Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-21
2002-05-21
Spyrou, Cassandra (Department: 2872)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
C385S075000, C385S072000, C385S088000, C359S199200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06390687
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an optical connector, and more particularly, to an optical ring network suitable for an optical fiber communication system in a vehicle such as motor vehicle and to an optical connector and a hybrid connector which are suitable for the optical ring network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an optical ring network connecting processing units, the unit are connected with an optical fiber and an optical connector in series, and light (an optical signal) outputted from the units are transmitted successively and stored in an addressed unit.
An optical connector used in such an optical ring network is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-78534.
The above optical connector will now be described, referring to
FIGS. 21-22
.
An optical plug
1
as the above optical connector consists of a ferrule assembly
2
, a plug housing
3
to accommodate the ferrule assembly
2
, a spring cap
4
to fit in the plug housing
3
and to check coming-off of the ferrule assembly
2
, and a directing member
5
to pivotably engage the spring cap
4
, which optical plug
1
is connected to a receptacle
7
to be an optical connector on a side of a unit
6
.
The ferrule assembly
2
consists of a plastic optical fiber
8
, a ferrule
9
to be provided at an end of the optical fiber
8
, and a spring
10
to be inserted into the optical fiber
8
. When the ferrule assembly
2
is accommodated in the plug housing
3
and then the spring cap
4
fits in the plug housing
3
, the ferrule
9
is pressed toward the receptacle
7
by means of the spring
10
whose one end abuts against the spring cap
4
. A hole
11
in which the optical fiber
8
is inserted is formed on the spring cap
4
. The hole
11
goes through a supporting wall
12
of the spring cap
4
.
The directing member
5
has a base portion
13
bending by about 90 degrees in a circular-arc. A slipping ring
15
is provided on an end of the base portion
13
through a supporting groove
14
. And, a holding portion
16
is projectingly provided on the other end of the base portion
13
.
A radius of the base portion
13
is set to a minimum allowable bending radius of the optical fiber
8
. A gap portion
17
to facilitate attachment is formed on the slipping ring
15
. The optical fiber
8
is arranged in a circular-arc along a periphery of the base portion
13
between the holding portion
16
and the slipping ring
15
.
In the above structure, the slipping ring
15
of the directing member
5
is fitted on the supporting wall
12
of the spring cap
4
and then a collar portion
18
of the spring cap
4
is inserted into the supporting groove
14
of the directing member
5
, whereby the directing member
5
gets pivotable with respect to the supporting wall
12
of the spring cap
4
. By turning the directing member
5
in a desirable position and by arranging the optical fiber
8
in a circular-arc along the periphery of the base portion
13
between the holding portion
16
and the slipping ring
15
, the optical fiber
8
can be led out in a desirable direction.
In the above prior art, the optical fiber
8
led out from the hole
11
of the spring cap
4
is arranged along the base portion
13
of the directing member
5
.
With respect to the above prior art, however, there should be the following problems when leading-out direction of the optical fiber
8
is changed.
That is, when the directing member
5
is turned while the optical fiber
8
is attached to the base portion
13
, the optical fiber
8
gets twisted near the hole
11
of the spring cap
4
, thereby causing attenuation of the light transmitted with the optical fiber
8
.
Describing the above in a little further detail, diameter of the hole
11
is merely a little larger than that of the optical fiber
8
and also reaction force of bending of the optical fiber
8
acts on the hole
11
, whereby the optical fiber
8
becomes hard to turn. Therefore, when the directing member
5
is quickly turned to change a leading-out direction of the optical fiber
8
, distortion force acts on the optical fiber
8
.
If the diameter of the hole
11
is enlarged, a diameter of the spring
10
which abuts against the vicinity of the hole
11
need to be enlarged, whereby the ferrule
9
and, as a result, the optical plug
1
becomes larger.
Or, if the optical fiber
8
is removed from the base portion
13
and then the optical fiber
8
is returned again after the directing member
5
is turned, the workability is not good.
The problems mentioned above occur-not only in the optical ring network and in the optical connector but also in a hybrid connector in which an electric connector and an optical connector are integrated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector capable of changing a leading-out direction of an optical fiber without hindering transmission of the light in the optical fiber, an optical ring network including the optical connector, and a hybrid connector.
In order to achieve the above-described object, as a first aspect of the present invention, an optical ring network includes: optical connectors attached to respective processing units; and optical fibers to connect the optical connectors in series in a ring, wherein at least one of the optical connectors includes: a ferrule provided at an end of the optical fiber; a housing having an accommodating chamber to pivotably accommodate an end portion, including the ferrule, of the optical fiber; and a directing member to be secured to the ferrule for directing the optical fiber led out from the housing.
As a second aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above first aspect, the optical ring network further includes: a hybrid connector having an electric connector having an electrical housing; and an electric terminal to be accommodated in the electrical housing, wherein the optical connector having the ferrule to which the directing member is secured is fitted in the electrical housing.
As a third aspect of the present invention, an optical connector includes: an optical fiber; a ferrule provided at an end of the optical fiber; a housing having an accommodating chamber to pivotably accommodate an end portion, including the ferrule, of the optical fiber; and a directing member to be secured to the ferrule for directing the optical fiber led out from the housing.
As a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above third aspect, the directing member is substantially cylindrical.
As a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above fourth aspect, the directing member consists of a first casing and a second casing to couple with each other and a slip preventing means to prevent the first and second casings from slipping is provided on each of the first and second casings.
As a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above third aspect, a plurality of said accommodating chambers are provided in the housing correspondingly to a plurality of said optical fibers and a plurality of said ferrule to which the respective directing members are secured are pivotably accommodated in the respective accommodating chambers.
As a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the structure with the above sixth aspect, each of the directing members has a different curvature.
As an eighth aspect of the present invention, a hybrid connector includes: the optical connector with any one of the above third to seventh aspects; and an electric connector having both of an electrical housing having a fitting portion for the optical connector and a plurality of electric terminals provided in the electrical housing.
According to the above-described structure of the present invention, the following advantages are provided.
(1) The optical ring network has the optical connector useful for connection of the units wherein a leading-out direction of the optical fiber led out from t
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Maxie Christopher S.
Spyrou Cassandra
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
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