JP2001324639A - Optical transmission equipment connection device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] The present invention provides a general-purpose connecting device for reducing loss when connecting optical fibers. An optical transmission body is optically coupled with a connection device equipped with a detachable light guide component including a flexible light transmission body and a support frame. The light guide component is an insertion component at the center of the connection device or a divided component of the connection device. The light transmitting body preferably has a refractive index of 1.35 to 1.55, and has a hardness of JIS (A type) 50 degrees or less, such as a silicone resin, an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, and an elastomer resin. It is preferably at least one selected from resins and derivatives of these resins.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of an apparatus for optically connecting an optical transmission body represented by an optical fiber, and relates to a practical technique for reducing a loss at the time of optical communication connection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The transmission efficiency of an optical transmission line using an optical fiber is greatly affected by a connection loss at an optical connection between optical fibers in an optical transmission line or between an optical fiber and another optical component. It is greatly affected by connection loss in the connection between optical fibers that occupy most of the connection portions in the transmission line. The causes of connection loss in the connection between optical fibers include those caused by the connection technology and those caused by the optical fiber itself. The former relates to the positioning of the optical fiber, such as axis deviation, the inclination of the axis, and the gap between the end faces of the optical fiber.

In order to effectively eliminate these causes, the connecting device must have a complicated structure and high precision. In addition, the end face of the optical fiber requires a high degree of polishing, and the handling of the connecting device is difficult. At present, skilled skills are required. These have led to a significant increase in cost when connecting optical fibers.

The high cost of such a connection structure is
This is a major obstacle to the widespread use of optical communication systems for information transfer, which is a typical use of optical fibers, especially in offices and homes. This is because, when an optical communication system is used in an office or home, the number of connection points is much larger, and the number of opportunities for connection switching is increased, resulting in an increase in cost. In other words, in order to spread the optical communication system to offices and homes, it is important that the connection can be easily performed at the same cost as, for example, conventional electric wiring.

[0005] In order to reduce the cost of the connection structure, the above-mentioned causes of connection loss, particularly, clearances, inclinations, and roughness between the end faces of optical fibers that require a more advanced structure and processing to remove them are required. It is intended to realize a connection with a sufficiently small loss even if swell and the like are allowed. Further, by using a simple connection device, generalization of the optical communication system can be promoted.

The present inventors have proposed a connection structure in which a flexible light transmitting member is sandwiched between optical fibers in order to reduce the connection loss (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-111429). The present inventors have made further studies and found that the practicality is further improved by attaching a flexible light transmitting body as a replacement part to the connection device. According to the present invention, an optical connection can be easily and reliably performed at low loss by anybody at home.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a connecting device for reducing a loss at the time of connecting optical fibers. Another object of the present invention is to propose a general-purpose connection device that enables anyone to enjoy optical communication stably at any time.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to reduce optical transmission loss by connecting optical fibers using a connection device equipped with easily replaceable light guide components. By separating the structure into a main body and a light guide, a general-purpose, simple and low-loss connection device is proposed.

A first aspect of the present invention is a connection device for interposing a flexible light transmitting body between optical fibers, and has a structure in which a light guide component including a light transmitting body and a support frame is mounted. A connection device for an optical transmission body, characterized in that:

[0010] Claims 2 and 3 relate to a mounting mechanism of the light guide component, wherein the component is inserted into the center of the connection device main body or is a divided part of the connection device main body. Item 2. A connection device for an optical transmission body according to Item 1.

According to a third aspect, the refractive index of the light transmitting body is 1.35.
The connection device for an optical transmitter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the light transmitting body has a hardness of JIS (A
Mold) silicone resin, acrylic resin of 50 degrees or less,
The connection device for an optical transmission body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the connection device is at least one selected from an epoxy resin, an elastomer resin, and a derivative of these resins.

When transmitting signal light from an optical fiber to an optical fiber through a connecting device having a flexible light transmitting member mounted on a light guide path, the connecting device has a structure in which a light guide component can be attached and detached in consideration of practicality. It is necessary.

The optical fiber made of quartz is Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
Manufacturers such as Toray for polymethyl methacrylate resin and Asahi Glass for fluorine resin are supplied.

The mounting position of the light guide component in the connection device is preferably centered in terms of balance, and various mounting methods can be proposed. However, in consideration of handleability, it is preferable to mount the light guide component at the center of the connection device main body or assemble the light guide component as a divided component of the connection device.

It is preferable that the refractive index of the light transmitting body is substantially the same as that of the optical fiber. As the refractive index of the optical fiber,
The refractive index distribution type polymethyl methacrylate resin-based optical fiber is the highest at 1.55, and the fluorine resin-based optical fiber is the lowest at 1.35. The refractive index of the light transmitting body is preferably in this range. If the refractive index difference between the light transmitting body and the optical fiber is too large, light transmission loss due to reflection or the like is caused.

The light transmitting body is required to be flexible, and its hardness is preferably 50 degrees or less according to JIS (A type).
It is preferably 60 degrees or less in IS (D type). If it is too hard, the adhesion at the time of connection will be insufficient and a gap will be created, resulting in a loss during optical transmission. Suitable resins include silicones, acrylics, epoxies, elastomers, and derivatives thereof. Commercial products can be selected from products such as Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Toshiba Silicone, Toagosei, Nippon Kayaku, and Asahi Kasei.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a connection device according to the present invention. (1) is a diagram viewed from the side in the connection direction. 10 is the connection device main body and 15 is the optical fiber portion. The main body of the apparatus is provided with a receiving cavity 25 for the optical fiber section, and the light guide component 30 is inserted therein. 20 is an optical fiber.
(2) is a view of the connection device main body and the optical fiber section viewed from each other. (3) is a diagram of a light guide component. The light guide component includes a flexible light transmitting body 35 and a support frame.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a split type connection device according to the present invention. (1) is a view seen from the side in the connection direction, and shows a state at the time of assembling and division of the connecting device main body by a) and b). Reference numeral 20 denotes an optical fiber, and reference numeral 15 denotes an optical fiber side connection portion. (2) is a diagram of the divided parts 11 and 12 viewed from each other and an optical fiber portion viewed from the apparatus main body. 2
Numeral 5 denotes a cavity and numeral 30 denotes a light guide. Reference numeral 11 denotes a divided component having a light guide portion, which includes a light transmitting body 35 and a support frame.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described. The present invention
An optical fiber connecting device equipped with a light guide component consisting of a flexible light transmitting body and a support frame, which inserts a detachable light guiding component into the device main body or processes the light transmitting body into a divided part of the device main body. This enables optical connection with small transmission loss. Hereinafter, specific examples will be described with reference to examples and comparative examples.

[0021]

Example 1 An optical fiber made of polymethyl methacrylate resin (Mitsubishi Rayon, refractive index 1.
50). The light guide component includes a light transmitting body made of silicone and a support frame, and is inserted into the connection device body. The connection loss due to this connection device was as small as 0.4 dB. Also, by replacing the light guide parts,
Transmission loss can be stably maintained at a low level.

The silicone was obtained by heating and curing an addition-reaction-type diphenyl silicone raw material (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) having a hardness of JIS (A) 15 degrees, and had a refractive index of 1.50.

[0023]

Embodiment 2 An optical fiber made of fluororesin (Asahi Glass, refractive index 1.35) was connected using a connecting device shown in FIG. The connecting device is of a two-part type, and a light transmitting body made of a fluorine-modified acrylic resin (Nippon Kayaku) is processed on one side of the part. The characteristics of the light transmitting body are JIS (A) 10 degrees and the refractive index is 1.
It was 40. This connection caused a loss of 0.3 dB during optical transmission.

[0024]

Comparative Example 1 An experiment was conducted in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the hardness of the silicone was changed to JIS (A) 60 degrees. In this case, the connection portion optical transmission loss was 1.6 dB. That is, it is considered that a gap is formed at the interface with the optical fiber due to the rigidity of the light transmitting body, causing a large transmission loss at the time of connection.

[0025]

Comparative Example 2 In Example 1, connection was made without interposing a light transmitting body. The connection loss in this case was 3.3 dB. Transmission loss is caused by refraction or the like due to the interposition of the air layer.

[0026]

According to the present invention, an inexpensive and easy-to-use general-purpose optical fiber connection device is put to practical use, and the spread of an optical communication system to offices and homes is remarkably promoted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one example of a connection device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing one example of a connection device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 11, 12 Connection device body (socket) 15 Optical fiber side connection device (Plug) 20 Optical fiber 25 Cavity portion (Plug receiving portion) 30 Light guide component 35 Light transmitting portion

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takayoshi Ishikawa 1-28-52 Komaoka, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Aleph Corporation (72) Inventor Ei Horinouchi 1-46, Shishigaya, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture No. 1 (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Koike 534-23, Ichigao-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture (72) Inventor Shigeru Koshibe 2-28-22, Fujitsuka, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture F-term (reference) 2H036 QA47 2H037 AA01 BA31 CA00 DA04 DA15 DA31

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A device for optically connecting a flexible light transmitting body between optical fibers and optically connecting the optical fiber with a detachable light guide component comprising a light transmitting body and a support frame. A connection device for an optical transmission body, comprising: 2. The connection device for an optical transmission body according to claim 1, wherein a light guide component comprising a light transmitting body and a support frame is inserted into a central portion of the connection device main body. 3. The connection device for an optical transmission body according to claim 1, wherein the connection device main body is a split type, and the light guide component including the light transmitting body and the support frame is the split component. . 4. The light transmitting body has a refractive index of 1.35 to 1.55.
The connection device for an optical transmission body according to claim 1, wherein: 5. The light transmitting body is at least one selected from a silicone resin, an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, an elastomer resin and a derivative of these resins having a JIS (A type) hardness of 50 degrees or less. The connection device for an optical transmission body according to claim 1, wherein the connection device is provided.