Optical connector

Abstract

To provide an optical connector to which a rear housing can be attached even after ferrules are housed in a front housing.SOLUTION: An optical connector comprises a front housing and a rear housing capable of being attached to the front housing. The front housing has an installation surface. In the front housing, a plurality of storage parts for respectively housing a plurality of ferrules provided on respective tip end parts of a plurality of optical cables are sequentially provided in a first direction. In the rear housing, a plurality of penetration holes which extend in a second direction crossing the first direction and into which the plurality of optical cables can be inserted are sequentially provided in the first direction. Each of the plurality of penetration holes has a slit shape that is opened toward a surface of the rear housing expanded to directions along the installation surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an optical device, an optical connector, and a method for manufacturing an optical device. This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2020-091208, filed on May 26, 2020, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an optical connector for collectively connecting a plurality of multi-core ribbon optical fibers. This optical connector is attached to, for example, the edge of a substrate of a transmission device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-119239 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides an optical device as one aspect. The optical device includes a package, a board, a plurality of first optical cables, and a first optical connector. The package includes an integrated circuit and an optical device that converts an electrical signal from the integrated circuit into an optical signal. The board has a main surface, and the package is disposed on the main surface. Each of the plurality of first optical cables includes a plurality of optical fibers. Each of the plurality of first optical cables has a first end and an opposite second end. Each of the plurality of first ends is optically coupled to the optical device, and each of the plurality of second ends is attached to the first optical connector. The first optical connector is disposed on the main surface of the board so that the entire first optical connector is located inside an edge of the board.

[0005] The present disclosure provides an optical connector as another aspect. The optical connector includes a front housing and a rear housing that can be attached to the front housing. The front housing has an installation surface. The front housing is provided with a plurality of storage sections arranged in sequence in a first direction for storing a plurality of ferrules provided at the respective ends of a plurality of optical cables. The rear housing is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in sequence in the first direction, the through holes extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction and through which the plurality of optical cables can be inserted. Each of the plurality of through holes in the rear housing has a slit shape that opens toward a surface of the rear housing and expands in a direction along the installation surface.

[0006] The present disclosure provides, as yet another aspect, a method for manufacturing an optical device. The method for manufacturing an optical device is a method for manufacturing an optical device by attaching the above-mentioned optical connector to an optical semi-finished product including a package including an integrated circuit and an optical device that converts an electrical signal from the integrated circuit into an optical signal, a board on whose main surface the package is disposed, and a plurality of optical cables extending from the optical device to the outside of the package. The method for manufacturing the optical device includes a step of storing each of a plurality of ferrules provided at the respective ends of the plurality of optical cables in each storage section of a front housing, a step of covering each of the intermediate cable portions of the plurality of optical cables extending outside the package with a plurality of through holes having a slit shape from above the main surface of the board, and a step of moving the rear housing relatively toward the front housing to attach the rear housing to the front housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the package side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the optical device in a state in which a second optical connector is connected to a first optical connector. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a plurality of first optical cables. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the front side of the front housing. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the front housing. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the front side of the rear housing. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the rear housing. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a part of a cross section of the optical device shown in FIG. 1 taken along line IX-IX. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a method for manufacturing an optical device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a first optical cable in which a spring according to a modified example is provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [Problem that this disclosure aims to solve] When an electrical signal from an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) is converted into an optical signal in a communication device, a plurality of internal optical fibers for transmitting the converted optical signal to the outside of the device may be connected together to a plurality of optical fibers outside the device. For this collective connection, for example, an optical connector described in Patent Document 1 is used. In such a communication device, as the amount of data communication increases, it is desired to convert the electrical signal from the integrated circuit into an optical signal at a position closer to the integrated circuit. However, if an optical fiber is simply drawn from an optical device mounted near the integrated circuit to the edge of the device, the optical fiber is long, making it difficult to handle when mounting the optical fiber to the optical device (or mounting an optical device with an optical fiber). In addition, depending on the form of the optical fiber, a load is applied to the connection between the end of the optical fiber and the optical device or the connection between the optical device and the integrated circuit after mounting, and there is a risk of connection loss or damage to the connection due to misalignment of the optical axis, etc.

[0009] [Effects of this disclosure] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce connection loss when an electrical signal from an integrated circuit is converted into an optical signal and transmitted to the outside.

[0010] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. An optical device according to one embodiment includes a package, a board, a plurality of first optical cables, and a first optical connector. The package includes an integrated circuit and an optical device that converts an electrical signal from the integrated circuit into an optical signal. The board has a main surface, and the package is disposed on the main surface. Each of the plurality of first optical cables includes a plurality of optical fibers. Each of the plurality of first optical cables has a first end and an opposite second end. Each of the plurality of first ends is optically coupled to the optical device, and each of the plurality of second ends is attached to the first optical connector. The first optical connector is disposed on the main surface of the board so that the entire first optical connector is located inside the edge of the board.

[0011] In this optical device, the first optical connector is arranged so that the entirety is located inside the edge of the board. That is, compared to a case where the first optical connector is arranged so that a part of it is located outside the edge of the board, the first optical connector is located closer to the package. Therefore, in the vicinity of the package, it is possible to connect a plurality of first optical cables coupled to the optical device to an optical cable or the like drawn out to the outside via the first optical connector. As a result, even if a load is applied to other optical cables or the like drawn out to the outside of the optical device, the load can be received by the first optical connector and the load can be prevented from being transmitted to the plurality of first optical cables coupled to the optical device. Therefore, according to this optical device, it is possible to suppress the load from the outside on the plurality of first optical cables connected to the optical device and reduce the connection loss due to the misalignment of the optical axis or the like. In addition, in this optical device, since the first optical connector is provided near the package, when assembling a device such as a communication device equipped with this optical device, it is possible to easily perform the work of drawing the optical cable or optical fiber in the device and the work of connecting the optical cable or optical fiber to the optical device. In particular, even if the optical cable or optical fiber used for routing is long, the connection is made to the first optical connector on the package side, making the work easier and improving work efficiency.

[0012] In one embodiment of the optical device, the first optical connector may be disposed on the main surface of the board such that a portion of the first optical connector hangs over the package, and may be fixed to the package directly or via an intervening component. According to this aspect, the first optical connector and the package are disposed in close proximity to each other, and it becomes possible to connect the multiple first optical cables to the optical cable drawn out to the outside at a position closer to the package. Furthermore, by fixing the first optical connector to the package, it is possible to prevent the first optical connector from being misaligned when connecting optical fibers.

[0013] In one embodiment of the optical device, the first optical connector may have a pair of legs for defining, between the first optical connector and the package, an area in which to arrange intermediate cable portions protruding from the package in the first optical cables aligned along the main surface of the board. According to this aspect, the first optical cables and the first optical connector can be easily attached by utilizing the area, and the manufacturing efficiency of the optical device can be improved.

[0014] In one embodiment of the optical device, a ferrule may be attached to each of the multiple second ends of the multiple first optical cables, and the first optical connector may have multiple storage sections for arranging and storing the ferrules. According to this aspect, since each ferrule is stored in each of the multiple storage sections, the ferrules are appropriately held inside the first optical connector without significant positional deviation, and the multiple first optical cables can be optically connected to the optical cable drawn out to the outside with high accuracy. In addition, damage to the ferrules due to external impact can be prevented.

[0015] As one embodiment of the optical device, the first optical connector may have a front housing having a plurality of storage sections including a portion restricting the forward movement of each ferrule, and a rear housing having a portion restricting the backward movement of each ferrule and attached to the front housing. According to this aspect, the movement of each ferrule in the forward and backward directions is restricted, so that the ferrules can be prevented from being displaced when connecting optical fibers. In addition, since the first optical connector is configured separately from the front housing restricting the forward movement of the ferrule and the rear housing restricting the backward movement of the ferrule, the first optical cable with the ferrule can be easily attached to the first optical connector.

[0016] In one embodiment of the optical device, the rear housing may include a front side and a rear side, and the rear housing may be provided with a plurality of through holes corresponding to the plurality of first optical cables and through which the plurality of first optical cables are inserted from the rear side to the front side. According to this aspect, since a portion of the first optical cable is stored inside the rear housing, it is possible to prevent the first optical cable from being damaged by an external impact. Also, since the plurality of first optical cables are inserted into the plurality of through holes, it is possible to prevent the first optical cables from contacting each other or being misaligned.

[0017] In one embodiment of the optical device, each of the plurality of through holes may have a slit shape, and the slit shape may open toward a main surface of the board on which the first optical connector is installed. According to this aspect, since the through hole of the rear housing has a slit shape, even after the ferrule is stored in the front housing, the rear housing can be attached so as to cover the first optical cable from above the main surface.

[0018] In one embodiment of the optical device, each of the plurality of through holes may have a cross-sectional area smaller than a cross-sectional area of ​​the ferrule and larger than a cross-sectional area of ​​each of the plurality of first optical cables. According to this aspect, the ferrule cannot pass through the through hole of the rear housing and the movement is restricted, so that the first optical cable can be prevented from coming out of the first optical connector.

[0019] In one embodiment of the optical device, at least one elastic member that urges the ferrules forward may be provided between the rear housing and the ferrules. According to this aspect, the ferrules are urged forward by the elastic member. Therefore, when the optical fibers are connected, the ferrules come into close contact with each other, and stable optical communication can be performed.

[0020] As an embodiment of the optical device, the optical device may further include a plurality of second optical cables each having a plurality of optical fibers, and a second optical connector that houses each tip of the plurality of second optical cables. The second optical connector is connectable to the first optical connector. According to this aspect, the optical device can transmit an optical signal sent from the package via the first optical cable to the outside of the optical device by the second optical cable drawn out to the outside. In addition, the optical device uses a plurality of second optical cables whose tips are housed in the second optical connector that can be connected to the first optical connector. Therefore, when assembling a device such as a communication device that includes the optical device, it is possible to more easily perform the work of routing the second optical cable within the device and the work of connecting the second optical cable to the optical device, and it is possible to further improve the work efficiency.

[0021] An optical connector according to one embodiment includes a front housing and a rear housing attachable to the front housing. The front housing has an installation surface. The front housing is provided with a plurality of storage sections arranged in sequence in a first direction for storing a plurality of ferrules provided at the respective ends of a plurality of optical cables. The rear housing is provided with a plurality of through holes arranged in sequence in the first direction, the through holes extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction and through which the plurality of optical cables can be inserted. Each of the plurality of through holes in the rear housing has a slit shape that opens toward a surface of the rear housing and extends in a direction along the installation surface.

[0022] In this optical connector, the through hole of the rear housing has a slit shape. Therefore, for example, when attaching the optical connector to the above-mentioned optical device, even after the ferrule is stored in the front housing, the rear housing can be attached so as to cover the side of the optical cable. Therefore, according to this aspect, the tips of multiple optical fibers connected to the optical device on the package can be easily connected to the optical connector near the package. In addition, since the ferrule and part of the optical cable are stored inside the front housing or the rear housing, they are protected from external impacts.

[0023] As one embodiment of the optical connector, the front housing may have a main body in which a plurality of storage holes that are a plurality of storage sections are provided, and a pair of legs extending in the second direction from both ends of the main body in the first direction. According to this aspect, it is possible to prevent the optical connector from being displaced by, for example, fixing the legs of the front housing to a package to which the optical cable is connected or a board on which the package is arranged.

[0024] In one embodiment of the optical connector, each of the storage sections may include a step that restricts forward movement of the ferrule. According to this aspect, the front housing can hold the ferrule at an appropriate position inside the storage section. In addition, since the step is the configuration, the configuration can be simplified.

[0025] In one embodiment of the optical connector, the rear housing may have a plate portion including a front surface and a rear surface, and a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the plurality of through holes and protruding from the front surface of the plate portion. Each of the plurality of protrusions may be receivable from its rear end in each of the plurality of storage portions of the front housing. According to this aspect, since the protrusions of the rear housing are receivable in the storage portions of the front housing, it is possible to prevent the rear housing from being misaligned with respect to the front housing, and to achieve a miniaturization of the optical connector.

[0026] As an embodiment of the optical connector, a plurality of elastic members for urging each of the ferrules forward may be provided between each step in the plurality of storage sections and the rear housing. According to this aspect, the ferrules are urged forward by the elastic members. Therefore, when the optical fibers are connected, the ferrules come into close contact with each other, and stable optical communication can be performed. Also, each of the plurality of elastic members may have a slit through which each optical cable can be inserted therein. According to this aspect, even after the ferrules are stored in the front housing, the elastic members can be easily positioned from above the main surface with respect to the optical cables located on the main surface.

[0027] A method for manufacturing an optical device according to one embodiment is a method for manufacturing an optical device by attaching an optical connector according to any of the above-mentioned aspects to an optical semi-finished product including a package including an integrated circuit and an optical device that converts an electrical signal from the integrated circuit into an optical signal, a board on whose main surface the package is disposed, and a plurality of optical cables extending from the optical device to the outside of the package. This manufacturing method includes the steps of: storing each of a plurality of ferrules provided at the respective ends of the plurality of optical cables in each storage section of a front housing; covering each of the intermediate cable portions of the plurality of optical cables extending outside the package with a plurality of slit-shaped through holes from above the main surface of the board; and moving the rear housing relatively toward the front housing to attach the rear housing to the front housing.

[0028] According to this manufacturing method, optical connectors can be easily attached to a plurality of optical cables extending from the optical device to the outside of the package.

[0029] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] Specific examples of an optical device, an optical connector, and a method for manufacturing an optical device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[0030] The overall configuration of the optical device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the optical device 1 according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the optical device 1 shown in Figure 1 viewed from the package 20 side. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the optical device 1 in a state in which the second optical connector 70 is connected to the first optical connector 40.

[0031] 1 and 2, the optical device 1 is a device mounted on a device such as a communication device, and includes a board 10, a package 20, a plurality of first optical cables 30, and a first optical connector 40. The optical device 1 is, for example, an information communication device that transmits an optical signal photoelectrically converted in the package 20 to another optical device via the plurality of first optical cables 30. In order to transmit the optical signal in this manner, in the optical device 1, for example, a second optical connector 70 is connected to the first optical connector 40 as shown in FIG. 3. The second optical connector 70 has a similar configuration to the first optical connector 40, the details of which will be described later, and is used to collectively connect a plurality of optical fibers to a plurality of other optical fibers.

[0032] The second optical connector 70 is attached to the end of a plurality of second optical cables 75. The second optical cable 75 is formed of an optical fiber tape core wire having a plurality of optical fibers, similar to the first optical cable 30. A ferrule is attached to the tip of the second optical cable 75, and the ferrule is stored in the second optical connector 70. The second optical connector 70 is connected to the first optical connector 40, so that the second optical cable 75 and the first optical cable 30 are optically connected. In addition, latches 71 whose tips are engaged with the first optical connector 40 are provided on both ends of the second optical connector 70. The pair of latches 71 engage the second optical connector 70 with the first optical connector 40. The other end of the second optical cable 75 is connected to another optical device, for example, outside or inside a device such as a communication device.

[0033] 1 and 2, the optical device 1 will be described further. The package 20 is a module mounted on the main surface of the board 10, which is a printed circuit board, and includes an integrated circuit 21 and an optical device 22. The integrated circuit 21 is an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), and outputs a predetermined electrical signal. The optical device 22 is a device that converts the electrical signal from the integrated circuit 21 into an optical signal. The electrical signal sent from the integrated circuit 21 is converted into an optical signal by the optical device 22, and then sent to a plurality of first optical cables 30 optically connected to the optical device 22.

[0034] The first optical cable 30 is a cable that transmits an optical signal sent from the optical device 22. A first end of the first optical cable 30 is optically connected to the optical device 22, and a second end is attached to the first optical connector 40. In the present embodiment, as an example, the optical device 1 is shown that includes eight first optical cables 30, but is not limited to this. There may be at least one first optical cable 30, but the optical device 1 generally includes a plurality of first optical cables 30.

[0035] Here, the first optical cable 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a plurality of first optical cables 30. Each of the first optical cables 30 is formed of an optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers. Each optical fiber ribbon has, for example, 12, 24 (12×2 rows) or 36 (12×3 rows) optical fibers. The optical fiber ribbon is a core wire in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged and collectively coated with an ultraviolet curable resin. A ferrule 31 is attached to the tip (second end) of the first optical cable 30. An end of the optical fiber ribbon from which the coating has been stripped is stored inside the ferrule 31. The ferrule 31 is, for example, an MT ferrule corresponding to a multi-core optical fiber ribbon.

[0036] A spring 32 is wound around the first optical cable 30 as an elastic member. The spring 32 is attached in advance from an end of the first optical cable 30 to which the ferrule 31 is not attached, so as to penetrate the first optical cable 30 into the inside. The elastic member arranged around the first optical cable 30 is not limited to the spring 32, and may be any elastic member such as rubber. In this case, the elastic member may be provided with a through hole through which the first optical cable 30 can be inserted. When the optical device 1 is in an assembled state, the spring 32 is located between the ferrule 31 and a rear housing 60 described later, and urges the ferrule 31 forward.

[0037] Returning to Figs. 1 and 2, the description of the optical device 1 will continue. A first optical connector 40 is disposed on the board 10 of the optical device 1. The first optical connector 40 is used to collectively connect a plurality of optical fibers to a plurality of other optical fibers. The first optical connector 40 includes a front housing 50 and a rear housing 60. Here, the front housing 50 and the rear housing 60 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 5 to 8.

[0038] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the front end surface 51a side of the front housing 50. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the rear end surface 51b side of the front housing 50. The front housing 50 is a component that is coupled with a mating second optical connector 70 when optical fibers are connected to each other (see Fig. 3). The front housing 50 includes a main body 51 provided with a plurality of storage sections 54 in which the ferrules 31 are stored, and a pair of legs 56 extending from both ends of the main body 51.

[0039] The main body 51 has a front end face 51a which is a face facing the second optical connector 70 when connecting an optical fiber, and a rear end face 51b located on the opposite side to the front end face 51a. The main body 51 also has two side faces 53 formed from both ends of the front end face 51a toward the rear end face 51b.

[0040] The main body 51 has a plurality of storage sections 54 for storing the ferrules 31 in an aligned manner. Each of the storage sections 54 is a through hole (storage hole) penetrating from the front end face 51a to the rear end face 51b. The plurality of storage sections 54 are provided in order in a first direction (the direction of the arrow X in FIG. 5) connecting the two side faces 53 of the front housing 50. The number of storage sections 54 corresponds to the number of the first optical cables 30.

[0041] A pair of legs 56 are formed on both ends of the main body 51, extending along a second direction (the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 5) connecting the front end surface 51a and the rear end surface 51b. As shown in FIG. 2, when the front housing 50 is placed on the main surface of the board 10, each tip of the pair of legs 56 is positioned so as to hang over the peripheral edge of the package 20. The first optical cable 30 extending outward from the package 20 is disposed in a defined region R (a region surrounded by the package 20 and the pair of legs 56) defined by the package 20 and the pair of legs 56. A portion of the first optical cable 30 located within the defined region R is referred to as an intermediate cable portion 30a.

[0042] The pair of legs 56 are fixed to the package 20 directly or via an intervening component. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, a screw hole 56a is provided at each tip of the pair of legs 56. The pair of legs 56 are fixed by inserting a screw 56b into the screw hole 56a and screwing it into the package 20. The pair of legs 56 may be fixed to the package 20 or the board 10 by attachment means other than screws (e.g., adhesive, etc.).

[0043] An inner wall 56c of each leg 56 is provided with a locking portion 57 that locks with the rear housing 60. Each locking portion 57 has a shape that protrudes toward the inside of the front housing 50. The rear housing 60, which will be described later, is attached to the front housing 50 so as to be sandwiched between a rear end surface 51b of the front housing 50 and both locking portions 57.

[0044] A recess 53a is formed on each of the side surfaces 53 of the main body 51. When the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 70 are connected, each tip of a pair of latches 71 of the second optical connector 70 is locked in the corresponding recess 53a, and the second optical connector 70 is fixed to the first optical connector 40 (see FIG. 3).

[0045] Further, a pair of protrusions 55 are formed on the front end surface 51a of the main body 51. The pair of protrusions 55 are used for alignment when connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 70. Specifically, the pair of protrusions 55 have a shape that protrudes forward along the connection direction of the optical fibers, and the pair of protrusions 55 are inserted into a recess provided on the front end surface of the second optical connector 70 to perform alignment.

[0046] Next, the rear housing 60 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the front surface 62 side of the rear housing 60. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the rear surface 63 side of the rear housing 60. The rear housing 60 is a component that constitutes the first optical connector 40 together with the front housing 50, and is attached to the rear end surface 51b side of the main body portion 51.

[0047] As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the rear housing 60 has a plate portion 61 and multiple protrusions 64. The plate portion 61 has a flattened, generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a front surface 62 and a rear surface 63 opposing the front surface 62. Multiple protrusions 64 are formed on the front surface 62. The protrusions 64 are provided in order in a first direction (the direction of arrow X in Fig. 7) connecting both ends of the rear housing 60. Each of the multiple protrusions 64 is formed to a size that allows it to be stored in the corresponding storage section 54 of the main body portion 51. The number of protrusions 64 that the rear housing 60 has corresponds to the number of storage sections 54 that the main body portion 51 has.

[0048] The plate portion 61 and the multiple protrusions 64 of the rear housing 60 have multiple through holes 65 arranged in sequence in the first direction, through which the multiple first optical cables 30 can be inserted. The through holes 65 are formed to communicate from the tip surface 64a of the protrusions 64 to the rear surface 63 of the plate portion 61. The through holes 65 have a slit shape, and the rear housing 60 is disposed so that the slit shape opens toward the main surface of the board 10 (see FIG. 2). In other words, the slit shape opens at a bottom surface 66 of the rear housing 60. The number of through holes 65 formed in the rear housing 60 corresponds to the number of the first optical cables 30.

[0049] 9 is an enlarged view of a part of a cross section of the optical device 1 shown in FIG. 1 taken along line IX-IX. The internal structure of the first optical connector 40 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, the ferrule 31 is stored in the storage section 54 of the main body 51. A rear housing 60 is attached to the rear end face 51b side of the main body 51. A protrusion 64 of the rear housing 60 is inserted into the storage section 54 from an opening on the rear end face 51b side. A spring 32 is positioned between the ferrule 31 and the protrusion 64. The ferrule 31 is urged forward (in the direction of the arrow Z in FIG. 9) by the elastic force of the spring 32.

[0050] A first step 54a is formed on the inner wall of the storage section 54 of the main body 51. Meanwhile, a second step 31a that abuts against the first step 54a is formed on the outer wall of the ferrule 31 stored in the storage section 54. Even if the ferrule 31 moves forward due to the biasing force from the spring 32, the second step 31a abuts against the first step 54a, thereby restricting the forward movement of the ferrule 31 at a predetermined position.

[0051] The through hole 65 of the rear housing 60 has a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the ferrule 31 and the spring 32 and larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first optical cable 30. Therefore, even if the ferrule 31 moves excessively backward, the ferrule 31 cannot pass through the through hole 65 and stops at a predetermined position. In other words, the backward movement of the ferrule 31 is restricted by the rear housing 60. Note that the "cross-sectional area" here does not refer to the area in the cross section shown in FIG. 9, but to the cross section when cut perpendicular to the extending direction of the first optical cable 30.

[0052] Here, a method for manufacturing the optical device 1 by attaching the above-mentioned first optical connector 40 to a semi-finished optical product including a board 10 having a package 20 arranged on its main surface will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the manufacturing method of the optical device 1.

[0053] First, each ferrule 31 provided at each tip (second end) of the multiple first optical cables 30 extending from the package 20 is stored in the corresponding storage section 54 of the front housing 50 (step S1). Specifically, each ferrule 31 is inserted into the storage section 54 from an opening located on the rear end face 51b side of the main body 51, and stored so that the tip slightly protrudes from the opening of the through hole 65 located on the front end face 51a side.

[0054] Next, the front housing 50 is placed on the main surface of the board 10 (step S2). At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the front housing 50 is placed adjacent to the package 20 so that the entire front housing 50 is located inside the edge of the board 10. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of legs 56 of the front housing 50 are placed so that their respective tips are hung on the peripheral edge of the package 20. Thereafter, screws 56b are attached to screw holes 56a provided in the pair of legs 56, and the front housing 50 is fixed to the package 20. Note that the installation of the front housing 50 on the board 10 in step S2 may be performed before the storage of the ferrules in step S1.

[0055] Next, the through hole 65 of the rear housing 60 is placed over the intermediate cable located in the region defined by the package 20 and the pair of legs 56 (step S3). Specifically, the through hole 65 of the rear housing 60, which has a slit shape, is placed over the intermediate cable arranged on the main surface from above the main surface, and a part of the intermediate cable is stored inside the slit. In other words, the rear housing 60 is placed so that the part where the through hole 65 is not formed slides between the adjacent intermediate cables.

[0056] Finally, the rear housing 60 is moved relatively toward the front housing 50 to engage the rear housing 60 with the front housing 50 (step S4). Specifically, the rear housing 60 located on the intermediate cable is slid toward the rear end surface 51b of the front housing 50. At that time, both ends of the rear housing 60 come into contact with the locking portions 57 formed on the inner walls of the legs 56, preventing the rear housing 60 from moving. However, since the surface of the locking portions 57 that come into contact with the rear housing 60 is inclined with respect to the inner walls of the legs 56, by pushing the rear housing 60 toward the front housing 50, the locking portions 57 are pushed outward by both ends of the rear housing 60. Therefore, the rear housing 60 can be disposed between the rear end surface 51b of the front housing 50 and the locking portions 57 beyond the locking portions 57 (see FIG. 2). The disposed rear housing 60 is locked by the locking portions 57. At this time, the protrusion 64 of the rear housing 60 is inserted into the storage section 54 through its opening, and comes into contact with the spring 32 wound around the first optical cable 30. This completes the attachment of the first optical connector 40, and the manufacturing process of the optical device 1 is finished.

[0057] As described above, according to the optical device 1 of this embodiment, the first optical connector 40 is arranged so that the entirety is located inside the edge of the board 10. That is, compared to the case where the first optical connector 40 is arranged so that a part of it is located outside the edge of the board 10, the first optical connector 40 is located closer to the package 20. Therefore, in the vicinity of the package 20, it is possible to connect the multiple first optical cables 30 coupled to the optical device 22 to the second optical cable 75 drawn out to the outside via the first optical connector 40. As a result, even if a load is applied to the second optical cable 75 drawn out toward the outside of the optical device 1, the load is received by the first optical connector 40, and the load can be prevented from being transmitted to the multiple first optical cables 30 coupled to the optical device 22. Therefore, according to this optical device 1, it is possible to suppress the load from the outside to the multiple first optical cables 30 connected to the optical device 22, and reduce the connection loss due to the misalignment of the optical axis, etc. Furthermore, in the optical device 1, since the first optical connector 40 is provided near the package 20, when assembling a device such as a communication device equipped with the optical device 1, it becomes possible to easily perform the work of routing the optical cable or optical fiber within the device and connecting the optical cable or optical fiber to the optical device 1. In particular, even if the optical cable or optical fiber used for routing is long, it is connected to the first optical connector 40 on the package 20 side, which makes the work easier and makes it possible to increase the work efficiency.

[0058] The first optical connector 40 is disposed on the main surface 10a of the board 10 so that a portion of the first optical connector 40 overlaps the package 20. Therefore, the first optical connector 40 and the package 20 are disposed in close proximity to each other, making it possible to connect the optical fibers to each other at a position closer to the package 20. Furthermore, since the first optical connector 40 is fixed to the package 20 directly or via an intervening component, it is possible to prevent the first optical connector 40 from shifting in position when connecting the optical fibers.

[0059] In the optical device 1, the first optical connector 40 has a pair of legs 56 for defining, between the package 20 and the first optical connector 40, an area in which to arrange intermediate cable portions protruding from the package 20 in the multiple first optical cables 30 aligned along the main surface 10a of the board 10. Therefore, the first optical cables 30 and the first optical connector 40 can be easily attached by utilizing this area, and the manufacturing efficiency of the optical device 1 can be improved.

[0060] In the optical device 1, the ferrules 31 are stored in the multiple storage units 54, respectively. Therefore, the ferrules 31 are appropriately held inside the first optical connector 40 without significant positional deviation, and the multiple first optical cables 30 can be optically connected with high precision to the second optical cables 75 drawn out to the outside. In addition, damage to the ferrules 31 due to external impacts or contact between the ferrules 31 can be prevented.

[0061] In the optical device 1, the front housing 50 has a first step 54a that restricts the forward movement of each ferrule 31, and the rear housing 60 has a protrusion 64 that restricts the rearward movement of each ferrule 31. In this way, in the optical device 1, the movement of each ferrule 31 in the front-rear direction is restricted, so that the ferrules 31 can be prevented from shifting in position when connecting optical fibers. In addition, since the first optical connector 40 is configured separately from the front housing 50 that restricts the forward movement of the ferrule 31 and the rear housing 60 that restricts the rearward movement of the ferrule 31, the first optical cables 30 with ferrules can be easily attached to the first optical connector 40.

[0062] In the optical device 1, each of the multiple protrusions 64 of the rear housing 60 can be stored from the rear end in the corresponding storage section 54 of the front housing 50. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rear housing 60 from being misaligned with respect to the front housing 50, and to reduce the size of the first optical connector 40. In addition, the distance between the ferrule 31 stored inside each storage section 54 and each protrusion 64 of the rear housing 60 can be reduced, and the spring 32 disposed therebetween can be reduced in size.

[0063] In the optical device 1, the rear housing 60 has a plurality of through holes 65 through which the plurality of first optical cables 30 are inserted. Therefore, a part of the first optical cable 30 is stored inside the rear housing 60, and it is possible to prevent the first optical cable 30 from being damaged by an external impact. In addition, since the plurality of first optical cables 30 are respectively inserted into the plurality of through holes 65, it is possible to prevent the first optical cables 30 from contacting each other or being misaligned. Furthermore, each through hole 65 has a slit shape that opens toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. Therefore, even after the ferrule 31 is stored in the front housing 50, the rear housing 60 can be attached so as to cover the first optical cable 30 from above the main surface.

[0064] Furthermore, each of the multiple through holes 65 has a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the ferrule 31 and the spring 32 and larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the first optical cable 30. Therefore, the ferrule 31 cannot pass through the through hole 65 and its movement is restricted, so that the first optical cable 30 can be prevented from coming off the rear housing 60.

[0065] In the optical device 1, the ferrule 31 is biased forward by an elastic member (spring 32). Therefore, the ferrules come into close contact with each other when connecting optical fibers, enabling stable optical communication.

[0066] The optical device 1 includes a plurality of second optical cables 75 and a second optical connector 70 attached to the tip of the second optical cable 75. Therefore, by connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 70, the optical device 1 can transmit an optical signal sent from the package 20 to an external optical device via the first optical cable 30 and the second optical cable 75. In addition, the optical device 1 uses a plurality of second optical cables 75 whose tip portions are housed in the second optical connector 70 that can be connected to the first optical connector 40. Therefore, when assembling a device such as a communication device that includes the optical device 1, it becomes easier to route the second optical cable 75 within the device and to connect the second optical cable 75 to the optical device 1, and the work efficiency can be further improved.

[0067] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be applied to various embodiments.

[0068] For example, the shape and arrangement of the spring 32 that biases the ferrule 31 forward are not limited to those described above. For example, a spring 80 having a configuration shown in FIG. 11 can be used as an elastic member that biases the ferrule 31 forward. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a first optical cable 30 on which a spring 80 according to a modified example is installed. FIG. 11 shows an example of application to one first optical cable 30 as an example, but the spring 80 according to the modified example may be applied to all the first optical cables 30 used in the optical device 1. As shown in FIG. 11, the spring 80 has a pair of hook portions 81 and an elastic portion 82. Each hook portion 81 is a portion that can be placed over the first optical cable 30 from above, and has a slit portion 81a that opens toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. A part of the first optical cable 30 is accommodated from the opening of each slit portion 81a to the inside. The elastic portion 82 is a member that connects the hook portions 81 to each other and expands and contracts along the same direction as the extension direction of the first optical cable 30. The elastic portion 82 is a metal wire bent into a mountain shape on one side of the first optical cable 30, and provides a biasing force. The pair of hook portions 81 and the elastic portion 82 are integrally formed, for example, from the same material. In this way, when the spring 80 having the slit portion 81a and the elastic portion 82 formed only on one side is used as the elastic member, the spring 80 can be easily disposed from above the main surface 10a with respect to the first optical cable 30 located on the main surface 10a, even after the ferrule 31 is stored in the front housing 50. In other words, the spring 80 can be easily installed.

[0069] Furthermore, although the spring 80 according to the modified example is configured to independently correspond to one first optical cable 30, multiple springs 80 may be integrated as an elastic member that urges the ferrule 31 forward, forming a single continuous member spanning multiple first optical cables 30. By configuring the elastic member as a single member spanning multiple first optical cables 30, the number of times the springs 80 are attached during the manufacture of the optical device 1 can be reduced, improving the manufacturing efficiency of the optical device 1. Note that the urging means for the ferrule 31 is not limited to the springs 32, 80, and may be an elastic member having a slit formed in an elastic body such as rubber.

[0070] The front housing 50 and the rear housing 60 may be integrally formed from the same member. In this case, the storage section 54 of the front housing 50 may have a slit shape that opens toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. In this way, the first optical connector 40 can be arranged so that the entire first optical cable 30 arranged on the main surface is covered. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1...Optical device 10. Board 10a…main surface 20…Package 21...Integrated Circuit 22...Optical devices 30…First optical cable 30a…Intermediate cable section 31…Ferrule 31a…2nd step 32…Spring 40…First optical connector 50…Front housing 51...Main body 51a...front end surface 51b…Rear end surface 53...Side 53a…recess 54…Storage section 54a…First step 55…Protrusion 56…legs 56a…Screw hole 56b...Screw 56c…Inner wall 57…Latching part 60…Rear housing 61...Plate part 62...Front 63…Rear side 64...Protrusion 64a…Tip surface 65...Through hole 66…Bottom surface 70…Second optical connector 71…Latch 75…Second optical cable 80…Spring 81…Hook section 81a…Slit section 82...Elastic part

Claims

1. a front housing having an installation surface and including a plurality of storage sections arranged in sequence in a first direction for storing a plurality of ferrules provided at the respective ends of a plurality of optical cables; a rear housing that is attachable to the front housing, the rear housing having a plurality of through holes that extend along a second direction intersecting the first direction and through which the plurality of optical cables can be inserted, the through holes being arranged in sequence in the first direction, an optical connector, wherein each of the plurality of through holes has a slit shape that expands in a direction along the installation surface and opens toward a surface of the rear housing.

2. The front housing includes: a main body portion provided with a plurality of storage holes which are the plurality of storage portions; a pair of legs extending along the second direction from both ends of the main body in the first direction, 2. The optical connector according to claim 1.

3. A fixing surface is provided at each tip of the pair of legs, the fixing surface being located above the installation surface.

3. The optical connector according to claim 2.

4. The front housing further has a pair of protrusions used for alignment when connecting with a corresponding optical connector, The pair of legs extend on the opposite side to the pair of protrusions with respect to the main body.

4. The optical connector according to claim 2 or 3.

5. An engaging portion is provided on an inner wall of the pair of legs to engage the rear housing with the front housing. The optical connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. Each of the plurality of storage portions includes a step that restricts forward movement of the ferrule. The optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The rear housing includes: A plate portion including a front surface and a rear surface; a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the plurality of through holes and protruding from the front surface of the plate portion; Each of the plurality of protrusions is receivable from a rear end into each of the plurality of storage portions of the front housing. The optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. a plurality of elastic members are provided between the rear housing and each of the steps in the storage portions to bias the ferrules forward, Each of the elastic members has a slit through which the optical cable can be inserted. The optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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