Optical connecting method and optical connection structure

• US 20050226566A1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomoegawa Paper Company Limited (Tomoegawa Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Tomoegawa Paper Company Limited (Tomoegawa Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kyoichi, Suzuki, Masayoshi, Kobayashi, Tatsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,458,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/55
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3608 Fibre wiring boards, i.e. where fibres are embedded or attached in a pattern on or to a substrate, e.g. flexible sheets optical ribbon cables in support members G02B6/4401
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3636 the mechanical coupling means being grooves G02B6/3652 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3652 the additional structures being prepositioning mounting areas, allowing only movement in one dimension, e.g. grooves, trenches or vias in the microbench surface, i.e. self aligning supporting carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3806 Semi-permanent connections, i.e. wherein the mechanical means keeping the fibres aligned allow for removal of the fibres dismountable connectors G02B6/3807
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3843 with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, e.g. measuring position or eccentricity testing the alignment of axes, including eccentricity, G01B11/27
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3869 Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3874 using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules

Abstract

An optical connecting method for optically connecting ends of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber secured side to a first plug and a second plug, respectively, wherein the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are threaded through the first and second plugs, and respective optical fiber is secured to respective plugs with securing parts, a bending step of bending a part of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers that is present ahead of the securing part, an aligning step of aligning the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers and fixing a relative position between the first and second plugs, and an abutting step of abutting the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers by releasing flexure of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers.

Claims

1. An optical connecting method for optically connecting by abutting ends of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber against each other, the first and the second optical fibers being secured to a first plug and a second plug, comprising the steps of:

threading the first optical fiber through the first plug and threading the second optical fiber through the second plug to secure each optical fiber to each plug with a securing part;

bending a part of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber that is present ahead of the securing part;

aligning the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers and fixing a relative position between the first and second plugs; and

releasing a flexure of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers for abutting the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers.

4. The optical connecting method according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein in said bending step, force is applied to at least one of said first and second optical fibers from the side to bend the at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers, and in said abutting step, and flexure of the at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers is released by stopping the application of the force.

5. The optical connecting method according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein in said bending step, force is applied to at least one of said first and second optical fibers by a sliding member to bend the at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers, and in said abutting step, and flexure of the at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers is released by stopping the application of the force.

6. The optical connecting method according to any one of claims 1 through 3, wherein an aligning member is used in said aligning step.

9. The optical connecting method according to any one of claims 1 through 3, further comprising the step of pressing at least one of said first and second optical fibers by a pin-shaped member.

2. An optical connecting method for optically connecting by abutting ends of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber against each other, the first optical fiber being secured to a plug and the second optical fiber being secured to an adapter, comprising the steps of:

threading the first optical fiber through the plug and threading the second optical fiber through the adapter to secure respective optical fibers to the plug and the adapter;

bending a part of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers that is present ahead of the securing part;

aligning the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers and fixing a relative position between the plug and the adapter; and

releasing a flexure of at least one of the first and second for abutting the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers.

3. An optical connecting method for optically connecting by abutting ends of a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber against an optical component, the first optical fiber being secured to a plug, comprising the steps of:

threading the first optical fiber through the first plug and securing the first optical fiber to the first plug with a securing part;

bending a part of the first optical fiber that is present ahead of the securing part;

aligning the first optical fiber and the optical component and fixing a relative position between the first optical fiber and the optical component; and

releasing a flexure of the first optical fiber to abut the first optical fiber against the optical component.

7. The optical connecting method according to any one of claims I through 3, wherein in said aligning step said first plug and said second plug or said first plug and said optical component are secured to the adapter to fix a relative position between the first and second plugs or between the first plug or the optical component.

8. The optical connecting method according to claim 7, wherein the top of said adapter is opened, and said first plug and said second plug or said first plug and said optical component are mounted on the adapter from above the adapter to be secured.

10. An optical connection structure wherein ends of a first optical fiber and second optical fiber are optically connected by abutting the ends against each other in an alignment groove on an adapter having the alignment groove of which the top face is opened, wherein

the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are respectively threaded through a first plug and a second plug mounted on the adapter, an end portion of the first optical fiber is bent as a bending part in said plug, a part of the first optical fiber rearward of the bending part is secured to said plug, and the first and second plugs are mounted on the adapter, said bending part of the first optical fiber is extended so that the end of the first optical fiber is abutted against the end of the second optical fiber.

13. The optical connection structure according to claims 10 through 12, wherein said plug has a bending cell as a space for housing the bending part of said first optical fiber, and said plug fixes a part of said first optical fiber rearward of the bending part to one end of said plug.

14. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a pressing jig is detachably mounted to apply and remove a force to said first optical fiber, and to produce and release said bending part.

15. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein the first optical fiber is threaded through said plug, said plug has a sliding member which can be slidably mounted in the axial direction of the optical fiber, and said bending part is produced and released by sliding of the sliding member.

16. The optical connection structure according to claim 15, wherein when said sliding member is mounted on said plug while the first optical fiber is threaded through said sliding member, an axis of a secured side of the optical fiber and an axis of the end side are vertically misaligned.

17. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a temporary securing member for holding said bending part of said first optical fiber to release holding the bending part is provided on said plug.

18. The optical connection structure according to claim 17, wherein said temporary securing member is provided, in which a pressing board is mounted on an upper supporting member of the plug with a screw so as to be vertically movable.

19. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein an aligning means is provided in at least one of said adapter and said plug.

20. The optical connection structure according to claim 19, wherein two optical fibers are aligned by said aligning means being a groove or a through-hole.

21. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein said plug is vertically attached to the top face of the adapter.

22. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a pin-shaped lead member is held by the plug mounted on the adapter, and the ends of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are vertically pressed by the pin-shaped lead member to be closely-contacted and supported by the alignment groove.

23. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a pin-shaped lead member is held by the plug mounted on the adapter, the ends of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are vertically pressed by the pin-shaped lead member to be closely-contacted and supported by the alignment groove, and said pin-shaped lead member is held by a mounting hole or an installation groove provided on said plug.

24. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a pin-shaped lead member is held by the plug mounted on the adapter, the ends of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are vertically pressed by the pin-shaped lead member to be closely-contacted and supported by the alignment groove, and a pressing fixation member vertically pressing said pin-shaped lead member is mounted on the adapter.

25. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein a pin-shaped lead member is held by the plug mounted on the adapter, the ends of the first optical fiber and the second optical fibers are vertically pressed by the pin-shaped lead member to be closely-contacted and supported by the alignment groove, and said pin-shaped lead member is a cylinder shape or a polygon shape.

26. The optical connection structure according to any one of claims 10 through 12, wherein said plug and said adaptor are secured to separate substrates.

27. The optical connection structure according to claim 26, wherein said plug is secured to one of the substrates so that a part of the plug is located outside said one of the substrates.

11. An optical connection structure wherein ends of a first and second optical fibers are optically connected by abutting the ends against each other in an alignment groove on an adapter of which the top face is opened upward, wherein

the first optical fiber is threaded through a plug mounted on said adapter, an end portion of the first optical fiber is bent as a bending part in said plug, a part of the first optical fiber rearward of said bending part is secured to said plug, said second optical fiber is mounted on said adapter, said plug is mounted at a position facing the second optical fiber in the adapter, and said bending part of said first optical fiber is extended so that the end of said first optical fiber is abutted against the end of said second optical fiber.

12. An optical connection structure wherein the end of a first optical fiber and an optical junction surface of an optical component are optically connected by abutting them against each other on an adapter having an alignment groove of which the top face is opened, wherein

the first optical fiber is threaded through a plug mounted on the adapter, an end portion of the first optical fiber is bent as a bending part in said plug, a part of the first optical fiber rearward of the bending part is secured to said plug, the optical component is aligned with the alignment groove of the adapter, the plug is mounted on the adapter, and said bending part of the first optical fiber is extended so that the end of the first optical fiber is abutted against the optical junction surface of the optical component.