JP2024067231A - Optical-electrical conversion connector - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an optical/electrical conversion connector that can be used by being incorporated into a multi-pole connector. [Solution] The optical/electrical conversion connector 1 comprises an installation section 20 on which an optical fiber 8a that transmits an optical signal is installed, a lead 10 for inputting or outputting an electrical signal, an optical/electrical conversion module 2 having an optical/electrical conversion circuit 14 that converts optical signals and electrical signals between the optical fiber and the lead, an electrical connector 4 electrically connected to the lead, and a shell 6 that houses the optical/electrical conversion module and the electrical connector aligned in the axial direction. [Selected Figure] Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to an optical-electrical conversion connector that is connected to an electrical connector and converts an electrical signal into an optical signal for transmission via an optical cable.

Conventionally, optical-electrical conversion connectors are known that are connected to electrical connectors and convert electrical signals into optical signals for transmission through optical cables. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber attachment device that allows an optical fiber to be mechanically attached to an optical-electrical conversion module without the use of adhesive, and an optical-electrical conversion connector that uses the same.

Patent No. 6602038

In recent years, as industrial and transport equipment have become more sophisticated, the types of terminals and cables used for wiring have become more diverse. If these terminals and cables are connected separately for each type, problems such as increased connector costs and increased assembly labor may arise. Therefore, it is considered to use a multi-pole connector that holds various types of terminals together in the desired combination, and it is desirable to make the multi-pole connector capable of holding optical-electrical conversion connectors as well.

However, the optical-electrical conversion connector described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is designed to be fitted into the housing of a dedicated electrical connector arranged on a printed circuit board, and is not configured for use with a multi-pole connector.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an optical-electrical conversion connector that can be incorporated into a multi-pole connector.

An optical-electrical conversion connector according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an optical-electrical conversion module having an installation section in which an optical fiber that transmits an optical signal is installed, a terminal for inputting or outputting an electrical signal, and an optical-electrical conversion circuit that converts optical signals and electrical signals between the optical fiber and the terminal, an electrical connector electrically connected to the terminal, and a shell that houses the optical-electrical conversion module and the electrical connector aligned in the axial direction.

According to the present invention, the optical-electrical conversion connector can be incorporated into a multi-pole connector for use.

1 is a perspective view of an optical-electrical conversion connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical-electrical conversion connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an optical/electrical conversion connector according to an embodiment of the present invention in a holding position. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an optical/electrical conversion connector according to an embodiment of the present invention in an open position. 1 is a perspective view showing an example in which an optical/electrical conversion connector according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated into a multi-pole connector.

The following describes the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In all figures used to describe the embodiments, the same components are generally given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted. In addition, although each embodiment (including variations) is described independently, this does not exclude the possibility of combining the respective components to form an optical-electrical conversion connector.

[Configuration of optical-electrical conversion connector]
First, the configuration of the optical-electrical conversion connector according to one embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the optical-electrical conversion connector according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the optical-electrical conversion connector according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the optical-electrical conversion connector according to this embodiment in a holding position. Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the optical-electrical conversion connector according to this embodiment in a release position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an example in which the optical-electrical conversion connector according to this embodiment is incorporated into a multi-pole connector. In each figure, the axial direction (length direction) of the optical-electrical conversion connector is indicated as "X", the short side direction (width direction or left-right direction) of the optical-electrical conversion connector is indicated as "Y", and the height direction (or up-down direction) of the optical-electrical conversion connector is indicated as "Z".

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 comprises an optical-electrical conversion module 2, an electrical connector 4, and a shell 6. The optical-electrical conversion module 2 is connected to an optical cable 8 and an electrical connector 4, and converts optical signals and electrical signals between the optical cable 8 and the electrical connector 4. The electrical connector 4 is connected to the optical-electrical conversion module 2, and transmits electrical signals between a mating electrical connector 4 (not shown) and the optical-electrical conversion module 2. The shell 6 houses the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4, which are aligned in the axial direction.

In this embodiment, the outer shapes of the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the shell 6 is formed into a square cylindrical body, and the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 can slide in the axial direction along the inner surface of the shell 6. In the following description, in the axial direction X of the photoelectric conversion connector 1, the electrical connector 4 side is referred to as the front, and the photoelectric conversion module 2 side is referred to as the rear.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are arranged to be slidable in the axial direction of the shell 6 along the inner surface of the shell 6 between a holding position in which the optical fiber 8a shown in Figure 3 is held and a release position in which the optical fiber 8a is released as shown in Figure 4. The holding position is a position in which the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 have slid forward (left side in Figure 3) relative to the shell 6, and the release position is a position in which the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 have slid backward (right side in Figure 3) relative to the shell 6.

The photoelectric conversion module 2 has a lead frame 12 with leads 10 (terminals) at its ends, a photoelectric conversion circuit 14 arranged on the lead frame 12, a main body 16 that covers the lead frame 12 except for the leads 10, and a pressing part 18 formed to fit into part of the main body 16.

The lead frame 12 is formed in a flat plate parallel to the axial direction and width direction of the photoelectric conversion module 2, and has leads 10 at its front end that are connected to the terminals 36 of the electrical connector 4. An photoelectric conversion circuit 14 is mounted in the center of the upper surface of the lead frame 12 and is connected to the leads 10 by bonding wires. When the photoelectric conversion module 2 is the optical signal transmitter, the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 includes, for example, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser 14a (VCSEL) and a VCSEL driver 14B. When the photoelectric conversion module 2 is the optical signal receiver, the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 includes, for example, a photodiode 14c and an amplifier circuit 14d such as a transimpedance amplifier/limiting amplifier (TIA/LA).

The main body 16 is molded integrally from a transparent resin so that it covers the lead frame 12 on which the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 is mounted, and the lead 10 portion of the lead frame 12 is exposed in front of the main body 16. The main body 16 also has an installation section 20 in which the optical fiber 8a, which is the core of the optical cable 8 and transmits optical signals, is installed, and a prism 22 that forms an optical transmission path between the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 and the optical fiber 8a.

The installation section 20 has an approximately V-shaped cross section that opens upward, is formed as a groove that extends along the axial direction of the main body 16, and is provided at the rear and upper part of the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 (upper right side in Figs. 3 and 4). The rear end side of the installation section 20 is formed in a tapered shape that widens from the front to the rear in order to facilitate the insertion of the optical fiber 8a. In addition, a fitting hole 24 is formed at the top of the installation section 20, which is shaped to match the outer shape of the pressing section 18 so that the pressing section 18 described below fits from above to below. The optical fiber 8a is inserted into the installation section 20, and the pressing section 18 fitted into the fitting hole 24 presses the optical fiber 8a against both wall surfaces of the approximately V-shaped groove of the installation section 20, thereby positioning the optical fiber 8a.

The prism 22 is located above the photoelectric conversion circuit 14 and on the optical axis of the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation section 20, and is formed integrally with the main body 16 so that the reflecting surface 26 of the prism 22 is inclined at about 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis direction of the optical fiber 8a (axial direction of the main body 16). As a result, the prism 22 forms an optical transmission path between the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation section 20 and the photoelectric conversion circuit 14. When the photoelectric conversion module 2 is the transmitting side of the optical signal, for example, light emitted above the lead frame 12 from a vertical cavity surface emitting laser 14a (VCSEL) mounted on the lead frame 12 is reflected by the reflecting surface 26 of the prism 22 in the axial direction of the main body 16 and enters the optical fiber 8a from the end face of the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation section 20. Furthermore, when the photoelectric conversion module 2 is the receiving side of the optical signal, for example, light emitted from the end face of the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation section 20 is reflected toward the photodiode 14c by the reflecting surface 26 of the prism 22, and enters the photodiode 14c from the light receiving surface of the photodiode 14c. The reflecting surface 26 of the prism 22 may be a flat surface, or may be formed as a converging surface (concave surface) that converges the light.

Furthermore, on the upper surface of the main body 16 (i.e., the surface on which the fitting hole 24 is formed and the pressing portion 18 is disposed), grooves 28 extending along the axial direction are formed between the front end of the main body 16 and the fitting hole 24, and between the rear end of the main body 16 and the fitting hole 24. The grooves 28 have a width and depth that allow the protrusions 40 of the shell 6, described later, to pass through the grooves 28 when the photoelectric conversion module 2 housed in the shell 6 slides in the axial direction of the shell 6.

In addition, on the underside of the main body 16 (i.e., the surface opposite to the surface on which the fitting hole 24 is formed and the pressing portion 18 is disposed), an abutment portion 30 is formed at the front end of the main body 16, which abuts against the release position side end of a lance 42 of the shell 6 described below in the holding position. In addition, on the underside of the main body 16, a second groove portion 32 is formed between the rear end of the main body 16 and the abutment portion 30, extending along the axial direction of the main body 16. The second groove portion 32 has a width and depth that allow the lance 42 to pass through the second groove portion 32 when the photoelectric conversion module 2 housed in the shell 6 slides in the axial direction of the shell 6.

The pressing portion 18 is formed in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape and is fitted from above into the fitting hole 24 of the main body 16. When the pressing portion 18 is fitted into the fitting hole 24 of the main body 16, it is pressed downwards by a protrusion 40 of the shell 6 (described below) in the holding position. At this time, the pressing portion 18 transmits the pressing force of the protrusion 40 to the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation portion 20, and presses the optical fiber 8a against both wall surfaces of the roughly V-shaped groove of the installation portion 20. This positions the optical fiber 8a.

The electrical connector 4 includes a housing 34 that fits with the mating connector, and terminals 36 that are disposed within the housing 34 and electrically connect with the terminals of the mating connector. In this embodiment, a female connector is exemplified as the electronic connector, but a male connector can also be used. The front end of the terminal 36 forms a mountain-shaped contact portion 36a that contacts the terminal of the mating connector, and the rear end 36b of the terminal 36 protrudes rearward from the housing 34 and is electrically connected, for example by soldering, to the lead 10 that protrudes forward of the photoelectric conversion module 2.

In addition, a recess 38 is formed at the rear end of the underside of the electrical connector 4 to avoid interference between the lance 42 of the shell 6 (described later) and the electrical connector 4 in the released position. The recess 38 has a width and depth that allows the lance 42 to be accommodated within the recess 38 when the electrical connector 4 housed in the shell 6 is placed in the released position.

The shell 6 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape and has a protrusion 40 that protrudes downward from the upper inner surface of the shell 6 and a lance 42 that protrudes upward from the lower inner surface.

The protrusion 40 is formed by stamping or by fixing a separate member. When the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 aligned in the axial direction are housed inside the shell 6, the protrusion 40 faces the upper surface of the photoelectric conversion module 2.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are in the release position, the protrusion 40 is located in the groove 28 of the body 16 of the photoelectric conversion module 2, and does not interfere with the photoelectric conversion module 2. In other words, the pressing portion 18 is not pressed by the protrusion 40, and the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation portion 20 is not pressed against the installation portion 20, making it possible to attach and detach the optical fiber 8a.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, when the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are in the holding position, the protrusion 40 abuts against the upper surface of the pressing portion 18, and presses the pressing portion 18 downward (i.e., toward the optical fiber 8a arranged in the installation portion 20). As a result, the pressing portion 18 transmits the pressing force from the protrusion 40 to the optical fiber 8a arranged in the installation portion 20, and presses the optical fiber 8a against the installation portion 20, so that the optical fiber 8a is positioned in the installation portion 20.

The lance 42 is formed by cutting a notch in the lower wall of the shell 6 and bending it inwardly of the shell 6 so that the lance 42 rises from the front to the rear of the shell 6 on the inside of the shell 6.

In addition, a guide portion (not shown) is formed on the upper and/or lower surface of the shell 6 so as to extend along the axial direction and fit into a guide groove of an insertion hole 48 (described later) when the photoelectric conversion connector 1 is inserted into the multi-pole connector 44.

When assembling the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 configured as described above, first, the electrical connector 4 and the optical-electrical conversion module 2 are aligned in the axial direction, and the terminals 36 protruding rearward from the housing 34 of the electrical connector 4 are connected to the leads 10 protruding forward of the optical-electrical conversion module 2, for example by soldering.

Next, the rear end of the photoelectric conversion module 2 in the connected electrical connector 4 and photoelectric conversion module 2 is inserted into the inside of the shell 6 along the axial direction from the front of the shell 6. At this time, the lance 42 of the shell 6 passes through the second groove 32 formed on the underside of the main body 16 of the photoelectric conversion module 2, so that the lance 42 does not interfere with the photoelectric conversion module 2. Furthermore, when the photoelectric conversion module 2 is inserted toward the rear of the shell 6, the lance 42 flexes and overcomes the abutment portion 30 of the main body 16 of the photoelectric conversion module 2, and is positioned forward of the abutment portion 30. In this case, the front end of the abutment portion 30 of the main body 16 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 abuts against the rear end of the lance 42, thereby restricting the forward movement of the photoelectric conversion module 2. Also, when the electrical connector 4 and the photoelectric conversion module 2 slide backward toward the release position, the lance 42 is accommodated in the recess 38 of the electrical connector 4, so that it does not interfere with the electrical connector 4.

When the electrical connector 4 and the optical-electrical conversion module 2 reach the release position, the rear end face of the flange formed at the front end of the housing 34 of the electrical connector 4 abuts against the front end of the shell 6, preventing the electrical connector 4 and the optical-electrical conversion module 2 from moving further rearward. At this time, the protrusion 40 is located in the groove 28 of the main body 16 of the optical-electrical conversion module 2, so it does not interfere with the optical-electrical conversion module 2. In other words, the pressing portion 18 is not pressed by the protrusion 40, and the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation portion 20 is not pressed against the installation portion 20, so that the optical fiber 8a can be attached and detached from the rear of the installation portion 20.

When the electrical connector 4 and the photoelectric conversion module 2 are in the release position, the optical fiber 8a is inserted into the approximately V-shaped groove of the installation section 20 from the rear of the installation section 20 until it abuts against the rear end face of the prism 22, and then the electrical connector 4 and the photoelectric conversion module 2 are slid forward along the axial direction of the shell 6, and the front end of the abutment part 30 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 abuts against the rear end of the lance 42, so that the electrical connector 4 and the photoelectric conversion module 2 are placed in the holding position. In the holding position, the protrusion 40 of the shell 6 presses the pressing part 18 downward. The pressing part 18 transmits the pressing force of the protrusion 40 to the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation section 20, and presses the optical fiber 8a against both wall surfaces of the approximately V-shaped groove of the installation section 20. This fixes the optical fiber 8a.

The photoelectric conversion connector 1 of this embodiment can be used, for example, by being incorporated into a multi-pole connector 44 as shown in FIG. 5. The multi-pole connector 44 has a rectangular cylindrical case 46, and the case 46 has an inner wall 50 that defines a plurality of insertion holes 48 into which a plurality of types of connectors, including the photoelectric conversion connector 1, are inserted along the axial direction X. Each insertion hole 48 penetrates the case 46 from the front end to the rear end, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having a width in the width direction Y that is an integer multiple of the minimum width W of the connector. The width of the photoelectric conversion connector 1 of this embodiment is 2W. In the example of FIG. 5, the upper and lower insertion holes 48 in the height direction Z each have a width 4W that is four times the minimum width W of the connector. In this case, four connectors with the minimum width W, two connectors with a width of 2W, or a combination of two connectors with the minimum width W and one connector with a width of 2W can be inserted into the upper and lower insertion holes 48, respectively.

Guide grooves (not shown) extending along the axial direction X are formed on the surfaces (i.e., the upper and lower surfaces) of the inner wall 50 that form each insertion hole 48 that are parallel to the width direction Y. The guide grooves are arranged at each position where a connector of minimum width W can be inserted. That is, in the example of FIG. 5, four guide grooves are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the inner wall 50.

Furthermore, near the rear end of each guide groove, an engagement hole into which the engagement portion of the connector engages is formed (none shown). That is, in the example of FIG. 5, four engagement holes are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the inner wall 50.

When the photoelectric conversion connector 1 is inserted into the insertion hole 48 of the case 46, the guide portion of the shell 6 fits into the guide groove of the insertion hole 48, thereby positioning the photoelectric conversion connector 1 in the width direction Y relative to the insertion hole 48. Furthermore, the engagement portion of the photoelectric conversion connector 1 moves along the guide groove of the insertion hole 48 and fits into the engagement hole, thereby fixing the photoelectric conversion connector 1 to the case 46. Furthermore, the movement of the photoelectric conversion connector 1 in the height direction Z is regulated by the upper and lower surfaces of the inner wall 50. As a result, the inner wall 50 holds the photoelectric conversion connector 1 when the photoelectric conversion connector 1 is inserted into the insertion hole 48.

[Action and Effect]
Next, the operation and effects of the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 according to the present embodiment described above will be described.

The optical-electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment includes an optical-electrical conversion module 2 having an installation section 20 in which an optical fiber 8a that transmits an optical signal is installed, a lead 10 to which an electrical signal is input or output, an optical-electrical conversion circuit 14 that converts optical signals and electrical signals between the optical fiber 8a and the lead 10, an electrical connector 4 electrically connected to the lead 10, and a shell 6 that houses the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 aligned in the axial direction.

According to the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 of this embodiment, the optical-electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4, which are electrically connected and aligned in the axial direction, are housed in the shell 6. Therefore, by forming the shell 6 to match the shape of the insertion hole 48 in the case 46 of the multi-pole connector 44, the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 can be incorporated into the multi-pole connector 44 for use.

In the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, the shell 6 is formed into a cylindrical body, and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are arranged to be slidable in the axial direction of the shell 6 along the inner surface of the shell 6 between a holding position that holds the optical fiber 8a and a release position that releases the optical fiber 8a. This allows the optical fiber 8a to be detached and held while the optical/electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 are housed in the shell 6, facilitating the connection of the optical cable 8 when the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 is incorporated into a multi-pole connector 44 for use.

In addition, in the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, the shell 6 has a protrusion 40 protruding from the inner surface of the shell 6, and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 has a pressing portion 18 arranged to be pressed by the protrusion 40 in the holding position, and the pressing portion 18 is configured to transmit the pressing force of the protrusion 40 to the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation portion 20. Therefore, by simply sliding the optical/electrical conversion module 2 and the electrical connector 4 along the inner surface of the shell 6, the optical fiber 8a can be pressed and fixed against the installation portion 20 by the pressing portion 18, making it easy to install the optical fiber 8a.

In addition, in the photoelectric conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, on the surface on which the pressing portion 18 of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is provided, a groove portion 28 extending along the axial direction of the photoelectric conversion module 2 is formed between each of the axial ends of the photoelectric conversion module 2 and the pressing portion 18, and the groove portion 28 has a width and depth that allows the protrusion portion 40 to pass through the groove portion 28 when the photoelectric conversion module 2 housed in the shell 6 slides in the axial direction of the shell 6. Therefore, when the photoelectric conversion module 2 is in a position other than the holding position, the protrusion portion 40 is located in the groove portion 28 and does not press the pressing portion 18, so that the optical fiber 8a installed in the installation portion 20 is not pressed against the installation portion 20 by the pressing portion 18, and the optical fiber 8a can be attached and detached from the rear of the installation portion 20.

In addition, in the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, the shell 6 has a lance 42 protruding from the inner surface of the shell 6, and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 has an abutment portion 30 that abuts against the lance 42 from the release position side when in the holding position. This allows the lance 42 to restrict the movement of the optical/electrical conversion module 2 so that the optical/electrical conversion module 2 does not slide beyond the holding position, and the optical fiber 8a can be securely held.

In addition, in the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, the electrical connector 4 is formed with a recess 38 that prevents interference between the electrical connector 4 and the lance 42 in the release position. Therefore, the electrical connector 4 and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 can be easily slid into the release position without interference from the lance 42.

In addition, in the optical/electrical conversion connector 1 according to this embodiment, a second groove 32 extending along the axial direction of the optical/electrical conversion module 2 is formed between the end of the optical/electrical conversion module 2 and the abutment 30 on the surface facing the inner surface of the shell 6, and the second groove 32 has a width and depth that allows the lance 42 to pass through the second groove 32 when the optical/electrical conversion module 2 accommodated in the shell 6 slides in the axial direction of the shell 6. Therefore, when the electrical connector 4 and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 are accommodated in the shell 6, the lance 42 of the shell 6 passes through the second groove 32 of the optical/electrical conversion module 2, so that the electrical connector 4 and the optical/electrical conversion module 2 can be easily accommodated in the shell 6 without interference from the lance 42.

[Modification]
Next, a modification of the above-described embodiment will be described.

In the above-described embodiment, a single-core optical cable 8 having one optical fiber 8a is connected to the optical-electrical conversion module 2, but a two-core optical cable 8 having two optical fibers 8a can also be connected to the optical-electrical conversion module 2. In this case, the optical-electrical conversion module 2 includes an optical-electrical conversion circuit 14, a pressing portion 18, an installation portion 20, and a prism 22 for each of the two optical fibers 8a.

In the above embodiment, the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 is assembled into a multi-pole connector 44 having a rectangular cylindrical case 46, but it can also be assembled into a multi-pole connector having a cylindrical case. In this case, the shape of the shell 6 of the optical-electrical conversion connector 1 can be determined to match the shape of the insertion hole of the multi-pole connector.

The individual embodiments of the present invention are not independent and can be implemented in appropriate combinations. The above-described embodiments are merely examples for explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the invention.

The optical-electrical conversion connector of the present invention can be used for applications such as signal transmission.

Reference Signs List 1 Optical-electrical conversion connector 2 Optical-electrical conversion module 4 Electrical connector 6 Shell 8 Optical cable 8a Optical fiber 10 Lead 12 Lead frame 14 Optical-electrical conversion circuit 14a VCSEL
Reference Signs List 14b VCSEL driver 14c Photodiode 14d Amplification circuit 16 Main body 18 Pressing portion 20 Installation portion 22 Prism 24 Fitting hole 26 Reflecting surface 28 Groove portion 30 Contact portion 32 Second groove portion 34 Housing 36 Terminal 36a Contact portion 36b Rear end 38 Recess 40 Protrusion 42 Lance 44 Multi-pole connector 46 Case 48 Insertion hole 50 Inner wall X Axial direction or length direction Y Width direction or left-right direction Z Height direction or up-down direction

Claims (7)

an optical/electrical conversion module including an installation section in which an optical fiber for transmitting an optical signal is installed, a terminal for inputting or outputting an electrical signal, and an optical/electrical conversion circuit for converting an optical signal and an electrical signal between the optical fiber and the terminal;
an electrical connector electrically connected to the terminal;
a shell that houses the optical/electrical conversion module and the electrical connector aligned in an axial direction;
An optical/electrical conversion connector comprising: The shell is formed into a cylindrical body,
the optical-electrical conversion module and the electrical connector are arranged to be slidable in an axial direction of the shell along an inner surface of the shell between a holding position for holding the optical fiber and a release position for releasing the optical fiber.
2. The optical-electrical conversion connector according to claim 1. The shell has a protrusion protruding from an inner surface of the shell,
the photoelectric conversion module has a pressing portion disposed to be pressed by the protrusion at the holding position,
The pressing portion is configured to transmit a pressing force by the protrusion portion to the optical fiber installed in the installation portion.
3. The optical-electrical conversion connector according to claim 2. a groove portion extending along the axial direction of the photoelectric conversion module is formed between each of both axial end portions of the photoelectric conversion module and the pressing portion on a surface of the photoelectric conversion module on which the pressing portion is provided,
the groove has a width and a depth that allow the protrusion to pass through the groove when the photoelectric conversion module housed in the shell slides in the axial direction of the shell.
4. The optical/electrical conversion connector according to claim 3. the shell having a lance protruding from an inner surface of the shell;
the photoelectric conversion module includes an abutment portion that abuts against the lance from the release position side when in the holding position;
5. An optical/electrical conversion connector according to claim 2. a recess is formed in the electrical connector to avoid interference between the electrical connector and the lance in the released position;
6. The optical/electrical conversion connector according to claim 5. a second groove portion extending along an axial direction of the photoelectric conversion module is formed between an end of the photoelectric conversion module and the abutment portion on a surface of the photoelectric conversion module on which the abutment portion is provided and facing the inner surface of the shell;
the second groove portion has a width and a depth that allow the lance to pass through the second groove portion when the photoelectric conversion module housed in the shell slides in the axial direction of the shell.
7. The optical-electrical conversion connector according to claim 6.

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