Optical waveguides – With optical coupler
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-21
2003-09-09
Feild, Lynn (Department: 2839)
Optical waveguides
With optical coupler
C439S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06618515
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a connector and an optical fiber cable each having a function by which when a connector provided at a cable end is improperly connected to a receptacle, this connected condition can be detected. This invention also relates to an equipment control mechanism for an optical equipment connected to a connector, by which when the connector provided at a cable end is improperly connected to a receptacle, the operating condition of the equipment is controlled in accordance with this detection result.
In recent years, optical fibers have been used in many fields. For example, in the information communication field, the use of optical fibers as communication media has become the mainstream of optical communication. In the field of machine tools, laser beam machines have been extensively used for cutting, welding and so on, and an optical fiber has been used as means for transferring this laser beam.
In the case of optical communication, for connecting a light source or an equipment, such as an optical transceiver and an optical measuring instrument, to an optical fiber, an optical receptacle, provided at an optical input/output portion of the equipment, is coupled and connected to an optical connector provided at an end of the optical fiber. In the case of a laser beam machine, similarly, an optical receptacle, provided at a laser beam source or an emitting optical system or the like for radiating a laser beam toward an object to be machined, is coupled and connected to an optical connector provided at an end of an optical fiber.
However, unless the optical receptacle and the optical connector are securely connected together, signals can not be properly transmitted and received in the case of the optical communication. In the case of the laser beam machine, as a laser beam has a high output, when the guidance of the laser beam is effected in a condition in which the connection is not securely made, or when the connector is disconnected during the guidance of the laser beam, there are fears that this leads to damage to the end surface of the optical fiber and a peripheral equipment, such as the connector, or to an accident which puts the nearby workers and objects in danger because of leakage of the laser beam. The only means for preventing such troubles was to confirm the condition of connection between the optical receptacle and the optical connector with the eyes or the touch. If this confirmation operation should be forgotten, this would lead to the possibility that the above troubles occur.
Therefore, in order to solve the above problems and to secure the safety, there is provided the following connection detection mechanism capable of detecting the secure connection between an optical connector and an optical receptacle.
FIG. 16
shows the construction of a connector connection detection mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 9-90165. A laser diode
2
for emitting a laser beam is provided within a laser oscillator
1
. An optical receptacle
3
is mounted on a panel of the laser oscillator
1
, and is coupled to the laser diode
2
by an optical fiber
4
.
FIG. 17
is a cross-sectional view of the above connector connection detection mechanism. The optical receptacle
3
is fixedly secured to the panel
1
a
of the laser oscillator
1
through a flange
3
a
formed on this optical receptacle
3
. A sleeve
3
c
is formed on an optical connector-connecting side of the optical receptacle
3
, and a ferrule
5
is held in the sleeve
3
c
, so as to move in a direction of the axis of the optical receptacle
3
. The optical fiber
4
is connected to a laser oscillator-side end of the ferrule
5
, and a proximity switch
6
is provided at an end of the optical fiber
4
through an arm
6
a
. A sensing member
3
b
is provided at a laser oscillator-side end of the optical receptacle
3
, and when the proximity switch
6
is brought into contact with the sensing member
3
b
, this proximity switch is turned into a conducting state. The ferrule
5
is normally urged toward a distal end of the sleeve
3
c
by a compression coil spring (urging means)
7
, and is kept stationary in a position where the proximity switch
6
contacts the sensing member
3
b.
Then, when an optical connector
9
provided at an end of an optical fiber
8
is connected to the optical receptacle
3
, the ferrule
5
held within the optical receptacle
3
is pushed by a ferrule
9
a
of the optical connector
9
, as shown in FIG.
18
. Thus, the proximity switch
6
is moving apart from the sensing member
3
b
, and is turned into a non-conducting state.
As described above, when the proximity switch
6
is turned into the non-conducting state, the laser diode
2
can emit a laser beam under the control of a control circuit (not shown). In contrast, when this switch is in the conducting state, the switch is unable to emit a laser beam. Therefore, as long as the optical connector is not connected to the optical receptacle, the laser beam can be prevented from being accidentally emitted.
However, when the above connector connection detection mechanism is to be introduced as facilities, it is difficult to add this detection mechanism to an already-installed equipment. Therefore it is necessary to introduce a new equipment beforehand provided with the detection mechanism, and this is very wasteful from the viewpoint of the cost Alternatively, there may be proposed a method of adding the above detection mechanism to an existing equipment. In this case, however, the equipment need to be extensively modified, and this is also very difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention seeks to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a connector with a connection detection function and an optical cable with a connection detection function, which enables a connector connection detection mechanism to be easily provided on already-installed optical equipments. It is another object of the invention to provide an equipment control mechanism for an optical equipment.
The above-mentioned object can be achieved by, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a connector with a connection detection function, the connector being adapted to be connected to a fixed receptacle and comprising:
a body on which a longitudinally extending member is mounted;
a moving member movable in an axial direction of the connector relative to the body; and
a switch that can be changed between an electrical conducting state and an electrical non-conducting state in response to the movement of the moving member when the connector is properly fitted onto the fixed receptacle, to thereby detect a proper connection between the connector and the fixed receptacle.
In the above-mentioned structure, it is preferable that the longitudinally extending member comprises a cable.
Further, in the above-mentioned structure, it is more preferable that the longitudinally extending member comprises a optical fiber cable.
In the connector, it is preferable that the switch is electrically Insulated from the fixed receptacle when the connector comes into contact with the fixed receptacle.
Further, in the connector, it is preferable that the switch is changed from the electrical non-conducting state to the electrical conducting state only when the connector is properly fitted to the fixed receptacle.
Also, the switch may be changed from the electrical conducting state to an electrical non-conducting state only when the connector is properly fitted to the fixed receptacle.
Moreover, in the above-mentioned connector, it is preferable that the switch comprises;
a contact portion having a positive contact and a negative contact; and
a conductor piece movable relative to the contact portion, wherein the contact portion and the conductor piece are brought in contact with each other by the movement of the moving member when the connector is properly fitted to the fixed receptacle.
In the present invention, the conductor piece may be a coil spring.
In the abo
Kimura Koji
Maeda Koichi
Satake Takeshi
Feild Lynn
Le Thanh-Tam
Mitsubishi Cable Industries Ltd.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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