US 12,248,172 B2
Method of manufacturing optical connector
Yuki Arao, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed by SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/431,606.
Application 18/431,606 is a division of application No. 17/332,026, filed on May 27, 2021, granted, now 11,934,005.
Application 17/332,026 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2020/001070, filed on Jan. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-005692 (JP), filed on Jan. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0176062 A1, May 30, 2024
Int. Cl. G03B 37/02 (2021.01); C03B 37/027 (2006.01); G02B 6/02 (2006.01); G02B 6/24 (2006.01); G02B 6/26 (2006.01); G02B 6/38 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/02042 (2013.01) [C03B 37/027 (2013.01); G02B 6/02309 (2013.01); G02B 6/262 (2013.01); G02B 6/3885 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing an optical connector, comprising:
preparing a multi-core optical fiber including a glass fiber and a resin coating that covers the glass fiber, each core of the multi-core optical fiber being arranged around a center axis of the multi-core optical fiber;
inserting into the ferrule the glass fiber exposed from the resin coating at one end of the multi-core optical fiber such that the glass fiber protrudes from an end surface of a ferrule by a length A mm;
rotating and aligning the multi-core optical fiber with respect to the ferrule;
fixing the multi-core optical fiber to the ferrule; and
polishing one end of the protruded glass fiber and the end surface of the ferrule so as to scrap off a tip end of the ferrule by a length B mm,
wherein a deviation angle in a circumferential direction between a first initial end surface of the one end of the prepared glass fiber and a cross section of the glass fiber separated from the first initial end surface by a length A+B mm is equal to or less than 0.9°
wherein the preparation includes:
a first sub-step of measuring a deviation angle of the multi-core optical fiber in the circumferential direction along a longitudinal direction of the glass fiber from a second initial end surface of the one end of the glass fiber; and
a second sub-step of cleaving the multi-core optical fiber at a position separated from the second initial end surface of the glass fiber by the length A+B mm or greater when the deviation angle of the multi-core optical fiber in the circumferential direction between the second initial end surface of the glass fiber and the cross section separated by the length A+B mm exceeds 0.9°, and setting the second initial end surface as the first initial end surface of the one end of the prepared glass fiber when the deviation angle is equal to or less than 0.9°, and
wherein the first sub-step and the second sub-step are repeated until the deviation angle between the second initial end surface of the glass fiber and the cross section separated by the length A+B mm becomes equal to or less than 0.9°.