JP2004020880A - Optical connector having extracting member - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely provide extracting workability of an optical connector (an optical connector adapter) such as an MPO type optical connector or the like, which are used to make engagement lock or lock disengagement for an optical connector adapter by a so-called slide lock structure, even when the connectors are densely mounted. <P>SOLUTION: A moveable housing 11 is practically extended by an extracting member 2 which is linked to the housing 11 provided on an optical connector 10. Thus, by a pulling operation of the member 2, the connector 10 is easily extracted from an optical connector adapter 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical connector with a detachable member that can be easily pulled out of an optical connector having a so-called slide lock structure, which can be pulled out of the movable housing while being released from engagement with the housing by a pulling operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an optical connector (optical connector plug) to be inserted and connected to a housing such as an optical connector adapter, a push having a so-called slide lock structure, in which the maintenance and disengagement of the housing can be easily switched by sliding movement of the movable housing. A type to which an ON-type fastening structure is applied is known. A typical example is an SC type optical coupling (SC) optical fiber connector (SC) specified in JIS C 5973, and a standard specified in JIS C 5982. MPO type optical connector (MPO: Multifiber Push-On), and MU type optical connector (Miniature-unit Coupling optical fiber connect-connect) specified in JIS C5983. or).
As such a slide lock structure of the optical connector, by inserting the optical connector into a housing such as an optical connector adapter, the engaging claws inside the housing engage with the optical connector and can slide to the outside of the optical connector. The movable housing (also referred to as a “knob”, “coupling”, etc.) provided in the housing is locked so that the engagement state with the housing is not released, and the movable housing is pulled by the pulling operation of the movable housing. A structure that can be easily removed from the housing while releasing the engagement has been widely adopted. Conventionally, in the operation of pulling the movable housing, an operator generally pulls the movable housing directly by finger.
[0003]
More specifically, the optical connector (optical connector plug) to which the slide lock structure as described above is applied is engaged with the inside of the housing simply by pushing the optical connector into a housing such as an optical connector adapter. The movable housing is moved to the distal end side of the optical connector (the distal end side of insertion into the housing) by the biasing force of a built-in spring or the like, so that the movable housing is connected to the housing (specifically, the engagement claw), the optical connector, Is restricted (locked). In this state, even if the optical connector is pulled (pulling at a position other than the movable housing), the engagement between the housing and the optical connector is not released, so that accidental detachment and disconnection of the optical connector from the housing are reliably prevented. Thus, the connection state of the optical connector to the housing is stably maintained.
Further, in order to pull out the optical connector connected to the housing from the housing, the movable housing can be pulled out by releasing the engagement with the housing by pulling the movable housing. When the movable housing is pulled, first, only the movable housing moves (moves to the rear end side of the optical connector) while the engagement of the optical connector with the housing is maintained. When the movable housing presses the engagement claw of the housing to release the engagement with the optical connector, or when the movable housing reaches a position where the engagement of the engagement claw of the housing with the optical connector is not locked, the optical connector is moved to the housing. Therefore, the optical connector can be pulled out of the movable housing by continuing the pulling operation of the movable housing.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in recent years, there has been a demand for a higher mounting density of optical connectors in optical devices and the like in which a plurality of optical connectors are mounted. In the meantime, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to insert a finger of an operator or it becomes impossible to insert a finger, so that an operation of disconnecting the optical connector from the housing becomes difficult. In addition, this has sometimes hindered the improvement of the mounting density of the optical connector.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector with a removal member that can ensure the workability of removing the optical connector from the housing even when the optical connector is mounted at high density.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the present invention, the connector body includes a connector main body that is engaged with the housing by being inserted into a housing such as an optical connector adapter, and a movable housing slidably provided in the connector main body, and is movable in a state of being connected to the housing. In an optical connector that can be pulled out of the housing while being disengaged from the housing by performing a pulling operation of the housing, a removal member that moves the movable housing by the pulling operation is connected to the movable housing. An optical connector with a removal member is provided.
Further, in the present invention, the removal member is an elongated member having both ends connected to opposing sides of the movable housing and extending in a U-shape from the movable housing. A configuration in which the pulling operation can be performed in a state of being extended to the rear side with respect to the front side before insertion into the housing, and the removal member extends the movable housing, so that the optical connector is connected to the housing of the optical connector. It is also possible to adopt a configuration extending to the rear side with respect to the insertion front side.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical connector 1 with a removal member according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the optical connector 1 with a removal member, and FIG. 3 is a member for removal from a housing 20 (optical connector adapter). FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the attached optical connector 1 is removed.
[0008]
The optical connector 1 with a removal member has an optical connector 10 and a removal member 2 connected to the optical connector 10.
In this embodiment, the optical connector 10 is an optical connector plug of an MPO optical connector, and the housing 20 is an optical connector adapter of an MPO optical connector. However, the optical connector and the housing according to the present invention are not limited thereto. For example, various types such as an SC type optical connector and an MU type optical connector can be adopted. However, as the optical connector that can be employed, a movable housing such as a movable housing that forms a slide lock mechanism, which can release the engagement between the housing 20 and the optical connector 10 by a pulling operation, can be used.
1 to 3, reference numeral 12 denotes an optical fiber with a connector. The optical fiber 12 with the connector is terminated by the optical connector 10 so that the distal end of the optical fiber 13 can be connected to the connector.
The housing is not limited to the optical connector adapter, but may be an optical connector receptacle or any other structure that allows the optical connector 10 to be inserted, connected, and removed.
In this embodiment, the housing 20 may be described below as an optical connector adapter.
[0009]
1 to 3, the removing member 2 is a strip made of a synthetic resin, and more specifically, is formed in a belt shape. The removal member 2 has connection portions 3 provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the removal member 2 and connection portions provided at opposite sides of the movable housing 11 (coupling) of the optical connector 10. By connecting to the movable housing 11, it is attached to the movable housing 11 in a state of being curved in a U-shape. The removal member 2 has such a hardness that the U-shaped shape can be maintained unless it is intentionally deformed by an external force.
The connection portion 14 provided on the movable housing 11 of the optical connector 10 is specifically an engagement protrusion (hereinafter, the connection portion 14 may be referred to as an engagement protrusion 14) projecting from the side surface of the movable housing 11. Specifically, the connecting portions 3 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the removing member 2 are fitted with the insertion holes 4 into which the engagement protrusions 14 are inserted and the engagement protrusions 14 moved from the insertion holes 4. This is a portion where the hole 5 is formed. The insertion hole 4 and the fitting hole 5 communicate with each other, and the engagement protrusion 14 can be moved. In order to connect the connecting portions 3 and 14 to each other, first, the engaging protrusion 14 is inserted into the insertion hole 4, and then the engaging protrusion 14 is moved to the fitting hole 5 for fitting. Conversely, when the engaging protrusion 14 fitted in the fitting hole 5 is moved to the insertion hole 4 and pulled out of the connecting portion 3, the connection between the connecting portions 3 and 14 can be released, and the removing member 2 The connector 10 can be detached.
[0010]
The optical connector 1 with a removal member is connected to the optical connector adapter 20 in an assembled state (with the removal member 2 attached). At this time, the removal member 2 is set in a direction to project to the rear side opposite to the side before the insertion of the optical connector 10 into the optical connector adapter 20. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, since the removal member 2 is made to protrude toward the rear side of the optical connector 10 in such a direction as to extend the movable housing 11, the position can be easily understood. In an optical device, such as a wiring board, on which a large number of optical connectors 10 are mounted at high density, the trouble of searching for the optical connector 10 and the removal member 2 for performing the removal operation is reduced, and the removal member is removed. When the movable housing 11 is slid (pulled) by the pulling operation 2, interference with members around the optical connector 10 (another optical connector, an optical fiber, or the like) can be avoided as much as possible to improve workability. There are advantages.
[0011]
The removal member 2 is not limited to a synthetic resin, but has a high degree of flexibility such that a rigid member such as a metal or a thread or tape made of natural or synthetic fibers cannot be retained. A thing etc. can also be adopted. However, if the removal member 2 is formed of a flexible material such as a synthetic resin, there is an advantage that even if the removal member 2 comes into contact with the optical fiber 13, there is no fear of damaging the optical fiber 13.
[0012]
The operation of pulling out the optical connector 1 with the extraction member connected to the optical connector adapter 20 from the optical connector adapter 20 can be easily performed only by pulling the extraction member 2. When the pulling member 2 is pulled, the movable housing 11 can be slid to the rear end side of the optical connector 10 (relative sliding movement of the optical connector 10 with respect to the connector main body 15), and the pulling operation is further continued. Thus, the optical connector 10 can be pulled out from the optical connector adapter 20 while releasing the engagement of the optical connector 10 (specifically, the connector main body 15) with the optical connector adapter 20 (see FIG. 3).
The connector main body 15 is a member that is inserted into a housing 20 such as an optical connector adapter and has a portion with which an engaging portion of the housing 20 is engaged by this insertion. It is a frame.
[0013]
The removal member 3 extending in a U-shape from the movable housing 11 can be easily pulled by, for example, putting a finger on the inside of the U-shape. Further, it is easy to pull the opposing sides of the movable housing 11 with substantially equal force, and it is difficult to cause the inconvenience that the optical connector 10 is obliquely pulled and damaged, or the optical connector 10 is stuck in the housing 20 and hardly comes off. There is also an advantage that the leaving workability can be improved.
[0014]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the specific shape of the extraction member, the structure for coupling to the movable housing, and the like can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say, there is.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the movable housing of the optical connector can be substantially extended by the removal member, the removal member can be pulled even in a place where the optical connector is mounted at high density. By performing the operation, the workability of removing the optical connector from the housing can be ensured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical connector with a removal member according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the optical connector with a removal member of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where an optical connector with an extraction member is extracted from a housing (optical connector adapter).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical connector with removal member, 2 ... Removal member, 3 ... Connection part, 10 ... Optical connector, 11 ... Movable housing, 14 ... Connection part (engagement protrusion), 15 ... Connector body, 20 ... Housing (light) Connector adapter).

Claims (3)

It has a connector main body which is engaged with the housing by being inserted into a housing such as an optical connector adapter, and a movable housing slidably provided on the connector main body. By performing the above, in the optical connector that can be pulled out of the housing while releasing the engagement with the housing,
An optical connector with an extraction member, wherein an extraction member for moving the movable housing by a pulling operation is connected to the movable housing. The removal member is an elongated member having both ends connected to opposite sides of the movable housing and extending in a U-shape from the movable housing, and is a side of the optical connector before insertion into the housing. 2. The optical connector with a pull-out member according to claim 1, wherein the optical connector can be pulled while being extended to the rear side of the optical connector. 3. The removal member according to claim 1, wherein the removal member extends rearward of the optical connector before insertion into the housing so as to extend the movable housing. With optical connector.

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