Device for polishing end face of optical fiber ferrule, and bias ring used in the device

Abstract

The present invention provides an optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device. By placing an offset ring on top of a support member holding table, the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device can reduce the workload of repeatedly holding and releasing a polishing support member from the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device during each polishing step, and can also reduce wear of components. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device includes four holding and releasing portions for holding and releasing a polishing support member to which the optical fiber ferrule is detachably mounted. The holding and releasing portions include: a support member holding table fixed to a bottom plate of the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device; an offset ring placed on top of the support member holding table; and a bearing that slides on the upper surface of the offset ring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule. The end face polishing device inserts and holds a ferrule with an optical fiber in an insertion hole of a polishing support member, and uses a turntable that can rotate and revolve to simultaneously polish the end faces of multiple ferrules with optical fibers. Background Art

[0002] In order to reduce optical connection loss and enhance transmission at the connection point between optical fibers, it is necessary to polish the end faces of the optical fibers. Typically, the ends of the two optical fibers being connected are made of glass and covered with a ferrule made of ceramic or resin. By polishing the end faces of the optical fibers together with the end faces of the ferrule, the optical fibers abut each other without a gap when the connection is butted together, thus minimizing optical connection loss and enhancing transmission.

[0003] When polishing the optical fiber ferrule using the end face polishing device, the following method is used: the ferrule is inserted into the insertion hole of the polishing support, and the ferrule is held in a certain posture relative to the polishing surface of the end face polishing device of the optical fiber ferrule. In this state, the polishing support is fixed to the end face polishing device of the optical fiber ferrule to perform polishing.

[0004] In Patent Document 1, a polishing device is provided with four pillars at the four corners, each with a pressure pin attached to it. The arc-shaped edges of the four corners of the polishing support are placed from above on the cylindrical tops of the four pillars. The pressure pins are then lifted and rotated, pressing the four corners of the polishing support plate from above.

[0005] Prior art literature

[0006] Patent Literature

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-181608

[0008] However, during the polishing process described above, it is necessary to clean the polishing support and replace the polishing material for each polishing step, and to repeatedly hold and release the polishing support from the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device for each polishing step. The operation of holding and releasing the polishing support from the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device is generally performed manually by an operator, which places a heavy burden on the operator. Furthermore, the operation of holding and releasing the polishing support from the optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device causes wear on components, which may affect polishing performance, necessitating regular maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the above circumstances. The present invention provides an end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule. By placing an offset ring on the upper portion of a support member holding table, the end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule can reduce the workload of holding and releasing the polishing support member from the end face polishing device for the optical fiber ferrule, which is repeatedly performed in each polishing step, and can also reduce wear of components.

[0010] The present invention provides an end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule, comprising four retaining and releasing portions for retaining or releasing a polishing support member on which an optical fiber ferrule is detachably mounted. The end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule is characterized in that the retaining and releasing portions comprise: a support member retaining platform fixed to a bottom plate of the end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule; an offset ring mounted on an upper portion of the support member retaining platform; and a bearing sliding on an upper surface portion of the offset ring.

[0011] In the optical fiber polishing device involved in the present invention, it can also be a structure as follows: it has: a retaining pin, which is installed on the upper surface side of the support member holding platform; a retaining rod, which is used to retain or release the polishing support on the upper surface of the support member holding platform; and a handle, which is fixed to the retaining rod, and has the bearing between the retaining pin and the handle.

[0012] In the optical fiber polishing device involved in the present invention, it can also be a structure as follows: the upper surface side of the offset ring is formed with: a support member cutout portion for placing the polishing support member; a recessed portion formed at the approximate center of a straight line connecting the approximate center of the offset ring from the approximate center of the support member cutout portion; and an upper surface portion located at a position different from the support member cutout portion and the recessed portion.

[0013] In the optical fiber polishing device involved in the present invention, it can also be a structure as follows: it has a spring for applying force to the retaining pin toward the support member holding platform, and when the bearing is located on the upper surface of the offset ring, the retaining rod, the handle and the bearing that are linked to the retaining pin are pushed up; when the bearing is located in the recessed portion of the offset ring, the upward push of the retaining rod, the handle and the bearing that are linked to the retaining pin is released.

[0014] In the optical fiber polishing device involved in the present invention, it can also be a structure as follows: the distance from the upper surface of the support member holding table for placing the polishing support member to the upper surface portion of the offset ring, and the distance obtained by adding half of the difference between the outer diameter of the bearing and the inner diameter of the bearing, is greater than the thickness of the polishing support member; the distance from the upper surface of the support member holding table for placing the polishing support member to the recessed portion of the offset ring, and the distance obtained by adding half of the difference between the outer diameter of the bearing and the inner diameter of the bearing, is less than the thickness of the polishing support member.

[0015] In the optical fiber polishing device according to the present invention, the bias ring may be made of resin.

[0016] The optical fiber polishing device of the present invention may have a structure in which a rotation preventing member is provided between the support member holding platform and the bias ring, and a thickness of the rotation preventing member is greater than a difference between an outer diameter of the support member holding platform and an inner diameter of the bias ring.

[0017] In the optical fiber polishing device according to the present invention, the rotation preventing member may be an elastic body.

[0018] In the offset ring involved in the present invention, there is provided an offset ring used in an end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule, the end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule having four holding and releasing portions, which hold or release a polishing support member to which the optical fiber ferrule is detachably mounted, the offset ring being placed on an upper portion of a support member holding table fixed to a bottom plate of the end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule, and having formed on the upper surface side thereof: a support member cutout portion for placing the polishing support member; a recessed portion formed approximately at the center of a straight line extending from the approximate center of the support member cutout portion to the offset ring; and an upper surface portion located at a position different from the support member cutout portion and the recessed portion.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the optical fiber polishing device of the present invention, the workload of holding and releasing the polishing support member to the end surface polishing device of the optical fiber ferrule, which is repeated in each polishing step, can be reduced, and wear of components can be reduced, thereby achieving stable polishing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of an end face polishing device 40 for an optical fiber ferrule.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a case where a polishing support 50 is held on an end face polishing device 40 for an optical fiber ferrule.

[0023] Figure 3 This is an enlarged perspective view for explanation when the polishing support 50 is placed on the offset ring 10 .

[0024] Figure 4 It is an enlarged perspective view showing an example of wear of the polishing support member 50 when a conventional polishing device is used.

[0025] Figure 5a It is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is released from the end surface polishing device 40 of the optical fiber ferrule.

[0026] Figure 5b This is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is shifted from release to holding in the end face polishing device 40 for the optical fiber ferrule.

[0027] Figure 5c It is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is held by the end face polishing device 40 of the optical fiber ferrule.

[0028] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the offset ring 10 .

[0029] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of the rotation preventing member 15 .

[0030] Figure 8 is a top view of the biasing ring 10 .

[0031] Figure 9 It is a cross-sectional view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is held.

[0032] Figure 10a It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the height relationship between the holding and releasing portion 30 during transfer and release.

[0033] Figure 10b It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the height relationship when the release portion 30 is held.

[0034] Figure 11 It is a front view of the bearing 20.

[0035] Reference numerals

[0036] 10 offset ring 11 support member cutout portion 12 recessed portion 13 upper surface portion 15 rotation preventing member 20 bearing

[0037] 30 holding release portion 31 handle 32 holding pin 33 holding rod 34 support member holding base 35 spring

[0038] 36 Upper surface of the support member holding table 40 End surface polishing device for optical fiber ferrule 41 Bottom plate

[0039] 50 polishing support 51 outer edge 52 fixing groove 53 arc-shaped edge DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values ​​shown in the above embodiments are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the invention and, unless otherwise specified, do not limit the invention. In this specification and the accompanying drawings, elements having substantially the same function or structure are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid repeated description. Furthermore, elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from illustration.

[0041] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which are shown as examples.

[0042] Figure 1 4 is a perspective view of an end face polishing device 40 of an optical fiber ferrule according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as polishing device 40). Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a polishing device 40 with a polishing support 50 fixed thereto. Figure 3 This is an enlarged perspective view for explanation when the polishing support 50 is placed on the offset ring 10 .

[0043] Four retaining and releasing portions 30 are provided at the four corners of the polishing device 40. Each retaining and releasing portion 30 is provided with an offset ring 10 and a bearing 20. The arcuate edges 53 at the four corners of the polishing support 50 are aligned with the support cutouts 11 of the offset rings 10 of each retaining and releasing portion 30 and are placed on the upper surface 36 of the support holding base. The polishing support 50 is manually secured to the polishing device 40 using the handle 31 of each retaining and releasing portion 30. This mechanism suppresses component wear that occurs when the polishing support 50 is secured to or released from the polishing device 40. By securing the offset ring 10, made of resin or metal, to the support holding base 34 and interposing the bearing 20 between the retaining pin 32 and the handle 31, the durability of the polishing device 40 is improved and degradation of polishing performance is prevented. Conventionally, when components wear, they would have required replacement. Since this eliminates the need for component replacement, maintenance and operating efficiency can be minimized.

[0044] The polishing device 40 performs polishing using a polishing disc (polishing pad and polishing film). A ferrule (not shown) is assembled to an optical connector (not shown), and the polishing support 50 can hold multiple ferrules by mounting multiple optical connectors. The polishing device 40 is operated with multiple optical connectors mounted on the polishing support 50. The polishing disc used in the polishing device 40 is pressed against the front end of the ferrule and moved relative to the ferrule, thereby polishing the front end surface of the ferrule using the surface of the polishing film. By mounting multiple optical connectors on the polishing support 50, multiple ferrules can be polished simultaneously.

[0045] Figure 3 This illustration clearly illustrates a state in which the arcuate edge 53 of the polishing support 50 is placed on the support holder 34, with a portion of the retaining release portion 30 aligned with the support cutout 11 of the offset ring 10. The support cutout 11 of the offset ring 10 is designed to accommodate the arcuate edge 53 of the polishing support 50. The optimal shape of the support cutout 11 will be described later. The arcuate edge 53 is aligned with the support cutout 11 of the offset ring 10 of each retaining release portion 30 and is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support holder. The polishing support 50 is then secured to the polishing device 40 using the handle 31 of each retaining release portion 30 for attachment and removal.

[0046] Figure 4 This is a magnified perspective view of a portion of the four corners of the polishing support 50 in a conventional polishing apparatus. Damage caused by wear on the retaining rod 33 can be clearly seen on the upper surface of the polishing support 50. Mechanically, the retaining release portion 30 constantly applies a strong downward pressure via a spring 35 located within the retaining pin 32. As the retaining rod 33 and the polishing support 50 rub against each other during installation and removal, wear occurs on the retaining rod 33 and the polishing support 50. This, in turn, causes variations in the applied pressure, leading to concerns about deteriorating polishing accuracy.

[0047] The polishing process typically consists of four or more steps. Between these steps, the polishing support member 50 is attached to and detached from the polishing apparatus 40 primarily for cleaning the polishing pad and polishing film between each polishing step. The polishing support member 50 is attached and detached from the retaining and releasing portions 30 at four locations. This requires repeated attachment and detachment operations before the polishing step is complete, placing a significant burden on the operator as they attach and detach the retaining and releasing portions 30, which are pressurized by the springs 35.

[0048] Figure 5a This is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is released from the polishing device 40. Figure 5b4 is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support member 50 is shifted from release to holding from the polishing device 40. Figure 5c It is an enlarged perspective view of the holding release portion 30 when the polishing support 50 is held on the polishing device 40 .

[0049] When the offset ring 10 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support member holding base and the polishing support 50 is fixed to the polishing device 40, the retaining release portion 30 is manually operated using the handle 31 to secure the polishing support 50. The retaining release portion 30 includes at least: a support member holding base 34 fixed to the bottom plate 41 of the polishing device 40; an offset ring 10 placed on the upper portion of the support member holding base 34; and a bearing 20 that slides on the upper surface 13 of the offset ring 10.

[0050] The support member holding base 34 is fixed to the grinding device 40 approximately perpendicular to the grinding surface, and the grinding support 50 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support member holding base. A retaining rod 33 is provided protruding from the retaining pin 32. The handle 31 is fixed by screwing it onto one side of the protruding retaining rod 33. The handle 31 is rotated in a direction approximately parallel to the grinding surface about the support member holding base 34, causing the retaining rod 33 to abut against a fixing groove 52 located on the upper surface of the grinding support 50. As a result, a spring load is applied to the grinding support 50 by a spring 35 provided inside the retaining pin 32, thereby pressurizing and holding the grinding support 50. At this time, the retaining pin 32, retaining rod 33, handle 31, and bearing 20 are connected and moved as follows: the retaining rod 33, which is screwed to the handle 31, is fixed to a through hole provided in the retaining pin 32 by a screw, and the bearing 20 is installed between the retaining pin 32 and the handle 31.

[0051] In this embodiment, a fixing groove 52 is provided on the upper surface of the support member 50. The fixing groove 52 is preferably provided, but it is not necessarily required to be formed when implementing the present invention. Even if the fixing groove 52 is not formed, the effect of the present invention can be obtained.

[0052] In addition, the spring load is applied to the grinding support 50 by the spring 35 provided inside the retaining pin 32, and the state of pressurized retention is a state in which the bearing 20 is provided in the recessed portion 12 of the biasing ring 10, and in this state, a state in which the retaining rod 33 is provided in the fixing groove 52 located on the upper surface of the grinding support 50.

[0053] Figure 5aThe polishing support 50 is released. Release means that the polishing support 50 can be removed from the polishing device 40. The protruding retaining rod 33 fixed to the opposite side of the handle 31 is released from its contact with the fixing groove 52 located on the upper surface of the polishing support 50. The handle 31 is rotated approximately 45° to 135° from the center of the fixing groove 52 in a direction generally parallel to the polishing surface, centered about the support retaining base 34. This results in the polishing support 50 being free of the retaining rod 33 from its upper surface. The spring 35 provided within the retaining pin 32 no longer applies a spring load to the polishing support 50, resulting in a non-pressurized retaining state. This allows the polishing support 50 to be removed from the polishing device 40. The bearing 20 is located on the upper surface 13 of the offset ring 10.

[0054] Figure 5b This is the state in which the polishing support 50 is shifted from the released state to the fixed state, or vice versa. When the retaining rod 33 is shifted, the bearing 20 is positioned on the upper surface 13 of the offset ring 10, and a gap exists between the polishing support 50 and the retaining rod 33. This prevents contact between the components, thus preventing wear of the components.

[0055] Figure 5c The polishing support 50 is held in place, and the protruding retaining rod 33, fixed to the side opposite the handle 31, abuts against a fixing groove 52 on the upper surface of the polishing support 50. The bearing 20 is positioned within the recess 12 of the offset ring 10. With the retaining rod 33 abutting against the fixing groove 52, a spring 35 provided within the retaining pin 32 applies a spring load to the polishing support 50, thereby pressurizing and retaining it. The retaining rod 33 abuts against the fixing groove 52, while the bearing 20 does not abut against the recess 12 of the offset ring 10.

[0056] When the upper surface portion 13 of the biasing ring 10 has a bearing 20 and the upper surface of the grinding support 50 does not have a retaining rod 33, the grinding support 50 can be removed from the grinding device 40 by releasing the pressure maintained by the spring load of the spring 35 provided inside the retaining pin 32.

[0057] Furthermore, the bias ring 10 is designed to be inclined toward the upper surface 13. When the handle 31 is rotated about the support holder 34 in a direction substantially parallel to the grinding surface, the bias ring 10 does not contact the handle 31 and its surroundings.

[0058] Figure 63D is a perspective view showing the shape of the offset ring 10. In order to insert from the upper side of the retaining pin 32, the offset ring 10 is formed with a through hole in the central portion, and a support cutout portion 11 for placing the grinding support 50 is formed on the upper surface side to match the shape of the grinding support 50. In this embodiment, four retaining release portions 30 are provided at the four corners of the grinding device 40 relative to the quadrilateral grinding support 50 to retain and release the four corners of the grinding support 50. In addition, a groove portion for providing the rotation preventing member 15 is formed on the inner diameter portion of the lower surface side of the offset ring 10. Regarding the shape, the optimal shape is appropriately designed according to the number and shape of the rotation preventing members 15. In addition, it is also possible to fix it with screws, bolts, etc. instead of using the rotation preventing member 15.

[0059] Figure 7 The anti-rotation member 15 is a three-dimensional diagram. The anti-rotation member 15 of this embodiment is an elastic body, for example, nitrile rubber, fluororubber, silicone rubber, etc. The thickness C of the anti-rotation member 15 is 2.0 mm, and is designed to be larger than Figure 9 The difference ED (3.5 mm) between the outer diameter D (30 mm) of the support member holding base 34 and the inner diameter E (33.5 mm) of the groove formed on the lower surface side of the offset ring 10 is larger than half the size. The extrusion margin is designed in this way, and by placing the rotation preventing member 15 between the support member holding base 34 and the offset ring 10, it is confirmed that the effects of preventing the offset ring 10 from falling off and rotating are fully achieved even without using a nut or the like to fix the offset ring 10 to the support member holding base 34. As for the number of rotation preventing members 15 used, only one is required. In this embodiment, two rotation preventing members 15 are used to obtain a better effect. However, the number, material, and shape of the rotation preventing members 15 used should be appropriately selected to obtain the optimal conditions.

[0060] Figure 8 This is a top view of the offset ring 10. A recess 12 is formed on the upper surface of the offset ring 10, along a straight line extending from the approximate center of the support cutout 11 to the approximate center of the offset ring 10. The retaining rod 33 abuts against the fixing groove 52 on the upper surface of the polishing support 50, and a spring 35 disposed within the retaining pin 32 applies a spring load to the polishing support 50, thereby pressurizing and retaining it. Therefore, the bearing 20 disposed between the handle 31 fixed to the retaining rod 33 and the retaining pin 32 must be located within the recess 12. The position where the retaining rod 33 abuts against the fixing groove 52 on the upper surface of the polishing support 50 forms the location where the recess 12 is formed.

[0061] In this embodiment, the four corners of the fixed polishing support 50, where the support cutouts 11 are formed as offset rings 10, have an angle of approximately 90°. The center of the recess 12 is formed on a straight line connecting the approximate center of the support cutout to the approximate center of the offset ring. In this embodiment, the width of the recess 12 is 10 mm in diameter and 0.9 mm in depth relative to the upper surface 13. This arrangement allows the recess 12 to maintain a distance of 0.2 mm from the bearing 20 when the retaining rod 33 abuts the fixing groove 52 of the polishing support 50.

[0062] The support cutout 11 of the offset ring 10 is a cutout extending from the approximate center of the recess 12 to the center of the offset ring 10. The width of the support cutout 11 is measured from the center of the offset ring 10 at angles A° (approximately 45° in this embodiment) to the left and right, and is supplemented by an additional cutout width of B mm (approximately 1.5 mm in this embodiment). This facilitates positioning of the offset ring 10 when attached to the support holder 34. In this embodiment, with one anti-rotation member 15 embedded in the support holder 34 and one anti-rotation member 15 also embedded in the inner diameter of the offset ring 10, the offset ring 10 is pushed in from the upper side of the support holder 34. Fine adjustments are made to the support cutout 11 of the offset ring 10 and the arcuate edges 53 at the four corners of the polishing support 50, enabling easy positioning.

[0063] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of the retaining release portion 30 holding the polishing support 50. When securing the polishing support 50 to the polishing device 40, the offset ring 10 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support holding base. Manual operation using the handle 31 of the retaining release portion 30 allows the polishing support 50 to be pressurized and retained in the polishing device 40. The retaining release portion 30 is configured such that the offset ring 10 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support holding base and includes a bearing 20 that slides on the recess 12 or upper surface 13 of the offset ring 10. The polishing support 50 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support holding base, aligned with the notch 11 of the offset ring 10. The bottom surface of the polishing support 50 abuts the upper surface 36 of the support holding base, not the offset ring 10.

[0064] A support member holding base 34 is fixed to the base plate 41 of the polishing device 40, embedded approximately perpendicularly to the polishing surface. A retaining pin 32 is attached to the upper surface of the support member holding base 34, and a spring 35 is disposed within the retaining pin 32. A polishing support 50 is placed on the upper surface 36 of the support member holding base. A retaining rod 33 protrudes from the retaining pin 32. The handle 31 is secured by screwing it onto one side of the protruding retaining rod 33. The handle 31 rotates about the support member holding base 34 in a direction approximately parallel to the polishing surface. The bearing 20 is positioned in the recess 12, causing the retaining rod 33 to abut against a fixing groove 52 on the upper surface of the polishing support 50. The spring 35 disposed within the retaining pin 32 applies a spring load to the polishing support 50, thereby pressurizing and retaining it. Conventionally, when the polishing support 50 is held or released from the polishing device 40, the retaining rod 33 and the polishing support 50 come into contact and slide, causing damage to the components and wear between the components.

[0065] Figure 10a It is a cross-sectional view for explaining the height relationship between the holding and releasing portion 30 during transfer and release. Figure 10b It is a cross-sectional view when the holding release portion 30 holds the polishing support 50 , and is also an explanatory view regarding the height position of the holding release portion 30 when holding the polishing support 50 . Figure 11 2 is a front view of the bearing 20. Hereinafter, regarding the height relationship, simple [Formula 1] and [Formula 3] are described, and actual numerical values ​​are described and explained using [Formula 2] and [Formula 4].

[0066] In order to prevent wear of components, in the present invention, the distance from the upper surface 36 of the support holding table for placing the grinding support 50 to the upper surface portion 13 of the offset ring 10 is set to X1. The total of the distance X1 and the thickness of the bearing 20 after halving the difference between the outer diameter Y1 and the inner diameter Y2 is greater than the thickness Z1 of the grinding support 50. Therefore, even if the handle 31 is rotated in a direction roughly parallel to the grinding surface with the support holding table 34 as the center, due to the gap between the grinding support 50 and the retaining rod 33, the components do not contact each other, thereby becoming a mechanism for preventing wear of components.

[0067] [Mathematical formula 1] X1 + ((Y1 - Y2) / 2) > Z1

[0068] In this embodiment, the upper surface 36 of the support member holding table for placing the grinding support member 50 is used as the reference plane, and the distance to the upper surface portion 13 of the offset ring 10 is set to X1=3.5mm. The total of the thickness obtained by halving the difference between the outer diameter Y1=10mm of the bearing 20 and the inner diameter Y2=6mm of the bearing 20 is 5.5mm, which is 0.5mm larger than the thickness Z1=5.0mm of the grinding support member 50. Even if the handle 31 is rotated in a direction roughly parallel to the grinding surface with the support member holding table 34 as the center, there is a gap of 0.5mm between the grinding support member 50 and the retaining rod 33, and the components do not contact each other, thereby preventing the components from being worn.

[0069] [Mathematical formula 2] 3.5 + ((10-6) / 2) > 5.0

[0070] In addition, on the other hand, in order to pressurize and hold the grinding support 50 on the grinding device 40, the distance from the upper surface 36 of the support holding base to the recess 12 of the offset ring 10 is set to X2. By making the total thickness from the upper surface of the offset ring 10 to the thickness obtained by halving the difference between the outer diameter Y1 and the inner diameter Y2 of the bearing 20 smaller than the distance Z2 from the upper surface 36 of the support holding base to the fixing groove 52 of the grinding support 50, the retaining rod 33 can be pressed against the fixing groove 52 located on the upper surface of the grinding support 50, and the spring load can be applied to the grinding support 50 by the spring 35 provided inside the retaining pin 32 to maintain the grinding support 50 under pressure.

[0071] [Mathematical formula 3]X2+((Y1-Y2) / 2)<Z2

[0072] In this embodiment, the upper surface 36 of the support member holding table for placing the grinding support member 50 is used as the reference surface, and the distance from the upper surface portion 13 of the offset ring 10 to the recess 12 is set to X2 = 2.6 mm. The total thickness after halving the difference between the outer diameter Y1 = 10 mm of the bearing 20 and the inner diameter Y2 = 6 mm of the bearing 20 is 4.6 mm, which is smaller than the distance Z2 = 4.8 mm from the upper surface 36 of the support member holding table to the fixing groove portion 52 of the grinding support member 50. As a result, the retaining rod 33 can be pressed against the fixing groove 52 located on the upper surface of the grinding support member 50, and the spring load can be applied to the grinding support member 50 by the spring 35 provided inside the retaining pin 32 to maintain pressure.

[0073] [Mathematical formula 4] 2.6 + ((10-6) / 2) < 4.8

[0074] Furthermore, there is no need to modify or newly manufacture parts of the already used polishing device 40 as dedicated components. The effects of the present invention can be achieved simply by adding the offset ring 10 to the existing polishing device 40 and placing it on the upper surface 36 of the support holding table.

[0075] The present invention provides a mechanism for suppressing wear on the polishing support 50 and the retaining rod 33 when the polishing support 50, to which an optical fiber ferrule is detachably attached, is secured to the polishing device 40. By attaching a bearing 20 to the handle 31 side of the retaining rod 33 and attaching a resin offset ring 10 to the support holder 34, it is possible to suppress a decrease in operating efficiency caused by wear of the outer edge 51 of the polishing support 50, which holds the polishing support 50, and the retaining rod 33 of the polishing device 40. Furthermore, since maintenance requires only replacement of the bearing 20 and the offset ring 10, maintenance costs can be reduced.

Claims

1. A device for polishing an end face of an optical fiber ferrule, comprising four holding and releasing portions for holding or releasing a polishing support member on which an optical fiber ferrule is detachably mounted, wherein: The holding release portion has: a support member holding platform fixed to a bottom plate of the end surface polishing device of the optical fiber ferrule; An offset ring is placed on the upper portion of the support member holding platform; a retaining pin mounted on the upper surface side of the support member retaining platform; a holding rod for holding or releasing the grinding support member on the upper surface of the support member holding platform; a handle fixed to the retaining rod; and A bearing is installed between the retaining pin and the handle, and slides on the upper surface of the offset ring with the support member holding platform as the center as the handle rotates. In a state where the polishing support is held, the holding rod abuts against the upper surface of the polishing support. In a state where the polishing support is released, the upper surface of the polishing support is free of the holding rod. When the polishing support is held in a state shifted to a released state or vice versa, the bearing is positioned on the upper surface of the bias ring, and a gap exists between the upper surface of the polishing support and the holding rod.

2. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface side of the offset ring is formed with: a support member cutout portion for placing the polishing support member; a recess formed at approximately the center of a straight line connecting the approximate center of the support member cutout portion to the approximate center of the offset ring; and The upper surface portion is located at a position different from the support member cutout portion and the recessed portion.

3. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device includes a spring for urging the holding pin toward the support member holding platform. When the bearing is located on the upper surface of the biasing ring, the retaining rod, the handle and the bearing that are linked to the retaining pin are pushed upward. With the bearing located in the recess of the biasing ring, the push-up of the retaining rod, the handle, and the bearing in conjunction with the retaining pin is released.

4. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The distance obtained by adding the distance from the upper surface of the support holding table for placing the polishing support to the upper surface of the offset ring and half the difference between the outer diameter of the bearing and the inner diameter of the bearing is greater than the thickness of the polishing support. A distance obtained by adding a distance from an upper surface of the support holding table for placing the polishing support to the recess of the offset ring and half a difference between the outer diameter of the bearing and the inner diameter of the bearing is smaller than the thickness of the polishing support.

5. The end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The offset ring is made of resin.

6. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The offset ring is made of resin.

7. The end face polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A rotation preventing member is provided between the support member holding platform and the biasing ring, The thickness of the rotation preventing member is larger than the difference between the outer diameter of the support member holding table and the inner diameter of the bias ring.

8. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A rotation preventing member is provided between the support member holding platform and the biasing ring, The thickness of the rotation preventing member is larger than the difference between the outer diameter of the support member holding table and the inner diameter of the bias ring.

9. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: A rotation preventing member is provided between the support member holding platform and the biasing ring, The thickness of the rotation preventing member is larger than the difference between the outer diameter of the support member holding table and the inner diameter of the bias ring.

10. The optical fiber ferrule end surface polishing device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The rotation preventing member is an elastic body.

11. An offset ring used in an end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule, the end surface polishing device for an optical fiber ferrule having four retaining and releasing portions for retaining or releasing a polishing support member for detachably mounting the optical fiber ferrule, characterized in that: The holding release portion has: a support member holding platform fixed to a bottom plate of the end surface polishing device of the optical fiber ferrule; The offset ring is placed on the upper portion of the support member holding platform; a retaining pin mounted on the upper surface side of the support member retaining platform; a holding rod for holding or releasing the grinding support member on the upper surface of the support member holding platform; a handle fixed to the retaining rod; and A bearing is installed between the retaining pin and the handle, and slides on the upper surface of the offset ring with the support member holding platform as the center as the handle rotates. On the upper surface side of the offset ring are formed: a support member cutout portion for placing the polishing support member; a recess formed at approximately the center of a straight line connecting the approximate center of the support member cutout portion to the approximate center of the offset ring; and The upper surface portion is located at a position different from the support cutout portion and the recessed portion. When the polishing support is shifted from a held state to a released state or from a released state to a held state, the bearing is positioned on the upper surface portion, and a gap is generated between the upper surface of the polishing support and the holding rod.

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