Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-14
2003-03-25
Palmer, Phan T. H. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
C385S078000, C385S072000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06536954
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Filed of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical connector device for connecting optical fiber cords with each other in the field of optical communication between equipments in an OA (office automation) system, an FA (factory automation ) system, an automobile or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Examples of conventional optical connector devices for optically coupling optical fiber cords with each other includes the type, as disclosed in JP-A-9-222535, in which optical connectors each holding the optical fiber cord, are coupled with each other through a relay adapter.
More specifically, as shown in
FIG. 5
, each of the optical connectors
1
and
2
includes a pair of ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
which are provided at a connection side of a connector body
1
a
,
2
a
, molded of a resin or the like, and hold the optical fiber cords
3
inserted therein, respectively. Ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
of an approximately square tubular shape are formed, respectively, around the ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
in surrounding relation thereto in such a manner that a suitable clearance is formed between each ferrule protection wall and an outer peripheral surface of the corresponding ferrule portion. The ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
project from the ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
, respectively.
The ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
of each optical connector
1
,
2
are interconnected by an interconnecting portion
1
d
,
2
d
, and guide projections
1
e
,
2
e
for fitting guide purposes with respect to fitting portions
5
a
provided at opposite end portions of the relay adapter
5
, respectively, are formed, respectively, on the outer peripheral surfaces of the ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c.
Retaining projections (not shown) detachably engaging with retaining holes
5
b
formed in the fitting portions
5
a
of the relay adapter
5
is formed on a lower surface of the interconnecting portion
1
d
,
2
d
. An elastic retaining portion if,
2
f
extends from a central portion of an upper portion of the connector body
1
a
,
2
a
into a space between the two ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
, and an upwardly-projecting retaining projection
1
g
,
2
g
is formed at a distal end of this elastic retaining portion
1
f
,
2
f
, and these retaining projections are detachably engaged with retaining holes
5
c
formed in the fitting portions
5
a.
An operating portion
1
h
,
2
h
is formed on a central portion of each elastic retaining portion
1
f
,
2
f
, and by depressing this operating portion
1
h
,
2
h
, the retaining engagement of the retaining projection
1
g
,
2
g
of the elastic retaining portion
1
f
,
2
f
with the retaining hole
5
c
in the relay adapter
5
can be canceled.
Ferrule fitting tubular portions
5
d
are provided at an intermediate portion of the interior of the relay adapter
5
, and when the ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
of each optical connector
1
,
2
are fitted into the corresponding fitting portion
5
a
, the ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
are fitted respectively into these ferrule fitting tubular portions, so that each of these ferrule fitting tubular portion intrudes into a space between the corresponding ferrule protection wall
1
c
,
2
c
and ferrule portion
1
b
,
2
b
. Screw fastening portions
5
e
are formed respectively on opposite (right and left) side surfaces of the relay adapter
5
at a central portion thereof.
When the ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
of each optical connector
1
,
2
are fitted into the corresponding one of the fitting portions
5
a
formed respectively at the opposite end portions of the relay adapter
5
, the ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
are fitted respectively into the ferrule fitting tubular portions
5
d
, and when the retaining projections
1
g
and
2
g
are brought into retaining engagement with the retaining holes
5
c
, respectively, end surfaces of the optical fiber cords
3
held respectively in the ferrule portions
1
b
of the optical connector
1
are joined and optically coupled respectively to end surfaces of the optical fiber cords
3
held respectively in the ferrule portions
2
b
of the optical connector
2
.
In the above optical connector device according to the related construction, the ferrule portions
1
b
,
2
b
of each optical connector
1
,
2
project from the ferrule protection walls
1
c
,
2
c
, respectively, and therefore there was a possibility that the distal ends of the ferrule portions
1
b
and
2
b
, subjected to an end processing, and the distal ends of the optical fiber cords
3
were accidentally contacted to undergo contact damage or damage due to contamination during the transport, the connecting/disconnecting operation or others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above problem in view, it is an object of this invention to provide an optical connector device in which damage of ferrule portions and distal ends of optical fiber cords, held in these ferrule portions, due to contact or the like, is effectively prevented.
According to first technical means for solving the above problem, there is provided an optical connector device comprising:
a first optical connector having a ferrule portion holding an end portion of an optical fiber cord;
a second optical connector having a ferrule portion holding another optical fiber cord for being optically coupled to the optical fiber cord; and
a relay adapter for connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector with each other,
wherein the optical fiber cord is optically coupled to the another optical fiber cord by connecting the first optical connector and the second optical connector with each other through the relay adapter;
the first optical connector includes a ferrule protection wall surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the ferrule portion of the first optical connector to have a space therebetween;
the ferrule portion of the first optical connector projects from the ferrule protection wall of the first optical connector;
the second optical connector includes a ferrule protection wall surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the ferrule portion of the second optical connector to have a space therebetween;
the ferrule protection wall of the second optical connector projects from the ferrule portion of the second connector;
the relay adapter has, at one end thereof, a fitting portion into which the ferrule protection wall of the first optical connector is fitted and a retained portion with which a retaining portion provided at the first optical connector is engaged in a withdrawal-preventing manner;
the relay adapter has, at the other end thereof, another fitting portion into which the ferrule protection wall of the second optical connector is fitted and another retained portion with which another retaining portion provided at the second optical connector is detachably engaged; and
the relay adapter has, at an intermediate portion of the interior thereof, a ferrule fitting tubular portion into which the ferrule portion of the first optical connector and the ferrule portion of the second optical connector are fitted in such a manner that the ferrule fitting tubular portion intrudes into a space between each of said ferrule protection walls and the corresponding ferrule portion.
According to second technical means for solving the above problem, there is provided an optical connector device comprising:
a first optical connector member having a ferrule portion holding an end portion of an optical fiber cord; and
a second optical connector member having a ferrule portion holding another optical fiber cord for being optically coupled to the optical fiber cord,
wherein the optical fiber cord is optically coupled to the another optical fiber cord by connecting the first optical connector member and the second optical connector member with each other;
the second optical connector member includes a ferrule protection wall surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the ferrule portion to have a space therebetween;
Autonetworks Technologies Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Palmer Phan T. H.
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