CN105492945B - The optical fiber cable of Belt connector, connector and electric supply installation - Google Patents

Abstract

An optical fiber cable (1) with a connector that can be easily identified is provided. A connector (10) of an optical fiber cable (1) with a connector has: a ferrule (7), a housing (20), a light-emitting component (40), and a rear end mounted on the housing (20) from the rear side And a protective cover (50) covering at least a part of the light emitting component (40). The housing (20) has a supporting portion (31), which opens toward the rear, is covered by a protective cover (50), and supports the plate-shaped component (42). The electric wire (4) and the light-emitting component (41) conduction via the plate member (42).

Description

Optical fiber cable with connector, connector and power supply unit

technical field

The invention relates to an optical fiber cable with a connector, a connector and a power supply device.

Background technique

Patent Document 1 discloses a subrack for accommodating a card composed of a circuit board or the like. The subrack is composed of a cylindrical housing, a front panel portion provided on the front surface of the housing, and a plurality of optical cards accommodated in the housing. An optical fiber connection portion is provided on the front panel portion of the subrack, and the optical fiber connection portion is connected to a connector of an optical cable.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3079473

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-243670

Contents of the invention

Since many optical fiber lines (such as optical fiber cables) are connected to the optical fiber connection portion, it is difficult to identify the optical fiber line to be selected from among the many optical fiber lines that have been wired.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention considered providing a light-emitting element in a connector connected to an optical fiber. In this case, the operator needs to conduct conduction between the terminal of the tester and the electrode of the light emitting element. However, it is difficult for an operator who points the tester at the front panel portion of the subrack located on one side of the optical fiber line to confirm the light emission of the connector located on the other side of the optical fiber line. In addition, it is inherently difficult to ensure sufficient work space on the front panel portion of the subrack where connectors are densely arranged, and it is thus difficult to conduct the electrodes of the light-emitting element with a tester.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber cable with a connector, a connector, and a power supply device that can be easily identified.

In order to achieve the above object, the optical fiber cable with connector of the present invention has:

an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber optically connected to the optical element at the front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and

connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable,

The connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part,

The housing has a supporting portion that opens toward the rear, is covered by the protective cover, and supports the plate-shaped member,

The electric wire and the light emitting member are electrically connected through the plate member.

In order to achieve the above object, the connector of the present invention is mounted on the front end of an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber optically connected to an optical element at the front end and at least two electric wires,

This connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part,

The housing has a support portion that opens toward the rear and supports the plate-shaped member,

The plate-shaped member is provided with a passage penetrating from a surface opposite to the mounting surface from the mounting surface.

In order to achieve the above object, the optical fiber cable with connector of the present invention has:

An optical fiber cable having an optical fiber for optical connection with an external device at a front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and

connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable,

The connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part,

A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover,

At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover,

On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface,

The electric wires are respectively inserted into the vias, and the electric wires, the light emitting element, and the embedded electrodes are electrically connected.

In addition, the connector of the present invention is mounted on the front end of an optical fiber cable including an optical fiber optically connected to an external device at the front end and at least two electric wires,

This connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part,

A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover,

At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover,

On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface.

In order to achieve the above object, the power supply device of the present invention is combined with a connector for an optical fiber line to supply power to a light-emitting element, the connector for an optical fiber line is provided with the light-emitting element, and a A plurality of electrodes exposed in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the power supply device includes: a housing having a connector fitting portion, and the rear portion of the connector from which the optical fiber cable extends can be fitted into the connector. a connector fitting portion having an opening portion opened in the axial direction of the optical fiber cord; and a plurality of spring-like terminals protruding toward the connector fitting portion so as to be able to engage with the plurality of electrodes The plurality of spring-shaped terminals are electrically connected to each of the electrodes in a state where the rear portion of the connector is fitted in the connector fitting portion.

The effect of the invention

According to the present invention, there are provided an optical fiber cable with a connector capable of easily identifying an optical fiber cable to be selected from among many optical fiber cables, a connector, and a power supply device for the optical fiber cable with a connector.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a connector-equipped optical cable according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an optical cable.

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the connector.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the connector.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a light emitting unit.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a rear cabinet.

Fig. 7 is a side sectional view of the rear case.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which a light emitting component is mounted on a rear case.

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of FIG. 8 .

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a device connected by a connector.

Fig. 11 is a schematic view showing a method of assembling an optical cable with a connector.

12 is a perspective view showing a part of a light emitting member of an optical cable with a connector according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

13 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of an optical cable with a connector according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a light emitting member according to a modified example of the first embodiment.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing a rear cabinet and a light emitting part.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing a rear cabinet and a protective cover.

18 is a perspective view showing a rear case, a light emitting member, and embedded electrodes, omitting the resin portion of the protective cover.

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a portion including a rear case, a light emitting part, and a protective cover.

FIG. 20 is a view corresponding to FIG. 17 of an optical fiber cable with a connector according to a modified example of the second embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a sectional view of the connector according to the third embodiment.

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of a light emitting unit.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the rear end of the connector.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view showing a power supply unit combined with a connector.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the casing.

Fig. 26 is a diagram showing a spring-shaped terminal.

Figure 27 is a side view of the jig.

Figure 28 is a top view of the jig.

Fig. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the housing with the shutter in the second position.

Fig. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the housing with the shutter in the first position.

FIG. 31 is a view corresponding to FIG. 29 of a power supply device according to a modified example of the third embodiment.

Fig. 32 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply device according to a fourth embodiment.

Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the power supply device shown in Fig. 32 .

34 is a perspective view of the power supply device in a state where the jig is inserted into the housing and the connector is not coupled to the power supply device.

35 is a cross-sectional view showing a power supply device and a connector in a state where electrodes and spring-shaped terminals are in conduction.

36 is a sectional perspective view showing a power supply device and a connector according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 37 is a side view showing an optical cable and an optical connector according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 38 is an exploded view of the optical connector of FIG. 37. FIG.

Fig. 39 is a cross-sectional view of the optical connector of Fig. 37 .

FIG. 40 is a perspective view showing a terminal unit constituting the optical connector of FIG. 37. FIG.

Fig. 41 is a front view showing the terminal unit of Fig. 40 .

Fig. 42 is a cross-sectional view showing the optical cable of Fig. 37 .

Fig. 43 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an optical cable is fixed to an optical connector.

Fig. 44 is a front view showing a state in which an optical cable is fixed to an optical connector.

Fig. 45 is a schematic diagram showing a method of fixing an optical cable to an optical connector.

Fig. 46 is a schematic diagram showing a method of fixing an optical cable to an optical connector.

Fig. 47 is a front view showing a panel to which an optical connector is connected.

Fig. 48 is a diagram showing a connector insertion port and a light emitting element of the panel of Fig. 47 .

Fig. 49 is a side view showing a state where an optical connector is connected to the panel of Fig. 47 .

50 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method of fixing an optical cable to an optical connector according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment.

Fig. 51 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical cable according to a modified example of the sixth embodiment. for the schematic diagram.

Fig. 52 is a cross-sectional view showing an optical cable according to another modified example of the sixth embodiment.

detailed description

[Description of Embodiments of the Present Invention]

First, the contents of the embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.

The optical fiber cable with connector according to the embodiment of the present invention,

(1) Possess:

an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber optically connected to the optical element at the front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and

connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable,

The connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part,

The housing has a supporting portion that opens toward the rear, is covered by the protective cover, and supports the plate-shaped member,

The electric wire and the light emitting member are electrically connected through the plate member.

According to the configuration of (1), a specific optical fiber can be easily identified by causing the light emitting element to emit light.

(2) The support portion may be a recess extending forward from the opening.

According to the configuration of (2), the plate-shaped member can be firmly supported by the concave portion extending in the front-rear direction.

(3) It is also possible that the housing has a joint part, which protrudes backward and is combined with the protective cover,

The concave portion is provided on the joint portion.

According to the configuration of (3), the protective cover can be firmly supported by the connection protruding rearward.

(4) The protective cover may diffuse and guide the light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside.

According to the structure of (4), since the protective cover diffuses and guides the light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside, the entire protective cover can be made to shine. Lighting of the light emitting element can be easily recognized from the rear side of the connector.

(5) A passage through which the electric wire is inserted may be provided in the plate member.

According to the structure of (5), it becomes easy to electrically connect an electric wire and a light emitting element by inserting an electric wire into a via.

(6) The passage may be a hole penetrating the plate member.

According to the configuration of (6), by inserting the electric wire, it becomes easy to electrically connect the electric wire to the light emitting element.

(7) The plate-like member may have a pair of terminals respectively connected to the light emitting element,

A pair of terminals have respectively:

a rear side lead portion extending from the light emitting element to the rear side and connected to the electric wire; and

a front-side lead portion extending forward from the light-emitting element,

The case is provided with an opening for power supply through which the front side lead portion can be accessed from the outside.

According to the configuration of (7), it becomes easy to supply power to the light-emitting element through the opening for power supply.

(8) The power feeding opening may have an inclined surface expanding outward on at least one side in the front-rear direction.

According to the structure of (8), since the opening for power supply expands to the outside, it becomes easy to make a power supply terminal contact with a front side lead part.

(9) The plate-like member may have a pair of terminals respectively connected to the light emitting element,

A pair of terminals have respectively:

a rear side lead portion extending from the light emitting element to the rear side and connected to the electric wire; and

a front-side lead portion extending forward from the light-emitting element,

A conductive member conducting to the outside is connected to the front side lead portion.

According to the configuration of (9), power can be supplied to the light emitting element via the conductive member.

(10) The conductive member may protrude outward from the case.

According to the configuration of (10), since the conductive member protrudes outward from the case, it is easy to conduct conduction between the external power supply terminal and the conductive member.

(11) The conductive member may be sandwiched between the case and the protective cover.

According to the configuration of (11), the conductive member is supported by being sandwiched between the case and the protective cover, so that the conductive member can be easily attached.

(12) The plate-shaped member may be sandwiched between the case and the protective cover.

According to the configuration of (12), the plate-shaped member can be prevented from coming off by sandwiching the plate-shaped member between the housing and the protective cover.

The connector according to the embodiment of the present invention,

(13) mounted on the front end of an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber optically connected to an optical element at the front end and at least two electric wires,

This connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part,

The housing has a support portion that opens toward the rear and supports the plate-shaped member,

The plate-shaped member is provided with a passage penetrating from a surface opposite to the mounting surface from the mounting surface.

According to the configuration of (13), the light emitting member can be easily attached to the case by inserting the plate member into the support portion from the rear side.

(14) The passage may be a hole penetrating the plate member.

According to the structure of (14), it becomes easy to insert an electric wire into a passage.

The optical fiber cable with connector according to the embodiment of the present invention,

(15) Possess:

An optical fiber cable having an optical fiber for optical connection with an external device at a front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and

connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable,

The connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part,

A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover,

At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover,

On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface,

The electric wire is inserted into the via, and the electric wire, the light emitting element, and the buried electrode are electrically connected.

According to the configuration of (15), a specific optical fiber can be easily identified by feeding power from the embedded electrode to cause the light emitting element to emit light.

(16) The buried electrode may be provided so as to straddle the two outer surfaces of the protective cover and be exposed to the outside.

According to the structure of (16), the power supply terminal can be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the embedded electrode from the direction of easy access.

(17) The housing may have a support portion that opens radially outward of the optical fiber and supports the plate member.

According to the configuration of (17), the plate-shaped member can be mounted on the housing by a simple operation of mounting the plate-shaped member on the support portion from the radially outer side.

(18) The protective cover may diffuse and guide the light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside.

According to the configuration of (18), it is possible to make the entire protective cover appear to be emitting light, and it is easy to confirm the lighting of the light emitting element from the rear side.

The connector according to the embodiment of the present invention,

(19) Attached to the front end of an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber for optical connection to an external device at the front end and at least two electric wires,

This connector has:

a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber;

a housing that holds the ferrule;

A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and

a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part,

A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover,

At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover,

On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface.

According to the configuration of (19), a specific optical fiber can be easily identified by causing the light-emitting element to emit light.

One embodiment of the power supply device according to the present invention is:

(20) A power supply device that supplies electric power to a light-emitting element in combination with a connector for an optical fiber line that includes the light-emitting element, and a plurality of electrodes exposed in the direction where the axes intersect,

The power supply unit has:

a housing having a connector fitting portion into which the rear portion of the connector from which the optical fiber cord extends can be fitted, the connector fitting portion having an axis along the optical fiber cord the opening to the opening; and

a plurality of spring-shaped terminals protruding toward the connector fitting portion so as to be electrically conductive with the plurality of electrodes, respectively,

In a state where the rear portion of the connector is fitted to the connector fitting portion, the plurality of spring-shaped terminals can conduct with each of the electrodes.

According to the structure of (20), power can be supplied to the light-emitting element in the state where the rear part of the connector is fitted into the connector fitting part, so even if the operator removes his hand from the power supply device, it is easy to keep the light-emitting element emitting light and identify Homework made easy.

(21) The connector fitting portion may have a shutter portion,

The shutter part can be moved to a first position and a second position, the first position is to make the conduction part of the spring-shaped terminal protrude toward the connector fitting part side so that the spring-shaped terminal and the second position The second position is a position where the electrodes are electrically connected to the spring-shaped terminal so that the conduction portion does not protrude toward the connector fitting portion side.

According to the structure of (21), the conduction state between the electrode and the spring-shaped terminal can be switched according to the position of the shutter portion, so the possibility of inadvertently damaging the spring-shaped terminal, and the possibility of damaging the electrode and the electrode of the connector due to the spring-shaped terminal Peripheral sites are less likely. Therefore, damage to the connector can be suppressed.

(22) The shutter portion may be movable to the first position and the second position by moving in the axial direction of the optical fiber within the connector fitting portion.

According to the configuration of (22), since conduction and non-conduction can be switched by moving the shutter portion in the axial direction, not in the radial direction where the working space is narrow, workability is improved.

(23) A spring member for pressing the shutter portion toward the second position may be provided.

According to the configuration of (23), when the power supply device is detached from the connector, the shutter portion can be reliably arranged at the second position.

(24) The casing may be provided with a latch portion that holds the shutter portion at least one of the first position and the second position.

According to the configuration of (24), it is easy to maintain the conduction/non-conduction state between the conduction portion of the spring-shaped terminal and the electrode.

(25) The first position of the shutter may be located behind the relative position of the shutter with respect to the housing relative to the second position.

According to the configuration of (25), since the light-emitting element can be turned on by moving the housing relatively forward with respect to the shutter portion, it is easy to intuitively understand the operation.

(26) A jig may be provided at the rear of the housing, and the jig may be detachably attached to the rear of the housing.

On the side of the connector, it is difficult to secure a working space because the connectors are densely packed, but it is easy to secure a large working space behind the connector.

According to the configuration of (26), since the connector can be operated by operating the jig using the working space behind the housing, it is easy to connect the power supply device to the connector.

(27) The jig may be rotatable relative to the housing in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical fiber.

According to the configuration of (27), even if an impact force is applied to the power supply device from a direction intersecting the axial direction and the jig rotates, the impact force does not act on the connector. Therefore, damage to the connector can be suppressed.

(28) A concave portion opening along the axial direction of the optical fiber may be provided on the jig.

According to the configuration of (28), the optical fiber extending from the connector can naturally follow the jig in the concave portion, and the optical fiber is less likely to be bent.

(29) A shutter portion may be provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the optical fiber relative to the housing,

At least a part of the spring-shaped terminal is provided outside the connector fitting portion,

The shutter portion is provided to be movable to a first position and a second position. The first position is such that the conduction portion of the spring-shaped terminal protrudes toward the connector fitting portion side so that the spring-shaped The position where the terminal conducts with the electrode, the second position is located between the spring-shaped terminal and the electrode, abuts against the spring-shaped terminal so that the conduction part does not connect to the connector The position where the fitting part protrudes,

The shutter portion is provided on a jig which is detachably provided behind the housing.

According to the structure of (29), the conduction state and the non-conduction state of the light emitting element can be switched by moving the shutter portion in the axial direction instead of in the radial direction where the working space is narrow, and thus the workability is improved.

In addition, instead of bringing the spring-shaped terminal into contact with the electrode of the connector, the gate portion and the spring-shaped terminal are used to switch the conduction state between the electrode and the spring-shaped terminal, so that the spring-shaped terminal damages the electrode and the electrode of the connector. Peripheral sites are less likely. Therefore, damage to the connector can be suppressed.

In addition, the present invention may also be configured as follows.

(a) A connector having:

a housing having a plurality of slits provided in the circumferential direction of the collet structure and a threaded portion provided on a rear end side of the plurality of slits;

a cable pressing member screwed to the threaded portion; and

a set of terminal units having light emitting elements arranged corresponding to at least two of the plurality of slits,

A pair of wires drawn out from the cable can be drawn out from the at least two slits respectively,

The cable is fixed by fastening the collet structure by screwing the cable pressing member to the threaded part, and the pair of lead wires and the group of terminal units are respectively overlapped to form was clamped.

According to the configuration of (a), it is possible to provide a connector capable of easily identifying a cable to be selected when a specific cable is selected from among a plurality of cables mounted on a panel or the like.

(b) In the connector according to (a), the group of terminal units is respectively arranged corresponding to two slits facing each other in a diametrical direction in the collet structure among the plurality of slits.

According to the configuration of (b), the light emitting element included in the connector can be visually confirmed from any direction.

(c) The connector according to (a) or (b), wherein each of the set of terminal units includes a base,

Each base is arranged corresponding to two adjacent slits among the plurality of slits.

According to the configuration of (c), even if a pair of lead wires drawn out from the cable is led out from any one of the plurality of slits, the lead wires can be brought into contact with the terminal unit.

(d) The connector according to any one of (a) to (c), wherein each of the group of terminal units has an external contact portion capable of being electrically connected from the outside,

The external contact portion is disposed at a position perpendicular to the light emitting elements disposed opposite to each other.

According to the configuration of (d), power can be easily supplied to the light-emitting element by bringing a tester or the like into contact with the external contact portion from the outside.

(e) A connector with a cable having:

the connector described in any one of (a) to (d); and

The cable is fixed to the connector with the pair of wires in contact with the group of terminal units.

According to the configuration of (e), it is possible to provide a connector with a cable that can easily identify a cable to be selected.

(f) a light panel, which has:

A panel surface having a plurality of connector insertion openings capable of inserting the connector described in any one of (a) to (d);

a pair of wrists extending forwardly from the panel face in a manner sandwiched by the connector insertion opening; and

a light emitting element disposed on the panel surface and electrically connected to the pair of wrists,

The pair of arms can be electrically connected to external contacts provided on the group of terminal units of the connector.

According to the configuration of (f), since the light-emitting element of the optical panel is also turned on together with the light-emitting element of the connector, identification of the cable to be selected can be performed more easily.

(g) an optical fiber line having:

At least 1 optical fiber;

a pair of wires disposed across said optical fiber; and

a sheath covering the optical fiber and the pair of wires,

The optical fiber line is provided with a light emitting element electrically connected to the pair of wires.

According to the structure of (g), the optical fiber line which should be selected can be easily identified among many optical fiber lines mounted on a panel etc.

(h) The optical fiber cable according to (g), wherein each conducting wire is made of annealed copper wire.

According to the structure of (h), each lead wire functions as a relatively flexible tensile member, and conduction between each lead wire and the light emitting element can be performed smoothly.

(i) In the optical fiber cable described in (g) or (h), each conducting wire is a twisted wire.

According to the structure of (i), it is possible to improve the handleability of the optical fiber while maintaining the tensile properties of each lead wire.

(j) The optical fiber cable according to (i), wherein each conducting wire constituted by the twisted wire is AWG24 to AWG26.

According to the configuration of (j), it is possible to satisfy the predetermined dimensions and allowable tensile force in the structure of the optical fiber.

[Details of Embodiments of the Present Invention]

Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are attached to the same or equivalent elements, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a connector-equipped optical fiber cable (hereinafter also referred to as a connector-equipped optical cable) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 , an optical cable with connector 1 includes an optical cable 2 and a connector 10 attached to the front end of the optical cable 2 . In addition, in the following description, at one end of the optical cable 2 in the longitudinal direction, the end side is referred to as the front, and the opposite side is referred to as the rear.

<Optical cable>

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical cable 2 .

The optical cable 2 has an optical fiber base 3 (an example of an optical fiber), a pair of electric wires 4 , and a sheath 6 covering the optical fiber base 3 and the pair of electric wires 4 . The optical fiber base 3 and the electric wire 4 are housed inside the hollow portion provided inside the sheath 6 . In addition, a tensile fiber 5 such as aramid fiber is provided inside the hollow portion at the gap between the optical fiber base wire 3 and the electric wire 4 .

The optical fiber base 3 is coated with an ultraviolet curable resin (UV resin) around a glass fiber having a core and a clad, and its outer diameter is set to 250 μm. The optical fiber base 3 is optically connected to an optical element such as a light receiving/emitting element or a lens component of an external device at the front end of the optical cable 2 to optically connect external devices to each other. In addition, the optical fiber may be an optical fiber having an outer diameter of 250 μm to 900 μm that is generally used, such as an outer diameter of 500 μm or an outer diameter of 900 μm, other than the above examples.

Each electric wire 4 is constituted by, for example, a twisted wire obtained by twisting a plurality (seven in this example) of metal wires 4a, and the periphery of the twisted wire is covered with an insulating material. As the metal wire 4a, for example, an annealed copper wire with high conductivity is used. The outer diameter of the electric wire 4 obtained by twisting seven metal wires 4 a is, for example, greater than or equal to 0.48 mm to less than 0.65 mm. That is, the size of the electric wire 4 is preferably AWG (American Wire Gauge) 24 to AWG26. If the outer diameter of the electric wire 4 is thicker than AWG24, it will not be able to satisfy the specified dimensions in terms of the structure of the optical cable 2 . In addition, if the outer diameter of the electric wire 4 is thinner than AWG26, the allowable tensile force of the optical cable 2 cannot be satisfied.

In addition, the electric wire 4 may be constituted by a single-wire metal wire. In the case of the electric wire 4 made of a single wire, it is preferable to set the outer diameter thereof to be greater than or equal to 0.42 mm to less than 0.65 mm (AWG22 to AWG25).

The sheath 6 covering the optical fiber base 3 and the pair of electric wires 4 is made of resin. As the resin constituting the sheath 6, flame-retardant polyethylene is particularly preferably used. From the viewpoint of the ease of handling of the optical cable 2, the Young's modulus of the sheath 6 is preferably about 5 to 20 MPa.

<connector>

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the connector 10 . FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the connector 10 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the connector 10 is attached to the front end of the optical cable 2 (an example of an optical fiber cable).

As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the connector 10 has: a ferrule 7, which holds the front end of the optical fiber base 3; a housing 20, which holds the ferrule 7; a light emitting part 40, which has a light emitting element 41 ; and protective cover 50 . The protective cover 50 is attached from the rear of the casing 20 so as to cover the light emitting element 41 .

The ferrule 7 is a cylindrical member. Inside the ferrule 7, a through hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction is provided. The glass fiber exposed from the optical fiber base 3 of the optical cable 2 is inserted and fixed in the through hole.

The housing 20 is a member that covers the ferrule 7 and a part of the optical cable 2 extending rearward from the ferrule 7 . The case 20 includes a front case 21 , a middle case 22 , and a rear case 30 .

The front case 21 and the middle case 22 house the ferrule 7 inside.

A spring 24 is disposed between the front case 21 and the middle case 22 . The front end of the spring 24 is in contact with the ferrule 7 , and the rear end of the spring 24 is in contact with the middle case 22 . The spring 24 presses the ferrule 7 forward. Thereby, the ferrule 7 can be pressed against the optical element of the connection partner, and the optical coupling efficiency can be improved.

On the rear end side of the middle case 22, the tensile fiber 5 exposed from the front end of the optical cable 2 is sandwiched in the state along the outer circumference of the tube extending from the rear end side of the middle case 22. Between the tube and the clamping ring which further covers its periphery. The hoop is riveted to secure it. Further, on the rear end side of the middle case 22 , the outer skin 6 is sandwiched and fixed between the outer periphery on the rear end side of the clamp ring and the fixing member of the outer skin 6 . With the rear case 30 covering these outer peripheries, the rear case 30 is connected to the rear end side of the middle case 22 and covers a part of the optical cable 2 extending rearward from the ferrule 7 .

A protective cover 50 made of soft resin is attached to the outer periphery of the rear portion of the rear cabinet 30 . The protective cover 50 protects the optical cable 2 at the rear of the rear case 30 so that sharp bending does not act on the optical cable 2 . The protective cover 50 is attached to the rear end portion of the rear cabinet 30 from the rear side, and covers at least a part of the light emitting member 40 described later.

The protective cover 50 is formed of translucent resin so as to diffuse and guide the light emitted from the light emitting element 41 provided on the light emitting member 40 to the outside. In addition, instead of being made of translucent resin, the protective cover 50 may be made of transparent resin, and the outer and inner surfaces thereof may be provided with fine unevenness, thereby diffusing and guiding the light emitted from the light emitting element 41 to the outside. Alternatively, the protective cover 50 may be formed from a transparent resin containing a light diffusing material.

<Light Part>

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the light emitting member 40 . As shown in FIG. 5, the light-emitting component 40 has: a light-emitting element 41; a circuit board 42 (an example of a plate-shaped member) whose upper surface is a mounting surface 42a; and a first terminal 44 and a second terminal formed on the circuit board 42. Two terminals 45. The mounting surface 42 a is substantially parallel to the main light emitting surface of the light emitting element 41 . In addition, the circuit board 42 is provided with two vias (holes) 43a and 43b (see FIG. 9 ) penetrating from the mounting surface 42a to the back side of the mounting surface 42a. In addition, the passages 43 a and 43 b may be provided on the rear side or the front side of the light emitting element 41 .

As the light emitting element 41, LED (Laser Emitting Diode), EL (Electro Luminescence), or the like can be used.

The first terminal 44 and the second terminal 45 are electrically connected to the light emitting element 41 . The first terminal 44 and the second terminal 45 are formed to extend in the front-rear direction on the mounting surface 42 a of the circuit board 42 . Each of the terminals 44 and 45 can be constituted by a printed wiring pattern formed on the circuit board 42, a metal plate (bus bar), or the like.

The first terminal 44 is provided with a front lead portion 44 a extending forward from the light emitting element 41 and a rear lead portion 44 b extending rearward from the light emitting element 41 . Similarly, the first terminal 45 is provided with a front lead portion 45 a extending forward from the light emitting element 41 and a rear lead portion 45 b extending rearward from the light emitting element 41 .

The passages 43a, 43b are opened in the rear side lead parts 44b, 45b. It is preferable that the conductive layer forming the first terminal 44 and the second terminal 45 is extended to the inner peripheral surface of the vias 43a and 43b (see FIG. 9 ).

<Structure of the rear part of the rear case>

Next, the mounting structure of the light emitting component 40 will be described using FIGS. 6 to 9 . FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear portion of the rear cabinet 30 . FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 along the longitudinal direction on a surface including the power supply opening 33a.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , a large-diameter portion 30 a and a small-diameter portion 30 b (an example of a joint portion) having a smaller-diameter outer peripheral surface are provided on the rear portion of the rear cabinet 30 . The small diameter part 30b is provided behind the large diameter part 30a, and is provided so that it may protrude rearward with respect to the large diameter part 30a. The protective cover 50 is attached to this small-diameter part 30b from the rear side. In addition, locking claws 37 are provided on the lower surface and side surfaces of the small-diameter portion 30b. Since the small diameter part 30b protrudes toward the rear side, it becomes easy to stop the protective cover 50, and can support the protective cover 50 reliably.

The small diameter part 30b which is the rear end part of the rear case 30 is provided with: a space A through which the optical cable 2 is inserted in the front-rear direction; and a support part 31 having an opening 31a opened toward the rear. The support portion 31 is formed as a recess extending forward from the opening 31a.

The supporting portion 31 is formed between the frame portion 32 and the covering portion 33, the frame portion 32 is located on the radially inner side of the optical cable 2 compared with the supporting portion 31, and the covering portion 33 is located on the radial side of the optical cable 2 compared to the supporting portion 31. to the outside. The frame portion 32 is formed to extend in the front-rear direction between the space for accommodating the optical cable 2 and the support portion 31 . The rear side end part of the frame part 32 is extended to the rear side rather than the opening 31a of the support part 31. As shown in FIG.

The cover portion 33 is provided with an opening 33 a for power supply penetrating from the outside to the support portion 31 . The power supply opening 33a opens radially outward. The opening 33a for power feeding has an inclined surface expanding outward on at least one side in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the front surface is an inclined surface that widens outward toward the front, and the rear surface is also an inclined surface that widens outward toward the rear among the surfaces forming the feeding opening 33a.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state where the light emitting member 40 is attached to the rear cabinet 30 . FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state where the light emitting member 40 and the protective cover 50 are attached to the rear cabinet 30 .

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , a part of the circuit board 42 of the light emitting component 40 is inserted from the rear into the support portion 31 opened rearward as described above. More specifically, a part of the circuit board 42 on the front side of the light emitting element 41 of the light emitting component is inserted into the support portion 31 . As described above, when part of the light emitting member 40 is inserted into the support portion 31 , the light emitting element 41 of the light emitting member 40 and the portion on the rear side of the light emitting element 41 are not inserted into the support portion 31 . The opening 31a protrudes toward the rear side rather than. In addition, the upper surface of the light emitting element 41 and the portion on the rear side of the light emitting element 41 is not covered by the covering portion 33 .

In addition, the height dimension (dimension in the radial direction of the optical cable 2 ) of the support portion 31 is preferably set to be equal to or slightly larger than the thickness of the circuit board 42 . Thereby, the circuit board 42 is stably supported by the support part 31, without rattling.

In the state where the circuit board 42 is inserted into the supporting part 31, a part of the end portion of the mounting surface 42a of the circuit board 42 in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction on the mounting surface 42a) is covered by a part extending from the rear case 30. The pressing part 38 presses. Thus, the circuit board 42 is stably supported.

In addition, when a part of the circuit board 42 is inserted into the supporting portion 31, the locking hole 51 provided in the protective cover 50 is fitted into the locking claw 37 provided in the small diameter portion 30b, thereby, the rear case 30 is locked. The protective cover 50 is attached from the rear side. When the protective cover 50 is attached to the rear case 30 , the protective cover 50 covers the entire circumference of the small-diameter portion 30 b including the upper surface of the light emitting element 41 . As a result, the circuit board 42 is sandwiched between the housing 20 and the protective cover 50 , and the light emitting component 40 is prevented from coming off from the rear housing 30 .

In the state where the circuit board 42 is inserted into the support part 31, the two openings 33a for power feeding are respectively located directly above the front side lead part 44a, 45a. Thereby, the front-side lead parts 44a, 45a can be accessed from the outside through the opening 33a for power feeding. Therefore, the power supply terminal can be approached from the rear, and the power supply terminal can be mounted so as to sandwich the connector 10 in the radial direction, and power can be easily supplied to the light emitting element 41 . At this time, the power supply terminal is slid in the front-rear direction, and the power supply terminal is brought into contact with the front side lead parts 44a, 45a through the opening 33a for power supply. Since the power supply opening 33a has an inclined surface expanding outward on at least one side in the front-rear direction, the power supply terminals are easily in contact with the front side lead parts 44a, 45a.

In addition, the vias 43a and 43b provided in the circuit board 42 penetrate from the mounting surface 42a to the surface on the opposite side as shown in FIG. 9 . Regarding the passages 43a, 43b, the rear end portion of the frame portion 32 is located on the front side of the passages 43a, 43b of the circuit board 42 in a state where the circuit board 42 is inserted into the support portion 31 . Thereby, the passages 43a and 43b are opened to both the mounting surface 42a side of the circuit board 42 and the space A in which the optical cable 2 is accommodated.

The electric wires 4 extending from the optical cable 2 are wound to the mounting surface 42a of the circuit board 42 through the passages 43a, 43b, and are mechanically and electrically connected to the front side lead parts 44a, 45a by methods such as soldering. The electric wire 4 may be connected to the front-side lead parts 44a and 45a by not only soldering, but also bonding with a conductive adhesive by welding, caulking, or the like.

In the optical cable with a connector configured as described above, the light emitting element 41 can be turned on by externally bringing the power supply terminal into contact with the front side lead parts 44a, 45a through the power supply opening 33a. If the power supply terminal is brought into contact with the front side lead parts 44a, 45a in the connector 10 at one end in the longitudinal direction, the wire 4 in the optical cable 2 is connected to the connector 10 in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2. Electric power is also supplied to the light emitting element 41 of the connector 10 provided on the other side, and the light emitting element 41 on the other side is also turned on.

<effect>

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state of a device to which the optical cable with connector 1 according to the present embodiment is connected. The above-described optical cable 1 with connectors according to the present embodiment is used, for example, for in-site optical connection of an optical network. In such an application, as shown in FIG. 10 , it is necessary to optically connect numerous optical cables to the device 100 to be connected at high density. Therefore, it is very difficult to identify a specific optical cable among many optical cables.

Therefore, the optical cable with connector 1 according to the present embodiment includes the light emitting element 41 . Therefore, by making the light-emitting element 41 of the specific optical cable with a connector 1 emit light, it is possible to easily identify the specific optical cable with a connector 1 among many optical cables with a connector.

In addition, since the protective cover 50 of the optical cable 1 with a connector diffuses and guides the emitted light from the light emitting element 41 to the outside, when the light emitting element 41 is turned on, it appears to cover the entire outer periphery of the small diameter portion 30b for protection. The cover 50 as a whole emits light. Thereby, it is possible to easily confirm the lighting of the light emitting element 41 from the front of the device 100 (from the rear side of the optical cable with connector 1 ). Therefore, it becomes easier to identify a specific optical cable with connectors 1 .

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9 , the opening 33 a for power feeding has an inclined surface expanding outward on at least one side in the front-rear direction. Therefore, when the power supply terminal is moved in the front-rear direction to repeatedly contact and separate the power supply terminal from the front lead parts 44a, 45a, the power supply opening 33a is less likely to be damaged by the power supply terminal.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 10 , countless optical cables with connectors are optically connected at high density to the device 100 to be connected. Therefore, simply attaching a light-emitting component to an optical cable for easy identification will increase the size of the optical cable and cannot be attached to the device at a high density. As described above, it is preferable to mount a light emitting component in an optical cable with a connector without increasing the size.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention conceived of mounting the light-emitting component 40 on the case 20 so that the circuit board 42 on which the light-emitting element 41 is mounted is supported by a support surface extending in the front-rear direction, thereby obtaining the present invention.

For example, unlike the present invention, it is conceivable that the supporting portion is provided so as to be open in the radial direction of the case, and that the supporting portion is configured so that the circuit board is supported by a supporting surface extending in the radial direction. In this case, if the support surface is to be secured large in order to stably support the circuit board, the support portion will increase in size in the radial direction. However, as described above, in the device 100 to be connected, space constraints in the radial direction are extremely strict.

The inventors of the present invention found that there are few space constraints in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 in the device 100 to be connected. Therefore, it has been considered to mount the light emitting component 40 on the case 20 using a space extending in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 .

According to the optical cable 1 with a connector according to the present embodiment, the light emitting member 40 is fixed to the housing 20 by inserting the circuit board 42 into the support portion 31 opened toward the rear. That is, the circuit board 42 is supported by the supporting portion 12, which is a concave portion extending forward between the covering portion 33 and the frame portion 32. Therefore, if the circuit board 42 is to be held stably, the front and rear of the supporting portion 31 The size in the direction is easy to become large, but the size in the radial direction of the optical cable 2 is not easy to become large. That is, according to the optical cable 1 with a connector according to this embodiment, it is possible to In the case of upward enlargement, an optical cable 1 with a connector mounted with a light-emitting component 40 and easily identified is provided.

<Assembly method>

Next, a method of assembling the above-mentioned optical cable with a connector will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12 .

First, the optical cable 2 is passed through the spring 24 , the middle housing 22 , the rear housing 30 and the protective cover 50 .

Next, the sheath 6 of the front end portion of the optical cable 2 is removed to expose the optical fiber base 3 and the pair of electric wires 4 . The exposed length of the electric wire 4 exposed from the sheath 6 is such that it can be exposed to the outside of the housing 20 at the rear of the finally assembled housing 20 . Next, the glass fiber exposed from the optical fiber base 3 is inserted and fixed through the insertion hole of the ferrule 7 .

Next, the housing 20 is moved to the position of the exposed optical fiber base 3 . Then, the ferrule 7 is housed in the front case 21 , the front case 21 and the middle case 22 are combined, and the spring 24 , the middle case 22 , the rear case 30 , and the protective cover 50 are combined. As a result, the state shown in (a) of FIG. 11 is achieved.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11( b ), the light emitting member 40 is inserted from the rear side into the support portion 31 of the rear case 30 that opens toward the rear side. In addition, in this step, the circuit board 42 is inserted halfway into the support part 31 without completely inserting the light emitting component 40 into the support part 31 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 11( c ), the electric wire 4 is inserted into the passage 43 of the circuit board 42 , and its end is inserted into the mounting surface 42 a side of the circuit board 42 . Next, the end portions of the electric wires 4 are soldered to the rear side lead portions 44 b and 45 b of the circuit board 42 . Thus, the electric wire 4 and the light emitting element 41 are electrically connected. Since the passage 43 is provided in the circuit board 42, it becomes easy to wind the electric wire 4 to the rear side lead part 44b, 45b.

Next, as shown in (d) of FIG. 11 , the circuit board 42 is completely inserted into the support portion 31 . Thereby, the front side lead part 44a, 45a can be exposed to the outside from the opening 33a for power feeding.

Furthermore, the locking hole 51 of the protective cover 50 is fitted into the locking claw 37 of the rear cabinet 30, and the protective cover 50 is attached to the small-diameter part 30b of the rear cabinet 30 from the rear side. Thereby, the optical cable 1 with a connector is completed.

As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated in detail with reference to the specific embodiment, it is clear for those skilled in the art that various changes and corrections can be added without deviating from the spirit and range of this invention. In addition, the number, position, shape, etc. of the components described above are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be changed to an appropriate number, position, shape, etc. for implementing the present invention.

12 and 13 are diagrams for explaining an optical cable with a connector according to a modified example of the above-mentioned first embodiment. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of light emitting members 40', 40A mounted in the optical cable with connector according to this modification. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing part of an optical cable with a connector mounted thereon according to a modified example of the light emitting component 40A shown in FIG. 12 .

In the above-described embodiment, the through holes formed in the circuit board 42 have been described as the vias 43a and 43b, but the vias 43 may not be the through holes. For example, as shown in FIGS. 12( a ) and ( b ), the passages may be slits 43 a , 43 b formed on the rear end side of the circuit board 42 and opened to the side, or slits 43A opened to the rear.

According to the light emitting component 40A including the slit 43A as described above, when the light emitting component 40A is attached to the case 20 as shown in FIG. 13 , the electric wire 4 can be easily inserted into the slit 43A at the rear side. Therefore, it is possible to easily conduct electrical conduction between the electric wire 4 and the light emitting element 41 .

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the power supply terminal can approach the front side lead parts 44a and 45a from the outside through the power supply opening 33a has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, as shown in FIG. 13 , it may also be configured in such a way that a conductive member 46 partly exposed from the outer surface of the rear case 30 is provided on the front side lead parts 44a, 45a, and the conductive member 46 can be connected via the conductive member 46. Power is supplied to the light emitting element 41 from the outside. The exposed portion 46 a of the conductive member 46 preferably protrudes outward from the outer surface of the rear case 30 in order to facilitate contact with the power supply terminal.

Preferably, the conductive member 46 is sandwiched between the rear end portion of the rear cabinet 30 and the front end portion of the protective cover 50 . After electrically and mechanically connecting the conductive member 46 to the front side lead parts 44a and 45a by soldering or the like, the light emitting member 40 can be inserted into the supporting part 31 . Therefore, the light emitting member 40 in which the light emitting element 41 and the conductive member 46 are reliably conducted can be easily inserted into the support portion 31 .

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the circuit board 42 on which the light emitting element 41 is mounted is described as an example of a plate-shaped member, but the present invention is not limited to this example. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a light emitting member 40B according to another modified example of the present invention.

A light emitting component 40B shown in FIG. 14 includes two bus bars 44B and 45B as plate-shaped members. The light emitting element 41 is provided straddling the two bus bars 44B, 45B. The two bus bars 44B, 45B are respectively metal plates extending in the front-rear direction, and front-side leads that are in contact with power supply terminals are provided on the front side. The parts 44Ba and 45Ba are provided with rear side lead parts 44Bb and 45Bb which are in contact with the electric wires 4 on the rear side thereof. In addition, a slit 43B opening toward the rear side is provided at the rear end portion of the rear side lead portions 44Bb, 45Bb.

By pinching the electric wire 4 into the slit 43B, it becomes easy to fix the electric wire 4 to the rear side lead part 44Bb, 45Bb. By arranging the two bus bars of the above-mentioned light-emitting component 40B on the support portion 31 provided at the rear end portion of the case 20 from the rear side, the light-emitting component 40 can also be easily installed without increasing the size in the radial direction. Installed on connector 10.

<Second Embodiment>

Next, a connector-equipped optical fiber cord 1001 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a connector 1010 of a connector-equipped optical fiber cord 1001 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 15 , an optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector according to the present embodiment also includes an optical cable 2 and a connector 1010 in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above.

As shown in FIG. 15 , the connector 1010 is mounted on the front end of the optical cable 2 . The connector 1010 has the same as the above-mentioned first embodiment: the ferrule 1007 that holds the front end of the optical fiber base 3; the housing 20 that holds the ferrule 1007; and the light emitting member 1040 that includes a light emitting element. 1041; and protective cover 1050. The protective cover 1050 is attached from the rear of the housing 1020 so as to cover the light emitting element 1041 .

The case 1020 is a member that covers the ferrule 1007 and a part of the optical cable 2 extending rearward from the ferrule 1007 . The case 1020 includes a front case 1021 , a middle case 1022 , and a rear case 1030 . The front case 1021 and the middle case 1022 house the ferrule 1007 inside.

<Light Part>

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the rear portion of the rear case 1030 and the light emitting member 1040 attached to the rear case 1030 .

As shown in FIG. 16 , the rear cabinet 1030 includes a large-diameter portion 1030 a and a small-diameter portion 1030 b having a smaller diameter than the large-diameter portion 1030 a. The small-diameter portion 1030b is formed on the rear side of the large-diameter portion 1030a. On the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 1030b, locking claws 1033 protruding radially outward are provided.

At the rear of the small-diameter portion 1030 b of the rear housing 1030 , a support portion 1031 opening toward the radially outer side of the optical cable 2 is provided. The support portion 1031 is an upper surface of the shelf portion 1032 extending in the front-rear direction at the rear of the rear case 1030 . The upper surface of the frame portion 1032 is open toward the radially outer side of the optical cable 2 . In addition, in the rear case 1030 , on the radially inner side of the frame portion 1032 (below the frame portion 1032 in FIG. 16 ), a space A into which the optical cable 2 is inserted is provided.

The light emitting member 1040 is attached to the support portion 1031 from the outside in the radial direction. The light emitting member includes a light emitting element 1041 and two bus bars (an example of a plate member) 1042 on which the light emitting element 1041 is mounted.

The bus bar 1042 is a metal plate. The upper surface of the bus bar 1042 (the radially outer surface of the optical cable 2 ) is used as a mounting surface on which the light emitting element 1041 is mounted. The bus bar 1042 is electrically and mechanically connected to each terminal of the light emitting element 1041 . The light emitting element 1041 is provided straddling two bus bars 1042 . On the rear side of the bus bar 1042, there is provided a slit 1043 that is a passage that penetrates from the mounting surface 1042a to the side opposite to the mounting surface 1042a. The slit 1043 opens toward the rear side. The widthwise dimension of the slit 1043 is formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the electric wire 4 . In addition, instead of the bus bar 1042, the light emitting element 1041 may be mounted on a printed circuit board or the like on which printed wiring is provided.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the rear case 1030 and the protective cover 1050 attached to the rear case 1030 .

As shown in FIG. 17 , the protective cover 1050 is attached to the rear of the rear case 1030 from the rear side. Locking holes 1051 are provided in the protective cover 1050 . The protective cover 1050 is attached to the rear case 1030 by fitting the locking claws 1033 of the rear case 1030 into the locking holes 1051 . The light emitting part 1040 is supported by being sandwiched between the rear case 1030 and the protective cover 1050 in the front-rear direction, thereby preventing the light emitting part 1040 from falling off from the connector 1010 .

A buried electrode 1052 is buried in the protective cover 1050 . The protective cover 1050 is a resin molded product that is insert-molded together with the embedded electrodes 1052 . The outer peripheral surface of the embedded electrode 1052 is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the resin part of the protective cover 1050, or protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the buried electrode 1052 is provided so as to straddle the two side surfaces of the protective cover 1050 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the rear case 1030 , the light emitting member 1040 , and the embedded electrode 1052 , omitting the resin portion of the protective cover 1050 . FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 of a portion including the rear case 1030 , the light emitting member 1040 , and the protective cover 1050 .

As shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 , the electric wire 4 drawn out from the optical cable 2 inserted into the radially inner side of the frame portion 1032 is wired so as to be inserted into the slit 1043 of the bus bar 1042 and the front end thereof is wound around the bus bar. The mounting surface of 1042. The ends of the electric wires 4 wound around the mounting surface of the bus bar 1042 are mechanically and electrically connected to the bus bar 1042 by soldering, welding, bonding with a conductive adhesive, or caulking.

As described in FIG. 17 , when the protective cover 1050 is attached to the rear case 1030 from the rear side, the embedded electrode 1052 is inserted into the slit 1043 through which the electric wire 4 penetrates. Thus, the electric wire 4 is sandwiched between the embedded electrode 1052 and the slit 1043 in the front-rear direction. The protective cover 1050 is attached to the rear case 1030 in a state where the embedded electrode 1052 always presses the electric wire 4 toward the bus bar 1042 . Thereby, the mutual conduction state of the buried electrode 1052, the electric wire 4, and the bus bar 1042 is maintained.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 19 , the slit 1043 is located on the rear side of the frame portion 1032 in a state where the light emitting member 1040 is supported by the support portion 1031 . Accordingly, when the embedded electrode 1052 is inserted into the slit 1043 , the embedded electrode 1052 can act on the electric wire 4 with a force pressing the bus bar 1042 .

Electric power is supplied to the light emitting element 1041 via the buried electrode 1052 , the electric wire 4 , and the bus bar 1042 by bringing the power supply terminal into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the buried electrode 1052 . If the power supply terminal is brought into contact with the embedded electrode 1052 in the connector 1010 at one end of the longitudinal direction, the other side in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 will The light emitting element 1041 of the provided connector 1010 is also supplied with power, and the other light emitting element 1041 is also lit.

According to the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector according to the present embodiment described above, the light emitting element 1041 can be turned on by bringing the power supply terminal into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the embedded electrode 1052 . If the power supply terminal is brought into contact with the embedded electrode 1052 in the connector 1010 at one end of the longitudinal direction, the other side in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2 will The light emitting element 1041 of the provided connector 1010 is also supplied with power, and the other light emitting element 1041 is also lit.

<effect>

The optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector according to this embodiment includes a light emitting element 1041 . Therefore, by lighting the light emitting element 1041 of the specific optical fiber cord 1001 with a connector, as shown in FIG. 10 , the specific optical fiber cord 1001 with a connector can be easily identified from many optical cables with a connector.

In addition, since the protective cover 1050 of the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector diffuses and guides the light emitted from the light emitting element 1041 to the outside, when the light emitting element 1041 is turned on, it appears as a protective cover covering the entire outer circumference of the small diameter portion 1030b. The 1050 as a whole is shining. Accordingly, it is possible to easily confirm the lighting of the light emitting element 1041 from the front of the device 100 shown in FIG. 10 (from the rear side of the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector). Therefore, it becomes easier to identify a specific optical fiber cable with connector 1001 .

In addition, according to the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector according to this embodiment, the electric wire 4 is sandwiched between the slit 1043 and the embedded electrode 1052 embedded in the protective cover 1050, and the slit 1043 extends from the mounting surface to the surface opposite to the mounting surface. The side surfaces are set in a continuous manner. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 19 , by inserting the electric wire 4 into the slit 1043 and sandwiching the electric wire 4 between the slit 1043 and the embedded electrode 1052, it is possible to connect the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector. to assemble.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 17 , the outer peripheral surface of each embedded electrode 1052 is provided so as to straddle the two outer surfaces of the protective cover 1050 and is exposed to the outside. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 17 , the power supply terminal can be brought into contact with the buried electrode 1052 from the easily accessible direction of the two directions of the upper side and the side.

According to the optical fiber cable 1001 with a connector according to the present embodiment, the rear case 1030 of the case 1020 includes the support portion 1031 which opens toward the radially outer side of the optical cable 2 and faces the bus bar of the light emitting component 1040 . 1042 for support. It is only necessary to mount the light emitting component 1040 from the radial direction with respect to the support portion 1031, so assembly becomes easy.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the slit 1043 has been described as an example of the passage provided in the plate-shaped member, but the passage may be continuous from the surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted to the surface opposite to the above-mentioned mounting surface. through holes. In this case, the electric wire inserted into the through hole contacts the buried electrode on the upper part of the substrate, and the electric wire, the buried electrode, and the light emitting element are electrically connected.

In addition, although the support part 1031 of the shape opened toward the radial direction outer side of the optical cable 2 was mentioned and demonstrated, the shape of the support part 1031 is not limited to this. For example, the support portion 1031 may be opened toward the rear, and the plate-shaped member of the light-emitting component may be inserted into the support portion from the rear side to support it.

In addition, in the above-mentioned second embodiment, the example in which the embedded electrode 1052 is provided so that the outer peripheral surface straddles the two outer surfaces of the protective cover 1050 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. FIG. 20 is a view corresponding to FIG. 17 of an optical fiber cable with a connector 1001A according to a modified example of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 20 , the embedded electrode 1052A may be provided such that its outer peripheral surface is exposed only on one outer surface of the protective cover 1050 . In this case, if the exposed portion of the embedded electrode 1052A is formed in a shape long in the longitudinal direction of the optical cable 2, it will be easier to contact the external electrode. In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the embedded electrode 1052A may be flush with the outer peripheral surface of the resin portion of the protective cover 1050 .

<Third Embodiment>

Next, the connector 2010 for power supply using the power supply device according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 2010 . As shown in FIG. 21 , the connector 2010 has: a ferrule 2007 that holds the front end of the optical cable 2 ; a housing 2020 that holds the ferrule 2007 ; installed at the rear. In addition, in the following description, the front-rear direction refers to the direction along the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . In addition, the front refers to the direction of the end of the optical cable 2 . The side refers to the radial direction of the optical cable 2 .

As shown in FIG. 21 , inside the ferrule 2007 , a through hole penetrating in the longitudinal direction is provided. The glass fiber exposed from the optical fiber base 3 of the optical cable 2 is inserted and fixed in the through hole.

The case 2020 includes a front case 2021 , a middle case 2022 , and a rear case 2030 . The front case 2021 and the middle case 2022 house the ferrule 2007 therein. The middle case 2022 is disposed behind the front case 2021 .

The rear case 2030 is mounted on the rear of the middle case 2022 . At the rear of the rear case 2030, a support portion 2031 that opens toward the rear is provided. The light emitting member 2040 is inserted into the support portion 2031 from the rear side. In addition, an opening 2033 a for power supply penetrating from the outside to the support portion 2031 is provided at the rear portion of the rear case 2030 . The power feeding opening 2033a opens radially outward.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the light emitting unit 2040 . As shown in FIG. 22 , the light emitting component 2040 has: a light emitting element 2041 ; a circuit board 2042 on which the light emitting element 2041 is mounted on the upper surface; and a terminal 2044 formed on the circuit board 2042 . In addition, the circuit board 2042 is provided with a via 2043 penetrating through the front and back.

The terminal 2044 is electrically connected to the light emitting element 2041 . The terminal 2044 is provided with an electrode 2044 a extending forward from the light emitting element 2041 and a rear lead portion 2044 b extending rearward from the light emitting element 2041 . The passage 2043 opens at the rear side lead part 2044b.

Returning to FIG. 21 again, the light-emitting element 2040 is inserted into the support of the rear case 2030 in a state where the light-emitting element 2041 and the portion closer to the rear side than the light-emitting element 2041 protrude toward the rear side compared with the opening 2031a of the support portion 2031. Section 2031. In the state where the light emitting member 2040 is inserted into the support portion 2031, the two power supply openings 2033a are respectively located directly above the electrodes 2044a. Thereby, the electrode 2044a can be approached from the outside through the opening 2033a for power feeding.

The electric wires 4 of the optical cable 2 are wound to the upper surface of the circuit substrate 2042 through the passage 2043 of the circuit substrate 2042 . The electric wire 4 is connected to the rear side lead part 2044b by soldering, welding, or crimping. The light emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 provided at one end of the optical cable 2 is electrically connected with the light emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 provided at the other end of the optical cable 2 by using the electric wire 4 .

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the connector 2010 . A protective cover 2050 made of soft resin is mounted on the outer periphery of the rear portion of the rear case 2030 . The protective cover 2050 protects the optical cable 2 at the rear of the rear housing 2030 so that sharp bending does not act on the optical cable 2 . The protective cover 2050 is attached to the rear end portion of the rear case 2030 from the rear side, and covers a part of the light emitting member 2040 .

The protective cover 2050 is formed of translucent resin so as to diffuse and guide the light emitted from the light emitting element 2041 provided in the light emitting member 2040 to the outside. In addition, instead of being made of translucent resin, the protective cover 2050 may be made of transparent resin, and the outer and inner surfaces thereof may be provided with fine unevenness, thereby diffusing and guiding the light emitted from the light emitting element 2041 to the outside. Alternatively, the protective cover 2050 may be formed using a transparent resin containing a light-diffusing material.

The optical cable 2 connected with the connector 2010 is also shown in FIG. 10 , for example, it is used for intra-station optical connection of an optical network. In such a use, a large number of optical cables 2 are optically connected to the device 100 to be connected at high density. Therefore, it is very difficult to identify a specific optical cable 2 from many optical cables 2 .

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have studied the following content, that is, by using the above-mentioned connector 2010, the light-emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 connected to the specific optical cable 2 is made to emit light, so that it is easy to switch from many optical cables. 2 to identify a specific optical cable 2.

When the light emitting element 2041 is made to emit light, it is necessary to supply power to the light emitting element 2041 via the electrode 2044 a. However, when feeding power by bringing terminals such as lead wires close to the power supply opening 2033a, the operator needs to hold the lead wires and work on one side of the connector 2010, and the operator cannot leave this place. Therefore, it is difficult to confirm the light emission of the light emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 on the other side separated therefrom.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have developed a power supply device that makes it easy to contact the electrodes 2044a of the light emitting elements 2041 of the connector 2010 that are densely arranged, thereby facilitating identification of a specific optical cable 2 .

Next, a power supply device 2100 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing power supply device 2100 combined with connector 2010 . As shown in FIG. 24 , power supply device 2100 includes case 2060 and clip 2090 . The housing 2060 is a component that can be combined with the rear of the connector 2010 . The clamp 2090 is provided at the rear of the housing 2060 and is detachably mounted on the rear of the housing 2060 . Case 2060 and jig 2090 can be formed of resin or the like.

(case)

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the housing 2060 . As shown in FIG. 25 , the housing 2060 includes: a pair of terminal accommodating portions 2062 facing each other and extending in the axial direction; and a side wall 2063 connecting the pair of terminal accommodating portions 2062 . The housing 2060 is provided with a connector fitting portion 2061 extending in the axial direction. The connector fitting portion 2061 is a space formed by a pair of terminal accommodating portions 2062 and side walls 2063 . The cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the connector fitting portion 2061 is set larger than the outer shape of the rear case 2030 of the connector 2010 . Spring-shaped terminals 2070 are housed in the pair of terminal housing portions 2062', respectively.

The connector fitting portion 2061 includes a front opening 2061a that opens forward in the axial direction, and a side opening 2061b (an example of an opening) that opens laterally in the axial direction. The front opening 2061 a and the side opening 2061 b are set larger than the outer shape of the rear case 2030 of the connector 2010 .

The side wall 2063 is a portion connecting the pair of terminal accommodating portions 2062 , and connects one end portions of the terminal accommodating portions 2062 to each other when viewed in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . In the illustrated example, the side wall 2063 connects the right end portions of the pair of terminal accommodating portions 2062 when viewed from the rear in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . Therefore, the connector fitting portion 2061 is opened by the side opening portion 2061b on the left side when viewed from the rear in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 .

(spring terminal)

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a spring terminal 2070 . FIG. 26 shows a state where the outer peripheral portion of the upper terminal accommodating portion 2062 is removed. The spring terminal 2070 is a component that supplies electric power to the connector 2010 from an external power source (not shown). The spring terminal 2070 is formed of a conductive wire which is a metal wire having elasticity. In this embodiment, two spring-shaped terminals 2070 are provided in one terminal accommodating portion 2062 , and a total of four spring-shaped terminals 2070 are provided in the housing 2060 .

As shown in FIG. 26 , the spring-like terminal 2070 has: a connecting portion 2071 provided at one end of the conductive wire; a conduction portion 2072 provided at the other end of the conductive wire; and a winding portion 2073. It is arranged in the middle of the conductive wire. The conduction portion 2072 is a portion formed by bending a conductive wire. The conducting portion 2072 is provided so as to be able to protrude from the terminal protruding hole 2062 a of the terminal accommodating portion 2062 opened to the connector fitting portion 2061 . The conduction portion 2072 includes an inclined portion 2071 a that is spaced radially outward from a radially innermost portion toward the rear. An electric wire not shown is connected to the connection part 2071 . Electric power is supplied to the spring-shaped terminal 2070 from an external power source via the connection portion 2071 .

The housing 2060 has a mounting portion 2066 extending in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . The winding portion 2073 is wound around the mounting portion 2066 . When a force that presses the connecting portion 2071 from the inside to the outside in the radial direction acts, the conduction portion 2072 can move toward the terminal accommodating portion 2062 due to the elastic force of the spring-shaped terminal 2070 itself. In addition, in the illustrated state where the pressing force is not applied, the conduction portion 2072 protrudes from the terminal protrusion hole 2062a toward the connector fitting portion 2061 side.

(gate department)

Inside the connector fitting portion 2061, a shutter portion 2080 movable in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 is provided. The shutter portion 2080 has a connector accommodating portion 2081 for accommodating the protective cover 2050 (an example of the rear portion of the connector) of the connector 2010 . The connector housing portion 2081 is a space extending in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 .

On the inner wall of the terminal accommodating portion 2062, a plurality of latch portions 2065 are provided. A convex portion 2083 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shutter portion 2080 . When the convex portion 2083 of the shutter portion 2080 comes into contact with the latch portion 2065 of the housing 2060 , the shutter portion 2080 is held at a first position and a second position described later inside the connector fitting portion 2061 .

(fixture)

Next, the jig 2090 of the power supply device 2100 will be described using FIGS. 27 and 28 . FIG. 27 is a side view of clamp 2090 . As shown in FIG. 27 , the jig 2090 includes a gripping portion 2091 and a pair of jaws 2092 . The grip part 2091 is a part that the operator grips. A concave portion 2093 is provided on the holding portion 2091 along the axial direction of the optical cable 2 .

The pair of jaw portions 2092 each includes a shaft portion 2094 extending in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . Each jaw portion 2092 is swingably attached to the front end portion of the grip portion 2091 around the shaft portion 2094 .

At the front ends of the pair of jaws 2092, claws 2095 extending in directions approaching each other are respectively provided. The claw portion 2095 can be inserted into a concave portion 2064 (see FIG. 25 ) provided at the rear of the outer peripheral surface of the housing 2060 . A pressing portion 2096 is formed at the rear end portion of the jaw portion 2092 . The pair of claws 2095 is always forced to approach each other by a spring (not shown).

When the operator presses the pressing part 2096 with his hand, the claw parts 2095 are separated from each other, and when the operator releases the hand from the pressing part 2096, the claw parts 2095 are approached to each other. When the operator removes the hand from the pressing portion 2096 while the claw portion 2095 is inserted into the concave portion 2064 of the housing 2060 , the jig 2090 is in a state of holding the housing 2060 .

FIG. 28 is a top view of clamp 2090 . As shown in FIG. 28 , the grip portion 2091 is provided at a position deviated from the center of the clamp portion 2092 in a direction crossing the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . In a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical cable 2 , the concave portion 2093 provided on the grip portion 2091 is located near the center.

(Coupling method of power supply device 2100)

Next, a method of coupling power supply device 2100 to connector 2010 will be described using FIGS. 29 and 30 . 29 and 30 show cross sections of the connector 2010 and the housing 2060 . FIG. 29 shows a state where the connector 2010 is fitted into the connector fitting portion 2061 and the spring terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044 a of the connector 2010 are not electrically connected. FIG. 30 shows a state in which the electrode 2044a is electrically connected to the spring-shaped terminal 2070 by further pushing the power supply device 2100 forward from the state in FIG. 29 .

First, the operator puts the optical cable 2 extending backward from the connector 2010 into the connector fitting part 2061 through the side opening 2061b of the housing 2060, and then guides the optical cable 2 along the concave part of the clamp 2090. 2093.

Next, the operator inserts a part of the connector 2010 into the connector fitting portion 2061 through the side opening 2061b or the front opening 2061a. In this state, the operator grasps the grip portion 2091 of the jig 2090 and advances the power supply device 2100 toward the connector 2010 . In this way, the connector 2010 relatively moves backward inside the connector fitting portion 2061 . After the power supply device 2100 is advanced, as shown in FIG. 29 , the protective cover 2050 of the connector 2010 is accommodated in the connector receiving portion 2081 of the shutter portion 2080 , and the rear end surface of the rear case 2030 is in contact with the front end surface of the shutter portion 2080 .

In the state before the power supply device 2100 is coupled to the connector 2010 in FIG. 29 , the shutter portion 2080 is located in front of the connector fitting portion 2061 . In the state shown in FIG. 29, the conduction preventing portion 2082 of the shutter portion 2080 blocks the terminal protrusion hole 2062a. The conduction preventing portion 2082 is a plate-shaped portion extending in the axial direction. The conduction preventing portion 2082 is a portion movable in the front-rear direction between the terminal protrusion hole 2062 a and the mounting portion 2066 . Since the conduction preventing portion 2082 blocks the terminal protruding hole 2062a, the conduction portion 2072 of the spring terminal 2070 abuts against the conduction preventing portion 2082 and does not protrude from the terminal protruding hole 2062a. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 29 , the electrode 2044 a of the connector 2010 and the spring-like terminal 2070 are not electrically connected. The light emitting element 2041 is not lit. In addition, the position of the shutter part 2080 which makes the spring-like terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a non-conductive is called "the 2nd position."

If the power supply device 2100 is further advanced from the state shown in FIG. 29, the shutter portion 2080 is pushed by the connector 2010 as shown in FIG. Move backwards. The conduction prevention part 2082 is moved backward compared with the terminal protrusion hole 2062a, and the terminal protrusion hole 2062a opens to the connector fitting part 2061. As shown in FIG. In this way, the conduction portion 2072 of the spring-shaped terminal 2070 protrudes from the terminal protrusion hole 2062a toward the connector fitting portion 2061 due to its elastic force. The protruding conducting portion 2072 contacts the electrode 2044a through the power supply opening 2033a of the connector 2010 . As a result, the spring terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a are electrically connected, power is supplied from the power supply device 2100 to the light emitting element 2041, and the light emitting element 2041 is turned on. As described above, the position of the shutter portion 2080 that conducts the spring terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a is referred to as a "first position".

In addition, from the state shown in FIG. 30 , if the operator grasps the grip portion 2091 and pulls the power supply device 2100 backward, the protective cover 2050 and the connector accommodating portion 2081 will be in close contact with each other, and the connector 2010 and the shutter will be closed. The part 2080 moves forward integrally in the connector fitting part 2061 . At this time, the front end of the shutter portion 2080 comes into contact with the inclined portion 2071 a of the spring-shaped terminal 2070 . Further, the shutter portion 2080 is moved forward relative to the casing 2060 . Then, the inclined portion 2071a is pushed by the front end of the shutter portion 2080, and the conduction portion 2072 moves radially outward. When the conduction preventing part 2082 of the shutter part 2080 moves to the position where the terminal protruding hole 2062 a is blocked, the conduction preventing part 2082 comes into contact with the conduction part 2072 of the spring-shaped terminal 2070 . Accordingly, the conduction between the spring terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a is broken, and the light emitting element 2041 is turned off. If the power supply device 2100 is further pulled backward, the protective cover 2050 is detached from the connector accommodating portion 2081 , and the connector 2010 is detached from the housing 2060 .

(Effect)

As described above, according to the power supply device 2100 according to this embodiment, the housing 2060 has the connector fitting portion 2061 for fitting the rear portion of the connector 2010 , and the rear portion of the connector 2010 and the connector fitting portion In the state where 2061 is fitted, the spring-shaped terminal 2070 can conduct with the electrode 2044a.

Therefore, the electrode 2044 a and the spring-shaped terminal 2070 can be brought into conduction by moving the power supply device 2100 forward from the rear with respect to the connector 2010 . As described above, it is possible to supply power to the light emitting element 2041 using the space behind the connector 2010 which can secure a large working space. Therefore, it becomes easy to identify a specific optical cable 2 by making the light emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 emit light.

In addition, if the above-mentioned power supply device 2100 is used, even if the operator removes his hand from the grip part 2091, the connector 2010 will not easily come out of the connector fitting part 2061, so the conduction state between the electrode 2044a and the spring-shaped terminal 2070 can be continuously maintained. . Therefore, it is easy for the operator to connect the power supply device 2100 to the connector 2010 provided at one end of the optical cable 2, take his hand away from the power supply device 2100, and check the connector provided at the other end of the optical cable 2. 2010 is the lighting state of the light emitting element 2041.

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, the shutter part 2080 includes the connector housing part 2081 for housing the rear part of the connector 2010, and is movable along the axial direction of the optical cable 2 inside the connector fitting part 2061. Mobile settings. In addition, the shutter part 2080 is set to be movable to a first position and a second position. The first position is to make the conduction part 2072 of the spring-shaped terminal 2070 protrude toward the connector fitting part 2061 side so that the spring-shaped terminal 2070 The second position is a position where the conduction preventing portion 2082 is in contact with the conducting portion 2072 and the conducting portion 2072 does not protrude toward the connector fitting portion 2061 side.

That is, by moving the shutter portion 2080 in the axial direction to switch the conduction state and the non-conduction state, it is not necessary to utilize the space on the side of the connector 2010 where the connectors 2010 are densely arranged and the work space is small, and a large space can be secured. Since work is performed behind the connector 2010 in the work space, workability is good.

In addition, when the shutter portion 2080 is not provided, when the power supply device 2100 is moved in the front-rear direction, the conduction portion 2072 moves while maintaining contact with the periphery of the power supply opening 2033a. When the rear case 2030 is made of resin, there is a possibility that the rear case 2030 may be damaged by the metal conduction portion 2072 . Therefore, as described above, it is preferable to provide the shutter portion 2080 so that the conduction portion 2072 protrudes from the terminal accommodating portion 2062 only when the electrode 2044a is located at a predetermined position (first position) with respect to the case 2060 .

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, the housing 2060 is provided with the latch portion 2065 for holding the shutter portion 2080 at the first position and the second position. Therefore, it is easy to maintain the conduction state or non-conduction state of the electrode 2044a and the spring-shaped terminal 2070 as it is. In addition, the latch portion 2065 may be provided so as to hold the shutter portion 2080 only at either the first position or the second position. Instead of the latch portion 2065 , as shown in FIG. 31 , a spring member 2067 for always pressing the shutter portion 2080 toward the second position may be provided inside the casing 2060 .

FIG. 31 is a view corresponding to FIG. 29 of a power supply device according to a modified example of the third embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 31 , a compressed spring member 2067 is provided behind the shutter portion 2080 . The shutter portion 2080 is always pressed forward by the spring member 2067, and the conduction preventing portion 2082 closes the terminal protrusion hole 2062a.

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, when the shutter portion 2080 is positioned behind the casing 2060, the first position where the conduction portion 2072 conducts with the electrode 2044a is set, and when the shutter portion 2080 is located behind the first position, When moving to the front, it is set as the second position where the conduction part 2072 and the electrode 2044a are not conducted. That is, the shutter portion 2080 is located behind the casing 2060 in the first position compared to the second position. When the operator moves the housing 2060 forward toward the connector 2010, the shutter portion 2080 moves backward relative to the housing 2060, and the light emitting element 2041 can be turned on. Therefore, the power supply operation is intuitive and easy to understand.

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, the clip 2090 detachably attached to the rear portion of the housing 2060 is provided at the rear of the housing 2060 . Connector 2010 is a relatively small component. The case 2060 to which the small connector 2010 is fitted is also relatively small. Therefore, it is difficult for the operator to directly grasp the casing 2060 . Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability of the power supply device 2100 by using a large working space behind the connector 2010 and providing a large jig that is easy to grasp.

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, the case 2060 is gripped by the pincers 2092 by inserting the claws 2095 of the jig 2090 into the recesses 2064 of the case 2060 . Thereby, the jig 2090 can be relatively rotated with respect to the housing 2060 using the axis passing through the pair of claws 2095 as the center of rotation.

Therefore, even if the operator erroneously applies force to the jig 2090 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical cable 2 during the identification work, and the jig 2090 rotates, the force does not act on the housing 2060 and the connector 2010 . Therefore, it is suppressed that the connector 2010 is erroneously damaged during the identification work.

In addition, even when the space behind the connector 2010 is limited, the connector 2010 can be fitted to the housing 2060 using the jig 2090 from obliquely behind the connector 2010 .

The rotation of the clamp 2090 relative to the housing 2060 is preferably limited to an angle of about 15° to 45° on one side (30° to 90° on both sides) around the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . If it is rotated too freely, it will be difficult to align when the housing 2060 is moved by gripping the grip part 2091 . On the other hand, if the amount of rotation is too small, it becomes difficult to avoid the force applied to the clamp 2090 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the optical cable 2 .

In addition, according to the power supply device 2100 according to the present embodiment, the jig 2090 is provided with the concave portion 2093 opening along the axial direction of the optical cable 2 . During the identification work, the optical cable 2 extending from the rear of the connector 2010 can be naturally extended rearward by using the concave portion 2093 , so that excessive bending force is less likely to act on the optical cable 2 .

<Fourth Embodiment>

Next, a power supply device according to a fourth embodiment will be described. In the following description of the fourth embodiment, the same components as those in the third embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

Fig. 32 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The power supply device 2100A includes a case 2060A and a holder 2090A. In the present embodiment, the shutter portion 2080A is provided at the front end portion of the jig 2090A.

(case)

The housing 2060A is provided with the connector fitting part 2061 provided with the front opening part 2061a and the side opening part 2061b similarly to the said 3rd Embodiment. In addition, a spring-shaped terminal 2070A is provided in the terminal accommodating portion 2062 of the housing 2060A. In FIG. 32 , in order to illustrate the spring terminal 2070A, a part of the housing 2060A is omitted and shown, but this omitted part is shown in FIGS. 33 and 34 . An opening 2069 that opens radially outward is provided at a rear portion of the outer peripheral surface of the housing 2060A.

(fixture)

The clip 2090A is detachably mounted on the housing 2060A at the rear of the housing 2060A. The jig 2090A includes a grip portion 2091 and a support portion 2097 protruding forward from the grip portion 2091 . A shutter portion 2080A is provided at the front end of the support portion 2097, and a conduction prevention portion 2082 is formed on the shutter portion 2080A. The conduction preventing portion 2082 is a plate-shaped portion extending in the front-rear direction. A concave portion 2093 opening along the axial direction of the optical cable 2 is provided on the holding portion 2091 .

At the rear end of the conduction preventing portion 2082, an operation portion 2098 extending radially outward toward the rear in the axial direction is provided. In the middle of the operation portion 2098 in the front-rear direction, a protrusion 2099 protruding radially outward is provided. When the operator pushes down the operating portion 2098 radially inward, the protrusion 2099 also moves radially inward.

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the power supply device 2100A shown in FIG. 32 . FIG. 34 is a perspective view of power supply device 2100A showing a state in which jig 2090A is inserted into case 2060A and connector 2010 is not coupled to power supply device 2100A. FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view showing power supply device 2100A and connector 2010 in a state where electrode 2044a and spring-shaped terminal 2070 are in a conductive state.

As shown in FIG. 33 , a through hole 2068 penetrating in the front-rear direction is provided in the casing 2060A. The through hole 2068 is set to a size capable of inserting the conduction preventing portion 2082 of the shutter portion 2080A.

The front opening of the through hole 2068 opens radially outward from the terminal protrusion hole 2062 a of the terminal accommodating portion 2062 and radially inward from the mounting portion 2066 supporting the spring terminal 2070 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 34 , when the shutter portion 2080A is inserted into the through hole 2068 , the conduction preventing portion 2082 comes into contact with the conduction portion 2072 of the spring terminal 2070 . If the gate portion 2080A is further moved forward, as shown in FIG. 35 , the conduction preventing portion 2082 can be made to enter the radially inner side of the conduction portion 2072, and the conduction portion 2072 can be pushed up radially outward to make conduction. The portion 2072 is introduced into the interior of the terminal accommodating portion 2062 . Therefore, it is preferable to form the tip of the conduction preventing portion 2082 into a tapered shape.

When the operator grasps the grip portion 2091 of the jig 2090A, inserts the conduction preventing portion 2082 into the through hole 2068, and advances the jig 2090A, the spring terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044a can be brought into a non-conductive state. When the jig 2090A is advanced to a predetermined position, the protrusion 2099 is fitted into an opening 2069 opened radially outward on the outer peripheral surface of the housing 2060A. Thereby, relative movement of the jig 2090A with respect to the housing 2060A is restricted. That is, when the jig 2090A is retracted while the protrusion 2099 is fitted into the opening 2069, the case 2060A is also retracted together with the jig 2090A.

(Coupling method of power supply unit)

Next, a method of coupling power supply device 2100A to connector 2010 will be described using FIGS. 34 and 35 .

First, before connecting the power supply device 2100A to the connector 2010, the conduction preventing portion 2082 is inserted into the through hole 2068, and the jig 2090A is advanced relative to the housing 2060A until the conduction preventing portion 2082 covers the terminal protrusion hole 2062a. Location. In this state, the conduction preventing portion 2082 is in contact with the conduction portion 2072 of the spring terminal 2070A, and the conduction portion 2072 does not protrude toward the connector fitting portion 2061 .

Next, maintaining this state, the connector 2010 is fitted into the connector fitting portion 2061, and the power supply device 2100A is moved forward. In this state, as shown in FIG. 35 , since the conduction preventing portion 2082 is located between the spring terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044 a, the spring terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044 a are in a non-conductive state. In this state, the light emitting element 2041 is turned off. The position of the shutter portion 2080A where the spring terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044a are in a non-conductive state is also referred to as a second position.

From this state, the operator presses the operation part 2098 to disengage the projection 2099 from the opening 2069 . The jig 2090A is further retreated, and the jig 2090A is pulled out from the casing 2060A. As a result, the conduction preventing portion 2082 moves backward from the terminal protruding hole 2062a, the conducting portion 2072A of the spring-shaped terminal 2070A protrudes toward the connector fitting portion 2061 due to the elastic force, and the conducting portion 2072 conducts with the electrode 2044a. . Accordingly, the light emitting element 2041 is turned on. The position of the gate portion 2080A that conducts the conduction portion 2072 and the electrode 2044a is also referred to as a first position.

When the power supply device 2100A is detached from the connector 2010, the conduction preventing portion 2082 is inserted into the through hole 2068, and the jig 2090A is reattached to the housing 2060A. The jig 2090A is advanced relative to the housing 2060 until the protrusion 2099 of the jig 2090A fits into the opening 2069 of the housing 2060A. In the state where the protrusion 2099 is inserted into the opening 2069, the conduction preventing portion 2082 enters between the conduction portion 2072A of the spring-shaped terminal 2070A and the terminal protruding hole 2062a of the terminal receiving portion 2062, and the spring-shaped terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044a become non-conductive. conduction state. As a result, the light emitting element 2041 is turned off again.

Furthermore, when the operator moves back the jig 2090A without pressing the operation part 2098, since the protrusion 2099 fits into the opening 2069, the case 2060A also moves back together with the jig 2090A. As a result, connector 2010 is detached from connector fitting portion 2061 of housing 2060A forward, and coupling between power supply device 2100A and connector 2010 is released.

(Effect)

As described above, according to the power supply device 2100A according to the present embodiment, the housing 2060A has the connector fitting portion 2061 for fitting the rear portion of the connector 2010, and the rear portion of the connector 2010 is fitted to the connector. In a state where the portion 2061 is fitted, the spring-shaped terminal 2070A can conduct with the electrode 2044a.

Therefore, the electrode 2044 a and the spring terminal 2070A can be brought into conduction by bringing the power supply device 2100A closer to the connector 2010 from behind and moving the power supply device 2100A forward. As described above, it is possible to supply power to the light emitting element 2041 using the space behind the connector 2010 which can secure a large working space. Therefore, it becomes easy to identify a specific optical cable 2 by making the light emitting element 2041 of the connector 2010 emit light.

In addition, if the above-mentioned power supply device 2100A is used, even if the operator removes his hand from the grip part 2091, the connector 2010 will not easily come out of the connector fitting part 2061, so the conduction state between the electrode 2044a and the spring-shaped terminal 2070A can be continuously maintained. . Therefore, the operator makes the power supply device 2100A conductive to the connector 2010 provided at one end of the optical cable 2, and removes the hand from the power supply device 2100A, thereby easily confirming the connector provided at the other end of the optical cable 2. 2010 is the lighting state of the light emitting element 2041.

Furthermore, according to the power supply device 2100A according to the present embodiment, the shutter portion 2080 is provided movably in the axial direction of the optical cable 2 with respect to the housing 2060A. The shutter portion 2080A is movable to a first position and a second position. The first position is a position where the conduction portion 2072 protrudes toward the connector fitting portion 2061 and conducts the spring terminal 2070A with the electrode 2044a. The second position is located between the spring-shaped terminal 2070A and the electrode 2044a, where the gate portion 2080A contacts the conduction portion 2072 so that the conduction portion 2072 does not protrude toward the connector fitting portion 2061 side. The shutter portion 2080A is provided on a jig 2090A, and the jig 2090A is detachably provided behind the casing 2060A.

That is, by moving the shutter portion 2080A in the axial direction to switch between the conductive state and the non-conductive state, the side space of the connectors 2010 where the connectors 2010 are densely arranged and the work space is small is not used, and workability is improved.

In addition, similarly to the above-mentioned third embodiment, the conduction portion 2072 protrudes from the terminal accommodating portion 2062 only when the electrode 2044a is located at a predetermined position (first position) with respect to the case 2060A by the shutter portion 2080A. Therefore, the connector 2010 is less likely to be damaged by the spring-shaped terminal 2070A.

<Fifth Embodiment>

Next, a power supply device 2100C according to the fifth embodiment will be described. In the following description of the fifth embodiment, the same components as those of the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof are omitted.

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a power supply device 2100C and a connector 2010C according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Compared with the third embodiment, this embodiment differs in that: the electrode 2044a protrudes radially outward from the power supply opening 2033a compared with the outer shape of the connector (rear case 2030C); the power supply device 2100C does not have a gate portion; And the spring-shaped terminal 2070C is a plate-shaped metal.

In the case where the connector 2010C has the above-mentioned structure, the amount of protrusion of the conduction portion 2072C to the side of the connector fitting portion 2061C is adjusted in advance to be smaller than or equal to the inside size of the connector fitting portion 2061C and the size of the connector. The difference in the outer dimensions of the rear case 2030C of the 2061C enables the power supply device 2100C to move in the front-rear direction without contacting the conduction portion 2072C and the rear case 2030C to supply power.

In addition, in the above-mentioned third and fourth embodiments, when the shutter parts 2080 and 2080A retreat relative to the casings 2060 and 2060A, the spring-shaped terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a are electrically connected to each other, and the shutters are closed. When the parts 2080 and 2080A move forward relative to the housings 2060 and 2060A, the spring-shaped terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a are brought into a non-conductive state. However, on the contrary, it is also possible to adopt the following structure, that is, when the shutter part 2080, 2080A moves forward relative to the housing 2060, 2060A, the spring-shaped terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a are electrically connected, and when the shutter part 2080, 2080A moves forward relative to the housing 2060, 2060A, When the housings 2060 and 2060A move backward, the spring terminal 2070 and the electrode 2044a are in a non-conductive state.

<Sixth Embodiment>

Next, an optical fiber cable and an optical connector according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 37 is a side view showing an optical fiber cable and an optical connector according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 38 is an exploded view of the optical connector shown in Fig. 37 . Fig. 39 is a sectional view of the optical connector shown in Fig. 37 .

In each figure, an optical connector 3001 is a cable-type SC connector to which an optical cable 3002 (an example of an optical fiber cable) is attached. The optical cable 3002 has: an optical fiber base 3003 (an example of an optical fiber); a pair of conductive wires 3004 disposed across the optical fiber base 3003; and a sheath 3005 covering the optical fiber base 3003 and the pair of conductive wires 3004 (Refer to Figure 42). The detailed structure of the optical cable 3002 will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 37 and FIG. 38 , the optical connector 3001 has: a ferrule 3006; a plug frame 3007, which holds the ferrule 3006; a plug housing 3008, which accommodates the plug frame 3007; a rear case 3009, It is joined to the rear end side of the plug housing 3008, and is joined with a plug frame 3007; a cable pressing part 3010 fitted to the rear case 3009; a protective cover 3011 attached to the cable pressing part 3010; and a terminal unit 3020 , which is arranged between the rear case 3009 and the cable pressing part 3010 .

The ferrule 3006 has a ferrule body 3014 and a flange portion 3015 fixed to the ferrule body 3014 . In the center portion of the ferrule body 3014 in the circumferential direction, an insertion hole (not shown) is provided along the length direction of the ferrule body 3014. The insertion hole allows the glass fiber base wire 3003 drawn out from the optical cable 3002 to be further exposed. Fiber insertion.

The plug frame 3007 is a hollow member, and holds the ferrule 3006 . The plug frame 3007 is connected and fixed to the rear case 3009 .

A spring 3024 is arranged between the plug frame 3007 and the rear case 3009 . When the optical connector 3001 is assembled, the spring 3024 is housed inside the plug frame 3007 (see FIG. 39 ).

The rear case 3009 has a large cylindrical portion 3025 and a small cylindrical portion 3026 provided on the rear side of the large cylindrical portion 3025 . The diameter of the small cylindrical portion 3026 is smaller than that of the large cylindrical portion 3025 . On the outer periphery of the small cylindrical portion 3026, an external thread (an example of a threaded portion) 26A is formed. A plurality of slits 3028 for fixing the sheath 3005 of the optical cable 3002 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the small cylindrical portion 3026 . In this example, a plurality of slits 3028 are provided along the circumferential direction of the small cylindrical portion 3026, and the plurality of slits 3028 are substantially cross-shaped, forming a so-called collet chuck structure (see FIG. 44 ).

In the rear case 3009 as described above, a cable pressing member 3010 is mounted. The cable holding member 3010 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and an internal thread 3010A for screwing the external thread 3026A is formed on its inner peripheral portion. The cable pressing member 3010 is formed in a tapered shape so as to become thinner with respect to the rear side of the rear case 3009 . Therefore, the opening diameter of the rear end of the cable pressing member 3010 is smaller than the opening diameter of the front end of the cable pressing member 3010 . The cable pressing member 3010 fixes the outer skin 3005 of the optical cable 3002 by means of the small cylindrical portion 3026 of the rear housing 3009 .

On the outer periphery of the cable pressing member 3010, a protective cover 3011 is fitted. The protective cover 3011 protects the optical cable 3002 at the rear of the rear case 3009 so that no sharp bending is applied to the optical cable 3002 .

On the rear side of the rear case 3009, a terminal unit 3020 is fitted. As shown in FIGS. 40 and 41 , the terminal unit 3020 has a metal base 3021 and a light emitting element 3022 .

The base 3021 includes a first base 3021A and a second base 3021B. The first base 3021A and the second base 3021B have the same shape as each other, and are arranged at positions symmetrical to each other. The first base portion 3021A and the second base portion 3021B respectively include a wire contact portion 3021 a and a wire contact portion 3021 b protruding inward. The wire contact portions 3021a and 3021b are respectively arranged corresponding to at least two of the four slits 3028 provided in the small cylindrical portion 3026 of the rear case 3009 . In addition, in this example, each base part 3021A, 3021B including the wire contact part 3021a, 3021b is arrange|positioned corresponding to the adjacent two slits 3028 among the several slits 3028, respectively.

The light emitting element 3022 is provided between the first base 3021A and the second base 3021B in the circumferential direction of the base 3021 . In this example, two light emitting elements 3022 are provided so that the light emitting elements 3022 can be visually recognized from each of the vertical directions of the optical connector 3001 .

Further, in the base 3021 , external contact portions 3023A and 3023B are provided on surfaces perpendicular to the surfaces on which the light-emitting element 3022 is mounted facing each other of the first base 3021A and the second base 3021B. When the optical connector 3001 is assembled, the external contact portions 3023A and 3023B are exposed to the outside. Therefore, conduction with the base 3021 can be achieved by externally bringing a tester or the like into electrical contact with the external contact portions 3023A and 3023B.

Next, an example of the optical cable 3002 attached to the optical connector 3001 will be described with reference to FIG. 42 .

As described above, the optical cable 3002 has: an optical fiber base 3003 ; a pair of conductive wires 3004 provided with the optical fiber base 3003 interposed therebetween;

The optical fiber base 3003 is coated with ultraviolet curable resin (UV resin) around a glass fiber having a core and a clad, and its outer diameter is set to 250 μm.

A pair of conductive wires 3004 are respectively arranged on both sides of the fiber base line 3003 when viewed in cross section. Each conducting wire 3004 is constituted by, for example, a twisted wire obtained by twisting a plurality (seven in this example) of metal wires 3004a. As the metal wire 3004a, for example, an annealed copper wire with high conductivity is used. The outer diameter of the lead wire 3004 obtained by twisting seven metal wires 3004a is, for example, greater than or equal to 0.48 mm to less than 0.65 mm. That is, the size of the wire 3004 is preferably AWG (American Wire Gauge) 24 to AWG 26. If the outer diameter of the lead wire 3004 is thicker than AWG24, it cannot satisfy the specified dimensions in terms of the structure of the optical cable 3002 . In addition, if the outer diameter of the wire 3004 is thinner than AWG26, the allowable tensile force of the optical cable 3002 cannot be satisfied.

In addition, the conductive wire 3004 may be formed of a single metal wire. In the case of the lead wire 3004 made of a single wire, it is preferable to set the outer diameter thereof to be greater than or equal to 0.42 mm to less than 0.65 mm (AWG22 to AWG25).

A sheath 3005 covering the optical fiber base 3003 and the pair of lead wires 3004 is made of resin. As the resin constituting the sheath 3005, flame-retardant polyethylene is particularly preferably used. From the viewpoint of the ease of handling of the optical cable 3002, the Young's modulus of the sheath 3005 is preferably about 5 to 20 MPa. On the outer periphery of the sheath 3005, a pair of notches 3005a are provided in a direction perpendicular to the straight line connecting the optical fiber base line 3003 and the pair of wires 3004. The diameter of the skin 3005 at the portion not including the notch 3005a is about 2 mm. Preferably, the diameter is 1.5 mm to 2.8 mm. Using the pair of notches 3005a, the arrangement relationship between the optical fiber base 3003 and the pair of guide wires 3004 can be easily grasped from the outside, and the sheath 3005 can be removed without damaging the optical fiber base 3003 and the pair of guide wires 3004.

In the optical cable 3002 constructed as above, as shown in FIG. 43 , the sheath 3005 is removed at the end to expose the fiber base 3003 and a pair of wires 3004 . A pair of conducting wires 3004 drawn out from the optical cable 3002 are led out from two slits 3028 provided in the vertical direction in FIG. 44 among the plurality of slits 3028 provided in the rear case 3009 . As shown in FIG. 44 , the pair of wires 3004 are fixed by the cable pressing member 3010 while in contact with the wire contact portions 3021a and 3021b respectively provided on the first base 3021A and the second base 3021B of the terminal unit 3020 .

Next, a procedure for assembling the optical connector 3001 configured as described above to fix the optical cable 3002 will be described. First, the plug frame 3007, the spring 3024, the rear case 3009, and the terminal unit 3020 are temporarily assembled, and the optical cable 3002 is passed through these components. Furthermore, the optical cable 3002 is also passed through the cable pressing member 3010 and the protective cover 3011 .

Next, the sheath 3005 at the tip portion of the optical cable 3002 is removed to expose the fiber base 3003 and the pair of wires 3004 . Next, the glass fiber exposed from the fiber base 3003 is inserted through the insertion hole of the ferrule 3006 .

Next, the components assembled with the plug frame 3007, the spring 3024, the rear case 3009, and the terminal unit 3020 are moved to a position corresponding to the exposed optical fiber base line 3003. Furthermore, the ferrule 3006 is housed in the plug frame 3007 . At this time, a pair of lead wires 3004 exposed from the optical cable 3002 are led out from the slit 3028 of the rear case 3009 . As a result, the state shown in FIG. 45 is established.

Next, as shown in FIG. 46 , in a state where the front end portion of the sheath 3005 of the optical cable 3002 is covered by the small cylindrical portion 3026 of the rear case 3009, the external thread 3026A formed on the small cylindrical portion 3026 is Tighten with the internal thread 3010A of the cable pressing part 3010. At this time, since the cable pressing member 3010 is formed into a tapered shape so as to be tapered with respect to the rear side of the rear case 3009, the small cylindrical portion 3026 provided with a plurality of slits 3028 is pressed by the cable pressing member 3010 And bend inward. Thereby, the sheath 3005 is sandwiched by the small cylindrical portion 3026 and firmly fixed.

In addition, a pair of lead wires 3004 led out from the slit 3028 are sandwiched in a state of being in contact with the terminal unit 3020 .

Next, the protective cover 3011 is attached to the cable holding member 3010 , and the plug case 3008 is attached to the outer peripheries of the plug frame 3007 and the rear case 3009 . Then, a pair of lead wires 3004 protruding to the outside from the slit 3028 of the rear case 3009 is cut. Through the above operations, the optical connector 3001 shown in FIG. 37 is completed.

As described above, the optical connector 3001 according to the present embodiment includes the rear case 3009 having a plurality of slits 3028 provided in the circumferential direction of the collet structure, and a rear end of the plurality of slits 3028 The external thread 3026A provided on the side; the cable pressing member 3010 screwed to the external thread 3026A;

In addition, the optical cable 3002 according to the present embodiment includes: at least one optical fiber base 3003; a pair of conductive wires 3004, which are installed across the optical fiber base 3003; 3004 is coated.

In addition, the optical cable 3002 has an optical connector 3001 at its end. The optical connector 3001 includes a set of terminal units 3020 having light emitting elements 3022 arranged corresponding to at least two of the plurality of slits 3028 .

In addition, a pair of wires 3004 drawn out from the optical cable 3002 can be respectively drawn out from at least two slits 3028, and by screwing the external thread 3026A to the cable pressing member 3010, the optical cable can be fastened by using a collet structure. 3002 is fixed, and a pair of wires 3004 and a group of terminal units 3020 are superimposed and clamped respectively.

According to this structure, when selecting a specific optical cable 3002 among a plurality of optical cables 3002 mounted on an optical panel 3100 (see FIGS. The optical cable 3002 to be selected is clearly identified. For example, by installing the optical connectors 3001 at both ends of the optical cable 3002, when power is supplied to the terminal unit 3020 of the optical connector 3001 at one end, the light emitting elements 3022 of the optical connectors 3001 at both ends emit light. Accordingly, it is possible to recognize the correspondence relationship between the two ends of one optical cable 3002 .

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the optical cable 3002 having the light emitting element 3022 can be provided with a simple structure in which a group of terminal units 3020 having the light emitting element 3022 is provided between the rear case 3009 and the cable pressing member 3010 . Therefore, it is also possible to reduce the size of the optical connector 3001 for installing the light emitting element 3022 and reduce the number of components.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the pair of conducting wires 3004 of the optical cable 3002 are constituted by the metal wire 3004a, and the metal wire 3004a is formed by an annealed copper wire. According to this configuration, the pair of conductive wires 3004 functions as a relatively flexible tensile member, and conduction between the optical cable 3002 and the terminal unit 3020 can be smoothly performed.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the pair of conducting wires 3004 is constituted by twisted wires obtained by twisting a plurality of metal wires 3004a. According to this configuration, when the pair of lead wires 3004 exposed from the optical cable 3002 are led out from the slit 3028 of the rear case 3009 and the pair of lead wires 3004 are fixed by the cable pressing member 3010, the breakage of the lead wires 3004 can be prevented. , disconnection. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability of the optical cable 3002 while maintaining the tensile properties of the pair of conductive wires 3004 .

In addition, in this embodiment, from the viewpoint of satisfying the allowable tensile force of the optical cable 3002 and the structural constraints of the optical cable 3002 , the size of each conductive wire 3004 is set to AWG24 to AWG26.

In addition, in the present embodiment, one set of terminal units 3020 is arranged corresponding to two diametrically opposed slits 3028 among the plurality of slits 3028 . According to this configuration, the light emitting element 3002 included in the optical connector 3001 can be visually recognized from any direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, one set of terminal units 3020 includes bases 3021A, 3021B, respectively, and each base 3021A, 3021B is arranged corresponding to two adjacent slits 3028 among the plurality of slits 3028 . According to this configuration, even if a pair of conductive wires 3004 drawn out from the optical cable 3002 are led out from any one of the plurality of slits 3028 , the conductive wires 3004 can be properly brought into contact with the terminal unit 3020 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, a set of terminal units 3020 includes external contact portions 3023A and 3023B that can be electrically connected from the outside, and the external contact portions 3023A and 3023B are arranged to face the light-emitting elements disposed circumferentially. 3022 Quadrature. According to this configuration, power can be easily supplied to the light emitting element 3022 by bringing a tester or the like into contact with the external contact portions 3023A and 3023B from the outside.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the pair of conducting wires 3004 is constituted by the metal wire 3004a, and the metal wire 3004a is formed by an annealed copper wire. According to this configuration, the pair of conductive wires 3004 functions as a relatively flexible tensile member, and conduction between the optical cable 3002 and the terminal unit 3020 can be smoothly performed.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the pair of conducting wires 3004 is constituted by twisted wires obtained by twisting a plurality of metal wires 3004a. According to this configuration, when the pair of lead wires 3004 exposed from the optical cable 3002 are led out from the slit 3028 of the rear case 3009 and the pair of lead wires 3004 are fixed by the cable pressing member 3010, the breakage of the lead wires 3004 can be prevented. , disconnection. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability of the optical cable 3002 while maintaining the tensile properties of the pair of conductive wires 3004 .

In addition, in this embodiment, from the viewpoint of satisfying the allowable tensile force of the optical cable 3002 and the structural constraints of the optical cable 3002 , the size of each conductive wire 3004 is set to AWG24 to AWG26.

Next, the optical panel 3100 to which the optical connector 3001 is mounted will be described with reference to FIGS. 47 to 49 . The optical panel 3100 is a member provided on the front surface of a housing called an optical cabinet or an optical junction box (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 47 , the optical panel 3100 includes a plurality of connector insertion openings 3101 and light emitting elements 3102 on a panel surface 3101A serving as the front surface.

As for the connector insertion port 3101, two connector insertion ports 3101 are set as one set, and the set of connector insertion ports 3101 is arranged in multiples (twelve in this example). A set of connector insertion openings 3101 is arranged in an inclined state (inclined upward to the right in FIG. 47 ) when viewed from the front, and a set of connector insertion openings 3101 are arranged so as to partially overlap each other in the vertical direction. Each light emitting element 3102 is arranged near each connector insertion port 3101 . In the vicinity of each light emitting element 3102, numbers 1 to 24 are attached. As shown in FIG. 48, in a group of connector insertion ports 3101, the light-emitting element 3102 corresponding to one connector insertion port 3101 is arranged at the lower part of the connector insertion port 3101, and the light emitting element 3102 corresponding to the other connector insertion port 3101 is arranged. The light emitting element 3102 is disposed on the upper portion of the connector insertion port 3101 .

The above-mentioned optical connectors 3001 are inserted into the respective connector insertion ports 3101 of the above-mentioned optical panel 3100 . As shown in FIG. 49 , a pair of arm portions 3103 protruding forward from the optical panel 3100 are provided. Each arm portion 3103 is formed of a conductor (metal), and its tip portions are bent so as to approach each other. Each arm portion 3103 contacts and is electrically connected to external contact portions 3023A, 3023B of terminal unit 3020 of optical connector 3001 inserted into each connector insertion port 3101 . In addition, an end portion of one arm portion 3103 on the side of the optical panel 3100 is electrically connected to the light emitting element 3102 on the optical panel 3100 . Accordingly, when the light emitting element 3022 of the optical connector 3001 is turned on, the light emitting element 3102 corresponding to the connector insertion port 3101 into which the optical connector 3001 is inserted is also turned on.

According to this structure, since the light emitting element 3102 on the optical panel 3100 is also turned on together with the light emitting element 3022 of the optical connector 3001, the optical cable 3002 to be selected can be identified more easily. In addition, since the bent portion 3104 of the pair of arm portions 3103 is in contact with the external contact portions 3023A and 3023B, it is also effective in preventing the optical connector 3001 from coming off. In addition, by disposing the connector insertion port 3101 and the light emitting element 3102 as shown in FIG. The light emitting elements 3102 corresponding to the adjacent connector insertion openings 3101 arranged side by side are identified.

(Example)

For the optical cable used in this embodiment, the relationship between the structure of each conducting wire and the tensile strength was measured.

Using an optical fiber base wire with an outer diameter of 250 μm and AWG20 (thick diameter) to AWG30 (thin diameter) wires composed of stranded annealed copper wires, and covering them with a sheath, the following Figure 42 shows an optical cable containing 2 conductors. And, for each optical cable, the tensile strength was measured. The results are shown in Table 1.

[Table 1]

Table 1

The allowable pulling force of the optical cable in this embodiment is greater than or equal to 98N. In addition, in terms of the structure of the optical cable, the outer diameter (strand wire diameter) of each conducting wire is set to be less than or equal to 0.67 mm. From the above, as shown in Table 1, in the present embodiment using an optical cable including two conducting wires, it was confirmed that the size of each conducting wire is preferably AWG24 to AWG26.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 50 , a configuration may be adopted in which the terminal unit 3020 is attached to the rear case 3009 after the lead wire 3004 of the optical cable 3002 is led out from the slit 3028 provided in the rear case 3009 .

Specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 50(a), the plug frame 3007, the spring 3024, and the rear housing 3009 are temporarily assembled, and the optical cable 3002 is passed through these components. Furthermore, the optical cable 3002 is also passed through the terminal unit 3020 , the cable pressing member 3010 , and the protective cover 3011 .

Next, the glass fiber further exposed from the fiber base 3003 exposed from the optical cable 3002 is inserted into the ferrule 3006 , and the ferrule 3006 is housed in the plug frame 3007 .

Next, a pair of wires 3004 exposed from the optical cable 3002 are led out from the slit 3028 of the rear case 3009, and then, as shown in FIG. Ends. At this time, in order to sandwich the pair of lead wires 3004 between the rear case 3009 and the terminal unit 3020, it is preferable to provide slits (not shown) for inserting the pair of lead wires 3004 into the bases 3021A and 3021B of the terminal unit 3020. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 50(c), in a state where the front end portion of the sheath 3005 of the optical cable 3002 is covered by the small cylindrical portion 3026 of the rear case 3009, the cable pressing member 3010 is attached to the rear. Housing 3009 to fix the sheath 3005 of the optical cable 3002.

Finally, the protective cover 3011 is assembled to the cable pressing part 3010, and the plug housing 3008 is assembled to the outer circumference of the plug frame 3007 and the rear housing 3009, and the pair of wires protruding from the slit 3028 of the rear housing 3009 to the outside are 3004 cut off. Through the above operations, the optical connector 3001A is completed.

With this configuration, similar to the sixth embodiment described above, when selecting a specific optical cable 3002 among a plurality of optical cables 3002, the optical cable 3002 to be selected can be easily identified by lighting the light emitting element 3022. .

In addition, in the sixth embodiment described above, the configuration shown in FIG. 42 was described as the optical cable 3002 , but the example of the optical cable 3002 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 51, as an optical cable 3002A, a structure including an optical fiber core wire 3013, a pair of conducting wires 3004 formed by twisting a plurality of metal wires 3004a, And the sheath 3005 covering the optical fiber core wire 3013 and the pair of wires 3004, and the surrounding of the optical fiber core wire 3013 is covered by the tensile fiber 3013a. According to this configuration, by protecting the optical fiber core wire 3013 with the tensile fiber 3013a, it is possible to provide the optical cable 3002A having further excellent bending resistance. In addition, as an example of the above-mentioned optical fiber core wire 3013, the outer periphery of the optical fiber base wire 3003 is coated with flame-retardant polyethylene, and the outer diameter is set to about 0.9 mm.

In addition, although not shown in the figure, as an optical cable, it is also possible to use an optical fiber ribbon in which a tensile member is provided in the center and two optical fiber core wires are arranged side by side on both sides, and a tensile member is provided in the center and stretched around it. The method of covering sets multiple optical fiber core wires into a 1-layer or 2-layer optical cable, etc.

In addition, in the sixth embodiment described above, an example in which the terminal unit 3020 having the light emitting element 3022 is provided in the optical connector 3001 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, as shown in FIG. 52 , it is also possible to adopt the following structure, that is, in an optical cable 3002B in which an optical fiber base line 3003 and a pair of conducting wires 3004 are covered by an outer sheath 3005 , the outer sheath 3005 is provided with a pair of conducting wires 3004 The light emitting element 3022A is electrically connected. According to this configuration, by connecting the optical cable 3002B including the light emitting element 3022A to an existing optical connector, light with the light emitting element 3022A capable of easily identifying the optical cable 3002B to be selected can be provided with a simple structure. Cable 3002B.

In addition, as in the above-mentioned sixth embodiment, each conducting wire 3004 of the optical cable 3002B may be formed of an annealed copper wire. According to this configuration, each conductive wire 3004 functions as a relatively flexible tensile member, and conduction between each conductive wire 3004 and the light emitting element 3022A provided in the optical cable 3002B can be smoothly performed.

In addition, in the sixth embodiment described above, the example in which the pair of lead wires 3004 are led out to the outside from the two slits 3028 provided in the vertical direction in FIG. However, it is not limited to this example. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a pair of lead wires 3004 are led out from two slits 3028 provided in the left-right direction in FIG. 44 . At this time, the pair of lead wires 3004 are fixed by the cable holding member 3010 in a state of being in contact with the first base portion 3021A and the second base portion 3021B of the terminal unit 3020 , respectively. In addition, a pair of lead wires 3004 may be led out from two adjacent slits 3028 among the plurality of slits 3028 . As described above, in this example, even when the pair of lead wires 3004 are led out from any slit 3028 among the plurality of slits 3028, the terminal unit 3020 can be fixed in a state where the pair of lead wires 3004 are in contact with each other. , so the degree of freedom in fixing the optical cable 3002 to the optical connector 3001 can be improved.

In addition, in the above-mentioned sixth embodiment, the optical connector 3001 has been described, but the configuration of the above-mentioned embodiment can also be adopted as the configuration of an electrical connector used when wiring an electric cable. According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an electrical connector capable of easily identifying a selected electrical cable among a plurality of electrical cables.

Although this invention was demonstrated in detail with reference to the specific embodiment, it is clear for those skilled in the art that various changes and correction can be implemented without deviating from the mind and range of this invention.

This application is based on the Japanese patent application filed on August 29, 2013 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-178072), the Japanese patent application filed on August 29, 2013 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-178076), and the Japanese patent application filed on October 16, 2013. Patent application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-215563), Japanese patent application filed on April 2, 2013 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-077012), Japanese patent application filed on April 2, 2013 (Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-077014), the contents incorporated herein by reference.

Claims (29)

1. An optical fiber cable with a connector, which has: an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber optically connected to the optical element at the front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable, The connector has: a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber; a housing that holds the ferrule; A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part, The housing has a supporting portion that opens toward the rear, is covered by the protective cover, and supports the plate-shaped member, The electric wire and the light emitting member are electrically connected through the plate member. 2. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 1, wherein, The support portion is a recess extending forward from the opening. 3. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 2, wherein, The housing has a joint part, which protrudes backward and is combined with the protective cover, The concave portion is provided on the joint portion. 4. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 1, wherein, The protective cover diffuses and guides light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside. 5. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 1, wherein, A passage through which the electric wire is inserted is provided in the plate member. 6. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 5, wherein, The passage is a hole penetrating the plate member. 7. The optical fiber cord with connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The plate-like member has a pair of terminals respectively connected to the light emitting elements, A pair of terminals have respectively: a rear side lead portion extending from the light emitting element to the rear side and connected to the electric wire; and a front-side lead portion extending forward from the light-emitting element, The case is provided with an opening for power supply allowing access to the front side lead part from the outside. 8. The fiber optic cable with connector according to claim 7, wherein, The power supply opening has an inclined surface expanding outward on at least one side in the front-rear direction. 9. The optical fiber cord with connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The plate-like member has a pair of terminals respectively connected to the light emitting elements, A pair of terminals have respectively: a rear side lead portion extending from the light emitting element to the rear side and connected to the electric wire; and a front-side lead portion extending forward from the light-emitting element, A conductive member conducting to the outside is connected to the front side lead portion. 10. The connectorized fiber optic cord of claim 9, wherein: The conductive member protrudes outward from the case. 11. The connectorized fiber optic cord of claim 9, wherein: The conductive member is sandwiched between the case and the protective cover. 12. The connectorized fiber optic cord of claim 9, wherein: The plate member is sandwiched between the housing and the protective cover. 13. A connector mounted on a front end of an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber optically connected to an optical element at the front end and at least two electric wires, This connector has: a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber; a housing that holds the ferrule; A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the housing from the rear side, covering at least a part of the light emitting part, The housing has a support portion that opens toward the rear and supports the plate-shaped member, The plate-shaped member is provided with a passage penetrating from a surface opposite to the mounting surface from the mounting surface. 14. The connector of claim 13, wherein: The passage is a hole penetrating the plate member. 15. An optical fiber cable with a connector, comprising: An optical fiber cable having an optical fiber for optical connection with an external device at a front end, and at least 2 electric wires; and connector, which is mounted on the front end of the fiber optic cable, The connector has: a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber; a housing that holds the ferrule; A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part, A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover, At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover, On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface, The electric wire is inserted into the via, and the electric wire, the light emitting element, and the buried electrode are electrically connected. 16. The connectorized fiber optic cord of claim 15, wherein: The buried electrodes are provided so as to straddle the two outer surfaces of the protective cover, and are exposed to the outside. 17. The optical fiber cord with connector according to claim 15 or 16, wherein, The housing has a support portion that opens toward the radially outer side of the optical fiber and supports the plate member. 18. The optical fiber cord with connector according to claim 15 or 16, wherein, The protective cover diffuses and guides light emitted from the light emitting element to the outside. 19. A connector mounted on a front end of an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber optically connected to an external device at the front end and at least two electric wires, This connector has: a ferrule that holds the front end of the optical fiber; a housing that holds the ferrule; A light-emitting component comprising a light-emitting element and a plate-shaped component having a mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted; and a protective cover mounted on the rear end of the case from the rear side to cover the light emitting part, A buried electrode electrically connected to the light emitting element is buried in the protective cover, At least a part of the buried electrode is exposed to the outside from the protective cover, On the rear side of the plate member, there is provided a continuous passage from the mounting surface to a surface opposite to the mounting surface. 20. A power supply device that is combined with a connector for an optical fiber line to supply power to a light emitting element, the connector for an optical fiber line having the light emitting element, and an axis connected to the light emitting element and connected to the optical fiber line a plurality of electrodes exposed in crossing directions, The power supply unit has: A housing provided with a connector fitting portion into which the rear portion of the connector from which the optical fiber line extends can be fitted, the connector fitting portion having an axis along the optical fiber line the opening to the opening; and a plurality of spring-shaped terminals protruding toward the connector fitting portion so as to be electrically conductive with the plurality of electrodes, respectively, In a state where the rear portion of the connector is fitted to the connector fitting portion, the plurality of spring-shaped terminals can conduct with each of the electrodes. 21. The power supply device according to claim 20, wherein, The connector fitting portion has a shutter portion, The shutter part can be moved to a first position and a second position. The first position is such that the conduction part of the spring-shaped terminal protrudes toward the connector fitting part side so that the spring-shaped terminal and the second position are connected to each other. The second position is a position where the electrodes are electrically connected to the spring-shaped terminal so that the conduction portion does not protrude toward the connector fitting portion. 22. The power supply device according to claim 21, wherein, The shutter portion can move to the first position and the second position by moving in the axial direction of the optical fiber within the connector fitting portion. 23. The power supply device according to claim 21, wherein, A spring member that presses the shutter portion toward the second position is provided. 24. The power supply device according to claim 21, wherein, A latch portion for holding the shutter portion in at least one of the first position and the second position is provided on the housing. 25. The power supply device according to claim 21, wherein, The first position of the gate part is behind the relative position of the gate part relative to the housing relative to the second position. 26. The power supply device according to any one of claims 20 to 25, wherein, A clamp is provided at the rear of the housing and is detachably mounted on the rear of the housing. 27. The power supply device according to claim 26, wherein, The clamp is rotatable relative to the housing in a direction crossing the axial direction of the optical fiber wire. 28. The power supply device according to claim 26, wherein, A recess opening along the axial direction of the optical fiber is provided on the jig. 29. The power supply device according to claim 20, wherein, having a shutter portion provided so as to be movable in the axial direction of the optical fiber relative to the housing, At least a part of the spring-shaped terminal is provided outside the connector fitting portion, The shutter portion is provided to be movable to a first position and a second position. The first position is such that the conduction portion of the spring-shaped terminal protrudes toward the connector fitting portion side so that the spring-shaped terminal The position where the terminal conducts with the electrode, the second position is located between the spring-shaped terminal and the electrode, abuts against the spring-shaped terminal so that the conduction part does not connect to the connector The position where the fitting part protrudes, The shutter portion is provided on a jig which is detachably provided behind the housing.