WO2012124620A1

WO2012124620A1 - Optical connector

Info

Publication number: WO2012124620A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/056070
Authority: WO
Inventors: 鈴木　等; 小林　武
Original assignee: 三菱鉛筆株式会社
Priority date: 2011-03-17
Filing date: 2012-03-09
Publication date: 2012-09-20
Also published as: TW201250312A; JP2012194410A; JP5705602B2

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical connector capable of positioning a collimator lens and an optical fiber with a high degree of accuracy without a cumbersome assembly process. The optical connector is provided with a metal-made holding member (11) which has a compartment formed at one end for receiving a collimator lens (12) and has an insertion hole formed at the other end into which an optical fiber (13) is inserted, a resin joint (14) which has a first insertion hole formed at one end into which said holding member (11) is inserted and has a second insertion hole formed at the other end into which said optical fiber (13) is inserted, and a chuck (15) which has a gripper for said optical fiber (13) and is inserted into a through-hole of said resin joint (14), wherein positioning is performed by at least one of said collimator lens (12) and the end face of said optical fiber (13) coming into contact with a depressed portion formed near the compartment of said holding member (11) while said optical fiber (13) is fixed with said gripper by said chuck (15) which was inserted into said through-hole being elastically deformed inwardly in a radial direction.

Description

Optical connector

The present invention relates to an optical connector using an optical collimator.

In a case where an optical fiber and various optical devices are coupled using an optical connector, a technique for improving coupling efficiency using a lens has been proposed, and an optical collimator for coupling one or a plurality of optical fibers is applied.

In such an optical collimator, it is necessary to position the end face of the optical fiber and the collimator lens. Conventionally, as a method of positioning the end face of the optical fiber and the collimator lens, a method of inserting a separate spacer into the holding member is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-244104 A

Optical connectors used for applications that combine optical fibers with various optical devices have small dimensions on the shape surface, and maintain the positional relationship between the optical fiber and the collimator lens even if the device is repeatedly inserted and removed. Is required.

However, as in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when separate parts are used for positioning the end face of the optical fiber and the collimator lens, there are problems that the number of parts increases and the assembly process becomes complicated. Further, the operation of inserting another part into the holding member becomes more difficult as the size of the optical connector becomes smaller, and there is a problem that the cost required for the operation increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an optical connector capable of aligning a collimator lens and an optical fiber with high accuracy without requiring a complicated assembly process.

The optical connector of the present invention has a metal holding member in which a receiving portion for receiving a collimator lens is formed at one end, an insertion hole into which an optical fiber is inserted is formed at the other end, and the holding member is inserted at one end. A resin joint having a second insertion hole into which the optical fiber is inserted at the other end, a gripping portion for the optical fiber, and a through hole of the resin joint. An optical connector comprising: a chuck to be inserted, wherein positioning is performed by bringing at least one of the collimator lens and the end face of the optical fiber into contact with a depressed portion formed in the vicinity of the holding portion of the holding member At the same time, the chuck inserted into the through hole is elastically deformed radially inward to fix the optical fiber by the grip portion.

According to the optical connector, the collimator lens and / or the optical fiber are positioned with reference to the depressed portion since the collimator lens and the optical fiber are positioned in contact with the depressed portion provided in the holding member. Therefore, it is possible to improve the working efficiency compared to the case where another part is inserted into the holding member as in the prior art, and to easily position the collimator lens and the optical fiber while suppressing an increase in cost. Can be performed. Further, since the chuck inserted into the through hole of the resin joint is elastically deformed inward in the radial direction, the optical fiber is fixed by the grip portion, so that the positioned optical fiber can be firmly fixed. As a result, the collimator lens and the optical fiber can be aligned with high accuracy without requiring a complicated assembly process.

For example, in the optical connector, the chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a front end portion in an insertion direction with respect to the through hole is provided with a smaller diameter than a rear end portion, and a slit is provided along the insertion direction. It is conceivable that the optical fiber is fixed by the grip portion by abutting with a taper surface provided on the inner wall and elastically deforming radially inward. In this case, the chuck can be deformed simply by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint, and the optical fiber can be fixed by the gripping part accordingly, so that the optical connector can be easily assembled. It becomes possible.

In the optical connector, the chuck has a cylindrical shape formed of an elastic material, and abuts on the inner wall of the through hole and elastically deforms radially inward to fix the optical fiber at the grip portion. It may be. In this case, the chuck can be deformed simply by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint, and the optical fiber can be fixed by the gripping part accordingly, so that the optical connector can be easily assembled. It becomes possible. In particular, since the chuck is formed of an elastic material, it is not necessary to provide a configuration such as a slit for elastic deformation, and the cost required for manufacturing the chuck can be reduced.

In the optical connector, the chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion are connected in the insertion direction with respect to the through hole, and a slit is provided along the insertion direction. The outer surface of the diameter portion may contact the inner wall of the through hole and elastically deform inward in the radial direction, whereby the optical fiber may be fixed by the grip portion provided on the inner surface of the small diameter portion. In this case, the chuck can be deformed simply by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint, and the optical fiber can be fixed by the gripping part accordingly, so that the optical connector can be easily assembled. It becomes possible. In addition, since the optical fiber can be held by the grip portion provided on the inner surface of the small diameter portion different from the large diameter portion that is in contact with the through hole of the resin joint, it is possible to prevent an excessive pressing force from being applied to the optical fiber. It becomes possible to fix the optical fiber without damaging it.

Furthermore, in the optical connector, the chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion are connected in the insertion direction with respect to the through hole, and a plurality of chucks are provided in the large diameter portion along the insertion direction. A slit is provided, and the outer surface of the large-diameter portion abuts against the inner wall of the through hole and elastically deforms radially inward, thereby fixing the optical fiber with the grip portion provided on the inner surface of the large-diameter portion. You may do it. In this case, the chuck can be deformed simply by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint, and the optical fiber can be fixed by the gripping part accordingly, so that the optical connector can be easily assembled. It becomes possible. In addition, since a plurality of slits are provided in the large-diameter portion, when the large-diameter portion is elastically deformed radially inward, it is possible to hold the optical fiber evenly by applying force to the optical fiber, thereby stabilizing the optical fiber. It becomes possible to fix in the state.

The optical connector may include a presser piece that contacts the end of the chuck and fixes the chuck. In this case, the chuck can be prevented from being displaced by fixing the chuck with the pressing piece, so that the optical fiber can be fixed securely.

The optical connector preferably includes a cover that covers the second insertion hole and the optical fiber exposed from the second insertion hole. In this case, by fixing the chuck and the optical fiber by the cover, it is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the chuck and the optical fiber, so that the optical fiber can be securely fixed.

In the optical connector, it is preferable that a plurality of convex portions are provided in a portion of the cover that covers the optical fiber. In this case, since the jacket can be held by a part of the cover, the jacket covering the optical fiber can be effectively fixed without increasing the number of parts.

In the optical connector, it is preferable to provide an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion on the device side when connected to the device on the outer periphery of the resin joint. In this case, the engaged portion provided in a part of the resin joint can prevent the optical connector inserted in the device from being displaced, so that the connection between the optical connector and the device can be improved. Become.

In the above optical connector, it is preferable to provide an annular projecting flange on the outer periphery of the resin joint so that it can be inserted into the connection position with respect to the device. In this case, since the flange can be inserted to the connection position with respect to the device, the optical connector can be positioned at a predetermined position in the device.

According to the present invention, the collimator lens and the optical fiber can be aligned with high accuracy without requiring a complicated assembly process.

It is a sectional side view which shows typically the state which connected the optical connector which concerns on this invention to the device. It is a sectional side view of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the resin joint in 1st Embodiment. It is (a) perspective view of the chuck | zipper in 1st Embodiment, (b) It is side sectional drawing. It is a side view of the optical collimator in a 1st embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view within a two-dot chain line B shown in FIG. 6. It is explanatory drawing which shows the assembly process of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the assembly process of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the assembly process of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the assembly process of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the assembly process of the optical connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the optical connector which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is the (a) perspective view of the chuck | zipper in 2nd Embodiment, (b) It is a sectional side view. It is a sectional side view of the optical connector which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is the (a) perspective view and (b) side sectional view of the chuck in a 3rd embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the optical connector which concerns on 4th Embodiment. It is the (a) perspective view of the chuck | zipper in 4th Embodiment, (b) It is a sectional side view.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, a state where the optical connector according to the present invention is connected to a device will be described. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view schematically showing a state in which an optical connector according to the present invention is connected to a device. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, a device including a light receiving / light emitting element will be described. However, the configuration of the device is not limited to this and can be appropriately changed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a device 100 to which an optical connector 10 according to the present invention is connected has a light receiving / light emitting element 101 disposed inside a case 102 and is not shown on the optical axis of the light receiving / light emitting element 101. The condensing lens 103 and the oblique polishing surface 104 supported by the supporting means are arranged. An opening 105 for inserting the optical connector 10 is provided on the side surface of the case 102 of the device 100.

In the device 100, the laser light emitted from the light emitting element 101 is reflected by the oblique polishing surface 104 through the condenser lens 103 and guided to the opening 105. The light reflected by the oblique polishing surface 104 is collected by the collimator lens 12 of the optical connector 10 and enters the optical fiber 13. Then, the incident light propagates in the optical fiber 13. In FIG. 1, the optical path of the laser light emitted from the light emitting element 101 is indicated by a dotted line.

In the device 100, the light propagating through the optical fiber 13 is collimated by passing through the collimator lens 12. The laser light emitted from the optical fiber 13 is reflected by the oblique polishing surface 104 and guided to the light receiving element 101 via the condenser lens 103. In FIG. 1, the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber 13 is indicated by a dotted line.

In the device 100 according to the present embodiment, when the optical connector 10 is inserted to a predetermined position in the case 102, the laser light transmitted between the light receiving / light emitting element 101 and the optical fiber 13 is reflected by the condenser lens 103 and the oblique direction. It is designed so that it can enter and exit appropriately through the polishing surface 104. Hereinafter, the configuration of the optical connector 10 according to the present invention connected to such a device 100 will be described.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical connector 10 is provided at a holder 11 as a holding member having a generally cylindrical shape, a collimator lens 12 held at one end of the holder 11, and the other end of the holder 11. Optical fiber 13 inserted through insertion hole 11a, resin joint 14 holding holder 11 and optical fiber 13, chuck 15 for fixing optical fiber 13, cover 16 covering resin joint 14 and chuck 15, and optical fiber 13, and a metal member 18 having a generally cylindrical shape for fixing the jacket 17. In the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, a plastic optical fiber is preferably inserted as the optical fiber 13.

The holder 11, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 constitute an optical collimator 10a. Details of the optical collimator 10a will be described later.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the resin joint 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the resin joint 14 has a generally cylindrical shape, and an insertion hole 14 a into which the holder 11 is inserted is provided at one end of the through hole along the longitudinal direction of the resin joint 14. Is provided with an opening 14b into which the optical fiber 13 is inserted. The insertion hole 14a constitutes a first insertion hole, and the opening 14b constitutes a second insertion hole. A flange 14 c is provided near the center of the resin joint 14. In the resin joint 14, a portion from the flange 14c to the insertion hole 14a is referred to as a first cylindrical portion 14d, and a portion from the flange 14c to the opening portion 14b is referred to as a second cylindrical portion 14e. The engaged portion 14f is provided in the center of the first cylindrical portion 14d in a groove shape. The first cylindrical portion 14d is configured to have a smaller diameter than the second cylindrical portion 14e.

In addition, a positioning portion 14g is provided at the boundary between the flange 14c and the second cylindrical portion 14e in the through hole of the resin joint 14, and a grip region 14h and an opening portion are provided in a portion of the second cylindrical portion 14e adjacent to the flange 14c. A tapered region 14i is provided in a portion adjacent to 14b. Here, the inner diameter from the positioning portion 14 g to the insertion hole 14 a is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the holder 11, and the inner diameter of the gripping region 14 h is configured to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the optical fiber 13. The inner diameter of the tapered region 14i is configured to have a tapered shape that decreases as it goes from the opening 14b side to the flange 14c side. Further, in the vicinity of the opening 14b in the tapered region 14i, a notch 14j is provided along the inner periphery thereof.

The outer diameter of the flange 14c is configured to be larger than the inner diameter of the opening 105 in the device 100 to which the optical connector 10 is connected. Therefore, when the optical connector 10 is inserted into the device 100, the flange 14 c is always inserted into the device 100, and the optical connector 10 can be positioned at a predetermined position in the case 102. Further, the engaged portion 14f of the resin joint 14 is engaged with an engaging portion 105a provided on the inner periphery of the opening 105 in the device 100 (see FIG. 1), so that the position of the optical connector 10 inserted into the device 100 is reached. It is provided in order to prevent misalignment and improve the connection between the optical connector 10 and the device 100.

4A is a perspective view of the chuck 15, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the chuck 15 has a front end in the insertion direction with respect to the tapered region 14i in the through hole of the resin joint 14 (lower left side in FIG. 4A), and a rear end (upper right in FIG. 4A). And a slit 15a is provided along the insertion direction with respect to the tapered region 14i. The chuck 15 is provided with a locking portion 15b on the outer periphery in the vicinity of the rear end portion in the insertion direction with respect to the tapered region 14i, and a flange 15c on the outer periphery of the rear end portion. Further, an optical fiber gripping portion 15 d is provided on the inner periphery on the front end side of the chuck 15. The inner diameter of the optical fiber gripping portion 15 d is configured to be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the optical fiber 13. The chuck 15 is only required to exhibit elasticity in terms of structure, and as a material, resin, rubber, elastomer, metal, or the like can be used.

The cover 16 is provided to prevent the chuck 15 inserted into the resin joint 14 from coming out. As shown in FIG. 2, the second cylindrical portion 14 e and the opening 14 b of the resin joint 14 and the resin joint 14 are provided. A part of the optical fiber 13 exposed from the opening 14b is covered. The second cylindrical portion 14e to which the cover 16 is attached has substantially the same diameter as the flange 14c. In addition, a jacket holding portion 16b in which a plurality of convex portions 16a are provided at intervals is formed on the outer periphery of the portion of the cover 16 that covers the optical fiber 13.

The jacket 17 is formed of, for example, an elastic material or a tensile fiber, and covers the entire optical fiber 13 along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 13 exposed from the jacket holding portion 16b of the cover 16 or the cover 16. The jacket 17 and the optical fiber 13 are not in close contact with each other and are mounted with a gap. Therefore, even if the jacket 17 is pulled, no force is applied to the optical fiber 13, and disconnection of the optical fiber 13 can be prevented.

The metal member 18 has slits formed in a zigzag shape in the longitudinal direction. The metal member 18 is fixed so as to cover the jacket 17 attached to the jacket holding portion 16 b of the cover 16.

Subsequently, the optical collimator 10a composed of the holder 11, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 used in the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a side view of the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG.

The holder 11 is formed of, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel. In particular, from the viewpoint of workability, the holder 11 is preferably formed of austenitic stainless steel. As shown in FIG. 6, an opening 11 b is provided at the end of the holder 11 on the collimator lens 12 side. A housing portion 11c for housing the collimator lens 12 is provided inside the opening portion 11b. In order to prevent damage to the surface of the collimator lens 12, the accommodating portion 11c is provided with a size that allows the entire collimator lens 12 to be accommodated therein, and the collimator lens 12 can be press-fitted. In addition, a through hole 11 d having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the optical fiber 13 is provided inside the holder 11. The through hole 11d communicates with the insertion hole 11a and is provided in communication with the accommodating portion 11c. Furthermore, the holder 11 is provided with a plurality of depressions 11e formed by pressing from the outer peripheral portion with a tool or the like. These depressed portions 11e are provided between the accommodating portion 11c and the through hole 11d, and are used for positioning the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 as will be described in detail later.

The collimator lens 12 is made of, for example, a glass material, and is composed of a ball lens having a spherical shape. As shown in FIG. 6, the collimator lens 12 is disposed so as to face the distal end portion of the optical fiber 13 inserted into the through hole 11 d in the state of being accommodated in the accommodating portion 11 c of the holder 11.

The optical fiber 13 includes a core 13a provided through the center thereof, a clad 13b that covers the core 13a, and a reinforcing layer 13c that covers and reinforces the clad 13b. On the end face of the optical fiber 13 facing the collimator lens 12, the core 13a, the clad 13b and the reinforcing layer 13c are arranged on the same plane. That is, the core 13a, the clad 13b, and the reinforcing layer 13c are arranged on the end face facing the collimator lens 12.

Further, the optical fiber 13 is inserted into the through hole 11d through the insertion hole 11a, and is fixed in a state where the tip portion thereof is disposed in the vicinity of the collimator lens 12 so as to face the spherical surface.

In the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment, the optical fiber 13 is composed of, for example, a graded index (GI) optical fiber so that the refractive index continuously changes in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis. It is configured. The core 13a and the cladding 13b are made of, for example, an all-fluorine-substituted optical resin in which H of C—H bond is substituted with F. Thus, high-speed and large-capacity communication can be realized by configuring the optical fiber 13 with a perfluorinated optical resin and a GI-type optical fiber.

In the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment having such a configuration, the holder 11 is provided to easily position the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 while suppressing an increase in cost. The depressed portion 11e is used. Specifically, by positioning the collimator lens 12 and part of the optical fiber 13 in contact with the depressed portion 11e provided in the holder 11, the configuration of these positioning spacers and the like is unnecessary, and the cost is reduced. It is possible to easily position the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 while suppressing the rise of the above.

Here, the positioning method of the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 in the holder 11 of the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a diagram within the two-dot chain line B shown in FIG. FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, a part of the collimator lens 12 abuts against a portion of the depressed portion 11 e that faces the collimator lens 12, while an optical fiber 13 is configured at a portion that faces the optical fiber 13. The clad 13b or the reinforcing layer 13c other than the core 13a, or a part of the clad 13b and the reinforcing layer 13c abut. The collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are each positioned at a predetermined position of the holder 11 in such a state of contact.

As shown in FIG. 7, the depressed portion 11e is a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction of the optical fiber 13 (for example, a plane C that is arranged in parallel with the end surface of the optical fiber 13 shown in FIG. 7 and passes through the center of the depressed portion 11e. ), The angle of the portion facing the collimator lens 12 and the angle of the portion facing the optical fiber 13 are different from each other. Such a depressed portion 11e is provided by, for example, pressing using a tapered tool having a different tip shape. By pressing with such a tool, the depressed portion 11e is different from the angle of the portion facing the collimator lens 12 and the angle of the portion facing the optical fiber 13 with reference to the central axis at the time of pressing. By setting the angle, it is possible to effectively position the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 having different shapes.

Further, in the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment, a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of such depressed portions 11e are provided on the same circumference of the holder 11. The formation of the depressed portion 11e on the same circumference can be considered, for example, by simultaneously pressing the outer circumference of the holder 11 with the tool having the different tip shape described above. By providing the plurality of depressions 11e on the same circumference as described above, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 can be brought into contact with each other at a plurality of positions, so that the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 can be more accurately arranged. Positioning can be performed.

Portion facing the collimator lens 12 in the recess 11e constitutes an inclined surface 11e _1. The inclined surface 11e ₁ is a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction of the optical fiber 13 indicated by an arrow in FIG. 7 (for example, is disposed in parallel with the end surface of the optical fiber 13 shown in FIG. 7, and passes through the base end of the depressed portion 11e. angle theta ₁ with respect to the plane D) which is provided so as to be 0 ° to 45 °. Thus, by setting the angle θ ₁ of the inclined surface 11e ₁ on the collimator lens 12 side to 0 ° or more and 45 ° or less with respect to the plane D orthogonal to the insertion direction of the optical fiber 13, the optical fiber 13 in the collimator lens 12 is set. Since it can position in the state which supported a part of side, the positional accuracy of the collimator lens 12 can be improved.

Meanwhile, the portion facing the optical fiber 13 in the recess 11e constitutes an inclined surface 11e _2. The inclined surface 11e ₂ has an angle θ ₂ with respect to a plane orthogonal to the insertion direction of the optical fiber 13 (for example, a plane E arranged parallel to the end face of the optical fiber 13 shown in FIG. 7) of 0 ° or more and 20 ° or less. It is provided as follows. Thus, by providing the angle of the inclined surface 11e ₂ to 0 ° or more and 20 ° or less with respect to the plane E, the optical fiber 13 has the core 13a, the clad 13b, and the reinforcing layer 13c on the same plane as described above. In the case where the optical fiber 13 is arranged, the end face of the optical fiber 13 is brought into contact with the depressed portion 11e, so that the positional accuracy can be easily ensured.

As described above, in the optical collimator 10a according to the first embodiment, a part of the collimator lens 12 and a part of the optical fiber 13 are brought into contact with the depressed portion 11e provided in the holder 11 for positioning. As a result, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 can be positioned with reference to the depressed portion 11e, so that the working efficiency can be improved as compared with the case where another part is inserted into the holder 11 as in the prior art. It is possible to easily position the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 while suppressing an increase in cost.

Subsequently, an assembly process of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12 are explanatory views sequentially showing the assembly process of the optical connector 10. The assembly process of the optical connector 10 includes the step (a) of press-fitting the holder 11 into the resin joint 14, the step (b) of inserting the optical fiber 13, the step (c) of inserting the chuck 15, and the mounting of the cover 16. A step (d), a step (e) for mounting the jacket 17, and a step (f) for mounting the metal member 18. Hereinafter, each step will be described in detail.

[Step (a)]
First, as shown in FIG. 8, the holder 11 is press-fitted from the insertion hole 14 a of the resin joint 14. The collimator lens 12 is positioned and accommodated in the accommodating portion 11c of the holder 11 while being in contact with the depressed portion 11e. The holder 11 press-fitted from the insertion hole 14a stops when the insertion hole 11a of the holder 11 comes into contact with the positioning portion 14g. At this time, the holder 11 is positioned at a predetermined position.

[Step (b)]
Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the optical fiber 13 is inserted from the opening 14 b of the resin joint 14. The optical fiber 13 is guided by the inner diameter of the resin joint 14 and reaches the insertion hole 11a of the holder 11, and is guided by the inner diameter of the holder 11 and reaches the depressed portion 11e. The insertion operation ends when the optical fiber 13 comes into contact with the depressed portion 11e. At this time, the optical fiber 13 is positioned at a predetermined position.

[Step (c)]
Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the chuck 15 is inserted into the opening 14 b of the resin joint 14 from the front end side with a small diameter and pushed. The chuck 15 stops when the front end portion of the chuck 15 comes into contact with the boundary between the tapered region 14 i and the gripping region 14 h of the resin joint 14. At this time, the flange 15 c of the chuck 15 engages with a notch portion 14 j provided in the tapered region 14 i of the resin joint 14, and an end portion thereof does not protrude from the end surface of the resin joint 14. Further, the locking portion 15 b of the chuck 15 is engaged with the inner peripheral surface of the resin joint 14 by elastically deforming the inner peripheral surface of the resin joint 14. As a result, the chuck 15 is less likely to fall off the resin joint 14. The slit 15a of the chuck 15 is tightened as the taper region 14i of the resin joint 14 is advanced, and the optical fiber 13 is gripped and fixed at the optical fiber gripping portion 15d of the chuck 15 by elastic deformation of the chuck 15 radially inward. .

[Step (d)]
Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the cover 16 is attached so as to cover the second cylindrical portion 14e and the opening 14b of the resin joint 14 and a part of the optical fiber 13 exposed from the opening 14b. By fixing the chuck 15 and the optical fiber 13 with the cover 16, it is possible to prevent the positional deviation of the chuck 15 and the optical connector 13, and it is possible to securely fix the optical fiber 13.

[Step (e)]
Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the jacket 17 is attached so as to cover the entire optical fiber 13 along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 13 exposed from the jacket holding portion 16 b or the cover 16 of the cover 16. Since the jacket 17 is fixed to the jacket holding portion 16b by the convex portion 16a provided on the jacket holding portion 16b of the cover 16, the jacket 17 covering the optical fiber 13 can be effectively fixed without increasing the number of parts. Is possible.

[Step (f)]
Finally, the optical member 10 shown in FIG. 2 is obtained by attaching the metal member 18 so as to cover the jacket 17 attached to the jacket holding portion 16b of the cover 16. The metal member 18 can be mounted by widening the slit of the metal member 18 to sandwich the cover 16 and the jacket 17 and then closing the slit of the metal member 18. The metal member 18 is mounted to secure the cover 16 and the jacket 17 more securely. However, the cover 16 may be fixed by bonding the cover 16 itself to the resin joint 14 or the optical fiber 13 with an adhesive.

As described above, in the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, a part of the collimator lens 12 and a part of the optical fiber 13 are brought into contact with the depressed portion 11e provided in the holder 11 for positioning. As a result, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 can be positioned with reference to the depressed portion 11e, so that the working efficiency is improved as compared with the case where another part is inserted into the holder 11 as in the prior art. It is possible to easily position the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 while suppressing an increase in cost. In addition, in the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, the chuck 15 can be deformed only by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint 14, and the optical fiber 13 is attached by the optical fiber gripping portion 15d accordingly. Since it can be fixed, assembly work can be easily performed.

For example, in an optical connector used for performing large-capacity communication between devices or within devices using an optical fiber, a partition wall (spacer portion) is formed for positioning the optical fiber and a collimator lens as in the conventional art. In some cases, it is necessary to perform processing such as cutting on a holding member (holder) made of a metal material or the like. However, since the dimension of the optical connector holding member used in the above-mentioned application is reduced, the machining accuracy of the cutting process is lowered, and the cost associated with the machining process (for example, the cost due to the occurrence of a defective product). The increase is significant. In contrast, in the holder 11 of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, the partition 11 (spacer portion) is not formed by cutting the holder 11 that is the holding member, but plastic processing is performed. Thus, since the depressed portion 11e is formed, the cost associated with the processing can be significantly reduced.

In the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are positioned by the depressed portion 11e formed in the holder 11, while the gripping region 14h formed in the resin joint 14 is used. The optical fiber 13 is fixed by an optical fiber gripping portion 15 d formed on the chuck 15. In this case, the optical fiber 13 is firmly fixed in a positioned state. For this reason, the positional relationship between the optical fiber 13 and the collimator lens 12 is maintained even when the insertion / removal is repeatedly performed in an application for performing large-capacity communication between devices or within the device using the optical fiber 13. be able to.

In the above description, a case where the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are positioned by bringing a part of the collimator lens 12 and a part of the optical fiber 13 into contact with the depressed portion 11e provided in the holder 11 will be described. is doing. However, the positioning method of the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 is not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed. For example, both the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are not brought into contact with the depressed portion 11e, but one of the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 is brought into contact with the other, and the holder 11 other than the depressed portion 11e is brought into contact with the other. Positioning may be performed at the part. However, in this case, it is assumed that the portion for positioning the other is designed in a fixed positional relationship with the depressed portion 11e. That is, the optical connector 10 according to the present invention includes an idea of bringing one of the collimator lens 12 or the optical fiber 13 into contact with the depressed portion 11e.

(Second Embodiment)
An optical connector 20 having a structure different from that of the optical connector 10 shown in the first embodiment will be described. The optical connector 20 is different from the optical connector 10 in the structure of a part of the resin joint 24 and the structure of the chuck 25. Hereinafter, the optical connector 20 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of the optical connector 20 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 14 is a (a) perspective view and (b) side sectional view of the chuck 25. In addition, in 2nd Embodiment, about the structure which is common in the optical connector 10 which concerns on 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is provided and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the inner periphery of the resin joint 24, a gripping region 14h is provided in a portion close to the flange 14c in the second cylindrical portion 14e, and a cylinder portion 24a is provided in a portion close to the opening 14b. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 24a is configured to be equal from the opening 14b side to the gripping region 14h. Thus, since the resin joint 24 has a simple structure, it can be manufactured at low cost.

As shown in FIG. 14, the chuck 25 has a cylindrical shape formed of an elastic material. The elastic material is preferably rubber or elastomer. The outer diameter of the chuck 25 decreases from the intermediate portion to the front end portion 25a in the insertion direction with respect to the cylindrical portion 24a in the through hole of the resin joint 24, and becomes smaller in taper. The intermediate end to the rear end portion 25b extends from the intermediate portion to the cylindrical portion of the resin joint 24. The inner diameter of 24a is substantially the same. An optical fiber gripping portion 25 c having an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the optical fiber 13 is provided on the inner periphery of the chuck 25 on the front end side.

Subsequently, an assembly process of the optical connector 20 according to the second embodiment will be described. The assembly process of the optical connector 20 is different from the assembly process of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment in [Step (b)] and [Step (c)].

In the assembly process of the optical connector 20, after positioning the holder 11 in the resin joint 24, the optical fiber 13 to which the chuck 25 is fixed is inserted from the opening 14 b of the resin joint 24. The optical fiber 13 is guided by the inner diameter of the resin joint 24 to reach the insertion hole 11a of the holder 11, and is guided by the inner diameter of the holder 11 to reach the depressed portion 11e. The insertion operation ends when the optical fiber 13 comes into contact with the depressed portion 11e. The chuck 25 abuts against the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 24 a of the resin joint 24 and elastically deforms radially inward, whereby the optical fiber 13 is gripped and fixed at the optical fiber gripping portion 25 c of the chuck 25. At this time, the optical fiber 13 is positioned at a predetermined position, and the chuck 25 is held by friction in the cylindrical portion 24a. As described above, the chuck 25 can be deformed simply by being inserted into the through hole of the resin joint 24, and the optical fiber 13 can be fixed by the optical fiber gripping portion 25c. It becomes possible. In particular, since the chuck 25 is formed of an elastic material, it is not necessary to provide a configuration such as a slit for elastic deformation, and the cost required for manufacturing the chuck 25 can be reduced.

In the optical connector 20 according to the second embodiment, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are positioned by the recessed portion 11e formed in the holder 11, while the gripping region 14h formed in the resin joint 24 and the chuck The optical fiber 13 is fixed by an optical fiber gripping portion 25 c formed in 25. In this case, the optical fiber 13 is firmly fixed in a positioned state. For this reason, the positional relationship between the optical fiber 13 and the collimator lens 12 is maintained even when the insertion / removal is repeatedly performed in an application for performing large-capacity communication between devices or within the device using the optical fiber 13. be able to.

(Third embodiment)
An optical connector 30 having a structure different from that of the optical connector 10 shown in the first embodiment will be described. The optical connector 30 is different from the optical connector 10 in that a part of the resin joint 34, a structure of the chuck 35, and a pressing piece 36 are used. Hereinafter, an optical connector 30 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. FIG. 15 is a side sectional view of the optical connector 30 according to the third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a (a) perspective view and (b) side sectional view of the chuck 35. Note that, in the third embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

On the inner periphery of the resin joint 34, the gripping region 14h is located in the portion of the second cylindrical portion 14e adjacent to the flange 14c, the second cylindrical portion 34b, the gripping region 14h and the second cylindrical portion 34b in the portion adjacent to the opening 14b. The 1st cylinder part 34a is provided between these. The inner diameter of the first cylinder part 34a is configured to be larger than the inner diameter of the gripping area 14h and smaller than the inner diameter of the second cylinder part 34b. Moreover, the notch part 34c is provided along the inner periphery in the vicinity of the opening part 14b in the 2nd cylinder part 34b.

As shown in FIG. 16, the chuck 35 has a thin plate spring action, and is a cylinder provided by connecting a large diameter portion 35 a and a small diameter portion 35 b in the insertion direction with respect to the first tube portion 34 a in the through hole of the resin joint 34. In addition to having a shape, a slit 35c is provided along the insertion direction with respect to the first cylindrical portion 34a, and a flange 35d is provided at the rear end portion. The outer diameter of the large diameter portion 35 a is configured to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first tube portion 34 a of the resin joint 34. In addition, an optical fiber gripping portion 35e including a radially inwardly bulging portion is provided on the inner periphery of the small diameter portion 35b. For example, the chuck 35 is made of a thin plate metal having a plate thickness of about 0.1 mm, and is formed into a cylindrical shape by bending the thin plate metal. The chuck 35 is preferably made of metal. This is because if resin, rubber, elastomer, or the like is used as a material, the strength may be insufficient.

The pressing piece 36 has a generally cylindrical shape and is provided with a flange 36a at one end. The outer diameter of the pressing piece 36 is configured to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion 34 b of the resin joint 34.

Subsequently, an assembly process of the optical connector 30 according to the third embodiment will be described. The assembly process of the optical connector 30 is different from the assembly process of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment in [Step (b)] and [Step (c)].

In the assembly process of the optical connector 30, after positioning the holder 11 in the resin joint 34, the optical fiber 13 to which the chuck 35 is fixed is inserted from the opening 14 b of the resin joint 34. The chuck 35 stops when the flange 35d abuts on the boundary between the first cylinder part 34a and the second cylinder part 34b. The slit 35c of the chuck 35 is tightened in the first cylindrical portion 34a, and the diameter of the entire chuck 35 is reduced. The optical fiber 13 is guided by the inner diameter of the resin joint 34 to reach the insertion hole 11a of the holder 11, and is guided by the inner diameter of the holder 11 to reach the depressed portion 11e. The insertion operation ends when the optical fiber 13 comes into contact with the depressed portion 11e. At this time, the optical fiber 13 is positioned at a predetermined position, and the chuck 35 is stuck to the inner wall of the first cylindrical portion 34a by an elastic biasing force that is radially outward in the first cylindrical portion 34a. The outer surface of the large-diameter portion 35a abuts against the inner wall of the first cylindrical portion 34a and elastically deforms radially inward, so that the optical fiber 13 can be fixed by the optical fiber gripping portion 35e provided on the inner surface of the small-diameter portion 35b. Thus, since the chuck 35 holds the optical fiber 13 with the optical fiber gripping portion 35e that is not in contact with the inner wall of the first cylindrical portion 34a, it is possible to prevent an excessive pressing force from being applied to the optical fiber 13. The fiber 13 can be fixed without being damaged. The flange 35d of the chuck 35 exhibits an elastic biasing force toward the radially outer side in the second cylindrical portion 34b.

After positioning the optical fiber 13, the pressing piece 36 is inserted and pushed in from the opening 14 b of the resin joint 34. When the end of the pressing piece 36 comes into contact with the boundary between the first cylindrical portion 34 a and the second cylindrical portion 34 b, the pressing piece 36 stops and fixes the chuck 35. The flange 36 a of the presser piece 36 engages with a notch 34 c provided in the second cylindrical portion 34 b of the resin joint 34. The pressing piece 36 is not fixed after the chuck 35 is fixed to the first cylindrical portion 34a, but is fixed to the optical fiber 13 in the same manner as the chuck 35 when the optical fiber 13 is positioned. It is good also as a structure which pushes in 36. FIG. In this case, by pushing the pressing piece 36 into the second cylinder part 34b, the chuck 35 is also pushed into the first cylinder part 34a and can be respectively fixed at a predetermined position.

In the optical connector 30 according to the third embodiment, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are positioned by the depressed portion 11e formed in the holder 11, while the gripping region 14h formed in the resin joint 34 and the chuck The optical fiber 13 is fixed by an optical fiber gripping portion 35 e formed on the optical fiber 35. In this case, the optical fiber 13 is firmly fixed in a positioned state. For this reason, the positional relationship between the optical fiber 13 and the collimator lens 12 is maintained even when the insertion / removal is repeatedly performed in an application for performing large-capacity communication between devices or within the device using the optical fiber 13. be able to.

(Fourth embodiment)
An optical connector 40 having a structure different from that of the optical connector 10 shown in the first embodiment will be described. The optical connector 40 is different from the optical connector 10 in that a partial structure of the resin joint 44, a structure of the chuck 45, and a pressing piece 36 are used. Hereinafter, an optical connector 40 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. FIG. 17 is a side sectional view of an optical connector 40 according to the fourth embodiment. 18A is a perspective view of the chuck 45, and FIG. 18B is a side view thereof. In addition, in 4th Embodiment, about the structure which is common in the optical connector 10 which concerns on 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is provided and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

On the inner periphery of the resin joint 44, a gripping region 14h is located in the portion of the second cylindrical portion 14e adjacent to the flange 14c, a second cylindrical portion 44b, a gripping region 14h, and a second cylindrical portion 44b in the portion adjacent to the opening 14b. The 1st cylinder part 44a is provided between these. The inner diameter of the first cylinder part 44a is configured to be larger than the inner diameter of the gripping area 14h and smaller than the inner diameter of the second cylinder part 44b. Moreover, the taper part 44c is provided in the boundary of the 1st cylinder part 44a and the 2nd cylinder part 44b. Further, a notch 44d is provided in the vicinity of the opening 14b in the second cylindrical portion 44b along the inner periphery thereof.

As shown in FIG. 18, the chuck 45 has a cylindrical shape in which a small diameter portion 45a and a large diameter portion 45b are connected in the insertion direction with respect to the first cylindrical portion 44a and the second cylindrical portion 44b in the through hole of the resin joint 44. And a plurality (three in the present embodiment) of slits 45c are provided in the large-diameter portion 45b along this insertion direction. The outer diameter of the small diameter part 45a is configured to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first cylinder part 44a. Further, the outer diameter of the large diameter portion 45b is configured to be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second cylindrical portion 44b. An optical fiber gripping part 45d is provided on the inner periphery of the large diameter part 45b. Further, a tapered portion that matches the shape of the tapered portion 44 c of the resin joint 44 is provided at the connecting portion of the large diameter portion 45 b.

Subsequently, an assembly process of the optical connector 40 according to the fourth embodiment will be described. The assembly process of the optical connector 40 is different from the assembly process of the optical connector 10 according to the first embodiment in [Step (b)] and [Step (c)].

In the assembly process of the optical connector 40, after positioning the holder 11 in the resin joint 44, the optical fiber 13 to which the chuck 45 is fixed is inserted from the opening 14b of the resin joint 44. At this time, the chuck 45 is inserted into the through hole of the resin joint 44 with the small diameter portion 45a as the front end side, and the slit 45c is tightened as it advances through the through hole. The optical fiber 13 is guided by the inner diameter of the resin joint 44 and reaches the insertion hole 11a of the holder 11, and is guided by the inner diameter of the holder 11 and reaches the depressed portion 11e. The insertion operation ends when the optical fiber 13 comes into contact with the depressed portion 11e. At this time, the optical fiber 13 is positioned at a predetermined position. Further, the chuck 45 is in a state in which the tapered portion of the large diameter portion 45 b is in contact with the tapered portion 44 c of the resin joint 44, and the outer surface of the large diameter portion 45 b is in contact with the inner wall of the second cylindrical portion 44 b in the through hole of the resin joint 44. By abutting and elastically deforming radially inward, the optical fiber 13 is held and fixed by the optical fiber holding portion 45d provided on the inner surface of the large diameter portion 45b. In this way, by providing the plurality of slits 45c in the large diameter portion 45b, when the large diameter portion 45b is elastically deformed inward in the radial direction, the optical fiber 13 can be held by applying an even force to the optical fiber 13. The optical fiber 13 can be fixed in a stable state.

After positioning the optical fiber 13, the pressing piece 36 is inserted and pushed in from the opening 14 b of the resin joint 44. When the end of the pressing piece 36 comes into contact with the end of the large-diameter portion 45 b of the chuck 45, the pressing piece 36 stops and fixes the chuck 45. The flange 36 a of the pressing piece 36 engages with a notch 44 d provided in the second cylindrical portion 44 b of the resin joint 44. The pressing piece 36 is not pushed after the chuck 45 is fixed, but is fixed to the optical fiber 13 in the same manner as the chuck 45 when the optical fiber 13 is positioned, and the holding piece 36 is pushed in this state. Good. In this case, by pushing the pressing piece 36 into the second cylinder portion 44b, the chuck 45 is also pushed into the first cylinder portion 44a, and can be respectively fixed at predetermined positions.

In the optical connector 40 according to the fourth embodiment, the collimator lens 12 and the optical fiber 13 are positioned by the depressed portion 11e formed in the holder 11, while the gripping region 14h formed in the resin joint 44 and the chuck The optical fiber 13 is fixed by an optical fiber gripping part 45 d formed in 45. In this case, the optical fiber 13 is firmly fixed in a positioned state. For this reason, the positional relationship between the optical fiber 13 and the collimator lens 12 is maintained even when the insertion / removal is repeatedly performed in an application for performing large-capacity communication between devices or within the device using the optical fiber 13. be able to.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. In the above-described embodiment, the size, shape, and the like illustrated in the accompanying drawings are not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed within a range in which the effect of the present invention is exhibited. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

In the said embodiment, although the plastic optical fiber was demonstrated as an example of the optical fiber 13, the optical fiber 13 applied with the optical connector 10 which concerns on the said embodiment is limited to a plastic optical fiber. is not. For example, glass fiber can be applied.

In the first embodiment, only the chuck 15 is inserted into the resin joint 14 and the optical fiber 13 is fixed. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. A configuration may be adopted in which the optical fiber 13 is fixed by inserting a chuck 15 and a pressing piece into the resin joint 14. Similarly, the second embodiment is not limited to the configuration in which only the chuck 25 is inserted into the resin joint 24 and the optical fiber 13 is fixed, and the chuck 25 and the pressing piece are inserted into the resin joint 24. The optical fiber 13 may be fixed. Further, in the third embodiment, the configuration is not limited to the configuration in which the optical fiber 13 is fixed by inserting the chuck 35 and the holding piece 36 into the resin joint 34, and only the chuck 35 is inserted into the resin joint 34. The optical fiber 13 may be fixed. Similarly, the fourth embodiment is not limited to the configuration in which the chuck 45 and the pressing piece 36 are inserted into the resin joint 44 to fix the optical fiber 13, and only the chuck 45 is inserted into the resin joint 44. The optical fiber 13 may be fixed.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-058813 filed on Mar. 17, 2011. All this content is included here.

Claims

A metal holding member in which an accommodating portion for accommodating a collimator lens is formed at one end and an insertion hole into which an optical fiber is inserted is formed at the other end,
A resin coupling in which a first insertion hole into which the holding member is inserted is formed at one end, and a second insertion hole into which the optical fiber is inserted into the other end;
A chuck having a grip portion of the optical fiber, and inserted into the through hole of the resin joint;
An optical connector comprising:
Positioning is performed by bringing at least one of the collimator lens and the end face of the optical fiber into contact with a recessed portion formed in the vicinity of the holding portion of the holding member, and the chuck inserted into the through hole is radially inward. An optical connector characterized in that the optical fiber is fixed by the gripping part by elastically deforming.
The chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a front end portion in the insertion direction with respect to the through hole is provided with a smaller diameter than a rear end portion, and a slit is provided along the insertion direction, and a taper provided on an inner wall of the through hole. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber is fixed by the grip portion by abutting with a surface and elastically deforming radially inward.
The chuck has a cylindrical shape formed of an elastic material, and abuts against an inner wall of the through hole and elastically deforms radially inward to fix the optical fiber at the gripping portion. Item 5. The optical connector according to Item 1.
The chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion are connected in the insertion direction with respect to the through hole, and a slit is provided along the insertion direction, and an outer surface of the large diameter portion is formed through the through hole. 2. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical fiber is fixed by the grip portion provided on the inner surface of the small diameter portion by abutting against an inner wall of the hole and elastically deforming radially inward.
The chuck has a cylindrical shape in which a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion are connected in the insertion direction with respect to the through hole, and a plurality of slits are provided in the large diameter portion along the insertion direction. The outer surface of the diameter portion abuts against the inner wall of the through hole and elastically deforms radially inward, whereby the optical fiber is fixed by the grip portion provided on the inner surface of the large diameter portion. The optical connector according to 1.
The optical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a presser piece that contacts the end of the chuck and fixes the chuck.
The optical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a cover that covers the second insertion hole and the optical fiber exposed from the second insertion hole.
The optical connector according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of convex portions are provided on a portion of the cover that covers the optical fiber.
The optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein an engaged portion that engages with an engaging portion on the device side when connected to a device is provided on an outer periphery of the resin joint. .
The optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an annularly projecting flange is provided on an outer periphery of the resin joint so as to be inserted to a connection position with respect to the device.