US 12,169,309 B2
Multi-fiber optical connector and optical fiber connection method
Yasunari Tanaka, Musashino (JP); Ryo Koyama, Musashino (JP); Masaaki Takaya, Musashino (JP); Yoshiteru Abe, Musashino (JP); and Chisato Fukai, Musashino (JP)
Assigned to NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/641,052
Filed by NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/034239
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 8, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/049561, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PCT/JP2019/035538 (WO), filed on Sep. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0045152 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. G02B 6/38 (2006.01); G02B 6/40 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/3838 (2013.01) [G02B 6/403 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multicore optical connector comprising:
a holding member provided with a longitudinal hole, the longitudinal hole extending along a first direction, the longitudinal hole having a flat bottom surface, the longitudinal hole having first and second side surfaces outwardly opposite to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second side surfaces extending from opposite ends of the flat bottom surface;
a plurality of optical fibers stored on the flat bottom surface of the longitudinal hole and arranged in parallel and in a row along the second direction, each of the plurality of optical fibers extending along the first direction in the longitudinal hole, first and second optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers being located at outermost opposite ends thereof along the second direction; and
an alignment structure that aligns the plurality of optical fibers, wherein
the first optical fiber is in contact with the first side surface of the longitudinal hole,
a side of the second optical fiber is in contact with an elastic body, and the elastic body is located in a gap between the side of the second optical fiber and the second side surface of the longitudinal hole, and
every adjacent two optical fibers of the plurality of optical fibers are in contact with each other.