Press bonding apparatus method for terminating an optical fiber with a plastically deformable termination member

Claim 1

A press bonding apparatus for terminating an end portion of an uncovered optical fiber with a termination member of predetermined length formed integrally of plastically deformable material having initially a substantially cylindrical shape with an axial passage through which the end portion of the optical fiber is inserted, said apparatus comprising a pressing member adapted to receive said termination member with inserted end portion of said optical fiber, said pressing member having at least two pressing surfaces, at least one of which is movable, said pressing surfaces being disposed substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis of the optical fiber, said pressing surfaces being capable of applying force against the outer periphery of said termination member at at least said two separate peripheral locations so as to plastically deform said member to partly contact directly the outer peripheral surface of said uncovered optical fiber in a manner that said termination member is in tight fitting contact with at least two separate peripheral outer surface portions of said optical fiber along at least a central portion of said member's predetermined length said contacted peripheral outer surface portions of the optical fiber being disposed substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to the axis of the optical fiber and being separated from each other by spaces between the termination member and the optical fiber, said spaces being disposed substantially symmetrical to each other with respect to the fiber axis, thereby achieving tight fitting contact between said plastically deformed termination member and said peripheral outer surface portions of the uncovered optical fiber without the need for additional bonding means.