JP6114040B2 - Optical connector cap, optical connector with cap - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector cap that is detachably attached to an optical connector in which an optical path changing portion that bends an optical path of incoming / outgoing light at the tip of the optical fiber is provided in a body in which the tip of the optical fiber is inserted and fixed. The present invention relates to an optical connector.

As an optical connector attached to the tip of an optical fiber, there is a configuration in which a pair of positioning pins projecting from one surface and a recess for changing an optical path are formed on a plastic plate-like transparent connector body (for example, a patent) Reference 1).
The optical fiber tip is inserted and fixed to the connector main body of this optical connector in a direction along the joint surface from which the positioning pins of the connector main body protrude. This optical connector, for example, optically couples an optical fiber extending along a circuit board to an optical element that is a light receiving element or a light emitting element having an optical axis orthogonal to the circuit board mounted on the circuit board. In particular, it is preferably used and has been rapidly spreading in recent years.
In this optical connector, a positioning pin is fitted into a positioning pin hole of a receiving member (for example, the above-described circuit board) on which an optical element is mounted, and the central portion of the joint surface joined to the connector receiving surface of the receiving member is used as the optical element. It is face-to-face and attached to the receiving member. An optical path for optically coupling the optical fiber inserted into the connector body and the optical element passes through the connector body of the optical connector. The optical path is formed so as to be bent in the connector main body of the optical connector by the reflecting surface formed in the connector main body and pass through the center portion of the joint surface.

US Application Publication No. 2010/0135618

With respect to this optical connector, there is a demand for preventing damage to the joint surface of the connector body in an unconnected state. In view of this, it is considered to attach a protective member covering the joint surface of the connector body to the optical connector.
However, at present, there is still no protective member that can easily perform the attaching / detaching operation with respect to the optical connector, prevent inadvertent removal from the optical connector, and reliably protect the connector main body.

Although the above-mentioned optical connector can be gripped by, for example, the fingertips of two fingers, the size of the optical connector is generally small, so that it is difficult to handle such as being difficult to hold in a desired orientation. For this reason, as a protective member, the attachment structure for detachably attaching to an optical connector becomes a problem. For example, a protective member of a system in which an engagement claw is engaged with a connector body and assembled to an optical connector (hereinafter referred to as an engagement assembly system) has a structure in which a plurality of engagement claws are engaged with a small-sized connector body and assembled. Yes, it is not easy to engage and disengage the engaging claws.
A structure having a movable lever portion that facilitates the engagement / disengagement of the engagement claw with respect to the connector main body can be adopted as the protective member for the engagement assembly method. However, in the case of this structure, there is a possibility that the engagement of the engaging claw with the connector body is inadvertently released by operating the movable lever portion by an impact object or the like.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention has excellent detachability with respect to an optical connector, can prevent unintentional detachment from the optical connector, can stably maintain the mounting state with respect to the optical connector, and can reliably protect the optical connector. An object is to provide an optical connector cap and an optical connector with a cap.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following configuration.
The first invention is a housing base member in which a connector housing recess for housing an optical connector is formed, and can be opened and closed to close the optical connector housed in the connector housing recess by closing the housing base member. and a a cover member, the optical connector is configured to have a light path converting unit that converts the optical path of the optical fiber tip which is interpolated fixed to the body in the optical path of the light incidence and emission portions of the bonding surface side of the body one side The portion of the optical fiber that protrudes from the body is exposed to the outside and is not protected against bending, and when the lid member is closed to the storage base member, the locking portion of the storage base member An engaging portion that is detachably engaged with the housing base member, and a distal end portion of the housing base member around the connector housing recess is inserted and fixed to the body and extends from the rear end of the body. An optical fiber Bar receiving groove is formed, the housing base member wherein a side projecting portion after the peripheral wall projecting outwardly, said fiber housing groove is formed to extend to the protruding end of the rear projecting portion In addition, the rear projecting portion provides an optical connector cap that can prevent a portion of the optical fiber received in the fiber receiving groove from being bent .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fiber retainer for preventing the optical fiber passed through the fiber accommodation groove from being detached from the fiber accommodation groove when the lid member is closed to the accommodation base member. An optical connector cap according to a first aspect in which a protrusion is provided is provided.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the optical connector is accommodated in a connector accommodating recess of the accommodating base member so that a joint surface of the optical connector is opposed to the optical connector. A contact portion that is in contact with a joint surface other than the output portion; and a central recess that is secured at a position corresponding to the light incident / exit portion at a central portion of the joint surface of the optical connector; An optical connector cap according to the first or second aspect of the present invention is provided on both sides of the central recess to be brought into contact with joint surfaces on both sides via the light incident / exit portions of the optical connector.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the optical connector has positioning pins that protrude from both sides via the light incident / exit portions at the center of the joint surface, and the optical connector is provided in the connector receiving recess of the receiving base member. An optical connector cap according to a third aspect in which a pin accommodating space for accommodating a positioning pin of a connector is secured.
A fifth invention provides the optical connector cap according to the fourth invention, wherein the contact portion of the housing base member is provided between the central recess and each of the pin housing spaces on both sides thereof.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the lid member includes a lid member body that opens and closes the connector housing recess of the housing base member, and a connector pressing projection that projects from a surface of the lid member body facing the connector housing recess. and a section, wherein the connector housing recess closed any one of the 3-5 that houses the optical connector between the contact portion of the connector retainer projection and the housing base member of said lid member An optical connector cap of the invention is provided.
A seventh invention provides the optical connector cap according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the lid member is rotatably provided on a peripheral wall portion of the housing base member via a hinge portion.
In the eighth invention, the optical connector attached to the tip of the optical fiber is assembled by closing the lid member on the housing base member of the optical connector cap of any one of the first to seventh inventions housing the optical connector. An optical connector with a cap is provided in which an optical fiber housed in a connector housing case and extending from the optical connector is passed through a fiber housing groove of a housing base member of the connector housing case.

The optical connector cap which concerns on this invention comprises the case (connector accommodation case) which accommodates an optical connector by closing a cover member to an accommodation base member. This optical connector cap protects the optical connector accommodated inside thereof (inside the connector accommodation case) from impacts and the like, and can prevent the connector body from being damaged or damaged.
In this optical connector cap, a portion (rear extension portion) extending outward from the optical connector of the optical fiber whose tip is inserted and fixed to the body of the optical connector is passed through the fiber accommodation groove of the accommodation base member. The connector housing case can be extended outward. According to the optical connector cap and the optical connector with a cap according to the present invention, the rear extension portion of the optical fiber is passed through the fiber accommodation groove so that the rear extension portion of the optical fiber is closed with respect to the accommodation base member. It is possible to avoid becoming an obstacle to alignment.

The optical connector cap according to the present invention can prevent the closed lid member from being inadvertently opened with respect to the accommodation base member by the engagement between the engaging portion of the accommodation base member and the engagement portion of the lid member. . As a result, according to the present invention, the optical connector cap attached to the optical connector can be prevented from being accidentally detached from the optical connector, and the optical connector cap can be stably attached to the optical connector. The optical connector can be reliably accommodated and protected inside.
Further, the connector housing case (optical connector cap) housing the optical connector can be released by the disengagement operation with respect to the engaging portion of the engaging portion engaged with the engaging portion of the housing base member, and is detached from the optical connector. Can be made. According to the present invention, the detachment operation of the optical connector cap with respect to the optical connector can be easily performed.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the cover member of the optical connector cap of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention with respect to the accommodation base member. It is a figure explaining the connector accommodation case assembled by locking the lid member closed together with the accommodation base member of the optical connector cap of Drawing 1 to the accommodation base member, (a) is a perspective view seen from the slant front side, b) is a perspective view seen from an oblique rear side. It is a figure explaining the state which opened the cover member of the optical connector cap of FIG. 1 with respect to the accommodation base member, (a) is the top view seen from the opening side of the accommodation base member, (b) is seen from the rear side. FIG. 6C is a bottom view seen from the side opposite to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an optical connector with a cap that accommodates an optical connector having an optical fiber tip inserted and fixed in the connector housing case of FIG. 2 together with a cover member attached to the optical connector; It is the fragmentary sectional view which looked at the cross section perpendicularly to the member width direction. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an optical connector with a cap that accommodates an optical connector having an optical fiber tip inserted and fixed in the connector housing case of FIG. 2 together with a cover member attached to the optical connector; It is the fragmentary sectional view which carried out the cross sectional view perpendicularly to the front-back direction of a member. It is a figure explaining the optical connector with a cap which accommodated the optical connector which has not attached the cover member in the connector accommodation case of FIG. 2, and is a cross section in a cross section perpendicular | vertical to the width direction of the accommodation base member of the connector accommodation case It is the fragmentary sectional view seen. It is a figure explaining the optical connector with a cap which accommodated the optical connector which has not attached the cover member in the connector accommodation case of FIG. 2, and is a cross section in a cross section perpendicular | vertical to the front-back direction of the accommodation base member of the connector accommodation case It is the fragmentary sectional view seen. It is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the cover member of the optical connector cap of 2nd Embodiment which concerns on this invention with respect to the accommodation base member. It is the perspective view which looked at the connector accommodation case assembled by closing a cover member together with the accommodation base member of the optical connector cap of FIG. 8 from the diagonally rear side. It is a figure explaining the state which opened the cover member of the optical connector cap of FIG. 8 with respect to the accommodation base member, (a) is the top view seen from the opening side of the accommodation base member, (b) is a side view. . It is a figure explaining the optical connector with a cap which accommodated the optical connector by which the optical fiber front-end | tip was inserted and fixed to the connector accommodation case of FIG. 9 with the cover member with which this optical connector was mounted | worn. It is the fragmentary sectional view which looked at the cross section perpendicularly to the member width direction. It is a figure explaining the optical connector with a cap which accommodated the optical connector by which the optical fiber front-end | tip was inserted and fixed to the connector accommodation case of FIG. 9 with the cover member with which this optical connector was mounted | worn. It is the fragmentary sectional view which carried out the cross sectional view perpendicularly to the front-back direction of a member. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the optical connector (optical connector with an optical axis change part) which mounts the optical connector cap of embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the optical connector of FIG. 13, (a) is the figure (plan view) seen from the back side, (b) is a side view, (c) is the figure (bottom view) seen from the joining surface side. is there. It is a figure which shows an example of the cover member with which the optical connector outside of FIG. 13 is mounted | worn, Comprising: (a) is the perspective view seen from the back side, (b) is the perspective view seen from the cover opening side opposite to the back side. It is. It is a figure which shows the optical connector with a cover assembled | attached by attaching the cover member of FIG. 15 to the optical connector of FIG. 13, Comprising: (a) is the figure (plan view) seen from the back side, (b) is a side view, (C) is the figure (bottom view) seen from the joint surface side.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
First, an optical connector cap and an optical connector with a cap according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, the optical connector cap 10 of this embodiment includes an accommodation base member 20 in which a connector accommodation recess 21 for accommodating an optical connector 50 is formed, and an accommodation base. And a lid member 30 that can be opened and closed with respect to the member 20.

The lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 in the illustrated example has a plate-like lid member main body 31 that closes the housing base member 20 and covers the connector housing recess 21.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 3A, and 3B, the lid member body 31 of the lid member 30 in the illustrated example is formed in an elongated plate shape (specifically, a rectangular plate shape). The lid inner side surface 31a on one side of the lid member main body 31 is also formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction of the lid member main body 31 as the longitudinal direction.
Regarding the lid member 30, the longitudinal direction of the lid member body 31 is hereinafter also referred to as an extending direction. For the lid member 30, a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the lid inner side surface 31a is also referred to as a width direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2 </ b> B, 4, and 5, the optical connector cap 10 includes a case (connector) that accommodates the optical connector by closing the lid member 30 with respect to the accommodating base member 20. A storage case 10A) is formed. The optical connector cap 10 can accommodate the optical connector 50 attached to the tip of the optical fiber 61 and the cover member 59 attached to the outside of the optical connector 50 inside the connector housing case 10A.

Hereinafter, the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is attached is also referred to as a cover-equipped optical connector 50A. The optical connector cap 10 protects the optical connector 50A with a cover from an impact object and the like by accommodating the optical connector 50A with a cover inside the connector housing case 10A, and can prevent the optical connector 50 from being damaged or damaged. .
In this specification, the optical connector with cover 50A is also treated as an optical connector.
Specific configurations of the optical connector 50 and the cover member 59 will be described later.

The illustrated optical connector cap 10 is an integrally molded product made of plastic.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3B, the lid member 30 is a thin wall formed on the peripheral wall portion 22 around the connector housing recess 21 of the housing base member 20 so as to be thinner than the lid plate portion 31. They are connected via part 11. The thin portion 11 functions as a hinge portion that rotatably connects the lid member 30 to the housing base member 20. Hereinafter, the thin portion 11 is also referred to as a thin hinge portion.

As shown in FIG. 1, the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 protrudes from the outer peripheral portion of the plate-like bottom wall portion 23 forming the bottom surface 21 a of the connector housing recess 21 to one side of the bottom wall portion 23. Yes.
The illustrated optical connector 50 includes a body 51 having a substantially rectangular plate shape. The tip of the optical fiber 61 is inserted and fixed to the body 51 of the optical connector 50 in the illustrated example. The portion of the optical fiber 61 that extends from the optical connector 50 is hereinafter also referred to as a rear extension 62.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 is provided with a rear extending portion 62 of the optical fiber 61 extending from the optical connector 50 housed in the connector housing recess 21. A fiber accommodation groove 24 is formed for passage therethrough. The fiber housing groove 24 is formed in a cutout shape that is recessed from an end (projecting end) opposite to the bottom wall 23 of the peripheral wall 22.

Further, the optical connector cap 10 has a rear side protruding portion 28 that protrudes from the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodating base member 20 to the outside opposite to the connector accommodating recess 21.
The fiber housing groove 24 is formed to extend from the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 to the projecting end of the rear side overhanging portion 28.

As shown in FIGS. 13, 14A and 14B, the body 51 of the optical connector 50 has an optical path changing recess 53 in the longitudinal center from the end surface (rear surface 58a) at one end in the longitudinal direction. A fiber receiving hole 51a extending toward the end is formed. The distal end portion of the optical fiber 61 is inserted and fixed in the fiber accommodation hole 51a.
In the present specification, the optical connector 50 will be described with the side where the opening of the fiber accommodation hole 51a is located in the longitudinal direction of the body 51 as the rear and the opposite side as the front.
The optical fiber 61 extends from the body 51 of the optical connector 50 to the rear side.

  The rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 is passed through the fiber housing groove 24 of the housing base member 20 when the optical connector 50 is housed in the connector housing recess 21 of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10. . As a result, the rear extending portion 62 of the optical fiber 61 does not interfere with the operation of closing the lid member 30 in the opened state with respect to the accommodation base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 to the accommodation base member 20. The lid member 30 can be closed to the accommodating base member 20 without strongly sandwiching the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 between the lid member 30 and the accommodating base member 20.

The fiber accommodation groove 24 is formed on the rear side of the connector accommodation recess 21.
The thin hinge portion 11 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical connector cap 10 (vertical direction in FIGS. 3A and 3C) in the plan view (see FIG. 3A) with respect to the housing base member 20. It is provided on one side in the width direction. The lid member 30 is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the housing base member 20 through the thin hinge portion 11 with a rotation axis in the front-rear direction of the optical connector cap 10 (vertical direction in FIGS. 3A and 3C). It has been.

The peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 is formed in a rectangular frame shape along the outer peripheral shape of the rectangular plate-like optical connector body 51 in plan view (see FIG. 14A).
The peripheral wall portion 22 includes a rear wall portion 22b in which a fiber housing groove 24 is formed, a front wall portion 22a located on the opposite side of the rear wall portion 22b via the connector housing recess 21, and a housing base member 20. It is comprised by the side wall parts 22c and 22d of the width direction both sides.
The thin hinge portion 11 is an outer surface side (the side opposite to the inner surface side facing the connector housing recess 21) of one of the pair of side wall portions 22c and 22d of the housing base member 20 (in the illustrated example, the side wall portion of 22c). It is connected to.

Hereinafter, of the pair of side wall portions 22c and 22d of the accommodation base member 20, the side wall portion 22c connected to the thin hinge portion 11 is also referred to as a first side wall portion, and the other side wall portion 22d is also referred to as a second side wall portion.
The pair of side wall portions 22 c and 22 d of the housing base member 20 are formed to extend in the front-rear direction of the optical connector cap 10 in the housing base member 20.
The front wall portion 22a and the rear wall portion 22b are formed to extend in the width direction of the accommodation base member 20.

Here, the optical connector 50 will be described.
The optical connector 50 illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14A to 14C is a plate made of transparent plastic, such as acrylic resin, having a refractive index larger than that of air, as a body for interpolating and fixing an optical fiber tip. The body 51 is used.

  The distal end portion of the optical fiber 61 is inserted and fixed in the body 51 of the optical connector 50 of the illustrated example in a direction along the joint surface 52 of one surface of the body 51. Further, in the body 51, an optical path changing recess that reflects incident light or outgoing light at the tip of the optical fiber 61 to form a bent optical path H (see FIG. 14B) intersecting the joining surface 52. 53 is formed.

  A rear inclined inner surface 53a that is inclined with respect to the joint surface 52 is formed in the rear portion of the optical path changing recess 53 so that the distance from the joint surface 52 of the body 51 increases as going to the rear side of the connector. ing. The rear inclined inner surface 53 a is also inclined with respect to the optical axis at the tip of the optical fiber 61 extending along the bonding surface 52. The rear inclined inner surface 53a is positioned on the optical axis at the tip of the optical fiber 61 (specifically, the optical axis at the tip of a bare optical fiber 61b described later).

The body 51 of the optical connector 50 is formed with a lens portion 53 b that bulges in a partial spherical shape from the rear inclined inner surface 53 a to the optical path changing recess 53. The convex curved surface (hereinafter also referred to as a curved outer surface 53c) of the lens portion 53b is formed in a concave shape when viewed from the optical fiber 61 side and the groove portion 54 side. The curved outer surface 53c reflects incident light or outgoing light at the tip of the optical fiber 61 (specifically, the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b) due to a difference in refractive index between the lens portion 53b and the air in the optical path changing recess 53. Thus, it functions as a reflecting surface (optical path changing portion) that forms a bent optical path H.
Hereinafter, the curved outer surface 53c of the lens portion 53b is also referred to as a reflecting surface or a lens portion reflecting surface.
The lens portion reflecting surface 53c is located on the optical axis at the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b.

In the optical connector 50 illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14A to 14C, the center of the joint surface 52 (specifically, in a direction along a virtual vertical line perpendicular to the joint surface 52 by the reflective surface 53c). Is formed with a bent optical path H that intersects a groove bottom surface 54a) described later.
The outgoing light emitted from the tip of the optical fiber 61 travels in the body 51 of the optical connector 50 along the optical path H, and is emitted from the body 51 to the bonding surface 52 side. Specifically, the emitted light from the tip of the optical fiber 61 is transmitted from the groove bottom surface 54a of the groove portion 54 that is formed to extend in the width direction perpendicular to the width direction of the bonding surface 52 at the longitudinal center portion of the rectangular bonding surface 52. Emitted. Incident light that enters the optical fiber 61 from the joint surface 52 side of the optical connector 50 travels through the body 51 along the optical path H and enters the optical fiber 61 from its tip.

  The optical connector 50 illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14A to 14C uses an optical fiber ribbon 61A as the optical fiber 61, and the tip of the optical fiber ribbon 61A is inserted and fixed to the body 51. It has a configuration. A bare optical fiber 61b is led out at the tip of the optical fiber ribbon 61A. The optical fiber ribbon 61A includes a body 51 including a tip end portion of a tape-like covering portion 61a in which a plurality of bare optical fibers 61b are collectively covered with a covering material, and a bare optical fiber 61b protruding from the tip end of the covering portion 61a. And is fixed to the body 51.

  The body 51 is formed in a rectangular plate shape having a substantially rectangular joining surface 52. The distal end portion of the covering portion 61a of the optical fiber ribbon 61A is inserted and fixed in a covering portion receiving hole 51b formed extending from one longitudinal end of the body 51 toward the central portion. Also, a plurality of bare optical fibers 61b protruding from the tip of the covering portion 61a of the optical fiber ribbon 61A extend in the body 51 from the back of the covering portion receiving hole 51b toward the optical path changing recess 53. It is inserted into an existing positioning hole (not shown). Bare optical fibers 61b are inserted into the positioning holes one by one.

The plurality of bare optical fibers 61b are positioned with high accuracy in parallel with each other in the direction along the joint surface 52 by the positioning hole inner surface. The fiber accommodation hole 51a is configured by a covering portion accommodation hole 51b and a plurality of positioning holes extending from the depth of the covering portion accommodation hole 51b.
The optical fiber ribbon 61 </ b> A is fixed to the body 51 such that the bare optical fiber 61 b protruding from both surfaces of the tape-shaped covering portion 61 a and the tip of the covering portion 61 a is along the joining surface 52 of the body 51.

  The end of each bare optical fiber 61b (the end of the optical fiber 61) is disposed away from the reflection surface 53c of the optical path changing recess 53 toward the rear side of the connector. A part of the body 51 exists between the distal end surface of the bare optical fiber 61b and the reflecting surface 53c. The surface of the body 51 that faces the end surface of the bare optical fiber 61b is formed substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the end of the bare optical fiber 61b. The bare optical fiber 61b is optically coupled to the body 51 with its distal end face disposed or abutted against it.

In the optical connector 50, a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the joint surface 52 of the body 51 is hereinafter also referred to as a width direction. The plurality of bare optical fibers 61b led out at the tip of the optical fiber ribbon 61A are arranged side by side in the body 51 width direction in the body 51.
The optical path changing recess 53 of the body 51 is formed with the joint surface 52 of the body 51 so as to form the optical paths H parallel to each other for the plurality of bare optical fibers 61b of the optical fiber ribbon 61A by the reflecting surface 53c. Is recessed from the opposite back surface 56 and is formed in a groove shape extending in the width direction of the body 51.

A plurality of lens portions 53 b are formed on the rear inclined inner surface 13 a of the optical path changing recess 53. The reflecting surface 53c of each lens portion 53b is located on the extension of the tip of each bare optical fiber 61b of the optical fiber ribbon 61A, that is, on the optical axis of the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b.
The lens portions 53b are arrayed at a plurality of locations in the connector width direction (body 51 width direction) of the rear inclined inner surface 13a so as to correspond to the plurality of bare optical fibers 61b.

  The optical path H is formed by bending each of the plurality of bare optical fibers 61b by the lens portion reflecting surface 53c. Specifically, the optical path H is incident on or emitted from the distal end surface of the bare optical fiber 61b (incident light incident on the bare optical fiber 61b from the distal end surface, or emitted from the distal end surface of the bare optical fiber 61b). Light path of the emitted light).

As shown in FIGS. 14B and 14C, a groove portion 54 extending in the body width direction is formed at the longitudinal center portion of the joint surface 52 of the body 51 of the optical connector 50 (hereinafter also referred to as a connector body). Is formed. Specifically, the optical paths H formed by the reflective surface 53c for the plurality of bare optical fibers 61b of the optical fiber ribbon 61A are formed so as to pass through the groove bottom surface 54a of the groove portion 54.
The groove bottom surface 54 a of the groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 in the illustrated example is formed on a flat surface along the joining surface 52.

As shown in FIG. 14 (c), the optical path H formed by each of the plurality of bare optical fibers 61 b of the optical fiber ribbon 61 </ b> A by the reflecting surface 53 c is the longitudinal length of the joint surface 52 of the connector body 51. It is arranged in a row in the body width direction at the center in the direction.
Hereinafter, the region in which the optical path H in the central portion in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the joint surface 52 is arranged is also referred to as a light incident / exit portion 57. In the illustrated optical connector 50, the groove bottom surface 54 a of the groove portion 54 serves as the light incident / exit portion 57.

The lens part reflecting surface 53c reflects the emitted light from the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b toward the joint surface 52 groove 54, and reflects the incident light from the groove 54 side to the connector body 51 toward the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b. Fulfills the function.
Further, the lens part reflecting surface 53c is parallel light toward the groove part 54 as much as possible without leaking the light emitted from the tip of the optical fiber 61 (the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b) including the light diffusing from its optical axis. As reflective. The lens portion reflecting surface 53c functions to reflect the incident light from the groove 54 side toward the connector body 51 toward the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b and to collect it on the tip of the bare optical fiber 61b.

As shown in FIGS. 14A to 14C, the optical connector 50 in the illustrated example has positioning pins 55 that protrude from two spaced apart portions of the joint surface 52 of the body 51.
The optical connector 50 is, for example, inserted and fitted into a positioning pin hole of a connector receiving member provided with an optical input / output end such as an optical element (light receiving element or light emitting element) or an optical fiber. The joining surface 52 can be joined to the connector receiving surface of the connector receiving member and attached to the connector receiving member. At this time, the groove bottom surface 54a of the connector body 51 is disposed facing the light input / output end. The positioning pin 55 functions to position the optical fiber 50 with respect to the connector receiving member so that the groove bottom surface 54a of the connector body 51 is disposed facing the light input / output end. The optical connector 50 can optically connect the optical fiber 61 to the optical element by arranging the groove bottom surface 54a of the connector body 51 facing the light input / output end and attaching it to the connector receiving member.

In the optical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention, the formation of the lens portion 53b is omitted, and the flat inclined rear inner surface 53a itself reflects the incident light or outgoing light at the tip of the optical fiber 61. In addition, it is possible to employ a configuration that is used as a reflecting surface that forms a bent optical path.
Also, as the optical connector, the positioning pin 55 is omitted, and the positioning pin hole projecting from the connector receiving member is removably inserted and fitted to both sides via the groove portion 54, and the positioning pin hole is opened. The formed configuration can also be adopted.

Next, the cover member 59 attached to the optical connector 50 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 14A to 14C, 15A, and 15B, the cover member 59 is provided on one side of a cover top plate portion 59a that covers the back surface 56 of the body 51 of the optical connector 50. Of the four outer wall surfaces (rear surface 58a, side surfaces 58b, 58c, and front end surface 58d) corresponding to the four outer peripheral sides of the rectangular rear surface 56 of the body 51, the rear surface from which the optical fiber 61 is extended. The cover member main body 591 has a configuration in which cover side wall portions 592 covering three surfaces except 58a are provided upright.
The cover member 59 accommodates the optical connector 50 fitted inside the cover member main body 591 and is attached to the outer side of the optical connector 50 in a state where the joining surface 52 of the optical connector 50 is exposed.

The cover side wall portion 592 protrudes from one side of the cover top plate portion 59a along three sides excluding one end in the longitudinal direction of the rectangular plate-shaped cover top plate portion 59a. The cover side wall portion 592 includes a pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c covering a pair of side surfaces 58b and 58c extending along a pair of long sides of the back surface 56 of the optical connector 50, and the rear surface 58a of the optical connector 50. And a cover end plate portion 59d covering the tip end surface 58d opposite to the front end surface 58d.
The cover side plate portions 59b and 59c are erected perpendicularly to the cover top plate portion 59a along a pair of long sides of the rectangular plate-shaped cover top plate portion 59a in plan view, and extend in parallel to each other. . The cover end plate portion 59d is erected vertically with respect to the cover top plate portion 59a along one of the pair of short sides in plan view of the cover top plate portion 59a, and the extending direction of the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c It is formed perpendicular to the cover side plate portions 59b and 59c so as to close one end.

Further, the cover member 59 has an end plate protrusion 59e that protrudes from a protrusion opposite to the cover top plate 59a of the cover end plate 59d. The end plate protrusion 59e protrudes from the cover end plate portion 59d to the side opposite to the cover top plate portion 59a.
Further, the cover member 59 bridges between the protruding end portions opposite to the cover top plate portion 59a of the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c at the base end portion opposite to the tip end portion on the cover end plate portion 59d side. It has a connector holding piece 59f. The connector holding piece 59f bridges between the base ends (the ends opposite to the cover end plate 59d) of the pair of cover side plates 59b and 59c.
The connector holding piece 59f is formed to protrude toward the cover opening side opposite to the cover top plate portion 59a with respect to the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c.

  The optical connector 50 is pushed from the base end side of the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c of the cover member main body 591 of the cover member 59 toward the cover end plate portion 59d along the cover top plate portion 59a. Can be accommodated inside the cover member main body 591. The optical connector 50 abuts its front end surface 58 d against the cover end plate portion 59 d of the cover member 59. Since the connector holding piece portion 59f of the cover member 59 is located on the side opposite to the cover top plate portion 59a with respect to the cover side plate portions 59b and 59c, the optical connector 50 is accommodated inside the cover member main body 591. Does not become an obstacle to work.

  As shown in FIGS. 16B, 16C, etc., in the optical connector with cover 50A, the optical connector 50 has its body back surface 56 in contact with the cover top plate portion 59a, and the side surfaces 58b, 58c on both sides of the body 51. Is fitted into the cover member 59 with the front end surface 58d abutting against the cover end plate portion 59d of the cover member 59.

The cover-attached optical connector 50A has a configuration in which the joint surface 52 side of the optical connector 50 slightly protrudes from the protruding ends of the cover side plate portions 59b and 59c and the cover end plate portion 59d, and the entire groove portion 54 is disposed outside the cover member 59. Yes. The groove bottom surface 54a of the groove portion 54 is disposed outside the cover member 59 opposite to the cover top plate portion 59a from the protruding ends of the cover side plate portions 59b and 59c and the cover end plate portion 59d.
In the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A, the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the body 51 of the optical connector 50 is disposed in the central portion in the extending direction of the cover side plate portions 59 b and 59 c of the cover member 59. The groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 is disposed at a position between the cover end plate portion 59d and the connector holding piece portion 59f in the front-rear direction of the cover member 59 (matching the front-rear direction of the optical connector 50).

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 has a contact protrusion 25 (abutting on a joining surface 52 of the optical connector 50 housed in the connector housing recess 21. A plurality of contact portions). The contact protrusion 25 protrudes from the bottom surface 21 a of the connector housing recess 21 and is provided in the connector housing recess 21. The plurality of contact protrusions 25 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction of the housing base member 20 so as to be in contact with both sides of the connector front-rear direction (body 51 front-rear direction) via the groove portion 54 of the joining surface 52 of the optical connector 50. Is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the contact protrusion 25 in the illustrated example is formed in a ridge shape extending along the width direction of the housing base member 20.
However, the contact protrusion 25 is not limited to the configuration in the illustrated example, and may be, for example, a columnar protrusion.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the contact protrusions 25 in the illustrated example are provided on the accommodation base member 20 at two locations in the front-rear direction. In the figure, reference numeral 25a is added to the front contact protrusion 25 (front contact protrusion), and reference numeral 25b is added to the rear contact protrusion 25 (rear contact protrusion).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the distance L1 between the outer surfaces of the front and rear abutment protrusions 25 opposite to the inner surfaces facing each other is slightly smaller than the distance L2 between the pair of positioning pins 55 of the optical connector 50. Is set. Further, the projecting dimension T of the positioning pin 55 of the optical connector 50 from the joint surface 52 is smaller than the projecting dimension of the contact projection 25 of the optical connector cap 10 from the connector receiving recess bottom surface 21a.

Note that the tip of the positioning pin 55 in the illustrated example has a tapered shape (tapered portion). The protruding dimension T of the positioning pin 55 indicates the protruding dimension of the rod-shaped portion from the optical connector body 51 (joint surface 52) excluding the tapered processed portion at the tip of the positioning pin 55.
The projecting dimensions of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the optical connector cap 10 from the connector receiving recess bottom surface 21a are the same. Projection dimensions T from the joint surface 52 of the positioning pins 55 before and after the optical connector 50 are the same.

Here, the separation distance L1 between the outer surfaces of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 is a protrusion dimension T of the positioning pin 55 of the optical connector 50 from the protrusion end of each contact protrusion 25 toward the bottom wall portion 23 of the housing base member 20. The maximum separation distance between the outer surfaces of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 in the range of.
The contact protrusion 25 in the illustrated example is formed such that a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the width direction of the housing base member 20 tapers from the bottom wall portion 23 toward the protruding end side. The separation distance L1 between the outer surfaces of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the optical connector cap 10 in the illustrated example is such that the positioning pins 55 of the optical connector 50 from the protruding ends of the contact protrusions 25 toward the bottom wall portion 23 of the housing base member 20. The separation distance between the outer surfaces at the position of the protruding dimension T.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 4, between the front-side contact protrusion 25 a and the front wall portion 22 a and between the rear-side contact protrusion 25 b and the rear wall portion 22 b. The pin accommodating spaces 26a and 26b for accommodating the positioning pins 55 of the optical connector 50 are secured.
Hereinafter, the pin receiving space 26a between the front contact protrusion 25a and the front wall portion 22a of the storage base member 20 is defined as the front pin receiving space, and the pin storage space between the rear contact protrusion 25b and the rear wall portion 22b. The space 26b is also referred to as a rear pin accommodating space.

To accommodate the optical connector with cover 50A in the connector housing case 10A, the optical connector with cover 50A is housed in the connector housing recess 21 of the housing base member 20 exposed by opening the lid member 30, and then the housing base. The lid member 30 is closed to the member 20.
As shown in FIG. 5, the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A is oriented so that the connector receiving recess 21 of the receiving base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 faces the joint receiving surface 52 of the optical connector 50 to the bottom surface 21 a of the connector receiving recess. Insert and house. The cover-attached optical connector 50 </ b> A is housed in the connector housing recess 21 with its front-rear direction (coincident with the front-rear direction of the optical connector 50) aligned with the front-rear direction of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the optical connector with cover 50A is housed in the connector housing recess 21 of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10, the front positioning pin 55 (front pin 55a) of the optical connector 50 is inserted. The rear side positioning pin 55 (rear side pin 55b) is inserted into the rear side pin accommodation space 26b of the accommodation base member 20 and inserted into the front side pin accommodation space 26a of the accommodation base member 20. Further, in the optical connector with cover 50A, the end plate projection 59e at the front end of the cover member 59 is inserted into the front pin accommodating space 26a of the accommodation base member 20, and the connector holding piece 59f at the rear end of the cover member 59 is accommodated in the accommodation base. The member 20 is inserted into the rear pin accommodating space 26b.

  The lid member 30 in an open state with respect to the accommodation base member 20 accommodates the optical connector with cover 50A in the connector accommodation recess 21 of the accommodation base member 20, and the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 to the fiber accommodation groove 24. Is inserted into the housing base member 20 and then closed. Thereby, the optical connector 50 with a cover can be accommodated and protected in the connector accommodation case 10A.

As described above, the cover-attached optical connector 50A has a configuration in which the joint surface 52 side of the optical connector 50 slightly protrudes from the protruding ends of the cover-side plate portions 59b and 59c and the cover end plate portion 59d (FIG. 16B). )reference).
As shown in FIG. 5, the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A housed in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A has a joint surface 52 of the optical connector 50 with respect to the projecting end surfaces of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 a and 25 b of the housing base member 20. However, the cover member 59 does not contact the contact protrusion 25.

  An optical connector 50A with a cover or an optical connector 50 to which a cover member 59 is not mounted is accommodated in the connector housing case 10A (with the optical connector cap 10 mounted) is hereinafter also referred to as an optical connector with a cap. 2A, 2B, 4 and 5 show an optical connector 510 with a cap in which the optical connector with cover 50A is accommodated in the connector accommodation case 10A.

As described above, the separation distance L1 between the outer surfaces of the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the optical connector cap 10 is set to be slightly smaller than the separation distance L2 between the pair of positioning pins 55 of the optical connector 50 ( (See FIG. 4).
The optical connector 510 with cap has a configuration in which a slight clearance (not shown) is secured in the connector housing case 10A to allow slight movement (fine movement) of the optical connector with cover 50A housed inside. It has become.

4 and 5, the optical connector 510 with a cap is such that the distance between the front wall portion 22a and the rear wall portion 22b of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 is the dimension in the front-rear direction of the optical connector 50A with a cover. It is set slightly larger than that.
Further, in this optical connector 510 with cap, the distance between the pair of side wall portions 22c, 22d of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 is such that the side surface protrusions 59g projecting on both sides of the cover member 59 (FIG. 16 ( It is set slightly larger than the distance between the tips of a) to (c)).

  As shown in FIGS. 15 (a), 15 (b), and 16 (a) to 16 (c), the cover member 59 is disposed on the outer surface side opposite to the inner surface of the cover member main body 591 from the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c. It includes a projecting side projection 59g. In the cover member 59, the side protrusions 59g are provided on both sides in the width direction, which is the distance direction between the pair of cover side plate portions 59b and 59c. This side protrusion 59g is a ridge shape extending in the direction perpendicular to the cover top plate portion 59a at the center in the extending direction of the cover side plate portions 59b and 59c extending along the longitudinal direction of the cover top plate portion 59a. Is formed.

A case will be described in which the separation distance L1 between the outer surfaces of the contact protrusions 25 is equal to the separation distance L2 between the positioning pins 55 of the optical connector 50. In this case, for example, when deformation due to the pressing force of the connector housing case 10A occurs, a phenomenon that the positioning pin 55 of the cover-attached optical connector 50A housed inside the connector housing case 10A is pressed and pressed against the contact protrusion 25 is likely to occur. Become.
In contrast, in the illustrated optical connector cap 10, the positioning pin 55 contacts the contact protrusion 25 even when the optical connector 50 </ b> A with the cover is relatively displaced (floating) relative to the housing base member 20 in the front-rear direction. It is designed not to touch.

The movable range in the front-rear direction of the optical connector 50A with cover in the connector housing case 10A with respect to the connector housing case 10A is determined by the distance between the front wall portion 22a and the rear wall portion 22b of the housing base member 20 and the cover. It is determined by the size of the optical connector 50A in the front-rear direction (matching the front-rear direction of the optical connector 50). The accommodating base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 accommodates the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A so as to be movable in the front-rear direction of the accommodating base member 20 as long as the positioning pins 55 do not abut against the abutting protrusions 25.
Therefore, the optical connector cap 10 in the illustrated example has no fear of damaging the positioning pins 55 of the optical connector with cover 50A housed in the connector housing case 10A by pressing or pressure contact with the contact protrusion 25.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A housed in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A, the groove 54 of the optical connector 50 is brought into contact with the front and rear protrusions 25 of the housing base member 20 by the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20. It arrange | positions so that it may be located between.
The pair of contact protrusions 25 is a region located between the groove 54 in the joint surface 52 of the connector 50 housed in the connector housing recess and the positioning pins 55 provided on both sides of the groove 54. Abut.
When the groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 is disposed between the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the housing base member 20, the cover-equipped optical connector 50 </ b> A is displaced (moved) relative to the housing base member 20 in the front-rear direction. Even maintained.

As shown in FIG. 4, the configuration in which the groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 of the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A housed in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A is disposed between the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the housing base member 20 is as follows. It is possible to reliably prevent members other than the optical connector 50 from coming into contact with 54a. The groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 housed in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A is disposed facing the central recess 25 c between the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the housing base member 20. For this reason, the optical connector cap 10 can reliably protect the groove bottom surface 54a of the optical connector 50 from being damaged.
The front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the storage base member 20 are provided on both front and rear sides via a central recess 25c.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the connector housing case 10 </ b> A can also house the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, reference numeral 511 is added to an optical connector with a cap configured to accommodate the optical connector 50 in which the cover member 59 is not mounted in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A.

In the optical connector 511 with a cap, the connector housing case 10A accommodates the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached while allowing slight movement. The optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached is accommodated in the connector accommodation case 10A with a larger floating range than the optical connector 50A with a cover. In the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached, the positioning pin 55 can come into contact with the contact protrusion 25 by the loose movement in the connector housing case 10A. However, since the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached has a larger range of movement in the connector housing case 10A than the optical connector 50A with a cover, it results from deformation of the connector housing case 10A due to a collision object or the like. The press contact of the positioning pin 55 to the contact protrusion 25 is difficult to occur. For this reason, the optical connector 511 with a cap is less likely to cause the inconvenience that the positioning pin 55 is damaged by the pressure contact with the contact protrusion 25.
Also in this optical connector 511 with a cap, the state in which the groove portion 54 of the optical connector 50 is disposed between the front and rear contact protrusions 25 of the housing base member 20 can be stably maintained.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 has an engagement piece 32 (engagement) projecting on the side (front end side) opposite to the base end side connected to the thin hinge portion 11. Part). The engaging piece 32 is engaged with and disengaged from a locking claw 27 (locking portion) protruding from the outer surface side (the side opposite to the connector receiving recess 21) of the second side wall portion 22 d of the storage base member 20. It is configured to be possible. The lid member 30 is closed to the storage base member 20 and the engagement piece 32 is engaged with the locking claw 27 of the storage base member 20, thereby closing the storage base member 20 (FIGS. 2A and 2B). ) And FIG. 5) can be maintained.

The engagement piece 32 engaged with the locking claw 27 of the storage base member 20 can be manually released from the engagement with the locking claw 27 of the storage base member 20.
The lid member 30 in a closed state with respect to the storage base member 20 releases the engagement of the engagement piece 32 with the locking claw 27 of the storage base member 20, thereby causing the thin hinge portion 11 to move relative to the storage base member 20. It becomes rotatable about the center and can be opened with respect to the accommodation base member 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lid member main body 31 faces the main body inner surface 31 a (hereinafter also referred to as a lid inner side surface) facing the bottom wall portion 23 of the storage base member 20 when it is closed to the storage base member 20. Is provided with a rib-shaped rib portion 33 extending along the outer peripheral portion thereof.
Specifically, the engagement piece 32 of the lid member 30 is a plate-like piece that protrudes from the outer surface of the portion of the rib portion 33 located on the distal end side of the lid member 30 to the side opposite to the lid member main body 31.

As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2 </ b> B, and 5, the engagement piece 32 has the engagement claw 27 of the accommodation base member 20 in the engagement window hole 32 a formed in the engagement piece 32. By engaging, the engaging claw 27 is engaged. The lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20 so that the engagement claw 27 of the accommodation base member 20 enters the engagement window hole 32 a of the engagement piece 32, and the engagement piece 32 becomes the engagement claw 27. Can be engaged. As a result, the lid member 30 is locked to the accommodation base member 20 in a closed state.
The engaging piece 32 engaged with the engaging claw 27 of the storage base member 20 is elastically deformed manually by pulling out the engaging claw 27 from the engaging window hole 32a. 27 can be released.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 is provided so as to protrude (peripheral) over the entire outer circumference of the lid inner side surface 31 a side.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the optical connector cap 10, when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 is fixed to the bottom of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20. It fits on the outside of the protruding end opposite to the wall 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 corresponds to the rectangular frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20 and can be fitted to the peripheral wall portion 22. It is formed in a shape.
The rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 is disposed on the outer surface side of the pair of side wall portions 22c and 22d and the front wall portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20 when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20. The outer peripheral main rib portion 331 formed to extend in a U-shape and the rear rib portion 33b disposed on the outer surface side of the rear wall portion 22b.

The cover member 30 is provided on the storage base member 20 with the extending direction thereof coincided with the front-rear direction of the storage base member 20.
In the present specification, the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 will be described with the direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3A) coincident with the front-rear direction of the housing base member 20 as the front-rear direction. The width direction of the lid member 30 is a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the lid inner side surface 31a.
The front and rear of the lid member 30 correspond to the front and rear of the accommodation base member 20. That is, in the lid member 30, the side where the rear rib portion 33b is provided will be described as the rear, and the opposite side as the front.

As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the outer peripheral main rib portion 331 includes a front rib portion 33c formed along the width direction of the lid member main body 31 at the front end portion of the lid inner side surface 31a, and the front rib portion 33c. It consists of a pair of side rib portions 33c and 33d formed to extend from both ends in the extending direction toward the rear side of the lid member main body 31.
The outer peripheral main rib portion 331 protrudes from the lid member main body 31 toward the lid inner side surface 31a with a constant projecting dimension over the entire length in the extending direction.
The rear rib portion 33b is formed to extend from the rear end portion of the pair of side rib portions 33c and 33d along the width direction of the lid member main body 31 toward the opposing side of the pair of side rib portions 33c and 33d facing each other. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1 etc., the rear rib part 33b is not formed in the center part of the width direction of the rear-end part of the cover member main body 31. As shown in FIG. The rear rib portion 33b of the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 of the illustrated example is formed on both sides in the width direction via the width direction central portion of the rear end portion of the lid member main body 31.
Further, in the lid member 30 of the illustrated optical connector cap 10, the rear rib portion 33 b has a smaller projecting dimension from the lid member body 31 than the outer peripheral main rib portion 331.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the protruding end portion 22 </ b> B opposite to the bottom wall portion 23 of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 is a peripheral wall portion that is a portion located on the bottom wall portion 23 side from the protruding end portion 22 </ b> B. It is formed thinner than the main body 22A. Hereinafter, the protruding end portion 22B is also referred to as a base-side rib portion.

The base-side rib portion 22B is formed on the protruding end side of the rectangular frame-shaped peripheral wall portion main body 22A protruding from the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 23 over substantially the entire circumference except for the portion corresponding to the fiber accommodation groove 24.
The fiber accommodation groove 24 is formed in the rear wall portion 22b of the peripheral wall portion 22 in a cutout shape that is recessed from the protruding end. The fiber accommodation groove 24 is formed in a concave shape that cuts from the protruding end of the rear wall portion 22b of the peripheral wall portion main body 22A to a portion located on the rear wall portion 22b of the peripheral wall portion main body 22A.

  The substantially rectangular frame-shaped base side rib portion 22B along the peripheral wall portion main body 22A forms an inner surface that is continuous with the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion main body 22A. A step 22C is formed at the boundary between the peripheral wall main body 22A and the base rib portion 22B.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the thin hinge portion 11 of the illustrated optical connector cap 10 includes a side rib portion 33 d on the distal end side of the lid member 30 and a peripheral wall portion main body of the first side wall portion 22 c of the housing base member 20. It is integrated with 22A part.

  Specifically, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 is externally fitted to the base-side rib portion 22 </ b> B of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20 when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lid member 30 has the protruding end of the outer peripheral main rib portion 331 abutted against the step 22 </ b> C of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20, and the lid inner side surface 31 a is placed on the housing base member 20. It is brought into contact with the protruding end of the peripheral wall portion 22 and is closed to the accommodation base member 20.

When the lid member 30 is closed to the housing base member 20, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 is fitted to the outside of the protruding end portion opposite to the bottom wall portion 23 of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20. This effectively contributes to prevention of displacement of the lid member 30 relative to the housing base member 20.
This configuration effectively contributes to preventing the displacement of the lid member 30 relative to the housing base member 20 from affecting the optical connector 50A with a cover in the connector housing case 10A.

  As the optical connector cap, when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20, the contact between the protruding end of the outer peripheral main rib portion 331 of the lid member 30 and the step 22 </ b> C of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20, In addition, a configuration in which only one of the contact between the lid inner side surface 31a and the protruding end of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 is realized.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the thin hinge portion 11 of the illustrated optical connector cap 10 includes a side rib portion 33 d on the distal end side of the lid member 30 and a peripheral wall portion main body of the first side wall portion 22 c of the housing base member 20. It is integrated with 22A part.
The hinge portion of the optical connector cap is not necessarily limited to the thin-walled hinge portion 11. As the hinge portion of the optical connector cap, for example, a configuration in which a shaft portion protruding from one of the peripheral wall portion of the housing base member 20 and the lid member 30 is rotatably supported by a bearing portion formed on the other side is also possible. It can be adopted. Further, as the hinge portion, a configuration in which the housing base member 20 and the lid member 30 are pivotally attached via a rotation shaft that is a member different from these can also be employed.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the lid member 30 has a connector pressing projection 34 that can contact the cover-attached optical connector 50A housed in the connector housing case 10A from the lid inner side surface 31a. It is protruding.
The connector housing case 10 </ b> A includes the cover-attached optical connector 50 </ b> A between the bottom wall portion 23 of the housing base member 20 and the lid member between the contact protrusion 25 of the housing base member 20 and the connector pressing projection 34 of the lid member 30. It is accommodated while allowing a slight movement (fine movement) in the interval direction with respect to the 30 lid member main bodies 31.

As shown in FIG. 1, the connector pressing protrusion 34 of the optical connector cap 10 in the illustrated example is formed in a ridge shape extending in the front-rear direction of the lid member 30 (matching the front-rear direction of the housing base member 20). The illustrated lid member 30 includes two connector pressing protrusions 34 formed in parallel to each other.
The two connector presser protrusions 34 of the lid member 30 are formed in parallel at a distance from each other at the center in the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction on the lid inner side surface 31a.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cover member 59 of the cover-attached optical connector 50A has cover rib portions 59h that protrude from the both ends in the width direction of the cover top plate portion 59a to the side opposite to the cover side plate portions 59c and 59d. ing.
As shown in FIG. 5, the two connector pressing protrusions 34 of the lid member 30 are disposed between a pair of cover rib portions 59h of the cover member 59 of the optical connector with cover 50A housed in the connector housing case 10A. . The connector pressing protrusion 34 can abut the cover top plate portion 59a of the cover member 59 by the loose movement of the optical connector with cover 50A in the connector housing case 10A.

Compared to the case where the connector pressing protrusion 34 is omitted from the lid member 30, the connector pressing protrusion 34 has a function of reducing the contact portion between the cover-equipped optical connector 50A accommodated in the connector accommodation case 10A and the lid member 30. Fulfill.
For example, when the connector housing case 10A is deformed by an external force, the configuration having the connector pressing protrusion 34 effectively contributes to suppressing the influence on the optical connector 50A with a cover housed in the connector housing case 10A. To do.

  In addition, the shape of the connector pressing protrusion 34 does not necessarily have a ridge-like configuration, and is not particularly limited. As the lid member, for example, a configuration in which columnar connector pressing projections are provided in a plurality of locations on the lid inner side surface 31a can be employed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 removes the optical fiber 61 (rear extension portion 62) passed through the fiber accommodation groove 24 from the fiber accommodation groove 24. It has a fiber pressing projection 35 to prevent it. The fiber pressing projection 35 protrudes from the rear end portion of the lid inner surface 31 a of the lid member main body 31. The fiber pressing protrusion 35 is formed in the lid member main body 31 at a location facing the fiber accommodation groove 24 when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20.
The fiber pressing projection 35 is formed at the center in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31a at the rear end of the lid inner side surface 31a. Further, the fiber pressing protrusions 35 are formed at two locations that are separated from each other in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31a.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the fiber pressing protrusion 35 is inserted into the fiber accommodation groove 24 when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20. As a result, the fiber pressing protrusion 35 prevents the optical fiber 61 (rear extension portion 62) passed through the fiber accommodation groove 24 from being detached from the fiber accommodation groove 24.

As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2 </ b> B, 4, and the like, when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20, the lid member 30 is other than the rear projecting portion 28 and the locking claw 27. The base member body 20 </ b> A, which is a part of the base member, is formed in a size that covers the entire opening side opposite to the bottom wall portion 23.
The outer periphery (outer surface) of the rib portion 33 of the lid member 30 has a size that substantially matches the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 20 (specifically, the outer periphery of the protruding end of the peripheral wall portion main body 22A).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the connector housing case 10 </ b> A, the direction (which coincides with the spacing direction between the connector housing recess bottom surface 21 a of the housing base member 23 and the lid inner side surface 31 a extending along the bottom surface 21 a ( Hereinafter, the vertical direction in FIGS. 4 and 5 is also referred to as a case thickness direction.
When the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20, the outer circumference (outer side surface) of the outer peripheral main rib portion 331 of the lid member 30 is arranged so as to substantially coincide with the outer circumference of the peripheral wall portion main body 22 </ b> A protruding end of the accommodation base member 20. . At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the rear rib portion 33 b of the lid member 30 is located between the protruding end portion (base side rib portion) of the rear wall portion 22 b of the housing base member 20 and the rear side protruding portion 28. It is inserted into the secured rib receiving groove 29.
The fiber accommodation groove 24 of the accommodation base member 20 is formed to be further recessed from the groove bottom surface 29 a of the rib accommodation groove 29.

The step 22C of the peripheral wall portion 22 of the housing base member 20 is a protruding end surface of the peripheral wall portion main body 22A exposed at the boundary between the peripheral wall portion main body 22A and the base-side rib portion 22B.
The groove bottom surface 29 a of the rib housing groove 29 of the housing base member 20 is a portion located on the rear wall portion 22 b in the step 22 C of the peripheral wall portion 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the lid member main body 31 of the optical connector cap 10 has a lid overhanging portion 31 b that is a portion whose rear end portion projects from the rear rib portion 33 b to the rear side. When the lid member 30 is closed to the housing base member 20, the lid overhanging portion 31b is overlaid on the base end portion (the end portion on the base member main body 20A side) of the rear side overhanging portion 28 of the housing base member 20. The

  When the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20, the lid member 30 covers the entire opening side of the base member main body 20 </ b> A of the accommodation base member 20 and the base end portion of the rear side overhanging portion 28. In the optical connector 510 with cap, a portion other than the base end portion of the rear side protruding portion 28 of the accommodation base member 20 is not covered with the lid member 30 and the fiber accommodation groove 24 is exposed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the fiber pressing protrusion 35 of the lid member 30 is formed on the rear wall portion 22 b of the accommodation base member 20 in the fiber accommodation groove 24 when the lid member 30 is closed to the accommodation base member 20. Is inserted into the part. In the optical connector 510 with a cap, the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 passed through the fiber housing groove 24 is slightly moved between the fiber pressing protrusion 35 and the groove bottom surface 24a of the fiber housing groove 24. Clearance to allow and accommodate is ensured. The fiber pressing projection 35 does not sandwich the optical fiber 61 between the fiber receiving groove 24 and the groove bottom surface 24a, but fixes the optical fiber 61 between the fiber receiving groove 24 and the groove bottom surface 24a. To allow and hold.

As shown in FIGS. 2B and 4, in the illustrated optical connector 510 with cap, the optical fiber ribbon 61 </ b> A has a fiber housing groove in a direction in which one surface faces the groove bottom surface 24 a of the fiber housing groove 24. 24.
As shown in FIG. 4, the thickness of the optical fiber ribbon 61 </ b> A is smaller than the depth of the fiber accommodation groove 24. This also applies to the portion of the fiber receiving groove 24 that is recessed from the groove bottom surface 29a of the rib receiving groove 29 of the receiving base member 20 in the illustrated optical connector 510 with cap.

As shown in FIGS. 2B and 4, in the optical connector 510 with cap, a portion of the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the connector accommodation case 10 </ b> A that is located on the rear side of the fiber pressing protrusion 35 of the lid member 30 is as follows. Most of them are exposed without being covered by the lid member 30.
As shown in FIG. 4, the fiber pressing projection 35 is positioned on the front side of the lid overhanging portion 31 b in the lid member 30. The distance between the lid overhanging portion 31b of the lid member 30 of the connector housing case 10A and the groove bottom surface 24a of the fiber housing groove 24 is much greater than the distance between the fiber pressing projection 35 and the fiber housing groove bottom surface 24a. Big.

  In the optical connector 510 with a cap, the fiber pressing protrusion 35 slightly allows the fiber holding groove 24 of the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 to lift from the groove bottom surface 24a. In the region between the fiber pressing projection 35 and the groove bottom surface 24a of the fiber housing groove 24 (fiber insertion region), the allowable lifting of the optical fiber 61 with respect to the groove bottom surface 24a of the fiber housing groove 24 is small. The bending deformation of the optical fiber 61 is restricted.

On the other hand, the lid overhanging portion 31b of the lid member 30 has a significantly larger allowable amount of lifting from the fiber housing groove bottom surface 24a of the optical fiber rear side extending portion 62 than the fiber pressing projection 35. The lid overhanging portion 31b of the lid member 30 allows the optical fiber rear side extending portion 62 to largely float from the fiber housing groove bottom surface 24a. In the portion of the fiber accommodation groove 24 covered by the lid extension portion 31b, the bending of the optical fiber rear side extension portion 62 due to the rising from the groove bottom surface 24a is allowed.
A portion of the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the connector accommodation case 10A located on the rear side of the fiber pressing protrusion 35 of the lid member 30 is hereinafter also referred to as an accommodation groove rear side open portion 24b.

  In the optical connector 510 with a cap, the portion of the optical fiber 61 that is passed through the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the connector accommodation case 10 </ b> A is accommodated in the accommodation groove rear opening 24 b of the fiber accommodation groove 24. It can be taken out from the housing groove rear opening 24b by bending deformation. The optical fiber 61 taken out from the receiving groove rear opening 24b by bending deformation is returned to the state of being accommodated in the receiving groove rear opening 24b by the rigidity of the optical fiber 61 itself by releasing the deformation force. Is possible.

In the optical connector 510 with a cap, the optical fiber 61 passed through the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the connector accommodation case 10A does not receive the fiber unless an external force is applied in the direction of separating outward from the accommodation groove rear opening 24b. The state of being pulled through the entire length of the groove 24 is maintained.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the optical connector cap 10 is formed to extend straight from the connector accommodation recess 21 to the rear of the accommodation base member 20. Of the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61, the portion accommodated in the fiber accommodation groove 24 of the connector accommodation case 10 </ b> A extends straight from the optical connector 50 to the rear thereof.

For the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61, a portion (see FIGS. 2B and 4) located on the optical connector 50 side from the rear opening 24b of the housing groove of the connector housing case 10A is extended below. Also referred to as a base end portion 63.
The rear side overhanging portion 28 of the connector housing case 10A effectively contributes to protecting the portion housed in the housing groove rear side open portion 24b of the rear side extending portion 62 of the optical fiber 61 from a collision object or the like. . The rear side overhanging portion 28 prevents the portion accommodated in the accommodation groove rear side opening portion 24b of the rear side extension portion 62 of the optical fiber 61 from being bent by the pressing force from the side thereof. it can.

  2A, 2B, 4 and the like, the optical fiber 610 with a connector cap in which the optical connector 510 with a cap is assembled at the tip of the optical fiber 61 is opened on the rear side of the receiving groove of the optical fiber 61. The portion accommodated in the portion 24 b can be protected by the rear overhanging portion 28. For this reason, the optical fiber 610 with a connector cap is used in an operation such as under-floor wiring in a building, drawing into an optical connection unit accommodating device such as an optical distribution board or an optical connection box, and removal from the optical connection unit accommodating device. It is difficult to damage the portion accommodated in the accommodation groove rear opening portion 24b of 61. As a result, the optical fiber 610 with a connector cap can efficiently perform operations such as under-floor wiring work, drawing into the optical connection unit accommodating device, and removal from the optical connection unit accommodating device.

As shown in FIG. 2A and the like, the connector housing case 10A has a case main body 10B composed of a base member main body 20A and a lid member 30. The external shape of the base member body 20A of the optical connector cap 10 is a tapered shape in which the outer surface (outer surface) of the peripheral wall portion 22 extends from the outer surface of the bottom wall portion 23 (the surface opposite to the connector housing recess 21). It has become. The case main body 10B of the connector housing case 10A has an external shape in which the dimension in the case thickness direction is reduced as the distance from the center portion in the front-rear direction and the width direction increases.
In addition, the rear protruding portion 28 of the optical connector cap 10 is formed in a tapered shape in which the dimension in the case thickness direction and the dimension in the width direction are reduced from the base member main body 20A to the rear.

  The connector housing case 10A is formed in a generally spindle-shaped external shape. This effectively contributes to improving the efficiency of operations such as underfloor wiring work, drawing into the optical connection unit accommodation device, and removal from the optical connection unit accommodation device of the optical fiber 610 with a connector cap.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, an optical connector cap and an optical connector with a cap according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the drawing, the same components as those of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment are denoted by common reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted or simplified.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A to 10B, the optical connector cap 70 of this embodiment includes an accommodation base member 80 in which a connector accommodation recess 81 for accommodating the optical connector 50 is formed, and the accommodation base member 80. And a lid member 90 that can be opened and closed with respect to the base member 80.

The optical connector cap 70 of this embodiment is an integrally molded product made of plastic.
The lid member 90 is rotatably provided on the housing base member 80 via the thin hinge portion 11. The lid member 90 opens and closes with respect to the accommodation base member 80 by rotation about the thin hinge 11.

  The housing base member 80 of the optical connector cap 70 has a base member main body 20A and a rear projecting portion 28 in the same manner as the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment. The housing base member 80 has an outer disk-like engagement on the outer surface side of the side wall portions 22c and 22d on both sides of the housing base member 20 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment, omitting the locking claws 27. It is the structure which provided the stop protrusion 87 (locking | locking part).

The accommodation base member 80 will be described with the front wall portion 22a side as the front and the rear overhanging portion 28 side as the rear. The accommodation base member 80 will be described assuming that the interval direction between the pair of side wall portions 22c and 22d is the width direction.
The thin hinge portion 11 is integrally formed with the peripheral wall portion main body 22 </ b> A portion of the front wall portion 22 a of the accommodation base member 80 and the lid member 30. The lid member 90 of the optical connector cap 70 is rotated about the thin hinge portion 11 with a rotation axis in the width direction of the housing base member 80 to be opened and closed with respect to the housing base member 80. The lid member 90 covers the entire opening side of the base member main body 20 </ b> A of the storage base member 80 by closing the storage base member 80.

  The lid member 90 of the optical connector cap 70 can be engaged and disengaged with the locking protrusions 87 on both sides in the width direction of the housing base member 80 on both sides in the width direction of the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment. The engagement piece 92 (engagement portion) is provided. The lid member 90 includes a lid member body 91 having a structure in which a finger hooking recess 91a is formed in the lid overhanging portion 31b of the lid member body 31 of the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment. . The lid member main body 91 of the lid member 90 is different from the lid member main body 31 of the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment in that a finger hooking recess 91a is formed in the lid overhanging portion 31b. .

As shown in FIGS. 8, 10A, and 10B, the lid member main body 91 of the lid member 90 in the illustrated example is formed in an elongated plate shape (specifically, a rectangular plate shape). The lid inner surface 31a on one side of the lid member main body 91 is also formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction of the lid member main body 91 as the longitudinal direction.
The lid member main body 91 of the lid member 90 has one end in the longitudinal direction connected to the accommodation base member 80 via the thin hinge 11.

  Regarding the lid member 90, the longitudinal direction of the lid member main body 91 is hereinafter also referred to as the extending direction. In addition, regarding the lid member 90, a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the lid inner side surface 31a is also referred to as a width direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 8-12, the cover member 90 of the optical connector cap 70 of this embodiment has the cover overhang | projection part 31b in the front end side opposite to the base end side to which the thin hinge part 11 is connected. It has become. As shown in FIG. 11, the lid overhanging portion 31 b is overlapped with the base end portion of the rear overhanging portion 28 of the housing base member 80 when the lid member 90 is closed to the housing base member 80. The finger hooking recess 91 a of the lid member 90 is formed to be recessed from the surface of the lid member main body 91 (the lid inner side surface 31 a) that faces the housing base member 80 when the lid member 90 is closed to the housing base member 80. Has been. The finger-hanging recess 91 a can be used for an operation in which a worker inserts a finger and opens the lid member 90 with respect to the accommodation base member 80 in a state where the lid member 90 is closed to the accommodation base member 80.

In order to open the lid member 90 closed to the accommodation base member 80 with respect to the accommodation base member 80, for example, the operator presses the bottom surface 91b of the finger hook recess 91a with a finger inserted into the finger hook recess 91a. Then, the lid member 90 is rotated (rotated) in the opening direction around the thin hinge portion 11.
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, the cover member 90 is disposed on the opposite side of the housing base member 80 from the thin hinge portion 11 with respect to the housing base member 80. Can be opened until

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10A, the lid member 90 is formed on the lid inner surface 31 a side of the lid member main body 91, with a rectangular frame-shaped rib portion 33, a connector pressing protrusion 34, and a fiber pressing protrusion. 35. The rib portion 33, the connector pressing projection 34, and the fiber pressing projection 35 protrude from the lid inner side surface 31 a of the lid member main body 91.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the rib portion 33 of the lid member 90 is protruded from the peripheral wall portion 22 of the accommodation base member 80 (specifically, the base-side rib portion) when the rib portion 33 is closed to the accommodation base member 80. 22B) is fitted (externally fitted).
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 10A, the front rib portion 33 a of the rib portion 33 of the lid member 90 is formed in the width direction of the lid member main body 91 (the width of the lid inner side surface 31 a) at the base end portion of the lid member main body 91. Direction). The pair of side rib portions 33c and 33d of the rib portion 33 are extended on both sides in the width direction of the lid member main body 91 from the both ends in the extending direction of the front rib portion 33a toward the distal end side of the lid member main body 91. It is formed extending along the current direction.

  The lid member 90 of the optical connector cap 70 in the illustrated example is specifically provided rotatably on the accommodation base member 80 via the thin hinge portion 11 integrated with the front rib portion 33a. . The thin hinge portion 11 of the illustrated optical connector cap 70 is formed integrally with the front rib portion 33a of the lid member 90 and the peripheral wall portion main body portion 22A portion of the front wall portion 22a of the housing base member 80.

  The rear rib portion 33b of the rib portion 33 is from an end portion on the opposite side of the front rib portion 33a of the side rib portions 33c and 33d on both sides in the width direction of the lid member main body 91 (hereinafter also referred to as a lid tip end portion). It is extended and formed toward the other side rib part which mutually faces. The rear rib portion 33 b is formed at the distal end portion of the lid member main body 91 so as to extend in the width direction of the lid member main body 91.

  The fiber pressing projection 35 is formed at the center in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31 a at the tip of the lid member main body 91. Further, in the illustrated lid member 90 shown in FIGS. 8 and 10A, the fiber pressing protrusions 35 are formed at two positions spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31a. The rear rib portion 33b is formed to extend from the lid tip end portion of the side rib portions 33c and 33d to the fiber pressing projection 35. The rear rib portion 33b is not formed between the pair of fiber pressing protrusions 35.

In the illustrated lid member 90 shown in FIGS. 8 and 10 (a), the connector pressing projection 34 is formed at the center in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31a from the distal end portion of the lid inner side surface 31a toward the base end portion. It is formed in a ridge shape extending along the extending direction of the lid inner side surface 31a.
The lid member 90 in the illustrated example has a pair of connector pressing protrusions 34 formed at two locations spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the lid inner side surface 31a.

Note that the fiber pressing protrusion and the connector pressing protrusion are not limited to the configurations illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 10A.
The fiber pressing protrusion and the connector pressing protrusion that can be adopted by the lid member 30 of the optical connector cap 10 of the first embodiment are the fiber pressing protrusion and the connector pressing protrusion of the optical connector cap of the second embodiment. Can also be adopted.

The engagement piece 92 of the lid member 90 in the illustrated example shown in FIGS. 8 and 10A is specifically the side opposite to the lid member main body 91 from the outer surface of the side rib portions 33c and 33d of the rib portion 33. It is a plate-like piece protruding to
As shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, when the lid member 90 is closed to the accommodation base member 80, the lid member 90 is inserted into the engagement window hole 92 a formed in the engagement piece 92. The engagement protrusion 92 can be engaged with the engagement protrusion 92 by inserting the engagement protrusion 87. As a result, the lid member 90 is locked to the accommodation base member 80 in a closed state.

  The engaging piece 92 engaged with the locking projection 87 of the storage base member 80 is elastically deformed manually by pulling out the locking projection 87 from the engagement window hole 92a. The engagement with the stop protrusion 87 can be released. The lid member 90 in a closed state with respect to the storage base member 80 releases the engagement of the engagement piece 92 with respect to the locking protrusion 87 of the storage base member 80, thereby thin-walled hinge portion 11 with respect to the storage base member 80. And can be opened with respect to the housing base member 80.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 10 (a), and 10 (b), the optical connector cap 70 opens the lid member 90 with respect to the housing base member 80 and opens the opening side of the base member body 20 </ b> A. The cover-attached optical connector 50A can be freely inserted into and removed from the connector housing recess 21.
When the cover-attached optical connector 50 </ b> A is inserted into the connector housing recess 21, the rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 whose tip is inserted and fixed to the optical connector 50 is the fiber housing groove 24 of the housing base member 80. To house.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the optical connector cap 70 constitutes a connector housing case 70 </ b> A capable of housing the optical connector with cover 50 </ b> A by closing the lid member 90 on the housing base member 80. The connector housing case 70A houses the optical connector with cover 50A in a case body 70B formed by the base member body 20A of the housing base member 80 and the lid member 80 closed to the opening side of the base member body 20A. FIGS. 11 and 12 show an optical fiber 670 with a connector cap in which an optical connector 570 with a cap formed by housing the optical connector 50A with a cover in the case main body 70B of the connector housing case 70A is assembled at the tip of the optical fiber 61. .

  The optical fiber 670 with a connector cap shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 accommodates the optical connector with cover 50A in a connector housing case 70A so as to allow slight movement (fine movement). The accommodation state of the optical connector with cover 50A in the connector accommodation case 70A of the optical fiber 670 with connector cap is the same as the accommodation state of the optical connector with cover 50A in the connector accommodation case 10A (optical connector cap 10) of the first embodiment. Therefore, detailed description is omitted here.

  As shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, the connector housing case 70 </ b> A is formed in a generally spindle-shaped external shape. This means that the optical fiber 670 with the connector cap configured using the optical connector cap 70 of this embodiment is efficient in work such as underfloor wiring work, drawing into the optical connection unit accommodating device, and removal from the optical connection unit accommodating device. Contributes effectively to improvement.

  In FIG. 9 and the like, as described above, the optical connector cap 70 is engaged with the engaging pieces 92 on both sides in the width direction of the lid member 90 so as to be detachable from the locking protrusions 87 on both sides in the width direction of the housing base member 80. By combining, the lid member 90 is locked to the accommodation base member 80 in a closed state. This configuration is advantageous in improving the workability of the operation of manually disengaging the engaging piece 92 engaged with the engaging protrusion 87 from the engaging protrusion 87.

For example, as a comparative optical connector cap, with respect to the optical connector cap 70 in the illustrated example, the position of the engaging piece 92 of the lid member 90 is changed to the tip of the lid member 90, and this engaging piece 92 is engaged with the housing base member 80. A configuration in which the stop protrusion 87 is formed on the rear projecting portion 28 will be described.
In this proportional optical connector cap, the locking projection 87 is located in the vicinity of the receiving groove rear opening 24 b of the receiving base member 80. The rear extension 62 of the optical fiber 61 extending from the optical connector 10 accommodated in the case main body 70B of the connector accommodation case 70A may be drawn outward from the accommodation groove rear opening 24b. For this reason, in the comparative optical connector cap, when the engagement piece 92 engaged with the engagement protrusion 87 is manually disengaged from the engagement protrusion 87, the optical fiber 61 is inadvertently touched. Therefore, it is necessary to take care not to cause inconvenience such as damage or breakage of the optical fiber 61 due to a sharp bend with a small radius.

  On the other hand, the optical connector cap 70 illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 12 has a configuration in which the locking protrusions 87 are located on both sides in the width direction of the housing base member 80, compared to the optical connector cap of the proportionality, The distance from the optical fiber rear side extension 62 of the locking projection 87 can be secured sufficiently large. Therefore, the optical connector cap 70 is a work for manually disengaging the engaging piece 92 engaged with the locking protrusion 87 with respect to the locking protrusion 87 as compared with the optical connector cap of the proportionality. It is advantageous for improving the performance.

As the optical connector cap according to the present invention, a proportional optical connector cap can also be adopted.
However, as described above, in terms of workability of the operation of manually disengaging the engaging piece 92 in the state engaged with the engaging protrusion 87 from the engaging protrusion 87, it is illustrated in FIGS. Adopting the optical connector cap 70 is advantageous.

  The optical connector cap 70 of this embodiment can accommodate the optical connector 50 to which the cover member 59 is not attached in the case main body 70B of the connector housing case 70A. The housing state of the optical connector 50 in the case main body 70B in this case is the same as the housing state of the optical connector 50 in the case main body 10B of the connector housing case 70A of the first embodiment. The connector housing case 70A accommodates the optical connector 50, to which the cover member 59 is not attached, with a larger playable range than that of the optical connector with cover 50A.

Although the present invention has been described based on the best mode, the present invention is not limited to the above-described best mode, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the engaging portion that protrudes from the outer side surface of the rib part of the lid member to the side opposite to the lid member main body is a protrusion-like locking projecting from the outer side surface of the peripheral wall part of the housing base member. Although the structure which engages with a part so that engagement / disengagement was illustrated, the structure which latches a cover member to a storage case member so that engagement is releasable is not limited to this. As a configuration for locking the lid member to the housing case member so as to be disengageable, for example, a protruding engagement portion that protrudes from the rib portion outer side surface of the lid member to the side opposite to the rib portion inner side surface is accommodated. It is also possible to employ a configuration in which the base member is detachably engaged with a locking portion protruding from the outer side surface of the peripheral wall portion to the side opposite to the bottom wall portion 23.

The specific configuration of the optical connector housed in the connector housing case assembled by the optical connector cap is not limited at all as long as it meets the technical idea of the present invention. As the optical connector, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the external shape of the body has a tapered shape in which the thickness becomes thinner from the rear side to the front side, for example.
The optical connector has a plate-like body having an optical path conversion unit that converts the optical path at the tip of the optical fiber inserted and fixed in the body into the optical path of the light incident / exit part on the joint surface side of the body. The configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the lens unit reflection surface 53c (see FIG. 14B) is used as the optical path conversion unit. As an optical connector, for example, a metal reflection layer formed on the inner surface of a recess formed in the body, a prism incorporated in the body, a light guide member such as an optical fiber, etc. is also provided in the body as an optical path changing unit. Is possible.

The lid member of the optical connector cap only needs to be openable and closable with respect to the housing base member, and is not limited to a configuration provided to be rotatable with respect to the housing base member via a hinge.
As the optical connector cap, for example, the lid member is slidably moved to the accommodation base member in a direction perpendicular to the depth direction of the connector accommodation recess to open and close the connector accommodation recess, and is attached to and detached from the accommodation base member. The structure etc. which employ | adopted the cover member of a member different from the accommodation base member to be used are also employable.
The engaging part of the lid member and the engaging part of the housing case member are engaged with each other so that they can be engaged and disengaged with each other, so that the lid member is engaged with the housing case member in a closed position that covers the connector housing recess. The specific configuration can be appropriately changed depending on the moving direction for opening and closing the lid member with respect to the housing base member.

The housing case member of the optical connector cap of the above-described embodiment exemplifies a configuration having a pair of projecting contact protrusions extending over the entire length in the width direction of the bottom surface of the connector housing recess.
However, the contact protrusion of the housing case member is not limited to a ridge shape extending over the entire length in the width direction of the bottom surface of the connector housing recess. The abutting protrusion of the housing case member has a width perpendicular to the front-rear direction on both sides in the front-rear direction through at least the center of the bottom surface of the connector housing recess so as to support the optical connector housed in the connector housing recess in a predetermined direction. What is necessary is just to be provided in the position which mutually shifted | deviated to the direction. The contact protrusions of the housing case member may be, for example, columnar protrusions protruding from positions shifted from each other in the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction on both sides in the front-rear direction via the center of the bottom surface of the connector housing recess. .

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Optical connector cap, 10A ... Connector accommodation case, 20 ... Accommodation base member, 21 ... Connector accommodation recess, 22 ... Perimeter wall part, 23 ... Bottom wall part, 24 ... Fiber accommodation groove, 25 ... Abutting protrusion, 25a ... Contact part (contact protrusion, front contact protrusion), 25b ... Contact part (contact protrusion, rear contact protrusion), 25c ... Central recess, 26a ... Pin housing space (front pin housing space), 26b ... Pin housing space (rear side pin housing space), 27... Locking portion (locking claw), 28... Rear projecting portion, 30 .. lid member, 31 .. lid member main body (lid plate portion), 32. Part (engagement piece), 34 ... connector pressing protrusion, 35 ... fiber pressing protrusion, 50 ... optical connector, 50A ... optical connector (optical connector with cover), 51 ... body, 52 ... joint surface, 53c ... optical path change Part (lens reflecting surface), 54a... Light incident / exiting part (groove bottom surface), 5 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Light incident / exit part, 61 ... Optical fiber, 61A ... Optical fiber (optical fiber tape core wire), 70 ... Optical connector cap, 70A ... Connector accommodation case, 80 ... Accommodation base member, 87 ... Locking part (locking protrusion) Part), 90 ... lid member, 91 ... lid member main body (lid plate part), 510, 511, 570 ... optical connector with cap.

Claims (8)

A housing base member formed with a connector housing recess for housing an optical connector, and a lid member that can be opened and closed to cover the optical connector housed in the connector housing recess by closing the housing base member. And
The optical connector is configured to have a light path converting unit that converts the optical path of the optical fiber tip which is interpolated fixed to the body in the optical path of the light incidence and emission portions of the bonding surface side of the body one side, from the body of the optical fiber The protruding part is exposed to the outside and is not protected against bending,
The lid member has an engaging portion that detachably engages with a locking portion of the accommodation base member when closed to the accommodation base member,
The peripheral wall portion around the connector housing recess of the housing base member is formed with a fiber housing groove through which an optical fiber extending from the rear end of the body is inserted and fixed at the front end portion .
The housing base member has a rear projecting portion projecting outward from the peripheral wall portion, and the fiber housing groove is formed to extend to a projecting end of the rear projecting portion,
The rear projecting portion is an optical connector cap capable of preventing a portion of the optical fiber housed in the fiber housing groove from being bent . The lid member is provided with a fiber pressing protrusion that prevents the optical fiber that is passed through the fiber accommodation groove from being detached from the fiber accommodation groove when the lid member is closed to the accommodation base member. The optical connector cap according to claim 1 . The optical connector is accommodated in the connector accommodation recess of the accommodation base member so that the joint surface of the optical connector faces,
Secured in the connector housing recess at a position corresponding to the light incident / exit part of the optical connector and a contact part that is in contact with a joint surface other than the light incident / exit part of the optical connector 3. The center recessed portion is provided, and the contact portion is provided on both sides of the center recessed portion so as to contact the joint surfaces on both sides via the light incident / exit portion of the optical connector. the optical connector cap according to. The optical connector has positioning pins that protrude from both sides through the light incident / exit part at the center of the joint surface,
The optical connector cap according to claim 3 , wherein a pin housing space for housing the positioning pin of the optical connector is secured in the connector housing recess of the housing base member. The optical connector cap according to claim 4 , wherein the contact portion of the storage base member is provided between the central recess and each of the pin storage spaces on both sides thereof. The lid member has a lid member main body that opens and closes the connector housing recess of the housing base member, and a connector pressing projection that projects to a surface facing the connector housing recess of the lid member body,
The optical connector according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein an optical connector is accommodated between the connector pressing projection of the lid member and the contact portion of the accommodation base member that are closed in the connector accommodation recess. cap. The lid member via a hinge portion, the optical connector cap according to any one of the receiving base claim is rotatably provided on the peripheral wall of the member 1-6. The optical connector attached to the tip of the optical fiber accommodates the optical connector in the connector housing case assembled by closing the lid member on the housing base member of the optical connector cap according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . An optical connector with a cap in which an optical fiber housed in the optical connector is passed through a fiber housing groove of a housing base member of the connector housing case.

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