MTP optical fiber connector and connector assembly

Abstract

The invention provides an MTP optical fiber connector and a connector assembly, and relates to the technical field of optical fiber connectors. Wherein the MTP optical fiber connector comprises a connector shell, an optical fiber plug, a first elastic reset structure and a protection device, an installation cavity is arranged in the connector shell, the optical fiber plug can move in the cavity, and the first elastic reset structure enables the optical fiber plug to retract when the optical fiber plug is not in butt joint. The protection device comprises a rotatable protection plate and a second elastic reset structure and seals the opening of the shell in a normal state. According to the MTP optical fiber connector, through a dual protection mechanism of automatic stretching of the optical fiber plug and dynamic closing of the protection plate, the end face of the insertion core is effectively prevented from being subjected to mechanical collision and dust pollution. The protection plate is automatically opened when the plug extends out and is automatically closed when the plug retracts back, manual intervention is not needed in the whole process, the reliability problem caused by exposure of the insertion core of a traditional connector is solved, and full-automatic protection is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of optical fiber connectors, and in particular to an MTP optical fiber connector and a connector assembly. Background Art

[0002] As a key component in optical communication systems, MTP fiber connectors are widely used in data centers, 5G base stations, and other scenarios. These connectors use precision ferrules to achieve fiber alignment, and their performance directly impacts communication quality.

[0003] However, current industry-standard designs often suffer from inherent structural flaws, specifically the fact that the ceramic fiber optic plug protrudes significantly from the connector housing end face, leaving it exposed. This physical layout creates significant risks during logistics, on-site installation, and maintenance operations. The ferrule end face is highly susceptible to accidental collisions with external objects, causing scratches or even cracks, seriously impacting the connector's optical performance and service life.

[0004] This exposed design also poses a serious pollution sensitivity issue. When the connector is deployed in high-dust environments such as steel mills and mines, dust and particulate matter quickly accumulate on the exposed ferrule end face. These contaminants not only hinder the precise connection between fibers but also cause additional optical signal loss.

[0005] Although the existing technology uses a detachable protective cover to protect the ferrule, this solution requires frequent manual installation and removal of the protective cover, which is not only cumbersome to operate, but also easy to lose the protective cover, and cannot provide continuous and reliable protection. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present application proposes an MTP optical fiber connector and a connector assembly, which solves the problem in the prior art that the exposed ferrule is susceptible to mechanical damage and dust pollution.

[0007] The technical solution of this application is achieved as follows: In a first aspect, the present application provides an MTP optical fiber connector, comprising: A connector housing has an axially penetrating mounting cavity formed therein; An optical fiber plug is axially movably disposed in the mounting cavity; A first elastic reset structure is provided between the optical fiber plug and the connector housing, and is used to retract the plugging end face of the optical fiber plug into the mounting cavity in a non-mated state; A protective device comprising a protective plate and a second elastic reset structure, wherein the protective plate is rotatably mounted at the butt-end opening of the connector housing, and the second elastic reset structure is disposed between the protective plate and the connector housing and is used to close the butt-end opening of the protective plate under normal conditions; When the optical fiber plug moves axially, it pushes the protective plate to flip open, and when it retracts, the protective plate can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure.

[0008] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the first elastic reset structure includes a first installation groove, a second installation groove, a limiting member and a first elastic member; The first mounting groove is provided on the inner wall of the mounting cavity along the axial direction of the connector housing; The second mounting groove is provided on the side wall of the optical fiber plug, and the second mounting groove and the first mounting groove cooperate with each other along the axial direction; One end of the limiting member is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the second mounting groove away from the protective device, and the other end extends into the first mounting groove; The first elastic member is arranged between the first installation slot and the second installation slot, with one end thereof abutting against the end surface of the first installation slot and the other end abutting against the limiting member.

[0009] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the second elastic reset structure includes a first hinge plate, a second hinge plate and a torsion spring; The first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are connected via a hinge shaft, the first hinge plate is fixedly connected to the open end surface of the butt end of the connector housing, and the second hinge plate is fixedly connected to the protective plate; The torsion spring is sleeved on the hinge shaft, and the two ends of the torsion spring are respectively in contact with the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate; A limiting step is provided at the open end surface of the butt-jointed end of the connector housing to limit the protective plate from flipping toward the inner side of the installation cavity.

[0010] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, two protective plates are provided, and the two protective plates are symmetrically arranged with the central axis of the connector housing as the axis of symmetry.

[0011] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the optical fiber plug includes a ferrule head and a ferrule seat; One end of the ferrule head is arranged in the ferrule seat, and the other end extends out of the ferrule seat toward the protective plate; The end face of the ferrule head is provided with a supporting portion for pushing the protective plate to flip open when the optical fiber plug moves axially; A locking buckle is horizontally provided on the end surface of the ferrule seat facing the protective plate for clamping with the adapter; The first elastic reset structure is arranged between the ferrule seat and the connector housing.

[0012] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the ferrule seat includes a ferrule housing and an end cover fixedly arranged at the rear end of the ferrule housing; The ferrule housing defines an accommodating cavity in the axial direction, one end of the ferrule head is slidably disposed in the accommodating cavity, and the other end extends out of the accommodating cavity. A limiting flange is provided on the side of the accommodating cavity away from the end cover for preventing the ferrule head from falling out; A second elastic member is provided in the accommodating cavity, and two ends of the second elastic member are respectively abutted against the ferrule head and the end cover; The length of the locking buckle is smaller than the dimension of the ferrule head extending from the end face of the ferrule seat; An unlocking assembly is provided between the connector housing and the ferrule housing for releasing the locking buckle from the adapter.

[0013] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the unlocking assembly includes a fixing seat, an unlocking member and a pressing spring; The top surface of the installation cavity is provided with an axially extending through groove; The fixing seat is located in the through groove and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule housing; The pressing spring is bent, and the bending apex of the pressing spring contacts the inner top surface of the through-groove. One end of the pressing spring is fixedly connected to the fixing seat, and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle. The unlocking member includes a rotating part, an unlocking spring and an operating rod. The rotating part is rotatably connected to the fixed seat. One end of the unlocking spring is fixedly connected to the rotating part, and the other end is in contact with the inclined surface of the end of the pressing spring away from the locking buckle. One end of the operating rod is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part away from the unlocking spring, and the other end extends out of the through slot and is provided with a pull ring.

[0014] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the bottom surface of the operating rod is provided with an accidental touch buckle, and the top surface of the ferrule housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove connected to the accidental touch buckle.

[0015] In the second aspect, the present application discloses a connector assembly, including an adapter and the MTP fiber optic connector described in the first aspect, the adapter including an adapter shell, one end of the adapter shell having a connecting groove that is plugged into the connector shell, the interior of the connecting groove having a snap-fit ​​connection with a locking snap, and the interior of the connecting groove also providing a fiber optic docking groove that is connected to the ferrule head.

[0016] On the basis of the above technical solution, preferably, the outer surface of the connector housing is provided with a limiting boss, and the distance from the limiting boss to the mating end face of the connector housing is less than the depth of the connecting groove.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects: (1) The MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in the present application constructs an integrated ferrule protection system through the matching design of the connector housing and the axially movable fiber optic plug, combined with the automatic reset function of the first elastic reset structure and the dynamic closing mechanism of the protective device, so that the plug-in end face of the fiber optic plug can be completely retracted into the installation cavity in the non-mated state, and at the same time, the protective plate automatically closes the docking end opening under the action of the second elastic reset structure, thereby achieving double protection of the ferrule end face in physical structure, effectively avoiding damage to the ferrule caused by external mechanical collision and adhesion of dust pollutants to the ferrule end face, and fundamentally solving the reliability problem of traditional MTP connectors caused by the exposed ferrule. In addition, the entire protection process does not require manual intervention, and a fully automatic protection function is achieved.

[0018] (2) By providing the first mounting groove and the second mounting groove on the inner wall of the mounting cavity and the outer wall of the optical fiber plug respectively, the first elastic member is integrated into the limited space between the optical fiber plug and the mounting cavity. This compact spatial layout not only realizes the high integration of the elastic reset function, but also significantly optimizes the overall structural dimensions of the connector, so that a complete elastic reset system can be built in while maintaining the original connector dimensions. At the same time, it ensures that the force of the elastic member is directly transmitted to the optical fiber plug along the axial direction, avoiding the structural redundancy and force transmission loss caused by the traditional lateral installation method.

[0019] (3) After adopting the symmetrically arranged double protective plate structure, the radial size of each protective plate is halved, which brings three improvements: first, the rotation space required for flipping and opening is reduced, and the depth of the adapter cavity can be reduced by 30%-40%, which significantly improves the space utilization; second, the optical fiber plug only needs 50%-60% of the original movement stroke to complete the opening action, which reduces the load of the first elastic reset structure; finally, the symmetrical movement of the double protective plates forms a self-balancing force system, eliminating the eccentric torque generated by a single protective plate, so that the hinge shaft only bears pure torque, and the overall operation is more stable and reliable.

[0020] (4) Through the retractable structural design of the ferrule head and the ferrule seat, and setting the locking buckle on the end face of the ferrule shell, while limiting the length of the locking buckle to be less than the size of the ferrule head extending from the end face of the ferrule seat, the MTP fiber optic connector is realized in a staged connection mechanism: the ferrule head first extends out to contact the adapter to complete the docking of the optical fiber end face, and then the ferrule seat continues to move to engage the locking buckle with the adapter, which not only achieves gapless and precise docking of the optical fiber end face, but also ensures the reliable engagement of the locking mechanism.

[0021] (5) The pressing spring is designed in a bent shape, and its bending apex forms a fixed fulcrum with the top surface of the through groove. When the unlocking spring pushes down the end of the pressing spring connected to the fixed seat, according to the third-class lever principle, the end of the pressing spring in contact with the locking buckle moves downward synchronously, directly applying downward pressure to the locking buckle. This special lever structure realizes the same-direction transmission of force and displacement amplification. Through the synchronous downward pressure action of the two ends of the pressing spring, the locking buckle produces sufficient downward elastic deformation, thereby reliably releasing the clamping state with the adapter. The entire mechanism cleverly utilizes the elastic deformation characteristics of the bent spring to achieve efficient force transmission and precise displacement control in a limited space.

[0022] (6) An accidental touch buckle is provided on the bottom surface of the operating rod, and a snap-in groove connected to the accidental touch buckle is provided on the top surface of the ferrule housing. Thus, when the unlocking operation is not required, the operating rod can be rotated downward to engage and lock the accidental touch buckle and the snap-in groove, thereby avoiding accidental touching of the operating rod, preventing accidental unlocking, and ensuring a reliable locking connection between the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the MTP optical fiber connector disclosed in this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the protective plate disclosed in this application in an open state from a first-person perspective; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the protective plate disclosed in this application in the open state from a second viewing angle; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the connector housing and protective device disclosed in this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the optical fiber plug disclosed in this application; Figure 6 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the middle part; Figure 7 This is a front view of the MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application; Figure 8 for Figure 7 Plane section view at the middle BB; Figure 9 A top view of the MTP optical fiber connector disclosed in this application; Figure 10 for Figure 9 Plane section view at CC; Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the connector assembly disclosed in this application; Figure 12 A top view of the adapter and MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application after assembly; Figure 13 for Figure 12 Plane section view at DD in the middle; Figure 14 This is a front view of the adapter and MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application after assembly; Figure 15 for Figure 14 Plane section view at EE; Reference numerals: 1. Connector housing; 11. Mounting cavity; 110. Through slot; 12. Position limiting step; 13. Position limiting boss; 2. Fiber optic plug; 21. Ferrule head; 22. Ferrule seat; 211. Abutment portion; 221. Locking buckle; 2210. Stopper; 222. Ferrule housing; 223. End cap; 2221. Accommodation cavity; 2222. Limiting flange; 23. Second elastic member; 3. First elastic reset structure; 31. First mounting slot; 32. Second mounting slot; 33. Position limiting member; 34. First elastic member; 4. Protective device; 41. Protective plate; 42. Second elastic reset structure; 421. First hinge plate; 422. Second hinge plate; 423. Torsion spring; 5. Unlocking assembly; 51. Fixing seat; 52. Unlocking member; 53. Pressing spring; 521. Rotating portion; 522. Unlocking spring; 523. Operating lever; 5231. Pull ring; 5232. Accidental touch buckle; 2223. Snap-in slot; 6. Adapter; 61. Adapter housing; 62. Connecting slot; 63. Clamping portion; 64. Optical fiber connecting slot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, combined Figure 2-10The embodiment of the present application discloses an MTP optical fiber connector, including a connector housing 1, an optical fiber plug 2, a first elastic reset structure 3 and a protective device 4.

[0027] The connector housing 1 serves as the basic support structure for the optical fiber connector, and the axially through-hole mounting cavity 11 formed therein provides a movement channel for the optical fiber plug 2. The special structural design at the butt-end opening of the connector housing 1 provides the necessary space conditions for the installation and movement of the protective plate 41.

[0028] Fiber optic plug 2 is used to establish an optical communication connection with the fiber optic docking assembly in adapter 6. Fiber optic plug 2 utilizes an axially movable mounting arrangement, enabling the plug-in end face to retract. This dynamic design allows the plug-in end face of fiber optic plug 2 to fully retract into the housing when not in use, fundamentally eliminating the risk of exposure associated with traditional fixed plugs. The axial movement of fiber optic plug 2 directly drives the opening and closing of protective plate 41, forming a mechanical linkage system that ensures synchronization between protective action and plug-in operation.

[0029] The first elastic reset structure 3 is provided between the optical fiber plug 2 and the connector housing 1 and is used to retract the plugging end face of the optical fiber plug 2 into the mounting cavity 11 in the non-mated state.

[0030] Specifically, the first elastic reset structure 3 serves as the driving core of the optical fiber plug 2, achieving automatic reset of the optical fiber plug 2 through the principle of elastic energy storage. This structure stores elastic potential energy when the optical fiber plug 2 is extended by an external force. When the external force disappears, the energy is released to retract the optical fiber plug 2, preventing the plug end face of the optical fiber plug 2 from being exposed outside the connector housing 1, thereby preventing damage to the plug end face caused by external mechanical impact. This design not only ensures the automatic restoration of the protective state, but also reduces mechanical impact during insertion through elastic buffering, thereby extending the service life of the optical fiber plug 2.

[0031] Although the entire optical fiber connector is in the non-docked state, the optical fiber plug 2 can be retracted into the installation cavity 11 under the action of the first elastic reset structure 3, but the installation cavity 11 is open at both ends. External dust will enter the installation cavity 11 through the docking end opening of the connector housing 1, causing pollution to the plug-in end face of the optical fiber plug 2.

[0032] To this end, the fiber optic connector of this embodiment is further provided with a protective device 4, comprising a protective plate 41 and a second elastic reset structure 42. Protective plate 41, through its rotatable mounting, dynamically seals the butt-end opening. Protective plate 41 can be flipped outside the connector housing 1 at the butt-end opening, completely avoiding the path of the fiber optic plug 2 while providing full coverage when closed. The physical barrier effect of protective plate 41 directly blocks the threat of external dust and mechanical impact, and its movement does not generate wear debris, thus preventing secondary contamination.

[0033] The second elastic return structure 42 provides precise closing torque for the protective plate 41, ensuring that the protective plate 41 remains securely closed in any state. This structure overcomes the weight and frictional resistance of the protective plate 41 through elastic preload, keeping the protective plate 41 in the pre-set secure position. This ensures reliable closure without excessively increasing the force required to extend the plug.

[0034] When it is necessary to connect the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter 6, the entire connector housing 1 is inserted into the adapter 6. By applying force to the fiber optic plug 2, the fiber optic plug 2 pushes the protective plate 41 to flip open when it moves axially. After the plug-in end face of the fiber optic plug 2 extends out of the docking end of the connector housing 1, it can be snapped into the adapter 6 through the snap-fit ​​structure. When the snap-fit ​​structure is disengaged and snapped into the adapter 6, the fiber optic plug 2 retracts into the installation cavity 11, and the protective plate 41 can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure 42.

[0035] The MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in the present application constructs an integrated ferrule protection system through the matching design of the connector housing 1 and the axially movable fiber optic plug 2, combined with the automatic reset function of the first elastic reset structure 3 and the dynamic sealing mechanism of the protective device 4, so that the plug-in end face of the fiber optic plug 2 can be completely retracted into the installation cavity 11 in the non-docked state. At the same time, the protective plate 41 automatically closes the docking end opening under the action of the second elastic reset structure 42, thereby achieving double protection of the ferrule end face in physical structure, effectively avoiding damage to the ferrule caused by external mechanical collisions and the adhesion of dust pollutants to the ferrule end face, fundamentally solving the reliability problem of traditional MTP connectors caused by the exposed ferrule, and the entire protection process does not require manual intervention, realizing a fully automatic protection function.

[0036] This embodiment shows a structural mode of the first elastic reset structure 3. Figure 4 、 5 As shown in , 8 and 15 , the first elastic reset structure 3 includes a first mounting groove 31 , a second mounting groove 32 , a limiting member 33 and a first elastic member 34 .

[0037] The first mounting groove 31 is arranged axially along the inner wall of the mounting cavity 11 of the connector housing 1, providing a stable mounting foundation for the entire elastic reset system. This axially extending groove structure not only provides precise guidance for the movement of the first elastic member 34, but also, by cooperating with the second mounting groove 32, limits the range of motion of the optical fiber plug 2. Its end surface serves as the abutment surface for the first elastic member 34, ensuring that the direction of force transmission always aligns with the direction of motion of the optical fiber plug 2.

[0038] The second mounting groove 32 is provided on the side wall of the optical fiber plug 2, forming an integrated structure with the optical fiber plug 2. The axial fit between the second groove and the first mounting groove 31 provides space for the installation of the first elastic member 34, allowing the stopper 33 to be securely fixed. At the same time, it provides effective compression space for the first elastic member 34, ensuring that the restoring force of the first elastic member 34 is accurately applied.

[0039] One end of the stopper 33 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the second mounting slot 32, away from the protective device 4, and the other end extends into the first mounting slot 31. This cross-slot connection ties the movement of the optical fiber plug 2 to the deformation of the first elastic member 34. The sliding movement of the stopper 33 within the first mounting slot 31 ensures linear motion and, through the abutment of its end with the first elastic member 34, effectively converts elastic potential energy into the restoring motion of the optical fiber plug 2.

[0040] The first elastic member 34 is positioned between the first mounting slot 31 and the second mounting slot 32. One end of the first elastic member abuts the end surface of the first mounting slot 31, and the other end abuts the stopper 33. The first elastic member 34 is compressed and stores energy when the optical fiber plug 2 is extended. When the external force is removed, the energy is released to push the stopper 33 back into place. Driven by the elastic force of the first elastic member 34, the stopper 33 moves toward the first mounting slot 31, away from the mating end opening, until the stopper 33 abuts the end surface of the first mounting slot 31. At this point, the entire optical fiber plug 2 is retracted within the mounting cavity 11.

[0041] In this embodiment, the first elastic member 34 is preferably a spring.

[0042] By respectively opening the first mounting groove 31 and the second mounting groove 32 on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 11 and the outer wall of the optical fiber plug 2, and integrating the first elastic member 34 into the limited space between the optical fiber plug 2 and the mounting cavity 11, this compact spatial layout not only realizes the high integration of the elastic reset function, but also significantly optimizes the overall structural dimensions of the connector, so that a complete elastic reset system can be built in while keeping the original connector dimensions unchanged, and at the same time ensures that the force of the elastic member is directly transmitted to the optical fiber plug 2 along the axial direction, avoiding the structural redundancy and force transmission loss caused by the traditional lateral installation method, and providing an innovative solution for the design of miniaturized, high-density MTP optical fiber connectors.

[0043] This embodiment shows a structural mode of the second elastic reset structure 42. Figure 1 、 3 As shown in Figures 4 and 6 , the second elastic reset structure 42 includes a first hinge plate 421 , a second hinge plate 422 and a torsion spring 423 .

[0044] The first hinge plate 421 and the second hinge plate 422 are connected by a hinge shaft, and the two form a rotational relationship. The first hinge plate 421 is fixedly connected to the open end face of the docking end of the connector housing 1, ensuring the stability of the entire hinge system. The second hinge plate 422 is fixedly connected to the protective plate 41, thereby realizing effective transmission of torque.

[0045] The torsion spring 423 is sleeved on the hinge shaft, and the two ends of the torsion spring 423 are respectively in contact with the first hinge plate 421 and the second hinge plate 422, forming a continuous closing torque. This arrangement allows the elastic force of the torsion spring 423 to directly act on the rotation axis of the protective plate 41. The pre-tightening force design of the torsion spring 423 ensures that the protective plate 41 can have automatic closing force in various postures.

[0046] A limiting step 12 is provided at the end surface of the butt end opening of the connector housing 1 to limit the protective plate 41 from turning toward the inside of the mounting cavity 11. The limiting step 12 can prevent the protective plate 41 from turning toward the inside of the mounting cavity, thereby achieving a planar blockage at the butt end opening.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the protective plate 41 is provided as a single unit. When a single protective plate 41 is used, the radial dimension of the protective plate 41 is relatively large because it needs to completely cover the connector mating end opening. This leads to two significant problems: First, the protective plate 41 requires a large rotational space when flipped open, forcing the adapter 6 to have an excessively deep receiving cavity; second, to fully open the large protective plate 41, the optical fiber plug 2 requires a longer axial travel, which not only increases the overall size of the connector but also causes the first elastic return structure 3 to bear a greater load, shortening its service life.

[0048] As some preferred implementation manners, two protective plates 41 are provided in this embodiment, and the two protective plates 41 are symmetrically arranged with the central axis of the connector housing 1 as the axis of symmetry.

[0049] After adopting the symmetrically arranged double protective plate 41 structure, the radial dimension of each protective plate 41 is halved, bringing three improvements: first, the rotation space required for flipping and opening is reduced, and the depth of the adapter 6 accommodating cavity can be reduced by 30%-40%, which significantly improves space utilization; second, the optical fiber plug 2 only needs 50%-60% of the original moving stroke to complete the opening action, reducing the load on the first elastic reset structure 3; finally, the symmetrical movement of the double protective plate 41 forms a self-balancing force system, eliminating the eccentric torque generated by the single protective plate 41, so that the hinge shaft only bears pure torque, and the overall operation is smoother and more reliable.

[0050] In this embodiment, the two protection plates 41 may be symmetrically arranged along the width direction of the connector housing, or may be symmetrically arranged along the thickness direction of the connector housing.

[0051] As some embodiments, see the attached Figure 5 、 8 As shown in Figures 10 and 10, the optical fiber plug 2 includes a ferrule head 21 and a ferrule seat 22. The ferrule head 21 and the ferrule seat 22 are split structures. One end of the ferrule head 21 is disposed within the ferrule seat 22, and the other end extends out of the ferrule seat 22 toward the protective plate 41. This facilitates the installation of the optical fiber core into the ferrule head 21 and its connection to the pigtail through the ferrule seat 22. It also facilitates the slidable placement of the ferrule head 21 within the ferrule seat 22, achieving the telescopic function of the ferrule head 21. This solution will be described below.

[0052] The end face of the ferrule head 21 is provided with a supporting portion 211, which is used to push the protective plate 41 to flip open when the optical fiber plug 2 moves axially. During actual operation, when the optical fiber plug 2 moves axially, the supporting portion 211 will first contact the protective plate 41, converting the linear motion of the optical fiber plug into the flipping motion of the protective plate 41. This can prevent the protective plate 41 from directly contacting the end face of the ferrule, preventing the protective plate 41 from impacting or colliding with the end face of the ferrule during movement.

[0053] The end surface of the ferrule holder 22 facing the protective plate 41 is provided horizontally with a locking buckle 221 for engaging with the adapter 6. The locking buckle 221 is provided on the end surface of the ferrule holder 22 instead of on the ferrule head 21 because, if the locking buckle 221 is fixedly provided on the ferrule head 21, when the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 are engaged, there will be a gap between the end surface of the ferrule head 21 and the end surface of the optical fiber of the adapter 6, which may cause optical loss.

[0054] Even if during the docking process, the end face of the ferrule head 21 first contacts the end face of the optical fiber docking of the adapter 6, the locking buckle 221 is rigidly connected to the ferrule head 21 at this time. During the clamping process of the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6, a relatively large force needs to be applied to complete the clamping of the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6. During this process, the end face of the ferrule head 21 and the end face of the optical fiber docking of the adapter 6 will be subjected to a large axial pressure, which will cause damage to the end face of the ferrule head 21.

[0055] In this embodiment, the locking buckle 221 is set on the end face of the core seat 22, and at the same time cooperates with the axial movement of the core head 21 relative to the core seat 22 as described below. In this way, when the end face of the core head 21 contacts the optical fiber docking end face of the adapter 6, the core head 21 continues to apply axial thrust to the core seat 22 while remaining stationary, and the core seat 22 can drive the locking buckle 221 to continue to move a smaller stroke, thereby realizing the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 being clamped.

[0056] The first elastic reset structure 3 is positioned between the ferrule holder 22 and the connector housing 1. This positioning allows the reset force to act directly on the moving parts of the ferrule holder 22. This structure allows the ferrule holder 22 to move independently during the locking phase while maintaining stable support for the ferrule head 21, ensuring a smooth transition between the two stages of operation. This optimized force transmission path avoids the direct transmission of locking force to the fiber end face as in traditional designs.

[0057] In order to enable the ferrule head 21 to extend and retract within the ferrule seat 22, this embodiment provides a structural configuration for the ferrule seat 22. Specifically, the ferrule seat 22 includes a ferrule housing 222 and an end cap 223 disposed at the rear end of the ferrule housing 222. The end cap 223 is fixed to the rear end of the ferrule housing 222 by a snap-fitting manner. A fiber pigtail is fixed to the end cap 223 for guiding the optical fiber through the end cap 223 into the ferrule housing 222 for connection to the ferrule head 21.

[0058] The ferrule housing 222 defines an accommodating cavity 2221 in the axial direction. One end of the ferrule head 21 is slidably disposed within the accommodating cavity 2221, while the other end extends out of the accommodating cavity 2221. A portion of the ferrule head 21 can slide axially within the accommodating cavity 2221. A limiting flange 2222 is provided on the side of the accommodating cavity 2221 away from the end cap 223 to prevent the ferrule head 21 from being dislodged. Specifically, the limiting flange 2222 can control the maximum extension of the ferrule head 21, ensuring that the ferrule head 21 has sufficient extension stroke to complete optical fiber docking while effectively preventing the risk of the ferrule head 21 accidentally being dislodged from the accommodating cavity 2221.

[0059] A second elastic member 23 is disposed within the accommodating cavity 2221, with both ends of the second elastic member 23 respectively abutting against the ferrule 21 and the end cap 223. With this arrangement, when no external force is applied to the mating end face of the ferrule 21, the second elastic member 23 acts to cause the ferrule 21 to extend a certain distance outside the ferrule housing 222. When the ferrule 21 and the optical fiber mating end face of the adapter 6 are mated, an axial force is applied to the ferrule seat 22, causing the ferrule seat 22 to compress the second elastic member 23, thereby moving relative to the ferrule 21 toward the end face of the ferrule 21.

[0060] The length of the locking buckle 221 is smaller than the dimension of the ferrule head 21 extending from the end face of the ferrule seat 22. With this arrangement, the end face of the ferrule head 21 will contact the optical fiber docking end face of the adapter 6 before the locking buckle 221, thereby achieving precise optical fiber docking. Secondly, the delayed contact of the locking buckle 221 allows that after the optical fiber docking is completed, by applying an axial force to the ferrule seat 22, the ferrule seat 22 will compress the second elastic member 23, thereby moving relative to the ferrule head 21 toward the adapter 6, thereby completing the clamping and locking of the locking buckle 221 and the clamping portion 63 of the adapter 6. After the clamping and locking is completed, due to the pre-tightening force of the second elastic member 23, the docking end face of the ferrule head 21 can be precisely docked with the docking end face of the adapter 6 without any gap.

[0061] An unlocking assembly 5 is provided between the connector housing 1 and the ferrule housing 222 for releasing the locking buckle 221 from the adapter 6 .

[0062] Through the retractable structural design of the ferrule head 21 and the ferrule seat 22, and setting the locking buckle 221 on the end face of the ferrule housing 222, while limiting the length of the locking buckle 221 to be less than the dimension of the ferrule head 21 extending from the end face of the ferrule seat 22, the MTP fiber optic connector is realized in a staged connection mechanism: the ferrule head 21 first extends out to contact the adapter 6 to complete the docking of the optical fiber end face, and then the ferrule seat 22 continues to move to engage the locking buckle 221 with the adapter 6, which not only realizes the gapless and precise docking of the optical fiber end face, but also ensures the reliable engagement of the locking mechanism.

[0063] In order to realize the unlocking of the optical fiber connector and the adapter 6, this embodiment shows a preferred structural mode of the unlocking component 5. Figure 5 、 10 As shown in FIG. 13 , the unlocking assembly 5 includes a fixing seat 51 , an unlocking member 52 and a pressing spring 53 .

[0064] In this embodiment, an axially extending through-groove 110 is provided on the top surface of the installation cavity 11 , which provides an installation space for the unlocking assembly 5 , and the unlocking assembly 5 can move along the axial direction of the through-groove 110 .

[0065] The fixing seat 51 is located in the through groove 110 and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule shell 222. The fixing seat 51 serves as the basis of the unlocking component 5 and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule shell 222. As a result, when the entire ferrule head 21 moves axially relative to the connector housing 1, the unlocking component 5 moves together with the ferrule head 21. Since the locking buckle 221 is fixed on the ferrule shell 222, the relative positions of the unlocking component 5, the locking buckle 221 and the ferrule shell 222 do not move, which enables the unlocking component 5 to release the clamping relationship between the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 at any time.

[0066] The pressing spring 53 is bent, and the bending apex of the pressing spring 53 contacts the inner top surface of the through slot 110 . One end of the pressing spring 53 is fixedly connected to the fixing seat 51 , and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle 221 .

[0067] The pressing spring 53 is designed in a bent shape, with its bend vertex forming a fixed fulcrum with the top surface of the through-groove 110. When the unlocking spring 522 pushes downward on the end of the pressing spring 53 connected to the fixing seat 51, according to the third-class lever principle, the end of the pressing spring 53 in contact with the locking buckle 221 moves downward synchronously, directly applying downward pressure to the locking buckle 221. This special lever structure achieves both unidirectional force transmission and displacement amplification. By simultaneously pressing down on both ends of the pressing spring 53, the locking buckle 221 undergoes sufficient downward elastic deformation, thereby reliably releasing the engagement with the adapter 6. The entire mechanism cleverly utilizes the elastic deformation characteristics of the bent spring to achieve efficient force transmission and precise displacement control within a limited space.

[0068] The unlocking member 52 includes a rotating part 521, an unlocking spring piece 522 and an operating rod 523. The rotating part 521 is rotatably connected to the fixed base 51. One end of the unlocking spring piece 522 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 521, and the other end contacts the inclined surface of the end of the pressing spring piece 53 away from the locking buckle 221. One end of the operating rod 523 is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part 521 away from the unlocking spring piece 522, and the other end extends out of the through slot 110 and is provided with a pull ring 5231.

[0069] The working principle of the unlocking assembly 5 is as follows: when the operating rod 523 is lifted upward, the rotating part 521 rotates around the fixing seat 51, driving the unlocking spring piece 522 to rotate downward synchronously, and the downward pressing end of the unlocking spring piece 522 applies pressure to the inclined surface of one end of the pressing spring piece 53 connected to the fixing seat 51, forcing the pressing spring piece 53 to elastically deform with its bending apex as the fulcrum, so that the downward pressing end of the pressing spring piece 53 moves downward, thereby applying pressure to the locking buckle 221, causing the locking buckle 221 to undergo downward elastic deformation. When the deformation of the locking buckle 221 exceeds its clamping holding force, it is released from the adapter 6.

[0070] This design efficiently transmits the operating force to the locking buckle 221 through a three-stage linkage mechanism (operating rod 523-unlocking spring 522-pressing spring 53), greatly reducing the operating force requirement while ensuring sufficient unlocking stroke. All moving parts adopt a unidirectional displacement design, avoiding the common motion interference problem in traditional unlocking mechanisms. It is particularly suitable for convenient one-handed operation in high-density installation environments.

[0071] In this embodiment, the pull ring 5231 is convenient for lifting the operating rod 523 upward by hand, thereby realizing the upward rotation of the operating rod 523 .

[0072] In this embodiment, a stop portion 2210 is further provided on the upper surface of the main body of the locking buckle 221, and the lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 abuts against the stop portion 2210 on the side of the core shell 222. This arrangement allows the force applied to the locking buckle 221 by the lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 to act on the main body of the locking buckle 221 through the stop portion 2210, thereby preventing the lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 from sliding horizontally.

[0073] In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the operating rod 523 is provided with an accidental touch catch 5232, and the top surface of the ferrule housing 222 is provided with a snap-in slot 2223 connected to the accidental touch catch 5232. With this arrangement, when unlocking is not required, the operating rod 523 can be rotated downward to engage and lock the accidental touch catch 5232 and the snap-in slot 2223. This prevents accidental touching of the operating rod 523, prevents accidental unlocking, and ensures a secure locked connection between the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter 6. When unlocking is required, the pull ring 5231 is simply lifted upward to remove the accidental touch catch 5232 from the snap-in slot 2223, and then further flipped upward to unlock the locking catch 221.

[0074] This application also discloses a connector assembly. Figure 11-15 As shown, the adapter 6 and the MTP fiber optic connector are provided. The adapter 6 includes a housing, one end of which has a connection slot 62 that plugs into the connector housing 1. The connection slot 62 has a snap-fit ​​portion 63 that engages with the locking buckle 221. The connection slot 62 also has a fiber optic docking slot 64 that connects to the ferrule head 21.

[0075] The connection and locking between the adapter 6 and the MTP fiber optic connector is carried out as follows: the butt end of the connector housing 1 of the entire MTP fiber optic connector is inserted into the connection groove 62. When the connector housing 1 is inserted into the connection groove 62 until it is properly fitted, the fiber optic plug 2 is pushed so that a portion of the fiber optic plug 2 is exposed from the connector housing 1, and the butt end face of the ferrule head 21 is brought close to the fiber optic butt groove 64. When the ferrule head 21 is inserted into the fiber optic butt groove 64, the butt end face of the ferrule head 21 contacts the butt end face of the fiber optic butt groove 64, and the fiber optic plug 2 is continued to be pushed. At this time, the ferrule head 21 remains in position, the ferrule seat 22 compresses the second elastic member 23, and continues to move toward the inside of the connection groove 62 until the locking buckle 221 and the clamping portion 63 are clamped. At this time, the connection and locking operation between the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter is completed.

[0076] When the adapter 6 and the MTP fiber optic connector need to be unlocked, it is only necessary to lift up the operating rod 523 in the locking assembly to achieve the disengagement of the locking buckle 221 and the clamping portion 63. Since the first elastic member 34 stores energy during the docking process, after the locking buckle 221 and the clamping portion 63 are disengaged, the first elastic member 34 will drive the fiber optic plug 2 to instantly retract into the connector housing, and the protective plate 41 will also be instantly closed. At this time, it is only necessary to pull the MTP fiber optic connector to pull the connector housing 1 out of the connecting groove 62 to achieve the disconnection of the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter 6.

[0077] In some embodiments, the outer surface of the connector housing 1 is provided with a limiting boss 13, and the distance between the limiting boss 13 and the mating end surface of the connector housing 1 is less than the depth of the connection groove 62. With this arrangement, when the limiting boss 13 of the connector housing 1 abuts the open end surface of the connection groove 62, the connector housing 1 cannot move further. At this time, there is an operating space between the mating end surface of the connector housing 1 and the inner bottom surface of the connection groove 62, which facilitates further movement of the optical fiber plug 2.

[0078] It is worth noting that the distance between the mating end face of the connector housing 1 and the inner bottom face of the connection groove 62 is greater than the maximum horizontal projection length of the protective plate 41 after it is flipped and unfolded, which ensures that the protective plate 41 has space to accommodate flipping in the connection groove 62.

[0079] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. An MTP optical fiber connector, characterized in that: include: A connector housing has an axially penetrating mounting cavity formed therein; An optical fiber plug is axially movably disposed in the mounting cavity; A first elastic reset structure is provided between the optical fiber plug and the connector housing, and is used to retract the plugging end face of the optical fiber plug into the mounting cavity in a non-mated state; A protective device comprising a protective plate and a second elastic reset structure, wherein the protective plate is rotatably mounted at the butt-end opening of the connector housing, and the second elastic reset structure is disposed between the protective plate and the connector housing and is used to close the butt-end opening of the protective plate under normal conditions; When the optical fiber plug moves axially, it pushes the protective plate to flip open, and when it retracts, the protective plate can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure.

2. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The first elastic reset structure includes a first mounting slot, a second mounting slot, a limiting member and a first elastic member; The first mounting groove is provided on the inner wall of the mounting cavity along the axial direction of the connector housing; The second mounting groove is provided on the side wall of the optical fiber plug, and the second mounting groove and the first mounting groove cooperate with each other along the axial direction; One end of the limiting member is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the second mounting groove away from the protective device, and the other end extends into the first mounting groove; The first elastic member is arranged between the first installation slot and the second installation slot, with one end thereof abutting against the end surface of the first installation slot and the other end abutting against the limiting member.

3. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The second elastic reset structure includes a first hinge plate, a second hinge plate and a torsion spring; The first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are connected via a hinge shaft, the first hinge plate is fixedly connected to the open end surface of the butt end of the connector housing, and the second hinge plate is fixedly connected to the protective plate; The torsion spring is sleeved on the hinge shaft, and the two ends of the torsion spring are respectively in contact with the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate; A limiting step is provided at the open end surface of the butt-jointed end of the connector housing to limit the protective plate from flipping toward the inner side of the installation cavity.

4. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 3, wherein: There are two protective plates, which are symmetrically arranged with the central axis of the connector housing as the symmetry axis.

5. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 1, wherein: The optical fiber plug includes a ferrule head and a ferrule seat; One end of the ferrule head is arranged in the ferrule seat, and the other end extends out of the ferrule seat toward the protective plate; The end face of the ferrule head is provided with a supporting portion for pushing the protective plate to flip open when the optical fiber plug moves axially; A locking buckle is horizontally provided on the end surface of the ferrule seat facing the protective plate for clamping with the adapter; The first elastic reset structure is arranged between the ferrule seat and the connector housing.

6. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 5, wherein: The ferrule seat includes a ferrule housing and an end cover fixedly arranged at the rear end of the ferrule housing; The ferrule housing defines an accommodating cavity in the axial direction, one end of the ferrule head is slidably disposed in the accommodating cavity, and the other end extends out of the accommodating cavity. A limiting flange is provided on the side of the accommodating cavity away from the end cover for preventing the ferrule head from falling out; A second elastic member is provided in the accommodating cavity, and two ends of the second elastic member are respectively abutted against the ferrule head and the end cover; The length of the locking buckle is smaller than the dimension of the ferrule head extending from the end face of the ferrule seat; An unlocking assembly is provided between the connector housing and the ferrule housing for releasing the locking buckle from the adapter.

7. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 6, wherein: The unlocking assembly includes a fixing seat, an unlocking member and a pressing spring; The top surface of the installation cavity is provided with an axially extending through groove; The fixing seat is located in the through groove and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule housing; The pressing spring is bent, and the bending apex of the pressing spring contacts the inner top surface of the through-groove. One end of the pressing spring is fixedly connected to the fixing seat, and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle. The unlocking member includes a rotating part, an unlocking spring and an operating rod. The rotating part is rotatably connected to the fixed seat. One end of the unlocking spring is fixedly connected to the rotating part, and the other end is in contact with the inclined surface of the end of the pressing spring away from the locking buckle. One end of the operating rod is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part away from the unlocking spring, and the other end extends out of the through slot and is provided with a pull ring.

8. The MTP optical fiber connector according to claim 7, wherein: The bottom surface of the operating rod is provided with an accidental touch buckle, and the top surface of the ferrule housing is provided with a clamping groove connected to the accidental touch buckle.

9. A connector assembly comprising an adapter and the MTP optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that: The adapter includes an adapter shell, one end of which has a connecting groove that is plugged into the connector shell, the interior of the connecting groove has a snap-fitting portion that is connected to the locking snap, and the interior of the connecting groove is also provided with an optical fiber docking groove that is connected to the core head.

10. The connector assembly according to claim 9, wherein: The outer surface of the connector housing is provided with a limiting boss, and the distance between the limiting boss and the butting end surface of the connector housing is less than the depth of the connecting groove.

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