Universal optical fiber connectors and basic plugs thereof

• US 20010012428A1
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seikoh Giken Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Nobuo, Nakajima, Masahiro, Minami, Kouji, Taira, Junji, Koshigoe, Tatsuo, Tokita, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,533,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/78
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3831 comprising a keying element on the plug or adapter, e.g. to forbid wrong connection keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical coupling H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3851 Ferrules having keying or coding means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3866 Devices, tools or methods for cleaning connectors cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3869 Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/38875 Protection from bending or twisting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3888 Protection from over-extension or over-compression
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3891 Bayonet type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3894 Screw-lock type

Abstract

Universal optical fiber connectors and their basic plugs, wherein the optical fiber connectors have some common elements for their connector-functions to permit an installation of optical fiber into one of the different type connectors for establishing their connection more easily and to facilitate a tuning operation with positioning key maintaning the same direction between eccentricity of the fiber core and the key. The basic plug has a ferrule, a spring element, and a cylindrical tube. The spring element is positioned between a ferrule and a cylindrical tube, so that it exerts forces toward them in an axial direction. The ferrule has a common dimensional structure for securing an optical fiber and has a shape enabling the connection to any one of various kinds of housing members. Thus, the basic plug connects separate optical fibers together through the housing member.

Claims

1. A basic plug for connecting separate optical fibers together through a housing member, comprising:

a ferrule having at least one common dimensional structure for securing an optical fiber;

a spring element being held so as to exert force against said ferrule in an axial direction; and

a cylindrical tube having a function of securing an optical fiber cable in which said optical fiber is embedded and a function of holding said spring element by sandwiching said spring element between said cylindrical tube and said ferrule, wherein

said basic plug has a shape that enables to engage said housing member and to connect said optical fiber to another optical fiber through said housing.

2. A basic plug as claimed in

claim 1

, further comprising an engaging member that includes:

a mating portion having a flange on at least a part of a periphery thereof, in which the rear end portion of said ferrule is fitted;

a long-sized cylinder portion coaxially arranged on said rear end portion of said ferrule, on which said spring element is held; and

an engaging portion to be engaged to said cylindrical tube formed on the rear end portion of said long-sized cylinder portion, wherein

said spring is held between said flange of said mating portion and said cylindrical tube by engaging said engaging portion to said cylindrical tube in addition to hold said engaging portion on a periphery of said continuous cylinder portion.

3. A basic plug as claimed in

claim 2

, wherein

said engaging portion is continuously formed on said long-sized cylinder portion and is provided as an engaging protrusion that protrudes outward and is inwardly deformable in a radius direction, and said engaging protrusion and said long-sized cylinder portion are able to insert in said cylindrical tube where an engaging hole in which said engaging protrusion is able to engage.

4. A basic plug as claimed in

claim 2

, wherein

an insert-restricting portion for restricting an amount of inserting said long-sized cylinder portion to said cylindrical tube is mounted on an outer peripheral surface of said long-sized cylinder portion.

5. A basic plug as claimed in

claim 4

, wherein

said insert-restricting portion is a protrusion or short-sized cylindrical tube having an outside shape thereof which is a slightly larger than an inner diameter of said cylindrical tube.

6. A universal optical fiber connector, comprising:

a basic plug as claimed in claims 1, and

a housing member to be fitted on said basic plug.

7. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 6

, wherein

said housing member incorporates a sleeve to be fitted on said ferrule, and also said housing member has an engaging portion on its tip portion on a side thereof opposite to a side of said basic plug, where said engaging portion conforms to various kinds of connector forms.

8. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 7

, wherein

said plug housing comprises:

a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule; and

a plurality of engaging holes, and

said cylindrical tube of said basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said plug housing.

9. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 7

, wherein

said plug housing connects to a plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms through an adapter that conforms to various kinds of connector forms to allow an optical connection between an optical fiber fixed in said ferrule and an optical fiber fixed in a ferrule in said plug.

10. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 6

, wherein

said housing member is an adapter:

housing having an engaging portion on its tip portion on a side thereof opposite to a side of said basic plug, and

said engaging portion is for engaging to another basic plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms, wherein

at a time of engaging another basic plug in said engaging portion of said adapter housing , a ferrule of another basic plug is fitted into said sleeve to allow an optical connection between an optical fiber in said ferrule and said optical fiber in said ferrule of said basic plug.

11. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 10

, wherein

said adapter housing comprises:

a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule; and

a plurality of engaging holes, and

said cylindrical tube of said basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said adapter housing.

12. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 10

, wherein

on a side of said tip portion of said adapter housing, there are a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule of another basic plug;

and a plurality of engaging holes, and

a cylindrical tube of another basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said adapter housing.

13. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 10

, wherein

said adapter housing is able to engage to a plurality of said basic plugs, and

a tip portion of said adapter housing has a plurality of engaging portion to be engaged to another basic plug.

14. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 6

, wherein

said housing member is a jack housing having an engaging portion on its tip portion on a side thereof opposite to a side of said basic plug, and

said engaging portion is for engaging to a plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms, where

at a time of engaging another basic plug in said engaging portion of said jack housing, a ferrule of another basic plug is fitted into said sleeve to allow an optical connection between an optical fiber in said ferrule and said optical fiber in said ferrule of said basic plug.

15. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 14

, wherein

said jack housing comprises:

a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule; and

a plurality of engaging holes, and

said cylindrical tube of said basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said jack housing.

16. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 14

, wherein

said plug is a plug that conforms to an optical fiber connector in a type of one selected from a group of FC, SC, and ST.

17. A jack housing for a universal optical fiber connector to be used for fitting to a basic plug as claimed in one of

claims 1

to

5

to allow an connection between said basic plug and a plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms, comprising:

an sleeve integrated therein to be fitted to said ferrule;

an engaging portion formed on one side thereof to be engaged to said basic plug; and

an engaging portion formed on the other side thereof to be engaged to said plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms, wherein

a ferrule of said plug is fitted in said sleeve when said plug is engaged to said engaging portion, allowing an optical connection between an optical fiber of said ferrule and said optical fiber in said ferrule of said basic plug.

18. A jack housing as claimed in

claim 17

, wherein

said jack housing comprises:

a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule; and

a plurality of engaging holes, and

said cylindrical tube of said basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said jack housing.

19. A jack housing as claimed in claims 17, wherein

said plug is a plug that conforms to an optical fiber connector in a type of one selected from a group of FC, SC, and ST.

20. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 6

, wherein

said housing member has one end portion provided as a plug housing that conforms to various kinds of connector forms, wherein

a flange portion is formed on at least one part of an outer peripheral portion of said plug housing, for fixing said plug housing on a fixing member.

21. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 20

, wherein

said plug housing comprises:

a key member for an alignment in a diagonal direction around an axis of said ferrule; and

a plurality of engaging holes, and

said cylindrical tube of said basic plug has at least one elastic engaging piece, wherein

said elastic engaging piece is able to engage in a predetermined engaging hole selected from said plurality of said engaging holes at a time of inserting said cylindrical tube into said plug housing.

22. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 20

, wherein

said plug housing connects to a plug that conforms to various kinds of connector forms through an adapter that conforms to various kinds of connector forms to allow an optical connection between an optical fiber fixed in said ferrule and an optical fiber fixed in a ferrule in said plug.

23. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 20

, wherein

said flange portion of said plug housing has a hole for tightening with a thread member.

24. A universal optical fiber connector, comprising:

a basic plug as claimed in

claim 1

;

an engaging ring for connecting an optical code tensile strength body to an outer peripheral portion of said basic plug;

a plug housing for covering said ferrule and said basic plug;

a hood having a securing hole for securing an optical code, where said hood fits on an outer peripheral portion of said plug housing and covers a connected portion of said optical code tensile strength body, said optical fiber connector further comprising;

a reinforcing pipe having one end portion to be fitted on an outside of said plug housing and the other end portion surrounding said engaging ring.

25. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 24

, wherein

said reinforcing pipe is placed on an inner peripheral portion of said hood.

26. A universal optical fiber connector, comprising:

a ferrule having at least one common dimensional structure for securing an optical fiber;

a forcing element made of rubber or elastomer, being held so as to exert force against said ferrule in an axial direction; and

a securing member for securing said forcing member for sandwiching said forcing element between said securing member and said ferrule; and

a connecting member for incorporating said securing member and for connecting to a plug or adapter of various kinds of connector forms.

27. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 26

, wherein

said connecting member is a plug housing which is able to connect to an adapter that conforms to various kinds of connector forms.

28. An optical fiber connector as claimed in

claim 26

, wherein

said connecting member is an adapter housing which is able to connect to an adapter that conforms to various kinds of connector forms.

29. A ferrule holding member comprising:

a ferrule having at least one common dimensional structure for securing an optical fiber;

a forcing element made of rubber or elastomer, being held so as to exert force against said ferrule in an axial direction; and

a securing member for securing said forcing member for sandwiching said forcing element between said securing member and said ferrule.

30. A ferrule holding member as claimed in

claim 29

, wherein

said securing member is a cylindrical tube having a function of securing an optical fiber cable in which said optical fiber is integrated.

31. A ferrule holding member as claimed in

claim 29

, wherein

said forcing member is shaped so as to hold a plurality of ferrules in parallel.