Abstract: An apparatus for surface treatment of polishing cloth includes a rotary cloth mounting section on which a polishing cloth is to be attached, and a rotary surface treatment tool made of an inorganic material other than metal and having at least a protrusion with an irregular surface portion on the surface thereof. The surface treatment tool and the cloth mounting section is rotated and a position of a rotation axis of a first rotating unit is different from that of a rotation axis of a second rotating unit. The rotating surface treatment tool is pressed against the cloth mounting section with a predetermined pressure while the surface treatment and cloth mounting sections are rotated.

Abstract: A polishing disc of spherical polishing device for polishing optical end surface capable of minimizing optical loss due to reflection in a returning direction. With this polishing disc of polishing device for polishing a spherical surface on optical fiber end surface, a tip end of a ferrule supporting an optical fiber is pressed against a surface of the polishing disc and a relative movement for polishing is caused between the ferrule tip end and the polishing disc surface to polish a tip end of the optical fiber into a spherical surface. The polishing disc A is constituted by a flat plate made of an elastic material and a soft plastic film which is provided on said flat plate as a film surface without containing abrasive and which has rugged patterns having a surface roughness of several microns or less. The surface of the soft plastic film is preferably a rough surface having rugged patterns of a surface roughness of 2 .mu.m or less.

Abstract: An end surface polishing machine comprises a holding disc for holding a plurality of ferrules supporting coaxially aligned optical fibers. A support mechanism supports the holding disc and places the end surfaces of the ferrules in contact with a polishing disc. A drive mechanism includes a rotation motor for rotating the polishing disc about a first axis, a revolution motor for revolving the polishing disc about a second axis, a first rotating disc rotatable about the first axis by the rotating motor, at least one second rotating disc disposed eccentrically on the first rotating disc, and a third rotating disc connected to the second rotating disc for rotation about the second axis. The revolution axle is supported for revolution around the first axis by the revolution motor and is provided with a through-hole defining a center axis extending along the second axis.

Abstract: An optical connector tip polisher which comprises a stationary block for supporting a wheel spindle stock, a manual slider for supporting an optical connector and a cam mechanism. The stationary block has a base for mounting the wheel spindle. The base has a guide space and a guide opening. The manual slider has a horizontal stock, a post and is a holder. The horizontal stock is fitted in the guide space of the base and restricted against movement in the vertical direction while being movable along a horizontal plane. The post is embedded in the horizontal stock and is movable in unison therewith. The post extends upright through the guide opening of the base. An idling wheel is provided between the inner periphery of the guide opening and the outer periphery of the post to guide the post along the inner periphery. The holder is secured to the post at an intermediate position thereof and holds an optical connector to perpendicularly press the tip of the optical connector against the wheel spindle stock.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding end surfaces of ferrules together with optical fibers each firmly received therein includes as essential components a platform serving as a base for the apparatus, a grinding board assembly rotationally driven such that a grinding board is displaced along a horizontal reference plane as it is rotated, a ferrule holder for holding the ferrules each of whose foremost end to be ground is oriented toward the grinding board, a ferrule holder supporting member for bringing the ferrule holder to a surface position to be assumed by the ferrule holder on completion of a grinding operation while supporting the ferrule holder, and a thrusting unit for normally thrusting the ferrule holder toward the grinding board. It is desirable that the center of the grinding board assembly be positionally offset from the center of the ferrule holder supporting member.