Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2002-08-13
Healy, Brian (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
C385S053000, C385S055000, C385S060000, C385S065000, C385S066000, C385S070000, C385S072000, C385S077000, C385S078000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431762
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for supporting an sleeve to optically connect an optical connector adapter that is reduced in the number of parts, and to an optical connector adapter using same.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
The conventional optical connector adapter represented by an SC type optical connector adapter incorporates an optical connection sleeve to provide alignment between opposite ferrules having therein an optical fiber and to optically couple between the optical fibers. The optical connection sleeve is held by a sleeve holder that is axially divided into two. The sleeve holder is in turn held by a housing axially divided into two.
Herein, FIG.
11
and
FIG. 12
show an outside appearance and longitudinal view of an SC type connector adapter. As shown in the figures, an optical connection sleeve
101
, such as a split sleeve having a slit, is incorporated in a pair of sleeve holders
102
and
103
. Also, the pair of sleeve holders
102
and
103
are held by a pair of housings
104
and
105
.
The sleeve holders
102
and
103
have respective support holes
102
a
and
103
a
to incorporate therein the optical connection sleeve
101
. The support holes
102
a
and
103
a
each have, at one end, a stop
102
b
,
103
b
provided in a circumferential direction and having a circumferential edge inwardly projecting. The stops
102
b
and
103
b
are to abut against an end face of the optical connection sleeve
101
to regulate the optical connection sleeve
101
from moving in an axial direction. Also, the pair of sleeve holders
102
and
103
are of a structure to clamp axially oppositely the optical connection sleeve
101
. Consequently, the axially inner ends are of a fitting structure, at circumferential edges of which are provided flanges
102
c
and
103
c.
The sleeve holders
102
and
103
each have, in radially opposite positions, a pair of claw portions
102
e
and
103
e
having respective engagement claws
102
d
and
103
d
at their tips.
On the other hand, the housings
104
and
105
respectively have flanges
104
a
and
105
a
to connect the both and support grooves
104
b
and
105
b
formed in inner surfaces that clamp and support the flanges
102
c
and
103
c
of the sleeve holders
102
and
103
. By welding the flanges
104
a
and
105
a
of the housings
104
and
105
through ultrasonic waves, etc., the sleeve holders
102
and
103
are clamped and held in the support grooves
104
b
and
105
b
formed in the inner peripheral surface of the housings
104
and
105
. Also, the housings
104
and
105
each have, on an opposite side to the flange
104
a
,
105
a
, an opening
104
c
,
105
c
in which an optical connector plug can be inserted.
Incidentally, one housing
105
is provided, at an outer peripheral surface, with a plate
106
as a metal-make engagement spring to engage with an optical connector mount panel.
As described above, the conventional optical connector adapter requires to implement ultrasonic welding, screwing and riveting after combining the five parts. This results in a problem with increased assembling operation and hence mount-up of cost. Also, many parts leads to increase of material cost.
Meanwhile, there also is a problem of difficulty in enhancing the accuracy of positioning the left and right housings. There is possibly a case of causing change in optical connection stability, particularly in reproducibility of optical loss upon repeating connector connection and disconnection or in optical loss when applying tension or bending to an optical fiber cord.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide, in view of the above circumstances, a support structure of an optical connection sleeve for an optical connector adapter, and an optical connector adapter, which are reduced in the number of parts and improved in the accuracy of positioning left and right housing.
A first form of the present invention to solve the problem lies in an optical connector adapter having a penetration hole for incorporate and support an optical connection sleeve, comprising: a sleeve holder integrally provided with a first cylindrical member forming lengthwise one end of the penetration hole; a housing integrally provided with a second cylindrical member forming the lengthwise other end of the penetration hole and having a shape to internally hold the sleeve holder; engagement means for engaging the sleeve holder and the housing in a state that the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member at respective one ends are abutted against each other; and engagement convex portions integrally formed projecting radially inward at respective other ends of the first cylindrical member and the second cylindrical member to regulate the optical connection sleeve from moving in an axial direction.
A second form of the invention lies in an optical connector adapter, wherein in the first form the engagement means has an engagement pin inserted and held in the housing in a state that the sleeve holder is assembled with the housing, and an engagement portion integrally provided on the sleeve holder to engage the engagement pin in a state combined with the housing.
A third form of the invention lies in an optical connector adapter, wherein in the first form the engagement means has an engagement claw provided on any one of the housing and the sleeve holder to be elastically deformable in an radial direction, and an engagement recess provided on the other to engage the claw.
A fourth form of the invention lies in an optical connector adapter, wherein in any of the first to third forms the housing is formed with an aperture to be coupled with an optical connector plug.
In the optical adapters of the invention, the optical connector adapter can be assembled by merely assembling the housing with the sleeve holder through the engagement means in a state an optical connection sleeve is internally assembled.
A fifth form of the invention lies in an optical connector adapter, each pair of claw portions are provided appositely of shorter sides of the flange such that they sandwich the first cylindrical member and the housing second cylindrical member, and have a pair of claw portions and having engagement claws at tips. These claw portions are to couple with an optical connector plug. Further the claw portion having a thickness continuously decreasing toward the engagement claw.
The claw portion of the above form can reduce the strength of deforming the claw portion when coupling a connector plug. As a result, an optical connector adapter is available that is easy to couple.
A sixth form of the invention lies in an optical connector adapter, wherein in the fifth form the claw portion is in a concave form on an outer periphery side of the cylindrical member. By forming in a concave-form curved surface, it is possible to prevent fatigue and breakage in the claw portion due to repetition of connector plug connection and disconnection.
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Hata Yuko
Nakajima Masahiro
Taira Junji
Adams & Wilks
Healy Brian
Seiko Instruments Inc.
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