JPH1073744A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To apply a uniform pressure over the entire part of a coupling plane and to improve the good coupling rate of an optical connector of a type to press the optical connector ferrules by means of coil springs frrm behind these ferrules in order to impart the specified pressing force between the two optical connector ferrules facing each other by coaxially arranging a sleeve having length shorter than length of a coil spring with the coil spring. SOLUTION: The sleeve 5 is coaxially inserted and arranged onto the coil spring 3. Before the coated optical fiber 2 is mounted at the optical connector ferrule 1, a housing 4, the soil spring 3 and the sleeve are previously inserted onto the coated optical fiber 2. The sleeve 5 is inserted and arranged onto the coil spring 3 and is not fixed. The length of the sleeve 5 is made shorter than the compressed length of the coil spring 3 to prevent the sleeve 5 from hindering in the pressing of the coil spring 3. The clearance between the sleeve 5 and the coil spring 3 is made as small as possible. The same stainless steel, etc., as those of the coil spring are used for the material of the sleeve 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector of the type in which a pressing force is applied between two opposing optical connector ferrules to hold them.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of an optical connector of a type in which a pressing force is applied between two opposing optical connector ferrules to hold the same is an MPO connector (MULTI-PASS PUSH).
ONCONNECTOR) is known. In this optical connector, a coil spring 3 is arranged behind the optical connector ferrule 1 as shown in FIG. 3, and when the optical connector is coupled to another optical connector, the coil spring generates a pressing force between the optical connector ferrules. ing. 3, reference numerals 4 and 7 denote connector housings, 2
Denotes an optical fiber core, 8 denotes an end face of the optical fiber, and 9 denotes a guide pin hole.

[0003]

In this type of optical connector, one end of the coil spring is pressed against the rear of the optical connector ferrule and pressed from the other end of the coil spring by another member.
Since the optical fiber core wire led out of the optical connector ferrule is disposed through the coil spring, the coil spring requires a certain internal space. When such a coil spring is pressed, the axis of the coil spring may be slightly bent in some cases, so that a uniform pressing force does not occur on the entire coupling surface of the optical connector ferrule, and a difference occurs in the coupling pressing force depending on the position of the coupling surface. There is. The present invention provides an optical connector that eliminates such uneven pressing force due to the location of the coupling surface.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided an optical connector of the type pressed by a coil spring from behind an optical connector ferrule in order to apply a constant pressing force between two opposing optical connector ferrules. Is arranged coaxially with the coil spring. The inner diameter of this sleeve can be made larger than the outer diameter of the coil spring, and the sleeve can be arranged so that the sleeve is extrapolated.However, the outer diameter of the sleeve is made smaller than the inner diameter of the coil spring, It is also possible to arrange them so that they are inserted. It is desirable to use a metal material of the same quality as the coil spring as the material of the sleeve.

[0005]

1A and 1B show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing an assembled state of an optical connector according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view of a spring portion. In attaching the optical fiber core to the optical connector, the coating of the tip of the optical fiber core 2 is removed to expose the optical fiber, and the optical fiber is inserted into the optical fiber insertion hole of the optical connector ferrule 1 and an adhesive is attached. Fix with. Then, the end face of the optical fiber is polished together with the optical connector ferrule. MPO connector (MULTI-P
In the case of ASS PUSH ON CONNECTOR, the optical connector ferrules connect the optical fibers only by being pressed by the pressing force, and do not use a refractive index matching liquid or the like at the connection points of the optical fibers, so that the reflected light escapes. The polishing of the end face of the optical connector ferrule is not perpendicular to the axis of the optical fiber but at an angle of about 82 degrees. The optical fiber core wire 2 led out of the optical connector ferrule 1 is disposed so as to penetrate a coil spring 3 for pressing the optical connector ferrule 1, and the coil spring 3 is pressed by the connector housing 4 toward the optical connector ferrule.

A sleeve 5 is coaxially extrapolated and arranged on the coil spring 3. Before attaching the optical fiber core to the optical connector ferrule, the housing, the coil spring, and the sleeve must be inserted through the optical fiber core. The sleeve 5 is merely extrapolated to the coil spring 3 and is not fixed. The length of the sleeve is shorter than the length of the coil spring when compressed, so that the sleeve does not hinder the pressing of the coil spring. The gap between the sleeve 5 and the coil spring 3 is preferably as small as possible. As the material of the sleeve 5, stainless steel or the like, which is the same as the coil spring, is usually used.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show another embodiment of the present invention.
Shown in FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing an assembled state of the optical connector, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view of a spring portion thereof. FIG.
1, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same components. In the case of FIG. 2, the sleeve 6 is inserted into the coil spring 3 and arranged coaxially, and the optical fiber core wire 2 passes through the inside of the sleeve 6. Also in this case, the gap between the coil spring and the sleeve is made as small as possible in order to reduce the deflection of the center axis of the coil spring when the coil spring is compressed. Further, the length of the sleeve is made slightly shorter than the length when the spring is compressed so that the sleeve does not hinder the pressing of the coil spring.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A tape-shaped optical fiber core having four optical fibers is attached to an optical connector ferrule, and a stainless steel coil spring (wire diameter 0.55 m) is mounted behind the optical fiber ferrule.
m, 7 turns, only the spring outer diameter 4.4 mm, the spring length before compression 7.85 mm) and the extrapolation sleeve (inner diameter 4.8 mm, outer diameter 5.4 mm, length 4.8 mm) )
, An insertion sleeve (with an inner diameter of 3.1 m)
m, an outer diameter of 3.3 mm, and a length of 4.8 mm) were manufactured, and the good coupling ratio at the time of coupling as an optical connector was investigated. As a result, the good coupling ratio when only the coil spring was arranged was about 85%, whereas the good coupling ratio with the extrapolated sleeve was about 97%,
A good coupling rate of about 95% with an interpolated sleeve
It was confirmed that when the sleeve was arranged along the coil spring, the good coupling ratio of the optical connector was improved.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided an optical connector of the type which is pressed by a coil spring from the rear of the optical connector ferrule in order to apply a constant pressing force between two opposing optical connector ferrules. Is arranged coaxially with the coil spring, the deflection of the axis of the coil spring when pressing the coil spring is reduced, and uniform pressure is applied to the entire coupling surface when the optical connector is coupled, improving the coupling good ratio. It has the effect of doing. When a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a line, such as a tape-shaped optical fiber, the inner diameter of the coil spring disposed behind the ferrule together with the optical connector ferrule becomes large, and the pressing force due to the location of the coupling surface of the optical connector is increased. Is likely to be non-uniform, but the effect is remarkable if the present invention is applied.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention.
(A) is a perspective view showing an assembled state of the optical connector, and (B) is a sectional view of a spring portion thereof.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing an assembled state of an optical connector, and FIG.
Is a sectional view of the spring portion.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an assembled state of an optical connector according to the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Optical connector ferrule 2: Optical fiber core wire 3: Coil spring 4, 7: Housing 5, 6: Sleeve 8: Optical fiber end face 9: Guide pin hole

Claims (5)

[Claims] An optical connector of a type in which a coil spring is pressed from the rear of an optical connector ferrule to apply a constant pressing force between two opposing optical connector ferrules, wherein a sleeve shorter than the length of the coil spring is coaxial with the coil spring. An optical connector, comprising: an optical connector; 2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the inner diameter of the sleeve is larger than the outer diameter of the coil spring, and the sleeve is externally inserted into the coil spring. 3. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the sleeve is smaller than an inner diameter of the coil spring, and the sleeve is inserted into the coil spring. 4. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve and the coil spring are made of the same metal material. 5. A multi-core optical connector in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a line in the optical connector ferrule.
Optical connector according to the item.