Optical fiber holder and optical fiber holding method

An optical fiber holder comprising a tubular member for fitting over an optical fiber bundle comprising a bundle of plural optical fibers to prevent the optical fibers from separating from each other, the tubular member defining an aperture extending through a peripheral wall of the tubular member from an outer periphery to an inner periphery of the tubular member.

An optical fiber holder comprising a tubular member for fitting over an optical fiber bundle comprising a bundle of plural optical fibers to prevent the optical fibers from separating from each other, wherein:

• the tubular member has an inner periphery comprising a holding portion having a diameter capable of holding the optical fiber bundle relatively tightly, and a larger-diameter portion located closer to a leading edge of the optical fiber bundle than the holding portion and having a larger diameter than the holding portion;
• and the larger-diameter portion is shaped such that planes tangential to respective of predetermined two points on the larger-diameter portion contain respective opposite components that are symmetric with respect to an axis along which the optical fiber bundle extends through the tubular member.

A method of holding an optical fiber bundle, comprising the steps of inserting the optical fiber bundle comprising a bundle of plural optical fibers through a tubular member having an aperture extending through a peripheral wall thereof from an outer periphery to an outer periphery of the tubular member;

• injecting a predetermined amount of adhesive into the optical fiber bundle through the aperture to fix and hold the optical fibers relatively tightly.