BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to molds, and particularly to a mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector.

2. Description of Related Art

Optical fiber connectors are widely used at optical fiber communications. Such an optical fiber connector is usually located between two optical fibers where a connection is necessary or located at an end of an optical fiber communication.

A typical optical fiber connector includes an optical fiber insertion hole for receiving an optical fiber, and a lens for receiving and guiding light from the optical fiber. Tolerances for molding the optical fiber connectors, specifically the optical fiber insertion hole is critical, yet difficult to maintain necessary alignment.

What is needed, therefore, is a mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector, which addresses the above mentioned problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present mold can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present mold. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a first embodiment. The mold includes a number of core pins and two positioning blocks located therein. For the illustrated purpose, the positioning blocks are taken out.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 1, taken along line II-II.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the mold of FIG. 1, taken along line III-III.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present mold will now be described in detail below and with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a mold 10 for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a first embodiment, is provided. The mold 10 includes a mold body 11, a number of core pins 12 for forming optical fiber insertion holes for receiving the optical fibers, and a number of positioning blocks 14, 16 for positioning the core pins 12 in the mold body 11.

The mold body 11 includes a core section 13 and a cavity section 15. A parting line 114 is defined between the core section 13 and the cavity section 15. In other embodiments, the core section 13 and the cavity section 15 can be integrally formed. The core section 13 and the cavity section 15 cooperatively define a molding chamber 200 therebetween. The molding chamber 200 is configured for molding the entire optical fiber connector. The core section 13 has a number of passages 132 in communication with the molding chamber 200, and configured for receiving the core pins 12. The molding chamber 200 defines a number of lens forming portion 134 at the cavity section 15 for molding a number of lenses aligned with the respective optical fiber insertion holes. Each of the passage 132 has a corresponding opening 130 defined at an end surface of the core section 13.

The core pins 12 can be inserted into the passages 132 from the openings 130. A shape of each of the core pins 12 is the same as that of the corresponding optical fiber insertion holes. The core pins 12 are configured to cause the molding materials to form around them forming through holes in their place after the core pins 12 are removed from the passages 132, thus obtaining the optical fiber insertion holes.

Each of the core pins 12 has a cylindrical portion (first portion) 122, a stepped-shaped portion (second portion) 121 and a tip 120. The tip 120 protrudes into the lens forming portion 134 and is aligned with the corresponding lens forming portion 134. The tip 120 has a polished surface. The polished surface helps to form a smooth portion between the corresponding optical fiber insertion hole and the corresponding lens, and the smooth portion can reduce transmission loss between the optical fiber and the lens by avoiding discoloration, splay, and/or flow marks for example. The stepped-shaped portion 121 has two steps and gradually reduces in size in steps towards the tip 120. To support the stepped-shaped portion 121 and avoid materials from flexing the core pins 12, the positioning blocks 14, 16 are positioned in the core section 13.

Each of the positioning blocks 14, 16 has two engaging holes 221 formed in a surface 220 thereof. The shape of each of the engaging holes 221 is the same as a corresponding portion of the stepped-shaped portion 121. Each of the engaging hole 221 defines a first hole portion 221a for fittingly receiving the cylindrical portion 122 and a second hole portion 221b having a smaller size than that of the first hole portion 221a for fittingly receiving the stepped-shaped portion 121. Each of the engaging hole 221 further defines a step-shaped hole portion 221c for fittingly receiving a step between the cylindrical portion 122 and the stepped-shaped portion 121. The engaging holes 221 help to stabilize the stepped-shaped portion 121 during the molding process, in order to maintain a straight passage of the molded optical fiber hole.

Referring to FIG. 4, a mold 30 for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a second embodiment, is provided. The mold 30 is essentially similar to the mold 10 illustrated above, however, a pair of symmetrical passages 332 of a core section 31 and corresponding engaging holes 301 of positioning blocks 34, 36 (e.g., a central axis II thereof) are angled relative to a central axis I of a molding chamber 300 to form the entire optical fiber connector. The angle may be about 2 degrees for example in the same plane. This angle may compensate for a partial rush of a molding material when the molding material has greater fluidity at the position. The fluidity of the molding material at the position can be known beforehand by mold flow simulation. The pins located at the passages 332 and as well as the corresponding engaging holes 301 can be moved to align with corresponding lens forming portions 334 in a cavity section 33 by the partial rush of the molding material.

Referring to FIG. 5, a mold 40 for fabricating an optical fiber connector in accordance with a third embodiment, is provided. The mold 40 is essentially similar to the mold 10 illustrated above, however, the mold 40 has only one passage 432, only one positioning block 44, and only one lens forming portion 434. That is, in the optical fiber connector, only one optical fiber insertion hole is formed, and only one lens is formed. A core pin for forming the optical fiber insertion hole is located along a central axis I of the entire optical fiber connector.

It is understood that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the disclosure. Variations may be made to the embodiments and methods without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure.