Optical connecting method and optical connection structure

• US 7,458,729 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomoegawa Paper Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tomoegawa Paper Company Limited
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kyoichi, Suzuki, Masayoshi, Kobayashi, Tatsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hughes; James P
• Application Number:
  US11/101,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20050226566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,335 Days
• Field of Search: 385/53, 385/55, 385/56, 385/58, 385/60, 385/62, 385/63, 385 65- 67, 385/70, 385/72, 385 75- 78, 385/80, 385/81, 385 83- 85, 385/87, 385/139
• 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 fiber 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 fiber that is present ahead of the securing part, an aligning step of aligning the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber 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 fiber by releasing flexure of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber.

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

abutting the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber by releasing a flexure of at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, due to the restoring force of said at least one of the first and second optical fibers, and 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 fiber, and

in said abutting step, the flexure of the at least one of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is released by stopping the application of the force.

2. The optical connecting method according to claim 1, wherein an aligning member is used in said aligning step.

3. The optical connecting method according to claim 1, wherein in said aligning step said first plug and said second plug are secured to an adapter to fix a relative position between the first and second plugs.

4. The optical connecting method according to claim 3, wherein the top of said adapter is opened, and said first plug and said second plug are mounted on the adapter from above the adapter to be secured.