Optical fiber connector

• US 4,762,389 A
• Filed: 03/26/1985
• Issued: 08/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kaihara, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEALY, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US06/716,064
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.20, 350/96.21, 350/96.22
• US Class Current: 385/60
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3821 with axial spring biasing or loading means G02B6/3847 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3825 with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3861 Adhesive bonding adhesives in general C09J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/387 Connector plugs comprising two complementary members, e.g. shells, caps, covers, locked together
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3887 Anchoring optical cables to connector housings, e.g. strain relief features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3889 using encapsulation for protection, e.g. adhesive, molding or casting resin
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on

Abstract

An optical fiber connector for connecting an optical fiber plug with an adapter wherein said plug has one or more ferrules for receiving one or more optical fibers each ferrule having an associated spring disposed coaxial with an outer periphery therewith, and a slip-out prevention member fixed to each ferrule to retain the spring in position. A first housing member receives said one or more ferrules, spring members and slip-out prevention members. A second housing accommodates the first housing and is slidably disposable therewith. The plug engages an adapter and is secured thereto by sliding the second housing member relative to the first housing member.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector comprising:

an optical fiber plug, said plug including;

a ferrule for fixing an optical fiber on a center axis thereof said ferrule having a terminal tip;

a spring member positioned coaxially with said ferrule and along an outer periphery of the ferrule;

a slipout-preventing member fixed to the ferrule for preventing said spring member from slipping out;

a first housing for accommodating the ferrule, the spring member and the slipout-preventing member, said first housing being provided with a pair of parallel extensions, each extending toward said terminal tip of the ferrule along an opposite side periphery of the ferrule, and a pawl protruding from a tip of each of said extensions toward the center axis of the ferrule; and

a second housing for accommodating said first housing and slidable a predetermined amount in a direction parallel to the center axis of the ferrule in contact with an outer periphery of said first housing, said second housing being so configured that said pair of parallel extensions snugly fit into said second housing and are prevented from expanding from each other at a position where said second housing is moved forward along said pair of parallel extensions;

an adapter for receiving said optical fiber plug, said adapter including;

a block provided with a cylindrical bore for receiving the ferrule, said block having a pair of parallel outer side surfaces which are disposed symmetrically about a center axis of said bore, and a recess provided in a part of each of said side surfaces;

the plug and the adapter being connected by mating the recesses of said block of the adapter with the respective pawls of the first housing while inserting the tip of the ferrule into the cylindrical bore of the adapter and, then, sliding the second housing to said position.

2. An optical fiber connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second housing is provided with extensions on outer surfaces thereof which make contact with the first housing, said extensions extending parallel to the center axis of the ferrule and each being provided with a pawl which protrudes toward the center axis of the ferrule to engage with a part of the outer surface of the first housing.

3. An optical fiber connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein walls of the second housing which make contact with the first housing are each partly separated by slits to provide a double-wall structure made up of an outer wall and an inner wall, said inner wall extending along the center axis of the ferrule to engage with the outer surface of the first housing.

4. An optical fiber connector comprising:

an optical fiber plug, said optical fiber plug including;

one or more ferrules each fixing an optical fiber on a center axis thereof;

spring means associated with each said ferrule and being positioned coaxially with and at an outer periphery of its respective ferrule;

a slip-out prevention member associated with each said spring means and being fixed to its respective ferrule for retaining each said spring means in a predetermined relationship with its respective ferrule;

a first housing for accommodating said one or more ferrules, said spring means, and said slip-out prevention members wherein said housing includes plural engagement means; and

a second housing accommodating said first housing therein and being slidable with respect to said first housing in a direction parallel to said center axis said second housing being so configured that said plural engagement means snugly fit into said second housing and are prevented from expanding from each other at said second position when said second housing is moved forward along said plural engagement means between a first position and a second position;

an adapter for receiving said optical fiber plug, said adapter including;

a block provided with a number of bore holes equal in number to the number of ferrules in said plug, each said bore hole associated with and receiving one said ferrule, and a means for receiving said engagement means;

wherein the plug and adapter are operative to be connected such that each of said one or more ferrules is inserted in its associated respective bore hole and said second housing is operative to be slidably moved relative to said first housing and said adapter, when connected, such that said plural engagement means are secured by the receiving means when said second housing is in said second position.

5. The optical fiber connector as claimed in claim 4 further comprising:

a plug holder for securing said one or more ferrules in a predetermined relationship and said first housing comprises an upper half and a lower half which are joined to surround said plug holder.

6. The optical fiber connector as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first housing is provided with a pair of extensions with a pawl protruding from a tip of each of said extensions and said means for receiving constitutes a pair of recesses for receiving said pawls.

7. The optical connector claimed in claim 4 wherein said slip-out prevention member comprises a retainer having an aperture to allow an end of said ferrule to pass therethrough and, a nut wherein said nut is threadably secured to said end of said ferrule causing said retainer to bear against said spring means.