JPH0326484Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement of a receptacle for an optical connector for optically coupling an optical element such as a light emitting element or a light receiving element to an optical fiber.

Optical connectors for connecting optical devices and optical fibers usually position and fix the optical device in a receptacle, and simply insert a plug with the optical fiber fixed into the receptacle to align the end face of the optical fiber with the optical device. It is designed to be combined in the state. By the way, a conventional receptacle is constructed as shown in FIG. 1, and an optical element is installed therein in a manner as shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional receptacle incorporating an optical element (for example, a light emitting element), and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a mode in which the optical element is incorporated.
0 is a receptacle, 61 is an optical element, 62 is a protective ring, 63 is a decorative ring, and 70 is a master plug. The receptacle 60 has a flange 60c formed on the outer periphery of one end of a cylindrical portion 60b having a core hole 60a whose inner peripheral surface is finished into a highly accurate cylindrical surface, and a core hole 60a formed on the back side of the flange 60c.
A catch seat 60d is formed by counterboring concentrically with Oa. When assembling the optical element 61 to the receptacle 60, first connect the optical fiber F to the cylindrical portion 60d with the other end connected to the power meter 71.
Attach the master plug 70 provided at one end of the holder.
The master plug 70 includes a core 70a in which the end face of the optical fiber F can be seen at the center of the distal end face, and is provided on the outer periphery at the base end of the core 70a, and is connected to the receptacle 60.
The flange portion 70b and the core 70a that come into contact with the end surface of the cylindrical portion of the
A cap nut 70 that is inserted into and fixed into the receptacle 60
c and a push spring 70d interposed between the cap nut 70c and the rear end surface of the core 70a. The master plug 70 has its core 70a inserted into the cylindrical portion 60b of the receptacle 60, and the core 70 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 60b with the flange 70b in contact with the distal end surface of the cylindrical portion 60b.
It is attached to the receptacle 60 by making the tip end face of the cylindrical part 60b face near the end of the seat 60d side of the cylindrical part 60b, and screwing the cap nut 70c into the cylindrical part 60b.

On the other hand, an optical element 61 (in this example, a light emitting element) to be incorporated into the receptacle 60 has a short cylindrical ring 62 made of metal or an insulating material on the outer periphery of the head part 61a covered with a case. At the same time, a power source (not shown) is connected to each lead wire 61b, and in this state, the optical element 61 is moved within the seat 60d of the receptacle 60 so as to face the cylindrical part 60b, and the power meter 71 outputs the maximum output. Find the position shown and temporarily fix it in the catch seat 60d using instant adhesive or the like, then fit the decorative ring 63 into the catch seat 60d, and insert it into the catch seat 60d between the decorative ring 63 and the protective ring 64. An adhesive 64 such as epoxy resin is injected for final fixation, and the master plug 70 is pulled out to complete the assembly.

By the way, the conventional receptacle 60 as described above
In this case, alignment is performed while holding the optical element 61 with tweezers or the like and moving it within the seat 60d, which makes the alignment work very troublesome. Element 61
is temporarily fixed inside the catch seat 60d using adhesive,
Misalignment is likely to occur, and if it is temporarily fixed in a misaligned state, it cannot be easily corrected, and furthermore, there are problems such as the optical element falling off from the seat 60d when external force is applied or due to deterioration of the adhesive. It was hot.

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a receptacle body having a cylindrical portion into which the core of the master plug is inserted and removed, a flange provided on the outer periphery of one end of the cylindrical portion, and A recessed hole that is opened so that the element can be seen and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the core of the master plug, and a recessed hole for positioning the optical element facing the throughhole, and a positioning of the optical element fitted into the recessed hole. It consists of a cylindrical part having a screw hole for screwing in a presser screw to be fixed, and a holder part having a flange provided on the outer periphery of the through-hole side at one end of the cylindrical part, with the surfaces of the flanges of the receptacle body and the holder part facing each other. The flanges are fixed together by bolts, and the core inside the cylindrical part of the receptacle body is pressed against the flange end face of the holder part, so that the optical element is not only mechanically fixed to the holder, but also fixed to the receptacle. Since it is also mechanically fixed to the main body, there is no fear that the optical element will fall off from the receptacle due to external force or mechanical action, and alignment work with respect to the receptacle main body is also possible. It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle which is easy to handle because the alignment is performed using a relatively large holder, and which can also be easily corrected even if misalignment occurs during alignment.

The present invention will be specifically explained below based on drawings showing embodiments thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the receptacle according to the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present product), Fig. 4 is an explanatory view showing how the optical element is incorporated, and Fig. 5 is a cross section showing the alignment of the receptacle body and the optical element. In the figure, 1 indicates a receptacle main body, 2 a holder portion, 3 an optical element, and 4 a master plug. The receptacle main body 1 is made of stainless steel or the like, and includes flanges 12, 12 provided on the outer circumference of the proximal end of a cylindrical portion 11 having a thread 11a formed on the outer circumferential surface of the distal end. The flanges 12, 12 are the cylindrical part 1
1 with a width approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical portion 11 from corresponding positions spaced apart by 180° in the circumferential direction of the receptacle body 1 , and near each end thereof, a hole for fixing the receptacle body 1 to the holder portion 2 is provided. Hole 1 for set screw 13
2a, 12a are perforated, and the ends are sharpened to form a substantially right-angled isosceles triangle shape. The distance between the ends of the flanges 12, 12 is set to be approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the diagonal distance of the flange 22 of the holder portion 2, which will be described later.

The holder part 2 is made of stainless steel or the like, and has a closed end surface on the outer periphery of a cylindrical part 21 that is closed except for a through hole 21a opening at the center of the holder part 2 through which the optical element 3 can be seen. A square flange 22 is provided flush with the flange. The cylindrical portion 21 has a thread 21b formed on its inner circumferential surface covering the majority of the end opposite to the end where the flange 22 is provided.
Also, in the center of the inner back wall is a head portion 3a of the optical element 3.
A recessed hole 21c is provided to fit the recessed hole 21c.
The through hole 21a opens at the center of the inner inner wall. The diameter of the concave hole 21c is approximately equal to the diameter of the optical element 3, and its axial dimension is slightly smaller than the axial dimension of the head portion 3a of the optical element 3, and the optical element 3 is fitted into the concave hole 21c. When the light emitting part of the optical element 3 is brought into contact with the inner wall of the recessed hole 21c, the light emitting part of the optical element 3 faces approximately the center of the through hole 21a,
Further, the flange 3b of the optical element 3 is positioned with a slight gap left between it and the peripheral wall of the opening of the recessed hole 21c. On the other hand, the diameter of the through hole 21a is that of the optical element 3,
The diameter is smaller than the diameter of the core 41 in the master plug 4, and the end surfaces of the optical element 3 and the core 41 are prevented from coming into direct contact with each other. The optical element 3 fitted into the recessed hole 21c is pressed and fixed by a retaining screw 23 screwed into the cylindrical portion 21. The holding screw 23 is formed by forming a thread 23a on the outer circumferential surface of a short cylindrical body, and providing a ring-shaped contact portion 23b on the tip end surface thereof, which comes into contact with the back surface of the collar 3b of the optical element 3.
By screwing this into the thread 21b of the cylindrical portion 21, the contact portion 23b comes into pressure contact with the back surface of the optical element 3, and the optical element 3 is immovably positioned and fixed within the recessed hole 21c. Note that this presser screw 23
is usually made of stainless steel or the like, but may be made of an insulating material depending on the type of optical element 3 or the manner of connection to the electric circuit.

The flange 22 of the holder part 2 has threaded holes 22a, 22a for set screws 13 at two diagonally located corners thereof, at positions corresponding to the holes 12a, 12a of the flanges 12, 12 in the receptacle body 1.
However, holes 22b, 22b for inserting set screws for fixing the holder portion 2 to a box or the like are formed at two other diagonally located corners.

The master plug 4 is used when incorporating an optical element into a receptacle, and is fixed to the other end of an optical fiber F whose one end is connected to a light source 5. The configuration of the master plug 4 itself is the first,
It is almost the same as that shown in Figure 2, and the optical fiber F
A core 41 whose end face is visible at the center of the distal end face, a collar 42 provided on the outer periphery of the proximal end of the core 41 and abutting against the end face of the cylindrical portion 11 of the receptacle body 1, and a lock for preventing rotation. A cap nut 44 and a cap nut 4 for fitting and fixing the piece 43 and the core 41 into the receptacle.
4 and the rear end surface of the core 41. The master plug 4 inserts its core 41 into the cylindrical part 11 of the receptacle body 1, brings the collar 42 into contact with the cylindrical part 11, and engages the locking piece 43 in the notch groove 11b formed in the cylindrical part 11. In the inserted state, insert the cap nut 44 into the receptacle body 1.
By screwing into the thread 11a on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 11, the master plug 4 is connected to its core 41.
is adapted to be attached to the receptacle body 1 with its tip slightly protruding from the flange 12 surface of the receptacle body 1. If the optical element to be assembled into the receptacle body 1 is a light receiving element, a light source is connected to one end of the optical fiber F instead of the power meter 5, and a power meter is connected to the light receiving element itself for alignment. It will be done.

The procedure for assembling a light emitting element to the present product configured as described above will be explained. In FIG. 4, the optical element 3, which is a light emitting element, is inserted into the cylindrical part 21 of the holder part 2, and the head part 3a is inserted into the recessed hole 21.
c, and the distal end surface is brought into contact with the inner wall of the recessed hole 21c. In this state, the light emitting part of the optical element 3 is positioned opposite the through hole 21a, and the collar 3b is positioned with a required gap left between the periphery of the opening of the recessed hole 21c. Next, the cap screw 23 is screwed into the cylindrical portion 21, and its contact portion 23b is pressed against the back surface of the collar 3b of the optical element 3. As a result, the optical element 3 is positioned and fixed concentrically to the holder portion 2. The flange 22 of the holder part 2 fitted with the optical element 3 is brought into contact with the flanges 12, 12 of the receptacle main body 1 fitted with the master plug, but at this time, the flanges 12, 12 are positioned in the negative diagonal direction of the flange 22. , hole 12a, 1
2a is opposed to the screw holes 22a, 22a of the flange 22, and the setscrew 13 is screwed into the flange 22 for temporary fixation.

When the master plug 4 is fitted into the receptacle body 1, the tip of the core 41 is located in a state slightly protruding from the surface of the flange 22. 45 and retreated into the cylindrical portion 11,
It will be located flush with the flange 22.

A power source is connected to the lead wire 3c of the optical element 3, and the receptacle body 1 and the holder part 2 are connected to the flange 1.
2, 12 and 22 to move them relative to each other by sliding them on the abutting surfaces, find the position where the power meter 5 shows the maximum output, retighten the setscrews 13, 13 at that position, and then connect the receptacle body 1 and the holder. and part 2 are integrally fixed. The power source is removed from the lead wire 3c of the optical element 3, and the master plug 4 is removed from the receptacle body 1 to complete the assembly. As a result, the holder part 2 and the receptacle body 1, in other words, the optical element 3 and the receptacle body 1 are aligned, and when an ordinary plug is inserted into the receptacle instead of the master plug 4, the plug The end face of the optical fiber seen at the tip is aligned with the light emitting part of the optical element 3 in a state where it is accurately spaced apart by a dimension corresponding to the axial dimension of the through hole 21a, and the optical coupling state is stabilized. Note that when the optical element 3 is a light receiving element, a power meter is attached to the lead wire of the light receiving element, and a light source is attached to one end of the optical fiber F in place of the power meter, and alignment is performed in the same manner as above. Become. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the object to be aligned with the optical element is not limited to the optical fiber F, but can also be used to connect other optical elements.

As described above, in the case of this product, the holder part that accommodates the optical element and the receptacle body that inserts and removes the plug are constructed separately, and they are fixed together with their centers aligned with each other, thereby absorbing manufacturing errors. This does not require high component precision, making manufacturing easier and significantly reducing costs. In addition, the optical element is positioned and fixed to the holder part using a retaining screw, and the optical element fixed to the holder part is screwed together with the holder part in alignment with the receptacle body, so that the optical element is attached to the receptacle. The state is extremely stable, there is no possibility of misalignment or falling off, and even if misalignment occurs, it can be easily repaired, and the optical element can be attached to the receptacle body while being positioned and fixed in the holder. This makes it easy to handle, and the alignment work can be done easily and quickly.Also, since the assembled optical element is always faced with a gap equal to the axial length of the through hole and the end face of the optical fiber, direct contact between the two can be easily achieved. Damage due to contact etc. can also be prevented, and since the tip of the optical fiber core is pressed against the flange of the holder, the tip of the core can be connected to the optical element at a small distance from the through hole of the holder. The receptacle body and the optical element holder are separate bodies, and the flanges are fixed with bolts with each flange surface facing each other. Therefore, compared to the conventional fixing method using adhesive, the present invention has excellent effects such as making the adjustment work for optical axis alignment much easier.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional receptacle showing how the optical element and optical fiber are aligned, Fig. 2 is an explanatory view showing how the optical element is assembled into the receptacle, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the proposed product, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the proposed product. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing how the optical element is aligned with the product, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing how the optical device is assembled with the product. 1...Receptacle body, 2...Holder part, 3
...Optical element, 4... Master plug, 11... Cylindrical part, 12... Flange, 21... Cylindrical part, 22
...Flange.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The receptacle body has a cylindrical part into which the core of the master plug is inserted and removed, a flange provided on the outer periphery of one end of the cylindrical part, and a transparent body that is opened so that the optical element can be seen and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the core of the master plug. A cylindrical part having a hole and a concave hole for positioning the optical element facing the through-hole, and a threaded hole for screwing in a presser screw for positioning and fixing the optical element fitted into the concave hole, and one end of the cylindrical part; The holder part has a flange provided on the outer periphery of the through-hole side, and the flanges of the receptacle body and the holder part are fixed together with bolts with the surfaces of the flanges facing each other, and the core inside the cylinder part of the receptacle body is connected to the holder part. A receptacle characterized in that the receptacle is pressed against the flange end face of the part.