Optical fiber bundle structure, optical connector, optical fiber connection structure, and method of manufacturing optical fiber bundle structure
An optical fiber bundle structure includes: plural optical fiber core wires; a crossing preventing member; and a grasping member. Further, the crossing preventing member has slits and the widths of the slits positioned at the respective sides are each equal to or larger than a difference between: a length of one side of a polygon circumscribing the plural optical fiber core wires at a hindmost end portion of the slits at the trailing end; and a length of one side of a polygon circumscribing the plural optical fiber core wires at the leading end.
1. An optical fiber bundle structure, comprising:
plural optical fiber core wires;
a crossing preventing member having the plural optical fiber core wires inserted through the crossing preventing member along a longitudinal direction; and
a grasping member that applies a grasping force to the crossing preventing member, wherein
the plural optical fiber core wires have, in order from a leading end of the plural optical fiber core wires, a glass fiber portion, and a resin coated portion having resin coated on glass fibers,
the glass fiber portion has, in order from a leading end of the glass fiber portion, a small diameter portion, a tapered portion, and a large diameter portion,
the crossing preventing member has slits formed therein, the slits each having a width with a width's center at a point equally dividing one of sides of a polygon circumscribing the plural optical fiber core wires, by a number of the optical fiber core wires that are in contact with that side in a cross section of the crossing preventing member, the cross section being orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the slits extending from a leading end of the crossing preventing member to a midway point closer to a trailing end of the crossing preventing member, and
the widths of the slits positioned at the respective sides are each equal to or larger than a difference between: a length of one side of a polygon circumscribing the plural optical fiber core wires at a hindmost end portion of the slits at the trailing end; and a length of one side of a polygon circumscribing the plural optical fiber core wires at the leading end.
2. The optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 , wherein the grasping member is a ring to be fitted closer to the leading end of the crossing preventing member.
3. The optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plural optical fiber core wires are provided in a square arrangement at the small diameter portion.
4. The optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 3 , wherein a number of the plural optical fiber core wires is four or nine.
5. The optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plural optical fiber core wires are provided in a hexagonal close-packed arrangement at the small diameter portion.
6. The optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 5 , wherein a number of the plural optical fiber core wires is seven or nineteen.
7. An optical connector, comprising:
the optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the grasping member is a ferrule having, formed therein, a hole portion that applies the grasping force to the crossing preventing member placed therein.
8. An optical fiber connection structure, comprising:
the optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 ; and
a multi-core fiber having: plural core portions connected to cores of the plural optical fiber core wires; and a cladding portion formed around the plural core portions.
9. An optical fiber connection structure, comprising:
the optical fiber bundle structure according to claim 1 ; and
plural light receiving and emitting portions connected to cores of the plural optical fiber core wires.