JPH10300980A - Optical connector detaching mechanism and optical connector connecting tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the optical connector detaching mechanism which makes it possible to easily take one optical connector ferrule out of a housing by disconnecting optical connector ferrules from each other only by inserting an engagement claw for disengagement into the housing and engaging it with an optical connector ferrule in the housing, and then extracting it from the housing. SOLUTION: At one lengthwise end of a thin and long tool main body 51, a connecting tool part 52 for connecting the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 in the housing is provided and at the other end, the optical connector detaching mechanism 53 is provided which extracts the optical connector ferrule 5 from the housing by disconnecting the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 from each other; and the optical connector detaching mechanism 53 is equipped with the engagement claw 65 for disengagement which engages the optical connector ferrule 5 in the housing and a disengaging means 77 which disengages the optical connector ferrule 5 by elastically deforming the engagement claw 65 for disengagement thus providing the optical connector connecting tool 50.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical connector connecting tool, and more particularly to an optical connector connecting tool suitable for application to an optical connector assembled by connecting optical connector ferrules.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an optical connector for switchably connecting optical fibers to each other, for example, a so-called MT type optical connector (Mechanical Optical Connector) defined in JISC5981.
yTransferable) is provided. However, the MT type optical connector requires (1) a dedicated jig for operations such as connection and connection switching, and is unsatisfactory in workability.
(2) In order to prevent the optical connector ferrule from being exposed, it is necessary to provide a protection means such as a cap, and there is a complaint that the handling is troublesome. Also,
In view of this problem, in recent years, a plastic optical connector (a so-called MPO connector) having a structure in which an optical connector ferrule defined in JIS C5981 or the like is housed inside a plastic housing has been provided. However, this plastic optical connector has the following additional problems: (3) the number of components is increased, the assembly is troublesome, the cost is increased, and (4) the size is increased, so that the mounting density cannot be improved. .

The present applicant has already filed an application for an optical connector such as Japanese Patent Application No. 8-325730 in order to solve the problems (1) to (4). FIG. 18 shows an example of this type of optical connector. This optical connector conforms to JIS C
A housing 2 for accommodating the optical connector ferrule 1 of the optical connector stipulated in 5981 in the split body 2a, 2b having a split shape, and a coil spring 3 for urging the accommodated optical connector ferrule 1 toward the outside of the housing 2.
And a pair of elastic claws 4, 4 projecting from the housing 2 along the biasing direction of the coil spring 3. The other optical connector ferrule 5, which is pushed in from the outside and butt-connected to the optical connector ferrule 1, is coiled. The connection between the two optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 is maintained by being sandwiched between the spring 3 and the elastic claws 4 and 4.

[0004]

By the way, in the optical connector as described above, a special tool for easily connecting and disconnecting the small optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 in the housing 2 has been developed. Was required. That is, when there is no dedicated tool, the optical connector ferrule 5 is manually pushed in and connected to the optical connector ferrule 1, so that workability is reduced. Further, in order to pull out the optical connector ferrule 5 in the connected state from the housing 2, the engagement state between the optical connector ferrule 5 and the elastic claws 4, 4 must be manually released. Therefore, there is a concern that the workability may be reduced, and there is also a concern that the elastic claws 4 and 4 and the optical connector ferrule 5 may be damaged by an excessive force. Accordingly, the work of disconnecting the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 has been more difficult than the work of connection.

In addition, a tool provided with an engaging claw at the tip end capable of engaging with the optical connector ferrule 5 is inserted into the housing 10 and the optical connector ferrule 5 engaged with the engaging claw is pulled out of the housing 10 together with the tool. However, it is unavoidable that the elastic claws 4 and 4 of the housing 10 obstruct the work, and it takes time and effort to separate the optical connector ferrule 5 from the engaging claws. There is concern that it will be damaged. Moreover, considering that the elastic claws 4 and 4 of the housing 10 obstruct the work, the engaging force with the optical connector ferrule 5 is increased by measures such as enlarging the engaging claws so that the detachment is not easily performed. Since the necessity arises, the problem relating to the workability of detachment from the engagement claw becomes more prominent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. (A) Inserting a release engaging claw into a housing, engaging the optical connector ferrule in the housing, and then pulling out the housing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector detaching mechanism that can release the connection between optical connector ferrules and easily take out one optical connector ferrule out of the housing. (B) Further, the present invention provides an optical connector detachment mechanism which can easily release the engagement between the release engagement claw and the optical connector ferrule taken out of the housing by the release engagement claw using an operation piece. It also has the purpose of providing. (C) Further, by providing the optical connector detaching mechanism and the connection tool portion, there is also an object to provide an optical connector connection tool which can freely perform a connection operation and a disconnection operation between optical connector ferrules. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention accommodates and supports one of a pair of optical connector ferrules for terminating optical fibers so that they can be connected to each other. An optical connector detachment mechanism for releasing connection between optical connector ferrules by being inserted into and removed from a housing having elastic claws removably engaged with the other optical connector ferrule detachably butt-connected to the optical connector ferrule, An elastically deformable release engaging claw to which the optical connector ferrule is engaged from the outside, and the release engaging claw projected from the vicinity of the release engaging claw and inserted into the housing when the release engaging claw is inserted into the housing. A deforming projection that abuts against the elastic claw to be elastically deformed and is separated from the optical connector ferrule engaged and supported by the release engagement claw; Or a disengagement means for displacing the disengagement engagement claw and the optical connector ferrule by elastically deforming the disengagement engagement claw by being installed and driven in the vicinity thereof. The optical connector detaching mechanism described above is a means for solving the above-mentioned problem.

In this optical connector detachment mechanism, the release engaging claw is inserted into the housing, engaged with one of the optical connector ferrules in a butt connection state in the housing, and then pulled out of the housing. When the release engaging claw is inserted into the housing, the deforming projection comes into contact with the elastic claw to elastically deform, and when the releasing engaging claw reaches and engages with the target optical connector ferrule, the elastic claw is illuminated. The engagement state is released by separating from the connector ferrule. Here, when the tool body is pulled out of the housing, the optical connector ferrule engaged with the release engagement claw may be removed from the housing while restricting the elastic claw from engaging with the optical connector ferrule by the deformation projection. it can. Also, the other of the optical connector ferrules in a butt-connected state in the housing is housed and supported in the housing and remains in the housing.
Only the optical connector ferrule engaged with the release engagement claw can be easily taken out of the housing. The optical connector ferrule engaged with the release engagement claw can be easily taken out from the engagement release claw by operating the engagement release means. Various forms can be adopted as the release engagement claw, for example, a form that forms a pair that sandwiches the optical connector ferrule, a form that engages with a hole or a recess formed in the optical connector ferrule, and the like. Can be. However, in any case, it is necessary that the engagement with the optical connector ferrule can be released by the engagement releasing means. As the engagement release means, various configurations can be adopted as long as the release engagement claw is elastically deformed to release the engagement with the optical connector ferrule.

As the means for driving the disengagement means, various structures such as manual operation and electric operation can be adopted.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the operation piece protruding from the release engagement claw is adopted, the release elastic claw can be easily elastically deformed manually, and the configuration can be simplified, so that the size can be reduced.
Cost reduction is possible.

As an optical connector ferrule, for example, J
A ferrule such as a so-called MT optical connector (Mechanically Transferable) defined in ISC5981 is employed. In this case, the release engagement claw is formed in a shape capable of engaging with the optical connector ferrule of the MT type optical connector.
By appropriately changing the shape of the housing and elastic claws, for example,
It can be applied to various optical connector ferrules such as a so-called SC type optical connector ferrule established in JIS C 5973 and the like.

[0011] The other of the pair of optical connector ferrules, wherein one of the pair of optical connector ferrules for terminating and connecting optical fibers is housed and supported, and the other of which is detachably connected to the one optical connector ferrule. An optical connector connecting tool for connecting and disconnecting optical connector ferrules by being inserted into and removed from a housing provided with an elastic claw that is detachably engaged with a connector ferrule, the optical connector connecting tool being provided with one end in a longitudinal direction of an elongated tool body. 3. An optical connector connecting tool having a connection tool portion for connecting optical connector ferrules to each other in the housing, and an optical connector detaching mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 at the other end. By using the tool part and the optical connector detachment mechanism, the work of connecting and disconnecting optical connector ferrules can be freely performed. Ukoto can.

The housing to which the optical connector connecting tool and the optical connector detaching mechanism according to the present invention are applied preferably has an urging means for urging the optical connector ferrule toward the inserted tool body, whereby the housing is supported by the housing. The optical connector ferrule and the optical connector ferrule butt-connected to the optical connector ferrule are sandwiched between the elastic claw and the urging means, and the urging force of the urging means gives a butt force between the two optical connector ferrules, The desired connection loss is obtained between the two optical connector ferrules. The urging force of the urging means pushes the optical connector ferrule and the tool body out of the housing when the connected optical connector ferrule is pulled out by the optical connector connection tool. With this configuration, when the deformation projection comes into contact with the elastic claw and the engagement between the optical connector ferrule and the elastic claw is released, the tool is brought to a position where the optical connector ferrule does not protrude from the deformation projection by the urging force of the urging means. Since the entire body is pushed out, the optical connector ferrule can be easily removed.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, the housing 10 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 includes an inner housing 11 that houses the optical connector ferrule 1, and an outer housing 12 that is mounted outside the inner housing 11. Both the inner housing 11 and the outer housing 12 are formed from a synthetic resin.

The inner housing 11 has a split shape. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the optical connector ferrule 1, the pin clamp 8, and the coil spring 14 are housed in a housing groove 13 formed therein. The optical connector ferrule 1 is movable within the storage groove 13, and is constantly urged outward from the storage groove opening 15 by the coil spring 14. The guide pin 9 secured by the pin clamp 8 is fitted into the guide pin hole 9a of the optical connector ferrule 1, and the tip of the guide pin 9 is projected from the joint end face 1b. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of elastic claws 16 are provided so as to project from opposite sides of the storage groove opening 15. As shown in FIG. 8, from the tip of each elastic claw 16, a claw main body 16a which is detachably engaged with a rear end flange portion 5a of another optical connector ferrule 5 butt-connected to the optical connector ferrule 1 is elastically connected. It protrudes toward the inside where the claws 16 and 16 face each other.

As shown in FIG.
Includes a storage cylinder 17 for storing the internal housing 11. The inner housing 11 is inserted into the storage tube 17 and stored therein, so that the internal housing 11 is restrained from the outside by the storage tube 17, so that the integrated state is maintained. Further, the inner housing 11 housed in the housing cylinder 17 is locked in a fixed position by the locking claw 17a of the inner housing 11 being locked in the locking hole 17b of the housing cylinder 17. The elastic claws 16, 16 of the inner housing 11 housed in the housing cylinder 17
Is a side opening groove 2 opened on both sides of the outer housing 12.
0, 20. In addition, a pair of tool guides 19 and 19 project from both sides of the storage tube opening 18 into which the optical connector ferrule 5 to be connected to the optical connector ferrule 1 in the storage tube 17 is inserted. A tool insertion groove 21 communicating with 18 is formed. The side opening groove 20 extends to these tool guides 19 and 19 and communicates with the tool insertion groove 21. The claw body 16 a at the tip of the elastic claw 16 inserted into the side opening groove 20 is Side opening groove 20
From the tool insertion groove 21. Tool guide 19,
Key grooves 22, 23 extending along the longitudinal direction of the tool guides 19, 19 are formed on the inner surfaces of the 19 opposed tool insert grooves 21.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the housing 10 is used by assembling an inner housing 11 and an outer housing 12 integrally. FIG. 2 shows a method of assembling the housing 10. The housing 10 first includes a pair of ferrule guide walls 24 protruding in the outer housing 12 near the storage tube opening 18.
After the optical connector ferrule 1 is sandwiched between the housings 24, the internal housing 11 is simply inserted into the storage tube 17 and stored, so that the assembly is simple. The ferrule guide walls 24 extend along the storage groove 13 and the tool insertion groove 21, and the rear end flange portion 1c of the optical connector ferrule 1 is provided.
The other portion is slidably sandwiched, and is engaged with the rear end flange portion 1c of the optical connector ferrule 1 to restrict the movement of the optical connector ferrule 1 from the storage tube opening 18 toward the tool insertion groove 21. It also functions as a stopper.

Next, the optical connector connecting tool 50 of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the optical connector connection tool 50 includes a connection tool part 52 for connecting the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 in the housing 10 at one longitudinal end of an elongated tool body 51. The other end is provided with an optical connector detaching mechanism 53 for releasing the connection between the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 and extracting the optical connector ferrule 5 from the housing 10, and the whole is integrally formed of resin.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
1 has a bent portion 54 in the central portion in the longitudinal direction, the connecting tool portion 52 and the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 are long elongated portions 55a extending in opposite directions to each other via the bent portion 54;
55b is provided at the tip. The extension 55
a and 55b each have a U-shaped cross section,
1 includes a bottom plate portion 56 extending over substantially the entire length and side walls 57 and 57 projecting from the bottom plate portion 56. In addition, as shown in FIG.
The projecting directions of the projections 7 and 57 are reversed between the two extending portions 55a and 55b.

As shown in FIG. 4, each extending portion 55a, 55
b, the connecting tool portion 5 is provided between the side walls 57, 57.
2 and an optical fiber groove 58 for accommodating the optical fiber 1a (optical fiber ribbon) drawn from the optical connector ferrule 5 engaged and supported by the optical connector detachment mechanism 53. The optical fiber groove 58 is provided in each of the extending portions 55a, 55
b along its longitudinal direction. In addition, on the side surfaces (the outer surfaces of the side walls 57) of the extending portions 55a and 55b, there are provided indications 59 indicating the connection tool portion 52 and the optical connector detachment mechanism 53. The display 59 is an engraved mark in FIG. 4, but may be a plate or the like separately adhered to the extending portions 55a and 55b.

The connecting tool portion 52 has a ferrule housing groove 74.
It has. The ferrule storage groove 74 is
Opened at the front end, a rear end flange portion 5a of the optical connector ferrule 5 is housed so as to be taken out from the front end of the extending portion 55a to the outside. As shown in FIG.
4, holding surfaces 75, 75 for holding the rear end flange portion 5 a from both opposing sides. The distance t between the opposed pressing surfaces 75, 75 is in the range of 3.0 to 3.1 mm.
The rear end flange portion 5a of the optical connector ferrule 5, which is a standard product stipulated in 5981, can be stably stored without causing displacement.

Elastic claw grooves 6 extending elongated along the extending portion 55a are formed on the outer surfaces of both side walls 57, 57 at the tip of the extending portion 55a.
4 and 64 are formed, and the connection tool portion 52 is connected to the housing 1.
8, the elastic claws 16 are engaged with the elastic claw grooves 64, and the connecting tool portion 52 is positioned with respect to the housing 10, as shown in FIG. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, flange-like keys 64a, 64a extending along the elastic grooves 64, 64 are protruded above and below the elastic claw grooves 64, 64 (up and down in FIG. 4). When the connection tool part 52 is inserted into the housing 10, these keys 64 a, 64 a
3, 23 (see FIG. 7), the connection tool 52 is accurately positioned with respect to the housing 10.

As shown in FIG. 6, the optical connector detaching mechanism 5
Reference numeral 3 denotes a disengagement engagement claw 6 protruding from the tip of the extending portion 55b.
5 and a holding piece 66,
The holding piece 66 engages and supports the rear end flange portion 5a of the optical connector ferrule 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the disengagement engagement claw 65 has an inclined surface 67 formed at a tip end in a protruding direction thereof and a rear side thereof (FIG. 5).
The rear end flange portion 5a engaged between the disengagement engagement claw 65 and the pressing piece 66 is engaged with the vertical surface 68 to extend in the longitudinal direction of the tool body 51. Withdrawal is regulated.

Reference numeral 77 in FIG. 6 denotes an operation piece (engagement releasing means).
The projection protrudes obliquely from the lower side (lower side in FIG. 6) of the release engagement claw 65 toward the bent portion 54 of the tool body 51. The user drives the operation piece 77 to extend the extension 55b.
6, the release engagement claw 65 is elastically deformed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 to increase the separation distance from the pressing piece 66, so that the engagement claw 65 does not engage with the rear flange portion 5 a of the optical connector ferrule 5. .

Deformation projections 69, 69 project from the outer surfaces of both side walls 57, 57 at the end of the extension 55b. The deformation projections 69, 69 are ridges extending along the extension 55b, and as shown in FIG.
3 is inserted into the housing 10, the claw main bodies 16a, 1
The elastic claws 16, 16 are elastically deformed in a direction in which they come into contact with each other by coming into contact with 6a. Further, the outer surfaces of the deformation projections 69, 69 are flush with and slightly flush with the outer surface of the rear end flange portion 5a engaged and supported by the release engagement claws 65 and the holding pieces 66. Since the rear end flange portion 5a is in close contact with the housing 10, even if the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 that engages and supports the optical connector ferrule 5 between the release engagement claw 65 and the presser piece 66 is inserted into and removed from the housing 10, the release engagement member can be used. The elastic claws 16, 16 do not engage with the rear end flange portion 5a that is engaged and supported between the dowel 65 and the holding piece 66.

As shown in FIG. 10, the deformation projections 5 on both sides are formed.
At the top and bottom of FIG.
Flange-shaped keys 76, 76 extending along 69 are projected. The optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is connected to the housing 10
When the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is inserted into the key groove 23, 23 of the tool guide 19, the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is precisely positioned with respect to the housing 10. Are accurately positioned with respect to the optical connector ferrule 5 in the housing 10.

Next, the operation and effect of the optical connector connection tool 50 will be described. First, the optical connector connection tool 50
The connection work between the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 and the connection release work using the above will be described.

(Connection work) First, as shown in FIG. 7, the optical connector ferrule 5 is supported by the connection tool part 52 by inserting the rear end flange part 5a into the ferrule housing groove 74, and the joint end face 1b is used for connection. It is set in a state of projecting forward from the tool portion 52 into the housing 10 in the insertion direction. here,
The configuration in which the rear end flange portion 5a is inserted into the ferrule housing groove 74 allows the optical connector ferrule 5 to be set more easily than a configuration in which the optical connector ferrule 5 is assembled to a claw.

Next, as shown in FIG.
2 is inserted into the tool insertion groove 21, and the joining end surfaces 1 b and 1 c of the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 abut each other. At the same time that the connection tool part 52 is inserted into the tool insertion groove 21, the keys 64a, 64a of the connection tool part 52 engage with the key grooves 23, 23 (see FIG. 7), and the connection tool part 52 is Since the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 are precisely positioned, the guide pins previously fitted to the optical connector ferrule 1 on the housing 10 side only need to be inserted deeper into the connection tool 52 here. A guide pin hole 9a (see FIG. 3) of the optical connector ferrule 5 can be fitted to 9, 9 so that the joining end surfaces 1b and 1c of the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 can be positioned with high accuracy. At this time, the optical connector ferrule 5 is stably supported by the ferrule housing groove 74, thereby improving the workability of positioning the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 with each other. The work of fitting 9a can be performed efficiently. In the housing 10, the joining end face 1b of the optical connector ferrule 1 is positioned so as to be insertable between the ferrule guide walls 24, 24, so that the vicinity of the joining end face 1b of the optical connector ferrule 5 is located between the ferrule guide walls 24, 24. Just by inserting, the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 are positioned so as to be butt-connected.

After the guide pin holes 9a of the optical connector ferrule 5 are fitted to the guide pins 9, 9, the connecting tool portion 52 is further pushed deep into the housing 10 so that the joining end surfaces 1b, 1c of the optical connector ferrules 1, 5 are joined together. Butt-join. Then, when the coil spring 14 is further pressed and contracted slightly further, as shown in FIG.
The rear end flange portion 5a moves over the elastic claws 16 and 16 while elastically deforming as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 8 and enters the back side of the housing 10 (the right side in FIG. 8). Elastic claws 16, 1 returned to their original shape
6 enters the elastic claw groove 64 and engages with the rear end flange portion 5a. Thereby, a pair of optical connector ferrules 1
5 is sandwiched between the elastic claws 16 and 16 and the coil spring 14, and the urging force of the coil spring 14 secures the butting force between the two optical connector ferrules 1 and 5. Since the rear end flange portion 5a initially comes into contact with the tapered surface 16b of the claw body 16a, the elastic claws 16, 16 can be easily elastically deformed as they are pushed into the housing 10 at the back. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the distal end projecting portion 60 protruding from the distal end of the connecting tool portion 52 comes into contact with the contact wall 25 in the external housing 12, so that the connecting tool portion 5 is formed.
Since the insertion limit of 2 is set, there is no fear that the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 may be damaged by excessive pushing.

When the elastic claws 16, 16 are engaged with the rear end flange 5a of the optical connector ferrule 5, the connection tool 52 is pulled out of the housing 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 8, since the claw main bodies 16a, 16a of the elastic claws 16, 16 are firmly engaged with the rear end flange portion 5a, the connecting portion tool portion 52 moves to the outside of the housing 10. However, the optical connector ferrule 5 does not come out of the housing 10, whereby the optical connector ferrule 5 is separated from the ferrule housing groove 74 from the rear end flange portion 5 a and the connection tool portion 52 is removed from the housing 1.
0, the optical connector ferrule 5 is connected to the housing 1 while maintaining the connection state with the optical connector ferrule 1.
It remains at 0. When the rear end flange portion 5a is detached from the ferrule storage groove 74, since the pressing surfaces 75, 75 move smoothly while sliding with respect to the rear end flange portion 5a, the connection tool portion 52 is moved halfway. It can be reliably pulled out of the housing 10 without being caught. This completes the connection work.

(Disconnection Operation) In the disconnection operation, first, the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is inserted into the tool insertion groove 21 as shown in FIG. When the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is inserted into the tool insertion groove 21, the deformation projections 69, 69 are inserted into the key grooves 22, 22 of the tool guides 19, 19,
Since the key 76 is inserted into the key groove 23 and the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is positioned, the release engagement claw 65 can be inserted to the rear end flange portion 5a in a state where it is accurately positioned. The deformation projections 69, 69 are
As shown in FIG. 11, the claw main body 16
The elastic claws 16, 16 are elastically deformed by being brought into contact with the tapered surfaces 16b, 16b of the a, 16a, and are pushed open in a direction away from each other. Accordingly, when the optical connector detaching mechanism 53 is inserted to a position where the release engagement claw 65 is engaged with the rear end flange portion 5 a of the optical connector ferrule 5, the elastic claw 16,
16 is detached from the rear end flange portion 5a of the optical connector ferrule 5, and at the same time as the detachment, the urging force of the coil spring 14 acts to push the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 from the housing 10. The operation piece 77 is provided in the tool insertion groove 2.
Since it projects from the housing 10 to the outside of the housing 10, it does not hinder the work of inserting the optical connector detaching mechanism 53 into the housing 10.

After the release engaging claw 65 reaches the rear end flange portion 5a, if the optical connector detaching mechanism 53 is further pushed in, as shown in FIG.
Inclined surface 67 gets over the rear end flange portion 5a, and the vertical surface 68 is engaged with the rear end flange portion 5a. When the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 is pulled out from the tool insertion groove 21,
As shown in FIG. 13, the rear end flange portion 5a and the vertical surface 68
The optical connector ferrule 5 is not detached by the engagement with the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 and the housing 1
Extracted from zero. At this time, the engagement of the elastic claws 16, 16 with the rear end flange portion 5 a is continuously restricted by the deformation projections 69, 69, so that the optical connector ferrule 5 is engaged with the elastic claws 16, 16 on the way. It can be extracted smoothly without matching. The optical connector release mechanism 53 engaged with the optical connector ferrule 5 is connected to the housing 10.
Then, the operating piece 77 is manually operated to release the release engagement claw 65 from the rear end flange portion 5a, and the optical connector ferrule 5 is taken out from the optical connector detachment mechanism 53.

Therefore, the optical connector connection tool 50
According to this, the following excellent effects can be obtained. The optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 can be connected to each other simply by inserting the connection tool portion 52 engaging and supporting the optical connector ferrule 5 into the housing 10, and the connection state of the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 is released. Since the optical connector detachment mechanism 53 only needs to be inserted into the housing 10 and pulled out, the connection and disconnection between the optical connector ferrules 1 and 5 can be performed by an extremely simple operation. Since it is an integrally molded product, the number of parts is extremely small and the production is easy, so that the cost can be reduced. Since the whole has an elongated shape, it is advantageous for insertion into and removal from the housing 10, thereby improving the workability of connection and disconnection. The indication of the engraving 59 or the like makes it easy to determine the connection tool 52 and the optical connector detachment mechanism 53. In the connection work, the keys 64a, 64a and the key grooves 23, 2
3, the optical fiber ferrule 5 to be connected to the optical connector ferrule 1 on the housing 10 is positioned, so that the fitting operation between the guide pin 9 and the guide pin hole 9a is facilitated, and workability is improved. Is greatly improved. The engagement between the deformation projections 69, 69 and the key groove 22 allows the release engagement claw 65 to be positioned and engaged with the rear end flange portion 5a, thereby greatly improving workability. By simply operating the operation piece 77, the optical connector detachment mechanism 5
3, the optical connector ferrule 5 can be easily taken out in a short time. Accordingly, there is no fear of damaging the optical connector ferrule 5 at the time of taking out work, so that it can be used for the next optical connection. Accordingly, the release engagement claw 65 can be formed into a shape that reliably engages with the rear end flange portion 5a (such as an increase in size), and the workability of the connection release operation can be greatly improved. .

The optical connector detachment mechanism can be applied to a detachment-only tool having no connection tool. The shape and the like of each component constituting the optical connector connection tool 50 are not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that various configurations can be adopted. For example, a design change or the like to make molding with resin advantageous is possible. This is the same for the housing 10. The object to which the optical connector connection tool of the present invention is applied is not limited to the housing 10 shown in FIG. 1, and various types of optical connectors and optical connector adapters can be adopted. In this case, it goes without saying that the configuration of the optical connector connection tool is also changed in accordance with the configuration of the target optical connector, the optical connector adapter, and the like.

[0036]

As described above, according to the optical connector detaching mechanism of the present invention, the following excellent effects can be obtained. (A) The butt connection state of the optical connector ferrule can be released simply by inserting the optical connector detaching mechanism into the housing and pulling it out, and the optical connector ferrule detached from the mating side of the connection can be easily taken out of the housing. (B) Simply by driving the engagement release means to elastically deform the release engagement claw, the engagement between the release engagement claw and the optical connector ferrule can be easily released, and the optical connector release mechanism can be disengaged. The optical connector ferrule can be easily taken out. (C) According to (a), there is no fear of damaging the optical connector ferrule taken out of the optical connector detachment mechanism, and the optical connector ferrule can be used again for connection work.

When the structure in which the disengagement means is an operation piece protruding from the disengagement engagement claw is adopted, (d) the optical connector detaching mechanism can be reduced in size and cost. It has an excellent effect of becoming

In the optical connector connecting tool according to the third aspect,
(1) Since the elongated tool body has a connection tool portion at one longitudinal end of the tool body for connecting the optical connector ferrules with the housing and an optical connector detachment mechanism at the other end thereof, By simply selecting and using the optical connector detachment mechanism, connection and disconnection between optical connector ferrules can be freely performed, improving workability. (F) Corresponding to the same optical connector ferrule The connection tool section and the optical connector detachment mechanism can be provided on the same tool body, thereby eliminating the need to select a tool according to the type of work, thereby further improving the workability of connection and disconnection. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an optical connector to which an optical connector connection tool of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view showing a method of assembling the optical connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the optical connector of FIG. 1 in a state where assembly is completed.

FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical connector detaching tool and an optical connector connecting tool according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing the optical connector connection tool of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing the optical connector detachment mechanism of FIG.

7 is a perspective view showing the operation of the optical connector connection tool of FIG. 4 and showing a step of inserting the connection tool into the housing.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the operation of the optical connector connection tool of FIG. 4 and showing a step of engaging an elastic claw with an optical connector ferrule.

FIG. 9 is a front sectional view showing the step of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a step of inserting the optical connector detachment mechanism of FIG. 4 into a housing.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the operation of the optical connector detachment mechanism of FIG. 4 and showing a step of releasing the engagement between the elastic claw and the optical connector ferrule.

FIG. 12 is a front sectional view showing the step of FIG. 11;

13 is a view showing the operation of the optical connector detachment mechanism of FIG. 4, and is a plan sectional view showing a step of extracting the optical connector ferrule from the housing.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional optical connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical connector ferrule, 1a ... Optical fiber (optical fiber tape core), 5 ... Optical connector ferrule, 10 ...
Housing, 16: elastic claw, 50: optical connector connection tool, 51: tool body, 52: connection tool part, 53: optical connector detachment mechanism, 65: release engagement claw, 69: deformation projection, 77 ... Disengagement means, operation piece.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshikazu Nomura 1440 Mutsuzaki, Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture Inside Fujikura Sakura Plant

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of optical connector ferrules (1; 1) for terminating optical fibers (1a, 1a) in a butt-connectable manner.
An elastic claw (16) that accommodates and supports one of the optical connector ferrules (5) and detachably engages with the other optical connector ferrule (5) that is detachably butt-connected to the one optical connector ferrule (1). An optical connector detachment mechanism for releasing connection between optical connector ferrules by being inserted into and removed from a housing (10) provided with the optical connector ferrule (5) from the outside. A claw (65), which protrudes from the vicinity of the disengagement engagement claw, abuts against the elastic claw of the housing when the disengagement engagement claw is inserted into the housing, and elastically deforms the disengagement engagement claw. A deforming projection (69) for separating from the optical connector ferrule engaged with and supported by the connector, and the disengagement claw is elastically deformed by being installed and driven at or near the disengagement claw. An optical connector detachment mechanism (53), characterized by further comprising an engagement release means (77) for releasing the engagement between the release engagement claw and the optical connector ferrule. 2. An optical connector detachment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said engagement release means is an operation piece (77) projecting from said release engagement claw. 3. A pair of optical connector ferrules (1 and 1) for terminating and connecting optical fibers (1a and 1a).
An elastic claw (16) that accommodates and supports one of the optical connector ferrules (5) and detachably engages with the other optical connector ferrule (5) that is detachably butt-connected to the one optical connector ferrule (1). An optical connector connection tool for connecting and disconnecting optical connector ferrules by being inserted into and removed from a housing (10) provided, wherein the optical connector is connected to one end of an elongated tool body (51) in the longitudinal direction by the housing. An optical connector connection tool (50), comprising: a connection tool portion (52) for connecting ferrules; and an optical connector detachment mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 at the other end.