US 11,703,644 B2
Manufacturing method for manufacturing multifiber connector and multi-fiber connector
Hajime Arao, Osaka (JP); and Tetsu Morishima, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed by SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/372,592.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-122971 (JP), filed on Jul. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0019025 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 6/25 (2006.01); G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/25 (2013.01) [G02B 6/3863 (2013.01); G02B 6/3843 (2013.01); G02B 6/3885 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A manufacturing method for manufacturing a multi-fiber connector by using a positioning component including a plurality of positioning portions configured to hold a plurality of optical fibers, each of the plurality of optical fibers being not axisymmetric, and each of the plurality of optical fibers including a glass fiber and a resin coating and having a covered portion in which the glass fiber is covered with the resin coating and a non-covered portion in which the glass fiber is exposed, the non-covered portion including one end portion of the optical fiber, the manufacturing method comprising:
shaping a part of each of the plurality of optical fibers such that a part of an outer peripheral surface of the glass fiber including the one end portion becomes a flat surface;
arranging each of the plurality of optical fibers in a respective one of the plurality of positioning portions of the positioning component such that the entire flat surface protrudes from the positioning component;
rotationally aligning each of the plurality of optical fibers such that the flat surface comes into contact with a reference surface of a jig disposed to face the positioning component;
fixing each of the plurality of optical fibers to the positioning component after rotationally aligning each of the plurality of optical fibers; and
cutting and removing a part of the glass fiber which protrudes from the positioning component and includes the flat surface and grinding a cut surface of each of the plurality of optical fibers which is exposed from the positioning component, after fixing each of the plurality of optical fibers to the positioning component.