JPH08248253A - Optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an optical fiber connector which is capable of stably maintaining the connection loss of butt-connected optical fibers and improves the workability in connection of the optical fibers. CONSTITUTION: This optical fiber connector has a base 5 which is formed with a V-groove 3 as connecting means for connecting the butt ends 2a of the optical fibers 2 to each other on a front surface 4, a stationary cap 6 which is fixed on the front surface 4 at one end of this base 5 and a turning cap 7 which is freely openable and closably with respect to the base 5 on the front surface 4 on the other side of the base 5. The turning cap 7 is provided with a supporting part 27 which is capable of supporting the one optical fiber 2 and is capable of maintaining the butt state with the other optical fiber 2 according to turning of the turning cap 7 and a fixing part 30 which holds the optical fibers 2 with the base 5 on the side of the V-groove 3 at the time of putting the turning cap 7 on the base 5.

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 butt connection of optical fibers such as mechanical splice.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an optical fiber connector has a structure in which two abutted optical fibers are fixed in the same housing. The positioning and aligning structure of the optical fiber connector includes (1) a structure in which optical fibers are inserted into both ends of a precision thin tube (hereinafter, "microcapillary") and abutted against each other; And (3) a structure in which an optical fiber is carried at the center of three precision rods or three precision balls and positioned.

[0003]

In the case of the above-mentioned optical fiber connector, however, the following problems have arisen due to the structure in which the optical fiber is simply fixed in the housing. That is, due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the housing fixing the abutted optical fibers and the optical fiber, the abutted state of the optical fibers changes when the temperature changes. This causes a problem that the connection loss of the optical fiber fluctuates. Further, in the housing, the optical fiber is held by the elastic body, but due to deterioration of the elastic body over time, the holding force of the optical fiber is reduced, the abutting state of the optical fiber is changed, and the connection loss is changed. There was also a problem.

Further, since the optical fiber core wire is fine, there is a problem that it takes time to make an accurate connection. Especially when it is used for connection when troubles such as disconnection in optical fiber network or failure of optical parts occur, quick connection work is required, so it is possible to connect optical fiber easily and accurately in the field. Development of a fiber connector was required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to stably maintain the connection loss of butt-connected optical fibers and to improve the workability of optical fiber connection. It is intended to provide a connector.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a base having a connecting means for connecting the abutting ends of a pair of optical fibers to each other by abutting the abutting ends thereof, and the base. A rotary lid that is rotatable about an axis parallel to the upper surface of the base via a rotating means, and is mounted on the upper surface of the base. The rotary lid is connected to each other. A support portion that supports one of the optical fibers, and that keeps the abutting end portion of the abutting end portion of the optical fiber and the abutting end portion of the other optical fiber in the connecting means in accordance with the turning of the turning lid; The fixing means for holding the optical fiber between the lid and the base when the lid is put on the base is provided on the side of the connecting means.

[0007]

According to the optical fiber connector of the present invention, the abutting end of the optical fiber supported by the rotary lid in the state where the rotary lid is opened with respect to the base is positioned in the connecting means in advance. The optical fiber is placed in a state of abutting with the abutting end of the fiber, and while the pushing force to the connecting means is applied to the optical fiber, the turning lid is turned and mounted on the base, and the optical fiber is sandwiched between the base and the fixed part. Fix it. By doing so, even after the rotary lid is mounted on the base, the abutting force of the abutting end to the abutting end on the other side is maintained.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the optical fiber connector of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 (a), (b) and (c). Reference numeral 1 in the figure is an optical fiber connector of this embodiment. This optical fiber connector 1 has, as shown in FIG.
A base 5 having a V groove 3 formed on the upper surface 4 as a connecting means for connecting the abutting end portions 2a formed by removing the coating at the tip of the optical fiber 2 and one side of the base 5 (in the left rear part of FIG. 1). ) A fixed lid 6 fixed on the upper surface 4 and a base 5
In the center of the base 5, there is provided a rotating lid 7 which is rotatably supported about an axis parallel to the upper surface 4 of the base and which is mounted on the other upper surface 4 of the base 5.

The base 5 is an elongated rectangular plate-shaped member in plan view, and the V groove 3 is penetrated along the longitudinal direction of the upper surface 4. On both sides of the upper surface 4 of the base 5,
When the rotary lid 7 is mounted, the positioning flanges 9 are provided so as to be in contact with the inner surface 8 of the rotary lid 7 and to be parallel to each other.
Upper surface 4 located inside the pair of positioning flanges 9
Is a flat surface on which the elastic sheet 10 made of silicon rubber or the like is laid. The V-shaped groove 3 is formed in the widthwise central portion of the upper surface 4 between the pair of positioning flanges 9. Further, a groove 11 continuous with the V groove 3 is also opened in the widthwise central portion of the elastic sheet 10.

Outside the both positioning flanges 9 of the base 5, when the rotary lid 7 is mounted on the base 5, both sides of the inner surface 8 of the rotary lid 7 (both left and right ends in FIG. 3C) are projected. A mounting table 13 on which the lower surface of the formed outer wall portion 12 is mounted is projected. The upper surface of the mounting table 13 is positioned lower than the upper surface 4 between the positioning flanges 9. At the bottom of the tip of the mounting table 13 (lower right of FIG. 1, right side of FIG. 2A, right side of FIG. 3A), an engaging claw 1 which will be described later and is provided to project from the tip of the rotary lid 7.
An engaging recess 15 with which 4 is engaged is formed.

A turning shaft 16 as a turning means for rotatably supporting the turning lid 7 is provided on a side portion of the center of the base 5. This rotation shaft 16 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in (a) and (b), it is provided so as to project from the outer side portion of the positioning flange 9. The lower part of the rotating shaft 16 is provided so as to project in the center of the rotating recess 17 of the rotating lid 7 formed on the mounting table 13. The turning concave portion 17 is formed as a curved surface that can rotatably support a ring portion 18 of a turning lid 7 described later in a plane perpendicular to the base 5.

On the upper surface of the rear part of the base 5 (upper left in FIG. 1),
The fixed lid 6 is attached. The fixed lid 6 can be attached to and detached from the base 5 by an attachment / detachment means (not shown), and by attaching the fixed lid 6 to the base 5, the optical fiber 2 can be accurately held between the base 5 and the V groove 3. You can do it. The front part of the fixed lid 6 (lower right of FIG. 1, FIG. 2)
On both sides of (a) the right side and FIG. 3 (a) the right side), there are formed turning recesses 19 that are in sliding contact with the outer surface of the ring portion 18.

The inner surface of the turning concave portion 19 and the inner surface of the turning concave portion 17 form the same cylindrical surface. At the center of the turning recess 19, a turning shaft 20 that pivotally supports the ring portion 18 of the turning lid 7 is provided in a protruding manner. This rotating shaft 20
The lower surface is located at the lower end of the fixed lid 6, and is parallel to the rotating shaft 16 of the base 5 and close to each other when the fixed lid 6 is mounted on the base 5. An elastic body 2 for pressing the optical fiber 2 is provided between the rotating shafts 20.
A storage recess 22 for storing 1 is formed. The lower surface 23 of the pressing elastic body 21 is projected below the rotary shaft 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 3 (b).

The rotating lid 7 is formed to be slightly larger than the base 5 so that it can cover the other side upper surface 4 of the base 5. The ring portion 18 is provided at the base end portion (left side in FIG. 1, left side in FIG. 2A, left side in FIG. 3A) of the rotary lid 7. The ring portion 18 is formed in the width direction (from the lower left to the upper right in FIG.
(A) and FIG. 3 (a) Paper depth direction) It is provided so as to project rearward from both ends and is rotatably fitted to the outside of the two rotary shafts 16 and 20, respectively. The inner peripheral surface 25 of the ring portion 18 is formed as a curved surface that is eccentric in the tip direction of the rotary lid 7 from the portion close to the upper surface 26 of the rotary lid 7 to the tip of the rotary lid 7. There is. Therefore, the diametrical dimension of the ring portion 18 along the thickness direction of the rotary lid 7 is determined in the longitudinal direction of the rotary lid 7 (the horizontal direction in FIG. 1, the horizontal direction in FIG. 2A, the horizontal direction in FIG. 3A). ) Is reduced compared to the diametrical dimension.

A front wall 27 as a supporting portion for supporting the optical fiber 2 is provided at the front end portion of the rotary lid 7. A fiber insertion hole 29, which penetrates the front wall 27 in the thickness direction and communicates with a fiber insertion portion 28 between a pair of the inner surface 8 and the outer wall portion 12 of the rotary lid 7, at a central portion of the front wall 27. Are formed. The opening of the fiber insertion hole 29 on the front surface of the front wall 27 is formed in a mortar shape for facilitating insertion of the optical fiber 2. The inner wall surface of the fiber insertion hole 29 near the upper surface 26 of the rotary lid 7 is substantially flush with the inner surface 8 of the rotary lid 7. The vicinity of the fiber insertion hole 29 on the inner surface 8 is the upper surface 4 of the base 5 when the rotary lid 7 is mounted on the base 5.
It is a fixed part 30 that holds the optical fiber 2 between and. The lower end portion of the front wall 27 projects downward from the outer wall portion 12. At the tip of the front wall 27 protruding downward from the outer wall portion 12, the engaging claw 14 is provided so as to project toward the fiber insertion portion 28.

To butt-connect optical fibers 2 to each other using the optical fiber connector of the present invention, first, the base 5 is used.
In contrast, the rotary lid 7 is opened, the coupling force between the fixed lid 6 and the base 5 is loosened in advance, and the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the V groove 3 from one end of the base 5. The butt end 2a formed by removing the coating in advance is located in the center of the V groove 3 and the fixed lid 6 is firmly coupled to the base 5, so that the optical fiber is provided between the base 5 and the fixed lid 6. Hold 2 At this time, the abutting end portion 2a is positioned so as to be directly below the center portion of the pressing elastic body 21 of the fixed lid 6, and when the fixed lid 6 is firmly coupled to the base 5, the abutting end portion 2a is opposed. Is pressed against the V groove 3 by the pressing elastic body 21. The tip portion of the fixed lid 6 is slightly lifted with respect to the base 5 by the elastic force of the pressing elastic body 21, and the ring body 18 serves as the rotating shafts 16 and 20 in a place where the inner diameter is relatively large. Since they are in contact with each other, the pair of rotating shafts 16 and 20 are in a state of being separated from each other. (See FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b))

Next, the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the fiber insertion hole 29 of the rotary lid 7, and the abutting end 2a formed by removing the coating in advance is sandwiched between the base 5 and the fixed lid 6. The optical fiber 2 is brought into contact with the abutting end 2a of the optical fiber 2. At this time, the coated portion of the optical fiber 2 is loosely fitted in the fiber insertion hole 29.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b),
While pressing the optical fiber 2 inserted through the fiber insertion hole 29 toward the abutting end portion 2a of the optical fiber 2 on the other side, the rotary lid 7 is rotated to cover the upper surface 4 of the base 5, and the engaging claw 14 is attached. The engagement recess 15 is engaged. By doing so, the covering portion located at the base of the abutting end portion 2a of the optical fiber 2 inserted into the fiber insertion hole 29 becomes the base 5.
It is sandwiched between the upper surface 4 of the and the fixed portion 30 of the rotary lid 7,
Even after the rotary lid 7 is attached to the base 5, the distortion caused by the pressing force remains in the optical fiber 2 and the abutting force between the abutting ends 2a is maintained. At this time, due to the rotation of the ring portion 18, the ring body 18 comes into contact with the rotation shafts 16 and 20 in a place where the inner diameter is relatively small. Are pressed against each other. At the same time, the pressing elastic body 21
Below the optical fiber 2 as the rotary lid 7 rotates.
The pair of butted end portions 2a are pressed against the V-groove 3 while forming a butted state with each other, and are finally butted and accurately connected.

Therefore, the optical fiber connector 1 of the present invention
According to the above, while the optical fiber 2 supported by the rotary lid 7 is pressed toward the V groove 3, the rotary lid 7 is rotated to rotate the upper surface 4 of the base 5.
Since the optical fibers 2 are accurately butted and connected to each other by simply mounting the optical fiber 2 on the side, the base of the butted end 2a of the optical fiber 2 is sandwiched between the base 5 and the fixed portion 30 of the rotary lid 7. Is simple and the work efficiency of connecting the optical fiber 2 is improved.

Further, since the abutting force can be maintained between the abutting ends 2a even after the base 5 of the rotary lid 7 is attached, the abutting force can be maintained even when the optical fiber connector 1 is deformed by heat or the like. The initial butted state of the end portions 2a can be maintained, and the transmission accuracy of the optical signal and the connection loss can be stably maintained. Further, since the pulling force acting on the optical fiber 2 is supported by the clamping force of the optical fiber 2 between the base 5 and the fixed portion 30 of the rotary lid 7, the supporting force can be maintained for a long time.

For a multi-core optical fiber, a plurality of V grooves 3 are formed in parallel on the fiber connecting portion 7. Further, as the connecting means, it is also possible to apply a V-shaped groove in which a microcapillary is installed, a centering structure using a precision rod or a precision ball.

[0022]

As described above, according to the optical fiber connector of the present invention, the connecting means for connecting the abutting end portions of the pair of optical fibers to each other by abutting each other, and the base formed in the central portion of the upper surface, The base is provided rotatably about an axis parallel to the upper surface of the base via a rotating means, and is equipped with a rotating lid mounted on the upper surface of the base. The rotating lid is connected to the rotating lid. A supporting portion that supports one of the optical fibers and that maintains the abutting end of the abutting end of the optical fiber with the abutting end of the other optical fiber in the connecting means in accordance with the turning of the turning lid. By providing the fixing portion for sandwiching the optical fiber with the base at the side of the connecting means when the moving lid is put on the base,
By pressing the optical fiber supported by the rotary lid toward the connecting means and rotating the rotary lid to mount it on the upper surface of the base, the optical fibers can be accurately butted and connected, and the optical fibers can be butted together. Since the base is sandwiched between the base and the fixed portion of the rotary lid to support the tensile force acting on the optical fiber, the work is simple and the work efficiency of connecting the optical fibers is improved. Also, since the abutting force can be maintained between the abutting ends even after the base of the rotating lid is attached, the initial abutting state of the abutting ends can be maintained even if the optical fiber connector is deformed. Therefore, the transmission accuracy of the optical signal and the connection loss can be stably maintained. Furthermore, since the pulling force acting on the optical fiber is supported by the clamping force of the optical fiber between the base and the fixed portion of the rotary lid, the supporting force can be maintained for a long time.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

2A and 2B are views showing an embodiment of the optical fiber connector of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a side view showing the vicinity of a rotary lid, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the operation of one embodiment of the optical fiber connector of the present invention, (a) is a side view showing the vicinity of a rotary lid,
3B is a sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3C is a front view.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber connector, 2 ... Optical fiber, 2a ... Butt end part, 3 ... Connection means (V groove), 4 ... Top surface, 5 ... Base, 6 ... Fixed lid, 7 ... Rotating lid, 27 ... Supporting part (Front wall), 30 ... Fixed part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An optical fiber connector (1) for butt-connecting optical fibers (2) to each other, wherein a connecting means (3) connects butt ends (2a) of a pair of optical fibers to each other. ) Is formed in the center of the upper surface (4), and is rotatably provided on this base via a rotating means about an axis parallel to the upper surface of the base. A rotating lid (7) to be mounted, the rotating lid supporting one of the optical fibers connected to each other, and the abutting end of the optical fiber is connected to the abutting end of the other optical fiber at the connecting means. An optical fiber is sandwiched between a support portion (27) capable of maintaining the abutted state of the rotary lid according to the rotation of the rotary lid and the base on the side of the connecting means when the rotary lid is covered on the base. With the fixed part (30) Optical fiber connector, characterized in that.