CONNECTING METHOD FOR PLASTIC OPTICAL FIBER

摘要

PURPOSE:To connect optical fibers with a low loss in a short period by using silicone rubber which has high elasticity and has not adhesiveness as a molding tool. CONSTITUTION:A pair of fibers to be connected are pushed into a groove 5 and holding grooves 7 of the molding tool 2 from above. The molding tool is made of rubber and therefore the fibers can be easily pushed into the groove 5 even if the outside diameter of the fibers is different with a pair of the fibers. In addition, the central axes of a pair of the fibers are straightly and automatically aligned and the pull-out of the once inserted fibers is obviated by the friction between the groove wall and the fibers. A high-refractive index acrylic adhesive agent curable by UV rays is dropped in an amt. slightly larger than the volume of the part A like (a) to approximately the center in the part A of the groove 5 sandwiched by the end faces of a pair of the fibers, then the adhesive agent is automatically infiltered into the groove of the part A by capillarity and is closely and thoroughly filled therein. UV rays are irradiated to the adhesive agent in this state to cure the adhesive agent. The fibers having largely different outside diameters are thereby easily connected.