JP3781825B2 - Optical connection storage tray - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical connection portion for optically connecting optical fibers and an optical connection portion storage tray for storing a connection surplus length thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An optical connection portion for optically connecting optical fibers and an optical connection portion storage tray for storing a connection surplus length thereof are applied to, for example, an optical fiber cable connection terminal box.
Hereinafter, a connection terminal box for an optical fiber cable to which a conventional optical connection unit storage tray is applied will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the optical fiber cable connection terminal box holds the optical fiber cable 3 by the holding metal fittings 2 respectively installed at both ends in the axial direction of the sleeve 1, and also holds the pair of gripped optical fibers. The optical fiber ribbons 4 (hereinafter referred to as “tape ribbons”) led out from the respective cables 3 are connected to each other via the optical connection part 5, and the optical connection part 5 and its connection surplus length 6 are connected to the holding metal fittings 2. A plurality of thin plate-like optical connection portion storage trays 7 (hereinafter referred to as “trays”) stacked on the connecting rod 8 to be connected are arranged and stored.
[0003]
As shown in FIG. 7, adjacent trays 7 are connected to each other so as to be relatively rotatable by a hinge (not shown) that is rotatably supported by an axis parallel to the axis of the sleeve 1. As the optical connecting portion 5, a fusion splicing portion, an optical connector or the like is applied.
The tape core wire 4 is protected by a tube 10 (see FIG. 8). In the side portion of the tray 7, one insertion hole 9 for inserting the tape core wire 4 into the tray 7 is opened one by one. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a pressing plate 12 that presses the tube 10 is protruded from the inside of the insertion hole 9 between the bottom plate 11 of the tray 7. At a plurality of locations on the inner surface side of the side wall 13 of the tray 7, press plates 14 that press the tape core wire 4 wired on the bottom plate 11 between the bottom plate 11 are projected. Between the pressing plate 12 and the bottom plate 11, a pressing member 15 made of rubber, urethane or the like that holds the end of the tube 10 is inserted. The holding member 15 accommodates the tube 10 in a groove 16 formed so as to penetrate the insertion hole 9 in the axial direction, and stabilizes the tube 10 against an external force such as pulling by a frictional resistance generated between the tube 10 and the surface. It is supposed to hold on.
When an operation such as connection switching of the tape core wire 4 is performed on the target tray 7, the work surface of the target tray 7 is exposed by using the relative rotation of the tray 7 around the hinge.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the case of the tray 7 as described above, the following problems have occurred due to the structure in which the pressing member 15 presses and holds the tube 10.
That is, in order to obtain a sufficient frictional resistance between the pressing member 15 and the surface of the tube 10, it is necessary to increase the pressing force of the pressing member 15 against the tube 10, but when the pressing force increases, stress is applied to the tape core wire 4. In addition, the transmission loss of the optical signal may be increased. On the other hand, when the pressure contact force is weak, it is difficult to obtain sufficient frictional resistance, and the tube 10 is easily pulled out. In order to provide the pressing member 15 capable of obtaining an appropriate pressure contact force, it is necessary to manufacture various types of pressing members 15 corresponding to the diameter of the tube 10, the tensile force acting on the tube 10, etc., which is very difficult to manufacture. However, there is a problem that costs increase.
Further, since the pressing member 15 is a separate member from the tray 7, it takes time and labor to attach the tray 7 and causes an increase in cost.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an optical connection portion storage tray capable of stably fixing an optical fiber inserted through an insertion hole without changing optical transmission characteristics. It is what.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the optical connection part storing tray according to claim 1, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the optical connection part storing the optical connection part (5) for optically connecting the optical fibers (4) and the connection surplus length (6) thereof. a tray over, between the bottom plate of the optical connecting part storage tray (21) flanged to the vertically installed a pair of clamping walls on (25, 26), an optical fiber is coated with a coating material (32) An insertion hole (31) for introducing the inside of the insertion hole is secured, a partition projecting from the bottom plate between the pair of clamp walls and arranged in parallel to the pair of clamp walls on both sides of the insertion hole The insertion hole is partitioned into two holding grooves (33) by a clamp wall (34) which is a wall, and a pair of clamp walls on both sides of the insertion hole are edges of the extra length storage portions at both longitudinal ends of the bottom plate. Part of the curved wall (25) suspended from the front and the front Part of the side wall (26) suspended from both sides of the width direction center part of the bottom plate, and the insertion hole is at the boundary part between the curved wall and the side wall. Are parallel to each other through a clearance, and are opened between the curved wall and the side wall, and contact the side of the optical fiber disposed between the clamp walls on the surface facing the other side of the clamp wall. The protrusions (35, 36) to be contacted are projected by relatively shifting the position of the optical fiber in the axial direction, and the optical fiber is bent with a bending radius greater than a specified value and clamped. It was a solution.
[0007]
The optical connection portion storage tray according to claim 2, wherein a frictional resistance generating means for increasing a frictional resistance against the movement of the optical fiber in the axial direction is provided on the contact surface of the protrusion that contacts the side surface of the optical fiber. It was made a solution.
Further, in the optical connection unit storage tray according to claim 3, the clamp wall that is the partition wall is formed so as to be close to either one of the curved wall and the pair of clamp walls that are the side walls of the insertion hole, Means for solving the above-described problem is that pressing grooves having different cross-sectional shapes are formed on both sides of the clamp wall of the partition wall.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the optical connection unit storage tray of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, the same components as those in FIGS. 5 to 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified.
Reference numeral 20 in the figure denotes an optical connection unit storage tray (hereinafter, “tray”) according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the tray 20 is formed in an elongated flat plate shape with an elastic material such as plastic.
Circular extra-length storage portions 22 are formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 21 of the tray 20. The surplus length storage portion 22 is configured to store the connection surplus length 6 of the tape core wire 4 while maintaining a curvature radius that is not less than a specified value. A plurality of optical connection portions 5 (not shown in FIG. 1) for connecting the tape core wires 4 so as to be switchable are installed at the center of the bottom plate 21. These optical connection portions 5 are gripped by flange-shaped connector gripping claws protruding from the bottom plate 21.
[0009]
A flange-like curved wall 25 that is curved along the surplus length accommodating portion 22 is suspended from the edge of both surplus length accommodating portions 22 of the bottom plate 21. On both sides of the bottom plate 21 in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1), flange-like side walls 26 having a protruding amount from the bottom plate 21 equal to the curved wall 25 are formed. On the outer side of one side wall 26, a hinge 27 is rotatably provided that rotatably connects the trays 20 stacked one above the other. The pair of trays 20 connected by the hinges 27 are configured such that the opening of the lower tray 20 is closed by overlapping the upper tray 20 with the lower tray 20. The side wall 26 on the side facing the hinge 27 is formed with an engaging claw 28 for detachably connecting the trays 20 stacked vertically and a locking recess 29 for locking the engaging claw 28. Has been. Further, on the inner surface side of the curved wall 25 and the side wall 26, pressing claws 30 are provided in a plurality of positions so as to accommodate the tape core wire 4 wired on the bottom plate 21 between the bottom plate 21.
The curved wall 25, the side wall 26, and the engaging claw 28 are integrally formed with the bottom plate 21.
[0010]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an insertion hole 31 for inserting the tape core wire 4 into the inside of the tray 20 is opened at a boundary portion between the curved wall 25 and the side wall 26 on the hinge 27 side. The insertion hole 31 is a portion in which the curved wall 25 and the side wall 26 are parallel to each other through a clearance. As shown in FIG. 3, a partition wall 34 that extends along the axial direction of the insertion hole 31 and divides the insertion hole 31 into two pressing grooves 33 is formed at the center of the parallel curved wall 25 and side wall 26. Is provided. The partition wall 34 is a flange projecting from the bottom plate 21, and is parallel to the curved wall 25 and the side wall 26. Each pressing groove 33 can be inserted with a tube 32 (covering material) that covers the tape core wire 4. The curved wall 25, the side wall 26, and the partition wall 34 function as a clamp wall that clamps the tube 32 inserted through the holding groove 33.
The partition wall 34 may be formed so as to be close to either the curved wall 25 or the side wall 26. In this case, since the holding grooves 33 having different cross-sectional shapes are formed, it is possible to cope with the introduction of the tape core wires 4 having different numbers of cores.
[0011]
On both ends in the axial direction of the pressing groove 33 of the partition wall 34, bulging portions 35 that protrude into the pressing grooves 33 on both sides of the partition wall 34 are formed. On the inner surface of the curved wall 25 and the side wall 26 facing the partition wall 34, a contact protrusion 36 (protrusion) that contacts the side surface of the tube 32 is provided. The contact protrusion 36 is formed at a position corresponding to the center in the separation direction of the bulging portions 35 of the partition wall 34. The contact surfaces 37 and 38 that are in contact with the tube 32 of the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 are curved surfaces with the largest protrusion at the center. The tube 32 inserted into the holding groove 33 is bent and clamped at three positions by the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36. In addition, the curve of the tube 32 is a curve radius in which the curve radius of the tape core wire 4 is not less than a specified value. The bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 correspond to the protrusion described in claim 1.
As shown in FIG. 4, the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 are provided with a small protrusion 39 on the contact surfaces 37 and 38 so as to increase the frictional resistance against the movement of the tube 32 in the axial direction. May be. The small protrusion 39 corresponds to the frictional resistance generating means described in claim 2. As the frictional resistance generating means, it is possible to apply grooves, demons, etc. other than the small protrusions 39.
[0012]
Hereinafter, the operation and effect of the tray 20 will be described.
The tray 20 can restrict the movement of the tube 32 in the axial direction without applying stress to the tape core wire 4 by inserting and clamping the end portion of the tube 32 covering the tape core wire 4 into the holding groove 33. It is like that.
That is, the tube 32 inserted into the holding groove 33 is curved at three positions by the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36, and therefore, the tensile force acting in the axial direction of the tube 32 is caused by the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36. 36 is supported by acting in the axial direction. As a result, even when the clamping force between the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 is small, a sufficient holding force is obtained and the movement of the tube 32 in the axial direction is restricted.
Further, when the small protrusions 39 are provided on the contact surfaces 37 and 38 of the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36, the frictional resistance of the tube 32 against the bulge portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 increases. Holding power is further strengthened.
[0013]
The tip of the tube 32 introduced into the tray 20 from the insertion hole 31 is disposed between the pressing groove 33 and the pressing claw 30 closest to the extension of the axis of the pressing groove 33, and is a tape led out from the tube 32. The core 4 is pressed by the nearest presser claw 30.
[0014]
Therefore, according to the tray 20 of the present invention, a sufficient holding force can be obtained even when the clamping force of the tube 32 between the bulging portion 35 and the contact protrusion 36 is small. The tube 32 can be retained without affecting the optical transmission characteristics.
Further, since the entire tray 20 can be integrally formed, the production efficiency can be greatly improved.
[0015]
In addition, the formation position of the insertion hole 31 and the pressing groove 33 is not limited to what was described in the said embodiment.
The present invention can be applied to optical connection portion storage trays of various optical equipment other than the connection terminal box.
The present invention can also be applied to an optical fiber coated with a coating material other than a tube.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the optical connection portion storage tray of claim 1, the optical connection portion storage tray for storing the optical connection portion for optically connecting the optical fibers and the connection excess length thereof, A pair of clamp walls for clamping the optical fiber inserted into the insertion hole in the vicinity of the insertion hole for introducing the coated optical fiber into the inside is provided. Protrusions that are in contact with the side of the optical fiber arranged in the optical fiber are protruded by relatively shifting the position of the optical fiber in the axial direction, and the optical fiber is bent with a bending radius greater than the specified value to be clamped. Therefore, even when the clamping force of the covering material between the protrusions is small, a sufficient holding force can be obtained, and the optical fiber can be retained without affecting the optical transmission characteristics.
[0017]
According to the optical connection portion storing tray of claim 2, since the frictional resistance generating means for increasing the frictional resistance against the movement of the optical fiber in the axial direction is provided on the contact surface that contacts the side surface of the optical fiber, The holding force of the optical fiber is improved, and the clamping force between the protrusions for holding the optical fiber can be further reduced, and an excellent effect of improving the reliability of the optical transmission characteristic of the optical fiber is achieved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of an optical connection unit storage tray of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the optical connection unit storage tray of the present invention, and is an enlarged side view showing an insertion hole.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the optical connection unit storage tray of the present invention, and is an enlarged plan view showing an insertion hole.
FIG. 4 is a view showing an embodiment of the optical connection unit storage tray of the present invention, and is an enlarged side view showing a terminal resistance generating means.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a connection terminal box.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional optical connection unit storage tray.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an operation of a conventional optical connection unit storage tray.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the operation of a conventional optical connection unit storage tray.
FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view showing a pressing member applied to a conventional optical connection unit storage tray.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 ... Optical fiber (optical fiber tape core), 5 ... Optical connection part, 6 ... Connection extra length, 20 ... Optical connection part storage tray (tray), 25 ... Clamp wall (curved wall), 26 ... Clamp wall (side wall) , 31 ... Insertion hole, 32 ... Covering material (tube), 34 ... Clamp wall (partition wall), 35 ... Projection (bulging part), 36 ... Projection (contact projection), 37 ... Contact surface, 38 ... Contact surface, 39... Friction resistance generating means (small protrusion).

Claims (3)

Optical fiber (4) optical connecting portion for optically connecting with each other (5) and an optical connection portion accommodating tray over which accommodates the connection excess length (6),
In order to introduce an optical fiber covered with a covering material (32) between a pair of clamp walls (25, 26) suspended in a flange shape on the bottom plate (21) of the optical connection portion storage tray. Is inserted between the pair of clamp walls and protrudes from the bottom plate, and is a clamp wall that is a partition wall arranged in parallel to the pair of clamp walls on both sides of the insertion hole ( 34), the insertion hole is partitioned into two holding grooves (33),
A pair of clamp walls on both sides of the insertion hole includes a part of the curved wall (25) suspended from the edge of the extra length storage portion at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate, and both sides of the width direction center portion of the bottom plate And a part of the side wall (26) suspended from the part, and the insertion hole has the curved wall and the side wall parallel to each other through a clearance at a boundary portion between the curved wall and the side wall. And opened between the curved wall and the side wall,
Protrusions (35, 36) that are in contact with the side surfaces of the optical fiber disposed between the clamp walls are provided on the surface facing the other side of each clamp wall, with the axial position of the optical fiber relatively shifted. The optical connection portion storage tray (20) , wherein the optical fiber is bent with a radius of curvature greater than a specified value and clamped.   5. The optical connection storage tray according to claim 1, wherein frictional resistance generating means (39) for increasing the frictional resistance against movement of the optical fiber in the axial direction is provided on the contact surfaces (37, 38) that contact the side surface of the optical fiber. ) Is provided. The clamp wall that is the partition wall is formed so as to be close to either one of the curved wall on both sides of the insertion hole and the pair of clamp walls that are side walls. The optical connection storage tray according to claim 1, wherein a groove is formed.

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