Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-11
2001-03-27
Font, Frank G. (Department: 2877)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206580
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical connector connected to ends of photoconductive members, such as optical fibers, so as to connect optical transmission circuits together.
2. Prior Art
FIG. 7
shows one known conventional optical connector.
In this Figure, the optical connector
1
comprises optical connector plugs
2
and
2
, a ferrule holder
3
, and a connector housing
4
.
Each of the optical connector plugs
2
and
2
comprises a photoconductive member
5
(e.g. optical fiber), and a cylindrical ferrule
6
having a smaller-diameter portion
6
a
and a larger-diameter portion
6
b
. A conductor portion (not shown) of each of the photoconductive members
5
and
5
is received in the smaller-diameter portion
6
a
, and a sheath
5
a
thereof is received in the larger-diameter portion
6
b.
The ferrule holder
3
includes a box-like housing
7
, having a front end surface part of which is open for the optical connector plugs
2
, and a support wall
8
of an oval cross-section formed integrally on a rear end surface of the housing
7
. A recess
7
b
is formed in a central portion of an upper wall
7
a
of the housing
7
, and rectangular retaining holes
7
c
and
7
c
are formed in this upper wall
7
a
, and are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the recess
7
b
. Insertion holes
8
a
and
8
a
for respectively passing the pair of photoconductive members
5
and
5
therethrough are formed through the support wall
8
.
The connector housing
4
includes hollow plug-receiving chambers
4
a
and
4
a
for respectively receiving the optical connector plugs
2
and
2
, and a lock arm
4
c
for engagement with a housing of a mating connector (not shown) is formed on a front end portion of an upper wall
4
b
of this connector housing, and retaining projections
4
d
and
4
d
, corresponding respectively to the retaining holes
7
c
and
7
c
, are formed on a rear end portion of the upper wall
4
b
. A recess
4
e
is formed in a central portion of the upper wall
4
b
, and a guide portion
4
f
for the ferrule holder
3
is formed in communication with the recess
4
e.
In the above construction, before forming each of the optical connector plugs
2
and
2
, the photoconductive member
5
is first passed through the ferrule holder
3
, and then a compression coil spring (resilient member)
9
is mounted on the photoconductive member
5
. As the ferrule holder
3
is connected, together with the optical connector plugs
2
and
2
, to the connector housing
4
, the ferrule holder
3
is guided by the guide portion
4
f
, and shown in
FIG. 8
, the retaining projections
4
d
and
4
d
(only one of which is shown in
FIG. 8
) on the connector housing
4
are firmly engaged respectively in the retaining holes
7
c
and
7
c
(only one of which is shown in
FIG. 8
) in the ferrule holder
3
, thereby forming the optical connector
1
which is now ready for connection to the housing of the mating connector (not shown).
In this condition, each optical connector plug
2
has a slight play because of the resilient force of the compression coil spring
9
acting between an engagement projection
6
c
, formed on the outer surface of the larger-diameter portion
6
b
of the ferrule
6
over an entire periphery thereof, and an engagement portion
7
d
formed within the housing
7
.
In the above prior art, before forming the optical connector plugs
2
and
2
, the photoconductive members
5
and
5
must be passed through the ferrule holder
3
, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the efficiency of the operation can not be enhanced because of this cumbersome operation.
And besides, the ferrule holder
3
and the connector housing
4
are firmly engaged with each other, and therefore for example, even when it becomes necessary to effect the maintenance of the optical connector
1
or to exchange the connector housing
4
, the engagement between the ferrule holder
3
and the connector housing
4
can not be easily canceled, and in some cases there is a possibility that this leads to damage to these parts.
Furthermore, since the optical connector plug
2
is formed at the end portion of the photoconductive member
5
, the photoconductive member
5
can not be removed from the ferrule holder
3
, which leads to a problem that the optical connector
1
can not have extensibility.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to overcome the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an optical connector which can be easily assembled, and has extensibility, and in which the efficiency of the operation, as well as the efficiency of the maintenance, is greatly enhanced.
An optical connector of the present invention, which has been made in order to solve the above problems, comprises an optical connector plug comprising a photoconductive member, and a ferrule receiving and retaining an end portion of the photoconductive member therein; a ferrule holder urging the ferrule through a resilient member mounted on the optical connector plug; and a connector housing for fitting connection to a housing of a mating connector; CHARACTERIZED in that the ferrule holder, in which the optical connector plug is removably received, is removably fitted in the connector housing.
In the above construction, the optical connector comprises the optical connector plug, the ferrule holder, and the connector housing, and when the ferrule holder, in which the optical connector plug is removably received, is removably fitted in the connector housing, the optical connector is ready for connection to the housing of the mating connector. Thus, the optical connector plug is removably received in the ferrule holder, and then the ferrule holder is fitted, together with the optical connector plug, into the connector housing, and by doing so, the assembling operation can be effected easily, and the efficiency of the operation is greatly enhanced, and also the efficiency of the maintenance is greatly enhanced, and besides the extensibility can be obtained.
In the optical connector of the present invention, plug-introducing slits are formed respectively through opposite side walls of the ferrule holder and also through part of a rear wall of the ferrule holder so that the optical connector plugs can be removably mounted on the ferrule holder, and the connector housing has an elastic retaining piece portion engageable with the ferrule holder to prevent the withdrawal of the ferrule holder from the connector housing, and the engagement of the elastic retaining piece portion can be canceled.
In the above construction, the plug-introducing slits are formed respectively through the opposite side walls of the ferrule holder and also through part of the rear wall of the ferrule holder so that the optical connector plugs can be removably mounted on the ferrule holder, and the connector housing has the elastic retaining piece portion engageable with the ferrule holder to prevent the withdrawal of the ferrule holder from the connector housing, and the engagement of the elastic retaining piece portion can be canceled. Therefore, the optical connector plugs and the ferrule holder can be connected together quite easily, and such a cumbersome operation as required in the conventional construction is eliminated, and the efficiency of the maintenance is greatly enhanced, and the extensibility can be obtained.
In the optical connector of the present invention, support walls of a C-shaped cross-section for respectively supporting the photoconductive members are formed on the rear wall of the ferrule holder, and are disposed respectively at edge portions of the plug-introducing slits.
In the above construction, the support walls of a C-shaped cross-section for respectively supporting the photoconductive members are formed on the rear wall of the ferrule holder, and are disposed respectively at the edge portions of the plug-introducing slits, and therefore even though the plug-introducing slits are formed in the ferrule holder,
Nagaoka Yasutaka
Suzuki Nobuhiko
Font Frank G.
Stafira Michael P.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Yazaki -Corporation
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