Method and apparatus for polishing optical connector end faces

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for polishing optical connector end faces and a small-sized, light and easily transportable machine for doing the same, which are able to polish optical fiber end faces to desired shapes. A tape support member (,) is disposed at the connection end face (,) side of a multiple-core optical connector (,) attached on a machine, The tape support member(,) is linked to a supporting rod (,) which is able to freely advance and retreat along side plates (,) and (,), a tape travelling plane (,) shaped so as to correspond to a desired end face shape of bare optical fibers of a multiple-core optical connector (,) is formed at the tip end of the tape support member (,). The leading end of a polishing tape (,) wound on the pay-out roller (,) is advanced along the tape travelling plane (,) and is taken up on the winding roller (,). The polishing tape (,) is caused to travel by rotating the winding roller (,) together with the winding shaft (,), and the end faces of multiple-core bare optical fibers protruding forwards from the connection end face (,) of the multiple-core optical connector (,) are pressed to the polishing tape travelling along the tape travelling plane (,). As the tape is advanced, the pressing force of a biasing spring (,) presses the fiber end faces against the polishing tape and the tape support member and thereby polishes the fiber end faces to the desired face shape.