JP2005227462A - Optical active connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize a relative positional relationship between an optical element and an optical fiber and to prevent the stress on an optical element packaging and fixing portion. <P>SOLUTION: The optical active connector for converting an optical signal and an electric signal in a communication route in a vehicle is housed with a connecting and fixing member 20 integrally formed with an optical fiber fixing section 22 for fixing and holding the optical fiber 70 and a substrate fixing section 26 and a packaging substrate 30 packaged and fixed with the optical element 32 and formed with a circuit performing a signal conversion junction processing within a connector housing 40. The packaging substrate 30 is fixed to the substrate fixing section 26 in the state of arranging an optical coupling surface 32a of the optical element 32 opposite to an end surface of the optical fiber 70. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique applied to a communication path in the in-vehicle optical communication field.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an optical active connector (built-in plug) in which an electric cable interface, an optical fiber interface, and a photoelectric conversion unit are integrated is known.

  As a conventional optical active connector, for example, there is one in which a photoelectric conversion unit is fixed to a housing and an optical fiber fixing portion for fixing an optical fiber is fixed.

  Such an optical active connector is interposed between an electrical device and an optical fiber cable, between an electrical cable and an optical fiber cable, or the like in a communication path between predetermined electrical devices. Convert.

  Such an optical active connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

JP 11-142694 A

  However, since the conventional optical active connector is premised on the use in general consumer equipment and the like, it has been insufficient in terms of vibration countermeasures and the like that are important for use in vehicles.

  For example, optical coupling inside a conventional optical active connector is a structure in which a light emitting / receiving element is mounted and fixed on a substrate, and an end face of an optical fiber serving as an optical transmission medium is brought into contact with the light emitting surface or light receiving surface of the light receiving / emitting element. It is realized by. The connection loss at the optical coupling portion and its stability are greatly affected by the stability of the butt position between the light emitting surface or the light receiving surface and the optical fiber end surface.

  However, in the conventional optical active connector as described above, the photoelectric conversion unit including the light emitting / receiving element and the optical fiber fixing portion are fixed to the housing, and are connected and fixed via two fixed connection portions. Because of the configuration, when a vibration or the like is applied, the relative positional relationship between the optical element and the optical fiber is likely to be disturbed, so that a heavy fixing structure is necessary.

  Further, when the optical fiber hits the light receiving / emitting element in the photoelectric conversion unit, there is a possibility that stress is applied to the mounting and fixing portion between the light receiving / emitting element and the substrate due to vibration. For this reason, in order to avoid the above-described stress when applied to a place that is susceptible to vibration such as in an in-vehicle environment, for example, it is necessary to provide a sufficient space between the light emitting / receiving element and the optical fiber. There was a tendency for the optical coupling loss to increase. As described above, in order to minimize the coupling loss, it is necessary to prevent stress on the mounting and fixing portion of the optical element.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to stabilize the relative positional relationship between the optical element and the optical fiber and to prevent stress on the mounting and fixing portion of the optical element.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an invention according to claim 1 is an optical active connector for converting an optical signal and an electrical signal in a communication path in a vehicle, and an optical fiber fixing portion for fixing and holding an optical fiber and a substrate fixing. The connection fixing member integrally formed with the optical element and the optical element for inputting or outputting the optical signal are mounted and fixed, and a circuit for performing predetermined signal conversion relay processing on the optical element is formed. A mounting substrate, and the mounting substrate is fixed to the substrate fixing portion in a state where the optical coupling surface of the optical element is disposed opposite to the end surface of the optical fiber.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the connection fixing member and the mounting board are accommodated in a connector housing.

  The invention according to claim 3 further includes an electrical connector portion for performing at least one of input and output of an electrical signal, and the connection fixing member and the electrical connector portion are fixed to the connector housing. is there.

  According to the optical active connector of the first aspect of the present invention, the optical fiber fixing portion for fixing and holding the optical fiber and the substrate fixing portion are integrally formed, and the optical coupling surface of the optical element is disposed opposite to the end surface of the optical fiber. Since the mounting substrate is fixed to the substrate fixing portion, the optical fiber fixing portion and the substrate are connected and fixed more directly. For this reason, the relative positional relationship between the optical element and the optical fiber can be stabilized, and stress on the mounting and fixing portion of the optical element can be prevented.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the connecting and fixing member and the mounting board are accommodated in the connector housing, it is difficult for an external force to be directly applied to the connecting and fixing member and the mounting board. Therefore, the relative positional relationship between the optical element and the optical fiber can be stabilized more reliably, and stress on the mounting fixing portion of the optical element can be prevented.

  Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the electrical connector portion and the mounting board are connected and fixed via the connector housing and the connecting and fixing member, so that the relative positions of the electrical connector portion and the mounting board are obtained. The relationship can be kept relatively accurate, and stress on the electrical connector portion can be prevented.

  Hereinafter, an optical active connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view showing an optical active connector. The optical active connector 10 converts an optical signal and an electric signal in a communication path in a vehicle, and includes a connection fixing member 20, a mounting substrate 30, a connector housing 40, and an electric connector unit 50. Yes.

  The connection fixing member 20 is made of resin or the like, and is formed by integrally forming an optical fiber fixing portion 22 and a substrate fixing portion 26.

  The optical fiber fixing portion 22 is a member that fixes and holds the end portion of the optical fiber 70 (including the optical fiber included in the optical fiber cable). As a configuration for fixing and holding, a configuration for holding the end of the optical fiber 70 or a configuration for inserting and holding the end of the optical fiber 70 may be used. Moreover, the structure which attaches and attaches the connector with a ferrule to the edge part of the optical fiber 70, and fixes and hold | maintains the edge part of this optical fiber 70 may be sufficient. Here, a configuration is adopted in which the coating 72 portion in front of the fiber core wire 71 exposed at the end of the optical fiber 70 is gripped and fixed.

  The substrate fixing unit 26 is a member that fixes and holds the mounting substrate 30. As a configuration for fixing and holding the mounting substrate 30, a configuration using screwing or an engagement structure can be employed. Here, the extending portion 27 is formed so as to extend to the side of the optical fiber fixing portion 22, and a plurality of protruding fixing portions 28 are formed on the extending portion 27 so as to protrude on both surfaces thereof. The mounting substrate 30 is fixed to one end portion (upper end portion) of each projecting fixing portion 28 using screws S.

  The mounting substrate 30 is mounted and fixed on a predetermined printed wiring board 31 by soldering or the like, and a control IC 33a having processing functions such as signal amplification and element driving, and other resistors and capacitors. The mounting components 33a and 33b including the element 33b are mounted and fixed.

  The optical element 32 is a light receiving element that converts an input optical signal into an electrical signal, or a light emitting element that converts an electrical signal into an optical signal and outputs the optical signal. The optical element 32 has an optical coupling surface 32a such as a light receiving surface serving as an optical signal input unit or a light emitting surface serving as an optical signal output unit. The optical element 32 may have a configuration in which one of the light receiving element or the light emitting element is incorporated in the connector 10 or the light receiving element and the light emitting element are incorporated in the connector 10 in pairs. It may be a configuration.

  Further, the mounting substrate 30 performs signal conversion relay processing such as electrical signal amplification processing and optical device 32 drive processing between the electrical connector unit 50 and the optical device 32 by the mounting components 33a and 33b described above. A circuit to perform is formed.

  The mounting substrate 30 is fixed to the substrate in a state (position and posture) in which the optical coupling surface 32a of the optical element 32 mounted and fixed is opposed to the end surface of the optical fiber 70 fixed and held by the optical fiber fixing portion 22. The part 26 is fixedly held. In addition, the optical coupling surface 32a and the end surface of the optical fiber 70 may be arranged to face each other, or may be arranged to face each other with a predetermined interval therebetween.

  The connector housing 40 is formed of, for example, a general resin, a conductive resin material mixed with a conductive filler such as a metal filler, a metal material, or the like, and can accommodate the connection fixing member 20 and the mounting substrate 30. It is formed in a bowl shape.

  Here, the connector housing 40 is divided into two parts, a lower housing 41 and an upper housing 42.

  The connector fixing member 20 and the mounting substrate 30 are accommodated in the connector housing 40. Here, the connection fixing member 20 is fixed to the inner surface of the lower housing 41 of the connector housing 40 by screwing, an engagement structure, a configuration using an adhesive, or the like. The connecting and fixing member 20 and the connector housing 40 (here, one of the lower housing 41 and the upper housing 42) may be integrally formed.

  The electrical connector portion 50 is a connector in which a connector terminal is erected in the connector housing. When an external connector is connected to the electrical connector portion 50, at least one of input and output of an electrical signal is performed. It will be.

  The electrical connector portion 50 is attached and fixed to the lower housing 41 by screws or the like. In addition, each connector terminal of the electrical connector section 50 is electrically connected to a circuit formed on the mounting substrate 30 directly or via an electric wire or the like.

  A usage example of the optical active connector 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, an example in which the optical active connector 10 is provided on the end side of the communication path will be described.

  First, the optical fiber cable 80 is prepared with the optical active connectors 10 connected to both ends thereof.

  And the electrical connector U1C provided in the electronic unit U1 (electronic device) mounted in a vehicle and the optical active connector 10 on one side are connected. Moreover, the electrical connector U2C provided in the other electronic unit U2 (electronic device) mounted on the vehicle and the optical active connector 10 on the other side are connected. As a result, the electrical signal transmitted from the electronic unit U1 or U2 on one side is converted from an electrical signal to an optical signal in the optical active connector 10 on one side, and then transmitted through the optical fiber cable 80 to the optical active on the other side. The connector 10 converts the optical signal into an electrical signal and transmits it to the other electronic unit U2 or U1. Therefore, the optical communication path using the optical fiber cable 80 can be applied to the communication path connecting the electronic unit U1 having the electrical connector U1C and the electronic unit U2 having the electrical connector U2C.

  In addition, the optical active connector 10 may be used in the form interposed between the wire harness and the optical fiber cable in the middle of the communication path in the vehicle.

  According to the optical active connector 10 configured as described above, the optical fiber fixing portion 22 that fixes and holds the optical fiber 70 and the substrate fixing portion 26 are integrally formed, and the optical coupling surface 32 a of the optical element 32 is formed on the optical fiber 70. Since the mounting substrate 30 is fixed to the substrate fixing portion 26 in a posture to be opposed to the end face, the optical fiber fixing portion 22 and the mounting substrate 30 are more directly connected and fixed. For this reason, for example, the relative positional relationship (axial misalignment) between the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 is compared with a configuration in which the substrate and the optical fiber fixing portion are connected via a housing or the like which is a separate member. And the distance between the end faces) can be stabilized. In other words, the movement of the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 can be synchronized. As a result, it is possible to prevent a reduction in connection loss between the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 and to stabilize the connection loss. In addition, since the relative positional relationship between the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 can be stabilized, the end of the optical fiber 70 and the optical element 32 are less likely to interfere with each other even when vibration is applied. In addition, stress is hardly applied to the mounting and fixing portion between the optical element 32 and the substrate 31. For this reason, it is possible to effectively prevent the optical element 32 from falling off and the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 from being damaged.

  Further, since the connection fixing member 20 and the mounting board 30 are accommodated in the connector housing 40, it is difficult for external force to be directly applied to the connection fixing member 20 and the mounting board 30. Therefore, the relative positional relationship between the optical element 32 and the optical fiber 70 can be stabilized more reliably, and stress on the mounting fixing portion of the optical element 32 can be prevented.

  Furthermore, the electrical connector portion 50 and the mounting substrate 30 are connected and fixed via the connector housing 40 and the connecting and fixing member 20, so that the relative positional relationship between the electrical connector portion 50 and the mounting substrate 30 is relatively long. It can be kept accurate, and stress on the electrical connector portion 50 can be prevented, and damage or the like can be prevented.

It is a partial cross section side view showing the optical active connector concerning an embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the usage example of an optical active connector.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Optical active connector 20 Connection fixing member 22 Optical fiber fixing | fixed part 26 Substrate fixing | fixed part 30 Mounting board 31 Printed wiring board 32 Optical element 32a Optical coupling surface 40 Connector housing 50 Electrical connector part 70 Optical fiber

Claims (3)

An optical active connector for converting an optical signal and an electrical signal in a communication path in a vehicle,
A connecting and fixing member in which an optical fiber fixing portion for fixing and holding an optical fiber and a substrate fixing portion are integrally formed;
A mounting substrate on which an optical element for inputting or outputting an optical signal is mounted and fixed, and a circuit for performing predetermined signal conversion relay processing on the optical element is formed;
With
An optical active connector, wherein the mounting substrate is fixed to the substrate fixing portion in a state in which an optical coupling surface of the optical element is disposed opposite to an end surface of the optical fiber. The optical active connector according to claim 1,
An optical active connector in which the connection fixing member and the mounting board are accommodated in a connector housing. The optical active connector according to claim 2,
An electrical connector for performing at least one of input and output of an electrical signal;
The optical active connector, wherein the connection fixing member and the electrical connector portion are fixed to the connector housing.

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