Fiber Optic Connectors

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector comprising a housing, a core tube, and a stopper. The housing has a window. The core tube is rotatably disposed within the housing. The core tube has a gear structure, with a portion of the gear structure exposed from the housing through the window. The stopper comprises a rack structure, which is detachably assembled to the window to shield the core tube. The rack structure engages with the gear structure to prevent the core tube from rotating.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, and in particular to an optical fiber connector. Background Art

[0002] Due to its advantages of high bandwidth and low loss, optical fiber has been widely used as a signal transmission medium in recent years. As a result, with the expansion of optical communication network technology, wide area networks such as the Internet and intranets have become popular, and communication traffic has also increased.

[0003] Generally speaking, a common fiber optic connector is composed of a female adapter and a male fiber optic connector. The female adapter is installed in the electronic device. When the male fiber optic connector is inserted into the female adapter, a connection relationship is formed, thereby achieving the purpose of both fixing and data transmission.

[0004] However, the concentricity between the connector housing and the optical fiber inside can vary due to manufacturing or assembly tolerances. Consequently, when both male fiber optic connectors are simultaneously inserted into the female adapter, the optical fibers inside the male fiber optic connectors may not be fully aligned, resulting in optical signal loss.

[0005] Therefore, how to improve the accuracy of docking is a problem that relevant technicians need to think about and overcome. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention provides an optical fiber connector which provides an adjustment mechanism for a core tube to improve optical fiber transmission efficiency.

[0007] The optical fiber connector of the present invention comprises a housing, a core tube, and a stopper. The housing has a window. The core tube is rotatably disposed within the housing. The core tube has a gear structure, with a portion of the gear structure exposed from the housing through the window. The stopper comprises a rack structure, which is detachably assembled to the window to shield the core tube. The rack structure engages with the gear structure to prevent the core tube from rotating.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the core tube comprises a tube body and the gear structure. The tube body is rotatably disposed in the housing around an axis, and the gear structure is sleeved outside the tube body and surrounds the axis.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the tube is made of ceramic, and the gear structure is made of metal.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the stopper comprises a plate body, the rack structure is disposed on the plate body, and the plate body is filled with a window so that the rack structure and the gear structure engage with each other.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the stopper further comprises a latch extending from a side edge of the plate, and the window comprises a main opening and a latch slot extending from the main opening. A portion of the gear structure is exposed from the main opening to the housing and is shielded by the plate, and the latch locks into the latch slot.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes a front housing and a rear housing, the core tube is assembled between the front housing and the rear housing by an axis, and the optical fiber connector further includes a spring abutting between the core tube and the rear housing.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the core tube includes a tube body and the gear structure. The spring is sleeved on a portion of the tube body and abuts between the gear structure and the rear housing.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the optical fiber connector further comprises an extension core tube disposed on the rear shell and sleeved on the tube body, and a spring is sleeved on a portion of the tube body and the extension core tube.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the front housing further comprises a stopper, and the gear structure is abutted between the spring and the stopper.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the optical fiber connector is an LC (Lucent Connector) optical fiber connector.

[0017] Based on the above, since the optical fiber connector is provided with a gear structure on its core tube to allow the core tube and the gear structure to rotate synchronously, and the window of the housing exposes a portion of the gear structure, the user can adjust the docking degree of the two optical fiber connectors by turning the exposed gear structure when docking the optical fiber connector with another optical fiber connector. Once the adjustment is completed, the stopper can be assembled into the window of the housing so that the rack structure of the stopper engages with the gear structure, thereby smoothly blocking the rotation of the core tube. Accordingly, when docking two optical fiber connectors, the user can use the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism to achieve better docking accuracy for the optical fiber connectors, thereby reducing the attenuation and loss during optical signal transmission. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical fiber connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Exploded diagram of the fiber optic connector;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the assembly of the optical fiber connector;

[0021] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of a fiber optic connector.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] 100: Fiber optic connector, 110: Front shell, 111: Inner space, 112: Window, 112a: Main opening, 112b: Slot, 113: Hole, 114: Stopper, 120: Rear shell, 121: Protrusion, 130: Core tube, 131: Tube body, 132: Gear structure, 140: Spring, 150: Extended core tube, 160: Stopper, 161: Rack structure, 162: Plate body, 163: Column, 170: Protective assembly, 171: Front sleeve, 172: Rear sleeve, E1, E2: Ends, H1: Shell, L1: Shaft. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical fiber connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Please also refer to the exploded view of the fiber optic connector. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the optical fiber connector 100, such as an LC (Lucent Connector) optical fiber connector, comprises a housing H1, a core tube 130, and a stopper 160. The housing H1 of this embodiment includes a front housing 110 and a rear housing 120 assembled together about an axis L1. The locking holes 113 of the front housing 110 and the protrusions 121 of the rear housing 120 interlock to complete the assembly of the front and rear housings 110 and 120. The front housing 110 has a window 112. The core tube 130 is rotatably disposed within the housing H1 about the axis L1 and is substantially located in the space formed by the front and rear housings 110 and 120. The core tube 130 has a gear structure 132, a portion of which is exposed outside the housing H1 through the window 112. The stopper 160 has a rack structure 161 . The stopper 160 is detachably assembled to the window 112 to shield the core tube 130 . The rack structure 161 is engaged with the gear structure 132 to prevent the core tube 130 from rotating about the axis L1 .

[0025] Specifically, the core tube 130 includes a tube body 131 and a gear structure 132. The tube body 131 has two opposing ends E1 and E2 along an axis L1 and is rotatably disposed within the housing H1 about the axis L1. The gear structure 132 is sleeved around the tube body 132 and surrounds the axis L1. In this embodiment, the tube body 131 is made of ceramic, and the gear structure 132 is made of metal. The two are essentially joined together by a riveting process, thereby enabling the gear structure 132 and the tube body 131 to rotate synchronously about the axis L1.

[0026] Furthermore, the core tube 130 is positioned along axis L1 between the front housing 110 and the rear housing 120. The tube body 131 extends into the interior space 111 of the front housing 110, with its end E1 protruding from the interior space 111 of the front housing 110 and protected by a front sleeve 171 of the protective assembly 170. The optical fiber connector 100 also includes an extension core tube 150, which is disposed within the rear housing 120 and sleeved onto the end E2 of the tube body 131. Furthermore, an optical fiber fitting (not shown) is connected to the extension core tube 150 at the rear housing 120 facing away from the front housing 110. The rear sleeve 172 of the protective assembly 170 is disposed externally to protect the optical fiber core tube within.

[0027] In addition, the optical fiber connector 100 further includes a spring 140 that abuts between the core tube 130 and the rear shell 120. The spring 140 is disposed partially around the tube body 131 and the extension core tube 150. Specifically, the spring 140 is disposed partially around the tube body 131 having the end portion E2 and abuts between the gear structure 132 and the rear shell 120.

[0028] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the assembly of the optical fiber connector. Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Partial cross-sectional view of the optical fiber connector. Please also refer to Figures 2 to 4 In this embodiment, the stopper 160 includes a plate 162, with a rack structure 161 disposed on the plate 162. The plate 162 is configured to fit into the window 112 so that the rack structure 161 and the gear structure 132 mesh with each other. That is, because the core tube 130 is rotatably assembled within the housing H1 about the axis L1, and a portion of the gear structure 132 is exposed through the window 112 of the front housing 110, when the optical fiber connector 100 is docked with another optical fiber connector (or optical fiber adapter, not shown here), the end E1 of the core tube 130 will dock with the core tube of the other optical fiber connector (or optical fiber adapter). However, due to manufacturing tolerances, the core tubes of the docking optical fiber connectors may exhibit concentricity differences. Therefore, by partially exposing the gear structure 132 from the window 112, the user can rotate the core tube 130 by using a tool to move the exposed gear structure 132 during docking to achieve an adjustment effect. After the docked optical fiber connector reaches the required optical signal transmission efficiency, the stopper 160 is filled into the window 112 of the front shell 110, and the rack structure 161 of the stopper 160 and the gear structure 132 of the core tube 130 engage with each other, so that the core tube 130 can maintain the desired position.

[0029] It should be noted that the number of teeth on the gear structure 132 can be adjusted appropriately based on requirements. For example, to improve the docking accuracy of the optical fiber connector, the number of teeth on the gear structure 132 can be increased to increase the rotational accuracy of the core tube 130. This allows users to customize the optical fiber connector 100 based on their desired accuracy, thereby increasing the applicability of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0030] In this embodiment, the stopper 160 further includes a latch 163 extending from a side edge of the plate 162. The window 112 includes a main opening 112a and a latch slot 112b extending from the main opening 112a. A portion of the gear structure 132 is exposed from the housing H1 through the main opening 112a and shielded by the plate 162. Simultaneously, the latch 163 engages with the latch slot 112b, securing the stopper 160 to the front housing 110 of the housing H1 and maintaining its engagement with the gear structure 132.

[0031] In addition, if Figure 4 As shown, the front housing 110 further includes a stopper 114, and the gear structure 132 is abutted between the spring 140 and the stopper 114. Here, the elastic force of the spring 140 constantly drives the gear structure 132 toward the mating direction of the optical fiber connector 100 (in the direction of the Figure 4 The gear structure 132 is toward the right side in the middle), and the gear structure 132 is driven by the spring 140 to abut against the stop portion 140, so as to ensure that when the user uses a tool to move the gear structure 132 to adjust the core tube 130, the gear structure 132 abuts against the stop portion 114, so that the core tube 130 will not be displaced along the axis L1 and affect the result of the user's adjustment of the angle of the core tube 130.

[0032] In summary, in the above-mentioned embodiment of the present invention, since the optical fiber connector is provided with a gear structure on its core tube so that the core tube and the gear structure are in a synchronous rotation state, and the gear structure is partially exposed through the window of the shell, the user can adjust the docking degree of the two optical fiber connectors by turning the exposed gear structure when docking the optical fiber connector with another optical fiber connector. Once the adjustment is completed, the stopper can be assembled in the window of the shell so that the rack structure of the stopper is engaged with the gear structure, thereby smoothly blocking the rotation of the core tube. Accordingly, when docking two optical fiber connectors, the user can use the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism to make the optical fiber connector have better docking accuracy, thereby reducing the attenuation and loss during optical signal transmission. At the same time, the user can also provide corresponding optical fiber connectors according to the accuracy requirements, thereby also improving the scope of application of the optical fiber connector.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that: a housing having a window; a core tube rotatably disposed within the housing, the core tube having a gear structure, a portion of the gear structure being exposed from the housing through the window. When the optical fiber connector is mated with another optical fiber connector, the core tube is rotated by moving the exposed gear structure to adjust the mating degree of the two optical fiber connectors; as well as A stopper has a rack structure. The stopper is detachably assembled on the window to shield the core tube, and the rack structure is engaged with the gear structure to prevent the core tube from rotating.

2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The core tube includes a tube body and the gear structure. The tube body is rotatably disposed in the housing with an axis, and the gear structure is sleeved outside the tube body and surrounds the axis.

3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 2, wherein: The material of the tube body is ceramic, and the material of the gear structure is metal.

4. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The stopper includes a plate body, the rack structure is arranged on the plate body, and the plate body fills the window so that the rack structure and the gear structure are engaged with each other.

5. The optical fiber connector according to claim 4, wherein: The stopper also has a latch extending from the side edge of the plate, and the window has a main opening and a latch groove extending from the main opening. A portion of the gear structure is exposed from the main opening to the shell and is shielded by the plate, and the latch is snapped into the latch groove.

6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The housing comprises a front housing and a rear housing. The core tube is assembled between the front housing and the rear housing along an axis. The optical fiber connector further comprises a spring abutting between the core tube and the rear housing.

7. The optical fiber connector according to claim 6, wherein: The core tube includes a tube body and the gear structure. The spring is sleeved on a part of the tube body and abuts between the gear structure and the rear shell.

8. The optical fiber connector according to claim 7, wherein: It further comprises an extension core tube which is arranged on the rear shell and sleeved on the tube body. The spring is sleeved on a part of the tube body and the extension core tube.

9. The optical fiber connector according to claim 6, wherein: The front shell further has a stop portion, and the gear structure is abutted between the spring and the stop portion.

10. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The optical fiber connector is an LC type optical fiber connector.

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