JPH0573002B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a method for arranging a plurality of optical fibers exposed at the terminals of a plurality of single optical fibers or tape-shaped multi-core optical fibers at a predetermined pitch. This invention relates to a terminal tool for aligning optical fibers.

[Prior art and its problems]

Optical fiber alignment terminals are used to align a plurality of optical fibers at a predetermined pitch and incorporate them into a connector for collective connection, and conventionally had the following structure.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,
It is composed of a substrate 11 and a lid 12 that is placed over it.The substrate 11 has, in order from the base side, a fiber accommodating groove 13 for accommodating the coating portions 2 of a plurality of optical fiber cores 1, and a fiber accommodating groove 13 for accommodating the coating portions 2 of a plurality of optical fiber cores 1, and A fiber positioning groove 15 consisting of an intermediate groove 14 for accommodating the bases of the plurality of optical fibers 3 coming out from the wire covering part 2, and a plurality of V-grooves for arranging the plurality of optical fibers 3 at a predetermined pitch. A fiber spacing adjustment groove 16 is formed to provide a degree of freedom for the aligned optical fibers 3. On the other hand, the lid 12 is formed with a core accommodating groove 17 and an intermediate groove 18 corresponding to the substrate 11, but the other portions are flat.

However, in such a terminal tool, it is not possible to fix the optical fiber 3 simply by installing it in the fiber positioning groove 15, so the optical fiber 3 installed in the positioning groove 15 must be temporarily fixed one by one with an instant adhesive or the like, which makes assembly difficult. Workability is extremely poor.

In addition, terminal devices for aligning optical fibers as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 are also known. This terminal tool has a lid 12a on the base side and a lid 1 on the tip side.
2b, and the lid 12b on the tip side can be slid in and out of the fiber positioning groove 15 of the substrate 11 first. Board 11
The configuration is similar to that of the terminal device described above.

When aligning optical fibers using this terminal tool, as shown in FIG.
Slightly shift the fiber positioning groove 15 toward the tip.
is partially visible, and the optical fiber 3 is inserted along the groove 15 under the lid 12b. Then, the optical fiber 3 connects the groove 15 and the lid 12b.
The periphery is restrained by the , and it cannot move laterally. Therefore, positioning of a plurality of optical fibers can be performed relatively easily than with the above-mentioned terminal device.

However, with such a terminal tool, when the optical fiber 3 is inserted along the positioning groove 15, the lid 12b on the tip end side is often pushed and removed, which again poses a problem in terms of workability. . Although it is conceivable to carry out the work while holding the lid 12b on the tip side so that it does not move, this is extremely difficult in actual work because the lid 12b on the tip side is an extremely small part.

[Means for solving problems and their effects]

The present invention provides a terminal tool for aligning optical fibers that solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and the terminal tool includes a substrate and a lid that covers the substrate. A fiber accommodating groove for accommodating a coated portion of the coated optical fiber, and a fiber guide groove for arranging a plurality of optical fibers protruding from the coated portion of the coated optical fiber at predetermined pitches are formed;
Further, a fiber positioning block is provided at the end of the fiber guide groove, in which a plurality of fiber insertion holes are formed on an extension line of the groove.

In this terminal device, when the optical fiber is slid along the fiber guide groove, the optical fiber naturally enters the fiber insertion hole located on the extension line of the fiber guide groove.
is positioned at that position.

〔Example〕

1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention. This optical fiber alignment terminal tool is shown in FIG.
It is equipped with a substrate 21 shown in FIG. 3b and a lid 22 shown in FIG. 4, and a fiber positioning block 23 shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a fiber positioning block 23 is installed on a substrate 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate 21 includes, in order from the base side, a fiber accommodating groove 24 for accommodating the coated portions of a plurality of coated optical fibers, and a fiber accommodating groove 24 for accommodating the coated portions of the coated optical fibers. An intermediate groove 25 for accommodating the bases of the plurality of protruding optical fibers, a fiber guide groove 26 consisting of a plurality of V-grooves for arranging the plurality of optical fibers 3 at predetermined pitches, and a fiber positioning block 23. A block groove 27 for setting in a fixed position and a fiber spacing adjustment groove 28 for providing a degree of freedom for aligned optical fibers are formed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the fiber positioning block 23 has a plurality of fiber insertion holes 29 formed therein at a predetermined pitch (same as the pitch of the V-groove of the fiber guide groove 26). The fiber insertion hole 29 is formed so as to be located on the extension line of each V-groove of the fiber guide groove 26 when the positioning block 23 is installed in the block groove 27 of the substrate 21 as shown in FIG. The inner diameter of the fiber insertion hole 29 is made slightly larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber on the exit side to enable accurate positioning, and is made larger on the entrance side to facilitate insertion of the optical fiber.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
1, a block groove 32 and a fiber spacing adjustment groove 33 are formed.

When the optical fibers at the ends of a plurality of optical fibers are aligned with the fiber positioning block 23 installed on the substrate 21 as shown in FIG. 1, the result will be as shown in FIG. In order to insert the optical fiber 3 into the fiber insertion groove 29 of the fiber positioning block 23 and position it in this way, the tip of the optical fiber 3 is placed in the V groove of the fiber guide groove 26, and the optical fiber is inserted along the V groove. 3, the optical fiber 3 naturally enters the fiber insertion hole 29 on its extension line and is positioned. At this time, the positioning block 23 is fitted into the block groove 27 of the substrate 21, so it does not move. Fifth
In the state shown in the figure, adhesive is applied to the core wire accommodation groove 23 and the intermediate groove 25, and the cover 22 is placed on the substrate 2.
1 and the lid 22, the alignment of the optical fibers is completed.

FIG. 6 shows the state in which the optical fiber alignment terminal tool is used. A connector can be constructed by fixing a connector block 35 to the tip of the terminal fitting 34 and covering the whole with a connector housing 36 which is divided into two parts.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the invention. Substrate 21
Although only the side is shown, the lid is almost the same as the above embodiment. This substrate 21 is characterized in that a protrusion 37 is formed in the fiber accommodating groove 23 to sandwich each of the plurality of optical fiber cores 1 accommodated therein. These protrusions 37 are wide on the proximal end side (inlet side), and are adapted to sandwich the coating portion 2 of the optical fiber core at that portion. In this way, after the optical fiber 3 is inserted into the fiber insertion hole, the coating portion 2 of the optical fiber core wire is inserted into the core wire receiving groove 2.
Since the optical fibers 3 can be fixed by being pushed into each other, there is an advantage that the alignment work of the optical fibers 3 can be performed more easily.

In the above embodiment, the fiber positioning block was fitted into the block groove of the substrate.
This fiber positioning block may be fixed to the substrate with an adhesive or the like, or may be integrally molded with the substrate.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, a case has been described in which a plurality of optical fibers exposed from a plurality of single-core optical fibers are aligned.
A terminal device in which a protrusion is not formed in the fiber accommodating groove as in the illustrated embodiment can also be used to align a plurality of optical fibers exposed at the end of a tape-shaped multi-core optical fiber.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber insertion hole of the fiber positioning block provided on the substrate for positioning. The insertion hole is formed on the extension line of the fiber guide groove, so if you slide the optical fiber along the fiber guide groove,
It has the advantage that it can be easily inserted into the fiber insertion hole and is extremely easy to work with.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the optical fiber alignment terminal of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate on which a fiber positioning block is installed;
Figure 2a is a vertical cross-sectional view of the board, and Figure 2b is A-A of a.
Line sectional view, Figure 3a is a longitudinal sectional view of the fiber positioning block, Figure 3b is an end view on the inlet side, Figure c is an end view on the outlet side, Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lid, and Figure 5 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the optical fibers are aligned on the substrate, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the state in which the terminal device for aligning optical fibers is used, and FIG. 7 is a terminal device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 8 and 9 show an example of a conventional terminal tool for aligning optical fibers, FIG. 8 is a plan view of the board, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section of the terminal tool. Figures 10 and 1
Figure 1 shows another example of a conventional terminal for aligning optical fibers, and Figure 10 is a plan view of its substrate.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the terminal device. 1... Optical fiber core wire, 2... Covering part, 3...
Optical fiber, 21...substrate, 22...lid, 23...
...Fiber positioning block, 24... Core wire accommodation groove, 26... Fiber guide groove, 29... Fiber insertion hole, 37... Protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate and a lid that is placed on the substrate, the substrate having a fiber accommodating groove for accommodating a coated portion of the optical fiber, and a fiber receiving groove protruding from the coated portion of the coated optical fiber. A fiber guide groove is formed for arranging a plurality of optical fibers at predetermined pitches, and a fiber positioning block is provided at the end of the fiber guide groove, in which a plurality of fiber insertion holes are formed on an extension line of the groove. A terminal tool for aligning optical fibers. 2. The optical fiber alignment terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the fiber accommodating groove is formed with a protrusion that clamps each of the plurality of optical fiber cores accommodated therein. thing.