PPS Ferrule Shrinkage Control for Optical Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MT ferrules suffer from thermal shrinkage during solder reflow, leading to dimensional inaccuracy and retraction of optical fibers, which disrupts physical contact connections.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector ferrule formed from a thermoplastic resin composition with inorganic particles, such as spherical silica, and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) as the main component, with a shrinkage factor of 0.13% or less at 260°C, and a linear expansion coefficient of 3.0×10−5/°C or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional PPS resin is used for ferrule manufacturing, then cost is reduced and molding performance is improved, but thermal shrinkage occurs during solder reflow causing dimensional inaccuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material consisting of PPS resin as the base polymer and inorganic particles (such as silica) as fillers. This composite structure combines the excellent molding performance and cost-effectiveness of PPS resin with the thermal stability and dimensional accuracy provided by inorganic particles, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision during solder reflow processes
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional PPS resin is used for ferrule manufacturing, then cost is reduced, but thermal expansion difference causes optical fiber retraction after solder reflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the thermal expansion parameters of the ferrule material by incorporating inorganic particles with lower thermal expansion coefficients than PPS resin. This parameter change reduces the overall thermal expansion of the ferrule, minimizing the differential expansion between the ferrule and optical fibers during solder reflow, thereby preventing fiber retraction and maintaining connection reliability while keeping costs low
3Temperature
If PEEK resin is used to provide heat resistance, then thermal stability is improved, but cost increases and molding performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive PEEK resin alone, the patent creates a composite material where PPS resin (excellent molding performance) is combined with inorganic particles (providing thermal stability). This composite approach achieves heat resistance comparable to or exceeding PEEK while maintaining the superior molding performance and cost-effectiveness of PPS, avoiding the need to use expensive special resin materials
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 ferrule maintains dimensional accuracy and suppresses thermal deformation during solder reflow, ensuring reliable physical contact connections without the need for special resin materials.
Implementation Method 1
a linear expansion coefficient of the resin composition is preferably 3.0×10−5/° C. or less
Implementation Method 2
a shrinkage factor of the ferrule at 260° C.×1 minute is 0.13% or less
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector ferrule is a member inside which an optical fiber is secured, and a tip side thereof serves as a connection end surface for an optical fiber. The optical connector ferrule is formed by injection molding, for example, and is formed from polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resin that contains a filling material (e.g., inorganic fibers or a filler). An internal space is communicated with the tip side of the optical connector ferrule and serves as a hole into which the optical fiber is inserted. Here, the 260° C.×1 minute shrinkage factor of the optical connector ferrule in the present embodiment is 0.13% or less.