Plug-in structure, manufacturing method thereof and optical module

Abstract

The invention provides a plugging structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical module, the manufacturing method comprises the following steps: a plurality of plugging cores are provided, the plugging cores comprise a first plugging core and a second plugging core, each plugging core comprises a head part and a tail part, the head part is provided with a plurality of optical fiber holes, the tail part is provided with a through cavity, and the plurality of optical fiber holes are communicated with the through cavity; providing an optical fiber array, and enabling the optical fiber array to pass through the first insertion core and the second insertion core through the optical fiber hole and the penetrating cavity; respectively extending optical fibers in the optical fiber array along a straight line so as to align the tail part of the first insertion core with the optical fiber hole in the head part of the second insertion core; and an adhesive is applied to the joints of the first insertion cores and the optical fiber arrays and the joints of the second insertion cores and the optical fiber arrays, and after the adhesive is cured, the optical fiber arrays located between the adjacent first insertion cores and second insertion cores are cut and separated to obtain independent insertion structures. According to the manufacturing method of the plug-in structure provided by the invention, the plug-in structure of which the optical fiber arrays on the front and rear end surfaces have relatively high precision is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of optical fiber transmission, and in particular to a plug-in structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical module. Background Art

[0002] The commonly used plug-in structure used in multi-channel fiber optic transmission optical modules generally has a high accuracy in the position arrangement of the fiber array only at its front end, that is, the end face of the end that is used to plug into the corresponding plug-in end, which can achieve high-precision docking between the two plug-in ends. The loss between the two plug-in ends is also very small, and the docking loss can generally achieve a design standard of less than 0.5dB. However, the arrangement of the fiber array at the tail position of the plug of the commonly used plug-in structure often has poor position accuracy, which will seriously affect the information transmission quality of the entire plug-in structure.

[0003] Based on the above reasons, how to improve the position arrangement accuracy of the optical fiber array at the front and rear ends of the ferrule of the plug structure has become a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a plug-in structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical module, so as to obtain a plug-in structure with high precision on both the front and rear end surfaces.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0006] A method for manufacturing a plug-in structure, the manufacturing method comprising the following steps:

[0007] Providing a plurality of ferrules, including a first ferrule and a second ferrule, wherein the first ferrule and the second ferrule each include a head portion and a tail portion that are arranged opposite to each other, the head portion having a plurality of optical fiber holes, the tail portion having a through cavity, and the plurality of optical fiber holes being in communication with the through cavity;

[0008] Providing an optical fiber array, and inserting the optical fiber array into the first ferrule and the second ferrule through the optical fiber hole and the through cavity, wherein the optical fiber array simultaneously passes through the optical fiber hole and the through cavity of the first ferrule and the second ferrule;

[0009] Extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array along straight lines respectively, so as to align the tail of the first ferrule with the optical fiber hole of the head of the second ferrule;

[0010] The adhesive is applied to the connection between the first ferrule and the second ferrule and the optical fiber array. After the adhesive is cured, the optical fiber array located between the adjacent first ferrule and the second ferrule is cut and separated to obtain a separate plug-in structure.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, in the step of “providing an optical fiber array, and inserting the optical fiber array into the first ferrule and the second ferrule via the optical fiber hole and the through cavity”, the head and / or tail of the first ferrule and the second ferrule are provided with a positioning portion, and the position error of the optical fiber in the optical fiber array at the head of the first ferrule relative to the positioning portion is a first position error A1, and the position error of the optical fiber in the optical fiber array at the tail of the second ferrule relative to the positioning portion is a second position error A2;

[0012] The first position error A1 and the second position error A2 are different in magnitude.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the head portion of the first ferrule and the tail portion of the second ferrule are butt-jointed.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first ferrule and the second ferrule have the same structure;

[0015] Alternatively, the first ferrule and the second ferrule have different structures.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, in the manufacturing method, a first direction, a second direction and a third direction which are perpendicular to each other are defined;

[0017] In the first ferrule and / or the second ferrule, the depth direction of the optical fiber hole is configured to be the same as the first direction, the optical fiber holes are arranged at intervals along the second direction, and the two positioning portions are respectively arranged on both sides of all the optical fiber holes in the second direction;

[0018] The number of the first ferrule and the second ferrule are both plural, and in the step of "providing an optical fiber array, inserting the optical fiber array into the first ferrule and the second ferrule via the optical fiber hole and the through cavity, and the optical fiber array simultaneously passes through the optical fiber hole and the through cavity of the first ferrule and the second ferrule", the optical fiber array simultaneously passes through the optical fiber holes and the through cavity of multiple first ferrules and multiple second ferrules.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first ferrule and / or the second ferrule further comprises:

[0020] a notch extending through the tail portion along the first direction;

[0021] A positioning plate is accommodated in the notch, and a through hole is provided on the positioning plate along the first direction, the through hole is connected with the optical fiber hole and the through cavity, and the optical fibers of the optical fiber array are sequentially passed through the through hole and the optical fiber hole along the first direction.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the positioning portion of the first ferrule and / or the second ferrule has a receiving structure, a positioning column is provided in the receiving structure, the positioning column is in a tight fit relationship with respect to the first ferrule, and the positioning column is in a loose fit relationship with respect to the positioning portion of the second ferrule;

[0023] Before the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array along straight lines respectively so as to align the tail of the first ferrule with the optical fiber hole of the head of the second ferrule", a positioning column is simultaneously inserted into the positioning parts of the first ferrule and the second ferrule;

[0024] After the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array in straight lines respectively so as to align the tail of the first ferrule with the optical fiber hole of the head of the second ferrule", the method includes gluing and fixing the positioning post in the positioning portion of the second ferrule.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, in the adhesive curing step, the adhesive is cured by baking;

[0026] The baking temperature is 85-120° C., and the baking time is 30-75 minutes;

[0027] The optical fiber array includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged in parallel, the diameter of the optical fibers is 100-185 μm, and the material of the optical fibers is quartz.

[0028] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention also provides the following technical solutions:

[0029] A plug-in structure is obtained by the above manufacturing method.

[0030] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention also provides the following technical solutions:

[0031] An optical module comprises the above-mentioned plug-in structure.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0033] 1. The manufacturing method of the plug-in structure provided by the present invention can produce a plug-in structure with higher optical fiber array arrangement accuracy on both the front and rear end faces; specifically, a tensioned and straightened optical fiber array is passed through multiple ferrules so that all the ferrules are arranged in a straight line, and the optical fiber hole with higher position accuracy on the head of one ferrule is used to calibrate the optical fiber array at the tail position of another adjacent ferrule, and then the optical fiber array and the ferrule are fixed with an adhesive, and then cut into independent plug-in structures. The finished plug-in structure can be used to manufacture downstream products such as optical modules.

[0034] 2. The plug-in structure provided by the present invention has an optical fiber array arranged at the end face of the plug-in end and at a position on the side of the tail of the ferrule opposite to the plug-in end with high precision, which can meet various stringent application standards and design requirements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0036] Figure 1 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a plug-in structure provided in a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a manufacturing method of a plug-in structure provided in a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3A for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of the ferrule near the head;

[0039] Figure 3B for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary structure of the ferrule near the tail;

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a process of manufacturing a plug-in structure provided in a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a process of manufacturing a plug-in structure provided in a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the ferrule in FIG.

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a process of manufacturing a plug-in structure provided in a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the ferrule.

[0045] The main reference numerals in the drawings of the present specification are described as follows:

[0046] X-first direction; Y-second direction; Z-third direction

[0047] 1-insert; 1a-first insert; 1b-second insert; 11-head; 110-positioning portion; 111-optical fiber hole; 12-tail; 121-through cavity; 13-slot; 14-positioning plate; 140-through hole; 15-positioning column;

[0048] 2- Fiber Optic Array;

[0049] 3- Plug-in structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] The technical solution of the present invention provides a plug-in structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical module, which are described in detail below. It should be noted that the description order of the following embodiments does not limit the preferred order of the embodiments of the present invention. In the following embodiments, the description of each embodiment has its own emphasis. For the part that is not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant description of other embodiments.

[0052] It is worth explaining that the "position accuracy" recorded in the specification of the present invention refers to the accuracy of matching and alignment between the ferrule and the optical fiber array in the plug-in structure, that is, there is a high relative position accuracy of the optical fibers between the two opposite end faces on the plug-in structure and the optical fiber array, and also refers to the relative position accuracy between the optical fibers in the plug-in structure and the adjacent PIN pinholes or positioning parts.

[0053] Example 1

[0054] This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a plug-in structure. Figure 1 The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: Step S1, providing Figure 2 , Figure 3A and Figure 3B The plurality of ferrules 1 shown in the figure include a first ferrule 1a and a second ferrule 1b, wherein the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b each include a head 11 and a tail 12 arranged opposite to each other (for details, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3A and Figure 3B, the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b are both constructed in a rectangular shape, and the first direction X is defined as the length extension direction of the first ferrule 1a, the second direction Y is defined as the width extension direction of the first ferrule 1a, and the third direction Z is defined as the height extension direction of the first ferrule 1a. The head 11 and the tail 12 of the ferrule 1 refer to the end surface positions close to the ferrule 1 through which the optical fiber array 2 passes along the first direction X), the head 11 has a plurality of optical fiber holes 111, and the tail 12 has a through cavity 121, and the plurality of optical fiber holes 111 are connected to the through cavity 121; step S2, providing an optical fiber array 2, and inserting the optical fiber array 2 into the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b via the optical fiber holes 111 and the through cavity 121, The optical fiber array 2 passes through the optical fiber hole 111 and the through cavity 121 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b at the same time; step S3, extend the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 along straight lines respectively, so as to align the tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a with the optical fiber hole 111 of the head 11 of the second ferrule 1b, so that the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 have the same position accuracy at the head 11 and the tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b; step S4, apply adhesive to the connection between the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b and the optical fiber array 2, and after the adhesive is cured, cut and separate the optical fiber array 2 located between the adjacent first ferrules 1a and the second ferrules 1b to obtain a separate plug-in structure.

[0055] Obviously, the method is simple and easy to operate. The optical fiber array 2 is used to pass through the optical fiber holes 111 and the through cavity 121 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b, and at least one first ferrule 1a and at least one second ferrule 1b are connected in series. Then, the optical fiber array 2 is straightened so that the optical fiber array 2 is in a tensioned state and extends straight along the first direction X. Then, the tail 12 of each first ferrule 1a is aligned with the optical fiber hole 111 of the head 11 of the adjacent second ferrule 1b, so that all the first ferrules 1a and the second ferrules 1b are connected in series in the same straight line direction through the tensioned optical fiber array 2, that is, along the first direction X. Figures 2 to 4 In the first direction X shown in the figure, the present invention aims to calibrate the optical fiber array 2 at the position of the tail 12 of the adjacent first ferrule 1a through the optical fiber hole 111 on the head 11 of the second ferrule 1b, and then fix the optical fiber array 2 to the multiple ferrules 1 with an adhesive, and then cut the portion of the optical fiber array 2 located between two adjacent ferrules 1 (for example, the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b), so that the obtained plug-in structure has high optical fiber arrangement accuracy at both ends of its front and rear end surfaces relative to each other in the first direction X.

[0056] It is worth noting that the optical fiber hole 111 on the head 11 of the above-mentioned second ferrule 1b has a higher position accuracy, while the arrangement position accuracy of the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a is lower. Therefore, the present invention calibrates the arrangement of the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12 of the adjacent first ferrule 1a through the optical fiber hole 111 on a second ferrule 1b to obtain a plug-in structure with higher position accuracy on both the front and rear end faces.

[0057] The manufacturing method provided by the present invention aims to reduce the position error between optical fibers and between the optical fiber and the positioning part, thereby improving the position accuracy, further reducing the plug-in loss, and improving the information transmission quality.

[0058] It is worth noting that the "multiple" in the specification of the present invention refers to two or more; only two ferrules 1 can also be used to calibrate the position accuracy of the optical fiber array 2 at the head of the first ferrule 1a in the plug-in structure through the above-mentioned manufacturing method; and when the above-mentioned manufacturing method is used to simultaneously process multiple first ferrules 1a and second ferrules 1b, in addition to being able to obtain a plug-in structure in which both end faces of the head and tail, i.e., the two end faces of the ferrule at the opposite ends in the first direction X, have high optical fiber position accuracy, the production efficiency can also be improved.

[0059] It can be understood that the optical fiber hole 111 at the head 11 in the specification of the present invention has a higher position accuracy. The present invention aims to use the optical fiber hole 111 at the head 11 of one ferrule to calibrate the position accuracy of the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12 of another ferrule. This method is efficient, simple and low-cost.

[0060] The manufacturing method of the plug-in structure provided by the present invention can produce a plug-in structure with higher optical fiber array arrangement accuracy on both the front and rear end faces; specifically, a tensioned and straightened optical fiber array is passed through multiple ferrules so that all the ferrules are arranged in a straight line, and the optical fiber hole with higher position accuracy on the head of one ferrule is used to calibrate the optical fiber array at the tail position of another adjacent ferrule, and then the optical fiber array and the ferrule are fixed with an adhesive, and then cut into independent plug-in structures. The finished plug-in structure can be used to manufacture downstream products such as optical modules.

[0061] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 4In some embodiments of the present invention, in the step of "providing an optical fiber array 2, and inserting the optical fiber array 2 into the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b via the optical fiber hole 111 and the through cavity 121", the head 11 and / or tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b are provided with a positioning portion 110, and the position error of the optical fiber in the optical fiber array 2 of the head 11 of the first ferrule 1a relative to the positioning portion 110 is a first position error A1, and the position error of the optical fiber in the optical fiber array 2 of the tail 12 of the second ferrule relative to the positioning portion 110 is a second position error A2; the first position error A1 and the second position error A2 are different in size. It should be noted that the present invention aims to use the above-mentioned technical solution to calibrate an end with relatively low position accuracy on another adjacent ferrule by using one end with high precision on one ferrule, and then bond and solidify the optical fiber array and the ferrule and cut them to obtain a plug-in structure with high position accuracy relative to both end faces.

[0062] It is worth noting that the above-mentioned "the first position error A1 and the second position error A2 are different in size" have different interpretations in different embodiments; for example, in some embodiments, the first position error A1 may be greater than the second position error A2, indicating that at this time, the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 of the tail 12 of the second ferrule have a higher precision relative to the positioning portion 110, while the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 of the head 11 of the first ferrule 1a have a relatively lower precision relative to the positioning portion 110; for example, in other embodiments, the first position error A1 may be less than the second position error A2, indicating that at this time, the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 of the tail 12 of the second ferrule have a lower precision relative to the positioning portion 110, while the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 of the head 11 of the first ferrule 1a have a relatively higher precision relative to the positioning portion 110. The present invention allows the optical fiber array 2 to simultaneously pass through multiple ferrules (specifically, multiple first ferrules 1a may be connected in series, multiple second ferrules 1b may be connected in series, or first ferrules 1a and second ferrules 1b may be connected in series), so that multiple plug-in structures can be processed at one time, which greatly improves the production efficiency, and the quality of the resulting product is very high.

[0063] Exemplarily, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first position error A1 may be ±(7-10) μm, specifically any one of ±7 μm, ±7.5 μm, ±8 μm, ±8.5 μm, ±9 μm, ±9.5 μm or ±10 μm, or a range between any two of the above values; the second position error A2 may be ±(7-10) μm, specifically any one of ±7 μm, ±7.5 μm, ±8 μm, ±8.5 μm, ±9 μm, ±9.5 μm or ±10 μm, or a range between any two of the above values. It can be understood that the smaller the relative position error between two components, the higher the relative position accuracy between the two components. Specifically, in the present invention, the effects of lower insertion loss and improved information quality can be achieved.

[0064] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3A , Figure 3B In some embodiments of the present invention, the head portion 11 of the first ferrule 1a and the tail portion 12 of the second ferrule 1b are butt-jointed so that the optical fiber array 2 can be simultaneously passed through the two ferrules in a tensioned and straightened state, thereby allowing one ferrule to calibrate the accuracy of the other ferrule.

[0065] It should be noted that "the head 11 of the first ferrule 1a and the tail 12 of the second ferrule 1b are butt-jointed" means that the head 11 and the tail 12 are relative and adjacent to each other; of course, in some embodiments of the present invention, the two ferrules may not be placed head to head or tail to tail during the processing and manufacturing process, as long as each optical fiber in the optical fiber array is in a straight line, the same effect can be achieved.

[0066] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the head 11 of the first ferrule 1a and the tail of the second ferrule 1b may be docked, or the tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a and the head 11 of the second ferrule 1b may be docked, or the tail 12 of the first ferrule 1a and the tail 12 of the second ferrule 1b may be docked; obviously, the specific docking method between the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b can be selected and adjusted according to the actual manufacturing scenario and needs.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b have the same structure. When the two ferrules have the same structure, the optical fiber array 2 can be used to connect the multiple ferrules in series in an end-to-end manner, and then the end with high precision on the ferrule is aligned with the end with lower precision on another adjacent ferrule, so that both ends of the ferrule have high precision, and then the optical fiber array 2 between the two ferrules is cut, thereby obtaining a large number of plug-in structures with the same structure and high precision on both end faces in an efficient and high-yield manner.

[0068] Of course, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b have different structures; but it is worth noting that, although the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b in these embodiments have different structures, in their manufacturing methods, a high-precision end on one ferrule is aligned with a low-precision end on another adjacent ferrule to calibrate and align the low-precision end, thereby obtaining a plug-in structure with high precision at both ends; it can be understood that the specific structure of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b can be designed and adjusted according to different actual application scenarios and design standards, so that the final plug-in structure can be assembled in conjunction with information transmission mechanisms of various shapes to be plugged in.

[0069] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 4 In some embodiments of the present invention, in the manufacturing method, a first direction X, a second direction Y and a third direction Z are defined which are perpendicular to each other. It is worth noting that: Figure 2 and Figure 3A , Figure 3B What is shown in FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a plug-in structure and a manufacturing process thereof provided by the present invention. Figure 4 What is displayed is a plug-in structure with another appearance.

[0070] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B and Figure 4 In some embodiments of the present invention, in the first ferrule 1a and / or the second ferrule 1b, the depth direction of the optical fiber hole 111 is configured to be the same as the first direction X. It should be noted that, during the manufacturing process, the inner diameter of the optical fiber hole 111 is generally not fixed, but gradually increases from the head 11 to the tail 12 along the first direction X, wherein the processing accuracy of the optical fiber hole 111 at the head 11 is higher, so that the relative position accuracy of the optical fiber in the optical fiber array 2 at this position is also higher, but the aperture of the optical fiber hole 111 at the tail 12 is larger than that of the optical fiber hole 111 at the head 11, so that the relative position accuracy of the optical fiber at the tail 12 is lower. Such a design is to facilitate the insertion of the optical fiber into the ferrule. If the optical fiber hole 111 has a constant size, it is not conducive to inserting the optical fiber array 2 into the optical fiber hole 111 during the processing; therefore, the manufacturing method provided by the present invention is intended to overcome the relatively low position accuracy of the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12 caused by the above-mentioned processing factors and structural factors, so as to obtain a plug-in structure with high position accuracy at both ends in the first direction X.

[0071] Specifically, in some embodiments of the present invention, the optical fiber holes 111 are arranged at intervals along the second direction Y, so that the optical fiber array 2 having a structure of "multiple optical fibers arranged in parallel in the second direction Y" can be aligned with each optical fiber hole 111, and the optical fiber array 2 is passed between the multiple ferrules 1 along the first direction X.

[0072] Specifically, in some embodiments of the present invention, the two positioning portions 110 are respectively arranged on both sides of all the optical fiber holes 111 in the second direction Y; it should be noted that such a structural design helps to improve the structural strength and structural stability of the plug-in structure, and can structurally avoid the plug-in damage to the optical fiber array 2 at the head 11 during the plug-in process, thereby improving the durability of the plug-in structure, reducing the plug-in loss, and improving the quality of information transmission.

[0073] In some embodiments, the number of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b are both plural, and in the step of "providing an optical fiber array 2, inserting the optical fiber array 2 into the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b via the optical fiber hole 111 and the through cavity 121, and the optical fiber array 2 simultaneously passes through the optical fiber hole 111 and the through cavity 121 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b", the optical fiber array 2 simultaneously passes through the optical fiber holes 111 and the through cavity 121 of multiple first ferrules 1a and multiple second ferrules 1b.

[0074] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments of the present invention, the first ferrule 1a and / or the second ferrule 1b further comprises: a notch 13 penetrating the tail portion 12 along the first direction X; a positioning plate 14 accommodated in the notch 13, a through hole 140 is provided on the positioning plate 14 along the first direction X, the through hole 140 is connected to the optical fiber hole 111 and the through cavity 121, and the optical fibers of the optical fiber array 2 are sequentially penetrated in the through hole 140 and the optical fiber hole 111 along the first direction X.

[0075] Specifically, due to the aforementioned reasons, the diameter of the optical fiber hole 111 at the head 11 is smaller, with a lower relative position error and higher position accuracy, but the diameter at the tail 12 is relatively larger, which will cause the optical fibers of this part of the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12 to have a larger relative position error and lower position accuracy. Therefore, the present invention provides the above-mentioned groove 13 at the tail 12 and the positioning plate 14 accommodated in the groove 13 in some embodiments, thereby reducing the relative position accuracy of the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 at the tail 12, and this method is also convenient for processing and manufacturing.

[0076] refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a plug-in structure provided in some other embodiments of the present invention, wherein the positioning portion 110 of the first ferrule 1a and / or the second ferrule 1b has a housing structure, and a positioning column 15 is provided in the housing structure, and the positioning column 15 is in a tight fit relationship with respect to the first ferrule 1a, and the positioning column 15 is in a loose fit relationship with respect to the positioning portion 110 of the second ferrule 1b; before the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 along straight lines respectively, thereby aligning the tail portion 12 of the first ferrule 1a with the optical fiber hole 111 of the head portion 11 of the second ferrule 1b", a positioning column 15 is simultaneously provided in the positioning portions 110 of the first ferrule 1a and the second ferrule 1b; after the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 along straight lines respectively, thereby aligning the tail portion 12 of the first ferrule 1a with the optical fiber hole 111 of the head portion 11 of the second ferrule 1b", the positioning column 15 is glued and fixed in the positioning portion 110 of the second ferrule 1b.

[0077] Specifically, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 In other embodiments, the head of the plug-in structure 3 with higher position accuracy can be used to align the head 11 with lower position accuracy or the tail 12 with lower position accuracy on the ferrule 1 to be calibrated, or the tail of the plug-in structure 3 with higher position accuracy can be used to align the head 11 or tail 12 with lower position accuracy on the ferrule 1 to be calibrated; obviously, the specific alignment method can be selected and adjusted according to the actual production environment and needs. It can be understood that the manufacturing method provided by the present invention can not only achieve high precision of the front and rear end surfaces (along the first direction X) of each plug-in structure by "straightening and tensioning the optical fiber array 2", but also can achieve high position accuracy between the positioning post 15 and the optical fiber by the above-mentioned design scheme through the above-mentioned positioning post 15. It should be noted that, during the manufacturing process, the optical fibers in the optical fiber array 2 have a high relative position accuracy relative to the positioning portion 110, but when the positioning post 15 is placed in the positioning portion 110, the processing conditions generally leave a certain margin for the size of the positioning portion 110 or the size of the positioning post 15, which will cause the positioning post 15 to not have a very high relative position accuracy relative to the optical fiber (the relative position error between the two may be large at this time). Therefore, the present invention provides the above-mentioned manufacturing method, so as to align and calibrate another ferrule to be calibrated with a lower relative position accuracy through a ferrule that already has a higher position accuracy.

[0078] Illustratively, in some embodiments of the present invention, during the processing and manufacturing process, the spacing between two adjacent cores connected in series by the optical fiber array 2 can be 0.5 to 10 cm, specifically any one of 0.75 cm, 0.9 cm, 1 cm, 1.5 cm, 2 cm, 2.5 cm, 3 cm, 3.5 cm, 4 cm, 4.5 cm, 5 cm, 5.5 cm, 6 cm, 6.5 cm, 7 cm, 7.5 cm, 8 cm, 8.5 cm, 9 cm or 9.5 cm, or a range between any two of the above values. Obviously, the spacing between two adjacent cores can be selected and adjusted according to the specific implementation process, with the primary purpose of facilitating processing and manufacturing.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present invention, in the adhesive curing step, the adhesive is cured by baking. Of course, other adhesive curing methods may also be used according to actual needs.

[0080] Preferably, in some embodiments of the present invention, the baking temperature is 85-120°C, and the baking time is 30min-75min; exemplarily, the baking temperature can be 90°C, 95°C, 100°C, 105°C or 115°C, and the baking time can be any one of 35min, 40min, 45min, 50min, 55min, 60min, 65min or 70min, or a range between any two of the above values; obviously, the specific parameter can be selected and adjusted according to the actual application scenario and the selected design standard.

[0081] Preferably, in some embodiments of the present invention, the optical fiber array 2 includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged in parallel, the diameter of the optical fiber is 100 to 185 μm, and the material of the optical fiber is quartz. Exemplarily, the diameter of the optical fiber can be any one of 105 μm, 110 μm, 115 μm, 120 μm, 125 μm, 130 μm, 135 μm, 140 μm, 145 μm, 150 μm, 155 μm, 160 μm, 165 μm, 170 μm, 175 μm or 180 μm, or a range between any two of the above values; obviously, the specific parameter can be selected and adjusted according to the actual application scenario and the selected design standard. In addition, optical fibers of other materials can also be selected according to actual application requirements.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the optical fiber array 2 located between two adjacent ferrules 1 is cut and separated, a grinding and polishing step is also included to clean the rough burrs and cutting marks on the cut surface of the optical fiber array 2 so that the cut surface has a higher smoothness, thereby improving the information transmission quality of the optical fiber array 2.

[0083] It is worth noting that in some embodiments of the present invention, the plug-in structure obtained by the manufacturing method provided by the present invention has a matching accuracy of up to 7 μm between the optical fiber array 2 and the ferrule 1, and exhibits the characteristics of low plug-in power consumption during use, thereby significantly improving the information transmission quality of the entire information transmission system.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] refer to Figures 2 to 8 , this embodiment provides a plug-in structure, which is obtained by the manufacturing method described in Example 1.

[0086] It is worth noting that if Figure 2 , Figure 3A , Figure 3B The figure shows a plug-in structure and a schematic diagram of its manufacturing process. Figure 4 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the manufacturing process of another plug-in structure. Figure 5 and Figure 6 What is shown is another plug-in structure and a schematic diagram of its manufacturing process. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The fourth specific implementation is shown. It can be understood that the difference between the plug-in structures provided by the above four specific implementations lies in the differences in their respective forms, structures and appearances, which depend on the forms and structures of the information transmission mechanisms that match and dock with these plug-in structures. In principle, the plug-in structure provided by the present invention can be efficiently matched with the information transmission mechanism to be plugged in.

[0087] Obviously, the specific forms and size parameters of the plug-in structures provided by the above four specific implementation methods can be selected and adjusted according to the actual application scenarios and design standards. This specification only gives simple examples here.

[0088] It can be understood that, in the plug-in structure, the specific shapes and size parameters of the above-mentioned cores including the first core 1a and the second core 1b, the head 11, the tail 12, the optical fiber hole 111, the through cavity 121, the positioning portion 110 and the positioning column 15 can be selected and adjusted according to actual application requirements; in some embodiments, the plug-in structure with a specific shape is designed to be well matched in shape with the information transmission mechanism to be plugged in, so as to efficiently utilize limited space to improve space utilization and information transmission density.

[0089] It should be noted that the positioning portion 110 in the plug-in structure provided by the present invention can be a pin structure or a hole structure. The plug-in structure with a pin structure can be used as a male end, and the plug-in structure with a hole structure can be used as a female end.

[0090] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the optical fiber hole 111 perpendicular to the third direction Z is any one of a V-shape, a U-shape or a C-shape. Obviously, the required cross-sectional shape of the optical fiber hole 111 can be selected according to actual application requirements. It is understandable that the number of independent optical fiber holes 111, the spacing between the optical fiber holes 111, the size and shape of the optical fiber holes 111 can all be selected and adjusted according to actual design standards.

[0091] Example 3

[0092] This embodiment provides an optical module, including the plug-in structure as described in Embodiment 2; it can be understood that due to the use of the above-mentioned plug-in structure with lower plug-in loss and better information transmission quality, the optical module as a whole can exhibit better information transmission quality.

[0093] The above is only a specific implementation of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims. In addition, the specification uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present invention and its core idea. The content of this specification should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a plug-in structure, characterized in that: The manufacturing method comprises the following steps: A plurality of ferrules (1) are provided, comprising a first ferrule (1a) and a second ferrule (1b), wherein the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) both comprise a head portion (11) and a tail portion (12) arranged opposite to each other, the head portion (11) having a plurality of optical fiber holes (111), the tail portion (12) having a through cavity (121), and the plurality of optical fiber holes (111) being connected to the through cavity (121); Providing an optical fiber array (2), and inserting the optical fiber array (2) into the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) via the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121), wherein the optical fiber array (2) simultaneously passes through the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121) of the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b); Extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array (2) in straight lines respectively, so as to align the tail portion (12) of the first ferrule (1a) with the optical fiber hole (111) of the head portion (11) of the second ferrule (1b); An adhesive is applied to the connection between the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) and the optical fiber array (2); after the adhesive is cured, the optical fiber array (2) located between the adjacent first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) is cut and separated to obtain a separate plug-in structure.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step of "providing an optical fiber array (2), and inserting the optical fiber array (2) into the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) via the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121), the head (11) and / or tail (12) of the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) are provided with a positioning portion (110), and the position error of the optical fibers in the optical fiber array (2) of the head (11) of the first ferrule (1a) relative to the positioning portion (110) is a first position error A1, and the position error of the optical fibers in the optical fiber array (2) of the tail (12) of the second ferrule relative to the positioning portion (110) is a second position error A2; The first position error A1 and the second position error A2 are different in magnitude.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The head portion (11) of the first ferrule (1a) and the tail portion (12) of the second ferrule (1b) are butt-jointed.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) have the same structure; Alternatively, the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) have different structures.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the manufacturing method, a first direction (X), a second direction (Y) and a third direction (Z) which are perpendicular to each other are defined; In the first ferrule (1a) and / or the second ferrule (1b), the depth direction of the optical fiber hole (111) is configured to be the same as the first direction (X), the optical fiber holes (111) are arranged at intervals along the second direction (Y), and the two positioning portions (110) are respectively arranged on both sides of all the optical fiber holes (111) in the second direction (Y); The number of the first ferrule (1a) and the number of the second ferrule (1b) are both plural. In the step of "providing an optical fiber array (2), inserting the optical fiber array (2) into the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b) via the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121), and the optical fiber array (2) simultaneously passes through the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121) of the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b)", the optical fiber array (2) simultaneously passes through the optical fiber holes (111) and the through cavity (121) of the plurality of the first ferrules (1a) and the plurality of the second ferrules (1b).

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first ferrule (1a) and / or the second ferrule (1b) further comprises: a notch (13) penetrating the tail portion (12) along the first direction (X); A positioning plate (14) is accommodated in the notch (13); a through hole (140) is provided on the positioning plate (14) along the first direction (X); the through hole (140) is connected to the optical fiber hole (111) and the through cavity (121); and the optical fibers of the optical fiber array (2) are sequentially passed through the through hole (140) and the optical fiber hole (111) along the first direction (X).

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The positioning portion (110) of the first ferrule (1a) and / or the second ferrule (1b) has a receiving structure, a positioning column (15) is provided in the receiving structure, the positioning column (15) is in a tight fit relationship with respect to the first ferrule (1a), and the positioning column (15) is in a loose fit relationship with respect to the positioning portion (110) of the second ferrule (1b); Prior to the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array (2) in straight lines respectively, thereby aligning the tail portion (12) of the first ferrule (1a) with the optical fiber hole (111) of the head portion (11) of the second ferrule (1b)," the step includes simultaneously inserting a positioning column (15) into the positioning portions (110) of the first ferrule (1a) and the second ferrule (1b); After the step of "extending the optical fibers in the optical fiber array (2) in straight lines respectively so as to align the tail portion (12) of the first ferrule (1a) with the optical fiber hole (111) of the head portion (11) of the second ferrule (1b)", the step includes gluing and fixing the positioning column (15) in the positioning portion (110) of the second ferrule (1b).

8. The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: In the adhesive curing step, the adhesive is cured by baking; The baking temperature is 85-120° C., and the baking time is 30-75 minutes; The optical fiber array (2) comprises a plurality of optical fibers arranged in parallel, the diameter of the optical fibers is 100 to 185 μm, and the material of the optical fibers is quartz.

9. A plug-in structure, characterized in that: Obtained by the manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. An optical module, characterized in that: The optical module includes the plug-in structure as claimed in claim 9.

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