Plastic optical fiber and face treatment method and treatment device

Abstract

An end face of a plastic optical fiber end is treated so as not to extrude to the core side face when the plastic optical fiber end is softened and fused. The core end face of the plastic optical fiber end is pressed intermittently on a mold that is heated to a certain temperature to soften and fuse the core end face to thereby transfer the transfer face of the mold on the core end face.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A plastic optical fiber end face treatment method in which the core end face of a plastic optical fiber end is pressed intermittently on a mold that is heated to a certain temperature to soften and fuse the core end face to thereby transfer the transfer face of the mold on the core end face.  
     
     
         2 . A plastic optical fiber end face treatment method comprising; 
 a step for pressing the core end face of a plastic optical fiber end on the transfer face of a heated mold,    a step for separating the core end face from the mold and cooling the core end face naturally, and    a step in which pressing/separating between the core end face and the transfer face of the mold is repeated intermittently to deform the shape of the core end face gradually and to transfer the transfer face of the mold.    
     
     
         3 . The plastic optical fiber end face treatment method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the core end face is formed in the lens face shape.  
     
     
         4 . The plastic optical fiber end face treatment method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a step in which the cover of the plastic optical fiber end is removed to expose the core end face is provided.  
     
     
         5 . The plastic optical fiber end face treatment method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a step in which the clad of the core end face of the plastic optical fiber end is removed is provided.  
     
     
         6 . An end face treatment device for treating a core end face of a plastic optical fiber end comprising: 
 a chuck member for fixing the plastic optical fiber end;    a guide member for guiding the core end face of the plastic optical fiber end;    a mold having a transfer face for treating the core end face in the form of a predetermined shape;    a heating unit for heating the mold to a certain temperature; and    a moving unit for moving the core end face of the plastic optical fiber end and the transfer face of the mold to the position where both are pressed each other and separated,    wherein; 
 the plastic optical fiber end is fixed by means of the chuck member and the guide member, and  
 the mold is heated by means of the heating unit, the moving unit is reciprocated repeatedly to thereby transfer the transfer face of the mold on the core end face gradually.