JPS608809A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a small-sized optical connector which deflects an optical path at right angles by inserting a couple of connector couplers fixedly into the orthogonal intersecting holes of a black type connector body, and also inserting an optical-path deflecting means fixedly into the other openings of the through holes. CONSTITUTION:The couple of connector couplers 2 are inserted fixedly into the orthogonal intersecting through holes of the connector body 1 made of a cubic metallic block, and the couple of optical-path deflectors 3 having plane reflection mirrors adhered to 22.5 deg. slanting surfaces are inserted fixedly into the opposite- side openings. Optical fibers 5 are fixed to the connector couplers 2 through cap nuts 51. Light transmitted through one optical fiber is deflected at right angles by being reflected by the surfaces of the reflection mirrors of the couple of optical-path deflectors successively to enter the other optical fiber, wherein the light is transmitted. Thus, the small-sized optical connector which deflects the optical path at right angles is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (1) Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a connector for an optical fiber transmission line, particularly an optical M3 connector.
This invention relates to an optical connector that deflects at right angles.

(2) Purpose of the Invention In the field of optical communication using optical fibers as optical transmission lines, it is necessary and indispensable to disconnect and disconnect optical fibers.

Recently, there has been remarkable development of various optical connectors for such parts, but most of them are linear optical connectors. - High-density packaging is required for power-end communication devices due to the miniaturization of various parts and elements, and the optical transmission lines used there also have to be arranged in less space. In such a case, the optical fiber connection with the circuit device using the conventional optical connector described above has a limit to miniaturization of the device because it requires a space for the optical fiber connector to protrude orthogonally and a bending allowance for the optical fiber.

In view of these points, the present invention provides an electrical connector.

The object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector that can deflect the line at right angles in an optical fiber transmission line as well as in a coaxial line connector and minimize the space required.

Currently, there has been almost no disclosure of known specific configurations of such optical connectors.
The present invention shows its concrete feasibility.

(3) Structure of the Invention The above object is the gist of the structure of the present invention, which includes a connector body having a through hole in the block whose axes are orthogonal to each other, and a pair of connector bodies each inserted and fixed into the through hole of the connector body from the orthogonal direction. This is achieved by a connector coupling element, and an optical path deflecting means provided to connect the optical paths of the pair of connector coupling elements by inserting and fixing them from the other orthogonal direction of the through hole of the connector body, and the configuration is It is possible to provide a simple optical connector with high strength and excellent manufacturability.

(4) Embodiments of the Invention The optical connector of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to embodiments based on the gist of the invention and with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the optical connector of the present invention, showing a side cross section in a separated state, and FIG. 2 shows the same in an assembled state.

In FIG. 1, the connector body 1 is a cubic metal block as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 3, and through holes 11 and 12 are bored at the same inner diameter so that their axes are orthogonal to each other. . The perpendicular angle of the holes 11, 12 can be easily obtained based on the perpendicularity of each adjacent surface of the shape of the main body l.

The connector connector 2 has a cylindrical connector body 21 with a screw 22 carved on one side of the outside, and the other side has a circumferential surface 23 having an outer diameter that fits into the hole 11 or 12 of the connector body 1. A step 24 is provided on the inner diameter at the end opposite to the screw 22 side, and a lens support member 26 is press-fitted into the inner peripheral surface 25, and its end abuts against the step 24 for positioning.

The lens support member 26 has a cylindrical shape, and a lens 27 is mounted on the inner circumference of the lens support member 26.
is positioned in contact with the step 28, and is elastically biased in the axial direction and locked by an expansion retaining ring (not shown).

An appropriate gap is provided in the radial direction to prevent the effects of thermal expansion due to changes in ambient temperature. It is also possible to fill this gap with a flexible film-like resin to eliminate rattling.

In the case of this embodiment, the above connector coupler 2 is the same one.
Available as individual pairs.

The optical path deflector 3 is provided with a collar 32 at one end of a compatible outer circumferential surface 31 that can be press-fitted into the hole 11.12 of the connector body 1, and the other end is an inclined surface 33 having an inclination of 22.5 degrees with respect to the axis.

A reflecting mirror 34 made of flat glass is adhered to this inclined surface 33, and the position of the reflecting surface is determined so as to connect the optical axes of the connector bodies l, as will be described later.

As shown in FIG.
press fit). Although it may be fixed by press-fitting, if a known anaerobic adhesive is applied and fixed in advance, insertion will be facilitated and fixation will be ensured.

Next, insert the pair of optical path deflectors 3 into the holes 11.1 from the reflecting mirror 34 side.
Insert (press fit) from both opening sides of 2 (J=32
Bring it into contact with one side of the main body. In this state, a light source and a photodetector (not shown) are arranged correspondingly to the centers of the pair of connector connectors 2, and the two holes 3 on the outer end surface 35 of the optical path deflector 3 are placed.
Insert the tip of a tool (not shown) into hole 6 and rotate it with respect to holes 1 and 12 into which the entire deflector 3 has been inserted, and find the position where the light from the light source is maximally detected by the other photodetector. Stop the rotation, fix the periphery and the hole 36 with adhesive, and fill it to prevent accidental rotation.

As shown in FIG. 4, an optical fiber connector 5 with an optical connector attached to the tip of the optical fiber is inserted into each connector coupler 2 and fastened with a bag nut 51. The end face number of the main body 52 of the optical fiber connector 5 is pressed and fixed to the end face of the lens support member 26, and the position in the axial direction is determined. This means that the distance between the optical fiber end face 53 and the lens 27 is constant. Further, the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror 34 connects the center of the hole 11, 12, the optical axis of both connector couplers 2, and the optical path.

That is, the optical signal transmitted to the optical fiber of one optical fiber connector 5 is emitted from the end face 53 at a divergence angle based on N-A, reaches the lens 27 of the connector coupler 2, and is spread by the lens 27, so that the light beam becomes parallel. Since the angle of inclination of the pair of reflecting mirrors 34 is 45 degrees, the optical path is deflected in the right angle direction, and the optical fiber of the other optical fiber connector 5 is inserted and coupled again by the lens 27 of the other connector coupler 2. The light is focused on the end face 53 and transmitted into the optical fiber.

As mentioned above, the optical connector according to the present invention is interposed between one optical fiber connector and the other optical fiber connector and deflects the optical path at right angles, so it can be carried out in an extremely limited space. Ru.

FIG. 5 is a side cross section of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the same connector connector 2 as in the above embodiment is fixed to one side, but the connector body and the outer circumferential screw are replaced by a bag-shaped connector to the other. Nats 61
The connector coupling element 6 fitted with is fixed. This is suitable when the optical fiber connector has a male thread carved on its outer circumferential surface, or when it is coupled to an optical element having a similar shape, such as a light emitting unit or a light receiving unit.

As a further embodiment, although not particularly shown in the drawings, both connector connectors may be made of the bag-shaped NAND connectors 6, which can similarly be connected to a male-threaded optical fiber connector or an optical element.

As a deflection means, a separate reflecting mirror may be glued, but it is of course also possible to have the inclined end face of the deflector at the same position as the reflecting mirror surface and to make it itself a mirror surface, but the deflector shown in FIG. Cylindrical glass 73 is inserted into the recessed hole 72 provided in the main body 71 of 7.
If the end face 74 of is used with a beveled mirror finish, manufacturing 1 is possible.
It has superior assembly strength, etc.

(5) Effects of the Invention As described above, the optical connector of the present invention can be made extremely simple by inserting and fixing a pair of connector connectors and an optical path polarizing means into perpendicular through holes provided in the block of the connector body. The practical effects are remarkable, such as high manufacturability and high accuracy, and the ability to connect optical circuits in a limited space.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a side cross section of an embodiment of the present invention in a separated state before assembly, and FIG. 2 shows an assembled state of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the connector main body, FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining the connection of the optical fiber connector, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are other embodiments. In the figure, 1 is the connector body, and 11 and 12 are through holes. 2.6 is a connector connector, 21 is a connector body, 27 is a lens, 3 and 7 are optical path converters, and 34 is a reflecting mirror. 4 indicates a blind plug, and 5 indicates an optical fiber connector. Z Figure 1 Figure 2'/+ 61st

Claims (1)

[Claims] A connector body having eight through holes whose axes are perpendicular to each other in the block, a pair of connector connectors inserted and fixed into the through holes of the connector body from orthogonal directions, and one orthogonal to the other of the through holes of the connector body. 1. An optical connector comprising: optical path deflecting means that are inserted and fixed from each direction to connect the optical paths of the pair of connector connectors.