JPH09197189A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To downsize a connector plug itself to cope with downsizing of a device and a storage box and to reduce cost. In an optical connector including a connector plug 1 and an adapter 9, in which optical fibers are butted and connected to each other, the connector plug 1 terminates a tip 2a of an optical fiber 2 and forms a butted end surface 4 of a ferrule 3. And an end member 6 provided at the rear end of the ferrule 3 in the butting direction, and a positioning means 8 for precisely positioning the butting end face 4, and the adapter 9 includes the end member 6
A claw portion 12 that engages with the rear end 7 and gives a butting force to the ferrule 3 is provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector used for connecting optical fibers, and particularly when used in various equipments, storage boxes, etc., it is possible to reduce the size and cost. Optical connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An optical connector is used to connect optical fibers to each other but to switch the optical fibers.
Consists of a connector plug and an adapter (eg M
PO connectors, SC connectors, etc.) are used in various devices, storage boxes, etc. to connect the optical fiber inside the device and the optical fiber outside. As its aspect, while arranging the adapter on the wall surface of the device etc., to each of the inner and outer optical fibers of the device etc.,
A connector plug with a ferrule terminating the tip of this optical fiber is constructed, and by inserting this connector plug into an adapter, the ferrules are abutted from the inside and outside of the device, etc., and the optical fibers are abutted and connected. ing. The connector plugs used here are both equipped with an attaching / detaching function regardless of whether they are used inside or outside a device or the like.

In the case of an MPO connector, this connector plug is provided with a detachable function with respect to an adapter by a connector housing that houses and holds a ferrule, and this connector housing is composed of the following members. That is, a ferrule housing that engages with the locking portion of the adapter, a coupling that is biased in the butting direction by a spring, a pin clamp at the rear end of the ferrule,
A spring that urges the pink lamp in the butting direction,
The connector housing has a detachable function by pressing springs, booting, and stopping Kevlar.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional connector plug is provided with the connector housing made up of a large number of members in order to provide the function of attaching and detaching to the adapter, thereby increasing the size of the entire connector plug. . On the other hand, although a connector plug inside a device or the like has a detachable function, it is almost never removed from the adapter, and once attached to the adapter, it is maintained as it is. Therefore, with respect to the connector plug inside the device or the like, the attachment / detachment function with respect to the adapter is not necessary, and the necessity for the member constituting the attachment / detachment function is small.

Although there is a strong demand for downsizing of equipment and storage boxes from the viewpoint of space saving, if the inside connector plug of the equipment or the like is provided with a large connector housing having a detachable function, the equipment and storage box are It is necessary to secure a space for inserting this connector plug inside such as. Therefore, the use of such a connector plug having a detachable function has a problem that it hinders downsizing of devices and storage boxes.

Furthermore, the fact that the detaching function is rarely used in the connector plug inside the equipment is
There is also a problem that many members constituting the connector housing are wasted, which is against the demand for cost reduction. In the case of the SC connector, even if a simple SC connector plug is used inside the device or the like, it is still impossible to reduce the size and cost of the device or the like as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and by removing the attaching / detaching function from the connector plug to reduce the size of the whole, it is possible to cope with the miniaturization of the equipment and the storage box and the parts of the connector plug. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector that can reduce costs by reducing the number of points.

[0008]

The present invention has the following features to attain the object mentioned above. That is, claim 1
In the optical connector described above, in an optical connector comprising a connector plug and an adapter, the connector plug comprises a ferrule that terminates the tip of an optical fiber and forms a butt end surface, and an end portion provided at the rear end in the butt direction of the ferrule. The adapter includes a member and positioning means for precisely positioning the abutting end surface, and the adapter is provided with a claw portion that engages with the rear end of the end member and applies a butting force to the ferrule. And

Further, in the optical connector of claim 2, in the optical connector provided with a connector plug, the connector plug terminates the tip of the optical fiber and forms a butt end surface, and a ferrule in the butt direction of the ferrule. An end member provided at the end, a positioning means for precisely positioning the abutting end surface, a ferrule and an end member both housed and held, and a member that engages with the locking portion of the adapter and gives a butting force to the ferrule. It is a means for solving the above-mentioned problem that it is composed of a housing provided with a locking portion.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an optical connector of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector plug 1 includes a ferrule 3 attached to an end portion of an optical fiber (optical fiber tape core wire) 2, and the ferrule 3 terminates a tip 2 a of the optical fiber 2. However, the butt end surface 4 is formed.
Further, the ferrule 3 is in the butting direction (downward in FIG. 1).
A flange 5 is formed at the rear portion on the opposite side, an end member 6 is provided at the rear end of the flange 5, and a pair of guide pins 8 are provided on the abutting end surface 4 as positioning means.

The guide pin 8 projects from the abutting end surface 4, penetrates through the ferrule 3 and the end member 3, and its rear end is embedded in the end member 6. Therefore, the end member 6 acts as a pin clamp for the guide pin 8. Also, ferrule 3
The optical fiber 2 is attached to the optical fiber 2 by first removing the fiber coating from the tape core wire, inserting the fiber coating into the ferrule 3, and fixing the fiber coating with an adhesive between the two, and then abutting the end face
The tip 2a corresponding to is polished.

On the other hand, the adapter 9 has a cylindrical adapter housing 10, and a pair of elastic pieces 11 extending along the inner peripheral surface thereof in the direction opposite to the abutting direction (upward direction in FIG. 1).
Are provided facing each other. Each of the elastic pieces 11 is formed with a predetermined clearance between the elastic piece 11 and the inner peripheral surface of the adapter housing 10, and each end portion is provided with an inwardly facing claw portion 12. Further, a step portion 13 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the adapter housing 10, and the space cross section below the step portion 13 is reduced. Further, a flange 14 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the adapter housing 10, and a through hole 15 is provided in this flange 14.

The adapter 9 is set in a state in which the adapter housing 10 is projected inside the device or the like from an opening 16a formed in a wall surface 16 of the device or the like. At this time, another adapter 17 is set on the flange 14 side of the adapter 9. And the adapters 9 and 17 are
Positioning between them is performed by an eyelet (not shown) inserted into both through holes, and is attached to the wall surface 16 by a bolt penetrating the eyelet. It should be noted that the adapter 17 is used on the outside of the device or the like, and the adapter housing may be of any commercially available form.

Next, a usage state of the optical connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described. First, when the connector plug 1 is inserted into the adapter housing 10, the flange 5 comes into contact with the step portion 13 and locks the movement of the connector plug 1 in the butting direction. When the connector plug 1 is inserted, the elastic piece 11 is in a state in which the claw portion 12 is pushed outward by the side surface of the ferrule 3 or the like.
Then, at the same time when the flange 5 contacts the step portion 13, the elastic piece 11 returns to its original state due to the elasticity of itself, and the claw portion 12 engages with the rear end 7 of the end member 6. .
As a result, the connector plug 1 is attached to the adapter 9 in a state in which movement in the butting direction is restricted by the step portion 13 and movement in the opposite direction is restricted by the claw portion 12.

At this time, the entire connector plug 1 is accommodated in the adapter housing 10, and the abutting end surface 4 of the ferrule 3 is located on the flange side surface portion of the adapter 9. Thus, since the connector plug 1 does not project from the adapter 9, it is possible to reduce the space required for the connector plug inside the device or the like, and it is possible to sufficiently miniaturize the device or the like. Become. Further, since the number of parts constituting the connector plug 1 is small, the cost can be reduced.
It should be noted that the connector plug 1 is in a state where the claw portion 12 engages with the rear end 7 of the end member 6 so that a butt force is applied. Further, since the elastic pieces 11 can be pushed apart from each other, the connector plugs 1 can be removed from the adapter 9 by pushing them apart and removing the claw portion 12 from the rear end 7.

On the other hand, in the adapter 17, a mating connector plug with respect to the connector plug 1 is inserted.
The connector plug used here is used as an external side of a device or the like, and has a function of attaching to and detaching from the adapter 17 to facilitate replacement, for example, M
PO connector plugs and SC connector plugs are used. By attaching this connector plug to the adapter 17, the abutting end face of the ferrule (mate ferrule) is abutted against the abutting end face 4 of the connector plug 1.

At this time, a guide pin hole into which the guide pin 8 can be inserted is formed in the mating ferrule, and the guide pin 8 is inserted into this to accurately position both of the abutting end faces. As a result, the optical fiber of the mating ferrule is butt-connected with the optical fiber 2 of the connector plug 1. In addition, ferrule 3
The abutting force is given by the claw portion 12 engaging with the rear end 7 of the end member 6, but the mating ferrule is given a butting force by a spring or the like built in the connector plug. There is.

However, the adapter 9 according to the present invention may be used as the adapter 17, and the connector plug 1 according to the present invention may be used as a connector plug to be inserted therein. As described above, the optical connector of the present invention is not limited to being used only inside the device or the like, and can be used as the outside of the device or the like. Further, instead of the guide pin 8, other positioning means may be used as the positioning means for the abutting end faces.

3 and 4 show the optical connector of the present invention,
It shows another embodiment. Here, reference numeral 2 in the drawing
8 are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The difference from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is that both the ferrule 3 and the end member 6 use a connector plug 1a housed and held in a cylindrical housing 18. The housing 18 has a pair of elastic pieces 19 on its inner peripheral surface.
Are provided so as to face each other, and a locked portion 20 that is recessed is formed on the outer peripheral surface of each elastic piece 18, and a locking projection 21 is formed inward at each end.

The connector plug 1a is the housing 1
8 is formed by inserting the ferrule 3 and the end member 6. At this time, in the elastic piece 19, the locking projection 21 is pushed outward by the side surface of the ferrule 3 or the like, the flange 5 comes into contact with the step portion 22, and at the same time, the elastic piece 19 returns to its original state by the elasticity and locks. The protrusion 21 is adapted to engage with the rear end 7 of the end member 6. As a result, the ferrule 3, the end member 6, and the housing 18 are integrated, and at this time, the abutting end surface 4 of the ferrule 3 is substantially aligned with the tip of the housing 18. A marking 23 is provided on the flange portion at the rear end of the housing 18, and the guide protrusion 2 is provided on one side surface of the housing 18.
4 are provided.

On the other hand, the adapter 9a is different from the adapter 9 shown in FIG. 1, and a commercially available one is used. This uses an adapter housing 10a having an opening cross section larger than that of the adapter 9 of FIG. 1, and a pair of elastic pieces 11a extending upward in FIG. 3 along the inner peripheral surface thereof.
Are provided facing each other. Each of the elastic pieces 11a has a predetermined clearance between itself and the inner peripheral surface of the adapter housing 10a, and the locking portion 12 is provided at each end.
a is provided. Also, the adapter housing 10a
A flange 14a is formed on the flange 14a, and a through hole 15a is provided in the flange 14a. Further, a guide groove portion 25 in the butting direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the adapter housing 10a.

The adapter 9a, like the adapter 9, extends from the opening 16a to the inside of the device, etc.
0a is set in a protruding state, and another adapter 17 is set on the flange 14a side of the adapter 9a. Then, the adapters 9a and 17 are attached to the wall surface 16 in a state where the adapters 9a and 17 are positioned between them, as in the case shown in FIG. As described above, since the adapter 17 is also commercially available, the same adapters 9a and 17 may be used.

Next, a usage state of the optical connector shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 will be described. First, the connector plug 1a
Is inserted into the adapter housing 10a, the elastic piece 1
The connector portion 1a is attached to the adapter 9a by inserting the engaging portion 12a of the la into the engaged portion 20. At this time, the connector plug 1a has the guide projection 24
Is guided and inserted into the guide groove 25. Therefore,
The connector plug 1a cannot be reversed and inserted into the adapter 9a, and when there are a plurality of optical fiber tips 2a, the positional relationship between them is not reversed.

Further, the abutting end face 4 has an adapter 9a.
Of the connector plug 1a is not housed in the adapter housing 10a.
The part of the marking 23 is slightly protruding. However, the amount of protrusion thereof is smaller than that of the conventional connector plug having a detachable function, and it can be said that the connector plug can be sufficiently miniaturized. Further, the number of parts constituting the connector plug 1a is smaller than that of the conventional connector plug, and the cost can be reduced. However, the major feature of using this connector plug 1a is that the adapter 9a
The conventional one can be used as the above, which eliminates the need for a new adapter manufacturing line and is economically advantageous.

The connector plug 1a has a locking portion 12
When a enters the locked portion 20, the abutting force is applied. Further, since the elastic pieces 11a can be pushed apart from each other, the connector plugs 1a can be removed from the adapter 9a by pushing them apart to release the locking portion 12a from the locked portion 20. ing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the mating end face of the mating ferrule is butted against the butted end face 4 by inserting the mating connector plug of the connector plug 1a into the adapter 17 to connect the optical fibers to each other. Is the same as. The mating connector plug has a function of attaching / detaching to / from the adapter 17, and the matters concerning the guide pin 8 are as described above. The optical connector of the present invention is also applied to MDFs for wiring in buildings, termination cabinets for indoor wiring, and storage boxes such as ONUs in addition to various devices, and the connector plugs 1 and 1a are used inside the storage boxes. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the storage box.

[0027]

As described above, according to the optical connector of the first aspect, the connector plug comprises the ferrule, the end member and the positioning means, and the adapter is provided with the claw portion, so that the connector plug itself is small in size. By using this connector plug inside a device or a storage box, the space required inside the device or the like can be reduced, and the device or the storage box can be downsized. Further, since the number of parts constituting the connector plug is greatly reduced, an excellent effect that the cost can be reduced can be obtained.

According to the optical connector of the second aspect, since the connector plug is composed of the ferrule, the end member, the positioning means and the housing, the connector plug itself can be miniaturized in the same manner as described above, and the device or the storage box can be provided. The size can be reduced, and the number of parts constituting the connector plug is reduced by omitting the attaching / detaching function, so that the cost can be reduced. Moreover, since a commercially available adapter is used in the related art, it is not necessary to newly manufacture the adapter, and it is economically advantageous.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an optical connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the optical connector of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the optical connector of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the optical connector of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1a ... Connector plug, 2 ... Optical fiber, 2a ... Tip, 3 ... Ferrule, 4 ... Butt end surface, 6 ... End member, 7 ... Rear end, 8 ... Guide pin (positioning means), 9,
9a ... Adapter, 12 ... Claw part, 12a ... Locking part, 18 ...
Housing, 20 ... Locked part,

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An optical connector comprising a connector plug (1) attached to an end of an optical fiber (2) and an adapter (9) into which the connector plug is inserted, wherein the optical fibers are butted and connected to each other. The plug is the tip (2a) of the optical fiber.
A ferrule (3) for terminating the butting end face (4), an end member (6) provided at the rear end of the ferrule in the butting direction, and a positioning means (8) for precisely positioning the butting end face. The adapter includes a claw portion (12) that engages with a rear end (7) of the end member and applies a butting force to the ferrule.
An optical connector characterized by being provided. 2. An optical connector comprising a connector plug (1a) which is attached to an end of an optical fiber (2) and which is inserted into an adapter (9a) to butt-connect the optical fibers to each other. Optical fiber tip (2a)
A ferrule (3) for terminating the butting end face (4), an end member (6) provided at the rear end of the ferrule in the butting direction, and a positioning means (8) for precisely positioning the butting end face. A housing provided with a locked portion (20) for accommodating and holding both the ferrule and the end member, and engaging with the locking portion (12a) of the adapter to give abutting force to the ferrule (18) An optical connector comprising: