Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Utility Patent
1998-06-26
2001-01-02
Lee, John D. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Utility Patent
active
06168318
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND ART
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positioning device for optical fibers which serves to align the lead end of a ferrule and the lead end of an optical fiber after the optical fiber has been inserted into the ferrule at the lead end of an optical connector; the present invention also relates to an optical connector which is provided with the device described above. This application is based on patent application No. Hei 9-172501 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Background Art
A method for aligning the lead end of the ferrule and the lead end of the optical fiber after the optical fiber has been inserted into the ferrule, and a positioning device employed in this method, will be explained based on
FIGS. 1 through 3
and FIG.
4
.
An example of this installation method is depicted in FIGS.
1
-
3
. In the figures, reference
1
indicates the optical connector, reference
2
indicates the ferrule, reference
2
A indicates the end surface of the ferrule, reference
3
indicates an optical fiber, reference
3
A indicates the core of the optical fiber, reference
9
indicates a nut, and reference
10
indicates an optical connector main body which supports optical fiber
3
.
Concretely, the method operates in the following manner. First, as shown in
FIG. 1
, optical fiber
3
is inserted into a penetrating hole (not depicted in the figure) formed in optical connector
1
, and as shown in
FIG. 2
, the optical fiber core
3
A protrudes from ferrule
2
. Additionally, the optical fiber
3
is supported in optical connector main body
10
by means of the fiber support mechanism
11
provided in optical connector main body
10
. In this state, the optical fiber
3
is slowly withdrawn in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion, as shown in
FIG. 3
, and the end surface of optical fiber core
3
A and the end surface
2
A of ferrule
2
are aligned.
FIG. 4
shows an example of a device which was conventionally employed in order to align the end surface of optical fiber core
3
A and the end surface
2
A of ferrule
2
. In
FIG. 4
, those portions of the structure which were depicted in
FIG. 3
are given the same reference numbers.
In this device, plug
4
is pushed into contact with ferrule
2
, and a sleeve
5
is inserted around plug
4
and ferrule
2
. Furthermore, a pair of adapters
7
and
8
engage the support part
6
which supports sleeve
5
. Nut
9
of optical connector
1
is screwed onto adapter
7
, and ferrule
2
is supported by adapter
7
via spring
12
and the like by means of this nut
9
. In the same manner, a nut
9
A provided on the plug
4
side is screwed onto adapter
8
, and plug
4
is supported by adapter
8
by means of this nut
9
A.
When the device is to be used, the optical fiber
3
is inserted into a guide hole
2
a
in the lead end of ferrule
2
. Then, the end surface of optical fiber core
3
A and the end surface
2
A of ferrule
2
are brought into alignment by means of the manual feel when the end surface of optical fiber core
3
A comes into contact with the lead end surface of plug
4
. After positioning, optical fiber
3
is supported on optical connector main body
10
by means of the fiber support mechanism
11
of optical connector main body
10
.
However, in the technology described above, the former positioning method has the following problems.
(1) Because the operation is conducted visually, it is impossible to accurately align the end surface of optical fiber
3
A and the end surface
2
A of ferrule
2
.
(2) Because the operation is conducted visually, the adjustment of positioning requires a considerable amount of time.
Furthermore, the latter positioning device has the following problems.
(1) Adapters
7
and
8
, and plug
4
, are necessary, so that the structure of the device is complicated.
(2) The device and optical connector
1
are fastened to each other by means of screws, so that attachment and detachment requires time.
(3) There is a danger that damage will be caused to the lead end of the optical fiber
3
inserted into the device, as well as to the lead end of the optical fiber positioned at the plug
4
side.
(4) When the lead end of the optical fiber becomes dirty, there are large connection losses, so that it is necessary that the lead end of plug
4
be clean; however, as a result of the structure of the device, it is impossible to easily clean the lead end surface of plug
4
.
The present invention has as an object thereof to provide a positioning device for optical fibers, and a optical connector which is provided with this device, which is capable of accurately aligning the end surface of optical fiber core
3
A and the end surface
2
A of ferrule
2
in a short period of time, and moreover, which is simple and which allows for the easy cleaning of the lead end surface of the ferrule.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The optical fiber positioning device of the present invention is provided with: an optical connector main body for supporting an optical fiber which passes therethrough; a ferrule, which is provided coaxially with the optical fiber at the lead end side of the optical connector main body and through which the optical fiber passes; and a nut which is disposed outside this ferrule. Furthermore, the optical fiber positioning device is provided with: a pair of arms, which are attached on the left and right of the optical connector main body in such a manner as to be freely rotatable about an axle perpendicular to the axis of the optical connector main body; a support part which is provided spanning the rotational lead end parts of the pair of arms, and which has a contact surface with which the lead ends of the ferrule and optical fiber come into contact; and a support mechanism which is provided on the arms and which positions the support part at either a ferrule-contacting position on the lead end side of the axle or a withdrawn position rearward from the axle.
Here, the support mechanism comprises projections provided on the inside of the arms. These projections engage either with grooves provided on the side parts of the optical connector main body or with side surfaces of the nut.
Furthermore, it is preferable that holes, through which the axis described above passes and which have an elongated shape extending in a longitudinal direction of the arms, be formed in the arms.
The contact surface described above is preferably formed with a groove shape so as to engage the lead end of the ferrule. Here, it is preferable that an upward facing groove be formed in the upper side of the contact surface of the support part.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4640575 (1987-02-01), Dumas
patent: 5030120 (1991-07-01), Hartley
patent: 5155900 (1992-10-01), Grois et al.
patent: 5363460 (1994-11-01), Marazzi et al.
patent: 5687268 (1997-11-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 5845036 (1998-12-01), De Marchi
patent: 5883995 (1999-03-01), Lu
patent: 8-644 (1996-01-01), None
Soeda Tomoichi
Yamaguchi Toru
Ando Electric Co. Ltd.
Connelly-Cushwa Michelle R.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Lee John D.
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