TWI733505B - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an optical connector that can be locked and unlocked without using the elastic deformation of the member. The optical connector includes a shell, a locking member, and an unlocking member. The locking member has a first extension, a second extension, and a rotating shaft. The second extension is provided with a latch for engaging with other members. The first extension and the second extension are connected by the rotation shaft, and are installed in the shell with the rotation shaft as the rotation center. The unlocking member can move relative to the shell. By moving the unlocking member relative to the shell, the first extension and the second extension are rotated with the rotation shaft as the rotation center, so that the latch moves to selectively switch the locked state and unlocked state.

Description

Connector

The present invention relates to a connector that can be easily locked and released with an adapter or a module.

When connecting an optical fiber to an adapter or module, use a connector that can lock and release the connection state. For example, a housing is disclosed that includes a lock lever, the lock lever is provided with a locked portion that is locked in a fitted state with the opposite side, and a connector composed of a combination of the housing and a sliding cover that can slide on the housing. The sliding cover is slidable on the housing and has an operating part extending in the detaching direction. If the operating part is operated in the detaching direction, the abutting part contacts the operated part of the lock lever and the operated part is elastically deformed to unlock the lock (Patent Document 1). [Prior technical literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-173173.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional technology, since the elastic deformation of the operated part of the lock lever is used, when the locking and unlocking of the connector are repeated, plastic deformation gradually occurs, and there is a risk that the locking or unlocking cannot be reliably performed. [Means to solve the problem]

One aspect of the present invention is a connector that includes a housing, a locking member, and an unlocking member. The locking member has a first extension, a second extension, and a rotating shaft. The second extension is provided with other components. For the latch to be engaged, the first extension part and the second extension part are connected by a rotating shaft, and are installed on the housing with the rotating shaft as the center of rotation. The unlocking member is configured to move relative to the housing, by unlocking The member moves relative to the housing, and rotates the first extension portion and the aforementioned second extension portion with the rotation axis as the rotation center, thereby moving the latch to selectively switch the locked state and the unlocked state.

Here, it is preferable that the unlocking member has a handle portion, a storage groove, a position regulating portion, and an operation protrusion. The position regulating portion is formed into a shape that can be attached to the housing, and the handle portion faces the side of the position regulating portion inserted into the housing. The opposite side of the lock member extends and protrudes, and the storage groove is provided in the handle portion. By relatively moving the unlocking member toward the side opposite to the side inserted into the housing, the operating protrusion abuts against the abutting portion of the lock member and rotates the shaft The locking member is rotated for the center of rotation, and the latch shifts from the locked state to the unlocked state. [Effects of Invention]

With the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector that can be locked and unlocked without using the elastic deformation of the member.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1 and the exploded perspective view of FIG. 2, the optical connector 100 in the embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 10, a ferrule 20, a locking member 30 and an unlocking member 40.

The optical connector 100 is used to install an optical fiber at, for example, the ferrule 20, so that it is inserted into and fitted into the mounting hole of the adapter or module on the opposite side to form an optical type with the optical fiber on the opposite side. Combine. However, the application field of the optical connector 100 is not limited to the combination of optical fibers.

In addition, FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing the structure when the housing 10, the ferrule 20, the locking member 30, and the unlocking member 40 in the optical connector 100 are combined. FIG. 3 shows a state (locked state) when the optical connector 100 is installed on the adapter or module on the opposite side and locked. FIG. 4 shows the unlocked state (unlocked state) when the optical connector 100 is removed from the adapter or module on the opposite side.

The housing 10 is provided with a receiving groove 11 penetrated to the inside along the axis. In this embodiment, two ferrules 20 are provided. The ferrule 20 is provided on each side of the left and right sides of the accommodating groove 11 so as to protrude from the front end of the housing 10 in parallel with the axis.

The locking member 30 includes a first extension portion 31, a second extension portion 32, a rotating shaft 33, a contact portion 34 and a latch 35. The first extension portion 31 and the second extension portion 32 are connected to both sides of the rotating shaft 33. That is, the first extension portion 31 and the second extension portion 32 are connected in a continuous manner, and the rotating shaft 33 is provided so as to protrude from the middle portion toward both sides. In addition, a groove having an abutting portion 34 inclined from the rotation shaft 33 toward the latch 35 is provided in the middle portion of the second extension portion 32.

The locking member 30 is incorporated in the housing 10. Specifically, the locking member 30 is arranged in the receiving groove 11 provided in the housing 10. The locking member 30 is arranged in the receiving groove 11 of the housing 10 so as to be rotatable with the rotating shaft 33 as the central axis. That is, with the rotating shaft 33 as the central axis, when the first extension portion 31 is pressed, the latch 35 is pushed up, and when the first extension portion 31 is pushed up, the latch 35 is pressed down.

The unlocking member 40 includes a handle portion 41, a storage groove 42, a position regulating portion 43, and an operation protrusion portion 44. The position regulating portion 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to accommodate the housing 10 combined with the locking member 30. In this embodiment, the outer shape of the housing 10 is formed in a rectangular shape, and therefore the position regulating portion 43 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape that is fitted to the housing 10.

The handle portion 41 is extended from the rear end of the position regulating portion 43. The handle 41 functions as a part for the user to operate when the optical connector 100 is installed and removed as an opposing adapter or module. The handle 41 is used to move the unlocking member 40 relative to the housing 10, thereby selectively switching between pushing the housing 10 into the locked state of the unlocking member 40 (FIG. 3) and unlocking the housing 10 when the unlocking member 40 is pulled out. Status (Figure 4).

The inside of the handle portion 41 is formed as a hollow storage groove 42. In the hollow storage groove 42, there is provided an operation for contacting the abutment portion 34 of the locking member 30 when the housing 10 and the unlocking member 40 slide to move from the locked state (FIG. 3) to the unlocked state (FIG. 4) Protruding part 44.

In the state in which the unlocking member 40 is installed in the housing 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 and the unlocking member 40 is moved to the position in the locked state (FIG. 3), the operating protrusion 44 presses the latch After the lock 35 rotates clockwise with the rotation shaft 33 as an axis and moves slightly downward by the latch 35, the operating protrusion 44 is accommodated in the contact portion 34 by the latch 35. At the same time, the protruding portion 411 of the hollow storage groove 42 constituting the handle portion 41 presses the first extension portion 31, and the locking member 30 rotates counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 33 again to become as shown in FIG. 3 Locked state.

That is, when the optical connector 100 is installed on the adapter or the module on the opposite side, the latch 35 can be locked on the side of the adapter or the module by the sequence shown above. The locking portion is formed into a locked state (Figure 3), and the optical connector 100 is mounted on the adapter or the module.

On the other hand, when the unlocking member 40 is moved from the locked state (FIG. 3) to the unlocked state (FIG. 4 ), if the unlocking member 40 is stretched and moved toward the first extension portion 31 side (the left direction in FIG. 3 ), The operating protrusion 44 abuts on the abutting portion 34 of the lock member 30 and rotates the lock member 30 in a clockwise direction with the rotation shaft 33 as an axis. At this time, due to the relationship of the unlocking member 40 moving to the left, the protrusion 411 does not abut on the first extension portion 31, so the rotation shaft 33 can be used as a shaft to rotate the locking member 30. If the unlocking member 40 continues to move, the latch 35 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 11, the locked state is released, and it becomes an unlocked state (FIG. 4). At this time, the first extension portion 31 is accommodated in the storage groove 42 of the unlocking member 40.

In addition, when the locked state is released and becomes the unlocked state, the unlocking member 40 is further stretched and moved (moved to the left in the drawing), whereby the optical connector 100 can be detached from the adapter or the module.

As described above, it is possible to form the optical connector 100 that does not need to elastically deform the locking member 30, and rotates the latch 35 with the rotating shaft 33 as the rotating shaft, whereby the locked state and the unlocked state can be selectively shifted.

However, the configuration of the optical connector 100 can also be changed as appropriate. For example, it is also possible to change the arrangement of the abutment portion 34 in the lock member 30 and the operation protrusion 44 in the unlock member 40, so that the rotation shaft 33 is used as a rotation axis and the first extension portion 31 is moved from the lower side in the unlocked state. The locking member 30 is pushed to rotate, and the abutting portion 34 and the operating protrusion 44 are provided. In addition, the arrangement of the first extension portion 31 in the locking member 30 and the protrusion portion 411 in the unlocking member 40 can be changed so that the rotation shaft 33 is used as a rotation axis and the second extension portion 32 is moved from the lower side in the locked state. By pushing and rotating the locking member 30, the first extension portion 31 and the protrusion portion 411 are provided. In addition, if the latch 35 is rotated with the rotating shaft 33 as the rotating shaft, the locked state and the unlocked state can be selectively shifted by this structure, and other structures may be adopted.

In addition, for example, in the optical connector 100, the ferrule 20 is configured by two arrangements, and the number of the ferrules 20 can also be changed, and the arrangement can also be changed. In addition, for example, in the optical connector 100, the accommodating groove 11 and the locking member 30 are arranged between the two ferrules 20, but they may be arranged in the lateral direction of one ferrule 20, or may be arranged in other positions.

In addition, in this embodiment, the optical connector 100 is formed as an optical fiber attached to the ferrule 20, but the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to a connector to an optical fiber. For example, it may be formed as a connector in which electrical wiring is installed on the ferrule 20.

10: Shell 11: Containment Ditch 20: ferrule 30: Locking member 31: The first extension 32: second extension 33: Rotation axis 34: Buttress 35: Latch 40: Unlock the component 41: Handle 42: Storage Ditch 43: Location Regulation Department 44: Operation protrusion 100: Optical connector 411: protruding part

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of the optical connector in the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the optical connector in the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the locked state of the optical connector in the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the unlocked state of the optical connector in the embodiment of the present invention.

10: Shell

11: Containment Ditch

20: ferrule

30: Locking member

31: The first extension

32: second extension

33: Rotation axis

34: Buttress

35: Latch

40: Unlock the component

41: Handle

42: Storage Ditch

43: Location Regulation Department

44: Operation protrusion

100: Optical connector

411: protruding part

Claims (1)

A connector includes: a housing, a locking member, and an unlocking member; the locking member has a first extension, a second extension, and a rotating shaft. The second extension is provided with A latch for engaging with other components, the first extension part and the second extension part are connected by the rotation shaft, and are installed on the housing with the rotation shaft as the center of rotation; the unlocking member is configured as The housing can be moved relatively; by moving the unlocking member relative to the housing, the first extension portion and the second extension portion are rotated with the rotation axis as the center of rotation, thereby moving the latch and Selectively switch between the locked state and the unlocked state; wherein the unlocking member has: a handle portion, a storage groove, a position regulating portion, and an operating protrusion; the position regulating portion is formed in a shape capable of mounting the housing The handle portion is protruding toward an opposite side of the side of the position regulation portion that is inserted into the housing; the storage groove is provided in the handle portion; by the unlocking member toward the side inserted into the housing The opposite side moves relatively, the operating protrusion abuts against an abutting portion of the locking member, and the locking member is rotated with the rotating shaft as the center of rotation, and the latch shifts from the locked state to the unlocked state.

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