JPH0132008Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a ferrule holding structure for an optical fiber connector.

(Prior art and its problems) In order to connect optical fibers with each other with low transmission loss using an optical fiber connector, the optical fibers with polished end faces must be closely attached to each other without any gaps while maintaining high coaxiality. It is important to be connected in this way. Therefore, conventional connectors have been provided with a structure as shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 to meet the above requirements.

That is, the ferrules 3 and 4 holding the optical fibers 1 and 2 in the center with their end faces 1a and 2a exposed and maintaining high concentricity are placed in a sleeve 7 movably supported in one connector body 5. The configuration is such that it can be inserted. The correction action of the sleeve 7 provides the optical fibers 1 and 2 with high coaxiality. On the other hand, the ferrules 3, 4 are provided with bearing flanges 3a, 4a, which are held by retaining sleeves 10, 11 screwed to the connector bodies 5, 6 via spring bodies 8, 9. , 9 by pushing the supporting flanges 3a, 4a, the end faces 1a, 2 of the optical fibers supported by the ferrules 3, 4 are pushed.
It has the same adhesion as a.

However, even with the above configuration, if dust adheres to the end faces 1a and 2a of the optical fibers during disconnection or other processes, butting is performed through the dust, which impairs close contact and causes transmission loss. It is difficult to prevent the increase in Therefore, it is necessary to be able to clean the abutting end faces of the optical fibers at any time and to polish the scratches on the end faces caused by dust and the like. However, even if an attempt was made to clean it, as shown in Fig. 1, the tip of one ferrule 3 in particular was located deep inside the sleeve 7 for coaxiality, so it could not be cleaned, and the ferrule was not installed inside the body. Difficult to clean in the cold. The same applies to polishing, so it is necessary to pull the ferrule out of the body. For this purpose, a threaded structure between the bodies 5, 6 and the retaining sleeves 10, 11 is required, but this makes the structure of the body complicated. Moreover, during use, the screws may loosen and the adhesion force between the optical fiber ends due to the spring bodies 8 and 9 may change, making the connection unstable. To prevent this, the retaining sleeves 10 and 11 must be tightly tightened. It won't happen. Therefore, when pulling out the ferrules, the ferrules 3 and 4 cannot be pulled out unless they are loosened and then unscrewed over the length of the screw engagement. Therefore, disassembly and reassembly are not only troublesome and time-consuming, but also require careful consideration during assembly to ensure that the retaining sleeves 10 and 11 are not forgotten.

The present invention aims to provide a ferrule holding structure that eliminates the drawbacks of conventional connectors as described above, and allows the ferrule to be easily cleaned and polished. Next, the details will be explained using the drawings.

[Structure of the idea]

(Means and effects for solving the problem) Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the main part showing an embodiment of the present invention in a receptacle connector, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view, and Fig. 4 is a removal jig. A perspective view,
The features of this invention are as follows.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3a, a body support piece 12b is formed by bending the tip of the ferrule support sleeve 12, that is, a cylindrical body 12a inward to have spring properties, and A ferrule support sleeve 12 is made which has a downwardly extending outward cut-and-raised protrusion 12c and an upwardly-extended inwardly cut-and-raised protrusion 12d provided at the lower part of the circumferential surface. Also the second
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
Spring receiving sleeve 1 having dimensions to be locked by d
Make 3. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3b, the circumferential surface of the support collar 3a of the ferrule 3 has a plurality of inward cut protrusions 12d provided below the ferrule support sleeve 12. A passage groove 3b for the protruding piece 12d is provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a ferrule bearing sleeve 12 is placed around the entire inner circumferential surface of the body 5 in a state in which it abuts against a positioning step 5b on the innermost bottom surface of the body 5, which determines the position of the ferrule bearing sleeve 12. A support protrusion 5a is provided to support the outwardly cut and raised protrusion piece 12c.

For example, by pushing the ferrule support sleeve 12 into the body 5, the outwardly cut and raised protrusion 12c is formed on the surface 5 of the support protrusion 5a of the body 5.
a' and supported so as not to move by the spring force of the body support piece 12b. Next, cut and raise the inwardly protruding piece 12 of the ferrule bearing sleeve 12.
After inserting the ferrule 3 by aligning the passage groove 3b of the support flange 3a with d, the spring body 8 and the spring receiver sleeve 1 are
3 is inserted, and with the spring body 8 pressed, the spring receiving flange 13a is locked without coming off by the inwardly cut and raised protrusion 12d, thereby reliably supporting the ferrule.

Also, when removing ferrule 3, please refer to the 4th ferrule.
A cylindrical removal jig 14 having a spacing 14a for cable insertion shown in the figure is attached to the ferrule support sleeve 1 as shown by the dotted line in FIG.
2 and the spring receiver sleeve 13. Then, by opening the inwardly protruding piece 12d at the lower part outward in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The sleeve 13 is pulled out, and then the spring body 8 is pulled out. Finally, the ferrule 3 is pulled out by aligning the passage groove 3b of the support flange 3a with the inwardly cut and raised protrusion 12d.

(Effects) As described above, according to the present invention, after inserting the ferrule 3 and the spring body 8 into the ferrule bearing sleeve 12, the ferrule can be securely attached while applying a contact force by simply pushing the spring receiving sleeve 13. can be retained. Therefore, unlike the conventional structure shown in FIG. 1, there is no need to screw together the retaining sleeve of the spring body, which simplifies the assembly operation.
There is almost no risk of deterioration of the connection between the optical fibers due to a decrease in adhesion due to loosening of the screws. Furthermore, when pulling out the ferrule 3 from inside the body 5, simply pushing the removal jig 14 between the ferrule support sleeve 12 and the spring receiver sleeve 13 releases the locking of the spring receiver sleeve 13 and removes the ferrule from the body 5. This is also easy because it can be pulled out from the body 5. Therefore, the abutting end faces of the optical fibers exposed on the end faces of the ferrules can be easily and reliably cleaned, and the drawbacks of conventional connectors can be eliminated.

Although the present invention has been described above in the case of a receptacle connector, it can be similarly applied to the plug connector shown in FIG. In this case, as is clear from the figure, since the insertion port 15 to the receptacle connector is open, the removal jig 14 is inserted from there and the ferrule bearing sleeve 12 is cut outward. By bending the projection piece 12c inward against the spring force, the locking by the support projection 6a of the body 6 is released, and the ferrule 4
can be pulled out together with the ferrule bearing sleeve 12. Therefore, the exposed surface of the optical fiber can be thoroughly cleaned. Of course, the ferrule 4 can be pulled out from the body 6 by inserting the removal jig 14 between the ferrule bearing sleeve 12 and the spring receiving sleeve 13.

Furthermore, although the connector for interconnecting optical fibers has been described above, the ferrule holding structure of a connector that connects the optical fiber supported by the ferrule by opposing the light receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion element provided on the receptacle side is also applicable. Applicable.

(Modification) Although the present invention has been described above, the body support piece 12b at the tip of the ferrule support sleeve 12 is
As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 6, the tip of the sleeve 12 may be formed by a spring protrusion 12e that is cut and raised inward. In this case, the spring protrusion 12e is connected to the sleeve 12.
It is made to protrude from the end of the Moreover, although the ferrule bearing sleeve 12 is made into a cylindrical shape in the above example, it may be provided with an interval 12f as shown in FIG. 6 to facilitate manufacturing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conventional connector, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment of the present invention in a receptacle connector, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view thereof, and Fig. 4 is a removal jig. FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another example of a ferrule support sleeve. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2...Optical fiber, 1a, 2a...Exposed end face thereof, 3, 4...Ferrule, 3a, 4a...Spring support collar, 3b...Cut and raised protrusion passage groove, 5, 6...Connector body, 5a...Support protrusion , 5a'...locking surface, 5b...
Positioning stepped portion, 7...sleeve, 8, 9...spring body,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 11... Retaining sleeve, 12... Ferrule bearing sleeve, 12a... Cylindrical body, 12b... Body supporting piece, 12c... Upper cut-out protrusion piece, 12d... Lower cut-out protrusion piece, 12e... Cut-out spring protrusion Piece, 12f...Gap, 13...Spring receiver sleeve, 13a...Spring receiver collar, 14...Removal jig, 14a...Cable insertion gap, 15...Insertion port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A body support piece provided at the tip, an upper protruding piece provided by cutting and protruding the upper circumferential surface outward and extending downward, and an upwardly extending protruding piece provided by cutting and protruding the lower circumferential surface inward. A ferrule bearing sleeve housed in the body is provided with a lower cut-and-raised protrusion, and the ferrule-bearing sleeve is housed in the ferrule-bearing sleeve and the spring receiving flange at the tip is supported by the lower cut-and-raised protrusion. The connector body includes a spring receiving sleeve, and a support protrusion of an outwardly cut protrusion on the upper part of the spring receiving sleeve is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the ferrule insertion space of the connector body;
A positioning step is provided at the tip of the ferrule, and a groove is provided on the circumferential surface of the supporting flange of the ferrule for the inwardly cut and raised protrusion of the lower part to push the ferrule supporting sleeve into the body. The tip body support piece of the ferrule support sleeve and the outwardly cut and raised protrusion on the upper part are locked by the positioning step and support protrusion provided on the inner peripheral surface of the body, and the spring receiver sleeve The ferrule is held by locking the spring receiving flange with an inwardly cut and raised protrusion at the bottom of the ferrule supporting sleeve, while pushing the spring body with the spring receiving flange inserted into the ferrule. Ferrule holding structure for optical fiber connectors.