Ferrule Assembly Using Nanometer Etching Mold for Low Insertion Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of optical fiber connectors introduces errors due to tolerance issues and misalignment between the optical fiber and the ferrule, leading to increased insertion loss.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an optical fiber fixing mold with precision grooves created by nanometer etching, where optical fibers are aligned and fixed within a housing using a curable body, ensuring accurate spacing and alignment to reduce machining errors and improve precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If tolerance is introduced for dimension matching and assembly requirements, then the optical fiber can enter the inner hole and assembly is facilitated, but lateral shift of the axle center occurs and insertion loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the optical fiber within the ferrule using a fixing mold before the final assembly process. The mold holds the fiber at the precise required position, and the fiber is fixed in place before tolerance-based assembly steps occur. This ensures the axle center alignment is established in advance, preventing lateral shift even when subsequent assembly steps introduce tolerance variations.
2Ease of operation
If a priori offset is applied to the outer diameter of the optical fiber and inner hole dimension, then the optical fiber can be inserted into the inner hole, but manufacturing errors and decentration persist causing lateral shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a fixing mold to pre-position the optical fiber at the exact required location within the ferrule before assembly. This preliminary positioning action ensures that even though tolerance and offset are needed for insertion, the fiber's axle center is already aligned correctly. The fiber is then fixed in this pre-aligned position, preventing lateral shift during subsequent assembly operations.
3Productivity
If conventional manufacturing processes with tolerance are used, then assembly is feasible, but insertion loss increases due to lateral shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using a fixing mold to pre-position and secure the optical fiber at the precise required location within the ferrule before the final assembly process. This ensures that the axle center alignment is established in advance with high precision, maintaining low insertion loss even when subsequent assembly steps introduce tolerance variations. The fiber is fixed in this pre-aligned position, ensuring both assembly feasibility and signal quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves high-precision ferrule assembly with reduced errors, resulting in lower insertion loss and improved performance of optical fiber connectors.
Implementation Method 1
generating a plurality of grooves in the optical fiber fixing mold through nanometer etching
Implementation Method 2
curing the curable body through ultraviolet irradiation, such that the optical fiber is fixed relative to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a low loss ferrule assembly having prefabricated optical fibers, a low loss ferrule assembly having prefabricated optical fibers manufactured according to the method and an optical fiber fixing mold for manufacturing the ferrule assembly, wherein a method for manufacturing a high-precision ferrule assembly comprises: disposing both ends of a plurality of optical fibers within a plurality of grooves at both ends of an optical fiber fixing mold, such that the plurality of optical fibers maintain a specific distance therebetween; disposing the plurality of optical fibers within a housing, and causing the plurality of optical fibers to be fixed relative to the housing, wherein the housing is of a split type; cutting and polishing the optical fibers at a first side of the housing. The solution provided by the present disclosure implements the ferrule assembly of the high-precision optical fiber connector with low costs. The method is simple and effective and has great use value.