JP4093824B2 - Thin optical receptacle for cards - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thin optical receptacle for cards, and relates to a thin optical receptacle for cards mounted in a card slot provided in an electronic device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in small information electronic devices such as notebook personal computers, PC cards have been mainly used as media for adding memory, but in addition to them, FAX modem cards, LAN cards, It is widely used as various device cards such as an SCSI card as an interface card, an MPEG card as a multimedia card, and a TV tuner card. At present, CF cards, which are further miniaturized from PC cards, have also appeared, and there is a tendency for further reduction in size and weight.
[0003]
On the other hand, the information industry involved in the production, processing, and distribution of information is increasing and developing as society becomes more sophisticated and complex. In such an advanced information society, the development of information and communication networks is indispensable in order to efficiently perform its functions. All information and communication networks are digitized, and the capacity and functionality of networks are increased. It is necessary to plan. Therefore, the development of optical fiber networks is progressing in order to transmit large volumes of information at high speed and economically.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, a device for converting an optical signal transmitted through an optical fiber into an electric signal and connecting it to a small information device such as a notebook personal computer has not yet been provided.
In addition, card type devices such as PC cards and CF cards that are mounted in card slots provided in electronic devices including small information devices are thin, and optical connector plugs are inserted within the limited thickness range. Although it is necessary to form it, it is necessary to form the optical receptacle portion with only synthetic resin as in the conventional case, so a certain amount of strength is necessary, so it may be within the limited thickness range. There is a problem that you can not.
Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the thickness with a metal punching structure alone, but sufficient strength cannot be obtained. Insulating resin parts are required for the contact arrangement part, and this insulating resin is complicated to the metal. There was a problem such as the need for fitting work.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and is provided in a card slot portion provided in an electronic device, and provides a thin optical receptacle for a card for performing conversion between an optical signal and an electric signal, An object of the present invention is to provide a thin optical receptacle for a card that is easy to manufacture while ensuring sufficient strength.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention according to claim 1 is a thin optical receptacle for a card such as an optical module which is mounted in a card slot provided in an electronic device and converts an optical signal into an electric signal. A frame guided to the card slot, a card electrical connector disposed on one end of the frame and electrically connected to an electrical contact disposed in the card slot, and a card electrical connector In a thin optical receptacle for a card configured to include an optical receptacle portion inserted into a concave mounting portion provided on the opposite side, and upper and lower cover members formed of a metal thin plate and attached to a frame , The optical receptacle part has a sleeve into which a ferrule of an optical connector plug is inserted, and two optical parts formed so that both side parts protrude. The receptacle body is provided with an elastic locking piece for locking the optical connector plug on the opposite surface side of each part and a metal thin plate, and is attached to the arm portion so as to cover the sleeve and the elastic locking piece. The outer surface of the optical receptacle body is shaped to guide while preventing erroneous insertion into the mounting portion, and a groove is formed in the longitudinal direction, whereby the upper and lower metal plates are formed. The side part is bent inward and attached to the groove part. Further, a slit is formed on the outer surface of the optical receptacle body, and the optical receptacle part is inserted into the slit by inserting a locking piece formed on the cover member. Provided is a thin optical receptacle for a card which is formed so as to be fixed to an attachment portion .
[0011]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention according to claim 2 is the thin optical receptacle for card according to claim 1 , wherein any one of the upper and lower metal plates constituting the optical receptacle portion is provided. It has a shape that can be mounted on a substrate provided with electronic components, and can be used independently.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred first embodiment of a thin optical receptacle for cards according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 1A is a front view of an embodiment of a thin optical receptacle for cards according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a plan view thereof. The thin optical receptacle for a card shown in FIG. 1 has a shape imitating a CF card, but can also be applied to other card type devices such as a PC card.
[0014]
The card thin optical receptacle 1 shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) schematically includes a CF card, a PC card, and the like provided in an electronic device including a small information device such as a notebook personal computer. A frame 2 that is a frame guided by a card slot (not shown) to be mounted, a card electrical connector 3 disposed at one end of the frame 2, and an end opposite to the card electrical connector 3 are formed. The optical receptacle part 4 is inserted and mounted in the concave mounting part 28, and the upper cover member 6 and the lower cover member 7 are attached to the top and bottom of the frame 2, and the optical receptacle part. 4 includes an optical receptacle body 40, a ferrule 48 a disposed on one end side of the optical receptacle portion 4, and upper and lower metal plates 50, 50.
[0015]
The frame 2 as a whole has a shape that fits into a card slot portion into which a CF card, PC card, or the like provided in an electronic device (not shown) is mounted. As shown in FIG. Is provided with a rail guide portion 22 which is guided when inserted into the card slot portion. The upper cover member 6 and the lower cover member 7 attached to the frame 2 are formed by punching a thin metal plate into a predetermined shape and bending it appropriately. Further, locking pieces 65 and 65 for positioning when attaching to the frame 2 are provided on both sides of the cover members 6 and 7, respectively, according to the frame grooves 21 and 21 formed along the frame 2. The locking pieces 65, 65 of the upper cover member 6 and the locking pieces 65, 65 of the lower cover member 7 are attached. At the time of attachment, it is preferable that the end portions of the upper cover member 6 and the lower cover member 7 are respectively bent and fixed inside the frame 2. Further, the upper cover member 6 is provided with locking pieces 64 and 64 which are inserted into slits 41b and 41b of the receptacle body 40 which will be described later. The frame 2 can be formed of synthetic resin or die cast. A substrate on which electronic components including light receiving and emitting elements are mounted is disposed inside the frame 2. A frame plate 25 having a mounting portion 28 is disposed on the lower cover member 7. The frame 2 and the frame plate 25 can be integrally molded, and the frame 2 and the frame plate 25 and the lower cover member 7 may be formed by integral molding. The upper cover member 6 and the lower cover member 7 are preferably made of a metal material such as SUS304 which is thin but strong.
[0016]
An electrical connector attachment portion 29 for attaching the card electrical connector 3 is formed on one end side of the frame 2 (see FIG. 4), and the card electrical connector 3 is disposed on the electrical connector attachment portion 29. Positioning step portions 23, 23 are formed on both ends of the frame 2, and engagement step portions 31, 31 provided on the card electrical connector 3 on the step portions 23, 23 (see FIG. 2). Are designed to engage securely. The card electrical connector 3 is structured so that it does not fall off when the card thin optical receptacle 1 is assembled because the positioning step 23 of the frame 2 and the positioning step 31 of the card electrical connector 3 are engaged. Thus, when the card thin optical receptacle 1 is inserted into a card slot provided in an electronic device (not shown), the card electrical connector 3 contacts the electrical connector disposed in the card slot of the electronic device. And are electrically connected.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 3B, the optical receptacle portion 4 includes two arm portions 41 and 41 formed so as to protrude from both sides, and the planar shape thereof is formed to have a substantially U-shape. The receptacle main body 40 and upper and lower metal plates 50 and 50 (see FIG. 2) attached to the receptacle main body 40 are configured. The two arm portions 41, 41 are provided with elastic locking pieces 44, 44 formed so as to face each other, and a locking portion (not shown) of the optical connector plug 55 is provided at the tip of the elastic locking pieces 44, 44. Engagement projections 44a and 44a are formed to be engaged with the projections. A substantially cylindrical sleeve 45 in which a split sleeve 46 is housed is formed at the back of the plug insertion portion 43 into which the optical connector plug 55 sandwiched between the arm portions 41 and 41 is inserted. The plates 50 and 50 are attached to the arm portions 41 and 41 so as to cover the sleeve 45 and the elastic locking pieces 44 and 44. The outer surface of the receptacle main body 40 is provided with steps 46a and 46b formed asymmetrically in the vertical direction, and a female mold formed on a concave mounting portion 28 provided on the frame plate 25 on the lower cover member 7. The groove 26 is correctly inserted without making a mistake in the upper and lower sides thereof. Slits 41b and 41b are provided in the side portions of the two arm portions 41 and 41, and the locking pieces 64 and 64 of the upper cover member 6 are inserted and attached to the optical receptacle main body 40, and the attachment portion 28 is fixed. Alternatively, the male steps 46a and 46b and the female groove 26 may be reversed to form a female groove in the optical receptacle body 40 and a male step in the mounting portion 28. The optical receptacle body 40 can be formed of a synthetic resin.
[0018]
The sleeve 45 is inserted with a ferrule 48a held by press-fitting or bonding into the mounting bracket 48b. The ferrule 48a has a diameter that can be accommodated in the split sleeve 46 built in the sleeve 45 without a substantial gap. One end face of the ferrule 48a inserted into the split sleeve 46 is optically connected to the end face of a ferrule (not shown) of the optical connector plug 55, and the other end face is inside the thin optical receptacle 1 for cards. Is optically connected to a light emitting / receiving element (not shown) in the electronic component housed in the electronic component, thereby converting an optical signal transmitted through the optical fiber 56 into an electric signal to be used in an electronic device such as a notebook personal computer. On the other hand, an electric signal is transmitted. The ferrule 48a can also be formed of a metal such as zirconia or stainless steel. The mounting bracket 48b has a substantially cylindrical shape that has a diameter substantially the same as the hole portion 48 that communicates with the sleeve 45 formed in the end face of the optical receptacle body 40 and has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter. In addition, the flat surface 48c of the mounting bracket 48b is disposed by press-fitting or bonding so as to be in close contact with the hole 48. The mounting bracket 48b is preferably made of an alloy such as brass or stainless steel, for example.
[0019]
Elastic locking pieces 44 and 44 for locking the optical connector plug 55 attached to the optical fiber 56 are formed to face the arm portions 41 and 41 of the optical receptacle body 40. For this reason, when the optical connector plug 55 is attached to the plug insertion portion 43 sandwiched between the arm portions 41, 41, the elastic locking piece 44 is once bent outward and expanded with the insertion operation. When the optical connector plug 55 is further inserted, the engagement protrusions 44a and 44a are engaged with an engagement portion (not shown) of the optical connector plug 55 by the elastic pressing force of the elastic locking piece 44, and the optical connector plug 55 is firmly attached. And held. On the other hand, when the optical connector plug 55 is pulled out from this state, the optical connector plug 55 is released from the plug insertion portion 43 by being disengaged. If the inner shape of the optical receptacle 4 is formed corresponding to the shape of the optical connector plug to be mounted, various optical connector plugs can be mounted by changing the optical receptacle 4.
[0020]
The above-described thin optical receptacle 1 for cards is a type in which one optical receptacle 4 is mounted, but the mounting of the optical receptacle 4 is not limited to one. As shown in FIG. 6, two optical receptacles are provided. 4 can be mounted. According to the thin optical receptacle 1 for a card having such a configuration, a plurality of optical connector plugs 55 can be connected simultaneously.
[0021]
The upper and lower sides of the plug insertion portion 43 sandwiched between the arm portions 41 and 41 of the optical receptacle main body 40 are covered with metal plates 50 and 50. The metal plate 50 has a shape in which both end portions are bent inwardly, that is, has a U-shaped cross section. Then, the bent end portions are attached while being slid into the groove portions 42 and 42 formed on the left and right side surfaces of the optical receptacle body 40. As described above, by making the attachment cross-sections at both ends of the metal plates 50 and 50 U-shaped, sufficient strength can be ensured in use even though it is a thin metal plate. The metal plate 50 is preferably formed of a stainless steel material such as SUS304 which is thin but strong.
[0022]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the claws 50a, 50a are formed on the lower metal plate 50 of the optical receptacle part 4, and the shape can be directly mounted on the substrate 52 on which electronic components are mounted. You can also That is, the illustrated optical receptacle 4 has claws 50a, 50a standing in the longitudinal direction in the vicinity of both end faces of the surface of the lower metal plate 50. The optical receptacle 4 is mounted directly on the substrate 52 by inserting the claws 50a and 50a into holes formed in the substrate 52 and attaching them to the substrate 52 or by placing them on the ground pattern provided on the substrate 52. It becomes possible to make it.
[0023]
The thin optical receptacle 1 for cards in the above-described embodiment is a separation type in which the optical receptacle portion 4 is a separate body. On the other hand, the optical receptacle 4 can be formed integrally with the frame 2. In this case, the frame 2 is extended to the portion of the mounting portion 28 where the optical receptacle portion 4 is mounted to form the optical receptacle body 40, and the upper cover member 6 is provided for portions corresponding to the upper and lower metal plates 50, 50. In addition, the lower cover member 7 may be rectangular instead of concave so as to cover the upper and lower portions of the portion corresponding to the optical receptacle body 40.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the thin optical receptacle for a card according to the present invention, a device for performing conversion between an optical signal and an electric signal is a small information on which a thin card type device such as a PC card or a CF card is mounted. There is an effect that it can be installed in a card slot provided in an electronic device including the device. Moreover, since it is covered with the upper and lower cover members of the metal thin plate, it is possible to overcome the strength reduction accompanying the thinning. That is, by combining a metal and a synthetic resin, there is an effect that a thin optical receptacle for a card having a predetermined strength while being small and thin can be obtained.
[0025]
The optical receptacle part is attached with the upper and lower sides of the optical receptacle body covered with a metal plate, and the end side of the metal plate is folded inwardly into a groove formed in the arm part of the optical receptacle part. Therefore, the torsional strength against the torsion or the like caused by the use of the thin optical receptacle for cards according to the present invention is improved, and there is an effect that a sufficient strength that can withstand use can be obtained.
[0026]
Further, since an asymmetric step portion is formed on the outer surface of the optical receptacle portion, it functions as a guide when mounted on the attachment portion, and there is an effect that erroneous insertion up and down is prevented.
[0027]
Further, by changing the internal shape of the optical receptacle part and changing the shape of the claws or the like formed on the metal plate, there is an effect that the optical fiber can be applied to various electronic parts.
[0028]
In addition, since the thin optical receptacle for cards can be integrally formed, there are effects that the number of parts can be reduced, the assembling work can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a front view of an embodiment of a thin optical receptacle for cards according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a plan view thereof.
2 is an exploded perspective view of the thin optical receptacle for cards shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3A is a front view of an optical receptacle, FIG. 3B is a partial sectional plan view thereof, FIG. 3C is a right side view thereof, and FIG. 3D is a rear view thereof.
4A is a front view in which the upper and lower cover members are removed from the thin optical receptacle for cards of FIG. 1, FIG. 4B is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 4C is a side view thereof.
FIG. 5 is a front view of an optical receptacle portion on which a metal plate provided with claws is mounted.
FIG. 6 is a front view of a thin optical receptacle for cards of a type in which two optical receptacles are mounted.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thin optical receptacle for cards 2 Frame 3 Electrical connector for cards 4 Optical receptacle part 6 Upper cover member 7 Lower cover member 21 Frame groove 22 Rail guide part 23 Step part 25 Frame plate 26 Groove 28 Mounting part 31 Engagement step Portion 32 Contact 40 Optical receptacle body 41 Arm portion 41b Slit 42 Groove portion 43 Plug insertion portion 44 Elastic locking piece 45 Sleeve 46 Split sleeve 48a Ferrule 50 Plate 50a Claw 64 Locking piece

Claims (2)

A thin optical receptacle for a card, such as an optical module, that is mounted in a card slot provided in an electronic device and converts an optical signal into an electric signal, the frame guided to the card slot, and the frame An electrical connector for a card which is disposed on one end side and is electrically connected to an electrical contact disposed in the slot portion for the card, and is inserted into a concave mounting portion provided on the opposite side to the electrical connector for the card. A thin optical receptacle for a card, comprising: an optical receptacle portion; and an upper and lower cover member formed of a thin metal plate and attached to the frame .
The optical receptacle has a sleeve into which a ferrule of an optical connector plug is inserted, and locks the optical connector plug on opposite surfaces of two arms formed so that both side portions protrude. A receptacle body provided with an elastic locking piece; and an upper and lower plate formed of a thin metal plate and attached to the arm portion so as to cover the sleeve and the elastic locking piece. The outer surface of the metal plate is shaped to guide while preventing erroneous insertion into the mounting portion, and a groove portion is formed in the longitudinal direction, whereby the upper and lower metal plates are bent inward on the side portion. The slit is formed on the outer surface of the optical receptacle main body, and the locking piece formed on the cover member is inserted into the slit. Thin optical receptacle card, wherein said light receptacle portion is formed to be secured to the attachment portion by. The thin optical receptacle for a card according to claim 1,
Any one of the upper and lower metal plates constituting the optical receptacle portion is shaped to be mountable on a substrate having an electronic component, and can be used independently. Thin optical receptacle for cards.

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