Connector with lock structure and connector assembly

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector with a lock structure and a connector assembly, and the connector with the lock structure comprises a cable connector, the outer wall of which is provided with a limiting step; the lock structure comprises an outer cylinder, a button and an ejector rod; the lock structure is used for being installed outside the cable connector. The lock structure has an unlocking state and a locking state, and the lock structure can be switched between the unlocking state and the locking state by pressing the button; when the lock structure is in an unlocking state, the end part of the second end of the ejector rod is separated from the limiting step, and the cable connector is unlocked; and when the lock structure is in a locking state, the end part of the second end of the ejector rod can be clamped on the limiting step to lock the cable connector. The occupied space of the connector in the radial direction can be reduced, and the requirement for high-density wiring is better met; the locking and unlocking of the cable connector are more convenient, and compared with a pre-connection connector in the market, the cable connector is more convenient to plug and unplug, so that the construction difficulty is greatly reduced; and the locking is reliable, so that the connector can meet the requirement of higher tension.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a connector with a lock structure and a connector assembly. Background Art

[0002] With the booming development of the communications industry, customers have an increasingly strong demand for high-density wiring and increasingly higher requirements for connector tensile strength. At the same time, for the convenience of construction, connectors must be extremely easy to plug and unplug.

[0003] The locking principles of various optical cable connectors on the market are: one type uses a pressure block to press the male buckle arm of the buckle to prevent it from deforming and achieve locking. When the pressure block is removed, the buckle arm becomes deformable and unlocks; the other type uses a movable male buckle or female buckle to achieve locking and unlocking by moving the male buckle or female buckle. However, the existing technology has the following disadvantages: (1) When unlocking a traditional connector, one generally has to push or pull the unlock button while pulling out the connector. The unlocking operation is laborious and generally requires both hands or the use of tools or a manipulator.

[0004] (2) The current locking structure of the optical fiber connector has limited use environments and cannot be used in high-speed movement environments or high-vibration environments. The ferrule is easy to retract under high vibration conditions, resulting in light failure or excessive light loss during online testing. This is typical and is difficult to meet the requirements for use in automobiles and airplanes.

[0005] (3) The locking or unlocking structure of the pre-terminated connectors or traditional connectors on the market are all made on the outside of the connector plug or adapter and assembled together with the connector plug or adapter. The existing connectors with unlocking structure occupy a large radial space, which easily leads to a large space occupation of the product, leaving a relatively small operating space for manual plugging and unplugging, resulting in construction troubles, time-consuming and labor-intensive, and not suitable for high-density wiring requirements.

[0006] (4) The existing locking structure and the tensile strength of the connector are not as good as those of the cable and cannot meet the requirements of high-tensile force use environments. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a connector and a connector assembly with a locking structure, which can reduce the space occupied by the connector in the radial direction and is more conducive to the needs of high-density wiring; the locking and unlocking of the cable connector is easier to operate, and it is easier to plug and unplug than pre-connected connectors on the market, which greatly reduces the difficulty of construction; and the locking is reliable, so that the connector can meet higher tensile force requirements.

[0008] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved by adopting the following technical solutions: The present invention provides a connector with a lock structure, comprising: A cable connector, one end of which is a cable connection end, and an outer wall of which is provided with a limiting step; A lock structure, comprising an outer tube, a button and a push rod; the button can be inserted into the outer tube in a circumferentially fixed and axially slidable manner, and the first end of the button can extend out of the first end of the outer tube; the push rod can be inserted into the outer tube in an axially movably manner, and the second end of the push rod can extend out of the second end of the outer tube; Among them, the lock structure is used to be installed on the outside of the cable connector; the lock structure has an unlocked state and a locked state, and the lock structure can be switched between the unlocked state and the locked state by pressing a button; when the lock structure is in the unlocked state, the second end of the push rod is disengaged from the limiting step, and the cable connector is unlocked; when the lock structure is in the locked state, the second end of the push rod extends outwardly to a preset length of the outer tube, and the second end of the push rod can be clamped on the limiting step to limit the axial movement of the cable connector toward the cable connection end, thereby locking the cable connector.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking structure also includes a rotor, which is rotatably and axially movable and inserted in the outer cylinder and abuts between the button and the push rod; the inner wall of the outer cylinder is circumferentially staggered with a plurality of long guide grooves and a plurality of short guide grooves, and the axial length of the long guide groove along the outer cylinder is greater than the axial length of the short guide groove along the outer cylinder; the second end of the button is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth grooves, and the outer wall of the rotor is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth blocks; when the lock structure is in an unlocked state, the tooth block can be inserted in the corresponding long guide groove, and one end of the tooth block can abut against the groove wall of the tooth groove; when the lock structure is in a locked state, the tooth block can be inserted in the corresponding short guide groove and disengaged from the tooth groove.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the long guide groove includes a connected serrated groove and a straight groove, the short guide groove is a serrated groove, the serrated groove is arranged close to the second end of the outer tube, and the tooth tip of the serrated groove is connected to the straight groove, the serration direction of the serrated groove is the same as the serration direction of the short guide groove; the tooth groove is a V-shaped groove, the V-shaped tooth tip of the tooth groove is arranged opposite to the inclined surface of the corresponding serrated groove or the inclined surface of the corresponding short guide groove; the first end of the tooth block has an inclined surface, and the inclined surface can contact the inclined surface of the tooth groove when the lock structure is in an unlocked state.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of slide grooves are provided at circumferential intervals on the inner wall of the outer cylinder, the slide grooves extend from the short guide grooves to the first end of the outer cylinder along the axial direction of the outer cylinder, the slide grooves can be connected with the corresponding short guide grooves, and the groove depth of the slide grooves is less than the groove depth of the short guide grooves; a plurality of protrusions are provided at circumferential intervals on the outer wall of the button, the protrusions can be axially slidably inserted into the corresponding long guide grooves or slide grooves.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of tooth blocks are arranged near the second end of the rotor, and an axially extending first slot is provided at the second end of the button, and the first end of the rotor can be inserted into the first slot.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second slot extending axially is provided at the second end of the rotor, and the first end of the push rod can be inserted into the second slot.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first limiting ring is protruding outwardly on the outer wall of the push rod, a second limiting ring is protruding inwardly on the inner wall of the second end of the outer tube, and a compression spring is provided on the outer sleeve of the push rod, and the two ends of the compression spring can respectively abut against the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the push rod includes a push rod and a claw connected to each other, and the claw is located outside the second end of the outer cylinder.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the outer cylinder includes a main cylinder and a lower cover, the lower cover has a center hole in the center, the lower cover can be snap-fitted with the end of the main cylinder through a snap-fit ​​structure, and the second end of the push rod can pass through the center hole.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cable connector and the lock structure are respectively used to be installed on a first side surface and a second side surface of the same housing, and the first side surface and the second side surface are adjacent to each other.

[0018] The present invention also provides a connector assembly, comprising: The above-mentioned connector with a lock structure; Fixed connector; An adapter is used to mate the other end of the cable connector and one end of the fixed connector.

[0019] As described above, the connector and connector assembly with a lock structure of the present invention can lock and unlock the cable connector only by pressing a button, which is labor-saving and can be operated with one hand. Since the locking pressing direction forms a certain angle with the locking direction of the connector, the locking is performed by snapping the end of the push rod with the step on the outer wall of the cable connector, which is reliable and can enable the connector to meet higher tensile requirements, and can be used in high-vibration environments, with a wider range of use environments. At the same time, by arranging the lock structure separately on the outside of the cable connector, the two are arranged separately, and locking and unlocking can be achieved by only setting a smaller step on the cable connector. Compared with the existing method of assembling the lock structure and the connector together, the diameter of the cable connector in this embodiment can be made smaller, which can effectively reduce the radial space occupied by the cable connector, and reserve more operating space for plugging and unplugging the cable connector, which is more conducive to meeting the current demand for high-density wiring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The following drawings are intended only to illustrate and explain the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Figure 1: A schematic diagram of the structure in which the lock structure, cable connector, fixed connector and adapter provided by the present invention are installed on a housing.

[0021] Figure 2 : A schematic structural diagram of the lock structure provided by the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 : An exploded schematic diagram of the lock structure provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 : A schematic diagram of the structure of the main cylinder provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 : A schematic diagram of the structure of a button provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 6 : A schematic diagram of the structure of the rotor provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 7 : A schematic structural diagram of the ejector rod provided by the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 : A schematic diagram of the structure of the lower cover provided by the present invention.

[0028] Fig. 9 : A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lock structure provided by the present invention in an unlocked state.

[0029] Fig.10 : A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lock structure provided by the present invention when the top rod is extended outward for the longest time.

[0030] Fig.11 : A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the lock structure provided by the present invention in a locked state.

[0031] Description of Figure Numbers: 100. Lock structure; 1. outer cylinder; 11. long guide groove; 111. sawtooth groove; 112. straight groove; 12. short guide groove; 13. slide groove; 14. main cylinder; 141. clamping hole; 142. annular step; 15. lower cover; 151. second limiting ring; 152. connecting arm; 153. clamping block; 2. button; 21. tooth groove; 22. convex block; 23. first slot; 3. rotor; 31. tooth block; 311. inclined surface; 32. second slot; 4. ejector rod; 41. push rod; 411. first limiting ring; 42. claw; 5. Compression spring; 200, cable connector; 201, limiting step; 300, adapter; 400, fixed connector; 500. Shell. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] like Figures 1 to 11 As shown, the present application provides a connector with a lock structure, comprising: The cable connector 200 has one end as a cable connection end and an outer wall thereof is provided with a limiting step 201; The lock structure 100 comprises an outer tube 1, a button 2 and a push rod 4; the button 2 can be inserted into the outer tube 1 in a circumferentially fixed and axially slidable manner, and the first end of the button 2 can extend out of the first end of the outer tube 1; the push rod 4 can be inserted into the outer tube 1 in an axially movably manner, and the second end of the push rod 4 can extend out of the second end of the outer tube 1; Among them, the lock structure 100 is used to be installed on the outside of the cable connector 200; the lock structure 100 has an unlocked state and a locked state, and the lock structure 100 can be switched between the unlocked state and the locked state by pressing the button 2; when the lock structure 100 is in the unlocked state, the second end of the push rod 4 is disengaged from the limiting step 201, and the cable connector 200 is unlocked; when the lock structure 100 is in the locked state, the second end of the push rod 4 extends outwardly to a preset length of the outer tube 1, and the second end of the push rod 4 can be clamped on the limiting step 201 to limit the axial movement of the cable connector 200 toward the cable connection end, thereby locking the cable connector 200.

[0034] Therefore, in the connector with a lock structure in this embodiment, the locking and unlocking of the cable connector 200 can be achieved by pressing the button 2, which is labor-saving and one-handed operation. Since the locking pressing direction forms a certain angle with the locking direction of the connector, the locking is performed by the end of the top rod 4 being engaged with the step on the outer wall of the cable connector 200, and the locking is reliable, which can enable the connector to meet higher tensile requirements and can be applied in high vibration environments, and the use environment is wider. At the same time, by arranging the lock structure 100 separately on the outside of the cable connector 200, the two are arranged separately, and locking and unlocking can be achieved by only setting a smaller step on the cable connector 200. Compared with the existing assembly of the lock structure and the connector together, the diameter of the cable connector 200 in this embodiment can be made smaller, which can effectively reduce the radial space occupied by the cable connector 200, and reserve more operating space for plugging and unplugging the cable connector 200, which is more conducive to meeting the current demand for high-density wiring.

[0035] In a specific implementation, the lock structure 100 also includes a rotor 3, which is rotatably and axially movable and inserted into the outer cylinder 1 and abutted between the button 2 and the push rod 4; the inner wall of the outer cylinder 1 is circumferentially staggered with a plurality of long guide grooves 11 and a plurality of short guide grooves 12, and the axial length of the long guide groove 11 along the outer cylinder 1 is greater than the axial length of the short guide groove 12 along the outer cylinder 1; the second end of the button 2 is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth grooves 21, and the outer wall of the rotor 3 is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth blocks 31; when the lock structure 100 is in an unlocked state, the tooth block 31 can be inserted into the corresponding long guide groove 11, and one end of the tooth block 31 (the end facing the button 2) can abut against the groove wall of the tooth groove 21; when the lock structure 100 is in a locked state, the tooth block 31 can be inserted into the corresponding short guide groove 12 and disengaged from the tooth groove 21.

[0036] It can be understood that the two ends of the short guide groove 12 along the axial direction of the outer tube 1 are a closed end and an open end respectively, and the two ends of the long guide groove 11 along the axial direction of the outer tube 1 are also a closed end and an open end respectively, and the open ends of the two are flush and are both arranged toward the second end of the outer tube 1. Through the bevel cooperation between the first end of the tooth block 31 and the tooth groove 21 and the bevel cooperation between the first end of the tooth block 31 and the long guide groove 11 and the short guide groove 12, the first end of the tooth block 31 can be continuously switched between the long guide groove 11 and the short guide groove 12 when the button 2 is pressed.

[0037] When the first end of the tooth block 31 is inserted in the long guide groove 11, it abuts against the groove wall of the tooth groove 21; when the first end of the tooth block 31 is inserted in the short guide groove 12, it abuts against the closed end of the short guide groove 12 and disengages from the tooth groove 21; since the axial length of the short guide groove 12 is smaller than the axial length of the long guide groove 11, the length of the second end of the push rod 4 extending out of the second end of the outer cylinder 1 in the locked state is greater than the length of the second end of the push rod 4 extending out of the second end of the outer cylinder 1 in the unlocked state, so that the second end of the push rod 4 can be stuck on the limiting step 201 in the locked state, and the second end of the push rod 4 is separated from the limiting step 201 in the unlocked state, thereby realizing the switching of the lock structure 100 between the unlocked state and the locked state.

[0038] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 The long guide groove 11 includes a connected sawtooth groove 111 and a straight groove 112, the short guide groove 12 is a sawtooth groove, the sawtooth groove 111 is arranged near the second end of the outer tube 1, and the tooth tip of the sawtooth groove 111 is connected to the straight groove 112 (that is, the tooth tip of the sawtooth groove 111 is arranged toward the first end of the outer tube 1), and the sawtooth direction of the sawtooth groove 111 is the same as the sawtooth direction of the short guide groove 12; the tooth groove 21 is a V-shaped groove, and the V-shaped tooth tip of the tooth groove 21 is arranged opposite to the corresponding inclined surface of the sawtooth groove 111 or the corresponding inclined surface of the short guide groove 12; the first end of the tooth block 31 has an inclined surface 311, and the inclined surface 311 can contact the inclined surface of the tooth groove 21 when the lock structure 100 is in the unlocked state.

[0039] Generally, the inclination angle of the inclined surface 311 on the tooth block 31 is the same as the inclination angle of the inclined surface on the tooth groove 21, the inclination angle of the inclined surface in the sawtooth groove 111, and the inclination angle of the inclined surface in the short guide groove 12, so that the force is better. The specific inclination angles of the inclined surface 311 and each inclined surface are determined according to needs, for example, they can be inclined at 45°. In an optional embodiment, an annular step 142 can also be formed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 1, and the open ends of the long guide groove 11 and the open ends of the short guide groove 12 are both flush with the annular step 142.

[0040] In order to facilitate the circumferential fixation of the button 2, refer to Figure 4 A plurality of slide grooves 13 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 1. The slide grooves 13 extend from the short guide grooves 12 to the first end of the outer cylinder 1 along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 1. The slide grooves 13 can be connected with the corresponding short guide grooves 12, and the groove depth of the slide grooves 13 is less than the groove depth of the short guide grooves 12. A plurality of protrusions 22 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer wall of the button 2. The protrusions 22 can be axially slidably inserted into the corresponding long guide grooves 11 or the slide grooves 13.

[0041] The two ends of the slide groove 13 along the axial direction of the outer tube 1 are a closed end and an open end, respectively. The open end is arranged toward the second end of the outer tube 1 and communicates with the tooth tip of the short guide groove 12, and the closed end is flush with the closed end of the long guide groove 11. The groove walls corresponding to the closed end of the slide groove 13 and the closed end of the long guide groove 11 can axially limit the protrusion 22 to prevent the button 2 from being separated from the outer tube 1 when the lock structure 100 is in the unlocked state.

[0042] The number of the long guide grooves 11 is the same as the number of the short guide grooves 12, the number of the tooth blocks 31 and the number of the slide grooves 13, and the number of the tooth grooves 21 is twice the number of the tooth blocks 31, and the number of the tooth grooves 21 is the same as the number of the protrusions 22, and the specific number is determined according to needs. Preferably, the number of the long guide grooves 11, the short guide grooves 12, the slide grooves 13 and the tooth blocks 31 are all four, and the number of the tooth grooves 21 and the protrusions 22 are all eight.

[0043] Further, see Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Fig. 9 , a plurality of tooth blocks 31 are arranged near the second end of the rotor 3, and an axially extending first slot 23 is arranged at the second end of the button 2, and the first end of the rotor 3 can be inserted into the first slot 23. An axially extending second slot 32 is provided at the second end of the rotor 3, and the first end of the push rod 4 can be inserted into the second slot 32. The diameter of the first slot 23 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first end portion of the rotor 3, and the diameter of the second slot 32 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the first end of the push rod 4, so that the push rod 4 will not be driven to rotate when the rotor 3 rotates.

[0044] Furthermore, a first limiting ring 411 is protruding outwardly from the outer wall of the push rod 4, a second limiting ring 151 is protruding inwardly from the inner wall of the second end of the outer tube 1, and a compression spring 5 is disposed outside the push rod 4, and both ends of the compression spring 5 can respectively abut against the first limiting ring 411 and the second limiting ring 151.

[0045] Generally, the first limiting ring 411 is arranged near the first end of the push rod 4. By arranging the compression spring 5, after the button 2 is pressed and then released, the push rod 4 can move axially toward the first end of the outer tube 1, so that the lock structure 100 is in a locked state or an unlocked state. During the process of pressing the button 2, the rotor 3 rotates and moves axially. Due to the action of the compression spring 5, the push rod 4 always moves with the rotor 3 in the axial direction, but the push rod 4 does not rotate, but only moves axially.

[0046] For ease of processing and installation, refer to Figure 7 The push rod 4 includes a push rod 41 and a claw 42 connected to each other, and the claw 42 is located outside the second end of the outer tube 1. The outer tube 1 includes a main tube 14 and a lower cover 15. The center of the lower cover 15 has a central hole. The lower cover 15 can be clamped with the end of the main tube 14 through a buckle structure, and the second end of the push rod 4 can pass through the central hole.

[0047] The long guide groove 11, the short guide groove 12, the slide groove 13 and the annular step 142 are all formed on the main tube 14, the first stop ring 411 is formed on the push rod 41, the part of the lower cover 15 located at the periphery of the center hole constitutes the second stop ring 151, the push rod 41 can be slidably penetrated in the center hole, and the claw 42 is located outside the lower cover 15. The shape of the claw 42 can be determined as needed. For example, in this embodiment, the claw 42 is an arc-shaped plate structure, and can be stuck on the outer wall of the cable connector 200 and fit with the outer wall of the cable connector 200 when the lock structure 100 is in a locked state. The above-mentioned snap-fit ​​structure can be implemented, for example, as follows: at least two snap-fit ​​holes 141 are circumferentially spaced apart on the side wall of the main cylinder 14, the lower cover 15 is a circular plate structure, at least two connecting arms 152 are circumferentially spaced apart on the lower cover 15, the length direction of the connecting arm 152 extends along the axial direction of the main cylinder 14, and a snap block 153 is provided on the outer wall of the end of the connecting arm 152, each snap block 153 can be snapped in the corresponding snap hole 141 to achieve a fixed connection between the lower cover 15 and the main cylinder 14.

[0048] In order to better understand the locking and unlocking process of the lock structure 100, the working process of the lock structure 100 is described in detail below.

[0049] When the lock structure 100 is in the unlocked state, it also corresponds to the initial state of the lock structure 100, such as Fig. 9As shown, each protrusion 22 on the button 2 is correspondingly installed in the corresponding long guide groove 11 or slide groove 13 on the outer cylinder 1, and the button 2 cannot rotate; under the action of the compression spring 5, the push rod 4, the rotor 3 and the button 2 are sequentially abutted in the axial direction, and each protrusion 22 on the button 2 is axially limited by the closed end in the long guide groove 11 or slide groove 13; at this time, the tooth block 31 on the outer side of the rotor 3 is inserted into the corresponding long guide groove 11, and the inclined surface 311 at the end of each tooth block 31 abuts against the inclined surface of the groove wall on one side of the tooth groove 21 on the button 2 (the two can be point contact, line contact or surface contact), at this time, the tooth block 31 is not fully engaged with the tooth groove 21, and the tip of the tooth block 31 is not abutted against the tooth tip of the tooth groove 21; the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 is limited by the long guide groove 11, and the rotor 3 cannot rotate at this time. In this state, although the claw 42 is located outside the outer cylinder 1, the claw 42 is disengaged from the limiting step 201 on the cable connector 200, and the cable connector 200 is unlocked.

[0050] When the button 2 is pressed, the button 2 pushes the rotor 3 to move axially, and the rotor 3 slowly escapes from the restriction of the long guide groove 11; when the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 escapes from the long guide groove 11, due to the interaction between the inclined surface of the tooth groove 21 on the button 2 and the inclined surface 311 of the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3, the rotor 3 moves axially and rotates circumferentially at the same time; until the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 is fully engaged with the tooth groove 21 on the button 2 (that is, the tip of the tooth block 31 abuts against the tooth tip of the tooth groove 21), at this time, the push rod 4 extends outward the longest, as shown in FIG. Fig.10 As shown, according to Fig.10 The position shown here shows that the push rod 4 has moved to the far right.

[0051] Release the button 2 again, and under the action of the compression spring 5, the rotor 3 and the button 2 both retreat; after retreating a certain distance, the inclined surface 311 of the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 contacts the inclined surface of the short guide groove 12, and under the interaction between the inclined surface 311 and the inclined surface on the short guide groove 12, the rotor 3 rotates again until it enters the short guide groove 12, and moves axially while rotating along the short guide groove 12 until it gets stuck, that is, the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 is engaged with the short guide groove 12, and the tip of the tooth block 31 abuts against the tooth tip of the short guide groove 12 (that is, the closed end of the short guide groove 12), as shown in FIG. Fig.11 As shown; at this time, the rotor 3 has not completely returned to the initial position, and the rotor 3 is in the relative initial position according to Fig.11 The position shown has a certain amount of movement to the right, and the button 2 returns to the initial position. The push rod 4 moves axially along with the rotor 3 during the movement. At this time, the claw 42 of the push rod 4 extends further outward relative to the initial position. The claw 42 in the push rod 4 is stuck on the limit step 201 on the outer wall of the cable connector 200, which can prevent the cable connector 200 (including the ferrule) from retreating and is in a locked state. Press button 2 again, button 2 pushes rotor 3 to move axially again. When tooth block 31 on rotor 3 disengages from short guide groove 12, rotor 3 moves axially and rotates circumferentially at the same time until tooth block 31 on rotor 3 is fully engaged with tooth groove 21 on button 2, at which time push rod 4 extends outward the longest.

[0052] Release the button 2 again. Under the action of the compression spring 5, the rotor 3 and the button 2 both retreat. After retreating a certain distance, the inclined surface 311 of the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 contacts the inclined surface of the serrated groove 111 in the long guide groove 11. The rotor 3 rotates again and moves from the serrated groove 111 of the long guide groove 11 to the straight groove 112 until the button 2 is reset. The inclined surface 311 at the end of the tooth block 31 on the rotor 3 abuts against the inclined surface of the groove wall on one side of the corresponding tooth groove 21 on the button 2, and the lock structure 100 returns to the initial state, that is, returns to the unlocked state; the claw 42 no longer clamps the limit step 201, and the cable connector 200 is unlocked at this time.

[0053] The cable connector 200 can be locked and unlocked by repeating the operation in this way.

[0054] Furthermore, when in use, the cable connector 200 and the lock structure 100 are respectively installed on a first side surface and a second side surface of the same housing 500 , and the first side surface and the second side surface are adjacent to each other.

[0055] The housing 500 may be any panel, box or case. The axial direction of the outer cylinder 1 is preferably perpendicular to the axial direction of the cable connector 200. The lock structure 100 and the cable connector 200 are on two adjacent sides of the housing 500, which can effectively reduce the radial size of the cable connector 200 and facilitate the arrangement of more connectors along the radial direction of the connector on the first side of the housing 500.

[0056] Furthermore, the present application also provides a connector assembly, comprising: The above connector with a lock structure; Fixed connector 400; The adapter 300 is used to connect the other end of the cable connector 200 and one end of the fixed connector 400 .

[0057] The fixed connector 400 can also be called a standard connector. The other end of the cable connector 200 has a ferrule, and the ferrule and one end of the fixed connector 400 are plugged into the adapter 300 to achieve docking of the two using the adapter 300. The fixed connector 400 is generally located in the above-mentioned housing 500, and the cable connector 200 is located outside the housing 500. The cable connection end can be connected to an optical cable or an electrical cable.

[0058] The connector assembly includes the above-mentioned connector with a lock structure and has the same effect, which will not be described in detail here.

[0059] In summary, the connector and connector assembly with a lock structure in this embodiment can be widely used for locking or unlocking optical cable connectors when they are docked, and has the following advantages: (1) The structure is reliable and occupies little space. Only a small step is required on the cable connector 200, which can effectively reduce the radial space occupied by the cable connector 200 (most traditional connectors or pre-terminated connectors have an unlocking structure 100 in the radial direction), leaving more operating space for plugging and unplugging the cable connector 200: (2) Since the locking pressing direction is 90° or more than the locking direction of the cable connector 200, the cable connector 200 can meet higher tensile requirements, which can reach more than 800N. The tensile strength of the cable connector 200 far exceeds the tensile requirements of general cables; (3) The locking is reliable and can effectively prevent the cable connector from retreating 200 ft. It can meet the light transmission requirements under high vibration or falling conditions and can be fully applied in automobiles, airplanes, etc.; (4) The lock structure 100 is configured to drive the push rod 4 to move axially by initially pressing the button 2, and to make the second end of the push rod 4 stuck on the limit step 201 after the button 2 is released; and to drive the push rod 4 to move axially by pressing the button 2 again, and to make the second end of the push rod 4 disengage from the limit step 201 after the button 2 is released. When unlocking, you only need to press the button 2, and then pull out the cable connector 200 after releasing it, which saves effort and realizes "one-hand operation"; (5) The lock structure 100 can also easily meet the waterproof requirement. It only needs to add a sealing ring at the button 2 for radial sealing, which makes it very convenient to combine the structure with the housing 500 (such as a box body).

[0060] (6) In the field of various communication connectors, the problem of docking force when the optical fiber connector cores are docked is solved. The lock structure 100 can make the cable connector 200 itself have good tensile properties. At the same time, the lock structure 100 is relatively independent and can greatly reduce the diameter of the cable connector 200 itself, which is convenient for high-density wiring requirements and reduces the difficulty of plugging and unplugging connectors in FTTX.

[0061] (7) The lock structure 100 can be installed on various panels, boxes, and cabinets in the communication field to ensure the reliability of the locking when the connectors are connected. It has various forms and can also be used in relatively harsh environments, especially in high-vibration and high-drop locations. When locked, it can well ensure the reliability of the connector connection.

[0062] The above are only exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes and modifications made by any person skilled in the art without departing from the concept and principle of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector with a lock structure, characterized in that: include: A cable connector, one end of which is a cable connection end, and an outer wall of which is provided with a limiting step; A lock structure, comprising an outer tube, a button and a push rod; the button can be inserted into the outer tube in a circumferentially fixed and axially slidable manner, and the first end of the button can extend out of the first end of the outer tube; the push rod can be inserted into the outer tube in an axially movably manner, and the second end of the push rod can extend out of the second end of the outer tube; The lock structure is used to be installed on the outside of the cable connector; the lock structure has an unlocked state and a locked state, and the lock structure can be switched between the unlocked state and the locked state by pressing the button; When the lock structure is in an unlocked state, the second end of the push rod is disengaged from the limiting step to unlock the cable connector; when the lock structure is in a locked state, the second end of the push rod extends outwardly from the preset length of the outer tube, and the second end of the push rod can be stuck on the limiting step to limit the axial movement of the cable connector toward the cable connection end, thereby locking the cable connector.

2. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lock structure further comprises a rotor, which is rotatably and axially movable and inserted into the outer tube and abuts between the button and the push rod; The inner wall of the outer cylinder is circumferentially staggered with a plurality of long guide grooves and a plurality of short guide grooves, and the axial length of the long guide groove along the outer cylinder is greater than the axial length of the short guide groove along the outer cylinder; the second end of the button is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth grooves, and the outer wall of the rotor is circumferentially provided with a plurality of tooth blocks; when the lock structure is in an unlocked state, the tooth block can be inserted into the corresponding long guide groove, and one end of the tooth block can be in contact with the groove wall of the tooth groove; when the lock structure is in a locked state, the tooth block can be inserted into the corresponding short guide groove and disengaged from the tooth groove.

3. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The long guide groove includes a connected serrated groove and a linear groove, the short guide groove is a serrated groove, the serrated groove is arranged close to the second end of the outer tube, and the tooth tip of the serrated groove is connected to the linear groove, and the serration direction of the serrated groove is the same as that of the short guide groove; the tooth groove is a V-shaped groove, and the V-shaped tooth tip of the tooth groove is arranged opposite to the corresponding inclined surface of the serrated groove or the corresponding inclined surface of the short guide groove; the first end of the tooth block has an inclined surface, and the inclined surface can be in contact with the inclined surface of the tooth groove when the lock structure is in an unlocked state.

4. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: A plurality of slide grooves are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner wall of the outer cylinder, and the slide grooves extend from the short guide groove to the first end of the outer cylinder along the axial direction of the outer cylinder, and the slide grooves can be communicated with the corresponding short guide grooves, and the groove depth of the slide grooves is less than the groove depth of the short guide grooves; The outer wall of the button is provided with a plurality of protrusions at intervals in the circumferential direction, and the protrusions can be inserted into the corresponding long guide grooves or the sliding grooves in an axially slidable manner.

5. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plurality of tooth blocks are arranged near the second end of the rotor, and a first slot extending axially is arranged at the second end of the button, and the first end of the rotor can be inserted into the first slot.

6. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A second slot extending axially is provided at the second end of the rotor, and the first end of the push rod can be inserted into the second slot.

7. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A first limiting ring is protruding outwardly from the outer wall of the push rod, a second limiting ring is protruding inwardly from the inner wall of the second end of the outer tube, and a compression spring is disposed on the outer sleeve of the push rod, and both ends of the compression spring can respectively abut against the first limiting ring and the second limiting ring.

8. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The push rod comprises a push rod and a claw connected to each other, and the claw is located outside the second end of the outer cylinder.

9. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer cylinder comprises a main cylinder and a lower cover. The center of the lower cover has a central hole. The lower cover can be snap-fitted with the end of the main cylinder through a snap-fit ​​structure, and the second end of the ejector rod can pass through the central hole.

10. The connector with a lock structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cable connector and the lock structure are respectively used to be installed on a first side surface and a second side surface of the same housing, and the first side surface is adjacent to the second side surface.

11. A connector assembly, characterized in that: include: The connector with a lock structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10; Fixed connector; The adapter is used to connect the other end of the cable connector with one end of the fixed connector.

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