An MTP fiber optic connector and connector assembly

Abstract

This application discloses an MTP fiber optic connector and connector assembly, relating to the field of fiber optic connector technology. The MTP fiber optic connector includes a connector housing, a fiber optic plug, a first elastic reset structure, and a protective device. The connector housing has an internal mounting cavity, within which the fiber optic plug can move. The first elastic reset structure retracts the fiber optic plug when not mated. The protective device includes a rotatable protective plate and a second elastic reset structure, which normally closes the housing opening. The MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application effectively prevents mechanical impact and dust contamination to the ferrule end face through a dual protection mechanism of automatic fiber optic plug extension and retraction and dynamic closure of the protective plate. The protective plate automatically opens when the plug extends and automatically closes when it retracts, requiring no manual intervention throughout the process. This solves the reliability problem caused by exposed ferrules in traditional connectors and achieves fully automatic protection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fiber optic connector technology, and in particular to an MTP fiber optic connector and connector assembly. Background Technology

[0002] MTP fiber optic connectors are key components in optical communication systems and are widely used in scenarios such as data centers and 5G base stations. These connectors achieve fiber alignment through precision ferrules, and their performance directly affects communication quality.

[0003] However, current industry standard designs generally have inherent structural flaws, specifically that the ceramic fiber optic plug protrudes significantly from the connector housing, resulting in an unshielded exposed state. This physical layout exposes the device to significant risks during logistics, on-site installation, and maintenance. The ferrule end face is highly susceptible to accidental collisions with external objects, causing scratches or even breakage, severely impacting the connector's optical performance and lifespan.

[0004] This exposed design also presents a serious problem of contamination sensitivity. When connectors are 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 precise splicing between optical fibers but also cause additional optical signal loss.

[0005] Although existing technologies use removable protective covers to protect the ferrule, this solution requires frequent manual installation and removal of the protective cover, which is not only cumbersome but also makes the cover easy to lose, failing to provide continuous and reliable protection. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, this application proposes an MTP fiber optic connector and connector assembly, which solves the problem that exposed ferrules are susceptible to mechanical damage and dust contamination in the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution of this application is implemented as follows:

[0008] In a first aspect, this application provides an MTP fiber optic connector, comprising:

[0009] The connector housing has an axially through mounting cavity inside;

[0010] The fiber optic plug is axially movable within the mounting cavity;

[0011] The first elastic reset structure is located between the fiber optic plug and the connector housing, and is used to retract the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug into the mounting cavity in a non-interlocking state.

[0012] The protective device includes a protective plate and a second elastic reset structure. The protective plate is rotatably mounted at the mating end opening of the connector housing, and the second elastic reset structure is disposed between the protective plate and the connector housing to close the mating end opening under normal conditions.

[0013] When the fiber optic plug moves axially, it pushes the protective plate to flip open; when it retracts, the protective plate can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure.

[0014] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the first elastic reset structure includes a first mounting groove, a second mounting groove, a limiting member, and a first elastic member;

[0015] The first mounting groove is disposed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity along the axial direction of the connector housing;

[0016] The second mounting slot is disposed on the side wall of the fiber optic plug, and the second mounting slot and the first mounting slot cooperate with each other along the axial direction;

[0017] 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;

[0018] The first elastic member is disposed between the first mounting groove and the second mounting groove, with one end abutting the end face of the first mounting groove and the other end abutting the limiting member.

[0019] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the second elastic reset structure includes a first hinge plate, a second hinge plate, and a torsion spring;

[0020] The first hinge plate and the second hinge plate are connected by a hinge shaft. The first hinge plate is fixedly connected to the mating end opening face of the connector housing, and the second hinge plate is fixedly connected to the protective plate.

[0021] The torsion spring is sleeved on the hinge shaft, and the two ends of the torsion spring abut against the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate respectively.

[0022] A limiting step is provided at the mating end opening of the connector housing to restrict the protective plate from flipping towards the inside of the mounting cavity.

[0023] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, two protective plates are provided, and the two protective plates are arranged symmetrically with the central axis of the connector housing as the axis of symmetry.

[0024] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the optical fiber plug includes a ferrule and a ferrule socket;

[0025] One end of the ferrule is disposed inside the ferrule socket, and the other end extends outward from the ferrule socket toward the protective plate.

[0026] The end face of the ferrule is provided with a supporting part, which is used to push the protective plate to flip open when the fiber optic plug moves axially.

[0027] The end face of the ferrule facing the protective plate is horizontally equipped with a locking buckle for engaging with the adapter;

[0028] The first elastic reset structure is disposed between the ferrule and the connector housing.

[0029] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the ferrule includes a ferrule housing and an end cap fixedly disposed at the tail end of the ferrule housing;

[0030] The ferrule housing has an axially defined receiving cavity inside. One end of the ferrule head is slidably disposed in the receiving cavity, and the other end extends out of the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity has a limiting flange on the side away from the end cover to limit the ferrule head from coming out.

[0031] A second elastic element is provided inside the accommodating cavity, and the two ends of the second elastic element abut against the insert head and the end cap, respectively.

[0032] The length of the locking buckle is less than the dimension by which the ferrule head extends beyond the end face of the ferrule seat;

[0033] An unlocking component is provided between the connector housing and the ferrule housing to release the locking latch and the adapter engagement.

[0034] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the unlocking component includes a fixing base, an unlocking element, and a pressing spring;

[0035] The top surface of the mounting cavity is provided with an axially extending through groove.

[0036] The fixing seat is located in the through groove and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the insert housing;

[0037] The pressing spring is bent, and the apex of the bending 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 base, and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle.

[0038] The unlocking component includes a rotating part, an unlocking spring, and an operating lever. The rotating part is rotatably connected to the fixed base. 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 pressing spring away from the locking buckle. One end of the operating lever is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part away from the unlocking spring, and the other end extends out of the through groove and is provided with a pull ring.

[0039] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the bottom surface of the operating lever is provided with an accidental contact buckle, and the top surface of the insert housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove that connects to the accidental contact buckle.

[0040] Secondly, this application discloses a connector assembly, including an adapter and the MTP fiber optic connector described in the first aspect. The adapter includes an adapter housing, one end of which has a connection groove that is inserted into the connector housing. The connection groove has a snap-fit ​​part that is engaged with a locking buckle. The connection groove also has a fiber optic mating groove that is aligned with the ferrule.

[0041] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the outer surface of the connector housing has 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.

[0042] This application has the following advantages over the prior art:

[0043] (1) The MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application, through the matching design of the connector shell and the axially movable fiber optic plug, combined with the automatic reset function of the first elastic reset structure and the dynamic sealing mechanism of the protective device, constructs an integrated ferrule protection system, which enables the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug to be completely retracted into the mounting cavity in the non-interlocking state. At the same time, the protective plate automatically seals the interlocking end opening under the action of the second elastic reset structure, thereby achieving double protection of the ferrule end face in terms of physical structure, effectively avoiding ferrule damage caused by external mechanical collisions and the adhesion of dust contaminants to the ferrule end face, fundamentally solving the reliability problem caused by the exposed ferrule of traditional MTP connectors, and the entire protection process does not require manual intervention, realizing a fully automatic protection function.

[0044] (2) By opening the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot on the inner wall of the mounting cavity and the outer wall of the fiber optic plug respectively, the first elastic element is integrated in the limited space between the fiber optic plug and the mounting cavity. This compact spatial layout not only achieves a high degree of integration of the elastic reset function, but also significantly optimizes the overall structural size of the connector. This allows a complete elastic reset system to be built in while keeping the original connector dimensions unchanged. At the same time, it ensures that the force of the elastic element is directly transmitted to the fiber optic plug along the axial direction, avoiding structural redundancy and force transmission loss caused by the traditional lateral installation method.

[0045] (3) After adopting the symmetrical arrangement of the double protective plate structure, the radial dimension of each protective plate is halved, resulting in 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 rate; Second, the fiber optic plug only needs 50%-60% of the original travel to complete the opening action, which reduces the load on the first elastic reset structure; Finally, the symmetrical movement of the double protective plates forms a self-balancing force system, which eliminates the eccentric torque generated by the single protective plate, so that the hinge shaft only bears pure torque, and the overall operation is more stable and reliable.

[0046] (4) By designing a retractable structure for the ferrule head and ferrule base, and setting the locking buckle on the end face of the ferrule housing, while limiting the length of the locking buckle to be less than the size of the ferrule head extending out of the end face of the ferrule base, the MTP fiber optic connector staged connection mechanism is realized: the ferrule head first extends out to contact the adapter to complete the docking of the fiber end face, and then the ferrule base continues to move to make the locking buckle engage with the adapter, which not only realizes the gapless precision docking of the fiber end face, but also ensures the reliable engagement of the locking mechanism.

[0047] (5) The pressing spring adopts a bent design, with its bend apex forming a fixed fulcrum with the top surface of the through groove. When the unlocking spring pushes down on the end of the pressing spring connected to the fixed seat, according to the third type of lever principle, the end of the pressing spring in contact with the locking buckle moves down 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 pressing action of both ends of the pressing spring, the locking buckle generates sufficient downward elastic deformation, thereby reliably releasing the latching 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 within a limited space.

[0048] (6) An accidental contact latch is provided on the bottom surface of the operating lever, and a locking groove is provided on the top surface of the ferrule housing to connect with the accidental contact latch. In this way, when no unlocking operation is required, the accidental contact latch and the locking groove can be engaged and locked by rotating the operating lever downward, which can prevent accidental contact operation of the operating lever, prevent accidental unlocking operation, and ensure reliable locking connection of the MTP fiber optic connector and adapter. Attached Figure Description

[0049] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application;

[0051] Figure 2 This is a first-view diagram of the protective plate in the opened state disclosed in this application.

[0052] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the protective plate in the second-view open state disclosed in this application;

[0053] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the connector housing and protective device disclosed in this application;

[0054] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the fiber optic connector disclosed in this application;

[0055] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of a portion of point A in the middle;

[0056] Figure 7 This is a front view of the MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application;

[0057] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Plan view at point BB;

[0058] Figure 9 This is a top view of the MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application;

[0059] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Planar section view at point CC;

[0060] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the connector assembly disclosed in this application;

[0061] Figure 12 A top view of the adapter and MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application after assembly;

[0062] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Planar section view at point DD;

[0063] Figure 14 A front view of the adapter and MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application after assembly;

[0064] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Plan view at EE;

[0065] Figure label:

[0066] 1. Connector housing; 11. Mounting cavity; 110. Through groove; 12. Limiting step; 13. Limiting boss;

[0067] 2. Fiber optic connector; 21. Fertilizer head; 22. Fertilizer socket; 211. Supporting part; 221. Locking buckle; 2210. Stop part; 222. Fertilizer housing; 223. End cap; 2221. Receiving cavity; 2222. Limiting flange; 23. Second elastic element;

[0068] 3. First elastic reset structure; 31. First mounting groove; 32. Second mounting groove; 33. Limiting member; 34. First elastic member;

[0069] 4. Protective device; 41. Protective plate; 42. Second elastic reset structure; 421. First hinge plate; 422. Second hinge plate; 423. Torsion spring;

[0070] 5. Unlocking component; 51. Fixing base; 52. Unlocking part; 53. Pressing spring; 521. Rotating part; 522. Unlocking spring; 523. Operating lever; 5231. Pull ring; 5232. Accidental contact buckle; 2223. Snap-fit ​​groove;

[0071] 6. Adapter; 61. Adapter housing; 62. Connecting slot; 63. Snap-fit ​​part; 64. Fiber optic docking slot. Detailed Implementation

[0072] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0073] like Figure 1 As shown, combined with Figure 2-10 This application discloses an MTP fiber optic connector, including a connector housing 1, a fiber optic plug 2, a first elastic reset structure 3, and a protective device 4.

[0074] The connector housing 1 serves as the basic support structure for the fiber optic connector, and the axially penetrating mounting cavity 11 formed inside provides a moving channel for the fiber optic plug 2. The special structural design at the mating end opening of the connector housing 1 provides the necessary space for the installation and movement of the protective plate 41.

[0075] Fiber optic connector 2 is used to establish an optical communication connection with the fiber optic mating component in adapter 6. Fiber optic connector 2 employs an axially movable mounting method, enabling the extension and retraction of the connector end face. This dynamic design allows the connector end face of fiber optic connector 2 to be completely retracted into the housing when not in use, fundamentally avoiding the exposure risk of traditional fixed connectors. The axial movement of fiber optic connector 2 directly drives the opening and closing of the protective plate 41, forming a mechanical linkage system to ensure the synchronization of protective actions and connector operations.

[0076] The first elastic reset structure 3 is disposed between the fiber optic plug 2 and the connector housing 1, and is used to retract the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug 2 into the mounting cavity 11 in the non-interlocking state.

[0077] Specifically, the first elastic reset structure 3 serves as the driving core of the fiber optic plug 2, achieving automatic reset of the fiber optic plug 2 through the principle of elastic energy storage. This structure stores elastic potential energy when the fiber optic plug 2 is extended by external force, and releases this energy when the external force disappears, causing the fiber optic plug 2 to retract. This prevents the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug 2 from being exposed outside the connector housing 1, thereby avoiding damage to the insertion end face from external mechanical collisions. This design not only ensures automatic restoration of the protected state but also reduces mechanical impact during insertion through elastic buffering, extending the service life of the fiber optic plug 2.

[0078] Although the fiber optic plug 2 can retract into the mounting cavity 11 under the action of the first elastic reset structure 3 when the entire fiber optic connector is not mated, the mounting cavity 11 is open at both ends. External dust will enter the mounting cavity 11 through the mating end opening of the connector housing 1, which will contaminate the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug 2.

[0079] Therefore, the fiber optic connector in this embodiment is also equipped with a protective device 4, which includes a protective plate 41 and a second elastic reset structure 42. The protective plate 41 achieves dynamic closure of the mating end opening through a rotatable installation method. The protective plate 41 can be flipped outside the connector housing 1 at the mating end opening, completely avoiding the extension path of the fiber optic plug 2 and providing full coverage when closed. The physical barrier function of the protective plate 41 directly blocks the threat of external dust and mechanical impact, and its movement does not generate wear debris, avoiding secondary contamination.

[0080] The second elastic reset structure 42 provides a precise closing torque for the protective plate 41, ensuring that the protective plate 41 can be reliably closed under any condition. This structure overcomes the weight of the protective plate 41 and frictional resistance through elastic preload, keeping the protective plate 41 in a preset safe position at all times. This ensures the reliability of the closure without excessively increasing the operating force required to extend the plug.

[0081] When the MTP fiber optic connector and adapter 6 need to be connected, 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 moves axially and pushes the protective plate 41 to flip open. After the insertion end of the fiber optic plug 2 extends out of the mating end of the connector housing 1, it can be snapped into the adapter 6 through the snap-fit ​​structure. When the snap-fit ​​structure disengages and the adapter 6 is snapped into place, the fiber optic plug 2 retracts into the mounting cavity 11. At the same time, the protective plate 41 can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure 42.

[0082] The MTP fiber optic connector disclosed in this application, 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, constructs an integrated ferrule protection system. This allows the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug 2 to be completely retracted into the mounting cavity 11 in the non-interlocking state. At the same time, the protective plate 41 automatically seals the interlocking end opening under the action of the second elastic reset structure 42, thereby achieving double protection of the ferrule end face in terms of physical structure. This effectively avoids ferrule damage caused by external mechanical collisions and the adhesion of dust contaminants to the ferrule end face, fundamentally solving the reliability problem caused by the exposed ferrule in traditional MTP connectors. Moreover, the entire protection process does not require manual intervention, realizing a fully automatic protection function.

[0083] This embodiment illustrates one structural configuration of the first elastic reset structure 3. For details, please refer to the appendix. Figure 4 , 5 As shown in Figures 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.

[0084] The first mounting groove 31 is axially disposed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 11 along the connector housing 1, providing a stable mounting base for the entire elastic reset system. This axially extending groove structure not only provides precise guidance for the movement of the first elastic element 34, but also limits the range of movement of the fiber optic plug 2 through its cooperation with the second mounting groove 32. Its end face serves as the abutment surface of the first elastic element 34, ensuring that the direction of force transmission is always consistent with the direction of movement of the fiber optic plug 2.

[0085] The second mounting groove 32 is disposed on the side wall of the fiber optic plug 2, forming an integrated structure with the fiber optic plug 2. The axial fit between the second groove and the first mounting groove 31 provides mounting space for the first elastic element 34, enabling the limiting element 33 to be reliably fixed, while providing effective compression space for the first elastic element 34, ensuring the precise application of the reset force of the first elastic element 34.

[0086] One end of the limiting member 33 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the second mounting groove 32 on the side away from the protective device 4, and the other end extends into the first mounting groove 31. This cross-groove connection method links the movement of the fiber optic plug 2 with the deformation of the first elastic member 34. The sliding of the limiting member 33 in the first mounting groove 31 ensures the linearity of the movement, and through its end abutting against the first elastic member 34, it realizes the effective conversion of elastic potential energy into the reset movement of the fiber optic plug 2.

[0087] The first elastic element 34 is disposed between the first mounting groove 31 and the second mounting groove 32, with one end abutting against the end face of the first mounting groove 31 and the other end abutting against the limiting element 33. The first elastic element 34 is compressed and stores energy when the fiber optic plug 2 is extended, and releases energy to push the limiting element 33 back to its original position after the external force is removed. Under the elastic force of the first elastic element 34, the limiting element 33 moves away from the opening of the first mounting groove 31 until the limiting element 33 and the end face of the first mounting groove 31 abut against each other. At this time, the retracted position of the entire fiber optic plug 2 within the mounting cavity 11 is defined.

[0088] In this embodiment, the first elastic element 34 is preferably a spring.

[0089] By opening the first mounting slot 31 and the second mounting slot 32 on the inner wall of the mounting cavity 11 and the outer wall of the fiber optic plug 2 respectively, and integrating the first elastic element 34 in the limited space between the fiber optic plug 2 and the mounting cavity 11, this compact spatial layout not only achieves a high degree of integration of the elastic reset function, but also significantly optimizes the overall structural size of the connector. This allows for the integration of a complete elastic reset system while maintaining the original connector dimensions. At the same time, it ensures that the force of the elastic element is directly transmitted to the fiber optic plug 2 along the axial direction, avoiding the structural redundancy and force transmission loss caused by the traditional lateral mounting method. This provides an innovative solution for the design of miniaturized, high-density MTP fiber optic connectors.

[0090] This embodiment illustrates one structural configuration of the second elastic reset structure 42. For details, please refer to the appendix. 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.

[0091] The first hinge plate 421 and the second hinge plate 422 are connected by a hinge shaft, forming a rotational relationship. The first hinge plate 421 is fixedly connected to the mating end opening face 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, thus realizing the effective transmission of torque.

[0092] The torsion spring 423 is sleeved on the hinge shaft, and the two ends of the torsion spring 423 abut against the first hinge plate 421 and the second hinge plate 422 respectively, forming a continuous closing torque. This arrangement allows the elastic force of the torsion spring 423 to act directly on the rotation axis of the protective plate 41. The preload design of the torsion spring 423 ensures that the protective plate 41 has an automatic closing force in various postures.

[0093] A limiting step 12 is provided at the mating end opening of the connector housing 1 to prevent the protective plate 41 from flipping inward toward the mounting cavity 11. The limiting step 12 can prevent the protective plate 41 from flipping into the mounting cavity, thereby achieving planar sealing at the mating end opening.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the protective plate 41 is a single unit. When a single protective plate 41 is used, its radial dimension is 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 rotation space when flipped open, forcing the adapter 6 to have an excessively deep receiving cavity; second, to fully open the large-sized protective plate 41, the fiber optic plug 2 needs a longer axial movement stroke, which not only increases the overall size of the connector but also causes the first elastic reset structure 3 to bear a greater load, affecting its service life.

[0095] As some preferred embodiments, this embodiment provides two protective plates 41, which are arranged symmetrically with the central axis of the connector housing 1 as the axis of symmetry.

[0096] By adopting a symmetrically arranged double protective plate 41 structure, the radial dimension of each protective plate 41 is halved, resulting in three improvements: First, the rotation space required for flip-opening is reduced, and the depth of the adapter 6 cavity can be reduced by 30%-40%, significantly improving space utilization; second, the fiber optic plug 2 only needs 50%-60% of the original travel to complete the opening action, reducing the load on the first elastic reset structure 3; finally, the symmetrical movement of the double protective plates 41 forms a self-balancing force system, eliminating the eccentric torque generated by a single protective plate 41, so that the hinge shaft only bears pure torque, making the overall operation more stable and reliable.

[0097] In this embodiment, the two protective plates 41 can be symmetrically arranged along the width direction of the connector housing or symmetrically arranged along the thickness direction of the connector housing.

[0098] As some implementation methods, see the appendix. Figure 5 , 8 As shown in Figure 10, the fiber optic connector 2 includes a ferrule 21 and a ferrule base 22. The ferrule 21 and the ferrule base 22 adopt a split structure. One end of the ferrule 21 is disposed inside the ferrule base 22, and the other end extends outward from the ferrule base 22 towards the protective plate 41. This facilitates the installation of the fiber core into the ferrule 21 and its connection to the tail cable via the ferrule base 22. It also allows the ferrule 21 to slide within the ferrule base 22, realizing the telescopic function of the ferrule 21. This scheme will be described below.

[0099] The end face of the ferrule 21 is provided with a supporting part 211, which is used to push the protective plate 41 to flip open when the fiber optic plug 2 moves axially. In actual operation, when the fiber optic plug 2 moves axially, the supporting part 211 will first contact the protective plate 41, converting the linear movement of the fiber optic plug into the flipping movement of the protective plate 41. This can avoid direct contact between the protective plate 41 and the end face of the ferrule, and avoid impact and collision of the protective plate 41 on the end face of the ferrule during the movement.

[0100] A locking buckle 221 is horizontally provided on the end face of the ferrule 22 facing the protective plate 41 for engaging with the adapter 6. The reason for placing the locking buckle 221 on the end face of the ferrule 22, rather than on the ferrule head 21, is that if the locking buckle 221 were fixed on the ferrule head 21, there would be a gap in the engagement between the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 after engagement. This would result in a gap between the end face of the ferrule head 21 and the fiber optic connection end face of the adapter 6, causing optical loss.

[0101] Even though the ferrule 21 and the fiber optic connector of the adapter 6 first come into contact during the docking process, the locking buckle 221 and the ferrule 21 are rigidly connected at this time. During the locking process of the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6, a considerable force needs to be applied to complete the locking process. During this process, the ferrule 21 and the fiber optic connector of the adapter 6 will be subjected to a large axial pressure, which will damage the ferrule 21.

[0102] In this embodiment, the locking buckle 221 is set on the end face of the ferrule 22. At the same time, the ferrule head 21 moves axially relative to the ferrule 22 as described below. In this way, when the end face of the ferrule head 21 contacts the fiber optic mating end face of the adapter 6, the ferrule head 21 continues to apply axial thrust to the ferrule 22 while remaining stationary. The ferrule 22 can drive the locking buckle 221 to continue to move a small distance, thereby realizing the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 engaging.

[0103] The first elastic reset structure 3 is disposed between the ferrule 22 and the connector housing 1. This positioning method allows the reset force to act directly on the moving parts of the ferrule 22. This structure allows the ferrule 22 to move independently during the locking phase while maintaining stable support for the ferrule head 21, ensuring a smooth transition between the two phases. The optimized force transmission path avoids the direct transmission of locking force to the fiber end face in traditional designs.

[0104] To enable the ferrule 21 to extend and retract within the ferrule holder 22, this embodiment features a structural design for the ferrule holder 22. Specifically, the ferrule holder 22 includes a ferrule housing 222 and an end cap 223 disposed at the tail of the ferrule housing 222. The end cap 223 is fixedly disposed at the tail of the ferrule housing 222 via a snap-fit ​​mechanism, and an optical fiber tail wire is fixedly disposed on the end cap 223 for guiding the optical fiber through the end cap 223 into the ferrule housing 222, where it is then connected to the ferrule 21.

[0105] The ferrule housing 222 has an axially defined receiving cavity 2221 inside. One end of the ferrule head 21 is slidably disposed within the receiving cavity 2221, and the other end extends out of the receiving cavity 2221. A portion of the ferrule head 21 can slide axially within the receiving cavity 2221. The receiving cavity 2221 has a limiting flange 2222 on the side away from the end cap 223 to limit the ferrule head 21 from disengaging. 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 the fiber optic connection, while effectively preventing the risk of the ferrule head 21 accidentally disengaging from the receiving cavity 2221.

[0106] A second elastic element 23 is provided inside the accommodating cavity 2221. The two ends of the second elastic element 23 abut against the ferrule 21 and the end cap 223, respectively. As such, when there is no external force acting on the insertion end face of the ferrule 21, the ferrule 21 extends a certain length outside the ferrule housing 222 under the action of the second elastic element 23. 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, and the ferrule seat 22 will compress the second elastic element 23, thereby moving relative to the ferrule 21 towards the end face of the ferrule 21.

[0107] The length of the locking buckle 221 is less than the dimension of the ferrule 21 extending out of the end face of the ferrule base 22. This design ensures that the end face of the ferrule 21 contacts the fiber optic mating face of the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 before the fiber optic mating face, achieving precise fiber optic mating. Furthermore, the delayed contact of the locking buckle 221 allows for the application of an axial force to the ferrule base 22 after fiber optic mating. This compresses the second elastic element 23, causing the ferrule base 22 to move relative to the ferrule 21 towards the adapter 6, thus completing the locking and engaging of the locking buckle 221 and the engagement portion 63 of the adapter 6. After locking, the pre-tightening force of the second elastic element 23 ensures a gapless and precise mating between the mating face of the ferrule 21 and the mating face of the adapter 6.

[0108] An unlocking component 5 is provided between the connector housing 1 and the ferrule housing 222 to release the locking latch 221 and the adapter 6 from engagement.

[0109] By employing a retractable structure design for the ferrule 21 and ferrule base 22, and by placing 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 21 extending out of the end face of the ferrule base 22, a phased connection mechanism for the MTP fiber optic connector is achieved: the ferrule 21 first extends out to contact the adapter 6 to complete the mating of the fiber end face, and then the ferrule base 22 continues to move to engage the locking buckle 221 with the adapter 6, thus achieving both gapless precision mating of the fiber end face and reliable engagement of the locking mechanism.

[0110] To unlock the fiber optic connector and adapter 6, this embodiment illustrates a preferred structural configuration of the unlocking component 5. Specifically, refer to the attached diagram. Figure 5 , 10 As shown in Figures 1 and 13, the unlocking component 5 includes a fixing base 51, an unlocking element 52, and a pressing spring 53.

[0111] In this embodiment, the top surface of the mounting cavity 11 is provided with an axially extending through groove 110, which provides installation space for the unlocking component 5, and the unlocking component 5 can move along the axial direction of the through groove 110.

[0112] The fixing seat 51 is located in the through groove 110 and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule housing 222. The fixing seat 51 serves as the base of the unlocking component 5 and is fixedly connected to the top surface of the ferrule housing 222. Thus, when the entire ferrule head 21 moves axially relative to the connector housing 1, the unlocking component 5 moves along with the ferrule head 21. Since the locking buckle 221 is fixed on the ferrule housing 222, the relative positions of the unlocking component 5, the locking buckle 221, and the ferrule housing 222 remain unchanged. This allows the unlocking component 5 to release the locking buckle 221 and the adapter 6 from the engagement relationship at any time.

[0113] The pressing spring 53 is bent, and the apex of the bend of the pressing spring 53 contacts the inner top surface of the through groove 110. One end of the pressing spring 53 is fixedly connected to the fixing base 51, and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle 221.

[0114] The pressing spring 53 adopts a bent design, with its bent apex forming a fixed fulcrum with the inner top surface of the through groove 110. When the unlocking spring 522 pushes down on the end of the pressing spring 53 connected to the fixed seat 51, according to the third type of 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 the same-direction transmission of force and displacement amplification. Through the synchronous downward pressing action of both ends of the pressing spring 53, the locking buckle 221 generates sufficient downward elastic deformation, thereby reliably releasing the latching state 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.

[0115] The unlocking component 52 includes a rotating part 521, an unlocking spring 522, and an operating lever 523. The rotating part 521 is rotatably connected to the fixed base 51. One end of the unlocking spring 522 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 521, and the other end is in contact with the inclined surface of the pressing spring 53 away from the locking buckle 221. One end of the operating lever 523 is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part 521 away from the unlocking spring 522, and the other end extends out of the through groove 110 and is provided with a pull ring 5231.

[0116] The working principle of the unlocking component 5 is as follows: When the operating lever 523 is lifted upward, the rotating part 521 rotates around the fixed base 51, which drives the unlocking spring 522 to rotate downward in sync. The lower end of the unlocking spring 522 applies pressure to the inclined surface of the end of the pressing spring 53 connected to the fixed base 51, forcing the pressing spring 53 to undergo elastic deformation with its bending apex as the fulcrum, so that the lower end of the pressing spring 53 moves downward and is applied 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 locking force, it is disengaged from the adapter 6.

[0117] This design efficiently transmits the operating force to the locking buckle 221 through a three-stage linkage mechanism (operating lever 523 - unlocking spring 522 - pressing spring 53), which greatly reduces the operating force requirement while ensuring sufficient unlocking stroke. In addition, all moving parts adopt a unidirectional displacement design, avoiding the motion interference problem common in traditional unlocking mechanisms. It is particularly suitable for convenient one-handed operation in high-density installation environments.

[0118] In this embodiment, the pull ring 5231 facilitates lifting the operating lever 523 by hand, thereby enabling the operating lever 523 to rotate upward.

[0119] In this embodiment, a stop portion 2210 is also provided on the upper surface of the locking buckle 221. The lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 abuts against the stop portion 2210 on the side facing the insert housing 222. This arrangement allows the force applied to the locking buckle 221 by the lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 to be transferred to the locking buckle 221 body through the stop portion 2210, thus preventing the lower end of the pressing spring piece 53 from sliding horizontally.

[0120] In some implementations, the bottom surface of the operating lever 523 is provided with an accidental contact latch 5232, and the top surface of the ferrule housing 222 is provided with a locking groove 2223 that connects to the accidental contact latch 5232. Therefore, when unlocking is not required, rotating the operating lever 523 downwards engages the accidental contact latch 5232 and the locking groove 2223, preventing accidental contact with the operating lever 523 and ensuring a reliable locking connection between the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter 6. When unlocking is required, simply lift the pull ring 5231 upwards to disengage the accidental contact latch 5232 from the locking groove 2223, and continue to flip upwards to unlock the locking latch 221.

[0121] This application also discloses a connector assembly, as shown in the attached drawing. Figure 11-15 As shown, it includes an adapter 6 and an MTP fiber optic connector. The adapter 6 includes an adapter 6 housing, one end of which has a connection groove 62 that inserts into the connector housing 1. The connection groove 62 has a locking part 63 that engages with a locking buckle 221. The connection groove 62 also has a fiber optic mating groove 64 that engages with a ferrule 21.

[0122] The connection and locking of adapter 6 and MTP fiber optic connector are performed as follows: Insert the mating end of the connector housing 1 of the entire MTP fiber optic connector into the connection slot 62. After the connector housing 1 is properly inserted into the connection slot 62, push the fiber optic plug 2 so that part of the fiber optic plug 2 protrudes from the connector housing 1, and bring the mating end face of the ferrule 21 close to the fiber optic mating slot 64. After the ferrule 21 is inserted into the fiber optic mating slot 64, and the mating end face of the ferrule 21 contacts the mating end face of the fiber optic mating slot 64, continue to push the fiber optic plug 2. At this time, the ferrule 21 remains in place, the ferrule seat 22 compresses the second elastic element 23, and continues to move into the connection slot 62 until the locking buckle 221 and the locking part 63 are locked together. At this time, the connection and locking operation of the MTP fiber optic connector and adapter is completed.

[0123] When it is necessary to unlock the adapter 6 and the MTP fiber optic connector, simply lift the operating lever 523 in the locking assembly upwards to disengage the locking buckle 221 and the locking part 63. Since the first elastic element 34 stores energy during the docking process, after the locking buckle 221 and the locking part 63 disengage, the first elastic element 34 will drive the fiber optic plug 2 to retract into the connector housing instantly, and the protective plate 41 will also close instantly. At this time, simply pull the MTP fiber optic connector to pull the connector housing 1 out of the connection slot 62, thereby disconnecting the MTP fiber optic connector and the adapter 6.

[0124] In some implementations, a limiting boss 13 is provided on the outer surface of the connector housing 1, and the distance from the limiting boss 13 to the mating end face of the connector housing 1 is less than the depth of the connecting groove 62. This configuration ensures that when the limiting boss 13 of the connector housing 1 abuts against the opening end face of the connecting groove 62, the connector housing 1 cannot move further. At this time, there is operating space between the mating end face of the connector housing 1 and the inner bottom surface of the connecting groove 62, facilitating further movement of the fiber optic plug 2.

[0125] It is worth noting that the distance between the mating end face of the connector housing 1 and the bottom surface of the connecting groove 62 is greater than the maximum horizontal projection length of the protective plate 41 after it is flipped and unfolded. This is to ensure that the protective plate 41 has space to accommodate the flipping within the connecting groove 62.

[0126] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An MTP fiber optic connector, characterized in that, include: The connector housing has an axially through mounting cavity inside; The fiber optic plug is axially movable within the mounting cavity; The first elastic reset structure is located between the fiber optic plug and the connector housing, and is used to retract the insertion end face of the fiber optic plug into the mounting cavity in a non-interlocking state. The protective device includes a protective plate and a second elastic reset structure. The protective plate is rotatably mounted at the mating end opening of the connector housing, and the second elastic reset structure is disposed between the protective plate and the connector housing to close the mating end opening under normal conditions. When the fiber optic plug moves axially, it pushes the protective plate to flip open; when it retracts, the protective plate can automatically close under the action of the second elastic reset structure. The fiber optic plug includes a ferrule and a ferrule socket; One end of the ferrule is disposed inside the ferrule socket, and the other end extends outward from the ferrule socket toward the protective plate. The end face of the ferrule is provided with a supporting part, which is used to push the protective plate to flip open when the fiber optic plug moves axially. The end face of the ferrule facing the protective plate is horizontally equipped with a locking buckle for engaging with the adapter; The first elastic reset structure is disposed between the ferrule and the connector housing; The insert socket includes an insert housing and an end cap fixedly disposed at the tail end of the insert housing; The ferrule housing has an axially defined receiving cavity inside. One end of the ferrule head is slidably disposed in the receiving cavity, and the other end extends out of the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity has a limiting flange on the side away from the end cover to limit the ferrule head from coming out. A second elastic element is provided inside the accommodating cavity, and the two ends of the second elastic element abut against the insert head and the end cap, respectively. The length of the locking buckle is less than the dimension by which the ferrule head extends beyond the end face of the ferrule seat; An unlocking component is provided between the connector housing and the ferrule housing for releasing the locking latch and the adapter engagement; The unlocking assembly includes a fixing base, an unlocking component, and a pressing spring; The top surface of the mounting 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 insert housing; The pressing spring is bent, and the apex of the bending 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 base, and the other end abuts against the upper surface of the locking buckle. The unlocking component includes a rotating part, an unlocking spring, and an operating lever. The rotating part is rotatably connected to the fixed base. 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 pressing spring away from the locking buckle. One end of the operating lever is fixedly connected to the end of the rotating part away from the unlocking spring, and the other end extends out of the through groove and is provided with a pull ring.

2. The MTP fiber optic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The first elastic reset structure includes a first mounting groove, a second mounting groove, a limiting member, and a first elastic member; The first mounting groove is disposed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity along the axial direction of the connector housing; The second mounting slot is disposed on the side wall of the fiber optic plug, and the second mounting slot and the first mounting slot 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 disposed between the first mounting groove and the second mounting groove, with one end abutting the end face of the first mounting groove and the other end abutting the limiting member.

3. The MTP fiber optic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: 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 by a hinge shaft. The first hinge plate is fixedly connected to the mating end opening face 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 abut against the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate respectively. A limiting step is provided at the mating end opening of the connector housing to restrict the protective plate from flipping towards the inside of the mounting cavity.

4. The MTP fiber optic connector as described in claim 3, characterized in that: Two protective plates are provided, and the two protective plates are arranged symmetrically with the central axis of the connector housing as the axis of symmetry.

5. The MTP fiber optic connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the operating lever is provided with an accidental contact latch, and the top surface of the insert housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​groove that connects to the accidental contact latch.

6. A connector assembly comprising an adapter and an MTP fiber optic connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The adapter includes an adapter housing, one end of which has a connection groove for insertion into a connector housing. The connection groove has a locking part that engages with a locking buckle. The connection groove also has an optical fiber mating groove for connection with a ferrule.

7. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The outer surface of the connector housing has 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.

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