Abstract: An optical fiber preform includes: a cladding glass body that is a cladding of an optical fiber, is cylindrical, and comprises an inner hole along an axial direction; a glass rod accommodated in the inner hole; and a dummy silica rod selected from either one of a first solid dummy silica rod fixed to a first end of the cladding glass body that closes a first end of the inner hole positioned at the first end of the cladding glass body, or a second solid dummy silica rod accommodated and integrated in a connecting glass tube fixed to the first end to close a first tip opening end of the connecting glass tube. A tip seal that closes a second end of the inner hole at a second end of the cladding glass body is provided in the second end of the cladding glass body.

Abstract: An optical fiber preform production method includes: inserting at least one glass rod into at least one through-hole that penetrates a cladding glass body that is a cladding of an optical fiber; integrating a dummy rod by either integrating a solid dummy silica rod with a first end of the cladding glass body by heating the first end to close a first opening of the through-hole that opens in the first end, or forming a base end seal that closes the first opening in the first end and integrating the solid dummy silica rod with the base end; and closing a second opening of the through-hole that opens in a second end of the cladding glass body by heating and deforming the second end.

Abstract: A multi-core optical fiber preform includes: a rod-shaped main cladding body having one or more main inner holes; main core rods inserted into the one or more main inner holes; and a tip continuously-installed portion disposed at one end of the rod-shaped main cladding body and including a glass rod having no core rod or having one core rod.

Abstract: An optical fiber preform production method includes: inserting at least one glass rod into at least one through-hole that penetrates a cladding glass body that is a cladding of an optical fiber; integrating a dummy rod by either integrating a solid dummy silica rod with a first end of the cladding glass body by heating the first end to close a first opening of the through-hole that opens in the first end, or forming a base end seal that closes the first opening in the first end and integrating the solid dummy silica rod with the base end; and closing a second opening of the through-hole that opens in a second end of the cladding glass body by heating and deforming the second end.

Abstract: An electronic-circuit-component pick-up instruction data generating device is provided that generates pick-up instruction data for automatically picking up an electronic circuit component from a nonmatrix tray defined to have nonmatrix arrangement in which arrangeable positions of the electronic circuit components are arranged in a nonmatrix pattern, other than a matrix tray defined to have matrix arrangement in which arrangeable positions of a plurality of the electronic circuit components are regularly arranged in a matrix pattern in a state of being positioned at all the intersection points made by two groups of straight lines that are parallel to two directions orthogonal to each other, respectively, and that are separated at regular intervals for each direction. An electronic-circuit-component mounting machine is provided that picks up an electronic circuit component from the nonmatrix tray based on generated pick-up instruction data, and automatically mounts the component on a circuit board.

Abstract: A rod bundle includes a core-clad rod that includes a core rod and a cladding layer that covers the core rod, a plurality of first filling rods disposed around the core-clad rod to be in contact with the core-clad rod, and two second filling rods that are disposed opposite to each other and interposing the core-clad rod therebetween to be distant from the core-clad rod and form first spaces with the core-clad rod. The rod bundle also includes a pair of second spaces that are next to the core-clad rod are formed to interpose the core-clad rod therebetween in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the two second filling rods are opposite to each other and, in a transverse plane, an area of each of the first spaces is more than an area of each of second spaces.

Abstract: An electronic-circuit-component pick-up instruction data generating device is provided that generates pick-up instruction data for automatically picking up an electronic circuit component from a nonmatrix tray defined to have nonmatrix arrangement in which arrangeable positions of the electronic circuit components are arranged in a nonmatrix pattern, other than a matrix tray defined to have matrix arrangement in which arrangeable positions of a plurality of the electronic circuit components are regularly arranged in a matrix pattern in a state of being positioned at all the intersection points made by two groups of straight lines that are parallel to two directions orthogonal to each other, respectively, and that are separated at regular intervals for each direction. An electronic-circuit-component mounting machine is provided that picks up an electronic circuit component from the nonmatrix tray based on generated pick-up instruction data, and automatically mounts the component on a circuit board.