Fiber optic mount for mounting a large number of fiber optic cables, housing part with a fiber optic mount and use of a housing part

Abstract

A fiber optic receptacle (110) for mounting a plurality of fiber optics (200) inside a housing part (100), comprising a plurality of light baffles (112), wherein the plurality of light baffles (112) is configured to arrange the plurality of fiber optics (200), which are mechanically coupled to one another by means of a bridge (200b), in spaces between two light baffles (112) of the plurality of light baffles, and to optically decouple spatially adjacent fiber optics (200a) from one another by means of the respective light baffle (112), wherein the plurality of light baffles (112) are integrated components of the housing part (100), characterized in that a discharge barrier (120) connecting the two light baffles (112) is arranged between each pair of light baffles (112), which is configured toto extend a distance from the respective opening (116) in the housing part (100) to an entry window (200c) of a respective mounted light guide (200a) in order to reduce electrostatic effects.

Description

State of the art

[0001] LED light guides in an electronic device enclosure must be protected from optical crosstalk between different light guide elements. The standard solution is to install an additional opaque plastic component that partially or completely covers the light guide to prevent this crosstalk. Such plastic components can be designed to increase air and creepage distances between the through-holes of an LED light guide exit and electronics on the inner circuit board of a device enclosure, thus preventing unwanted electrostatic discharge (ESD).

[0002] US Patent 2011 / 0141732 A1 describes an electronic device comprising multiple light sources and a lens assembly. This lens assembly consists of several light-guiding lenses, each with a light-receiving and a light-emitting surface. The light-receiving surfaces of the lenses are positioned so that they are directly connected to the light sources to efficiently transmit the emitted light. Between the light-guiding lenses is a light-shielding element, which is taller than the light-receiving surfaces to prevent unwanted light scattering. A transparent connector couples the light-guiding lenses and is positioned closer to the light-emitting surfaces. The lenses and the connector can be made of a single resin material, simplifying manufacturing.

[0003] GB 2464963 A describes a display for electronic devices that incorporates a variety of light-emitting components, in particular light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These components are mounted at a primary location, while light guides are used to direct the light to a secondary, offset location. The light guides are curved, allowing for a more flexible component arrangement and eliminating the need for a direct light path between the LEDs and the housing surface. Furthermore, the light guides are designed with a diffuser surface to ensure uniform light distribution. A screen is provided to prevent light coupling between adjacent light guides, thus improving the safety and usability of the display.

[0004] US patent 2008 / 0137361 A1 discloses a light guide structure consisting of multiple light guides, connecting sections, and a mounting base. A section designed to be destroyed is located between the connecting sections and can be separated by a destructive structure in the mounting base. This destructive structure, consisting, for example, of a sharp object or a notch, allows the section to be separated under external pressure. This interrupts the transmission of light waves through the connecting sections, preventing mutual interference. The light guides are attached to the mounting base by means of bumps or plug-in structures, which ensures the reliability of the assembly even if the connecting sections are destroyed.

[0005] JP H11-24608 A describes an LED display device whose display area is oriented at a right angle to the surface of the printed circuit board. In the display device, two or more LEDs are mounted on the printed circuit board in a substantially straight line, and the light from the LEDs is directed to the LED display area to form a substantially concentric arc. The LED display device comprises two or more light guide tubes formed from transparent resin with different radii on the same plane, and a light guide element formed from a connecting element that joins the two or more light guide tubes. Description

[0006] Such an additional plastic part can cause additional tooling costs, part costs, and additional costs due to an extra assembly step in production.

[0007] According to aspects of the invention, a fiber optic receptacle for mounting a plurality of fiber optics inside a housing part, a housing part with a fiber optic receptacle, and a use of a housing part according to the features of the independent claims are proposed. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.

[0008] According to one aspect, a fiber optic mounting is proposed for the installation of a plurality of fiber optic cables inside a housing part, with a plurality of light baffles, wherein the plurality of light baffles is arranged to arrange the plurality of fiber optic cables, which are mechanically coupled to each other by means of a bridge, in spaces between two light baffles of the plurality of light baffles, and to optically decouple spatially adjacent fiber optic cables from each other by means of the respective light baffle, wherein the plurality of light baffles are integrated components of the housing part.

[0009] The multitude of light baffles in the fiber optic receptacle, which are integrally connected and integrated with the fiber optic receptacle, enables easy assembly of the multiple fiber optic cables, since in particular two light baffles of the multiple light baffles form a chamber for the respective fiber optic cable of the multiple fiber optic cables and thus guide the assembly multiple times, preventing incorrect insertion and also allowing for precise positioning of the multiple fiber optic cables.

[0010] Between each pair of light barriers, a discharge barrier connecting the two light barriers is arranged, which is designed to extend a distance from the respective opening in the housing part to an entry window of a mounted light guide in order to reduce electrostatic effects.

[0011] The discharge barrier, which connects each pair of light barriers in the fiber optic receptacle, can be configured to extend the path for electrical or electrostatic breakdown from the respective breakthrough opening in the fiber optic receptacle and the housing to the entry window of a mounted fiber optic cable. This is because the shape of one of the fiber optic cables can correspond to a base surface of the fiber optic receptacle, resulting in a longer path for electrical or electrostatic breakdown current when the correspondingly shaped fiber optic cable is mounted. In other words, the shape of the fiber optic receptacle with the discharge barrier on a base surface of the fiber optic receptacle extends the shortest path for equalizing electric fields once a correspondingly shaped fiber optic cable is mounted.The integrated electrostatic discharge barrier (ESB) increases the air and creepage distances to prevent electrostatic discharge from the device user at the LED exit point at the through-hole on the housing part onto light-emitting elements (LEDs) on an electronic circuit board inside the housing part.

[0012] Advantageously, this can be achieved with the described light guide mount without additional plastic parts.

[0013] Advantageously, the fiber optic mounting thus fulfills the task of both accommodating the numerous fiber optic cables in the upper part of the housing and optically decoupling them from one another. Each of the numerous light barriers therefore positions individual fiber optic cables during assembly.

[0014] Advantageously, the multiple light barriers each form an optically decoupling partition, which can be an integral, one-piece component of the light guide receptacle and / or an integral, one-piece component of the housing. In other words, each light barrier prevents crosstalk between adjacent light guides within the multiple light guides, without the need for a separate plastic component to be mounted and / or placed within the housing.

[0015] In particular, the fiber optic receiver can be integrally connected to the housing part in one piece.

[0016] Preferably, the light guide assembly is configured to arrange the plurality of light guides between adjacent light barriers, wherein the plurality of light guides is configured to redirect light, in particular at right angles. Each light guide of the plurality of light guides can be provided with an entry window and an exit window in order to redirect the light entering the respective light guide at the entry window at right angles by means of a reflective surface of the respective light guide.

[0017] Preferably, each of the light baffles of the plurality of light baffles has a recess that at least partially encompasses the web in order to define the position of the web of the plurality of light guides. The recess of the respective web can be U-shaped to at least partially encompass the mounted web.

[0018] Preferably, the respective light bulkheads of the plurality of light bulkheads have an angled entry element to support the mounting of the plurality of light guides at a designated position.

[0019] Advantageously, at least one angled insertion element of the respective light barrier allows for self-adjustment of the bridge of the multitude of light guides during the installation of the multitude of light guides.

[0020] Preferably, the light guide receptacle has a through-hole for each of the plurality of light guides, which is designed to receive the respective light guide and to couple it optically to an outside of the housing part.

[0021] The respective opening for the light guide holder can be created by a corresponding opening in the housing part. Advantageously, the insertion of the respective light guide into the opening ensures its positioning within the light guide holder.

[0022] The opening in the housing part is particularly preferably shaped with a conical taper to allow for self-adjustment during the installation of the respective light guide in the opening.

[0023] This advantageously supports the assembly of the numerous light guides in order to correctly position each light guide for coupling to an exterior part of the housing.

[0024] Preferably, the light guide receptacle is equipped by means of a snap-hook receptacle, to receive a snap-hook of the plurality of light guides which are mechanically coupled with a bridge, for locking the plurality of light guides.

[0025] The locking hook mechanism allows the multitude of light guides to be securely locked in the housing part, in order to mount circuit boards in the housing part, which can be rotated into suitable positions without the multitude of light guides leaving their intended position.

[0026] Preferably, the optical fiber receptacle is equipped with at least one groove to accommodate at least one adjusting pin, which is mechanically coupled to the plurality of optical fibers for adjusting the plurality of optical fibers. This groove allows for easy adjustment of a plurality of optical fibers during assembly into the optical fiber receptacle.

[0027] A housing part with a light guide receptacle described above is proposed, wherein a multitude of light baffles of the light guide receptacle are integrally integrated into the housing part.

[0028] A housing part with one of the above-described light guide receptacles is proposed, wherein the entire light guide receptacle is integrated into the housing part in one piece.

[0029] Because the light barriers and / or the light guide receptacle are integrated into the housing part as a single piece, additional assembly and / or manufacturing effort for the respective parts is eliminated.

[0030] It is proposed to use a housing component described above for mounting a programmable logic controller (PLC) in a housing with the housing component, wherein the housing component is configured to accommodate a first printed circuit board (PCB) configured to be optically coupled to a light guide. Advantageously, a plurality of light guides can be easily mounted and locked in the housing component using the described housing component, thus simplifying the mounting and coupling of the PCB, which is configured to be optically coupled to at least one light guide, to the plurality of light guides. Examples of implementation

[0031] The following figures further illustrate the points made. They show Fig. 1 a fiber optic recording; Fig. 2 a cross-section through a housing with a light guide in a light guide receptacle; Fig. 3. A fiber optic receiver with a mounted plurality of fiber optic cables; and Fig. 4 a housing part with a light guide receptacle and a mounted plurality of light guides.

[0032] The Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows an isometric representation of three light bulkheads 112 of the light guide receptacle 110 of a housing part 100, wherein the respective light bulkheads 112 each have a recess 113 to accommodate a web 200b ( Fig. 3) a coupled plurality of respective optical fibers 200a ( Fig. 4) to be fixed in a position in the housing part 100, wherein the recess 113 of the respective light baffles 112 is configured to at least partially encompass the web 200b. The respective light baffle 112 is equipped with a chamfered insertion element 114 to facilitate the mounting of the plurality of light guides 200 at the intended position of the light guide receptacle 110 by allowing the chamfered shape to self-adjust the insertion of the web 200b into the respective recess 113. Furthermore, the light guide receptacle 110 for the respective light guide 200a has through-holes 116 in the housing part 100 to accommodate portions of the respective light guide 200a of the plurality of light guides 200 and to optically couple them to an outer surface of the housing part 100.The opening 116 in the housing part 100 is provided with a conical taper 118 to achieve self-adjustment of the respective light guide 200a when mounting the plurality of light guides 200 at the respective opening 116.

[0033] Between each pair of light barriers 112 of the light guide receptacle 110, a discharge barrier 120 connecting the two light barriers 112 is arranged to extend a distance 130 from the respective opening 116 in the housing part 100 to an entry window of a respective mounted light guide 200a in order to reduce electrostatic effects, such as in particular an electrical discharge between an exterior area of ​​the housing part 100 and electronics to be protected, for example on a circuit board 210, inside the housing part.

[0034] The Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows a cross-section through the housing part 100 with a light guide receptacle 110 in which a plurality of light guides 200 are mounted, and a circuit board 210 which is mounted in the housing part 100.

[0035] The circuit board 210 has at least one light-emitting diode 212 (LED) which is arranged and configured in the housing part 100 with the circuit board 210 to interact with a light guide 200a, i.e., a light guide element 200a, or the plurality of light guides 200 at the entry window 200c of the light guide 200a, in order to couple optically with an exterior area of ​​the housing part 100. Furthermore, it is shown that the light guide receptacle 110 has an opening 220 which corresponds to a locking hook 220a of the plurality of coupled light guides 200 in order to lock the plurality of light guides 200 in the light guide receptacle 110.

[0036] In the cross-sectional view of the Fig. Figure 2 illustrates how the discharge barrier 120, which is arranged between each pair of light barriers 112 of the light guide receptacle 110 and integrally connects the two light barriers 112, extends a distance 130 between the respective opening 116 in the housing part 100 and the entry window 200c of a light guide 200a of the plurality of light guides 200 when the respective light guide 200a is mounted in the light guide receptacle 100. By extending this distance 130, it is possible to protect electronics requiring protection, for example on a printed circuit board 210, within the housing part from electrostatic discharge. This is because a higher voltage would be required for an electrical discharge over a longer distance 130.

[0037] The Fig. Figure 3 schematically shows an isometric representation of the optical fiber receptacle 110 of the housing part 100, in which the plurality of optical fibers 200 are inserted. The individual optical fibers 200a, which are mechanically coupled to the bridge 200b, are optically decoupled from each other by the light baffle 112. The light baffles 112 are provided by means of angled insertion elements 114 to facilitate the insertion of the plurality of optical fibers 200. The figure also shows how a locking hook 220a of the plurality of coupled optical fibers 200 is engaged in a corresponding opening in the optical fiber receptacle 110 of the housing part 100.

[0038] The Fig. Figure 4 schematically shows an isometric representation of the interior of the housing part 100 with the light guide receptacle 110 for the plurality of light guides 200 with corresponding openings for the described locking hooks 220a of the plurality of light guides 200 and recesses 410 that correspond to adjustment tabs 410 of the plurality of light guides 200 in order to receive the adjustment tabs 410 during the assembly of the plurality of light guides 200. In the Fig. 4 is a large number of light guides 200 mounted in the light guide receptacle 110 of the housing part 100.

Claims

[1] Optical fiber receptacle (110) for mounting a plurality of optical fibers (200) inside a housing part (100), having a plurality of light bulkheads (112), wherein the plurality of light bulkheads (112) is configured to arrange the plurality of optical fibers (200), which are mechanically coupled to one another by means of a web (200b), in spaces between two light bulkheads (112) of the plurality of light bulkheads and to optically decouple spatially adjacent optical fibers (200a) from one another by means of the respective light bulkhead (112), wherein the plurality of light bulkheads (112) are integrated components of the housing part (100), characterized bythat between each two light bulkheads (112) there is arranged a discharge barrier (120) connecting the two light bulkheads (112), which is designed to extend a distance from the respective breakthrough opening (116) in the housing part (100) to an entry window (200c) of a respective mounted light guide (200a) in order to reduce electrostatic effects. [2] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to the preceding claim, which is configured to arrange the plurality of optical fibers (200) between respectively adjacent light bulkheads (112), wherein the plurality of optical fibers (200) is configured to redirect light, in particular at right angles. [3] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective light bulkheads (112) have a recess (113) which is configured to at least partially encompass the web (200b) in each case in order to determine a position of the web (200b) of the plurality of optical fibers (200). [4] The light guide receptacle (110) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the respective light bulkheads (112) include a tapered insertion member (114) to assist in mounting the plurality of light guides (200) at a designated position. [5] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a through-opening (116) for each of the plurality of optical fibers (200) which is configured to receive the respective optical fiber (200a) and to optically couple it to an outer side of the housing part (100). [6] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to claim 5, wherein the through-opening (116, 118) in the housing part (100) is conically tapered for self-alignment during assembly of the respective optical fiber (200a) in the respective through-opening. [7] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to one of the preceding claims, which is arranged by means of a latching hook receptacle (220) to receive a latching hook (220a) of the plurality of optical fibers (200) which are mechanically coupled to the web (200b) in a latching manner for locking the plurality of optical fibers (200). [8] Optical fiber receptacle (110) according to one of the preceding claims, which is arranged by means of at least one groove (410) to receive at least one adjusting pin which is mechanically coupled to the plurality of optical fibers (200) for adjusting the plurality of optical fibers (200). [9] Housing part (100) with a light guide receptacle (110) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of light bulkheads (112) of the light guide receptacle (110) are integrally integrated into the housing part (100). [10] Use of a housing part (100) according to claim 9, for mounting a stored-program controller in a housing, wherein the housing part (110) is adapted to receive a first printed circuit board (210) which is adapted to be optically coupled to a light guide (200a).

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