Jig plate and end face polishing method

Abstract

A jig plate is opposed to a polishing plate, for polishing the face of a ferrule cylindrical member in contact with the polishing plate at a predetermined angle into a convex curve inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis. The jig plate includes a holding part for detachably holding an optical connector plug to a jig plate body having a mounting part to an end face polishing machine. The holding part holds the optical connector plug while correcting the target direction of the inclination of the polished convex curve of the ferrule cylindrical member held by the optical connector plug to turn in the direction opposite to the rotating direction of the polishing plate with respect to a plane including the center of the jig plate body and the axis of an optical fiber. Thus the direction of inclination coincides with the reference direction of the optical connector plug.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A jig plate opposed to a rotating and fluctuating polishing plate of an end face polishing machine for polishing the end face of a ferrule cylindrical member that holds the tip of an optical fiber, for polishing the face of the ferrule cylindrical member into a convex curve inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis, with the ferrule cylindrical member brought into contact with the polishing plate at a predetermined angle, comprising: 
 a jig plate body having a part for mounting to the end face polishing machine; and    a holding part provided to the jig plate body for detachably holding an optical connector plug, the holding part holding the optical connector plug while correcting the target inclining direction of the polished convex curve of the ferrule cylindrical member so as to turn to a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the polishing plate with respect to a plane including the center of the jig plate body and the axis of the optical fiber so that the inclining direction of the polished convex curve of the ferrule. cylindrical member held by the optical connector plug coincides with the reference direction of the optical connector plug.    
     
     
         2 . A jig plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference direction of the optical connector plug is determined with the outer periphery of the optical connector plug as the reference.  
     
     
         3 . A jig plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference direction of the optical connector plug is determined depending on the direction of a location key provided to the optical connector plug.  
     
     
         4 . A jig plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding part of the jig plate body holds the optical connector plug through a holding member for detachably holding the optical connector plug.  
     
     
         5 . A jig plate according to  claim 2 , wherein the holding part of the jig plate body holds the optical connector plug through a holding member for detachably holding the optical connector plug.  
     
     
         6 . A jig plate according to  claim 3 , wherein the holding part of the jig plate body holds the optical connector plug through a holding member for detachably holding the optical connector plug.  
     
     
         7 . A jig plate according to  claim 4 , wherein the holding member can be replaced with a holding member of a different correction angle.  
     
     
         8 . A jig plate according to  claim 5 , wherein the holding member can be replaced with a holding member of a different correction angle.  
     
     
         9 . A jig plate according to  claim 6 , wherein the holding member can be replaced with a holding member of a different correction angle.  
     
     
         10 . A jig plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into-contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         11 . A jig plate according to  claim 2 , wherein the optical, connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         12 . A jig plate according to  claim 3 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         13 . A jig plate according to  claim 4 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         14 . A jig plate according to  claim 5 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         15 . A jig plate according to  claim 6 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         16 . A jig plate according to  claim 6 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         17 . A jig plate according to  claim 7 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         18 . A jig plate according to  claim 8 , wherein the optical connector plug is held such that the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing plate relatively at an angle so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.  
     
     
         19 . An end face polishing method, wherein a ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing member at a predetermined angle with a jig plate, the polishing member being placed on a rotating and fluctuating polishing plate supported by a polishing machine body and the jig plate fixing an optical connector plug having the ferrule cylindrical member holding an optical fiber; and the face of the ferrule cylindrical member is polished into a convex curve inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis; 
 wherein the target inclining direction of the polished convex curve of the ferrule cylindrical member is corrected so as to turn to a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the polishing plate with respect to the plane including the center of the jig plate body and the axis of the optical fiber so that the inclining direction of the polished convex curve of the ferrule cylindrical member held by the optical connector plug coincides with the reference direction of the optical connector plug.    
     
     
         20 . An end face polishing method according to  claim 19 , wherein the ferrule cylindrical member is brought into contact with a polishing surface of the polishing member relatively at an angle and is polished so that the angle formed by the axial direction and a polishing surface closer to the rotation center than the ferrule cylindrical member becomes an obtuse angle.