JPH0553032A - Optical connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the optical connecting device by branching the light signals transmitted in multi-fiber optical fiber lines and introducing these signals to different places. CONSTITUTION:The three-fiber optical fiber lines 1 are connected to a main connector 2 and a single-fiber optical fiber line 11 is connected to a branch connector 8. Two-fibers optical fiber lines 15, 16 are respectively connected to a branch connector 9. Two pieces of the branch connectors 8, 9 are connected to one piece of the main connector 2 and the three-fiber lines 1 on the main connector 2 side are branched and connected to the single-fiber line 11 on the branch connector 8 side and the two-fiber optical fiber lines 15, 16 on the branch connector 9 side. The optical fiber line 11 on the branch connector 8 side and the optical fiber lines 15, 16 on the branch connector 9 side are introduced to the different places and the signal processing of the light signals transmitted from the main connector 2 side is executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector device capable of branching and connecting a multi-core optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical connector device is known as a means for connecting optical lines. This type of optical connector device connects a connector to the end of the optical line on one side to be connected, and also connects a connector to the end of the line on the other side, and the connector of the line on the one side and the connector on the other side. The optical lines are connected by coupling the connectors of the lines. Generally, there are two types of optical lines, one is a single core and the other is a multiple lines.A single core optical line is connected using a single core optical connector, and a multi-core optical line is connected using a multi-core optical connector. With the connection of this connector, the optical signal transmitted from one optical transceiver is guided to the other optical transceiver via the other optical line connected by the optical connector.

[0003]

Conventionally, in the case of connecting an optical line with an optical connector, the number of cores of the optical line on one side and the optical line on the other side to be connected are made equal to each other, and the optical line of this optical line is connected. The two optical lines were connected using a connector matching the number of cores, and the optical signal transmitted from one side was always guided to the same place and received.

Recently, an optical communication system in which an optical signal transmitted from one side by using a multi-core optical line is branched and the optical signal is guided to different places has come to be considered. This has led to a problem that it is not possible to cope with such a new type of optical signal communication system.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to branch an optical signal sent from one side by using a multi-core optical line and guide it to different places. It is to provide an optical connector device capable of

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. That is, the present invention is an optical connector device in which a plurality of branch connectors are connected to one main body connector, a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in the main body connector, and the plurality of optical fibers are The main body side positioning portion is provided for each group of optical fibers, and each branch connector has an optical fiber and a branch side positioning portion that connect to the optical fiber of the corresponding group of the main body connector. The branch-side positioning portion of each branch connector and the corresponding body-side positioning portion are aligned so that the optical fiber on the body connector side is branched and connected to the optical fiber on the branch connector side. Has been done.

[0007]

In the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the optical signal transmitted from the one side by the multi-core optical line is branched from the main body connector to the plurality of branch connector sides when passing through the optical connector device. Optical signal processing is performed by being guided to different places through the optical line.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an embodiment of the optical connector device according to the present invention. In the figure, a main body connector 2 is connected to an end portion of a plurality of (three cores in this embodiment) optical lines 1 to be connected. This body connector 2
2 has three fiber insertion holes in the main body connector ferrule 3, and as shown in FIG. 2C, the connection end face 4 of the main body connector ferrule 3 has three optical fibers 5a, 5b,
It is arranged with the end surface of 5c exposed. In this embodiment, the optical fibers 5a to 5c are divided into a first group of optical fibers 5a and a second group of optical fibers 5b and 5c, and a pair of main body sides is provided for the first group of optical fibers 5a. Main body side positioning holes 6a and 6b as positioning portions are provided with the optical fiber 5a sandwiched therebetween. Similarly, for the second group of optical fibers 5b and 5c, the optical fiber 5
b, 5c sandwiched between the pair of body side positioning holes 7a,
7b is provided.

Two branch connectors 8 and 9 are connected to the main body connector 2. A single-core optical line 11 is connected to the branch connector 8, and the optical fiber of the optical line 11 is accommodated in an insertion hole provided in the branch connector ferrule 10, and as shown in FIG. The end face of the optical fiber 12 of the optical line 11 is disposed in an exposed state on the connection end face 10a. Then, on both sides of the optical fiber 12 on both sides thereof, branch side positioning holes 13a and 13b are provided as a pair of branch side positioning portions. The positions of the branch-side positioning holes 13a, 13b and the optical fiber 12 correspond to the positions of the body-side positioning holes 6a, 6b on the body connector 2 side and the optical fiber 5a, and the connection end faces 4, 10a. Contact each other and set the positioning hole 13a to the positioning hole 6
When the positioning hole 13b is aligned with the positioning hole 13b and the positioning hole 13b is aligned with the positioning hole 6b, the optical fibers 5a and 12 are connected without axial misalignment.

Two optical lines 15 and 16 are connected to the branch connector 9, and the connection end face of the branch connector ferrule 14 is connected.
Similarly, the end faces of the optical fibers 17 and 18 of the optical lines 15 and 16 are disposed in the exposed state at 14a. Then, a pair of branch side positioning holes 20 with the two optical fibers 17, 18 being sandwiched therebetween.
a and 20b are formed. This branch side positioning hole 20
a, 20b and the optical fibers 17, 18 are arranged at the main body side positioning holes 7a, 7b on the main body connector 2 side and the optical fiber 5 side.
b, 5c, the connecting end faces 4, 14a are brought into contact with each other, and the positioning hole 20a is positioned in the positioning hole 7a.
When b is aligned with the positioning hole 7b, the optical fiber 18 is connected to 5c and the optical fiber 17 is connected to 5b without displacement.

In the present embodiment, when connecting the main body connector 2 and the branch connectors 8 and 9, as shown in FIG. 3, one end side of the four positioning pins 21a to 21d corresponds to the main body connector 2.
Side body side positioning holes 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and the other end side of the positioning pin 21a is fitted into the branching side positioning hole 13a on the branching connector 8 side, and the positioning pin
The main body connector 2 and the branch connector 8 are coupled by fitting the other end side of 21b into the branch side positioning hole 13b, and the optical fiber 5a on the main body connector 2 side and the optical fiber 12a on the branch connector 8 side are connected. Is achieved. Similarly,
The branch side positioning hole 20a is fitted into the other end of the positioning pin 21c, and the positioning hole 20b is fitted into the other end of the positioning pin 21d.
, And the optical fiber 5b on the body connector 2 side is connected to the optical fiber 17 on the branch connector 9 side, and the optical fiber 5c on the body connector 2 side is connected to the optical fiber 18 on the branch connector 9 side.

As described above, in this embodiment, by connecting the two branch connectors 8 and 9 to one main body connector 2, the three optical fibers 5a, 5b on the main body connector 2 side,
5c is branched and connected to the optical fiber 12 side and the optical fibers 17 and 18 side, and the optical line 11 and the branch connector 9 on the branch connector 8 side are connected.
It is possible to guide the side optical lines 15 and 16 to different places and perform desired signal processing.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various embodiments can be adopted. For example, in the above embodiment, the main body connector 2 has three optical fibers 5a, 5
Although b and 5c are arranged, a plurality of optical fibers having two or more cores can be arranged on the body connector 2 side, and the plurality of optical fibers are sandwiched by a pair of body side positioning holes to form a desired core. It can be divided into groups of numbers.

In the above embodiment, two branch connectors 8 and 9 are used, and the branch connector 8 has one optical fiber 12
In the above description, the branch connector 9 is provided with the two optical fibers 17 and 18, but the number of branch connectors is adapted to the number of optical fiber groups on the body connector 2 side.
Further, each branch connector is provided with an optical fiber having the number of cores corresponding to the number of cores of the optical fiber group to be connected on the body connector side.

Further, in the above embodiment, both the main body side positioning portion and the branch side positioning portion are formed by holes. However, for example, the main body side positioning portion is formed by a hole, and the branch side positioning portion is formed by a convex portion fitted therein. Various other positioning means may be employed, such as forming.

Further, in the above embodiment, the optical lines 1 on the side of the main body connector 2 to the optical lines 11, 15 on the side of the branch connectors 8 and 9,
Although the optical signal is transmitted to 16, the transmission direction of the optical signal is not particularly limited, of course, it may be transmitted in the opposite direction.

[0017]

According to the present invention, a plurality of branch connectors are connected to one main body connector, and a plurality of optical fibers on the main body connector side are branched and connected to an optical fiber on the branch connector side. It is possible to guide the optical signal transmitted from the side to different places through the optical line on each branch connector side, branch the optical signal transmitted through the multi-core optical fiber and guide it to different places, and the desired signal at each place. This makes it extremely suitable as an optical connector device for a new type optical communication system of performing processing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective configuration diagram of an embodiment of an optical connector device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a connection end face of a main body connector and each branch connector of the optical connector device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a connection and connection state of a main body connector and a branch connector by a positioning pin.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Main body connector 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b Main body side positioning hole 8, 9 Branch connector 12, 17, 18 Optical fiber 13a, 13b, 20a, 20b Branch side positioning hole 21a-21d Positioning pin

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical connector device in which a plurality of branch connectors are connected to one body connector, wherein the body connector is provided with a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are provided in a plurality of groups. The main body side positioning portion is provided for each optical fiber of each group, and each branch connector is provided with the optical fiber and the branch side positioning portion that connect to the optical fiber of the corresponding group of the main body connector. An optical connector device in which an optical fiber on the main body connector side is branched and connected to an optical fiber on the branch connector side by aligning a branch side positioning portion of each branch connector with a corresponding main body side positioning portion.