Abstract: In an optical connector for positioning and fixing the distal end of a fiber optic ribbon cable with a connector ferrule, a guide-pin hole is formed in a mating end connected with another optical connector. A pair of positioning guide pins are inserted into the respective guide-pin holes. The guide-pin hole has an enlarged region whose diameter gradually increases toward the opening end portion of the mating end.

Abstract: A fiber optic connector ferrule in which a coating-accommodating portion for mounting a coated portion of an optical fiber and maintaining the optical fiber such that the axis thereof becomes substantially straight from the mounted portion to the front end is formed behind a fiber-arranging hole by the steps of: disposing one or a plurality of mold pins each having a columnar portion formed on a distal end side thereof and a prismatic portion, disposed on a proximal end side thereof, having substantially a quadrangular cross section, with side faces of the prismatic portions being in contact with each other, within a mold such that each mold pin is slidable in an axial direction of the columnar and prismatic portions; and filling the mold with a resin, and axially pulling off each mold pin after the resin is cured, thereby causing the columnar portion to form the fiber-arranging hole and causing the prismatic portion to form the coating-accommodating portion for mounting the coated portion.

Abstract: An optical connector ferrule 1A is mounted on the distal end of a fiber optic ribbon cable 2 to form an optical connector Ca. A mating surface 11 of the optical connector Ca opposes an optical connector Cb to be mated. Fiber accommodating holes 13 are formed in the mating surface 11 so as to accommodate optical fibers, and a pair of guide projections 10 are formed on the mating surface 11 so as to be positioned with the optical connector Cb. The ferrule 1A is integrally molded with a resin. This provides an optical connector ferrule allowing the easy manufacturing of an optical connector with good transmission performance.

Abstract: The ferrule 7 of the optical connector in accordance with the present invention has an optical fiber inserting portion 11 extending inward from an optical connection opening 10 formed in the nose surface 9, thereby projecting the end portion of an optical fiber 8 from the optical connection opening 10 in the nose surface 9. The nose surface 9 has a first flat portion 15 and a second flat portion 14. The second flat portion 14 extends while including the optical connection opening 10 therein. The first flat portion 15 extends so as to project ahead of the second flat portion 14.

Abstract: A two-way interactive system that includes an apparatus for matching the line of sight of interlocutors in order to enhance communication through a transmission means when the interlocutors are located in remote areas. Terminal equipment, located at the site of each interlocutor, includes a display unit, a position regulator means and an image pickup apparatus. The display unit includes a monitor that displays an image of a partner interlocutor. The position regulating means regulates the position of the interlocutor with respect to the monitor. The image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit which captures an image of the interlocutors and a support means which sets the image pickup unit in a predetermined position between the interlocutor and a monitor of the display unit.

Abstract: An optical connector includes a first ferrule which holds the ends of a first optical fiber unit including at least one optical fiber, and a housing. The housing is a U-shaped member with parallel arms extending in the lengthwise direction of the first optical fiber unit. The housing surrounds one of the widthwise sides of the first ferrule from which the first optical fiber unit is derived and the lengthwise sides of the first ferrule, whereby the housing accommodates the first ferrule. The housing receives a second ferrule which holds the ends of a second optical fiber unit including at least one optical fiber through the U-shaped opening. The housing surrounds the lengthwise side of the second ferrule and a part of the side of the second ferrule from which the second optical fiber unit is derived, whereby the first and second ferrules are coupled together.

Abstract: An end-face-side core 5 from which an optical fiber hole forming pin 1 is projected is fastened by a mold to a fiber-side core 10 from which an optical fiber hole forming pin 6 and a cavity forming member (for example, a tape fiber hole forming rectangular body 8) are projected, while the end-face-side core and the fiber-side core are opposed to each other, the cavity forming member being behind the optical fiber hole forming pin 6 and larger than the optical fiber hole forming pin. A resin is injected into a cavity formed in the mold. The mold is opened, the end-face-side core 5 and the fiber-side core 10 are slid in directions in which the end-face-side core and the fiber-side core are separated from each other, and a resin molded product is then taken out.

Abstract: An optical connector in which an optical fiber is fixed within a ferrule such that a tip of the optical fiber is disposed at a front end face position of the ferrule. An optical-fiber-positioning hole formed so as to directly extend into the ferrule from an optical connecting orifice formed in the front end face of the ferrule has a diameter greater than a diameter of the optical fiber positioned within the optical-fiber-positioning hole, the optical-fiber-positioning hole having therein a compressible unfixing area for allowing the optical fiber to compress along the optical-fiber-positioning hole, and a fixing area, disposed behind the compressible unfixing area, for fixing the optical fiber to the ferrule.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a system having a mechanism for matching lines of sight between interlocutors through transmission means to realize smooth counseling between the interlocutors in remote areas, and mainly oriented to a one-to-one two-way interactive operation, and this system is realized on the basis of results of experiments by the present inventor. In this system, a terminal equipment is located at the point of each interlocutor, which is constituted by a display unit having a monitor for displaying at least the image of a partner, a position regulation means for regulating the position of the interlocutor with respect to a monitor screen, and an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup unit for picking up the image of the interlocutor and a support mechanism for setting the image pickup unit at a predetermined position between the interlocutor and the monitor.

Abstract: In a drawing method and drawing apparatus according to the present invention, a forward end portion of an optical fiber glass preform is heated and melted while the glass preform is fed into a drawing furnace 3 so that an optical fiber is drawn, and the optical fiber glass preform is heated in a position just above the drawing furnace to make the surface of the glass preform clean.

Abstract: An optical connector ferrule of this invention includes a holding portion arranged at a position along an inserting direction of optical fibers to constitute a front surface of the ferrule and having a plurality of first through holes for inserting the optical fibers therethrough and two second through holes for inserting guide pins, the holding portion holding portions of the optical fibers near distal ends thereof, the second through holes and the first through holes having central axes that are substantially parallel to each other, and the first through holes being arrayed in two rows in a direction connecting centers of the second through holes; and an optical fiber tape accommodating portion having an insertion opening for inserting therethrough optical fiber tapes having the optical fibers held by the holding portion, an internal space for partially accommodating the optical fiber tapes, and an injection opening for injecting therethrough an adhesive for adhering and fixing the inserted optical fiber ta

Abstract: This invention is to provide a system having a mechanism for matching lines of sight between interlocutors through transmission means to realize smooth counseling between the interlocutors in remote areas. In this system, a terminal equipment is located at the point of each interlocutor, having a monitor for displaying at least the image of a partner, a position regulation means for regulating the position of the interlocutor with respect to a monitor screen, and an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup unit for picking up the image of the interlocutor and a support mechanism for setting the image pickup unit at a predetermined position between the interlocutor and the monitor.

Abstract: An optical fiber array according to the present invention comprises an optical coupling end face to be optically coupled to another optical line, and one ends of a plurality of optical fibers are arrayed in the optical coupling end face. The optical fiber array comprises a lower plate (3a) comprising a plurality of V-shaped grooves (4) for positioning the optical fibers exposing from one end of a ribbon part of the optical fibers, and an upper plate (3b) for pressing each optical fiber provided in each V-shaped groove (4) of the lower plate into the positioning groove. A boundary portion between the ribbon part (7) and the optical fibers (1) is fixed between the first and second plates (3a, 3b) by heat resistant adhesive (10), and the optical fibers from the boundary portion to a front end are fixed by solder (6) in an airtightness state. Accordingly, the hermetic sealing with sufficiently high airtightness can be achieved.

Abstract: An optical fiber array according to the present invention includes an optical coupling end face to be optically coupled to another optical line, and first ends of a plurality of optical fibers are arrayed in the optical coupling end face. The optical fiber array includes a lower plate (3a) having a plurality of V-shaped grooves (4) for positioning the optical fibers exposed from one end of a ribbon part of the optical fibers, and an upper plate (3b) for pressing each optical fiber provided in each V-shaped groove (4) of the lower plate into the positioning groove. A boundary portion between the ribbon part (7) and the optical fibers (1) is fixed between the first and second plates (3a, 3b) by heat resistant adhesive (10), and the optical fibers from the boundary portion to a front end of the array are fixed by solder (6) to achieve hermetic sealing.

Abstract: A novel optical connector that includes the following: an optical connector ferrule which is capable of fixing optical fibers; optical fibers fixed onto the optical connector ferrule, such that the end surfaces of the optical fibers project beyond an end surface of the optical connector ferrule; an adhesive for fixing the optical fibers onto the optical connector ferrule; and a member whose Young's Modulus is less than that of the optical fiber and is provided to an area on the end surface of the optical connector ferrule surrounding, at a minimum, the projected portions of the optical fibers. And when the end surface of the optical connector is polished, the ends of the optical fibers are capable of projecting from the end surface of the optical connector ferrule, even if the end surface portion of the optical connector ferrule contains a filler, the hardness of which is less than that of the optical fibers.

Abstract: The ferrule for optical connector according to this invention comprises a first grip portion having first through holes for insertion of optical fibers and gripping part of said optical fibers apart a predetermined distance from the distal ends of optical fibers; a second grip portion arranged along the insertion direction of optical fibers together with the first grip portion and opposed to the first grip portion through a first space. The second grip portion has second through holes for the optical fibers set through the first through holes to be further introduced therethrough, and grips the vicinity of the distal ends of optical fibers; and a pedestal portion projecting from a surface of the first grip portion.

Abstract: A housing structure for coupling and releasing optical modules comprises three housing. A first housing including a distal wall at one end, an opening at the other end, and the opening having a first protrusion part protruding toward inside of the opening. A second housing for receiving and holding an optical module provided in the first housing so as to be slidable. The second housing includes a second protrusion part for engaging with the first protrusion part and the sliding of the second housing being limited by the distal wall of the first housing and the first protrusion part. A third housing for holding an another optical module including holding parts for selectively holding the second housing and a contact part provided at one end of the third housing for touching the second housing. The second housing also includes engaging means for engaging the holding parts of the third housing.

Abstract: A novel optical connector that includes the following: a optical connector ferrule which is capable of fixing optical fibers; optical fibers fixed onto the optical connector ferrule, such that the end surfaces of the optical fibers project beyond an end surface of the optical connector ferrule; an adhesive for fixing the opticalfibers onto the optical connector ferrule; and a member whose Young's Modulus is less than that of the optical fiber and is provided to an area on the end surface of the optical connector ferrule surronding, at a minimum, the projected portions of the optical fibers. And when the end surface of the optical connector is polished, the ends of the optical fibers are capable of projecting from the end surface of the optical connector ferrule, even if the end surface portion of the optical connector ferrule contains afiller, the hardness of which is less than that oaf the optical fibers.

Abstract: An optical connector for connecting optical fibers, comprises: a guide-groove substrate having grooves for positioning optical fibers and guide pins; an upper plate having groove portions each for covering the guide pins positioned in the guide grooves of the guide-groove substrate; elastic guide-pin pressing members each provided in the groove portions of the upper plate above portions where the guide pin grooves are in contact with the guide pins. In such a arrangement, it is preferable to forman oxide film on said V-grooves of the guide-groove substrate at least in the vicinity of contact points between the guide pins and the V-grooves. The optical connector further includes a resin molding portion for surrounding the substrate and the upper plate, the resin molding portion including a pair of opposite opened portions at top and bottom surfaces thereof.

Abstract: In an optical fiber functional device for processing a light beam between optical fibers, single-mode optical fibers for processing the light beam are concentrically connected at the mutually opposed ends to convergence-type rod lenses each having a prescribed length and made of a graded-index optical fiber.