Optical fiber connector and connection box

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of communication, and provides an optical fiber connector and a connection box, the optical fiber connector comprises an inner shell assembly, an insertion core assembly and an optical cable, the insertion core assembly comprises a plurality of ceramic insertion cores, one end of each ceramic insertion core is located in a containing cavity of the inner shell assembly, and the other end of each ceramic insertion core extends out of the inner shell assembly. The optical cable comprises a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers are respectively arranged in the through holes of the ceramic ferrules in a penetrating manner, the plurality of ceramic ferrules are arranged in an array in an M-row N-column manner, M is greater than or equal to 2, and N is greater than or equal to 2. The ceramic insertion cores have high rigidity and strength, the precision of the insertion cores can be improved, the ceramic insertion cores at the two ends can be better aligned in the butt joint process of the optical fiber connector, the alignment precision of optical fibers in the ceramic insertion cores can be improved, transmission loss between the optical fibers can be effectively reduced, and the service life of the optical fiber connector is prolonged. Therefore, the transmission efficiency of optical signals between optical fiber connectors is effectively improved, and the insertion core loss is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and particularly relates to an optical fiber connector and a connection box. Background Art

[0002] An optical distribution network (ODN) is an optical cable network that provides an optical transmission channel between an optical line terminal (OLT) and an optical network unit (ONU). The optical distribution network can connect an optical line terminal device to multiple optical network unit devices to provide bidirectional transmission of optical signals.

[0003] In optical distribution network engineering, connection boxes (such as optical cross-connect boxes, optical distribution boxes, optical fiber distribution boxes, etc.) are usually used for the butt joint of optical fibers to achieve network transmission. Specifically, an adapter is usually provided on the connection box, and both ends of the adapter are respectively connected to two optical fiber connectors. Through the insertion of the two optical fiber connectors at both ends of the adapter, the butt joint of two optical fibers can be achieved. Among them, the optical fiber connector has a ferrule, and the inside of the ferrule has a through hole. The optical fiber is usually threaded through the through hole of the ferrule. During the butt joint of the two optical fiber connectors, the ferrules in the two optical fiber connectors are butted against each other so that the optical fibers inside them are butted against each other. At present, the commonly used ferrule is made of plastic material, and a plurality of through holes are arranged side by side on the ferrule, and a plurality of optical fibers are respectively threaded through the through holes.

[0004] However, in the above optical fiber connector, the plastic ferrule has low strength and low forming accuracy. During the butt joint of the two ferrules, the alignment rate between the through holes is low, reducing the signal transmission efficiency between the ferrules and increasing the ferrule loss. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this application provide an optical fiber connector and a connection box, which can effectively improve the optical signal transmission efficiency between optical fiber connectors and reduce the ferrule loss.

[0006] The first aspect of this application provides an optical fiber connector, including an inner shell assembly, a ferrule assembly, and an optical cable;

[0007] The inner shell assembly has a receiving cavity. The ferrule assembly includes a plurality of ceramic ferrules. One end of the plurality of ceramic ferrules is located in the receiving cavity, and the other end of the plurality of ceramic ferrules extends out of the inner shell assembly;

[0008] Each of the ceramic ferrules has a through hole inside. The optical cable includes a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are respectively threaded through the through holes of the respective ceramic ferrules;

[0009] And the multiple ceramic ferrules are arranged in an array of M rows and N columns, where M≥2 and N≥2.

[0010] In the embodiment of the present application, by using multiple ceramic ferrules arranged in an array and making each ceramic ferrule located within the same inner housing assembly, the ceramic ferrule has relatively high stiffness and strength. The ceramic ferrule having relatively high strength and stiffness can improve the accuracy of the ferrule, enabling the ceramic ferrules at both ends to be better aligned during the docking process of the fiber optic connector, helping to improve the accuracy of fiber alignment in each ceramic ferrule, effectively reducing the loss in the transmission between fibers, thereby effectively enhancing the transmission efficiency of optical signals between fiber optic connectors and reducing ferrule loss.

[0011] In a possible implementation manner, the end faces of all the ceramic ferrules are inclined planes with the same inclination direction. This can effectively reduce or avoid the reflected light within the optical fiber, effectively prevent excessive reflected light within the optical fiber from affecting the normal transmission of optical signals, and help improve the transmission efficiency of optical signals.

[0012] In a possible implementation manner, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of all the ceramic ferrules are located within the same inclined plane;

[0013] Or, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of all the ceramic ferrules are located within the same inclined plane.

[0014] In a possible implementation manner, the end faces of all the ceramic ferrules satisfy the following formula:

[0015] H = D tanα

[0016] Where H is the height difference between the centers of the end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule. In this way, in the inclined direction, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules gradually increase in a stepped manner, enabling the end faces of all the ceramic ferrules to be located within the same inclined plane, facilitating the grinding of the end faces of the ceramic ferrules, and thus effectively improving the grinding efficiency. Moreover, during the grinding process of the ceramic ferrules, the sizes of the parts ground off from each ceramic ferrule can be made the same, reducing or avoiding the situation where the sizes of the parts ground off from the ceramic ferrules are different, helping to improve the uniformity of the grinding of the ceramic ferrules and enhancing the grinding efficiency.

[0017] In a possible implementation manner, the inner housing assembly includes a front housing and a rear housing, and the front end of the rear housing is connected to the rear end of the front housing;

[0018] Each of the ceramic ferrules includes a connected connecting portion and a plugging portion. The front shell has a first cavity, the connecting portion is located in the first cavity, and the plugging portion extends out of the front end of the front shell; one end of the connecting portion abuts against the front shell, and the other end of the connecting portion abuts against the rear shell. This can effectively prevent the ceramic ferrule from falling off the inner shell assembly, and helps to improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly.

[0019] In a possible implementation manner, the first cavity of the front housing includes M sub-cavities, the M sub-cavities are arranged in sequence in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, and each sub-cavity has N ceramic ferrules;

[0020] Alternatively, the first cavity of the front housing includes N sub-cavities, the N sub-cavities are arranged in sequence in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, and each sub-cavity has M ceramic ferrules;

[0021] Each sub-cavity has a positioning platform, and one end of the connecting portion abuts against the positioning platform respectively. The positioning platform can position the ceramic ferrule in the axial direction of the ceramic ferrule to determine the specific position of the ceramic ferrule in the axial direction of the inner shell assembly, which helps to improve the accuracy of the setting of the ceramic ferrule in the inner shell assembly. Moreover, the positioning platform can also prevent the ceramic ferrule from moving axially, which is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the setting of the ceramic ferrule in the inner shell assembly.

[0022] In a possible implementation manner, along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the heights of the end faces of the positioning platform facing the ceramic ferrule are staggered in the axial direction in sequence, and the staggering distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms in the axial direction is H;

[0023] Alternatively, along the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the heights of the end faces of the positioning platform facing the ceramic ferrule are staggered in the axial direction in sequence, and the staggering distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms in the axial direction is H;

[0024] The H satisfies the following formula:

[0025] H = D tanα

[0026] Wherein, D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule. In this way, when the end face of the ceramic ferrule abuts against the end face of the positioning table, the end face of the positioning table can limit the axial installation position of the ceramic ferrule, so that each ceramic ferrule can be fixed according to the preset position, and thus each ceramic ferrule can be arranged in a stepped manner. During the assembly process of the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly, there is no need to additionally consider the axial positioning problem of the ceramic ferrule, which can simplify the installation process of the ceramic ferrule and improve the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly.

[0027] In a possible implementation manner, the inner shell assembly further includes a spring member, and the spring member is sleeved on the connecting portion of each ceramic ferrule; one end of the spring member abuts against the ceramic ferrule, and the other end of the spring member abuts against the rear shell. The resilience of the spring member can drive the ceramic ferrule to squeeze towards another ceramic ferrule, so that the two ceramic ferrules can be closely attached to each other, effectively improving the stability of the butt joint between the two ceramic ferrules, and thus effectively improving the optical signal transmission efficiency.

[0028] In a possible implementation manner, the front shell is provided with a first card slot, and the rear shell has a first clamping portion that cooperates with the first card slot; the first clamping portion is clamped in the first card slot, and the front shell and the rear shell are connected by the cooperation of the first clamping portion and the first card slot. It can effectively prevent the front shell and the rear shell from separating, and can improve the reliability and firmness of the connection between the front shell and the rear shell. Moreover, it also helps to improve the assembly efficiency between the front shell and the rear shell and improve the production efficiency of the fiber optic connector.

[0029] In a possible implementation manner, the inner shell assembly further includes a base connected to the rear shell, and the base is located at one end of the rear shell away from the front shell; the rear shell has a second cavity communicating with the first cavity, and the base has a third cavity communicating with the second cavity; the optical cable is located in the third cavity, and each optical fiber in the optical cable sequentially passes through the third cavity, the second cavity and the first cavity and is respectively arranged in the through holes of each ceramic ferrule. The base can fix the optical cable so that the optical cable can be fixed in the inner shell assembly to improve the firmness and reliability of the optical cable arranged in the inner shell assembly.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the rear shell has a second clamping portion, and a second clamping groove matching with the second clamping portion is formed on the base, and the second clamping portion is clamped in the second clamping groove. This can improve the firmness and reliability of the connection between the front shell, the rear shell and the base, effectively prevent the separation between the base and the rear shell and the front shell, and thus effectively enhance the overall structural stability of the inner shell assembly.

[0031] In a possible implementation, the front shell includes M sub-front shells arranged in parallel, the rear shell includes M sub-rear shells arranged in parallel, and the M sub-front shells are respectively connected to the M sub-rear shells; each group of the connected sub-front shell and sub-rear shell respectively has N ceramic ferrules; this can arrange the ceramic ferrules in a manner of M rows and N columns.

[0032] Alternatively, the front shell includes N sub-front shells arranged in parallel, the rear shell includes N sub-rear shells arranged in parallel, and the N sub-front shells are respectively connected to the N sub-rear shells; each group of the connected sub-front shell and sub-rear shell respectively has M ceramic ferrules. This can still arrange the ceramic ferrules in a manner of M rows and N columns.

[0033] In a possible implementation, the base has the second clamping grooves with the same number as the number of the sub-rear shells, and the second clamping portions on the sub-rear shells are respectively clamped in the respective second clamping grooves. This can effectively prevent the separation between the sub-front shell, the sub-rear shell and the base, and is beneficial to improving the structural stability of the inner shell assembly.

[0034] In a possible implementation, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance from the second clamping groove to the end face of the base gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second clamping grooves in the axial direction of the base is H;

[0035] Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance from the second clamping groove to the end face of the base gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second clamping grooves in the axial direction of the base is H;

[0036] The H satisfies the following formula:

[0037] H = D tanα

[0038] D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule. In this way, when the sub-rear shell is clamped in the second card slot through the second clamping portion, the second card slot can limit the position of the sub-rear shell, so that the sub-rear shell and the front and rear shells can be fixed according to the preset positions, and thus the ceramic ferrules in the sub-front shell and the sub-rear shell can also be distributed in a stepped manner according to the preset positions. During the assembly process of the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly, there is no need to additionally consider the axial positioning problem of the ceramic ferrule, which can simplify the installation process of the ceramic ferrule and improve the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly.

[0039] In a possible implementation manner, it further includes a housing assembly, and the housing assembly includes a first housing and a second housing;

[0040] The first housing is sleeved on the inner shell assembly, and the second housing is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first housing and is rotatably connected to the first housing.

[0041] In a possible implementation manner, the outer periphery of the base has a shaft shoulder, and the first housing has an elastic clamping portion, and the elastic clamping portion abuts against the end face of the shaft shoulder. The cooperation between the shaft shoulder and the first clamping portion can achieve axial limit, which can reduce or avoid the axial movement between the first housing and the base, and is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the connection between the housing assembly and the inner shell assembly in the axial direction.

[0042] In a possible implementation manner, a groove is further formed on the outer periphery of the base, and a limiting protrusion matching with the groove is provided on the inner wall of the first housing, and the limiting protrusion is located in the groove. The groove can play a circumferential limiting role on the limiting protrusion to reduce or avoid the rotation of the first housing relative to the base, and is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the connection between the first housing and the base in the circumferential direction.

[0043] In a possible implementation manner, the housing assembly further includes a tail sleeve, and at least part of the tail sleeve is sleeved on at least part of the first housing and is threadedly connected to the first housing. The tail sleeve can provide elastic protection for the optical cable. During the bending process of the optical cable, the tail sleeve can increase the bending radius of the optical cable to avoid the optical cable from breaking due to too small a bending radius, thereby preventing the optical cable from breaking and affecting the signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors.

[0044] In a possible implementation manner, it further includes a first optical cable protection sleeve, and the first optical cable protection sleeve is sleeved on the optical cable, and one end of the first optical cable protection sleeve is connected to the base. The first optical cable protection sleeve can also protect the optical cable to increase the bending radius of the optical cable, prevent the optical cable from breaking due to too small a bending radius, and contribute to improving the service life of the optical cable.

[0045] In a possible implementation, it further includes a second optical cable protective sleeve, which is sleeved on the optical cable and is located within the tail sleeve. The second optical cable protective sleeve and the first optical cable protective sleeve can provide protection for the optical cable at different positions, so that the second optical cable protective sleeve and the first optical cable protective sleeve can provide more comprehensive protection for the optical cable to prevent the optical cable from breaking.

[0046] The second aspect of the present application provides a connection box, including a housing and an adapter. The adapter is located on the housing and is used to cooperate with any one of the above-mentioned optical fiber connectors. By making the adapter in this connection box cooperate with the above-mentioned optical fiber connector, two optical fiber connectors inside and outside the connection box can be docked through the adapter to achieve the transmission of optical signals, which can effectively improve the stability and reliability of signal transmission.

[0047] In a possible implementation, the adapter has positioning sleeves with the same number as the number of ceramic ferrules, and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement pattern of the ceramic ferrules;

[0048] Each positioning sleeve has a positioning through-hole at both ends of which the ceramic ferrules are respectively used for insertion. This can effectively improve the coaxiality of the connection of the ceramic ferrules, enhance the accuracy of the docking of the ceramic ferrules, and thus effectively improve the signal transmission efficiency between optical fibers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 2 It is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector after removing the outer shell assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 3A It is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector after removing the outer shell assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector after removing the outer shell assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement pattern of ceramic ferrules provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 6Schematic diagram of the structure of a ceramic ferrule with inclination provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the process of grinding a ceramic ferrule provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 8 For Figure 6 Enlarged view of area A in

[0058] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the connection between a front shell and a rear shell provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the structure of a rear shell provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of a front shell provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the connection structure among a front shell, a rear shell and a base provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figure 13 Cross-sectional view of a front shell provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the structure of another inner shell assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] Figure 15 Schematic diagram of the structure of a sub-rear shell provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] Figure 16 Front view of a base provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] Figure 17 Cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the structure of a base provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] Figure 19 Schematic diagram of the structure of a first housing provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] Figure 20 Cross-sectional view of a first housing provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] Figure 21 Schematic diagram of the connection structure between a dust cap and an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] Figure 22Schematic diagram of an application link of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Figure 23 Schematic diagram of a link inside a first connection box provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] Figure 24 Schematic diagram of a link inside a fourth connection box provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0074] Explanation of reference numerals:

[0075] 100 - Optical fiber connector; 110 - Inner shell assembly; 111 - Accommodating cavity;

[0076] 112 - Front shell; 1121 - First cavity; 11211 - Sub - cavity;

[0077] 1122 - Positioning platform; 1123 - First card slot; 1124 - Rear end;

[0078] 1125 - Sub - front shell; 113 - Rear shell; 1131 - First clamping portion;

[0079] 1132 - Second cavity; 1133 - Second clamping portion; 1134 - Sub - rear shell;

[0080] 114 - Spring member; 115 - Base; 1151 - Third cavity;

[0081] 1152 - Second card slot; 1153 - Axial shoulder; 1154 - Groove;

[0082] 120 - Ferrule assembly; 121 - Ceramic ferrule; 1211 - Through - hole;

[0083] 1212 - Connection portion; 1213 - Insertion portion; 130 - Optical cable;

[0084] 140 - Outer shell assembly; 141 - First shell; 1411 - Elastic clamping portion;

[0085] 1412 - Limiting protrusion; 142 - Second shell; 143 - Tail sleeve;

[0086] 150 - First optical cable protective sleeve; 160 - Second optical cable protective sleeve; 170 - Dust cap. Specific embodiments

[0087] The terms used in the embodiment part of the present application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of the present application, rather than aiming to limit the present application.

[0088] In optical distribution network engineering, devices such as optical cross-connect boxes, optical distribution boxes, and optical fiber splitting boxes are usually matched with connectors on optical fibers through adapters on them to achieve the docking of optical fibers and connection boxes. Among them, the optical fiber connector has a ferrule, and the inside of the ferrule has a through hole. The optical fiber is usually arranged in the through hole of the ferrule. During the docking process of two optical fiber connectors, the ferrules in the two optical fiber connectors are docked with each other so that the optical fibers inside each can be docked. Currently, in related technologies, the commonly used ferrule is made of plastic material, and a plurality of through holes arranged in parallel are provided on the ferrule, and a plurality of optical fibers are respectively arranged in the through holes.

[0089] However, the above optical fiber connector has the following problems:

[0090] First of all, the plastic material has a low molding accuracy. During the docking process of two ferrules, it is difficult to ensure that all through holes can be completely aligned, resulting in a low alignment rate between the through holes, reducing the optical signal transmission efficiency between the ferrules and increasing the ferrule loss.

[0091] Secondly, the structure of multiple small through holes on the end face of the ferrule is difficult to clean dust. During use, once the end face of the ferrule is stained with dust and other stains, it will have a great impact on the transmission of optical signals, resulting in the loss exceeding the standard.

[0092] Moreover, the ferrule made of plastic material has low strength, and it is easy for the positioning pin structure on the ferrule to be damaged due to collision, thus affecting the normal transmission of signals.

[0093] In another related technology, there is also provided an optical fiber connector with ceramic ferrules. This optical fiber connector has two ceramic ferrules. Among them, an inner housing assembly is respectively arranged on the outer periphery of each ceramic ferrule to achieve the fixation and protection of the ceramic ferrule. However, in the above optical fiber connector, each ceramic ferrule is separately arranged in each inner housing assembly, resulting in a large number of inner housing assemblies and occupying a large space, thus increasing the size of the optical fiber connector and being unfavorable for the miniaturization design of the optical fiber connector.

[0094] To solve the above problems, researchers thought of improving the ferrule of the optical fiber connector. By adopting a plurality of ceramic ferrules arranged in an array and making each ceramic ferrule located in the same inner housing assembly, the ceramic ferrule has high strength and stiffness, which can improve the accuracy of the ferrule. During the docking process of the optical fiber connector, the ceramic ferrules at both ends can be better aligned, which helps to improve the alignment accuracy of the optical fibers in each ceramic ferrule, can effectively reduce the loss of transmission between optical fibers, and thus effectively improve the optical signal transmission efficiency between optical fiber connectors.

[0095] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0096] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 It is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector after removing the housing assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3A It is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector after removing the housing assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector after removing the housing assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement mode of ceramic ferrules provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0097] An embodiment of the present application provides an optical fiber connector 100. Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the optical fiber connector 100 may at least include an inner housing assembly 110, a ferrule assembly 120, and an optical cable 130. Among them, in combination with Figure 3 , Figure 3A and Figure 4 As shown, the inner housing assembly 110 may have a receiving cavity 111. The ferrule assembly 120 may include a plurality of ceramic ferrules 121. One end of the plurality of ceramic ferrules 121 may be located in the receiving cavity 111, and the other end may extend outside the inner housing assembly 110. The inner housing assembly 110 may provide fixation and protection for the ferrule assembly 120 to reduce or avoid damage to the ferrule assembly 120 due to being knocked.

[0098] The receiving cavity 111 may provide a receiving space for the installation of the ferrule assembly 120 in the inner housing assembly 110, so that the ferrule assembly 120 can be installed in the inner housing assembly 110. For example, the receiving cavity 111 of the inner housing assembly 110 may have an auxiliary structure for fixing the ferrule assembly 120, so that the ferrule assembly 120 can be fixed in the receiving cavity 111.

[0099] A through hole 1211 may be provided inside each ceramic ferrule 121. The optical cable 130 may include a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers may be respectively inserted into the through holes 1211 of the respective ceramic ferrules 121. Refer to Figure 5As shown, multiple ceramic ferrules 121 can be arranged in an array in the form of M rows and N columns, where M ≥ 2 and N ≥ 2. For example, M can be equal to 2, 3, or 4, etc., and the value of N can also be equal to 2, 3, or 4, etc. In the embodiments of the present application, taking M = 2 and N = 2, that is, four ceramic ferrules 121 arranged in an array in the form of 2 rows and 2 columns as an example for illustration. Among them, the four ceramic ferrules 121 can be located within the same inner housing assembly 110.

[0100] The optical fiber connector 100 can be used to connect with a connection box. For example, two optical fiber connectors 100 can be respectively docked with the adapters on the connection box. For example, one of the optical fiber connectors 100 can be located inside the connection box and connected to the adapter from the inside of the connection box, and the other optical fiber connector 100 can be located outside the connection box and connected to the adapter from the outside of the connection box. In this way, the two optical fiber connectors 100 can be connected through the adapter. At this time, the ceramic ferrules 121 in the two optical fiber connectors 100 can be docked one by one, so that the optical fibers in the ceramic ferrules 121 can be docked to achieve optical signal transmission.

[0101] For example, the adapter can be provided with sleeves whose quantity matches that of the ceramic ferrules 121. Each of the ceramic ferrules 121 in the two optical fiber connectors 100 can be respectively inserted into the sleeves, so that the ceramics at both ends of the adapter can be docked through the sleeves to achieve optical signal transmission.

[0102] Compared with the plastic ferrule structure in the related art, in the optical fiber connector 100 provided by the embodiments of the present application, by adopting multiple ceramic ferrules 121 arranged in an array and making each ceramic ferrule 121 located within the same inner housing assembly 110, the ceramic ferrules 121 have higher strength and stiffness, which can improve the accuracy of the ferrules, enabling the ceramic ferrules 121 at both ends to be better aligned during the docking process of the optical fiber connector 100, contributing to improving the alignment accuracy of the optical fibers in each ceramic ferrule 121, effectively reducing the loss during the transmission between the optical fibers, and thus effectively improving the optical signal transmission efficiency between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0103] Moreover, the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 is smooth and easy to clean, which can effectively reduce the dust on the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121, preventing the dust on the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 from being too large and affecting the optical signal transmission, and being beneficial to further reducing the loss and improving the efficiency of optical signal transmission.

[0104] In addition, the ceramic ferrule 121 has higher stiffness and strength, which can effectively reduce or avoid damage or fracture of the ferrule, contributing to improving the reliability and stability of optical signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0105] Compared with the structure of an optical fiber connector with a ceramic ferrule in another related technology, in the embodiments of the present application, by arranging a plurality of ceramic ferrules 121 in the same inner housing assembly 110, the ceramic ferrules 121 can share the same housing, which helps to improve the compactness of the arrangement between the ceramic ferrules 121, reduce the space occupied by the housing, and thus effectively reduce the size of the optical fiber connector 100 and enhance the miniaturized design of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0106] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a structure with an inclined ceramic ferrule provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0107] See Figure 6 As shown, in the embodiments of the present application, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can all be inclined planes with the same inclined direction. For example, see Figure 6 As shown, the ceramic ferrules 121 can be inclined in the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., Figure 6 the x direction in Figure 6 ), for example, it can be inclined upward in the positive x direction as shown in

[0108] Or, it can also be inclined downward in the positive x direction. Figure 5 In some examples, the ceramic ferrules 121 can also be inclined in the direction from the first column to the Nth column (referring to Figure 5 the y direction in Figure 6 ), where the y direction is perpendicular to the x direction. For example, it can be inclined downward in the positive y direction as shown in

[0109] Or, it can also be inclined upward in the positive y direction. Specifically, the inclined direction of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be selected and set according to the specific application scenario, and the present application does not make any limitation. In the embodiments of the present application, taking the ceramic ferrules 121 being inclined upward in the positive x direction in

[0110] as an example for illustration.

[0109] The optical fiber can include an optical fiber body and a cladding surrounding the optical fiber body. Among them, the optical fiber body is used to transmit optical signals, and the cladding can provide protection for the optical fiber body to reduce or avoid damage to the optical fiber body. When two ceramic ferrules 121 are being docked, the optical fibers in the ceramic ferrules 121 are coaxially docked through the ceramic ferrules 121 to achieve the transmission of optical signals. During the transmission of optical signals, light will radiate in all directions and be reflected at the docking part of the two optical fibers. Among them, a part of the light will be reflected back into the optical fiber body, and another part of the reflected light will be reflected into the cladding surrounding the outer periphery of the optical fiber body. Among them, the reflected light reflected back into the optical fiber body will interfere with the optical signals transmitted in the optical fiber body, thereby affecting the normal transmission of optical signals.

[0110] In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 as an inclined plane, at the fiber docking part, when light radiates and reflects outwards, the reflected light can be reflected into the cladding under the action of the inclined plane instead of being reflected into the fiber body. In this way, the reflected light in the fiber body can be effectively reduced or avoided, and it can effectively prevent the excessive reflected light in the fiber body from affecting the normal transmission of the optical signal, which helps to improve the transmission efficiency of the optical signal.

[0111] For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the inclination angle of the inclined plane can be α, and the value of α can be 5° to 10°. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the value of α can be 8°, so that the light can be better reflected into the cladding, thereby effectively reducing the reflected light in the fiber body.

[0112] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the process of grinding a ceramic ferrule provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0113] In the embodiment of the present application, the inclined plane of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be formed by grinding. For example, as shown in Figure 8 It can be seen that the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be ground by the grinding sandpaper 200. For example, the grinding sandpaper 200 can be laid on the grinding pad 210, and the ferrule assembly 120 can be inclined relative to the plane of the grinding sandpaper 200, and then ground on the grinding sandpaper 200 to form an inclined plane on the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0114] For example, as shown in Figure 8 It can be seen that in the initial state, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 are flat, and after grinding on the grinding sandpaper 200, in the end state, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be ground into an inclined shape.

[0115] Figure 8 It is Figure 6 The enlarged view of area A in.

[0116] In the embodiment of the present application, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. Or, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. For example, as shown in Figure 8 It can be seen that taking the direction from the first row to the Mth row (that is, Figure 8 the x direction in) as an example, along the positive x direction, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. For example, as shown in Figure 8 It can be seen that along the positive x direction, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can gradually increase in height, so that the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 are located in the same inclined plane.

[0117] In the process of grinding the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121, all the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be ground at one time, which helps to improve the grinding efficiency of the ceramic ferrules 121.

[0118] Among them, the end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules 121 can satisfy the following formula:

[0119] H = D tanα

[0120] Among them, referring to Figure 8 As shown, H is the height difference between the centers of the end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0121] By making the height difference between the centers of the end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules 121 satisfy the above formula, in the inclined direction, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 gradually increase in a stepped manner, so that the end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules 121 can be located in the same inclined plane, which facilitates the grinding of the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121, thereby effectively improving the grinding efficiency.

[0122] For example, before the ceramic ferrules 121 are ground, the end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules 121 are planar. In the inclined direction, the height of the end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 can differ by H, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 are arranged in a stepped manner. In the process of grinding the ceramic ferrules 121, the sizes of the parts ground off each ceramic ferrule 121 can be the same, which can reduce or avoid the situation where the sizes of the parts ground off the ceramic ferrules 121 are different, helping to improve the uniformity of the grinding of the ceramic ferrules 121 and enhancing the grinding efficiency.

[0123] Regarding the numerical values in the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted here that the numerical values involved in the embodiments of the present application are all approximate values. Affected by the manufacturing process, there may be a certain range of errors, and those skilled in the art can consider this part of the errors to be negligible.

[0124] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the connection between the front shell and the rear shell provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0125] Referring to Figure 9As shown, the inner housing assembly 110 of the fiber optic connector 100 may include a front housing 112 and a rear housing 113. The front end of the rear housing 113 may be connected to the rear end 1124 of the front housing 112. Each ceramic ferrule 121 may include a connecting portion 1212 and a plugging portion 1213. The front housing 112 may have a first cavity 1121. The connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may be located within the first cavity 1121 of the front housing 112, and the plugging portion 1213 may extend out of the front end of the front housing 112. The plugging portion 1213 may be used to connect to an adapter to dock with the ceramic ferrule 121 in another fiber optic connector 100 through the adapter.

[0126] One end of the connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may abut against the front housing 112, and the other end may abut against the rear housing 113. The connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may be clamped between the front housing 112 and the rear housing 113 to achieve the installation and fixation of the ceramic ferrule 121 within the inner housing assembly 110. This can effectively prevent the ceramic ferrule 121 from falling off the inner housing assembly 110 and contribute to improving the reliability and stability of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0127] Continue to refer to Figure 9 As shown, wherein, the inner housing assembly 110 may further include a spring member 114. A spring member 114 may be sleeved on the connecting portion 1212 of each ceramic ferrule 121. One end of the spring member 114 may abut against the ceramic ferrule 121, and the other end may abut against the rear housing 113. In this way, the connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113 can be elastically abutted through the spring member 114. The spring member 114 can provide elastic buffering between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113, can reduce or avoid the rigid impact between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113, prevent the rigid contact between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113 from affecting the tightness of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner housing assembly 110, and contribute to improving the fastening of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0128] During the docking process of the two ceramic ferrules 121, the ceramic ferrule 121 may generate a squeezing force on the elastic member under the docking force of the other ceramic ferrule 121, so that the spring member 114 is in a compressed state. The spring member 114 in the compressed state has a resilience force, and this resilience force can drive the ceramic ferrule 121 to squeeze towards the other ceramic ferrule 121, so that the two ceramic ferrules 121 can closely fit together, effectively improving the stability of the docking between the two ceramic ferrules 121, and thus effectively enhancing the transmission efficiency of the optical signal.

[0129] Continue to refer to Figure 9As shown in the figure, a first card slot 1123 can be opened on the front shell 112, and a first card-connecting portion 1131 that cooperates with the first card slot 1123 can be provided on the rear shell 113. The first card-connecting portion 1131 can be clamped in the first card slot 1123 so that the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 can be connected through the cooperation between the first card-connecting portion 1131 and the first card slot 1123. For example, the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 is realized through the cooperation between the first card-connecting portion 1131 and the first card slot 1123. The connection is reliable, the structure is simple, and the operation is convenient. It can effectively prevent the separation between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113, and can improve the reliability and firmness of the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113. Moreover, it is helpful to improve the assembly efficiency between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 and enhance the production efficiency of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0130] Figure 10 It is a schematic structural diagram of a rear shell provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 11 It is a schematic structural diagram of a front shell provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0131] For example, in the embodiment of the present application, refer to Figure 10 As shown in the figure, two rear shells 113 can be provided in the inner shell assembly 110. The two rear shells 113 can be arranged in parallel, and each rear shell 113 can respectively have two first card-connecting portions 1131. Correspondingly, refer to Figure 11 As shown in the figure, four first card slots 1123 that cooperate with the first card-connecting portions 1131 can be opened on the front shell 112. The four first card slots 1123 can respectively correspond to the first card-connecting portions 1131 on the two rear shells 113 so that the first card-connecting portions 1131 on the two rear shells 113 can be respectively clamped in the first card slots 1123 on the front shell 112.

[0132] For example, the two first card-connecting portions 1131 on each rear shell 113 can be respectively located on both sides of the rear shell 113. Correspondingly, the first card slots 1123 on the front shell 112 are also respectively located on both sides of the front shell 112. This can improve the uniformity of the connection between the rear shell 113 and the front shell 112 and is helpful to improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113.

[0133] Figure 12 It is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between a front shell, a rear shell and a base provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0134] Refer to Figure 12As shown, the inner shell assembly 110 may further include a base 115. The base 115 may be connected to the rear shell 113, and the base 115 may be located at an end of the rear shell 113 away from the front shell 112. Among them, the rear shell 113 may have a second cavity 1132 communicating with the first cavity 1121, and the base 115 may have a third cavity 1151 communicating with the second cavity 1132. The optical cable 130 may be located in the third cavity 1151, and each optical fiber in the optical cable 130 may sequentially pass through the third cavity 1151, the second cavity 1132, and the first cavity 1121 and be respectively inserted into the through holes 1211 of the respective ceramic ferrules 121.

[0135] The base 115 can fix the optical cable 130 so that the optical cable 130 can be fixed in the inner shell assembly 110, thereby improving the firmness and reliability of the setting of the optical cable 130 in the inner shell assembly 110.

[0136] Continue to refer to Figure 12 As shown, the rear shell 113 may have a second latching portion 1133, and a second latching groove 1152 matching the second latching portion 1133 may be formed on the base 115. The second latching portion 1133 may be latched in the second latching groove 1152. For example, the second latching portion 1133 and the first latching portion 1131 may be oppositely arranged. One end of the rear shell 113 may be connected to the front shell 112 through the first latching portion 1131, and the other end may be connected to the base 115 through the second latching portion 1133, thereby realizing the assembly of the inner shell assembly 110. This can improve the firmness and reliability of the connection between the front shell 112, the rear shell 113, and the base 115, effectively prevent the base 115 from detaching from the rear shell 113 and the front shell 112, and contribute to improving the overall structural stability of the inner shell assembly 110.

[0137] Figure 13 It is a cross-sectional view of a front shell provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0138] Refer to Figure 13 As shown, in a possible implementation manner, the first cavity 1121 of the front shell 112 body may include M sub-cavities 11211. The M sub-cavities 11211 may be sequentially arranged along the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., Figure 13 the x direction in

[0139] Alternatively, in some examples, the first cavity 1121 of the front housing 112 body may further include N sub-cavities 11211, and the N sub-cavities 11211 may be arranged in sequence along the direction from the first column to the Nth column (i.e., the y direction). Each sub-cavity 11211 has M ceramic ferrules 121, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 can still be arranged in an M-row and N-column manner.

[0140] Among them, each sub-cavity 11211 may have a positioning platform 1122. One end of the connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may abut against the positioning platform 1122. The positioning platform 1122 can position the ceramic ferrule 121 in the axial direction of the ceramic ferrule 121 to determine the specific position of the ceramic ferrule 121 in the axial direction of the inner housing assembly 110, which helps to improve the accuracy of the setting of the ceramic ferrule 121 in the inner housing assembly 110. Moreover, the positioning platform 1122 can also prevent the ceramic ferrule 121 from moving axially, which is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the setting of the ceramic ferrule 121 in the inner housing assembly 110.

[0141] Continue to refer to Figure 13 As shown, along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the height of the end face of the positioning platform 1122 facing the ceramic ferrule 121 in the axial direction can be misaligned in sequence, and the misalignment distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms 1122 in the axial direction is H.

[0142] Alternatively, along the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the height of the end face of the positioning platform 1122 facing the ceramic ferrule 121 in the axial direction can be misaligned in sequence, and the misalignment distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms 1122 in the axial direction is H.

[0143] For example, taking the direction from the first row to the second row as an example, refer to Figure 13 As shown, for the convenience of understanding, the planar rear end 1124 of the front housing 112 can be taken as a reference. It can be understood that along the direction from the first row to the second row (i.e., the Figure 13 x direction in Figure 13 ), the distance between the end face of the positioning platform 1122 facing the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear end 1124 gradually increases. For example, as shown in

[0144] As shown, along the x direction, the distances from the positioning platforms 1122 in the two sub-cavities 11211 to the rear end 1124 of the front housing 112 can be D1 and D2 respectively, D2 is greater than D1, and the distance difference between D2 and D1 is H. In this way, when the ceramic ferrule 121 abuts against the positioning platform 1122, the insertion portions 1213 of the ceramic ferrule 121 extending outside the front housing 112 can also be arranged in a misaligned form in the x direction, which is convenient for the grinding of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0144] Among them, H can satisfy the following formula:

[0145] H = D tanα

[0146] Wherein, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0147] By making the end face misalignment dimensions of the respective positioning platforms 1122 satisfy the above formula, when the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 abuts against the end face of the positioning platform 1122, the end face of the positioning platform 1122 can limit the axial installation position of the ceramic ferrule 121, so that each ceramic ferrule 121 can be fixed according to a preset position, thereby enabling each ceramic ferrule 121 to be arranged in a stepped manner. During the assembly process of the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110, there is no need to additionally consider the axial positioning problem of the ceramic ferrule, which can simplify the installation process of the ceramic ferrule 121 and improve the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110.

[0148] Figure 14 It is a schematic structural diagram of another inner shell assembly provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 15 It is a schematic structural diagram of a sub-rear shell provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 16 It is a front view of a base provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0149] In another possible implementation manner, as shown in Figure 14 The front shell 112 may include M sub-front shells 1125 arranged in parallel, the rear shell 113 may include M sub-rear shells 1134 arranged in parallel, and the M sub-front shells 1125 may be respectively connected to the M sub-rear shells 1134 one by one. For example, each sub-front shell 1125 and the sub-rear shell 1134 may be connected by a snap connection method. The M sub-front shells 1125 and the M sub-rear shells 1134 may be sequentially arranged in the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., Figure 14 the x direction in

[0150] For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the number of the sub-front shells 1125 and the sub-rear shells 1134 may be both two as shown in Figure 14 Each group of connected sub-front shells 1125 and sub-rear shells 1134 may have two ceramic ferrules 121, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 are arranged in a 2-row and 2-column manner.

[0151] Alternatively, in some examples, the front housing 112 may include N sub-front housings 1125 arranged in parallel, and the rear housing 113 may include N sub-rear housings 1134 arranged in parallel. The N sub-front housings 1125 may be respectively connected to the N sub-rear housings 1134 one by one. For example, the N sub-front housings 1125 and the N sub-rear housings 1134 may be sequentially arranged in the direction from the first column to the Nth column (i.e., the y direction). Among them, each group of connected sub-front housing 1125 and sub-rear housing 1134 may respectively have M ceramic ferrules 121, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 can still be arranged in an M-row and N-column manner.

[0152] Combined Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, the base 115 may have second card slots 1152 with the same number as the number of sub-rear housings 1134, and the second latching portions 1133 on the sub-rear housings 1134 may be respectively latched in the respective second card slots 1152. In this way, each group of sub-front housing 1125 and sub-rear housing 1134 can be connected to the base 115 through the cooperation of the second latching portion 1133 and the second card slot 1152, which can effectively prevent the separation between the sub-front housing 1125, the sub-rear housing 1134 and the base 115, and is beneficial to improving the structural stability of the inner housing assembly 110.

[0153] Among them, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance from the second card slot 1152 to the end face of the base 115 gradually increases, and the distance difference between adjacent two second card slots 1152 in the axial direction of the base 115 is H.

[0154] Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance from the second card slot 1152 to the end face of the base 115 gradually increases, and the distance difference between adjacent two second card slots 1152 in the axial direction of the base 115 is H.

[0155] For example, referring to Figure 16 As shown, taking the direction from the first row to the Mth row as an example, for the convenience of understanding, the end face of the base 115 facing the rear housing 113 can be taken as a reference. This end face is a planar structure. It can be understood that the distance from the second card slot 1152 to the end face of the base 115 facing the rear housing 113 gradually increases. For example, the distances from two second card slots 1152 to the end face can be D3 and D4 respectively, D4 is greater than D3, and the distance difference between D4 and D3 is H. In this way, when the sub-rear housing 1134 is connected to the second card slot 1152 on the base 115, each group of sub-rear housings 1134 and the front and rear housings 113 can be arranged in a stepped form, so that the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 are also arranged in a stepped manner, which is convenient for the grinding of the ceramic ferrules 121.

[0156] Among them, H may satisfy the following formula:

[0157] H = D tanα

[0158] Wherein, D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0159] By making each second card slot 1152 on the base 115 satisfy the above formula, when the sub-rear shell 1134 is clamped in the second card slot 1152 through the second clamping portion 1133, the second card slot 1152 can limit the position of the sub-rear shell 1134, so that the sub-rear shell 1134 and the front and rear shells 113 can be fixed according to the preset positions, and thus the ceramic ferrules 121 in the sub-front shell 1125 and the sub-rear shell 1134 can also be distributed in a stepped manner according to the preset positions. During the assembly process of the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110, there is no need to additionally consider the positioning problem of the ceramic ferrule in the axial direction, which can simplify the installation process of the ceramic ferrule 121 and improve the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110.

[0160] Figure 17 It is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0161] See Figure 17 As shown, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a housing assembly 140. The housing assembly 140 may include a first housing 141 and a second housing 142. Wherein, the first housing 141 may be sleeved on the inner shell assembly 110, and the second housing 142 may be sleeved on the outer periphery of the first housing 141 and rotatably connected to the first housing 141. The first housing 141 and the second housing 142 may be used to cooperate with the structure on the adapter so that the optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the adapter.

[0162] For example, the adapter may have a guide groove structure that cooperates with the first housing 141. The first housing 141 may be inserted into the guide groove, and the second housing 142 may be sleeved outside the adapter. The outer periphery of the adapter may have a connected first sliding groove and a second sliding groove. Wherein, the first sliding groove may extend along the axial direction of the adapter, and the first sliding groove may extend to the end face of the adapter. The second sliding groove may extend along the circumferential direction of the adapter. A limiting post may be provided on the inner wall of the second housing 142, and the limiting post on the second housing 142 may cooperate with the first sliding groove and the second sliding groove so that the second housing 142 can be connected to the adapter.

[0163] For example, the second housing 142 can rotate along the extending directions of the first sliding groove and the second sliding groove, so that the limiting post on the second housing 142 finally abuts against the end of the second sliding groove. The second sliding groove can play a role in axially limiting and fixing the limiting post to prevent the second housing 142 from moving axially along the adapter, which helps to improve the firmness and reliability of the connection between the optical fiber connector 100 and the adapter, and enhance the stability of the cooperation between the two optical fiber connectors 100.

[0164] Continue to refer to Figure 17 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a tail sleeve 143. At least a part of the tail sleeve 143 can be sleeved on at least a part of the first housing 141 and threadedly connected to the first housing 141. For example, an external thread may be provided on the outer periphery of one end of the first housing 141, and an internal thread matching the external thread may be provided on the inner wall of the end of the tail sleeve 143 facing the first housing 141. During the connection between the tail sleeve 143 and the first housing 141, the external thread can cooperate with the internal thread so that the tail sleeve 143 can be connected to the first housing 141.

[0165] Among them, the tail sleeve 143 can be made of rubber material and has a certain elasticity. The tail sleeve 143 can provide elastic protection for the optical cable 130. During the bending of the optical cable 130, the tail sleeve 143 can increase the bending radius of the optical cable 130 to avoid breakage of the optical cable 130 due to too small a bending radius, thereby preventing the breakage of the optical cable 130 from affecting the signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0166] Continue to refer to Figure 17 As shown, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a first optical cable protection sleeve 150. The first optical cable protection sleeve 150 can be sleeved on the optical cable 130, and one end of the first optical cable protection sleeve 150 can be connected to the base 115. The first optical cable protection sleeve 150 can also protect the optical cable 130 to increase the bending radius of the optical cable 130 and prevent the optical cable 130 from breaking due to too small a bending radius, which helps to improve the service life of the optical cable 130.

[0167] Continue to refer to Figure 17As shown, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a second optical cable protective sleeve 160. The second optical cable protective sleeve 160 may also be sleeved on the optical cable 130, and the second optical cable protective sleeve 160 may be located within the tail sleeve 143. The second optical cable protective sleeve 160 and the first optical cable protective sleeve 150 may be distributed along the extending direction of the optical cable 130. The second optical cable protective sleeve 160 may also provide protection for the optical cable 130 to increase the bending radius of the optical cable 130, thereby effectively preventing the optical cable 130 from breaking due to an overly small bending radius. The second optical cable protective sleeve 160 and the first optical cable protective sleeve 150 may provide protection for the optical cable 130 at different positions. Among them, one end of the second optical cable protective sleeve 160 may at least partially overlap with one end of the first optical cable protective sleeve 150, so that the second optical cable protective sleeve 160 and the first optical cable protective sleeve 150 can provide more comprehensive protection for the optical cable 130 to prevent the optical cable 130 from breaking.

[0168] Figure 18 The structural schematic diagram of a base provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure 19 The structural schematic diagram of a first housing provided by an embodiment of the present application Figure 20 The cross-sectional view of a first housing provided by an embodiment of the present application

[0169] See Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, a shaft shoulder 1153 may be provided on the outer periphery of the base 115, and an elastic clamping portion 1411 may be provided on the first housing 141. The elastic clamping portion 1411 may abut against the shaft shoulder 1153 of the base 115. For example, the elastic clamping portion 1411 may face the inside of the first housing 141. During the process of the base 115 being inserted into the first housing 141, when the elastic clamping portion 1411 abuts against the end face of the shaft shoulder 1153, it indicates that the first housing 141 and the base 115 have reached the mating position. The cooperation between the shaft shoulder 1153 and the first clamping portion 1131 can achieve axial limiting, which can reduce or avoid axial movement between the first housing 141 and the base 115, and is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the axial connection between the outer housing assembly 140 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0170] Continue to see Figure 18 As shown, a groove 1154 may also be provided on the outer periphery of the base 115. In combination with Figure 20 As shown, a limiting protrusion 1412 that mates with the groove 1154 may be provided on the inner wall of the first housing 141, and the limiting protrusion 1412 may be located within the groove 1154. The groove 1154 may play a circumferential limiting role on the limiting protrusion 1412 to reduce or avoid the first housing 141 from rotating relative to the base 115, which is beneficial to improving the reliability and stability of the circumferential connection between the first housing 141 and the base 115.

[0171] Figure 21 This is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between a dust cap and an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0172] See Figure 21 As shown, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a dust cap 170. The dust cap 170 may be disposed on one end of the front shell 112 assembly facing the insertion portion 1213 of the ceramic ferrule 121, and the dust cap 170 may be detachably connected to the front shell 112 assembly. The dust cap 170 may be disposed on the front shell 112 assembly during the unused process of the optical fiber connector 100 and removed when the optical fiber connector 100 is in use. The dust cap 170 may provide protection for the ferrule assembly 120, the inner shell assembly 110, etc. inside the outer shell assembly 140, and can reduce or avoid external dust, water stains, oil stains and other stains from entering the ferrule assembly 120 inside the outer shell assembly 140, preventing stains from entering the ferrule assembly 120 and affecting the signal transmission of the optical fiber, which is beneficial to improving the cleanliness of the ferrule assembly 120 and enhancing the working stability and reliability of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0173] The following introduces the application scenarios of the optical fiber connector 100 provided by the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0174] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the application link of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the link inside a first connection box provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the link inside a fourth connection box provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0175] The optical fiber connector 100 provided by the embodiments of the present application can be applied to the cascade between multiple connection boxes. For example, the connection box can be a fiber access terminal (FAT for short), and multiple connection boxes can be connected through the optical fiber connector 100. For example, see Figure 22 As shown, taking the ceramic ferrule 121 in the optical fiber connector 100 as four (also called a 4-core optical fiber connector 100) as an example, the number of connection boxes can be selected as four. For easy understanding, the four connection boxes can be sequentially set as the first connection box 310, the second connection box 320, the third connection box 330, and the fourth connection box 340, and the four ceramic ferrules 121 in the optical fiber connector 100 can be sequentially marked as the No. 1 ferrule, the No. 2 ferrule, the No. 3 ferrule, and the No. 4 ferrule.

[0176] For example, see Figure 22As shown, one of the fiber optic connectors 100 can be first inserted into an adapter on the first connection box 310, so that the fiber optic connector 100 can be connected to the fiber optic connector 100 inside the connection box through the adapter, in order to introduce four optical fibers into the connection box. Among them, a splitter can be respectively provided in each of the four connection boxes. For example, a first splitter 311 can be provided in the first connection box 310, a second splitter 321 can be provided in the second connection box 320, a third splitter 331 can be provided in the third connection box 330, and a fourth splitter 341 can be provided in the fourth connection box 340.

[0177] In the first connection box 310, one of the four optical fibers can be connected to the input end of the first splitter 311 in the first connection box 310, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers according to a certain ratio through the first splitter 311 and then enter the household, and the remaining three optical fibers can be led out through the fiber optic connector 100 and connected to the second connection box 320.

[0178] In the second connection box 320, one of the three optical fibers can be connected to the second splitter 321, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers according to a certain ratio through the second splitter 321 and then enter the household, and the remaining two optical fibers can be led out through the fiber optic connector 100 and connected to the third connection box 330.

[0179] In the third connection box 330, one of the two optical fibers can be connected to the third splitter 331, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers according to a certain ratio through the third splitter 331 and then enter the household, and the other can be led out through the fiber optic connector 100 and connected to the fourth connection box 340.

[0180] In the fourth connection box 340, the last optical fiber can be connected to the fourth splitter 341, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers according to a certain ratio through the fourth splitter 341 and then enter the household.

[0181] Among them, the splitter in each connection box is connected to the ferrule No. 4 in the connection box. In order to make the optical fiber connected to the input port of the splitter in each connection box be an effective light-passing optical fiber, the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber in the connection box can be misaligned. For example, see Figure 23 As shown, in the first connection box 310, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 3 in the input fiber optic connector 100 can be connected to the ferrule No. 4 in the input fiber optic connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 2 can be connected to the ferrule No. 3 in the input fiber optic connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 1 can be connected to the ferrule No. 2 in the input fiber optic connector 100. In this way, in the second connection box 320, the optical fiber connected to the second splitter 321 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 3 in the input fiber optic connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0182] Correspondingly, in the second connection box 320, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the ferrule No. 4 in the input optical fiber connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 2 can be connected to the ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 1 can be connected to the ferrule No. 2 in the input optical fiber connector 100. In this way, in the third connection box 330, the optical fiber connected to the third optical splitter 331 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 2 in the input optical fiber connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0183] Correspondingly, in the third connection box 330, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the ferrule No. 4 in the input optical fiber connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 2 can be connected to the ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 1 can be connected to the ferrule No. 2 in the input optical fiber connector 100. In this way, in the fourth connection box 340, as shown in Figure 24 shown, the optical fiber connected to the fourth optical splitter 341 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to the ferrule No. 1 in the input optical fiber connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0184] The embodiment of the present application further provides a connection box, which may include a housing and an adapter. The adapter may be located on the housing. The adapter in the connection box may be used to cooperate with the optical fiber connector 100 provided in any of the above scenarios. By making the adapter in the connection box cooperate with the optical fiber connector 100, the two optical fiber connectors 100 inside and outside the connection box can be docked through the adapter to achieve the transmission of optical signals, which can effectively improve the stability and reliability of signal transmission.

[0185] For example, the adapter may have positioning sleeves with the same number as the ceramic ferrules 121 in the optical fiber connector 100, and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement of the ceramic ferrules 121. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the positioning sleeves may also be arranged in an array in the form of M rows and N columns so that the positioning sleeves and the ceramic ferrules 121 can correspond one by one.

[0186] A positioning through-hole may be provided in the positioning sleeve. The two ends of the positioning through-hole can be respectively used for inserting the ceramic ferrule 121. For example, one end of the positioning through-hole can communicate with the outside of the connection box, and the other end can communicate with the inside of the connection box. The ceramic ferrule 121 in the fiber optic connector 100 located outside the connection box can be inserted into one end of the positioning through-hole, and the ceramic ferrule 121 in the fiber optic connector 100 located inside the connection box can be inserted into the other end of the positioning through-hole, so that the two ceramic ferrules 121 can be docked through the positioning sleeve to achieve the docking of optical fibers. This can effectively improve the coaxiality of the connection of the ceramic ferrule 121, enhance the accuracy of the docking of the ceramic ferrule 121, and thus effectively improve the signal transmission efficiency between optical fibers.

[0187] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "coupling" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to specific circumstances. The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) are used to distinguish similar objects and do not necessarily need to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0188] Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit them; although the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that, it includes an inner shell assembly (110), a ferrule assembly (120) and an optical cable (130); the inner shell assembly (110) has a receiving cavity (111), the ferrule assembly (120) includes a plurality of ceramic ferrules (121), one ends of the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) are located in the receiving cavity (111), and the other ends of the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) extend out of the inner shell assembly (110); each of the ceramic ferrules (121) has a through hole (1211) therein, the optical cable (130) includes a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are respectively inserted into the through holes (1211) of the respective ceramic ferrules (121); and the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) are arranged in an M-row and N-column array, where M≥2 and N≥2.

2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules (121) are inclined surfaces with the same inclination direction.

3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the direction from the first row to the M-th row, end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules (121) are located in the same inclined surface; or, in the direction from the first column to the N-th column, end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules (121) are located in the same inclined surface.

4. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, end faces of the respective ceramic ferrules (121) satisfy the following formula: H = D tanα wherein, H is the height difference between centers of end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, D is the distance between center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule (121).

5. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, the inner shell assembly (110) includes a front shell (112) and a rear shell (113), and the front end of the rear shell (113) is connected to the rear end of the front shell (112); each of the ceramic ferrules (121) includes a connected connection portion (1212) and a plugging portion (1213), the front shell (112) has a first cavity (1121), the connection portion (1212) is located in the first cavity (1121), and the plugging portion (1213) extends out of the front end of the front shell (112); one end of the connection portion (1212) abuts against the front shell (112), and the other end of the connection portion (1212) abuts against the rear shell (113).

6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, the first cavity (1121) of the front shell (112) body includes M sub-cavities (11211), the M sub-cavities (11211) are arranged in sequence in the direction from the first row to the M-th row, and each of the sub-cavities (11211) has N ceramic ferrules (121); Alternatively, the first cavity (1121) of the front housing (112) body includes N sub-cavities (11211), and the N sub-cavities (11211) are arranged in sequence along the direction from the first column to the Nth column. Each sub-cavity (11211) contains M ceramic ferrules (121). Each sub-cavity (11211) has a positioning platform (1122), and one end of the connecting portion (1212) is respectively abutted against the positioning platform (1122).

7. The fiber optic connector according to claim 6, characterized in that Along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the heights of the end faces of the positioning platforms (1122) facing the ceramic ferrules (121) are staggered in the axial direction in sequence, and the staggering distance of the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms (1122) in the axial direction is H; Alternatively, along the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the heights of the end faces of the positioning platforms (1122) facing the ceramic ferrules (121) are staggered in the axial direction in sequence, and the staggering distance of the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms (1122) in the axial direction is H; The H satisfies the following formula: H = D tanα Wherein, the D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and the α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule (121).

8. The fiber optic connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that The inner housing assembly (110) further includes a spring member (114), and the spring member (114) is sleeved on the connecting portion (1212) of each ceramic ferrule (121); One end of the spring member (114) is abutted against the ceramic ferrule (121), and the other end of the spring member (114) is abutted against the rear housing (113).

9. The fiber optic connector according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that The front housing (112) is provided with a first card slot (1123), and the rear housing (113) has a first clamping portion (1131) that cooperates with the first card slot (1123); The first clamping portion (1131) is clamped in the first card slot (1123), and the front housing (112) and the rear housing (113) are connected through the cooperation of the first clamping portion (1131) and the first card slot (1123).

10. The fiber optic connector according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that The inner housing assembly (110) further includes a base (115) connected to the rear housing (113), and the base (115) is located at one end of the rear housing (113) away from the front housing (112); The rear housing (113) has a second cavity (1132) communicating with the first cavity (1121), and the base (115) has a third cavity (1151) communicating with the second cavity (1132); The optical cable (130) is located in the third cavity (1151), and each of the optical fibers in the optical cable (130) sequentially passes through the third cavity (1151), the second cavity (1132), and the first cavity (1121) and is respectively inserted into the through holes (1211) of each of the ceramic ferrules (121).

11. The optical fiber connector according to claim 10, wherein, the rear shell (113) has a second engaging portion (1133), the base (115) is provided with a second engaging groove (1152) that cooperates with the second engaging portion (1133), and the second engaging portion (1133) is engaged in the second engaging groove (1152).

12. The optical fiber connector according to claim 11, wherein, the front shell (112) includes M sub-front shells (1125)(112) arranged in parallel, the rear shell (113) includes M sub-rear shells (1134) arranged in parallel, and the M sub-front shells (1125)(112) are respectively connected to the M sub-rear shells (1134); each group of the connected sub-front shells (1125)(112) and sub-rear shells (1134) respectively has N ceramic ferrules (121); alternatively, the front shell (112) includes N sub-front shells (1125)(112) arranged in parallel, the rear shell (113) includes N sub-rear shells (1134) arranged in parallel, and the N sub-front shells (1125)(112) are respectively connected to the N sub-rear shells (1134); each group of the connected sub-front shells (1125)(112) and sub-rear shells (1134) respectively has M ceramic ferrules (121).

13. The optical fiber connector according to claim 12, wherein, the base (115) has the second engaging grooves (1152) with the same number as the number of the sub-rear shells (1134), and the second engaging portions (1133) on the sub-rear shells (1134) are respectively engaged in the second engaging grooves (1152).

14. The optical fiber connector according to claim 12, wherein, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance from the second engaging groove (1152) to the end face of the base (115) gradually increases, and the distance difference between adjacent two second engaging grooves (1152) in the axial direction of the base (115) is H; alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance from the second engaging groove (1152) to the end face of the base (115) gradually increases, and the distance difference between adjacent two second engaging grooves (1152) in the axial direction of the base (115) is H; The H satisfies the following formula: H = D tanα where D is the distance between the centerlines of adjacent two ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and α is the inclined angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule (121).

15. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein, It further includes a housing assembly (140), and the housing assembly (140) includes a first housing (141) and a second housing (142); The first housing (141) is sleeved on the inner housing assembly (110), and the second housing (142) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first housing (141) and is rotatably connected to the first housing (141).

16. The optical fiber connector according to claim 15, characterized in that the outer periphery of the base (115) has a shaft shoulder (1153), and the first housing (141) has an elastic clamping portion (1411), and the elastic clamping portion (1411) abuts against the end face of the shaft shoulder (1153).

17. The optical fiber connector according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the outer periphery of the base (115) is further provided with a groove (1154), and the inner wall of the first housing (141) has a limiting protrusion (1412) that cooperates with the groove (1154), and the limiting protrusion (1412) is located in the groove (1154).

18. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the housing assembly (140) further includes a tail sleeve (143), and at least a part of the tail sleeve (143) is sleeved on at least a part of the first housing (141) and is threadedly connected to the first housing (141).

19. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that it further includes a first optical cable protective sleeve (150), the first optical cable protective sleeve (150) is sleeved on the optical cable (130), and one end of the first optical cable protective sleeve (150) is connected to the base (115).

20. The optical fiber connector according to claim 18, characterized in that it further includes a second optical cable protective sleeve (160), the second optical cable protective sleeve (160) is sleeved on the optical cable (130), and the second optical cable protective sleeve (160) is located inside the tail sleeve (143).

21. A connection box, characterized in that it includes a housing and an adapter, the adapter is located on the housing, and the adapter is used to cooperate with the optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. The connection box according to claim 21, characterized in that the adapter has positioning sleeves with the same number as the number of ceramic ferrules (121), and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement of the ceramic ferrules (121); each of the positioning sleeves has a positioning through hole (1211), and both ends of the positioning through hole (1211) are respectively used for inserting the ceramic ferrules (121).

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