JPH01284808A - Optical connector and tool used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer an optical connector which can easily detach a spring member, and a tool being convenient for detaching the spring member by providing a curl part for hooking on the tips of pressing parts, respectively of the spring member for holding a pair of ferrules in a butted state. CONSTITUTION:In an optical connector of a type for aligning a pair of ferrules 12A, 12B by a fitting pin which is inserted so as to apread over both of them, the tips of pressing parts 17A, 17B of a spring member 15 for holding both the ferrules in a butted state are further bent and curl parts 20A, 20B are formed. In case of detaching the spring member 15 from the ferrules, tip parts 34A, 34B are set to the spring member 15 in a state that a stopper 37A and 37B of a tool have butted, and pins 36A1, 36B1 and 36A2, 36B2 are inserted into the curl parts 20A, 20B. Thereafter, when a base end part 33A and 33B are grasped until a stopper 38A and 38B run against each other, the pressing parts 17A, 17B of the spring member 15 expand and the spring member 15 can easily be detached from the ferrule.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical connector of a type in which a pair of ferrules are held against each other by a spring member, and a tool used to remove the spring member. .

[Prior art]

Figure 12 shows a conventional optical connector. IIA and IIB are optical fibers to be connected, 12A and 12B are ferrules attached to their tips, and 13 are ferrules 12A and 1.
split sleeve for aligning the optical fibers 2B (aligning the optical axes of the optical fibers IIA and 11B);
5 is a spring member. The spring member 15 is a ferrule 12A
- Pressing parts 17A and 17B are formed by bending both ends of the base part 16 arranged along the line 12B, and the appearance is approximately as shown in Figure 13. In this spring member 15, the pressing portions 17A and 17B press the rear surfaces of the collar portions 18A and 18B of the ferrules 12A and 12B with spring elasticity to hold the ferrules 12A and 12B in abutted state.

Note that some types of ferrules are aligned using a fitting pin that is inserted across both ferrules instead of using a split sleeve.

〔assignment〕

A problem with this type of optical connector is the removal of the spring member when disconnecting. To install the spring member,
This can be done relatively easily by simply pressing the spring member from the base side, but since optical connectors are extremely compact, it is difficult to remove the spring member manually. It is extremely difficult to remove it.

[Means for Solving the Problems and Their Effects] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector whose spring member can be easily removed, and a tool which is convenient for removing the spring member.

The optical connector of the present invention that achieves this objective includes a pair of ferrules whose tips abut against each other with the optical axes of the optical fibers aligned, and a rear end of both ferrules that is disposed along the abutted ferrules at both ends of the base. and a spring member formed with a pressing portion that directly or indirectly presses the end surface, characterized in that a curled portion for hooking is formed at the tip of the pressing portion of the spring member. It is something to do.

With this structure, the spring member can be loosened by simply hooking a suitable member on the curled portion and pulling it outward, making it possible to easily remove the spring member.

Further, the optical connector tool of the present invention includes a pair of opening/closing members whose intermediate portions are connected by a shaft so that when the proximal end is opened or closed, the distal end portion opens and closes around the shaft. Protrusions that face each other in the same direction as the above-mentioned axis are provided at the tips, and pins to be inserted into the curled portions of the spring members of the optical connector are protruded from inside the opposing protrusions. The feature is that a stopper is provided for regulating the maximum and maximum values.

With this tool, when the opening angle of the tip of the opening/closing member is minimized, insert the pin into the curled part, and grasp the proximal end of the opening/closing member to maximize the opening angle of the tip, the spring member will open. The pressing part opens outward, and the spring member can be easily removed.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1(a) shows an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. This optical connector consists of a pair of ferrules 12A and 12
This is a type in which the ferrules 12A and 12B are aligned by a fitting pin 19 that is inserted across both of them, and the rear end surfaces of the matched ferrules 12A and 12B are pressed against the pressing part 1 of the spring member 15.
7A and 17B. In such an optical connector, the present invention is configured to press the pressing portion 1 of the spring member 15.
It is characterized in that the tips of 7A and 17B are further bent to form curled portions 20A and 20B for hooking. Spring member 15 with curled portions 20A and 20B formed
The appearance is approximately as shown in Figure 2.

When the curled portions 2OA and 20B are formed as described above, the curled portions 2OA and 20B are formed as shown in Figure 1(b).
By inserting appropriate pins 21A and 21B into the ferrules 12A and 12B and pulling them outward (in the direction of the arrow), the pressing parts 17A and 17B of the spring member 15 will open as shown in the figure fcl. It can be removed from.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the optical connector according to the present invention.
This optical connector has pressing parts 17A and 17 of the spring member 15.
The winding direction of the curled portions 2OA and 20B formed at the tip of B is opposite to that of the example shown in FIG.

The rest of the configuration is the same as the example in Figure 1. It is clear that the spring member can be easily removed even in this manner.

4 and 5 show still another embodiment of the optical connector according to the present invention. This optical connector is shown in the figure explained earlier.
There are 12 types. IIA・11B is an optical fiber (core part), 12A-12B is a ferrule, 1
3 is a split sleeve, 14A, 14B, and 14C are adapters, 22A, 22B are nozzles, 15 is a wooden member, 16 is a base portion thereof, and 17A, 17B are pressing portions.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ferrules 12A and 12B have flange portions 18A and 1 with a rectangular cross section in the longitudinal middle part.
8B is formed, and the pressing portion 17A of the spring member 15
-17B indirectly presses the rear end surfaces of the flanges 18A and 18B via the housings 22A and 22B.

In such an optical connector, the present invention provides a spring member 15.
The ends of the pressing parts 17A and 17B are further bent to form curled parts 2OA and 20B for catching.

In this embodiment, in particular, the tips of the curled portions 20A and 20B,
A gap S is provided between the pressing parts 17A and 17B, and a hook pin can be inserted into the curled parts 20A and 20B through the gap S.

Next, FIGS. 8 to 11 show an embodiment of the optical connector tool according to the present invention, which includes a pair of opening/closing members 31.
It is equipped with A.31B. This opening/closing member 31A/31B
The intermediate parts are connected by a shaft 32, and when the base end parts 33A and 33B sides are opened and closed, the tip parts 34A and 34B are opened and closed around the shaft 32. The above-mentioned shaft 32 is attached to the tip of each
Protrusions 35^1, 35A2 and 35B1, 35B2 are formed facing each other in the same direction.

There is a pin 36A inside the opposing protrusions 35A1 and 35^2.
1 and 36A2, the same < 3581 and 35B2 have pins 36B1 and 36B2 protruding from the inside, and pins 36^l and 36B1 on one side are protrusions 35A1 and 35B.
The pins 36A2 and 36B2 on the opposite side are slidable in the axial direction relative to the projections 35A2 and 35B2. Moreover, inside the opening/closing members 31A and 31B,
Stoppers 37A and 37B regulate the minimum opening angle of the tips 34A and 34B, and stoppers 38A and 37B regulate the maximum opening angle.
38B, and opening/closing members 31A and 31B.
are always held at the tips 34A and 34 by the repulsive force of the compression spring 39.
B is biased in the direction of closing.

Next, we will explain how to use this tool. Tip part 34A・3
When the opening angle of 4B is at its minimum, that is, when the stoppers 37A and 37B are in contact with each other as shown in Figure 9, the pin 36
The distance between A1 and 36B1.36A2 and 3682 is shown in Figure-2.
The spring member 150 is arranged so as to match the center distance between the spring members 20A and 20B. Therefore, in this state, as shown in FIG.
straddle the pins 36A1 and 36 on the fixed side.
B1 is inserted into the curled portions 20A and 20B on one side of the spring member 15, and the pins 36A2 and 36B2 on the sliding side are further slid and inserted into the curled portions 2OA and 20B on the opposite side. After that, the base end portion 33A of the opening/closing member 31A/31B
- When the 33B side is squeezed until the stoppers 38A and 38B touch each other, the opening angle of the tip parts 34A and 34B becomes maximum, and the pressing parts 17A and 17B of the spring member 15 are slightly bent, and the ferrule (as shown in Fig. 8) (not shown) to spring member 15
can be easily removed.

In the above embodiment, one of the pins protruding inside the protrusion was made slidable relative to the protrusion. If there is a predetermined gap S, the pin can be inserted into the curled portion through this gap S, so that the pin protruding inside the projection can be fixed on both sides.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the optical connector according to the present invention, a curled portion is formed at the end of the pressing portion of the spring member, so if an appropriate member is hooked to the curled portion and pulled outward, the pressing portion opens and is easily This has the advantage that the spring member can be removed. Further, in the tool according to the present invention, when the opening angle of the tip of the opening/closing member is minimized, the pin is inserted into the curled part, and the proximal end side of the opening/closing member is grasped to maximize the opening angle of the tip. Since the pressing portion of the spring member opens outward, there is an advantage that the spring member can be removed efficiently if this is used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1(a) to 1C) are front views showing an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention and how to remove the spring member of the connector, and Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the spring member of the connector. FIG. 3 is a front view showing another embodiment of the optical connector according to the present invention, and FIGS. -6 and -7 are a partially cutaway front view and a front end view showing the ferrule for the same connector, and Figs. -8 to -11 are perspective views, front views, and side views of the optical connector tool according to the present invention. , a plan view, FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional optical connector, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a spring member of the connector. 11A/11B: Optical fiber, 12A/12B: Ferrule, 15: Spring member, 16: Base portion, 17A/17B
: Pressing part, 2OA/20B: Curl part, 21A/21B
: Pin, 31A/31B = Opening/closing member, 32: Shaft, 33A
・33B two base ends, 34A/34B = tip end, 35A1
・35A2・35B1・3582:Protrusion, 36A1・
36A2/36B1/36B2 F pin, 37A/37
B: 7 bars for regulating the minimum opening angle, 38A/38B: Stopper for regulating the maximum opening angle, 39: Compression spring. Figure-7 Figure-6 Figure-8 Figure-9 Figure-10 Figure-11 J/c J/lj Figure-12 Figure-13 +7A

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A pair of ferrules whose tips are abutted against each other with the optical axes of the optical fibers aligned, and a rear end side surface of both ferrules at both ends of the base portion disposed along the abutted ferrules. An optical connector comprising a spring member formed with a pressing portion that presses directly or indirectly, wherein a curled portion for hooking is formed at the tip of the pressing portion of the spring member. . 2.Equipped with a pair of opening/closing members whose middle parts are connected by a shaft, and when the proximal end is opened and closed, the distal end opens and closes centering on the shaft, and the distal ends of both opening/closing members each have a pair of opening/closing members connected in the same direction as the axis. Protrusions facing each other are provided, and a pin to be inserted into the curled part of the spring member of the optical connector is protruded from inside each of the opposing projections, and a stopper is further provided on the opening/closing member to regulate the minimum and maximum opening angle of the tip. An optical connector tool characterized by: 3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein the pin provided on one side of the opposing protrusion is movable in the direction of insertion into and removal from the curled portion.