JP6730905B2 - Optical fiber side input/output device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber lateral input/output device that bends an optical fiber ribbon and inputs and outputs light from the side of the optical fiber ribbon.

As a technology for inputting and outputting optical signals to and from an optical fiber without cutting the optical fiber, the existing optical fiber (optical fiber on the input side) is bent, and another optical fiber (probe optical fiber) is bent from this side to the bent part. Optical fiber side input/output technology in which the optical signal is made incident from the tip of the probe optical fiber and the optical signal emitted from the input side optical fiber is received at the tip of the probe optical fiber. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

As a device for realizing lateral input/output of an optical fiber, an optical fiber is bent in a desired bent shape by sandwiching an optical fiber core wire between a first member having a concave curved surface and a second member having a convex curved surface, and There is a device for inputting and outputting light using a probe optical fiber provided in the first member (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).

JP, 2005-040916, A JP, 2005-141245, A

Patent Document 2 describes bending a single-core wire, but the same configuration is conceivable even when bending a 4-fiber ribbon. As shown in FIG. 1, the surface of the 4-fiber ribbon is sandwiched between the first member having a concave curved surface and the second member having a convex curved surface to form a bend. In addition, the concave curved surface and the convex curved surface have a meshing shape as shown in FIG. 1A and 1B are views for explaining an optical fiber side input/output device for bending a 4-fiber ribbon, FIG. 1A is a top view, and FIG. 1B is a top view taken along line XX′. It is a figure explaining the cut surface of.

Here, the optical fiber side input/output device as shown in FIG. 1 has the following two problems.
1.4 Core tape The tape thickness of the core wire shall differ by a maximum of about 0.1 mm depending on the individual.
2.4 Core tape If there is a gap between the core wire and the first member, it will be difficult to input and output lateral light. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the gap and continue contact.
In order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to apply a pressing force to the second member in the arrow direction.

However, in the optical fiber lateral input/output device configured as shown in FIG. 1, the pressing force may apply a lateral pressure to each optical fiber core wire in the four-core tape core wire to increase the loss. As described above, in the optical fiber side input/output device configured as shown in FIG. 1, loss is caused by pressing the surface of the tape core wire, and communication may be interrupted depending on the magnitude of the loss. There are challenges.

Therefore, the present invention can absorb the individual difference in the tape thickness of the tape core wire, and avoid the side pressure to each optical fiber core wire due to the pressing force for eliminating the gap between the tape core wire and the concave curved surface member. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber side input/output device capable of reducing loss.

In order to achieve the above object, the optical fiber side input/output device according to the present invention is configured to apply a pressing force for pressing the tape core wire to the concave curved surface member at points on the surface of the tape core wire.

Specifically, the optical fiber side input/output device according to the present invention,
A concave curved surface that forms a bend in the tape core wire by arranging a surface of the tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires are arranged in parallel with each other, and inputs and outputs light to and from the tape core wire to which the bend is given. A first member having a holding portion for holding the probe optical fiber;
At the tip, between the optical fiber core wires of the surface of the tape core wire is pushed in the direction of the concave curved surface of the first member, and the surface of the tape core wire is aligned with the concave curved surface of the first member. A second member forming a bend,
Equipped with.

In the present optical fiber side input/output device, the second member presses the tape core wire against the concave curved surface of the first member, and absorbs individual differences in tape thickness of the tape core wire to form the tape core wire and the concave curved surface member. The gap between can be eliminated. Further, in the present optical fiber side input/output device, the second member pushes a point between the optical fiber cores on the surface of the tape cores at a point, so that the lateral pressure to the optical fiber cores can be reduced.

Therefore, the present invention can absorb the individual difference in the tape thickness of the tape core wire, and avoid the side pressure to each optical fiber core wire due to the pressing force for eliminating the gap between the tape core wire and the concave curved surface member. An optical fiber side input/output device capable of reducing loss can be provided.

The tip of the second member of the optical fiber lateral input/output device according to the present invention is preferably a spherical surface. It is possible to avoid scratching the surface of the ribbon.

The said 2nd member of the optical fiber side input/output device which concerns on this invention has one said tip, and the said tip pushes the center of the width of the said tape core wire.

The second member of the optical fiber lateral input/output device according to the present invention has a plurality of the tips, and each of the tips presses a position symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction of the tape core wire. Since the pressing force is dispersed into a plurality, the lateral pressure can be further reduced and the loss can be further reduced. Further, the number of optical fiber cores is large, and it is possible to cope with a wide tape core wire, the lateral pressure applied to each optical fiber core wire is equalized, and the loss for each optical fiber core wire is also equalized.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is capable of absorbing individual differences in tape thickness of the tape core wire, avoiding lateral pressure on each optical fiber core wire due to a pressing force for eliminating a gap between the tape core wire and the concave curved surface member, thereby reducing loss. An optical fiber side input/output device that can be reduced can be provided.

It is a figure explaining the optical fiber side input/output device relevant to this invention. It is a figure explaining the optical fiber side input/output device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the optical fiber side input/output device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the optical fiber side input/output device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the optical fiber side input/output device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining a tape core wire. It is a figure explaining the definition of a bending diameter and a bending angle.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, in the present specification and the drawings, components having the same reference numerals indicate the same components.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a tape core wire. The tape core wire has a structure in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires are arranged in parallel. In this specification, names are defined as shown in FIG. 6A is a view seen from a direction perpendicular to the surface of the tape core wire, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the tape core wire taken along line Y-Y'.

(Outline of the present invention)
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the optical fiber side input/output device 301 of the present embodiment. 2A is a top view of the optical fiber side input/output device 301, and FIG. 2B is a view for explaining a cross section taken along line XX′ of the top view.
The optical fiber side input/output device 301 is
Light is incident on the concave curved surface 24 that forms a bend in the tape core wire 100 by the surface of the tape core wire 100 in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires are arranged in parallel, and the tape core wire 100 to which the bend has been given. A first member 11 having a holding portion 51 for holding the probe optical fiber 50 for outputting,
At the tip, between the optical fiber core wires of the surface of the tape core wire 100 is pushed toward the concave curved surface 24 of the first member 11, and the surface of the tape core wire 100 is aligned with the concave curved surface 24 of the first member 11. A second member 12 forming a bend,
Equipped with.

The first member 11 has a concave curved surface 24 that bends the tape core wire 100. The second member 12 is arranged at a position where the tip of the second member 12 comes into contact with the most recessed portion of the concave curved surface 24 when pushed in the direction of the first member 11. Further, for example, when the tape core wire 100 has four cores, the tip is between the first wire and the second wire, between the second wire and the third wire, and between the third wire and the fourth wire. The second member 12 is arranged at a position where at least one of them is pushed (see FIG. 2B). Similarly, in the N-core tape core wire, the second member 12 is arranged at a position where at least one of (N-1) positions between the adjacent strands is pressed.

When the second member 12 pushes the tape core wire 100 toward the first member 11 with a predetermined pressing force, the tape core wire 100 is bent in the shape of the concave curved surface 24 of the first member (FIG. 2A). ).

(Embodiment 1)
The optical fiber side input/output device 301 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the tip of the second member 12 is spherical. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a manner in which the optical fiber lateral input/output device of the present embodiment forms a bend in the four-core tape core wire 100. The position of the cross section is the same as in FIG. FIG. 3A is a diagram when the tip of the second member 12 is not spherical, and FIG. 3B is a diagram when the tip of the second member 12 is spherical.

The tip of the second member 12 may be a convex shape that pushes only between the adjacent optical fiber strands, but if the tip is sharp such as a triangular shape, the surface of the tape core wire is scratched. There is a fear. Therefore, it is desirable that the tip of the second member 12 be spherical.

(Embodiment 2)
The optical fiber lateral input/output device 301 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the second member 12 has one tip and the tip pushes the center of the width of the tape core wire 100. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining how the optical fiber side input/output device 301 of the present embodiment forms a bend in the four-core tape core wire 100. FIG. 4A is a top view of the optical fiber side input/output device 301, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken along line XX′ of the top view.

In the optical fiber lateral input/output device 301 of this embodiment, the tip of the second member 12 is spherical. The tip of the pressing member has a radius R=0.5 mm. The first member 11 has a bending diameter of 2 mm and a bending angle of 20 degrees. Then, the tip of the second member 12 pushes only between the 2nd and 3rd strands of the tape core wire 100 with a pressing force of 1 to 3N. The definition of the bending diameter and the bending angle will be described with reference to FIG.

(Embodiment 3)
The optical fiber lateral input/output device 301 of this embodiment is characterized in that the second member 12 has a plurality of tips, and each of the tips pushes a position symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction of the tape core wire 100. And FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the optical fiber side input/output device 301 of the present embodiment forms a bend in the four ribbon core wires 100. 5A is a top view of the optical fiber side input/output device 301, and FIG. 5B is a view for explaining a cross section taken along line XX′ of the top view.

In the optical fiber lateral input/output device 301 of this embodiment, the tip of the second member 12 is two spherical surfaces. The tip of the second member 12 is a hemisphere having a radius R of 0.25 mm or less. The distance between the tips of the second member 12 is 0.5 mm. If the pressing force is the same as that of the second embodiment, the pressing force per tip of the second member 12 of the present embodiment is half that of the second member 12 of the second embodiment having one tip. That is, the lateral pressure applied to one portion of the tape core wire is halved, and the loss due to the lateral pressure can be further reduced. Further, since the lateral pressure applied to each of the four cores becomes equal, the bending loss of each optical fiber core can be made equal.

(Effect of the invention)
The optical fiber lateral input/output device according to the present invention can reduce the loss due to the lateral pressure generated when the tape core wire is pressed and bent, and the insertion loss of this device can be reduced, so that the influence on communication can be reduced.

11: 1st jig 12: 2nd jig 24: concave curved surface 50: probe optical fiber 51: holding part 100: tape core wire 301: optical fiber side input/output device

Claims (4)

A concave curved surface that forms a bend in the tape core wire by arranging a surface of the tape core wire in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires are arranged in parallel with each other, and inputs and outputs light to and from the tape core wire to which the bend is given. A first member having a holding portion for holding the probe optical fiber;
At the tip, only between the optical fiber core wires of the surface of the tape core wire is pushed toward the concave curved surface of the first member, and the surface of the tape core wire is aligned with the concave curved surface of the first member. A second member that bends to form a bend,
Optical fiber side input/output device equipped with. The optical fiber lateral input/output device according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the second member is a spherical surface. The optical fiber lateral input/output device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second member has one tip, and the tip pushes the center of the width of the tape core wire. The optical fiber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second member has a plurality of tips, and each tip pushes a position symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction of the tape core wire. Lateral input/output device.

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