JPS5856846B2 - Optical fiber connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector used to connect optical fibers or to connect an optical fiber to a photoelectric conversion element or the like.

Figures 1 and 2 show conventional optical fiber connectors used to connect optical fibers.To explain its configuration, 1a and 1b are optical fibers, 2a and 2b are
is a plug, 3 is an adapter, and 4a and 4b are cap nuts.

The plug 2a holds the optical fiber 1a in the center,
Further, a flange 5a is provided on the outer periphery, and a positioning dowel 6a is provided on one side of the flange 5a.

Similarly, the plug 2b holds the optical fiber 1b, and the flange 5b provided on the outer periphery has a positioning dowel 6.
b is provided on one side.

The adapter 3 has an insertion hole 7 for inserting the plugs 2a and 2b and abutting them against each other, and also has flanges 5a,
End face 8a facing 5b, positioning dowel 5 on ab
A plurality of positioning holes 9a and 9b that fit into the insertion holes I and 6b are bored concentrically with the insertion hole I.

The cap nuts 4a and 4b are adapted to be screwed into threaded portions provided at both ends of the adapter 3.

To explain the operation of the above configuration, first, the plug 2b is inserted into the insertion hole 7 from one side of the adapter 3, and the positioning dowel 6b provided on the flange 5b is fitted into an arbitrary positioning hole 9b provided on the end surface of the adapter 3.

Next, the plug 2a was inserted into the insertion hole I from the other side of the adapter 3, and while measuring the connection loss of the connector, the plug 2a was rotated, and the positioning dowel 6a provided on the flange 5a was provided on the end surface 8a of the adapter 3. They are fitted into the positioning holes 9a one after another.

In this way, rotate the plug 2a once to select one positioning hole 9a with the minimum connection loss, fit the positioning dowel 6a into the positioning hole 9a, and screw the cap nuts 4a and 4b onto the adapter 3. Tighten and secure.

The above-mentioned optical fiber connector is configured so that the plug can be attached to and detached from the adapter, and when it is repeatedly attached and detached, the positioning dowel must always be inserted in the same position when inserting each plug into the insertion hole of the adapter. Stable connection loss can be obtained by fitting to the positioning hole, that is, the positioning hole where the connection loss is minimum, but if it is fitted to any other positioning hole, the connection loss will increase and a suitable connection will not be obtained. Become.

However, the above-mentioned conventional optical fiber connector does not have a means to always fit the positioning dowel into the positioning hole that minimizes the splice loss, so the combination position that minimizes the splice loss cannot be obtained. In other words, it has the disadvantage that incorrect insertion is likely to occur.

In addition, since one of the multiple positioning holes provided on the end face of the adapter is selected and the positioning dowel provided on the flange of the plug is fitted into that positioning hole, connection loss is caused by rotating the plug. When measuring, the measurement point is limited to the position of the positioning hole, and therefore the minimum connection loss obtained by the positioning hole and positioning dowel is not necessarily the true minimum connection loss in the relationship between the plug and the adapter. It also has the disadvantage of being impossible.

The same applies to connectors used to connect optical fibers and photoelectric conversion elements.

The present invention is aimed at solving the above-mentioned drawbacks, and is characterized by the use of an incorrect insertion prevention ring having a recess or the like that fits into a positioning dowel.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. 10a and 10b are optical fibers, 11a and 11b are plugs, 12 is an adapter, 13a and 13b are cap nuts, 14
A and 14b are rings for preventing incorrect insertion.

The plugs 11a and 11b each have an optical fiber 10a in the center.
, 10b, and the plug 11a.

Positioning dowels 15a and 16b are provided on flanges 15a and 15b provided on the outer periphery of 11b, respectively.

The adapter 12 has an insertion hole 17 through which the plugs 11a and 11b are inserted and butted against each other, and the end surface 1
The insertion holes 17 are provided with ring-shaped grooves 19a and 19b for attaching the incorrect insertion prevention rings 14a and 14b to the insertion holes 8a and 18b.
Further, screws 20a and 20b for fixing the erroneous insertion prevention rings 14a and 14b are screwed onto the outer periphery near the end faces 18a and 18b, respectively.

The cap nuts N3a and 13b are designed to be screwed into threaded portions provided at both ends of the adapter 12.

The erroneous insertion prevention rings 14a and 14b have recesses 21a that fit into positioning dowels 16a and 16b, respectively.

21b.

To explain the operation of the above-mentioned configuration, first, the erroneous insertion prevention ring 14b is inserted into the groove 19b provided in the end surface 18b of the adapter 12.
After the plug 11b is inserted into the insertion hole 17 of the adapter 12 and the positioning dowel 16b provided on the flange 15b is inserted, the plug 11b is inserted into the insertion hole 17 of the adapter 12 and the positioning dowel 16b provided on the flange 15b is inserted. Fit into the recess 21b of the erroneous insertion prevention ring 14b.

Next, attach the misinsertion prevention ring 14a to the end surface 18 of the adapter 12.
Fit it into the groove 19a provided in section a.

Here, the erroneous insertion prevention ring 14a is not fixed, but is allowed to rotate within the groove 19a.

Then, the plug 11a is inserted into the insertion hole 17 of the adapter 12, and the positioning dowel 16a provided on the flange 15a is fitted into the recess 21a of the incorrect insertion prevention linog 14a.In this state, the plug 11a is inserted while measuring the connection loss of the connector. Rotate and stop at the measured position where the connection loss is the smallest,
The erroneous insertion prevention ring 14a rotated together with the plug 11a is fixed by a screw 20a screwed onto the adapter 12.

Next, loosen the screw 20b to release the fixation of the incorrect insertion prevention ring 14b, and while measuring the connection loss of the connector, plug 11
b was rotated and stopped at the position where the connection loss was measured to be the smallest, and the incorrect insertion prevention ring 1 rotated together with the plug 11b.
4b is fixed with screws 20b.

In this way, each incorrect insertion prevention ring 14a.

After fixing 14b with screws 20a and 20b,
The plugs 11a and 11b are fixed by screwing and fastening the plugs 3a and 13b to threaded portions provided at the ends of the adapter 12.

The embodiment described above is an embodiment in which optical fibers are connected to each other, and an incorrect insertion prevention ring having a recess that fits into a positioning dowel provided on the flange of the plug is attached to a groove provided on the end face of the adapter. Since the connector can be rotated together with the plug, the position where the connection loss can be measured is not limited as in conventional connectors, and the position where the connection loss is truly minimized can be selected.

In addition, if the mis-insertion prevention ring is fixed in place with the screw screwed onto the adapter, when inserting the plug into the insertion hole of the adapter, the positioning dowel will fit only in the recess of the mis-insertion prevention ring. Because of this, there is no possibility of incorrect insertion even if the optical fiber is repeatedly connected and disconnected, and the plug can always be fixed in the same position, resulting in stable low connection loss characteristics. Strict dimensional tolerances are more relaxed than in the past, and there are advantages in that manufacturability and economical efficiency can be improved, and handling is also easier.

The above-mentioned embodiment is an example in which a mis-insertion prevention ring is attached to the end face of the adapter when connecting optical fibers together, but as shown in FIGS.
, 11b flange 15a.

15b is provided with grooves 19a and 19b for mounting the incorrect insertion prevention rings 14a and 14b, and a fixing screw 20 is provided.
a, 20b, and the end faces 18a, 1 of the adapter 12.
8b is a positioning dowel 16a.

16b, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the above-mentioned embodiment, and in the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
If a plurality of holes 22b are provided, the oval holes 22a,
22b makes the bag nut 13a.

Since the screws 20a and 20b can be tightened or loosened from the outside of the screw 13b, there is an advantage that handling becomes easier.

The above-mentioned two embodiments are examples in which optical fibers are connected to each other. Next, an example in which an optical fiber and a photoelectric conversion element etc. are connected will be described with reference to FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 23 denotes a receptacle, which has an insertion hole 24 into which the plug 11c is inserted, and has an end face 25 with a plug 11c inserted thereinto.
A groove 19c for mounting the misinsertion prevention ring 14c having a recess 21C that fits into the positioning dowel 16C provided on the flange 15C of 1C is provided on the concentric circle of the insertion hole 24, and the outer periphery near the groove 19C A screw 20c for fixing the erroneous insertion prevention ring 14c is screwed into the portion.

A cabin 26 is provided at the back of the insertion hole 24,
When the plug 11C is inserted into the insertion hole 24, the plug 11c
A photoelectric conversion element 27 is attached at a position facing the end face of the optical fiber 10C held at the center of the optical fiber 10C.

In this embodiment, the optical fiber 11C and the photoelectric conversion element 2
7, first attach the incorrect insertion prevention ring 14C to the groove 19C provided on the end surface 25 of the receptacle 23, insert the plug 11C into the insertion hole 24 of the receptacle 23, and insert the positioning dowel 16c provided on the flange 15c. Fit into the recess 21C of the erroneous insertion prevention ring 14c.

Then, the plug 11C is rotated while measuring the coupling efficiency between the optical fiber 11c and the photoelectric conversion element 27, and the rotation of the plug 11c is stopped at the position where the coupling efficiency is maximum.
Insert the incorrect insertion prevention ring 14c, which rotates together with 1c, into the screw 2.
0c, the plug 11C is fixed by screwing the cap nut 13C to the threaded portion provided at the end of the receptacle 23.

In this example, as in the above-mentioned example, the measurement position of the plug is not limited, so the position where the coupling efficiency is truly maximized can be selected, and the mis-insertion prevention ring is fixed in the groove provided on the end face of the receptacle. By doing this, even if the plug is repeatedly attached and detached, the positioning dowel provided on the flange of the plug and the recess provided in the mis-insertion prevention ring can always fix the plug in the same position, resulting in stable coupling characteristics.

Although not shown here, the flange 1 of the plug 11c
Groove 19 for attaching incorrect insertion prevention ring 14C to 5C
The same effects as in the above-mentioned embodiment can be obtained by providing a fixing screw 20C and a positioning dowel 16a on the end face of the receptacle 23.

In each of the embodiments described above, one positioning dowel and one
Although positioning is performed by a combination of individual recesses, if the combination allows for only one type of fitting, the number of positioning dowels and recesses may be one or more.

Further, the erroneous insertion prevention ring may be provided with a hole or a slit that can be fitted with a positioning dowel instead of the above-mentioned recess.

In addition to the above-mentioned screws, mechanical fixing means such as pins or springs, or fixing means such as adhesives may be used as means for fixing the misinsertion prevention ring in the groove.

As explained above, the present invention provides a positioning dowel on either the flange of the plug and the end face of the adapter or receptacle, and a misinsertion prevention ring having a recess that fits with the positioning dowel on the other side. The structure is equipped with screws, etc. to fix the insertion prevention ring, which minimizes connection loss and ensures that the plug is always fixed in the same position on the adapter or receptacle even when it is repeatedly connected and disconnected. It is possible to realize an optical fiber connector without insertion.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the conventional example, Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is an exploded view of the main part of Figure 3. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment, FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment. 10a, 10b, 10c... optical fiber, 11
a, 11b, 11c...Plug, 12...
... Adapter, 13a, 13b, 13c... Cap nut, 14a, 14b, 14c... Erroneous insertion prevention ring, 15a, 15b, 15c...
- flange, 16a. 16b, 16c... Positioning dowels, 17...
...Insertion hole, 18a, 18b one end surface, 19
a, 19b. 19 c...groove, 20a, 20b, 20c
m screw, 21 a, 21 b, 21 c-recess, 22 a, 22 b... oval hole, 23...
・Receptacle, 24...Insertion hole, 25...
...End face, 26...Cabin, 27...
...Photoelectric conversion element.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plug that holds an optical fiber in the center and has a flange on the outer periphery, and an adapter that has an insertion hole into which the plug is inserted from both ends, or an adapter that has an insertion hole into which the plug is inserted from one end and where the insertion hole abuts. In an optical fiber connector consisting of a receptacle having a photoelectric conversion element or the like on its surface, a positioning dowel is provided on one of the flange of the plug and the end surface of the adapter or receptacle, and a ring-shaped groove is provided on the other. It has a structure in which a mis-insertion prevention ring having a recess etc. that fits with the positioning dowel is rotatably fitted into the groove, and the plug is inserted into the insertion hole of the adapter or receptacle and the positioning dowel and mis-insertion are prevented. Rotate the plug with the concave part of the prevention ring fitted, and then rotate the plug to the position where the connection loss between the optical fibers is minimized or the coupling efficiency between the optical fiber and the photoelectric conversion element, etc. is maximized. 1. An optical fiber connector characterized in that, after stopping at a position where the plug is stopped, an incorrect insertion prevention ring rotated together with the plug is fixed in the premises with a screw or the like.