Patent ID: 6981802

Claim:
A process for connecting optical fibers, comprising the steps of inserting optical fibers into respective through-holes of a pair of connecting members composed of 2 connecting members each having one through-hole or a plurality of pairs of the connecting members so as to locate an end surface of each optical fiber at an outlet of the through-hole or in the vicinity of the outlet, placing a pair or a plurality of pairs of the connecting members with the optical fibers inserted into the respective through-holes on an aligning member so as to bring the end surfaces of each pair of the 2 connecting members face to face with each other, holding and fixing a pair or a plurality of pairs of the connecting members brought face to face with each other by the aligning member and a fixing member, and then sliding the aligning member and the fixing member in a direction of the center axis of the optical fibers to connect the optical fibers within the through-hole(s) of one connecting member(s).