A connector

Abstract

The application relates to a connector, which comprises an inner shell and an outer shell, a ferrule is arranged in the inner cavity of the inner shell, an optical fiber is arranged in the ferrule, a positioning seat is arranged at the rear end of the ferrule, a pushing spring for providing a pushing force for the ferrule is arranged at the rear end of the positioning seat, a limiting seat for limiting the pushing spring in the inner shell is inserted at the rear end of the inner shell, at least two pushing springs are arranged in the inner cavity of the inner shell, an axis extending in the front-rear direction is arranged between the positioning seat and the limiting seat, the positioning seat and the limiting seat are relatively moved in the front-rear direction through the axis, clamping features for mounting the axis are arranged on the two sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat, and the pushing spring is sleeved on the corresponding axis, so that the pushing spring is mounted on the two sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat. In the application, the pushing spring is mounted on the two sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat through the axis and is not sleeved on the optical fiber, so that the assembly and disassembly of the connector are facilitated, and the technical problem that the pushing spring occupies the mounting space and cannot be dismounted from behind is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of connector technology, and specifically relates to an MPO fiber optic connector. Background Technology

[0002] With the unprecedented growth in data demand from communication networks such as 5G and data centers, the amount of data that equipment racks need to transmit simultaneously is increasing, which in turn places higher demands on the density of fiber optic networks. Traditional cabling and wiring methods cannot meet the needs of development. High-density multi-core MPO connectors play a key role in equipment interconnection, so the high reliability requirements of MPO connectors are crucial.

[0003] In the prior art, Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN202453542U discloses an optical fiber connector. The optical fiber connector includes a housing assembly, a ferrule assembly inserted into the housing assembly, and a retaining seat that holds the ferrule assembly in the housing assembly. The retaining seat is provided with a pair of cantilevers, and the cantilevers are provided with protruding barbs for locking between parts in the housing assembly. The cantilevers need to be elastically deformed during installation, but the deformation of the elastic arms can lead to problems such as buckle failure and cantilevers breakage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a connector to solve the technical problem in the prior art where the push spring occupies installation space and cannot be installed or removed later.

[0005] The objective of this invention and the technical problem it solves are achieved by the following technical solution. A connector according to this invention includes an inner shell and an outer shell movably sleeved on the inner shell in a front-to-back direction. A ferrule is provided in the inner cavity of the inner shell, and an optical fiber is installed inside the ferrule in a front-to-back direction. A positioning seat is provided at the rear end of the ferrule, and a push spring is provided at the rear end of the positioning seat to provide a forward pushing force to the ferrule. A limiting seat is inserted at the rear end of the inner shell to limit the push spring within the inner shell. At least two push springs are provided in the inner cavity of the inner shell. A shaft extending in a front-to-back direction is provided between the positioning seat and the limiting seat, and the positioning seat and the limiting seat move relative to each other via the shaft. Both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat have snap-fit ​​features for mounting the shaft. The push spring is sleeved on the corresponding shaft so that the push spring is mounted on both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat.

[0006] Furthermore, the snap-fit ​​feature is a snap-fit ​​groove that engages radially with the shaft. Both sides of the limiting seat are provided with movable spaces extending in the front-back direction. The movable spaces are located at the rear end of the corresponding side snap-fit ​​grooves on the limiting seat, and the movable spaces are interconnected with the corresponding side snap-fit ​​grooves on the limiting seat, so that the shaft can move back and forth in the movable spaces under the guidance of the snap-fit ​​grooves.

[0007] Furthermore, it also includes a rear housing, which has a connecting feature, and an inner housing, which has an adapter connecting feature. The connecting feature and the adapter connecting feature cooperate to allow the inner housing to be inserted into the rear housing in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear, and the rear housing abuts against the limiting seat to fix the limiting seat in the inner cavity.

[0008] Furthermore, the connecting feature is a groove provided on the rear housing, and the adapting connecting feature is a protrusion on both sides of the rear end of the inner housing. The protrusion is inserted into the groove in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear to realize the connection between the inner housing and the rear housing. The groove surface of the groove abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat to realize the axial limiting of the limiting seat.

[0009] Furthermore, the limiting seat is provided with an inner hole that runs through the front and rear direction for the optical fiber to pass through; the rear end of the limiting seat is provided with an inclined surface that plays a guiding role during the process of the inner shell and the limiting seat being installed together into the rear shell.

[0010] Furthermore, the rear end of the rear housing is provided with a support for inserting optical fibers.

[0011] Furthermore, the rear housing is provided with a support mounting groove, and the front end of the support is provided with a mounting protrusion. The support is radially inserted into the support mounting groove through the mounting protrusion.

[0012] Furthermore, the rear shell and the support are integrally formed to form an integral molded part; the integral molded part has an opening on its upper side, which is arranged to run through the front and rear direction, and the opening is used to allow the optical fiber to be inserted into the integral molded part in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the rear housing cover is provided with a cover plate for restricting the movement of the inner housing in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear.

[0014] Furthermore, the upper front end of the rear housing has a recessed feature, and the front end of the cover plate has a convex key feature. The convex key feature enters the recessed feature to achieve a limiting fit between the cover plate and the rear housing in the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The rear housing and the cover plate are locked and fixed by screws.

[0015] By means of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0016] 1. In the connector of the present invention, at least two push springs are provided in the inner cavity of the inner shell. The push springs are mounted on both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat by a shaft. The push springs are not sleeved on the optical fiber, but are distributed on both sides of the optical fiber, thereby facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the connector and solving the technical problem in the prior art that the push spring occupies the installation space and cannot be installed and removed later.

[0017] 2. The inner shell and rear shell of the connector of the present invention are connected and fitted radially by protrusions and grooves. Compared with the cantilever snap-fit ​​in the axial direction in the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention does not require the setting of a cantilever beam structure. The limiting seat is placed in the inner cavity of the inner shell and fixed by the rear shell. External forces are no longer transmitted to the limiting seat, which fundamentally solves the problems of snap failure and cantilever breakage.

[0018] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a connector embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a connector embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is another exploded view of a connector embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a limiting seat in a connector embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the fit between the rear housing and the support member in a connector embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rear shell and support member integrally formed in a connector embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

[0028] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structural cooperation of the positioning seat, the limiting seat, and the push spring in a second embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 12 This is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 13 This is an exploded view of a third embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

[0032] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the optical fiber and the cavity in a third embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of a limiting seat in a connector embodiment three of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the fit between the rear housing and the support member in a third embodiment of the connector of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 18 This is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

[0037] Figure 19 This is an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of a connector according to the present invention.

[0038] Figure 20 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of a limiting seat in a fourth embodiment of a connector according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The connector proposed in this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. If several specific embodiments of the connector exist, features in these embodiments can be combined or substituted for each other without conflict. When the description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise stated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the terms such as "first," "second," and similar words used in the specification and claims of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely names used to distinguish features. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," and "right," which relate to orientation or position, appearing in this invention are only for ease of explanation and are not limited to a specific direction or position.

[0041] One embodiment of a connector:

[0042] like Figures 1 to 7As shown, the connector can be an MPO fiber optic connector. The end of the connector that mates with the adapter connector is defined as the front end. The connector includes an inner housing 1 and an outer housing 2 that is movably fitted onto the inner housing in the front-to-back direction. Side springs 3 are provided on both sides of the inner housing 1 to provide a forward pushing force to the outer housing 2, ensuring the outer housing returns to its original position on the inner housing. The inner housing 1 has an inner cavity 101, in which a ferrule 4 is located. A positioning seat 5 is located at the rear end of the ferrule 4, and a push spring 6 is located at the rear end of the positioning seat 5. The push spring 6 provides a forward pushing force to the ferrule 4. A limiting seat 7 for limiting the push spring 6 is also provided in the inner cavity 101 of the inner housing. The push spring 6 is pressed between the limiting seat 7 and the positioning seat 5. An optical fiber 8 is installed inside the ferrule 4 in the front-to-back direction, and the push spring 6 is fitted onto the optical fiber 8.

[0043] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the inner housing 1 has a rear housing 9 at its rear end. The rear housing 9 has a connecting feature, and the inner housing 1 has a matching connecting feature. The connecting feature and the matching connecting feature cooperate to allow the inner housing 1 to be inserted into the rear housing 9 in a direction perpendicular to the front-back direction (radial), thus achieving a fixed connection between the inner housing 1 and the rear housing 9. At the same time, the rear housing 9 abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat 7, supporting the limiting seat in the forward direction, thereby fixing the limiting seat in the inner cavity of the inner housing. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the connecting feature is a groove 91 on the rear housing 9, and the adapting connecting feature is a protrusion 102 at the tail of the inner housing 1. The protrusion 102 falls into the groove 91 radially along the connector, thus connecting the inner housing and the rear housing together. At the same time, the groove surface 911 of the groove 91 abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat 7 to achieve axial limiting of the limiting seat. With the above technical solution, the limiting seat 7 is fixed by the rear housing 9, and the limiting seat is placed entirely in the inner housing. During the installation or use of the connector, the external forces that may occur will no longer be directly transmitted to the limiting seat 7, fundamentally solving the technical problems of easy snap failure and cantilever breakage in existing connectors, and improving the structural strength and service life of the connector. In addition, since the cantilever structure that occupies a large axial dimension is eliminated, it is also conducive to the miniaturization of the connector size, the multi-core design inside the connector, and thus the high-density deployment of the connector.

[0044] Furthermore, a support member 10 is provided at the rear end of the rear housing 9. The support member 10 is located behind the groove 91 and is used to connect the optical fiber cable. The support member is in the shape of a sleeve so that the optical fiber can pass through and provide the optical fiber with bending resistance. The support member 10 and the optical fiber 8 can be sealed and connected by means of glue sealing, so that the connector tail has good sealing and protection performance.

[0045] like Figure 5As shown, the front end of the limiting seat 7 is provided with a limiting groove 71, and the rear end of the push spring 6 is placed in the limiting groove 71. The limiting groove 71 can limit the push spring 6, preventing it from tilting after compression, thus avoiding damage to the optical fiber or affecting the reset of the ferrule. The limiting seat 7 is also provided with an inner hole 72 that runs through the front and rear direction. The inner hole 72 communicates with the limiting groove 71 and is used for the optical fiber 8 to pass through. The rear end of the limiting seat 7 is provided with an inclined surface 73. The inclined surface 73 is used to guide the inner shell and the limiting seat during the process of inserting them into the rear shell, so as to facilitate the rapid assembly of the inner shell and the limiting seat. Correspondingly, the groove 91 of the rear shell can also be designed with a guide inclined surface 912 to facilitate the assembly of the inner shell and the limiting seat.

[0046] like Figure 6 As shown, the rear housing 9 has a support mounting groove 92 at its tail end, and the support member 10 has a mounting protrusion 1001 at its front end. The support member is radially inserted into the support mounting groove 92 through the mounting protrusion 1001 to achieve the connection between the rear housing and the support member. In another embodiment, the rear housing 9 and the support member 10 can also be integrally formed to form an integrally formed part 100, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the integral molded part 100 has an opening 1002, which is arranged to run through the front and back direction, that is, the opening is connected to the groove, and the optical fiber can be inserted into the integral molded part radially through this opening.

[0047] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 6 The rear housing 9 is provided with a cover plate 11. The upper side of the rear housing 9 is open, and the upper front end of the rear housing is provided with a recessed feature 93. Correspondingly, the front end of the cover plate 11 is provided with a convex key feature 111. In this embodiment, the recessed features are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the rear housing, and the convex key features are also symmetrically distributed on both sides of the cover plate. When the cover plate is installed, it moves from the rear to the front end of the upper surface of the rear housing to push the convex key feature into the recessed feature. After the cover plate is in place, the convex key feature and the recessed feature are engaged in the upper limit of the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The cover plate 11 and the rear housing 9 are provided with corresponding screw holes 120. The screws 12 enter the corresponding screw holes 120 to lock and fix the cover plate and the rear housing. The cover plate 11 can limit the radial displacement of the inner housing and the support member. The cooperation between the cover plate and the rear housing can also achieve the sealing of the connector.

[0048] A second embodiment of a connector:

[0049] like Figures 8 to 11As shown, the connector includes an inner housing 1 and an outer housing 2 that is movably fitted onto the inner housing in the front-to-back direction. Side springs 3 are provided on both sides of the inner housing, providing a forward pushing force to the outer housing to ensure its reset on the inner housing. The inner housing has an inner cavity 101 containing a ferrule 4. A positioning seat 5 is located at the rear end of the ferrule, and a push spring 6 is located at the rear end of the positioning seat. The push spring provides a forward pushing force to the ferrule. A limiting seat 7 is located within the inner cavity of the inner housing to limit the push spring, positioned between the limiting seat and the positioning seat. An optical fiber 8 is installed inside the ferrule 4 in the front-to-back direction. A rear housing 9 is located at the rear end of the inner housing, with a connection feature and an adapter connection feature on the inner housing. The connection feature and the adapter connection feature cooperate to allow the inner housing to snap into the rear housing in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction, achieving a fixed connection between the inner and rear housings. Simultaneously, the rear housing abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat, fixing the limiting seat within the inner cavity of the inner housing. In this embodiment, the connecting feature is a groove 91 on the rear housing, and the adapting connecting feature is a protrusion 102 at the tail of the inner housing. The protrusion falls radially into the groove to connect the inner housing and the rear housing together. At the same time, the groove surface 911 of the groove abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat to achieve axial limiting of the limiting seat. With the above technical solution, the limiting seat is fixed by the rear housing, and external forces are no longer transmitted to the limiting seat, fundamentally solving the problems of buckle failure and cantilever breakage. The rear end of the rear housing is provided with a support member 10, which is used to connect optical fiber cables.

[0050] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the connector described above is that: at least two push springs 6 are provided in the inner cavity of the inner housing. The push springs 6 are radially clamped to both sides of the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat 7 via corresponding shafts 13. That is, the push springs 6 are not sleeved on the optical fiber 8, but are distributed on both sides of the optical fiber 8, thereby facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the connector. Specifically, in combination with Figure 10 , Figure 11A shaft 13 is provided between the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat 7, allowing relative forward and backward movement between them. Both the positioning seat and the limiting seat have locking features on both sides, namely locking grooves 14. The locking grooves have an approximate C-shaped cross-section. The shaft 13 is forcibly inserted into the locking groove 14 in a direction perpendicular to the front-back direction. The locking groove 14 prevents the shaft 13 from dislodging radially, but allows it to slide forward and backward within the groove. A push spring 6 is sleeved on the corresponding shaft 13. After the shaft 13 is engaged in the locking groove 14, it fixes the push spring 6 to both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat, allowing the push spring to be easily removed and installed. The front end of the push spring 6 acts on the rear end face of the locking groove on the positioning seat 5, and the rear end of the push spring 6 acts on the front end face of the locking groove on the limiting seat 7. The side of the limiting seat 7 is provided with a movable space 74 extending in the front-rear direction. The movable space 74 is located at the rear end of the corresponding side snap-fit ​​groove on the limiting seat. The movable space 74 and the corresponding side snap-fit ​​groove 14 on the limiting seat are axially interconnected, so that the shaft can move in the front-rear direction under the guidance of the snap-fit ​​groove. In addition, during the connector mating process, the shaft can move backward in the movable space 74, giving the ferrule axial floating capability. In addition, since the push spring is sleeved outside the shaft, the shaft can limit the radial tilt of the push spring when compressed, providing stronger support and guidance for the push spring. In another feasible embodiment, the shaft can be fixed in the snap-fit ​​groove without being forcibly fixed. Instead, the opening of the snap-fit ​​groove is larger than the diameter of the shaft, so that the shaft can be easily inserted into the snap-fit ​​groove. After the connector is assembled, the inner sidewall of the inner shell can radially prevent the shaft from coming out of the snap-fit ​​groove.

[0051] In another embodiment, the movable space can also be set on both sides of the positioning seat. In this case, the movable space is connected to the snap-fit ​​groove on the corresponding side of the positioning seat to achieve the same function. Alternatively, in yet another embodiment, the movable space is set at the corresponding positions of both the positioning seat and the limiting seat, which can also achieve the above-mentioned technical purpose, and will not be elaborated here. Preferably, both ends of the shaft are provided with heads 131, and the outer diameter of the heads is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft, so as to facilitate the restriction of the relative positional relationship between the positioning seat and the limiting seat in the front-back direction, and facilitate the overall insertion of the positioning seat and the limiting seat into the inner cavity after assembly. In this embodiment, the head of the front end of the shaft is snapped and fixed in the positioning seat, that is, the head of the front end of the shaft is axially positioned in the side of the positioning seat, while the head of the rear end of the shaft can move back and forth in the movable space of the limiting seat to realize the back-and-forth movement of the fixed seat relative to the limiting seat. With the above technical solution, the connector disclosed in this embodiment not only solves the problems of fiber optic connector snap failure and cantilever beam breakage in the prior art, but also solves the technical problems of the push spring occupying installation space and being unable to be installed later or removed. In addition, in order to avoid the optical fiber, an axially penetrating inner hole 72 is also provided in the middle of the limiting seat, but this inner hole is not connected to the corresponding groove on the limiting seat used to accommodate the front and rear ends of the push spring.

[0052] In this embodiment, as Figure 11 As shown, the rear end of the limiting seat is also provided with an inclined surface 73 to facilitate the installation of the inner shell and the limiting seat.

[0053] In this embodiment, the fit between the rear housing and the support member can also be the same as in the connector embodiment one, which is a separate, detachable connection, such as... Figure 6 As shown; or, the rear housing and the support component are integrally molded to form a single molded part, such as... Figure 7 As shown, it will not be elaborated further here.

[0054] In this embodiment, as Figure 9 As shown, a cover plate 11 is fixedly fastened to the rear housing by screws 12. The fit between the cover plate 11 and the rear housing 9 is the same as that in the connector embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0055] A connector embodiment three:

[0056] like Figures 12 to 17 The connector includes an inner housing 1 and an outer housing 2 that is movably fitted onto the inner housing in the front-to-back direction. Side springs 3 are provided on both sides of the inner housing to provide a forward pushing force to the outer housing, ensuring its reset on the inner housing. The inner housing has an inner cavity 101 containing a ferrule 4. A positioning seat 5 is located at the rear end of the ferrule, and a push spring 6 is located at the rear end of the positioning seat. The push spring provides a forward pushing force to the ferrule. A limiting seat 7 is also provided within the inner cavity to limit the push spring, positioned between the limiting seat and the positioning seat. An optical fiber 8 is installed inside the ferrule in the front-to-back direction, and the push spring 6 is fitted onto the optical fiber 8. A rear housing 9 is located at the rear end of the inner housing, with a connecting feature and an adapter connecting feature on the inner housing. The connecting feature and the adapter connecting feature cooperate to allow the inner housing to be radially inserted into the rear housing, achieving a fixed connection between the inner and rear housings. Simultaneously, the rear housing abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat, fixing the limiting seat within the inner cavity of the inner housing. In this embodiment, the connecting feature is a groove 91, and the adapting connecting feature is a protrusion 102 at the tail of the inner shell. The protrusion falls radially into the groove, connecting the inner shell and the rear shell together. Simultaneously, the groove surface abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat, achieving axial limiting of the limiting seat. Through this technical solution, the limiting seat is fixed by the rear shell, and external forces are no longer transmitted to the limiting seat, thus solving the problems of buckle failure and cantilever breakage. A support member 10 is provided at the rear end of the rear shell. The support member is for connecting optical fiber cables and is sleeve-shaped to allow the optical fiber 8 to pass through.

[0057] The difference between the connector in this embodiment and the connector embodiment 1 described above is that the rear housing 9 is provided with a cavity 94 for bending the optical fiber 8. When the number of optical fiber cores in the connector is large or the space for bending the optical fiber inside the connector is small or even non-existent, making it difficult or impossible for the optical fiber to retract, the optical fiber 8 can be bent and retracted within the cavity 94 of the rear housing. This facilitates retraction during the ferrule insertion process to achieve the axial floating insertion function and ensure the reliability of the connector's mating.

[0058] like Figure 16 As shown, the front end of the limiting seat 7 is provided with a limiting groove 71, and the rear end of the push spring is placed in the limiting groove to prevent the push spring from tilting after compression. The limiting seat has an inner hole 72 extending in the front-rear direction, which communicates with the limiting groove and is used for the optical fiber to pass through. The rear end of the limiting seat has an inclined surface 73, which guides the inner shell and the limiting seat during insertion into the rear shell. Figure 17 As shown, the rear housing has a support mounting groove 92 at its tail end, and the support member 10 has a mounting protrusion 1001 at its front end. The support member is radially inserted into the support mounting groove through the mounting protrusion to achieve the connection between the rear housing and the support member; in another embodiment, the rear housing and the support member can also be integrally formed (e.g., Figure 7 At this point, the support component integrated at the rear end of the rear housing has an axially penetrating opening 1002, through which the optical fiber can be press-fitted radially into the rear housing. Combined with... Figure 13 The rear housing is provided with a cover plate 11 for limiting the radial position of the inner housing and the support members; the upper front side of the rear housing is provided with a recessed feature 93, and correspondingly, the front end of the cover plate is provided with a convex key feature 111. When installing the cover plate, the convex key feature is pushed into the recessed feature from back to front. After the cover plate is pushed into place, the convex key feature and the recessed feature are in a maximum engagement in the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The cover plate and the rear housing are provided with corresponding screw holes, and the screws 12 are threaded into the screw holes to lock and fix the cover plate and the rear housing.

[0059] It is worth noting that, as a variation of the connector disclosed in this embodiment, the rear housing and the limiting seat can be integrally formed into a single part and installed as a whole at the tail of the inner housing. The installation direction of the rear housing can be changed from radially falling into the rear housing from the tail of the inner housing to the rear housing being snapped onto the inner housing along the connector insertion / removal direction.

[0060] It is worth noting that, for the connector disclosed in this embodiment, the push spring 6 inside the inner shell may not be sleeved on the optical fiber 8. Instead, the same technical solution as in the second embodiment of the connector is adopted, in which the push spring 6 is detachably set on both sides of the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat 7 via the shaft 13, so as to avoid the push spring and the optical fiber having a mutually sleeved positional relationship, thereby solving the technical problem of the push spring occupying installation space and being unable to be removed later in the prior art. This will not be elaborated here.

[0061] A connector embodiment four:

[0062] like Figures 18 to 21 As shown, the connector includes an inner housing 1 and an outer housing 2 that is movably fitted onto the inner housing in the front-to-back direction. Side springs 3 are provided on both sides of the inner housing, providing a forward pushing force to the outer housing to ensure axial reset of the outer housing on the inner housing. The inner housing has an inner cavity 101, within which a ferrule 4 is located. A positioning seat 5 is located at the rear end of the ferrule, and a push spring 6 is located at the rear end of the positioning seat. The push spring provides a forward pushing force to the ferrule. An optical fiber 8 is installed inside the ferrule in the front-to-back direction, and the push spring 6 is sleeved on the optical fiber 8. The inner shell has a limiting seat 7 at its rear end, and the limiting seat 7 has a connecting feature. The inner shell 1 has an adapter connecting feature. The connecting feature and the adapter connecting feature are engaged to make the limiting seat 7 be engaged with the inner shell 1 in the front-back direction. In this embodiment, the connecting feature is a window 75 opened on both sides of the limiting seat 7, and the adapter connecting feature is a protrusion 102 provided on both sides of the tail of the inner shell 1. The protrusion 102 and the window 75 are engaged to connect and fix the inner shell and the limiting seat together. At the same time, the limiting seat limits the push spring in the inner shell.

[0063] In this embodiment, the end of the inner shell that mates with the limiting seat is a circumferentially closed interface 103, and protrusions 102 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the interface 103. Further, as... Figure 20 and Figure 21 The limiting seat 7 includes a middle part 701 and an outer frame part 702. The outer frame part 702 is fitted outside the middle part 701, and the outer frame part and the middle part form a rectangular annular receiving cavity 703. The shape of the receiving cavity is adapted to the rectangular interface 103 at the tail of the inner shell 1 for interface insertion. In this embodiment, the outer frame part 702 is also circumferentially closed, resulting in higher structural strength. The window 75 is symmetrically opened on the left and right sides of the outer frame part 702. A central groove 7011 is opened at the front end of the middle part 701, and the rear end of the push spring 6 is placed in the central groove. The central groove limits the push spring and prevents the push spring from tilting after compression. The limiting seat 7 has an inner hole 72 that runs through the front and rear directions and communicates with the central groove 7011. This inner hole is used for optical fiber to pass through. The limiting seat has axial openings 704 on both its upper and lower surfaces. These axial openings are located on the upper and lower sides of the outer frame and extend rearward from the front end of the limiting seat. The axial openings facilitate the forced insertion of the inner shell into the window of the limiting seat. In other embodiments, the axial openings may be located on only one side of the upper or lower surface of the limiting seat. A support member 10 is integrally formed at the rear end of the limiting seat 7. This support member is used to connect and fix the optical fiber 8 and is sleeve-shaped to allow the optical fiber to pass through.

[0064] The protrusion 102 in this embodiment differs from the protrusions in the aforementioned connectors in that: the outer surface of the protrusion in this embodiment gradually moves away from the central axis of the connector from back to front, forming a sloping feature to facilitate entry into the window; while the outer surface of the protrusions in connector embodiments one to three extends in a front-back direction. Compared with connector embodiment one, this embodiment does not include a rear housing and cover plate; compared with the cantilever scheme in the prior art, the amount of compressive deformation during the installation of the limiting seat is smaller, solving the problems of easy failure of the snap-fit ​​and easy breakage of the cantilever beam.

[0065] The connector disclosed in this embodiment has a protrusion on the circumferentially closed inner shell interface and a window on the circumferentially closed outer frame of the limiting seat. This significantly improves the structural strength of the component responsible for locking between the inner shell and the limiting seat, achieving the same technical effect as the connector embodiment one solution, but with fewer parts, lower cost, and higher assembly efficiency.

[0066] It is worth noting that in the connector described in this embodiment, the push spring 6 may not be sleeved on the optical fiber 8, but instead adopts the technical solution in the second embodiment of the connector described above: at least two push springs 6 distributed on different sides of the optical fiber 8 are provided in the inner cavity 101 of the inner shell. The push springs 6 are mounted on both sides of the middle part 701 of the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat via shafts, thereby facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the connector. Specifically, a shaft is provided between the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat 7, and a snap-fit ​​groove is provided on both sides of the middle part 701 of the positioning seat 5 and the limiting seat. The shaft is forcibly snapped into the corresponding snap-fit ​​groove in a direction perpendicular to the front and back. The snap-fit ​​groove can prevent the shaft from coming out radially, but the shaft can slide in the front and back direction within the snap-fit ​​groove. The push spring is sleeved on the corresponding shaft. After the shaft is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove, it fixes the push spring on both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat, so that the push spring can be disassembled or installed at any time, and the optical fiber 8 does not affect the installation and removal of the push spring 6. The front end of the push spring acts on the rear end face of the snap-fit ​​groove on the positioning seat, and the rear end of the push spring acts on the front end face of the snap-fit ​​groove on the middle part 701 of the limiting seat. At this time, the outer side of the middle part 701 of the limiting seat has a movable space extending in the front-back direction. The movable space is located at the rear end of the snap-fit ​​groove on the corresponding side middle part, and the movable space is connected to the snap-fit ​​groove on the corresponding side, so that the shaft can move back and forth in the movable space under the guidance of the snap-fit ​​groove, so as to realize the axial floating of the ferrule during the connector mating process.

[0067] In this embodiment, a cavity for bending the optical fiber during connector mating can also be provided inside the limiting seat. This cavity has the same function as the cavity described in the connector embodiment three above. In this embodiment, the cavity can be located inside the limiting seat between the middle part and the support member.

[0068] In any of the connector embodiments described above, the number of ferrules is not limited to one, but can be two or more. When two or more ferrules are provided, the ferrules are stacked in the height direction, making the connector a multi-core fiber optic connector.

[0069] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and all aspects not detailed herein are existing technologies. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made by those skilled in the art to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector comprising an inner housing and an outer housing movably sleeved on the inner housing in a front-rear direction, wherein a ferrule is disposed within the inner cavity of the inner housing, an optical fiber is mounted inside the ferrule in a front-rear direction, a positioning seat is disposed at the rear end of the ferrule, a push spring is disposed at the rear end of the positioning seat for providing a forward pushing force to the ferrule, and a limiting seat for limiting the push spring within the inner housing is inserted at the rear end of the inner housing, characterized in that: The inner cavity of the inner housing is provided with at least two push springs. A shaft extending in the front-back direction is provided between the positioning seat and the limiting seat. The positioning seat and the limiting seat can move back and forth relative to each other through the shaft. Both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat are provided with snap-fit ​​features for installing the shaft. The snap-fit ​​features are snap-fit ​​grooves that engage radially with the shaft. The shaft is inserted into the snap-fit ​​groove in a direction perpendicular to the front-back direction. Both ends of the shaft are provided with heads, and the outer diameter of the heads is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft, so as to facilitate limiting the relative positional relationship between the positioning seat and the limiting seat in the front-back direction. The push spring is fitted on the corresponding shaft. After the shaft is snapped into the snap-fit ​​groove, the push spring is installed on both sides of the positioning seat and the limiting seat, so that the push spring can be disassembled and installed at any time.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both sides of the limiting seat are provided with movable spaces extending in the front and rear directions. The movable spaces are located at the rear end of the corresponding side locking grooves on the limiting seat, and the movable spaces are interconnected with the corresponding side locking grooves on the limiting seat, so that the shaft can move back and forth in the movable spaces under the guidance of the locking grooves.

3. A connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a rear housing with a connecting feature and an inner housing with a matching connecting feature. The connecting feature and the matching connecting feature cooperate to allow the inner housing to be inserted into the rear housing in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear, and the rear housing abuts against the limiting seat to fix the limiting seat in the inner cavity.

4. A connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The connecting feature is a groove on the rear housing, and the matching connecting feature is a protrusion on both sides of the rear end of the inner housing. The protrusion is inserted into the groove in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear to achieve the connection between the inner housing and the rear housing. The groove surface of the groove abuts against the rear end of the limiting seat to achieve the axial limiting of the limiting seat.

5. A connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The limiting seat has an inner hole that runs through the front and rear direction for the optical fiber to pass through; the rear end of the limiting seat has an inclined surface that guides the inner shell and the limiting seat when they are installed together into the rear shell.

6. A connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rear end of the rear housing is equipped with a support for inserting optical fibers.

7. A connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rear housing is provided with a support mounting groove, and the front end of the support is provided with a mounting protrusion. The support is installed radially into the support mounting groove through the mounting protrusion.

8. A connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rear shell and the support are integrally formed to form an integral molded part; the upper side of the integral molded part is provided with an opening that runs through the front and rear direction, and the opening is used to allow optical fibers to be inserted into the integral molded part in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear direction.

9. A connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear housing is equipped with a cover plate to restrict the movement of the inner housing in a direction perpendicular to the front and rear.

10. A connector according to claim 9, characterized in that: The upper front end of the rear housing has a recessed feature, and the front end of the cover plate has a convex key feature. The convex key feature enters the recessed feature to achieve a limiting fit between the cover plate and the rear housing in the front-rear direction and perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The rear housing and the cover plate are locked and fixed by screws.

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