Connector unit

• US 8,920,043 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2009
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Iwaya, Mitsuhiro, Iwase, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lepisto, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GUY G
• Application Number:
  US12/920,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20110091158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 385 53- 94
• US Class Current: 385/54
• 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 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3893 Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4452 Distribution frames

Abstract

The present invention provides a connector unit that can surely position and connect a plurality of optical fiber plugs in a short time and easily release a connected state of optical fiber connectors even if the number of optical fiber connectors increases. A connector unit includes a positioning member for positioning a plurality of optical fiber plugs, an adapter that has plug guide holes for inserting tip ends of the optical fiber plugs to connect with the optical fiber plugs, and guide portions for guiding the positioning member with respect to the adapter and inserting the tip ends of the optical fiber plugs into the plug guide holes of the adapter to connect with the optical fiber plugs.

Claims

1. A connector unit for positioning and connecting a plurality of optical fiber plugs, the connector unit comprising:

a positioning member that has a plurality of plug insertion holes for arranging and positioning the plurality of optical fiber plugs; and

an adapter that has a plurality of plug guide holes for guiding tip ends of the plurality of optical fiber plugs positioned by the positioning member along an inserted and connected direction of the optical fiber plugs to connect with the optical fiber plugs, and arms which are formed in the plug guide holes and removably engage the optical fiber plugs,

wherein the plurality of plug insertion holes is provided with a connection releasing portion for dividing the plurality of optical fiber plugs into a plurality of optical fiber groups and for changing a timing of releasing connections of the optical fiber plugs from the adapter for each of the plurality of optical fiber plug groups.

2. The connector unit of claim 1, further comprising:

a guide portion for guiding the positioning member with respect to the adapter and aligning the tip ends of the plurality of optical fiber plugs in the plug guide holes of the adapter respectively.

3. The connector unit of claim 2,

wherein the guide portion has a plurality of guide pins that are provided in the positioning member and guide holes that are provided in the adapter to insert the guide pins therein.

4. The connector unit of claim 2,

wherein the guide portion has a first protrusion that is formed in one end of the positioning member, a second protrusion that is formed in the other end of the positioning member, a first receiving portion that is formed in the adapter to fit the first protrusion of the positioning member along the connection direction and position the first protrusion, and a second receiving portion that is formed in the adapter to fit the second protrusion of the positioning member along the connection direction and position the second protrusion.

5. The connector unit of claim 2,

wherein the guide portion has a guide fixing portion for removably fixing the positioning member to the adapter.

6. The connector unit of claim 2,

wherein the positioning member is positioned with respect to the adapter by the guide portion, before the tip ends of the optical fiber plugs start to be inserted into the plug guide holes of the adapter.

7. The connector unit of claim 1,

wherein each of the optical fiber plugs has a plug frame that holds an optical fiber ferrule and a slider that is disposed slidably with respect to the plug frame,

the slider has a latch portion, and

grooves are formed in the plug insertion holes, such that the latch portion is slidable along the connection direction and the optical fiber plugs are not pulled out from the plug insertion holes in a direction opposite to a direction where the optical fiber plugs are inserted into the plug insertion holes.

8. The connector unit of claim 7,

wherein the slider is provided with feather-shaped protrusions to prevent the slider from being pulled out from the side of the connection direction of the positioning member.

9. The connector unit of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of optical fiber plug groups have at least a first optical fiber plug group and a second optical fiber plug group,

the connection releasing portion has positioning surface portions that are engaged with feather-shaped protrusions to move the optical fiber plugs in a direction opposite to the inserted and connected direction through the sliders, and

the positioning surface portions have at least a first positioning surface portion that determines the engagement position of the first optical fiber plug group and a second positioning surface portion that determines the engagement position of the second optical fiber plug group, and the first positioning surface portion and the second positioning surface portion are formed at the predetermined distance in the connection direction.