JPH10170760A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease the number of parts and to reduce the cost, by adhering and fixing one optical connector plug to an adapter and making only another optical connector plug attachable and detachable so as to be switchingly connectable. SOLUTION: One optical connector plug 20A is adhered and fixed to an adapter 10C, and only another optical connector plug 20B is made attachable and detachable so as to be switchingly connectable. Namely, a holder 3 of one optical connector plug 20A is locked by an elastic lock element 9 while being inserted into one inserting port of an adapter 10C so as not to be dropped, and integrated with the adapter 10C by an adhesive agent in that state. Besides, at the other optical connector plug 20B, a ferrule 2 housed inside the holder 3 is fixed at a constant position (fore end position) by a pressing member 30 inserted from the rear end of holder 3. The other optical connector plug 20B is provided with a coupling 7 and a spring 8 for energizing it.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector in which a ferrule terminated with an end of an optical fiber is housed in a holder, and the ferrule is butt-connected in the adapter by inserting the holder into the adapter. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an optical connector for switchably connecting optical fibers to each other, for example, a plastic multi-core optical connector (so-called MT type optical connector: Mechanically Transferable) as provided in JIS C 5981 or the like is provided. ing. FIG. 3 shows an optical connector 1 as an application example.
Indicates 0.

In the optical connector 10 shown in FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes an optical fiber (core fiber), 2 denotes a ferrule, 10A,
10B is an optical connector plug provided with the ferrule 2 in the cylindrical holder 3, and 10C is an adapter. The optical connector 10 includes two optical connector plugs 10A and 10B and an adapter 10C. Optical connector plug 10A, 10
B has exactly the same structure here, and both are detachably inserted into the adapter 10C so that the connection can be switched.

[0004] The ferrule 2 ends the optical fiber 1 so that it can be butt-connected by internally fixing the tip of the optical fiber 1, and the end face of the bare fiber is exposed at the connection end face 2b. A rear end flange 2a is provided at the rear end of the ferrule 2, and the optical fiber 1 extends behind the rear end flange 2a. A pin clamp 4 provided with a guide pin (not shown) is disposed inside the holder 3 at the rear side of the ferrule 2. On the rear side, by pushing the pin clamp 4 forward, the ferrule 2 is pressed.
An urging means (spring) 5 for applying a butting force between the connection end faces 2b is provided.

At the rear end of the holder 3, a receiving member 6 for receiving the rear end of the urging means 5 is provided. When the ferrule 2 is pushed forward by the urging means 5, the rear end flange portion 2a of the ferrule 2 accommodated in the holder 3 is pressed against the stopper portion 3a provided on the inner periphery of the holder 3 when not connected. Have been. In this state, the tip of the ferrule 2 slightly protrudes from the tip of the holder 3, and when the ferrules 2 abut against each other in the adapter 10 </ b> C, the ferrule 2 retreats a little against the urging means 5. In the state, the urging means 5 is connected to the connection end face 2 of the ferrule 2.
A predetermined butting force is applied between b.

On the other hand, the adapter 10C is formed as a cylindrical body having insertion ports at both ends, and optical connector plugs 10A, 10B inserted into the insertion ports are provided on a part of the peripheral wall of each insertion port.
An elastic locking piece 9 is provided for locking the lock. In addition, the elastic locking pieces 9 that prevent the optical connector plugs 10A and 10B from slipping out are locked to the holder 3 constituting the optical connector plugs 10A and 10B by fitting the adapter 10C so that they cannot be bent. A coupling 7 is provided. The coupling 7 is fitted on the outer periphery of the holder 3 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and is urged by a spring 8 in the locking direction (forward). Therefore, when the elastic locking piece 9 is at the locking position, the elastic locking piece 9 can be moved forward by the force of the spring 8 to lock the elastic locking piece 9 so as not to bend, and the lock is released against the spring 8. By pulling to the position (rearward position), the elastic locking piece 9 is bent, and the optical connector plugs 10A and 10B can be pulled out.

[0007]

By the way, the above optical connector 10 is composed of both optical connector plugs 10A and 10B.
The connection can be switched, so if it is applied to an object that needs to be switched and connected only on one side, there is a problem that the equipment becomes excessive, the number of parts increases, and the cost increases. Further, the urging means 5 is provided in any of the holders 3.
There was a problem that the ferrule could not be easily retrofitted.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and is suitable for application when the application is limited to one-side switching only. It is possible to retrofit a ferrule to an optical connector plug on the detachable side. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector that can be manufactured and that can be manufactured at a low cost with a simple structure.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical connector for butt-connecting ferrules provided at the tip of an optical fiber to be connected, wherein one of the butt-connected ferrules is movable in the axial direction. A cylindrical first holder for holding, an adapter integrated with the tip of the first holder and having an insertion port on the tip end surface, and the other ferrule to be butt-connected to the cylindrical second holder. An optical connector plug fixedly provided at the distal end and capable of being inserted into and removed from the insertion port of the adapter; and an optical connector plug provided near the insertion port of the adapter for preventing the optical connector plug inserted into the insertion port from coming off. An elastic locking piece to be stopped, provided on the first holder, for urging the one ferrule in the direction of the insertion opening, and the urging force causes the connection end face of the one ferrule to move forward. A biasing means for abutting against the connection end face of the other ferrule on the optical connector plug side inserted in the insertion port, and an outer connector movably fitted in the second holder in the axial direction and fitted with the adapter to form an optical connector. A coupling that locks the elastic locking piece that locks the plug so as not to bend.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the other ferrule is inserted into the second holder from the rear, and the pressing member for fixing the other ferrule into the second holder from the rear is provided. The holding member is provided with a groove through which the optical fiber extending rearward of the other ferrule can be passed from the side.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of the optical connector 20 of the embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a disconnected state. In this optical connector 20, one optical connector plug 20A is adhesively fixed to an adapter 10C, and is detachably attached so that only the other optical connector plug 20B can be switched and connected. Adapter 10C
Is the same as that of FIG. 3, and the configuration of the holder 3 is also the same as that of FIG.

The holder (first holder) 3 of one optical connector plug 20A is locked by the elastic locking piece 9 while being inserted into the one insertion opening of the adapter 10C. It is integrated with the adapter 10C by an adhesive. The ferrule 2 is accommodated and held in the holder 3 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and is urged forward by an urging means 5 via a pin clamp 4. The rear end of the urging means 5 is received by a receiving member 16 fitted to the rear end of the holder 3. This optical connector plug 20A is
Since no switching connection is made to 0C, the coupling is omitted to reduce the number of parts. In addition, the adapter 10C and the holder 3 may be integrally molded with resin from the beginning, so that the number of parts can be further reduced.

In the other optical connector plug 20B, the ferrule 2 housed inside the holder (second holder) 3 has the holding member 3 inserted from the rear end of the holder 3.
It is fixed at a fixed position (front end position) by 0. In this optical connector plug 20B, the urging member and the pin clamp are omitted, and instead, the coupling and detachment side is provided, so that the coupling 7 and the urging spring 8 thereof are provided.
The configuration of this part is the same as that of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the holding member 30 is provided with a flange 32 at the rear end of a prismatic insertion portion 31 inserted into the holder 3 via a step 33, and at the front end. A guide pin 35 for positioning the ferrule 2 by fitting into a guide pin hole of the ferrule 2 inserted into the holder 3 is provided in a protruding manner. A groove 34 is provided on the upper surface of the holding member 30 so that an optical fiber extending from the ferrule 2 can be inserted from the side from the front end to the rear end. When the insertion portion 31 is inserted therein, an engagement protrusion 36 is provided which engages with an engagement recess (not shown) in the holder 3 and is prevented from falling off.

Next, the operation will be described. Before connection
As shown in (b), one optical connector plug 20A is integrated with the adapter 10C, and only the other optical connector plug 10B is formed separately. Therefore, only one insertion port of the adapter 10C is open so that the other optical connector plug 10B can be inserted.

When connecting the other optical connector plug 20B to such an adapter 10C, the tip of the optical connector plug 10B is inserted into the insertion opening 11 of the adapter 10C. Then, the tip of the holder 3 is
In C, the end faces of the ferrules 2 housed in both holders 3 come into contact with the mating holders 3 housed in the adapter 10C in advance, and the connection end faces 2B contact each other. In this case, since the force of the urging means 5 reaches the ferrule 2 of the holder 3 on the fixed side, a predetermined butting force is applied between the two connection end surfaces 2b.

In this state, the other optical connector plug 20
The B holder 3 is locked by the elastic locking piece 9 of the adapter 10C, and the coupling 7 prevents the bending of the elastic locking piece 9, so that the locked state is maintained.

From this state, the other optical connector plug 2
When pulling out 0B, while pulling the coupling 7,
At the same time, the optical connector plug 20B is pulled. Then, the elastic locking piece 9 comes off the holder 3 and the optical connector plug 2
OB can be removed from the adapter 10C.

As described above, one optical connector plug 20B
Only the connection can be switched, and the other optical connector plug 20A is fixed to the adapter 10C, so that the configuration is simplified. That is, the coupling is omitted from the optical connector plug 10A on the fixed side, and the urging means and the pin clamp are omitted from the optical connector plug 10B on the detachable side, so that the number of parts is reduced and the cost is reduced accordingly. Was achieved. Further, since the urging means is eliminated from the optical connector plug 10B on the side to be detached, the ferrule 2 at the tip of the optical fiber 1 can be assembled to the holder 3 later to form the optical connector plug 10B.

[0020]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the number of parts can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Further, since no biasing means is provided on the optical connector plug on the side to be detached, the ferrule can be retrofitted. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the ferrule can be retrofitted while passing the optical fiber through the groove of the holding member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(A) is a sectional view showing a connected state, and (b) is a state showing a disconnected state.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holding member used for the optical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state of a conventional optical connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical fiber, 2 ... Ferrule, 2b ... Connection end face, 3
... first holder, second holder, 5 ... biasing means, 7 ... coupling, 9 ... elastic locking piece, 10C ... adapter, 11
... Insertion port, 20 optical connector, 20B optical connector plug, 30 pressing member, 34 groove.

Claims (2)

[Claims] An optical connector for butt-connecting ferrules (2) provided at an end of an optical fiber (1) to be connected, wherein said ferrule has a cylindrical shape for holding one butt-connectable movably in an axial direction. A first holder (3), an adapter (10C) integrated with the distal end of the first holder, and having an insertion port (11) on the distal end surface; An optical connector plug (20) which is fixedly provided at the tip of the holder (3) and which can be inserted into and removed from the insertion port of the adapter.
B), an elastic locking piece (9) provided in the vicinity of the insertion port of the adapter, for locking the optical connector plug inserted into the insertion port, and being provided on the first holder; One ferrule is urged in the direction of the insertion port, and the urging force causes the connection end face (2b) of one ferrule to be connected to the connection end face (2b) of the other ferrule on the optical connector plug side inserted into the insertion port. A biasing means (5) that abuts the optical connector plug on the second holder so as to be axially movably fitted to the second holder and engages with the adapter. An optical connector (20), comprising: a coupling (7) that locks so as not to bend. 2. A second ferrule is inserted into the second holder from the rear, and a pressing member (30) for fixing the other ferrule into the second holder from the rear is fitted into the second ferrule. A groove (3) through which an optical fiber extending rearward of the other ferrule can be passed from the side.
4. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein (4) is provided.