JP6483742B2 - Optical connector with cap - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cap and an optical connector with a cap.

  If dust or the like adheres to the connection end face of the ferrule of the optical connector, it causes signal loss. For this reason, a cap may be attached to the optical connector for dust prevention. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a protective cap that is detachable from an optical connector body.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-159506

  When the cap is attached to the housing of the optical connector, there is a possibility that abrasion powder is generated from a contact portion between the housing and the cap. If this wear powder adheres to the ferrule, it causes signal loss.

  An object of this invention is to suppress that abrasion powder adheres to a ferrule.

Some embodiments of the present invention includes a first ferrule, a first optical connector having a first housing for accommodating the first ferrule, attached to the first housing, insertion of inserting the second optical connector A cap for closing the mouth , wherein the first housing has a housing portion for housing the first ferrule, a stepped surface formed around an opening of the housing portion inside the first housing, and the second housing. A pair of locking pieces provided at the insertion port for locking the optical connector, and the cap is inserted into the insertion port between the pair of locking pieces. And a pair of contact pieces that come into contact with the first housing in order to hold the cap in a state of being attached to the first housing, and the direction in which the pair of locking pieces are arranged is the left-right direction The above The pair of contact pieces is arranged with a gap on the outer side in the left-right direction of the insertion portion, and when the cap is attached to the first housing, the contact piece is the locking piece of the first housing. The locking piece is disposed in the gap between the contact piece and the insertion portion, and the insertion portion has a rounded end that abuts against the stepped surface. It is an optical connector with a cap characterized by having.

  Other characteristics of the present invention will be made clear by the description and drawings described later.

  According to some embodiment of this invention, it can suppress that abrasion powder adheres to a ferrule.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical connector system. 2A and 2B are perspective views of the optical connector with a cap according to the present embodiment. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional perspective views of the optical connector with a cap according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cap 60 viewed from another angle. FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are explanatory diagrams of contact portions between the contact piece 64 and the receptacle-side housing 30.

  At least the following matters will be apparent from the description and drawings described below.

  A cap attached to a first housing for accommodating a first ferrule of a first optical connector and closing an insertion port for inserting a second optical connector, wherein the first housing includes an accommodating portion for accommodating the first ferrule; A stepped surface formed around the opening of the housing portion inside the first housing, and a pair of locking pieces provided at the insertion port for locking the second optical connector. The cap has a cylindrical insertion portion that is inserted into the insertion port from the inside of the pair of locking pieces, and the insertion portion has a rounded end that is abutted against the step surface. The cap is characterized by having it. According to such a cap, generation | occurrence | production of abrasion powder can be suppressed and it can suppress that abrasion powder adheres to a 1st ferrule.

  A contact piece that contacts the first housing to hold the cap in a state of being attached to the first housing is further provided, the contact piece when the cap is attached to the first housing. It is desirable to be arranged outside the locking piece. Thereby, it can suppress that abrasion powder adheres to a 1st ferrule.

  On the outside of the locking piece of the first housing, an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion are arranged to face each other, and when the cap is attached to the first housing, the contact piece is It is desirable to make contact with the opposing surfaces of the part and the lower wall part. Thereby, a cap can be firmly attached.

  It is desirable that the portion of the contact piece that contacts the facing surface is rounded. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of abrasion powder can be suppressed.

  The cap has a Shore hardness of 100 or less. This is particularly effective in such a case.

  Claw portions projecting inward are formed at the ends of the pair of locking pieces, and on the side surface of the insertion portion facing the claw portion when the cap is attached to the first housing, It is desirable that a groove is formed. Thereby, sliding with the side surface of an insertion part and a nail | claw part can be suppressed, and generation | occurrence | production of abrasion powder can be suppressed.

  It is desirable that a rib is formed inside the insertion portion. Thereby, a deformation | transformation of a cylindrical insertion part can be suppressed.

  A first optical connector having a first ferrule and a first housing for accommodating the first ferrule; and a cap attached to the first housing and closing an insertion port for inserting the second optical connector, 1 housing includes a housing portion for housing the first ferrule, a stepped surface formed around an opening of the housing portion inside the first housing, and the insertion for locking the second optical connector. A pair of locking pieces provided at the mouth, and the cap has a cylindrical insertion portion that is inserted into the insertion port from the inside of the pair of locking pieces, An optical connector with a cap, which has a rounded end abutted against the step surface, becomes clear. According to such an optical connector with a cap, it is possible to suppress the generation of wear powder and to suppress the wear powder from adhering to the first ferrule.

=== Embodiment ===
<Configuration of optical connector>
Before describing the configuration of the cap of the present embodiment, the configuration of the optical connector to which the cap is attached will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical connector system. Note that a cross-sectional perspective view of the receptacle-side optical connector 1 is shown on the right side of FIG. 3A.

  The optical connector system of this embodiment includes a plug-side optical connector 3 and a receptacle-side optical connector 1. The plug-side optical connector 3 is an MPO optical connector defined by JIS C 5982, for example.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the receptacle-side optical connector 1 includes a ferrule 10, a receptacle-side housing 30, a pin clamp 40, and a fixing component 50.

  The ferrule 10 is a member that holds the end of the optical fiber. The ferrule 10 is, for example, an MT type optical connector (F12 type optical connector established in JIS C5981. MT: Mechanically Transferable). On the rear side of the ferrule 10, a flange portion 10A (flange portion) whose outer peripheral portion protrudes outward is formed. The ferrule 10 has a pair of guide holes 10B and a plurality of fiber holes 10C. A guide pin 20 is inserted into the guide hole 10B. However, the ferrule 10 may be used as a female die without inserting the guide pin 20 into the guide hole 10B. The fiber hole 10C is a hole for fixing the optical fiber in a state of being positioned with high accuracy with respect to the guide hole 10B. A boot 11 is attached to the rear side of the ferrule 10.

  The receptacle-side housing 30 is a housing member (housing) for housing the ferrule 10. On the front side of the receptacle-side housing 30, a plug insertion port 30A (fitting portion) for mounting the plug-side optical connector 3 (for example, an MPO optical connector defined by JIS C 5982) is formed. A locking piece 31 (latch mechanism) for locking the plug-side optical connector 3 is provided on the front side of the receptacle-side housing 30. The locking piece 31 is a cantilever-like part protruding forward from the side wall of the receptacle-side housing 30. A pair of locking pieces 31 are arranged on the front side of the receptacle-side housing 30 so as to oppose each other in the left-right direction, and a space between the pair of locking pieces 31 serves as a plug insertion port 30A. A claw portion 31 </ b> A is formed at the end of the locking piece 31. The claw portion 31 </ b> A is a portion protruding inward, and the plug-side optical connector 3 is locked when the claw portion 31 </ b> A is hooked on the housing of the plug-side optical connector 3.

  On the front side of the receptacle-side housing 30, an upper wall portion 30B and a lower wall portion 30C are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction. A space between the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C serves as the plug insertion port 30A. That is, the space surrounded by the pair of locking pieces 31, the upper wall portion 30B, and the lower wall portion 30C is the plug insertion port 30A.

  An accommodation portion 32 for accommodating the ferrule 10 is formed on the rear side of the receptacle-side housing 30. A protruding portion 32A (see FIG. 3A) that protrudes inward is formed on the inner wall surface of the accommodating portion 32, and when the flange portion 10A of the ferrule 10 comes into contact with the protruding portion 32A, the front removal of the ferrule 10 is prevented. Has been.

  Inside the receptacle-side housing 30, an accommodating portion 32 is opened, and the end face of the ferrule 10 is exposed from this opening. A step surface 34 is formed around the opening of the housing portion 32. As will be described later, the step surface 34 becomes a contact surface that comes into contact with the cap tip (the abutting portion 63A). A pair of locking pieces 31, an upper wall portion 30B, and a lower wall portion 30C (parts constituting the plug insertion port 30A) are formed on the front side of the step surface 34.

  On the side surface of the housing portion 32, a protrusion 33 (locking portion) for holding the fixing component 50 is provided. By engaging the hook portion 522 of the fixing component 50 with the protrusion 33 of the receptacle-side housing 30, the ferrule 10 (the flange portion 10 </ b> A) and the pin clamp 40 are sandwiched between the receptacle-side housing 30 and the fixing component 50. Will be fixed.

  The pink lamp 40 (see FIG. 3A) is a member that holds the guide pin 20. The pink lamp 40 fixes the ferrule 10 to the receptacle-side housing 30 by sandwiching the flange portion 10 </ b> A of the ferrule 10 with the receptacle-side housing 30 (specifically, the protruding portion 32 </ b> A of the inner wall surface of the accommodating portion 32). It is also a member for.

  The fixing component 50 is a member for fixing the ferrule 10 to the receptacle-side housing 30. In the present embodiment, the fixing component 50 presses and fixes the ferrule 10 to the receptacle-side housing 30 via the pin clamp 40.

  The fixed component 50 includes a rear plate portion 51 and a pair of side plate portions 52. The fixed component 50 is an elastic member formed by bending a metal plate, and the side plate portion 52 is formed by bending the left and right edges of the rear plate portion 51 forward. The rear plate portion 51 is a part for fixing the fixing component 50 to the pin clamp 40. The rear plate portion 51 is a portion (pressing portion) that presses the pin clamp 40 forward. The rear plate portion 51 is formed in an inverted U shape so as to straddle the pin clamp 40 from above. The side plate portion 52 is a portion for fixing the fixing component 50 to the receptacle-side housing 30, and has a hook portion 522 that engages with the protruding portion 33 of the receptacle-side housing 30.

<Cap configuration>
2A and 2B are perspective views of the optical connector with a cap according to the present embodiment. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional perspective views of the optical connector with a cap according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cap 60 viewed from another angle.

  In the following description, each direction is defined as shown in the figure. That is, regarding the cap attachment / detachment direction, the side of the cap 60 as viewed from the receptacle-side optical connector 1 is “front” and the opposite side is “back”. The cap attaching / detaching direction may be referred to as “front-rear direction”. Further, the direction in which the pair of locking pieces 31 of the receptacle-side optical connector are arranged in the left-right direction, the right side when viewing the back side from the near side is “right”, and the opposite side is “left”. A direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is referred to as “vertical direction”.

  The cap 60 is a member attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, and is a member for closing the plug insertion port 30A (insertion port for inserting the plug-side optical connector 3). When the cap 60 closes the plug insertion opening 30 </ b> A, it is possible to suppress dust and the like from adhering to the ferrule 10. That is, the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 for dust prevention. The cap 60 includes a lid part 61 and a grip part 62. The lid 61 is a part for closing the plug insertion opening 30A from the front side. The grip part 62 is a part for the operator to grip the cap 60.

  In the present embodiment, the cap 60 is formed of a resin having a Shore hardness of 100 or less. Resins having a Shore hardness of 100 or less are relatively soft resins. For this reason, as will be described later, contact with other members may cause wear powder.

  The cap 60 of this embodiment has an insertion part 63. The insertion portion 63 is a portion that is inserted into the plug insertion port 30 </ b> A from the inside of the pair of locking pieces 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30. By inserting the insertion portion 63 into the plug insertion port 30A, dust or the like is less likely to enter the plug insertion port 30A. The insertion portion 63 is formed so as to protrude from the lid portion 61 toward the back side. Thereby, when the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 and the lid portion 61 closes the plug insertion port 30A, the insertion portion 63 is inserted into the plug insertion port 30A.

  The insertion part 63 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Thereby, it can prevent that the cap 60 contacts the guide pin 20. FIG. Further, as described later, the cap 60 can be prevented from contacting the end surface of the ferrule 10 when the insertion portion 63 (specifically, the abutting portion 63A) is brought into contact with the stepped surface 34.

  An abutting portion 63 </ b> A is formed at the end portion (back end portion) of the insertion portion 63. The abutting portion 63 </ b> A is a portion for abutting against a step surface 34 (see FIG. 3A) formed inside the receptacle-side housing 30. When the abutting portion 63 </ b> A is abutted against the step surface 34, the end surface of the ferrule 10 is sealed by the step surface 34 and the insertion portion 63. Thereby, it can suppress that dust etc. adhere to the end face of ferrule 10, and can improve a dustproof effect. Thus, the abutting portion 63A functions as a dustproof seal.

  In the present embodiment, the abutting portion 63A is rounded (see a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3B). That is, the end portion of the insertion portion 63 (the portion that abuts against the step surface) is rounded. In other words, the abutting portion 63A is configured by a rounded protrusion. Thereby, generation | occurrence | production of an abrasion powder can be suppressed when 63 A of butting parts contact the level | step difference surface 34. FIG.

  In the present embodiment, groove portions 63 </ b> B are formed on both the left and right side surfaces of the insertion portion 63. The groove part 63 </ b> B is a part formed in a concave shape (groove shape) on the side surface of the insertion part 63 along the cap mounting direction. Since the side surface of the insertion portion 63 is a portion facing the claw portion 31A of the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30 when the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, the groove portion 63B is formed to form the groove portion 63B. Sliding between the side surface and the claw portion 31A can be suppressed, and generation of wear powder can be suppressed. For this reason, the vertical width of the groove 63B is larger than the vertical width of the claw 31A.

  In the present embodiment, ribs 63 </ b> C are formed inside the cylindrical insertion portion 63. Thereby, since a deformation | transformation of the cylindrical insertion part 63 can be suppressed, it can suppress that 63A of abutting parts contact with the ferrule 10 unexpectedly. The rib 63 </ b> C is formed inside the insertion portion 63 so as to connect the upper surface and the lower surface that form long sides in the section of the insertion portion 63 having a rectangular cross section. This is because the upper surface and the lower surface of the insertion portion 63 are particularly easily deformed. However, the rib 63C may be formed at another position.

  The cap 60 of this embodiment has a contact piece 64. The contact piece 64 is a part for holding the cap 60 in a state of being attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 by contacting the receptacle-side housing 30. In the present embodiment, the contact piece 64 is in contact with the receptacle-side housing 30, whereby the abutting portion 63 </ b> A of the cap 60 can be held against the stepped surface 34 of the receptacle-side housing 30. The contact piece 64 is formed to protrude from the lid portion 61 toward the back side.

  The contact piece 64 is disposed with a gap on the outer side in the left-right direction of the insertion portion 63 (see FIG. 4). That is, the insertion part 63 is disposed with a gap between the pair of contact pieces 64. When the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30 is disposed in the gap between the contact piece 64 and the insertion portion 63 (see FIG. 3B). That is, when the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, the contact piece 64 is disposed outside the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30. As a result, even if wear powder is generated due to the contact piece 64 coming into contact with the receptacle-side housing 30, wear powder is generated outside the locking piece 31, so that the wear powder is prevented from adhering to the ferrule 10. it can. That is, the contact piece 64 is disposed outside the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30, whereby the insertion portion 63 of the cap 60 and the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30 can function as a labyrinth seal. .

  FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are explanatory diagrams of contact portions between the contact piece 64 and the receptacle-side housing 30. The upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30 are formed not only on the inside of the locking piece 31 as shown in FIG. 2A, but also on the outside. As shown in FIG. 5A, the receptacle-side housing 30 The upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C are arranged to face each other in the vertical direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 5B, when the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, the contact piece 64 comes into contact with the opposing surfaces of the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C. As a result, the side surface of the receptacle-side housing 30 is blocked by the contact piece 64, and entry of dust from the outside can be suppressed.

  Since the contact piece 64 is brought into contact with the opposing surfaces of the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30, the vertical dimension of the contact piece 64 is that of the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C. It is configured to be slightly larger than the interval between the opposing surfaces. For this reason, when attaching the cap 60 to the receptacle-side housing 30, the operator attaches the cap 60 so as to be press-fitted. For this reason, the cap 60 is firmly fixed to the receptacle-side housing 30. Further, since the contact piece 64 and the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30 are in close contact like an interference fit, entry of dust from the outside can be suppressed. On the other hand, if the contact between the contact piece 64 and the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30 becomes strong, wear powder is likely to be generated. However, since wear powder is generated outside the locking piece 31, wear powder is generated. Can be prevented from adhering to the ferrule 10. For this reason, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to satisfy both contradictory functions of the firm fixing of the cap 60 and the dust prevention of the ferrule 10.

  Incidentally, the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 by bringing the contact piece 64 into contact with the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30 instead of coming into contact with the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30. It is also possible to hold in the state. However, the locking piece 31 for locking the plug-side optical connector 3 has a shape (cantilever shape) that is easily elastically deformed. Therefore, if the contact piece 64 of the cap 60 is kept in contact with the locking piece 31. The locking piece 31 may be deformed and the latching function of the locking piece 31 may be impaired. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the contact piece 64 is brought into contact with the upper wall portion 30B and the lower wall portion 30C of the receptacle-side housing 30, thereby holding the cap 60 in a state of being attached to the receptacle-side housing 30. Yes.

  Further, the cap 60 is held in the state where it is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 by bringing the insertion portion 63 of the cap 60 and the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30 into contact with each other without providing the contact piece 64 on the cap 60. It is also possible. However, in this case, wear powder may be generated inside the plug insertion opening 30 </ b> A, and the wear powder easily adheres to the ferrule 10. For this reason, in this embodiment, when the contact piece 64 is provided on the outer side in the left-right direction of the insertion portion 63 and the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30, the contact piece 64 is the locking piece 31 of the receptacle-side housing 30. The cap 60 is configured so as to be disposed on the outside of the cap.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, contact portions 64 </ b> A are formed on the upper and lower edges of the contact piece 64. The contact portion 64A is a protrusion formed along the front-rear direction, and is a portion that contacts the receptacle-side housing 30 (specifically, the upper wall portion 30B or the lower wall portion 30C). In the present embodiment, the contact portion 64A is configured by a rounded protrusion. Thereby, when the contact part 64A contacts the receptacle-side housing 30 (specifically, the upper wall part 30B or the lower wall part 30C), generation of wear powder can be suppressed.

  In this embodiment, the cap 60 is attached to the receptacle-side housing 30 (first housing) that houses the ferrule 10 (first ferrule) of the receptacle-side optical connector 1 (first optical connector), and the plug-side optical connector 3 ( The plug insertion port 30A (insertion port) into which the second optical connector) is inserted is used to close the plug. However, the cap 60 may be attached to a member different from the receptacle-side housing 30. For example, the cap 60 may be attached to an adapter housing having plug insertion openings at both ends.

=== Others ===
The above-described embodiments are for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the gist thereof, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

1 Receptacle side optical connector, 3 Plug side optical connector,
10 ferrules, 10A buttocks,
10B guide hole, 10C fiber hole,
11 boots, 20 guide pins,
30 Receptacle housing, 30A plug insertion slot,
30B upper wall, 30C lower wall,
31 locking piece, 31A claw part,
32 accommodating part, 32A protrusion part,
33 protrusions, 34 step surfaces,
40 pink lamp, 50 fixed parts,
51 rear plate part, 52 side plate part, 522 hook part,
60 caps, 61 lids, 62 grips,
63 Insertion part, 63A Butting part,
63B groove, 63C rib,
64 contact piece, 64A contact part

Claims (6)

A first optical connector having a first ferrule and a first housing that houses the first ferrule ;
A cap attached to the first housing for closing an insertion port for inserting the second optical connector ;
With
The first housing is
An accommodating portion for accommodating the first ferrule;
A step surface formed around the opening of the accommodating portion in the first housing;
A pair of locking pieces provided at the insertion port for locking the second optical connector;
The cap is
A cylindrical insertion portion to be inserted into the insertion port between the pair of locking pieces ;
A pair of contact pieces in contact with the first housing to hold the cap attached to the first housing ;
When the direction in which the pair of locking pieces are arranged is the left-right direction, the pair of contact pieces are arranged with a gap on the outer side in the left-right direction of the insertion portion,
When the cap is attached to the first housing, the contact piece is disposed on the outer side in the left-right direction of the locking piece of the first housing, and the gap is formed between the contact piece and the insertion portion. A locking piece is arranged,
The optical connector with a cap , wherein the insertion portion has a rounded end that is abutted against the step surface. The optical connector with a cap according to claim 1 ,
On the outer side of the locking piece of the first housing, an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion are arranged to face each other,
An optical connector with a cap , wherein when the cap is attached to the first housing, the contact piece comes into contact with respective opposing surfaces of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion. An optical connector with a cap according to claim 2 ,
Capped optical connector, wherein a portion in contact with the opposing surface of the contact piece is rounded. An optical connector with a cap according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
An optical connector with a cap, wherein the cap has a Shore hardness of 100 or less. An optical connector with a cap according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
Claw portions projecting inward are formed at the ends of the pair of locking pieces,
An optical connector with a cap , wherein a groove portion is formed on a side surface of the insertion portion facing the claw portion when the cap is attached to the first housing. An optical connector with a cap according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
An optical connector with a cap, wherein a rib is formed inside the insertion portion.

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