JPH01193705A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the structure of an optical connector plug and to facilitate its repair by including a structure which is provided on the optical connector plug conventionally in an optical adapter side. CONSTITUTION:This connector consists of the optical connector plugs 7 and 8 consisting of only ferrules 5 and 6 having recessed parts 5a and 6a where snap rings 12 and 13 can be fitted and the optical adapter 9 of complex structure consisting of the snap rings 12 and 13, springs 16 and 17, housings 14 and 15, and a flange member 18. Further, tip surfaces of the ferrules 5 and 6 are made to abut on each other with the elastic forces of the springs 16 and 17. Therefore, the ferrules 5 and 6 where trouble is easy to occur can be disconnected completely from other complex components. Consequently, even if the trouble occurs to the ferrules, they are easily repaired at low cost.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device used in optical communication, and particularly to an optical connector for connecting optical fibers.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of optical connector, as shown in Fig. 5, consists of a ferrule 1 that holds and fixes an optical fiber in a predetermined position with high precision, and a ferrule l that is constantly pressed and biased in a predetermined direction. Although not shown, the optical connector plug 4 has a complicated structure including a spring 2, a connecting nut 3, etc.
It consisted of a relatively simple optical adapter with a split sleeve or a precision hole.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, although the above-mentioned conventional optical connector is composed of an optical connector plug 4 with a relatively complicated structure and an optical adapter with a relatively simple structure, the part that is most likely to fail is the errule 7. It is part of. However, if the ferrule 1, which requires the most precision and is important, breaks down, the faulty optical connector plug 4
The optical connector plug 4 had to be discarded and a new optical connector plug 4 had to be remade, resulting in high costs.

Furthermore, since the optical connector plug 4 has a complicated structure, it is not easy to assemble, and it is troublesome to repair it if it breaks down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector which has a simplified structure and which allows failures in the optical connector plug to be repaired easily and at low cost.

[Means to solve the problem]

The optical connector according to the present invention is composed of an optical connector plug consisting only of a ferrule having a recess into which a snap ring can fit, and an optical adapter having a complicated structure consisting of a snap ring, a spring, a housing, and a flange member. There is.

The tip surfaces of the ferrules are always butted against each other by the elastic force of the spring.

[Effect]

As described above, in the optical connector according to the present invention, since the optical connector plug is composed only of the ferrule, it has become possible to completely separate the ferrule, which is prone to failure, from other complicated parts. As a result, even if a failure occurs in the ferrule, it can be easily repaired, and since the only part to be repaired or replaced is the ferrule, the cost is also low.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of an optical connector according to the present invention. The optical connector is a cylindrical 7 errule 5.6
The optical adapter 9 is composed of two optical connector plugs 7.8 each having a cylindrical shape, and a symmetrical optical adapter 9 having a structure into which the optical connector plugs 7.8 are inserted from the left and right sides.

The cylindrical ferrule 5.6 constituting the optical connector plug 7.8 has a structure that includes an optical fiber 10° 11 in the central axis, and concave portions 5a, 6a near the center in the axial direction.
is provided. The outer diameters of the recesses B5a and 6a are smaller than the outer diameters of the tips 5b and 6b.
The front end surfaces 5c, 6c of the bracket recesses 135a, 6a are formed at right angles, and the rear end surfaces 5d, 6d are formed in a tapered shape.

On the other hand, the optical adapter 9 has a concave R5a of the ferrule 5.6,
6a and a snap ring 12.13 made of an elastic material and having one notch (not shown) along its entire length in the axial direction;
2.13 with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the bottom 1
A cylindrical housing 14 is provided with holes 14b and 15b that are larger than the outer diameter of the ferrules 5 and 6 in 4a and 15a, and threaded portions 14c and 15c that are fastening portions are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the opening. .15, a coiled spring 16.17 disposed around the ferrule 5.6 and interposed between the rear end surface of the snap ring 12.13 and the bottoms 4a, 5a of the housing 14.15; Screw l1 that threads into threaded portions 14C and 15C of housing 14.15
FtS18a and the ferrule 5.
The flange member 18 is provided with a precision hole 18b into which the flange 6 is inserted.

When the optical connector is assembled, the ferrule 5,
6. The snap ring 12.13 and the springs 16, 17 are enclosed within the housing 14.15. In this state, the ferrules 5 and 6 are abutted against each other at approximately the center of the flange member 18, and in order to maintain this abutment, the springs 16.17 are biased in the direction of abutting each other via the snap ring 12.13. It becomes. The ferrules 5 and 6 abut against each other with high precision within the precision hole 18b of the flange member 18, thereby connecting the optical fibers 10.11.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the optical connector of the present invention. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment described above is that a ferrule 5 is provided at the center of the flange member 18.
, 6 has a structure in which a split sleeve 19 is arranged, which has an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the ferrules 5.6 and has one notch (not shown) along its entire length. N4 matched with precision
It is constructed.

Now, to explain the disassembly operation of this optical connector using Fig. 3, first, when assembling the optical connector, simply push the ferrule 5°6 that makes up the optical connector plug into the optical adapter 9. On the other hand, when disassembling it, a cylindrical jig 20 as shown in FIG. 3 is required. That is, by inserting a cylindrical jig 20 having one split sleeve 19 slightly larger than the diameter of the optical fiber 10 into the housing 14 from behind the ferrule 5, the split of the snap ring 12 is expanded and at the same time its inner diameter is Then, the ferrule 5 is released from its fitted state in the recess 5a. Thereby, the ferrule 5 can be pulled out by pulling it rearward without being restricted by the snap ring 12. At this time, the inner diameter of the jig 20 must be smaller than the outer diameter of the split sleeve 19 so that the split sleeve 19 does not fall off.

In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the housing 14.1
5 is screwed to the flange member 18, but the structure is not limited to this, and the fourth
As shown in the figure, attach the housing 14.15 to the flange member 1.
Of course, it is also possible to have a structure in which it is press-fitted and fixed to 8.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the optical connector according to the present invention, the structure of the optical connector plug can be simplified by including the structure conventionally provided in the optical connector plug in the optical adapter side. Accordingly, it becomes possible to separate the part of the ferrule that is conventionally prone to failure from other complicated parts, and even if a failure occurs in the ferrule, it can be easily repaired. In addition, since the only part to be repaired or replaced is the ferrule, costs can be reduced. Furthermore, in the future, if optical connectors become widespread in each home through subscriber equipment, etc., it will be possible for ordinary people to easily repair and replace them, without having to be particularly experienced in assembling optical connectors.

On the other hand, since the optical connector plug has only a ferrule, the optical connector plug cannot be attached or detached using screws as in the conventional method. In this case, the space required for a person to insert his/her hand and turn the knob is unnecessary, which has the effect of reducing the mounting space and enabling high-density mounting.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing one embodiment of the optical connector according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the same optical connector, and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the optical connector shown in Fig. 2. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing still another embodiment of the optical connector of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing an example of a conventional optical connector. 5.6... Ferrule, 5a, 6a... Recess, 5b, 6b... Tip, 7.8... Optical connector plug, 9...・・・・・・
Optical adapter, to, 11... optical fiber, 12.13... snap ring, 14.15.
...Housing, 14b, 15b ... Hole, 16.17 ... Spring, 18 ... Flange member, 18b ... Precision hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims] It consists of an optical connector plug consisting only of a ferrule with a recess at an appropriate position in the axial direction, and an optical adapter into which this optical connector plug is inserted. a spring that urges the ferrules to butt each other through the snap ring; a housing that includes the snap ring and the spring and has a hole into which the ferrule can be inserted; and the housing is fixed. and a flange member having a hole into which the tip of the ferrule can fit.