Cylindrical Multi-Core Ferrule with Spherical Tip for Fiber Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical connectors using cylindrical ferrules face challenges in efficiently connecting multiple single-core optical fibers due to manufacturing errors, high costs, and complex operation processes.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical multi-fiber ferrule with through holes arranged on a circle centered on its central axis, each holding a single-core optical fiber, and a convex spherical shape at one tip end portion, allowing for easy connection and alignment of multiple fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rectangular ferrule with guide holes and guide pins is used for multi-fiber connection, then axial adjustment can be performed to achieve connection loss of 1 dB or less, but the manufacturing cost increases and the operation process becomes complicated due to the need for refractive index matching material and dedicated tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the guide hole and guide pin structure from the ferrule, replacing it with a spherical tip end portion that enables direct physical contact between fibers. This eliminates the need for complex refractive index matching materials and dedicated tools, simplifying the operation process while maintaining connection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a flat rectangular ferrule tip with guide holes, the patent inverts the approach by using a spherical凸出 portion that protrudes from the ferrule tip. This spherical structure enables the fibers to be directly contacted and aligned through physical contact, reversing the conventional guidance mechanism.
2Manufacturing precision
If a split sleeve with smaller inner diameter is used to improve axial adjustment accuracy, then connection loss of 0.5 dB or less can be realized in single-fiber connectors, but the manufacturing cost increases and the operation process becomes complicated for multi-fiber connections
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical tip end portion structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides axial adjustment capability, enables physical contact between fibers, and simplifies the connection process. This universal structure eliminates the need for separate guide holes, guide pins, and complex sleeve mechanisms, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multicore fibers are used to collectively connect multiple ports in a cylindrical ferrule, then collective connection can be achieved, but the cost increases and the wiring form becomes complicated due to the need for fan-in/fan-out devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fiber arrangement into multiple independent single-core optical fibers positioned around the spherical tip end portion. Each fiber can be independently connected and adjusted, eliminating the need for complex multicore fibers and fan-in/fan-out devices, thereby simplifying the wiring form while maintaining collective connection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present disclosure is to enable a plurality of single-core optical fibers to be easily and collectively connected.The present disclosure is: a cylindrical multi-fiber ferrule having a cylindrical shape in which a plurality of through holes are formed on the same circle centered on a central axis of the cylindrical shape, each of the through holes being configured to hold a single-core optical fiber; and an optical connector in which a plurality of the cylindrical multi-fiber ferrules are arranged facing each other, and there is a gap between end surfaces of the single-core optical fibers held by the respective cylindrical multi-fiber ferrules.