OPTICAL FIBER CONNECTION COMPONENT

An optical fiber connection component includes: an optical fiber; a first fixing member to which one end portion of the optical fiber is fixed; and a second fixing member that includes either one or both of an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall having a curvature along which the optical fiber is aligned and being adhered to the optical fiber with the adhesive and a positioning portion for positioning the first fixing member at one end of the second fixing member.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber connection component.

BACKGROUND ART

As an optical module is miniaturized, when one end portion of an optical fiber is vertically and oppositely spliced to a circuit board on which an optical element such as a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and an optical circuit is mounted, it is required to reduce a height of an optical fiber connection component so as to keep a height of the optical fiber from the circuit board low. In order to reduce the height of the optical fiber connection component, it is necessary to bend a vicinity of a tip of the optical fiber with a small radius. Therefore, Patent Literature 1 discloses an optical connector in which the optical fiber is curved by forming a curved hole in a connector body and by inserting and fixing the optical fiber in the hole.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An optical fiber connection component according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an optical fiber; a first fixing member to which one end portion of the optical fiber is fixed; and a second fixing member that includes either one or both of an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall having a curvature along which the optical fiber is aligned and being adhered to the optical fiber10with the adhesive and a positioning portion for positioning the first fixing member at one end of the second fixing member.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Technical Problem

The optical connector disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has a possibility that the optical fiber may be broken when the optical fiber whose coating is stripped is inserted into the curved hole. The present disclosure provides an easy-to-assemble optical fiber connection component for bending the optical fiber without requiring a connector member including the curved hole.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

(1) An optical fiber connection component according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: an optical fiber; a first fixing member to which one end portion of the optical fiber is fixed; and a second fixing member that includes either one or both of an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall having a curvature along which the optical fiber is aligned and being adhered to the optical fiber with the adhesive and a positioning portion for positioning the first fixing member at one end of the second fixing member.

According to the above-described configuration, the optical fiber adheres along either one or both of the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall of the second fixing member, thereby making it possible to obtain an easy-to-assemble optical fiber connection component for bending the optical fiber without requiring a connector member including a curved hole.

(2) It is desirable that the second fixing member includes a side wall from which either one or both of the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall vertically protrudes and having an open surface on a side opposite to the side wall with a wall surface of either one or both of the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall interposed therebetween. According to the above-described configuration, it becomes easy to mount the first fixing member on which the optical fiber is mounted on the second fixing member, thereby reducing a possibility of damaging the optical fiber when the optical fiber is bent.

(3) It is desirable that the positioning portion at the one end portion includes: a positioning surface parallel to the optical fiber a positioning surface perpendicular thereto; and a tapered surface connected to the positioning surface perpendicular thereto. According to the above-described configuration, when the first fixing member on which the optical fiber is mounted is mounted on the second fixing member, there is no possibility that a part of the optical fiber coming out of the first fixing member is damaged by contacting the positioning portion of the second fixing member.

(4) The first fixing member may include a hole through which the optical fiber penetrates, and (5) the first fixing member may include two plate-shaped members that sandwich the one end portion of the optical fiber. According to the above-described configuration, the first fixing member can be selected from a plurality of configurations.

Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure

Hereinafter, a desirable embodiment according to an optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, since a configuration denoted by the same reference sign even in a different drawing is regarded as the same configuration, the description thereof may be omitted. The present invention is not limited to examples in these embodiments, and includes all the modifications within the scope of matters described in the scope of the claims and within the scope equivalent thereto. As long as a combination of a plurality of embodiments can be performed, the present invention includes a combination of any embodiments.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1A and 1Bare a front view and a side view illustrating an example of an optical fiber provided in an optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure, respectively.FIGS. 2A and 2Bare a front view and a side view illustrating an example of a first fixing member provided in the optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure in a state where the optical fiber is fixed thereto, respectively. An optical fiber10includes: at least one core11made of quartz glass; a clad12that is provided around a periphery of the core11and has a refractive index lower than that of the core11: and a resin coating layer14covering a periphery of the clad12. The glass core11and the clad12form a glass fiber13.

As illustrated inFIGS. 2A and 2B, for example, one end portions of four optical fibers10are fixed to a first fixing member20. In the embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 1B, the coating layer14at one end portion of the optical fiber10is stripped, the clad12of the glass fiber13is exposed, and the exposed glass fiber13is fixed to the first fixing member20. The first fixing member20is a member for aligning the optical fibers10, and is an approximately rectangular parallelepiped glass capillary member including pores21. An inner diameter of the pore21is slightly larger than an outer diameter of the glass fiber13, and when the glass fiber13is inserted into the pore21, the glass fiber13is loosely fitted and positioned so as to be movable back and forth. The first fixing member20and the glass fiber13are fixed to each other by filling a gap between the pore21and the glass fiber13with an adhesive by using a capillary phenomenon.

FIGS. 2C and 2Dare a front view and a side view illustrating another example of the first fixing member provided in the optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure to which the optical fiber is fixed in a state where the optical fiber is fixed thereto, respectively. A first fixing member30is formed of a V-groove circuit board31made of glass and a flat circuit board32also made of glass. The V-groove circuit board31includes, for example, four V-grooves33arranged in parallel, and each V-groove33has a size in which the glass fiber13can be placed. The flat circuit board32has a size that covers the respective V-grooves33of the V-groove circuit board31and has a flat shape. The glass fiber13is placed on each V-groove33of the V-groove circuit board31, and is covered with the flat circuit board32. The flat circuit board32is fixed to the V-groove circuit board31together with the glass fiber13with an adhesive. The first fixing member30including the V-groove circuit board31and the flat circuit board32has an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape which is similar to that of the first fixing member20.

The optical fiber10fixed to the first fixing members20and30may be one or a plurality of optical fibers other than four, and may be an optical fiber ribbon formed by taping a plurality of optical fibers10arranged in parallel with a common coating. The optical fiber10may include a single core or a plurality of cores. Tips of the first fixing members20and30to which the optical fiber10is fixed are polished together with the glass fiber13, and are fixed to a circuit board on which an optical element is mounted, which is not illustrated, by, for example, an adhesive. Materials of the first fixing members20and30are desirably glass from a viewpoint of matching a coefficient of thermal expansion with the glass fiber13, and may be resin.

When the optical fiber10is fixed to the first fixing members20and30, the glass fiber13is exposed and fixed to the first fixing members20and30, and may be fixed thereto in a state where the coating layer14is provided thereon. Therefore, in the present disclosure, the term “optical fiber” indicates an optical fiber in which the coating layer is provided on the glass fiber, and also includes an optical fiber in which the coating layer is partially stripped and the glass fiber is exposed. In the embodiment, the first fixing members20and30are provided on one end side of the optical fiber10, and the above-described first fixing members20and30may be also mounted on the other end side of the optical fiber10and a tip thereof may be polished.

FIG. 3Ais a perspective view illustrating an example40of the second fixing member provided in the optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure, andFIG. 3Bis a side view of the second fixing member40.FIG. 3Cis a diagram illustrating an example in which the first fixing member is mounted on the second fixing member40. The second fixing member40is a member for bending the optical fiber10, the first fixing member20to which the optical fiber10is fixed (alternatively, the first fixing member30may be used. Hereinafter, the first fixing member20will be described as an example.) is positioned on one end side thereof, and the optical fiber10is bent along an inner peripheral surface of an outer peripheral wall42provided in the second fixing member40.

As illustrated inFIG. 3A, the second fixing member40includes a side wall41having a circular arc shape on a YZ plane, and the outer peripheral wall42that has a circular arc shape and protrudes from the side wall41in a vertical direction (X-axis direction). A thickness of the outer peripheral wall42in the X-axis direction is such that the optical fiber10does not come off therefrom when the first fixing member20, which will be described later, is mounted. A positioning portion43for positioning the first fixing member20is provided at one end of the second fixing member40.

In the embodiment, the positioning portion43includes a positioning protrusion46protruding from one end portion of the side wall41of the second fixing member40, and an end portion of the outer peripheral wall42facing the positioning protrusion46. More specifically, the positioning portion43includes a positioning surface44A parallel to an XZ plane at the end portion of the outer peripheral wall42, a positioning surface44B parallel to an XY plane, a positioning surface44A′ parallel to the XZ plane of the positioning protrusion46, a positioning surface44B′ parallel to the XY plane, and the side wall41. A distance between the positioning surface44A of the outer peripheral wall42and the positioning surface44A′ of the positioning protrusion46is equal to a width of two surfaces parallel to parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20. Here, the positioning surfaces44A and44A′ parallel to the XZ plane are positioning surfaces parallel to the optical fiber10, and the positioning surfaces44B and44B′ parallel to the XY plane are positioning surfaces perpendicular to the optical fiber10.

The second fixing member40has an open surface on the side opposite to the side wall41with a wall surface of the outer peripheral wall42interposed therebetween. Therefore, when the first fixing member20to which the optical fiber10is fixed is positioned at the positioning portion43of the second fixing member40, the first fixing member20is aligned so that the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10fixed to the first fixing member20are parallel to the XZ plane, and the first fixing member20is inserted into the positioning portion43of the second fixing member40from an open surface side (positive side in the X-axis direction). Next, the first fixing member20is inserted until the first fixing member20abuts on the side wall41.

As a result, the two surfaces parallel to the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the rectangular parallelepiped first fixing member20are positioned by the positioning surface44A of the outer peripheral wall42and the positioning surface44A′ of the positioning protrusion46. A surface into which the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20is inserted is positioned by the positioning surface44B of the outer peripheral wall42and the positioning surface44B′ of the positioning protrusion46. One surface perpendicular to the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20is positioned by the side wall41. At that time, as illustrated inFIG. 3C, the optical fiber10is bent along the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall42. In this state, the first fixing member20, the positioning portion43, and the optical fiber10, and the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall42are fixed by using an adhesive which is not illustrated, thereby obtaining an optical fiber connection component1. The adhesive can be supplied from the open surface side of the second fixing member40.

A material of the second fixing member40may be any one of glass, metal, and resin as long as the outer peripheral wall42and the positioning portion43can be molded to be integrated with each other by cutting and molding. As illustrated inFIG. 3B, it is desirable that the positioning surface44B of the outer peripheral wall42and the positioning surface44B′ of the positioning protrusion46respectively include tapered surfaces45and45′. As a result, when the first fixing member20is positioned at the second fixing member40and the optical fiber10is bent, it is possible to prevent the first fixing member20from deviating from the positioning portion43, and to prevent the coating layer14of the optical fiber10and the glass fiber13inside the coating fiber10from being damaged by contacting the positioning portion43. The tapered surfaces45and45′ are respectively connected to the positioning surfaces44B and44B′ perpendicular to the optical fiber10.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 4Ais a perspective view illustrating another example50of the second fixing member provided in the optical fiber connection component of the present disclosure, andFIG. 4Bis a side view of the second fixing member50.FIG. 4Cis a diagram illustrating an example in which the first fixing member is mounted on the second fixing member50. The second fixing member50is a member for bending the optical fiber10, the first fixing member20(or the first fixing member30) to which the optical fiber10is fixed is positioned on one end side thereof, and the optical fiber10is bent along an outer peripheral surface of an inner peripheral wall52provided in the second fixing member50.

As illustrated inFIG. 4A, the second fixing member50includes a side wall51having a circular arc shape on the YZ plane and the inner peripheral wall52that has a circular arc shape and protrudes from the side wall51in the vertical direction (X-axis direction). A thickness of the inner peripheral wall52in the X-axis direction is such that the optical fiber10can be placed when the first fixing member20, which will be described later, is mounted. A positioning portion53for positioning the first fixing member20is provided at one end of the second fixing member50.

In the embodiment, the positioning portion53includes a positioning protrusion56protruding from one end portion of the side wall51of the second fixing member50, and an end portion of the inner peripheral wall52facing the positioning protrusion56. More specifically, the positioning portion53includes a positioning surface54A parallel to the XZ plane at the end portion of the inner peripheral wall52, a positioning surface54B parallel to the XY plane, a positioning surface54A′ parallel to the XZ plane of the positioning protrusion56, a positioning surface54B′ parallel to the XY plane, and the side wall51. A distance between the positioning surface54A of the inner peripheral wall52and the positioning surface54A′ of the positioning protrusion56is equal to a width of two surfaces parallel to the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20. Here, the positioning surfaces54A and54A′ parallel to the XZ plane are positioning surfaces parallel to the optical fiber10, and the positioning surfaces54B and54B′ parallel to the XY plane are positioning surfaces perpendicular to the optical fiber10.

The second fixing member50has an open surface on the side opposite to the side wall51with a wall surface of the inner peripheral wall52interposed therebetween. Therefore, when the first fixing member20to which the optical fiber10is fixed is positioned at the positioning portion53of the second fixing member50, the first fixing member20is aligned so that the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10fixed to the first fixing member20are parallel to the XZ plane, and the first fixing member20is inserted into the positioning portion53of the second fixing member50from an open surface side (positive side in the X-axis direction). Next, the first fixing member20is inserted until the first fixing member20abuts on the side wall51.

As a result, the two surfaces parallel to the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the rectangular parallelepiped first fixing member20are positioned by the positioning surface54A of the inner peripheral wall52and the positioning surface54A′ of the positioning protrusion56. A surface into which the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20is inserted is positioned by the positioning surface54B of the inner peripheral wall52and the positioning surface54B′ of the positioning protrusion56. One surface perpendicular to the parallel surfaces of the optical fiber10of the first fixing member20is positioned by the side wall51. In the embodiment, in this state, first, the first fixing member20and the positioning portion53are fixed to each other with an adhesive. Next, as illustrated inFIG. 4C, the optical fiber10is bent along the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral wall52. After that, the optical fiber10is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral wall52with an adhesive, thereby obtaining the optical fiber connection component1. The adhesive can be supplied by using the open surface of the second fixing member50.

A material of the second fixing member50may be any one of glass, metal, and resin as long as the inner peripheral wall52and the positioning portion53can be molded to be integrated with each other by cutting and molding, in the same manner as that of the second fixing member40of the first embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 4B, it is desirable that the positioning surface54B of the inner peripheral wall52and the positioning surface54B′ of the positioning protrusion56respectively include tapered surfaces55and55′. As a result, when the first fixing member20is positioned at the second fixing member50and the optical fiber10is bent, it is possible to prevent the first fixing member20from deviating from the positioning portion53, and to prevent the optical fiber10from being damaged by contacting the positioning portion53. The tapered surfaces55and55′ are respectively connected to the positioning surfaces54B and54B′ perpendicular to the optical fiber10.

Third Embodiment

In the embodiment, the second fixing member includes both the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall. Although an illustration is omitted, this embodiment has a structure including the outer peripheral wall42of the second fixing member40in the first embodiment and the inner peripheral wall52of the second fixing member50in the second embodiment. The positioning portion for positioning the first fixing member20is provided at the end portion of the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall. A gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall and the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral wall, and the optical fiber10is inserted into the gap. The gap may be designed to have approximately the same size as a diameter of the optical fiber10, and the optical fiber10may be interposed between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall in structure. The gap may be designed to be larger than the diameter of the optical fiber, and the optical fiber10may be fixed in the gap between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall by filling an adhesive from the open surface.

As described above, in each embodiment, the positioning portion is formed to be integrated with the end portion of the outer peripheral wall or the inner peripheral wall, and may be provided separately from the outer peripheral wall or the inner peripheral wall.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST