JP2013057983A - Mounting auxiliary device for optical connector and optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To form deflection of required size on an optical fiber, when a tip end of the optical fiber is fixed to an optical connector.SOLUTION: An optical connector 150 includes: a ferrule 70 having a built-in optical fiber 74; a fiber fixing portion 72 integrally provided with the ferrule 70, formed with a groove 82 inside into which the built-in optical fiber 74 is inserted, and fixing a projecting portion of an optical fiber core 122 projected out from an end portion of an outer coat portion of an optical fiber cable 120 in the groove 82 so as to abut to the built-in optical fiber 74; a cable fixing member 64 configured separately from the ferrule 70 and the fiber fixing portion 72, and fixed to the outer coat portion of the optical fiber cable 120; a storage member 68 for fixing and supporting the cable fixing member 64 to the fiber fixing portion 72; and a guide hole 100 formed in the storage member 68, having a center axis at a position eccentric from a center axis of the groove 82, and communicating with the groove 82.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector mounting aid and an optical connector.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a tool for attaching an optical connector. In this optical connector mounting tool, the optical connector is attached to the insertion auxiliary tool, and the optical fiber is inserted into the optical connector by sliding the attachment tool with respect to the insertion auxiliary tool with the optical fiber attached to the attachment tool. The optical fiber and a built-in optical fiber provided inside the optical connector are butt-connected.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses an optical connector. The optical connector includes a frame, a connecting part having an internal optical fiber provided inside the frame, a gripping member that grips the optical fiber cable, a gripping member storage that supports the gripping member with respect to the frame, and a gripping It has a lid that opens and closes the member storage. In this optical connector, the gripping member is housed in the gripping member housing portion with the lid open, and the tip portion of the optical fiber core wire protruding from the gripping member is inserted into the connecting component. The line and a built-in optical fiber provided inside the connection component are butt-connected.

JP 2007-121863 A JP 2009-139981 A

  However, in the optical connector mounting tool described in Patent Document 1, a deflection is formed in a part of the optical fiber so that the optical fiber and the built-in optical fiber are abutted with a predetermined abutting force. However, when this deflection is formed toward the lower side rather than the upper side, the deflection may interfere with a part of the tool, and a deflection having a desired size may not be formed. In this case, the abutting force between the optical fiber and the built-in optical fiber becomes excessive, and the optical fiber or the built-in optical fiber may be chipped.

  Similarly, in the optical connector described in Patent Document 2, when the deflection is formed toward the lower side instead of the upper side, the deflection is extended from the surrounding connector structure (for example, from the gripping member, and the optical fiber core). In some cases, it is not possible to form a deflection having a desired size by interfering with an extended support portion that supports the line from below. In this case, the abutting force between the optical fiber core wire and the built-in optical fiber becomes excessive, and the optical fiber core wire or the built-in optical fiber may be chipped.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an optical connector mounting aid and an optical connector that can form a desired size of deflection.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the optical connector according to claim 1 is provided integrally with the ferrule having a built-in optical fiber and the ferrule, and the built-in optical fiber is inserted into a groove formed inside, A fiber fixing portion for fixing a protruding portion of an optical fiber core wire protruding from an end portion of an outer sheath portion of an optical fiber cable in a state of abutting with the built-in optical fiber in the groove, the ferrule, and the fiber fixing portion A cable fixing portion fixed to the outer sheath portion of the optical fiber cable, and a guide hole having a central axis at a position eccentric to the central axis of the groove and communicating with the groove. And a fixing support portion for fixing and supporting the cable fixing portion with respect to the fiber fixing portion.
In the optical connector according to claim 2, the optical fiber insertion port of the fiber fixing portion is formed with a taper whose outer diameter becomes narrower toward the tip of the optical fiber, and the optical fiber insertion port has the taper. Part of the side opposite to the direction of eccentricity is blocked.
Furthermore, in the optical connector according to a third aspect of the present invention, an extension support portion that extends toward the fiber fixing portion is formed on the opposite side of the cable fixing portion from the eccentric direction.

  The optical connector is fixed to the optical fiber cable in the following manner, for example. That is, first, in a state where the cable fixing portion is fixed to the outer sheath portion of the optical fiber cable, the cable fixing portion is brought close to the fiber fixing portion, and the optical fiber core wire protruding from the end portion of the outer sheath portion of the optical fiber cable is projected. After the portion is inserted into the guide hole of the fixed support portion, it is inserted into a groove formed inside the fiber fixing portion.

  Next, the cable fixing portion is brought close to the fiber fixing portion until the rear end of the built-in optical fiber and the tip of the optical fiber core are brought into contact with each other and a deflection is formed in the protruding portion of the optical fiber core. Then, in a state in which the optical fiber is bent, the protruding portion of the optical fiber core wire is fixed to the built-in optical fiber by the fiber fixing portion, and the cable fixing portion is fixedly supported to the fiber fixing portion by the fixing support portion. To do. In the above manner, the optical connector is fixed to the optical fiber cable.

  Here, in this optical connector, the guide hole has a central axis at a position eccentric to the central axis of the groove. Therefore, as described above, when the cable fixing portion is brought close to the fiber fixing portion, the center axis of the guide hole is set at a position eccentric with respect to the center axis of the groove. A deflection can be formed in a part of the portion, and the direction in which the deflection is formed can be defined in a specific direction (upper side). As a result, it is possible to prevent the deflection from interfering with the surrounding connector structure part (for example, an extended support part that extends from the cable fixing part and supports the protruding part of the optical fiber core wire from below). , A desired size of deflection can be formed.

  As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a deflection having a desired size can be formed.

It is a figure which shows the order which fixes an optical fiber cable to the optical connector which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the order which fixes an optical fiber core wire to the fiber fixing part shown by FIG.

[First embodiment]
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  An optical connector 150 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the distal end portion of an optical fiber cable 120 described later, and includes a plug 62, a cable fixing member 64, a frame 66, and a fixing. A storage member 68 as a support portion is provided as a main configuration.

  The plug 62 includes a ferrule 70 and a fiber fixing portion 72. The ferrule 70 has a built-in optical fiber 74 and is integrally assembled with a substrate 76 of a fiber fixing portion 72 described later.

  The fiber fixing portion 72 is a so-called mechanical splice system, and includes a substrate 76, a pair of lid members 78, and a pressing member 80. A groove 82 is formed in the surface portion of the substrate 76 along the axial direction of the optical connector 150, and the rear end side of the built-in optical fiber 74 is inserted into the groove 82.

  The pair of lid members 78 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the groove 82, and are configured to have a size and shape that cover the surface portion of the substrate 76 in which the groove 82 is formed. It is provided facing. Further, the pair of lid members 78 are pressed toward the substrate 76 by the pressing member 80.

  In this optical connector 150, as shown in FIG. 2, the recess 86 into which the wedge 84, which is provided as an integral part of the optical connector 150 or is a separate jig, can be inserted, is provided with a substrate 76 and a pair of A lid member 78 is formed. The pair of lid members 78 can be separated from the substrate 76 by inserting the wedge 84 into the recess 86.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cable fixing member 64 is configured separately from the plug 62 and the frame 66, and a pair of gripping portions as a cable fixing portion that grips the outer skin portion 124 of the optical fiber cable 120 described later. 88 and an extended support portion 90. The extension support portion 90 is for supporting the protruding portion 122A of the optical fiber core wire 122 from below, and extends from one of the pair of grip portions 88 toward the fiber fixing portion 72 side.

  The housing member 68 has a fitting portion 94 formed on the frame 66 side. When the fitting portion 94 is fitted to the housing member 68 side of the frame 66, the frame 66 and the housing member 68 are separated from each other. They are assembled together.

  The above-described fiber fixing portion 72 is accommodated inside the frame 66, and the ferrule 70 provided integrally with the fiber fixing portion 72 protrudes to the outside through a hole portion 96 formed on the distal end side of the frame 66. Has been. On the other hand, on the frame 66 side of the storage member 68, a guide hole 100 is formed which communicates with the groove 82 and increases in diameter toward the cable fixing member 64 side. The guide hole 100 is configured to have a central axis A3 at a position eccentric to the lid 108 side with respect to the central axis A2 of the fiber fixing portion 72 (the central axis of the groove 82).

  Further, the above-described substrate 76 and lid member 78 have an enlarged diameter portion 102, and a spring 104 is accommodated in a compressed state between the enlarged diameter portion 102 and the fitting portion 94. The plug 62 is urged toward the distal end side of the optical connector 150 by the spring 104.

  The storage member 68 described above includes a main body 106 having a storage chamber 106A and a lid 108 for opening and closing the storage chamber 106A. The lid 108 is pivotally connected to the main body 106 at the front end side, and is in an open state (see the upper diagram in FIG. 2) for opening the storage chamber 106A and a closed state (see the lower diagram in FIG. 2). ) And can be taken. Further, a retaining portion 110 for preventing the cable fixing member 64 from coming off is formed on the rear end side of the lid 108.

  Although not shown, the storage member 68 includes a restriction structure for restricting the movement of the cable fixing member 64 toward the fiber fixing portion 72 and a holding structure for holding the lid 108 in a closed state. Yes.

  The optical fiber cable 120 includes an optical fiber core wire 122 and a sheath portion 124 (sheath or tensile body) that covers the optical fiber core wire 122. Further, at the distal end side of the optical fiber cable 120, a part of the optical fiber core wire 122 protrudes from the end portion of the outer skin portion 124 as a protruding portion 122A by cutting the outer skin portion 124 described above.

  Next, the operation and effect will be described together with a method of fixing the optical connector 150 to the tip of the optical fiber.

  First, the lid 108 is opened, and the cable fixing member 64 is fixed to the outer skin portion 124 of the optical fiber cable 120. Further, the cable fixing member 64 is brought close to the fiber fixing portion 72, and the protruding portion 122 A of the optical fiber core wire 122 is inserted into the guide hole 100 and then inserted into the groove 82. (See the top diagram in FIG. 1).

  Next, the cable fixing member 64 is fixed to the fiber fixing portion 72 until the rear end of the built-in optical fiber 74 and the tip of the optical fiber core wire 122 are abutted to form a deflection 126 in the protruding portion 122A of the optical fiber core wire 122. Move closer to.

  Then, the wedge 84 is removed from the fiber fixing portion 72 in a state where the deflection 126 is formed in the optical fiber core wire 122 (see FIG. 2). Thereby, the lid member 78 is pressed toward the substrate 76 by the pressing member 80, and the protruding portion 122 </ b> A of the optical fiber core wire 122 is fixed to the fiber fixing portion 72.

  Next, with the lid 108 closed, the cable fixing member 64 is stored in the storage member 68, whereby the cable fixing member 64 is fixedly supported to the fiber fixing portion 72. As described above, the optical connector 150 is fixed to the optical fiber cable 120.

  Here, in the optical connector 150, the guide hole 100 has a central axis A3 at a position eccentric to the lid 108 side with respect to the central axis A2 of the fiber fixing portion 72. Therefore, as described above, when the cable fixing member 64 is brought close to the fiber fixing portion 72, the center axis A3 of the guide hole 100 is set at a position eccentric with respect to the center axis A2 of the fiber fixing portion 72. Accordingly, the deflection 126 can be formed in a part of the protruding portion 122A of the optical fiber core wire 122, and the direction in which the deflection 126 is formed can be defined in a specific direction (upper side). Accordingly, the deflection 126 can be prevented from interfering with the surrounding connector structure portion (in this case, the extended support portion 90), so that the deflection 126 having a desired size can be formed.

  As a result, the abutting force between the optical fiber core wire 122 and the built-in optical fiber 74 can be adjusted to an appropriate value, so that the abutting force is insufficient and the optical characteristics deteriorate or the abutting force is excessive. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the optical fiber core wire 122 and the built-in optical fiber 74 from being chipped.

  Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and other various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is.

64 Cable fixing member (cable fixing part)
68 Storage member (fixed support)
70 Ferrule 72 Fiber fixing portion 74 Built-in optical fiber 82 Groove 100 Guide hole 120 Optical fiber cable 122 Optical fiber core wire 122A Optical fiber core wire protrusion 124 Optical fiber cable sheath 150 Optical connector

Claims (3)

A ferrule having a built-in optical fiber;
The integrated optical fiber is provided integrally with the ferrule, and the built-in optical fiber is inserted into a groove formed inside, and the protruding portion of the optical fiber core wire protruding from the end of the outer portion of the optical fiber cable is formed in the groove. A fiber fixing portion for fixing the optical fiber in a state of being in contact with the built-in optical fiber;
The ferrule and the fiber fixing part are configured separately, and a cable fixing part fixed to the outer skin part of the optical fiber cable,
A fixed support portion for fixing and supporting the cable fixing portion with respect to the fiber fixing portion, having a central axis at a position eccentric to the central axis of the groove and having a guide hole communicating with the groove; ,
With optical connector. The optical fiber insertion port of the fiber fixing part is formed with a taper whose outer diameter becomes narrower toward the tip of the optical fiber,
The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein a part of the optical fiber insertion port on the opposite side to the eccentric direction is closed. 3. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein an extension support portion that extends toward the fiber fixing portion is formed on a side opposite to the eccentric direction of the cable fixing portion. .

Images