FERRULE FIXING MEMBER AND FERRULE HOLDING STRUCTURE

• US 20140328559A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Inventors: KOBAYASHI, Takumi, HIRANO, Kouki, YASUDA, Hiroki, ISHIGAMI, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/72
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements

Abstract

A ferrule fixing member for fixing a ferrule to a holding member with a holding hole into which the ferrule is inserted. The ferrule fixing member includes a first plate part and a second plate part configured to face each other while sandwiching an resilient member arranged on an outer periphery of the ferrule in a radial direction thereof, a pressing part configured to press the resilient member such that the ferrule is pressed against a bottom side of the holding hole by a resilient force of the resilient member, a locked part configured to be engaged with a locking part formed in the holding member, and an extending part configured to extend from the second plate part to the locked part. The locking of the locked part and the locking part is released by moving the first plate part and the second plate part close to each other.

Claims

1. A ferrule fixing member for fixing a ferrule to hold an optical fiber to a holding member with a holding hole into which the ferrule is inserted, comprising:

a first plate part and a second plate part configured to face each other while sandwiching a resilient member arranged on an outer periphery of the ferrule in a radial direction thereof;

a pressing part configured to press the resilient member such that the ferrule is pressed against a bottom side of the holding hole by a resilient force of the resilient member;

a locked part configured to be engaged with a locking part formed in the holding member; and

an extending part configured to extend from the second plate part to the locked part,

wherein the locking of the locked part and the locking part is released by moving the first plate part and the second plate part close to each other.

2. The ferrule fixing member according to claim 1, wherein the pressing part comprises an insertion hole into which the ferrule is inserted, and

wherein the pressing part is formed so as to connect both end parts of the first plate part and the second plate part, the both end parts being opposite to the holding hole in a longitudinal direction of the ferrule.

3. The ferrule fixing member according to claim 2, further comprising a cylindrical part configured to house at least a part of the holding member;

wherein the first plate part is formed between one end part of the cylindrical part and the pressing part.

4. The ferrule fixing member according to claim 3, wherein the extending part extends from an end part of the second plate part opposite to the pressing part to the side of another end part of the cylindrical part, and

wherein the extending direction is inclined toward the side of the first plate part relative to a direction parallel to the center axis of the ferrule.

5. The ferrule fixing member according to claim 3, wherein the extending part comprises a pair of arm parts sandwiching the cylindrical part, and the locked part is configured to connect both end parts of the pair of arm parts to each other.

6. A ferrule holding structure, comprising:

the ferrule fixing member according to claim 1; and

the resilient member,

wherein the resilient member is compressed along the longitudinal direction of the ferrule when the locked part of the ferrule fixing member is engaged with the locking part of the holding member, and

the ferrule is held by the holding member by the resilient force of the resilient member compressed.