JP4752634B2 - Optical connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector.

  In a system in which communication between a plurality of devices is performed by optical signals, the devices are coupled by a waveguide such as an optical cable, and an optical connector is widely used as a component that connects the device and the optical cable or between the optical cables. Among such optical connectors, there is a type that suppresses the amount of light leaking to the outside when the connected optical connector is removed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a conventional optical connector.

In FIG. 7, the optical connector 91 is shown together with the counterpart optical connector 92, and a state where the counterpart optical connector 92 is being detached from the optical connector 91 is shown. The optical connector 91 includes a waveguide 911 and a cylindrical adapter 93 that receives the counterpart optical connector 92. A shield plate 931 is provided in the adapter 93 so as to be rotatable about one side as an axis. As shown in FIG. 7, when the counterpart optical connector 92 is removed from the optical connector 91, the shielding plate 931 rotates and rises forward on the extension line of the waveguide 911. As a result, the shielding plate 931 blocks light from the waveguide 911 and prevents light from leaking out of the adapter 93. On the other hand, when the optical connector 91 is connected to the counterpart optical connector 92, the shielding plate 931 is pushed down by the counterpart waveguide 921 of the counterpart optical connector 92 and rotates from a position in front of the waveguide 911 to a position where it is retracted. To do. The counterpart waveguide 921 is in contact with the waveguide 911. As a result, light is guided from the waveguide 911 to the counterpart waveguide 921.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-9109

  However, since the optical connector shown in FIG. 7 reflects and blocks the light output from the waveguide 911, it is necessary to include a shielding plate 931 having a larger area than the cross section of the waveguide 911, and the optical connector is large. Become.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector that can reduce the amount of light that is output when the counterpart optical connector is separated and that can be miniaturized.

The optical connector of the present invention that achieves the above object is as follows.
A connector housing that is connected by pressing an optical connector of the other party holding one end of the other waveguide that guides light;
A self-waveguide that guides light, with an end face held in the connector housing;
The other end of the self-waveguide is brought into contact with and separated from the end face of the self-waveguide. It comprises a waveguide member that constitutes at least a part of the relay waveguide and completes the relay waveguide.

  In the optical connector of the present invention, when the counterpart optical connector is separated, the waveguide member constituting the relay waveguide is separated from the end face of the self-waveguide and the light transmissibility between the self-waveguide and the waveguide member Decreases. As a result, the amount of output light is reduced. As described above, in the present invention, since a shielding plate that blocks light, a space where the shielding plate is retracted, and the like are unnecessary, the optical connector can be downsized as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided. .

  Here, the optical connector of the present invention preferably includes a biasing member that biases the waveguide member so as to face the pressing force.

  By providing the urging member, the relay waveguide is reliably separated from the end face of the self-waveguide when the pressing force is released.

  Further, in the optical connector of the present invention, the waveguide member completes the relay waveguide by pressing the end face of the counterpart waveguide to one end and the other end of the waveguide contacting the self-waveguide. It may be allowed.

  The structure of the optical connector is simplified by the configuration in which the waveguide member itself is pressed to contact the self-waveguide.

Further, in the optical connector of the present invention, the self-waveguide has an end surface that is inclined with respect to a direction in which the self-waveguide extends as the end surface.
It is preferable that the waveguide member has an end surface inclined in accordance with the inclination of the end surface of the self-waveguide, and the end surfaces are in contact with each other.

  Since the self-waveguide has an inclined end surface, when the self-waveguide is separated from the waveguide member, light is reflected by the end surface, and thus light leaking from the optical connector is further suppressed.

In the optical connector of the present invention, one end is in contact with one end of the counterpart waveguide to form a part of the relay waveguide, and the other end with respect to the one end is separated from the end face of the self-waveguide. A spacing member;
The said waveguide member may complete the said relay waveguide by contacting both the said end surface of the said self-waveguide, and the said other end of the said separation member with the said pressing force.

  A higher reduction effect can be obtained by separating both ends of the waveguide member.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an optical connector is realized in which the amount of light emitted when the counterpart optical connector is separated is reduced and the size can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the optical connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the optical connector 10 is shown together with a counterpart optical connector 20 connected to the optical connector 10.

  The optical connector 10 includes a connector housing 11, an optical fiber 12 that guides light, a waveguide member 13 that can be separated from and connected to the optical fiber 12, and a spring 14. The counterpart optical connector 20 includes a connector housing 21 and an optical fiber 22 as a counterpart waveguide having one end 22 a held by the connector housing 21.

  The connector housing 11 of the optical connector 10 is a molded product made of a synthetic resin, and is connected by pressing the counterpart optical connector 20. The connector housing 11 holds one end of the optical fiber 12, and the connector housing 11 is formed with a receiving hole 11 b for receiving the optical fiber 22 of the counterpart optical connector 20.

  The optical fiber 12 has a core 121 made of a transparent epoxy resin and extending in a linear shape, and a clad 122 made of a transparent epoxy resin having a refractive index smaller than that of the core 121 and extending around the core 121. The end face 12a of the optical fiber 12 is held in the connector housing 11, and the end opposite to the end face 12a is connected to a light emitting element of a device (not shown). The optical fiber 12 guides light from the opposite end to the end face 12a shown in this figure. The optical fiber 12 corresponds to an example of a self-waveguide according to the present invention.

  The waveguide member 13 includes a core 131 made of a transparent epoxy resin, and a clad 132 made of a transparent epoxy resin having a refractive index smaller than that of the core 131 and extending around the core 131. The core 131 and the clad 132 of the waveguide member 13 have the same diameter as that of the core 121 and the clad 122 of the optical fiber 12, respectively. The waveguide member 13 is provided with a convex attachment portion 133, and a spring 14 is attached between the attachment portion 133 and the connector housing 11. The spring 14 corresponds to an example of an urging member according to the present invention. The waveguide member 13 is installed in a waveguide member space 11 a formed in the connector housing 11. In the waveguide member 13, the core 131 is disposed so as to extend along the extension line of the core 121 of the optical fiber 12, and is attached movably along the extension line of the core 121 of the optical fiber 12. The waveguide member 13 contacts the end surface 12a of the optical fiber 12 by moving to the optical fiber 12, and moves away from the end surface 12a of the optical fiber 12 by moving to the opposite side. As shown in FIG. 1, when the counterpart optical connector 20 is not connected to the optical connector 10, the waveguide member 13 has an inner end 13 a disposed on the inner side of the optical connector 10 from the end face 12 a of the optical fiber 12. is seperated.

  When the counterpart optical connector 20 is connected to the optical connector 10, the counterpart optical connector 20 is pressed toward the optical connector 10. At this time, the optical fiber 22 is inserted into the receiving hole 11b from the end surface 22b, and the end surface 22b contacts the outer end 13b with respect to the inner end 13a of the waveguide member 13. Further, the external end 13 b of the waveguide member 13 is pressed against the end face 22 b of the optical fiber 22 by the pressing force that presses the counterpart optical connector 20 against the optical connector 10, and the waveguide member 13 moves in the direction of the optical fiber 12. To do. The inner end 13 a of the waveguide member 13 with respect to the outer end 13 b is in contact with the optical fiber 12.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the counterpart optical connector is connected to the optical connector illustrated in FIG. 1.

  In a state where the other optical connector 20 is connected to the optical connector 10, the waveguide member 13 has the outer end 13 b in contact with the end face 22 b of the optical fiber 22, and the inner end 13 a in contact with the end face 12 a of the optical fiber 12. Yes. Thereby, the relay waveguide T1 from the optical fiber 12 to the optical fiber 22 constituted by the waveguide member 13 is completed. When the relay waveguide T1 is completed, the light of the path R guided through the core 121 of the optical fiber 12 to the end face 12a is further guided through the core 131 of the waveguide member 13 to be the counterpart optical connector 20. The optical fiber 22 is reached. In this manner, the optical fiber 12 of the optical connector 10 and the optical fiber 22 of the counterpart optical connector 20 are optically coupled via the relay waveguide T1. At this time, the spring 14 biases the waveguide member 13 so as to oppose the pressing force with which the counterpart optical connector 20 presses the optical connector 10.

  When the counterpart optical connector 20 is removed from the optical connector 10 in the state shown in FIG. 2, the waveguide member 13 biased by the spring 14 moves away from the optical fiber 12 as shown in FIG. Moving.

  Here, returning to FIG. 1, a state in which the counterpart optical connector 20 is disconnected from the optical connector 10 will be described.

  When the counterpart optical connector 20 is disconnected from the optical connector 10, the relay waveguide from the optical fiber 12 to the optical fiber 22 is cut off. At this time, the light guided through the optical fiber 12 to the end face 12a is output from the end face 12a. However, since the light emitted from the end face 12a is output in various directions to the space where the waveguide does not exist, a part proceeds toward the core 131 of the waveguide member 13 and reaches the core 131, but the remaining part. Does not reach the core 131 of the waveguide member 13. For this reason, the amount of light leaking from the optical connector 10 to the outside is small. Thus, the magnitude of the light output from the optical connector 10 to the outside is switched by the waveguide member 13 moving along the extension line of the optical fiber 12.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same elements as those in the embodiments described so far, and differences from the above-described embodiments will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the optical connector of the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the counterpart optical connector is connected to the optical connector shown in FIG.

  In the optical connector 30 shown in FIG. 3, the optical fiber 32 has an end surface 32 a that is inclined with respect to the direction in which the optical fiber 32 extends as an end surface held by the connector housing 11. In addition, the waveguide member 33 has an end face 33 a on the optical fiber 32 side inclined according to the inclination of the end face 32 a of the optical fiber 32. As a specific inclination angle, 45 ° is employed in the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the counterpart optical connector 20 is connected to the optical connector 30, one end 33 b of the waveguide member 33 comes into contact with the end face 22 b of the optical fiber 22, and further, the end face 33 a and the end face of the optical fiber 32 32a contacts. As a result, the relay waveguide T1 from the optical fiber 32 to the optical fiber 22 constituted by the waveguide member 33 is completed, and the light guided through the optical fiber 32 to the end face 32a is further transmitted to the waveguide member. 33 is guided to reach the optical fiber 22 of the counterpart optical connector 20.

  When the counterpart optical connector 20 is removed from the optical connector 30, the waveguide member 13 biased by the spring 14 moves in a direction away from the optical fiber 12. Here, returning to FIG. 3, the description will be continued. In a state where the counterpart optical connector 20 is disconnected from the optical connector 30, the relay waveguide from the optical fiber 32 to the optical fiber 22 is cut off. In addition, at this time, the light guided through the optical fiber 32 to the end face 32a is totally reflected by the end face 32a inclined with respect to the light path R, and the path is bent to about 90 °. For this reason, the amount of light emitted to the outside of the optical connector 30 is further suppressed as compared with the optical connector 10 of the first embodiment.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description of the third embodiment, the same elements as those in the first embodiment described so far are denoted by the same reference numerals, and differences from the first embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the optical connector of the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the counterpart optical connector is connected to the optical connector illustrated in FIG. 5.

  The optical connector 40 shown in FIG. 5 includes a separation member 45 as a member that contacts the optical fiber 22 of the counterpart optical connector 20. The spacing member 45 has a core 451 and a clad 452 extending on an extension line of the optical fiber 32, and the core 451 and the clad 452 have the same diameter as the core 321 and the clad 322 of the optical fiber 32, respectively. have. One end 45 a of the separation member 45 is held by the connector housing 41 and forms the bottom of a receiving hole 41 b formed in the connector housing 41. The other end of the spacing member 45 with respect to the one end 45a is spaced from the end face 32a of the optical fiber 32 and has an end face 45b that is inclined with respect to the direction in which the spacing member 45 extends, that is, the direction in which the optical fiber 32 extends.

  In the optical connector 40, the waveguide member 43 is attached to the connector housing 41 so as to be movable in a direction Y that intersects the direction X in which the optical fiber 32 extends, and between the waveguide member 43 and the connector housing 41. The urging member 44 is attached to. The waveguide member 43 has an inner end face 43 a on the optical fiber 32 side inclined according to the inclination of the end face 32 a of the optical fiber 32. As a specific inclination angle, 45 ° is employed in the present embodiment. Further, the external end face 43 b on the side of the separating member 45 in the waveguide member 43 is inclined in accordance with the inclination of the end face 45 b of the separating member 45. As a specific inclination angle, 45 ° is employed in the present embodiment. The waveguide member 43 is formed with an inclined surface 43c that is inclined with respect to the moving direction Y of the waveguide member 43, which is different from the inner end surface 43a and the outer end surface 43b. The waveguide member 43 is attached to and away from both the end surface 32a of the optical fiber 32 and the end surface 45b of the separating member 45. The separation member 45, together with the waveguide member 43, constitutes a relay waveguide described later.

  Further, the optical connector 40 is provided with a rod-like pushing member 47 that is movable in a direction Y in which the optical connector 20 is connected to the optical connector 40. One end 47 a of the pushing member 47 protrudes from the connector housing 41, and the other end 47 b with respect to the one end 47 a is in contact with the inclined surface 43 c of the waveguide member 43. An urging member 48 is attached between the attachment portion 47 c provided on the pushing member 47 and the connector housing 41.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the counterpart optical connector 20 is connected to the optical connector 40, the pushing member 47 is pushed by the counterpart optical connector 20 and pushed into the connector housing 41. At this time, the pushing member 47 moves the waveguide member 43 to a position between the separating member 45 and the optical fiber 32 by pushing the inclined surface 43c in the direction Y. When the waveguide member 43 is pushed and moved, the inner end face 43a of the waveguide member 43 and the end face 32a of the optical fiber 32 come into contact with each other, and the outer end face 43b of the waveguide member 43 and the end face 45b of the separating member 45 are contacted. And contact. Further, one end 45 a of the separation member 45 is in contact with the end surface 22 b of the optical fiber 22. As a result, the relay waveguide T2 from the optical fiber 32 to the optical fiber 22 composed of the waveguide member 43 and the separation member 45 is completed, and the light guided through the optical fiber 32 is further guided into the waveguide. The member 33 and the separation member 45 are guided to reach the optical fiber 22 of the counterpart optical connector 20.

  When the counterpart optical connector 20 is removed from the optical connector 40, the pushing member 47 urged by the urging member 48 returns to the direction in which the one end 47a protrudes from the connector housing 41, and is urged by the urging member 44. The waveguide member 43 thus moved moves away from the optical fiber 12 and the separation member 45. Here, returning to FIG. 5, the description will be continued. When the counterpart optical connector 20 is disconnected from the optical connector 40, the relay waveguide T <b> 2 from the optical fiber 32 to the optical fiber 22 is cut off. The light guided to 32 to the end surface 32a is totally reflected by the end surface 32a inclined with respect to the direction in which the optical fiber 32 extends, and the path is bent to about 90 °. Furthermore, the light that enters the waveguide member 43 from the inner end face 43a is reflected by the outer end face 43b and the path is bent to about 90 °. For this reason, the amount of light emitted to the outside of the optical connector 40 is further suppressed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example of the optical fiber is described as the self-waveguide. However, the self-waveguide of the present invention is not limited to this, and is, for example, a waveguide formed in a rod shape or a plate shape made of a transparent material. There may be.

  Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although demonstrated as an example of a spring as a biasing member, the biasing member of this invention is not restricted to this, For example, rubber | gum and an air spring may be sufficient.

It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the optical connector of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state by which the other party optical connector was connected to the optical connector shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the optical connector of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state by which the other party optical connector was connected to the optical connector shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the optical connector of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state by which the other party optical connector was connected to the optical connector shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the optical connector of a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

10, 30, 40 Optical connector 11, 31, 41 Connector housing 12, 32, 42 Optical fiber (self-waveguide)
12a, 32a, 42a End face 13, 33, 43 Waveguide member 13a Internal end (other end)
13b External end (one end)
33a End surface 33b One end 43a Internal end surface 43b External end surface 14, 44, 48 Spring (biasing member)
45 Separating member 45a One end 45b End face T1 Relay waveguide T2 Relay waveguide 20 Mating optical connector 22 Mating waveguide 22a One end 22b End face

Claims (3)

A connector housing that is connected by pressing an optical connector of the other party holding one end of the other waveguide that guides light;
A self-waveguide that guides light, with an end face held in the connector housing;
The other end of the self-waveguide is brought into contact with and separated from the end face of the self-waveguide by the pressing force of the other-side optical connector being pressed against the connector housing. A waveguide member that constitutes at least a part of the relay waveguide and completes the relay waveguide ;
One end is in contact with one end of the counterpart waveguide to form a part of the relay waveguide, and the other end with respect to the one end includes a separation member spaced from the end face of the self-waveguide,
The light characterized in that the waveguide member completes the relay waveguide by contacting both the end face of the self-waveguide and the other end of the separation member by the pressing force. connector.   The optical connector according to claim 1, further comprising an urging member that urges the waveguide member to face the pressing force. The self-waveguide has, as the end face, an end face inclined with respect to the direction in which the self-waveguide extends,
  2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide member has an end face that is inclined in accordance with an inclination of the end face of the self-waveguide, and the end faces are in contact with each other.

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