JPS59140410A - Optical connector coupling structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To couple easily, exactly and mechanically a plug to a receptacle or an adaptor by sliding a lock member in a state that the plug is inserted, engaging and coupling a pawl of a hook member to a recessed part, and simultaneously, engaging a projection provided in accordance with a housing of the plug and the lock member, respectively, to the recessed part. CONSTITUTION:A frame-shaped lock member 18 consisting of plastic is fitted into the outside of a housing 12, and has a slidable shape. When the lock member 18 is fitted into the housing 12, slid in the direction of a ferrule 14, and a frame member 18a which is in contact with a side face 12a of the housing reaches a bent part of a hook member 16, the bent tip part is reformed in almost parallel to the side face 12a. A hole 19 fitted into a projection 15 is provided on a frame member orthogonal to the frame member 18a of the lock member 18, so that the lock member 18 holds a position where the hook member 16 is reformed. Therefore, as for the lock member 18 and the housing 12, the relative position is never shifted unless a force which exceeds a fitting-in force of this projection 15 and the hole 19 is added.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to improvements in optical connector coupling structures.

(b) Technical background Optical connectors attached to the terminals of single-core optical cables and multi-core optical cables must be inserted into ferrules, adapters, or receptacles with high precision, and each node must be inserted in order to maintain the inserted state.・It is important that the housings engage and connect securely.

(C) Conventional technology and problems - Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional coupling structure.

In the figure, 1 is a source plug attached to the terminal of a two-core optical cable 5, and 2 is a receptacle into which the optical plug 1 is inserted.

Fernyl 4 is arranged and protrudes from the end surface of the substantially rectangular plastic housing 3 of the optical plug 1. Approximately rectangular hook members 6 are provided on opposing side surfaces 3a of the nousing 3, respectively. The hook member 6 has a narrow fulcrum member 6a that is perpendicular to the ferrule at approximately the center thereof, and supports each side surface 3 of the hook member 6.
A square hole 7 is provided in each of the portions of the hook member 6 connected to the receptacle 2 i1'ill that protrude from the end surface on which the ferrules 4 are arranged.

Due to the elasticity of the fulcrum member 68, this square hole 7 is parallel to the side surface 3a, and the square hole 7 of the hook member 6
By pressing h6 on the opposite side with respect to the fulcrum member 6a, for example, with a tensile force, the square hole 7 portions are warped in a direction away from the side surface 3a.

Round holes 9, into which the ferrules 4 are closely inserted, are arranged in the part 2 of the housing 8 of the receptacle 2, which faces the ferrules 4. By inserting the ferrule 4 into the round hole 9, it is optically coupled to an optical device or an optical fiber (not shown) installed in the receptacle 2. A wedge-shaped claw 10 in side view protrudes from a side surface 8a of the housing 8 corresponding to the side surface 3a of the housing 3 of the plug 1. When the plug l configured as described above is inserted into the receptacle 2, the hook member 6 The square hole 7 fits into the claw 10, and the housings 3 and 7 and the housing 8 are mechanically connected. Even if there is some play in the insertion direction between the square hole 7 and the claw lO, (each ferrule 4 will be) , the original connection can be maintained well since it is completely suppressed on the receptacle 2 side. .

However, on the opposite side of the square window 7, the hook member 6 bends around the support member 6a as a fulcrum when it hits an item in the pond or is touched by a hand, and the hook 1
0 may be lost, which causes the problem that the coupling between the housing 3 and the housing 8 may come off, reducing the reliability of the optical coupling.

Although not shown, there is also a plug and a receptacle in which the nosings of the plug and receptacle are made of metal and are connected by a cap nut. In single-core optical cables,
It is highly reliable. However, in multi-core optical cables, there is a risk that the ferrule may be twisted within the round hole when screwing on the ferrule, causing fluctuations in the optical splicing efficiency. In addition, a method of providing a guide or the like to prevent twisting has been adopted, but the structure is complicated and expensive.

(d> Purpose of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector coupling structure in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.

(e) Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention has a ferrule that is mounted on opposing sides of the housing of the plug so as to protrude beyond the end face on which the ferrule is mounted, and a claw is formed at the tip. A flap member made of a substantially strip-shaped elastic body is fitted onto the outer periphery of the housing of the plug, and the hook member is slid in the direction of the insertion force of the plug to suppress the hook member in the direction in which the claw approaches. A frame-shaped locking member is provided, and the housing of the adapter or receptacle to which the plug is attached is provided with a recess into which the hook of the hook member engages. When the locking member is slid and the claws of the hooking member are engaged and coupled with the recessed portions, at the same time, the housing of the plug and the four portions corresponding to the projections provided on the locking member are engaged with each other. , the mouth.

This prevents the sliding member from sliding.

(f) Embodiments of the Invention The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to illustrated embodiments.

Figure fA2 is a perspective view of a plug according to an embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 3(a) is a side sectional view showing the plug shown in FIG. 2 inserted into the receptacle, and FIG. 3(b) is a sectional view of the chain ~:tl-M portion of (a). .

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 12 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, has a plastic-like shape, and has a 71 housing of the hook 11. The optical cable 5 is introduced from one end surface of the housing 12/1. Ferrules 14 are arranged and protrude from the other end face 13a of the fitting portion 13 which protrudes into a rectangular shape.

On each of the opposing side surfaces 12a of the housing 12, a substantially strip-shaped elastic hook member 16 made of a leaf spring, for example, is attached to the side surface 12a in a manner illustrated in FIG. Close contact, and the tip is the insertion part 13
It is attached so as to protrude toward the ferrule 14 from the s4 surface 13a of the ferrule 14. Each hook member is bent outward on the side surface 12a, and its tip is bent inward at a nearly right angle to form a claw 16a.

A protrusion 17 is provided on the side surface 12a of the housing 12 near the optical cable 5 side, and a protrusion 15 is provided on the side surface perpendicular to the side surface 12a near the ferrule 14 side.

A frame-shaped locking member 18 made of plastic or resin is fitted onto the outside of the housing 12 and has a slidable shape. Insert the locking member 18 into the housing 12 and insert the ferrule 14 into the housing 12.
When the frame member 18a that is slid in the direction and contacts the 11IQ surface 12a of the housing 12 reaches the bent portion of the hook member 16, the bent tip portion is corrected to be substantially parallel to the side surface 12aK#. A hole 19 is provided in the frame member perpendicular to the lock wing 180 and the frame member 18a to fit into the protrusion 15 so that the lock member 18 maintains the corrected position of the hook member 16.
is provided. Therefore, the relative position of the locking member 18 and the housing 12 will not shift unless a force is applied to the force plate fitted into the protrusion 15 and the hole 19. The cable is slid in 5 directions,
In the restored state of the hook member 16, maintain its relative position [7. To prevent the lock part from being corrected before connecting the ferrule,
A hole 20 into which the projection 17 fits is provided in the frame member 18a. Note that the holes 192 and 20 may simply be recesses instead of holes.

In Figure 3, the end of the hook member 16 opposite the claw 16a is bent into an L shape, and is inserted into a groove of the same shape in the housing 12. Therefore, even if the lock member 18 slides on the upper surface of the hook member 16, the hook member 16 is in close contact with the nozzle housing 12 and will not shift.

The housing 23 of the receptacle 22 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape that is substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axis of the housing 12 of the plug 11 . The end face of the 7% housing 23 facing the flag 11 has a recess 24 into which the plug insertion part 13 is inserted.
A hole 23 into which the ferrule 14 is inserted with almost no gap is provided on the bottom end surface of the recess 24.

Housing 23. The side surface corresponding to the hook member 16 has a stepped dil 123 with which the claw 16a of the hook member 16 engages.
a are provided respectively.

The exposed optical fins (5a) of the optical cable 5 are inserted into the axial holes of the seven ferrules 14 of the plug 11 and fixed with adhesive. Since the compression coil spring 21 is attached, the ferrule 14 (d) has almost no relation to the molding precision of the housing 12, and the axis of the receptacle 220 (not shown) coincide and confront each other.

Insert the plug 11 into the receptacle 22 and lock the locking member 18
When the receptor 4 is slid in the direction of the receptor 22, the hook member (2) is suppressed and the claw '16a is engaged with the stepped portion 23a. Furthermore, in this state, the projection 15t is reduced to the hole 19 of the locking member 18, so that the locking member 18 does not move due to vibration or the like.

Although the illustrated embodiment is a coupling structure between a plug and a receptacle, the present invention has exactly the same effect when coupling a plug and an adapter.

Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment 4e Al, a stepped portion is provided on the housing 2 of the receptacle, but any shape may be used as long as it is fitted with a recess into which the claw 75 is fitted, such as a hole.

(g) Detailed Description of the Invention As described above, the present invention is a plastic material that does not require high precision, has a simple structure, is low cost, and can be easily and reliably operated. The flag can be mechanically coupled to a receptacle or adapter,
An optical connector coupling CPI that has an immediate effect on the user, such as being able to improve the reliability of optical coupling.
It is IK.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional coupling structure, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a plug according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
A) is a side cross-sectional top view showing the plug shown in Fig. 2 inserted into the receptacle, and (cff) is a chain line M-M in (A).
FIG. In the figure, 1.11 is a plug, 2.22 is a receptacle, 3,
8, 12.23 is the housing, 4.14 is the ferrule,
5 is an optical cable, 5a is an original fiber, 6.16 is a flap member, 16a is a claw, 9.25 is a hole, 13 is a fitting part, 15
．． 17 is a protrusion, 18 is a lock portion, 19.20ili hole, 21 is a compression coil spring, and 23 is a stepped portion. Sensei En Hayabusa closed (I J

Claims (1)

[Claims] A hook member made of a substantially rectangular elastic body and having a claw formed at the tip, which is attached to opposite sides of the housing of the plug so as to protrude beyond the end surface on which the ferrule is attached; and a frame-shaped locking member fitted onto the outer periphery of the nozzle of the plug, which presses the hook member in the direction in which the claw approaches by sliding in the insertion direction, and the nuclear plug is inserted. The housing of the adapter or receptacle is provided with a recess into which the claw of the hook member engages, and with the plug inserted, the cough lock member is slid to fit the claw of the hook member into the recess. At the same time that the housing of the plug and the locking member are engaged with each other, a protrusion and a recess provided in correspondence with each other are engaged with each other, thereby preventing the locking member from sliding. An optical connector coupling structure featuring: