Optical fiber connector and optical fiber connecting assembly

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of optical communication, in particular to an optical fiber connector and an optical fiber connecting assembly. The optical fiber connector comprises an outer sheath and an optical fiber insertion core, one end of the optical fiber insertion core is inserted into the outer sheath in a matched mode, a positioning guide groove is formed in the optical fiber insertion core, a positioning guide piece is arranged on the inner wall of the outer sheath, and the positioning guide piece slides in the axial direction of the optical fiber insertion core to be clamped into the positioning guide groove. And the outer wall of the outer sheath is provided with a first identification piece for guiding the positioning guide piece to be aligned with the positioning guide groove. According to the invention, the alignment precision and dismounting efficiency of the optical fiber insertion core and the outer sheath can be effectively improved, and the optical fiber insertion core can be prevented from being further inserted into the outer sheath when being wrongly inserted, so that poor insertion of the optical fiber insertion core in the assembling process can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an optical fiber connector and an optical fiber connection assembly. Background Art

[0002] A fiber optic connector is a device that makes a detachable connection between optical fibers. It precisely butts the two end faces of the optical fiber together so that the light energy output by the transmitting optical fiber can be coupled to the receiving optical fiber to the maximum extent possible and the impact on the system caused by its involvement in the optical link can be minimized.

[0003] The existing optical fiber connector includes an outer sheath and an optical fiber ferrule installed in the outer sheath. At present, the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath are connected by a simple plug-in structure. Although the basic connection function can be achieved, in actual operation, there is often a problem of difficulty in aligning the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath. This difficulty in alignment not only affects the efficiency of optical fiber connection, but may also cause the transmission quality of optical signals to decrease due to poor plug-in. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to effectively improve the alignment accuracy between the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath, the present application provides an optical fiber connector and an optical fiber connection assembly.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a fiber optic connector, comprising an outer sheath and a fiber optic ferrule having one end fitted into the outer sheath, the fiber optic ferrule being provided with a positioning guide groove, the inner wall of the outer sheath being provided with a positioning guide, the positioning guide being axially slidable along the fiber optic ferrule and inserted into the positioning guide groove, and the outer wall of the outer sheath being provided with a first identification member for guiding the positioning guide member to align with the positioning guide groove.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, when it is necessary to assemble the optical fiber connector, the first identification member is used to find the positioning guide, so that the positioning guide is aligned with the positioning guide groove before plugging in, which effectively improves the alignment accuracy of the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath, thereby avoiding poor plugging of the optical fiber ferrule during the assembly process. The design of the above structure also helps to improve the efficiency of disassembly and assembly of the optical fiber connector, wherein the overall structure of the outer sheath can be individually designed according to the needs of different manufacturers, and the optical fiber ferrule only needs to be plugged into the designated outer sheath to match the assembly of different adapters. In addition, the positioning guide is arranged on the inner wall of the outer sheath. If the positioning guide is not aligned with the positioning guide groove, the positioning guide can limit the further insertion of the optical fiber ferrule into the outer sheath, that is, reduce the probability of damage to the optical fiber ferrule from another angle.

[0007] Preferably, the positioning guide groove extends along the axial direction of the optical fiber ferrule.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning guide groove has a certain length, so that the positioning guide can slide into the positioning guide groove to achieve guided sliding, thereby avoiding relative rotation between the optical fiber core and the outer sheath during the plug-in process.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning guide groove includes a docking section and an extension section which are interconnected, the groove width of the docking section away from the extension section is larger than the groove width at the connection between the docking section and the extension section, and the positioning guide slides into the extension section through the docking section.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the docking section can lock the positioning guide in the groove in advance, and then use the extension section to effectively limit the axial direction to ensure the sliding efficiency of the positioning guide.

[0011] Preferably, the positioning guide is a positioning guide bar, and the length direction of the positioning guide bar is consistent with the extension direction of the positioning guide groove.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, the positioning guide with a strip structure has a better limiting effect, effectively reducing the probability of relative rotation between the optical fiber core and the outer sheath.

[0013] Preferably, the optical fiber connector also includes a locking cap, the outer sheath includes a sheath body and a connecting tube connected to one end of the sheath body, the connecting tube is provided with a locking opening, and the locking cap is sleeved on the outside of the connecting tube to compress and reduce the diameter of the connecting tube at the optical fiber core connection.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the sheath body is the basic structure of the outer sheath, which can be designed accordingly as needed. The connecting tube serves as the connecting part of the outer sheath, and the locking cap is sleeved on the outside of the connecting tube and applies pressure to it, so that the diameter of the connection between the connecting tube and the optical fiber ferrule is reduced, thereby increasing the static friction between the connecting tube and the optical fiber ferrule, and improving the connection stability between the outer sheath and the optical fiber ferrule.

[0015] Preferably, the locking openings are symmetrically provided in at least two groups along the central axis of the connecting tube, two of the locking openings form a group, a locking plate is formed between each group of two locking openings, the first identification piece is provided on one of the locking plates, and the positioning guide is provided on the inner wall of the protective body and is located in the axial extension direction of the locking plate on which the first identification piece is provided.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the locking openings are symmetrically arranged in the form of groups. On the one hand, the locking pieces formed by the two locking openings in each group have better deformation performance, which can further increase the efficiency of reducing the diameter of the connecting tube; on the other hand, the symmetrical structure can enable the connecting tube to shrink evenly when the diameter is shrunk, thereby reducing the force of the connecting tube when pressing the optical fiber ferrule and distributing it evenly, reducing the risk of damage to the optical fiber ferrule.

[0017] Preferably, the connecting tube is provided with an external thread, and the locking cap is provided with an internal thread matching the external thread.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, not only is it easy to disassemble and assemble and has a high connection strength, but it can also make the connection between the locking cap and the connecting tube guided, so that the contraction of the connecting tube can be carried out slowly and evenly.

[0019] Preferably, a sealing ring is provided on the outer side of the optical fiber ferrule, and a ring groove is provided on the optical fiber ferrule for the sealing ring to be inserted into. When the positioning guide is inserted into the positioning guide groove, the sealing ring is clamped in the gap formed by the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath to close the gap.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, the sealing ring, on the one hand, increases the sealing and waterproof effect of the optical fiber core and the outer sheath after being plugged in, thereby increasing the application scenarios of the optical fiber connector; on the other hand, it can also increase the structural stability of the optical fiber core and the outer sheath, thereby reducing the relative swing between the two in the radial direction.

[0021] Preferably, a second identification piece is provided on the optical fiber ferrule, and the second identification piece is located on a side of the positioning guide groove away from the outer sheath; when the positioning guide groove is inserted into the positioning guide groove, the second identification piece is opposite to the first identification piece.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, even if the optical fiber ferrule with a positioning guide groove is inserted into the outer sheath, the provision of the second identification piece can enable the operator to quickly know the position of the positioning guide groove, further increasing the accuracy of insertion.

[0023] In a second aspect, the present application provides an optical fiber connection assembly, including the optical fiber connector described above. The effects of the optical fiber connection assembly of the present application are the same as those of the optical fiber connector described above, and will not be described in detail herein.

[0024] In summary, this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] 1. The optical fiber connector of the present application can effectively improve the alignment accuracy and disassembly efficiency of the optical fiber ferrule and the outer sheath through the coordinated design of the first identification member, the positioning guide member and the positioning guide groove, and can also limit the optical fiber ferrule from being further inserted into the outer sheath when it is inserted incorrectly, thereby avoiding poor insertion of the optical fiber ferrule during the assembly process;

[0026] 2. The optical fiber connector of the present application also adopts the design of a locking cap, and further defines that the outer sheath includes a connecting tube with a locking port, thereby improving the connection stability between the outer sheath and the optical fiber ferrule and reducing the risk of damage to the optical fiber ferrule. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the optical fiber connector of Example 1 of the present application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an outer sheath in Example 1 of the present application;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A magnified view at point A;

[0030] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another outer sheath of Example 1 of the present application;

[0031] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of another optical fiber connector according to Example 1 of the present application;

[0032] Figure 6 It is a structural diagram of Example 2 of the present application.

[0033] Description of reference numerals:

[0034] 1. Outer sheath; 11. Sheath body; 111. Positioning guide; 12. Connecting tube; 121. First identification piece; 122. Locking mouth; 123. Locking plate; 124. External thread; 13. Protective sleeve; 14. Ring cavity; 2. Fiber optic ferrule; 21. Positioning guide groove; 211. Docking section; 212. Extension section; 22. Sealing ring; 23. Ring groove; 24. Second identification piece; 3. Locking cap; 31. Internal thread; 4. Fiber optic adapter; 5. Plastic hanging rope; a. The groove width of the docking section away from the extension section; b. The groove width at the connection between the docking section and the extension section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, the following Figure 1-6 And embodiments, the present application is further described in detail.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] An implementation of this embodiment discloses an optical fiber connector, see Figure 1 , including an outer sheath 1 and an optical fiber ferrule 2. The outer sheath 1 includes a sheath body 11 and a connecting tube 12 installed at one end of the sheath body 11, wherein the structure of the sheath body 11 can be adjusted with a commercially available universal adapter, and one end of the optical fiber ferrule 2 passes through the connecting tube 12 and is plugged into the sheath body 11.

[0038] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2In order to achieve fast and high-precision plugging of the optical fiber ferrule 2 and the outer sheath 1, a positioning guide groove 21 is provided on the circumferential side wall of the optical fiber ferrule 2, a positioning guide 111 matching the positioning guide groove 21 is provided on the inner wall of the sheath body 11, and a first identification piece 121 guiding the positioning guide 111 to align with the positioning guide groove 21 is provided on the outer wall of the connecting tube 12.

[0039] The positioning guide groove 21 extends along the axial direction of the optical fiber ferrule 2, and correspondingly, the positioning guide 111 is a positioning guide bar, and the length direction of the positioning guide bar is consistent with the extension direction of the positioning guide groove 21. Therefore, the positioning guide groove 21 and the positioning guide bar both have a certain length and have a better limiting effect, so that the positioning guide 111 can slide into the positioning guide groove 21 to achieve guided sliding, thereby preventing the optical fiber ferrule 2 and the outer sheath 1 from rotating relative to each other during and after the plugging process.

[0040] Combination Figure 3 The positioning guide groove 21 of this embodiment includes a docking section 211 and an extension section 212 that are interconnected, wherein the docking section 211 can have various shapes. The groove width a of the docking section 211 on the side away from the extension section 212 shown in the figure is greater than the groove width b at the connection between the docking section 211 and the extension section 212, and the positioning guide 111 slides into the extension section 212 through the guidance of the docking section 211. Thus, the docking section 211 can lock the positioning guide 111 in the groove in advance, and then use the extension section 212 to effectively limit the position in the axial direction, thereby ensuring the sliding efficiency of the positioning guide 111. In addition, the shape of the docking section 211 can also be other structures with a guiding function.

[0041] Another implementation of this embodiment is that a locking cap 3 is further provided on the basis of the previous embodiment. A locking opening 122 is correspondingly provided on the connecting tube 12 of the outer sheath 1, and the locking cap 3 is sleeved on the outer side of the connecting tube 12 to compress and reduce the diameter of the connecting tube 12 at the connection of the optical fiber ferrule 2. Therefore, this embodiment uses the locking cap 3 to apply pressure to the outer side of the connecting tube 12, thereby increasing the static friction between the connecting tube 12 and the optical fiber ferrule 2, and improving the connection stability between the outer sheath 1 and the optical fiber ferrule 2.

[0042] The opening shape and number of the locking openings 122 can be adjusted as needed. In this embodiment, it is preferred that every two locking openings 122 form a group, and at least two groups are symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the connecting tube 12. The figure shows two groups as an example, so that a locking piece 123 is formed between each group of two locking openings 122, the first identification member 121 is arranged on one of the locking pieces 123, and the positioning guide 111 is arranged on the inner wall of the protective body and is located in the axial extension direction of the locking piece 123 provided with the first identification member 121. The locking openings 122 are symmetrically arranged in the form of groups. On the one hand, the locking piece 123 formed by each group of two locking openings 122 has better deformation performance, which can further increase the efficiency of reducing the diameter of the connecting tube 12; on the other hand, the symmetrical structure can make the connecting tube 12 shrink evenly when shrinking the diameter, thereby reducing the force of the connecting tube 12 when pressing the optical fiber ferrule 2, and can be evenly distributed, reducing the risk of damage to the optical fiber ferrule 2.

[0043] The connecting tube 12 is provided with an external thread 124 on the outer wall except the locking piece 123, and the inner wall of the locking cap 3 is correspondingly provided with an internal thread 31 matched with the external thread 124. The threaded connection method is not only convenient for disassembly and assembly and has a high connection firmness, but also can make the connection between the locking cap 3 and the connecting tube 12 have a guiding property, so that the contraction of the connecting tube 12 can be carried out slowly and evenly, and to a certain extent, it can also reduce the risk of damage to the optical fiber ferrule 2. In addition, the threaded locking cap 3 and the optical fiber ferrule 2 of this embodiment are two separate structures, so that the optical fiber ferrule 2 will not be interfered by the locking cap 3 when it is connected to the optical fiber. After the production of the optical fiber ferrule 2 is completed, the locking cap 3 can be sleeved on the outer side of the optical fiber ferrule 2, which can also improve the production efficiency of the optical fiber ferrule 2 to a certain extent.

[0044] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 The outer side of the optical fiber ferrule 2 is provided with a sealing ring 22, and the optical fiber ferrule 2 is provided with a ring groove 23 for the sealing ring 22 to be inserted into. When the positioning guide 111 is inserted into the positioning guide groove 21, the sealing ring 22 is clamped in the gap formed by the optical fiber ferrule 2 and the outer sheath 1 to close the gap. Therefore, the sealing ring 22, on the one hand, increases the sealing and waterproof effect after the optical fiber ferrule 2 and the outer sheath 1 are plugged in, and increases the application scenarios of the optical fiber connector; on the other hand, it can also increase the structural stability of the optical fiber ferrule 2 and the outer sheath 1, and reduce the relative swing between the two in the radial direction.

[0045] In order to further increase the plugging accuracy, the present embodiment further provides a second identification member 24 on the optical fiber ferrule 2, and the second identification member 24 is located on the side of the positioning guide groove 21 away from the outer sheath 1; when the positioning guide 111 is inserted into the positioning guide groove 21, the second identification member 24 is opposite to the first identification member 121. In this way, even if the optical fiber ferrule 2 with the positioning guide groove 21 is inserted into the outer sheath 1, the provision of the second identification member 24 can also allow the operator to quickly know the position of the positioning guide groove 21.

[0046] On some fiber optic connectors, see Figure 4 The outer sheath 1 also includes a protective sleeve 13, which is threadedly connected to one side of the sheath body 11 and covers the outer peripheral side of the connecting tube 12. An annular cavity 14 is formed between the protective sleeve 13 and the connecting tube 12 for inserting a part of the locking cap 3. Figure 5 During the insertion process of the optical fiber ferrule 2 of the optical fiber connector, the first identification member 121 is blocked by the protective sleeve 13, and the positioning guide 111 (with the protective sleeve 13) can be moved by the second identification member 24 without removing the protective sleeve 13. Figure 3 (consistent with the ones in the figure) and precisely docked with the positioning guide groove 21.

[0047] The implementation principle of the embodiment of the present application is:

[0048] When the optical fiber ferrule 2 is plugged into the outer sheath 1, the first identification member 121 is first used to align the positioning guide groove 21, at which time the positioning guide 111 is aligned with the positioning guide groove 21, and then the optical fiber ferrule 2 can be further inserted into the sheath body 11, and the positioning guide 111 can slide along the axial direction of the optical fiber body and be inserted into the positioning guide groove 21, thereby avoiding poor plugging of the optical fiber ferrule 2 during the assembly process. If the positioning guide 111 is not aligned with the positioning guide groove 21, the positioning guide 111 can also limit the further insertion of the optical fiber ferrule 2 into the outer sheath 1, that is, reduce the probability of damage to the optical fiber ferrule 2 from another angle.

[0049] Example 2

[0050] This embodiment discloses an optical fiber connection assembly. Figure 6 , including the optical fiber connector of Example 1 and the optical fiber adapter 4 matched with the optical fiber connector. There are two types of optical fiber connectors shown in the figure, and the two optical fiber connectors share a fiber optic ferrule 2, and the fiber optic ferrule 2 is placed separately. The outer sheath 1 of one optical fiber connector is connected to the optical fiber adapter 4 by conventional card connection, and the outer sheath 1 of the other optical fiber connector is integrally injection molded with the optical fiber connector 4. The optical fiber adapter 4 is an end cover, which is mainly used for temporary connection of the outer sheath 1 and dustproofing of the outer sheath 1. The two different outer sheaths 1 are connected to the plastic hanging rope 5 through the optical fiber connector 4, so that the outer sheath 1 is connected to both sides of the optical fiber ferrule 2, thereby reducing the probability of loss of each component.

[0051] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present application and is not a limitation of the present application. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art may make modifications to the present embodiment without any creative contribution as needed, but such modifications are protected by the patent law as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that: The invention comprises an outer sheath (1) and an optical fiber insert (2) with one end being inserted into the outer sheath (1); a positioning guide groove (21) is provided on the optical fiber insert (2); a positioning guide (111) is provided on the inner wall of the outer sheath (1); the positioning guide (111) is slidable along the axial direction of the optical fiber insert (2) and inserted into the positioning guide groove (21); and a first identification piece (121) is provided on the outer wall of the outer sheath (1) for guiding the positioning guide (111) to align with the positioning guide groove (21).

2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning guide groove (21) extends along the axial direction of the optical fiber insert (2).

3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The positioning guide groove (21) comprises a docking section (211) and an extension section (212) which are connected to each other; the groove width of the docking section (211) on a side away from the extension section (212) is greater than the groove width at the connection between the docking section (211) and the extension section (212); and the positioning guide (111) is guided by the docking section (211) to slide into the extension section (212).

4. The optical fiber connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The positioning guide (111) is a positioning guide bar, and the length direction of the positioning guide bar is consistent with the extension direction of the positioning guide groove (21).

5. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also comprises a locking cap (3), wherein the outer sheath (1) comprises a sheath body (11) and a connecting tube (12) connected to one end of the sheath body (11), wherein the connecting tube (12) is provided with a locking opening (122), and the locking cap (3) is sleeved on the outer side of the connecting tube (12) to compress and reduce the diameter of the connecting tube (12) at the connection point of the optical fiber ferrule (2).

6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least two groups of the locking openings (122) are symmetrically arranged along the central axis of the connecting tube (12), two of the locking openings (122) form a group, a locking plate (123) is formed between each group of two locking openings (122), the first identification member (121) is arranged on one of the locking plates (123), and the positioning guide (111) is arranged on the inner wall of the sheath body (11) and is located in the axial extension direction of the locking plate (123) on which the first identification member (121) is arranged.

7. The optical fiber connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting tube (12) is provided with an external thread (124), and the locking cap (3) is provided with an internal thread (31) that matches the external thread (124).

8. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side of the optical fiber ferrule (2) is provided with a sealing ring (22), and the optical fiber ferrule (2) is provided with an annular groove (23) for the sealing ring (22) to be inserted into. When the positioning guide (111) is inserted into the positioning guide groove (21), the sealing ring (22) is clamped in the gap formed by the optical fiber ferrule (2) and the outer sheath (1) to close the gap.

9. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical fiber ferrule (2) is provided with a second identification piece (24), and the second identification piece (24) is located on a side of the positioning guide groove (21) away from the outer sheath (1); when the positioning guide groove (111) is inserted into the positioning guide groove (21), the second identification piece (24) is opposite to the first identification piece (121).

10. An optical fiber connection assembly, characterized in that: The optical fiber connector comprises the optical fiber connector as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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