JPH058404B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector and a method of manufacturing an optical fiber connector.

Optical fiber connectors generally have a through hole formed in the axis of a flanged cylindrical ferrule.
It is formed by inserting and fixing the end portion of an optical fiber. This optical fiber connector is inserted into the housing of a cylindrical optical connector adapter from both sides facing each other, and the pair of optical fiber connectors are optically coupled by bringing the ferrule end faces into contact with each other.

The above-mentioned optical fiber connector not only securely fixes the optical fiber wire portion and the optical fiber coating portion that covers and protects the optical fiber wire into the through-hole of the ferrule, but also has low cost. something is required.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional optical fiber connector is as shown in the side sectional view shown in FIG. 3, and an optical fiber 1 is inserted and fixed into a ferrule 3. optical fiber 1
The optical fiber coating 1B made of synthetic resin is peeled off at the tip and the optical fiber strand 1A is exposed. Further, the ferrule 3 has a cylindrical shaft center, and the end of the ceramic sleeve 4, which has an optical fiber insertion hole 4a into which the optical fiber 1A is inserted and fixed, is attached to a flanged fixing part 5 made of a metal material. It is press-fitted into the counterbore hole on the flange side end face. An optical fiber insertion hole 5a is formed in the axis of the cylindrical side of the flanged fixing part 5, into which the optical fiber coating 1B is inserted and a suitable gap is formed for storing the adhesive.

The optical fiber insertion hole 5a has a tube member (for example, a glass tube) 7 having a through hole slightly larger than the optical fiber insertion hole 4a of the ceramic sleeve 4.
The end face of the ceramic sleeve 4 is brought into contact with the end face of the ceramic sleeve 4, and the contact end face and the optical fiber coating insertion hole 5a are connected to each other.
It is adhesively fixed to the inner peripheral surface of.

Optical fiber strand 1A and optical fiber coating 1B
Apply an adhesive (for example, epoxy resin adhesive) 6 to the outer peripheral surface of each and insert it into the ferrule 3,
It is fixed in each insertion hole as shown in FIG. After fixing, the end face of the ceramic sleeve 4 and the end face of the optical fiber wire 1A are polished to enable optical coupling. A light antireflection film is deposited if necessary.

Although the tubular member 7 is shown short in FIG. 3, it is actually as long as the ceramic sleeve 4. Therefore, in the conventional optical fiber connector described above, the optical fiber wire 1A is fixed to the ceramic sleeve 4 and the pipe member 7 continuous thereto, so that the adhesive fixing force is extremely large. This prevents wave breakage of the bonded portion of the optical fiber wire 1A due to expansion and contraction in the length direction of the optical fiber coating 1B caused by changes in ambient temperature at the location where the optical fiber connector is used. ing.
If breakage occurs, the tip end surface of the optical fiber strand hole 1A will not match the tip end surface of the ceramic sleeve 4, which would be a problem, so this is nothing but prevention.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The above-mentioned conventional optical connector requires time for the adhesive to harden, requires a separate tube member, and the work of inserting and gluing this tube member into the ferrule is troublesome and time-consuming, resulting in high costs. Get high.
There are problems such as the pipe member becoming larger in the length direction.

[Means for solving problems]

The constituent means of the present invention, which aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional optical connector, includes a flanged fixing part made of a metal material, and an optical fiber insertion hole into which the optical fiber is inserted into the shaft center. In an optical fiber connector in which an optical fiber is inserted and fixed into a ferrule that is coupled to a ceramic sleeve having a ceramic sleeve inserted therethrough, the end of the ceramic sleeve is inserted into a counterbore hole on the flange side end surface of the flanged fixing part of the ferrule. An optical fiber insertion hole is formed in the cylindrical side axis of the flanged fixing part and communicates with the counterbore hole and has a diameter that allows the optical fiber coating to be inserted through. The peeled optical fiber part is soldered and fixed in the optical fiber insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve, and the coated part of the optical fiber is caulked from the outer periphery of the cylindrical part in the optical fiber insertion hole of the flanged fixing part. This is achieved by means of an optical fiber connector, which is characterized in that it is fixedly fixed.

In addition, the optical fiber connector has a state in which the optical fiber strand from which the coating at the tip of the optical fiber has been peeled is inserted into the optical fiber strand insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve, and the tip thereof protrudes beyond the tip surface of the ceramic sleeve. Then, the cylindrical part is caulked from the outer periphery against the coated part of the optical fiber located in the optical fiber insertion hole of the flanged fixing part to fix the optical fiber to the cylindrical part, and then the ceramic sleeve part is heated by ultrasonic waves. The ceramic sleeve is immersed in vibrated molten solder to infiltrate the space between the optical fiber strand and the optical fiber strand insertion hole to fix the solder, and then the end face of the ceramic sleeve and the end face of the optical fiber strand are polished and finished. It is manufactured by

[Effect]

According to the configuration means of the present invention, since the optical fiber wire is soldered and fixed to the optical fiber wire insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve, strong fixation is obtained and reliability is high. Therefore, there is no need for a conventional tube member. Further, since the optical fiber coated portion is caulked and fixed to the cylindrical portion of the flanged fixing portion, reliable fixation can also be obtained. Therefore, there is no shrinkage in the length direction between the optical fiber coating and the optical fiber strands due to temperature changes in the surrounding environment in which the optical fiber connector is used, or there is no displacement within the ferrule due to tensile force. The end surface of the optical fiber and the end surface of the ceramic sleeve always coincide.

Since ultrasonic waves are used to solder the optical fiber wire into the optical fiber insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve, it is possible to penetrate the molten solder over the entire length of the wire, and it is possible to solder it in an extremely short time. You can do it on time. The caulking work of the optical fiber coated portion can also be easily performed in a very short time.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the gist of the present invention will be specifically explained by examples with reference to the drawings. In addition, parts with the same reference numerals throughout the figures indicate equivalent parts.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the optical fiber connector of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical fiber connector of the present invention in the order of a, b, and c.

As shown in FIG. 1, the optical fiber connector of the present invention has an optical fiber 1 inserted and fixed into a ferrule 30. In the optical fiber 1, the optical fiber coating 1B made of synthetic resin is peeled off at the tip and the optical fiber strand 1A is exposed. Ferrule 30
The end of the ceramic sleeve 4, which has an optical fiber insertion hole 4a (FIG. 2a) into which the optical fiber 1A is inserted and fixed at the cylindrical axis, is made of a metal material (e.g., copper alloy, stainless steel, etc.). ) is press-fitted into a counterbore hole in the flange side end face of the flanged fixing part 5. At the axis of the cylindrical portion of the flanged fixing portion 5, an optical fiber insertion hole 5a into which the optical fiber coating 1B can be inserted and fitted is formed in communication with a counterbore for press-fitting the ceramic sleeve.

The optical fiber 1A portion is soldered and fixed in the optical fiber insertion hole 4a of the ceramic sleeve 4 with solder 8, and the optical fiber coating 1
In the B portion, the cylindrical portion side of the flanged fixing portion 5 is radially compressed and caulked from the outer periphery to bite into the coating due to the reduction of the optical fiber coating insertion hole 5a, and is caulked and fixed.

As described above, since the periphery of the optical fiber strand 1A is soldered and fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the optical fiber strand insertion hole 4a, the adhesive strength is large and the reliability of the fixation is high. Since the periphery thereof is fixed to the cylindrical part side of the metal material by compression caulking, reliable fixation is obtained. Therefore,
Due to the difference in expansion and contraction in the longitudinal direction between the optical fiber strand and the optical fiber coating due to temperature changes in the surrounding environment in which this optical fiber connector is used,
There is no possibility of misalignment between the optical fiber strand 1A and the optical fiber coating 1B within the ferrule 30.

The optical fiber connector as described above can be manufactured by the procedure shown in FIG.

In Figure 2, optical fiber 1, ferrule 3
0 has the configuration described in FIG. 1, and its explanation will be omitted. First, FIG. 2a shows the fixing portion immediately before the optical fiber 1 is inserted into the ferrule 30. As shown in FIG.
The length of the portion of the optical fiber 1A from which the optical fiber coating 1B at the tip has been peeled off is slightly longer than the length of the ceramic sleeve 4. This optical fiber 1 is inserted into each insertion hole of the ferrule 30 from the direction of the arrow.

The optical fiber wire 1A portion is positioned in the optical fiber wire insertion hole 4a of the ceramic sleeve 4, and the optical fiber coating insertion hole 5a of the flanged fixing part 5 is inserted.
In this state, the cylindrical part is compressed radially from the outer periphery using a plier-like compression tool or a small press device (both not shown) to plastically deform it. By reducing the size of the insertion hole 5a, the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole 5a bites into the optical fiber coating 1B and fixes this portion. Note that the tip of the optical fiber wire 1A is slightly protruded from the tip surface of the ceramic sleeve 4. This situation is shown in FIG. 2b.

Next, the procedure for soldering and fixing the optical fiber wire 1A portion into the optical fiber wire insertion hole 4a of the ceramic sleeve 4 will be explained with reference to FIG. 2c.
In Fig. 2c, solder tank 1 in which solder is heated and melted.
An ultrasonic generator 11 is installed on the bottom of the
8a inside is molten solder.

The molten solder 8a which operates the ultrasonic generator 11 is vibrated by ultrasonic waves, and the ceramic sleeve 4 is immersed from the tip to a suitable depth in the molten solder 8a with the ferrule 30 in a vertical position. When the ceramic sleeve 4 is heated by the molten solder 8a, it infiltrates and rises into the gap between the optical fiber strand 1A portion and the optical fiber strand insertion hole 4a by capillary action. The important point here is that the molten solder 8a is subjected to ultrasonic vibration. As a result, the molten particles (granules) of the molten solder 8a are made finer, and the excitation pressure accelerates the infiltration due to capillary action. In this way, it is possible to infiltrate the solder 8 over the entire length of the optical fiber insertion hole 4a.

Although not shown, a small hole for ventilation is formed from the side surface of the flanged fixing part 5 to the inside of the insertion hole so that the air in the internal space is not compressed as the solder infiltrates and increases, thereby preventing the infiltration of the solder. has been done.

The solder used for the above soldering is, for example, Pb-Sn.
This special solder is made by adding a special metal to eutectic solder, and it is possible to solder both the optical fiber glass and the ceramic sleeve without the need for flux.

Note that before immersing the ceramic sleeve 4 in the molten solder 8a, wrapping a heat-resistant tape or the like around the outer circumferential surface of the ceramic sleeve 4 will prevent the solder 8 from adhering to the circumferential surface of the ceramic sleeve 4. be able to. In this case, solder adheres to the tip end face of the ceramic sleeve 4, but since this solder is removed in a later end face polishing process, it is not necessary to consider solder removal as much as in this soldering process.

Caulk and fix the optical fiber coating 1B part.
If this is done after the soldering process of the optical fiber strand 1A, the optical fiber coating 1B may be twisted due to caulking, which may cause torsional stress to be applied to the optical fiber strand 1A and cause it to break. be. Therefore, in order to prevent such inconveniences, in the present invention, the caulking and fixing process is performed before the soldering and fixing process.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention fixes the optical fiber part to the optical fiber insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve by molten soldering excited by ultrasonic waves, and fixes the optical fiber coated part to the flanged fixing part. Since the optical fiber coating is fixed from the outer periphery into the optical fiber coating insertion hole on the cylindrical portion side of the body by caulking, the fixing work is easy and can be carried out in a short time.
Furthermore, it has a simple configuration, enables cost reduction, and has excellent practical effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the optical fiber connector of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the manufacturing process of the optical fiber connector of the present invention in the order of a, b, and c, and Fig. 3 is a conventional optical fiber connector. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a fiber connector. In the figure, 1 is an optical fiber, 1A is an optical fiber wire, 1B is an optical fiber coating, 3 and 30 are ferrules, 4 is a ceramic sleeve, 4a is an optical fiber insertion hole, 5 is a flanged fixing part, 5a
1 is an optical fiber coating insertion hole, 6 is an adhesive, 7 is a tube member, 8 is solder, 8a is molten solder, 10 is a solder tank,
11 indicates an ultrasonic generator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ferrule formed by combining a flanged fixing part made of a metal material and a ceramic sleeve having an optical fiber insertion hole through which an optical fiber is inserted into the shaft center. In an optical fiber connector in which a fiber is inserted and fixed, the end of a ceramic sleeve is press-fitted into a counterbore hole on the flange side end face of the flanged fixing part of the ferrule, and the end of the ceramic sleeve is press-fitted and fixed to the axial center of the cylindrical part of the flanged fixing part. An optical fiber insertion hole that communicates with the counterbore hole is formed with a diameter that allows the coated portion of the optical fiber to be inserted, and the optical fiber strand from which the coating has been peeled off at the tip of the optical fiber is an optical fiber strand in a ceramic sleeve. An optical fiber connector characterized in that the optical fiber is fixed in the insertion hole by soldering, and the coated portion of the optical fiber is fixed in the optical fiber insertion hole of the flanged fixing part by caulking from the outer periphery of the cylindrical part. 2. Manufacture of an optical fiber connector in which an optical fiber is inserted and fixed into a ferrule that combines a flanged fixing part made of a metal material and a ceramic sleeve having an optical fiber insertion hole through which an optical fiber is inserted into the shaft center. In the method, the end of the ceramic sleeve is press-fitted into a counterbore on the flange side end face of the flanged fixing part of the ferrule, and the coated part of the optical fiber is inserted into the axis of the cylindrical part of the flanged fixing part. forming an optical fiber insertion hole that communicates with the counterbore hole in diameter, inserting the optical fiber strand from which the coating at the tip of the optical fiber has been peeled off into the optical fiber strand insertion hole of the ceramic sleeve;
With its tip protruding beyond the tip surface of the ceramic sleeve, the cylindrical part is caulked from the outer periphery against the coated part of the optical fiber located in the optical fiber insertion hole of the flanged fixing part, and the optical fiber is inserted into the cylindrical part. Then, the ceramic sleeve part is immersed in molten solder that is excited and vibrated by ultrasonic waves, so that the solder penetrates between the optical fiber wire and the optical fiber wire insertion hole, and the ceramic sleeve is fixed with solder. A method for manufacturing an optical fiber connector, comprising polishing an end face and an end face of an optical fiber strand.