JP6418967B2 - Optical fiber and light guide device with ferrule - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber with a ferrule that guides condensed sunlight, and a light guide device that guides sunlight to a distant position such as indoors for illumination.

  As global warming has attracted attention, devices that utilize sunlight, such as a daylighting device (see, for example, Patent Document 1) that performs illumination by guiding sunlight indoors, have attracted attention. In these devices, optical fibers that can be bent flexibly to guide light are used. An optical fiber is composed of a core made of a high refractive index material and a clad made of a low refractive index material, and sunlight incident on the core from one end of the optical fiber is reflected at the interface between the core and the clad. It travels inside and is emitted from the other end of the optical fiber.

  In these apparatuses, it is necessary to fix the end of the optical fiber or connect to another apparatus on either the incident side where the sunlight is incident on the optical fiber or the emission side where the sunlight is emitted. Conventionally, in order to directly fix an optical fiber to an apparatus, the optical axis of the optical fiber is aligned, and then the optical fiber is fused to a connecting portion of the apparatus or fixed with an adhesive or the like.

JP 2001-184913 A

  However, it is necessary to perform the complicated work of cutting the tip of the optical fiber, aligning the optical axis, and fixing the optical fiber to the device every time the device is assembled or the optical fiber is exchanged. Become. In addition, since concentrated high-energy sunlight passes through the optical fiber, there is a problem that if the connection is not made efficiently, heat is generated and damaged at the connection portion.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber with a ferrule and a light guide device that are easy to connect and have excellent heat resistance.

An optical fiber with a ferrule of one embodiment of the present invention includes a ferrule having a first through hole,
A holder portion connected to one end of the ferrule, coaxial with the first through-hole, and having a second through-hole having a larger diameter than the first through-hole;
The core part, the reflection part provided around the end part of the core part, the reflection part totally reflecting the light traveling in the core part at the interface with the core part, and the part provided with the reflection part An optical fiber having a cladding portion provided around the remaining portion of the core portion, wherein at least a part of the portion provided with the reflecting portion is inserted into the first through hole, and the reflecting portion is provided. An optical fiber in which the remaining portion and the clad portion are inserted into the second through-hole,
An adhesive layer that fixes the holder part and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber, and the reflection part is made of a metal layer, and the metal layer contains chromium positioned on the surface of the core part. a first layer, a second layer comprising gold located outside the surface of the first layer is characterized Rukoto such laminated.
An optical fiber with a ferrule of one embodiment of the present invention includes a ferrule having a first through hole,
A holder portion connected to one end of the ferrule, coaxial with the first through-hole, and having a second through-hole having a larger diameter than the first through-hole;
The core part, the reflection part provided around the end part of the core part, the reflection part totally reflecting the light traveling in the core part at the interface with the core part, and the part provided with the reflection part An optical fiber having a cladding portion provided around the remaining portion of the core portion, wherein at least a part of the portion provided with the reflecting portion is inserted into the first through hole, and the reflecting portion is provided. An optical fiber in which the remaining portion and the clad portion are inserted into the second through-hole,
An adhesive layer that fixes the holder portion and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber, and the reflection portion is made of a metal layer, and the metal layer includes titanium positioned on a surface of the core portion. The first layer and a second layer containing platinum located on the outer surface of the first layer are laminated.

The light guide device of one embodiment of the present invention includes a light collector that collects external light;
The above optical fiber with a ferrule that guides the light collected by the condenser, and
And an illuminator that illuminates an object to be illuminated with light guided by the optical fiber with a ferrule.

  According to the optical fiber with a ferrule of one aspect of the present invention, since the ferrule and the holder are provided at the end of the optical fiber, the connection work can be facilitated.

  In addition, a reflection part that totally reflects light traveling in the core part at the interface with the core part is provided around the end of the core part, and at least a part of the part provided with the reflection part passes through the first part. The remaining part of the core part inserted into the hole and provided with the reflection part and the cladding part are inserted into the second through hole of the holder part. The inner peripheral surface of the holder part and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber are fixed by an adhesive layer.

  As a result, it is difficult for light to leak out from the core part in the part where the reflective part is formed, so heat generation at the part where the adhesive layer is attached is suppressed, and it is easy to connect with the device and has a ferrule with excellent heat resistance An optical fiber can be realized.

  According to the light guide device of one embodiment of the present invention, by using the optical fiber with a ferrule, heat generation at a connection portion is suppressed, and a light guide device that is easy to connect to the device and has excellent heat resistance is realized. can do.

It is sectional drawing which shows the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the optical fiber 20 with a ferrule of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the light guide apparatus 30 which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the connector part of the light guide apparatus 30 which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

  The present invention provides at least one of an optical fiber having a core portion, a reflecting portion provided around the core portion at an end portion, and a cladding portion provided around the core portion in a remaining portion excluding a portion provided with the reflecting portion. It is an optical fiber with a ferrule in which a ferrule is attached to the end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber with a ferrule of the present invention includes a daylighting device that performs illumination by guiding light from a light source such as sunlight indoors, a power generation device that irradiates the solar cell with light that has been guided, and generates light. As long as it is an apparatus that guides sunlight from one position to another using an optical fiber, such as a plant growing apparatus that grows plants by irradiating with light, it can be suitably used. Moreover, it can be used suitably also for the illuminating device etc. which guide artificial light, such as LED.

  Hereinafter, an optical fiber 10 with a ferrule according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, all drawings are schematic and may differ from actual dimensions.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical fiber 10 with a ferrule according to a first embodiment of the present invention. An optical fiber 10 with a ferrule includes a ferrule 1, a holder portion 2, an optical fiber 3, and an adhesive layer 9.

The optical fiber 3 includes a core part 4, a reflection part 6 provided around the core part 4 at the end, and a clad part provided around the core part 4 in the remaining part excluding the part where the reflection part 6 is provided. 5. When the optical fiber 3 is classified according to the material, both the core part 4 and the clad part 5 are made of a glass fiber, the core part 4 and the clad part 5 are both made of a resin component, and the core part 4 is made of a glass component. Thus, a polymer clad fiber having a clad portion made of a resin component can be used. Further, when classified according to the transmission mode, a single mode fiber that transmits light of a single mode, a multimode fiber that transmits light of a plurality of modes, and the like can be used.

  These various optical fibers may be those in which the periphery of the cladding portion 5 is further covered with the jacket portion 8. The jacket portion 8 is provided for the purpose of protecting the optical fiber 3. For the purpose of guiding illumination light such as sunlight, a multimode fiber that is relatively inexpensive is often used.

  At the end of the optical fiber 3 on the side where the ferrule 1 is attached, the cladding portion 5 and the jacket portion 8 are removed and the core portion 4 is once exposed, and then the reflecting portion 6 is formed on the surface of the exposed core portion 4. Is forming.

  The ferrule 1 is made of a columnar or cylindrical member, and has a first through hole 1a penetrating along the central axis. The first through hole 1a has a hole diameter that is substantially the same as the outer shape of the exposed core part 4 of the optical fiber 3, and the core part 4 having the reflection part 6 formed on the surface thereof is inserted into the first through hole 1a. . The length of the core part 4 in which the reflection part 6 is formed is longer than the length of the first through-hole 1a, and the core part in which the reflection part 6 is formed in the state inserted in the first through-hole 1a of the ferrule 1 4 is inserted into the first through-hole 1a and covered with the ferrule 1, but the remaining portion 4b is not inserted into the first through-hole 1a and the reflecting portion 6 is exposed.

  The core part 4 in which the reflection part 6 is formed is inserted into the first through hole 1 a until the tip surface thereof is flush with the tip surface of the ferrule 1.

  The first through hole 1a is formed with a constant hole diameter in the axial direction. Here, “the hole diameter is constant” means that the variation of the manufacturing error occurring at the time of manufacturing the ferrule 1 can be ignored. “Manufacturing error level” means an error of about 0.5 μm, for example. The arithmetic average roughness Ra of the inner surface of the first through hole 1a is preferably 0.05 μm or less. When the arithmetic average roughness Ra on the inner surface of the first through hole 1a is 0.05 μm or less, damage to the core part 4 when the core part 4 of the optical fiber 3 is inserted can be suppressed. The hole diameter of the first through hole 1a can be set to, for example, 1 to 1.05 mm when the outer diameter of the core part 4 on which the reflection part 6 is formed is 1 mm.

  Further, a chamfered portion 1 b is provided at the tip portion of the ferrule 1. By providing the chamfered portion 1b, the corner portion of the ferrule 1 can be prevented from contacting the external device when the ferrule 1 is inserted into the external device. Therefore, the ferrule 1 can be inserted smoothly.

  The dimensions of the ferrule 1 will be described. Here, the optical fiber 3 to which the ferrule 1 is attached has an outer shape of the core portion 4 of 1 mm, an outer shape of the cladding portion 5 of 1.035 mm, and an outer shape of the jacket portion 8 of 1.4 mm as an example. In this case, for example, the ferrule 1 can be set to an outer dimension having an outer diameter of 2.5 to 3 mm and a length of 10 to 15 mm.

  In addition, the optical fiber 3 having an outer diameter of 125 μm as defined in the JIS standard or the TIA / EIA standard may be used. In this case, for example, the ferrule 1 can be set to an outer dimension having an outer diameter of 1 to 3 mm and a length of 6 to 12 mm.

As a material of the ferrule 1, for example, zirconium oxide (zirconia), aluminum oxide (alumina), mullite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, ceramics containing a mixture of these as a main component or a mixture thereof, crystallized glass, etc. Glass ceramics or the like can be used. In particular, in order to make the ferrule 1 excellent in environmental resistance and toughness, ceramics mainly composed of zirconia are suitable.

  The reflection unit 6 totally reflects sunlight traveling in the core unit 4 at the interface with the core unit 4. The core portion 4 may be entirely covered with the reflective portion 6 or the clad portion 5 so that there is no exposed portion, and the portion 4a inserted into the first through hole 1a of the ferrule 1 is reflective. There may be an exposed portion (for example, a tip portion) where the portion 6 is not formed. The reflection part 6 or the clad part 5 functions so that sunlight does not leak from the core part 4. If sunlight leaks excessively, there is a risk of heat generation at that portion.

  In this embodiment, the reflection part 6 consists of a metal layer. As a metal material which comprises a metal layer, what is necessary is just the thing which can totally reflect sunlight in an interface with the core part 4. FIG. A metal layer may be comprised from 1 type of metal, and may be comprised from multiple types of metal. When the metal layer is composed of a plurality of types of metals, for example, a plurality of layers may be laminated.

  When the metal layer is composed of a plurality of layers, as a first example, the first layer formed on the surface of the core portion 4 is a layer containing chromium, and the second layer stacked on the surface of the first layer is gold. It is a layer containing. The first layer may contain a metal other than chromium, but it is preferably 90% or more of chromium and made of only chromium. The second layer may contain a metal other than gold, but it is preferably 90% or more of gold and made of only gold.

  As a second example when the metal layer is composed of a plurality of layers, the first layer formed on the surface of the core portion 4 is a layer containing titanium, and the second layer stacked on the surface of the first layer is platinum. The third layer further laminated on the surface of the second layer is a layer containing gold. The first layer may contain a metal other than titanium, but titanium is preferably 90% or more, and is preferably made of only titanium. The second layer may contain a metal other than platinum, but it is preferably 90% or more of platinum and made of only platinum. The third layer may contain a metal other than gold, but it is preferably 90% or more of gold and made of only gold.

  The thickness of a metal layer is 0.1 micrometer-10 micrometers, for example, and when a metal layer consists of multiple layers, each layer is 0.11 micrometer-3 micrometers.

  As a method for forming a metal layer on the surface of the core portion 4, a known metal thin film forming method can be used, and for example, vapor deposition, sputtering, electroless plating, or electrolytic plating can be used.

  The holder portion 2 is made of a cylindrical member, is connected to one end portion of the ferrule 1, is coaxial with the first through hole 1a, and has a second through hole 2a having a larger diameter than the first through hole 1a. Specifically, the rear end portion of the ferrule 1 is fitted into the second through hole 2a of the holder part 2 so that the ferrule 1 and the holder part 2 are fixed, and the first through hole 1a and the second through hole 2a communicate with each other. ing. The portion into which the ferrule 1 is inserted may have a portion with a larger inner diameter than the second through hole 2 a in accordance with the outer diameter of the ferrule 1.

  In a state where the part 4a of the core part 4 in which the reflection part 6 is formed as described above is inserted into the first through hole 1a of the ferrule 1, the remaining part 4b, the clad part 5 and part of the jacket part 8 are It will be in the state inserted in the 2nd through-hole 2a.

  The second through hole 2 a of the holder portion 2 has a larger diameter than the outer diameter of the cladding portion 5 or the jacket portion 8 of the optical fiber 3, that is, the outer diameter of the optical fiber 3.

  As a material of the holder part 2, metal materials, such as stainless steel, can be used, for example.

  The holder part 2 has a so-called flange-like extension part 2b in which a part of the outer peripheral part is extended outward in the radial direction. The extending portion 2b is used for attaching to other members.

  As dimensions of the holder portion 2, for example, the outer diameter other than the extending portion 2b is 2.9 to 3.1 mm, the outer shape of the extending portion 2b is 4.4 to 4.6 mm, and the inner diameter is 2.4 to 3.0 mm. Can be set to

  The second through hole 2a provided in the holder portion 2 has a hole diameter in a portion surrounding the remaining portion 4b of the core portion 4 where the reflecting portion 6 is formed and a portion of the cladding portion 5 and the jacket portion 8. It is formed constant in the axial direction. The outer diameters of the clad part 5 and the jacket part 8 are formed constant in the axial direction, and therefore the distance between the inner peripheral surface of the holder part 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket part 8 is constant in the axial direction. .

  When the outer diameter of the jacket part 8 is 1.4 mm, for example, if the hole diameter 2a of the second through hole of the holder part 2 is 2.4 to 3.1 mm, the inner peripheral surface of the holder part 2 and the jacket part 8 The distance from the outer peripheral surface is 0.5 to 0.85 mm.

  In order to fix the optical fiber 3 and the holder part 2, an adhesive is poured into the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the holder part 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket part 8, and the inner peripheral surface of the holder part 2 and the outer periphery of the jacket part 8 The surface is bonded and fixed with an adhesive layer 9. The adhesive may be poured to the surface of the reflective portion 6, and the jacket portion 8, the clad portion 5, and the reflective portion 6 of the remaining portion 4 b may be fixed by the adhesive layer 9. Further, an adhesive may be further introduced to the reflective portion 6 and the first through hole 1a, and the reflective portion 6 and the first through hole 1a may be bonded.

  The space | interval of the internal peripheral surface of the holder part 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket part 8 is 0.5-0.85 as mentioned above. By using a liquid adhesive, it can be made to approach toward the front-end | tip from the rear-end side of the holder part 2 by a capillary phenomenon.

  In order to easily allow the liquid adhesive to enter the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the holder portion 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket portion 8, an epoxy adhesive having a relatively low viscosity is used.

  When an epoxy adhesive having a relatively low viscosity before curing is used, the adhesive that has entered the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the holder portion 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket portion 8 enters further beyond the gap, The remaining portion 4b that is not inserted into the ferrule 1 of the core portion 4 on which the reflective portion 6 made of a metal layer is formed is also fixed by the adhesive layer 9.

  When sunlight is guided, since the energy is high, if the adhesive layer 9 is attached to a portion where the core portion 4 is exposed, the portion where the adhesive layer 9 is attached due to leakage light leaking from the exposed portion May generate heat, the adhesive may be denatured or softened, and the ferrule 1 or the holder portion 2 may be damaged.

  In this embodiment, since the reflection part 6 which consists of a metal layer is formed in the surface of the core part 4, the sunlight guided is confined in the core part 4 by the reflection part 6, and the reflection part 6 is carried out. In the formed part, the amount leaking out from the core part 4 can be reduced.

Thereby, even if it uses the ferrule 1, the heat_generation | fever in the adhesion part of the adhesive bond layer 9 is suppressed, The optical fiber with a ferrule which is easy to connect with an apparatus and is excellent in heat resistance is realizable.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, it is a structure different from 1st Embodiment that the reflection part 6 consists of resin layers. The resin layer serving as the reflective portion 6 has a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the core portion 4 because the sunlight traveling in the core portion 4 is totally reflected at the boundary with the core portion 4.

  Also in this embodiment, the core part 4 may be entirely covered with the reflection part 6 or the clad part 5 made of a resin layer so that there is no exposed part, and is inserted into the first through hole 1 a of the ferrule 1. In addition, in the part 4a, there may be an exposed part where the reflecting part 6 is not formed.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical fiber 20 with a ferrule according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The ferrule-equipped optical fiber 20 includes a ferrule 1, a holder portion 2, an optical fiber 3 </ b> A, and an adhesive layer 9. In the example shown in FIG. 2, a hard polymer clad optical fiber is used as the optical fiber 3A. The hard polymer clad optical fiber includes a core part 4, a hard polymer clad part 7, and a jacket part 8. The core portion 4 is made of quartz glass, the hard polymer cladding portion 7 is made of acrylic resin or fluorine resin, and the jacket portion 8 is made of polyimide resin, nylon resin, acrylic resin, fluorine resin, or the like. .

  In this embodiment, the jacket portion 8 is removed at the tip portion of the optical fiber 3A, and the hard polymer clad portion 7 is left without being removed. Therefore, the remaining hard polymer clad part 7 is the reflection part 6 made of the resin layer of the present embodiment. The jacket portion 8 constitutes the clad portion of the present invention together with the hard polymer clad portion 7.

  In the optical fiber 20 with a ferrule, the core portion 4 with the hard polymer clad portion 7 remaining is inserted into the first through hole 1a of the ferrule 1, and the core portion 4 with the hard polymer clad portion 7 remaining as the reflection portion 6 is inserted. In a state in which a part 4a of the ferrule 1 is inserted into the first through hole 1a, the remaining part 4b and a part of the jacket part 8 are inserted into the second through hole 2a.

  In order to fix the optical fiber 3 </ b> A and the holder portion 2, an adhesive is poured into the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the holder portion 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket portion 8, so that the inner peripheral surface of the holder portion 2 and the outer periphery of the jacket portion 8 are The surface is bonded and fixed with an adhesive layer 9.

  The adhesive that has entered the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the holder portion 2 and the outer peripheral surface of the jacket portion 8 enters further beyond the gap, and enters the ferrule 1 of the core portion 4 that is still covered with the hard polymer cladding portion 7. The adhesive layer 9 also fixes between the remaining portion 4b not inserted and the holder portion 2.

  In this embodiment, since the hard polymer clad part 7 remains as the reflection part 6 made of a resin layer on the surface of the core part 4, the guided sunlight is confined in the core part 4 by the reflection part 6. Therefore, it is difficult to leak out from the core part 4 at the part where the reflection part 6 is formed.

  Thereby, even if it uses the ferrule 1, the heat_generation | fever in the adhesion part of the adhesive bond layer 9 is suppressed, The optical fiber with a ferrule which is easy to connect with an apparatus and is excellent in heat resistance is realizable.

  In the present embodiment, the reflecting part 6 may be a resin layer having a refractive index lower than that of the core part 4, and is not limited to the configuration in which the resin layer is the hard polymer clad part 7 as described above. After removing the jacket part 8 and the hard polymer clad part 7 and exposing the core part 4, a resin layer may be formed on the surface of the core part 4.

  The thickness of the resin layer is, for example, 1 to 35 μm. As a method for forming the resin layer on the surface of the core part 4, a known resin layer forming method can be used. For example, a method in which a resin component solution is applied to the surface of the core part 4 and then cured is used. be able to. The curing method varies depending on the resin component used and the component added to the solution, and thermal curing by heating, photocuring by ultraviolet irradiation, and the like can be used.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, when using a hard polymer clad optical fiber as the optical fiber 3A and leaving the hard polymer clad part 7 as the reflection part 6 made of a resin layer, a cutter or the like is provided at the end inserted into the ferrule 1. What is necessary is just to cut the jacket part 8 using. Since the jacket portion 8 and the hard polymer clad portion 7 are often not fixed with an adhesive or the like, it is possible to cut only the jacket portion 8 with a blade.

  Below, the example of the manufacturing method of the ferrule 1 is demonstrated. In this manufacturing method, the constituent material of the ferrule 1 is a ceramic (zirconia-based ceramic) containing zirconia as a main component.

  First, the molding material which comprises the molded object used as the prototype of the ferrule 1 is prepared. Specifically, the molding material is prepared by sufficiently mixing and pulverizing a mixed powder of zirconium oxide powder and yttrium oxide powder with a ball mill or the like, and then adding a binder to the pulverized material and mixing. The mixed powder is obtained by mixing 1 to 15% by mass of yttrium oxide powder with 85 to 99% by mass of zirconium oxide powder, particularly mixing 2 to 10% by mass of yttrium oxide powder with respect to 90 to 98% by mass of zirconium oxide powder. That is suitable. As the zirconium oxide powder, zirconium oxide having a purity of 95% or more, particularly 98% or more is suitable.

  Next, a molded body having the first through hole 1a is obtained using the prepared molding material. Specifically, a molding material is obtained by filling a cavity of a molding die having a cavity including a structure for molding the first through-hole 1a and performing press molding at a predetermined pressure. The method for obtaining the molded body is not limited to the press molding described above, and a method such as injection molding, casting molding, cold isostatic pressing, or extrusion molding may be employed.

  Next, the obtained molded body is fired to obtain a sintered body. Specifically, after degreasing by putting the obtained molded body into a degreasing furnace at 500 to 600 ° C. for 2 to 10 hours, the degreased molded body is 1300 to 1500 in an oxygen atmosphere. Ferrule 1 is obtained by baking at a temperature of 0.5 to 3 hours.

  When the holder portion 2 is made of a stainless material, the ferrule insertion hole and the second through hole 2a are formed in the columnar stainless member by lathe processing or the like, and the flange-like extension portion 2b is formed on the outer periphery. The holder part 2 can be obtained.

  The rear end portion of the ferrule 1 is inserted into the ferrule insertion hole of the holder portion 2 while applying pressure. You may fix the ferrule 1 and the holder part 2 using a brazing material or an adhesive agent.

  Below, the modification of the optical fiber with a ferrule of this invention is demonstrated.

  In the above description, the distal end surface of the core portion 4 is inserted into the first through hole 1a to a position where it is flush with the distal end surface of the ferrule 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the distal end surface of the core portion 4 is 1 may be retracted inward in the axial direction from the front end surface of 1 and positioned in the first through hole 1a. Further, the front end surface of the core portion 4 may protrude outward in the axial direction from the front end surface of the ferrule 1.

  Since the distal end surface of the core portion 4 is retracted inward in the axial direction from the distal end surface of the ferrule 1, damage to the core portion 4 can be reduced. In addition, the front end surface of the core portion 4 protrudes outward in the axial direction from the front end surface of the ferrule 1, thereby improving connectivity. As a result, the connection loss is reduced.

  The tip surface of the core part 4 may be a flat surface orthogonal to the axis or a flat surface inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis. Moreover, the front end surface of the core part 4 may not be a flat surface but may be a convex shape, a concave shape, a conical shape, a frustum shape, or the like.

  In the above description, the optical fiber 3 fixed by the adhesive layer 9 has been described on the assumption that the periphery of the core portion 4 is covered with the cladding portions 5 and 7 and the jacket portion 8, but the jacket portion 8 is removed and the cladding portion 5 is removed. , 7. In that case, the outer peripheral surfaces of the clad parts 5 and 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder part 2 are fixed by the adhesive layer 9.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of the light guide device 30 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The light guide device 30 includes a condenser 31 that collects external light, an illuminator 32 that illuminates an illuminated object, and the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule described above.

  Hereinafter, the light guide device 30 will be described using an illumination device as an example, but a power generation device, a plant growth device, and the like are also the light guide device of the present invention. For example, if a plant is arranged in the light illumination part, it can be set as a plant growth apparatus.

  The condenser 31 and the illuminator 32 are connected by the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule, and the light from the condenser 31 is guided to the illuminator 32 by the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule. The concentrator 31 and the illuminator 32 are not necessarily connected by the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule of the present invention, but a part of the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule is connected and the rest is connected by a conventional optical fiber. May be.

  Further, it is not necessary to connect the condenser 31 to the illuminator 32 with the single optical fiber 10 with a ferrule of the present invention, and it may be connected with several optical fibers 10 with a ferrule. For example, in FIG. 3, the portions indicated by reference signs A and B indicate that the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule is connected by the connectors A and B.

  The concentrator 31 may be of any configuration as long as it is installed outdoors outside the wall 33 and collects external light and enters the optical fiber, such as a condensing lens, a condensing mirror, A reflection mirror or the like can be used. The ambient light to be collected may be natural light such as sunlight or artificial light emitted from a light source such as an LED.

  The illuminator 32 may be of any configuration as long as the illuminator 32 is installed indoors inside the wall 33, for example, on the ceiling 34, and illuminates the light to be illuminated. A lens, a parallel light lens, a reflection mirror, or the like can be used.

  The optical fibers 10 with ferrules are connected to each other by connectors A and B. The connectors A and B have a structure as shown in FIG. 4, and the ferrule of one optical fiber 10 with a ferrule and the ferrule of the other optical fiber 10 with a ferrule are connected using a sleeve 35. The sleeve 35 is a cylindrical member having elasticity, and when the ferrule 1 is inserted from one side and the other side of the inner hole, the ferrules are held coaxially.

The sleeve 35 may be a split sleeve type with slits in the axial direction or a cylindrical shape called a precision sleeve type without slits. The sleeve 35 is preferably made of zirconia ceramics, but may be made of elastic metal.

  Although not shown in FIG. 4, the connectors A and B may be protected by arranging a case so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 35 and the partial outer peripheral surfaces of the holders 2 on both sides.

  The connection between the ferruled optical fiber 10 and the collector 31 and the illuminator 32 can be made by a conventional method. Further, by providing the same connector as the connectors A and B at the connection portion of the optical fiber 10 with ferrules of the condenser 31 and the illuminator 32, the optical fiber 10 with ferrule can be easily inserted and removed.

  In the above example, the configuration using the ferrule-equipped optical fiber 10 according to the first embodiment has been described. However, the ferrule-equipped optical fiber 20 according to the second embodiment can also be used, and only the ferrule-equipped optical fiber 10 is used. May be used, or only the optical fiber 20 with a ferrule may be used, or the optical fiber 10 with a ferrule and the optical fiber 20 with a ferrule may be used in combination.

  By using the optical fibers 10 and 20 with ferrules, it is possible to realize the light guide device 30 that can easily connect the optical fibers 3 and 3A and has excellent heat resistance.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ferrule 1a 1st through-hole 1b Chamfering part 2 Holder part 2a 2nd through-hole 2b Extension part 3, 3A Optical fiber 4 Core part 4a Part of the core part provided with the reflection part 4b Core provided with the reflection part Remaining part 5 Cladding part 6 Reflecting part 7 Hard polymer cladding part 8 Jacket part 9 Adhesive layer 10, 20 Optical fiber with ferrule 30 Light guide device 31 Concentrator 32 Illuminator 33 Wall 34 Ceiling

Claims (5)

A ferrule having a first through hole;
A holder portion connected to one end of the ferrule, coaxial with the first through-hole, and having a second through-hole having a larger diameter than the first through-hole;
The core part, the reflection part provided around the end part of the core part, the reflection part totally reflecting the light traveling in the core part at the interface with the core part, and the part provided with the reflection part An optical fiber having a cladding portion provided around the remaining portion of the core portion, wherein at least a part of the portion provided with the reflecting portion is inserted into the first through hole, and the reflecting portion is provided. An optical fiber in which the remaining portion and the clad portion are inserted into the second through-hole,
An adhesive layer for fixing the holder part and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber ,
The reflection part is made of a metal layer, and the metal layer includes a first layer containing chromium located on the surface of the core part, and a second layer containing gold located on the outer surface of the first layer; An optical fiber with a ferrule, characterized by being laminated . A ferrule having a first through hole;
A holder portion connected to one end of the ferrule, coaxial with the first through-hole, and having a second through-hole having a larger diameter than the first through-hole;
The core part, the reflection part provided around the end part of the core part, the reflection part totally reflecting the light traveling in the core part at the interface with the core part, and the part provided with the reflection part An optical fiber having a cladding portion provided around the remaining portion of the core portion, wherein at least a part of the portion provided with the reflecting portion is inserted into the first through hole, and the reflecting portion is provided. An optical fiber in which the remaining portion and the clad portion are inserted into the second through-hole,
An adhesive layer for fixing the holder part and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber,
The reflection part is made of a metal layer, and the metal layer includes a first layer containing titanium located on the surface of the core part, and a second layer containing platinum located on the outer surface of the first layer; There off ferrule with optical fiber you characterized by being laminated. The reflecting portion according to claim 1 or 2, ferrule with optical fiber according to characterized in that it consists of a resin layer having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the core portion. The optical fiber with a ferrule according to claim 3 , wherein the core portion is made of quartz glass, and the resin layer is made of an acrylic resin. A light collector for collecting outside light;
The optical fiber with a ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , which guides light collected by the condenser.
An illuminator that illuminates an object to be illuminated with light guided by the optical fiber with a ferrule.

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