JP5733284B2 - Connector assembly - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector assembly.

  Conventional connector assemblies that convert electrical signals into optical signals are known. For example, the connector assembly described in Patent Document 1 includes an optical cable and a photoelectric conversion module. The photoelectric conversion module includes a circuit board on which a photoelectric conversion unit connected to an optical fiber of the optical cable is mounted, and a circuit board. A housing for housing and an electrical connector connected to the circuit board are provided. In this connector assembly, an input / output electric signal is converted into an optical signal by a photoelectric conversion unit, and signal transmission by the optical signal is performed.

JP 2011-112898 A

  By the way, in the connector assembly described above, heat is generated in the control IC and the photoelectric conversion unit mounted on the circuit board. Since this heat may damage the housing and circuit board and affect transmission characteristics, it must be released to the outside. As a heat radiation destination, an electronic device such as a personal computer to which the connector assembly is connected can be considered. However, heat dissipation to the electronic device depends on the state. For example, when the temperature of the electronic device is increased, the heat of the connector assembly is not sufficiently released to the electronic device. On the other hand, although it is possible to dissipate heat through the housing of the connector module, the housing becomes hot and the user may feel uncomfortable.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly capable of efficiently releasing heat.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a connector assembly according to the present invention is a connector assembly including an optical cable and a connector module, and the optical cable includes an optical fiber and a jacket provided around the optical fiber. And a heat transfer member made of metal, which is provided between the optical fiber and the jacket, and the connector module is housed in the space that defines the space, and the optical fiber is connected to the housing. And a circuit board on which the photoelectric conversion unit is mounted. The heat transfer member of the optical cable and the circuit board of the connector module are thermally connected by a heat conductor.

  In this connector assembly, a metal heat transfer member is provided on the optical cable, and a circuit board on which a heating element such as a photoelectric conversion unit is mounted and the heat transfer member are thermally connected by a heat conductor. Thereby, the heat generated in the photoelectric conversion unit is transmitted to the heat transfer member of the optical cable via the circuit board and the heat conductor, and is released to the outside from the outer cover of the optical cable. That is, since a path for heat dissipation is established between the connector module and the optical cable and heat is transmitted to the optical cable, the heat of the circuit board can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable. Thereby, since a housing does not have excessive heat, a user's discomfort can be reduced. Moreover, heat can be sufficiently dissipated without depending on the state of the connection destination of the connector assembly. As described above, the connector assembly can efficiently release heat.

  The heat conductivity of the heat transfer member is preferably larger than the heat conductivity of the heat conductor. In this case, since the heat of the housing can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable, the heat of the circuit board can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable.

  The photoelectric conversion unit includes a control semiconductor and a light emitting / receiving element, the thermal conductor includes a housing thermally connected to the circuit board via a connection member, and the front end of the housing is electrically connected to the circuit board. The control semiconductor is located in front of the light emitting / receiving element and behind the electric connector on the circuit board, and has a larger calorific value than the light receiving / emitting element. A region for thermally connecting the circuit board and the housing is included in front of the light emitting / receiving element. If comprised in this way, while preventing the heat | fever from the heat source (for example, the electronic device to which a semiconductor for control and an electrical connector are connected) larger in calorific value than a light receiving and emitting element, flowing into a light emitting and receiving element, a circuit board Heat can be dissipated to the optical cable.

  The heat transfer member is crimped to a metal caulking member attached to the end of the optical cable, the caulking member is thermally connected to the housing, and the caulking member and the housing constitute a heat conductor. Is preferred. By crimping the optical cable with the caulking member, the workability of attaching the optical cable to the caulking member can be improved. Moreover, since a heat conductor is comprised by the crimping member and the housing, and the heat-transfer member is crimped | bonded to the crimping member, heat can be efficiently transmitted to a heat-transfer member and heat can be discharged | emitted efficiently.

  The crimping member is positioned on the outer side in the radial direction of the cylindrical part, the cylindrical part through which the optical fiber is inserted, the outer side in the radial direction of the cylindrical part, and the end of the optical cable is sandwiched between the cylindrical part and crimped It is preferable that the heat transfer member is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, and is sandwiched and crimped between the outer peripheral surface and the crimp portion. With such a configuration, the optical cable can be satisfactorily held.

  The heat transfer member is folded back to the outer peripheral side of the outer jacket at the end of the optical cable, and the caulking member is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, the base portion, and the crimping portion. In this way, the heat conductor makes contact with the caulking member at many places, so that the caulking member and the heat transfer member are more thermally connected, and the heat dissipation path between the housing and the heat conductor Can be formed satisfactorily. Therefore, heat can be released efficiently.

  The housing preferably includes a first housing made of a metal material, and the first housing constitutes a heat conductor. Thus, by forming the housing from a metal material, the housing can function as a heat conductor, and the heat of the circuit board can be transferred well to the heat transfer member of the optical cable.

  The first housing includes a housing member that defines a space and a housing member that can be coupled to the housing member, and a fixing member that holds the optical cable. The heat transfer member is thermally connected to the fixing member. In addition, it is preferable that the housing member and the fixing member are thermally connected. According to such a structure, the path | route which dissipates heat can be established favorably.

  The connector module preferably includes a connection member that thermally connects the circuit board and the housing member of the first housing, and the connection member and the first housing preferably constitute a heat conductor. In this way, the connection member can reliably establish a path for transferring heat between the circuit board and the first housing.

  The first housing includes a housing member that defines a space and a housing member that can be coupled to the housing member, and a fixing member that holds the optical cable. The heat transfer member is thermally connected to the fixing member. In addition, it is preferable that the fixing member is directly connected to the circuit board. In this way, by directly connecting the fixing member to the circuit board, a path through which heat is transferred from the circuit board to the heat transfer member of the optical cable can be reliably established.

  It is preferable that the housing has a second housing made of a resin material and accommodating the first housing. According to such a configuration, a heat transfer path for dissipating heat to the optical cable side can be reliably configured. In addition, since the second housing is formed of a resin material, it is possible to reduce the feeling of heat (heat) when the user holds the housing.

  The heat transfer member is preferably a metal braid. By using a metal braid, since a density and a surface area can be ensured, heat transfer characteristics and heat dissipation characteristics can be favorably obtained. In addition, since the metal braid has a deformability with respect to the bending of the optical cable, a predetermined heat dissipation characteristic can be obtained even when the optical cable is bent.

  The optical cable preferably has a tensile strength fiber between the optical fiber and the heat transfer member. By providing the tensile strength fiber, durability against an external force such as a tensile force applied to the optical cable can be secured in the optical cable. On the other hand, since the tensile strength fiber is provided between the optical fiber and the heat transfer member, it is possible to prevent the generated heat from being prevented from being released from the heat transfer member to the outside through the jacket.

  The optical cable is preferably provided with a tube between the tensile strength fiber and the metal braid. Thereby, it can suppress that heat is transmitted to the inside of an optical cable, and can discharge | emit heat favorably outside via a jacket.

  The heat transfer member is preferably joined to the heat conductor by solder. Good heat transfer can be obtained by joining the heat transfer member and the heat conductor with solder.

  According to the present invention, heat can be released efficiently.

It is a perspective view which shows the connector assembly which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the resin housing. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the housing. (A) is the figure which looked at the circuit board shown in FIG. 3 from the top, (b) is the figure which looked at the circuit board shown in FIG. 3 from the side. It is the figure which looked at the circuit board and fixing member shown in FIG. 3 from the side. It is sectional drawing of the connector assembly shown in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the connector module of the connector assembly which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed a part of housing. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure of an optical cable. It is a perspective view which shows a crimping member. It is a figure which shows the method of attaching an optical cable to a crimping member. It is a figure which shows the method of attaching an optical cable to a crimping member. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure of a connector assembly. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional structure of the connector assembly which concerns on other embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or equivalent elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a connector assembly according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state where the resin housing is removed. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing is removed. 4A is a view of the circuit board shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from above, and FIG. 4B is a view of the circuit board shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from the side. FIG. 5 is a side view of the circuit board and the fixing member shown in FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG.

  A connector assembly 1 shown in each figure is used for transmission of signals (data) in optical communication technology and the like. The connector assembly 1 is electrically connected to an electronic device such as a personal computer to be connected and optical signals inputted and outputted are optically transmitted. An optical signal is transmitted after being converted into a signal.

  As shown in each drawing, the connector assembly 1 includes an optical cable 3 and a connector module 5. The connector assembly 1 is configured by attaching the end of a single-core or multi-core optical cable 3 to a connector module 5.

  The optical cable 3 includes a plurality (four in this case) of optical fiber cores (optical fibers) 7, a resin sheath 9 covering the optical fiber core 7, and the optical fiber core 7 and the sheath 9. Between the outer cover 9 and the tensile strength fiber 11, and a metal braid 13 in contact with the outer cover 9. That is, in the optical cable 3, the optical fiber core wire 7, the tensile strength fiber 11, the metal braid 13, and the jacket 9 are arranged in this order from the center toward the outside in the radial direction.

  As the optical fiber core 7, a silica-based optical fiber, a plastic optical fiber (POF), or the like can be used. The jacket 9 is made of, for example, PVC (polyvinylchloride) which is a non-halogen flame retardant resin. The outer diameter of the jacket 9 is about 4.2 mm, and the thermal conductivity of the jacket 9 is, for example, 0.17 W / m · K. The tensile strength fiber 11 is an aramid fiber, for example, and is built in the optical cable 3 in a bundled state.

  The metal braid 13 is made of, for example, a tin-plated lead wire, and has a braid density of 70% or more and a knitting angle of 45 ° to 60 °. The outer diameter of the metal braid 13 is about 0.05 mm. The thermal conductivity of the metal braid 13 is, for example, 400 W / m · K. The metal braid 13 is preferably arranged at a high density in order to ensure good heat conduction. For example, the metal braid 13 is preferably formed of a rectangular tin-plated lead wire.

  The connector module 5 includes a housing 20, an electrical connector 22 provided on the front end (tip) side of the housing 20, and a circuit board 24 accommodated in the housing 20.

  The housing 20 includes a metal housing (first housing) 26 and a resin housing (second housing) 28. The metal housing 26 includes a housing member 30 and a fixing member 32 that is connected to the rear end portion of the housing member 30 and fixes the optical cable 3. The metal housing 26 is formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity (preferably 100 W / m · K or more) such as steel (Fe-based), tin (tin-plated copper), stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminum. The metal housing 26 constitutes a heat conductor.

  The housing member 30 is a cylindrical hollow member having a substantially rectangular cross section. The housing member 30 defines a housing space S for housing the circuit board 24 and the like. An electrical connector 22 is provided on the front end side of the housing member 30, and a fixing member 32 is connected to the rear end side of the housing member 30.

  The fixing member 32 includes a plate-like base portion 34, a cylindrical portion 36, a pair of first projecting pieces 38 projecting forward from both sides of the base portion 34, and a pair of second tension members projecting rearward from both sides of the base portion 34. And a protruding piece 40. The pair of first projecting pieces 38 are respectively inserted from the rear part of the housing member 30 and are in contact with and connected to the housing member 30. A pair of 2nd overhang | projection piece 40 is connected with the boot 46 of the resin housing 28 mentioned later. The fixing member 32 includes a base portion 34, a cylindrical portion 36, a first overhanging piece 38, and a second overhanging piece 40 that are integrally formed of sheet metal.

  The cylindrical portion 36 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided so as to protrude rearward from the base portion 34. The cylindrical portion 36 holds the optical cable 3 in cooperation with the caulking ring 42. Specifically, after the outer sheath 9 is peeled off, the optical fiber core wire 7 of the optical cable 3 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 36 and the tensile strength fiber 11 is disposed along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 36. And the crimping ring 42 is arrange | positioned on the tensile strength fiber 11 arrange | positioned at the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder part 36, and the crimping ring 42 is crimped. Thereby, the tensile strength fiber 11 is sandwiched and fixed between the cylindrical portion 36 and the caulking ring 42, and the optical cable 3 is held and fixed to the fixing member 32.

  The end of the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3 is joined to the base 34 with solder. Specifically, the metal braid 13 is disposed so as to cover the outer periphery of the caulking ring 42 (tubular portion 36) in the fixing member 32, and its end is extended to one surface (rear surface) of the base portion 34. Joined by solder. Thereby, the fixing member 32 and the metal braid 13 are thermally connected. Further, the fixing member 32 is coupled to the rear end portion of the accommodating member 30, whereby the accommodating member 30 and the fixing member 32 are physically and thermally connected. That is, the housing member 30 and the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3 are thermally connected.

  The resin housing 28 is made of, for example, a resin material such as polycarbonate and covers the metal housing 26. The resin housing 28 includes an exterior housing 44 and a boot 46 connected to the exterior housing 44. The exterior housing 44 is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the housing member 30. The boot 46 is connected to the rear end portion of the exterior housing 44 and covers the fixing member 32 of the metal housing 26. The rear end portion of the boot 46 and the outer cover 9 of the optical cable 3 are bonded by an adhesive (not shown).

  The electrical connector 22 is a part that is inserted into a connection target (such as a personal computer) and is electrically connected to the connection target. The electrical connector 22 is disposed on the front end side of the housing 20 and protrudes forward from the housing 20. The electrical connector 22 is electrically connected to the circuit board 24 by a contact 22a.

  The circuit board 24 is accommodated in the accommodating space S of the metal housing 26 (accommodating member 30). A control semiconductor 50 and a light emitting / receiving element 52 are mounted on the circuit board 24. The circuit board 24 electrically connects the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52. The circuit board 24 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view and has a predetermined thickness. The circuit substrate 24 is an insulating substrate such as a glass epoxy substrate or a ceramic substrate, and circuit wiring is formed on the surface or inside thereof by gold (Au), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or the like. . The control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 constitute a photoelectric conversion unit. In the present embodiment, the control semiconductor 50 is disposed on the circuit board 24 in front of the light emitting / receiving element 52 and behind the electrical connector 22. The control semiconductor 50 generates a larger amount of heat than the light emitting / receiving element 52.

  The control semiconductor 50 includes a drive IC (Integrated Circuit) 50a, a CDR (Clock Data Recovery) device 50b that is a waveform shaper, and the like. The control semiconductor 50 is disposed on the front end side of the surface 24 a in the circuit board 24. The control semiconductor 50 is electrically connected to the electrical connector 22.

  The light receiving / emitting element 52 includes a plurality (here, two) of light emitting elements 52a and a plurality (here, two) of light receiving elements 52b. The light emitting element 52a and the light receiving element 52b are disposed on the rear end side of the surface 24a in the circuit board 24. As the light emitting element 52a, for example, a light emitting diode (LED: Light Emitting Diode), a laser diode (LD: LaserDiode), a surface emitting laser (VCSEL: Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting LASER), or the like can be used. For example, a photodiode (PD: PhotoDiode) can be used as the light receiving element 52b.

  The light emitting / receiving element 52 is optically connected to the optical fiber core wire 7 of the optical cable 3. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, a lens array component 55 is arranged on the circuit board 24 so as to cover the light emitting / receiving element 52 and the driving IC 50a. The lens array component 55 is provided with a reflective film 55a that reflects and bends the light emitted from the light emitting element 52a or the light emitted from the optical fiber core wire 7. A connector part 54 is attached to the end of the optical fiber core 7, and the connector part 54 and the lens array part 55 are positioned and coupled by a positioning pin, whereby the optical fiber core 7 and the light receiving and emitting element 52 are connected. Optically connected. It is preferable that the lens array component 55 includes collimating lenses that convert the incident light into parallel light and collect and emit the parallel light at the light incident portion and the light emission portion. Such a lens array component 55 can be integrally formed by resin injection molding.

  A heat radiation sheet (connection member) 56 is disposed between the circuit board 24 and the housing member 30 (metal housing 26). The heat dissipation sheet 56 is a heat conductor formed from a material having thermal conductivity and flexibility. The heat radiation sheet 56 is provided on the back surface 24 b of the circuit board 24 so as to extend along the width direction of the circuit board 24. The heat radiation sheet 56 is disposed below the light emitting / receiving element 52, for example. The upper surface of the heat dissipation sheet 56 is physically and thermally connected to the back surface 24 b of the circuit board 24, and the lower surface thereof is physically and thermally connected to the inner surface of the housing member 30. The heat dissipation sheet 56 thermally connects the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26, and heat of the circuit board 24 is transmitted to the housing member 30.

  The term “thermally connected” here means that a path capable of transferring heat is established by physical connection. Therefore, in this embodiment, transferring heat through a medium such as air is not thermally connected.

  In the connector assembly 1 having the above configuration, an electrical signal is input from the electrical connector 22, and the control semiconductor 50 receives an electrical signal via the wiring of the circuit board 24. The electrical signal input to the control semiconductor 50 is output from the control semiconductor 50 to the light emitting / receiving element 52 via the wiring of the circuit board 24 after the level is adjusted and the waveform shaping is performed by the CDR device 50b. . The light emitting / receiving element 52 that receives the electric signal converts the electric signal into an optical signal, and emits the optical signal from the light emitting element 52 a to the optical fiber core wire 7.

  The optical signal transmitted through the optical cable 3 is incident on the light receiving element 52b. The light emitting / receiving element 52 converts the incident optical signal into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the control semiconductor 50 via the wiring of the circuit board 24. In the control semiconductor 50, the electrical signal is output to the electrical connector 22 after predetermined processing is performed on the electrical signal.

  Next, a heat dissipation method in the connector assembly 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The heat generated in the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 mounted on the circuit board 24 is first transmitted to the circuit board 24. The heat transferred to the circuit board 24 is transferred to the housing member 30 via the heat dissipation sheet 56. Next, heat is transferred from the housing member 30 to the fixing member 32 connected thereto, and is transferred to the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3 connected to the fixing member 32. Then, the heat transmitted to the metal braid 13 is radiated to the outside through the outer cover 9 of the optical cable 3. As described above, in the connector assembly 1, the heat generated in the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52, which are heating elements, is released to the outside.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the optical cable 3 is provided with the metal braid 13 having high thermal conductivity, and the circuit board 24 on which the heating element such as the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 is mounted and the metal. The braid 13 is thermally connected to the metal housing 26. Thereby, the heat generated in the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 is transmitted to the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3 through the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26 and is released to the outside from the jacket 9 of the optical cable 3. That is, since a heat dissipation path is established between the connector module 5 and the optical cable 3 and is transmitted to the optical cable 3, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3. Thereby, since the housing 20 does not have excessive heat, a user's discomfort can be reduced.

  Here, it is also conceivable to release the heat to the connection target such as a personal computer via the electrical connector 22. However, it is difficult to predict whether or not the connection object is ready to accept heat when it is released. Therefore, when releasing the heat, if the temperature of the connection target is increased, the heat of the connector assembly 1 cannot be sufficiently dissipated to the connection target side. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the heat of the circuit board 24 is dissipated in the optical cable 3 and released to the outside, so that the heat can be sufficiently released without depending on the state of the connection destination of the connector assembly 1. it can.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the heat conductivity of the metal braid 13 (heat-transfer member) is larger than the heat conductivity of the metal housing 26 and the heat dissipation sheet 56 (heat conductor). For this reason, since the heat of the metal housing 26 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3. Furthermore, when the resin housing 28 that accommodates the metal housing 26 that constitutes the heat conductor is further provided, heat dissipation from the metal housing 26 is hindered by the resin housing 28, but the heat of the circuit board 24 is transferred to the optical cable 3. By efficiently dissipating, the temperature in the housing member 30 can be reduced efficiently. Thereby, the reliability of the light emitting / receiving element 52 is improved, and it is reduced that the user feels heat (heat) when holding the housing 20.

  In the present embodiment, the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26 (fixing member 32) are thermally connected by the heat radiating sheet 56. Therefore, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently transmitted to the metal housing 26. As a result, a heat transfer path with good transfer efficiency can be established between the circuit board 24 and the optical cable 3. Further, more reliable thermal connection can be obtained by joining the metal braid 13 to the fixing member 32 with solder.

  The optical cable 3 includes an optical fiber core 7, a resin jacket 9 that covers the optical fiber core 7, and a tensile fiber 11 interposed between the optical fiber core 7 and the jacket 9. The metal braid 13 interposed between the jacket 9 and the tensile strength fiber 11, and the optical fiber core wire 7, the tensile strength fiber 11, the metal braid 13, and the jacket 9 are radially outward from the center. It is arranged in this order. Accordingly, durability against an external force such as a tensile force applied to the optical cable 3 can be secured in the optical cable 3, while the tensile fiber 11 is provided between the optical fiber core wire 7 and the metal braid 13, so that the generated heat is thermally conducted. It is possible to prevent the body from being released to the outside through the outer cover 9. Furthermore, the heat can be efficiently diffused from the metal braid 13 to the jacket 9 by closely contacting the jacket 9 and the metal braid 13 without any space.

  Further, since the metal housing 26 which is a heat conductor is accommodated in the resin housing 28, the heat of the circuit board 24 is dissipated to the optical cable 3 having a high thermal conductivity. Therefore, it is possible to reliably configure a heat transfer path for dissipating heat to the optical cable 3 side. Further, the resin housing 28 reduces the feeling of heat when the user holds the housing 20.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a connector module of the connector assembly according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where a part of the housing is removed. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the optical cable. The connector assembly 1A includes an optical cable 3A and a connector module 5A.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the optical cable 3 </ b> A includes a plurality (four in this case) of optical fiber cores 7, a resin jacket 9 that covers the optical fiber cores 7, and the optical fiber cores 7. The ultra-thin strength tensile fiber 11 interposed between the outer cover 9, the metal braid 13 interposed between the outer cover 9 and the tensile fiber 11 and in contact with the outer cover 9, the tensile fiber 11 and the metal braid 13. And an inner tube 14 interposed therebetween. That is, in the optical cable 3 </ b> A, the optical fiber core wire 7, the tensile strength fiber 11, the inner tube 14, the metal braid 13, and the jacket 9 are arranged in this order from the center toward the outside in the radial direction.

  The connector module 5 </ b> A includes a housing 60, an electrical connector 22 provided on the front end (tip) side of the housing 20, and a circuit board 24 accommodated in the housing 60. The configurations of the electrical connector 22, the circuit board 24, and the heat dissipation sheet 56 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  The housing 60 includes a metal housing 61 and a resin housing (not shown). The metal housing 61 includes a housing member 62 and a caulking member 64 that is connected to the rear end portion of the housing member 62 and fixes the optical cable 3A. The metal housing 61 is formed of a metal material having high thermal conductivity (preferably 100 W / m · K or more) such as steel (Fe-based), tin (tin-plated copper), stainless steel, copper, brass, and aluminum. The metal housing 61 constitutes a heat conductor.

  The housing member 62 is a cylindrical hollow member having a substantially rectangular cross section. The housing member 62 defines a housing space S (see FIG. 9) for housing the circuit board 24 and the like. The electrical connector 22 is provided on the front end side of the housing member 62, and the crimping member 64 is connected to the rear end side of the housing member 62. The housing member 62 is composed of a plurality of members. The housing member 62 has an open rear end.

  The housing member 62 is provided with holding pieces 62a and 62b. A pair of holding pieces 62 a and 62 b are provided on both end sides (left and right) at the rear end of the housing member 62, folded back from the upper portion of the housing member 62 and extended toward the lower portion.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the caulking member, and shows a state before being connected to the housing member (a state before being folded back). The caulking member 64 has a base portion 66, a cylindrical portion 68, and a pair of crimping portions 70 a and 70 b that project rearward from both sides of the base portion 66. The caulking member 64 includes a base portion 66, a cylindrical portion 68, and crimping portions 70a and 70b that are integrally formed of sheet metal.

  The base portion 66 is a plate-like member and projects outward in the radial direction of the cylindrical portion 68. The base 66 has a main body 66a and an overhang 66b. The overhanging portion 66b extends to the left and right of the main body portion 66a and is provided at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction.

  The cylindrical portion 68 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is provided so as to protrude rearward from the main body portion 66 a of the base portion 66. The cylindrical portion 68 passes through the optical fiber core wire 7 and holds the optical cable 3A in cooperation with the crimping portions 70a and 70b.

  The crimping portions 70a and 70b crimp the optical cable 3A in cooperation with the cylindrical portion 68, and the tensile strength fiber 11 is wound around the crimping portions 70a and 70b. The crimping part 70a and the crimping part 70b have the same configuration, and the crimping part 70a will be specifically described below as an example. The crimping portion 70 a is folded back from the base portion 66 and is positioned outside the cylindrical portion 68 in the radial direction. The crimp portion 70a is provided with a recess 71a and two slit portions 71b and 71c. The concave portion 71a and the slit portions 71b and 71c are portions around which the tensile strength fiber 11 is wound. A method for winding the tensile strength fiber 11 around the crimping portions 70a and 70b will be described later.

  Next, the connection between the caulking member 64 having the above-described configuration and the housing member 62 will be described. When connecting the caulking member 64 to the housing member 62, the caulking member 64 is pushed between the holding pieces 62 a and 62 b of the housing member 62 from below. As a result, the caulking member 64 and the housing member 62 are coupled so that the overhanging portion 66b protruding from the upper portion of the main body portion 66a of the base portion 66 is held between the holding pieces 62a and 62b.

  Next, a method for attaching the optical cable 3A to the caulking member 64 will be described. 12 and 13 are diagrams showing a method of attaching the optical cable to the caulking member. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration of the connector assembly. As shown in FIG. 12, in a state before the optical cable 3A is attached to the crimping member 64, the crimping portions 70a and 70b of the crimping member 64 are not folded back. First, the jacket 9 of the optical cable 3 </ b> A is peeled to expose the metal braid 13, and the metal braid 13 is folded back to the outer peripheral side of the jacket 9. At this time, the length at which the metal braid 13 is folded back is, for example, equal to or shorter than the length of the cylindrical portion 68. Next, a caulking member 64 is prepared, and the optical fiber core wire 7, the tensile strength fiber 11 and the inner tube 14 of the optical cable 3 </ b> A are inserted into the cylindrical portion 68 of the caulking member 64, and the metal braid 13 is attached to the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 68. Cover the surface 68a.

  Subsequently, the tensile strength fiber 11 is wound around the crimping portions 70a and 70b. Specifically, the tensile strength fiber 11 is pulled out to the left and right along the front surface of the base portion 66, hooked on the concave portions 71a of the crimping portions 70a and 70b, and folded back. Next, after passing the tensile strength fiber 11 through the slit portion 71c, the tensile strength fiber 11 is passed through the slit portion 71b and is again hung on the concave portion 71a. In this way, the tensile strength fiber 11 is wound around the crimping portions 70a and 70b.

  After the tensile strength fiber 11 is wound, the crimping portions 70a and 70b are folded back to the optical cable 3A side. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the metal braid 13 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 68a of the cylindrical portion 68, the rear surface of the base portion 66, and the crimping portions 70a and 70b. When the crimping portions 70a and 70b are folded back, the jacket 9 and the metal braid 13 are sandwiched between the cylindrical portion 68 and the base side of the crimping portions 70a and 70b and crimped at this portion. The portions 70a and 70b bite in, and the optical cable 3A is held and fixed by the caulking member 64. As described above, the optical cable 3A is crimped by the crimping portions 70a and 70b and crimped to the crimping member 64, and the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3A and the crimping member 64 (metal housing 61) are thermally connected. .

  Next, a heat dissipation method in the connector assembly 1A will be described. The heat generated in the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 mounted on the circuit board 24 is first transmitted to the circuit board 24. The heat transferred to the circuit board 24 is transferred to the housing member 62 via the heat dissipation sheet 56. Next, heat is transferred from the housing member 62 to the crimping member 64 connected thereto, and is transferred to the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3 </ b> A connected to the crimping member 64. Then, the heat transmitted to the metal braid 13 is radiated to the outside through the jacket 9 of the optical cable 3A. As described above, in the connector assembly 1A, the heat generated by the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52, which are heating elements, is released to the outside.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the circuit board 24 on which the heating elements such as the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 are mounted and the metal braid 13 are thermally connected by the metal housing 61. Thereby, the heat generated in the control semiconductor 50 and the light emitting / receiving element 52 is transmitted to the metal braid 13 of the optical cable 3A via the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 61 (the housing member 62 and the caulking member 64), and the optical cable 3A It is discharged from the jacket 9 to the outside. That is, since a heat dissipation path is established between the connector module 5A and the optical cable 3A and is transmitted to the optical cable 3A, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3A.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the heat conductivity of the metal braid 13 (heat-transfer member) is larger than the heat conductivity of the metal housing 61 and the heat dissipation sheet 56 (heat conductor). For this reason, since the heat of the metal housing 61 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3A, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently dissipated to the optical cable 3A. Further, when the resin housing (not shown) that accommodates the metal housing 61 that constitutes the heat conductor is further included, heat dissipation from the metal housing 61 is hindered by the resin housing, but the heat of the circuit board 24 is reduced. By efficiently dissipating into the optical cable 3A, the temperature in the housing member 62 can be efficiently reduced. Thereby, the reliability of the light emitting / receiving element 52 is improved, and it is reduced that the user feels heat (heat) when holding the housing 60.

  In the present embodiment, the optical cable 3A can be easily joined to the metal housing 61 because the optical cable 3A is crimped by the crimping member 64 and is crimped and held and fixed. Thereby, the assembly workability | operativity of the connector assembly 1A in a work site can be improved.

  Further, the metal braid 13 is in contact with the base 66, the outer peripheral surface 68 a of the cylindrical portion 68, and the crimping portions 70 a and 70 b in the caulking member 64. As described above, the metal braid 13 and the caulking member 64 are brought into contact with each other at many locations, and the contact area between the metal braid 13 and the caulking member 64 is ensured, so that the heat dissipation path can be favorably secured. Therefore, the heat of the circuit board 24 can be efficiently dissipated by the optical cable 3A.

  In the present embodiment, an inner tube 14 is provided between the tensile strength fiber 11 and the metal braid 13 in the optical cable 3A. The inner tube 14 can suppress heat from being transmitted to the inside of the optical cable 3 </ b> A, and heat can be released to the outside through the jacket 9. Since the surface area of the jacket 9 is larger than the surface area of the inner tube 14 inside the optical cable 3 </ b> A, the thermal conductivity of the inner tube 14 is preferably equal to or less than the thermal conductivity of the jacket 9.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the metal braid 13 is illustrated as the heat transfer member, but the heat transfer member is not limited to the metal braid 13. The heat transfer member may be a member having a high thermal conductivity, and may be a metal tape, for example.

  Further, the optical cable 3A of the second embodiment may be used for the connector assembly 1 of the first embodiment.

  Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, although the fixing member 32 and the metal braid 13 are joined by solder, joining of the fixing member 32 and the metal braid 13 is not limited to solder. In the first embodiment, when it is assumed that an external force can be applied to the joint, it is necessary to select a joining method in which joining is not easily released, and joining by solder is most preferable. .

  In the first embodiment, the heat transfer path is configured by the heat dissipation sheet 56, the housing member 30, and the fixing member 32. However, when the fixing member 32 is directly connected (fixed) to the circuit board 24, A transmission path may be configured.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the upper surface of the thermal radiation sheet | seat 56 which is a connection member is physically and thermally connected to the back surface 24b of the circuit board 24, and the lower surface is physically connected to the inner surface of the accommodating member 30 (62). And although it is connected thermally, the structure shown in FIG. 15, for example may be sufficient as a connection member. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of a connector assembly according to another embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 15, in the connector assembly 1B, a first heat radiating sheet 56a and a second heat radiating sheet 56b are arranged between the circuit board 24 and the housing member 30 (62) (metal housings 26, 61). Yes. The first heat radiation sheet 56a is disposed between a CDR (Clock Data Recovery) device 50b disposed on the front end side of the surface 24a of the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26 (61), and thermally connects both.

  Further, the second heat radiation sheet 56b is disposed between the back surface 24b of the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26, and thermally connects both. The second heat radiation sheet 56b is disposed so as to extend from the back surface 24b of the circuit board 24 corresponding to the region where the driving IC 50a is disposed over the front end side of the circuit board 24. A region for thermally connecting the circuit board 24 and the metal housing 26 (61) is formed in front of the light emitting / receiving element 52 by the first and second heat radiation sheets 56a and 56b. Accordingly, heat from the control semiconductor 50 is transmitted to the housing member 30 (62) while preventing the heat from the control semiconductor 50 from flowing into the light emitting / receiving element 52 via the circuit board 24.

  When high-speed parallel data transmission is performed using a plurality of light emitting / receiving elements 52 as in the above embodiment, the CDR device 50b is used to perform accurate waveform shaping and level control. Further, the drive IC 50a of the light emitting / receiving element 52 can also be enlarged. If a component having a large calorific value is used as the control semiconductor 50 in this way, heat generated therefrom flows into the light emitting / receiving element 52, causing damage to the light receiving / emitting element 52. The same problem may occur when the amount of heat generated by the electronic device to which the electrical connector 22 is connected is large.

  In the connector assembly 1B, before the heat from the control semiconductor 50 and the electronic device to which the electrical connector 22 is connected flows into the light emitting / receiving element 52 via the circuit board 24, the heat is transferred to the metal housing 26 (61) side. Since it can be diffused and dissipated to the optical cable 3 (3A), heat can be dissipated to the optical cable 3 (3A) while preventing the reliability of the light emitting / receiving element 52 from being impaired.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1A ... Connector assembly, 3, 3A ... Optical cable, 5, 5A ... Connector module, 7 ... Optical fiber core wire, 9 ... Outer sheath, 11 ... Tensile fiber, 13 ... Metal braiding (heat transfer member), 14 ... Inner Tube, 20, 60 ... Housing, 26, 61 ... Metal housing (first housing, heat conductor), 28 ... Resin housing (second housing), 30, 62 ... Housing member (heat conductor), 32, 64 ... Fixing member (thermal conductor), 50 ... control semiconductor (photoelectric conversion unit), 52 ... light emitting / receiving element (photoelectric conversion unit), 56 ... heat dissipation sheet (connection member, thermal conductor), 56a, 56b ... first, Second heat radiation sheet (connection member), 66 ... base, 68 ... cylinder, 70a, 70b ... crimping part, S ... accommodation space.

Claims (5)

A connector assembly including an optical cable and a connector module,
The optical cable is
Optical fiber,
A jacket provided around the optical fiber;
Provided between the optical fiber and the jacket, and having a metal heat transfer member,
The connector module is
A housing that defines a space;
A circuit board that is housed in the space of the housing and on which a photoelectric conversion unit to which the optical fiber is connected is mounted,
The photoelectric conversion unit includes a control semiconductor and a light emitting / receiving element,
The control semiconductor includes a drive IC and a waveform shaper for driving the light emitting / receiving element,
The housing includes a first housing made of a metal material, and a second housing made of a resin material and accommodating the first housing,
The circuit board and the first housing are thermally connected via a connection member,
The heat transfer member of the optical cable and the circuit board of the connector module are thermally connected via the connection member and the first housing ;
The connecting member is
A first heat dissipating sheet that thermally connects the surface of the circuit board and the first housing;
A connector assembly , comprising: a second heat dissipating sheet that thermally connects the back surface of the circuit board and the first housing .   The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a heat conductivity of the heat transfer member is greater than a heat conductivity of the connection member and the first housing. The front end of the housing comprises an electrical connector electrically connected to the circuit board,
The control semiconductor is located in front of the light emitting / receiving element and rearward of the electrical connector in the circuit board, and generates a larger amount of heat than the light emitting / receiving element,
The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection member includes a region that thermally connects the circuit board and the housing in front of the light emitting and receiving element. The first heat dissipation sheet thermally connects the wave shaper disposed on the surface of the circuit board and the first housing,
The second heat radiation sheet thermally connects the back surface of the circuit board and the first housing corresponding to a region on the front surface of the circuit board on which the driving IC is disposed. The connector assembly as described in any one of 1-3 . The said optical cable has a tube between the said optical fiber and the said heat-transfer member, The thermal conductivity of the said tube is below the thermal conductivity of the said jacket, The any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned. A connector assembly according to claim 1.

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