JPH10186179A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To securely lock a ferrule with a simple structure by screwing a sleeve detachably in the internal surface of the internal housing of an adapter and locking the ferrule with the sleeve so that it is unable to move back and to eliminate the need for a special tool when the inserted ferrule is extracted. SOLUTION: The ferrule 30 is inserted into the internal housing of the adapter 10. The ferrule 30 advances to the left through the passage of the ferrule and is made to abut against a ferrule 18. At this time, a guide pin 24 enters a guide hole 32 and right and left optical fibers are positioned. A knob is turned to engage a stopper 40 with the screw 14 of the internal housing 12 and screw it in. Then the ferrule 30 and ferrule 10 move to the left while compressing a spring 26. The screwing is stopped at a specific position. Then the ferrule 30 is locked at the position so that it can not move back to the left. To extract the ferrule 30, the screw 14 is reversed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simple-shaped MPO connector using a T connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An MPO connector is a detachable optical connector which is connected to an adapter using an MT type plastic multi-core optical connector (JIS, C5981) as an optical connector ferrule. This type of connector is inserted and removed from both sides via an adapter. For example, there is also a use in which only one side is inserted and removed, and the other side is fixed. In such a case, the conventional MPO connector has a complicated structure and is uneconomical. Therefore, an MPO connector having a simple shape has been considered. An example of such a connector is shown in FIG.
(A). This is to couple the other ferrule 30 (constituting a connector plug alone) to the adapter 10 that accommodates one MT ferrule 18.
Note that the left-right direction referred to in the following description is determined as indicated by an arrow 11.

[0003] Reference numeral 10 denotes an entire adapter. Reference numeral 12 denotes an adapter, which has a substantially rectangular tube shape. The receiving member 16 is fitted to the left rear of the inner housing 12 to be integrated. The ferrule 18 is movably accommodated in the inner housing 12 in the left-right direction. In the drawing, this ferrule 1
8 and a ferrule 30 to be described later are provided with dots so as to be easily distinguished.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a pin clamp. The two guide pins 24 projecting therefrom penetrate through guide holes (not shown) of the ferrule 18 and protrude to the right front of the ferrule 18. 26 is a compression spring. This is ferrule 18
Press right forward. The ferrule 18 is a flange 18
0 is caught on the step 120 of the inner housing 12,
Further progress is restricted. A claw 28 is provided at the tip of the inner housing 12. This function will be described later.

[0005] To connect the connector, a ferrule 30 to be connected is inserted into the inner housing 12 of the adapter 10 as shown in FIG. Then, the guide pins 24 enter the guide holes 32 and the left and right optical fibers are positioned. Reference numeral 20 denotes an optical fiber core connected to the ferrules 18 and 30.

When the ferrule 30 is further pushed leftward, the ferrule 18 moves backward while compressing the spring 26. Then, when it comes to a predetermined position, the claws 28
Get stuck on 0. Thus, the ferrule 30 is locked so as not to be able to retreat. When removing the ferrule, a dedicated removal tool for releasing the engagement of the claw 28 is required.

[0007]

The lock by the above-mentioned claw 28 is insufficient in reliability and may come off. Also,
Requires a tool to remove the claws when extracting.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a sleeve 42 is detachably screwed onto an inner surface of an inner housing 12 of an adapter 10,
The ferrule 30 is locked by the sleeve 42 so as not to retreat.

[0009] The above "ferrule 3 by the sleeve 42"
0 is locked so that the ferrule 30 does not move backward when the ferrule 30 receives the reaction force of the spring 26.
That you will not be able to retreat. Therefore, the size of the outer diameter of the sleeve 42 is arbitrary.
However, the inner diameter of the sleeve 42 must be larger than the width w of the optical fiber 20 (FIG. 1C). The reason is that in order to screw the sleeve 42, the sleeve 4
2 is required to be outside the optical fiber core wire 20 and to be rotatable.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional plan view of the adapter 10, FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 2A, FIG. 2C is an explanatory view of the stopper 40, and FIG. (E) is an explanatory view after connector connection.

First, the stopper 40 shown in FIG. Reference numeral 42 denotes a sleeve having a cylindrical shape. As described above, the inner diameter is slightly larger than the width w of the optical fiber core 20. A screw 44 is provided on the outer surface of the sleeve 42. On the right rear side of the sleeve 42, for example, a disk-shaped knob 46 is integrally provided. The knob 46 is used to pinch the knob and turn the sleeve 42. The stopper 40 is put on the optical fiber 20 before connecting the optical fiber 20 to the ferrule 30.

A screw 14 for screwing the stopper 40 is provided on the inner surface of the inner housing 12 as shown in FIGS. However, if the screw 14 is provided on the entire surface of the inner housing 12 and the sleeve 42 is screwed into the screw, the outer diameter of the sleeve 42 <the ferrule 30
, The ferrule 30 cannot pass. Therefore, the screw 14 is provided only on a part of the inner surface of the inner housing 12 so as to cut off the passage 15 of the ferrule as shown in FIG.

[Connector connection] From the state shown in FIG.
The ferrule 30 is inserted into the inner housing 12 of the adapter 10. The ferrule 30 is connected to the ferrule passage 15.
To the left and meet the ferrule 18. At that time, the guide pins 24 enter the guide holes 32, and the left and right optical fibers are positioned.

By turning the knob 46, the sleeve 42 of the stopper 40 is screwed and screwed into the screw 14 of the inner housing 12. Then, the ferrule 30 and the ferrule 18 move to the left while compressing the spring 26. Then, screwing is stopped at a predetermined position. Then, at that position,
The ferrule 30 is locked so as not to move backward in the right direction (FIG. 7E). When removing the ferrule, loosen the screw by turning it in the reverse direction.

[0015]

According to the present invention, since the ferrule is locked by the screw system, it can be securely locked with a simple structure. Also, no special tool is required when extracting the ferrule once inserted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1A is a cross-sectional plan view of an adapter 10, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1A, FIG. 1C is an explanatory view of a stopper 40, FIG. (E) Explanatory drawing after connector connection.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are explanatory diagrams of a conventional technique, in which FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram before connector connection, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram after connector connection.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Adapter 12 Inner housing 120 Step 14 Screw 15 Ferrule passage 16 Receiving member 18 Ferrule 180 Flange 20 Optical fiber core wire 22 Pink lamp 24 Guide pin 26 Spring 28 Claw 30 Ferrule 32 Guide hole 40 Stopper 42 Sleeve 44 Screw 46 Knob

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. One of the ferrules is accommodated in an adapter so as to be movable in the left-right direction and biased rightward by a spring, and the other ferrule is inserted leftward into the adapter and moved forward. At the time of this, the other ferrule is abutted against the one ferrule, and the one ferrule is pushed back against the force of the spring, and is locked so as not to retreat when reaching a predetermined position. In the optical connector, an optical connector is characterized in that a sleeve is detachably screwed on an inner surface of the adapter, and the other ferrule is locked by the sleeve so as not to be retracted.