JP6898051B2 - Optical connector plug accident prevention device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is an optical connector plug capable of preventing accidental disconnection of an optical connector plug (hereinafter abbreviated as a plug body) by an MPO type push-pull method connected to an optical connector adapter (hereinafter abbreviated as an adapter). Regarding accidental removal prevention equipment.

In recent years, it has become indispensable to increase the density of communication devices in various data centers and the like, and along with this, a form in which a plurality of optical fiber core wires are mounted on one of the plug main bodies has become widespread.

As a plug body for switchably connecting tape-shaped optical fiber core wires (so-called optical fiber tape core wires), for example, an optical connector ferrule (so-called MT type optical connector) as defined in JIS-C5981 standard or the like. Is provided.

Further, in view of improving the connection workability of the optical connector ferrule, in recent years, an optical connector having a structure in which a so-called MPO connector (multi-core optical connector ferrule established in JIS-C5982 standard or the like is housed inside a plastic housing). ) Is provided.

Conventionally, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 described later, the MPO type plug body 1 houses a ferrule 12 attached to the tip of an optical fiber tape core wire FT at the tip (front end) of a sleeve-shaped housing 18. ing. The housing 18 is provided with a spring 15 that elastically biases the ferrule 12 toward the front side of the plug body 1.

Further, the MPO type plug body 1 is provided so as to be slidable within a movable range secured in the axial direction of the housing 18 with a spring accommodating recess 17 that is externally fitted in the housing 18. The tubular coupling 13 elastically urged to the front side of the plug body 1 by the spring 16 housed in the recess 17 of the housing 18 and the front end of the housing 18 provided with the ferrule 12 are opposite to each other. It includes a spring push 11 attached to the rear end portion.

A boot 19 is attached to the rear end of the spring push 11, and a key protrusion K2 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) is formed on the outer surface of the tip (front end) of the housing 18.

The insertion of the plug body 1 into the adapter 21 is performed by a worker pressing a portion of the plug body 1 located rearward from the coupling 13, for example, a boot 19 toward the adapter 21 with a finger. There is.

On the other hand, the plug body 1 is removed from the adapter 21 by pulling the coupling 13 toward the boot 19 against the elastic urging force of the spring 16.

nothing special

However, since the conventional MPO type plug body does not have a function to prevent the coupling from moving backward after being connected to the adapter, the adapter is locked by accidentally retracting the coupling. There was a risk that the lock to the part would be released and the plug body would be pulled out.

Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and by preventing accidental disconnection of the plug body with respect to the adapter, a large amount of data due to interruption of optical fiber communication can be obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for preventing accidental disconnection of an optical connector plug in which loss can be avoided.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, the ferrule, the housing in which the ferrule is housed at the tip, and the housing are slidably fitted in the front-rear direction and always forward. An elastically urged coupling and a spring push inserted into the rear end of the housing are provided, and the coupling is advanced to hold the locking to the elastic locking portion inside the adapter and retracted. It is an accidental disconnection prevention tool for an optical connector plug that can be pulled out by releasing the lock on the elastic locking portion inside the adapter, and this accidental disconnection prevention tool is detachably attached and held on the outer surface of the coupling. The coupling is held in the forward position by being formed by a frame member and having a stopper portion projecting from the rear end and holding the stopper portion in contact with the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push. A stopper portion is formed so as to prevent the coupling from moving backward , and a stopper portion is provided at the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push so as to project from the rear end of the accidental detachment preventive tool while being attached to the optical connector. When the locking protrusion to be locked is held at the rear end of the coupling in the forward position of the housing, the coupling is forcibly moved backward by hooking a finger or a removal tool. It is characterized in that each locking protrusion is provided.

The accidental removal prevention tool is formed by a frame member having a substantially U-shape as a whole by each of the upper wall surface portion, the right side wall surface portion, and the left side wall surface portion.

The stopper portion of the accidental removal prevention tool is formed by a claw formed diagonally downward at the rear end of the accidental removal prevention tool.

A notch is provided in the center of the claw forming the stopper, and the rear end of the housing or the locking protrusion at the front of the spring push is formed so as to be retractable by passing a finger or a removal jig through the notch.

The locking protrusion at the rear end of the coupling is formed higher than the locking protrusion at the rear end of the housing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to avoid a large amount of data loss due to interruption of optical fiber communication by preventing accidental disconnection of the plug body with respect to the adapter.

That is, in the present invention, the ferrule, the housing in which the ferrule is housed at the tip, the coupling that is slidably fitted to the housing in the front-rear direction and elastically urged forward at all times, and the above. With a spring push inserted in the rear end of the housing, the coupling moves forward to hold the lock on the elastic locking portion inside the adapter, and retracts to lock the elastic locking portion inside the adapter. It is an accidental detachment prevention tool for an optical connector plug that can be released and pulled out, and this accidental detachment prevention tool is formed by a frame member so as to be detachably attached and held on the outer surface of the coupling, and is also rearward. By projecting a stopper portion at the end and holding the stopper portion in contact with the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push, the coupling is held in the forward position and the backward movement of the coupling is prevented. Therefore, after the connection to the adapter, it is possible to prevent the plug body from being erroneously pulled out from the adapter, and it is possible to construct various plug security systems.

At the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push, a locking projection portion for locking the stopper portion projecting from the rear end of the accidental detachment preventive device while being attached to the optical connector is provided, while the rear end of the coupling. In addition, when the coupling is held in the forward position of the housing, locking protrusions for forcibly moving the coupling backward by hooking a finger or a removal tool are provided. By forcibly moving the coupling backward, the tip of the stopper portion of the accidental disengagement preventer rides on the locking protrusion at the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push, and the locking by the stopper portion is released. Both locking protrusions are in contact with each other, so that the plug body can be smoothly pulled out from the adapter even when the accidental disconnection prevention device is still attached to the coupling of the plug body.

Since the accidental removal prevention tool is formed by the upper wall surface portion, the right side wall surface portion, and the left side wall surface portion by a substantially U-shaped frame member as a whole, it can be easily accidentally removed from the outer surface of the coupling by a one-touch operation. Preventive equipment can be attached.

Since the stopper portion of the accidental removal prevention tool is formed by a claw formed diagonally downward at the rear end of the accidental removal prevention tool, the rear end of the housing of the optical connector or the front portion of the spring push. It is smoothly and surely abutted and held by the locking protrusion provided on the coupling, and the accidental disconnection preventive tool for the coupling is firmly attached.

A notch is provided in the center of the claw forming the stopper, and the rear end of the housing or the locking protrusion at the front of the spring push is formed so as to be retractable by passing a finger or a removal jig through the notch. Therefore, the sliding operation of the coupling can be easily and surely performed with the accidental disconnection prevention tool attached to the connector main body.

Since the locking protrusion at the rear end of the coupling is formed higher than the locking protrusion at the rear end of the housing, the tip of the stopper portion of the accidental detachment prevention tool is formed at the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push. When the locking protrusions are ridden and the two locking protrusions abut, the stopper portion is locked and held by the locking protrusion at the rear end of the coupling or the front portion of the spring push. When the plug body is pulled out, it is possible to prevent the accidental disconnection preventive device from being lost due to dropping from the coupling. Moreover, after the plug body is pulled out from the adapter, the coupling elastically returns forward, so that the stopper portion is automatically brought into the original state of being brought into contact with the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push. Can be done.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of the accidental detachment prevention tool in one embodiment for carrying out this invention. In FIG. 2, (a) is a front view, (b) is a rear view, (c) is a plan view, (d) is a bottom view, (e) is a left side view, and (f) is a right side view. It is a perspective view which shows the state before mounting on the plug body of an accidental detachment prevention tool. It is a perspective view of the state before connecting the plug body which attached the accidental disconnection prevention device to an adapter. It is a perspective view of the state in which the plug body equipped with the accidental removal prevention device is connected to the adapter. In FIG. 5, (a) is a cross-sectional view of the plug body when the plug body equipped with the accidental removal prevention device is connected to the adapter, and (b) is the coupling retracted through the notch of the accidental removal prevention device. The cross-sectional view (c) of the state is a cross-sectional view showing another example in which a locking protrusion for locking the stopper portion of the accidental detachment prevention tool is provided on the spring push. In FIG. 6, (a) is a cross-sectional view of a plug body equipped with an accidental disconnection preventive device connected to an adapter, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the coupling is retracted through a notch of the accidental detachment prevention tool. FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the accidental removal prevention device is removed. In FIG. 7, (a) is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the plug body equipped with the accidental removal prevention device is connected to the adapter, and (b) is a cross-sectional view in which the accidental removal prevention device is removed and then the coupling is retracted to move the plug body from the adapter. It is sectional drawing of the extracted state. An example of using the removal jig is shown. (A) is a perspective view of the state before using the removal jig, and (b) is removed to the locking protrusion of the coupling through the notch of the accidental removal prevention tool. It is a perspective view of the state in which the hook claw of the jig is hooked.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the protective cap for an optical connector plug according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Structure of optical connector plug>
The plug body 1 according to the present invention is configured by an MPO type push-pull system. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the plug main body 1 includes a ferrule 12 attached to the tip of the optical fiber tape core wire FT and a sleeve-shaped housing 18 in which the ferrule 12 is housed at the tip. , A tubular coupling 13 provided so as to be slidable within a movable range secured in the axial (front-rear) direction of the housing 18, and the ferrule 12 housed inside the housing 18 and elastically moved to the front side of the optical connector. The spring 15 to be urged, the spring 16 which is housed in the recess 17 provided between the coupling 13 and the housing 18, and the coupling 13 is elastically urged to the front side of the housing 18, and the housing 18. A spring push 11 inserted inside the rear end portion opposite to the front end provided with the ferrule 12 and boots 19 extrapolated to the spring push 11 are provided.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the plug body 1 connected to the adapter 21 is formed by sliding (advancing) the coupling 13 slidably attached to the outer surface thereof in the front-rear direction. The housing 18 locked by the elastic locking portions 22 projecting from the left and right inner walls of the adapter 21 facing the opening side is held in an unremovable manner, and the coupling 13 is slid backward (backward) to the adapter 21. The housing 18 is unlocked from the elastic locking portion 22 of the above, and the plug body 1 is removed from the adapter 21.

That is, when the tip end side of the housing 18 of the plug body 1 is inserted into the adapter 21, the tip end of the coupling 13 is pushed by the elastic locking portion 22 provided inside the adapter 21 and temporarily retracts. The elastic locking portion 22 has an elastic restoring force after the locking projection 22a formed on the inner surface of the tip of the elastic locking portion 22 overcomes the locking convex portion 31 projecting from the tip of the housing 18 via the hooking portion 31a. It works and bites into the hooking portion 31a to be locked.

At this time, the coupling 13 is always urged toward the front side of the housing 18 by the spring 16 housed in the recess 17 of the housing 18 while being locked to the spring stopper 13b provided in the lower part of the front portion thereof. The coupling 13 slides back to the front, and the outer surface of the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 is shielded and held by the inner surface of the tip of the coupling 13, making it impossible to remove the housing 18 of the plug body 1. To. A key groove K1 is formed along the slide direction on at least one of the upper and lower inner surfaces of the coupling 13, and the key protrusion K2 of the housing 18 is engaged with the key groove K1 (FIG. 6). 3). Further, reference numeral G in FIG. 3 is a guide pin inserted into the ferrule 12, and is fitted into a guide pin hole of a mating ferrule (not shown) to position the ferrule 12 (light between optical fiber tape core wires FT). Axis alignment) is performed.

When the plug body 1 is removed, the coupling 13 is moved rearward in a state where the locking projection 22a of the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 is engaged with the hooking portion 31a at the tip of the housing 18. Slide to. At this time, the hooked portion 31a in the state where the locking projection 22a is engaged is exposed to the outside. Then, by pulling out the plug body 1, the locking projection 22a of the elastic locking portion 22 engaged with the hooking portion 31a of the housing 18 gets over the locking convex portion 31 at the tip of the housing 18. .. As a result, the locking projection 22a is released upward from the gap between the housing 18 of the plug body 1 and the coupling 13, and at the same time, the coupling 13 slides back to the front by the spring 16.

<Composition of accident prevention device>
The accidental removal prevention tool 2 according to the present embodiment is accidentally removed even though it is not necessary to remove the plug body 1 for the MPO type optical connector according to the JIS-C5982 standard, which is attached to the adapter 21 for the optical connector. It is formed of a substantially U-shaped frame member made of synthetic resin so as to be detachably attached to and held on the outer surface of the coupling 13 of the plug body 1 so as to prevent the plug body 1 from being attached.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (a) to (f) and FIGS. 3 to 5, the accidental removal prevention tool 2 is provided by the upper wall surface portion 2a, the left side wall surface portion 2b, and the right side wall surface portion 2c, respectively. The whole is formed by a substantially U-shaped frame member, and the lower tip sides of the left and right side wall surface portions 2b and 2c are slightly curved inward from each other. Incidentally, the joint portion between the left and right side wall surface portions 2b and 2c and the upper wall surface portion 2a and the curved portion at the lower end of the left and right side wall surface portions 2b and 2c are both formed with a slight thickness in order to increase the holding force with respect to the plug body 1. Has been done.

Further, in the accidental removal prevention tool 2, slits 3 are formed in each of the corners of the upper wall surface 2a and the left side wall surface 2b and the corners of the upper wall surface 2a and the right side wall surface 2c, and the upper wall surface 2a has slits 3. A stopper portion 4 is projected at the rear end.

The stopper portion 4 is formed by a claw 4a projecting from the rear end of the accidental removal prevention tool 2 in a state of being bent diagonally downward. Further, a substantially U-shaped notch 5 is provided in the center of the claw 4a. In this way, the claws 4a are formed in pairs on the left and right at the rear end of the accidental removal prevention tool 2 with a predetermined distance between the slits 3 at both ends and the notch 5 in the center.

Further, since the accidental removal prevention tool 2 is formed of a substantially U-shaped frame member made of elastic synthetic resin, as shown in FIG. 3, the outer surface of the coupling 13 of the plug body 1 It is mounted and held from above. That is, when the left and right side wall surface portions 2b and 2c are attached to the coupling 13 while being flexed outward once, and the outer surface of the coupling 13 is covered, the lower tip sides of the left and right side wall surface portions 2b and 2c are mutually curved. It returns to the inside and firmly holds the lower surface of the coupling 13.

On the other hand, the claw 4a is abutted and held by the locking protrusion 18a formed at the rear end of the upper surface of the housing 18, and holds the coupling 13 in the forward position, whereby the elastic locking portion of the adapter 21 is held. The plug body 1 is locked with respect to 22 to prevent pulling out (see FIGS. 5 and 6 (a)).

More specifically, at this time, the locking protrusion 13a is formed upright at the rear end of the upper surface of the coupling 13 so as to face the locking protrusion 18a provided above the rear end of the housing 18. Even when the locking protrusion 13a is covered from above by the claw 4a of the accidental removal prevention tool 2, the locking protrusion 13a of the coupling 13 is removed with a finger or a later description through the central notch 5. The coupling 13 can be forcibly moved backward by hooking the jig S (see FIG. 9). As a result, after the plug body 1 is pulled out from the adapter 21, the coupling 13 is locked to the spring stopper 13b by releasing the fingernail or the removal jig S described later from the locking protrusion 13a. 16 elastically advances and returns, and the claw 4a is automatically brought into contact with and held by the locking protrusion 18a at the front end of the housing 18 (see FIG. 6A).

Therefore, since the locking protrusion 13a at the rear end of the coupling 13 is arranged higher than the locking protrusion 18a at the rear end of the housing 18, it is inside the locking protrusion 18a of the housing 18. When the locking protrusion 13a of the coupling 13 abuts, the claw 4a rides on the locking protrusion 13a at the rear end of the coupling 13 and is elastically held (see FIG. 6B).

On the other hand, when the accidental detachment prevention tool 2 is removed from the plug main body 1, the holding of the coupling 13 in the forward position is released, and the coupling 13 can be retracted. By retracting the coupling 13 in this way, the plug body 1 is released from being locked to the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 and can be pulled out (see FIG. 8B).

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the removal jig S is formed by bending a long strip piece S2 into a U shape to impart elasticity, and is formed at the center inside each tip. Is configured by projecting a hook arm S1 for hooking on the locking protrusion 13a of the coupling 13 so as to face each other.

Next, an example of use / operation of the form configured as described above will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the tip end side of the housing 18 of the plug body 1 is forcibly inserted into the adapter 21, the coupling 13 is formed by the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21. The tip is pushed and the coupling 13 is once retracted while pushing the claw 4a constituting the stopper portion 4 of the accidental removal prevention tool 2 upward.

As shown in FIG. 8A, in the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21, a locking projection 22a formed on the inner surface of the tip thereof is projected from the tip of the housing 18 via the hooking portion 31a. After overcoming the locking convex portion 31, the hooking portion 31a is firmly bitten into the locking portion 31a and locked.

Thus, the coupling 13 is locked to the spring stopper 13b and is always urged to the front side of the housing 18 by the spring 16 housed in the recess 17, so that the coupling 13 slides back to the front and is erroneously removed. The claw 4a of the preventive tool 2 is brought into contact with and held by the locking protrusion 18a of the housing 18, so that the coupling 13 is held in the forward position. At this time, the outer surface of the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 is shielded and held by the tip of the coupling 13, and at the same time, the plug body 1 is locked to the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 to prevent pulling out. (See FIGS. 5, 6 (a) and 8 (a)).

When the plug body 1 is removed, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 7 (b), the claw 4a of the erroneous removal prevention tool 2 comes into contact with the locking protrusion 18a of the housing 18. From the state of being held and holding the coupling 13 in the forward position, as shown in FIGS. 6 (b) and 7 (b), the coupling 13 is locked through the notch 5 of the accidental removal prevention tool 2. A fingernail or a hook arm S1 (see FIG. 9) of the removal jig S is hooked on the protrusion 13a to forcibly move the coupling 13 backward.

When the coupling 13 is forcibly moved backward (the coupling 13 is slid backward), the hooking portion 31a in a state where the locking projection 22a of the elastic locking portion 22 of the adapter 21 is engaged is exposed. By forcibly pulling out the plug body 1 in this state, the locking projection 22a of the elastic locking portion 22 engaged with the hooking portion 31a is released over the locking convex portion 31. After that, the coupling 13 slides back to the front by the spring 16.

Further, after the plug body 1 is pulled out from the adapter 21, the fingernail or the removal jig S is released from the locking protrusion 13a of the coupling 13, so that the coupling 13 elastically returns forward by the spring 16. Then, the claw 4a of the accidental removal prevention tool 2 is automatically brought into contact with and held by the locking protrusion 18a at the front end of the housing 18. In this way, the plug body 1 can be removed even with the accidental removal prevention device 2 attached.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, by removing the accidental detachment prevention tool 2 from the plug body 1, the holding of the coupling 13 in the forward position is released, and the coupling 13 is retracted. The plug body 1 can also be pulled out. In this case as well, the locking projection 22a engaged with the hooked portion 31a of the housing 18 is released by overcoming the locking projection 31, and at the same time, the coupling 13 slides back to the front by the spring 16 as a result. , The plug body 1 can be removed.

By the way, in the above embodiment, all the locking protrusions 18a are integrally formed at the rear end of the housing 18, but as shown in FIG. 6C, the front portion of the spring push 11 (center in the illustrated example). It may be integrally formed (slightly forward).

Further, in the above embodiment, the claw 4a constituting the stopper portion 4 of the accidental removal prevention tool 2 is bent diagonally downward at the rear end of the prevention tool, but the coupling 13 is attached when the coupling 13 is attached. It is not limited to such a configuration as long as it has a stopper function that can prevent retreat.

FT Optical fiber tape Core wire K1 Key groove K2 Key protrusion S Removal jig S1 Hook arm S2 Band plate piece G Guide pin 1 Plug body 2 Accidental removal prevention tool 2a Upper wall surface 2b Left wall surface 2c Right wall surface 3 Slit 4 Stopper Part 4a Claw 5 Notch 11 Spring push 12 Ferrule 13 Coupling 13a Locking protrusion 13b Stopper 15 Spring 16 Spring 17 Recess 18 Housing 18a Locking protrusion 19 Boot 21 Adapter 22 Elastic locking part 22a Locking protrusion 31 Locking Convex part 31a Hooking part

Claims (5)

A ferrule, a housing in which the ferrule is housed at the tip, a coupling that is slidably fitted to the housing in the front-rear direction and elastically urged forward at all times, and an internal insertion into the rear end of the housing. With a spring push, the coupling moves forward to hold the lock on the elastic locking portion inside the adapter, and retracts to release the lock on the elastic locking portion inside the adapter so that it can be pulled out. This is an accidental detachment prevention tool for an optical connector plug, which is formed by a frame member so as to be detachably attached and held on the outer surface of the coupling, and a stopper portion is projected at the rear end. and setting, and held at the forward position of the coupling by contact hold the stopper portion on the front of the rear end or the spring push of the housing is formed so as to prevent the backward movement of the coupling, and At the rear end of the housing or the front portion of the spring push, a locking projection portion for locking the stopper portion protruding from the rear end of the accidental detachment preventive device while being attached to the optical connector is provided, while the rear end of the coupling. In addition, when the coupling is held in the forward position of the housing, locking protrusions are provided to forcibly move the coupling backward by hooking a finger or a removal tool. Accidental removal prevention tool for optical connector plugs. The accidental removal prevention tool for an optical connector plug according to claim 1, wherein the accidental removal prevention tool is formed by a substantially U-shaped frame member as a whole by each of the upper wall surface portion, the right side wall surface portion, and the left side wall surface portion. The accidental removal prevention tool for an optical connector plug according to claim 1, wherein the stopper portion of the accidental removal prevention tool is formed by a claw formed diagonally downward at the rear end of the accidental removal prevention tool. A claim in which a notch is provided in the center of a claw forming the stopper, and a locking protrusion at the rear end of the housing or the front of the spring push is formed so as to be retractable by passing a finger or a removal jig through the notch. An accidental disconnection prevention tool for the optical connector plug described in 3. The locking projection of the coupling rear end, Godatsu preventer of the optical connector plug formed high and formed by claim 1, wherein than the locking projection of the housing rear end.

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