JPH05323152A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the miniaturization of a plug, the simplification of a connecting operation and the application of automation by constituting the optical connector in such a manner that the front end of both sleeves are coaxially brought into pressurized contact with each other when the bent part of a leaf spring is detained with the step-shaped part of a spring moving space and is pressed by the wall surface of the spring moving space. CONSTITUTION:The leaf spring 10 of the plug A deflects gradually along the base of the groove part 9 of the plug A when the plug A is successively inserted from the plug insertion hole 15 of an adapter B for a single fiber. Further, the leaf spring 10 opens when the insertion of the plug A is progressed and the bent part 13 of the leaf spring 10 arrives at the spring moving space 17 of the adapter B. The bent part 13 is detained by the step part 18 of the spring moving space 17 even if the plug A is pulled in a removing direction after the leaf spring 10 opens and, therefore, the removal of the plug A is not possible unless the plug A is pulled after the free end 12 of the leaf spring 10 is pushed toward a groove 9. The adapter B is merely required to be provided with the spring moving space 17 for pressing and detaining the leaf spring 10 and, therefore, the size of the shape over the entire part is reduced and the high-density packaging is enabled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector used for optical communication or the like, and particularly, two optical fiber connecting plugs are brought into contact with each other to make optical connection. It relates to an optical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a conventional plug and adapter for connecting an optical fiber, a screw fastening type FC (Fiber Conn.
The structure of the plug D of the ector) type optical connector and the single core adapter E is shown in FIG.

A plug D to which an optical fiber cord 30 is connected
Is a ferrule 31, a plug frame 32, a pressing spring 3
3, an anti-rotation metal fitting 34, a tightening nut 35, and a hood 36, and the optical fiber cord 30 accommodates an optical fiber core wire 37 and a Kevlar 38. Further, the ferrule 31 is composed of a sleeve (not shown) and a flange (not shown), and an optical fiber element wire (not shown) whose sheath is removed from the fiber core wire 37 is fixed in the ferrule 31. There is.

The single-core adapter E is a ferrule 3
It is composed of a split sleeve 38 for holding 1, a sleeve holder 39, and a housing 40.

When the plugs D are inserted from both ends of the single-core adapter E, a pressing force is applied to the end faces of the ferrules 31 that abut each other by the pressing spring 33, and a physical contact is formed between the end faces of the optical fiber.

[0006]

The FC type optical connector of the screw fastening system and the SC (Single Coupling) type optical connector of the push-on fastening system (not shown) are each equipped with a ferrule, a ferrule pressing spring inside the plug,
Since the spring fixing part and the caulking mechanism for fixing the Kevlar are housed, there is a limit to downsizing the plug.

When connecting an FC type optical connector, it is necessary to fasten a screw, and when connecting an SC type optical connector, since the plug shape is square, the plug position is determined in a specific direction and the plug is placed there. I had to insert it towards the adapter. Therefore, when attempting to automate these connections by a robot or the like, the robot hand needs a mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom, and the robot mechanism and its control become complicated and huge.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector in which the size of the plug is reduced and the connection work is simplified and automated.

[0009]

To this end, the present invention provides an optical connector comprising an optical fiber connecting plug and an adapter into which the plug is fitted, wherein the plug has an optical fiber element tip. A sleeve for exposing and holding the sleeve, a cylindrical flange holding the sleeve at the tip and having a plurality of groove portions along the longitudinal direction of the side surface, and one end fixed to the sleeve side in the groove of the flange. The other end is a free end, the free end side has a triangular bent portion having a step shape in the middle, and the bent portion is pushed into the groove when pressed, and a leaf spring is provided. The adapter comprises a cylindrical plug insertion hole penetrating from one side to the other linearly, and a cylindrical spring movable space formed in a step-like large diameter inside both ends of the plug insertion hole, 2 of the plugs above The bent portion of the leaf spring is locked to the stepped portion of the spring movable space and is pressed by the wall surface of the spring movable space by inserting the reeve as a tip from the plug insertion holes on both sides of the adapter, and The tip of the sleeve was coaxially pressure-welded.

[0010]

According to the present invention, since the pressing leaf spring is arranged in the groove of the flange of the plug, the plug can be greatly downsized. Moreover, since it is sufficient to provide a slight spring movable space for pressing and locking the leaf spring on the adapter side, high density mounting is possible. Further, since the flange of the plug and the spring movable space have a cylindrical shape, there is no directivity with respect to the central axis, and when the plug and the adapter are automatically connected by the robot, the mechanism and control thereof can be simplified.

[0011]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a single-core connector composed of a plug A and a single-core adapter B of the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view before fitting them. The plug A includes a plug sleeve 1, a flange 2 for holding the sleeve 1 at the tip, a Kevlar crimping portion 3 at the rear end of the flange 2, a hood 4 for covering the Kevlar crimping portion 3, and the like. Reference numeral 5 is an optical fiber cord, 6 is an optical fiber core wire, 7 is an optical fiber element wire, and 8 is Kevlar.

When the plug A is attached to the optical fiber cord 5, the optical fiber element wire 7 is attached to the plug sleeve 1.
The Kevlar 8 is fixed to the rear end of the flange 2 in the Kevlar caulking portion 3 by being fixed by means such as adhesion in the hole.

The flange 2 has a cylindrical shape, and has a plurality of (two upper and lower positions in FIG. 1) grooves 9 on its side surface in the longitudinal direction, and a leaf spring 10 is mounted in each groove 9.
The fixed end 11 of the leaf spring 10 is on the sleeve 1 side, the free end 12 is on the Kevlar caulking portion 3 side, and a triangular bent portion 13 is formed at an intermediate portion thereof so that the free end 12 side becomes a step portion. ing. The leaf spring 10 has a free end 1
By pressing 2 to the bottom side of the groove 9, the bent portion 13
Has such a size and structure that it can fit in the groove 9.

The shape of the free end 12 of the leaf spring 10 is a substantially cylindrical shape whose side surface follows the outer shape of the flange 2 as shown in FIG. When gripping A, or when gripping the plug A with an insertion / extraction tool during a manual connection operation, there is no directivity with respect to the central axis. In addition, this free end 12
1 is not limited to the shape shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and may be a shape that matches the shape of the robot hand or the shape of the insertion / extraction tool.

On the other hand, the single-core adapter B has an adapter box 14 having the same shape on both sides, a plug insertion hole 15 formed so as to penetrate the box 14, and a split portion arranged at the center of the plug insertion hole 15. A sleeve 16 is provided, and a spring movable space 17 having an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the plug insertion hole 15 is formed at both ends of the plug insertion hole 15 in a cylindrical step shape. The step portion 1 outside the spring movable space 17
Reference numeral 8 is a locking portion for locking the bent portion 13 of the leaf spring 10 of the plug A. Further, the split sleeve 16 is held by the step portion 19 inside the plug insertion hole 15 so as not to fall off. Note that 20 is a mounting portion and 21 is a screw hole for mounting, and these shapes are not unique and can be changed according to usage conditions.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a sectional shape when the plug A and the single-core adapter B are fitted together. When the plug A is inserted through the plug insertion hole 15 of the single-core adapter B, the leaf spring 10 of the plug A bends along the bottom surface of the groove 9 of the plug A. The insertion of the plug A is further advanced so that the bent portion 13 of the leaf spring 10 moves into the spring movable space 17 of the adapter B.
When it reaches to, the leaf spring 10 opens there. Leaf spring 1
After opening 0, even if the plug A is pulled in the pulling direction, the bent portion 13 is locked by the step portion 18 of the spring movable space 17, so that the free end 12 of the leaf spring 10 is pushed in the direction of the groove 9. The plug A cannot be removed unless the plug A is pulled from above.

Regarding the dimensions of the leaf spring 10 and the spring movable space 17, when the plugs A are inserted into the single-core adapter B from both sides and a pressing force is applied to the front end surfaces of the sleeve 1, both plugs A are inserted. The leaf spring 10 is bent so that the leaf spring bent portion 13 is locked to the step portion 18.

As described above, the bent portion 13 of the leaf spring 10 is locked to the step portion 18, so that pressing force is applied to the tip surfaces of the sleeves 1 of the both plugs A while the both plugs A are pressed.
Are coupled by the single-core adapter B. When the plug A is fitted to the single-core adapter B, the leaf spring free end 12 is pushed in advance to insert the plug A, and after the bent portion 13 reaches the spring movable space 17, the free end 12 is opened. Alternatively, the bent portion 13 may be locked to the step portion 18. Further, when the plug A is removed from the adapter B, the bent portion 13 is disengaged from the step portion 18 by pushing in the free end 12 of the leaf spring 10, so that the plug A can be removed by pulling out there.

FIG. 4 shows the appearance of a multi-fiber optical connector in which a multi-fiber adapter C in which a plurality of the above-mentioned single-fiber adapters B are combined and a plug A which can be used for both single-fiber and multi-fiber are combined. It is a figure shown here, and shows the appearance of the optical connector for 4 cores which arranged the plug insertion holes in a line here. The multi-core adapter C includes an adapter box 22, four penetrating plug insertion holes 23, and four split sleeves (not shown) set at the center of each plug insertion hole 23. Reference numeral 24 is a mounting portion for the multi-core adapter, and 25 is a screw hole for mounting. Although an example of a 4-core adapter is shown in FIG. 4, adapters other than 4-core adapters can be similarly configured.

[0020]

As described above, the optical connector of the present invention uses the leaf spring arranged in the groove on the side surface of the flange,
The plug is pressed in the adapter in the direction of the tip, and the plug is locked to the adapter at the same time. The adapter has a small spring movable space for pressing and locking the leaf spring. It is possible to reduce the size of the device and mount it at high density. Moreover, since the flange of the plug is cylindrical and the plug insertion hole and the spring movable space of the adapter are also cylindrical, it is only necessary to insert the plug when connecting the plug without considering the orientation of the plug. When the connector is automatically connected, the robot mechanism and its control can be simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a separated perspective view of a plug and a single-core adapter of an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view in which the plug of the optical connector and the adapter for a single core are separated.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the plug of the optical connector and the single-core adapter in a fitted state.

FIG. 4 is a separated perspective view of a plug and a multi-core adapter of an optical connector according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional single-fiber optical connector.

[Explanation of symbols] A: plug, 1: plug sleeve, 2: flange, 3:
Kevlar caulking part, 4: Hood, 5: Optical fiber cord,
6: optical fiber core wire, 7: optical fiber element wire, 8: kevlar, 9: groove, 10: leaf spring, 11: fixed end, 12: free end, 13: bent portion, B: single-core adapter, 14 : Adapter box, 15: Plug insertion hole, 16: Split sleeve, 1
7: Spring movable space, 18: Stepped portion, 19: Stepped portion, 20: Adapter mounting portion, 21: Mounting screw hole, C: Multi-core adapter, 22: Adapter box, 23: Plug insertion hole, 24:
Adapter mounting portion, 25: mounting screw hole.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical connector comprising a plug for connecting an optical fiber and an adapter into which the plug is fitted, wherein the plug exposes and holds an optical fiber element wire at its tip, and the sleeve. And a cylindrical flange having a plurality of groove portions along the longitudinal direction of the side surface, and one end fixed to the sleeve side in the groove of the flange, the other end being a free end, and an intermediate portion The free end side has a triangular bent portion having a step shape, and the bent portion is pressed into the groove when pressed, and the adapter linearly penetrates from one side to the other side. And a cylindrical spring movable space formed in a stepped shape with a large diameter inside both ends of the plug insertion hole, and two of the plugs with the sleeve as the tip. Adapter By inserting from the plug insertion holes on both sides, the bent portion of the leaf spring is locked to the stepped portion of the spring movable space and is pressed by the wall surface of the spring movable space,
An optical connector characterized in that the tips of both sleeves are coaxially pressed against each other. 2. The light according to claim 1, wherein the adapter has a plurality of the plug insertion holes, and the spring movable space is formed inside both ends of each plug insertion hole. Connector.