JP3002574B2 - Optical connector structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a high-density plug-in optical connector structure used for mounting a terminal device in an optical communication network such as a public communication line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional optical connector structure of this type, a male optical connector 81 attached to a board (board) 80 and a board (board) 82 as shown in FIG. A female optical connector 83 is provided, and the male optical connector 81 is provided with a housing 84 and a housing 8.
4 includes an optical terminal (connection plug) 85 mounted in a terminal mounting hole (not shown). The female optical connector 83 includes a front housing 86 and a back housing 8.
7, a board 82 is interposed between the front housing 86 and the back housing 87, and the back housing 87 and the front housing 86 are fastened with bolts 88. Denotes an optical terminal (connection plug) 90. Optical terminal 85
As shown in FIG. 37, the ferrule 92 and the spring 93 are inserted into the plug frame 91, the spring 93 is compressed, and the front end of the spring 93 is pressed against the flange 96 of the holder 95 of the ferrule 92. The front edge of the flange 96 is connected to the step 94 on the inner surface
And the ferrule 92 is fixed. 38, the ferrule 98 and the spring 99 are inserted into the plug frame 97, and the stop ring 100 is inserted into the rear of the plug frame 97, as shown in FIG. The front end of the spring 99 is pressed against the flange 104 of the holder 103 of the ferrule 98, and the front edge of the flange 104 is plugged into the plug frame 97. The ferrule 98 is fixed to the step 105 on the inner surface of the ferrule 98.

Then, the male optical connector 81 is inserted into the front housing 86 of the female optical connector 83 to connect the two optical terminals 85 and 90 together.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example, the female optical connector 83 has a front housing 86 and a back housing 87, and the optical terminal 90 is mounted in the terminal mounting hole 89 of the back housing 87. The coupling of the female and male optical connectors 83, 81 is simply
The male optical connector 81 is inserted into the front housing 86 of the female optical connector 83 to couple the two optical terminals 85 and 90. When mounting the female and male optical connectors 83 and 81 on a unit, Since the springs 93 and 99 are compressed in the two optical terminals 85 and 90 due to the abutment of the ferrules 92 and 98, the board 82 is bent by the repulsive force, and there is nothing to absorb the variation in the axial direction. For this reason, there is a problem that the collision between the optical terminals 85 and 90 is hindered and the transmission performance is reduced.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to absorb variations in the axial direction when mounting the female and male optical connectors to a unit by moving the internal housing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector structure capable of improving the transmission performance by performing good abutment of connection plugs.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an external housing and a plurality of connection plugs which are built in the external housing with a predetermined amount of movement in the axial direction of the external housing. And a rear housing coupled to the outer housing via a stop member and attached to the board together with the outer housing. The rear portion of the inner housing is inserted into the hole of the board, and Insert the rear part of the inner housing inside the housing, form guide projections at the corners of the inner housing, and insert these guide projections into the inner corners of the outer housing to insert the inner housing into the outer housing. Is inserted.

[0007]

With this construction, the inner housing can be moved by a predetermined amount in the axial direction of the outer housing with the connection plug mounted, and the rear portion of the inner housing is guided by the hole of the board. The internal housing moves smoothly, and the internal housing moves without tilting to absorb variations in the axial direction when mounting the female and male optical connectors to the unit. It is performed better and transmission performance can be improved. Also, by inserting the guide projections at the corners of the inner housing into the corners inside the outer housing,
When the male optical connector is inserted, the left and right alignment with the guide projections at the corners of the inner housing is made earlier in the insertion order, and the connection plugs are better engaged to improve transmission performance. it can.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical connector structure according to the present invention. The optical connector structure according to the present invention comprises a male optical connector a attached to the board c and a female optical connector b attached to the board d.

The male optical connector a includes an insulating housing 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, and one surface of the insulating housing 1 is a board mounting side (lower surface portion 1b). The latter half of the board mounting side is formed as a board contact surface 2, positioning projections 3 are formed on the left and right sides of the board contact surface 2, and the board contact surface of the insulating housing 1. 2
Insertion recesses 4a into which nuts for screwing are inserted are formed on the opposite surface, that is, on the left and right sides of the upper surface 1a.

A large number of connection plug mounting holes 5 are formed in the front part of the insulating housing 1 along the left-right direction (the longitudinal direction of the insulating housing 1). The connection plug mounting hole 5 is provided at the tip of the connection plug mounting hole 5.
A pair of lances 6 are provided vertically above and below, and a groove 8 is provided between the front half of the partition wall 7 between the connection plug mounting holes 5 and the upper and lower surfaces 1a and 1b of the insulating housing 1. A lance portion 6 is located between the partition walls 7 separated from the upper and lower surfaces 1a and 1b by the grooves 8, and a sleeve holder locking piece 9 is formed at the front end of each partition wall 7. The opposite edge 9a of the sleeve holder locking piece 9 is formed in an arc shape.

Upper and lower surfaces 1a and 1b of the insulating housing 1
A pair of left and right tongue pieces 10, 11 and 12 are formed at the front edge of the left and right tongue pieces 10, 11 and 12, respectively.
Projections 13 and 14 are formed on the front edge of the projections 13 at the outside thereof, and the outer ends of the projections 13 and 14 are formed as inclined edges 13b and 14b inclined outward. Outer inclined surfaces 10a, 11a, 12a are formed at the front edges of the left and right and middle tongue pieces 10, 11, 12, and outer inclined surfaces are formed at the front edges of the projections 13, 14. Inclined surface portions 13a and 14a are formed. In addition, the front edges of the front edges of the upper and lower surfaces 1a, 1b of the insulating housing 1 and the front edges of the portions 15, 16 located between the left and right and middle tongues 10, 11, 12 are inclined surfaces inclined inward. Fifteen
a and 16a are formed.

The left and right portions 1c, 1d of the insulating housing 1
Are formed with lock pieces 17, which are left and right edges 18a, 18 of the upper and lower surfaces 1a, 1b.
The locking piece 17 is separated from the lock piece 17 at the tip of the lock piece 17 and is formed at the tip of the lock piece 17. To the left and right edges 18a, 1b of the upper and lower surfaces 1a, 1b.
A stopper 20 is formed to interfere with 8b.

A connecting plug 21 and a sleeve holder 22 are attached to the male optical connector a thus constructed. That is, the connection plugs 21 are inserted into the respective connection plug mounting holes 5 of the male optical connector a from the rear thereof, and the engaging portions 23 of these connection plugs 21 (corresponding to the front stopper 58 in FIG. 32). The lances are engaged with each other to fix the connection plug 21.

The sleeve holder 22 has two large and small flanges 2 on its outer peripheral surface as shown in FIGS.
4 and 25, and both sides of these flange portions 24 and 25 are cut off. And these sleeve holders 2
Numeral 2 is mounted on the front end of each connection plug mounting hole 5 of the male optical connector a, and an edge 9a of the sleeve holder locking piece 9 is engaged between the flanges 24 and 25. The ferrule 26 of the connection plug 21 is inserted into the sleeve holder 22.

The female optical connector b has an outer housing 27, an inner housing 41, and a rear housing 40. The rear housing 40 is connected to the outer housing 27 by a stop member 42 and a screw member 43. 41 is movably accommodated in the outer housing 27.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 19, the outer housing 27 is a flat rectangular frame having left and right side portions 27a and 27b, upper and lower portions 27c and 27d, and open front and rear. Yes, left and right sides 27a, 27
b is cut off except for the rear part, and the left and right side parts 2
A stopper portion 28 extends between the upper and lower portions 27c and 27d in front of the portions 7a and 27b.
Projection portions 28a are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the outer surface of 8.
Guide grooves 29 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper and lower surfaces 27c and 27d from the rear to the front. The left and right ends of the guide groove 29 form a corner 29 f inside the outer housing 27. Further, guide recesses 30 are formed on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower surfaces 27a and 27b so as to be located on the left and right, and a locking protrusion 31 is formed on the front side of the guide recesses 30.

A T-shaped stop member engaging groove 32 is formed on the left and right sides of the rear edges of the upper and lower surfaces 27a and 27b, and is formed on the front edges of the upper and lower surfaces 27a and 27b. An inwardly inclined surface 33 is formed.

FIGS. 20 to 29 show the inner housing 41. FIG. A plurality of connection plug mounting portions 34 are formed on the front portion of the inner housing 41 along the left-right direction. A pair of lances 35 are provided vertically inside each of these connection plug mounting portions 34. Also,
A guide portion 36 is formed on the left and right sides of the inner housing 41 so as to be located on the front side, and a guide protrusion 36b is formed at a tip portion of the guide portion 36 so as to protrude outward. A lock piece 37 is formed on the upper side of the inner housing 41 and on the left and right sides of the lower surfaces 41a and 41b so as to be located on the front side. These lock pieces 37 are provided with spring properties in a cantilever state. At the front edge of the lock piece 37, a lock projection 38 having an inclined surface 38a having an end surface inclined outward is formed. On the left and right of the lock projection 38, projecting portions 39 projecting inward are formed. These projections 39
Is formed on an inclined edge portion 39a inclined outward.

The rear housing 40 has left and right side portions 40a, 40b and upper and lower portions 40c, 40d as shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 8, and 9, and has a flat rectangular shape with front and rear portions opened. It is a frame-like body, and a large number of connection plug insertion portions 44 are formed on the rear surface thereof along the left-right direction.
Further, screw mounting holes 45 are provided on the left and right sides of the upper and lower surfaces 40c and 40d, and front portions of these screw mounting holes 45 are formed as stopper member insertion holes 46.

The inner housing 41 is inserted into the outer housing 27 from the rear thereof. In this case, the locking piece 37 of the inner housing 41 is inserted into the guide recess 30 of the outer housing 27 and the inner housing 41 is inserted into the outer housing 27. 41 are inserted into the guide grooves 29 of the outer housing 27 and the guide projections 3 of the guide 36 are inserted.
The inner housing 41 is strongly pushed along the corner 29f formed by the lower end and the upper end of the guide groove 29 so that the locking projection 38 of the lock piece 37 is brought into contact with the guide recess 3.
Over the locking projection 31 of the lock 3
8 is arranged along the guide concave portion 30 on the front side of the lock convex portion 31.

The stop member 42 is inserted into the stop member engaging groove 32 of the outer housing 27 having the inner housing 41 therein.
The T-shaped head 42a is press-fitted, and a stopper member 42 is attached to the outer housing 27. The outer housing 27 is moved along the board d, and the rear portion of the inner housing 41 is inserted into the hole 47 of the board d. The rear housing 40 is inserted along the rear side of the board d, the rear of the internal housing 41 is inserted into the rear housing 40, and the stopper member 4 is inserted.
2 is inserted into the fixing member insertion hole 46 of the screw mounting hole 45 of the rear housing 40, the screw member 43 is inserted into the screw mounting hole 45, and the screw member 43 is screwed into the screw hole 42 b of the fixing member 42. By tightening the screw member 43, the rear housing 40 is attached to the outer housing 27 and the female optical connector b is attached to the board d.

A connection plug 48 is attached to the female optical connector b configured as described above. That is, as shown in FIGS. 32 to 34, the connection plug is made of a synthetic resin knob 50, a plug frame 51 and a stop ring 52.
And a ferrule 53 and a spring 54. The knob 50 has a pair of openings 55, a pair of finger hooks 56, and a pair of windows 57 formed from the front side to the rear side. A pair of front stoppers 58, a pair of rear stoppers 59, and a pair of engagement holes 60 are formed from the front side to the rear side. The stop ring 52 is made of metal, and has a pair of engagement projections 61 and a stopper 62 formed from the front side to the rear side. The ferrule 53 is held by a holder 63, and a flange 64 is formed on the holder 63. An optical cable (not shown) is connected to the ferrule 53.

Then, the ferrule 53 and the spring 54 are inserted into the plug frame 51, and the stop ring 52 is inserted into the rear portion of the plug frame 51, and the engaging projection 61 of the stop ring 52 is inserted into the engaging hole 60. The spring 54 is engaged to compress the spring 54, and the front end of the spring 54 is pressed against the flange 64 of the holder 63 of the ferrule 53, and the front edge of the flange 64 abuts against the step 51 a on the inner surface of the plug frame 51. The ferrule 53 is fixed. A swaging sleeve 66 is provided at the rear of the stop ring 52.
The optical cable is fixed to the stop ring 52 side by caulking the rear portion of the caulking sleeve 66 with a caulking member 67.

Then, the crimping sleeve 66 and the optical cable are covered with a holder 68. A knob 50 is put on the plug frame 51, and a front stopper 58 of the plug frame 51 is inserted into an opening 55 of the knob 50.
And the rear stopper 59 are inserted. When the rear stopper 59 is in contact with the rear edge 55 a of the opening 55, there is a gap between the front stopper 58 and the front edge 55 b of the opening 55. There is a gap h, and the knob 50 for this gap h can move back and forth.

The connection plugs 48 constructed as described above are inserted into the respective connection plug insertion portions 44 of the rear housing 40 from behind, and inserted into the connection plug mounting portions 34 of the internal housing 41. The lance 35 is engaged with the opening 55 of the knob 50, and the connection plug 48 is attached to the female optical connector b. In addition,
The connection plug 21 has the same configuration as the connection plug 48 except that the knob 50 is removed.

Next, the connection of the female and male optical connectors b and a will be described.

The tongue pieces 10, 11, 12 of the male optical connector a
Are inserted between the outer housing 27 and the inner housing 41 of the female optical connector b.
When the male optical connector a is pushed in along the corner on the front surface of the outer housing 27, the outer edges of the outer tongue 1 and the outer edges of the right and left tongues 10, 11 and the guide protrusions of the inner housing are quickly established. The male optical connector a and the inner housing 41 are aligned with each other by fitting the portion 36b. When the male optical connector a is pushed in, the ferrule 53 of the connection plug 48 is inserted into the sleeve holder 22, and the ferrules 53 and 26 abut each other. At this time, after the protrusions 20 on both sides of the locking portion 19 at the leading end of the left and right locking pieces 17 of the male optical connector a ride on the protrusions 28 a of the left and right stoppers 28 of the external housing 27, Part 2
When engaged inside 8a, locking portion 19 is locked with surface 36a. Further, when the male optical connector a is pushed in, the inner housing 41 is formed by inclined surfaces 15a, 16a inclined inside the front edges of the portions 15, 16 located between the left and right and middle tongues 10, 11, 12. Pressing the slanted edge 39a of the lock projection 37 of the lock projection 37 outward of the projection 39 of the lock projection 37 displaces the lock projection 37 inward as shown in FIG. When the engagement of the outer housing 27 with the locking projection 31 is released,
The inner housing 41 can be moved and the locking projection 3
8 is elastic beyond the locking convex portion 31 and is elastic.
Abut on the underside of. In this state, the inner housing 41
Is released to the outer housing 27, and the inner housing 41 can move in the axial direction together with the connection plug 48.

According to the above embodiment, the inner housing 4
1 can move a predetermined amount in the axial direction of the outer housing 27 with the connection plug 48 attached,
When the male optical connector a is inserted into the female optical connector b and the connection plugs 48 and 21 are brought into abutment, both connection plugs 4
8, 21 and the inner housing 41 can move. In this way, the variation in the axial direction when mounting the female and male optical connectors b and a in the unit can be absorbed by the movement of the inner housing 27, and the abutment of the connection plugs 48 and 21 is performed favorably. Transmission performance can be improved.

The rear part of the inner housing 41 is inserted into the hole 47 of the board d,
0, the rear part of the inner housing 41 is inserted into the inner housing 41, and a guide projection 36b is formed at a corner of the inner housing 41.
Since the guide projections 36b are inserted into the corners 29f inside the outer housing 27 and the inner housing 41 is inserted into the outer housing 27, the rear portion of the inner housing 41 has a hole 47 of the board d. To be guided to
The movement of the inner housing 41 becomes smooth, and the inner housing 41 moves without tilting, thereby absorbing the variation in the axial direction when the female and male optical connectors b and a are mounted on the unit. 21 can be performed better and the transmission performance can be improved. Also,
When the male side optical connector a is inserted by inserting the guide protrusion 36b at the corner of the inner housing 41 into the corner 29f inside the outer housing 27, the inner housing 4
The left-right alignment with the guide protrusion 36b at the corner of the first part is made earlier in the insertion order, and the abutment of the connection plugs 48 and 21 is performed more favorably, so that the transmission performance can be improved.

[0030]

As described above, the present invention relates to an outer housing, an inner housing having a large number of connection plugs built therein with a predetermined amount of movement in the axial direction of the outer housing, and an outer housing. It is connected to the housing via a stop member, and
A rear housing attached to the board, the rear of the internal housing being inserted into a hole of the board, and the rear of the internal housing being inserted into the rear housing;
Guide projections are formed at the corners of the internal housing, and these guide projections are inserted into the internal corners of the external housing, and the internal housing is inserted into the external housing. In this state, the inner housing can be moved by a predetermined amount in the axial direction of the outer housing, and since the rear portion of the inner housing is guided by the hole of the board, the movement of the inner housing becomes smooth. Can move without tilting to absorb variations in the axial direction when the female and male optical connectors are mounted on the unit, and the abutment of the connection plugs can be performed better to improve transmission performance. . Also, when the guide projections at the corners of the inner housing are inserted into the corners inside the outer housing, when inserting the male optical connector,
The alignment of the corners of the inner housing with the guide projections in the left-right direction is performed earlier in the insertion order, so that the connection plugs can be abutted better and the transmission performance can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an optical connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a male optical connector in the optical connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a housing structure of the male-side optical connector.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the housing structure of the male-side optical connector.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a housing structure of the male-side optical connector.

FIG. 6 is a partially sectional plan view of a female optical connector in the optical connector structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a housing structure of the female optical connector.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of a housing structure of the female optical connector.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a housing structure of the female optical connector.

FIG. 10 is a front view of an external housing of the female optical connector.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the outer housing.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the outer housing.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view along the line DD in FIG. 10;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a portion shown in FIG. 11E.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along the line 11F-F of FIG. 11;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along the line G-G in FIG. 11;

FIG. 20 is a front view of the internal housing of the female optical connector.

FIG. 21 is a partially broken plan view of the inner housing.

FIG. 22 is a rear view of the inner housing.

FIG. 23 is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 21H.

24 is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 21I.

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken along the line JJ of FIG. 20;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along the line KK of FIG. 20;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken along the line L-L in FIG. 20;

FIG. 28 is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 20M.

FIG. 29 is a view as seen from the direction of arrows in FIG. 28N.

FIG. 30 is a front view of a sleeve holder.

FIG. 31 is a partially sectional plan view of a sleeve holder.

FIG. 32 is a partially sectional side view of a connection plug.

FIG. 33 is a plan view of the connection plug.

FIG. 34 is a front view of the connection plug.

FIG. 35 is an explanatory diagram of displacement of the lock piece due to collision between the housing of the male optical connector and the lock piece of the female optical connector.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a conventional optical connector structure.

FIG. 37 is a partially sectional side view of an optical terminal (connection plug) used in the optical connector structure.

FIG. 38 is a partially sectional side view of an optical terminal (connection plug) used in the optical connector structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 a male optical connector b female optical connector d board 27 external housing 29 guide groove 29f corner 36 guide portion 36b guide protrusion 41 inner housing 47 hole

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Ryo Nagase, Inventor Ryo Nagase 1-1-6 Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Kazunori Kanayama 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Japan Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Yasuhiro Ando 1-1-6 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Keiichi Yasuda 1-16-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Shuji Arima 5-5-23 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Hirose Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tateomi Matsumoto 5-5-23, Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Hirose Electric (72) Inventor Takashi Nishiyama 5-5-23 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Hirose Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toshiaki Nakano Meguro, Tokyo 6-18-18 Meguro Honcho Honda Communication Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiromasa Okamura 6-18-12 Meguro Honcho Meguro-ku, Tokyo Inside Honda Communication Industry Co., Ltd. (56) References JP 63 -44608 (JP, A) JP-A-2-10506 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 6/36 G02B 6/38 G02B 6/40

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An outer housing, an inner housing having a plurality of connection plugs incorporated therein with a predetermined amount of movement in an axial direction of the outer housing, and coupled to the outer housing via a stopper member. A rear housing attached to the board together with the outer housing, wherein a rear portion of the inner housing is inserted into a hole of the board, and a rear portion of the inner housing is inserted into the rear housing to form a corner of the inner housing. An optical connector structure, wherein guide projections are formed on the outer housing, and the guide projections are inserted into corners inside the outer housing to insert the inner housing into the outer housing.