Receptacle, plug, optical connector, and method of manufacturing opto-electrical circuit board

Abstract

To provide a compact optical connector for an electrical circuit board, configured to enable simultaneous connection of multiple multi-fiber ferrules.SOLUTION: An optical connector includes: a receptacle 100 mounted on an electrical circuit board; and a plug equipped with a plurality of optical fibers and multi-fiber ferrules. The receptacle 100 includes: a storage unit 110 which can store a pin keeper 150 holding guide pins and the multi-fiber ferrules with the guide pins inserted therein; locking holes 120 into which locking pieces of the plug can be inserted; a fixed unit 140 which can be fixed to the electrical circuit board; and a guide unit which guides a guide piece of the plug. A plurality of storage units 110 is arranged in parallel to a surface of the electrical circuit board. A pair of locking holes 120 is arranged on both outer sides of the storage units and each includes a locking dent 121 which can be engaged with the locking piece. The locking dents 121 are arranged to face outward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical connector including a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board and a plug connectable to the receptacle, and to a method for manufacturing an optical-electrical circuit board. [Background technology]

[0002] Optical fiber cables are widely used for home and industrial information communications because they are capable of transmitting large amounts of information at high speeds. In particular, in recent years, optical fiber cables have been considered not only for long-distance communications but also for the internal wiring of various computers, such as servers, communication repeaters such as routers, and terminals such as personal computers. For example, Patent Document 1 (JP 2023-22388 A) discloses an optical-electrical composite connector that can prevent laser light emitted from one optical fiber from being irradiated outside the other optical fiber when connecting or disconnecting to other optical connectors and other electrical connectors to be connected. The optical-electrical composite connector described in Patent Document 1 comprises an optical connector that connects an optical fiber to the optical fiber of another optical connector, an electrical connector that connects electrical wiring to the electrical wiring of another electrical connector, and a connection structure that allows the electrical connector to be connectable to the other electrical connector when the optical connector is connected to the other optical connector, and allows the optical connector to be disconnected from the other optical connector when the electrical connector is disconnected from the other electrical connector.

[0003] Patent Document 2 (JP 2016-180920 A) discloses a method for manufacturing an optical module that simply aligns a receptacle on a substrate with a photoelectric conversion element. The method for manufacturing an optical module described in Patent Document 2 is a method for manufacturing an optical module that includes an opto-electrical conversion element, a receptacle with a guide portion that aligns an optical connector ferrule that holds the end of an optical fiber, and a substrate that is electrically joined to the opto-electrical conversion element, wherein the receptacle has an element accommodating portion that fits the external shape of the opto-electrical conversion element, and the method includes the steps of accommodating the opto-electrical conversion element in the element accommodating portion, fixing the opto-electrical conversion element and the receptacle, and electrically joining the opto-electrical conversion element fixed to the receptacle to the substrate.

[0004] Patent Document 3 (JP 2014-6288 A) discloses an optical wiring component that suppresses contamination of the end face of an optical waveguide by adhesive and can be connected to other optical components with high optical coupling efficiency, as well as a highly reliable electronic device equipped with such an optical wiring component. In the electronic device described in Patent Document 3, the optical wiring component has a substrate, an optical waveguide provided on the upper surface of the substrate, and an optical connector provided at the end of the optical waveguide, and is configured to be connectable to, for example, an optical fiber (other optical component) with an optical connector, and the optical connector has a flat main portion and two legs provided to protrude from the underside of the main portion, and the optical connector is fixed to the upper surface of the substrate so that the two legs straddle the end of the optical waveguide, and a gap is formed between the optical waveguide and the main portion of the optical connector.

[0005] Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2009-536362) discloses an integrated circuit (IC) package for ultra-high speed optical interconnection applications. The IC package described in Patent Document 4 includes an OSA having a laser pre-aligned with an optical fiber, and the OSA further includes a standard electrical interface for connecting to a microchip and a standard optical interface for connecting to the optical fiber, and a series of mechanical concepts are presented for connecting optical connectors and cables to the integrated circuit package.

[0006] Patent Document 5 (JP 2014-164270 A) discloses a ferrule and an optical / electrical hybrid board that can easily connect a first light guide path even if the second light guide path is thin. The ferrule described in Patent Document 5 is attached to the tip of an optical fiber that transmits light, and is used in a connected state connected to an optical waveguide substrate that is an assembly of a substrate and an optical waveguide that is provided on the substrate and optically connected to the optical fiber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-22388 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-180920 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-6288 [Patent Document 4] Special Publication No. 2009-536362 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-164270 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In recent years, the development of systems capable of even higher speed communication and processing has progressed by replacing conventional electrical signals output from electrical circuit boards with optical signals, and there is a growing need for optical connectors that can interconnect optical communications that enable high-density, high-speed communication.In particular, data centers require reduced power consumption, low latency, and ultra-high-speed data transmission and reception, and with the development of co-packaged optics, there is a demand for technology that enables optical transmission to electrical circuit boards. In order to transmit optical signals to electrical circuit boards, fiber-to-board optical connection technology from optical fibers inside data centers to electrical circuit boards is essential. The optical connectors described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 above have a receptacle fixed to an electric circuit board and can be connected by a connector through which an optical fiber is inserted, but there is a limit to the amount of communication that can be connected with a single multi-fiber ferrule. In particular, when connecting electric boards inside a computer, rather than just connecting computers as in the past, optical communication with much higher speeds, larger capacities, and wider bandwidths than before is required. In this case, it is necessary to increase the number of optical communication channels (number of connected fibers), but since there is a limit to the number of fibers that can be connected with a single multi-fiber ferrule, it is necessary to optically connect multiple multi-fiber ferrules. However, because the internal space of a computer is small and various components and wiring are arranged around the electrical circuit board, it is difficult to mount multiple conventional optical connectors for long-distance communication on the electrical circuit board. In particular, to make an optical connection to an electrical circuit board, it is necessary to provide optical connection components of the same size as the electronic components on the electrical circuit board in order to match the wiring of the electrical circuit board. Furthermore, the optical connectors described in Patent Documents 1 to 5 use special ferrules, and therefore require a conversion connector to connect to conventional standardized optical connectors.

[0009] Furthermore, when mounting electronic components on an electric circuit board, solder reflow is generally performed, so the entire electric circuit board is placed in a high-temperature reflow oven. On the other hand, because optical connectors transmit optical communications by precisely abutting the ends of optical fibers, some components of the optical connector (usually the receptacle) can be exposed to high temperatures, which can reduce the positional accuracy and increase connection loss. It is also desirable that the optical connector components connected to the optical module on the board can be assembled after the optical module has been reflow soldered. Furthermore, because electric circuit boards are manufactured through various processes, the cables extending from the electric circuit board are usually designed to be as short as possible, and therefore the lengths of the optical fibers extending from the photoelectric conversion elements mounted on the electric circuit board are also designed to be as short as possible, which makes it difficult to mount the multi-fiber ferrules connected to the optical fibers into the receptacles on the electric circuit board.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector for an electric circuit board that is small and capable of simultaneously connecting a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules. Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector for use on an electric circuit board that is small, can simultaneously connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules, and has low connection loss. Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector that is small, can simultaneously connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules, has low connection loss, and is easy to mount on an electric circuit board. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] (1) A receptacle according to one aspect is a receptacle that is mounted on an electric circuit board and can be connected to a plug having an optical fiber inserted therethrough, and has: a pin keeper that holds a guide pin; a storage section that can store a multi-fiber ferrule with the guide pin inserted therethrough; a locking hole through which the locking piece of the plug can be inserted; a fixing section that can be fixed to the electric circuit board; and a guide section that guides the guide piece of the plug; the storage sections are arranged in a plurality of parallel positions to the surface of the electric circuit board; the locking holes are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the plurality of storage sections and have locking recesses that can engage with the locking pieces, the locking recesses being arranged so as to face outward from each other; the fixing section is arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the pair of locking holes; the guide section is arranged inward of the pair of locking holes; and the plurality of storage sections, the pair of locking pieces, and the pair of fixing sections are arranged in a row so as to be parallel to one side of the electric circuit board.

[0012] The receptacle of the present invention has a plurality of storage sections arranged parallel to the electric circuit board, a pair of locking holes arranged on both sides of the storage sections, and fixing sections arranged on both sides of the locking holes, all arranged in a row, making it possible to connect a plurality of optoelectric elements provided on the electric circuit board to the multi-fiber ferrules housed in the plurality of storage sections of the receptacle with optical fibers.In other words, a single optical connector (a combination of a receptacle and a plug) can optically connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules simultaneously, enabling high-density, high-speed communication connections. Furthermore, multiple optical fibers can be wired without crossing each other, and the storage sections can be arranged at substantially the same intervals as the multiple photoelectric elements provided on the electrical circuit board, making it possible to create a small optical connector that is easy to mount on an electrical circuit board. Furthermore, the receptacle of the present invention is equipped with a multi-fiber ferrule, guide pins, and pinkeepers, and does not include any moving parts such as springs, making it less susceptible to the effects of thermal expansion. Therefore, even when the receptacle is mounted on an electric circuit board and placed in a reflow oven for soldering, the connection loss is less likely to decrease.

[0013] Furthermore, the optical connection between multi-fiber ferrules generally uses a physical contact (PC) connection, in which the end faces of the protruding optical fibers are butted together firmly. Therefore, when a pair of locking pieces is used to apply a pressing force to multiple multi-fiber ferrules, a large load is applied to the pair of locking pieces. In the receptacle of the present invention, the guide portion and the multiple storage portions are positioned inside the pair of locking holes, and the pair of fixing portions are positioned outside the pair of locking holes. Therefore, the pair of locking holes do not interfere with the guide portion, storage portions, and fixing portions, so it is possible to provide a large opening and locking recess in the receptacle body. This allows a large-sized locking piece that can withstand a large pressing force to be locked even in a small receptacle.

[0014] Furthermore, since the guide holes of the multi-fiber ferrules are smaller than the size of a human finger, it is extremely difficult to simultaneously connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules to a plurality of guide pins. The receptacle of the present invention has a guide portion that guides the guide piece of the plug, which allows the guide pin to be smoothly positioned with the guide hole of the multi-fiber ferrule by the guide portion, facilitating connection between the plug and the receptacle. Furthermore, the problem of the guide pin colliding with the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule during connection is unlikely to occur, resulting in an optical connector in which connection loss is unlikely to decrease even when the plug is repeatedly connected and disconnected.

[0015] (2) The receptacle of the second invention is a receptacle according to one aspect of the invention, in which the guide portions are formed asymmetrically on the upper and lower sides of the receptacle body, and the guide portions on the upper or lower side may be formed to correspond to the respective storage portions.

[0016] The guide portions on the upper surface and the lower surface do not have the same shape, so when inserting the plug into the receptacle, it is not possible to insert it upside down. Furthermore, since a guide section is formed in each housing section, the positioning of each guide pin can be accurately determined for each multi-fiber ferrule, allowing for smoother and more accurate connection of multi-fiber ferrules.

[0017] (3) A receptacle according to a third invention is a receptacle according to one aspect or the second invention, in which the multiple storage sections are connected inside the receptacle body and are separated by a front support pillar arranged on the connection end face side of the multi-fiber ferrule and a rear support pillar arranged on the pinkeeper side, and the front support pillar may be arranged to fix the flange portion of the multi-fiber ferrule.

[0018] The multiple storage compartments are connected inside the receptacle body and are separated by the front and rear support columns, minimizing the structure separating the storage compartments. Furthermore, since one front support column secures two multi-fiber ferrules, the horizontal dimension of the front support column determines the spacing (pitch) between the multi-fiber ferrules. This allows for an optical connector with minimal spacing between the multi-fiber ferrules.

[0019] (4) A receptacle according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a receptacle according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, wherein the lateral dimension of the front support pillar is smaller than the lateral dimension of the rear support pillar and may be 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less larger than the lateral dimension of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule.

[0020] As a result, the dimensions of the storage section are designed to be slightly larger than the dimensions of the multi-fiber ferrule, allowing the multi-fiber ferrule to move slightly before connecting the optical connector (floating structure). As a result, when connecting the optical connector, the multi-fiber ferrule is positioned only by the guide holes and guide pins, minimizing the external force received from the storage section and therefore minimizing loss in the optical connection.

[0021] (5) The receptacle of the fifth invention is a receptacle according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the receptacle body comprises an upper body and a lower body, and is configured so that the multi-core ferrule and pinkeeper are replaceable, and the pinkeeper may have a clamping portion that holds the guide pin arranged on the lower body side.

[0022] As a result, the receptacle mounted on the electrical circuit board consists of an upper body and a lower body, so after the electrical circuit board on which this receptacle is mounted is subjected to a reflow process, the upper body of the receptacle can be opened and an optical fiber and a multi-core ferrule can be attached. Therefore, since the multi-fiber ferrules can be assembled after the reflow process, multi-fiber ferrules or adhesives with poor heat resistance can be used.

[0023] Furthermore, with this receptacle, when the upper body is opened, only the lower body remains on the electric circuit board, and because the multiple storage sections, locking pieces, and fixing sections are arranged in a row parallel to one side of the electric circuit board, the multi-fiber ferrule can be attached or replaced simply by lifting it slightly from the lower body. Therefore, even if the length of the optical fiber extending from the photoelectric conversion element is designed to be minimal, the multi-fiber ferrule can be attached or replaced smoothly. Furthermore, if one of the multiple multi-fiber ferrules has a defect such as a poor connection, only the defective multi-fiber ferrule can be replaced, eliminating the need to replace the entire optical connector.Furthermore, after the reflow process, the multi-fiber ferrule can be assembled to the optical fiber and then attached to the receptacle.

[0024] (6) A receptacle according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the receptacle according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, and the receptacle body may be made of metal.

[0025] This allows the selection of a metal material with superior heat resistance compared to resin, resulting in a receptacle that is less likely to experience a decrease in connection loss even when exposed to harsh environments such as being placed in a reflow oven. Suitable metal materials include iron, zinc, and stainless steel (SUS).

[0026] (7) A plug according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a plug connectable to a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board, and has a storage section capable of storing a multi-fiber ferrule with an optical fiber inserted therethrough, a locking piece insertable into a locking hole of the receptacle, and a guide piece extending in the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule and engageable with a guide section of the receptacle, and a plurality of storage sections are arranged parallel to the surface of the electric circuit board, and each storage section has a spacer slidable in the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule, a spring that applies a pressing force to the spacer, and a spring that extends in the opposite direction to the connecting direction. and a stopper fixed to the rear part on the opposite side to hold the spring, and the inner wall of the storage section is formed with a step section that restricts sliding of the spacer in the connection direction and a stopper engagement section that engages with the stopper, and a pair of locking pieces are arranged on both outsides of the multiple storage sections and have locking protrusions that can engage with the locking sections and a release operation section that can release the locking of the locking pieces and the locking sections, the locking protrusions are arranged to face outward from each other, the guide pieces are arranged inside the pair of locking holes, and the multiple storage sections and the pair of locking pieces are arranged in a row.

[0027] The plug according to the seventh invention corresponds to the plug of the first embodiment. The plug according to the seventh invention has a plurality of storage sections, a pair of locking holes arranged on both outer sides of the storage sections, and fixing sections arranged on both outer sides of the locking holes, which are arranged in a row, and therefore can be optically connected to a receptacle optically connected to a plurality of optoelectric elements provided on an electric circuit board. In other words, a single optical connector (a combination of a receptacle and a plug) can optically connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules simultaneously, making it possible to connect high-density, high-speed communications. In addition, parts such as the locking pieces, springs, and spacers are placed on the plug side, which does not undergo reflow processing, and the configuration of the receptacle side, which does undergo reflow processing, can be simplified, thereby minimizing the connection loss of the entire optical connector.

[0028] In the plug according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the guide portion and the plurality of storage portions are disposed inward of the pair of locking pieces, so that the pair of locking pieces do not interfere with the guide portion and the storage portions, allowing for large locking pieces to be provided in the plug body. This allows even a small plug to be provided with a locking piece that can withstand a large pressing force. Furthermore, the plug according to the seventh invention has guide pieces that are guided by the guide parts of the receptacle, which allows for smooth positioning of the guide pins with the guide holes of the multi-fiber ferrule, facilitating connection between the plug and the receptacle. Furthermore, the problem of the guide pins colliding with the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule during connection is unlikely to occur, making it possible to provide an optical connector in which connection loss is unlikely to decrease even when the plug is repeatedly connected and disconnected.

[0029] In the plug according to the seventh invention, each housing is provided with a spacer, spring, and stopper, so that each multi-fiber ferrule is provided with an independent spacer, spring, and stopper. This means that even if a problem occurs with one component, it will not affect the optical connections of the other multi-fiber ferrules, making it easy to maintain. In particular, if the stopper is installed at a slight angle or if the pressing force of some springs differs from the specified value, the defect will affect the overall connection loss, and the greater the number of storage sections, the greater this effect on the entire optical connector.In the plug according to the seventh invention, the parts related to the pressing force of the multi-fiber ferrule are arranged independently for each multi-fiber ferrule, so the parts of other storage sections do not affect the connection of the multi-fiber ferrule.

[0030] Furthermore, the inner wall of the storage section has a step that restricts the sliding of the spacer in the connection direction, so the multi-fiber ferrule inside the storage section is not pressed against the support, and a small space can be created between the support, the multi-fiber ferrule, and the spacer. This allows the multi-core ferrule to move slightly (floating structure) before the optical connector is connected, so when the optical connector is connected, the multi-core ferrule is positioned only by the guide hole and guide pin, minimizing the external force received from the spring and minimizing loss in the optical connection.

[0031] In addition, the inner wall of the storage section is formed with a step section that restricts the sliding of the spacer in the connection direction, and a stopper engagement section that engages with the stopper, so that the spring can be compressed to a predetermined distance or less to generate a pressing force, and when the engagement with the stopper is released, the parts inside the storage section can be removed for maintenance, etc. Furthermore, since the release operation portion is provided, the engagement can be released without using a special tool.

[0032] (8) A plug according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the plug according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, wherein the stopper has a fiber insertion hole through which an optical fiber can be inserted, a spring holding hole that houses the rear end of the spring, and a pair of fixing pieces that extend in a direction opposite to the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule, and the fixing pieces have fixing protrusions that can engage with stopper engaging portions provided on the plug body, and the pair of fixing pieces may be provided in the vertical direction with respect to the surface of the electric circuit board.

[0033] Because the pair of fixing pieces provided on the stopper each have fixing protrusions provided in the up and down outward directions, there is no need to provide stopper engagement portions in the direction of adjacent ferrules (left and right directions), and the pitch at which the multi-fiber ferrules are arranged can be made small and dense, resulting in a compact plug. Furthermore, because the multi-fiber ferrules on the plug side can be arranged at a small pitch, the pitch of the multi-fiber ferrules on the receptacle side can also be made small. This ensures design freedom in accordance with the photoelectric conversion elements on the electric circuit board.

[0034] (9) A plug according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a plug connectable to a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board, and includes a storage section capable of storing a multi-fiber ferrule having an optical fiber inserted therethrough, a locking piece insertable into a locking hole in the receptacle, and a guide piece extending in the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule and engageable with a guide section of the receptacle, wherein a plurality of storage sections are arranged parallel to the surface of the electric circuit board, and each storage section is provided with a spacer slidable in the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule and a spring that applies a pressing force to the spacer, and the storage sections are connected inside the plug body, The storage section is provided with a stopper that is fixed to the rear side opposite the connection direction and holds multiple springs, and the inner wall of the storage section is formed with a step portion that restricts the sliding of the spacer in the connection direction and a stopper engagement portion that fixes the stopper, and a pair of locking pieces are arranged on both outsides of the multiple storage sections and have locking protrusions that can lock with the locking portions and a release operation portion that can release the lock between the locking pieces and the locking portions, the locking protrusions are arranged to face outward from each other, the guide pieces are arranged inside the pair of locking holes, and the multiple storage sections and the pair of locking pieces are arranged in a row.

[0035] A plug according to a ninth aspect of the present invention corresponds to the plug of the second embodiment. The plug according to the ninth aspect of the present invention has a plurality of storage sections, a pair of locking holes arranged on both outer sides of the storage sections, and fixing sections arranged on both outer sides of the locking holes, which are arranged in a row, and therefore can be optically connected to a receptacle optically connected to a plurality of optoelectric elements provided on an electric circuit board. In other words, a single optical connector (a combination of a receptacle and a plug) can optically connect a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules simultaneously, making it possible to connect high-density, high-speed communications. In addition, parts such as the locking pieces, springs, and spacers are placed on the plug side, which does not undergo reflow processing, and the configuration of the receptacle side, which does undergo reflow processing, can be simplified, thereby minimizing the connection loss of the entire optical connector.

[0036] In the plug according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the guide portion and the plurality of storage portions are disposed inward of the pair of locking pieces, so that the pair of locking pieces do not interfere with the guide portion and the storage portions, allowing for large locking pieces to be provided in the plug body. This allows even a small plug to be provided with a locking piece that can withstand a large pressing force. Furthermore, the plug according to the ninth invention has guide pieces that are guided by the guide parts of the receptacle, which allows for smooth positioning of the guide pins and the guide holes of the multi-fiber ferrule, facilitating connection between the plug and the receptacle. Furthermore, the problem of the guide pins colliding with the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule during connection is unlikely to occur, making it possible to provide an optical connector in which connection loss is unlikely to decrease even when the plug is repeatedly connected and disconnected.

[0037] In a plug according to a ninth aspect of the present invention, each housing portion is provided with a spacer and a spring, and only one stopper is provided spanning multiple housing portions. This reduces the number of parts provided in the housing portions, thereby simplifying the structure, facilitating plug assembly, and reducing costs.

[0038] Furthermore, the inner wall of the storage section has a step that restricts the sliding of the spacer in the connection direction, so the multi-fiber ferrule inside the storage section is not pressed against the support, and a small space can be created between the support, the multi-fiber ferrule, and the spacer. This allows the multi-core ferrule to move slightly (floating structure) before the optical connector is connected, so when the optical connector is connected, the multi-core ferrule is positioned only by the guide hole and guide pin, minimizing the external force received from the spring and minimizing loss in the optical connection.

[0039] In addition, the inner wall of the storage section is formed with a step section that restricts the sliding of the spacer in the connection direction, and a stopper engagement section that engages with the stopper, so that the spring can be compressed to a predetermined distance or less to generate a pressing force, and when the engagement with the stopper is released, the parts inside the storage section can be removed for maintenance, etc.

[0040] (10) A plug according to a tenth invention is a plug according to the ninth invention, wherein the stopper has a plurality of fiber guide grooves through which optical fibers can be inserted, a plurality of spring holding holes for accommodating rear ends of springs, and a pair of fixing pieces for engaging with the stopper engaging portion, and the pair of fixing pieces may be arranged on both outsides of the plurality of fiber insertion holes and the plurality of spring holding holes.

[0041] The pair of fixing pieces provided on the stopper are disposed on both the outside of the fiber insertion hole and the spring holding hole, so that the thickness of the plug in the vertical direction can be reduced.

[0042] (11) A plug according to an eleventh invention is the plug according to any one of the seventh to tenth inventions, wherein the spacer may have a pair of bosses insertable into guide pin insertion holes of the multi-fiber ferrule, an upper opening capable of guiding an optical fiber inserted into the multi-fiber ferrule, a spring holding hole that houses a front end of the spring, and a spacer step portion that restricts sliding in the connection direction.

[0043] The spacer is provided with a spacer step portion that restricts sliding in the connection direction, so the multi-fiber ferrule in the storage section is not pressed against the support, and a small space can be created between the support, the multi-fiber ferrule, and the spacer. This allows the multi-core ferrule to move slightly (floating structure) before the optical connector is connected, so when the optical connector is connected, the multi-core ferrule is positioned only by the guide hole and guide pin, minimizing the external force received from the spring and minimizing loss in the optical connection. Furthermore, since the spacer is provided with a boss, it is possible to hold the multi-fiber ferrule and prevent the arrangement of the spacer and the multi-fiber ferrule from becoming significantly misaligned.

[0044] (12) A plug according to a twelfth invention is a plug according to any one of the seventh to eleventh inventions, wherein the guide pieces are formed asymmetrically on the upper and lower surfaces of the plug body, and the guide pieces on the upper or lower surface may be formed to correspond to the respective plug storage sections.

[0045] The guide pieces on the upper surface and the guide pieces on the lower surface do not have the same shape, so when inserting the plug into the receptacle, it is not inserted upside down. Furthermore, because each housing section is provided with a guide piece, the positioning of each guide pin can be accurately determined for each multi-fiber ferrule, allowing for smoother and more accurate connection of multi-fiber ferrules.

[0046] (13) A plug according to a thirteenth invention is a plug according to any one of the seventh to twelfth inventions, wherein the plurality of plug housing sections are connected to each other inside the plug body, and each plug housing section is separated by a support pillar arranged on the connection end face side of the multi-fiber ferrule, and the support pillar may be arranged to fix a flange portion of the multi-fiber ferrule.

[0047] The multiple storage compartments are connected inside the plug body and separated by supports, minimizing the structure separating the storage compartments. Furthermore, since one support secures two multi-fiber ferrules, the horizontal dimension of the support determines the spacing (pitch) between the multi-fiber ferrules. This allows for an optical connector with minimal spacing between the multi-fiber ferrules.

[0048] (14) A plug according to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the plug according to any one of the seventh to thirteenth aspects of the present invention, wherein the support pillar may be larger than the lateral dimension of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule by 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

[0049] As a result, the dimensions of the storage section are designed to be slightly larger than the dimensions of the multi-fiber ferrule, allowing the multi-fiber ferrule to move slightly before connecting the optical connector (floating structure). As a result, when connecting the optical connector, the multi-fiber ferrule is positioned only by the guide holes and guide pins, minimizing the external force received from the storage section and therefore minimizing loss in the optical connection.

[0050] (15) A plug according to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the plug according to any one of the seventh to fourteenth aspects of the present invention, wherein the plug body may be made of resin.

[0051] Unlike the receptacle, the plug is not subjected to solder reflow, so by using a resin, the plug can be made to be easy to mold and inexpensive.

[0052] (16) The optical connector of the sixteenth invention includes a receptacle of any one of the first to sixth inventions mounted on an electric circuit board, and a plug of any one of the seventh to fifteenth inventions incorporating a plurality of optical fibers and a multi-core ferrule.

[0053] This allows optical connection between a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board and having a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules and a plug also having a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules.

[0054] (17) A method for manufacturing an optoelectronic circuit board according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention includes a mounting step of mounting a receptacle according to any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention on an electric circuit board, and a reflow step of subjecting the electric circuit board obtained in the mounting step to solder reflow.

[0055] This allows optical connection between a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board and having a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules and a plug also having a plurality of multi-fiber ferrules. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0056] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a receptacle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure of a receptacle according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a pin keeper and a guide pin according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a plug according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged view for explaining the structure of the plug in the first embodiment near a spacer. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining a spacer of the plug of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining a stopper of the plug of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a plug according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view for explaining a stopper of a plug according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] 3A and 3B are schematic explanatory views for explaining the engagement relationship between the receptacle of the embodiment and the plug of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an electric circuit board on which a receptacle according to an embodiment is mounted; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0057] Conventionally, in technical fields such as optical transceivers, development has been carried out with the idea of ​​extracting one or two optical fibers (e.g., In and Out) from an electric circuit board 20 in mind. On the other hand, in the field of optical fiber communications, as the speed of light increases and density increases, wiring using optical fiber ribbons that bundle multiple optical fibers has become more common, and multi-fiber ferrules that can optically connect multiple optical fibers simultaneously have been standardized and are used in many places. In recent years, technological developments in photonics-electronics convergence have been progressing, and systems are being developed that enable even faster communication and processing by converting signals output from the electrical circuit board 20 into optical signals. Among the technological developments in photonics-electronics convergence, when replacing wiring within a data center with optical wiring, extremely low power consumption, low latency, and ultra-high speed data transmission and reception are required compared to conventional methods. In such cases, a single signal bundle wired from the electrical circuit board 20 is not sufficient using conventional optical fiber tapes (with 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, etc., core counts of the optical fibers 181). Therefore, the optical connector 10 of the present invention comprises a receptacle 100 that can be mounted on an electric circuit board 20 and a plug 200 that can be optically connected to the receptacle 100, and can optically connect a plurality of optical fibers or fiber tapes 180, 280 simultaneously. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are as follows, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, at least a part of the configuration of each embodiment can be appropriately combined with a part of another embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0058] (Receptacle 100) FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view of a receptacle 100 of the embodiment, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view of the receptacle 100 of the embodiment. Receptacle 100 of the embodiment is fixed onto electric circuit board 20 so as to be parallel to electric circuit board 20. A plurality of multi-fiber ferrules 170 are arranged in a row at the connection port of receptacle 100 so as to be parallel to one side of electric circuit board 20 (see FIG. 10). Fiber ribbon 180, in which a plurality of optical fibers 181 are bundled, is connected to multi-fiber ferrule 170. As shown in FIG. 10, the electric circuit board 20 of this embodiment is provided with a plurality of IC chips 30, 30', 30'', and 30'''', and each IC chip 30 is provided with a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements (not shown). Optical waveguides or optical fibers 181 extend from the photoelectric conversion elements, and a fiber ribbon 180 bundling the plurality of optical fibers 181 is inserted into each of the multi-core ferrules 170, 170', 170'', and 170'''. The connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 170 is optically polished with all optical fibers 181 exposed at the connection end face, and all optical fibers 181 are optically connected by connecting receptacle 100 and plug 200. Note that, although this embodiment shows an example in which optical fibers 181 are physically contacted (PC connection), optical connection using a refractive index matching material or optical connection using a collimating lens may also be used.

[0059] In this embodiment, an example of a receptacle 100 provided with four multi-fiber ferrules 170 is shown, but the number of multi-fiber ferrules 170 is not particularly limited as long as it is two or more. The greater the number of multi-fiber ferrules 170, the greater the number of optical fibers 181 that can be connected simultaneously. On the other hand, when connecting multi-fiber ferrules 170, 270 by physical contact, the greater the number of optical fibers 181 optically connected becomes, so the pressing force required on the connection end face increases, so from the perspective of keeping the size of the optical connector 10 itself small, it is preferable that the number of multi-fiber ferrules 170 be eight or less, and more preferably six or less.

[0060] The multi-fiber ferrules 170, 270 used in this embodiment are injection-molded products of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and have a plurality of optical fiber insertion holes for inserting the optical fibers 181, 281 on the connection end face side, a boot insertion hole on the rear end face side opposite the connection end face, and a pair of guide pin insertion holes that penetrate from the connection end face to the rear end face. Also, the multi-fiber ferrules 170, 270 of this embodiment are provided with flanges that protrude from both the left and right side faces of the ferrule body (only). In this embodiment, the multi-fiber ferrules 170, 270 used have a connection end face of 5 mm × 1.25 mm, a total length from the connection end face to the rear end face of 4 mm, and a flange portion that protrudes 0.2 mm from the ferrule body, but this is not limiting, and a standardized, general-purpose MT ferrule (a connection end face of 6.4 mm × 2.5 mm, a total length of 8 mm, and a flange portion that protrudes 0.3 mm up, down, left, and right) may be used as appropriate. Furthermore, the number of optical fibers 181, 281 inserted into one multi-core ferrule 170, 270 is not particularly limited, but it is possible to appropriately adopt 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 64, etc. multi-core ferrules 170, 270. In this embodiment, the multi-core ferrules 170, 270 are exemplified, each having 24 cores in total, configured in two rows of 12 cores each. The type of the optical fibers 181 and 281 inserted may be a single mode optical fiber or a multimode optical fiber, and polarization maintaining fiber or multi-core fiber may be used in part or in whole.

[0061] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of receptacle 100 according to an embodiment. In Fig. 2, storage section 110 on the far left shows the state before multi-fiber ferrule 170 and pinkeeper 150 are stored, and storage section 110 second from the left shows the state immediately before multi-fiber ferrule 170 and pinkeeper 150 are attached. As shown in FIG. 2, the main body (housing) of receptacle 100 of this embodiment is made up of upper main body 100a and lower main body 100b. The lower body 100b is provided with a plurality of storage sections 110, and each storage section 110 stores a pinkeeper 150 and a multi-core ferrule 170 through which a plurality of optical fibers 181 are inserted.

[0062] 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the pinkeeper 150 and guide pin of the embodiment. In the pinkeeper 150 of the embodiment, the clamping portion 151 is open toward the lower main body 100b, so that the pinkeeper 150 can be inserted and removed while the guide pin 160 is inserted into the multi-core ferrule 170. In addition, the guide pin 160 of the embodiment is provided with a clamped portion 161 designed to have a small radius. Therefore, even in a small space where there is no space to insert the guide pin 160, the pin keeper 150 can be easily attached.

[0063] In receptacle 100 of this embodiment, lower body 100b is fixed to electric circuit board 20, and upper body 100a is configured to be detachable from lower body 100b. Therefore, if a problem occurs in the communication of some of optical fibers 181, maintenance can be performed by opening upper body 100a and replacing only the defective multi-core ferrule 170. Furthermore, when a multi-core ferrule or refractive index matching material that does not have sufficient heat resistance is used in the receptacle 100, the electrical circuit board 20 to which the lower body 100b is fixed can be subjected to solder reflow, and the multi-core ferrule 170, etc. can be incorporated after the solder reflow. In this case, the height of the lower main body 100b is designed to be low, and the multi-fiber ferrule 170 can be attached to the storage section 110 simply by fitting it from above. Also, since the clamping section 151 of the pin keeper 150 is open toward the lower main body 100b, the pin keeper 150 can be inserted and removed while the guide pin 160 is still inserted into the multi-fiber ferrule 170. This makes it possible to easily install or replace the multi-fiber ferrule 170 even when the length of the fiber tape 180 extending from the electric circuit board 20 is short or when the space around the electric circuit board 20 is narrow.

[0064] In receptacle 100 of this embodiment, a plurality of storage sections 110 communicate with each other internally, and storage sections 110 are separated by front support posts 111 and rear support posts 112 . The front support 111 is disposed so as to separate the main body of the multi-fiber ferrule 170, and its width is preferably 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 0.8 mm to 2.0 mm. The width determines the pitch of the connection end faces, which allows for high-density optical communication. The rear support column 112 is arranged to guide the fiber tape 180 and is designed to be wider in width than the front support column 111 . In the receptacle 100 of this embodiment, the storage section 110 is partitioned by the front support 111 and the rear support 112, and it is preferable that the size of the partitioned storage section 110 is designed to be slightly larger than the size of the multi-core ferrule 170 and the pinkeeper 150 combined. The distance (width) between the front supports 111 is preferably designed to be 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm larger, and more preferably 0.07 mm to 0.25 mm larger, than the width of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule 170. The distance (depth) between the front support 111 and the rear support 112 is preferably designed to be 0.05 mm to 0.9 mm larger, and more preferably 0.07 mm to 0.45 mm larger, than the sum of the depth of the guide pin 160 and the length of the flange portion of the multi-fiber ferrule 170. This allows for a floating structure in which multi-fiber ferrule 170 can move slightly, so that when connecting multi-fiber ferrule 270 of plug 200 and multi-fiber ferrule 170 of receptacle 100, external force is less likely to be applied and precise positioning can be achieved by guide pin 160. Therefore, an optical connector 10 with low connection loss can be obtained.

[0065] Receptacle 100 of this embodiment is provided with a pair of locking holes 120 on both the left and right outer sides of multiple storage sections 110. Locking recesses 121 are provided inside locking holes 120 so as to extend further outward. This allows the overall height of receptacle 100 to be kept low and allows locking pieces 220 of plug 200 to be locked to receptacle 100. Furthermore, because locking recesses 121 are provided on the left and right outer sides, the user can easily release the engagement between locking pieces 220 and locking holes 120 by pinching locking pieces 220.

[0066] In this embodiment, upper body 100a and lower body 100b are provided with guide portions 130a and 130b, respectively. This allows plug 200 and receptacle 100 to be accurately aligned, allowing guide pins 160 on the receptacle side to be smoothly inserted into guide holes in multi-fiber ferrule 270 on the plug side, preventing the guide pins 160 from colliding with the connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 270. Furthermore, since the guide portion 130 is provided inside the pair of locking holes 120, it is possible to increase the opening dimensions of the locking holes 120. Therefore, it is possible to increase the pressing force of the multi-core ferrules 170, 270 and increase the number of connected optical fibers 181, 281. In this embodiment, the guide portion 130b on the lower main body 100b side is provided for each storage portion 110, thereby enabling accurate alignment of each multi-fiber ferrule 170, 270. Furthermore, the guide portion 130a and the guide portion 130b are arranged to sandwich the storage portion 110, thereby enabling protection of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule 170. Furthermore, since guide portion 130a and guide portion 130b have different shapes, it is possible to prevent the user from inserting plug 200 in the wrong direction.

[0067] Receptacle 100 of this embodiment is provided with a pair of fixing portions 140 on both the left and right outer sides of locking hole 120. This allows receptacle 100 to be securely fixed to electric circuit board 20. While this embodiment shows an example in which the fixing is performed using bolts or the like, any method of fixing, such as adhesive, may be used. Furthermore, fixing portion 140b of lower body 100b may be designed to be fixed to electric circuit board 20, and fixing portion 140a of upper body 100a may be designed to be fixed to lower body 100b. Furthermore, receptacle 100 of this embodiment is made of a metal such as SUS, which allows receptacle 100 to have excellent heat resistance and workability such as grinding.

[0068] (Plug 200 of the first embodiment) FIG. 4(a) is a perspective view of the plug 200 of the first embodiment, and FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view of the plug 200 of the first embodiment. Plug 200 of this embodiment is intended to be connected to receptacle 100. Plug body 200a, which serves as the housing of plug 200, is provided with a row of multiple storage sections 210, with pairs of locking pieces 220 provided on both the left and right outer sides of each of the multiple storage sections 210, and multiple guide pieces 230 provided on both the top and bottom outer sides of each of the multiple storage sections 210. Furthermore, multi-fiber ferrule 270 of plug 200 and multi-fiber ferrule 170 of receptacle 100 are designed so that the connecting end faces precisely match. The plug 200 has multiple fiber tapes 280 inserted therethrough, and the fiber tapes 280 may be wired, for example, within a data center and connected to other electrical circuit boards 20', or may be used for long-distance communications via a relay device or the like.

[0069] The locking pieces 220 of this embodiment extend as a pair from near the center of the front and rear of the plug body 200a on both the left and right outer sides of the plurality of storage sections 210. Locking protrusions 221 are provided on both outer sides at the tips of paired locking pieces 220, and release operation portions 222 are provided on both outer sides in the center of paired locking pieces 220. As a result, locking pieces 220 of plug 200 are inserted into locking holes 120 of receptacle 100, and a latch structure in which locking protrusions 221 fit into locking recesses 121 enables plug 200 and receptacle 100 to be locked together. In addition, the user can release the lock between plug 200 and receptacle 100 by pinching release operation portions 222 of locking pieces 220 with their fingers.

[0070] In the plug 200 of this embodiment, a plurality of guide pieces 230a are provided on the upper sides of the plurality of storage sections 210, and a plurality of guide pieces 230b are provided on the lower sides of the plurality of storage sections 210. Guide pieces 230a and 230b of plug 200 are guided by guide portions 130a and 130b, respectively, of receptacle 100. This allows plug 200 and receptacle 100 to be accurately aligned, allowing guide pins 160 on the receptacle side to be smoothly inserted into guide holes in multi-fiber ferrule 270 on the plug side, preventing the problem of guide pins 160 colliding with the connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 270. In this embodiment, guide piece 230b is provided for each storage section 210, which enables accurate alignment of each multi-fiber ferrule 170, 270. Furthermore, guide piece 230a and guide piece 230b are arranged to sandwich storage section 210, which enables protection of the connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 270. Furthermore, since guide piece 230a and guide piece 230b have different shapes, it is possible to prevent the user from inserting plug 200 in the wrong direction.

[0071] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the plug 200 according to the embodiment. In Fig. 5, the frontmost storage section 210 is shown without the multi-fiber ferrule 270, fiber tape 280, spacer 240, spring 250, and stopper 260, and the second storage section 210 is shown in a state before the multi-fiber ferrule 270 and fiber tape 280 are attached. As shown in FIG. 5, in the plug 200 of this embodiment, a plurality of storage sections 210 communicate with each other inside, and the storage sections 210 are separated by support posts 211. The support pillars 211 are arranged to separate the main body of the multi-fiber ferrule 270, and their width is preferably 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm. The width determines the pitch of the connection end faces, which allows for high-density optical communication. In plug 200 of this embodiment, the distance (width) between posts 211 is preferably designed to be 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less larger than the width of the connecting end face of multi-core ferrule 270, and more preferably 0.07 mm or more and 0.25 mm or less larger. This allows for a floating structure in which multi-fiber ferrule 270 can move slightly, so that when connecting multi-fiber ferrule 270 of plug 200 and multi-fiber ferrule 170 of receptacle 100, external force is less likely to be applied and precise positioning can be achieved by guide pin 160. This allows for an optical connector 10 with low connection loss.

[0072] The storage section 210 of this embodiment stores a spacer 240 that presses the multi-core ferrule 270 in the connection direction, a spring 250 that applies a pressing force to the spacer 240, and a stopper 260 that holds the rear end face of the spring 250. Step portions 212 are provided at right angles to the connection direction on the upper and lower surfaces of the storage portion 210. Spacer step portions 244 of the spacer 240 can come into contact with these step portions 212, and restrict the spacer 240 from moving more than a predetermined distance in the connection direction. That is, the spacer 240 is moved in the connecting direction by the force of the spring 250, but the step portion 212 ensures a space for accommodating the multi-core ferrule 270. In particular, by designing the space in which multi-fiber ferrule 270 is housed to be slightly larger than the dimensions of multi-fiber ferrule 270, a floating structure can be achieved in which multi-fiber ferrule 270 can move slightly. In the plug 200 of this embodiment, the distance between the support 211 and the front surface of the spacer 240 (the base end surface of the boss 241) is preferably designed to be 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less larger than the overall length of the multi-core ferrule 270 (the distance between the connection end surface and the boot insertion surface), and more preferably 0.07 mm or more and 0.2 mm or less larger.

[0073] FIG. 6(a) is a schematic perspective view for explaining the spacer 240, and FIG. 6(b) shows the state in which a multi-fiber ferrule 270 (including a fiber tape 280) is incorporated into the spacer 240. The spacer 240 of this embodiment is formed with a boss 241 that can be inserted into the guide hole of the multi-core ferrule 270, an upper opening 242 that guides the fiber tape 280, a spring holding hole 243 that holds the front end of the spring 250, and a spacer step portion 244 that can abut against the step portion 212 of the storage portion 210. Spacer 240 serves to transmit the pressing force generated by spring 250 to multi-fiber ferrule 270, and is housed in housing 210 so as to be slidable in the connecting direction of plug 200. Furthermore, as described above, the abutment between step portion 212 and spacer step portion 244 restricts the distance that the plug can slide in the connection direction, thereby forming a floating structure and preventing multi-fiber ferrule 270 from strongly colliding with support post 211 when plug 200 is attached or detached. Boss 241 can hold multi-fiber ferrule 270, which facilitates the positioning of multi-fiber ferrule 270 and the work of assembling multi-fiber ferrule 270 into plug 200. Note that the positioning of boss 241 is simple, and the positioning of the connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 270 on the plug 200 side and the connection end face of multi-fiber ferrule 170 on the receptacle 100 side is achieved precisely by guide pin 160.

[0074] The spring 250 is formed flat, and the fiber tape 280 is inserted inside the spring 250. The spring 250 applies a pressing force to the multi-core ferrule 270, and is designed appropriately according to the number of optical fibers 281 to be connected. For example, when connecting 32-core multi-core ferrules 170 and 270 together in a PC connection, spring 250 can be used to apply a pressing force of 5N.

[0075] FIG. 7(a) is a schematic perspective view for explaining the stopper 260, and FIG. 7(b) shows the stopper 260 with the spring 250 and fiber tape 280 assembled therein. The stopper 260 has a fiber insertion hole 261 for inserting the fiber ribbon 280 therethrough, a spring holding hole 262 for holding the rear end face of the spring 250, and a fixing piece 263 for fixing the stopper 260 to the plug body 200a. The fixing piece 263 also has a fixing protrusion 264 formed thereon that engages with the stopper engaging portion 212a of the plug body 200a. The stopper engagement portions 212a of the plug body 200a in this embodiment are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the plug body 200a, and are rectangular holes that penetrate the upper and lower surfaces of the plug body 200a so as to serve as windows. Furthermore, the fixing piece 263 of the stopper 260 is designed to become thinner as it extends toward the rear end, and is designed so that the space through which the fiber ribbon 280 passes gradually widens in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to prevent the fiber ribbon 280 from being pinched by the fixing piece 263 or from being subjected to a load when the stopper 260 is attached to or detached from the rear end face of the plug body 200a.

[0076] The stoppers 260 of this embodiment are independently disposed for each multi-fiber ferrule 270, and each stopper 260 engages with a stopper engaging portion 213 of the plug body 200a and is fixed inside the plug body 200a. Therefore, when disassembling the internal parts of the plug 200, the user can pinch a pair of fixing pieces 263 protruding from the rear end face of the plug body 200a, or insert a rod or the like from the outside into a window in the stopper engaging portion 213, thereby disengaging the fixing protrusions 264, and the entire set of internal parts from the stoppers 260 to the multi-fiber ferrules 270 can be removed. Therefore, even if a defect occurs in a part of optical fiber 281, it is possible to replace the entire multi-fiber ferrule 270, resulting in excellent maintainability. Furthermore, because the internal parts of each multi-fiber ferrule 270 are independent, the internal parts do not affect the other multi-fiber ferrules 270. In particular, even if stopper 260, which receives a large force from spring 250, is fixed at a slight angle, the effect on the pressing force of multi-fiber ferrule 270 is minimized, thereby making it possible to provide plug 200 with small variations in connection loss. While the above example illustrates a method in which the user pinches the pair of fixing pieces 263 to release the engagement of stopper 260, the present invention is not limited to this method, and the user may also insert a rod or the like from the outside into the window of stopper engagement portion 212a to release the engagement of stopper 260. Furthermore, since fixing pieces 263 of stopper 260 protrude from the rear end surface of plug body 200a, it becomes easy to insert stopper 260 when assembling plug 200. In plug 200 of this embodiment, stopper 260 is arranged independently for each multi-core ferrule 270, spacer 240 is provided with spring retaining hole 243, and stopper 260 is provided with spring retaining hole 262. Therefore, when assembling plug 200, spacer 240, spring 250, and stopper 260 are aligned in a straight line, and problems such as stopper 260 becoming slanted are unlikely to occur.

[0077] Fig. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a state in which plug 200 of the first embodiment is connected to receptacle 100 of the embodiment. Also, Fig. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a state in which plug 200 of the first embodiment is connected to receptacle 100 provided on electric circuit board 20. As shown in Figures 2, 4(b) and 8(b), it is preferable that the tip of guide piece 230 protrudes further than the tip of locking piece 220, and it is preferable that the corners of guide piece 230 of plug 200 and guide portion 130 of receptacle 100 are rounded or chamfered. As a result, when plug 200 is connected to receptacle 100, guide piece 230 of plug 200 is first guided by guide portion 130, and plug 200 and receptacle 100 are positioned accordingly. Then, locking piece 220 of plug 200 is inserted into locking hole 120, and further, guide pin 160 of receptacle 100 is smoothly inserted into the guide hole of multi-fiber ferrule 270 of plug 200, so that the connecting end face of multi-fiber ferrule 170 and the connecting end face of multi-fiber ferrule 270 come into accurate contact with each other. Then, plug 200 is further pushed toward receptacle 100, compressing spring 250, and locking piece 220 is locked in locking hole 120, thereby fixing plug 200 to receptacle 100. In this way, the necessary pressing force is applied to each of the connection end faces of the multiple multi-fiber ferrules 270, thereby enabling multiple fiber ribbons 280 to be optically connected to the electric circuit board 20 simultaneously with low connection loss.

[0078] (Plug 200 of Second Embodiment) The plug 200 connected to the receptacle 100 of the embodiment may be the plug 200 of the first embodiment, or may be the plug 200 of the second embodiment described below. Only the parts that differ from the plug 200 of the first embodiment will be described below.

[0079] FIG. 8(a) is a perspective view of the plug 200 of the second embodiment, and FIG. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view of the plug 200 of the second embodiment. A pair of stopper engagement portions 213b are formed on both the left and right side surfaces of a plug body 200b that serves as the housing of the plug 200 of the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, the stopper engagement portions 213b of this embodiment are rectangular holes that penetrate the right and left side surfaces of the plug body 200b so as to serve as windows. Furthermore, the stopper 260b of this embodiment is designed to protrude from the rear end surface of the plug body 200b when attached to the plug body 200b, which makes it easier to attach the stopper 260b to the plug body 200b.

[0080] FIG. 9(a) is a perspective view of a stopper 260b of the second embodiment, and FIG. 9(b) is a perspective view showing a state in which a spring 250 and a fiber tape 280 are attached to the stopper 260b of the second embodiment. The stopper 260b of the second embodiment is integrally formed to close the rear end face of the plug body 200b. Therefore, the rear is fixed so as to straddle a plurality of multi-core ferrules 270, and the structure is simpler than that of the plug 200 of the first embodiment. Spring holding holes 262 for fixing the springs 250 are arranged in a row on the front side (plug connecting direction side) of the stopper 260b, and fiber guide grooves 261b for passing the fiber tapes 280 inserted into the springs 250 are provided on the upper surface of the stopper 260b. A pair of fixing pieces 263b are provided on both outer sides of the spring holding holes 262 and are formed to be engageable with the stopper engaging portions 212b of the plug body 200b. Note that the fiber guide grooves 261b may be fiber guide holes with closed upper surfaces. In plug 200 of the second embodiment, a pair of fixing pieces 263b are provided on both outer sides of spring holding hole 262, so that the thickness of fixing pieces 263b can be increased. Note that in plug 200 of the second embodiment, the engagement of stopper 260b can be released by inserting a rod or the like from the outside into the window of stopper engagement portion 213b. Furthermore, in the plug 200 of the second embodiment, the upper surface of the fiber guide groove 261b is open, so that defective parts can be easily replaced.

[0081] In the present invention, the optical connector 10 corresponds to the "optical connector", the electric circuit board 20 corresponds to the "electric circuit board", the receptacle 100 corresponds to the "receptacle", the upper body 100a corresponds to the "upper body", the lower body 100b corresponds to the "lower body", the storage sections 110, 210 correspond to the "storage section", the locking hole 120 corresponds to the "locking hole", the guide section 130 corresponds to the "guide section", the fixing section 140 corresponds to the "fixing section", the pin keeper 150 corresponds to the "pin keeper", the guide pin 160 corresponds to the "guide pin", and the multi-fiber ferrules 170, 270 correspond to the " The optical fibers 181 and 281 correspond to "multi-fiber ferrules," the fiber tapes 180 and 280 correspond to "fiber tapes," the optical fibers 181 and 281 correspond to "optical fibers," the plug 200 corresponds to the "plug," the plug bodies 200a and 200b correspond to the "plug bodies," the step portion 212 corresponds to the "step portion," the stopper engagement portion 213 corresponds to the "stopper engagement portion," the locking piece 220 corresponds to the "locking piece," the guide piece 230 corresponds to the "guide piece," the spacer 240 corresponds to the "spacer," the spring 250 corresponds to the "spring," and the stopper 260 corresponds to the "stopper."

[0082] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood that various other embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, although the actions and effects of the configuration of the present invention are described in the present embodiment, these actions and effects are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10 Optical Connector 20 Electrical circuit board 30 IC chips 100 receptacles 100a Upper body 100b Lower body 110 Storage section (receptacle) 120 Locking hole 121 Locking recess 130 Guide section 140 Fixed part 150 Pinkie Pie 160 Guide Pin 170 Multi-core ferrule (receptacle) 180 Fiber ribbon (receptacle) 181 Optical fiber (receptacle) 200 plugs 200a,b plug body 210 Storage section (plug) 212 Step 213 Stopper engagement part 220 Locking piece 221 Locking protrusion 222 Release operation section 230 Guide piece 240 Spacer 250 Spring 260 Stopper 270 Multi-core ferrule (plug) 280 Fiber Tape (Plug) 281 Optical Fiber (Receptacle)

Claims

1. A receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board and connectable to a plug through which an optical fiber is inserted, a pin keeper for holding a guide pin and a storage section capable of storing a multi-fiber ferrule having the guide pin inserted therein; a locking hole through which the locking piece of the plug can be inserted; a fixing portion that can be fixed to the electric circuit board; a guide portion that guides the guide piece of the plug, a plurality of the storage sections are arranged parallel to a surface of the electric circuit board; the locking holes are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the plurality of storage sections, and have locking recesses that can be locked with the locking pieces, and the locking recesses are arranged so as to face outward from each other, The fixing portions are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the pair of locking holes, The guide portion is disposed inside the pair of locking holes, The receptacle, wherein the plurality of storage sections, the pair of locking pieces, and the pair of fixing sections are arranged in a row parallel to one side of the electric circuit board.

2. The guide portions are asymmetrically formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the receptacle body, The receptacle according to claim 1 , wherein the guide portions on the upper surface side or the lower surface side are formed to correspond to the respective storage portions.

3. the plurality of storage sections are in communication with each other inside the receptacle body, and are partitioned by a front support column arranged on the connection end face side of the multi-fiber ferrule and a rear support column arranged on the pinkeeper side; The receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the front support post is positioned to secure a collar portion of the multi-fiber ferrule.

4. 4. The receptacle according to claim 3, wherein a horizontal dimension of the front support is smaller than a horizontal dimension of the rear support and is larger than a horizontal dimension of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule by 0.05 mm to 0.5 mm.

5. The receptacle body comprises an upper body and a lower body, The multi-fiber ferrule and the pin keeper are configured to be replaceable, The receptacle according to claim 1 , wherein the pin keeper has a clamping portion for holding the guide pin disposed on the lower body side.

6. The receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle body is made of metal.

7. A plug connectable to a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board, a storage section capable of storing a multi-core ferrule having an optical fiber inserted therein; a locking piece that can be inserted into a locking hole of the receptacle; a guide piece extending in a connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule and capable of fitting into a guide portion of the receptacle, a plurality of the storage sections are arranged parallel to a surface of the electric circuit board; Each of the storage sections is provided with a spacer that is slidable in the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule, a spring that applies a pressing force to the spacer, and a stopper that is fixed to a rear portion on the opposite side from the connecting direction to hold the spring, an inner wall of the storage portion is formed with a step portion that restricts sliding of the spacer in the connecting direction and a stopper engaging portion that engages with the stopper; the locking pieces are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the plurality of storage sections, and each have a locking protrusion that can be locked with the locking section, and a release operation section that can release the locking of the locking pieces and the locking sections, The locking protrusions are arranged to face outward from each other, The guide piece is disposed inside the pair of locking holes, The plug, wherein the plurality of storage portions and the pair of locking pieces are arranged in a row.

8. The stopper is a fiber insertion hole through which an optical fiber can be inserted; a spring holding hole that accommodates the rear end of the spring; a pair of fixing pieces extending in a direction opposite to the connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule, the fixing piece has a fixing protrusion that can be engaged with a stopper engaging portion provided on the plug body, The plug according to claim 7 , wherein the pair of fixing pieces are provided in a vertical direction with respect to a surface of the electric circuit board.

9. A plug connectable to a receptacle mounted on an electric circuit board, a storage section capable of storing a multi-core ferrule having an optical fiber inserted therein; a locking piece that can be inserted into a locking hole of the receptacle; a guide piece extending in a connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule and capable of fitting into a guide portion of the receptacle, a plurality of the storage sections are arranged parallel to a surface of the electric circuit board; Each of the housing portions is provided with a spacer that is slidable in a connecting direction of the multi-fiber ferrule, and a spring that applies a pressing force to the spacer, The storage section communicates with the interior of the plug body, The storage section is provided with a stopper that is fixed to a rear portion opposite to a connection direction and holds the plurality of springs, a step portion that restricts sliding of the spacer in the connecting direction and a stopper engagement portion that fixes the stopper are formed on an inner wall of the storage portion; the locking pieces are arranged in pairs on both outer sides of the plurality of storage sections, and each have a locking protrusion that can be locked with the locking section, and a release operation section that can release the locking of the locking pieces and the locking sections, The locking protrusions are arranged to face outward from each other, The guide piece is disposed inside the pair of locking holes, A plug, wherein the plurality of storage sections and the pair of locking pieces are arranged in a row.

10. The stopper is a plurality of fiber guide grooves through which the optical fibers can be inserted; a plurality of spring holding holes for receiving rear ends of the springs; a pair of fixing pieces for engaging with the stopper engaging portion; The plug according to claim 9 , wherein the pair of fixing pieces are arranged on both outer sides of the plurality of fiber insertion holes and the plurality of spring holding holes.

11. The spacer is a pair of bosses that can be inserted into guide pin insertion holes of the multi-fiber ferrule; an upper opening capable of guiding an optical fiber inserted into the multi-core ferrule; a spring holding hole for receiving the front end of the spring; 10. The plug according to claim 7, further comprising a spacer step portion that restricts sliding in the connecting direction.

12. The guide pieces are asymmetrically formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the plug body, 10. The plug according to claim 7, wherein the guide pieces on the upper surface side or the lower surface side are formed to correspond to the respective plug accommodating portions.

13. The plurality of plug accommodating sections are in communication with each other inside the plug body, Each of the plug storage sections is partitioned by a support column arranged on the connection end face side of the multi-fiber ferrule, 10. The plug according to claim 7 or 9, wherein the support post is arranged to fix a flange portion of the multi-fiber ferrule.

14. 10. The plug according to claim 7, wherein the support pillar has a lateral dimension greater than the lateral dimension of the connection end face of the multi-fiber ferrule by 0.05 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

15. 10. The plug according to claim 7 or 9, wherein the plug body is made of resin.

16. The receptacle of claim 1 mounted on an electric circuit board; An optical connector comprising: the plug according to claim 7 or 9, in which a plurality of optical fibers and a multi-fiber ferrule are incorporated.

17. a mounting step of mounting the receptacle according to claim 1 on an electric circuit board; a reflow step of subjecting the electric circuit board obtained in the mounting step to solder reflow.

Images