Connector assembly and manufacturing method of connector assembly

Abstract

The invention provides a connector assembly which comprises an optical connector, and the optical connector comprises a first optical connector and a second optical connector which can be connected together. The first optical connector comprises a first shell, a plurality of first optical fibers arranged in an array, a first mounting seat used for fixing the first optical fibers and a plurality of beam expanding lenses in one-to-one correspondence with the first optical fibers, and the beam expanding lenses are used for expanding the spot diameter of light output from the first optical fibers; the second optical connector comprises a second shell, a plurality of second optical fibers arranged in an array, a second mounting base used for fixing the second optical fibers and a plurality of bunching lenses in one-to-one correspondence with the second optical fibers, and the bunching lenses are used for reducing the diameter of light spots input to the second optical fibers from the beam expanding lens; the plurality of beam expanding lenses and the first mounting seat are integrally formed, and / or the plurality of beam condensing lenses and the second mounting seat are integrally formed; the influence of dust on signal transmission is reduced, and the reliability of the connector assembly is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of connectors, and in particular to a connector assembly and a method for manufacturing the connector assembly. Background Art

[0002] With the development of automotive electronics and intelligence, especially in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and smart cockpit systems, and the rapid growth in demand for data transmission rate and bandwidth, connector components that achieve high-bandwidth, multi-channel transmission are becoming more and more widely used.

[0003] In the related art, in order to realize the function of multi-channel data transmission, the connector assembly usually adopts MPO fiber optic connector, and when the MPO fiber optic connector is used in pairs, all the fiber end faces need to be in close physical contact at the same time to work properly. However, since the outer diameter of the fiber core is at the μm level, the optical density per unit area is large, resulting in a high sensitivity of the optical signal to dirt, and the signal transmission is easily affected by dust, which reduces the reliability of the connector assembly. Summary of the invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly with improved reliability and a method for manufacturing the connector assembly.

[0005] To achieve one of the above-mentioned objects of the invention, an embodiment of the present invention provides a connector assembly, including an optical connector, wherein the optical connector includes: a first optical connector and a second optical connector that can be connected to each other; The first optical connector includes a first housing, a plurality of first optical fibers arranged in an array, a first mounting seat for fixing the first optical fibers, and a plurality of beam expander lenses corresponding to the first optical fibers one by one, wherein the beam expander lenses are used to expand the spot diameter of the light output from the first optical fibers; The second optical connector includes a second housing, a plurality of second optical fibers arranged in an array, a second mounting seat for fixing the second optical fibers, and a plurality of condensing lenses corresponding to the second optical fibers one by one, wherein the condensing lenses are used to reduce the diameter of the light spot input from the beam expanding lens to the second optical fiber; Wherein, a plurality of beam expanding lenses are integrally formed with the first mounting seat, and / or a plurality of beam focusing lenses are integrally formed with the second mounting seat.

[0006] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat have a lens mounting portion and a fiber mounting portion, the expanding lens and the focusing lens corresponding to the mounting seat are molded on the lens mounting portion, the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber corresponding to the lens are passed through the fiber mounting portion and abut against the lens mounting portion, and the lens mounting portion is used for optical coupling of the lens and the optical fiber.

[0007] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, when the first mounting seat abuts against the second mounting seat, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat abut against each other and form a docking cavity at the abutting point, and the beam expander lens and the beam focusing lens are both located in the docking cavity.

[0008] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, at least one lens mounting portion has a receiving groove, and the beam expander lens and the beam condenser lens corresponding to the lens mounting portion are located in the receiving groove, and the beam expander lens and the beam condenser lens are spaced apart.

[0009] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the first mounting seat and / or the second mounting seat has a receiving groove, and the docking cavity is composed of at least one receiving groove.

[0010] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the optical connector includes a connecting structure that enables the first optical connector and the second optical connector to be snap-fitted along a first direction, and a locking structure, wherein the locking structure cooperates with the connecting structure along the first direction to limit the connecting structure from being snap-fitted.

[0011] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the connecting structure includes a locking boss and a locking block that cooperate with each other, the locking block has a locking portion and a pressing portion opposite to each other along a first direction, and the locking structure includes a stop block, at least part of which is located on the side of the pressing portion toward the locking boss along a second direction to limit the locking portion from deviating from the locking boss along the second direction, and the first direction is set at a certain angle to the second direction.

[0012] As a further improvement of an embodiment of the present invention, the optical connector includes a positioning structure for plugging and matching the first optical connector with the second optical connector along a first direction, the optical connector has a first plugging surface and a second plugging surface opposite to each other along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the positioning structure includes a first plugging block and a second plugging block having an outer diameter larger than the first plugging block; One of the first plug-in block and the second plug-in block is arranged on the first plug-in surface, and the other of the second plug-in block and the first plug-in block is arranged on the second plug-in surface; and / or, The first plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block and a second plug-in block, the second plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block and a second plug-in block, and the same plug-in blocks on the two plug-in surfaces are symmetrically arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0013] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the first shell and the second shell have a channel cavity for accommodating corresponding optical fibers, and the first optical connector and the second optical connector include a protective shell sleeved on the corresponding optical fiber and a compression sleeve sleeved on the protective shell, and the compression sleeve is connected to the channel cavity.

[0014] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the connector assembly also includes an electrical connector, the electrical connector includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector, the first electrical connector includes a first shell, the second electrical connector includes a second shell, the first shell is integrally formed with the first shell, and / or the second shell is integrally formed with the second shell.

[0015] In order to achieve one of the purposes of the above invention, the present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a connector assembly, which is used to manufacture the connector assembly as described above, comprising: The lens and the mounting seat are formed in one piece; Connect the optical fiber to the mounting base; Assemble the mounting base and the housing.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, in the embodiments of the present invention, a beam expander lens and a beam focusing lens are used to couple optical signals between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, so that the radius of the optical path between the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber is enlarged, the light density per unit area is reduced, and the sensitivity of the optical signal to dirt is reduced, which is beneficial to reducing the impact of dust on signal transmission, thereby improving the reliability of the connector assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a connector assembly in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view along the left-right direction; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the first optical connector; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the second optical connector; Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of the connection between the middle connector and the optical fiber; Figure 6 yes Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A partial schematic diagram of a cross-section along the up-down direction; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first optical connector in another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a connector assembly in another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological, or functional changes made by a person skilled in the art based on these embodiments are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] It should be understood that the terms such as “having”, “including” and “comprising” used herein do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other elements or combinations thereof.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0021] The present invention provides a connector assembly, which is configured as a vehicle-mounted connector and can be used to transmit optical signals, or to transmit optical signals and electrical signals, and is adapted to a vehicle-mounted use environment.

[0022] Reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, one embodiment of the present invention provides a connector assembly 10, comprising an optical connector 1. In this embodiment, the connector assembly 10 is composed of the optical connector 1, and other types of connectors are not integrated, and can be used to transmit optical signals.

[0023] like Figure 1 In some embodiments, the optical connector 1 includes a first optical connector 11 and a second optical connector 12 that can be connected to each other. In this embodiment, the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 are detachably connected to facilitate mutual assembly and disassembly.

[0024] Mate Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, the first optical connector 11 includes a first housing 111. In this embodiment, the first housing 111 is used to protect the optical fiber to prevent the optical fiber from being damaged.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first optical connector 11 includes a plurality of first optical fibers 112 arranged in an array. In this embodiment, the number of the first optical fibers 112 may be 2 or more, for example, between 2 and 12. The plurality of first optical fibers 112 can realize multi-channel data transmission to meet the high bandwidth and high data volume requirements of the vehicle.

[0026] In some embodiments, the first optical connector 11 includes a first mounting seat 113 for fixing the first optical fiber 112. In this embodiment, after the first optical fiber 112 is connected to the first mounting seat 113, the first mounting seat 113 is used to assemble with the first housing 111.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first optical connector 11 includes a plurality of beam expander lenses 114 corresponding one to one with the first optical fibers 112. In this embodiment, each first optical fiber 112 corresponds to one beam expander lens 114.

[0028] In some embodiments, the beam expander lens 114 is used to expand the spot diameter of the light output from the first optical fiber 112. In this embodiment, the beam expander lens 114 is used to expand the diameter of the input light spot (i.e., the light spot input by the first optical fiber 112), so as to output a light spot with a larger diameter (for example, output a light spot with a larger diameter to a focusing lens).

[0029] Mate Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 includes a second housing 121. In this embodiment, the first housing 111 and the second housing 121 are detachably connected, such as by snap connection. Similarly, the second housing 121 is used to protect the optical fiber and prevent the optical fiber from being damaged.

[0030] In some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 includes a plurality of second optical fibers 122 arranged in an array. In this embodiment, the number of the second optical fibers 122 is the same as the number of the first optical fibers 112 .

[0031] Likewise, the number of the second optical fibers 122 may be 2 or more, for example, between 2 and 12. Multiple second optical fibers 122 can realize multi-channel data transmission to meet the requirements of high bandwidth and high data volume on vehicles.

[0032] In some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 includes a second mounting seat 123 for fixing the second optical fiber 122. In this embodiment, after the second optical fiber 122 is connected to the second mounting seat 123, the second mounting seat 123 is used to assemble with the second housing 121.

[0033] In some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 includes a plurality of bunching lenses 124 corresponding to the second optical fibers 122 . In this embodiment, each second optical fiber 122 corresponds to one bunching lens 124 .

[0034] In some embodiments, the condenser lens 124 is used to reduce the diameter of the light spot input from the beam expander lens 114 to the second optical fiber. In this embodiment, the condenser lens 124 is used to reduce the diameter of the input light spot (i.e., the light spot input by the beam expander lens 114), so as to output a light spot with a smaller diameter (i.e., output a light spot with a smaller diameter to the second optical fiber 122).

[0035] In some embodiments, each of the first optical fiber 112, the beam expander lens 114, the beam condenser lens 124, and the second optical fiber 122 are sequentially arranged along the optical signal transmission direction. In this embodiment, after the optical signal is input by the first optical fiber 112, it passes through the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 in sequence, and is output by the second optical fiber 122.

[0036] In this embodiment, a certain gap is formed between the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122 by using the expanding lens 114 and the focusing lens 124, so as to achieve non-contact installation between the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122, thereby eliminating the need for direct contact and enhancing the dust tolerance and transmission stability of the optical signal between the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122.

[0037] Moreover, by expanding the output optical signal of the first optical fiber 112, the influence of docking error (ie, the error caused when docking the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12) on signal transmission can be reduced, thereby achieving low insertion loss connection.

[0038] In addition, according to the principle of reversible optical path, the optical signal can also be input from the second optical fiber 122 , and after passing through the focusing lens 124 and the beam expanding lens 114 , be output from the first optical fiber 112 .

[0039] Thus, the optical signal is coupled between the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122 by using the beam expanding lens 114 and the beam focusing lens 124, so that the radius of the optical path between the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122 is enlarged, the light density per unit area is reduced, and the sensitivity of the optical signal to dirt is reduced, which is beneficial to reducing the impact of dust on signal transmission, thereby improving the reliability of the connector assembly 10.

[0040] In some embodiments, the plurality of beam expander lenses 114 are integrally formed with the first mounting base 113 , and / or the plurality of beam condenser lenses 124 are integrally formed with the second mounting base 123 .

[0041] In the present embodiment, at least one of the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 adopts a lens (e.g., a beam expander lens 114, a beam focusing lens 124) and a mounting seat (e.g., a first mounting seat 113, a second mounting seat 123) that are integrally formed (e.g., injection molded), thereby eliminating the assembly process between the lens and the mounting seat, improving the assembly accuracy between the lens and the mounting seat, and improving the coupling accuracy of the optical signal between the lens and the mounting seat.

[0042] For example, Figure 3 , a plurality of beam expander lenses 114 are integrally formed with the first mounting base 113. Alternatively, Figure 4 , a plurality of condenser lenses 124 are integrally formed with the second mounting base 123. Alternatively, as Figure 2 , a plurality of beam expander lenses 114 are integrally formed with the first mounting seat 113 , and a plurality of beam focusing lenses 124 are integrally formed with the second mounting seat 123 . The assembly process of the optical connector 1 (ie, the connector assembly 10 ) in this manner is the most simplified.

[0043] Mate Reference Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, at least one mounting seat (113, 123) has a lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). In this embodiment, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 have a lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). The lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is a part of the mounting seat (113, 123), and the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is directly formed during the manufacturing process of the mounting seat (113, 123) in an integrated molding manner.

[0044] In some embodiments, at least one mounting seat (113, 123) has an optical fiber mounting portion (1130, 1230). In this embodiment, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 have an optical fiber mounting portion (1130, 1230). The lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) and the optical fiber mounting portion (1130, 1230) are integrally formed. The optical fiber mounting portion (1130, 1230) is a part of the mounting seat (113, 123), and the optical fiber mounting portion (1130, 1230) is directly formed during the manufacturing process of the mounting seat (113, 123) by an integral molding method.

[0045] Exemplarily, the first mounting seat 113 has a first lens mounting portion 1131 and a first optical fiber mounting portion 1130 , and the second mounting seat 123 has a second lens mounting portion 1231 and a second optical fiber mounting portion 1230 .

[0046] In some embodiments, the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 corresponding to the mounting seat (113, 123) are formed on the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). In this embodiment, the lens (114, 124) corresponding to the mounting seat (113, 123) provided with the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is formed on one side of the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231).

[0047] Exemplarily, the first mounting seat 113 has a first lens mounting portion 1131, and the lens corresponding to the first mounting seat 113 (i.e., the beam expander lens 114) is formed on the side of the first lens mounting portion 1131 facing the second mounting seat 123. The second mounting seat 123 has a second lens mounting portion 1231, and the lens corresponding to the second mounting seat 123 (i.e., the beam condenser lens 124) is formed on the side of the second lens mounting portion 1231 facing the first mounting seat 113.

[0048] In some embodiments, the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122 corresponding to the lens (114, 124) are inserted into the optical fiber installation part (1130, 1230). In this embodiment, the plurality of optical fibers (112, 122) are inserted into the optical fiber installation part (1130, 1230) and arranged in an array, so as to facilitate one-to-one alignment with the plurality of lenses (114, 124) arranged in the array.

[0049] In some embodiments, the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122 corresponding to the lens (114, 124) are abutted against the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). In this embodiment, the optical fibers (e.g., the first optical fiber 112, the second optical fiber 122) corresponding to the lens (e.g., the beam expander lens 114, the beam focusing lens 124) are abutted against the end faces on the opposite side of the lens mounting portion (the first lens mounting portion 1131, the second lens mounting portion 1231).

[0050] Exemplarily, the first optical fiber 112 corresponding to the beam expander lens 114 abuts against the side of the first lens mounting portion 1131 away from the second mounting seat 123. The second optical fiber 122 corresponding to the beam focusing lens 124 abuts against the side of the second lens mounting portion 1231 away from the first mounting seat 113.

[0051] In some embodiments, the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is used to optically couple the lens (114, 124) with the optical fiber (112, 122). In this embodiment, the optical fiber (e.g., the first optical fiber 112, the second optical fiber 122) and the corresponding lens (e.g., the beam expanding lens 114, the beam focusing lens 124) are coupled to the optical signal only by using the lens mounting portion (the first lens mounting portion 1131, the second lens mounting portion 1231). Thus, there is no need to set up other coupling structures, which reduces the difficulty of manufacturing the mounting seat (113, 123).

[0052] Compared with the solution of "fixing the lens (such as the beam expander lens 114 and the beam focusing lens 124) directly to the optical fiber (such as the first optical fiber 112 and the second optical fiber 122)", the solution provided in this embodiment only needs to abut the optical fiber against the corresponding lens mounting portion, eliminating the fixing process between the optical fiber and the lens, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the optical connector. In addition, the coupling accuracy between the optical fiber and the lens is guaranteed, ensuring the optical alignment during the docking coupling, and improving the transmission quality of the optical signal.

[0053] Compared with the solution of "setting an additional optical signal channel between the lens and the optical fiber, and coupling the optical fiber and the lens by using the optical signal channel", the solution provided in this embodiment does not need to make an additional optical signal channel, and does not need to assemble the optical fiber and the additional optical signal channel, which simplifies the manufacturing process and assembly process of the optical connector 1. In addition, the coupling accuracy between the optical fiber and the lens is guaranteed, ensuring the optical alignment during docking coupling, and improving the transmission quality of the optical signal.

[0054] Mate Reference Figure 5 As shown, exemplarily, an optical fiber (e.g., a first optical fiber 112, a second optical fiber 122) includes a fiber core (e.g., a first fiber core 1121, a second fiber core 1221) and a protective cover (e.g., a first protective cover 1122, a second protective cover 1222). The fiber core (1121, 1221) abuts against the corresponding lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). The axial end face of the fiber core (1121, 1221) is processed to form a transmission end face, which is used to abut against the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) (e.g., the end face of the lens mounting portion). When processing the axial end face of the fiber core (1121, 1221), a non-grinding processing method can be used, such as laser cutting or cold cutting method, to meet performance requirements.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first mounting seat 113 abuts against the second mounting seat 123. In this embodiment, after the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 are docked, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 abut against each other, that is, the first lens mounting portion 1131 and the second lens mounting portion 123 abut against each other.

[0056] In some embodiments, when the first mounting seat 113 abuts against the second mounting seat 123, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 abut against each other and enclose the abutting position to form a docking cavity 13. In this embodiment, the docking cavity 13 is enclosed by the first lens mounting portion 1131 and the second lens mounting portion 1231 abutting against each other.

[0057] In some embodiments, the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 are both located in the docking cavity 13. In this embodiment, the lenses (114, 124) are both located in the docking cavity 13, which can prevent the lenses (114, 124) from being damaged by collisions, and can also prevent dust from entering the docking cavity 13 and affecting the coupling of optical signals between the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124, thereby reducing the influence of dust particles on signal transmission.

[0058] Exemplarily, the housing (111, 121) includes a front housing (e.g., a first front housing 1111, a second front housing 1211) and a rear housing (e.g., a first rear housing 1112, a second rear housing 1212). The front housing (1111, 1211) and the rear housing (1112, 1212) are snap-connected to form a channel cavity (e.g., a first channel cavity 1113, a second channel cavity 1213).

[0059] Exemplarily, the optical connector (11, 12) includes an inner seal (e.g., a first inner seal 1114, a second inner seal 1214) disposed between the front shell (1111, 1211) and the rear shell (1112, 1212), thereby sealing the channel cavity (1113, 1213). The inner seal (1114, 1214) can prevent dust and moisture from entering the channel cavity (1113, 1213) from the connection between the front shell (1111, 1211) and the rear shell (1112, 1212), thereby providing dustproof and waterproof functions and ensuring high reliability in harsh vehicle environments.

[0060] Exemplarily, the optical connector (11, 12) includes an elastic member (e.g., a first elastic member 115, a second elastic member 125). One side of the mounting seat (113, 123) [e.g., the side opposite to the two mounting seats, i.e., the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231)] abuts against the front shell (1111, 1211), and the opposite side of the mounting seat (113, 123) (e.g., the side opposite to the two mounting seats) abuts against the elastic member (115, 125). The side of the elastic member (115, 125) facing away from the mounting seat (113, 123) abuts against the rear shell (1112, 1212), so that the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 abut against each other, that is, the first lens mounting portion 1131 and the second lens mounting portion 1231 abut against each other.

[0061] Exemplarily, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 are positioned and docked by using the metal guide pins 116 and the guide pin holes 126 that cooperate with each other, that is, the metal guide pins 116 and the guide pin holes 126 are plugged into each other along the first direction.

[0062] In some embodiments, at least one lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) has a receiving groove (11311, 12311). In this embodiment, the first lens mounting portion 1131 and / or the second lens mounting portion 1231 has a receiving groove (e.g., the first receiving groove 11311, e.g., the second receiving groove 12311).

[0063] In some embodiments, the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 corresponding to the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) are located in the receiving groove (11311, 12311), and the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 are spaced apart from each other.

[0064] In this embodiment, the accommodating groove (11311, 12311) is recessed in the end surface of the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231). At least one lens (114, 124) is located in the corresponding accommodating groove (11311, 12311), so that one of the lenses located in the accommodating groove (11311, 12311) cannot contact another lens.

[0065] In this embodiment, the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 are arranged at intervals, that is, they do not contact each other, thereby avoiding damage to the lenses (114, 124) when the two optical connectors (11, 12) are connected.

[0066] Furthermore, the lenses (114, 124) are located in the accommodation grooves (11311, 12311), which can also protect the lenses (114, 124) from collision, for example, before the two optical connectors (11, 12) are docked.

[0067] In addition, compared with the solution of “the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 are in contact with each other”, the solution of this embodiment can also reduce the influence of dust on the coupling between the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 .

[0068] In some embodiments, the first mounting seat 113 and / or the second mounting seat 123 has a receiving groove (11311, 12311), and the docking cavity 13 is composed of at least one receiving groove (11311, 12311).

[0069] In this embodiment, when only the first lens mounting portion 1131 has the first accommodating groove 11311 , the docking cavity 13 may be formed by the first accommodating groove 11311 and the end surface of the second lens mounting portion 1231 .

[0070] In this embodiment, when only the second lens mounting portion 1231 has the second accommodating groove 12311 , the docking cavity 13 may be formed by the second accommodating groove 12311 and the end surface of the first lens mounting portion 1131 .

[0071] In this embodiment, when the first lens mounting portion 1131 and the second lens mounting portion 1231 both have accommodating grooves (11311, 12311), the docking cavity 13 may be formed by the first accommodating groove 11311 and the second accommodating groove 12311 disposed opposite to each other.

[0072] Exemplarily, after the first shell 111 is connected to the second shell 121, the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 abut against each other, the two lens mounting parts (1131, 1231) abut against each other, the first accommodating groove 11311 and the second accommodating groove 12311 are docked to form a docking cavity 13, and the beam expander lens 114 and the beam condenser lens 124 are arranged at intervals in the docking cavity 13. That is, at this time, the beam expander lens 114 is located in the first accommodating groove 11311, and the beam condenser lens 124 is located in the second accommodating groove 12311.

[0073] In this embodiment, the first lens mounting portion 1131 and the second lens mounting portion 1231 both have accommodating grooves (11311, 12311), so that the structures of the first mounting seat 113 and the second mounting seat 123 are the same, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the optical connector 1 (i.e., the connector assembly 10) and saving manufacturing costs.

[0074] Exemplarily, the optical fiber installation portion (1130, 1230) has a front installation groove (e.g., a first front installation groove 1132, a second front installation groove 1232), a rear installation groove (e.g., a first rear installation groove 1133, a second rear installation groove 1233), and a positioning hole (e.g., a first positioning hole 1134, a second positioning hole 1234) connecting the front installation groove (1132, 1232) and the rear installation groove (1133, 1233).

[0075] Exemplarily, at least a portion (e.g. a portion of an end surface) of the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is exposed in the front mounting groove (1132, 1232).

[0076] Exemplarily, the mounting seat (113, 123) has a guide slide (e.g., a first guide slide 1135, a second guide slide 1235) disposed in the rear mounting groove (1133, 1233) and corresponding one-to-one to the optical fiber (112, 122), and the guide slide (1135, 1235) is recessed in the inner wall of the rear mounting groove (1133, 1233).

[0077] Exemplarily, after the optical fibers (112, 122) are arranged in an array along the guide slideways (1135, 1235), the fiber cores (1121, 1221) pass through the positioning holes (1134, 1234) and extend into the front mounting grooves (1132, 1232), thereby abutting against an end surface of one end of the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231).

[0078] Exemplarily, the optical fiber [such as the protective cover (1122, 1222)] is fixed on the guide slide (1135, 1235) by glue. The abutment of the fiber core (1121, 1221) is observed through the notch of the front installation groove (1132, 1232), and the optical fiber (112, 122) is fixed on the guide slide (1135, 1235) by glue through the notch of the rear installation groove (1133, 1233).

[0079] Exemplarily, the optical connector further comprises a rubber tail sleeve (such as a first rubber tail sleeve 117 and a second rubber tail sleeve 127), and the optical fiber is fixed to the mounting seat (113, 123) by using the rubber tail sleeve (117, 127).

[0080] In some embodiments, the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) or a mounting seat (113, 123) corresponding to the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is configured to transmit optical signals in a working wavelength band.

[0081] In this embodiment, the material selected for the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) or the mounting seat (113, 123) having the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is capable of transmitting optical signals in the working band, or at least the material selected for the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) is capable of transmitting optical signals in the working band, thereby ensuring that optical signals can be coupled between the optical fiber (112, 122) and the lens (114, 124) through the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) and having low loss for light in the working band.

[0082] Exemplarily, the two mounting seats (113, 123) are both integrally formed from the same material, and the material selected for the two mounting seats (113, 123) is capable of transmitting optical signals in the working band, thereby enabling optical signal coupling to be achieved using the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231).

[0083] In some other embodiments, only the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231) may be made of a material that can transmit optical signals in the working band. For example, the material used for other parts of the mounting seat (113, 123) is different from that of the lens mounting portion (1131, 1231).

[0084] In some embodiments, the optical connector 1 includes a connection structure 14 and a locking structure 15 that enable the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 to engage with each other along a first direction. In this embodiment, after the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 are engaged with each other by using the connection structure 14, the locking structure 15 is used to achieve secondary locking, thereby improving the stability of the optical connector 1 (i.e., the connector assembly 10) and preventing the optical connector 1 from loosening under vibration or collision conditions in the vehicle, for example, preventing accidental loosening or poor contact during the operation of the vehicle from causing safety accidents.

[0085] In some embodiments, the locking structure 15 cooperates with the connecting structure 14 along the first direction to limit the connection structure 14 from being disengaged from the snap-fit. In this embodiment, the matching direction of the locking structure 15 and the connecting structure 14 is parallel to the matching direction between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12, so as to avoid misoperation of the locking structure 15 during the snap-fitting process of the connecting structure 14 (for example, pinching the stop block perpendicular to the matching direction, causing the stop block to move), and even if pinching along the same direction, the stop block will not move, so as to ensure smooth snap-fitting and snap-off operations between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12.

[0086] In some embodiments, the connection structure 14 includes a mutually cooperating clamping boss 141 and a clamping block 142. In this embodiment, one of the clamping boss 141 and the clamping block 142 is disposed on the first optical connector 11 (e.g., the first housing 111), and the other of the clamping boss 141 and the clamping block 142 is disposed on the second optical connector 12 (e.g., the second housing 121).

[0087] Exemplarily, the clamping boss 141 is disposed on the second housing 121 , for example, on the second front housing 1211 . The clamping block 142 is disposed on the first housing 111 , for example, on the first front housing 1111 .

[0088] Mate Reference Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the clamping block 142 has a clamping portion 1421 and a pressing portion 1422 that are opposite to each other along a first direction. In this embodiment, the clamping portion 1421 and the pressing portion 1422 are both spaced apart from the corresponding housing (111, 121).

[0089] Thus, when the pressing portion 1422 can move toward the housing (111, 121) along the second direction, the clamping portion 1421 can move away from the housing (ie, the clamping boss 141 provided on the second housing 121) along the second direction.

[0090] Exemplarily, the snap-fit ​​block 142 has a supporting portion 1423 connected to a shell (e.g., the first shell 111), and the supporting portion 1423 is located between the snap-fit ​​portion 1421 and the pressing portion 1422, so that the snap-fit ​​portion 1421 and the second shell 121 (e.g., the second front shell 1211) are spaced apart, and the pressing portion 1422 and the first shell 111 (e.g., the first front shell 1111) are spaced apart.

[0091] Exemplarily, the clamping portion 1421 has a clamping groove 14211. Figure 6 The engaging boss 141 extends into the engaging groove 14211 , which can limit the engaging boss 141 and the engaging block 142 from being separated from each other along the first direction.

[0092] Exemplarily, the connection structure also includes a U-shaped protective cover 143. After the snap-fit ​​block 142 passes through the protective cover 143 along the first direction, the protective cover 143 shields the snap-fit ​​boss 141 and the snap-fit ​​groove 14211 to avoid misoperation of the snap-fit ​​portion 1421 causing the snap-fit ​​boss 141 and the snap-fit ​​groove 14211 to separate.

[0093] Mate Reference Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the locking structure 15 includes a stop block 151. In this embodiment, the stop block 151 can slide relative to the housing (eg, the first housing 111) along a first direction.

[0094] Exemplarily, the locking structure 15 further includes a sliding groove 152 , which is disposed in the first shell 111 (eg, the first front shell 1111 ). For example, the sliding groove 152 and the first shell 111 are integrally formed, thereby achieving sliding fit between the stop block 151 and the first shell 111 .

[0095] Exemplarily, the sliding groove 152 and the engaging block 142 are arranged on the same connector (ie, the same housing, such as the first housing 111 ), and the engaging boss is arranged on another connector (ie, another housing, such as the second housing 121 ).

[0096] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the stop block 151 is located on a side of the pressing portion 1422 facing the clamping boss 141 along the second direction, so as to limit the clamping portion 1421 from moving away from the clamping boss 141 along the second direction.

[0097] In this embodiment, after the stop block 151 slides along the first direction, it at least partially extends into between the pressing portion 1422 and the shell (for example, the first shell 111), so that the pressing portion 1422 cannot press toward the shell (for example, the first shell 111) along the second direction, thereby avoiding accidental touching of the pressing portion 1422 and causing the clamping portion 1421 to disengage from the clamping boss 141 along the second direction, that is, avoiding the clamping groove 14211 from moving away from the clamping boss 141 along the second direction.

[0098] Mate Reference Figure 7 As shown, illustratively, the stopper 151 has a sliding portion 1511 and a locking portion 1512 that cooperate with the sliding groove 152. The sliding portion 1511 is always located in the sliding groove 152, which can prevent the stopper 151 from being separated from the sliding groove 152. When the stopper 151 extends between the pressing portion 1422 and the first housing 111, the locking portion 1512 is located in the sliding groove 152. The locking portion 1512 uses a boss protruding along the third direction to limit the stopper 151 from departing from the connecting structure 14 along the first direction. At this time, the sliding portion 1511 can also limit the stopper 151 from moving toward the connecting structure 14 along the first direction.

[0099] Exemplarily, the stop block 151 is stepped and has a first step surface 1513 and a second step surface 1514. The distance between the first step surface 1513 and the corresponding housing (e.g., the first housing 111) is smaller than the distance between the second step surface 1514 and the corresponding housing (e.g., the first housing 111). When the pressing portion 1422 is opposite to the first step surface 1513 (opposite along the second direction), the clamping block 142 (i.e., the pressing portion 1422) cannot perform a press-to-unlock operation.

[0100] In some embodiments, the first direction and the second direction are arranged at a certain angle. In this embodiment, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, and the first direction and the third direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0101] For example, Figure 1 The first direction may be a front-to-back direction, the second direction may be an up-down direction, and the third direction may be a left-to-right direction.

[0102] In some embodiments, the optical connector 1 includes a positioning structure for enabling the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 to be plugged and matched along a first direction.

[0103] In this embodiment, the positioning structure can prevent misalignment during the docking process between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the docking. In addition, the docking between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 can be positioned to ensure installation accuracy, that is, to ensure coupling accuracy after docking.

[0104] In some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 has a first plugging surface and a second plugging surface that are opposite to each other along a direction perpendicular to the first direction. In this embodiment, the first plugging surface and the second plugging surface can be opposite to each other along the second direction (such as the up-down direction) or along the third direction (such as the left-right direction).

[0105] In some embodiments, the positioning structure includes a first plug-in block 1611 and a second plug-in block 1612 whose outer diameter is larger than that of the first plug-in block 1611. In this embodiment, the positioning structure includes a plug-in block provided at one of the first optical connector 11 (i.e., the first housing 111) and the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121), and a plug-in slot 162 provided at the other of the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12, and the plug-in block corresponds to the plug-in slot 162 one by one. The positioning structure includes at least two plug-in blocks (i.e., the first plug-in block 1611 and the second plug-in block 1612) with different outer diameters.

[0106] In some embodiments, one of the first plug-in block 1611 and the second plug-in block 1612 is disposed on the first plug-in surface, and the other of the second plug-in block 1612 and the first plug-in block 1611 is disposed on the second plug-in surface.

[0107] In this embodiment, only one plug-in block with one outer diameter size is provided on the first plug-in surface (for example, the first plug-in block 1611), and only one plug-in block with one outer diameter size is provided on the second plug-in surface (for example, the second plug-in block 1612). When the docking position of the first optical connector 11 (i.e., the first shell 111) and the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second shell 121) is inaccurate, docking cannot be performed.

[0108] For example, Figure 4 The second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121) has a first plugging surface and a second plugging surface that are opposite to each other along a second direction (e.g., the up-down direction). A first plugging block 1611 is provided on the first plugging surface, and a second plugging block 1612 is provided on the second plugging surface. When the docking position of the first optical connector 11 (i.e., the first housing 111) and the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121) is inaccurate (e.g., upside down), docking cannot be performed.

[0109] In some other embodiments, the first plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block 1611 and a second plug-in block 1612, the second plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block 1611 and a second plug-in block 1612, and the same plug-in blocks (1611, 1612) on the two plug-in surfaces are symmetrically arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0110] In this embodiment, two plug-in blocks with two outer diameter sizes are provided on the first plug-in surface (e.g., the first plug-in block 1611 and the second plug-in block 1612), and two plug-in blocks with two outer diameter sizes are provided on the second plug-in surface (e.g., the first plug-in block 1611 and the second plug-in block 1612). In addition, the same plug-in block (e.g., the first plug-in block 1611 or the second plug-in block 1612) on the two plug-in surfaces is symmetrically arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction. Therefore, when the docking position of the first optical connector 11 (i.e., the first shell 111) and the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second shell 121) is inaccurate, docking cannot be performed.

[0111] For example, Figure 4 The second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121) has a first plug-in surface and a second plug-in surface that are opposite to each other along a third direction (e.g., left-right direction). The first plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block 1611 and a second plug-in block 1612, and the second plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block 1611 and a second plug-in block 1612. Moreover, the first plug-in block 1611 (or the second plug-in block 1612) on the first plug-in surface and the first plug-in block 1611 (or the second plug-in block 1612) on the second plug-in surface are symmetrically arranged along the third direction, as long as the plug-in blocks on the first plug-in surface and the second plug-in surface are non-centrally symmetrical. When the docking position of the first optical connector 11 (i.e., the first housing 111) and the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121) is inaccurate (e.g., reversed left and right), docking cannot be performed.

[0112] In some embodiments, the second optical connector 12 has two pairs of first plugging surfaces and second plugging surfaces, wherein one pair of the first plugging surfaces and the second plugging surfaces are opposite to each other along the second direction, and the other pair of the first plugging surfaces and the second plugging surfaces are opposite to each other along the third direction. In this case, plugging blocks with the same or different outer diameters can be selected on the two pairs of the first plugging surfaces and the second plugging surfaces for setting.

[0113] Exemplarily, the second optical connector 12 (i.e., the second housing 121) has an upper first plugging surface and a lower second plugging surface that are opposite to each other along a second direction (e.g., the up-down direction), and a left first plugging surface and a right second plugging surface that are opposite to each other along a third direction (e.g., the left-right direction). A first plugging block 1611 is provided on the upper first plugging surface, and a second plugging block 1612 is provided on the lower second plugging surface. A first plugging block 1611 and a second plugging block 1612 are provided on the left first plugging surface, and a first plugging block 1611 and a second plugging block 1612 are provided on the right second plugging surface. Furthermore, the first plugging block 1611 (or the second plugging block 1612) on the left first plugging surface and the first plugging block 1611 (or the second plugging block 1612) on the right second plugging surface are symmetrically arranged along the third direction. When the docking position of the first optical connector 11 (ie, the first housing 111 ) and the second optical connector 12 (ie, the second housing 121 ) is inaccurate (eg, upside down or left to right), docking is impossible.

[0114] In other embodiments, the optical connector may also achieve the function of preventing misaligned installation through other positioning structures, such as setting the cross-sectional shape of the housing (such as the second housing 121) to a non-centrally symmetrical shape, such as a trapezoid.

[0115] Exemplarily, the optical connector 1 also includes an outer seal 17 that is sleeved on the first optical connector 11 (for example, the first shell 111). After the two optical connectors (11, 12) are plugged in and snap-connected, the outer seal 17 can seal the joint between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12, so that the optical connector 1 can be suitable for harsh vehicle environments.

[0116] Exemplarily, the outer seal 17 is configured as a sealing ring with an L-shaped cross-section, which can effectively seal between the first front shell 1111 and the second front shell 1211 (eg, front and rear docking surfaces, left and right docking surfaces, and upper and lower docking surfaces).

[0117] In addition, the inner seal (1114, 1214) and the outer seal 17 are both made of high temperature resistant and corrosion resistant materials to adapt to the high temperature and humid environment of the vehicle, ensuring reliability in long-term use.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first housing 111 and the second housing 121 have channel cavities (1113, 1213) for accommodating corresponding optical fibers (112, 122). In this embodiment, the plurality of optical fibers (112, 122) are located in the channel cavities (1113, 1213) to avoid being affected by the external environment.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 include a protective shell (e.g., a first protective shell 118, e.g., a second protective shell 128) sleeved on the corresponding optical fiber (112, 122) and a compression sleeve (e.g., a first compression sleeve 119, e.g., a second compression sleeve 129) sleeved on the protective shell (118, 128).

[0120] In this embodiment, the protective shell (118, 128) is sleeved on a plurality of optical fibers (112, 122) to form a multi-channel optical fiber harness. After the compression sleeve (119, 129) is fixed to the protective shell (118, 128) by crimping, it is connected to the housing (111, 121) or the bent tube to prevent the optical fiber (112, 122) from shaking or loosening inside the channel cavity (1113, 1213), thereby ensuring the stability of optical signal transmission.

[0121] Exemplarily, the optical connector (11, 12) further includes a tail sleeve (110, 120) sleeved on the compression sleeve (119, 129), for example, the tail sleeve (110, 120) is fixed to the compression sleeve (119, 129) by heat shrinking and applying sealant, so as to seal the connection between the compression sleeve (119, 129) and the shell (111, 121) (or the bent tube), and the connection between the compression sleeve (119, 129) and the protective shell (118, 128), and can also be used to protect the optical fiber (112, 122) after the compression sleeve connection, prevent it from being damaged due to pulling or bending, and improve the durability and reliability of the optical connector 1 (i.e., the connector assembly 10).

[0122] In some embodiments, the compression sleeve (119, 129) is connected to the channel cavity (1113, 1213). In this embodiment, a plurality of optical fibers (112, 122) pass through the compression sleeve (119, 129) and the channel cavity (1113, 1213) in sequence and then dock with the mounting seat (113, 123).

[0123] In some embodiments, the axis of the channel cavity (1113, 1213) and the axis of the compression sleeve (119, 129) are parallel to each other. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The compression sleeve (119, 129) is directly connected to the housing (e.g., the first rear housing 1112, the second rear housing 1212), and the axis of the channel cavity (1113, 1213) is parallel to the axis of the compression sleeve (119, 129), which facilitates the insertion of the optical fiber (112, 122).

[0124] In other embodiments, the axis of the channel cavity (1113, 1213) is arranged at a certain angle to the axis of the compression sleeve (119, 129). In this embodiment, the axis of the channel cavity (1113, 1213) is arranged at a certain angle to the axis of the compression sleeve (119, 129), for example, perpendicular to each other, which can meet different usage requirements of the vehicle connector assembly 10.

[0125] Exemplary, with reference to Figure 8 As shown, the compression sleeve (119, 129) is indirectly connected to the housing (eg, the first rear housing 1112, the second rear housing 1212) via a bend 11a, and the turning angle of the bend 11a may be 90°.

[0126] refer to Fig. 9 As shown, another embodiment of the present invention provides a connector assembly 10', which adds an electrical connector 2 based on the above embodiment, and can simultaneously transmit optical signals and electrical signals. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals represent the same elements with similar functions and are not further described.

[0127] In this embodiment, the electrical connector 2 includes a first electrical connector 21 and a second electrical connector 22. In this embodiment, the docking between the first electrical connector 21 and the second electrical connector 22 is synchronized with the docking between the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12. That is, when the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 are docked, the first electrical connector 21 and the second electrical connector 22 are also docked synchronously, which simplifies the operation steps when the connector assembly 10' is docked and detached.

[0128] Exemplarily, the first electrical connector 21 and the second electrical connector 22 are engaged with each other along the first direction.

[0129] In some embodiments, the first electrical connector 21 includes a first housing 211 , and the second electrical connector 22 includes a second housing 221 . In this embodiment, the first housing 211 is connected to the first shell 111 , and the second housing 221 is connected to the second shell 121 .

[0130] Exemplarily, the first housing 211 and the first housing 111 are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (eg, left-right direction). The second housing 221 and the second housing 121 are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (eg, left-right direction).

[0131] In some other embodiments, the first housing 211 and the first shell 111 may also be coaxially arranged. The second housing 221 and the second shell 121 may also be coaxially arranged.

[0132] In some embodiments, the first shell 211 is integrally formed with the first shell 111 , and / or the second shell 221 is integrally formed with the second shell 121 .

[0133] In this embodiment, the first shell 211 and the first housing 111 are integrally formed, thereby eliminating the assembly process between the first shell 211 and the first housing 111 and ensuring the matching accuracy between the first shell 211 and the first housing 111, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the connector assembly 10 ′.

[0134] In this embodiment, the second housing 221 and the second shell 121 are integrally formed, thereby eliminating the assembly process between the second housing 221 and the second shell 121 and ensuring the matching accuracy between the second housing 221 and the second shell 121, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the connector assembly 10 ′.

[0135] Exemplarily, the first shell 211 is integrally formed with the first shell 111, and the second shell 221 is integrally formed with the second shell 121, thereby ensuring the fitting accuracy between the first shell 211 and the first shell 111, and the fitting accuracy between the second shell 221 and the second shell 121, and also eliminating the cumulative error caused during assembly between the optical connector 1 and the electrical connector 2.

[0136] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a connector assembly (10, 10') is also provided. The structure and function of the connector assembly (10, 10') are as described above and will not be described in detail herein.

[0137] A method for manufacturing a connector assembly (10, 10'), which is used to manufacture the connector assembly (10, 10') as described above, comprises a method for manufacturing an optical connector 1.

[0138] The manufacturing method of the optical connector 1 comprises: In some embodiments, the reference Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the lens (114, 124) and the mounting seat (113, 123) are formed by an integrated molding method. In this embodiment, the beam expander lens 114 (or the beam focusing lens 124) is connected to the first mounting seat 113 (or the second mounting seat 123) by an integrated molding method (such as injection molding).

[0139] In some embodiments, the optical fiber (112, 122) is connected to a mounting base (113, 123).

[0140] In this embodiment, when processing the axial end face of the fiber core (1121, 1221), a non-grinding processing method, such as laser cutting or cold cutting, can be used to meet the performance requirements.

[0141] In this embodiment, after the optical fibers (112, 122) are arranged in an array along the guide slideways (1135, 1235), the fiber cores (1121, 1221) pass through the positioning holes (1134, 1234) and extend into the front mounting grooves (1132, 1232), thereby abutting against the lens mounting portions (1131, 1231).

[0142] In this embodiment, the optical fiber [such as the protective cover (1122, 1222)] is fixed on the guide slide (1135, 1235) by glue. The abutment of the fiber core (1121, 1221) is observed through the notch of the front installation groove (1132, 1232), and the optical fiber (112, 122) is fixed on the guide slide (1135, 1235) by applying glue through the notch of the rear installation groove (1133, 1233).

[0143] In this embodiment, the optical fiber is fixed to the mounting seat (113, 123) using a rubber tail sleeve (117, 127), thereby completing the assembly between the optical fiber (112, 122) and the mounting seat (113, 123).

[0144] In some embodiments, the mounting base (113, 123) and the housing (111, 121) are assembled.

[0145] In this embodiment, a plurality of optical fibers (112, 122) are passed through the elastic member (115, 125), and the front shell (1111, 1211) and the rear shell (1112, 1212) are mutually engaged along a first direction, so that the mounting seat (113, 123) and the elastic member (115, 125) are placed in the channel cavity (1113, 1213), thereby completing the assembly of the mounting seat (113, 123) and the shell (111, 121).

[0146] In this embodiment, after the compression sleeve (119, 129) and the tail sleeve (110, 120) are assembled, the assembly of the optical connector (11, 12) is completed.

[0147] In some embodiments, the manufacturing method of the connector assembly 10 ′ further includes assembling the optical connector 1 and the electrical connector 2 .

[0148] In this embodiment, when manufacturing the housing (111, 121), the first housing 211 and the first housing 111 are integrally formed, and the second housing 221 and the second housing 121 are integrally formed.

[0149] In this embodiment, after the outer shell (211, 221) and the housing (111, 121) are assembled, the first electrical connector 21 and the second electrical connector 22 are docked and the first optical connector 11 and the second optical connector 12 are docked simultaneously.

[0150] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to implementation modes, not every implementation mode contains only one independent technical solution. This description of the specification is only for the sake of clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each implementation mode may also be appropriately combined to form other implementation modes that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0151] The series of detailed descriptions listed above are only specific descriptions of feasible implementation methods of the present invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent implementation methods or changes that do not deviate from the technical spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising an optical connector, characterized in that: The optical connector comprises: a first optical connector and a second optical connector which can be connected to each other; The first optical connector includes a first housing, a plurality of first optical fibers arranged in an array, a first mounting seat for fixing the first optical fibers, and a plurality of beam expander lenses corresponding to the first optical fibers one by one, wherein the beam expander lenses are used to expand the spot diameter of the light output from the first optical fibers; The second optical connector includes a second housing, a plurality of second optical fibers arranged in an array, a second mounting seat for fixing the second optical fibers, and a plurality of condensing lenses corresponding to the second optical fibers one by one, wherein the condensing lenses are used to reduce the diameter of the light spot input from the beam expanding lens to the second optical fiber; Wherein, a plurality of beam expanding lenses are integrally formed with the first mounting seat, and / or a plurality of beam focusing lenses are integrally formed with the second mounting seat.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first mounting seat and the second mounting seat have a lens mounting portion and a fiber mounting portion. The expanding lens and the focusing lens corresponding to the mounting seat are molded on the lens mounting portion. The first optical fiber and the second optical fiber corresponding to the lens are passed through the fiber mounting portion and abut against the lens mounting portion. The lens mounting portion is used for optical coupling of the lens and the optical fiber.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: When the first mounting seat abuts against the second mounting seat, the first mounting seat and the second mounting seat abut against each other and enclose a docking cavity at the abutting position, and the beam expanding lens and the beam focusing lens are both located in the docking cavity.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein: At least one lens mounting portion has a receiving groove, and a beam expander lens and a beam condenser lens corresponding to the lens mounting portion are located in the receiving groove, and the beam expander lens and the beam condenser lens are spaced apart from each other.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The first mounting seat and / or the second mounting seat has a receiving groove, and the docking cavity is composed of at least one receiving groove.

6. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The optical connector comprises a connecting structure for enabling the first optical connector to be snap-fitted with the second optical connector along a first direction and a locking structure, wherein the locking structure is matched with the connecting structure along the first direction to limit the connection structure from being snap-fitted.

7. The connector assembly according to claim 6, wherein: The connecting structure includes a locking boss and a locking block that cooperate with each other, the locking block has a locking portion and a pressing portion that are opposite to each other along a first direction, and the locking structure includes a stop block, at least part of which is located on the side of the pressing portion toward the locking boss along a second direction to limit the locking portion from moving away from the locking boss along the second direction, and the first direction is set at a certain angle to the second direction.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The optical connector includes a positioning structure for plugging and matching the first optical connector with the second optical connector along a first direction, the second optical connector has a first plugging surface and a second plugging surface opposite to each other along a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the positioning structure includes a first plugging block and a second plugging block with an outer diameter larger than the first plugging block; One of the first plug-in block and the second plug-in block is arranged on the first plug-in surface, and the other of the second plug-in block and the first plug-in block is arranged on the second plug-in surface; and / or, The first plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block and a second plug-in block, the second plug-in surface is provided with a first plug-in block and a second plug-in block, and the same plug-in blocks on the two plug-in surfaces are symmetrically arranged along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first shell and the second shell have a channel cavity for accommodating corresponding optical fibers. The first optical connector and the second optical connector include a protective shell sleeved on the corresponding optical fibers and a compression sleeve sleeved on the protective shell. The compression sleeve is connected to the channel cavity.

10. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The connector assembly also includes an electrical connector, which includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector, the first electrical connector includes a first shell, the second electrical connector includes a second shell, the first shell is integrally formed with the first shell, and / or the second shell is integrally formed with the second shell.

11. A method for manufacturing a connector assembly, used for manufacturing the connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: include: The lens and the mounting seat are formed in one piece; Connect the optical fiber to the mounting base; Assemble the mounting base and the housing.

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