JP2005241398A - Test method for optical fiber connector end face - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a test method for optical fiber connector end face for testing for the presence of deposits, using infrared close to the signal wavelength region of an optical fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The test method for the optical fiber connector end face visibly indicates an image of the connector end face through a controller 230 and a display 240, by having infrared rays near the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber 120 irradiated from the side of the optical fiber connector end face 100 connected with the optical fiber 120 and monitoring the reflection light with a receiver 220. In this manner, the presence of a deposit having the possibility of being overlooked in a test for visible light can be tested and captured using infrared rays which are near the actual optical fiber signal wavelength. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for inspecting an end face of an optical fiber connector in which the presence or absence of an adhering substance is inspected with infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of an optical fiber.

Conventionally, on the end face of an optical fiber connector, visible light is usually used for the presence or absence of deposits or scratches, that is, the end face of the optical fiber connector is irradiated with visible light, and the reflected light is received by a receiver such as a CCD camera. Are monitored for inspection (for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-123673

  However, in an optical fiber for communication, in practice, infrared laser light (for example, light having a wavelength of 1310 nm or 1550 nm) is often used as signal wavelength light. As described above, visible light (normal wavelength of 400 nm to 780 nm) is used. ), There are aspects that are not sufficient.

  The reason is that in the case of light having a wavelength in the visible light region, it may not be possible to confirm the presence or absence of a deposit or the like that can be confirmed with light having a wavelength in the infrared laser light region. In addition, due to the recent increase in optical communication power (use of lasers of several W class), attachments that could not be confirmed with visible light may adhere to the end face of the optical fiber connector, leading to damage to the end face. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems. Basically, the inspection is performed using infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber, and more preferably, the visible light is visible. The present invention also provides a method of inspecting the end face of an optical fiber connector, which is also inspected by light and is more completely inspected.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the end face of the optical fiber connector to which the optical fiber is connected is irradiated with infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber from the side, and the reflected light is monitored by a receiver. The optical fiber connector end face inspection method is characterized in that an image of the connector end face is visually displayed through a controller and a display.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to the first aspect, wherein the infrared light is switched to visible light and an image of the connector end face is similarly displayed.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber is incident on the optical fiber connector end face to which the optical fiber is connected from the opposite end face of the optical fiber, and the transmitted light is transmitted. The optical fiber connector end face inspection method is characterized in that the end face image of the connector is visually displayed through a controller and a display by monitoring with a receiver.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to the third aspect, wherein the infrared light is switched to visible light and an image of the connector end face is displayed in the same manner.

According to the inspection method of the end face of the optical fiber connector of the present invention, since it is inspected with infrared light that is at least close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber, it is ensured that there is no deposit or the like that may be missed in the inspection using only visible light Can be captured. In other words, it is extremely useful because it can capture the presence or absence of deposits in a form that exactly matches the actual usage.
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the end face from being damaged and to cope well with the recent increase in power. Of course, a more complete inspection can be obtained when used in combination with inspection using visible light.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view showing one embodiment of an optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to the present invention. In the figure, 100 is an end face of an optical fiber connector, and 200 is an inspection apparatus system thereof.

  The optical fiber connector end face 100 includes a connector 110, for example, a ferrule and an optical fiber 120 connected thereto. Here, the normal optical fiber 120 is passed through the through hole of the ferrule 110 and fixed with an adhesive. After this, the end face side is usually polished in order to obtain a clean and smooth surface. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the end face side in this polished state or after use over time.

  The inspection apparatus system 200 corresponds to this inspection. This apparatus system is a light source such as an infrared laser diode or an infrared LED that irradiates the optical fiber connector end face 100 with infrared light close to the signal wavelength region (wavelength region such as 1310 nm or 1550 nm) of the optical fiber 120 from the side. 210, a receiver (imager) 220 such as a CCD or MOS that monitors the reflected light, a controller 230 such as a personal computer to which image data from this is input, a CRT or liquid crystal on which an image of the connector end face 110 is displayed The display 240 includes an infrared optical system 250 such as a lens installed on the front side of the receiver 220 as necessary. Note that it is desirable that the receiver 220 has a wide light receiving sensitivity and can be adapted from the infrared light region to the visible light region. Further, if the infrared optical system 250 is provided, the light collecting property of the reflected light can be improved.

  In order to inspect the optical fiber connector end face 100 by the inspection apparatus system 200, first, infrared light from the light source 210 is irradiated. The reflected light obtained by this irradiation is captured by the receiver 220 and input to the controller 230. In this controller 230, processing is performed according to a preset procedure (predetermined program), and an enlarged image 100 a of the optical fiber connector end surface 100 is displayed on the display 240.

The operator may observe this and check the deposit 100b as shown in the figure, for example. At this time, since the image 100a is displayed in an enlarged manner, the risk of oversight of the deposit 100b and the like is small, the burden on the operator can be reduced, and information such as other scratches can be visually checked. Thereby, workability is improved.
In addition, the controller 230 can perform image processing to detect the presence of the deposit 100b and alert the operator with an alarm sound or flash emission of a part of the display 240. Thereby, an operator's burden is further reduced and high reliability is obtained.

In addition to the infrared light inspection, in order to perform the visible light inspection, in addition to the infrared light source 210 in FIG. 1, a visible light source 260 having a normal lamp or the like is provided. Just install it. If the optical fiber connector end surface 100 is irradiated with visible light from the light source 260, an inspection result using visible light can be obtained through the same operation as described above. That is, the inspection result by both infrared light and visible light is obtained, and higher reliability is ensured.
In addition, the infrared optical system 250 is removed at the time of this visible light inspection. If necessary, a visible light optical system may be used.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing another embodiment of the optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to the present invention. This inspection method is also basically the same as the case of FIG. 1 above, except that inspection infrared light or visible light is incident from the opposite end face of the optical fiber 120 and the transmitted light is received as an image. It is designed to be monitored with a machine. Also by this method, substantially the same test result as in the above case 1 can be obtained.

It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed one form of the inspection method of the optical fiber connector end surface which concerns on this invention. It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed the other form of the inspection method of the optical fiber connector end surface which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Optical fiber connector end surface, 110 ... Connector, 120 ... Optical fiber, 200 ... Inspection apparatus system, 210 ... Infrared light source, 220 ... Receiver, 230 ... -Controller, 240 ... Display, 250 ... Infrared optical system, 260 ... Visible light source

Claims (4)

The end face of the optical fiber connector to which the optical fiber is connected is irradiated with infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber from the side, the reflected light is monitored by a receiver, and the image of the end face of the connector is A method for inspecting an end face of an optical fiber connector, wherein the end face is displayed visually through a display. The optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light is switched to visible light and an image of the connector end face is displayed in the same manner. Infrared light close to the signal wavelength region of the optical fiber is incident on the optical fiber connector end face to which the optical fiber is connected from the opposite end face of the optical fiber, and the transmitted light is monitored by a receiver. An inspection method for an end face of an optical fiber connector, characterized in that an end face image is visually displayed through a controller and a display. 4. The optical fiber connector end face inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the infrared light is switched to visible light, and an image of the connector end face is displayed in the same manner.

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