JPH01182811A - Method and device for connecting and switching optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable connecting and switching of optical connectors in spite of a minor deviation in the locating of the switching positions of the optical connectors by setting the respective connectors movably at a slight spacing in a radial direction to the prescribed positions and connecting and switching the connectors by means of a fitting means which is chambered at both ends. CONSTITUTION:A 1st hot-line side connector 1 and 2nd hot-line side connector 2 and the dead-line side connector 3 which are connected to each other by means of the fitting pin 6 are set at the prescribed positions. The 2nd hot-line side connector 2 and dead-line side connector 3 are connected to each other by removing the fitting pin 6 from the 1st hot-line side connector 1 to the 2nd hot-line side connector 2, moving the 2nd hot-line side connector 2 to the position to be switched to the dead-line side connector 3 and inserting the fitting pin 6 into the dead-line side connector 3 down to the central position of the dead-line side connector 3 and the 2nd hot-line side connector 2. The respective connectors are set movably at the slight spacing in the radial direction at the prescribed positions. The rapid and easy connecting and switching of the optical connectors are thus executed without requiring the precise positioning between the optical connectors as in a conventional practice.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an optical connector connection switching method and a connection switching device.

(Prior Art) Optical connectors are used in communication systems using optical fibers to connect and disconnect optical fibers, such as when switching devices or adjusting devices. Conventionally, when switching the connection of optical connectors, it was necessary to precisely determine the switching positions of the optical connectors, so first the optical connectors were fixed (C1) and then the mutual positioning was performed using the outer diameter of the optical connectors as a reference. Alternatively, positioning is performed with reference to a bottle fitting hole machined in the axial direction at the center of the optical connector.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, when the outer diameter of a conventional optical connector is used as a reference, the tolerance of the outer diameter dimension of the optical connector is large, so the end faces of the optical fibers in the optical connector cannot be aligned properly. There are problems such as axis misalignment, bending, etc. due to misalignment. - When using the pin fitting hole of the force end connector as a reference, a counterbore hole is required to make it easier to insert the fitting pin into the pin fitting hole. There is a problem in that the shape of the optical connector becomes large and the cost increases. In either case, there is also the problem that if the switching position shifts even slightly, switching becomes impossible.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides an optical connector connection switching method and a connection switching position that allow the connection of the optical connector to be switched even if the positioning of the switching position of the optical connector is slightly deviated. With the goal.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a first live side connector and a second live side connector are connected to each other by a mating pin at a predetermined position. Set the connector and the dead wire side connector, pull out the fitting pin from the first live wire side connector into the second live wire side connector, and connect the second live wire side connector with the dead wire side connector. the second live line side connector and the second live line side connector by inserting the fitting pin into the dead line side connector to a central position between the dead line side connector and the second live line side connector. In a connection switching method of an optical connector that interconnects a dead line side connector, each of the connectors is set in a predetermined position so as to be movable with a small gap in the radial direction, and the connection is switched using a mating pin whose both ends are chamfered. A connection switching method for optical connectors is provided, further comprising: a first pair of connectors set parallel to each other at a predetermined distance in a fixed connector holder so as to be movable in a radial direction; and a movable connector to be movable in a radial direction. a second pair of connectors set parallel to each other at the predetermined interval in the holder; both ends of which are chamfered;
a pair of mating pins that are commonly inserted into predetermined positions with the pair of connectors and interconnected; a mating pin pushing mechanism that pushes out the mating pins from the first pair of connectors; move the first one by a distance
a moving connector holder moving mechanism that provides a gap in the axial direction between the end faces of the pair of connectors and the second pair of connectors;
a movable connector holder switching mechanism that moves the movable holder by the predetermined distance and switches one of the first pair of connectors to the other position of the second pair of connectors; A fitting pin insertion mechanism for inserting one of the first pair of connectors into the other of the second pair of connectors and positioning it at a predetermined position. A switching device is provided.

(Function) The first parts are connected to each other by a mating pin in a predetermined position.
Set the live-line side connector, the second live-line side connector, and the dead-line side connector, pull out the mating pin from the first live-line side connector to the second live-line side connector, and insert the mating pin into the second live-line side connector. By moving the connector to the switching position with the dead wire side connector and inserting the mating pin into the dead wire side connector to the center position between the dead wire side connector and the second live wire side connector, the second live wire side connector is switched. Connect the dead wire side connectors to each other.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1(A) to 1(C) are diagrams illustrating the general procedure of the optical connector connection switching method of the present invention.

The connectors l and 3 are set in the holder 4 so as to be movable to some extent in the radial direction relative to the pin fitting holes 1a and 3a, respectively.
Connector 2 is also set in holder 5 in the same way. Also,
Either connectors 1 and 3 are completely fixed and connector 2 is set to be radially movable or connectors l and 3 are
may move in the radial direction so that the connector 2 is completely fixed. In other words, only either the currently connected connector or the connector to be connected after switching can be moved in the radial direction, while the other is completely fixed.
You can also cut it. Both ends of the fitting pin 5 are chamfered to allow for misalignment between the pin fitting hole and the fitting pin 6 when switching optical connectors. In Fig. 1 (^), connector 1 and connector 2 are connected by the mating pin 6. Next, the mating pin 6 is moved to the connector 2 side so that the mating pin 6 is completely removed from the connector l. After moving, Figure 1 (B
), move the holder 5 as shown by the arrow a, and then move the holder 5 further.
Move in the direction of the arrow to the switching position of connector 3.

The length Y is the positional deviation between the holders 4 and 5 at this time, and the deviation X is the sum of this deviation Y and the deviation caused by the movement of the connectors 2 and 3 in the radial direction. If the diameter of the fitting pin 66 is D, the deviation X is -0.5D.
<X<+0.5D must be in the range 0 Next, as shown in FIG. 1(C), move the holder 5 and mating pin 6 in the direction of arrow C to connect connectors 2 and 3. . When the tip of the fitting pin 6 is inserted into the pin fitting hole 3a of the connector 3, due to the chamfering of the tip 6a of the fitting pin 6, the connector 2 and the connector 3 automatically move in the radial direction shown by arrows d and e, respectively. is moved to, centered and connected. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 1.2.3 is provided with protrusions 1a, 2a, and 3a that prevent it from moving in the thrust direction (axial direction) in the holder with respect to the fitting pin hole 3d. ing.

FIGS. 3(A) to 3(F) are diagrams illustrating in detail the procedure of the optical connector connection switching method of the present invention. First, the third
As shown in FIG.
．． Push it out to about 511I+++. Next, move the connector presser 8 back in the direction of arrow g and move the live wire side moving connector 2.
Determine the amount of backing (FIG. 3(B)), and completely push out the fitting pin 6 from the live wire side connector 1 as shown by the arrow with the pin pushing rod 7 (FIG. 3(C)). At this time, the live wire side movable connector 2 is also pushed together with the mating pin 6 and the connector presser 8'
Back up as shown by arrow i until it touches . Next, move the live wire side movable connector 2 to the switching position with the dead wire side connector 3 in the direction of arrow j (Fig. 3 (D)), and after the movement is completed, move the connector pusher 9 in the direction of the arrow to engage the connector. Push the pin 6 and insert it into the dead line side connector 3 (Fig. 3(E)). The connector pusher 9 further pushes the rear end surface 2c of the live wire side movable connector 2 to bring the end surfaces of the dead wire side connector 3 and the live wire side movable connector 2 into close contact. In this way, switching of the optical connector connection is performed accurately.

FIG. 4(A) is a partially sectional plan view showing an embodiment of the optical connector connection switching device of the present invention, and FIG. 4(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 4(A). It is a diagram. In the device of this embodiment, the fitting pin pushing mechanism is driven by a motor 111.
2, the movable connector holder moving mechanism has a solenoid 21, and the movable connector holder switching mechanism has a solenoid 26.2.
7, and the fitting pin insertion mechanism has a motor 30, a solenoid 28, a connector pusher 29, and a pin insertion rod 32.32.

Next, the operation of the optical connector connection switching device of the present invention will be explained. First, the motors 11 and 12 rotate, and the solenoid 13 is activated by screw shafts etc. fixed to these motors.
．． 14 and pin push rods 15, 16 move in the direction of the arrow. The pin push rods 15 and 16 push the fitting pins 17 and 18 toward the live wire side connector 19 and the dead wire side connector 20, respectively,
When pushed back about 1.5-degrees, the motors 11 and 12 are stopped when the fitting pins 17 and 18 are pushed completely out of the live wire side connector cover 23 and the dead wire side connector 24, respectively. Here 1. The solenoid 13.14 moves the pin push rod 15.16 by about 1.5 mm in the direction of the arrow, and the mating pin 17.18 is completely pulled out from the live wire side connector 23 and the dead wire side connector 24. 0th order,
The solenoid 21 operates to push the movable connector holder 22 in the direction of the arrow to provide a gap between the end faces of the live line side connectors 19 and 23 and between the end faces of the dead line side connectors 20 and 24, respectively. The solenoid 31 operates and the connector presser 25
lower. That is, the solenoid 31 lowers the connector presser 25 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 4(B). The solenoid 26 moves in the direction of the arrow, moving the moving connector holder 22, the live wire side connector 19, and the dead wire side connector 2.
0, which pushes and retracts the solenoid 27.

At this time, the solenoids 13 and 14 return to their original states.Next, the solenoid 28 moves the connector pusher 29 in the direction of the arrow to bring the end face of the live line side connector 19 into contact with the end face of the dead line side connector 24. The fitting pin 18 is inserted into the dead line side connector 24 by about 1.5 mm.

If the switching fails at this point, a return operation is performed to return to the original state in the reverse order as described above, and if the switching is successful, the motors 11 and 12 rotate to return to the original state, Next, the motor 30 rotates and moves the pair of pin insertion rods 32 in the direction of the arrow to move the fitting pin 18 to the center position between both connectors, and then returns to the original position. Here, the solenoid 28 also returns to its original position, and the solenoid 31 also returns to its original state. In this way, the connection switching of the optical connectors is completed.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, the first live-line side connector, the second live-line side connector, and the dead-line side connector are connected to each other by fitting pins at predetermined positions. and pull out the fitting pin from the first live line side connector into the second live line side connector, and switch the second live line side connector to the switching position with the dead line side connector. and inserting the fitting pin into the dead line connector to the center position between the dead line side connector and the second live line side connector, thereby connecting the second live line side connector and the dead line side connector. In this method, each of the connectors is set in a predetermined position so as to be movable with a small gap in the radial direction, and the connection is switched using a mating pin having chamfered ends. It is possible to quickly and easily switch connections between optical connectors without requiring precise mutual positioning of optical connectors as in the prior art.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 (A) to C) are diagrams illustrating the outline procedure of the optical connector information switching method of the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the connector, and Figures 3 (A) to F) are A fourth diagram illustrating in detail the procedure of the optical connector connection switching method of the present invention.
Figure (A) is a partially sectional plan view showing an embodiment of the optical connector connection switching device of the present invention, and Figure 4 (B) is Figure 4 (A).
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of 1.2.3.19.20.23.24... Connector,
4.5... Holder, 6.17.18... Fitting pin, 7... Fitting pin push rod, 8.25... Connector presser, 9... Connector presser, 11.12 .30... Motor, 13.14.26.27.28.31... Solenoid, 22... Moving connector holder, 29... Connector pusher, 32... Pin insertion rod, 33... Fixed connector holder. Applicant Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Kanji Nagado Figure 1 2 2a 3 (A) (C) (D) ゝ1 (E)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Set the first live line side connector, the second live line side connector and the dead line side connector, which are connected to each other by mating pins, at predetermined positions, and insert the fitting pin into the first live line side connector. The line side connector is pulled out into the second live line side connector, the second live line side connector is moved to the switching position with the dead line side connector, and the fitting pin is connected to the dead line side connector and the second live line side connector. In the connection switching method of an optical connector, the second live line side connector and the dead line side connector are mutually connected by inserting the optical connector into the dead line side connector to a central position with the live line side connector of the connector. A connection switching method for optical connectors, characterized in that each optical connector is movably set in a predetermined position with a minute gap in the radial direction, and the connection is switched using a fitting pin having chamfered ends. (2) A first pair of connectors set parallel to each other at a predetermined distance in a fixed connector holder so as to be movable in a radial direction, and set in parallel at a predetermined distance in a movable connector holder in a radial direction The set second pair of connectors and the first pair of connectors whose both ends are chamfered.
a pair of mating pins that are commonly inserted into predetermined positions of the pair of connectors and the second pair of connectors to connect them; and a mating pin pusher that pushes out the mating pins from the first pair of connectors. a mechanism, a movable connector holder moving mechanism that moves the movable connector holder by a predetermined distance to create a space between the end faces of the first pair of connectors and the second pair of connectors in the axial direction; a moving connector holder switching mechanism that moves the holder by the predetermined distance and switches one of the first pair of connectors to the other position of the second pair of connectors; and one of the fitting pins. and a fitting pin insertion mechanism for inserting the connector from one of the first pair of connectors into the other of the second pair of connectors and positioning it at a predetermined position. Switching device.