JP2968675B2 - Plug-in optical connector with built-in optical element - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of an optical connector, and more particularly to an optical connector for plug-in connection incorporating an optical element (light emitting element or light receiving element).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an optical device having a built-in optical element is called an optical module. Conventional optical modules
There were pigtail and receptacle shapes. The pigtail type is a device that optically couples an optical element and an optical fiber to perform input / output as an optical fiber.The receptacle type is an optical connector plug that is optically coupled to an optical element and an optical receptacle and inserted into a receptacle. This is a device that performs input and output with the device.

[0003] The structure of a conventional optical module will be described. FIG. 8 shows a conventional pigtail type optical module. Generally, when a pigtail type optical module is mounted on a printed board such as an optical transmission device, an external housing 23 including an optical element 21 is fixed to the printed board as shown in FIG.
The optical connector plug 24 connecting the two is fixed to the front surface of the printed board via an optical adapter or the like. On the other hand, FIG. 9 shows a conventional receptacle type optical module. Generally, when a receptacle-type optical module is mounted on a printed board of an optical transmission device or the like, a connector 33 including an optical element 31 is fixed to the front surface of the printed board as shown in FIG. Are connected. In either case, the optical connector plug is inserted from the front side of the printed board and connected to another optical fiber or optical device. 9 is a female optical module, whereas the optical module according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-53911 shown in FIG. 10 is a male optical module having an optical fiber 42 in a flange 43. It can be said that this is an optical module. In any case,
When the above-described optical module is mounted on a printed board of an optical transmission device or the like, as shown in FIG.
Through the optical module 52
And the optical connector plug 54 are connected.

[0004]

In using the above-mentioned conventional optical module, there are the following problems.

[0005] First, when a conventional optical module is mounted on a printed board of an optical transmission device or the like, a structure is adopted in which an optical module main body or a pigtail type optical connector is fixed to the front surface of the printed board. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that only the front surface can be accessed to the printed board. That is, when the printed board is inserted into the apparatus, there is a drawback that a plug-in connection that can automatically optically connect with the insertion operation cannot be performed.

Second, in the conventional pigtail type optical module, since the pigtail (ie, the optical fiber and the optical connector at the tip thereof) is connected to the module main body, it is necessary to fix the optical fiber when mounting it on a printed board. There was a disadvantage that a large space was required.

Third, in the conventional pigtail type optical module, the extra length processing of the optical fiber is troublesome. That is, when the optical fiber is mounted on a printed board, it is necessary to make the optical fiber connected to the optical module just long. Therefore, an optical module in which the length of the optical fiber is delicately adjusted has to be manufactured, and there is a disadvantage that it is expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element, which eliminates the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages and realizes good operability, space saving and low cost.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element according to the present invention includes a plug frame including a ferrule having an optical fiber fixed on a central axis and an elastic sleeve for aligning the ferrule. At least one
A plug-in optical connector comprising a multiple housing having two element housings, wherein an optical element is provided on the central axis in the ferrule, and the optical element is optically coupled to the optical fiber. The ferrule is electrically connected to a first electric terminal at a rear end of the ferrule by a lead wire. The ferrule has a front end located at a substantially central portion in a longitudinal direction of the elastic sleeve, and has a the longitudinal direction are possible sliding in the middle, said elastic sleeve and the ferrule front with a first anti-rotation mechanism in the plug frame
The plug frame is held so as not to rotate around the central axis , and the plug frame has a second rotation preventing mechanism in the element housing and does not rotate around the central axis.
The element housing is held in the multiple housing having at least one element groove, and the first electric terminals arranged at a rear end of the ferrule are a plurality of the first electric terminals. A plurality of electrical contacts provided at a rear portion of the multiple housing and electrically connected to the plurality of electrical contacts movable in the longitudinal direction by a spring property, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are provided in a plurality of first electrical contacts provided in the multiple housing. 2 is electrically connected to the second electrical terminal.

[0010]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial cross section showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing a main part of the embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a further enlarged view of FIG. 2; FIG.
(B) is a side view, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an electric contact according to the present embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an overall situation when an optical connector according to the present invention is connected to a mating optical connector.

[0012] Figures 1, as shown in FIG. 4, an embodiment of an optical head protection plug-in optical connector of the present invention, Oite in the ferrule 2 of the plug-in optical connector, its central axis
An optical element 3 is built therein, and a plurality of first electric terminals 4 are arranged at the rear end of the ferrule 2. Here, the optical element 3
Any of a light emitting element and a light receiving element may be used. These first electric terminals 4 are electrically connected to the optical element 3 by lead wires 5 such as bonding wires. The optical fiber 1 built in the center of the ferrule 2 is optically connected to the optical element 3 on the central axis inside the ferrule 2. That is, the tip of the ferrule 2 of the optical connector has an optical interface, while the rear of the ferrule 2 has an electrical interface.

Further, such a ferrule 2 is aligned and held in an elastic sleeve 8 for alignment, and is optically connected when another ferrule is inserted from the open end of the elastic sleeve 8. It has become. Ferrule 2
The plurality of first electrical terminals 4 at the rear end of the
1, a ferrule 2 is connected to an electric contact 6 containing a plurality of springs 16 which can move back and forth by spring pressure.
Each of the plurality of first electrical terminals 4 and the plurality of electrical contacts 6 has a structure in which electrical connection is always maintained even if the connector itself moves forward and backward due to insertion of another connector ferrule. The plurality of electric contacts 6 are connected to a plurality of second electric terminals 7 respectively arranged at the lower portion of the multiple housing 11.
Respectively, and are electrically connected to the circuit pattern of the printed circuit board 12 by the plurality of second electric terminals 7. As described above, the optical connector of the present embodiment has the ferrule 2
Is optically connected to another plug-in optical connector at the front end, and electrically connected to the printed board 12.

The ferrule 2 and the elastic sleeve 8 are shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the ferrule 2 is held in the plug frame 9 while maintaining an appropriate clearance.
Has a structure that does not rotate around the central axis in the plug frame 9 by a key mechanism such as the key groove 13 shown in FIG. The ferrule 2 is an elastic sleeve 8
It has a structure that allows it to move back and forth to some extent. Accordingly, the ferrule 2 moves back and forth in accordance with the position of the other connector ferrule, and the tip of the ferrule 2 is always in contact with the other connector ferrule by the spring 16 built in the electric contact 6. And a stable electrical connection is guaranteed.

The ferrule 2 and the plug frame 9
Is built into the multiple housing 11 of the plug-in optical connector via the element housing 10. The plug frame 9 is also fixed in the element housing 10 by a key structure or the like so as not to rotate around the central axis . Further, a plurality of element housings 10 are arranged in the multiple housing 11 while having a rotation preventing mechanism. On the other hand, the multiple housing 11
Is fixed to the printed board 12 with screws or rivets.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the optical connector element 14 having the optical element built-in ferrule 15 as described above is configured to be detachable from the multiple housing 11. Things.

According to the plug-in optical connector of the embodiment of the present invention as described above, as shown in FIG.
This is a mating plug-in optical connector whose interface matches on the backboard 17 side by the plurality of element housings 10 arranged in the multiple housing 11 on the upper side 2 or the ferrule 2 in the optical connector element 14. The optical connection between the back board side optical connector 18 and the ferrule is automatically performed by plug-in,
Electrical / optical conversion or optical / electrical conversion is performed in the ferrule 2 by the optical fiber 1 and the optical element 3, and a plurality of first electrical terminals 4, electrical contacts 6, and second electrical terminals 7 at the rear end of the ferrule 2. Can be electrically connected to the printed board 12 via the.

[0018]

As described above, according to the optical connector of the present invention, the following various effects can be obtained.

First, by incorporating an optical element inside the ferrule, it is not necessary to prepare an optical module separately, and it is not necessary to secure a space for disposing the optical module on a printed board, and high-density mounting is possible. Become. Second,
Since there is no pigtail, a space for arranging the extra length of the optical fiber becomes unnecessary. Third, since it is not necessary to manufacture an optical module by strictly controlling variations in the length of the optical fiber, the cost can be reduced as compared with the pigtail type optical module. Fourth, because of the plug-in type optical connector, there is an effect that plug-in connection with another optical connector on the backboard can be automatically performed at the back of the printed board, not at the front access.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view including a partial cross section showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a further enlarged view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 4B is a side view showing an optical element built-in ferrule according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an electric contact included in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an overall situation when the plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element according to the present invention is connected to a mating optical connector.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional pigtail type optical module.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a conventional receptacle-type optical module.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional male receptacle optical module.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a situation where a conventional optical module is used as a receptacle module.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical fiber 2 Ferrule 3 Optical element 4 First electric terminal 5 Lead wire 6 Electric contact 7 Second electric contact 8 Elastic sleeve 9 Plug frame 10 Element housing 11 Multiple housing 12 Printed board 13 Keyway 14 Optical connector Element 15 Ferrule with built-in optical element 16 Spring 17 Backboard 18 Backboard side optical connector 19 Backboard side multiple housing

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G02B ⁶ /42-6/43

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plug-in comprising a multiple housing having at least one element housing enclosing a plug frame provided with a ferrule having an optical fiber fixed on a mandrel and an elastic sleeve for aligning the ferrule. An optical connector, comprising: an optical element provided on the central axis in the ferrule, the optical element being optically coupled to the optical fiber and a first electric terminal at a rear end of the ferrule. and are electrically connected by a lead wire, said ferrule is capable of sliding in the longitudinal direction in the elastic sleeve with its distal end is positioned substantially at the center portion in the longitudinal direction of the elastic sleeve, wherein The ferrule and the elastic sleeve have a first anti-rotation mechanism in the plug frame around the center axis.
Held so as not rotate in, and the plug frame is in the second around the center axis with the rotation preventing mechanism is held so as not rotate within said element housing, wherein the element housing at least The plurality of first electric terminals, which are held in the multiple housing having one element groove and are arranged at a rear end of the ferrule, are provided at a rear portion of the multiple housing and have a spring property. Is electrically connected to the plurality of electrical contacts movable in the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of electrical contacts are in electrical contact with the plurality of second electrical terminals provided in the multiple housing. A plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element. 2. The plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is a light emitting element or a light receiving element. 3. The plug-in optical connector with a built-in optical element according to claim 1, wherein the element housing is detachable from the multiple housing.