KR102602186B1 - Optical Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a receptacle assembly for coupling to a substrate; a cover portion movably coupled to the receptacle assembly; an optical element coupled to the receptacle assembly; and a plug assembly coupled to the receptacle assembly to be movable between a first position spaced apart from the optical device and a second position connected to the optical device, wherein the cover portion is movably coupled to the receptacle assembly. , and an insertion member formed to protrude from the cover body, wherein the plug assembly is connected to an optical connector including a protrusion member inserted into the insertion groove of the receptacle assembly, and a locking groove formed in the protrusion member to insert the insertion member. It's about.

Description

Optical Connector

The present invention relates to an optical connector for transmitting optical signals using optical transmission cables such as optical fibers.

Recent electronic devices are becoming more high-performance, faster, more integrated, smaller, and thinner thanks to the advancement of IT technology. Types of electronic devices include, for example, smartphones, smart TVs, computers, tablet PCs, displays, digital cameras, camcorders, MP3 players, game consoles, navigation devices, etc.

Recent trends in electronic devices require high-speed transmission technology for large-capacity data, such as high-definition and 3D video content, between boards within devices. Accordingly, signal attenuation, noise, EMI/EMC, impedance matching, cross talk, skew, miniaturization of connection wiring, etc. This is emerging as a big issue.

Generally, copper-based wiring, or electrical connectors, are used to transmit data within devices. However, copper wiring not only fails to meet the needs for high-speed, high-capacity data transmission, but also fails to resolve various technical issues in line with recent electronic device trends mentioned above.

Recently, optical wiring technology has been researched and developed as a technology to solve this problem. In other words, optical wiring replaces dozens of channels of parallel electrical signal lines with serial optical signal lines, enabling high-speed transmission of large amounts of data, and eliminating technical problems such as noise, EMI/EMC, Impedance Matching, Cross Talk, Skew, and miniaturization of connection wiring. It can be resolved.

Generally, an optical connector with a photoelectric conversion function is used to connect an optical signal line and a board within a device. An optical connector according to the prior art includes a receptacle assembly mounted on a board within a device and a plug assembly fastened to the receptacle. The optical connector according to the prior art has a complicated fixing structure of the plug assembly to the receptacle assembly, making it difficult to miniaturize and reduce the profile.

The present invention was conceived to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to provide an optical connector with an improved structure so as to achieve miniaturization and low profile.

The present invention may include the following configuration to solve the problems described above.

An optical connector according to the present invention includes a receptacle assembly for coupling to a substrate; a cover portion movably coupled to the receptacle assembly; an optical element coupled to the receptacle assembly; and a plug assembly coupled to the receptacle assembly to be movable between a first position spaced apart from the optical device and a second position connected to the optical device.

In the optical connector according to the present invention, the receptacle assembly may include a receptacle body in which a receiving groove for accommodating the plug assembly is formed, and an insertion groove formed by recessing from an inner wall of the receptacle body.

In the optical connector according to the present invention, the cover portion includes a cover body movably coupled to the receptacle assembly in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and an insertion member formed to protrude from the cover body. may include.

In the optical connector according to the present invention, the plug assembly includes a plug main body inserted into the storage groove, a protruding member formed to protrude from the plug main body and inserted into the insertion groove, and a plug attached to the protruding member so that the insertion member is inserted. It may include a formed locking groove.

In the optical connector according to the present invention, the insertion member may be inserted into the locking groove as the cover body moves in the second direction while coupled to the receptacle assembly.

According to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved.

The present invention is implemented so that optical signals can be transmitted while the plug assembly is accommodated inside the receptacle assembly, thereby enabling miniaturization and low-profile implementation, thereby improving versatility applicable to miniaturized electronic devices.

In the present invention, the locking member is inserted into the spaced groove between the limiting member and the bottom of the receptacle body to limit the upward movement of the plug assembly, thereby stably coupling the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly.

The present invention is implemented by inserting an alignment member into an alignment groove to prevent the plug assembly aligned with the optical element from moving, thereby preventing the optical alignment between the optical element and the plug assembly from being misaligned due to external forces such as vibration, shaking, etc., The stability of signal transmission performance can be improved.

The present invention is implemented so that the optical device and the alignment groove are formed on the same plane, so that the alignment groove can be formed based on the position where the optical device is formed, thereby improving the accuracy of optical alignment between the optical device and the plug assembly.

In the present invention, in the process of inserting a plug assembly into a receptacle assembly, the edges of the adjacent receptacle assembly and the plug assembly are formed to have an inclined or curved surface, thereby allowing the plug assembly to be easily inserted and preventing damage or breakage of the receptacle assembly and the plug assembly. It can be prevented.

In the present invention, in the process of inserting the plug assembly into the receptacle assembly, the edge of the portion connected to the cover portion is formed to have an inclined or curved surface, thereby allowing the plug assembly to be easily inserted and preventing damage or destruction of the cover portion and the plug assembly. You can.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an optical connector according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the optical connector according to the present invention
Figure 3 is a top view of an optical connector according to the present invention
4A and 4B are schematic side cross-sectional views of the optical connector according to the present invention taken along line II of FIG. 3.
5A and 5B are schematic side cross-sectional views of an optical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention, taken along line II of FIG. 3.
6A and 6B are schematic side cross-sectional views of the optical connector according to the present invention taken along line II-II in FIG. 3.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cover portion is separated from the receptacle assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention.
8A and 8B are perspective views illustrating the coupling operation of the receptacle assembly and the cover portion in the optical connector according to the present invention.
FIGS. 9A to 9C are enlarged views of portion A of FIGS. 8A and 8B to illustrate the coupling operation of the receptacle assembly and the cover portion in the optical connector according to the present invention.
FIGS. 10 to 12 are enlarged views of portion III of FIGS. 8A and 8B to illustrate the coupling operation of the receptacle assembly and the cover portion in the optical connector according to the present invention.
Figure 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which the plug assembly is separated from the cover portion and the receptacle assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention.
14 is an exploded perspective view of the plug assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the plug assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention along line IV-IV of FIG. 14.
16 is a bottom view of the plug assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention.
FIG. 17 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the plug assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention along line V-V of FIG. 14.
18 is an exploded perspective view of a plug assembly in an optical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.
19 is a bottom view of a plug assembly in an optical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 20 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing the plug assembly in an optical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention, taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 14.
21A and 21B are plan views for explaining the separation operation of the plug assembly, cover portion, and receptacle assembly in the optical connector according to the present invention.
FIGS. 22A to 22D are schematic side cross-sectional views of the optical connector according to the present invention taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 21A.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the optical connector according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6B, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is used to transmit optical signals within or between electronic devices. For example, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can be applied to display devices such as TVs, USB cables, HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), etc.

The optical connector 1 according to the present invention includes a receptacle assembly 2 for being coupled to a substrate (not shown), a cover portion 3 movably coupled to the receptacle assembly 2, and the receptacle assembly 2. It includes a plug assembly (4) coupled to.

The receptacle assembly (2) includes a receiving groove (21) to accommodate the plug assembly (4). The plug assembly 4 is inserted into the receiving groove 21 and aligned with the optical element 22 of the receptacle assembly 2.

The cover portion 3 includes a limiting member 31 to limit movement of the plug assembly 4. The limiting member 31 limits movement of the plug assembly 4 in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). Accordingly, while the plug assembly 4 is coupled to the receptacle assembly 2, its movement in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) is restricted by the limiting member 31, thereby reducing the receptacle assembly 2. can be stably bound to.

Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can achieve the following effects.

First, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is implemented to transmit an optical signal while the plug assembly 4 is accommodated inside the receptacle assembly 2 through the storage groove 21. Accordingly, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can be miniaturized and low-profile, improving versatility applicable to miniaturized electronic devices.

Second, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is implemented so that the movement of the plug assembly 4 while coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 is restricted by the cover portion 3. Accordingly, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can prevent the plug assembly 4 from moving due to external forces such as vibration or shaking. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention stably binds the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly, while the optical element 22 and the plug assembly 4 of the receptacle assembly 2 are connected by external forces such as vibration, shaking, etc. ), the stability of optical signal transmission performance can be improved by preventing misalignment between optical signals.

Hereinafter, the receptacle assembly 2, the cover portion 3, and the plug assembly 4 will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6B, the receptacle assembly 2 supports the cover portion 3 and the plug assembly 4. The receptacle assembly 2 is coupled to the substrate.

The receptacle assembly 2 includes the storage groove 21. The storage groove 21 can accommodate the plug assembly 4. The movement of the plug assembly 4 may be restricted by the limiting member 31 of the cover portion 3 when inserted into the storage groove 21. The plug assembly 4 may be moved downward (in the direction of arrow DD) and aligned with the optical element 22 of the receptacle assembly 2. The plug assembly 4 may move in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) to be spaced apart from the optical element 22 of the receptacle assembly 2.

The receptacle assembly 2 includes a receptacle body 20 in which the storage groove 21 is formed. The receptacle body 20 supports the plug assembly 4. The storage groove 21 may be formed by being recessed to a certain depth from the upper surface 201 (shown in FIG. 2) of the receptacle body 20. The receptacle body 20 may be formed in a rectangular shape with the upper surface 201 open by the storage groove 21, but is not limited thereto and may be formed in any other shape as long as it can accommodate the plug assembly 4. may be formed.

The receptacle body 20 may include an inner wall 202 (shown in FIG. 2) disposed to face the storage groove 21, and an outer side wall 203 (shown in FIG. 2) disposed to face the outside. there is. The plug assembly 4 may be inserted into the inner wall 202 through the storage groove 21. The receptacle body 20 may include a bottom 204 (shown in FIG. 2). The plug assembly 4 inserted into the storage groove 21 may be supported by the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20.

A plurality of lead frames 20a for mounting on the board may be coupled to the receptacle body 20. The lead frames 20a are coupled to the receptacle body 20 so that one side is located inside the receptacle body 20 and the other side is located outside the receptacle body 2. The receptacle body 20 and the lead frame 20a may be integrally formed by insert molding.

A control element 20b (shown in FIG. 2) may be coupled to the receptacle body 20. The control element 20b is coupled to the receptacle body 20 to be located in the storage groove 21. The control element 20b may be located on the opposite side of the plug assembly 4 with respect to the optical element 22. The control element 20b is a driver IC and functions to drive the optical element 22.

The receptacle assembly 2 includes the optical element 22. The optical element 22 is for transmitting optical signals. The optical element 22 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20. The optical element 22 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 so as to face upward (UD arrow direction) from the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20. The optical element 22 is located between the control element 20b and the plug assembly 4. The control element 20b may be connected to the lead frame 20a and the optical element 22 by wire bonding, respectively. When the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is used as a transmitter, the optical element 22 emits light such as a laser diode, a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL), etc. It may include elements. When the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is used as a receiving unit, the optical element 22 may include a light receiving element such as a photo diode (PD).

As shown in FIG. 2, the receptacle assembly 2 may include a plurality of optical elements 22. That is, when the optical connector 1 is for a single optical signal channel, the receptacle assembly 2 includes only one optical element 22, but when the optical connector 1 is for multiple channels, the receptacle assembly 2 includes only one optical element 22. The assembly 2 may include a plurality of optical elements 22, and the optical elements 22 may be formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6B, the plug assembly 4 is inserted into the storage groove 21 and its movement is restricted by the limiting member 31 of the cover portion 3, so that it is protected from external forces such as vibration and shaking. Movement can also be prevented by The plug assembly 4 may be located inside the receptacle assembly 2 as it is inserted into the storage groove 21.

The plug assembly 4 may include a plug body 40. When the plug body 40 is inserted into the storage groove 21, its movement is restricted by the limiting member 31 of the cover portion 3. A plurality of optical transmission cables 10 may be inserted into the plug body 40. The optical transmission cables 10 are inserted into the plug body 40 so as to be arranged in the first axis direction (X-axis direction, shown in FIG. 1). The plug body 40 may be formed as a whole in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited thereto, and may take any other form as long as it can accommodate a plurality of optical transmission cables 10 and be movably coupled to the receptacle body 20. It may be formed as

The plug assembly 4 may include a protruding member 41.

The protruding member 41 is formed to protrude from the plug body 40. The protruding member 41 may be formed to protrude from the plug body 40 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The protruding member 41 may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall 401 (shown in FIG. 2) of the plug body 40. The protruding member 41 may be formed as a whole in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but is not limited thereto and may be formed in other shapes.

When the plug assembly 4 includes the protruding member 41, the receptacle assembly 2 may include an insertion groove 23 (shown in FIG. 2) formed in the receptacle body 20.

The insertion groove 23 may be formed by being recessed to a certain depth from one surface of the inner wall 202 of the receptacle body 20. One surface of the inner wall 202 refers to a surface disposed to face the first direction (X-axis direction) among the surfaces of the inner wall 202 of the receptacle body 20. The insertion groove 23 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the protruding member 41.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B , the plug assembly 4 may include an alignment member 46 .

The alignment member 46 is formed to protrude from the plug body 40. The alignment member 46 may be formed to protrude from the plug body 40 in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD). The alignment member 46 may be formed to protrude from the lower surface 403 (shown in FIG. 4A) of the plug body 40. When the plug assembly 4 moves in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD), the alignment member 46 is inserted into the receptacle assembly 2 and guides the alignment position of the plug assembly 2. That is, the alignment member 46 has a function of guiding optical alignment between the optical element 22 and the plug assembly 4. The plug assembly 4 may include a plurality of alignment members 46. The alignment members 46 may be formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

When the plug assembly 4 includes the alignment member 46, the receptacle assembly 2 may include an alignment groove 24 formed in the receiving groove 21.

The alignment groove 24 is formed in the receptacle body 20 to be connected to the storage groove 21. The alignment groove 24 may be formed in the receptacle body 20 to be located in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD) with respect to the storage groove 21. The alignment member 46 may be inserted into the alignment groove 24. The plug body 40 can be positioned inside the receptacle body 20 by being inserted into the receiving groove 21 so that the alignment member 46 is inserted into the alignment groove 24. As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the plug assembly 4 is inserted into the storage groove 21 by moving in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD) while located on the upper side of the receptacle assembly 2. It can be. In this process, the alignment member 46 may be inserted into the alignment groove 24 as shown in FIG. 4B.

Looking at the process of inserting the alignment member 46 into the alignment groove 24 in detail with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the protruding member 41 has an inclined surface inclined in the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). (404) may be formed. The inclined surface 404 may be formed so that at least one edge of the protruding member 41 has an incline through chamfering. As the protruding member 41 is formed to have the inclined surface 404, the protruding member 41 can guide the movement of the plug body 40.

However, since the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is not limited to this, the protruding member 41 is connected to the receptacle assembly 2 as the plug body 40 moves in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD). A portion adjacent to the inner wall 202 may be formed to have a curved surface. Accordingly, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, in the process of inserting the plug assembly 4 into the receptacle assembly 2, the receptacle assembly 2 and the plug assembly 4 are damaged by collision. In addition to preventing damage to the receptacle assembly 2 and the plug assembly 4, the degree of wear occurring in the receptacle assembly 2 and the plug assembly 4 can be reduced.

When the edge of the protruding member 41 is formed to have an inclined or curved surface, the corner 23a (shown in FIG. 4A) where the upper surface 201 of the receptacle assembly 2 and the inner wall 202 contact each other also has an inclined or curved surface. A curved surface can be formed.

Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can achieve the following effects.

First, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the alignment member 46 is inserted into the alignment groove 24 to prevent the plug assembly 4 aligned with the optical element 22 from moving. . Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention prevents optical alignment between the optical element 22 and the plug assembly 4 from being misaligned due to external forces such as vibration, shaking, etc., thereby providing stability to optical signal transmission performance. can be improved.

Second, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can be implemented so that the optical element 22 and the alignment groove 24 are formed on the same plane. For example, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, both the optical element 22 and the alignment groove 24 may be formed on the X-Y plane. Therefore, the alignment groove 24 can be formed based on the position where the optical device 22 is formed, thereby improving the accuracy of optical alignment between the optical device 22 and the plug assembly 4. .

Third, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention has a sloped edge of the receptacle assembly 2 and the plug assembly 4, which are adjacent in the process of inserting the plug assembly 4 into the receptacle assembly 2. Alternatively, it may be formed to have a curved surface so that the plug assembly 4 can be easily inserted. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can prevent damage or breakage of the receptacle assembly 2 and the plug assembly 4.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in another embodiment of the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the alignment groove 24 of the receptacle assembly 2 is located on the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20, as shown in FIG. 2. shown) may be formed to penetrate. Since the plug assembly 4 can be coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 in the same way as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B except that the depth of the alignment groove 24 is different, repetitive description is omitted. I decided to do it.

In the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, it is sufficient for the alignment groove 24 to be formed in the receptacle body 20 to provide a space into which the alignment member 46 of the plug assembly 4 is inserted. Accordingly, the alignment groove 24 is formed to have a depth corresponding to the height of the alignment member 46 based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction), as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, or As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, it may be formed to penetrate the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20. When the alignment groove 24 is formed to penetrate the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20, the alignment groove 24 is formed so that the depth of the alignment groove 24 corresponds to the height of the alignment member 46. Since there is no need to precisely form the receptacle assembly 2, the ease of manufacturing the receptacle assembly 2 can be improved.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6B , the plug assembly 4 may include a locking member 42 .

The locking member 42 is formed to protrude from the plug body 40. The locking member 42 may be formed to protrude from the plug body 40 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The locking member 42 may be formed to protrude outward from the side wall 401 (shown in FIG. 2) of the plug body 40. The locking member 42 may be formed to be spaced apart from the protruding member 41 based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction, shown in FIG. 2). The length of the locking member 42 protruding from the side wall 401 of the plug body 40 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction) is the length of the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The protruding member 41 may be formed shorter than the length protruding from the side wall 401 of the plug body 40.

When the plug body 40 is inserted into the receiving groove 21, the locking member 42 is spaced apart from the limiting member 31 and the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20 (FIG. shown in 5a). Accordingly, the movement of the locking member 42 is restricted by the limiting member 31, thereby restricting the movement of the plug body 40 in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). The height (42H, shown in FIG. 6A) of the locking member 42, that is, the length of the locking member 42 based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction), is the height of the protruding member 41. (41H, shown in Figure 4a) can be formed lower. That is, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention has a height ( 41H) can be formed to be the same as the height of the plug body 40. However, since the optical connector 1 according to the present invention requires the locking member 42 to be supported by the limiting member 31, the locking member 42 is positioned based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). The locking member 42 may be formed at a height 42H lower than the plug body 40 to provide a space where the limiting member 31 can be located on the upper side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the plug assembly 4 may include a plurality of locking members 42. The locking members 42 are formed on both sides of the plug body 40 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction), or are formed on both sides of the plug body 40 in the second axis direction. They may be formed to be located at positions spaced apart from each other based on the (Y-axis direction). For example, as shown in FIG. 3, two locking members 42 may be formed to be spaced apart from each other based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). When the plug assembly 4 includes a plurality of locking members 42, the cover portion 3 may include a number of limiting members 31 corresponding to the locking members 42. Accordingly, the movement of the locking members 42 is restricted by the limiting members 31 formed in plurality with respect to the first axis direction (X-axis direction) or the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). The movement of the plug body 40 can be restricted more stably.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, as the plug body 40 moves from the first position (P1, shown in FIG. 6A) to the second position (P2, shown in FIG. 6B), the cover portion 3 ) can be fixed by. When the plug body 40 is located at the first position P1, it is located at a distance from the optical element 22. When the plug body 40 is located at the second position P2, it is aligned with the optical element 22. The plug body 40 can be positioned at the second position P2 by moving from the first position P1 to the downward direction (UD arrow direction). The plug body 40 can be positioned at the first position P1 by moving from the second position P2 in the upward direction (UD arrow direction).

When the plug body 40 is located at the first position (P1), the limiting member 31 is pressed by the locking member 42 located at the first position (P1), thereby forming the pressing groove 32. It is possible to move toward the outside of the storage groove 21 through . Accordingly, the limiting member 31 can press the plug body 40 from both sides of the plug body 40 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

The pressing groove 32 may be formed in the cover portion 3 to be located on the outer side of the receiving groove 21 with respect to the limiting member 31. When the cover part 3 includes a plurality of limiting members 31, the cover part 3 may include a number of pressing grooves 32 corresponding to the number of limiting members 31.

When the plug body 40 moves in the downward direction (UD arrow direction) and is located at the second position (P2), the limiting member 31 is not pressed by the locking member 42 and is affected by the restoring force. It can move in the inner direction of the storage groove 21. Accordingly, the limiting member 31 may be located above the locking member 42 based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). Therefore, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, when the plug body 40 is located in the second position, the movement of the engaging member 42 is restricted by the limiting member 31, thereby causing vibration, shaking, etc. It is possible to prevent the plug body 40 from moving due to external forces, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, the locking member 42 may be formed with an inclined surface 404 extending in the third axis direction (Z-axis direction) as formed on the protruding member 41. . The inclined surface 404 may be formed so that at least one corner of the engaging member 42 has an incline through chamfering. As the locking member 42 is formed to have the inclined surface 404, the locking member 42 can guide the movement of the plug body 40.

Since the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is not limited to this, the locking member 42 is limited as the plug body 40 moves from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2). The portion connected to the member 31 may be formed to have a curved surface. Accordingly, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the limiting member 31 and the plug assembly 4 are not damaged by collision during the process of inserting the plug assembly 4 into the receptacle assembly 2. Not only can it prevent damage, but it can also reduce the degree of wear occurring on the limiting member 31 and the plug assembly 4. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can achieve the following effects.

First, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the limiting member 31 is implemented to limit the movement of the plug assembly 4 accommodated inside the receptacle assembly 2 through the receiving groove 21. . Accordingly, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can prevent the plug assembly 4 aligned with the optical element 22 from moving due to external forces such as vibration or shaking. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention prevents optical alignment between the optical element 22 and the plug assembly 4 from being misaligned due to external forces such as vibration, shaking, etc., thereby providing stability to optical signal transmission performance. can be improved.

Second, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is formed so that the edge of the portion connected to the cover portion 3 has an inclined or curved surface during the process of inserting the plug assembly 4 into the receptacle assembly 2. The plug assembly 4 can be easily inserted. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can prevent damage or breakage of the cover portion 3 and the plug assembly 4.

Third, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is implemented so as to be coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 simply by moving the plug assembly 4 in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD). Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease of coupling the plug assembly 4 to the receptacle assembly 2.

Referring to Figures 1 to 7, the cover part 3 may be movably coupled to the receptacle assembly 2. By being coupled to the receptacle body 20, the cover portion 3 can protect the control element 20b and the optical element 22 from the outside.

The cover portion 3 may include a cover body 30 coupled to the receptacle body 20. The cover body 30 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 so that the receptacle body 20 is accommodated therein. A through hole (3a, shown in FIG. 2) may be formed in the cover body 30. The through hole 3a is formed to penetrate the cover body 30. The cover body 30 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 so that the through hole 3a communicates with the storage groove 21. Accordingly, the plug assembly 4 passes through the cover body 30 through the through hole 3a while the cover body 30 is coupled to the receptacle body 20, and passes through the receiving groove ( 21) can be inserted. The through hole 3a may be formed to penetrate the upper surface 301 (shown in FIG. 7) of the cover body 30.

The cover part 3 may include the limiting member 31.

The limiting member 31 is located above the locking member 42 with respect to the third axis direction (Z-axis direction) with respect to the plug assembly 4 inserted into the storage groove 21. Accordingly, the limiting member 31 restricts the movement of the plug assembly 4 located at the second position P2, thereby preventing the optical alignment between the optical element 22 and the plug assembly 4 from vibrating or shaking. This can prevent misalignment due to etc.

The limiting member 31 is formed on the cover body 30. The limiting member 31 may be formed on the cover body 30 to protrude toward the through hole 3a (shown in FIG. 2). When the plug assembly 4 is inserted into the storage groove 21, the limiting member 31 is connected to the cover body 30 and the plug assembly 4 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction). It can be located in between.

The cover part 3 may include a plurality of the limiting members 31. The limiting members 31 are formed on both sides of the cover body 30 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction), or are formed on both sides of the cover body 30 in the second axis direction. They may be formed to be located at positions spaced apart from each other based on the (Y-axis direction). The limiting members 31 may be positioned at the same position relative to the second axis direction (Y-axis direction), face each other, and protrude toward the through hole 3a. Accordingly, the limiting members 31 can more stably limit the movement of the plug body 40. The limiting members 31 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the second axis direction (Y-axis direction).

In FIG. 7, the cover portion 3 includes two limiting members 31 spaced apart along the first axis direction (X-axis direction) and spaced apart along the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). Although each is shown as including two limiting members 31, the present invention is not limited thereto. The limiting member 31 may be formed in a plate shape so that it can move elastically relative to the portion coupled to the cover body 30.

The cover portion 3 may include the pressure groove 32 (shown in FIG. 6A).

The pressure groove 32 may be formed in the cover body 30. The limiting member 31 can elastically move in the inner direction of the through hole 3a and the outer direction of the through hole 3a through the pressing groove 32. As shown in FIG. 6A, as the limiting member 31 is pressed against the plug body 40 located at the first position P1, it moves in an outward direction of the through hole 3a through the pressing groove 32. You can move to . Accordingly, the limiting member 31 can press the plug body 40 located at the first position P1 in the inner direction of the passage hole 3a.

The pressing groove 32 may be formed in the cover body 30 to be located on the outer side of the through hole 3a with respect to the limiting member 31. When the cover part 3 includes a plurality of limiting members 31, the cover part 3 may include a number of pressing grooves 32 corresponding to the number of limiting members 31.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9C, the cover portion 3 may be movably coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 in the first direction (FD arrow direction) and the second direction (SD arrow direction). . In this case, the cover body 30 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 to be movable in the first direction (FD arrow direction) and the second direction (SD arrow direction).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 9C, the cover portion 3 may include a guide groove 33 (shown in FIG. 7).

The guide groove 33 is formed penetrating the cover body 30. The guide groove 33 may be formed to penetrate the side wall 302 of the cover body 30. The guide groove 33 may be formed in the shape of a rectangular cuboid having a long length along the second axis direction (Y-axis direction), but is not limited thereto and may be formed in other shapes.

The cover portion 3 may include a plurality of guide grooves 33. In this case, the guide grooves 33 are formed on both sides of the cover main body 30 based on the first axis direction (X-axis direction), or are formed on both sides of the cover main body 30. It can be formed to be located at positions spaced apart from each other based on the two axes (Y-axis direction). The guide grooves 33 may be formed on both sides of the cover body 30 to be spaced apart from each other based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction).

When the cover part 3 includes the guide groove 33, the receptacle assembly 2 may include a guide member 25 (shown in FIG. 7). The guide member 25 is formed to protrude from the receptacle body 20. The cover body 30 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 so that the guide member 25 is inserted into the guide groove 33. Accordingly, the cover body 30 is guided by the guide member 25 inserted into the guide groove 33 and can move in the first direction (FD arrow direction) and the second direction (SD arrow direction). . Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease and accuracy of moving the cover body 30.

The guide member 25 may be formed to protrude outward from the outer wall 203 of the receptacle body 20. The guide member 25 may be formed to protrude in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The guide member 25 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the guide groove 33. The guide member 25 may be formed to have a shorter length than the guide groove 33 based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) so that it can move while inserted into the guide groove 33. there is.

When the cover part 3 includes a plurality of guide grooves 33, the receptacle assembly 2 may include a plurality of guide members 25. The guide members 25 are formed on both sides of the receptacle body 20 with respect to the first axis direction (X-axis direction), or are formed on both sides of the receptacle body 20 with respect to the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). ) can be formed on both sides. The guide members 26 may be formed on both sides of the receptacle body 20 to be spaced apart from each other based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction).

Referring to FIGS. 9A to 9C, the guide groove 33 of the cover part 3 may include a first guide groove 33a and a second guide groove 33b.

Referring to FIG. 9A, the first guide groove (33a) is located in the first direction (FD arrow direction) with respect to the second guide groove (33b), and the second guide groove (33b) is located along the first guide. It is located in the second direction (SD arrow direction) with respect to the groove 33a. The first guide groove 33a is the guide member 25 of the receptacle assembly 2 before the cover part 3 moves in the first direction (FD arrow direction) and is coupled to the receptacle assembly 2. This is the inserted area. The second guide groove 33b is an area where the guide member 25 is inserted after the cover part 3 moves in the first direction (FD arrow direction) and is coupled to the receptacle assembly 2.

In the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the operating relationship in which the guide member 25 is inserted into the guide groove 33 to guide the movement of the cover portion 3 is described as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 9A, when the cover part 3 is separated from the receptacle assembly 2, that is, the cover part 3 moves from the receptacle assembly 2 in the upward direction (UD arrow). direction), it is in a state before the guide member 25 is inserted into the guide groove 33.

Next, when the cover part 3 is moved in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD), the guide member 25 is inserted into the first guide groove 33a, as shown in FIG. 9B. In the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, since the first guide groove 33a has a higher height than the second guide groove 33b, the guide member 25 is connected to the first guide groove 33a. The ease of insertion work can be improved.

The guide member 25 may include an inclined member 25a (shown in FIG. 9B). The inclined member 25a may be formed to be inclined so as to protrude more from the receptacle body 20 as it moves downward (direction of arrow DD). Accordingly, when the cover part 3 is moved in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD), the side wall 302 of the cover body 30 is moved to the guide member 25 through the inclined surface of the inclined member 25a. can pass smoothly. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is used to insert the guide member 25 into the first guide groove 33a by moving the cover part 3 in the downward direction (DD arrow direction). Ease of use can be improved.

Next, when the cover part 3 is moved in the first direction (FD arrow direction), the guide member 25 inserted into the first guide groove 33a moves into the second direction as shown in FIG. 9C. It moves to the guide groove 33b, and guided by the guide member 25, the cover part 3 can move to be coupled to the receptacle assembly 2.

The first guide groove 33a and the second guide groove 33b may be formed to have a length equal to or longer than that of the guide member 25 based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). The first guide groove 33a may be formed to have a longer length than the second guide groove 33b based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). That is, the first guide groove (33a) is formed at a higher height than the second guide groove (33b). Specifically, the upper surfaces of the first guide groove (33a) and the second guide groove (33b) are formed at the same position, and the lower surface of the first guide groove (33a) is the lower surface of the second guide groove (33b). By being formed at a lower position compared to the first guide groove (33a) and the second guide groove (33b), the first guide groove (33a) and the second guide groove (33b) may have different heights.

Between the first guide groove (33a) and the second guide groove (33b), the lower surface of the first guide groove (33a) is connected to the lower surface of the second guide groove (33b), and the guide member (25) is connected to the lower surface of the first guide groove (33a). A movement auxiliary surface 33c may be formed to assist movement. The movement auxiliary surface 33c may be formed to increase in height as it moves toward the second direction (SD arrow direction). Accordingly, when the cover part 3 is moved in the first direction (FD arrow direction), the guide member 25 inserted into the first guide groove 33a is moved to the movement auxiliary surface 33c. It is possible to move smoothly to the second guide groove (33b) through the inclined surface of . Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention relates to the operation of coupling the cover part 3 to the receptacle assembly 2 by moving the cover part 3 in the first direction (FD arrow direction). Ease of use can be improved.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 13 , the cover portion 3 may include a through hole 34 (shown in FIG. 8A) and a fixing member 35 (shown in FIG. 8A).

The through hole 34 is formed to penetrate the cover body 30. The through hole 34 may be formed to penetrate both the top surface 301 (shown in FIG. 7) and the side wall 302 (shown in FIG. 7) of the cover body 30. When the through hole 34 is formed to penetrate the side wall 302 of the cover body 30, at least one of the guide members 25 can move while inserted into the through hole 34. However, since the present invention is not limited to this, the through hole 34 may be formed to penetrate only the upper surface 301 of the cover body 30. The through hole 34 may be formed in the cover body 30 to be located in the first direction (direction of arrow FD) with respect to the through hole 3a. The cover portion 3 may include a plurality of through holes 34. The through holes 34 may be formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction).

The fixing member 35 is for fixing the cover body 30. The fixing member 35 can fix the cover body 30 moved in the first direction (direction of arrow FD). The fixing member 35 is formed on the cover body 30 to protrude toward the through hole 34. The fixing member 35 may be formed on the cover body 30 to protrude in the first direction (arrow direction FD).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 12 , the fixing member 35 of the cover portion 3 may include a fixing protrusion 351 (shown in FIG. 10 ).

The fixing protrusion 351 may be formed at one end of the fixing member 35. The fixing protrusion 351 may be formed to protrude from the cover body 30 in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD). When the cover portion 3 includes the fixing protrusion 351, the receptacle assembly 2 may include a support member 27 (shown in FIG. 10) formed on the receptacle body 20. The support member 27 may be formed to protrude from the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20 in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). As the support member 27 is formed, the receptacle body 20 has a first fitting groove 27a located in the second direction (SD arrow direction) with respect to the support member 27, shown in FIG. 7. ), and a second fitting groove (27b, shown in FIG. 7) located in the first direction (FD arrow direction) with respect to the support member 27. That is, the support member 27 is formed to protrude between the first fitting groove 27a and the second fitting groove 27b.

In the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the operational relationship in which the fixing member 35 fixes the cover body 30 is explained as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 10, the fixing protrusion 351 is located in the second direction (SD arrow direction) compared to the support member 27. That is, the fixing protrusion 351 is inserted into the first fitting groove 27a. In this case, the cover portion 3 is moved only in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD).

Next, when the cover part 3 is moved in the first direction (FD arrow direction), the cover part (3) is moved by the guide member 25 inserted into the guide groove 33 as shown in FIG. 7. The moving direction of 3) is guided, and the fixing member 35 is pressed by the support member 27 as the fixing protrusion 351 passes through the support member 27. And, as shown in FIG. 11, the fixing member 35 moves in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) to be spaced apart from the upper surface 301 of the cover body 30. The fixing member 35 may be formed in a plate shape so that it can move elastically. That is, because the cover part 5 includes a fixing member 35 protruding toward the through hole 34, it can be moved in a direction away from the upper surface 301 of the cover body 30.

Next, when the cover part 3 is further moved in the first direction (FD arrow direction), the fixing protrusion 351 passes the support member 27 as shown in FIG. 12. Accordingly, the fixing protrusion 351 is located in the first lateral direction (FD arrow direction) compared to the support member 27, and accordingly, the pressing force caused by the support member 27 is released. That is, the fixing protrusion 351 passes through the support member 27 and is inserted into the second fitting groove 27b. In this case, the fixing member 35 moves in the downward direction (DD arrow direction) as the pressing force by the support member 27 is released, and the cover moves based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). It moves to the same position as the upper surface 301 of the main body 30.

The support member 27 may be formed to be inclined so as to protrude more from the receptacle body 20 as it moves toward the first direction (direction of arrow FD). Accordingly, when the cover part 3 is moved in the first direction (FD arrow direction), the fixing member 35 will smoothly pass through the support member 27 through the inclined surface of the support member 27. You can. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease of moving the cover part 3 in the first direction (direction of arrow FD).

Additionally, the support member 27 may be formed as a flat surface with a surface facing the first direction (FD arrow direction) parallel to the fixing protrusion 351. Accordingly, the fixing member 35 completes movement in the first direction (FD arrow direction), and the fixing protrusion 351 is located in the first direction (FD arrow direction) compared to the support member 27. In this case, the cover body 30 can be fixed by the fixing protrusion 351 being firmly supported on the surface of the support member 27 disposed to face the first direction (direction of arrow FD). Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can strengthen resistance to vibration, shaking, etc.

Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can achieve the following effects.

First, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is implemented so that the cover part 3 is guided by the guide member 25 and slides to be coupled to the receptacle assembly 2. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease and accuracy of moving the cover body 30.

Second, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention is implemented so that the cover part 3 is fixed by the fixing member 35 while being coupled to the receptacle assembly 2. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can prevent the cover portion 3 from being disconnected from the receptacle assembly 2 due to external forces such as vibration or shaking.

Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, a coupling hole 36 (shown in FIG. 7) may be formed in the cover portion 3. The coupling hole 36 is formed to penetrate the cover body 30. The cover body 30 may be coupled to the receptacle body 20 so that the coupling hole 36 communicates with the insertion groove 23. Accordingly, the plug assembly 4 passes through the cover body 30 through the coupling hole 36 in a state as shown in FIG. 8B where the cover body 30 is coupled to the receptacle body 20. It can be inserted into the insertion groove (23). With reference to FIG. 7 , the coupling hole 36 may be formed to penetrate the upper surface 301 of the cover body 30.

Referring to Figures 1 to 13, the plug assembly 4 may be inserted into the storage groove 21 and coupled to the receptacle assembly 2. The plug assembly 4 may be located inside the receptacle assembly 2 as it is inserted into the storage groove 21.

The plug assembly 4 may be coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 in a state in which the cover portion 3 is coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 as shown in FIG. 13 . That is, the plug assembly 4 is connected when the cover part 3 is coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 and the insertion groove 23 and the coupling hole 36 are in communication, as shown in FIG. 13. It may be coupled to the receptacle assembly (2).

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 17 , the plug assembly 4 may include an open groove 44 (shown in FIG. 14) and a fixing portion 45 (shown in FIG. 14).

The open groove 44 may be formed by being recessed to a certain depth from the upper surface 402 (shown in FIG. 2) of the plug body 40. Accordingly, the plug body 40 may be formed in a form with an open upper side. A lower support groove 44a (shown in FIG. 14) that can surround the lower part of the optical transmission cable 10 may be formed in the portion of the plug body 40 where the open groove 44 is formed.

The fixing part 45 is inserted into the opening groove 44 and is coupled to the plug body 40. The fixing part 45 may be formed with an upper support groove 45a (shown in FIG. 14) that can surround the upper part of the optical transmission cable 10. The lower and upper parts of the optical transmission cable 10 may be inserted into the lower support groove 44a and the upper support groove 45a, respectively. Accordingly, the fixing part 45 can prevent the optical transmission cable 10 from shaking by pressing the optical transmission cable 10. The material of the fixing part 45 is not particularly limited. For example, the fixing part 45 may be made of polymer-based epoxy, which has a similar refractive index to that of the optical transmission cable 10 and has good light transparency. The fixing part 45 may be made of light-transmitting epoxy having a refractive index of 1.2 or more and 1.8 or less and a light transmittance of 80% or more and 95% or less in the wavelength band of the optical transmission cable 10.

Referring to FIG. 15, the plug assembly 4 may include a lens 47.

The lens 47 is coupled to the plug body 40. The lens 47 may be coupled to the plug body 40 so as to be located on a side of the plug body 40 facing the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20. Accordingly, when the plug assembly 4 is aligned with the optical element 22, the lens 47 is positioned between the optical transmission cable 10 (shown in FIG. 1) and the optical element 22, thereby An optical signal can pass through the optical transmission cable 10 and the optical element 22. The lens 47 may include a convex lens of a convex shape to converge and provide parallel optical signals transmitted through the optical transmission cable 10 and the optical element 22. However, the present invention It is not limited to this.

The plug assembly 4 may include a plurality of lenses 47 . The lenses 47 may be formed at positions spaced apart from each other in the first axis direction (X-axis direction). The plug assembly 4 may include the same number of lenses 47 as the optical transmission cable 10.

The lens 47 is formed convexly in a direction from the plug body 40 toward the bottom 204 of the receptacle body 20, and the optical element 22 (shown in FIG. 2) is positioned on the receptacle body 20. As the bottom surface 204 of (20) is formed to face upward (UD arrow direction), the plug assembly 4 has a reflective surface 48 inclined with respect to the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). ) may include. That is, as the optical element 22 is coupled to the receptacle body 20 to face upward (UD arrow direction), the direction of travel of the optical signal through the optical element 22 and the optical transmission cable 10 ), the direction of travel of the optical signal is not parallel. Accordingly, the plug assembly 4 includes a reflective surface 48 to align the optical signal through the optical element 22 and the optical signal through the optical transmission cable 10. The reflective surface 48 may be formed on the plug body 40 to be located in the first direction (FD arrow direction) with respect to the optical transmission cable 10.

The reflective surface 48 is for reflecting the optical signal transmitted from the optical transmission cable 10 or the optical signal transmitted from the optical element 22. The reflective surface 48 may be formed to be inclined so that its height decreases as it moves toward the first direction (FD arrow direction) based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). The included angle 481 between the reflective surface 48 and one surface 471 (shown in FIG. 15) of the plug body 40 to which the lens 47 is coupled forms an acute angle. You can. The direction of travel of the optical signal through the optical element 22 is parallel to the third axis direction (Z-axis direction), and the direction of travel of the optical signal through the optical transmission cable 10 is parallel to the second axis direction (Y-axis direction). direction), so the angle formed by each optical signal is 90°. Accordingly, the included angle 481 between the reflective surface 48 and one surface 471 of the plug body 40 may be 45°.

The lens 47 must be aligned with the optical element 22, and the optical element 22 is coupled to the receptacle body 20, so the plug body 40 to which the lens 47 is coupled One surface 471 may be located in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) with respect to the lower surface 403 (shown in FIG. 15) of the plug body 40. That is, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, in the process of inserting the plug assembly 4 into the receptacle assembly 2, the optical element 22 and the lens 47 are damaged or damaged by collision. To prevent this, the lens 47 may be formed on the one surface 471 located in the upper direction (UD arrow direction) compared to the lower surface 403.

Referring to FIG. 16, the plug assembly 4 may include a locking groove 41a.

The locking groove 41a may be formed on the protruding member 41. The locking groove 41a may be formed by being recessed from one surface of the protruding member 41 to a certain depth. One surface of the protruding member 41 is disposed to face downward (direction of arrow DD). When the plug assembly 4 includes the locking groove 41a, the cover portion 3 may include an insertion member 37 (shown in FIG. 13) formed on the cover body 30.

The insertion member 37 may be formed to protrude from the cover body 30. The insertion member 37 may be formed to protrude from the cover body 30 based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction). The insertion member 37 may be formed to protrude from the upper surface 301 of the cover body 30 in the downward direction (direction of arrow DD). The insertion member 37 may be formed on the cover body 30 to be positioned between the inner wall 202 (shown in FIG. 2) of the receptacle body 20 and the storage groove 21. The insertion member 37 may be formed to surround the coupling hole 36 together with the cover body 30, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The insertion member 37 may be inserted into the locking groove 41a or spaced apart from the locking groove 41a depending on the position of the cover body 30. When the cover body 30 is coupled to the receptacle body 20 as shown in FIG. 8B, the insertion member 37 is spaced apart from the locking groove 41a, and the cover body 30 is connected to the second receptacle body 30. As it moves in the direction (SD arrow direction), the insertion member 37 can be inserted into the locking groove 41a. Accordingly, the plug body 40 can move in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) by the protruding member 42 guided by the insertion member 37 inserted into the locking groove 41a. Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease and accuracy of the operation of disconnecting the plug body 40.

Referring to FIG. 17, the protruding member 41 is disposed in the direction of the locking groove 41a and includes a locking surface 41b that guides the movement of the insertion member 37 inserted into the locking groove 41a. can do.

The locking surface 41b may be formed so that its height based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction) increases as it moves toward the first direction (FD arrow direction). When the protruding member 41 includes the locking surface 41b, the insertion member 37 inserted into the locking groove 41a has a shape corresponding to the locking surface 41b of the protruding member 41. It may include a guide surface (37a, shown in FIG. 13) formed of .

The guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37 may be formed so that its height based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction) decreases as it moves toward the second direction (SD arrow direction). In this way, the locking surface 41b of the protruding member 41 and the guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37 are formed to have inclined surfaces corresponding to each other, so that the protruding member 41 is connected to the locking groove 41a. ) can be guided by the guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37 inserted into the upper direction (UD arrow direction). Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention can improve the ease of disengaging the plug body 40.

18 to 20, in the optical connector 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the protruding member 41 of the plug assembly 4 may be formed in plural numbers. Since the plug assembly 4 can be implemented in the same way as shown in FIGS. 1 to 17 except that the plug assembly 4 includes a plurality of protruding members 41, repetitive description is omitted. I decided to do it.

As shown in FIG. 18, the plug assembly 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention protrudes in different directions from the plug body 40 with respect to the first axis direction (X-axis direction). It may include a plurality of first protruding members 411 and 412 formed. The plug assembly 4 is positioned at a position spaced apart from the first protruding members 411 and 412 with respect to the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) with respect to the first axis direction (X-axis direction). It may include a plurality of second protruding members 413 and 414 formed to respectively protrude from the plug body 40 in different directions.

Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20 , the plug assembly 4 according to another embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a.

The locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a may be formed on the first protruding members 411 and 412 and the second protruding members 413 and 414, respectively. The locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a may be formed by being recessed from one surface of the first protruding members 411, 412 and the second protruding members 413, 414 to a certain depth. One surface of the first protruding members 411 and 412 and the second protruding members 413 and 414 is disposed to face downward (direction of arrow DD). When the plug assembly 4 includes the locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a, the cover portion 3 is formed so as to correspond to the number of the locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a. The cover body 30 may include a plurality of insertion members (not shown). Since the insertion members are the same as those described above for the insertion member 37 (shown in FIG. 13), detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 20, the first protruding members 411 and 412 and the second protruding members 413 and 414 are disposed in the direction of the locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a and 414a to form the locking grooves ( It may include guide surfaces 411b, 412b, 413b, and 414b that guide the movement of each of the insertion members inserted into 411a, 412a, 413a, and 414a.

The guide surfaces 411b, 412b, 413b, and 414b may be formed so that their height based on the third axis direction (Z-axis direction) increases as they move toward the first direction (FD arrow direction). When the first protruding members 411 and 412 and the second protruding members 413 and 414 include the guide surfaces 411b, 412b, 413b and 414b, the locking grooves 411a, 412a, 413a, Each of the insertion members inserted into 414a) may include guide surfaces (not shown) formed in shapes corresponding to the guide surfaces 411b, 412b, 413b, and 414b. Since the guide surfaces of the insertion members are the same as those described above for the guide surface 37a (shown in FIG. 13), detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, the process of releasing the cover portion 3 and the plug assembly 4 of the optical connector 1 according to the present invention will be examined in detail with reference to FIGS. 21A and 21B.

First, as shown in Figure 21a, when the cover portion 3 and the plug assembly 4 are coupled to the receptacle assembly 2, the limiting member 31 and the engaging member 42 are positioned based on the X-Y plane. Because they overlap each other, the movement of the plug assembly 4 is restricted by the limiting member 31. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 8B, since the fixing member 35 is supported by the support member 27 (shown in FIG. 7), the movement of the cover portion 3 is restricted. Accordingly, in order to release the cover part 3 and the plug assembly 4, the fixing member 35 (shown in FIG. 7) is moved upward (in the direction of the UD arrow).

Next, when the cover part 3 is moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) as shown in Figure 21b, the fixing member 35 passes through the support member 27 and is limited by the support member 27. This can be released. Then, the insertion member 37 is inserted into the insertion groove 41a, and is guided by the guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37 so that the plug assembly 4 is moved in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). As it moves, the movement restriction caused by the cover part 3 may be released. That is, as shown in FIG. 21B, as the cover part 3 moves in the second direction (SD arrow direction), the limiting member 31 and the protruding member 42 move with respect to the X-Y plane. Since they do not overlap each other, the movement of the plug assembly 4 may not be restricted, and the plug assembly is held by the guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37 and the engaging surface 41b of the protruding member 41. (4) may move in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) to be disconnected from the receptacle assembly (2).

Hereinafter, we will look in detail at a process in which the plug assembly 4 is automatically released according to the movement of the cover portion 3 of the optical connector 1 according to the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG. 22A, when the cover portion 3 and the plug assembly 4 are coupled to the receptacle assembly 2, the limiting member 31 is positioned on the locking member 42. Because it is located in , the movement of the plug assembly 4 is restricted by the limiting member 31.

In particular, when the cover part 3 and the plug assembly 4 are coupled to the receptacle assembly 2, the engaging surface 41b of the plug assembly 4 and the guide surface of the cover part 3 ( 37a) are formed to be spaced apart by a first distance (D1, shown in Figure 22a). That is, the plug assembly 4 is formed so that the engaging surface 41b and the guide surface 37a do not contact each other even when coupled to the cover part 3 and the receptacle assembly 2.

The optical connector 1 according to the present invention includes the limiting member 31 and the locking member 42 based on the X-Y plane to limit movement of the plug assembly 4 in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). Since are provided to overlap, in order to release the coupling of the plug assembly 4, the cover portion 3 is first moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction) to remove the limiting member 31 and the locking member 42. ) must be able to be released from the overlap state. However, when the cover part 3 and the plug assembly 4 are coupled to the receptacle assembly 2 and the engaging surface 41b and the guide surface 37a are formed to contact, the cover part (3) cannot move in the second direction (SD arrow direction). Therefore, the optical connector 1 according to the present invention has the engaging surface 41b and the guide surface 37a in a state in which the plug assembly 4 is coupled to the cover part 3 and the receptacle assembly 2. By being spaced apart by the first distance D1, sequential release of the plug assembly 4 is possible.

The overlapping distance between the locking member 42 and the limiting member 31 based on the second axis direction (Y-axis direction) may be defined as a second distance D2, and at this time, the locking surface 41b The first distance D1 at which the guide surface 37a and the guide surface 37a are spaced apart from each other may be set to a value greater than or equal to the second distance D2.

That is, in order to release the overlap state of the limiting member 31 and the engaging member 42, the cover part 3 moves beyond the distance where the limiting member 31 and the engaging member 42 overlap. Should be. Therefore, the first distance D1 where the engaging surface 41b and the guide surface 37a are spaced apart from each other is the second distance D2 where the limiting member 31 and the engaging member 42 overlap each other. It is formed as above.

Next, when the cover part 3 is moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction), the limiting member 31 moves so as not to overlap the upper side of the locking member 42, as shown in FIG. 22B. The movement restriction of the locking member 42 by the limiting member 31 is released. Accordingly, the plug assembly 4 is movable in the upward direction (UD arrow direction).

Next, when the cover part 3 is further moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction), the engaging surface 41b of the plug assembly 4 and the cover part 3 are separated, as shown in FIG. 22C. The guide surfaces 37a come into contact with each other.

Next, when the cover part 3 is further moved in the second direction (SD arrow direction), the engaging surface 41b of the protruding member 41 is formed to be inclined in a corresponding shape as shown in FIG. 22D. The plug assembly 4 moves in the upward direction (UD arrow direction) by the sliding motion of the guide surface 37a of the insertion member 37. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 21A, since the protruding member 41 is inserted into the insertion groove 23 (shown in FIG. 2) of the receptacle body 20, the cover portion 3 is As it moves in the second direction (SD arrow direction), a pushing force also acts on the locking surface 41b in the second direction (SD arrow direction), but the plug assembly 4 moves in the second direction (SD arrow direction). It does not move, but only moves in the upward direction (UD arrow direction). Therefore, in the optical connector 1 according to the present invention, the plug assembly 4 can be simultaneously released only by the operation of releasing the cover portion 3.

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and it is commonly known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains that various substitutions, modifications and changes can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be clear to those who have the knowledge of.

1: Optical connector 2: Receptacle assembly
3: Cover part 4: Plug assembly
20: Receptacle body 21: Storage groove
22: optical element 23: insertion groove
24: Alignment groove 25: Guide member
27: support member 30: cover body
31: limiting member 32: pressure groove
33: Guide groove 34: Through hole
35: fixing member 36: coupling hole
37: insertion member 40: plug body
41: protruding member 42: catching member
44: Open groove 45: Fixing part
46: Alignment member 47: Lens
48: reflective surface

Claims (13)

A receptacle assembly for coupling to the substrate;
a cover portion movably coupled to the receptacle assembly;
an optical element coupled to the receptacle assembly; and
A plug assembly coupled to the receptacle assembly to be movable between a first position spaced apart from the optical element and a second position connected to the optical element,
The receptacle assembly includes a receptacle body in which a receiving groove for accommodating the plug assembly is formed, and an insertion groove formed by recessing from an inner wall of the receptacle body,
The cover portion includes a cover body movably coupled to the receptacle assembly in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and an insertion member formed to protrude from the cover body,
The plug assembly includes a plug body inserted into the storage groove, a protruding member formed to protrude from the plug body and inserted into the insertion groove, and a locking groove formed in the protruding member to insert the insertion member,
The optical connector is characterized in that the insertion member is inserted into the locking groove as the cover body moves in the second direction while coupled to the receptacle assembly. According to paragraph 1,
The cover part further includes a guide surface formed on the insertion member such that its height decreases as it moves in the second direction,
The protruding member is guided by the guide surface as the cover body moves in the second direction while the plug body is located in the second position, and moves toward the upper side of the storage groove. . According to paragraph 2,
The protruding member includes a locking surface disposed in the direction of the locking groove and having a height that decreases as it moves in the second direction,
The optical connector, wherein the protruding member is guided by the guide surface and the engaging surface as the cover body moves in the second direction and moves upward of the storage groove. According to paragraph 3,
The plug assembly further includes a locking member formed to protrude from the plug body at a position spaced apart from the protruding member,
The cover portion further includes a limiting member supporting a locking member located at the second position so that the plug assembly is fixed at the second position. According to paragraph 4,
An optical connector, wherein the locking member and the protruding member are formed to protrude from the plug body in a first axis direction and are spaced apart from each other in a second axis direction perpendicular to the first axis direction. According to clause 5,
The engaging surface and the guide surface are formed to be spaced apart by a first distance based on the second axis direction when the cover body moves in the first direction and is coupled to the receptacle assembly. According to clause 6,
The distance at which the engaging member and the limiting member overlap with respect to the second axis direction is the second distance,
An optical connector, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to the second distance. According to paragraph 4,
The optical connector is characterized in that the locking member is inserted into a spaced groove between the limiting member and the bottom of the receptacle body as the plug body moves from the first position to the second position. According to clause 8,
The limiting member is connected to the locking member while the plug body is located in the first position and is pressed toward the outside of the storage groove by the locking member, and the plug body is positioned in the second position in the first position. The optical connector is characterized in that the pressure is released as it moves to the position and is located above the locking member. According to paragraph 1,
The receptacle assembly further includes a guide member formed to protrude from the receptacle body,
The cover portion further includes a guide groove formed through the cover body to insert the guide member,
The optical connector is characterized in that the cover body is guided by the guide member inserted into the guide groove and moves in the first direction and the second direction. According to clause 10,
The guide groove includes a first guide groove and a second guide groove,
The first guide groove is located in the first direction with respect to the second guide groove,
An optical connector, wherein the lower surface of the first guide groove is formed at a lower position than the lower surface of the second guide groove. According to clause 11,
A movement auxiliary surface is formed between the first guide groove and the second guide groove, connecting the lower surface of the first guide groove and the lower surface of the second guide groove,
An optical connector, wherein the movement auxiliary surface is formed to increase in height as it moves toward the second direction. According to paragraph 1,
The receptacle assembly further includes an alignment groove formed in the receiving groove for optical alignment between the optical element and the plug assembly,
The plug assembly further includes an alignment member that is formed to protrude downward from the plug body and is inserted into the alignment groove,
The optical connector is characterized in that the alignment member is inserted into the alignment groove as the plug body moves from the first position to the second position.

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