JP2004157258A - Optical connector and locking method for plastic optical fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locking method for locking a plastic optical fiber to a connector housing even when a component such as a ferrule is not used, and to provide a structure of an optical connector. <P>SOLUTION: The plastic optical fiber 2 is locked to the connector housing 1 by melting part of a fiber coating material 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2, and engaging a molten coating 8 with a projection 5 provided on a fiber fixed part 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical connector and a method for locking a plastic optical fiber.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art When an optical fiber constituting a multiplex transmission circuit of a vehicle such as an automobile is connected to a transmitter, a receiver, or another optical fiber, an optical connector is used. Conventional in-vehicle optical connectors are formed by locking a stopper such as a ferrule made of metal or resin into a connector housing, and a plastic optical fiber is inserted into the stopper such as a ferrule, and the stopper is attached. The plastic optical fiber is wired to the optical connector by being deformed by caulking and biting into the covering portion of the plastic optical fiber, and fixing the stopper to the end of the plastic optical fiber (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-51151
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the method of locking the plastic optical fiber to the connector housing using a fastener such as a ferrule, the number of components increases, and as the number of optical connectors mounted on the vehicle increases, the component cost increases and the price increases. There was a problem that it would be expensive. Furthermore, when the stopper is caulked and bites into the coating of the plastic optical fiber, the coating of the plastic optical fiber may not be uniformly pressed but may be locally caulked. An extra external force is likely to be applied to the optical fiber, and this external force may cause deterioration of the quality of a signal passing through the plastic optical fiber.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and relates to an optical connector and a plastic optical fiber that can lock a plastic optical fiber to a connector housing without using a fastener such as a ferrule. It provides a stopping method.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention solves the above-described problems by melting a portion of the coating of the plastic optical fiber and locking the plastic optical fiber to the connector housing by engaging the molten coating with a protrusion provided on the connector housing.
[0007]
That is, the invention according to claim 1 includes a connector housing for holding a plastic optical fiber,
An optical connector having an insertion hole through which the plastic optical fiber is inserted, which is opened through the connector housing,
A fiber fixing portion provided at one end of the insertion hole,
An engaging material that fills the fiber fixing portion and engages the plastic optical fiber and the connector housing,
A projection is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion to lock the engaging member.
[0008]
Therefore, according to the present invention, since the plastic optical fiber and the connector housing are engaged with the projection provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion by the engaging material, the plastic optical fiber can be used without using a part such as a ferrule. The product can be locked to the connector housing and the number of parts can be minimized to reduce the cost of the product. In addition, since it is not necessary to use a fastener such as a ferrule, the deterioration of the optical signal quality, which may occur due to local caulking of the coating portion of the plastic optical fiber due to inadequate mounting of the ferrule, The performance and reliability of product quality can be ensured.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 2 is a connector housing for holding a plastic optical fiber,
An optical connector having an insertion hole through which the plastic optical fiber is inserted, which is opened through the connector housing,
Melting a part of the coating of the plastic optical fiber inserted into the insertion hole of the connector housing,
The plastic optical fiber and the connector housing are engaged with each other using the melted coating as the engaging material.
[0010]
The invention according to claim 3 is a method for locking a plastic optical fiber according to claim 2,
Ultrasonic vibration is used as a means for melting the coating of the plastic optical fiber.
[0011]
Therefore, according to the second or third aspect of the present invention, since a part of the coating of the plastic optical fiber is melted and the melted coating is used as the engaging material, the plastic optical fiber and the connector housing are connected. At the time of joining, it is not necessary to use another engaging material separately, and the manufacturing process can be simplified.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
<Embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows an optical connector 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical connector 10 is formed by a connector housing 1 formed of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), and the connector housing 1 is provided with a locking portion 9 which is a male side of the connector when it is connected to another connector. . The plastic optical fiber 2 is wired from one end face of the optical connector 10.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 2, the connector housing 1 has an insertion hole 3 through which the plastic optical fiber 2 is inserted. A fiber fixing portion 4 is provided at one end of the insertion hole 3, and a plurality of protrusions 5 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion 4. When the surface of the projection 5 is viewed from the inside of the fiber fixing portion 4, the shape of the projection 5 is preferably, for example, a rhombus, a triangle, a cylinder, an ellipse, or the like.
[0015]
The plastic optical fiber 2 is inserted into the connector housing 1 from the other end of the insertion hole 3 toward the fiber fixing portion 4. The plastic optical fiber 2 is formed of an optical fiber 6 composed of a core and a clad, and a fiber coating 7 that protects the optical fiber 6. The gap between the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion 4 and the plastic optical fiber 2 is filled with a fusion coating (engaging material) 8 formed by melting the fiber coating material 7. The plastic optical fiber 2 is fixed to the connector housing 1 by the engagement between the protrusion 5 provided on the peripheral surface and the fusion coating 8. Here, the fiber coating 7 may be formed of a material mainly composed of PA (nylon), that is, a material that can be subjected to vibration welding and that can protect the core and the clad of the plastic optical fiber 2. preferable.
[0016]
Next, a method for locking the connector housing 1 and the plastic optical fiber 2 according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 3, the plastic optical fiber 2 is inserted from the right end of the insertion hole 3 of the connector housing 1 toward the fiber fixing portion 4. At this time, the plastic optical fiber 2 is projected to the side where the fiber fixing section 4 is provided.
[0018]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4A, the connector housing 1 and the plastic optical fiber 2 are mounted on the vibration welding machine 20. A fiber welding jig 21 is provided at the tip of the vibration welding machine 20, and a wire escape hole 22 is formed at the center of the fiber welding jig 21 so as not to contact the optical fiber 6 of the plastic optical fiber 2. ing.
[0019]
After attaching the connector housing 1 and the plastic optical fiber 2 to the vibration welding machine 20, the fiber welding jig 21 is vibrated in the vertical direction, and the fiber coating material 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2 projecting from the end face of the connector housing 1 is superposed. By applying the sonic vibration, the fiber coating material 7 protruding from the end face of the connector housing 1 is melted. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4B, the fiber welding jig 21 is moved downward while vibrating up and down, so that pressure is applied to the connector housing 1 and the melted fiber coating material 7 is removed. The plastic optical fiber 2 is prevented from moving in the axial direction while being poured into the fixing portion 4. The optical fiber 6 of the plastic optical fiber 2 enters the strand escape hole 22 of the fiber welding jig 21 and projects from the connector housing 1. The fusion coating 8 filling the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion 4 and the fiber coating 7 is fixed to the fiber coating 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2 and provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion 4. The projection 5 is engaged.
[0020]
When the connector housing 1 and the plastic optical fiber 2 are welded by the vibration welding machine 20, only the optical fiber 6 of the plastic optical fiber 2 protrudes from the end face of the connector housing 1 as shown in FIG. You. Therefore, the end face treatment is performed on the optical fiber 6 of the plastic optical fiber 2 protruding from the end face of the connector housing 1.
[0021]
As described above, the molten coating 8 formed by melting a part of the fiber coating 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2 is filled in the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing section 4 and the fiber coating 7 and Since the optical fiber 2 is engaged with the projection 5 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the connector housing 4, the plastic optical fiber 2 can be locked to the connector housing 1 without using a stopper such as a ferrule. By doing so, costs can be reduced. Further, since it is not necessary to use a stopper such as a ferrule, an optical signal which may be generated due to local caulking of the fiber coating material 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2 due to inadvertent mounting of the ferrule. Quality degradation can be prevented, and performance and reliability of product quality can be ensured.
[0022]
Further, since the fiber coating 7 of the plastic optical fiber 2 is melted and used as an engaging material, when the plastic optical fiber 2 and the connector housing 1 are engaged with each other, it is necessary to use another engaging material separately. And the manufacturing process can be simplified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical connector according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the optical connector according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state before welding the connector housing and the plastic optical fiber according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4A is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector housing and the plastic optical fiber according to the present embodiment are mounted on a vibration welding machine.
(B) Sectional drawing which shows the state which welded the connector housing which concerns on this embodiment, and the plastic optical fiber with the vibration welding machine.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a state in which the connector housing and the plastic optical fiber according to the embodiment are detached from the vibration welding machine.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector housing 2 Plastic optical fiber 3 Insertion hole 4 Fiber fixing part 5 Projection 6 Optical fiber strand 7 Fiber coating material 8 Melt coating 9 Locking part 10 Optical connector 20 Vibration welding machine 21 Fiber welding jig 22 Element escape hole

Claims (3)

A connector housing for holding the plastic optical fiber;
An optical connector having an insertion hole through which the plastic optical fiber is inserted, which is opened through the connector housing,
A fiber fixing portion provided at one end of the insertion hole,
An engaging material that is filled in the fiber fixing portion and engages the plastic optical fiber and the connector housing,
An optical connector having a projection on an inner peripheral surface of the fiber fixing portion for locking the engaging member. A connector housing for holding the plastic optical fiber;
An optical connector having an insertion hole through which the plastic optical fiber is inserted, which is opened through the connector housing,
Melting a part of the coating of the plastic optical fiber inserted into the insertion hole of the connector housing,
A method for locking a plastic optical fiber, comprising: engaging the plastic optical fiber with a connector housing using the melted coating as the engaging material. The locking method of a plastic optical fiber according to claim 2,
A method for locking a plastic optical fiber, wherein ultrasonic vibration is used as means for melting the coating of the plastic optical fiber.

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