an inclination of more than 89 deg. but less than 90 deg.. Thus, convex abrasion can be conducted in a short time and easily on the united end surface 11 of the square shaped light connector.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method for polishing a convex surface of a coupling end surface of an optical connector.

(Prior Art) In coupling optical connectors, there is a coupling method called PC coupling in order to improve connection loss and return loss. The purpose of this PC coupling is to bring the optical fibers into physical contact with each other during coupling by polishing the coupling end surfaces of optical connectors into a convex spherical shape.

Conventionally, convex polishing has been performed on round single-fiber optical connectors as shown in FIG. One of the ways is to
As shown in the figure, a concave spherical polishing plate (20) with a polishing surface (2) on the top surface is used, and a round single-fiber optical connector is swung on the polishing plate (20) to make its coupling end/surface convex. It polishes into a spherical shape.

Another method is to use a polishing plate (20) provided with a polishing surface (21) through an elastic sheet (22), as shown in FIG. 8(a).
), apply an appropriate load to the round single-fiber optical connector (1), and the polished surface (21) deforms as shown in the figure (0), so that the coupling end surface becomes a convex spherical shape. Achieves polishing.

(Problem to be Solved) The conventional polishing method described above can polish a round single-fiber optical connector with a convex spherical surface. Square connector (1)
As shown in the figure, convex spherical polishing could not be achieved with optical connectors with rectangular mating surfaces and large polishing surfaces.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a polishing method that makes it possible to polish the convex surface of the connecting end face of a square optical connector and a rectangular optical connector. In a polishing machine equipped with
The purpose is to perform rough polishing and medium polishing with a polishing plate having an inclination of less than 8 degrees, and final polishing with a polishing plate having an inclination of 8" or more and less than 90 degrees, thereby polishing the convex surface of the coupling end surface of an optical connector.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of the polishing method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a coupled end view of an optical connector polished by the method of the present invention.

In the drawing, (ri is the optical connector to be polished, (
2) is a swinging arm to which an optical connector is attached, and is provided so as to be able to swing in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface.(3) is a polishing plate, and its polishing surface (31) is attached to the polishing plate (3). Rotating axis (4
), for rough polishing and medium polishing, it is 856 or more and 90
For final polishing, it is formed with an inclination of 89° or more and less than 90'.

Thus, the polishing plate (3) is rotated about its axis (4) and, at the same time, the swing arm (2) is swinged in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. At this time, the optical connector (1) is placed on the polishing surface using its own weight or spring load so that it can be moved up and down on the polishing plate (3), and the final result is a convex surface as shown in Figure 2. It is possible to realize an optical connector (1) having a coupling end face (l).

(effect) Next, the polishing method of the present invention will be specifically explained.

As shown in Figure 3, a polishing plate (3) having a polishing surface for rough polishing with an inclination of 85° or more and less than 90'' with respect to the rotation axis of the polishing plate (3) is rotated. By placing the negative side of the optical connector (1) on the polished surface and swinging it, this surface is chamfered.Then, as shown in (0) in the same figure,
Apply the opposite surface and chamfer this surface in the same way. Similar chamfering is performed on the other two surfaces, and the final shape as shown in FIG. 3(C) is obtained. In addition, the same figure (d)
(c) is a right side view of figure (c).

Similarly, medium polishing is performed using a polishing plate that has a polishing surface for medium polishing with an inclination of 856 or more and less than 90", and further has a polishing surface for final polishing with an inclination of 896 or more and less than 90". Final polishing is performed using a final polishing plate to achieve a convex optical connector end face as shown in FIG.

At this time, the coupling end surface (l) of the guide pin coupling type optical connector (1) having the guide pin hole (13) as shown in FIG.
For polishing la), two guide pin holes (13)
In order to bring the apex of the convex surface onto a straight line connecting the
Insert into the guide pin hole (I3) and polish. For example, even when left and right imbalance occurs on the polished surface as shown in Figure 5 (a), the guide pin (I4)
), the apex of the convex surface is on the straight line connecting the two guide pin holes (13), as shown in (0) in the same figure, because the amount of polishing after reaching that part is reduced. As a result, a symmetrical convex surface as shown in the same figure (c) can be obtained.

(Example) Using a polishing machine with a swinging arm shown in Fig. 1, rough polishing and medium polishing were performed using a polishing plate with a polishing surface tilted at 88°, and final polishing was performed using a polishing plate with a polishing surface tilted at 88°. I did it.

The polishing conditions were as follows. That is, rough polishing is performed for about 40 seconds by attaching a diamond disk with a grain size of 6 μm to a polishing plate tilted at 88°, and medium polishing is performed by attaching a diamond lapping film with a grain size of 3 μm to a polishing plate tilted at 88°. This was done for about 40 seconds. Furthermore, for final polishing, a diamond lapping film with a grain size of 1 μm and a chromium oxide lapping film with a grain size of 0.5 μm were attached to a polishing plate tilted at 89°.
It was carried out for 0 seconds at a time. The object that was polished here was a square plastic two-core connector.

It has been confirmed that by this method, an optical connector with a convex coupling end surface as shown in FIG. 2 can be easily obtained in a short time.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the polishing method of the present invention, convex polishing of the coupling end face of a rectangular optical connector can be achieved easily and in a short time, thereby improving the performance of the rectangular optical connector. extremely effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a specific example of the polishing method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a coupled end view of an optical connector polished by the method of the present invention. FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) are explanatory views of the steps of the polishing method of the present invention. Figure 4 is an external view of the guide pin inserted into the optical connector that grows the guide pin hole, and Figures 5 (A) to (C) are the 4th
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of polishing the optical connector coupling end face in the state shown in the figure. Figures 6 (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams of optical connectors, where (a) is an external view of a round single-fiber optical connector, and (b) is an external view of a square multi-fiber optical connector. . FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a conventional polishing method for a circular single-core optical connector. FIG. 8(A) is an explanatory diagram of another example of the conventional polishing method for a round single-core optical connector, and FIG. 8(B) is an explanatory diagram of the actual polishing process. 1... Optical connector, 1... Coupling end surface, 12... Optical fiber, 13... Guide pin hole,! 4... Guide pin, 2... Swinging arm, 3... Polishing plate, 3!・・・
- Polishing surface, 4... rotation axis of the polishing plate. Treasure 1 drawing 7rXJ paper 8 drawing (a)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a polishing machine equipped with a swinging arm, rough polishing and medium polishing are performed using a polishing plate whose polishing surface has an inclination of 85° or more and less than 90° with respect to the rotating axis of the polishing plate, and the polishing surface is tilted at an angle of 89° or more and 90°. 1. A method for polishing a convex surface of an optical connector, the method comprising polishing a convex surface of a coupling end surface of an optical connector by performing final polishing with a polishing plate having an inclination of less than 1. (2) When the optical connector is of a guide pin coupling type, the convex surface polishing of the optical connector according to claim (1) is characterized in that polishing is performed with two guide pins inserted into the guide pin holes of the optical connector. Method.