IP Library Granted Patent US 12,554,068
Granted Patent B2
US 12,554,068 · App. 18/549,260 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Optical fiber holder and method for connecting coated optical fibers

Inventor: Shinsuke Kurino (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Optifrontier Co., Ltd.
G02B6/2556G02B6/2553
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,554,068
App. No.
18/549,260
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An optical fiber holder includes: a holder body including an accommodating portion, the accommodating portion being configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers in a state in which the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel; and a first lid portion configured to be opened and closed relative to the holder body and cover at least a part of the accommodating portion. The accommodating portion includes a pitch conversion portion having a plurality of ridge portions arranged in parallel and a plurality of flat bottom portions between the plurality of ridge portions. The plurality of ridge portions have a uniform height of 0.1 mm or less from the bottom portions, and parallel intervals in between enlarge or lessen from one side toward the other side in a longitudinal direction.

Claims (22)

1 . An optical fiber holder comprising:

a holder body including an accommodating portion, the accommodating portion being configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers in a state in which the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel; and

a first lid portion configured to be opened and closed relative to the holder body and cover at least a part of the accommodating portion, wherein

the accommodating portion includes a pitch conversion portion having a plurality of ridge portions arranged in parallel and a plurality of flat bottom portions between the plurality of ridge portions, and

the plurality of ridge portions have a uniform height of 0.1 mm or less from the bottom portions, and parallel intervals in between enlarge or lessen from one side toward the other side in a longitudinal direction, wherein

the pitch conversion portion is provided at one end portion of the accommodating portion in the longitudinal direction, and

the first lid portion is configured to cover at least a part of the pitch conversion portion, wherein

the optical fiber holder further comprises a second lid portion configured to be opened and closed relative to the holder body, cover a region of the accommodating portion that is different from the pitch conversion portion in a state of being closed relative to the holder body, and hold the optical fibers accommodated in the accommodating portion, wherein

the first lid portion does not press the optical fibers, and

the second lid portion presses the optical fibers.

2 . The optical fiber holder according to claim 1 , wherein

a gap from the bottom portions to the first lid portion has a height of 220 μm or more and 250 μm or less in a state in which the first lid portion is closed relative to the holder body.

3 . A method for connecting optical fibers using the optical fiber holder according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

placing the plurality of optical fibers in the pitch conversion portion, converting pitches of the plurality of optical fibers placed in the pitch conversion portion into pitches of another device different from the optical fiber holder by the plurality of ridge portions, and accommodating the plurality of optical fibers in the accommodating portion; and

connecting the plurality of optical fibers subjected to pitch conversion to other optical fibers that are disposed in the other device and are different from the plurality of optical fibers.

4 . An optical fiber holder comprising:

a holder body including an accommodating portion, the accommodating portion being configured to accommodate a plurality of optical fibers in a state in which the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel; and

a first lid portion configured to be opened and closed relative to the holder body and cover at least a part of the accommodating portion, wherein

the accommodating portion includes a pitch conversion portion having a plurality of ridge portions arranged in parallel and a plurality of flat bottom portions between the plurality of ridge portions, and

the plurality of ridge portions have a uniform height of 0.1 mm or less from the bottom portions, and parallel intervals in between enlarge or lessen from one side toward the other side in a longitudinal direction, wherein

the optical fiber holder further comprises a second lid portion configured to be opened and closed relative to the holder body, cover a region of the accommodating portion that is different from the pitch conversion portion in a state of being closed relative to the holder body, and hold the optical fibers accommodated in the accommodating portion, wherein

the accommodating portion further includes a first flat portion, and a second flat portion, the first flat portion is disposed in a position where the first flat portion is covered with the second lid portion when the second lid portion is closed, and the second flat portion is disposed in a position where the second flat portion is covered with neither the first lid portion nor the second lid portion.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 6, 2023
From: KURINO, SHINSUKE
To: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC OPTIFRONTIER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064814/0756 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-038628 · Mar 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240151905A1 · May 9, 2024
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