JP2000277212A - Cord with connector and method for reading identification mark thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily examine an identification mark of a cord with a connector in a state connected as is to a counterpart connector or adapter mounted on a panel screen in a high density, without forming a large-diameter portion on the way of the cord with a connector. SOLUTION: In a state in which a connector 1 of a cord 4 with a connector is connected to a counterpart connector or an adapter, a boot 3 for covering a cord 2 near the connector 1 of the cord 4 with the connector is manually pulled towards the extending direction of the cord 2 or pushed towards the connector 1, so that the boot 3 can be easily detached from the connector 1, and further that the detached boot 3 can be slid along the cord 2. A display 3a is provided at the surface of the boot 3, for displaying an identification mark of the cord 4 with the connector. The boot 3 is removed from the connector 1 by manually pulling only the boot 3, and further is allowed to slide on the cord 2, to be thus moved to a position apart from a panel screen. Consequently, it is possible to read the identification mark displayed on the display 3a of the boot 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector-equipped cord which is connected to a number of mating connectors or adapters arranged and fixed vertically and horizontally on a panel surface used in an optical wiring device or the like, and a method of reading an identification code thereof. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an optical wiring device or the like, a plurality of mating connectors or adapters are aligned and fixed on a panel surface, and a mating connector with a connector is inserted into and pulled out of the mating connector or adapter to be connected and disconnected. Has been done. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example in which an adapter and a cord with an optical connector are arranged on a panel surface, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cord with an optical connector according to a conventional technique.
3 and 4, reference numeral 11 denotes a panel surface, 12 denotes a multiple adapter, 13 denotes an optical connector, 14 denotes a boot, 15 denotes an optical cord, and 16 denotes a cord with an optical connector.

The cord 16 with an optical connector includes a long optical cord 15 connected to the optical connector 13 and a boot 14 made of rubber, plastic, or the like, which is attached so as to cover the optical connector 13 of the optical cord 15. Normally, the boot 14 has a tapered outer peripheral surface, and the side having a large outer diameter is partially fitted into the concave portion at the rear end of the optical connector 13, and the boot 14 is held by hand and pulled in a direction away from the optical connector. Even so, the boot is not easily detached from the optical connector.

Since the multiple adapter 12 is fixed to the panel surface 1 having a vertical surface, when the optical connector 13 is connected to each adapter of the multiple adapter 12, the optical connector 13 becomes horizontal. Therefore, the optical cord 15 connected to the optical connector 13 is also extended in the horizontal direction. Optical cord 15
Of the optical connector 13 hangs down due to its own weight.
In this case, since the optical cord 15 is covered with the boots 14, the optical cord 15 is
The radius of curvature of m or more is drawn, and the extended portion goes downward.

The hanging optical cords are bundled in an appropriate number and guided to another device. When an optical cord to be switched is specified at the other end of the optical cord due to a request for wiring replacement or the like, the optical connector connected to the optical cord is searched for, the optical connector is pulled out from the adapter, and it is removed from another adapter. The work of plugging in the specified adapter is required.

When a symmetrical optical code is designated at the other end, the optical connector-equipped cord is connected to an adapter arranged in an aligned manner, and in most cases, the optical cord connected to the optical cord is connected. Although the connector can be estimated from the arrangement position of the adapter, the optical connector cannot be directly disconnected according to the estimation. Because many optical wirings are used as important data lines, it is extremely dangerous to accidentally pull out an optical connector other than the one specified for wiring replacement, and it must be avoided. . Therefore, whether the estimated optical connector is connected to the specified optical cord,
Confirmation by another method other than the sequence position is required.

[0007] However, since a large number of optical cords are scattered and wired, even if the other end of the optical cord is specified while the optical connector of the cord with the optical connector is inserted into the adapter, the light connected to the optical cord is specified. Finding a connector is not easy. Therefore, an identification label with the same number is attached near the optical connector at both ends of the optical cord,
A method of searching for an optical connector based on the identification label is often adopted. However, in this case, since the identification label is visually checked, it is necessary to considerably increase the arrangement interval of the adapter.

[0008]

Recently, due to an increase in demand for optical communications, high-density packaging has been promoted throughout wiring devices. As part of this, there is a demand to increase the mounting density of adapters or connectors arranged on the panel surface. An example of the required mounting density is as follows. The arrangement form on the panel surface is almost the same as that of FIG. 3, except that the size of the multiple adapter is about 10 mm in width and about 40 mm in length, and eight adapters are arranged at an arrangement pitch of 4.5 mm. It is arranged in. Such multiple adapters are arranged on a panel surface having a size of about 210 mm in length and about 610 mm in width, five rows vertically and 25 rows horizontally, and 8 × 5 ×
An aligned array of 25 = 1000 adapters is configured.

Further, since the size of the optical connector coupled to these adapters is a rectangular shape having a cross section of 4 mm × 7 mm, the vertical gap between the coupled optical connectors is about 0.5 mm. In such a state of high-density mounting,
Even if an identification symbol is displayed on the optical connector itself, it is very difficult to read it. Also, since the outer diameter of the optical code is as thin as about 1 mm, it is difficult to display the identification code on the optical code itself. Therefore, attach a label or the like that displays the identification code at a position of the optical code at a certain distance from the optical connector. Can be considered.

However, this method has the following problems and is not practical. In rewiring, it is necessary to pull out the specified cord with optical connector from a bundle of a large number of cords with optical connectors that are connected to another device. If the portion is thick, the portion is caught, so that there is a problem that one cord with an optical connector cannot be pulled out in the longitudinal direction.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and does not form a large-diameter portion in the middle of a cord with a connector, but remains connected to a mating connector or adapter densely mounted on a panel surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector-equipped code capable of easily checking an identification symbol and a method of reading the identification symbol.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cord with a connector in a state where the cord with a connector is connected to a mating connector or an adapter, and a boot covering the cord at the time of the connector of the cord with a connector is extended in the extending direction of the cord. The boot can be detached from the connector by pulling it by hand toward the connector, or by pushing it toward the connector by hand, and the removed boot can be slid along the cord. The identification symbol of the cord with connector is displayed on the surface of the boot.

[0013] Then, in a state where the cord with the connector is connected to the mating connector or the adapter on the panel surface, the tip of the boot covering the cord at the time of the connector of the cord with the connector is grasped, and it is handed in the extending direction of the cord. By pulling, the boot is detached from the connector, slid on the cord, moved to a position away from the panel surface, and the identification symbol of the cord with connector displayed on the surface of the boot is read.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a cord with a connector according to the present invention. FIG. 1 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, and FIG. 1 (B) is a view in which a boot is displaced. FIG. FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views showing various forms of boots. 1 and 2, 1 is a connector, 1a is a rear end of the connector, 2 is a cord, 3,
5 is a boot, 3a and 5a are display portions displaying identification symbols,
4 is a cord with a connector.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the connector-equipped cord 4 has the connector 1 attached to the end of the cord 2 and the cord 2 attached thereto.
The connector 1 is covered with a boot 3 and protected. As the cord 2 used here, an optical cord whose outer side is covered with a plastic such as vinyl chloride resin along with a tensile fiber around the optical fiber core wire is often used, but an electric conductor such as a copper wire is used. Can also be used. When the cord 2 is an optical cord, the connector 1 uses an optical connector for an optical fiber. The connector 1 has various shapes such as a substantially cylindrical shape and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The boot 3 has a tapered outer peripheral surface as shown in FIG. 2 (A) or (B), and is made of an elastic material such as rubber or plastic, and has a longitudinal direction inside. The connector having a larger outer diameter has an inner diameter matching the outer diameter of the rear end 1a of the connector 1. Further, the inner diameter of the boot 3, 5 on the side where the outer diameter is smaller is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cord 2, and the boots 3, 5 can be slid along the cord 2.

The shape of the boots 3, 5 is shown in FIG.
Alternatively, as shown in (B), the outer peripheral section of the portion fitted to the rear end portion 1a of the connector can be made circular or the outer peripheral section can be made rectangular. In addition, since it is necessary to attach the display portions 3a and 5a of the identification symbols and read them, the outer peripheral cross-section of the boot is made rectangular and 4 mm on the surface.
It is desirable to form a flat portion of about 4 mm.

The display portions 3a and 5a of the identification symbols are made of metal foil,
One-dimensional barcodes, two-dimensional barcodes, identification symbols such as numbers are printed and displayed on plastic foil or paper,
They are attached to the surface of the boot 3 with an adhesive or the like. At this time, as shown in FIG.
If a flat portion of about mx 4 mm is formed, a two-dimensional barcode can be sufficiently displayed thereon, and it is not necessary to worry about the upper limit of the number of identifications. Further, the identification symbol can be directly printed on the surface of the boot 3 to be used as a display portion. If the bar code reader reads the bar code identification symbol displayed on these display units, the identification symbol can be instantaneously confirmed. Of course, the identification of the identification code of the connector-attached code of the present invention can also be performed visually.

Also, the side of the boots 3, 5 having a large outer diameter is
Although the boot 3 is placed over the rear end 1a of the connector 1, the boot 3 can be easily removed from the rear end 1a by simply pulling the end of the boot away from the connector 1 by hand, and the boots 3, 5 can be placed on the connector side. The inner diameter of the boot 3 is set slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the rear end 1a so that the boot 3 can be put on the rear end 1a only by pushing it in by hand. It is desirable to be able to hold to the extent. Further, a vertical slit may be formed in a portion of the boot 3 having a large outer diameter to facilitate the insertion and removal of the boot 3 from the rear end 1a. In addition, the surface of the rear end 1a of the connector 1 is subjected to unevenness processing such as knurling to increase the friction between the rear end and the boot, and the boots 3, 5 may easily slip off from the rear end 1a. It is desirable not to do so.

A large number of the cords 4 with connectors prepared as described above are prepared, and inserted and coupled to mating connectors or adapters arranged and fixed on the panel surface, respectively. A number of mating connectors are fixedly arranged on the panel surface, and connectors with cords with connectors are inserted into the mating connectors and joined together, or an adapter is arranged and fixed on the panel surface so as to penetrate the panel surface. In some cases, the mating connector is inserted from the back surface of the panel and the connector of the cord with the connector is inserted from the front surface of the panel.

When it becomes necessary to confirm the identification symbol of the cord with a connector coupled to a large number of mating connectors or adapters fixedly arranged on the panel surface without disconnecting the cord, the boot of the cord with the connector is required. 1B, the boot is pulled out by hand, and the boot 3 is slid along the cord 2 as shown in FIG. 1 (B) to move the boot to a position away from the panel surface and display it on the boot surface. The identification symbol thus read is read by a bar code reader, visually or the like. Note that the cord with connector is 4.
Even if the boots are arranged at a pitch of about 5 mm, the boots bend slightly by pushing the cords apart, so that the tips of the boots can be grasped by hand.

When the read identification code matches the designated one, the boot is pushed in, the boot is put on the rear end of the connector, and the connector of the cord with the connector is inserted using a connector insertion / extraction tool (not shown). From the mating connector or adapter on the panel surface. Then, the connector-equipped cord is pulled out of the bundle of a large number of connector-equipped cords, moved to another switching destination panel surface, and inserted into a new mating connector or adapter to be joined. Although the connector portion of the connector-equipped cord is thicker than the cord portion, only the terminal is tapered and thick, so that the cord with the connector can be pulled out of the bundle without any problem.

If the read identification code does not match the specified one, the code with the connector at another location is searched for, the boot is pulled out again, and the identification code is confirmed again. In most cases, the connector connected to the cord for which the wiring change is designated is estimated from the arrangement position of the adapter or the like.
Only by repeating the process about twice, it is possible to search for an accurate connector and confirm the identification symbol.

[0024]

According to the cord with connector of the present invention, the boot of the cord with connector can be detached from the connector by hand in a state where the cord with connector is connected to the mating connector or adapter, and the boot removed. Can be slid along the cord, and the identification symbol of the cord with connector is displayed on the surface of the boot, so that it remains connected to the mating adapter fixedly arranged and fixed at high density However, the identification symbol can be confirmed by pulling out only the boot and displacing it. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an accident in which a connector other than the specified connector-equipped cord is pulled out and a live wiring is damaged.

Also, since the display portion of the identification symbol is on the boot surface and there is no label or the like at the middle portion of the cord to increase the outer diameter, a cord with a connector for disconnecting the connector and changing the wiring is used. The work of pulling out from the bundle of the cords with the connector can be performed without any trouble.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of a cord with a connector of the present invention, wherein (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a boot is shifted.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views each showing a shape of a boot used in a cord with a connector of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example in which an adapter and a cord with an optical connector are arranged on a panel surface.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cord with an optical connector according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Connector 1a: Rear end 2: Cord 3, 5: Boot 3a, 5a: Display 4: Cord with connector

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kazumasa Ozawa 1 Tayacho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside the Yokohama Works, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (72) Keitaka Enomoto 3-19 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroshi Yagi 3-19-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-Term within Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (reference) 2H036 NA01 QA02 QA57 5E021 FB07 FB13 FC38 JA05 KA02 KA20 5E087 MM05 PP06 RR04 RR26 RR42

Claims (3)

[Claims] When a cord with a connector is connected to a mating connector or an adapter, a boot covering the cord at the time of the connector of the cord with a connector is pulled by hand in the extension direction of the cord, or is pulled in the direction of the connector. By pushing in by hand, the boot can be detached from the connector, and the removed boot can be slid along the cord, and the identification symbol of the cord with connector is provided on the surface of the boot. A connector-equipped code characterized by being displayed. 2. The cord with a connector according to claim 1, wherein the identification symbol displayed on the boot surface is a bar code. 3. A method of reading an identification code of a connector-attached code to be coupled to a number of mating connectors or adapters arranged and fixed vertically and horizontally on a panel surface, wherein the connector-attached code is coupled to a mating connector or adapter on the panel surface. In this state, the boot covering the cord at the time of the connector with the connector is pulled by hand in the extension direction of the cord by hand, so that the boot is detached from the connector and slid over the cord, and the boot is detached from the panel surface. A method for reading an identification code of a code with a connector, comprising moving a boot and reading an identification code of the code with a connector displayed on a surface of the boot.