EP1040378A1 - Connecteur de fibres optiques - Google Patents

Connecteur de fibres optiques

Info

Publication number
EP1040378A1
EP1040378A1 EP98960871A EP98960871A EP1040378A1 EP 1040378 A1 EP1040378 A1 EP 1040378A1 EP 98960871 A EP98960871 A EP 98960871A EP 98960871 A EP98960871 A EP 98960871A EP 1040378 A1 EP1040378 A1 EP 1040378A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
optical fibre
body part
connector
opening
cavity
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP98960871A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1040378A4 (fr
Inventor
Kenneth Leslie Lees
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
Original Assignee
Krone GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Krone GmbH filed Critical Krone GmbH
Publication of EP1040378A1 publication Critical patent/EP1040378A1/fr
Publication of EP1040378A4 publication Critical patent/EP1040378A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
    • G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
    • G02B6/3874—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules
    • G02B6/3878—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls using tubes, sleeves to align ferrules comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
    • G02B6/3873—Connectors using guide surfaces for aligning ferrule ends, e.g. tubes, sleeves, V-grooves, rods, pins, balls
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
    • G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
    • G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
    • G02B6/3807—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs
    • G02B6/389—Dismountable connectors, i.e. comprising plugs characterised by the method of fastening connecting plugs and sockets, e.g. screw- or nut-lock, snap-in, bayonet type
    • G02B6/3893—Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an optical fibre connector.
  • Optical fibre connectors are described for example in US patents 5082344, 4717234, and 4762389, and 5418875. These generally have a protruding spigot or the like, at the free end of which is positioned an end optical fibre termination surface of an optical fibre, for transfer of optical signal to or from the optical fibre.
  • the spigot may be receivable in the bore of a further component so that the termination surface is correspondingly within that bore.
  • the optical fibre transfer surface may be cleaned, as is sometimes necessary to maintain effective performance, if the further component is removable. However, removal of that further component may be difficult, for example requiring disassembly of the further component.
  • the configuration of the connector itself may also not permit easy access to the optical fibre transfer surface, even when the further component is removed.
  • the invention seeks to provide a connector construction which facilitates cleaning of the optical fibre termination surface.
  • the invention provides an optical fibre connector having an opening into which a projection of a mating optical fibre connection device may be inserted, the optical fibre connector having an optical fibre termination surface within the opening which, when the projection of the mating optical fibre connection device is inserted into the opening, is positioned relative to an optical fibre termination surface on the projection, for transmission of optical signal between an optical fibre connected to the mating optical fibre connection device and an optical fibre connected to the optical fibre connector, via the termination surfaces, the optical fibre connector being formed with a first body part having a projecting portion, at a free outer end of which the optical fibre termination surface of the optical fibre cable connector is formed, and the opening is formed in a second body part of the optical fibre connector, which second body part is movable between a first position at which the second body part is positioned such that the projecting portion extends into the opening, so that the optical fibre termination surface of the optical fibre connector is positioned within the opening for said transmission of optical signal when the projection of the mating optical fibre connection device is inserted into the opening, and a second position at which
  • the second body part is preferably completely removable from the first part. Additional means may also be provided for releasably latching the second body part in said first position.
  • the opening may be formed in a third part on the second body part, which forward part is, when the second body part is in the first position, positioned within a cavity of the first body part of the optical fibre connector.
  • the opening may be defined by a bore extending through the second body part and into which the projecting portion of the first body part extends, when the second body part is in said first position.
  • the second body part may be removable from the first body part by relative outward sliding movement thereof from the cavity.
  • the invention provides an optical fibre connector having first and second body parts, the first body part having a cavity with an open outer end and in which the second body part is removably received, the second body part being substantially contained within the cavity, and having a forward part which has an opening and receiving a forwardly projecting optical fibre receiving element of the first body part, the optical fibre receiving element in use of the connector receiving an optical fibre such that an optical fibre termination surface of the optical fibre is then positioned within the forward part to be forwardly accessible via said opening, at a forward end of the optical fibre receiving element, the optical fibre termination surface then being located at a location which is inwards of the open outer end of the cavity, the second body part being withdrawable from the cavity and from the optical fibre receiving element by movement thereof in an outer, forward, direction whereby to permit access to the forward end of the optical fibre receiving element to facilitate cleaning of the optical fibre termination surface of said optical fibre when received by the optical fibre receiving element.
  • Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical fibre connector constructed in accordance with the invention, and a mating optical fibre connection device;
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of the optical fibre connector of Figure 1 , together with a part of the mating optical fibre connection device of Figure 1 , with these being separated;
  • Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but showing the optical fibre connector and mating optical fibre connector device interconnected;
  • Figure 4 is a lengthwise fragmentary cross-section of the optical fibre connector of Figure 1 in a condition ready for use;
  • Figure 5 is a view like Figure 4 but illustrating the mating optical fibre connection device positioned on the optical fibre connector;
  • Figure 6 is a view like Figure 4 but showing a removable part of the optical fibre connector demounted from the remainder thereof;
  • Figure 7 is a fragmentary view corresponding to part of Figure 4, and showing a modification.
  • the optical fibre connector 10 shown is in the form of a socket designed to fit with a mating optical fibre connection device 12 in the form of a plug.
  • the device 12 and connector 10 are arranged for interconnecting of optical fibre cables 14.
  • Cables 14 have optical fibres 16, surrounding inner flexible coatings 18, surrounding structural supports 20 in the form of, for example, braiding or cladding, and outer flexible coatings 22.
  • the device 12 and connector 10 are designed as duplex devices able 5 to simultaneously connect between two pairs of cables 14, separate ones of such pairs being attached to the device 12 and the connector 10 respectively, so that optical signals input to the optical fibre 16 of one of the cables 14 attached to the device 12 can be transmitted to the optical fibre 16 of a corresponding cable 14 attached to the connector 10, the optical fibre 16 of a second cable 14, connected to the device 12, being arranged to receive optical signal 10 from an optical fibre 16 of a second optical fibre cable 14 attached to the connector 10.
  • the device 12 shown has an outer body part 26 and an inner body part 24. It is assembled by inserting two of the cables 14 through a flexible sheath 25 into openings in the inner body part 24, such that these cables extend, at ends thereof, into side-by-side spigots 28 ( Figure
  • the inner flexible coatings 18 of each of the two cables 14 then extend through respective openings 30 in the inner body part 24 to terminate adjacent a at the forward end of the respective spigot 28.
  • the free ends of the optical fibres 16, at the ends of the spigots 28, thus define optical fibre termination surfaces 36 to enable transmission of 0 optical signal into or from the associated optical fibres.
  • the connector 10 comprises a first body part 38 and a second body part 40.
  • First body part 38 has a cavity 42 within which the second body part 40 is removably accommodated.
  • Cavity 42 has a forward portion 44 which terminates at a rear transverse surface 46, and two side-by - 5 side bores 48 extending rearwardly into first body part 38, from surface 46.
  • Bores 50 which extend to the exterior of the body part 38 extend from inner ends of the respective bores 48, and coaxially with respect to these.
  • Bores 48 receive therewithin respective generally tubular fibre receiving elements 52, such that rear spigot portions 54 thereof are so received in adjacent ends of bores 50 and forward spigot portions 56 thereof extend forwardly into cavity
  • Optical fibre cables 14 are secured to the connector 10 in a similar way to above described in relation to the device 12.
  • the structural supports 20 are mechanically secured to the first body part 38 to provide mechanical support therefore, and the inner coatings 18 and fibres 16 themselves accommodated within central bores 60 within the elements 52 so that, at forward ends of the elements 52, the free end surfaces of the fibres 16 define optical fibre termination surfaces 64, for passage of optical signal to and/or from the fibres 16.
  • the forward ends of the spigot portions 56 are, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, positioned somewhat inwardly of the outer open end of cavity 42.
  • Second body part 40 of connector 10 comprises two generally tubular side-by-side parts 66 ( Figure 1) which interconnect at a transverse wall 68 intermediate their ends. These are sized so that rear ends thereof are neat fits within the bores 48 when the part 40 is inserted into the cavity 42. As shown in Figure 4, when so inserted, the spigot portions 56 of the elements 52 are neatly accommodated in the central coaxial bores 70 through the respective side-by- side parts 66 of the second body part 40. In this condition, too, the transverse wall 68 is pressed against the transverse surface 46 of the cavity 42.
  • the second body part 40 may be made a stiff press fit within the cavity 42, by suitably sizing the transverse dimensions of the rear ends of the parts 66 as compared with the transverse dimensions of the bores 48 and/or by suitably configuring or sizing the outer periphery of the wall 68 so that it frictionally engages the side surface of the cavity 42.
  • the forward portion 44 of cavity 42 defines, forwardly of wall 68 on part 40, a forwardly open recess 80 ( Figure 4).
  • the forward parts of the bores 70 form forwardly open openings 75, at the bottom of which are situated the respective optical fibre termination surfaces 64.
  • the device 12 is engageable with the connector 10 by advancing it towards the recess 80 such that the forward end of each spigot 28 passes into a respective one of the bores 48 and so that the ends thereof are brought against the outer surfaces of the flanges 58 on the elements 52.
  • the optical fibre termination surfaces 64, 36 of the optical fibres 16 associated with connector 10 and device 12 are brought into aligned touching relationship to enable transfer of optical signal between the so-coupled fibres 16.
  • One or other of the spigot portions 56 and spigots 28 may be resiliently biased against the other to ensure proper contact as between the optical fibre termination surfaces 64, 36 as known in the art.
  • the second body part 40 has opposed tongue-like projections 72 extending forwardly from the wall 68, and these engage in recesses 74 ( Figure 5) formed at the front end of the device 12, between the parts 24 and 26, for releasably latching the connector 10 and device 12 together.
  • the part 40 may be removed from the cavity 42 by pulling it forwardly, in which case the spigot portions 58 extend forwardly of the transverse surface 46 and are positioned centrally within the relatively large forward portion 44 of cavity 42, to enable ready cleaning of the optical fibre termination surfaces 64.
  • the part 40 is readily replaceable on spigot portions 56 by re-inserting it into the cavity 42.
  • the invention may be applied to duplex connectors as described or to connectors having only one or any number of optical fibre termination surfaces 64, and, for example to connectors otherwise of known form such as so-called "SC" connectors.
  • the latching of the connector parts 38, 40 may be effected by means of cooperating latching components of the kind employed in SC connectors.
  • the second body part 40 may be held in position on the first body part 30 solely by frictional engagement, although alternative or additional releasable holding may be provided by, for example, provision of suitable snap-engagement components on the first and second body parts.
  • Figure 7 shows a modified second body part 40 having at its rear face a rearwardly projecting tongue 76 receivable in a recess 82 extending inwardly from surface 46 of cavity 42 when the second body part 40 is moved into cavity 42.
  • the tongue 76 has a free end part 84 which is sidewardly displaced against natural resilience of the tongue during insertion of the second body part 40 into recess 42, until the tongue 76 snaps outwardly under resilient bias to cause the end part 84 to catch on a transverse side 86 of the recess 82, to effect holding of the second body part 40 to the first body part 38.
  • the free end part 84 of the tongue 76 can be sidewardly displaced by inserting a screwdriver into a side opening 88 in first body part 38, to release it from engagement with the side 86, to enable withdrawal of the second body part 40 from first body part 38.
  • the second body part 40 is removable from the first body part 38 by forward movement out of the cavity 42, without disassembly of the first body part 38.
  • the provision of the tongue-like projections 72 on the removable second body part 40 enables these to be cleared from the cavity when the second body part 40 is removed, so as to provide good access to the optical fibre termination surfaces 64, for cleaning these.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Coupling Of Light Guides (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un connecteur de fibres optiques (10) comportant des fibres optiques (16) possédant des surfaces terminales (64) permettant le transfert d'un signal optique à destination et/ou en provenance des fibres optiques (16). Ces surfaces terminales (64) sont positionnées au niveau d'extrémités extérieures de portions mâles (56) du connecteur de fibres optiques (10). Une partie corps mobile (40) du connecteur est positionnable de telle manière que les portions mâles (56) se logent dans des alésages (70) ménagés dans cette partie corps (40). Ensuite, les surfaces terminales (64) des fibres optiques sont positionnées, en vue de l'utilisation du connecteur, au niveau des extrémités intérieures d'ouvertures (75) ouvertes vers l'avant du connecteur, formées par des extrémités extérieures des alésages (70). La partie corps (40) est amovible pour la dégager des portions mâles (56) afin de permettre l'accès aux surfaces terminales (64) des fibres optiques en vue de leur nettoyage.
EP98960871A 1997-12-22 1998-12-08 Connecteur de fibres optiques Withdrawn EP1040378A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPP109197 1997-12-22
AUPP1091A AUPP109197A0 (en) 1997-12-22 1997-12-22 Optical fibre connector
PCT/AU1998/001013 WO1999032914A1 (fr) 1997-12-22 1998-12-08 Connecteur de fibres optiques

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1040378A1 true EP1040378A1 (fr) 2000-10-04
EP1040378A4 EP1040378A4 (fr) 2005-05-18

Family

ID=3805373

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98960871A Withdrawn EP1040378A4 (fr) 1997-12-22 1998-12-08 Connecteur de fibres optiques

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1040378A4 (fr)
AR (1) AR017924A1 (fr)
AU (1) AUPP109197A0 (fr)
TW (1) TW440733B (fr)
WO (1) WO1999032914A1 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA9811697B (fr)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7207727B2 (en) * 2004-10-22 2007-04-24 Corning Cable Systems Llc One-piece fiber optic receptacle
US7044650B1 (en) * 2004-10-22 2006-05-16 Corning Cable Systems Llc One-piece fiber optic receptacle having chamfer and alignment ribs
TWI522669B (zh) 2014-01-15 2016-02-21 光興國際股份有限公司 光連接器、光傳輸裝置與光傳輸裝置之組裝方法
CN108114922A (zh) * 2018-01-31 2018-06-05 深圳市恒宝通光电子股份有限公司 一种光纤跳线端面自动擦拭装置

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0720355A (ja) * 1993-07-02 1995-01-24 Hirose Electric Co Ltd 光ファイバコネクタのためのスリーブホルダ挿抜工具
JPH1039177A (ja) * 1996-07-25 1998-02-13 Nec Eng Ltd 光コネクタ

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3209044B2 (ja) * 1995-06-13 2001-09-17 住友電装株式会社 光コネクタ及び光コネクタへの光ファイバの固定方法

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0720355A (ja) * 1993-07-02 1995-01-24 Hirose Electric Co Ltd 光ファイバコネクタのためのスリーブホルダ挿抜工具
JPH1039177A (ja) * 1996-07-25 1998-02-13 Nec Eng Ltd 光コネクタ

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1995, no. 04, 31 May 1995 (1995-05-31) -& JP 07 020355 A (HIROSE ELECTRIC CO LTD; others: 01), 24 January 1995 (1995-01-24) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1998, no. 06, 30 April 1998 (1998-04-30) -& JP 10 039177 A (NEC ENG LTD), 13 February 1998 (1998-02-13) *
See also references of WO9932914A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA9811697B (en) 2000-06-21
EP1040378A4 (fr) 2005-05-18
AR017924A1 (es) 2001-10-24
AUPP109197A0 (en) 1998-01-22
WO1999032914A1 (fr) 1999-07-01
TW440733B (en) 2001-06-16

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