JPH11142694A - Optic/electric conversion connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a transmitting device to cope with both of an optical signal interface and an electric signal interface by mutually converting an optical signal of an optical cable side and an electric signal of a transmitting device side with an optic/electric conversion part and an electric/optic conversion part loaded on a connector main body. SOLUTION: Relating to this optic/electric conversion connector, a plug part 57 of an optical cable 55 is fitted to the optical adaptor 59 of the connector main body 31. Further, a coaxial connector 45 of a printed circuit board 43 having a transmissive function housed in a device installation 33 is fitted to the device side plug 39 of the connector main body 31. Then, the optical signal of the optical cable 55 side is converted mutually into the electric signal of the printed circuit board 43 side by an optical module 63 loaded on the connector main body 31. Thus, the need of loading the processing function of the optical signal in the printed circuit board 43 is eliminated, and the printed circuit board 43 housed in the device installation 33 is allowed to cope with both of the optical signal interface and the electric signal interface.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical / electrical conversion connector for connecting an optical cable to a transmission device housed in a device rack.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric signal interface or an optical signal interface has been used as a transmission line interface of a transmission device. When an optical signal interface is used, an optical signal and an electric signal are mutually converted in the transmission device. Optical module is mounted.

[0003] In general, an electrical signal interface is used between transmission apparatuses at short distances, and an optical signal interface is used between transmission apparatuses over a predetermined distance.

FIG. 12 shows a state where a transmission device using an electric signal interface and an optical signal interface is housed in a device frame. In the figure, a backboard 3 is arranged on an apparatus frame 1, and the backboard 3
A connector 5 for supplying a commonly used common signal into the apparatus frame 1 is fixed.

An adapter 11 for supporting the coaxial cable 7 or the optical cable 9 is fixed to the back board 3. In the device frame 1, an electric printed wiring board 13 having a function as a transmission device and corresponding to an electric signal interface or an optical printed wiring board 15 corresponding to an optical signal interface is arranged.

A coaxial connector 17 for connecting the coaxial cable 7 and a connector 19 for connecting a common signal are fixed to the electric printed wiring board 13 on the backboard 3 side. The electric printed wiring board 13 has an electric interface function unit 21 and a transmission line interface function unit 23.

Here, the electric interface function unit 21
Has, for example, a function of mutually converting a serial signal and a parallel signal. The transmission line interface function unit 23 has, for example, a function of decoding a multiplexed signal into an original signal. Then, the coaxial connector 17 and the electric interface function unit 21, the electric interface function unit 21 and the transmission line interface function unit 23, the transmission line interface function unit 23 and the connector 19 are formed by the wiring pattern 13a formed on the electric printed wiring board 13.
And are interconnected.

On the other hand, an optical connector 25 for connecting the optical cable 9 and a connector 19 for connecting a common signal are fixed to the optical printed wiring board 15 on the back board 3 side. An optical module 27 for mutually converting an optical signal and an electric signal is mounted on the optical printed wiring board 15.

[0009] The optical module 27 and the optical connector 25 are connected by an optical cable 29. Also,
The printed wiring board for light 15 includes the printed wiring board for electrical use 1.
An electrical interface function unit 21 and a transmission line interface function unit 23 having the same specifications as those of No. 3 are configured.

The optical module 27 and the electric interface function unit 21, the electric interface function unit 21, the transmission line interface function unit 23, and the transmission line interface function unit 23 are formed by the wiring pattern 15a formed on the optical printed wiring board 15. And the connector 19 are mutually connected. Further, three types of short-distance type, medium-distance type and long-distance type are prepared for the optical printed wiring board 15 according to the transmission distance, and the optical modules 27 having different light output intensities depending on each type. It is installed.

In the transmission device described above, when the transmission distance is short, the electric printed wiring board 13 is connected to the back board 3 of the device rack 1, and the coaxial cable 17 is connected to the coaxial connector 17 of the electric printed wiring board 13. Are connected and transmission is performed. When the transmission distance is long, an optical printed wiring board 15 of any of a short-distance type, a medium-distance type, and a long-distance type is connected to the backboard 3 of the apparatus frame 1. Optical connector 25
Is connected to the optical cable 9 for transmission.

[0012]

However, in such a printed wiring board housed in such a conventional apparatus rack 1,
Depending on the transmission distance, an electric printed wiring board 13 or an optical printed wiring board 15 must be prepared, and the optical printed wiring board 15 is a short-distance type, a medium-distance type, and a long-distance type. Therefore, a total of four types of printed wiring boards must be designed and manufactured, and there is a problem that the design cost and manufacturing cost of the printed wiring boards increase.

Further, the printed wiring board 1 for electric
If the transmission distance becomes longer due to the movement of facilities in the building after the installation of 3, the customer often changes from the electrical signal interface to the optical signal interface,
In such a case, the customer has to arrange a new optical printed wiring board 15, which causes a problem that labor and cost are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and provides an optical / electrical conversion connector which can make a transmission device compatible with both an optical signal interface and an electric signal interface. The purpose is to:

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical / electrical conversion connector which is disposed on an apparatus rack side of a connector main body and connects to a coaxial connector of a transmission device housed in the apparatus rack. An optical adapter portion that is disposed on the opposite side of the connector body from the device rack and connects a plug portion of an optical cable introduced from the outside; and a receiving-side optical signal mounted on the connector body and input from the optical cable. An optical-to-electrical conversion unit for converting to a receiving-side electric signal, and an electric-to-optical converting unit mounted on the connector main body and for converting a transmitting-side electric signal output from the transmission device to a transmitting-side optical signal. Features.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the optical / electrical conversion connector according to the first aspect, a lock mechanism for preventing disconnection is formed in the device-side plug portion and the optical adapter portion of the connector main body. It is characterized by becoming.

(Function) In the optical / electrical conversion connector according to the first aspect, the plug portion of the optical cable is connected to the optical adapter portion of the connector main body, and the coaxial connector of the transmission device housed in the device rack is connected to the device of the connector main body. Connected to the side plug.

The optical signal on the optical cable side and the electric signal on the transmission device side are mutually converted by the optical-electrical conversion unit and the electric-optical conversion unit mounted on the connector main body. There is no need to mount an optical signal processing function, and the transmission device housed in the device rack can be compatible with both the optical signal interface and the electric signal interface.

In the optical / electrical conversion connector of the present invention, a lock mechanism for preventing disconnection is formed in the device-side plug portion and the optical adapter portion of the connector main body, so that the connector main body comes off from the transmission device and the optical cable comes from the connector main body. Is reliably prevented from coming off. Further, by releasing the lock of the lock mechanism, the connector main body can be easily detached from the transmission device, and the optical cable can be easily detached from the connector main body.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment (corresponding to claims 1 and 2) of an optical / electrical conversion connector according to the present invention. In the figure, a device-side plug 39 to be fitted to the adapter 37 of the backboard 35 of the device frame 33 is fixed to the device frame 33 side of the connector main body 31.

The device-side plug 39 is formed in the same shape as the plug portion at the end of the coaxial cable, and the adapter 37 of the backboard 35 can be fitted to a coaxial cable introduced from the outside. I have. The device-side plug 39 has a fitting protrusion 39a corresponding to the fitting portion 37a of the adapter 37.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, a connector 41 for supplying a common signal commonly used in the device frame 33 to the device frame 33 is fixed to the backboard 35 of the device frame 33. . In the device frame 33, a printed wiring board 43 having a function as a transmission device and corresponding to an electric signal interface is arranged.

The back board 3 of the printed wiring board 43
The coaxial connector 45 and the connector 4 for connecting the adapter 37 and the connector 41 of the back board 35
7 is fixed. Further, on the printed wiring board 43, an electric interface function unit 49 and a transmission line interface function unit 51 including a plurality of electronic components and the like are configured.

Here, the electric interface function unit 49
Has, for example, a function of mutually converting a serial signal and a parallel signal. The transmission line interface function unit 51 has, for example, a function of decoding a multiplexed signal into an original signal. Then, the coaxial connector 45 is formed by the wiring pattern 53 formed on the printed wiring board 43.
The electric interface function unit 49, the electric interface function unit 49 and the transmission line interface function unit 51, and the transmission line interface function unit 51 and the connector 47 are interconnected.

As shown in FIG. 1, an optical adapter 59 for fitting a plug 57 at the tip of an optical cable 55 is fixed to the connector body 31 on the side opposite to the device frame 33. A fitting projection 61 having elasticity is formed on the inner periphery of the optical adapter 59. Then, the optical cable 55
The fitting groove 57a formed at the tip of the plug portion 57 and the fitting protrusion 61 of the optical adapter 59 are fitted, and the optical cable 55 is connected to the connector main body 31.

An optical module 63 is provided in the connector body 31.
The optical module 63 includes an optical-electrical conversion unit 63a that converts an optical signal into an electric signal and an electric-optical conversion unit 63b that converts an electric signal into an optical signal. A lock release plate 65 extending from the optical adapter 59 toward the device-side plug 39 is slidably fixed to the outer periphery of the connector main body 31 in the device-side plug 39 direction.

The device-side plug 39 of the unlocking plate 65
On the side, a U-shaped extruded portion 65a shaped to cover both sides of the fitting protrusion 39a of the device side plug 39 is formed. Further, a power jack 67 for supplying power to the optical module 63 is fixed to the outer periphery of the connector main body 31. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a flow of an optical signal and an electric signal in the connector main body 31.

The receiving-side optical signal RO input from the optical cable 55 to the connector main body 31 is input to the optical / electrical converter 63 a of the optical module 63 via the optical adapter 59. The input receiving-side optical signal RO is converted into a receiving-side electric signal RE by the optical / electrical conversion unit 63a, and output from the device-side plug 39. On the other hand, the transmission-side electric signal SE input from the device frame 33 to the connector main body 31 is input from the device-side plug 39 to the electric / optical converter 63b of the optical module 63.

The input transmission-side electric signal SE is an electric signal
The light is converted into the transmission-side optical signal SO by the optical conversion unit 63b,
The signal is output to the optical cable 55 via the optical adapter 59.
In the above-described optical / electrical conversion connector, as shown in FIG.
1 is inserted into the adapter 37 of the backboard 35.

The fitting projection 39 of the device-side plug 39
is fitted into the fitting portion 37 a of the adapter 37, and the connector main body 31 is fixed to the backboard 35. at the same time,
The device side plug 39 and the coaxial connector 45 of the printed wiring board 43 are electrically connected via the adapter 37.
Next, as shown in FIG.
7 is inserted into the optical adapter 59 of the connector main body 31.

The fitting protrusion 61 on the inner periphery of the optical adapter 59 is fitted into the fitting groove 57 a of the plug 57 of the optical cable 55.
And the optical cable 55 is fixed to the connector main body 31. Thereafter, as shown in FIG.
For example, a plug 71 such as an AC / DC conversion adapter 69 is connected to the power supply jack 67, and power is supplied to the optical module 63 of the connector main body 31.

Then, the optical signal and the electric signal are mutually converted, and the signal is transmitted between the optical cable 55 and the printed wiring board 43 via the connector main body 31. When the connector main body 31 is detached from the device rack 33, the operation is performed as described below. That is, first, as shown in FIG. 7, the sliding ring 57 of the plug portion 57 of the optical cable 55 is used.
b is pressed toward the optical adapter 59.

By this pressing, the sliding ring 57b enters the optical adapter 59, and the fitting groove 57a of the plug portion 57
Disappears. At the same time, the sliding ring 57b is
And the fitting by the fitting projection 61 is released.
Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the optical cable 55 is disconnected from the optical adapter 59.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the lock release plate 65 of the device main body 31 is pressed toward the device rack 33, and the adapter 37 is fitted by the U-shaped extruded portion 65a of the lock release plate 65. The part 37a is lifted.

Further, by pressing the lock release plate 65, as shown in FIG.
The fitting of the fitting projection 39a of the device-side plug 39 with the fitting 7a is released, and the connector main body 31 is removed from the device rack 33.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, when an electric signal is directly input to the printed wiring board 43 by the coaxial cable 73, not by the optical cable 55, the connector body 31
Is not connected, and the coaxial cable 73 is directly connected to the coaxial connector 45 of the printed wiring board 43 via the adapter 37 of the backboard 35.

That is, by attaching and detaching the connector main body 31, transmission of both an optical signal and an electric signal is enabled by only one type of printed wiring board 43 having an electric signal interface. In the optical / electrical conversion connector configured as described above, the plug portion 57 of the optical cable 55 is fitted to the optical adapter 59 of the connector main body 31, and the printed wiring board 43 having the transmission function housed in the device frame 33. The coaxial connector 45 is connected to the device-side plug 39 of the connector body 31.
And the optical signal on the optical cable 55 side and the electric signal on the printed wiring board 43 side can be mutually converted by the optical module 63 mounted on the connector main body 31.
There is no need to mount an optical signal processing function in the printed wiring board 43, and the printed wiring board 43 housed in the device rack 33 can be compatible with both an optical signal interface and an electric signal interface.

Therefore, it is possible to transmit both the optical signal and the electric signal with only one type of printed wiring board 43 having an electric signal interface, and the design and manufacturing cost of the printed wiring board 43 is greatly reduced. can do. Further, since the fitting projection 39a and the fitting convex portion 61 for preventing disengagement are formed on the device-side plug 39 and the optical adapter 59 of the connector body 31, the disengagement of the connector body 31 from the device rack 33 and the connector body of the optical cable 55 31
Can be reliably prevented from coming off.

Further, the fitting projection 39a and the fitting projection 61 are provided.
By releasing the lock, the connector main body 31 can be easily removed from the device rack 33, and the optical cable 55 can be easily removed from the connector main body 31.
In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the optical module 63 is mounted on the connector main body 31 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. By mounting each of them on the connector main body 31, an optical / electrical conversion connector that can easily cope with short-range, middle-range, and long-range optical communication can be configured.

In the above-described embodiment, AC / DC
Although an example in which power is supplied to the optical module 63 by the conversion adapter 69 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
It may be supplied directly from.

[0040]

According to the optical / electrical conversion connector of the first aspect,
The plug part of the optical cable is fitted to the optical adapter part of the connector main body, and the coaxial connector of the transmission device housed in the device frame is fitted to the device side plug part of the connector main body, and the optical signal on the optical cable side is transmitted. Optical signals on the device side can be mutually converted by the optical module mounted on the connector body, so there is no need to install an optical signal processing function in the transmission device. The device can be compatible with both optical and electrical signal interfaces.

For this reason, one having an electric interface
It is possible to transmit both the optical signal and the electric signal only by the type of transmission device, and it is possible to greatly reduce the design and manufacturing cost of the transmission device. In the optical / electrical conversion connector according to the second aspect, since the locking mechanism for preventing disconnection is formed on the device-side plug portion and the optical adapter portion of the connector main body, the connector main body comes off from the transmission device and the optical cable comes off from the connector main body. Can be reliably prevented.

By releasing the lock of the lock mechanism, the connector body can be easily removed from the transmission device, and the optical cable can be easily removed from the connector body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of an optical / electrical conversion connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing functions of a printed wiring board stored in a device rack.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a signal flow of the connector main body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where the connector main body is fixed to the backboard.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state where an optical cable is connected to the connector main body.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state where an AC / DC conversion adapter is connected to the connector main body.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state where the optical cable is detached from the connector main body.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a state where an optical cable is detached from a connector main body.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a state where the connector main body is detached from the adapter of the back boat.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a state where the connector main body is detached from the adapter of the back boat.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a coaxial cable is connected to a device rack.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a conventional transmission device is housed in a device rack.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 Connector body 33 Device rack 39 Device side plug (device side plug portion) 39a Fitting protrusion (lock mechanism) 43 Printed wiring board (transmission device) 45 Coaxial connector 55 Optical cable 57 Plug portion 59 Optical adapter (optical adapter portion) 61 Fitting Convex part (lock mechanism) 63a Optical-to-electrical converter 63b Electrical-to-optical converter RE receiving-side electrical signal RO receiving-side optical signal SE transmitting-side electrical signal SO transmitting-side optical signal

Claims (2)

[Claims] An apparatus-side plug portion that is arranged on a device frame side of a connector main body and connects a coaxial connector of a transmission device housed in the device frame; and is disposed on an opposite side of the connector main body to the device frame, An optical adapter for connecting a plug of an optical cable introduced from the outside, an optical / electrical converter mounted on the connector main body, and converting a receiving optical signal input from the optical cable into a receiving electrical signal; An electrical-optical conversion unit mounted on the connector body and converting a transmission-side electrical signal output from the transmission device into a transmission-side optical signal. 2. The optical / electrical conversion connector according to claim 1, wherein a lock mechanism for preventing disengagement is formed on the device-side plug portion and the optical adapter portion of the connector main body.・ Electric conversion connector.