Optical Connector Alignment for Eccentric Bare Fiber Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connectors face challenges in attaching optical fiber wires with eccentric bare fibers due to deformation caused by differences in rigidity between the resin coating and silica-based glass, leading to misalignment during mounting.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector with an aligning mechanism featuring protrusions that guide and deform the coating to align the bare fiber, using materials harder than the coating but softer than the bare fiber, ensuring the bare fiber is centered for accurate insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a through-hole ferrule is used as a coating removal portion, then the mounting work load is reduced, but the bare optical fiber may become eccentric and fail to attach properly
Solution Approach 1:
The aligning mechanism performs preliminary alignment of the bare optical fiber before it reaches the through-hole ferrule. The protrusions guide the eccentric bare fiber into the correct position in advance, ensuring proper alignment with the ferrule opening before the fiber needs to pass through for connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The aligning mechanism acts as an intermediary component between the optical fiber wire and the through-hole ferrule. It mediates the transition by guiding and positioning the eccentric bare fiber, enabling successful attachment despite the initial misalignment caused by fiber eccentricity.
2Manufacturing precision
If protrusions are added to the aligning mechanism, then alignment of eccentric bare fiber is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The aligning mechanism is segmented into multiple discrete protrusions arranged circumferentially around the central axis. Each protrusion independently contacts and guides the coating, working together to align the eccentric bare fiber without requiring a completely different structural approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions are strategically positioned and dimensioned to provide localized guidance only where needed. The diameter of the smallest virtual circle formed by the distal end portions is specifically designed to be equal to or larger than the bare fiber diameter but smaller than the optical fiber wire outer diameter, providing precise local control over fiber positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector includes an aligning mechanism including an inlet, into which an optical fiber wire that includes a coating covering a bare optical fiber is inserted, and an outlet of the aligning mechanism. The aligning mechanism includes a plurality of protrusions disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction around a central axis of the aligning mechanism and protruding toward the central axis. Each protrusion is formed of a material that is harder than the coating of the optical fiber wire and softer than the bare optical fiber. The protrusion includes a distal end portion facing the central axis. A diameter of the smallest virtual circle, among virtual circles in contact with the distal end portion in a plane perpendicular to the central axis, is equal to or more than a diameter of the bare optical fiber and smaller than an outer diameter of the optical fiber wire.