JP2004170482A - Multi-core optical connector of single core bundled type - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a multi-core optical connector of a single core bundled type from being damaged by contact between an optical fiber and a coil spring in a connector housing. <P>SOLUTION: The multi-core optical connector 11 in which a ferrule 2 for attaching a plurality of coated optical fibers bundled into a single cord is slidably housed in a connector housing 3 and forwardly pressed by a coil spring, is provided with a protective tube (protective member) 20 for covering together the plurality of coated optical fibers 4 bundled into a single cord in the connector housing 3. Since the coated optical fibers 4 are covered with the protective tube 12, they 4 are not brought into contact with the coil spring of a metal component and can be prevented from being damaged by the coil spring 5 even if the ferrule 2 retreats and the coated optical fibers 4 in the connector housing 3 are bent at the time of connector engaging operation (connector coupling operation). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a single-core multi-fiber optical connector in which a ferrule to which a plurality of single-fiber optical fibers are attached is slidably accommodated in a connector housing and urged forward by a spring. About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a multi-core optical connector for connecting a large number of optical fibers at a time, there is known an optical connector of a fitting pin positioning type (corresponding to the F12 type multi-core optical fiber connector specified in JIS C5981) which is generally called an MT optical connector. Have been.
Further, the ferrule of the MT optical connector is slidably housed in a generally rectangular tube-shaped connector housing in a state of being urged forward by a spring, and the collective connection of the optical fibers is a simple push-on / pull-off. A multi-core optical connector generally referred to as an MPO optical connector (corresponding to an F13 type multi-core optical fiber connector specified in JIS C5982), which can be performed by an operation, is also widely known.
[0003]
FIG. 5 shows an example of a multi-core optical connector referred to as the above-mentioned MPO optical connector. The multi-core optical connector 1 is made of plastic, has a substantially rectangular shape, and has a fitting pin positioning system to which a plurality of optical fibers 4 are attached. The ferrule 2 is slidably accommodated in a generally rectangular connector housing 3 and a coil spring 5 for urging the ferrule 2 forward is provided. A generally rectangular coupling 6 is provided on the outer periphery of the housing 3. And a spring 7 for urging the coupling 6 forward. Numeral 8 denotes a rubber boot for protecting the optical fiber near the rear opening of the connector. The illustrated multi-core optical connector 1 is obtained by assembling and attaching a plurality of optical fibers 4 separated from each other. The portion where the plurality of optical fibers 4 are aggregated (near the connector and inside the connector) is referred to as an optical fiber aggregated portion (also denoted by reference numeral 4).
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The multi-core optical connector 1 is optically connected to a mating multi-core optical connector by fitting it into a connection adapter (18 in FIG. 4 described later). In this connector fitting operation (connection operation), When the ferrule 2 contracts the coil spring 5 and retreats inside the connector housing 3, the optical fiber assembly 4 in the connector housing 3 is restrained to some extent by the rubber boot 8. The optical fiber assembly 4 is slightly bent, and the optical fiber assembly 4 may interfere with the coil spring 5 due to the bending. Also, when the optical fiber assembly 4 extending outside the multi-core optical connector 1 is moved, the optical fiber assembly 4 in the connector housing 3 may interfere with the coil spring 5. Since the coil spring 5 is a metal part, when the optical fiber 4 interferes with the coil spring 5, the optical fiber 4 may be damaged or broken.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and is a single-core optical fiber that can prevent an optical fiber assembled in a multi-core optical connector from being damaged or broken by interfering with a coil spring or the like in a connector housing. An object of the present invention is to provide a collective multi-core optical connector.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is provided in a connector housing in which a ferrule of a fitting pin positioning system to which a plurality of optical fibers assembled in a single core is attached is slidably urged forward by a spring. Single-core assembly type multi-core optical connector
A protection member is provided to cover the plurality of optical fibers in the connector housing collectively.
[0007]
A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the spring in the first aspect is a coil spring, and the plurality of optical fibers assembled as a single core are structured to pass through the inside of the coil spring.
[0008]
A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, a rubber boot for protecting the optical fiber is provided at a rear portion of the connector housing, and the protection member extends outside the rubber boot.
[0009]
A fourth aspect is characterized in that the protection member according to the first, second or third aspect is a tube.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of a multi-core optical connector 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view in which main parts of FIG. 1 are enlarged, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the multi-core optical connector 11.
[0011]
The multi-fiber optical connector 11 includes a generally rectangular fitting pin positioning type ferrule 2 made of plastic and having a plurality of optical fibers 4 attached thereto. The ferrule 2 is housed in the housing main body 3a of the generally rectangular cylindrical connector housing 3 so as to be slidable rearward (rightward in FIG. 1) from the position of FIG. 1 and is engaged with the rear part of the housing main body 3a. It is urged forward (to the left in FIG. 1) by the coil spring 5 received at 3b. A generally rectangular coupling 6 is provided on the outer periphery of the connector housing 3, and a spring 7 for urging the coupling 6 forward is provided. Numeral 8 denotes a rubber boot for protecting the optical fiber near the rear opening of the connector.
The ferrule 2 is a ferrule used for an optical connector of a fitting pin positioning system generally called an MT optical connector (generally equivalent to an F12 type multi-core optical fiber connector of JIS C5981). The structure itself of the multi-core optical connector 11 is a multi-core optical connector (JIS) generally called an MPO optical connector.
The structure is almost the same as that of a C5982 F13 type multi-core optical fiber connector). The multi-fiber optical connector 11 to which the present invention is applied is a case where a plurality of single-core optical fiber cores are assembled and attached to the connector, and the plurality of optical fibers 4 are each a single-core optical fiber core. Line optical fiber. The part where the plurality of optical fibers 4 are gathered is called an optical fiber gathering part.
[0012]
According to the present invention, a protection member 12 is provided to cover a plurality of optical fibers 4 collected in a single core in the connector housing 3. The protective member 12 of the embodiment is a resin tube (protective tube), and covers the optical fiber assembly 4 in the connector housing 3. Since the optical fiber assembly 4 passes through the coil spring 5, it naturally covers the optical fiber assembly 4 in the coil spring 5. In the embodiment, the protection tube 12 is also extended outside the rubber boot 8, and covers the portion of the optical fiber assembly 4 outside the rubber boot 8. Various materials can be used as the material of the protective tube 12, and for example, nylon resin, Hytrel resin (trademark: DuPont, USA) or the like can be used.
[0013]
The above-described multi-core optical connector 11 is fitted to the connection adapter 13 in FIG. 4 and connected to a multi-core optical connector (not shown) on the connection partner side. At the time of this connector fitting operation (at the time of connection operation), the engaging projection 6a at the front end of the coupling 6 is engaged with the inner surface of the adapter 13, and the ferrule 2 is fitted to the adapter 13 from the opposite side. The ferrule of the mating multi-core optical connector comes into contact with the ferrule and is pushed to contract the coil spring 5 and retreat slightly to the right in FIG.
In this case, since the optical fiber collecting portion 4 in the connector housing 3 is restrained to some extent by the rubber boots 8, the optical fiber collecting portion 4 in the connector housing 3 is slightly bent by the retreat of the ferrule 2. The optical fiber 4 does not directly interfere with the coil spring 5 which is a metal member due to the protective tube 12 covering the fiber collecting portion 4. Therefore, the optical fiber 4 can be prevented from being damaged or broken by the coil spring 5. Further, even when the optical fiber assembly 4 extending from the multi-core optical connector 11 is moved, the optical fiber assembly 4 covered with the protective tube 12 may interfere with the coil spring 5 in the connector housing 3. However, similarly, damage or breakage of the optical fiber 4 can be prevented.
In addition, since the protection tube 12 of the embodiment extends to the outside of the rubber boot 8 and covers the optical fiber collecting part 4, the protection of the rubber boot 8 mouth portion of the optical fiber 4 is also sufficient, and the optical fiber collected in the connector 11 4 is more effective.
Further, at the time of assembling the multi-core optical connector 11, it is not necessary to worry that the optical fiber 4 is damaged, so that the workability at the time of assembling the multi-core optical connector is improved.
[0014]
The protective tube 12 is usually covered with the optical fiber assembly 4 before the optical fiber 4 is attached to the ferrule 2. For example, in the case of an on-site optical connector, it is easy to attach the optical fiber 4 to the ferrule 2 after covering the optical fiber assembly 4 with the protective tube 12 on site. Further, if the optical fiber 4 is short, it is possible to attach the optical fiber 4 to the ferrule 2 and then cover the optical fiber 4 from the opposite terminal side.
[0015]
The multi-fiber optical connector 11 of the embodiment has a structure in which the optical fiber assembly 4 in the connector housing 3 passes through the coil spring 5, but is not necessarily limited to this structure. In the case of a multi-core optical connector having a structure including a metal member or the like that may come into contact with the optical fiber assembly 4 when the optical fiber assembly 4 is bent and damage the optical fiber 4, the provision of the protective tube 12 can protect the optical fiber 4. Since it is effective, it can be applied to various multi-core optical connectors having such a structure.
[0016]
Although the multi-core optical connector 11 of the embodiment is a one-dimensional optical connector in which optical fibers are arranged in one horizontal row, the present invention can be applied to a two-dimensional optical connector in which optical fibers are arranged in both the horizontal and vertical directions.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in the single-core assembly type multi-core optical connector, since the protection member for covering the plurality of single-core optical fibers collectively in the connector housing is provided, the optical fiber in the connector is a coil spring. Can be prevented from being damaged or broken by contact with the like.
[0018]
According to the third aspect, since the protection member extends to the outside of the rubber boot, the protection of the rubber boot mouth portion of the optical fiber becomes sufficient, and the protection of the optical fiber assembled in the connector becomes more effective.
[0019]
If the protective member is a tube as in claim 4, the collective portion of the optical fibers can be simply passed through the protective tube, so that the workability is good and the optical fiber is also suitable for protecting the optical fiber.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of a multicore optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view in which main parts of FIG. 1 are enlarged.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line AA of a main part of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the multi-core optical connector and the connection adapter.
FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway plan view of a conventional multi-core optical connector.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Ferrule 3 Connector housing 3a Housing body 3b Rear housing 4 Optical fiber (or optical fiber assembly)
Reference Signs List 5 coil spring 6 coupling 7 spring 8 rubber boot 11 multi-core optical connector 20 protective member

Claims (4)

A single-core multi-core type in which a fitting pin positioning type ferrule to which a plurality of single-core optical fibers are attached is slidably accommodated in a connector housing and urged forward by a spring. In the optical connector, a protection member for covering the plurality of optical fibers in the connector housing collectively is provided. 2. The single-core multi-fiber optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the spring is a coil spring, and the plurality of single-core optical fibers are inserted through the coil spring. 3. A single-core multi-core multi-core type according to claim 1, wherein a rubber boot for protecting an optical fiber is provided at a rear portion of the connector housing, and the protection member extends outside the rubber boot. Optical connector. The single-core assembly type multi-core optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the protection member is a tube.

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