JPS589922B2 - fiber optic connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector that can easily connect optical fibers, and particularly to an optical fiber connector that can connect a large number of optical fibers at the same time.

In optical fiber transmission systems, a plurality of optical fibers are often installed along the same route, and a multicore optical fiber cable is used in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled into one cable.

Conventionally, the method shown in FIG. 1 has been used to connect these multicore optical fiber cables.

A separate optical fiber connector 2 is attached to each optical fiber 1 to be connected, and these are connected separately to connect a multicore optical fiber cable 3.

This conventional method has drawbacks such as the time-consuming connection and the need to operate each optical fiber connector 2 separately, which increases the risk of the optical fiber 1 being caught and broken during the connection process. Ta.

The present invention was made to solve these drawbacks, and provides an optical fiber connector configured to connect a large number of optical fibers simultaneously and reliably.

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

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which a plurality of (four in FIG. 2) cylindrical inserters 14 are fitted with optical fibers 10 with high accuracy, and a plurality (two in FIG. 2) of the cylindrical inserters 14 are mounted. a connector plug 16 with a guide post 15 and an inserter 14
A guide hole 19 is provided at a position corresponding to a V-shaped groove 18 (see Fig. 4) into which a cylindrical stator 17 having the same diameter and the same number of optical fibers 11 is fitted with high accuracy (see Fig. 4) and a guide post 15 are provided. A connector receptacle 20 is shown.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the inserter 14 in FIG.
is shown being planted in the connector plug 16.

The inserter 14, into which the optical fiber 10 is attached with high precision so that the core center of the optical fiber 10 coincides with the center of the inserter 14 and the ends of both of them coincide, has a collar 21, and the inserter 14 has a collar 21, which is inserted into the rear side. The inserter 14 and the connector plug 16 are pressed forward by a spring 22 which is a first elastic body, and the inserter 14 and the connector plug 16 are implanted in an extremely loosely fitted state.

The tapered part 23 provided at the tip of the inserter 14 is to ensure that the inserter 14 is inserted smoothly when connecting the connector, and to prevent loosening of the inserter 14, misalignment with the V-shaped groove 18, etc. Dimensions are chosen such that they are not affected.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view taken along line IV-IV' in FIG. 2, showing how the stator 17 is fitted into the V-shaped groove 18.

The center of the core of the optical fiber 11 is located in the stator 17.
The optical fiber 11 is installed with high accuracy so that the center of the fiber 11 coincides with the center of the fiber 11, and the tips of the two coincide with each other.

Each of the plurality of V-shaped grooves 18 is provided with a pressing plate 25 that is pressed by a pressing spring 24 that is a second elastic body, and the stator 17 fitted in this V-shaped groove 18 is pressed against the pressing plate 25. is pressed against the wall of the V-shaped groove.

Connection of this optical fiber connector is performed as follows.

When the guide post 15 is inserted into the guide hole 19 and the connector plug 16 and connector receptacle 20 are inserted until they abut, each inserter 14 is inserted into the corresponding V-shaped groove 18 and the connection is completed.

Figure 5 shows inserter 1 when connecting the optical fiber connector.
4 is inserted into the V-shaped groove 18, and the tip of the stator 17 and the tip of the inserter 14 are brought into contact and pressed together by the spring 22.

On the other hand, since both the stator 17 and the inserter 14 are pressed against the wall of the V-shaped groove 18 by the presser plate 24, the outer peripheries of the stator 17 and the inserter 14 are precisely aligned, and the optical fiber 10.11 at the center thereof is aligned. The cores of the two cores are aligned with high precision.

In order to maintain the connection, it is preferable to connect the connector plug 16 and the connector receptacle 20 with a set screw 26, as shown in FIG. 2, for example.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the optical fiber connector of the present invention is applied to a multicore optical fiber cable.

After each of the plurality of optical fibers 10 of one multi-core optical fiber cable 3 is attached to the inserter 14 of the connector plug 16, the connector plug 16 and the multi-core optical fiber cable 3 are fixed and the optical fibers 10 are protected. Attach a cover 27 for this purpose.

The plurality of optical fibers 11 of the other multi-core optical fiber cable 3 are also attached to the stator of the connector receptacle 20, and are used for fixing the connector receptacle 20 and the multi-core optical fiber cable 3 and for protecting the optical fibers 11. Attach cover 27.

The connection of both multicore optical fiber cables 3 is completed by fitting and inserting the guide post 15 into the guide hole 19 and then fixing the connector plug 16 side and the connector receptacle 20 side with the set screw 26.

In the above embodiment, the inserters 14 are arranged in a line, but the arrangement is not limited to this, and any arrangement may be used as long as the inserters 14 and the V-shaped grooves 18 are in a corresponding positional relationship. .

Further, in the embodiment, a tapered portion is provided at the distal end of the inserter 14, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the entrance portion of the V-shaped groove 1B may be widened in a tapered shape, or the inserter 14 may be widened in a tapered shape. It is clear that it may have a tapered portion at the tip and a taper at the entrance of the V-shaped groove 18.

As described above, according to the optical fiber connector of the present invention, many optical fibers can be connected simultaneously and reliably, and in particular, multi-core optical fiber cables can be connected with simple operations, and the work during connection can be done easily. This has the advantage of improving performance and eliminating accidents such as optical fiber breakage during connection work.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram explaining the conventional method, Fig. 2 a and b are a plan view and a side view of an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along l-III' of Fig. 2 for implantation of the inserter. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV' in Figure 2 to explain the state in which the stator is fitted in. Figure 5 is a diagram to explain the state in which the embodiment of Figure 2 is connected. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of application of the embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10.11 is an optical fiber, 14 is an inserter, 15 is a guide post, 16 is a connector plug, 17 is a stator,
18 is a V-shaped groove, 19 is a guide hole, 20 is a connector receptacle, 22.24 is a spring as an elastic body, and 25 is a holding plate. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. First and second inserters to which the first and second optical fibers are fixed, and a guide post are provided, and the first and second
a plug that supports the inserter under pressure in the axial direction of the first and second optical fibers with a first elastic body; first and second V-shaped grooves that contact the first and second inserters; and third and fourth optical fibers connected to the first and second optical fibers, respectively.
and the first and second inserters are connected to the first optical fiber.
and a second elastic body that can be fixed under pressure with a second V-shaped groove, and a receptacle that is provided with a guide hole into which the guide post fits. 2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second inserters are each provided with a tapered portion on the head thereof. 3. Claim 1, characterized in that the relationship between the first and second inserters and the guide post is such that the length of the guide post is longer than the length of the first and second inserters. Optical fiber connector as described in section.