JP2015001665A - Connection structure between ferrules - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connection structure between ferrules, capable of suppressing that a positional shift occurs between the ferrules.SOLUTION: In a connection structure 1 between ferrules, an inner circumferential face of a sleeve 2 is formed with a fitting protruded part 5 protruding in a radial direction, an in-circumferential face position of the ferrules 4a, 4b corresponding to the fitting protruded part 5 is formed with a fitting recessed part 6, and the fitting protruded part 5 and the fitting recessed part 6 are fitted to each other. Thereby, even if vibration is applied to the ferrules 4a, 4b inside the sleeve 2, a side face of the fitting protruded part 5 and a side face of the fitting recessed part 6 contact to restrict rotation of the ferrules 4a, 4b. Consequently, increase of transmission loss of light caused by rotation of the ferrules 4a, 4b by vibration or a change or the like of an insertion angle of the ferrules 4a, 4b relative to the sleeve 2, can be suppressed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a ferrule connection structure for fixing and holding an optical fiber.

  With the recent increase in the amount of information communication in vehicles, an optical fiber cable has been used instead of a conventional metal cable as a signal transmission path used for transmitting an information signal. An optical fiber cable is a signal transmission line suitable for high-speed and large-capacity information communication because there is no problem that noise is emitted to the surroundings with an increase in communication speed unlike a metal cable.

  The optical fiber cable has an optical connector at its end. The optical connector includes a ferrule that fixes and holds the optical fiber core wire in the optical fiber cable, and a housing that houses the ferrule and has a structure for connecting to another optical connector or the like. On the other hand, the communication device is also provided with an optical connector, and the optical fiber cable and the communication device can be connected by connecting the optical connectors. The connection between the optical fiber cables is also realized by the optical connector.

JP 2003-255184 A

  With respect to optical connectors for vehicles, there are strict requirements for vibration resistance, and stability against vibration is required. However, according to the conventional optical connector, since the binding force between the ferrules when the optical connectors are connected to each other is weak, there is a possibility that positional displacement occurs between the ferrules due to vibration, and light transmission loss increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ferrule connection structure capable of suppressing occurrence of displacement between ferrules.

  In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the ferrule connection structure according to the first aspect of the present invention inserts the end surface of the ferrule on the optical coupling side from one end and the other end of the cylindrical sleeve. A ferrule connection structure for connecting ferrules by abutting the end faces of the ferrule on the optical coupling side, provided on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, and a fitting protrusion protruding in the radial direction; It is provided in the peripheral surface position of the ferrule corresponding to the convex part for fitting, and is provided with the concave part for fitting fitted with this convex part for fitting.

  The ferrule connection structure according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-described invention, the ferrule is a ferrule with a lens including a lens body on an end face on an optical coupling side.

  The ferrule connection structure according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the sleeve is formed of a cylindrical member having a slit in the longitudinal direction.

  In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the ferrule connection structure according to the second aspect of the present invention is such that the convex portion provided on the end surface of the cone type ferrule on the optical coupling side is coupled to the optical coupling of the cup type ferrule. A ferrule connection structure for connecting a cone-type ferrule and a cup-type ferrule by being inserted into a concave portion provided on the side end surface, and a radially projecting fitting provided on the outer peripheral surface of the convex portion It is provided with the fitting convex part and the recessed part for fitting provided in the peripheral surface position of the said recessed part corresponding to the said convex part for fitting, and fitting to the said convex part for fitting.

  In the ferrule connection structure according to the present invention, in the above invention, the shape of the fitting convex portion and the fitting concave portion is any one of a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a triangular shape, and a semicircular shape. It is characterized by that.

  According to the ferrule connection structure of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of positional deviation between ferrules.

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1A. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3A.

  Hereinafter, a ferrule connection structure according to the first to third embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
First, a ferrule connection structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1A.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, a ferrule connection structure 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention uses cylindrical ferrules 4a and 4b that fix and hold optical fiber core wires 3a and 3b using a cylindrical sleeve 2. Are connected. That is, in this connection structure 1, the end surface on the optical coupling side of the ferrule 4a and the ferrule 4b is inserted from one end and the other end of the sleeve 2, respectively, and the end surface on the optical coupling side of the ferrule 4a and the optical coupling side of the ferrule 4b By matching the end face, the ferrule 4a and the ferrule 4b are connected, and light propagating through a core (not shown) in the optical fiber core wire is also coupled. The sleeve 2 may be formed of a cylindrical member (slit sleeve) having a slit in the longitudinal direction.

  In such a connection structure 1, as shown in FIG. 1B, the fitting convex portion 5 protruding in the radial direction is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 2, and the periphery of the ferrules 4 a and 4 b corresponding to the fitting convex portion 5 is provided. A fitting recess 6 is provided at the surface position, and the fitting projection 5 and the fitting recess 6 are fitted. According to such a configuration, even when vibration is applied to the ferrules 4a and 4b in the sleeve 2, the side surface of the fitting convex portion 5 and the side surface of the fitting concave portion 6 are brought into contact with each other, so that the ferrule 4a, The rotation of 4b is restricted. For this reason, it can suppress that the transmission loss of light increases by ferrule 4a, 4b rotating by vibration, or the insertion angle of ferrule 4a, 4b with respect to the sleeve 2 changing. The shape of the fitting convex part 5 and the fitting concave part 6 has one of a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a triangular shape, and a semicircular shape.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a ferrule connection structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, a ferrule connection structure 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention uses a cylindrical sleeve 11 to fix and hold optical fiber core wires 12a and 12b. , 13b are connected. That is, in this connection structure 10, the end face on the optical coupling side of the ferrule with lens 13 a and the ferrule with lens 13 b are inserted from one end and the other end of the sleeve 11, respectively. The ferrule with lens 13a and the ferrule with lens 13b are connected to each other by abutting the end face of the attached ferrule 13b on the optical coupling side. The sleeve 11 may be formed of a cylindrical member (a split sleeve) having a slit in the longitudinal direction.

  Note that lens bodies 15a and 15b formed of a transparent resin or the like including the lenses 14a and 14b are provided on the end surfaces of the ferrules with lenses 13a and 13b on the optical coupling side. The light that has propagated through the core (not shown) in the optical fiber core line spreads when it exits from the end face of the core, but when it passes through one lens, it becomes a parallel beam and is condensed again by the other lens. It couple | bonds with the core which is not illustrated in an optical fiber core wire. The lens-equipped ferrules 13a and 13b may be formed entirely from a resin that is transparent to the transmission wavelength, or may have a structure in which a lens is attached to the tip of a ferrule formed of ceramics or resin.

  In such a connection structure 10, as shown in FIG. 2B, a fitting convex portion 16 projecting in the radial direction is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve 11, and the ferrules 13 a and 13 b with lenses corresponding to the fitting convex portion 16 are provided. And the recessed part 17 for a fitting is provided in the peripheral surface position of the lens bodies 15a and 15b, and the convex part 16 for a fitting and the recessed part 17 for a fitting fit. According to such a configuration, even when vibration is applied to the lens ferrules 13 a and 13 b in the sleeve 11, the side surface of the fitting convex portion 16 and the side surface of the fitting concave portion 17 come into contact with each other. The rotation of the attached ferrules 13a and 13b is restricted. For this reason, it can suppress that the transmission loss of light increases because the ferrules 13a and 13b with a lens rotate by vibration, or the insertion angle of the ferrules 13a and 13b with a lens with respect to the sleeve 11 changes. The shape of the fitting convex portion 16 and the fitting concave portion 17 has any one of a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a triangular shape, and a semicircular shape.

[Third Embodiment]
Finally, with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a ferrule connection structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view showing a ferrule connection structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3A.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the ferrule connection structure 20 according to the third embodiment of the present invention has a cone-shaped ferrule 21 having a convex portion 21a on the end surface on the optical coupling side and a concave portion 22a on the end surface on the optical coupling side. The cup type ferrule 22 is connected. That is, in this connection structure 20, the convex portion 21 a of the cone-type ferrule 21 is inserted into the concave portion 22 a of the cup-type ferrule 22, thereby fixing the optical fiber core wire 23 a fixed to the cone-type ferrule 21 and the cup-type ferrule 22. The held optical fiber core wire 23b is connected.

  In such a connection structure 20, as shown in FIG. 3B, a fitting convex portion 24 that protrudes in the radial direction is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the convex portion 21 a, and the peripheral surface position of the fitting concave portion 22 a corresponding to the convex portion 24. Is provided with a recess 25, so that the fitting convex portion 24 and the fitting concave portion 25 are fitted. According to such a configuration, even when vibration is applied to the cone type ferrule 21 and the cup type ferrule 22, the side surface of the fitting convex portion 24 and the side surface of the fitting concave portion 25 come into contact with each other. The rotation of the mold ferrule 21 and the cup ferrule 22 is restricted. For this reason, it is suppressed that the cone-shaped ferrule 21 and the cup-type ferrule 22 are rotated by vibration, or the connection angle between the cone-type ferrule 21 and the cup-type ferrule 22 is changed, thereby increasing the light transmission loss. it can. The shape of the fitting convex part 24 and the fitting concave part 25 has one of a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a triangular shape, and a semicircular shape.

  The embodiment to which the invention made by the present inventors is applied has been described above, but the present invention is not limited by the description and the drawings that constitute a part of the disclosure of the present invention. That is, other embodiments, examples, operational techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

1, 10, 20 Ferrule connection structure 2, 11 Sleeve 3a, 3b, 12a, 12b, 23a, 23b Optical fiber core wire 4a, 4b Ferrule 5, 16, 24 Fitting convex part 6, 17, 25 Fitting concave part 13a, 13b Ferrule with lens 14a, 14b Lens 15a, 15b Lens body 21 Cone type ferrule 21a Convex part 22 Cup type ferrule 22a Concave part

Claims (5)

A ferrule connection structure for connecting a ferrule by inserting the end surfaces on the optical coupling side of the ferrule from one end and the other end of the cylindrical sleeve and abutting the end surfaces on the optical coupling side of the ferrule,
Protruding portions for fitting protruding in the radial direction provided on the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve;
A fitting recess provided at the peripheral surface position of the ferrule corresponding to the fitting projection, and fitting with the fitting projection;
A ferrule connection structure characterized by comprising:   The ferrule connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule is a ferrule with a lens including a lens body on an end face on an optical coupling side.   3. The ferrule connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is formed of a cylindrical member having a slit in a longitudinal direction. 4. Connection of a ferrule that connects a cone-type ferrule and a cup-type ferrule by inserting a convex portion provided on the end-face on the optical coupling side of the cone-type ferrule into a concave portion provided on the end-face on the optical coupling side of the cup-type ferrule Structure,
Protruding parts for fitting protruding in the radial direction provided on the outer peripheral surface of the convex parts;
A fitting recess provided at a peripheral surface position of the recess corresponding to the fitting projection, and fitted into the fitting projection;
A ferrule connection structure characterized by comprising:   The shape of the fitting convex portion and the fitting concave portion is any one of a rectangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a triangular shape, and a semicircular shape. The ferrule connection structure according to claim 1.

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