A photoelectric composite optical fiber connector

Abstract

The present invention mainly relates to the field of optical fiber connectors, and in particular to an optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector, comprising: a conductive sheet having a contact portion, a connecting portion, and an inserting portion; a rear inner shell and a front inner shell. The rear inner shell is provided with an inserting cavity that cooperates with the inserting portion, and a groove portion that communicates with the inserting cavity is provided near the tail of the rear inner shell; a relief portion for accommodating the connecting portion is provided at the joint between the front inner shell and the rear inner shell, the relief portion connects the inserting cavity with the outside and guides the inserting cavity to the supporting portion; when the inserting portion of the conductive sheet is inserted into the inserting cavity, at least a portion of the inserting portion enters the groove portion from the inserting cavity, the inserting portion located in the groove portion is electrically connected to the cable, and when the front inner shell and the rear inner shell are combined, the contact portion of the conductive sheet is guided to the supporting portion through the relief portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to the field of optical fiber connectors, and in particular to an optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector. Background Art

[0002] With the development of 5G technology, more and more 5G base stations need to be deployed, and each of these base stations requires power supply. For this reason, optoelectronic composite cables have emerged. To facilitate the integration of optoelectronic composite cables with optical fiber connectors, the current approach is to configure conductive bars on top of existing optical fiber connectors to achieve optoelectronic integration. However, this structure is bulky.

[0003] Prior art, such as patent application number 201911344083.5, entitled Connector Assembly and Optoelectronic Composite Connector, discloses an optoelectronic composite connector, characterized in that it includes a front shell, a rear shell, an optical fiber, a cable, and a conductive terminal. The front shell is provided with a through-slot axially extending through the front shell, and the inner wall of the through-slot is provided with a first groove connected to the through-slot. The rear shell includes a main body and a clamping portion connected to one end of the main body. The clamping portion is provided with a first channel axially extending through the clamping portion. The outer surface of the clamping portion is provided with a second groove axially. The clamping portion is located in the through-slot. The first groove and the second groove are connected to form an accommodating space. The end of the through-slot away from the main body is an optical port. The front shell is provided with an opening connecting the accommodating space with the outside world. The conductive terminal is accommodated in the opening, and the conductive terminal forms an electrical port. The optical fiber passes through the main body and extends along the first channel to the optical port. The cable passes through the main body and is fixedly accommodated in the accommodating space. The cable is electrically connected to the conductive terminal. The solution of this patent is to provide a channel for accommodating the conductive terminal, that is, the conductive sheet, inside the connector. Such a structure is complex, inconvenient to install, and has a high production cost. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides an optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector, which is implemented by the following technical solutions:

[0005] An optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector, comprising:

[0006] a conductive sheet having a contact portion, a connecting portion, and an inserting portion, wherein the contact portion is used to make electrical contact with an external device, and the connecting portion is provided between the contact portion and the inserting portion;

[0007] A ceramic ferrule assembly having an optical interface, wherein the ceramic ferrule assembly is used to fix the optical fiber;

[0008] A front inner shell and a rear inner shell, each of which is configured with a through inner cavity; the ceramic ferrule assembly is configured in the inner cavity of the front inner shell, and the optical interface extends from the front end of the front inner shell; the front end of the rear inner shell is provided with an extension portion, and the front inner shell is fixed to the extension portion by a clamping portion;

[0009] The surface of the front inner shell is provided with a bearing portion for carrying the contact portion; the rear inner shell is provided with an insertion cavity that cooperates with the insertion portion, and a groove portion that communicates with the insertion cavity is provided near the tail of the rear inner shell; a relief portion for accommodating the connecting portion is provided at the joint between the front inner shell and the rear inner shell, the relief portion connects the insertion cavity with the outside and guides the insertion cavity to the bearing portion;

[0010] When the insertion portion of the conductive sheet is inserted into the insertion cavity, at least a portion of the insertion portion enters the groove portion from the insertion cavity, the insertion portion located in the groove portion is electrically connected to the cable, and when the front inner shell and the rear inner shell are combined, the insertion portion is guided to the contact portion through the connecting portion in the avoidance portion.

[0011] Preferably, the extension portion is inserted into the inner cavity of the front inner shell and extends into a portion of the inner cavity of the front inner shell.

[0012] Preferably, the surfaces on which the contact portion and the insertion portion are located are parallel to each other.

[0013] Preferably, two conductive sheets are provided and the main bodies of the conductive sheets are arranged on the same side of the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell;

[0014] The contact portion is arranged on the same surface as the conductive sheet main body, or the contact portion is arranged on a side surface adjacent to the conductive sheet main body.

[0015] Preferably, two conductive sheets are provided and are respectively arranged on both sides of the inner shell.

[0016] Preferably, the insertion cavity and the groove portion are correspondingly arranged on both sides of the inner shell.

[0017] Preferably, the device further comprises an outer shell, which is sleeved on the inner shell and can move back and forth, and the outer shell is provided with an opening allowing the contact portion to communicate with the outside.

[0018] Preferably, the tail of the rear inner shell is provided with an extension portion, and the extension portion is provided with a connecting groove, which is connected to the groove portion from the tail of the rear inner shell, and is used to accommodate a cable electrically connected to the insertion portion in the groove portion.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector provided by the present invention has a rear inner shell provided with an insertion cavity and a groove portion. The insertion portion of the conductive sheet can extend into the groove portion after being inserted into the insertion cavity. The cable can be electrically connected to the conductive sheet in the groove portion. The protrusion or joint formed by the electrical connection is accommodated in the groove portion, and the contact portion of the conductive sheet is led out from the gap between the front inner shell and the rear inner shell. The overall structure and assembly are simple and convenient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the conductive sheet of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the front inner housing of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention from a rear perspective;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of the front inner housing of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention when the front inner housing is equipped with a conductive sheet;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the rear inner housing of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention from a front side perspective;

[0027] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the structure of the rear inner shell of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the rear inner housing of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention from a front perspective;

[0029] Figure 9 The rear inner shell of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention is Figure 8 The schematic diagram of the top cross-sectional structure with AA direction as the tangent;

[0030] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the structure of the rear inner housing of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention from a top view;

[0031] Figure 11 The rear inner shell of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention is Figure 10Schematic diagram of the side cross-section structure with the BB direction as the tangent;

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic structural diagram of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention in an assembled state;

[0033] Figure 13 This is a schematic structural diagram of the optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector of the present invention, in which the contact portion of the conductive sheet is located on the side;

[0034] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1 conductive sheet, 2 contact portion, 3 connecting portion, 4 inserting portion, 5 ceramic ferrule assembly, 6 front inner shell, 7 rear inner shell, 8 limit block, 9 inner cavity, 10 extension portion, 11 protrusion, 12 bayonet, 13 notch, 14 bearing portion, 15 inserting cavity, 16 groove portion, 17 avoidance portion, 18 extension portion, 19 connecting groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0036] An optoelectronic composite cable is a composite cable containing both electrical and optical fibers. Typically, two electrical cables are used, one for the positive and one for the negative terminals of a power source. The optical cables contain optical fibers for optical communication. A power source is typically located at one end of the cable, with the positive and negative terminals of the power source electrically connected to the two optical cables, transmitting electrical energy to the optoelectronic composite fiber connector. Simultaneously, the optical fibers at one end of the cable transmit optical signals to optical equipment, with the signals then being transmitted to the optoelectronic composite fiber connector.

[0037] An optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector, such as Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 Shown include:

[0038] Conductive sheet 1, comprising a contact portion 2, a connecting portion 3, and an insertion portion 4. The contact portion 2 is used to establish electrical contact with an external device, and the connecting portion 3 is disposed between the contact portion 2 and the insertion portion 3. The conductive sheet 1 can be made from a single copper sheet, ensuring that the contact portion 2 has sufficient contact area, while the insertion portion 4 has sufficient area for welding or crimping with the cable. The surfaces of the contact portion 2 and the insertion portion 4 are parallel to each other, i.e., they are at different heights. Therefore, when the conductive sheet 1 is bent into shape, a connecting portion 3 is naturally formed connecting the two. The external device can be an adapter, a connector, or a power supply, etc.

[0039] The ceramic ferrule assembly 5 has an optical interface and is used to secure the optical fiber. This structure is essentially the same as that of the prior art. Specifically, the ceramic ferrule assembly 5 primarily comprises a ceramic ferrule, a base, and a spring. The base is secured to the ceramic ferrule, which secures the optical fiber with glue. The fiber end is secured to the port of the ceramic ferrule, representing the optical interface used for communication with optical equipment. The base is equipped with several latches that engage with the stopper 8 at the front end of the front inner housing 6 to prevent the ceramic ferrule assembly from rotating. The spring and base cooperate to enable the ceramic ferrule to move back and forth, maintaining a certain pressure when the ceramic ferrule contacts the adapter or communication equipment, thereby ensuring stable optical fiber communication.

[0040] The front inner shell 6 and the rear inner shell 7 are both equipped with a through inner cavity 9. The ceramic ferrule assembly 5 is arranged in the inner cavity 9 of the front inner shell 6, and the optical interface extends from the front end of the front inner shell 6. The front end of the rear inner shell 7 is provided with an extension portion 10, and the front inner shell 6 is fixed to the extension portion 10 by a snap-fit portion. Specifically, the main body of the extension portion 10 is cylindrical, and its outer surface is provided with a protrusion 11. The portion of the front inner shell 6 near the rear end is provided with a snap-fit portion 12, so that the extension portion 10 can extend into the inner cavity 9 of the front inner shell 6 and be fixed by the snap-fit portion 12 and the protrusion 11. At the same time, the front inner shell 6 is provided with a notch 13 that allows a certain degree of elastic deformation at its rear end, making it easier for the front inner shell 6 to be inserted into the rear inner shell 7. The extension portion 10 extends into a portion of the inner cavity 9 of the front inner housing 6, so that the remaining portion of the inner cavity 9 of the front inner housing 6 near the front end accommodates the ceramic ferrule assembly 5. The inner cavity of the extension portion 10 forms an abutment for abutting the spring, so that the spring abuts within the inner cavity 9 of the extension portion 10. After the front inner housing 6 and the rear inner housing 7 are fixed together, since the inner cavity 9 is through-connected, the optical fiber in the optical fiber composite cable can be inserted from the rear end of the rear inner housing 7 and fixed to the ceramic ferrule, and finally extend out of the front end of the front inner housing 6.

[0041] like Figure 8 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the surface of the front inner shell 6 is provided with a bearing portion 14 for carrying the contact portion 2 of the conductive sheet 1. The contact portion 14 can be a raised platform or a surface flush with the front inner shell 6. The rear inner shell 7 is provided with an insertion cavity 15 that cooperates with the insertion portion 4 of the conductive sheet 1. The insertion cavity 15 is parallel to the inner cavity 9, and a groove portion 16 that is connected to the insertion cavity 15 is provided near the tail of the rear inner shell 7. An avoidance portion 17 for accommodating the connecting portion 3 is provided at the joint where the front inner shell 6 and the rear inner shell 7 are combined. The avoidance portion 17 connects the insertion cavity 15 with the outside and guides the insertion cavity 15 to the bearing portion 14. One insertion cavity 15 and one groove portion 16 correspond to one conductive sheet 1.

[0042] When the insertion portion 4 of the conductive sheet 1 is inserted into the insertion cavity 15, at least a portion of the insertion portion 4 enters the groove portion 16 from the insertion cavity 15. The insertion portion 4 located in the groove portion 16 is electrically connected to the cable. Since a protrusion or a joint portion is inevitably formed when the insertion portion 4 is electrically connected to the cable, the joint portion is thus received in the groove portion 16. When the front inner shell 6 and the rear inner shell 7 are combined, the insertion portion 4 of the conductive sheet 1 is guided to the contact portion 2 on the bearing portion 14 by the avoidance portion 17. When the rear end of the front inner shell 6 and the front end (non-extended portion 10) of the rear inner shell 7 are tightly fitted, the avoidance portion 17 can be a groove provided on the rear end face of the front inner shell 6 or the front end face of the rear inner shell 7, or grooves can be provided on both the rear end face of the front inner shell 6 and the front end face of the rear inner shell 7 to accommodate the connecting portion 3. The avoidance portion 17 may also be a gap left at the junction of the tail end of the front inner shell 6 and the rear inner shell 7 after the two are combined, that is, the two are not completely tightly attached, and the gap is the avoidance portion.

[0043] The rear end of the rear inner housing 7 is provided with an extension portion 18, and the extension portion 18 is provided with a connection groove 19. The connection groove 19 is connected to the groove portion 16 from the rear end of the rear inner housing 7. The connection groove 19 is used to receive a cable electrically connected to the insertion portion 4 in the groove portion 16. After the cable is located in the groove portion 16 and electrically connected to the insertion portion 4, as shown in FIG. Figure 12 As shown, the cable can be fixed to the extension portion 18 by inserting a metal fixing sleeve 20. The fixing sleeve 20 can be hexagonal or polygonal so that it is easier to insert and adapt to the cable on the extension portion 18. Finally, the extension portion 18 is wrapped with a tail sleeve 21.

[0044] A connector similar to an SC interface also includes an outer shell 22, which is mounted on the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell and can move forward and backward. The outer shell 22 is provided with an opening 23 that allows the contact portion 2 to communicate with the outside. The outer shell 22 can close the groove portion 16 at the top.

[0045] There are two conductive sheets 1 and the main body of the conductive sheet 1 is arranged on the same side of the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell 6 and the rear inner shell 7. The contact part 2 can be arranged on the same surface as the main body of the conductive sheet 1, or as shown in FIG. Figure 13 As shown, the contact portion 2 extends from the front end of the main body to both sides, so that the contact portion 2 is respectively arranged on the side adjacent to the main body of the conductive sheet 1, that is, on both sides of the inner shell. At the same time, the conductive sheet 1 can also be arranged on both sides of the inner shell, with the insertion cavity 15 and the groove portion 16 correspondingly arranged on both sides of the inner shell.

Claims

1. An optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector, characterized in that: include: a conductive sheet having a contact portion, a connecting portion, and an inserting portion, wherein the contact portion is used to make electrical contact with an external device, and the connecting portion is provided between the contact portion and the inserting portion; A ceramic ferrule assembly having an optical interface, wherein the ceramic ferrule assembly is used to fix the optical fiber; A front inner shell and a rear inner shell, each of which is configured with a through inner cavity; the ceramic ferrule assembly is configured in the inner cavity of the front inner shell, and the optical interface extends from the front end of the front inner shell; the front end of the rear inner shell is provided with an extension portion, and the front inner shell is fixed to the extension portion by a clamping portion; The surface of the front inner shell is provided with a bearing portion for carrying the contact portion; the rear inner shell is provided with an insertion cavity that cooperates with the insertion portion, and a groove portion that communicates with the insertion cavity is provided near the tail of the rear inner shell; a relief portion for accommodating the connecting portion is provided at the joint between the front inner shell and the rear inner shell, the relief portion connects the insertion cavity with the outside and guides the insertion cavity to the bearing portion; The surfaces of the contact portion and the insertion portion are parallel to each other. When the insertion portion of the conductive sheet is inserted into the insertion cavity, at least a portion of the insertion portion enters the groove portion from the insertion cavity. The insertion portion located in the groove portion is electrically connected to the cable, and when the front inner shell and the rear inner shell are combined, the insertion portion is guided to the contact portion through the connecting portion in the avoidance portion.

2. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The extension portion is inserted into the inner cavity of the front inner shell and extends into a portion of the inner cavity of the front inner shell.

3. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: Two conductive sheets are provided, and the main bodies of the conductive sheets are arranged on the same side of the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell; The contact portion is arranged on the same surface as the conductive sheet main body, or the contact portion is arranged on a side surface adjacent to the conductive sheet main body.

4. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: Two conductive sheets are provided and are respectively arranged on both sides of the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell.

5. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The insertion cavity and the groove portion are correspondingly arranged on both sides of the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell.

6. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The invention also includes an outer shell, which is sleeved on the inner shell formed by combining the front inner shell and the rear inner shell and can move forward and backward. The outer shell is provided with an opening allowing the contact part to communicate with the outside.

7. The optoelectronic composite optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The tail of the rear inner shell is provided with an extension portion, and the extension portion is provided with a connecting groove, which is connected with the groove portion from the tail of the rear inner shell and is used to receive a cable electrically connected to the insertion portion in the groove portion.

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