Polarization maintaining optical fiber connector including positioning flange and method utilizing same

A method for assembling an optical cable connecting means for making an optical connection between two polarization maintaining fibers, and between said polarization maintaining fibers and other optical devices, such as a laser diode so as not to degrade the signal performance of said polarization maintaining fiber:

• said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) adhesively bonding a polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) at one end of a ferrule body;
• (b) polishing said one end of said ferrule body so as to polish the end of said PMF;
• (c) holding said ferrule body from step (b) so as to be rotatable axially;
• (d) aligning a flange by means of a keyway provided thereon so as to provide a selected angular orientation of said keyway with respect to the fiber axis;
• (e) installing said aligned flange onto said ferrule body;
• (f) adjusting the axial angle between the principal axis of said PMF and the angular orientation of said flange keyway by rotating said ferrule body axially with respect to said aligned flange while observing said polished end of said PMF;
• (g) locking said aligned flange onto said ferrule body.

An assembling apparatus for assembling an optical cable connecting means for making an optical connection between two polarization maintaining fibers, and between said polarization maintaining fibers and other optical devices, such as a laser diode so as not to degrade the performance of said polarization maintaining fiber:

• said apparatus comprises:
• (a) a ferrule locking means, which axially and rotatably holds a ferrule body, for locking the alignment of said ferrule body in which a polished end of a polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) is adhesively bonded;
• (b) a flange holding means, which insertably holds a flange part, for aligning said flange with respect to said ferrule body;
• and
• (c) an optical measuring means for measuring the orientation angle of the principal axis of said PMF.

An optical cable connecting means for making an optical connection between two polarization maintaining fibers, and between said polarization maintaining fibers and other optical devices, such as a laser diode so as not to affect the signal carrying performance of the polarization maintaining fiber:

• said cable connecting means is a push-pull SC-type connector having an adaptor and a plug body;
• said plug body comprising:
• (a) a plug housing having an adjustment key which engages with a keyway formed on the circumferential periphery of a flange of a ferrule, said housing for retaining said ferrule having said keyway aligned with the principal axis of a polarization maintaining fiber;
• and
• (b) a rectangular plug housing provided with springs for providing compressive biasing forces to said flange on said ferrule in the longitudinal direction of said cable.

An assembly for manufacturing a ferrule, having a flange, for connecting optical cables by being coupled to a counterpart ferrule, said assembly comprising:

• (a) a ferrule body formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having a through hole formed along a central axis for receiving an optical fiber;
• and
• (b) a polarization maintaining fiber inserted in said through hole of said ferrule body and fixed to said ferrule body;
• (c) means, formed on a peripheral surface of said ferrule body, for connecting the flange to said ferrule body in any desired circumferential direction to thereby position said ferrule body in a circumferential direction relative to the counterpart ferrule.