JP2002148486A - Multi-fiber optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that there is a limit to connect multi-fiber optical cables for dealing with a large capacity and a high-speed optical communication only by the high density development of a ferrule. SOLUTION: A multi-fiber optical connector can house two or more ferrules 2 which fixes a multifiber optical cable 1, and is provided with two housings 3 and 4 which can be fit mutually. The two housings 3 and 4 are provided with a housing guide pin 5 and a housing guide hole 6 into which the guide pin 5 can be inserted. When the housing guide pin 5 is inserted by a prescribed length into the housing guide hole 6, the two housings 3 and 4 are fit in to butt against the ferrules 2 housed in each housing 3 and 4, thereby connects the multifiber optical cables 1 fixed in the ferrules 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-fiber optical connector in which two or more connector ferrules can be connected collectively.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in the field of data communication, high-density multi-core optical fibers have been widely used in order to be able to transmit large-capacity data at high speed. There is an urgent need to develop technology for connecting parts. Conventionally, MT connector ferrules capable of connecting a maximum of 12 multi-core optical fibers have been put to practical use.

[0003]

As the amount of data increases and the transmission speed increases in the future, there is a need for the development of technology that enables high-density simultaneous connection of multi-core optical fiber cables with higher density. It is inevitable. However, there is a limit in meeting the above demand only by increasing the density of connector ferrules (increasing the number of connectable cores by a single connector ferrule).

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems. More specifically, two or more connector ferrules capable of connecting multi-core optical fibers or multi-core optical fibers and optical components are provided. An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-fiber optical connector that accommodates and connects these two or more connector ferrules collectively.

[0005] One of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application includes two housings 3 and 4 capable of accommodating two or more ferrules 2 to which a multi-core optical fiber 1 is attached, and the two housings 3 and 4 are housing guides. A pin 5 and a housing guide hole 6 into which the pin 5 can be inserted are provided. When the housing guide pin 5 is inserted into the housing guide hole 6 by a predetermined length,
The two housings 3 and 4 are fitted so that the ferrules 2 housed in the respective housings 3 and 4 abut each other, and the multi-core optical fibers 1 on which the ferrules 2 are mounted are connected to each other. It was made.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
One of the two housings 3, 4 is provided with a housing guide pin 5, and the other housing 4 or 3 is provided with a housing guide hole 6.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
Each of the ferrules 2 housed in the housings 3 and 4 is provided with a ferrule guide pin 7 and a ferrule guide hole 8 into which the ferrule guide pin 7 can be inserted. The ferrules 2 are inserted into the guide holes 8 so that the end faces of the ferrules 2 abut each other.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
The two housings 3 and 4 each include a second housing guide pin 9 that is shorter than the protrusion length of the housing guide pin 5,
When the housing guide pin 5 is inserted into the housing guide hole 6 by a predetermined length, the second housing guide pin 9 is inserted into the second housing guide hole 10. Then, the two housings 3 and 4 are fitted.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
The clearance between the second housing guide pin 9 and the second housing guide hole 10 is set smaller than the clearance between the housing guide pin 5 and the housing guide hole 6.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
When one of the two housings 3 and 4 is housed in the guide housing 11 in advance and the other housing 4 or 3 is housed in the guide housing 11, the two housings 3 and 4 are fitted. Is what is done.

Another one of the multi-core optical connectors of the present application is as follows.
Of the two housings 3, 4, one housing 3 or 4 is inserted into the cylindrical guide member 12 from one side in the longitudinal direction, and the other housing 4 or 3 is inserted into the guide member 12.
When inserted from the other side in the longitudinal direction, the two housings 3 and 4 are fitted.

[0012]

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of a multi-core optical connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the multi-core optical connector according to the present embodiment includes two housings 3 and 4 that can be fitted and separated, and the end of the optical fiber wire is removed to remove the multi-core optical fiber. 1 and the exposed multi-core optical fiber 1
, A multi-core connector ferrule 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "ferrule 2") is mounted thereon, and the connector ferrule 2 is accommodated in each of the housings 3 and 4, and the respective housings 3 and 4 are arranged as shown in FIG. When the ferrules 2 are fitted to each other, the ferrules 2 face each other, the multi-core optical fibers 1 to which the respective ferrules 2 are attached are connected to each other. The butting between them is released and the connection between the multi-core optical fibers 1 is also released. The ferrule 2
Is MT which has been conventionally used for connecting multi-core optical fibers.
This is a multi-core connector ferrule similar to the connector ferrule and other connector ferrules.

As shown in FIG. 1, each of the housings 3 and 4 is formed with four housing portions 20 capable of housing the ferrule 2 in the width direction. The mounted ferrule 2 can be accommodated. In addition, an opening 21 through which the multi-core optical fiber 1 in which the ferrule 20 accommodated in the accommodation portion 20 is attached is formed on the bottom surface of each accommodation portion 20. Furthermore, each ferrule 2 housed in the housing section 20 is:
The elastic restoring force of a spring 22 that is held in a floating state movable within a clearance existing between the inner wall of the housing portion 20 and the rear surface of the ferrule 2 and the bottom surface of the housing portion 20. Urged in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

One of the two housings 3, 4 has a housing guide pin 5 protruding outwardly from both outer housings 20, and two inner housings 20.
A second housing guide pin 9 is protrudingly provided on the outer side and inside the respective accommodation portions 20 on both outer sides.
A housing guide hole 6 is formed on the other housing 4 outside the outer housing portions 20, and the housing guide holes 6 are formed outside the inner two housing portions 20 and inside the respective outer housing portions 20. Two housing guide holes 10 are formed. The housing guide pins 5 and the second housing guide pins 9 are chamfered at their tips so that they can be easily inserted into the housing guide holes 6 and the second housing guide holes 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housings 3 and 4 having the above-described configuration are opposed to each other so that the ferrules 2 in the housing portions 20 face each other.
The tip of the housing guide pin 5 protruding from the housing guide hole 6 formed in the other housing 4
2 (FIG. 2a), and then, when the housing guide pins 5 are inserted into the housing guide holes 6 by a predetermined length by bringing the two housings 3 and 4 close to each other (to a predetermined distance). 2), the second housing guide pin 9 starts to be inserted into the second housing guide hole 10 (FIG. 2B).
By inserting the housing guide pin 5 into the housing guide hole 6, the clearance between the housing guide pin 5 and the housing guide hole 6 and the length of insertion of the housing guide pin 5 into the housing guide hole 6 can be reduced by two. The inclination of the two housings 3 and 4 is corrected, and the insertion of the second housing guide pin 9 into the second housing guide hole 10 is started simply by bringing the two housings 3 and 4 closer together without any particular alignment. I do. Also,
By setting the clearance between the second housing guide pin 9 and the second housing guide hole 10 smaller than the clearance between the housing guide pin 5 and the housing guide hole 6, the second housing guide pin is provided. When the 9 is inserted into the second housing guide hole 10, the inclination of the two housings 3, 4 is corrected more accurately.

When the two housings 3 and 4 in the state shown in FIG. 2B are brought closer to each other as described above, the respective ferrules 2 housed in one of the housings 3 are moved.
Ferrule guide pins 7 protruding from the front end surface of each ferrule 2 are accommodated in the other housing 4.
Starts to be inserted into the ferrule guide hole 8 (FIG. 1) formed on the front end surface of the ferrule. When the two housings 3 and 4 are further brought close to each other and fitted together as shown in FIG. 3, the front end surfaces of the opposing ferrules 2 abut against each other and are mounted on the respective ferrules 2. The multi-core optical fibers 1 are optically connected. By inserting the ferrule guide pin 7 into the ferrule guide hole 8 (FIG. 1), the position of the ferrule 2 in a floating state is corrected, and the end faces of the opposing sets of ferrules 2 are abutted without displacement. . That is, the arrangement pitch of the ferrules 2 housed in the one housing 3 and the ferrule 2 housed in the other housing 4
Some errors that occur between the arrangement pitches are corrected.
In addition, since each of the butted sets of ferrules 2 is pressed toward the ferrule 2 by the spring 22, the multi-core optical fibers 1 are reliably connected to each other, and good optical connection is obtained.

As shown in FIG. 3, on both sides in the width direction of one housing 3, locking arms 31 having locking claws 30 projecting from the tip are provided, and both sides in the width direction of the other housing 4 are provided. Is formed with a locking recess 32 in which the locking claw 30 can be locked. When the housing guide pin 5 is inserted into the housing guide hole 6 to bring the two housings 3 and 4 closer to each other in the fitting direction, the engagement is reduced. The stop claw 30 reaches the locking recess 32 and is locked so that the fitting between the housings 3 and 4 is not inadvertently released.

As described above, the inclination of the two housings 3 and 4 is corrected by the housing guide pins 5 and the housing guide holes 6, and then the two housings 3 and 4 are corrected by the second housing guide pins 9 and the second housing guide holes 10. Further, the inclination is corrected. That is, since the inclination of the housings 3 and 4 accommodating the ferrules 2 is corrected in two stages, the ferrules 2 accommodated in the housings 3 and 4 are connected to each other at this point. 7
Are positioned so that they can be inserted into the ferrule guide holes 8, and finally the ferrules 2 to be abutted are aligned by the ferrule guide pins 7 and the ferrule guide holes 8. Therefore, according to the multi-fiber optical connector of the present invention, two or more ferrules 2 can be collectively connected, and the ferrules 2 can be accurately connected to each other with a high precision of a micron unit or a submicron unit.

(Embodiment 2) A multi-core optical connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The basic configuration of the multi-core optical connector shown in the present embodiment is the same as that shown in the first embodiment. The difference is that one of the two housings 3 and 4 shown in the first embodiment is housed in the guide housing 11 in advance,
When the other housing 4 is accommodated in the guide housing 11, the housings 3 and 4 are fitted in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, the guide housing 11 is a member having a U-shape in cross section that can accommodate one of the housings 3 near the inner bottom surface, and the other housing 4 is inserted through the opening 40 and inserted. When the housing 4 approaches the housing 3 with the inner side surface 41 of the guide housing 11 as a guide surface (when housed in the guide housing 11), the housings 3 and 4 are fitted together. On the bottom surface of the guide housing 11, an outlet 42 for opening the multi-core optical fiber 1 drawn from the opening 21 of the housing 3 to the outside of the guide housing 11 is opened. When the housing 4 is housed in the guide housing 11 in advance and the other housing 3 is housed in the guide housing 11,
The housings 3 and 4 can be fitted.

(Embodiment 3) A third embodiment of the multicore optical connector of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The basic configuration of the multi-core optical connector shown in the present embodiment is the same as that shown in the first embodiment. The difference is that, as shown in FIG. 5A, one housing 4 is connected to a cylindrical guide member 1.
When the other housing 3 is inserted into the inside of the guide member 12 from the other side in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. That is, they are fitted in the same manner as in the case shown in the first embodiment. The order of insertion into the guide member 12 may be the housing 3 first or the housing 4 first.

(Embodiment 4) In the multi-fiber optical connector of the present invention, a housing guide pin 5 and a second housing guide hole 10 are provided in one housing 3 or 4, and the housing guide pin is provided in the other housing 4 or 3. And a second housing guide pin 9 that can be inserted into the second housing guide hole 10.
Can also be provided. Also, both housings 3, 4
The housing guide pins 5 and the housing guide holes 6 may be provided one by one so that the respective housing guide pins 5 can be inserted into the respective housing guide holes 6. The same applies to the second housing guide pin 9 and the second housing guide hole 10.

In the above embodiment, the ferrule 2 provided with the ferrule guide pin 7 is connected to the housing guide pin 5
The ferrule 2 provided with the ferrule 2 and the ferrule 2 provided with the ferrule guide hole 8 is housed in the housing guide hole 6.
The ferrule 2 provided with the ferrule guide pin 7 is accommodated in the housing 4 provided with the housing guide hole 6, and the ferrule 2 provided with the ferrule guide hole 8 is accommodated in the housing guide pin. 5 can also be accommodated in the housing 3 provided. Further, the ferrules 2 provided with the ferrule guide pins 7 and the ferrules 2 provided with the ferrule guide holes 8 can be accommodated in the respective housings 3 and 4 in a mixed manner.

As shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to employ any fixing means for fixing the two housings 3 and 4 fitted together. For example, the housings 3 and 4 may be fixed with screws or fixed with a band. You can also.

[0025]

According to the multi-core optical connector of the present application, the following effects can be obtained. (1) A plurality of sets of connector ferrules can be collectively connected with high precision by a positioning mechanism using a housing guide pin and a housing guide hole. (2) When the second housing guide pin and the housing guide hole are provided, a plurality of sets of connector ferrules can be collectively connected with higher accuracy by stepwise positioning. (3) Further, when the clearance between the second housing guide pin and the second housing guide hole is set smaller than the clearance between the housing guide pin and the housing guide hole, the housing guide pin is moved to the housing guide hole. The second housing guide pin is guided by the housing guide pin inserted into the housing hole, and is more easily inserted. Therefore,
The work of combining the housings can be easily performed in a short time. (4) When a ferrule guide pin protrudes from one of a pair of ferrules to be butt-connected and a ferrule guide hole into which the ferrule guide pin is inserted is formed in the other ferrule, a ferrule finally connected is formed. Since they are aligned with each other by the guide pins and the guide holes, the plurality of housing guide pins and the plurality of housing guide holes are more accurate than the case where the second housing guide pins and the second housing guide holes are provided. A set of connector ferrules can be connected collectively.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional explanatory view showing a first embodiment of a multicore optical connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a housing guide pin of one housing is aligned with an entrance of a housing guide hole of the other housing, and FIG. Explanatory drawing of a partial cross section showing a state inserted in a guide hole.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a partial cross section showing a state where two housings are combined.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the multicore optical connector of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are partial cross-sectional explanatory views showing a third embodiment of the multicore optical connector of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multi-core optical fiber 2 Ferrule 3 Housing 4 Housing 5 Housing guide pin 6 Housing guide hole 7 Ferrule guide pin 8 Ferrule guide hole 9 Second housing guide pin 10 Second housing guide hole 11 Guide housing 12 Guide member

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. Two housings (3, 4) capable of accommodating two or more ferrules (2) on which a multi-core optical fiber (1) is mounted and fitted to each other, and the two housings (3, 4). Has a housing guide pin (5) and a housing guide hole (6) into which the housing guide pin (5) can be inserted. When the housing guide pin (5) is inserted into the housing guide hole (6) by a predetermined length, the two housings (3, 4) are provided. ) Are fitted, the ferrules (2) housed in the respective housings (3, 4) abut each other, and the multi-core optical fibers (1) on which the ferrules (2) are mounted are connected. A multi-core optical connector characterized by being performed. 2. One of the two housings (3, 4) has a housing guide pin (5) and the other housing (4 or 3) has a housing guide hole (6). 2. The multi-fiber optical connector according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. Each ferrule (2) housed in a housing (3, 4) comprises a ferrule guide pin (7);
A ferrule guide hole (8) into which this can be inserted is provided.
When the two housings (3, 4) are fitted, the ferrule guide pin (7) is inserted into the ferrule guide hole (8) so that the end faces of the ferrules (2) abut each other. Claim 1 or Claim 2
The multi-core optical connector described. 4. The two housings (3, 4) have a second housing guide pin (9) shorter than the projecting length of the housing guide pin (5), and a second housing guide hole into which the second housing guide pin (9) can be inserted. When the housing guide pin (5) is inserted into the housing guide hole (6) by a predetermined length, the second housing guide pin (9) is inserted into the second housing guide hole (10). The multi-fiber optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein two housings (3, 4) are fitted. 5. The second housing guide pin (9) and the second housing guide hole (1) are larger than the clearance between the housing guide pin (5) and the housing guide hole (6).
5. The multi-fiber optical connector according to claim 4, wherein a clearance from the optical connector is set smaller. 6. One of the two housings (3, 4) is previously provided with a guide housing (1 or 4).
The two housings (3, 4) are fitted when the other housing (4 or 3) is housed in the guide housing (11) and housed in the guide housing (11). Item 6. A multi-core optical connector according to any one of Items 5. 7. One of the two housings (3, 4) is connected to a cylindrical guide member (12).
When the other housing (4 or 3) is inserted into the guide member (12) from the other longitudinal direction, the two housings (3, 4) are fitted. The multi-core optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: