JP2591744B2 - Switching method and switching device for optical connector - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for switching an optical connector to which an optical fiber cable is connected.

Alternatively, the present invention relates to a switching device used for the switching method.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

In order to connect two optical fibers, it is necessary to first accurately abut the two optical fibers with each other, and when re-coupling with a dissimilar fiber, the coupling state is released and the light is re-coupled. Since communication is intermittent, it is necessary to perform communication as fast as possible. For this reason, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 11, guide pin insertion holes 3a, 4a, 3b, and 4b are provided in optical fiber connecting members 1 and 2 to which optical fibers are connected, and the guide pins are inserted after the respective coupling end faces are abutted. 36, 36 were inserted into the guide pin insertion holes 3a, 4a or 3b, 4b to increase the connection accuracy.

That is, it is difficult to achieve an accuracy of a micron unit only by abutting the coupling end faces of the optical fiber connecting member with each other, and as shown in FIG. The optical fibers 7, 6 connected to the end faces of the fibers 6, 6, 6,.
The end faces of 7,7, ... do not match. So optical fibers 6,6,6, ...
The guide pin 36 is inserted into the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member to improve the accuracy as a means for accurately matching the end face of the optical fiber 7 with the end face of the optical fibers 7, 7,. As a method for switching the optical connector, first, as shown in FIG.
Then, the other optical fiber connecting member 5 is installed as shown in FIG. 3A, and the coupling is released by moving the optical fiber connecting member 2 rightward (FIG. 4B). In this case, as shown in the figure, the moving distance is such that one end of the guide pin needs to clear the coupling end face 1a of the optical fiber connecting member 1, and thus the optical communication is in a disconnected state. Therefore, it is necessary to perform the communication at a high speed because it is necessary to minimize the communication disabled state as much as possible. Next, as shown in FIG. 13 (c), the optical fiber connecting member 2 is moved in the direction of another optical fiber connecting member 5.
This also has to be moved in a short time for the reasons mentioned above. Therefore, the optical fiber connecting member 2 or its holding member has hit the predetermined fixing member 8 conventionally.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
Was moved to the left to reconnect with another optical fiber connecting member 5. That is, conventionally, the optical fiber connecting member has three steps of rightward movement (FIG. 13 (b)), downward movement (FIG. 13 (c)), and leftward movement (FIG. 13 (d)). After that, switching has been performed, and therefore, there were the following disadvantages.

First, since optical communication is interrupted during the above process, the optical fiber connecting member must be moved in a short time, but moving at high speed in a U-shape throughout the entire process is stopped at two places in the middle. It is extremely difficult to include the parts.

Second, since the optical fiber connecting member collides with the fixing member at a high speed when moving downward (FIG. 13 (c)),
The optical fiber connecting member 2 and the guide pin 36 vibrate, and in that state, it is difficult to accurately insert the optical fiber connecting member 5 into the guide pin insertion hole of another optical fiber connecting member 5.

Third, since all three processes have different directions and require high speed and precision, the equipment and mechanism required for switching are complicated, and the cost is increased economically.

In the conventional switching device, first, means for moving the optical fiber connecting member to the right at high speed in the first step (FIG. 13 (b)), and high-speed optical fiber connection in the second step (FIG. 13 (c)). A means for causing the member 2 to collide with the fixing member 8, and a third step ((d) in the drawing) is a high-speed and accurate guide pin
Since means for inserting the 36 into the other optical fiber connecting members 3 are required, there is a disadvantage that the mechanism is complicated, and the size of the switching device is increased and the cost is increased.

Also, as shown in FIG. 13, the conventional optical connector has a short guide pin 36, so that the guide pin is shifted during use for a long time, the axis of the optical fiber is shifted, and a gap is generated between the optical fibers. There is a drawback that loss and Fresnel reflection loss occur and hinder optical communication.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for switching an optical connector that can reduce the time required for interrupting optical communication by shortening the entire process required for switching the optical connector.

Further, the invention relating to the switching device used in the method realizes a shortened optical communication interruption time by shortening the entire process required for switching, and provides a mechanically simple and highly reliable optical connector switching device. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for solving the problem]

In a method for switching an optical connector in which one optical fiber connecting member of a pair of optical fiber connecting members coupled to each other by a guide pin is moved and re-coupled to another optical fiber connecting member, the guide pin is set to one. A guide pin moving step of pushing from the other optical fiber connecting member side of the pair of optical fiber connecting members and extruding a part thereof out of one optical fiber connecting member, and moving one optical fiber connecting member along its coupling end face. An optical fiber connecting member moving step of moving the guide pin to the front surface of another optical fiber connecting member by a spring force; and The method is characterized by including a guide pin inserting step of pushing from the side and pushing it into another optical fiber connecting member.

Alternatively, the switching device for an optical connector using the switching method includes moving one of the pair of optical fiber connecting members coupled to each other by a guide pin, and moving the other optical fiber connecting member. In the switching device for an optical connector to be recoupled to the optical fiber connecting member, an optical fiber connecting member holding means for holding a pair of optical fiber connecting members and another optical fiber connecting member, and the other optical fiber of the pair of optical fiber connecting members It is located behind the connecting member,
A guide pin moving means for pushing a guide pin and partially pushing the guide pin out of one of the optical fiber connecting members, and an optical fiber for moving one of the optical fiber connecting members to the front surface of the other optical fiber connecting member along its coupling end face. A connecting member moving means, and a guide pin inserting means disposed behind the position after the movement of one of the optical fiber connecting members and for pushing the guide pin into the other optical fiber connecting member; It is characterized by comprising a U-shaped flat plate having an area larger than at least the cross-sectional area of the guide pin in the radial direction, and a flat plate drive mechanism for sliding the U-shaped flat plate in the guide pin insertion direction.

[Action]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the steps required for switching the optical connector can be shortened, and the optical connector can be switched in a short time.

Further, since the optical connector switching device used in the present invention is configured as described above, the optical fiber connecting member is held by the optical fiber connecting member holding means, and the guide pins slide by the action of the guide pin moving means. Then, the coupling state of the optical fiber connecting member is released. When the coupling state is released, the optical fiber connecting member moving means acts to slide the optical fiber connecting member toward another optical fiber connecting member along the coupling end face, so that the optical fiber connecting member and the optical fiber connecting member are moved. The members face each other. Thereafter, the guide pin inserting means acts to push the pushed-out guide pin with the U-shaped flat plate, so that the guide pin is inserted into the optical fiber connecting member, and the switching of the optical connector is completed.

In particular, since the U-shaped flat plate is formed of a flat plate having an area at least larger than the radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin, even when the guide pin is vibrating due to the movement of the optical fiber connecting member, the U-shaped flat plate is used. By pressing the guide pin, the guide pin can be easily inserted into the optical fiber connecting member.

〔Example〕

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

FIG. 1 is a process diagram for explaining a method for switching an optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a switching device to which the above-mentioned switching method is applied.

First, an embodiment of an optical connector switching device will be described with reference to FIG. The switching device includes a connecting member holding portion for holding a pair of optical fiber connecting members and another optical fiber connecting member which are coupled with a guide pin with high precision.
It has 12,13,14,15,16. The other optical fiber connecting members are held by the connecting member holding portions 13 and 14 in parallel with the optical fiber connecting members of the pair of optical fiber connecting members that do not rejoin (so that the coupling end faces are on the same plane). . At least two of these connection member holding portions are configured to be able to move the optical fiber connection member in the direction of the arrow in the drawing (hereinafter, referred to as “y direction”), and are applicable to optical connectors having different sizes. I can do it. The connecting member holding portions 12, 13, and 14 have a float mechanism 19 as shown in FIG. 2, and the float mechanism 19 separates the optical fiber connecting member in the connected state (hereinafter, referred to as a “floating mechanism”).
It is called “x _L direction”. ), Which is mounted on a fine movement stage 39. This fine movement stage has rails 39a, 39a in the x direction at the lower part and is rail-connected to the base 17, so that it can be finely moved in the x direction.

The guide pin moving section 18 is a push pin that pushes out the guide pin.
It is composed of 18a, 18a and a push pin drive mechanism 18b, and is mounted behind the optical fiber connecting member 9 on a fine movement stage 39 via a float mechanism 19 as shown in FIG. Therefore, even if the holding positions of the connection members are slightly different, the guide pins are smoothly moved by the float mechanisms 19, 19. Since the guide pin moving portion slides the guide pin connecting the optical fiber connecting member 9 and the optical fiber connecting member 10, the driving direction of the push pins 18a, 18a is determined by inserting the guide pin of the optical fiber connecting member 9 into the guide pin. The guide pin moving unit 18 is attached to the fine movement stage 39 so as to match the direction.

The optical fiber connecting member 10 to be recombined among the pair of optical fiber connecting members is held by other connecting member holding portions 15 and 16. As shown in FIG. 2, one of these connection member holding portions 15 and 16 is configured to be slidable in the direction of the arrow (y direction), so that it can be applied to connectors of different sizes. These connection member holding parts 15, 16
Is mounted on a high-speed moving stage 20 that can move at high speed in the y-direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the high-speed moving stage 20 also has rail portions 20a
The rail is connected to 1. Since the rail is provided in the y direction, the high-speed moving stage 20 acts to translate the optical fiber connecting member to be recoupled along the coupling end face of the optical fiber connecting member. As a mechanism for realizing this high-speed movement, for example, the high-speed movement stage 20 is urged toward the other optical fiber connecting members 11 by a spring, and when the coupling state of the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 is released. A trigger is applied, the rail is slid on the rail by a spring force, and the rail is stopped by, for example, colliding with the fixing member 8. Alternatively, a solenoid or a pulse motor may be used instead of the spring. Precise control is required so that it can be stopped. What is important here is that the uncoupling and reconnection of the optical connectors are performed on the same plane, and the process is performed in the shortest possible time because the optical connector travels the shortest distance at high speed. Therefore, the mechanism is not particularly limited to the above-described embodiment as long as the mechanism can realize such an object.

As shown in FIG. 2, the guide pin insertion portion 22 is fixed on a fixed base 23 so as to face the other optical fiber connecting member 11. The guide pin insertion section 22 has a configuration including a pressing member 22a and a pressing member driving section 22b. The pressing member 22a
After the optical fiber connecting member 10 is moved by the high-speed moving stage 20, the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member 10 and the pressing member 22a are arranged so as to face each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing member 22a is formed of a U-shaped flat plate having an area at least larger than the cross-sectional area of the guide pin in the radial direction. Therefore, the optical fiber connecting member 10
Even when the guide pin is vibrating due to the movement of, the guide pin can be pressed by this pressing member 22a,
The guide pin can be easily inserted into the optical fiber connecting member 10. The pressing member 22a is a U-shaped flat plate.
These grooves are attached in a state facing the direction of the optical fiber connecting member 10. Therefore, after the optical fiber connecting member 10 moves, the pressing member 22a can press the guide pin without abutting on the optical fiber cable 24 connected to the optical fiber connecting member 10.

In the above, one embodiment of the switching device applied to the switching method of the optical connector according to the present invention has been described. Here, the connecting member holding portion is, for example, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to arrange them in parallel and adjacently, and to fix them with a U-shaped holding member 25 that can be freely opened and closed. In this case, there is no need for a mechanism for moving at least two of the connection member holding parts 12, 13, and 14 in the y direction, and the mechanism can be simplified, which is economically advantageous. Furthermore, the attachment of the optical fiber connecting member is easy,
Since the holding unit is held from the direction, the reliability as the holding unit is improved.

Further, the shape of the push pin of the guide pin moving part 18 corresponds to the shape of the guide pin of the optical connector. Number of guide pins.

Next, another embodiment of the optical connector switching device will be described with reference to FIG. The above-described embodiment (second
What is different from the figure is that the optical fiber connecting member 9 and the optical fiber connecting member 11 are stacked sideways, and a substantially U-shaped holding member 26 and a holding pin 27 are used as holding means of the optical fiber connecting member 10. This is a point that the spontaneous dropping motion of the optical fiber connecting member 10 due to its own weight is used as the connecting member moving means, and a substantially U-shaped pressing member 28 is used as the pressing member of the guide pin insertion portion 22. .

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the substantially U-shaped holding member 26 is provided with upright portions 26a, 26b facing each other.
6b has a retaining pin insertion hole 2 for penetrating the retaining pins 27, 27.
9a, 30a, 29b and 30b are provided. These standing portions 26a, 26b
As shown in FIG. 5, the distance g is set to be not less than w and not more than (w + δ), where w is the width of the optical fiber connecting member and δ is an interval that does not hinder optical communication. The substantially U-shaped pressing member 28 is obtained by rotating the above-described U-shaped pressing member 22a around a 90-degree axis so as to form a U-shape. Therefore, similarly to the pressing member 22a, the substantially U-shaped pressing member 28 has an area at least larger than the radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin. Therefore, even when the guide pin is vibrating due to the movement of the optical fiber connecting member 10, the guide pin can be pressed by the substantially U-shaped pressing member 28, and the guide pin can be easily inserted into the optical fiber connecting member 10. Can be done.

In this embodiment, even if the guide pin slides rightward by the guide pin moving unit 18 (not shown), the action of the holding pin 27 attached to the upper portion of the substantially U-shaped holding member 26 causes
The optical fiber connecting member 10 remains in the substantially U-shaped holding member 26. When the guide pin is moved and the connection state between the optical fiber connecting member 9 and the optical fiber connecting member 10 is released, the optical fiber connecting member 10 projects from the upright portion 26a of the substantially U-shaped holding member 26 with the guide pin protruding. , Falls naturally along 26b. Since the optical fiber connecting members 9, 10, 11 are usually of the same shape, and the substantially U-shaped holding members 17, 17 are also of the same shape, the coupling end face of the optical fiber connecting member 10 after falling has a high probability. And the distance between the upright portions 26a and 26b is set to be not less than w (w + δ), so that there is no obstacle to the natural fall and the recovery of the optical communication after the fall. Becomes easier. Thereafter, the guide pin is pushed into the insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member 11 by sliding the substantially U-shaped pressing member 28, and the connection between the optical fiber connecting member 10 and the optical fiber connecting member 11 is completed. In this case, since the optical fiber connecting member 11 is held by the other holding pins 27, the optical fiber connecting member
11 does not retreat to the left.

According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, there is no need to press the connecting member holding portion in the direction of the arrow, so that the mechanism is simplified, and the processing of the device is facilitated, so that overall cost reduction and Become. Further, the overall size can be reduced. Furthermore, since the spontaneous falling motion is used as the connecting member moving means, a moving mechanism (spring, solenoid, etc.) for forcibly moving the connecting member is unnecessary, and the coupling end faces of the optical fiber connecting member can be abutted with high precision upon dropping. Recovery of optical communication becomes easy.

Next, an optical connector switching method applied to the optical connector switching device will be described with reference to FIG. The optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are held by connecting member holding portions 12, 13, 15, and 16 in a state where they are joined by the guide pins 31, and the other optical fiber connecting members 11 are connected to the optical fiber connecting member 9. Adjacent in parallel, they are held by connecting member holding portions 13 and 14 (FIG. 7A).

In the guide pin moving step, the push pin 18a is inserted into the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member 9 by the operation of the push pin driving section 18b of the guide pin moving section 18. Push pin
The tip of 18a contacts one end of the guide pin 31 to slide the guide pin. The push pin 18a is pushed to the coupling end face between the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10, but the guide pin 31
Is longer than the entire length of the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member and is twice or less the length thereof.
By this movement of a, the other end is pushed out of the optical fiber connecting member 10 as shown in FIG. 1 (b).

 Next, the optical fiber connecting member moving step will be described.

Since the connecting member holding portions 15 and 16 for holding the optical fiber connecting member 10 are fixed to the high-speed moving stage 20, the optical fiber connecting member 10 moves together with the high-speed moving stage 20. Since optical communication is interrupted during this movement time, it is necessary to move the optical communication in a short time. As a mechanism for moving, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), two guide rails 21a,
21a is laid, and the high-speed moving stage 20 is urged toward the other optical fiber connecting member 11 by a spring, and when the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are released from the coupled state, a trigger is applied, and There is one that slides on the rail and collides with the fixing member 8 to stop ((c) in the figure). In this case, a configuration may be used in which a solenoid or a pulse motor is used instead of a spring to control the motor to stop at a predetermined position. What is important here is that the disconnection and reconnection of the optical connector are performed on the same straight line,
In addition, this method is performed in the shortest possible time to move the shortest distance at high speed. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as long as the mechanism achieves the above object.

Before the optical fiber connecting member moving step, the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 11 are moved to the fine movement stage 39 (FIG. 2).
May be moved backward by the operation of. However, what is important here is the distance to retract, which is limited to a range δ (about 5 μm) that does not hinder optical communication. In this range, there is no need to move in a short time, so there is a margin in time, and precision control is easy. Further, when moving the optical fiber connecting member 10 at a high speed, the corners 10c, 10c, of the coupling end faces of the optical fiber connecting member 10 and the optical fiber connecting member 11.
It is possible to prevent the optical fiber connecting member from being damaged by collision without hitting the 11c. After the movement of the optical fiber connecting member is completed, the optical fiber connecting member 10 is returned to a predetermined position by the operation of the fine movement stage 39. As another embodiment for achieving the above object, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a case where the coupling end face of the optical fiber connecting member 11 is previously retracted by δ from the coupling end face of the optical fiber connecting member 12 and held. . In this case, after the guide pin clears the coupling end face, the optical fiber connecting member 9 is moved to the fine movement stage.
No need to move at 39.

Next, the guide pin insertion step will be described. The coupling end face of the optical fiber connecting member 10 is configured to face the coupling end face of another optical fiber connecting member 11 when the movement is completed (see FIG. 1 (c)). However, at this point, the twelfth
As shown in FIG. 1A, the end faces of the optical fibers do not completely match, and the optical communication is in a cut-off state. for that reason,
In this step, the guide pin 31 protruding from the optical fiber connecting member 10 is pushed into the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connecting member 11 by the pressing member 22a of the guide pin inserting portion 22. As shown in FIG. 12 (b), when the tip of the guide pin enters the optical fiber connecting member to be recoupled, the end faces of the optical fibers coincide with each other, and optical communication becomes possible.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing member 22a is formed of a U-shaped flat plate having an area at least larger than the radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin. Therefore, even if the protruding guide pin 31 vibrates due to the collision of the high-speed moving stage 20 with the fixing member 8, the guide pin can be easily inserted into the optical fiber connection member 10. Further, since the pressing member 22a is formed of a U-shaped flat plate, it is possible to press the guide pin without contacting the optical fiber cable 24.

Until the guide pin is inserted, the optical communication remains interrupted. Therefore, when the movement of the high-speed moving stage 20 is completed, a trigger is activated, and the guide pin insertion section is activated immediately. desirable.

Next, an optical connector used in the above-described optical connector switching method will be described. In FIG. 7, the optical fiber connecting member 9 has guide pin insertion holes 32a, 33a for inserting the guide pins 31, 31, and the optical fiber connecting member 10
Are guide pin insertion holes 32b, 33b for inserting the guide pins 31, 31.
have. These optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are both connected to the end face 34 of the optical fiber at the coupling end face.
The optical fiber is formed, for example, as a tape-shaped or circular cable, and its end faces are scattered on the coupling end face in a straight or circular shape (not shown) as shown. Guide pin insertion holes 32a of the optical fiber connection members 9 and 10,
Optical communication is realized by the surfaces having the surfaces 33a, 32b, and 33b being precisely adhered to each other.

In order to improve such accuracy, the optical fiber connecting member 9
The guide pins 31, 31 are inserted into the guide pin insertion holes 32a, 32b, 33a, 33b in a state where the optical fiber connecting member 10 and the optical fiber connecting member 10 are abutted. Therefore, guide pin insertion holes 32a, 32b and 33a, 33b
Is provided at a position where the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are completely matched when the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are abutted with each other in a state where optical communication can be performed. Furthermore, guide pin insertion holes 32a,
The vicinity of the entrance of 33a, 32b, 33b may be formed in a trumpet shape (FIG. 8 (a)) or a tapered shape (FIG. 8 (b)). With this configuration, the insertion of the guide pin is further facilitated.

The guide pins 31, 31 are used for improving the accuracy and reliability of the connection state of the optical fiber connecting members 9, 10, and the shape thereof matches the shape of the guide pin insertion hole. here,
Although the case where the guide pin is a round bar will be described, an oval or other shape may be used as long as the accuracy and reliability of the coupling state of the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are improved.
The tip of this guide pin is 7th for easy attachment and detachment.
It is round as shown in the figure. What is important here is the length of the guide pin. When using the same shape as the optical fiber connecting member, the total length of the guide pins is longer than the total length of the above-described guide pin insertion hole and is limited to twice or less. Therefore, when optical fiber connecting members having different shapes are connected to each other (when the entire lengths of the guide pin inserting holes are different between the optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10), the total value obtained by adding the total lengths of the respective guide pin inserting holes is: The upper limit is set, and the lower limit is the length of the shorter guide pin insertion hole. Therefore, for example, if the total length of the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connection member 9 is L ₁ and the total length of the guide pin insertion hole of the optical fiber connection member 10 is L ₂ (L ₁ > L ₂ ), the total length of the guide pin is longer than _{L 2 (L 1 + L 2} ) is limited to the following length.

The optical fiber connecting members 9 and 10 are connected to the guide pins 31, 31.
Is clamped by the clamp member 35 in a state where the members are joined together. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the clamp member 35 is formed in a shape obtained by bending a plate material having both ends formed in a U-shape into a substantially U-shape. What is important is that a portion (coupling portion) 35 for maintaining the coupling state of the two optical fiber connecting members.
This is a point (b), 35a, 35a, 35a for preventing the b, 35b and the guide pin from slipping off (insertion hole mask portion). Therefore, the shape is not particularly limited as long as the member has the above function. For example, a coupling function utilizing spring force may be used, and an insertion hole masking function may take various forms in consideration of the end face shape of the optical fiber connecting member. FIG. 9 shows a state where the clamp member is used.

Next, another optical connector used in this optical connector switching method will be described.

The difference from the above optical connector is that, as shown in FIG. 10, dummy pins 42, 42 are inserted so that the guide pins inserted into the pair of optical fiber connecting members in the coupled state do not slide in the guide pin insertion holes. The difference is that the dummy pins 42, 42 are fixed by the clamp members 35.

In this case, since the guide pins do not shift at all even when the optical connector is used for a long period of time, the reliability of the optical connector is further improved.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention uses a U-shaped flat plate to push a guide pin into another optical fiber connecting member, and the U-shaped flat plate has at least an area larger than the radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin. I have. For this reason, even when the guide pin vibrates due to the movement of the optical fiber connecting member, the guide pin can be easily inserted into the optical fiber connecting member by pressing the guide pin with the U-shaped flat plate.

Further, by shortening the process required for switching the optical fiber connecting member to a minimum of one stroke, the optical fiber connecting member can be switched in a short time, so that the time during which optical communication is interrupted can be minimized. Having.

Furthermore, since the optical connector switching device used in the present invention is configured as described above, the time required for optical connector switching can be reduced as much as possible, and the structure is simplified and the reliability is improved. Having.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a process diagram showing a method for switching an optical connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a switching device for an optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a connection used in the switching device in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a member holding portion, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical connector switching device according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a view of a substantially U-shaped holding member used in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a method for holding an optical connector, FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an optical connector used in a method for switching the optical connector, and FIG. 8 is an optical fiber connecting member. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a use state of the optical connector, FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an essential part of the optical connector, and FIG. 11 is a conventional optical connector. FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view, FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main portion showing the inserted state of the guide pin, and FIG. Is a process diagram showing the come of switching methods. 1,2,5 ... optical fiber connecting member, 3,4 ... guide pin insertion hole, 6,7 ... optical fiber, 8 ... fixing member, 9 ... optical fiber connecting member (other optical fiber connecting member) ),Ten……
Optical fiber connection member (one optical fiber connection member), 11
…… optical fiber connecting members (other optical fiber connecting members),
12,13,14,15,16 …… Connecting member holder, 17… Base, 18…
... Guide pin moving part, 19 ... Float stand, 20 ... High speed moving stage, 21 ... Rail stand, 22 ... Guide pin insertion part, 23 ... Fixed stand, 24 ... Optical fiber cable, 25 ...
U-shaped holding member, 26: substantially U-shaped holding member, 27: holding pin, 28: substantially U-shaped pressing member, 29, 30 ... holding pin insertion hole, 31: guide pin, 32, 33 ... Guide pin insertion hole, 34 ... Optical fiber end face, 35 ... Clamp member, 36
…… Guide pins, 39… Fine-motion stage, 42 …… Dummy pins.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Yasuji Hattori 1 Tayacho, Sakae-ku, Yokohama-shi Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Yokohama Works (56) References JP-A-63-231308 (JP, A) JP-A-63 −229418 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1 is a view showing a state in which guide pins are connected to each other by a guide pin;
In a method for switching an optical connector in which one of the pair of optical fiber connecting members is moved and one of the pair of optical fiber connecting members is re-coupled to the other optical fiber connecting member, the guide pin is connected to the pair of optical fiber connecting members. A guide pin moving step of pushing a part of the one optical fiber connecting member out of the one optical fiber connecting member by pushing the other optical fiber connecting member from the other optical fiber connecting member side; An optical fiber connecting member moving step of moving to a front surface of the fiber connecting member by a spring force; and at least one of the U-shaped flat plates having an area larger than a radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin, the guide pin being connected to the one optical fiber connecting member. An optical connector characterized by comprising a guide pin inserting step of pushing from the outside and pushing it into another optical fiber connecting member. Switching method. 2. A pair of guide pins which are connected to each other by a guide pin.
An optical connector switching device for moving one optical fiber connecting member of the pair of optical fiber connecting members and reconnecting it to another optical fiber connecting member, wherein the pair of optical fiber connecting members and the other light An optical fiber connecting member holding means for holding a fiber connecting member, disposed behind the other optical fiber connecting member of the pair of optical fiber connecting members, and pushing the guide pin to connect the one optical fiber connecting member to the one optical fiber connecting member A guide pin moving unit that partially pushes out of the member, an optical fiber connecting member moving unit that moves the one optical fiber connecting member to a front surface of the other optical fiber connecting member along a coupling end surface thereof, Inserting a guide pin disposed behind the position after the movement of the optical fiber connecting member and pushing the guide pin into the other optical fiber connecting member The guide pin insertion means includes a U-shaped flat plate having an area larger than at least a radial cross-sectional area of the guide pin, and a flat plate driving mechanism for sliding the U-shaped flat plate in the guide pin insertion direction. A switching device for an optical connector. 3. The ones connected to each other by a guide pin.
In an optical connector switching device for moving one of the pair of optical fiber connecting members and reconnecting it to another optical fiber connecting member, a holding pin for holding the optical fiber connecting member and the holding pin are provided. A substantially U-shaped holding member for holding the pair of optical fiber connecting members and the other optical fiber connecting member with the holding pin, and an insertion hole for inserting the pair of optical fiber connecting members and the other optical fiber connecting member; A guide pin moving means disposed behind the other optical fiber connecting member and pushing the guide pin to partially push the guide pin out of the one optical fiber connecting member; and a position of the one optical fiber connecting member after the movement. And a guide pin inserting means for pushing the guide pin into the other optical fiber connecting member, the guide pin inserting means being provided at least A U-shaped flat plate having an area larger than a cross-sectional area of the guide pin in the radial direction, and a flat plate driving mechanism for sliding the U-shaped flat plate in the guide pin insertion direction. An optical connector switching device, wherein the optical connector is naturally dropped along a standing portion of a U-shaped holding member and is moved from the front surface of the other optical fiber connecting member to the front surface of the other optical fiber connecting member. .