JPH04276708A - Method for removing polishing material of parts for optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and cleanly remove a polishing material by polishing parts for optical fibers by using diamond powder, then removing the diamond powder by heating and burning. CONSTITUTION:The parts 3 for optical fibers used to insert and fix the terminal 2 of the optical fiber 1 are polished by using the diamond powder and thereafter, this diamond powder is removed by heating and burning. While the diamond powder may be used as it is in such a case, the polishing efficiency is enhanced and a preferable result is obtd. if this powder is used by being mixed with liquid having a proper viscosity. The liquid to be used at this time is preferably the liquid which is completely evaporated and burned by heating without leaving residues, for which, for example, vegetable oils, such as olive oil, castor oil and camellia oil, and synthetic fatty acids, such as oleic acid and allicinolic acid, are adequate. Then, the abrasive grains, i.e., diamond powder sticking to the parts 3 for optical fibers and the liquid mixed therewith are completely burned and evaporated away.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is applicable to optical fiber parts such as ferrules used to connect optical fibers and restraints used to fix optical fiber terminals, especially those that come into contact with bare fibers whose coating has been removed. The present invention relates to a method for removing an abrasive used for polishing a portion of an optical fiber from an optical fiber component.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as an optical fiber component 3, as shown in FIG.
There are single-fiber optical fiber connectors as shown in Figure 3 and restraints as shown in Figure 3. These optical fiber components 3 are generally manufactured from metal, ceramics, or the like. Among these, sleeve 2 of the single-fiber optical fiber connector shown in Figure 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a sleeve body 11 made of ceramics, through which a through hole 12 is inserted into the center of the sleeve body 11, into which the end 2 of the optical fiber 1 with its coating removed is inserted. This sleeve 22 has its surface or through hole 1
In order to achieve the precision of the inner circumferential surface of 2, they are polished using abrasive grains such as diamond powder during manufacturing, and then the abrasive grains are removed by washing them with water or solvent while applying ultrasonic waves. Ta.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional abrasive grain removal method, it takes time to remove the abrasive grains attached to the optical fiber component 3 because they are difficult to remove. Further, since a step of drying the cleaning liquid is required, the manufacturing equipment becomes larger accordingly. Furthermore, a portion of the optical fiber component 3 that comes into contact with the uncoated portion of the optical fiber 1 (sleeve 2 in FIG.
If abrasive grains remain in the through hole 12 of FIG. 2 or the V-groove 30 of the retainer shown in FIG.

0004

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for removing abrasives adhering to optical fiber parts easily and in a short period of time, without leaving any residue behind.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The method for removing abrasives from optical fiber components according to the present invention is a method for removing an abrasive from an optical fiber component by inserting the end 2 of the optical fiber 1 as shown in FIG. 1 or fixing the end 2 of the optical fiber 1 as shown in FIG. After polishing the part 3 using diamond powder,
The diamond powder is removed by heating and burning. The diamond powder may be used as it is, but
It is preferable to use it in combination with a liquid of an appropriate viscosity because polishing efficiency is high. The liquid used at this time is preferably one that completely evaporates or burns when heated and leaves no residue, such as vegetable oils such as olive oil, castor oil, and camellia oil, oleic acid,
Synthetic fatty acids such as allicinoleic acid are suitable. The material of the ceramic is not particularly limited as long as it can withstand heating. For example, zirconia, alumina, etc. can be used. The heating is performed in air or in an oxygen atmosphere. The heating temperature usually requires 700°C or higher.

[0006]

[Operation] In the method for removing abrasive from optical fiber components of the present invention, after polishing the optical fiber component 3 using diamond powder, the diamond powder is heated and burned in air or an oxygen atmosphere. The abrasive grains, ie, diamond powder, and the liquid mixed therewith adhering to the tool part 3 are almost completely burned, evaporated, and removed.

[0007]

Embodiment 1 The method of removing abrasive from an optical fiber component according to the present invention will be explained using an example in which the optical fiber component 3 is a single-fiber optical fiber connector. The single-core optical fiber connector shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a sleeve 22 made of zirconia and a flange 23 made of stainless steel. Three
The sleeve 22 has a through hole 12 in the center of the sleeve body 11 into which a bare fiber portion 25 of the optical fiber 1 from which the coating has been removed is inserted.
is formed. The inner diameter of the through hole 12 is designed to be 126 μm, which is slightly larger than the bare fiber of 125 μm. The flange 23 is fitted into one longitudinal end of the sleeve 22. This flange 23 has a coating insertion hole 27 into which the coating 26 of the optical fiber 1 is inserted.
is formed. The sleeve 22 of FIG. 1 is manufactured as follows. First, zirconia powder is kneaded with an auxiliary material, molded, and then fired to form a cylinder with an inner diameter of about 100 μm, an outer diameter of about 2.5 mm, and a length of about 10 mm. Next, a liquid mixture of diamond powder and olive oil is used as a lapping liquid, and the piano wire is passed through the through hole 12 to widen its inner diameter to a finished inner diameter of 126 μm. Also, sleeve 22
Finish polishing is performed using the same lapping liquid for lapping the outer diameter and both ends. After all polishing is completed, polishing is performed at 850°C in oxygen for 30 minutes using the abrasive removal method of the present invention.
Heat for a minute to burn off and remove the abrasive diamond powder and olive oil.

[0008]

[Embodiment 2] The optical fiber fixture 3 shown in FIG. 3 is a holding tool that clamps and fixes the ends of the two-core fibers from above and below when connecting the same fibers. This holding tool is composed of a V-groove substrate 28 made of zirconia and a holding plate 29 made of zirconia. Two parallel V-grooves 30 are formed in the V-groove substrate 28 to accommodate the bare fiber portion 25 of the optical fiber 1. This V-groove substrate 28 and presser plate 29 were used in Example 1 during manufacturing.
As in the case of , polishing is performed using a lapping liquid that is a mixture of diamond powder and olive oil. After polishing is completed, the diamond powder and olive oil are burned and removed by heating in oxygen at 850° C. for 30 minutes according to the abrasive removal method of the present invention.

[0009]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the method for removing abrasive from optical fiber parts of the present invention, a large number of optical fiber parts, such as connectors, ferrules, V-grooves, insertion holes, guide pins, etc., can be polished at one time. To easily remove abrasive materials from optical parts in a short time without leaving any residue behind. Therefore, the cost for removing the abrasive material is also reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a single-fiber optical fiber connector.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which an optical fiber is inserted into a single-fiber optical fiber connector.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the optical fiber fixed with a holding tool.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Optical fiber 2 Optical fiber terminal 3. Optical fiber parts

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for removing an abrasive from an optical fiber component, which comprises polishing an optical fiber component 3 using diamond powder, and then removing the diamond powder by heating and burning it.