JPH10160971A - Optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber connector which can be rapidly and easily assembled. SOLUTION: This optical fiber connector has a ferrule member 10 which freely slidably houses and holds a ferrule body 12 in a connector 20. The front end side of the connector 20 is provided with an engaging member 26 having projecting pieces at four points; top, bottom, right and left. This engaging member 26 is engaged with an engaging hole 46, by which the ferrule member 10 and a plug frame 40 are connected. The Kevlar 6 of an optical fiber cord 2 is put in a flared form on the supplying cylindrical part of the connector 20 and a caulking member 30 is caulked in this state from above the same, by which the fixation of the connector 20 and the optical fiber cord 2 is executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector used for connecting an optical fiber cord or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of optical fiber connector, for example, the one shown in FIG. 8 is known. This optical fiber connector has a coated optical fiber cord 1
02, a ferrule 106 for accommodating and fixing the end of the fiber core wire 104 extending from the end of the cord, and a ferrule 1 on the distal end side.
06 is slidably accommodated, and the kepla 105 exposed from the coated end of the optical fiber cord 102 on the base end side.
And a holder 110 (to be described in detail later) for fixing and holding.

[0003] A spring 108 is interposed between the ferrule 106 and the holder 110 to urge the ferrule 106 in a direction away from the holder 110.
2 is fixed by screws, and the ferrule 106 is housed and held by the plug frame 112 in a state of being pushed into the holder 110 against the urging force of the spring 108.

A washer 114 and a coupling nut 116 are mounted between the holder 110 and the frame 112 in a loosely inserted state, and the optical fiber connector and another mating connector are screwed using the coupling nut 116. It is configured to be connected if necessary.

[0005] The holder 110 is formed of a pair of holder divided bodies 110a, 110 which can be connected and separated from each other by a screw structure.
10b, the holder divided body 110b is screw-fixed to the threaded portion 110d of the holder divided body 110a in a state where the keple 105 is flared over the base end side of the holder divided body 110a. 1
10a, 110b so that the holder 11
Fixed to 0. Then, a rubber hood 118 is put on the base end side of the holder 110.

[0008] A specific procedure for assembling the conventional optical fiber connector shown in FIG. 8 will be outlined below.

First, these components are passed through the optical fiber cord 102 in the order of the rubber hood 118, the holder 110, and the spring 108 from the end thereof. Next, the coating on the end of the optical fiber cord 102 is removed to expose the fiber core wire 104 and the Kepler 105 interposed between the fiber core wire 104 and the fiber coating. Next, the end of the fiber core wire 104 is fully inserted into the ferrule 106 to the tip end side and fixed with an adhesive, and then the tip end surface of the ferrule 106 is polished.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the screw connection of the holder 110 is released, and the holder divided bodies 110a, 110b
Is separated. And spring 108 and ferrule 1
In the state where the base end of the holder 06 is housed in the holder divided body 110a, the plug frame 112 is screwed and temporarily fixed to the screw portion 110c of the holder divided body 110a. And
An adhesive is applied around the base end side of the holder divided body 110a,
Kepler 105 is spread over and flared, and an adhesive is further applied to the coated end of the optical fiber cord 102c. Then, the holder divided body 110b is connected to the threaded portion 110d of the holder divided body 110a, whereby 110a,
The optical fiber cord 102 and the holder 110 are connected while the keple 105 is sandwiched between 110b.

After that, the temporarily fixed plug frame 112
Is removed from the holder 110, a rubber hood 118 is put on the rear end side of the holder 110, a washer 114 and a coupling nut 116 are inserted through the outer periphery of the holder 110, and then the frame 112 is again inserted into the screw portion 110 c of the holder 110. It is screwed together to complete the assembly of the optical fiber connector.

According to this optical fiber connector, the Kepler 105 is fixed to the holder 110, and the ferrule 106 is slidably received and held in the plug frame 112 and the holder 110 in a state where the ferrule 106 is urged toward the distal end by the spring 108. Therefore, even when a tensile load acts on the optical fiber cord 102, the flare 105
The load is shared by and supported by the
The stress applied to the optical fiber connector 04 is reduced, and the load resistance of the optical fiber connector can be increased.

[0011]

However, in the conventional optical fiber connector, in addition to the large number of components, the work of separating the holder divided bodies 110a and 110b of the holder 110 once and then reassembling them is complicated. In addition, there is a problem that it takes a considerable amount of time to assemble it, and a skill is also required for an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber connector which can be easily assembled in a short time while ensuring a load resistance.

[0013]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an optical fiber connector according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises:
A substantially cylindrical ferrule main body for accommodating and fixing the fiber core exposed at the end of the optical fiber cord, and a substantially cylindrical ferrule main body which is slidably accommodated on the distal end side along the axial direction at the distal end side of the ferrule main body. A ferrule member having a connecting body having an engaging member attached to the distal end thereof, and a biasing member for biasing the ferrule body and the connecting body in directions away from each other; A state in which an engaged portion to which the engaging member can be locked is provided on the base end side, and the ferrule main body inserted from the base end side is pushed into the connecting body side against the urging force of the urging member. And a plug frame in which the engaging member is locked and fixed to the engaged member, and is externally arranged from the connecting body to the covering end of the optical fiber cord, and is exposed from the covering end of the optical fiber cord. Kepler Characterized in that a caulking member for caulking in a state where the connection body covered flared.

Further, the ferrule main body has a first flange portion substantially at the center of the outer peripheral portion thereof,
The connection body may have a second flange on a peripheral edge on the distal end side, and the urging member may be a coil spring interposed between the first flange and the second flange.

Furthermore, the engaging member is a substantially cylindrical member, the base end of which is fixed to the distal end of the connecting body so as to have the same axis, and the distal end side peripheral edge. To
Elastic locking claws projecting outward intermittently along the circumferential direction are provided, and the engaged portions are provided intermittently along the circumferential direction on the base end side of the plug frame. It is an engagement hole, and the elastic locking claw may be elastically locked to the engagement hole from the inner peripheral side of the plug frame.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the outer peripheral surface of the connecting body on which the kepla is covered may be knurled.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the optical fiber connector according to the present invention will be described below.

This optical fiber connector is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, a ferrule member 10 is provided so as to house and fix the fiber core wire 4 exposed from the distal end of the optical fiber cord 2 and to be disposed so that the keple 6 can be flared. A tube-shaped caulking member 30 is caulked and fixed in an externally fitted state via a Kepler 6, and a rubber hood 34 is put on the caulking member 30 from above. Further, a plug frame 40 is attached to the front end side of the ferrule member 10, and a washer 50 and a coupling nut 52 are loosely inserted between the ferrule member 10 and the plug frame 40.

The ferrule member 10 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, a substantially cylindrical ferrule main body 12 for housing and holding the exposed fiber core wire 4,
And a connecting body 20 for housing and holding the slide member 2 slidably along its axial direction.

When connecting the optical fiber connector to another connector, the ferrule main body 12 has a distal end portion 1 fitted into a sleeve of a mating connector (not shown).
4 and a support shaft 16 slidably received and held by the connecting body 20.
A first flange portion 18 is formed substantially at the center of the outer peripheral portion of the ferrule body 12 between the six portions.

The connecting body 20 is connected to the ferrule main body 12.
Has a support cylinder portion 22 for accommodating and holding the support shaft portion 16 of the support cylinder portion 16, and the outer peripheral surface of the support cylinder portion 22 is knurled. A second flange 24 is formed at the distal end of the support cylinder 22, and an engaging member 2 is attached to the distal end of the second flange 24.
6 are attached. The engaging member 26 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the first flange portion 18 of the ferrule main body 12, and a base end side thereof is fixed to a distal end portion of the support shaft portion 22 with its axis aligned. At the same time, elastic locking claws 28 are formed at four locations on the top and bottom and left and right of the distal end, and can be engaged with engagement holes 46 which are engaged portions formed on a plug frame 40 described later. .

The support shaft 1 of the ferrule body 12
A coil spring 39 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the ferrule body 12 so as to be interposed between the first flange portions 24.
Are pressed by the coil spring 39 in the direction in which the two are separated from each other when pushed into the connecting body 20.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the plug frame 40 has engagement holes 46, which are engaged portions, at four positions on the base end side of the frame main body 42, which are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. In addition, cutouts 48 are formed on the left and right side surfaces of the frame main body 42 so as to be orthogonal to the engagement holes 46 along the axial direction. Then, the engaging member 26 of the ferrule member 10
Is pushed into the base end side of the plug frame 40, and the elastic locking claws 28 are elastically deformed and locked so as to be fitted into the respective engaging holes 46 so that the ferrule member 10 and the plug frame 40 are connected. Is configured.
By this connection, the ferrule main body 12 is connected to the coil spring 3
9, the first flange portion 18 is locked by an engagement piece 49 protruding from the inner peripheral portion of the plug frame 40 in a state where the distal end portion 14 is pushed into the connection body 40 against the urging force of the plug member 40. With the plug frame 4 projecting from the tip of the plug frame 40,
0 (see FIG. 2).

A third flange 44 is formed substantially at the center of the outer peripheral portion of the frame body 40,
A ring member 45 having one protruding piece 45a is inserted into the distal end side of the flange portion 44 of the main body.

When the optical fiber connector is connected to a mating connector, the projecting piece 45a is fitted into a concave portion (not shown) formed in the mating connector, and the relative positions of the two connectors in the circumferential direction are set. Plays a role in preventing rotation after alignment and connection.

The coupling nut 52 is attached to the outer peripheral side of the plug frame 42 and the ferrule member 10 so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction and slidable in the axial direction in a state where the plug frame 42 and the ferrule member 10 are connected to each other. Provided engaging part 5
By locking the 6a to the second flange portion 24 or the third flange portion 44, the movement in the axial direction is restricted.

The procedure for assembling the optical fiber connector configured as described above will be described below.

First, a rubber hood 34 and a caulking member 30 are passed through the optical fiber cord 2 from the tip in this order, and then the coating on the end of the optical fiber cord 2 is removed. Expose.

Next, the fiber core wire 4 exposed at the distal end of the optical fiber cord 2 is fully inserted from the base end of the ferrule member 10 to the distal end thereof, and is fixed with an adhesive. Polish the tip surface.

Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, an adhesive is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the support cylinder portion 22 which has been knurled, and the keple 6 is spread and arranged in a flare shape thereon, and the caulking member is provided. The connecting body 20 and the optical fiber cord 2 are moved by moving the supporting member 30 to a position covering the support tube portion 22 and caulking the caulking member 30 at two positions on the support tube portion 22 side and the coated end portion side of the optical fiber cord 2. Are fixed to each other via the flare 6 and the caulking member 30. And the caulking member 3
The rubber hood 34 is covered so as to cover 0.

Next, after the washer 50 and the coupling nut 52 are inserted through the ferrule member 10 from the tip side in this order, the plug frame 40 is pushed into the ferrule member 10 against the urging force of the coil spring. Each of the elastic locking claws 28 is engaged with each of the engagement holes 46, thereby connecting the ferrule member 10 and the plug frame 40 to complete the assembly of the optical fiber connector.

In the optical fiber connector thus assembled, the keple 6 is fixed to the connecting body 20 by the caulking member 30 to fix the ferrule member 10 and the optical fiber cord 2 while accommodating the fiber core wire 4. Since the holding ferrule body 12 is slidable along the axial direction with respect to the connecting body 20, the tensile stress is applied to the optical fiber cord 2 in a state where the ferrule main body 12 is connected to the mating connector by the coupling nut 52. Even when it acts, the load is shared and supported by the flare 6 and the stress concentration on the fiber core wire 4 is alleviated, so that a sufficient load resistance as an optical fiber connector is secured. In addition, since the ferrule member 10 which is an integral member having the functions of the conventional ferrule 106 and the spring 108 and the function of the holder 110 for accommodating the ferrule 106 is used, it is necessary to assemble the optical fiber connector. The number of parts used is reduced, the assembling work is simplified, and the assembling time can be shortened.

That is, the connector 20 and the optical fiber cord 2 can be fixed by spreading the Keplera 6 in a flared shape on the support cylinder portion 22 of the connector 20 and crimping it with the caulking member 30 from above. In addition, complicated work such as disassembling and reassembling parts (holder 110) that have been assembled in advance is not necessary, so that the assembling work can be simplified and the assembling time can be shortened.

Further, since the outer peripheral surface of the support cylindrical portion 22 is knurled, the keple 6 and the connecting body 20 are more firmly fixed.

Further, in the prior art, the holder 110 and the plug frame 112 are screw-connected via the screw portion 110c. However, in this connector, the ferrule member 10 and the plug frame 40 are engaged with the elastic locking claws 28. Since the connection is established by engaging with the hole 46, the plug frame 40 can be attached by one-touch by pushing the plug frame 40 toward the ferrule member 10, thereby also simplifying the assembling work and shortening the assembling time. Is achieved.

Instead of fixing the caulking member 30 at the two places of the connecting body 20 side and the covering end side of the optical fiber cord 2, the connecting body 20 is separated from the optical fiber cord 2 by using a wide caulking jig. It may be fixed at one place over the covering end.

Further, the elastic locking claws 28 and the engaging holes 46 in which the elastic locking claws 28 are elastically locked are not limited to the four positions of the upper, lower, left and right of the engaging member 26 and the plug frame 46, but may be intermittent along the respective circumferential directions. May be provided.

[0038]

As described above, according to the optical fiber connector of the present invention, since the ferrule member accommodating the ferrule body is slidably used for the connecting member, the flare is fixed to the connecting member by the swaging member. By simply connecting the connecting body to the plug frame, it becomes possible to easily assemble an optical fiber connector having an excellent load resistance.

Further, if the ferrule member is provided with an elastic locking piece and the plug frame is provided with an engaging hole so that the elastic locking claw is elastically locked in the engaging hole, the ferrule member and the plug frame can be connected to each other. Can be connected more easily.

Furthermore, if the outer peripheral surface of the connection body on which the plug frame is placed is cut by knurling, the kepla is more firmly fixed to the connection body, and the connection reliability of the connector is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view showing an optical fiber connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the optical fiber connector according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a ferrule member.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a ferrule member.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a plug frame.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a plug frame.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view showing one process of assembling the optical fiber connector.

FIG. 8 is an exploded side view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Optical fiber cord 4 Fiber core wire 6 Keplera 10 Ferrule member 12 Ferrule main body 20 Connector 26 Engaging member 30 Caulking member 39 Spring 40 Plug frame 46 Engaging hole

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A substantially cylindrical ferrule main body for accommodating and fixing a fiber core exposed at an end of an optical fiber cord, and a base end side of the substantially cylindrical ferrule main body being slid along its axial direction toward a distal end thereof. A ferrule member having a connecting body movably housed and held and having an engaging member attached to the distal end thereof, and a biasing member for biasing the ferrule body and the connecting body in directions away from each other; An engaging portion is provided on the base end side of the substantially cylindrical shape, to which the engaging member can be locked, and the ferrule main body inserted from the base end side is connected to the urging member against the urging force of the urging member. A plug frame in which the engaging member is locked and fixed to the engaged member in a state where the optical fiber cord is pushed into the body side, and the plug member is externally arranged from the connection body to the coated end of the optical fiber cord; Exposed from the coating edge Optical fiber connector which is characterized in that a caulking member for caulking in a state of covering the flared to Kepler to the connecting member. 2. The ferrule main body has a first flange portion at a substantially central position of an outer peripheral portion thereof, the connecting body has a second flange portion at a distal end side peripheral edge thereof, and the urging member includes the first flange portion. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber connector is a coil spring interposed between the first flange and the second flange. 3. The engaging member is a substantially cylindrical member whose base end is fixed to the distal end of the connecting body with its axis aligned, and is provided on the peripheral edge of the distal end along the circumferential direction. An elastic locking claw intermittently protruding outward is provided, and the engaged portion is an engagement hole intermittently provided along a circumferential direction on a base end side of the plug frame, The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the elastic locking claw is elastically locked in the engagement hole from an inner peripheral side of the plug frame. 4. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the connection body on which the Keplera is covered is knurled.