JPH10111436A - Locking structural body of optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a locking structural body of optical fiber connector which prevents the casual removal of plugs from the connector. SOLUTION: The housing 1 of the connector has a through-hole to allow the insertion of the plugs 10 from both sides. This throughhole is internally provided with a cylindrical part to accept the ferrules projecting from the plugs integrally with the housing. The optical fibers held in the ferrules are connected by the joint surfaces of the end faces of the ferrules of both plugs with each other. In such a case, the housing 1 is formed with recessed parts 5 for detention on the inside surface of its side wall. The plugs 10 have arm parts 13 for detention which are elastically deflectable and deformable and project outside the housing at the time of insertion into the housing 1. The intermediate parts of these arm parts 13 for detention are provided with projecting parts 14 for detention which are releasably detained with the recessed parts 5 for detention of the housing.

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.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An end of an optical fiber is held by a ferrule, and the ferrule is held by a plug in a protruding state. The other optical fiber to be connected to the optical fiber is similarly held by the ferrule and the plug. By inserting the two plugs into the connector, the two ferrules in the protruding state are held by the cylindrical portion provided on the connector so as to abut on the same axis, and the optical fiber is positioned at the end face position of the ferrule. Are connected to each other. Both plugs are prevented from coming off by a lock structure formed between the plug and the connector.

The above-mentioned lock structure is configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example. 3, the connector 50 has an outer housing 51 and an inner housing 52. The outer housing 51 and the inner housing 52 are prevented from coming off by mutually engaging locking projections 51A and 52A.
The inner housing 52 has a cylindrical portion 5 for housing a ferrule.
2B are provided. Further, the inner housing 5
2 has elastically deflectable locking arms 53 and 54 for locking the plug, and these have locking claws 53A and
54A are provided respectively. On the other hand, the optical fiber 6
The ferrule 62 holding 1 is held by a plug 60. The ferrule is provided with a flange portion 63, and a sleeve 64 is fitted to the left portion thereof so as to protrude. Similarly, the optical fiber 71 of the other party is a ferrule 72.
, And the ferrule 72 is held by the plug 70. The plug is provided with a locking projection 73.

Thus, the plug 60 is connected to the connector 50.
When the ferrule 62 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 52B together with the sleeve 64, the front edge 6
At the position where the end 52C of the inner housing abuts on 3A,
The flange 63 of the ferrule 62 and the locking claw 53A of the inner housing are locked, and the plug 60 is locked to prevent the plug 60 from coming off. Similarly, in the plug 70, the ferrule 72 is housed in the sleeve 64 in the cylindrical portion 52B, and the locking protrusion 73 locks with the locking claw 54A at a position where the ferrule 72 contacts the ferrule 62. , The lock to prevent slipping off. Thus, the ferrule 6
By maintaining the state in which the optical fibers 2 and 72 are in contact with each other, a stable connection between the optical fibers 61 and 71 can be secured.

[0005]

However, in the conventional connector shown in FIG. 3, the number of parts is large and the structure is complicated. Sometimes it comes off.

For example, when an external rightward force acts on the plug 60 in FIG.
3A, the external force is applied to the locking arm 53.
Around the base of the lock arm 53 so as to open the lock arm 53 outward. As a result, the lock by the locking arm 53 may be released. The same applies to the locking arm 54 that locks the other plug 70.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problem and to provide an optical fiber connector which has a small number of parts and a simple structure, but does not come off as described above.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a connector according to the present invention, wherein a housing of the connector has a through hole through which a plug can be inserted from both sides, and a ferrule projecting from the plug in the through hole. Is provided integrally with the housing. When the two plugs are respectively inserted into the housing from both sides, the ferrule projecting from the plug and held by the plug is housed in the cylindrical portion, and the end faces of the ferrule come into contact with each other. Then, the optical fibers held by the ferrules are connected by the contact surfaces between the end faces of the two ferrules.

In this connector, in the present invention, the housing has a locking recess formed on the inner surface of the side wall, and the plug has an elastically deformable locking arm extending outside the housing when the plug is inserted into the housing. A locking projection is provided at an intermediate portion of the locking arm so as to be releasably locked in the locking recess of the housing.

According to the connector of the present invention having the above-described structure, when the plug is inserted into the housing, the locking arm portion is elastically deformed to allow the plug to be inserted. The locking projection of the locking arm protrudes into the locking recess of the housing, the locking arm resiliently returns to its original shape, and the locking state is secured by mutual locking of the locking projection and the locking recess. You.

In the locked state, when an unintended external force acts in the direction of pulling out the plug, the locking arm is opened in the direction in which the locking arm is opened by the reaction force received by the locking projection, that is,
The lock is further strengthened because it receives a bending moment in the direction in which it comes into close contact with the housing. When the plug is intentionally pulled out, the lock is released only by pinching the locking arm extending from the housing in a direction to bend inward.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a connector of the present embodiment together with a plug.
2 shows the state before the plug is inserted, and FIG. 2 shows the state after the insertion of one plug.

In FIG. 1, a housing 1 of the connector has a substantially cylindrical shape extending in a lateral direction, and has a through hole 2 formed therein. At a substantially central portion of the through hole 2, a cylindrical portion 4 is supported by a protruding support portion 3 extending from the inner wall surface. The cylindrical portion 4 is connected to the housing 1 via the support portion 3.
And are formed integrally. The cylindrical portion 4 is provided with a claw-shaped protrusion 4A at the right end.

On the left side of the housing 1, a locking recess 5 is formed in a window shape. The locking recess 5 is not limited to a window-like shape that opens inward and outward as shown in the figure,
It is sufficient that a concave portion is formed on the inner surface of the substrate.
A locking arm 6 extends from the inner surface of the housing 1 to the left from the inner surface thereof. At the tip of the locking arm 6, a locking claw 6A is provided inside.

A plug 10 inserted into the housing 1 from the left side integrally holds the ferrule 11 by press-fitting or integral molding so as to protrude at the right end. The ferrule has a through hole 11A formed therein, where an optical fiber (not shown) is held. The ferrule 1
1 is fitted with a sleeve 12 protruding rightward. The sleeve 12 is usually provided with a slit extending in the axial direction at one location in the circumferential direction, and is fitted on the ferrule 11 in a state of being elastically expanded.

A plug 10 for holding the ferrule 11
Has a pair of locking arms 13 extending leftward from the right end. The locking arm 13 is set to have a width and a length capable of elastic bending, and a locking projection 14 protruding outward is provided at an intermediate portion thereof. In addition, the uneven portion 15 formed on the left portion of the locking arm portion 13 is for facilitating a finger when bending the locking arm portions 13 in a direction approaching each other.

The other plug 20 is the same as the conventional plug, holds a ferrule 21, and has a locking projection 22 on its outer surface.

In the lock structure of the optical fiber connector according to the present invention having such a structure, plugs 10 and 20 are inserted into the housing 1 of the connector from the right and left, respectively, and locked.

First, when the plug 10 is pushed into the housing 1 so as to be inserted therein, the locking projection 14 comes into contact with the inner surface of the housing 1 and the locking arm 13 is bent inward and deformed. When the locking projection 14 reaches the position of the locking recess 5 of the housing 1, the locking projection 14 protrudes into the locking recess 5, and the locking arm 13 returns to its original shape. At this point, locking is performed to prevent detachment. (See FIG. 2). The ferrule 11 and the sleeve 12 are housed in the cylindrical portion 4 of the housing 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and the tip of the sleeve 12 is located near the protrusion 4A.

Next, the other plug 20 is inserted into the housing 1. The ferrule 21 enters the sleeve 12, and the locking projection 22 of the plug 20 locks the locking claw 6 </ b> A of the locking arm 6 of the housing 1, so that the locking is performed to prevent the ferrule 21 from coming off.

Thus, the ferrules 11 and 21 are in contact with each other at the end faces, and the optical cables held by them are connected.

In the lock structure of the connector housing 1 and the plug 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention,
If a force in the direction of pulling out of the plug 10 (a leftward force in FIG. 2) acts on the plug 10 unintentionally,
The locking projection 14 of the locking arm 13 receives a rightward reaction force from the housing 1, and this force causes the locking arm 13 to bend in the opening direction with respect to the base of the locking arm 13. Such a moment is generated. As a result, the locking arm 13 tries to bend and deform in a direction in which the locking arm 13 comes into close contact with the housing 1, and the lock is further strengthened. In order to release the lock intentionally at a predetermined time, the pair of locking arms 13 is
The locking protrusion 14 is removed from the locking recess 5 by pinching and bending deformation at 5.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the plug is provided with the locking arm, and the locking projection formed on the locking arm is locked from the inside of the housing with the locking recess of the housing. As a result, even if an unintended external force is applied in the direction in which the plug is pulled out, the locking arm portion bends in a direction in which the lock is further strengthened. Such a structure has a small number of parts and is simple.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a plug, showing a state before the plug is inserted into the connector.

FIG. 2 is a view in the state shown in FIG. 1 in which one plug is inserted into a connector.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing 5 Locking recess 10 Plug 13 Locking arm 14 Locking protrusion

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Ryo Nagase, inventor, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., 3-19-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Shinichi Iwano 3-19-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Inventor Masaru Kobayashi 3-19-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Japan Within Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (72) Shigeyuki Mitachi 3-19 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo No. 2 Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector housing having a through hole through which a plug can be inserted from both sides, and a cylindrical portion for receiving a ferrule projecting from the plug is provided integrally with the housing in the through hole. In the optical fiber connector in which the optical fibers held by the ferrules are connected by the contact surfaces between the end faces of the ferrules of both plugs,
The housing has a locking recess formed on the inner surface of the side wall, and the plug has a resiliently deformable locking arm that extends out of the housing when attached to the housing. A locking structure for an optical fiber connector, wherein a locking projection releasably locked is provided in a locking recess of a housing.