JPH0453606Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a cable fixing structure for fixing an optical cable to an optical connector.

Conventional technology Conventionally, a cable fixing structure for fixing an optical cable to an optical connector includes a cable clamp member attached to the terminal end of the optical cable to be connected, and a terminal-treated tip of the optical fiber at the terminal end of the optical cable. There is a type that fixes the optical cable to the housing with a ferrule holding member that holds the ferrule into which the optical cable is inserted. In such a conventional cable fixing structure, the housing has a cable clamp member arranging recess for arranging the cable clamp member, and a ferrule holding member arrangement for arranging the ferrule holding member. The recesses were fixedly provided at regular intervals equal to the length of the optical fiber from the ferrule holding member to the cable clamp member, that is, the so-called fiber mounting length.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional optical connector cable fixing structure described above, the ferrule holding member arranging recess and the cable clamp member arranging recess are fixedly provided at a fixed interval. As a result, the following problems arose: In other words, when trying to connect and secure an optical cable to such an optical connector,
It was necessary to harness the optical fiber to the ferrule so that the length of the fiber from the cable clamp member to the ferrule holding member was always constant. However, the harnessing of the optical fiber to the ferrule is usually done manually, and since the optical fiber is thin and easily broken, variations in the fiber mounting length inevitably occur. in this case,
When an optical cable and ferrule are mounted on an optical connector having a cable fixing structure as described above, if the fiber mounting length is shorter than a predetermined length, unreasonable tension may be applied to the optical fiber, or the fiber mounting may be difficult. When the length is longer than a predetermined length, there is a problem that the optical fiber is forcibly bent within the connector, causing the optical fiber to break or increase optical transmission loss.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable fixing structure for an optical connector that can solve these conventional problems.

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, a cable clamp member is attached to the terminal end of an optical cable to be connected, and a ferrule is inserted into which the tip of the optical fiber having been terminal-treated at the terminal end of the optical cable is inserted. In the cable fixing structure of an optical connector of the type in which the optical cable is fixed to the housing with a ferrule holding member, the housing includes a cable clamp member arrangement recess for disposing the cable clamp member; A ferrule holding member arranging recess for arranging the ferrule holding member is provided, the cable clamp member is provided with a flange, and the cable clamp member arranging recess is provided with a ferrule holding member arranging recess for arranging the ferrule holding member;
The flange portion of the cable clamp member is arranged at a distance approximately equal to the optical fiber mounting length from the ferrule holding member arrangement recess at a relatively small interval in the direction of the optical fiber mounting length. A plurality of flange placement recesses are provided for fixing.

Embodiments Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with regard to embodiments of the present invention based on the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a half-sectional plan view of an optical connector having a cable fixing structure as an embodiment of the present invention. In the optical connector shown in Fig. 1,
For example, it houses a ferrule 130 into which the tip of the fiber 11 of the optical cable 10 to be connected is inserted.
On both sides of the plastic housing 110,
A protruding locking portion 11 for engaging with a locking portion of a mating connector to lock the connection with the mating connector.
A lock lever 116 having a diameter of 7 is integrally formed. The housing 110 includes a housing 110 that covers the lock lever 116.
A slide cover 120 is slidably attached to the cover.

Next, before describing in detail the cable fixing structure of the optical connector of the present invention, the structure for terminal processing of the optical cable to be connected to this optical connector will be explained.

FIG. 5 schematically shows this structure in a perspective view, and the terminal of the two-core optical cable 10 is treated to separate the two optical fibers 11.
The optical cable 10 is passed through a rubber hood, which will be described later, and the two separated optical fibers 11 are passed through a cable clamp fitting 160. The cable clamp fitting 160 is formed of a metal material into a substantially cylindrical shape, and has a flange portion 162 at the tip of a cylindrical main body portion 161. Each optical fiber 11
The tip of the metal ferrule holder 140 is slidable within the metal ferrule holding body 150.
The ferrule 130 is held at the tip of the ferrule 130. The relationship among the ferrule holding body 150, ferrule holder 140, ferrule 130, and optical fiber 11 is shown in a half-sectional view in FIG. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the ferrule holding body 150 has a substantially cylindrical space 151 through which the ferrule holder 140 is inserted.
A deflection spring 153 is disposed which always exerts a forward deflection force on 40. The ferrule holder 140 has a flange portion 141 formed at its front end, and a stop shoulder portion 142 formed at its rear end. The flange portion 141 has a ring 152 press-fitted into the ferrule holding body 150 on the front side.
The forward sliding is restricted by contacting the
One end of the deflection spring 153 is received. Further, the stop shoulder portion 142 is connected to the ferrule holding body 15.
The ferrule holder 140 is in contact with the rear end wall of the
Restricts backward sliding. Ferrule 130
is fixed to the front end of the ferrule holder 140 that can slide against the ferrule holding body 150 against the deflection force of the deflection spring 153, and together with the ferrule holder 140, the deflection spring 153 can be shifted against the deflection force of The tip of the optical fiber 11 is inserted into the ferrule holder 140 and is inserted into the ferrule 13.
0 so that its tip surface is exposed at the tip.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the housing 110 includes a lower housing 110A that opens upward;
It consists of an upper housing 110B that is placed over the lower housing 110A, and the lower housing 110A and the upper housing 110B are
They are connected and held together by tightening screws 111. The lower housing 110A has a ferrule holding body 15 as described above near the front end.
The ferrule holding body has two juxtaposed ferrule holding body arranging recesses 112 for arranging and fixing the ferrule 0, and is arranged at equal intervals near the rear end so that the flange 162 of the cable clamp fitting 160 can be selectively arranging and fixing. In this embodiment, which has an approximately semicircular cross section, there are four flange arrangement recesses 113 and a cable clamp fitting having an approximately semicircular cross section for arranging and fixing the cylindrical main body part 161 of the cable clamp fitting 160. Recess 114
and a rubber hood fixing recess 115 having a substantially semicircular cross section for arranging and fixing the flange 171 of the rubber hood 170. Further, lock levers 116 are integrally formed on both sides of the middle portion of the lower housing 110A so as to extend rearward.

This lock lever 116 is configured to be able to elastically shift inward toward the side of the housing 110 using its front end as a fulcrum, and as described above, the outer surface near the fulcrum has an outer surface. In addition to a protruding locking portion 117 that protrudes toward the rear end, a cam-action inclined surface 118 is formed on the operating portion at the rear end.

On the other hand, the slide cover 120
The lock lever 116 has a substantially box-like shape with an open front end and is attached to the rear end of the lock lever 116 so as to cover the operating section at the rear end of the lock lever 116. An optical cable 10 is provided at the rear end of this slide cover 120.
An opening 125 is formed for passing a rubber hood 170 attached around the hood. moreover,
This slide cover 120 is attached to the inner wall on both sides of the front end of the housing 1.
Each lock lever 1 when attached to the rear end of 10
A shift action inclined surface 122 is formed as a lock lever action portion that engages with the 16 cam action inclined surfaces 118.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, stopper fitting insertion grooves 121 are formed on both sides near the front end of the slide cover. ing. In addition, stop shoulders 119 are formed at locations on the lower housing 110A and the upper housing 110B to which the front ends of the slide covers 120 are attached. After such a slide cover 120 is attached to the rear end of the housing 110, a substantially U-shaped stopper fitting 122 can be inserted into each stopper fitting insertion groove 121. A protrusion 122A that protrudes inward is formed at the tips of the upper and lower legs of the stopper fitting 122. When the slide cover 120 attached to the rear end of the housing 110 is slid rearward, these protrusions 122A come into contact with the stop shoulder 119 of the housing 110, thereby preventing the slide cover 120 from moving backward with respect to the housing 110. It acts to limit the slide. Furthermore, on the upper and lower surfaces of the slide cover 120, there are anti-slip uneven parts 12 on which the fingers can be placed during the unlocking operation.
It is better to form 4.

Next, a method for assembling an optical connector having such a structure, a method for fixing the cable, and an operation for locking and releasing the lock will be explained.

First, the order of assembling the optical connector and the order of fixing the cables will be explained.As described above with particular reference to FIG.
A rubber hood 170 (not shown in FIG. 5) is inserted into the terminal of the cable clamp fitting 160, and the separated optical fiber 11 is inserted through the cable clamp fitting 160.
0 into the terminal part of the optical cable 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the ferrule 130 fixed to the ferrule holder 140 is assembled into the ferrule holding body 150, and then the ring 152 is press-fitted into the front end of the ferrule holding body 150 and assembled. Then, each optical fiber 11 is inserted from the rear end of the ferrule holder 140, and the end face of the ferrule 130 is polished.
The assembly of the tip of each optical fiber 11 is completed. This state is shown in FIG.

Next, the terminal portion of the optical cable 10 that has been assembled and processed in this manner is placed in each ferrule holding body placement recess 112 of the lower housing 110A, as clearly shown in the cross section of FIG. The flange 162 of the metal fitting 160 is arranged in one of the four flange arrangement recesses 113, the cylindrical main body 161 is arranged in the cable clamp fitting arrangement recess 114, and the rubber hood 170
The collar portion 171 is disposed within the rubber hood fixing recess 115. At this time, the cable clamp fitting 16
The selection of one of the four flange placement recesses 113 in which the flange 162 of 0 is to be placed is based on the selection of the optical fiber 11 between the rear end of the ferrule holder 140 and the flange 162 of the cable clamp fitting 160. In part,
This is done in such a way that no unreasonable tensile force is applied or the part is bent significantly. Also, regarding the change in the distance between the flange arranging recess 113 and the rubber hood fixing recess 115 due to the difference in the position of the flange arranging recess 113 in which the flange 162 of the cable clamp fitting 160 is disposed. , cable clamp fitting 160
This can be achieved by appropriately adjusting the fitting length of the rubber hood 170 that is loosely fitted to the cylindrical main body 161 of the cylindrical body 161.

After arranging the terminal part of the optical cable 10 in the lower housing 110A in this way, the upper housing 110B is placed on top of the lower housing 110A as shown in the non-cross-sectional part of FIG. , the lower housing 110A and the upper housing 110B are integrally coupled and fixed. Then, the slide cover 120 (the terminal end of the optical cable 10 was inserted into the opening 125 in advance)
is attached to the rear end of the housing 110.
At this time, the lock levers 116 on both sides of the housing 110 are elastically deflected inward, thereby allowing the slide cover 120 to be attached to the rear end of the housing 110. Housing 1 like this
Slide cover 120 attached to the rear end of 10
The stopper fittings 122 are inserted into the stopper fitting insertion grooves 121 on both sides of the optical connector 100, and the assembly of the optical connector 100 and the connection of the optical cable 10 are completed.
FIG. 1 shows this state.

FIG. 3 shows, in a partial sectional view, an example in which two sets of optical connectors 100 connected with optical cables 10 in this manner are coupled to each other via an adapter section. The adapter part 200 has a flange part 211
The adapter housing 210 has a pair of adapter housings 210 coupled to each other, and an alignment sleeve holder 213 is provided in the adapter housings 210. The alignment sleeve holder 213 includes two alignment sleeves 214. are juxtaposed.
Additionally, on both sides of each adapter housing 210,
A notched lock portion 212 is formed. The optical connector 100 to which the optical cable 10 is connected as described above is connected to each end of the adapter section 200.
As the front end of the housing 110 is inserted,
The lock lever 116 is elastically biased inwardly so that each protruding lock 117 engages within a corresponding notched lock 212. At this time, each ferrule 130 is also inserted into its respective alignment sleeve 214. Within each alignment sleeve 214, the tips of each ferrule 130 are brought into abutment against each other by the deflection force of deflection spring 153 to complete the optical coupling between the two optical connectors 100. At the same time, due to the reaction force of the tips of the ferrules 130 abutting each other, each housing 110
A rearward displacement force is applied, and as a result, the rear end surface of the protruding locking portion 117 is brought into contact with the rear inner wall surface of the notch lock portion 212. In this state, the adapter section 200 and each optical connector 10
The connection state with 0 is completely locked. That is, the protruding locking portion 117 is connected to the notch lock portion 21.
2, the rubber hood 170
Even if you hold the optical cable 10 and pull it backwards,
The optical connector 100 cannot be pulled out from the adapter section 200.

Finally, the operation of releasing the locked state with the mating connector will be explained with particular reference to FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 3, when it is desired to pull out the right optical connector 100 of the optical connectors that are fitted and locked to the adapter section 200, the slide cover 120 is pulled out from the adapter section 200.
If you grasp it and slide it backwards,
Due to the action of the deflection action inclined surface 123 on the cam action inclined surface 118 of each lock lever 116, each lock lever 116 is elastically deflected inward using the front end as a fulcrum, and each protruding locking portion 117 has a notched lock. 212. FIG. 4 shows such an unlocked state. and,
At this time, the protrusion 122A of the stopper fitting 122 inserted into the stopper fitting insertion groove 121 of the slide cover 120 comes into contact with each corresponding stopper shoulder 119 of the housing 110, and the slide cover 120 is moved further rearward. When pulled, the housing 110 is also pulled backwards, and the optical connector 100 is pulled from the adapter part 200.
The whole thing will be pulled out.

Effects of the invention Since the cable fixing structure of the optical connector of the invention has the above-described configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, in the present invention, a plurality of flange placement recesses into which the flange of the cable clamp fitting is inserted are provided, and one of the flange placement recesses located at an appropriate position is selected to fit the flange of the cable clamp fitting. Since it can be arranged and fixed, even if the fiber mounting length varies to some extent, the cable clamp fitting can be arranged and fixed accordingly. Therefore, even if the fiber mounting length slightly deviates from the predetermined length, it is possible to avoid applying excessive tension to the fiber or bending the fiber, and it is possible to avoid bending the fiber or bending the fiber. Optical cables can be easily mounted and fixed to optical connectors without increasing transmission loss.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a half-sectional plan view of an optical connector having a cable fixing structure as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a partially sectional plan view showing a state in which the optical connectors shown in FIG. 1 are connected and locked to each other via an adapter part;
4 is a partial sectional view for explaining the operation of releasing the locked state from the coupling lock state shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a connection configuration of the optical cable to be connected to the optical connector shown in FIG. 1. 6 is a half-sectional plan view showing details of the structure for inserting and fixing the tip of the optical fiber in the optical connector of FIG. 1. FIG. 10...Optical cable, 11...Optical fiber, 1
00...Optical connector, 110...Housing, 1
12...Ferrule holding body arrangement recess, 113...
... Flange arrangement recess, 114 ... Cable clamp fitting arrangement recess, 115 ... Rubber hood fixing recess, 1
20... Slide cover, 130... Ferrule, 140... Ferrule holder, 150... Ferrule holding body, 160... Cable clamp fitting, 161... Cylindrical body part, 162... Flange part,
170...Rubber hood, 171...Brim section.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) A cable clamp member that is attached to the terminal end of an optical cable to be connected, and a ferrule that holds a ferrule into which the tip of the terminated optical fiber of the optical cable is inserted. In the cable fixing structure of an optical connector of the type in which the optical cable is fixed to the housing with a holding member, the housing includes a cable clamp member arrangement recess for disposing the cable clamp member, and the ferrule holding member. A ferrule holding member arranging recess for arranging the member is provided, the cable clamp member is provided with a flange, and the cable clamp member arranging recess is provided with a ferrule holding member arranging recess. a plurality of flange portions of the cable clamp member arranged and fixed at relatively small intervals in the direction of the optical fiber mounting length at positions separated from the installation recess by a distance approximately equal to the optical fiber mounting length; 1. A cable fixing structure for an optical connector, characterized in that a concave portion for arranging a collar portion is provided. (2) the housing includes a lower housing that opens upward; and an upper housing that is coupled to the lower housing so as to be placed over the lower housing; The cable fixing structure for an optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the flange portion arranging recess and the ferrule holding member arranging recess are formed in the lower housing. (3) A rubber hood that is inserted into the end portion of the optical cable is loosely fitted into the cable clamp member, and a flange of the rubber hood is arranged and fixed in the cable clamp member arrangement recess. Utility model registration claims paragraph (1) or paragraph
Cable fixing structure of the optical connector described in (2).