End face polishing method

1. An end face polishing method for polishing an end face of a rod-shaped member, comprising the steps of:

providing an end face polishing apparatus having a main body, a jig board mounted on the main body and supporting a rod-shaped member, a polishing board mounted on the main body for undergoing rotational and revolving movements relative to the main body, and a first abrasive member removably mounted on the polishing board for rotational and revolving movements therewith;

bringing an end face of the rod-shaped member into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of the first abrasive member having a first hardness;

rotating and revolving the polishing board to polish the end face of the rod-shaped member;

removing the first abrasive member from the polishing board and removably mounting a second abrasive member on the polishing board for rotational and revolving movements therewith;

bringing the polished end face of the rod-shaped member into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of the second abrasive member having a second hardness lower than the first hardness; and

rotating and revolving the polishing board to further polish the end face of the rod-shaped member.

2. A method according to claim 1 ; further comprising the steps of removing the second abrasive member from the polishing board and mounting a third abrasive member on the polishing board for rotational and revolving movements therewith; bringing the polished end face of the rod-shaped member into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of the third abrasive member having a third hardness lower than the second hardness; and rotating and revolving the polishing board to further polish the end face of the rod-shaped member.

3. A method according to claim 1 ; wherein each of the bringing steps includes the step of bringing the end face of the rod-shaped member into pressure contact with the abrasive surface of the corresponding one of the first and second abrasive members by applying a constant load on the rod-shaped member while the rod-shaped member is supported at a given position relative to the abrasive surface of the corresponding one of the first and second abrasive members.

4. A method according to claim 1 ; wherein each of the first abrasive member and the second abrasive member comprises an elastic member for removable connection to the polishing board and an abrasive sheet having the abrasive surface and disposed on a surface of the elastic member.

5. A method according to claim 1 ; wherein the rod-shaped member comprises a ferrule supporting an optical fiber.

6. A method according to claim 1 ; wherein the rod-shaped member comprises an optical connector having a ferrule supporting an optical fiber.

7. An end face polishing method, comprising the steps of:

providing an end face polishing apparatus having a main body, a jig board mounted on the main body and supporting at least one workpiece, a polishing board mounted on the main body for undergoing rotational and revolving movements relative to the main body, and a plurality of abrasive members each removably connectable to the polishing board for rotational and revolving movements therewith, each of the abrasive members having an abrasive surface with a hardness that is either higher or lower than the hardness of the abrasive surface of the others of the abrasive members; and

successively bringing an end face of the workpiece into pressure contact with the abrasive surface of each of the abrasive members in descending order of hardness of the abrasive surfaces while rotating and revolving the polishing board to thereby successively polish the end face of the workpiece.

8. An end face polishing method according to claim 7 ; wherein the workpiece comprises a rod-shaped member.

9. An end face polishing method according to claim 7 ; wherein the workpiece comprises a ferrule supporting an optical fiber.

10. An end face polishing method according to claim 7 ; wherein each of the abrasive members comprises an elastic member for removable connection to the polishing board, and an abrasive sheet having the abrasive surface and mounted on a surface of the elastic member.

11. An end face polishing method according to claim 7 ; wherein the plurality of abrasive members comprise a first abrasive member having the abrasive surface with a first hardness, a second abrasive member having the abrasive surface with a second hardness lower than the first hardness, and a third abrasive member having the abrasive surface with a third hardness lower than the second hardness.

12. An end face polishing method according to claim 7 ; wherein the bringing step includes the step of pressing the end face of the workpiece against the abrasive surface of each of abrasive members with a constant load.

13. An end face polishing method, comprising the steps of:

bringing and maintaining an end face of a workpiece into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of a first abrasive member having a first hardness while rotating and revolving the first abrasive member to thereby polish the end face of the workpiece;

thereafter bringing and maintaining the end face of the workpiece into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of a second abrasive member having a second hardness lower than the first hardness while rotating and revolving the second abrasive member to thereby further polish the end face of the workpiece; and

thereafter bringing and maintaining the end face of the workpiece into pressure contact with an abrasive surface of a third abrasive member having a third hardness lower than the second hardness while rotating and revolving the second abrasive member to thereby further polish the end face of the workpiece.

14. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein the workpiece comprises a rod-shaped member.

15. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein the workpiece comprises a ferrule supporting an optical fiber.

16. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein each of the first, second and third abrasive members comprises an elastic member and an abrasive sheet disposed on the elastic member and having the abrasive surface with which the end face of the workpiece is brought into pressure contact.

17. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein each of the bringing and maintaining steps includes the step of pressing the end face of the workpiece against the abrasive surface of each of the first, second and third abrasive members with a constant load.

18. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein the first abrasive member has a hardness Hs in the range of 65 to 95, the second abrasive member has a hardness Hs in the range of 55±10, and the third abrasive member has a hardness Hs in the range of 45±10.

19. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein the first abrasive member has a hardness Hs of about 65, the second abrasive member has a hardness Hs in the range of about 55, and the third abrasive member has a hardness Hs in the range of about 45.

20. An end face polishing method according to claim 13 ; wherein each of the first, second and third abrasive members comprises an elastic member having the abrasive surface with which the end face of the workpiece is brought into pressure contact.