JP5346717B2 - Optical connector plug - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector plug.

  Conventionally, an optical connector plug with a shutter is provided as an optical connector plug for dust prevention and shielding (see Patent Document 1). The LC type optical connector plug is a connector that has been specified in an overseas optical communication network, but in recent years, it has also been specified in Japan and used in large numbers. With such LC type optical connectors, the output of light sources is increasing due to the expansion of the communication distance or the amount of communication data with the globalization of the optical communication business.

JP 2008-176297 A

  However, there is no conventional LC type optical connector plug provided with a shutter having a shielding function and a dustproof function. Furthermore, there is a problem that a simple shutter suitable for a small LC-type optical connector plug is not provided. The optical connector plug according to the present invention has been proposed in order to solve such problems.

The gist for achieving the object by solving the above-mentioned problems of the optical connector plug according to the present invention is as follows:
A locking housing having an optical fiber cable inserted through a central portion and having a grip portion and an engaging lock portion on an outer peripheral portion; a ferrule attached to a tip of the optical fiber cable; and an elastic member for urging the ferrule forward A cylindrical connector housing that encloses the protective housing, a protective member that covers the rear portion of the locking housing, and a curved light shielding plate that is slidably surrounded on the outside of the connector housing and shields light at the front position of the ferrule. A cylindrical movable housing that is movable in the front-rear direction with one end fixed to the inner wall, an elastic member that urges the movable housing forward, and an opening for fitting the adapter of the mating partner on the side wall of the movable housing A retractable protrusion that protrudes so as to contact a side edge of the movable portion and can be immersed inside the movable housing; and the connector housing. An optical connector plug provided on a side wall of the movable housing, wherein a retractable protrusion for allowing the retractable protrusion of the movable housing to be retracted inward at a desired position to be retracted, the optical connector plug and the adapter When the movable housing moves backward during the fitting, the curved light-shielding plate fixed to the movable housing is linearly extended, the ferrule tip protrudes from the tip of the movable housing, and the connector housing When the retractable protrusion of the movable housing moves to the retractable relief portion of the side wall, the retractable protrusion is immersed inside, so that the optical connector plug and the adapter are completely fitted and the lock portion is engaged.

According to the optical connector plug of the present invention, a light shielding member having a shielding function and a dustproof function can be mounted on an LC connector plug which is a high output optical connector plug.
The movable housing equipped with this light-shielding member and moving in the front-rear direction collides with the fitting opening of the adapter and automatically moves backward.Even when it is pulled out from the adapter, the movable housing moves against the connector housing. It moves forward by the urging force and is shielded by the light shielding member.
After the retracting projection of the movable housing reaches the position of the retracting relief portion of the connector housing at the time of fitting, the projecting portion sinks and the movable housing moves from the opening of the mating adapter to the inside. Inserted with connector housing. Therefore, no special operation is required for the fitting operation.
Similarly, when pulling out from the adapter, it is only necessary to push and remove the locking claw. Therefore, it is possible to easily and safely handle a person with low work skill. Furthermore, the adapter of the mating partner is an existing adapter, and the optical connector plug of the present invention can be applied as it is to an adapter already used in a relay exchange or the like.

It is the whole optical connector plug 1 perspective view (a), (b) of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical connector plug 1 of the present invention with a movable housing 8 removed. The top view (a) of the optical connector plug 1 and its sectional drawing (b). They are the front view (a) of the optical connector plug 1, a side view (b), and the longitudinal cross-sectional view (c). In the optical connector plug 1, a front view (a), a side view (b), a plan view (c), and a longitudinal sectional view (d) as seen from the side, with the movable housing 8 retracted to expose the ferrule 3. It is. It is a perspective view (a) and (b) of the latching housing 2 in the optical connector plug 1. It is sectional drawing of the latching housing 2 in the same optical connector plug 1. FIG. It is a perspective view (a), (b) of the connector housing 4 in the optical connector plug 1. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a connector housing 4 in the optical connector plug 1. FIG. It is a perspective view (a) of the movable housing 8 in the optical connector plug 1, (b). 3 is a cross-sectional view of a movable housing 8 in the optical connector plug 1. FIG. It is a perspective view (a) of a shading plate 7, and (b). It is a top view of the coil spring 9 of an elastic member, and its guide rod 9a. It is the front view (a) and the side view (b) of the adapter 10 used as the mating partner of the optical connector plug 1 which concerns on this invention. The side view (a) and plan view sectional view (b) which were partially broken, showing a state where the optical connector plug 1 according to the present invention is attached to the adapter 10 which is a mating partner is broken. They are a side view (c) and a sectional view (d) in plan view, a side view (e) with a part broken away, and a sectional view (f) in plan view. The side view (a) and plan view sectional view (b) which were partially broken, showing a state where the optical connector plug 1 according to the present invention is attached to the adapter 10 which is a mating partner is broken. These are a side view (c) and a sectional view (d) in plan view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the optical connector plug according to the present invention automatically shields light and provides a dustproof action by a movable housing 8 movable in the front-rear direction, an elastic member 9 for return, and a light shielding plate 7. It is to make.

  The optical connector plug 1 of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, has an optical fiber cable for optical communication inserted and held in the central portion, and has a grip portion 2a and an engaging lock portion 2b on the outer peripheral portion. A locking housing 2, a cylindrical connector housing 4 that is inserted into the locking housing 2 from the front and locked to protect the ferrule 3 at the tip of the optical fiber cable, and the ferrule 3 is always urged forward. An elastic member 5, a protective member 6 covered on the rear portion of the locking housing 2, and a light shielding plate 7 that is slidably contacted outside the connector housing 4 and shields an optical signal at the front position of the ferrule 3. A cylindrical movable housing 8 having one end portion of the light-shielding plate 7 fixed to the inner wall and capable of moving in the front-rear direction, and an elastic force for always urging the movable housing 8 forward. It is made of wood 9.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 7, the locking housing 2 has a through hole 2c through which an optical fiber cable is inserted along the front-rear direction at the center, and a boot 6 which is the protective member at the rear cylinder 2d. Are inserted and fitted. Further, the engagement protrusion 2e on the side wall is for locking after being fitted to the rear end portion 4a of the connector housing 4. Further, the elongated semicircular introduction hole 2f facing forward is for inserting and arranging the elastic member 9.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8 to 9, the connector housing 4 is an elongated cylindrical body. When the connector housing 4 is fitted with its rear end inserted into the front portion of the locking housing 2, the locking housing 2 is inserted into the locking hole 4a provided in the side wall as shown in FIG. The engaging protrusion 2e is engaged. In addition, an elongated rectangular hole 4b located slightly in front of the locking hole 4a on the side wall is a retreat escape portion. In this first embodiment, the hole penetrates in and out, but of course, it may be a recess that exhibits the same effect.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the through-hole 4 c in the front-rear direction of the cylindrical body has a hole diameter that becomes smaller on the front side and is narrowed, and a part of the ferrule 3 attached to the tip of the optical fiber cable at this portion. Only the constricted portion 4d protrudes forward.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 to 11, the movable housing 8 is an elongated cylindrical body, and is slidably mounted in a state of including the connector housing 4 and protruding forward. . On the side wall 8a of the movable housing 8, there is provided a retractable protrusion 8b that comes into contact with the side edge 10c of the fitting opening 10b of the adapter (see FIG. 14) 10 with which the optical connector plug 1 is fitted.

  When the retractable protrusion 8b is pushed inward, the retractable protrusion 8b can escape into the hole 4b of the retracting escape portion provided on the side wall of the connector housing 4. Further, when the inward pressing force is removed, the movable housing is moved forward again by the elasticity of the support portion 8c and the elastic member 9, so that the original state shown in FIG. 10 is restored. The support portion 8c is supported from both ends, but may be cantilevered.

  The protrusion 8d shown in FIG. 11 is for locking the light shielding plate 7 shown in FIG. 12, and is provided on the bottom wall. Further, on the upper surface of the movable housing 8, there is provided a guide portion 8e for inserting an elongated coil spring 9 which is an elastic member shown in FIG. 13 and a guide rod 9a for guiding it. Since the movable housing 8 is always urged forward by the elastic member 9, a locking groove 8f is provided so as not to drop out of the connector housing 4.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the light shielding plate 7 is a single-plate elastic body provided with a mounting hole 7a to be fitted to the protrusion 8d of the movable housing 8, and serving as a curved light shielding portion 7b. The adapter 10 shown in FIG. 14 is a mating counterpart of the optical connector plug 1 and is an existing one.

  The case where the optical connector plug 1 configured as described above is fitted to the other adapter 10 as shown in FIGS. 15 to 16 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the locking housing 2 of the optical connector plug 1 is grasped with a finger and inserted toward the opening 10 b of the adapter 10. As shown in FIGS. 15C and 15D, the front portion of the movable housing 8 enters the adapter 10 first. Then, the retractable protrusion 8b on the side wall 8a of the movable housing 8 collides with the side edge 10c of the opening 10b (see FIG. 14).

  Since the retractable protrusion 8b has the side wall of the connector housing 4 inside the movable housing 8, it cannot be retracted inside. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 15E and 15F, the movable housing 8 remains as it is, and the inner connector housing 4 moves forward against the urging force of the elastic member 9 as much as it is pushed. Then, the curved portion 7 b of the light shielding plate 7 fixed to the movable housing 8 is extended linearly, and the ferrule 3 protrudes forward from the distal end portion of the movable housing 8. The optical connector plug 1 changes from the state shown in FIG. 4 to the state shown in FIG.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 15 (e) and 15 (f), the ferrule 3 is inserted into the coupling 11 for connection, and the movable housing 8 moves backward relative to the connector housing 4. When the movable housing 8 is completely retracted, the position of the retractable protrusion 8 b corresponds to the position of the hole 4 b as a retracting relief portion of the connector housing 4. Then, the retractable protrusion 8b that has been pushed rearward by the side edge portion 10c by the insertion pressing force falls inward by the component force of the pressing force and bends against the elastic force of the support portion 8c.

  Since the retractable protrusion 8b is immersed in the inner hole 4b and retracted, the movable housing 8 can further enter the adapter 10. As shown in FIGS. 16A and 16B, the movable housing 8 enters the connection space portion of the adapter 10 together with the connector housing 4. Then, as shown in FIGS. 16C and 16D, a part of the engaging lock portion 2 b of the locking housing 2 is engaged with the locking portion 10 d of the adapter 10.

  When the optical connector plug 1 is removed from the adapter 10, when the retractable protrusion 8b is inside the opening 10b, the movable housing 8 and the connector housing 4 are retracted together and come out of the opening 10b. The retractable protrusion 8b is returned to the original position by moving the movable housing forward by the elastic force of the support portion 8c and the elastic member 9. The light shielding plate 7 that has been extended again is automatically curved by the movable housing 8 that has moved relatively forward, and the front of the ferrule 3 is closed.

  The optical connector plug 1 according to the present invention can be applied to other connectors because the light shielding plate can be opened and closed without changing the size of the opening even when the adapter is provided at a narrow pitch.

1 optical connector plug,
2 locking housing, 2a gripping part,
2b locking part for engagement, 2c through hole,
2d cylinder part, 2e engagement protrusion,
2f semicircle introduction hole,
3 Ferrule,
4 Housing connector, 4a Locking hole,
4b hole as a relief for escape, 4c through hole,
4d constriction,
5 elastic members,
6 Protection members,
7 Shading plate, 7a Mounting hole,
7b shading part,
8 Movable housing, 8a Side wall,
8b Retractable protrusion, 8c Support part,
8d protrusion, 8e guide part,
8f locking groove,
9 Elastic member (coil spring),
10,10a adapter,
10b opening, 10c side edge,
11 Coupling.

Claims (1)

A locking housing having an optical fiber cable inserted through the central portion and having a grip portion and an engaging lock portion on the outer peripheral portion;
A cylindrical connector housing containing a ferrule attached to the tip of the optical fiber cable and an elastic member for urging the ferrule forward;
A protective member coated on the rear portion of the locking housing;
A cylindrical movable housing that is slidably surrounded on the outside of the connector housing and is movable in the front-rear direction by fixing one end of a curved light-shielding plate that shields light at the front position of the ferrule to the inner wall;
An elastic member for urging the movable housing forward;
On the side wall of the movable housing, a retractable protrusion that protrudes so as to contact the side edge of the fitting fitting adapter fitting opening and can be immersed inside the movable housing,
The side wall of the connector housing is an optical connector plug provided with a retracting relief portion that allows the retractable protrusion of the movable housing to be retracted inward at a desired position to be retracted,
When the movable housing moves backward during the fitting of the optical connector plug and the adapter, the curved light-shielding plate fixed to the movable housing is linearly extended, and the ferrule tip is moved from the tip of the movable housing. Protruding,
When the retractable protrusion of the movable housing moves to the retractable relief portion on the side wall of the connector housing, the retractable protrusion is immersed inside, so that the optical connector plug and the adapter are completely fitted and the lock portion is engaged. about,
Optical connector plug featuring.

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