Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical connector according to the invention includes: holding a first optical fiber by a pair of holding members at a position apart from an end face of a second end and through both sides thereof in a radial direction, the first optical fiber being provided with a solid refractive index-matching material layer, the refractive index-matching material layer being formed on the end face of the second end on an opposite side of an end face of a first end exposed to a front end of a ferrule; and inserting the first optical fiber into a fiber hole of the ferrule through the first end.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing tool of the invention include: an optical fiber splicing unit that includes: an optical fiber grasper that grasps a first optical fiber at a mechanical splice; and a guide target that is slidable along a guide provided at a connecting jig that fixes a second optical fiber to be butt-jointed to the first optical fiber; and a connecting jig that includes: a guide that guides the optical fiber splicing unit; and an optical fiber fixer that fixes the second optical fiber. The optical fiber splicing unit provides a first flexure width between one end side of the mechanical splice and the optical fiber grasper, and a second flexure width shorter than the first flexure width is ensured between the other end side of the mechanical splice and the optical fiber fixer when butt-jointing is carried out.

Abstract: A method of splicing an optical fiber of the invention splices a first optical fiber cable and an optical fiber in a splicing box, the first optical fiber cable is a drop cable or an indoor cable, the optical fiber is drawn from a second optical fiber cable, the method splices a terminal of the first optical fiber cable and the optical fiber. The method includes: sliding a unit base holding an extended-optical-fiber-attached splice along a rail in a direction in which the unit base approaches a grasper; thereby inserting an inserted optical fiber grasped by the grasper between halved elements of a mechanical splice; and splicing the inserted optical fiber and an extended optical fiber by butt-jointing an end of the inserted optical fiber to the extended optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing structure of the invention includes: an optical fiber connector that is capable of holding an optical fiber at both sides thereof in a radial direction; a receiving optical fiber that is provided inside the optical fiber connector and has a hole opening at an end face of a connection end thereof; a solid refractive index matching layer that is formed at the end face of a connection end of the receiving optical fiber and enters the hole; and an external optical fiber that is to be butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber by being butt-jointed to the receiving optical fiber at the end faces thereof with the refractive index matching layer interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical connector according to the invention includes: holding a first optical fiber by a pair of holding members at a position apart from an end face of a second end and through both sides thereof in a radial direction, the first optical fiber being provided with a solid refractive index-matching material layer, the refractive index-matching material layer being formed on the end face of the second end on an opposite side of an end face of a first end exposed to a front end of a ferrule; and inserting the first optical fiber into a fiber hole of the ferrule through the first end.

Abstract: A method of splicing an optical fiber of the invention splices a first optical fiber cable and an optical fiber in a splicing box, the first optical fiber cable is a drop cable or an indoor cable, the optical fiber is drawn from a second optical fiber cable, the method splices a terminal of the first optical fiber cable and the optical fiber. The method includes: sliding a unit base holding an extended-optical-fiber-attached splice along a rail in a direction in which the unit base approaches a grasper; thereby inserting an inserted optical fiber grasped by the grasper between halved elements of a mechanical splice; and splicing the inserted optical fiber and an extended optical fiber by butt-jointing an end of the inserted optical fiber to the extended optical fiber.

Abstract: A mechanical splice unit of the invention includes: a mechanical splice having an optical fiber guide groove that is formed at matching surfaces of both a base and a lid in a two-part-divided structure, the mechanical splice being capable of grasping a first optical fiber at one end side of the lid; and an optical fiber splice auxiliary tool used for splice of the first optical fiber that is grasped by the mechanical splice, wherein the optical fiber splice auxiliary tool includes: a mechanical splice grasping portion that holds the mechanical splice; and a guided portion that is slidable along a guide portion formed at a splicing tool to which a second optical fiber to be spliced to the first optical fiber is fixed.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing unit includes: a mechanical splice which aligns optical fibers and puts the optical fibers between half-split elements to splice the optical fibers to each other; a splice holder portion which holds the mechanical splice; fixing member guide portions which respectively guide anchoring fixation members that are respectively fixed to the optical fibers at two sides of the held mechanical splice; anchoring portions which respectively anchor the anchoring fixation members, the anchoring fixation members being respectively guided by the fixing member guide portions and advancing; and a first spacer which abuts one anchoring fixation member and is disposed to be retracted to restrict the advancement of said one anchoring fixation member, said one anchoring fixation member being guided by one fixing member guide portion and advancing.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing unit includes: a mechanical splice which aligns optical fibers and puts the optical fibers between half-split elements to splice the optical fibers to each other; a splice holder portion which holds the mechanical splice; fixing member guide portions which respectively guide anchoring fixation members that are respectively fixed to the optical fibers at two sides of the held mechanical splice; anchoring portions which respectively anchor the anchoring fixation members, the anchoring fixation members being respectively guided by the fixing member guide portions and advancing; and a first spacer which abuts one anchoring fixation member and is disposed to be retracted to restrict the advancement of said one anchoring fixation member, said one anchoring fixation member being guided by one fixing member guide portion and advancing.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable having an optical connector, includes: an optical connector assembled on a tip portion of an optical fiber cable, including a ferrule in which an optical fiber protruding from a terminal of the optical fiber cable is inserted and fixed; and a reinforced portion formed by heating and shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube and by solidifying a hot-melt adhesive of an inner portion of the heat-shrinkable tube after melting the hot-melt adhesive so as to integrate a rear end portion of the ferrule, the tip portion of the optical fiber cable which is disposed so as to be separated in a rear side of the ferrule, and the heat-shrinkable tube which accommodates the rear end portion of the ferrule and the tip portion of the optical fiber cable and in which the hot-melt adhesive is disposed in the inner portion of the heat-shrinkable tube.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing tool of the invention include: an optical fiber splicing unit that includes: an optical fiber grasper that grasps a first optical fiber at a mechanical splice; and a guide target that is slidable along a guide provided at a connecting jig that fixes a second optical fiber to be butt-jointed to the first optical fiber; and a connecting jig that includes: a guide that guides the optical fiber splicing unit; and an optical fiber fixer that fixes the second optical fiber. The optical fiber splicing unit provides a first flexure width between one end side of the mechanical splice and the optical fiber grasper, and a second flexure width shorter than the first flexure width is ensured between the other end side of the mechanical splice and the optical fiber fixer when butt-jointing is carried out.

Abstract: An optical fiber cable having an optical connector, includes: an optical connector assembled on a tip portion of an optical fiber cable, including a ferrule in which an optical fiber protruding from a terminal of the optical fiber cable is inserted and fixed; and a reinforced portion formed by heating and shrinking a heat-shrinkable tube and by solidifying a hot-melt adhesive of an inner portion of the heat-shrinkable tube after melting the hot-melt adhesive so as to integrate a rear end portion of the ferrule, the tip portion of the optical fiber cable which is disposed so as to be separated in a rear side of the ferrule, and the heat-shrinkable tube which accommodates the rear end portion of the ferrule and the tip portion of the optical fiber cable and in which the hot-melt adhesive is disposed in the inner portion of the heat-shrinkable tube.

Abstract: A mechanical splice unit of the invention includes: a mechanical splice having an optical fiber guide groove that is formed at matching surfaces of both a base and a lid in a two-part-divided structure, the mechanical splice being capable of grasping a first optical fiber at one end side of the lid; and an optical fiber splice auxiliary tool used for splice of the first optical fiber that is grasped by the mechanical splice, wherein the optical fiber splice auxiliary tool includes: a mechanical splice grasping portion that holds the mechanical splice; and a guided portion that is slidable along a guide portion formed at a splicing tool to which a second optical fiber to be spliced to the first optical fiber is fixed.