JP2014219591A - Wobbling stop mechanism of optical connector plug - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a wobbling stop mechanism of an optical connector plug which does not impair original optical characteristics of all optical fibers including a polarization plane conservative fiber or the like.SOLUTION: A wobbling stop mechanism of an optical connector plug comprises a plug wobbling stop member 41 formed of an elastic body which extends in an engagement direction from the inside of an opening end of a plug insertion hole Q so as to constantly press the optical connector plug inserted into the insertion hole Q of an adapter 1 to an internal wall side in one direction. The plug wobbling stop member 41 comprises a base part 42 which is fixed so as to sandwich one-side edge of the opening end of the plug insertion hole Q, and an elastic locking part 43 which extends in the engagement direction from one-end side of the base part 42, and is arranged inside the opening end. The elastic locking part 43 is formed by being crushed by the optical connector plug which is inserted into the plug insertion hole Q, and bulged and bent into a substantially-trapezoidal shape so as to press the optical connector plug itself to the internal wall side in one direction.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector plug ratchet mechanism that can prevent displacement of an optical connector plug inserted into an adapter or receptacle within the adapter or receptacle.

  In recent years, a polarization-preserving optical fiber (so-called panda fiber) that can maintain polarization even when there is a change in refractive index due to an external stress by imparting a large birefringence into the fiber has become widespread. In this case, conventionally, a low-loss optical fiber connector capable of matching the polarization plane axes by rotating the optical axis of the polarization-maintaining optical fiber and aligning the two axes at the optimum position is used. ing. In other words, this optical fiber connector is made by abutting an optical connector plug from both end openings in an adapter or a receptacle, and further rotating the plugs so that their optical axes coincide with each other.

  As this optical fiber connector, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, in an optical connector in which polarization plane preserving optical fibers are butt-connected through an adapter, the fiber end face is held so as to be exposed at the tip. A gripping part, a holder that holds the gripping part movably for a predetermined distance and urges the gripping part toward the tip side, a torsion prevention mechanism that prevents the gripping part from twisting with respect to the holder, and a key groove of the adapter. And a frame for accommodating the holder, and a connection nut provided on an outer periphery of the frame and screwed to the adapter to connect the grip portion to the adapter. . Thus, by screwing the frame to the holder, the angle between the polarization-maintaining optical fiber and the protrusion can be adjusted steplessly, so that the polarization axis can be easily matched and low loss can be achieved. An optical connector is obtained.

JP 2002-98859 A

  However, the polarization plane preserving optical fiber connector provided with a connection nut for connecting the gripping part to the adapter has a large number of parts, the entire configuration is complicated, the assembly process takes time, and the cost is high. There were problems such as.

  In addition, in a general connector such as MU type or SC type other than the polarization-maintaining optical fiber connector that does not have such a component, there is a clearance between the adapter or the receptacle and the optical connector plug. The occurrence of (so-called looseness) is unavoidable, and this has been one of the causes of deteriorating optical characteristics during optical connection.

  Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the conventional circumstances as described above, and the determined surface of the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole of the adapter or the receptacle is connected to the plug insertion hole. By applying a spring pressure to one side of the optical connector plug so that it always presses against the determined inner wall side, it is possible to prevent displacement of the optical connector plug. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector plug rattling mechanism that does not impair the original optical characteristics.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, an elastic body is provided inside the plug insertion hole so that the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole of the adapter or the receptacle is always pressed against the inner wall side in one direction. A plug backlash stopping member is provided.

  The plug backlash stopping member is arranged so as to extend from the inner side of the opening end of the plug insertion hole in the fitting direction.

  The plug ratchet member includes a base portion that is fixed so as to sandwich one side edge portion of the opening end of the plug insertion hole, and an elastic locking portion that extends from one end side of the base portion in the fitting direction and is arranged inside the opening end. The elastic locking portion is formed by being bent and bent into a substantially trapezoidal protruding piece shape so as to be crushed by the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole and press the optical connector plug itself against the inner wall side in one direction. And

  The plug ratchet member is provided with a locking piece portion that is cut and raised obliquely inwardly from the center of the outer side surface of the base portion, and the base portion is located at one side edge of the opening end of the plug insertion hole while crushing the locking piece portion. It is characterized in that the plug piece stopper member itself is fixed by elastically suspending the engaging piece portion on the engaging step portion formed on the outer wall of the adapter or the receptacle.

  According to the present invention, the spring pressure is applied to one side of the optical connector plug so that the determined surface of the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole of the adapter or the receptacle is always pressed against the determined inner wall side of the plug insertion hole. Thus, it is possible to prevent the optical connector plug from being displaced, so that the original optical characteristics of all optical fibers including the polarization-maintaining optical fiber and the like are not impaired.

  In other words, the polarization-preserving type light is provided by providing an elastic plug plug stopper inside the plug insertion hole so that the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole of the adapter or the receptacle is always pressed against the inner wall side in one direction. It is possible to ensure that the original optical characteristics of the optical fiber are not impaired in the MU type or SC type optical fiber as well as the fiber.

  Since the plug backlash stopper member is arranged so as to extend in the fitting direction from the inside of the opening end of the plug insertion hole, the pressing force to the inner wall side in one direction is adjusted in accordance with the insertion operation from the opening end of the optical connector plug. It can be realized sufficiently and reliably.

  The plug ratchet member includes a base portion that is fixed so as to sandwich one side edge portion of the opening end of the plug insertion hole, and an elastic locking portion that extends from one end side of the base portion in the fitting direction and is arranged inside the opening end. The elastic locking portion is crushed by the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole and bulged and bent into a substantially trapezoidal protrusion so as to press the optical connector plug itself against the inner wall in one direction. A reliable spring pressure can always be stably applied to one side of the connector plug.

  The plug ratchet member is provided with a locking piece portion that is cut and raised obliquely inwardly from the center of the outer side surface of the base portion, and the base portion is located at one side edge of the opening end of the plug insertion hole while crushing the locking piece portion. Since the locking piece is elastically suspended in the locking step formed on the outer wall of the adapter or the receptacle and the plug rattling member itself is fixed, the plug rattling member is firmly attached without rattling. It can be mounted on an adapter or receptacle.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the adapter which shows one form for implementing this invention. It is a perspective view which similarly shows the state after the assembly of an adapter. Similarly, the state after assembly of the adapter is shown, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a right side view, (c) is a left side view, (d) is a front view, and (e) is a rear view. An example of the configuration of the plug backlash stopper member is shown, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a bottom view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a side view, and (f) is ( It is YY sectional drawing of a). It is XX sectional drawing of Fig.3 (a). It is a half section perspective view of an adapter similarly. It is a perspective view explaining use of an adapter similarly. It is sectional drawing which shows a plug insertion state only on one side. It is explanatory drawing explaining the movement within an adapter by the clearance of an optical connector plug.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of an optical connector plug rattling mechanism according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, a description will be given of an optical connector plug ratchet mechanism that can be inserted into, for example, an MU-type adapter, which allows the optical connector plug to be abutted from both end openings, but is not limited thereto, and is not limited to this. This mechanism can be applied to any connector type as long as it can be abutted from other end openings such as a type adapter or an SC type receptacle. Furthermore, the adapter and the receptacle may of course be used for an optical connector having 2 cores or 3 cores or more. The optical connector plug is originally intended for a polarization-preserving optical fiber (so-called panda fiber), but is not limited to this and may be a general optical fiber.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two adapter elements 1A and 1B are faced to each other, and a cylindrical split sleeve S is sandwiched between sleeve holders H formed on the adapter elements 1A and 1B. 1, each adapter element 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B has an engagement means K that snaps together to fix both adapter elements 1 </ b> A, 1 </ b> B.

  That is, each adapter element 1A, 1B is made of a synthetic resin molded product so that the two optical connector plugs P1, P2 can be connected to each other, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. Two rectangular tube-shaped housings 2A and 2B are provided, and spaces into which optical connector plugs P1 and P2 attached to end portions of an optical fiber 10 to be described later are inserted are formed therein. Each housing 2A, 2B has a contact surface 3 that contacts the mating housings 2A, 2B, and upper and lower side surfaces 4A, 4B and right and left side surfaces 5A, 5B that are perpendicular to the corresponding contact surface 3. When the adapter elements 1A and 1B are fixed to each other via the engaging means K, the contact surfaces 3 of the one housing 2A and the other housing 1B may be matched.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, the engaging means K is a thin plate-like top and bottom projecting on the upper and lower side surfaces 4 </ b> A and 4 </ b> B toward the mating housings 2 </ b> A and 2 </ b> B, respectively. The elastic locking piece 21A and the upper and lower recesses 22A for receiving the upper and lower elastic locking pieces 21A of the other adapter elements 1A and 1B from the fitting direction. In this embodiment, the upper and lower elastic locking pieces 21A are formed on the upper side surface 4A of each of the pair of adapter elements 1A and 1B, and the upper and lower recesses 22A are formed on the lower side surface 4B. There is no limitation to this.

  A rectangular hole-shaped engagement hole 23 is formed near the tip of the vertical elastic locking piece 21A, and the bottom surface of the vertical recess 22A enters the engagement hole 23 of the vertical elastic locking piece 21A. Joint convex part 24 is formed. The upper and lower elastic locking pieces 21A and the upper and lower recesses 22A have complementary shapes, and therefore, the upper and lower elastic locking pieces 21A located outside the one adapter element 1A (1B) are replaced with the other adapter element. In the state inserted into the upper and lower recesses 22A on the front side of 1B (1A), the flat upper and lower side surfaces of the adapter 1 are formed.

  On the other hand, on the left and right side surfaces 5A and 5B, a thin plate-like left and right elastic locking piece 21B protruding in the fitting direction toward the mating housings 2A and 2B, respectively, and the left and right elastic locking pieces of the other adapter elements 1A and 1B Left and right recesses 22B for receiving 21B from the fitting direction are formed. In the present embodiment, the left and right elastic locking pieces 21B are formed on the left and right side surfaces 5B of the pair of adapter elements 1A and 1B, and the left and right recesses 22B are formed on the other left and right side surfaces 5A. The arrangement does not limit the invention in any way.

  Further, on the side of the left and right recesses 22B, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a thin plate-like auxiliary elastic locking piece 25 is extended in the fitting direction toward the mating housings 2A and 2B, respectively. Near the tip of the auxiliary elastic locking piece 25, an engaging projection 24 is formed in the same manner as described above, and is formed on the rear side of the left and right elastic locking pieces 21B located outside the other adapter element 1B (1A). The engaging hole 23 having a square hole shape is inserted. The auxiliary elastic locking piece 25 of one adapter element 1A (1B) is recessed inside the housing 2A (2B) by the thickness of the left and right elastic locking pieces 21B of the other adapter element 1B (1A). Therefore, in a state where the left and right elastic locking pieces 21B located outside the one adapter element 1A (1B) are inserted into the left and right recesses 22B on the front side of the other adapter element 1B (1A) The flat left and right sides of the adapter 1 are formed.

  In this embodiment, when the pair of adapter elements 1A and 1B are fitted together, the engagement hole portion 23 and the engagement convex portion 24 are engaged at a total of eight locations including two places on the top and bottom and two places on the left and right.

  On the upper side surface of the adapter 1, a plug backlash stopping member 41 made of an elastic body is disposed so as to extend from the opening end of the plug insertion hole Q in the inner fitting direction, and the optical connector plug P1 inserted into the plug insertion hole Q, P2 is always pressed against the inner wall side in the downward direction (one direction).

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the plug backlash stopping member 41 is a base portion 42 having U-shaped frame-shaped inner and outer side surfaces that are fixed so as to sandwich one side edge portion of the opening end of the plug insertion hole Q. And an elastic locking portion 43 that extends in the fitting direction from the inner side surface portion of the base portion 42 and is disposed on the inner side of the opening end. The outer side surface portion of the base portion 42 is provided with a locking piece portion 44 that is formed by being cut and raised obliquely inward from the center. Further, the elastic locking portion 43 bulges and bends substantially in the shape of a trapezoidal protrusion, so that it is crushed by the knob portion 13 (to be described later) of the optical connector plugs P1 and P2 inserted into the plug insertion holes Q, and the optical connector plug P1 , P2 itself is pressed against the inner wall side in one direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 (a), 5, and 6, the opening end (one side) of the plug insertion hole Q is on the upper surface side of the edge of the plug backlash stopper 41. A guide groove 31 corresponding to the surface width of the side surface portion is recessed, and the edge portion itself has a thin shape corresponding to the width between the inner and outer side surfaces by the guide groove 31, and the outer side surface portion of the base portion 42 is formed. It can be easily inserted along the guide groove 31.

  1, 2, 3 (a), 5, and 6, a locking step 32 is formed on the outer wall of the upper surface of the adapter 1 so as to intersect the guide groove 31. The base 42 is inserted into one side edge of the opening end of the plug insertion hole Q while crushing the locking piece 44 on the outer side surface of the base 42, and then locked to the locking step 32. Since the piece 44 is elastically suspended, the plug backlash stopping member 41 itself is firmly held and fixed without rattling on the upper side surface of the adapter 1.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the optical connector plugs P1 and P2 have a plug frame 7 and a metal ring 8 which are formed in a horizontally long rectangle and are attached in the axial direction, and a rubber holder 9 is attached to the rear end of the ring 8 in the axial direction. At the center of these, a ferrule 11 that is inserted and bonded around the optical fiber 10 is inserted between the ring 8 with a spring 12 interposed therebetween. Further, a knob portion 13 is externally provided on the outside of the plug frame 7 so that the plug frame 7 can slide within the knob portion 13 in the axial direction (left and right direction in FIG. 8) for a required stroke.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, at the distal end portion of the knob portion 13, openings 14 each having a substantially rectangular planar shape are provided on both the left and right side surfaces thereof, and are located in the openings 14. The left and right side surfaces of the plug frame 7 are each provided with a locking recess (not shown) for locking with a pair of left and right spring-like locking pieces 6 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) in the adapter 1. . Further, guide portions 16 (see FIG. 7) of protrusions (not shown) provided on the left and right sides of the pair of spring-like locking pieces 6 are provided on the left and right inner edges of the opening portion 14 in the knob portion 13. The front part of each of these is provided with an inclined surface (not shown) inclined outward.

Next, an example of assembly and use of the configuration configured as described above will be described.
When the adapter 1 is assembled, as shown in FIG. 1, the cylindrical split sleeve S is inserted into the sleeve holder H formed on each of the pair of adapter elements 1A and 1B. The contact surfaces 3 face each other and are snap-engaged with each other by the engagement means K to abut and fix both adapter elements 1A and 1B.

  Then, the plug backlash stopping member 41 is fixed by sandwiching one side edge portion of the opening end of the plug insertion hole Q at the base portion 42. That is, when the outer side surface portion is inserted along the guide groove 31 while crushing the locking piece portion 44 of the outer side surface portion of the base portion 42, the locking portion 32 is locked to the locking step portion 32 of the upper side outer wall of the adapter 1. The piece 44 is elastically suspended and fixed. At this time, the elastic locking portion 43 on the inner side surface portion of the base portion 42 extends in the fitting direction and is arranged toward the opening end inward side.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the two optical connector plugs P1 and P2 are connected to each other through the adapter 1 having the above configuration. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the elastic locking portion 43 bulged and bent into a substantially trapezoidal protruding piece shape is formed by the outer surface of the knob portion 13 of the optical connector plugs P1 and P2 inserted into the plug insertion holes Q. While being crushed, the optical connector plugs P1 and P2 themselves are pressed downward (in one direction) on the inner wall side of the plug insertion hole Q by the elastic force of the elastic locking portion 43.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, when a clearance l is generated between the inner wall of the plug insertion hole Q and the outer surface of the knob portion 13 of the optical connector plugs P1 and P2, the center of the optical fiber 10 of the ferrule 11 moves up and down. Accordingly, a deviation (eccentricity) occurs with respect to the optical axis of the counterpart optical fiber 10.

  As shown in FIG. 9B, the optical connector plugs P1, P2 inserted into the plug insertion holes Q by the plug backlash stopping member 41 are downward (one direction determined) even when the clearance l is generated. Therefore, the ferrule 11 is always positioned on the inner wall side in the downward direction (one determined direction). That is, the center of the optical fiber 10 is located at the position A in FIG. As a result, the original optical characteristics of all optical fibers 11 including, for example, a polarization-preserving optical fiber can be maintained.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9 (c), when the plug backlash stopper 41 is not attached, the center of the optical fiber 10 can be moved to the position B in FIG. 9 (c). The original optical properties of all optical fibers including the wavefront-preserving optical fiber are impaired.

H Sleeve holder S Split sleeve P1, P2 Optical connector plug Q Plug insertion hole K Engaging means 1 Clearance 1A, 1B Adapter element 2A, 2B Housing 3 Contact surface 4A Upper side surface 4B Lower side surface 5A Left side surface 5B Right side surface 6 Spring property Locking piece 7 Plug frame 8 Ring 9 Rubber holder 10 Optical fiber 11 Ferrule 12 Spring 13 Knob part 14 Opening part 16 Guide part 21A Vertical elastic locking piece 21B Left and right elastic locking piece 22A Vertical recess 22B Left and right recess 23 Engagement hole Part 24 Engaging convex part 25 Auxiliary elastic locking piece 31 Guide groove 32 Locking step part 41 Plug ratchet member 42 Base 43 Elastic locking part 44 Locking piece part

Claims (4)

  A backlash of an optical connector plug comprising an elastic plug back-off member inside the plug insertion hole so as to always press the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole of the adapter or the receptacle against the inner wall side in one direction. Stop mechanism. 2. The optical connector plug rattling mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plug rattling member is disposed so as to extend from the inner side of the opening end of the plug insertion hole in the fitting direction.   The plug ratchet member includes a base portion that is fixed so as to sandwich one side edge portion of the opening end of the plug insertion hole, and an elastic locking portion that extends from one end side of the base portion in the fitting direction and is arranged inside the opening end. The elastic locking portion is formed by being bent and bent into a substantially trapezoidal protruding piece shape so as to be crushed by the optical connector plug inserted into the plug insertion hole and press the optical connector plug itself against the inner wall side in one direction. The ratchet mechanism of the optical connector plug according to claim 1 or 2.   The plug ratchet member is provided with a locking piece portion that is cut and raised obliquely inwardly from the center of the outer side surface of the base portion, and the base portion is located at one side edge of the opening end of the plug insertion hole while crushing the locking piece portion. 4. The plug backlash-fixing member itself is fixed by elastically suspending a locking piece portion to a locking step portion formed on the outer wall of the adapter or receptacle. An optical connector plug rattling mechanism as described above.

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