JPH07159654A - Connector for optical communication - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lessen the connector loss of light transmission and to improve S/N by removing the dust of a light receiving surface, ensuring the connection of a socket and a plug, improving reliability at the time of connection and suppressing extremely the deterioration in transmission performance by connection of a connector for optical communication. CONSTITUTION:The air between the plug 12 and the socket 1 is hermetically sealed and the air in the socket is compressed when the plug 12 is inserted into the socket 1. The air flow by the internal pressure thereof is generated and the air enters from an air inflow port 8, passes the light receiving surface and enters in an air discharge port 4. Finally, the air escapes a discharge valve 3 and is eventually emitted outside the socket 1. The dust on the light receiving surface is, therefore, blown off by the wind pressure of the air, by which the dust on the light receiving surface is discharged together with the air outside the socket 1. The light receiving surface is thereby self-cleaned.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical communication connector used for connecting optical cables to each other, and more particularly to optical communication capable of removing dust on an optical cable connecting surface when connecting a socket and a plug. A connector for use is provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in the field of optical communication, an optical connector is used to connect an optical cable or between an optical cable and an optical module. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a conventional optical communication connector. In the same figure, an optical fiber 9 is projectingly provided at a substantially central portion of a cylindrical connector portion 11, and the whole of them constitutes a plug 12. The plug 12 is provided with a screw (not shown) for connecting to the socket 1, and a fiber cord 13 in which an optical fiber 9 is installed is connected. On the other hand, the socket 1 is fixed to the device panel 22, and the plug 1
A screw (not shown) for connecting to 2 is provided.
Also, inside the device panel 22, the optical fiber core wire 21
Connected with. A light receiving surface (not shown) facing the optical fiber 9 is provided inside the socket 1.

With the structure as described above, the optical fiber 9 and the connector portion 11 are inserted into the socket 1, and the socket 1
And the plug 12 are connected. And optical fiber 9
An optical signal can be transmitted through the light receiving surface and the light receiving surface. That is, the optical fiber 9 and the optical module (not shown) connected to the optical fiber core wire 21 are connected by the optical connector constituted by the plug 12 and the socket 1.

[0004]

However, such a conventional connector for optical communication is provided with the socket 1 and the plug 1.
By connecting with 2, between the socket 1 and the plug 12,
If dust such as dust enters, it is difficult to remove. If dust adheres to the light receiving surface, the light transmission characteristic deteriorates, communication failure and performance deterioration occur, and reliability is lost.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and when connecting the socket 1 and the plug 12, optical communication capable of removing dust on the light receiving surface with a simple structure and operation. The purpose is to provide a connector.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plug comprising a cylindrical connector portion and an optical fiber projecting substantially at the center of the connector portion.
In an optical communication connector having a fiber guide having a light receiving surface at an end thereof and through which the optical fiber is inserted, and a socket formed of a connector guide in which the fiber guide is concentric and the connector portion is inserted, An optical communication connector characterized in that a communication hole communicating with the inside of the connector guide, the light receiving surface and the outside of the socket is provided, and the communication communicating with the inside of the connector guide, the light receiving surface and the outside of the socket. It is characterized by having a hole.

[0007]

According to the present invention constructed as described above, the air inside the socket is compressed when the connector portion of the plug is inserted into the connector guide of the socket. Then, an air flow is generated by the internal pressure, and the air is discharged to the outside through a communication hole that communicates with the inside of the connector guide, the light receiving surface and the outside of the socket.

Therefore, at this time, the dust on the light receiving surface is blown away by the air, and the dust on the light receiving surface flows with the air. As a result, dust on the light receiving surface can be removed, and the socket and the plug can be reliably connected. Then, the reliability at the time of connection is improved, the deterioration of the transmission performance due to the connection of the optical communication connector is suppressed as much as possible, the connector loss of the optical transmission is reduced, and the S / N ratio is improved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an optical communication connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an optical fiber 9 is provided in a substantially central portion of a cylindrical connector portion 11, and the whole of them is plug 12
Are configured. The rubber seal 10 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the optical connector 11. A fiber cord 13 is connected to the optical connector 11. On the other hand, a light receiving surface 6 is provided at the end of the fiber guide 7 through which the optical fiber 9 is inserted. The connector guide 5 through which the optical connector 11 is inserted is formed concentrically with the fiber guide 7. All of these constitute the socket 1. And, in the socket 1, inside the connector guide 5,
A communication hole 2 communicating with the light receiving surface 6 and the outside of the socket 1 is provided. Communication hole 2 is fiber guide 7
An air inlet 8 and an air outlet 4 are provided in the vicinity of the light receiving surface 6 on the side of the. A discharge valve 3 that can be opened and closed is provided in a portion communicating with the outside of the communication hole 2 and an air discharge port 4 is provided.
The space from the discharge valve 3 to the discharge valve 3 is partitioned from the space of the connector guide 5.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When the plug 12 is inserted into the socket 1, the air between the plug 12 and the socket 1 becomes a hermetically sealed state, and the air enters through the air inflow port 8, passes through the light receiving surface 6, and enters the air exhaust port 4. After that, the air passes through the discharge valve 3 and goes out of the socket 1.

That is, by using the pressure when inserting the plug 12 into the socket 1 (the same principle as that of the syringe), air flows from the air inlet 8 to the air outlet 4 which is the only escape path to the outside. Therefore, the dust on the light receiving surface 6 is blown off by the wind force of the air, and the dust on the light receiving surface 6 is discharged to the outside of the socket 1 together with the air. As a result, the light receiving surface 6 is self-cleaned. Further, the discharge valve 3 can prevent dust from entering from the outside during normal use or when the connector is pulled out. Further, the rubber seal 10 prevents air from leaking to the plug 12 side and prevents dust from coming out after the connection. Intrusion can be prevented. However, even if the exhaust valve 3 is not provided, it is possible to prevent dust from directly entering by bending the space from the air exhaust port 4 to the exhaust valve 3 into a crank shape as shown in the drawing. Further, the reason for cranking between the air discharge port 4 and the discharge valve 3 is also to prevent external light from entering.

When the plug 12 is pulled out from the socket 1, the air pressure inside the socket 1 is reduced, but the discharge valve 3
By making a small hole in the, it is possible to minimize the resistance when pulling out.

Further, in the case of the structure which does not use the discharge valve 3,
By making the air discharge port 4 small, it is possible to reduce the resistance when removing the air and to suppress the intrusion of dust as much as possible.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the case in which the connector has a single core is shown as an example, but the same effect can be obtained even with two cores or multiple cores by using the same structure. Of course.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
While the plug is passing through the connector guide, air is exhausted to the outside through the communication hole that communicates with the inside of the connector guide, the light receiving surface and the outside of the socket, so that dust on the light receiving surface is blown off by the air. , The dust on the light receiving surface flows with the air.

As a result, the dust on the light receiving surface can be removed, and the socket and the plug can be reliably connected. Therefore, the reliability at the time of connection is improved, the deterioration of the transmission performance due to the connection of the optical communication connector is suppressed as much as possible, the connector loss of the optical transmission is reduced, and the S / N ratio is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical communication connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of a conventional optical communication connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 socket 2 communication hole 3 discharge valve 4 air discharge port 5 connector guide 6 light receiving surface 7 fiber guide 8 airflow inlet 9 optical fiber 10 rubber seal 11 connector section 12 plug 13 fiber cord 21 optical fiber core wire 22 device panel

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plug comprising a cylindrical connector portion and an optical fiber projecting substantially at the center of the connector portion,
In an optical communication connector having a fiber guide having a light receiving surface at an end thereof and through which the optical fiber is inserted, and a socket formed of a connector guide in which the fiber guide is concentric and the connector portion is inserted, An optical communication connector characterized in that a communication hole communicating with the inside of the connector guide, the light receiving surface and the outside of the socket is provided.