Optical connector jig, optical connector connecting method, and optical connector removing method

Abstract

An optical connector jig (100) is for connecting a second optical connector (60) to a first optical connector (40) or disconnecting the second optical connector (60) from the first optical connector (40). This jig (100) is provided with a first housing (110) and a second housing (130). The first housing (110) has a positioning part (112) that determines the position of the optical connector jig (100) with respect to the first optical connector (40), in cooperation with a member (11) indicating the position of the first optical connector (40). The second housing (130) can hold the second optical connector (60) such that, when positioning is performed for the optical connector jig (100) with respect to the first optical connector (40), a connection surface (64) of the second optical connector (60) opposes a connection surface (44) of the first optical connector (40). The second housing (130) is movable with respect to the first housing (110) such that the connection surface (64) of the held second optical connector (60) moves close to the connection surface (44) of the first optical connector (40) or moves away from the connection surface (44) of the first optical connector (40).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a jig for an optical connector, a method for connecting an optical connector, and a method for removing an optical connector. This application claims priority to Japanese Application No. 2020-091211, 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 connector jig as one aspect. The optical connector jig is an optical connector jig for connecting a second optical connector to which at least one end of a second optical cable is attached to a first optical connector arranged on a main surface of a board and to which at least one end of a first optical cable is attached, or for removing a second optical connector connected to a first optical connector from the first optical connector. The optical connector jig includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing has a positioning portion for determining a position of the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector in cooperation with a member indicating the position of the first optical connector. The second housing is capable of holding the second optical connector such that a connection surface of the second optical connector faces a connection surface of the first optical connector when the optical connector jig is positioned relative to the first optical connector. The second housing is capable of moving relative to the first housing such that a connection surface of the held second optical connector approaches the connection surface of the first optical connector or moves away from the connection surface of the first optical connector.

[0005] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for connecting optical connectors. This method for connecting optical connectors is a method for connecting a second optical connector to a first optical connector using the above-mentioned optical connector jig. This connection method includes the steps of: holding the second optical connector with the second housing so that the connection surface of the second optical connector faces the first housing; positioning the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector using a positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating the position of the first optical connector; and moving the second housing toward the first housing to connect the second optical connector to the first optical connector.

[0006] As yet another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for removing an optical connector. This method for removing an optical connector is a method for removing a second optical connector connected to a first optical connector from the first optical connector using the optical connector jig described above. The optical connector jig used in this removing method further includes an ejector disposed between the first housing and the second housing, and the ejector has a release portion capable of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector by moving in a direction away from the first housing. This removing method includes a step of positioning the optical connector jig with respect to the first optical connector using a positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating the position of the first optical connector, and a step of gripping the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector with the second housing, and a step of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector with the release portion by moving the ejector in a direction away from the first housing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical device according to an embodiment, showing the optical device in a state before a second optical connector is connected to a first optical connector. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the optical device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the package side. [Diagram 3] 3 is a bottom view of the first connector and the second connector of the optical device shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from below. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a plurality of first optical cables and a plurality of second optical cables. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the optical device shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the optical device in a state after the second optical connector has been connected to the first optical connector. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an optical connector jig according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the optical connector jig shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the optical connector jig shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from below. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an ejector, which is one component of the optical connector jig shown in FIG. 6, viewed from below. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method for connecting a second optical connector to a first optical connector. [Figure 11A] FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing a state in which the optical connector tool holding the second optical connector is positioned relative to the first housing. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing a state in which the second housing is moved toward the first housing to be connected after the positioning shown in FIG. 11A. [Figure 11C] FIG. 11C is a perspective view showing a state in which the optical connector jig is removed after the connection shown in FIG. 11B. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method for removing the second optical connector from the first optical connector. [Figure 13A] FIG. 13A is a diagram showing a state in which an optical connector jig is attached to a first optical connector and a second optical connector. [Figure 13B] FIG. 13B is a diagram showing a state in which an ejector, which is a component part of the optical connector jig, is moved in a direction away from the first housing after positioning. [Figure 13C] FIG. 13C is a diagram showing a state in which the optical connector jig is removed after the second optical connector shown in FIG. 13B is removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [Problem to be solved by this disclosure] When converting an electrical signal from an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 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, since there is no space near the ASIC, the connection or removal of the optical connector must be performed by directly holding the small optical connector in a narrow space on the board on which the ASIC is mounted, which is very difficult. Therefore, it is desired to easily perform the connection or removal of such optical connectors.

[0009] [Effects of this disclosure] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an optical connector can be easily connected or disconnected.

[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 connector jig according to one embodiment is an optical connector jig for connecting a second optical connector to which at least one end of a second optical cable is attached to a first optical connector arranged on a main surface of a board and to which at least one end of a first optical cable is attached, or for removing a second optical connector connected to a first optical connector from the first optical connector. This optical connector jig includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing has a positioning portion for determining the position of the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector in cooperation with a member indicating the position of the first optical connector. The second housing is capable of holding the second optical connector such that the connection surface of the second optical connector faces the connection surface of the first optical connector when the optical connector jig is positioned relative to the first optical connector. The second housing is capable of moving relative to the first housing such that the connection surface of the held second optical connector approaches the connection surface of the first optical connector or moves away from the connection surface of the first optical connector.

[0011] In this optical connector jig, the first housing has a positioning portion for positioning the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector, and the second housing that holds the second optical connector is movable relative to the first housing so that the connection surface of the second optical connector approaches or moves away from the connection surface of the first optical connector. In this case, the second optical connector can be connected to or removed from the first optical connector simply by holding the second optical connector with the second housing and aligning the optical connector jig and then moving the second housing relative to the first housing. Thus, by using this optical connector jig, it becomes easier to connect the second optical connector to the first optical connector compared to a case where the first optical connector and the second optical connector arranged on the main surface of the board are directly held by hand or the like to connect them.

[0012] As an embodiment, the positioning portion may include a hole or a protrusion corresponding to a protrusion or a hole that is a member indicating the position of the first optical connector and is provided on at least one of the board and the first optical connector. According to this aspect, the positioning portion can be realized with a simpler configuration. In addition, in this aspect, the positioning portion may include a mounting surface on which the first housing can be mounted on the main surface of the board, and the corresponding hole or protrusion may be provided on this mounting surface. According to this aspect, by bringing the main surface of the board into face-to-face contact with the mounting surface, it is possible to adjust the horizontal inclination of the optical connector jig with respect to the board, and to more accurately position the optical connector jig with respect to the first optical connector.

[0013] As an embodiment, the first housing may be provided with an opening capable of accommodating at least a part of the first optical connector, and the opening may be formed with at least one of a recess capable of accommodating a protrusion of the first optical connector and a protrusion capable of being accommodated in the recess of the first optical connector. According to this aspect, the force applied to the first optical connector when the second optical connector is moved closer to the first optical connector by the second housing of the optical connector jig can be received by the first housing of the optical connector jig, and the force applied to the connection portion between the first optical connector and a board or the like can be distributed, thereby protecting the installation of the first optical connector on the board or the like. Also, according to this aspect, the positioning work mainly performed by the member indicating the position of the first optical connector and the positioning member of the first housing can be assisted, thereby enabling more accurate positioning and smoother positioning operations to be performed.

[0014] As an embodiment, the optical connector jig may further include an axial portion having one end fixed to the first housing and penetrating the second housing toward the other end opposite to the one end, and a bearing portion to which the other end of the axial portion is fixed. The second housing may be slidable relative to the first housing along the axial portion between the first housing and the bearing portion. According to this aspect, the movement of the second housing relative to the first housing can be made smooth along the axial portion, and the second optical connector can be more easily connected to the first optical connector. In addition, since the second optical connector can be connected to the first optical connector along the axial portion, connection loss due to misalignment of optical axes during optical connection between optical cables can be reduced.

[0015] As an embodiment, the optical connector jig may further include an ejector disposed between the first housing and the second housing, and the ejector may have a release portion capable of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector by moving in a direction away from the first housing. According to this aspect, it becomes possible to easily remove the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector from the first optical connector without directly grasping and operating the first optical connector or the second optical connector disposed on the main surface.

[0016] In the above embodiment, the ejector may have a pair of opposing side walls, and a release portion may be provided on the inner side of the pair of side walls near the first optical connector. The release portion may be a pair of protrusions protruding in a direction away from the first housing. In this case, by moving the ejector in a direction away from the first housing (direction toward the second housing), the pair of protrusions, which are the release portion, enter into the engagement portion between the first optical connector and the second optical connector to release the engagement, and thus the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector can be easily removed from the first optical connector. Furthermore, by forming the release portion from a pair of protrusions, removal of the optical connector can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0017] In the above embodiment, the ejector may have a pair of opposing side walls, and each of the pair of side walls may have a recess recessed outward and a pressing surface located on the edge of the recess on the second housing side. According to this aspect, it becomes easier to temporarily spread the latch of the second optical connector outward when connecting the second optical connector to the first optical connector. Therefore, the second optical connector can be connected to the first optical connector more smoothly.

[0018] A method for connecting optical connectors according to one embodiment is a method for connecting a second optical connector to a first optical connector using an optical connector jig according to any one of the above-described embodiments. This connection method includes the steps of: holding the second optical connector with a second housing so that a connection surface of the second optical connector faces the first housing; positioning the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector using a positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating the position of the first optical connector; and moving the second housing toward the first housing to connect the second optical connector to the first optical connector.

[0019] In this method of connecting optical connectors, the second optical connector is held by the second housing so that it faces a predetermined direction, the optical connector jig is positioned relative to the first optical connector, and after this setting is completed, the second housing is moved toward the first housing, thereby connecting the optical connectors to each other. Therefore, it is possible to easily connect optical connectors (i.e., optical fibers or optical cables) to each other by manipulating the first and second housings without directly holding and manipulating the first and second optical connectors arranged on the main surfaces.

[0020] A method for removing an optical connector according to one embodiment is a method for removing a second optical connector connected to a first optical connector from the first optical connector by using an optical connector jig having any one of the above ejectors. This removing method includes a step of positioning the optical connector jig with respect to the first optical connector by using a positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating the position of the first optical connector, and a step of gripping the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector with the second housing, and a step of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector by using a release portion by moving the ejector in a direction away from the first housing.

[0021] In this method of removing an optical connector, the ejector is moved in a direction away from the first housing, causing the release portion of the ejector to release the engagement between the first optical connector and the second optical connector. This does not require complicated operations to separate the first optical connector and the second optical connector, and allows the optical connectors to be easily disconnected and removed.

[0022] [Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the optical connector jig, the optical connector connecting method, and the optical connector removing method according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined 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 will be omitted.

[0023] First, the overall configuration of an optical device 1 in which an optical connector jig according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is used will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical device 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the optical device 1 shown in Fig. 1 viewed from the package 20 side. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the first connector and the second connector of the optical device 1 shown in Fig. 1 viewed from below. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the optical device 1 includes a board 10, a package 20, a plurality of first optical cables 30, a first optical connector 40, a plurality of second optical cables 50, and a second optical connector 60. In the optical device 1, the second optical connector 60 to which a plurality of second optical cables 50 are attached is connected to the first optical connector 40 to which the plurality of first optical cables 30 are attached (see Fig. 5), and an optical signal photoelectrically converted in the package 20 is transmitted to an external optical device via the first optical cable 30 and the second optical cable 50.

[0024] The board 10 is, for example, a printed circuit board, and has a main surface 10a. The package 20 and the first optical connector 40 are arranged and fixed on the main surface 10a. When the second optical connector 60 is not connected to the first optical connector 40, it is not fixed to the board 10 and is in a free state. In addition, a pair of positioning pins 11 are provided on the main surface 10a of the board 10. The pair of positioning pins 11 are positioned so as to sandwich the first optical connector 40 therebetween, and function as members indicating the position of the first optical connector 40. A positioning portion 112 (see FIG. 6) of the optical connector jig 100 described later is used to determine the position of the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40 in cooperation with the pair of positioning pins 11. The pair of positioning pins 11, which are members indicating the position of the first optical connector 40, may be provided directly on the first optical connector 40.

[0025] The package 20 is a module mounted on the main surface 10a 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, for example, 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.

[0026] The first optical cable 30 is a cable that transmits an optical signal sent from the optical device 22, and each first optical cable 30 is formed of an optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers. In the first optical cable 30, a first end is optically connected to the optical device 22, and a second end (tip) is attached to the first optical connector 40. In the present embodiment, the optical device 1 having eight first optical cables 30 is shown as an example, but is not limited to this. The first optical cable 30 may be at least one or more, but the optical device 1 generally has a plurality of first optical cables 30. The optical fiber ribbon constituting the first optical cable 30 has, for example, 12, 24 (12 x 2 rows) or 36 (12 x 3 rows) optical fibers. The optical fiber ribbon is a core wire in which a plurality of optical fibers are arranged and collectively covered with an ultraviolet-curing resin.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, a ferrule 31 is attached to the second end (tip) of the first optical cable 30. An end of an 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. The multiple ferrules 31 are stored in multiple storage sections provided in the first optical connector 40, respectively, and their tips protrude outward from the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40. The multiple ferrules 31 are biased forward by an elastic member 32 such as a spring, but are held so that only the tip portions are exposed to the outside by being caught in an engagement section in the storage section of the first optical connector 40.

[0028] 1 to 3, the first optical connector 40 is a member that holds the tips of the first optical cables 30 such that the tips (ferrules 31) of the first optical cables 30 are exposed forward from a connection surface 44, and is used to collectively connect the first optical cables 30 to the second optical cables 50. The first optical connector 40 is disposed and fixed on the main surface 10a of the board 10. The first optical connector 40 includes a main body 41, a fitting portion 42, a pair of legs 43, a connection surface 44, a pair of pins 45, a pair of recesses 46, a pair of protrusions 47, and a pair of recesses 48.

[0029] The main body 41 is a portion extending along the direction (width direction) in which the multiple first optical cables 30 are arranged, and has multiple storage portions (through holes) therein capable of storing the ferrules 31 attached to the tip portions of the multiple first optical cables 30. The fitting portion 42 is a member that presses and fastens the ferrules 31 stored in the storage portion of the main body 41 from the rear side via the elastic member 32. The fitting portion 42 is configured so that its tip portion is inserted into the storage portion of the main body 41. The pair of legs 43 are portions extending rearward from both ends in the width direction of the main body 41, and the rear ends of the pair of legs 43 are adapted to be hooked on the package 20 and fixed to the package 20 by screws or the like. The first optical connector 40 may be directly fixed to the main surface 10a of the board 10.

[0030] The connection surface 44 is a front end surface provided in front of the main body 41, and is configured to include an opening through which the ferrules 31 attached to the ends of the multiple first optical cables 30 are exposed. The connection surface 44 faces a connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60. A pair of pins 45 is provided on both ends of the connection surface 44. The pair of pins 45 protrude toward the second optical connector 60 and are configured to be engageable with a pair of holes 65 of the second optical connector 60. By engaging the pair of pins 45 with the pair of holes 65 of the second optical connector 60, the optical axes of each first optical cable 30 held by the first optical connector 40 and each second optical cable 50 held by the second optical connector 60 are aligned.

[0031] The pair of recesses 46 are provided on the side surfaces at both ends in the width direction of the main body 41, and are portions for engagement with the engagement portions 67 of the pair of latches 66 of the second optical connector 60. The pair of recesses 46 are formed to be recessed toward the inside of the main body 41. By the engagement portions 67 of the pair of latches 66 of the second optical connector 60 engaging with the pair of recesses 46, respectively, the second optical connector 60 is appropriately connected to the first optical connector 40, that is, each second optical cable 50 held in the second optical connector 60 is optically connected to each first optical cable 30 held in the first optical connector 40.

[0032] The pair of protrusions 47 are wall portions provided so as to protrude upward from both ends in the width direction of the main body 41. When the second optical connector 60 is connected to the first optical connector 40 or when the second optical connector 60 is removed from the first optical connector 40, the pair of protrusions 47 are accommodated in recesses 117 of a first housing 110 of the optical connector jig 100 described later (see FIG. 8). The pair of recesses 48 are cutouts provided on the outer sides of the legs 43 and on the main body 41 side. As with the pair of protrusions 47, when the second optical connector 60 is connected to the first optical connector 40 or when the second optical connector 60 is removed from the first optical connector 40, shoulders 118 of the first housing 110 of the optical connector jig 100 are accommodated in the pair of recesses 48. The pair of protrusions 47 and the pair of recesses 48 assist the pair of pins 11 used for alignment with the optical connector jig 100 , and assist in positioning the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40 .

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the second optical cable 50 has the same configuration as the first optical cable 30, and is formed of an optical fiber ribbon having a plurality of optical fibers. In the second optical cable 50, a first end is drawn out toward the outside of the optical device 1, and a second end (tip) is attached to the second optical connector 60. The second optical cable 50 may be at least one, but the optical device 1 generally includes a plurality of second optical cables 50. A ferrule 51 is attached to the second end of the second optical cable 50. An end of the optical fiber ribbon from which the coating has been stripped is stored inside the ferrule 51. The plurality of ferrules 51 are stored in a plurality of storage sections provided in the second optical connector 60, respectively, and their tips protrude from the connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60. The plurality of ferrules 51 are biased forward by an elastic member 52 such as a spring, but are held so that only the tip portions are exposed to the outside by being caught in an engagement portion in the storage section of the second optical connector 60. In the description of the second optical cable 50 and the second optical connector 60, the side of the first optical cable 30 and the first optical connector 40 will be referred to as the front or tip, and the opposite side will be referred to as the rear.

[0034] 1 to 3, the second optical connector 60 is a member that holds the tips of the second optical cables 50 such that the tips (ferrules 51) of the second optical cables 50 are exposed forward from a connection surface 64, and is used to collectively connect the second optical cables 50 to the first optical cables 30. The second optical connector 60 is attached to the board 10 via the first optical connector 40 by being connected to the first optical connector 40. The second optical connector 60 includes a main body 61, a fitting portion 62, a pair of protrusions 63, a connection surface 64, a pair of holes 65, and a pair of latches 66. An engagement portion 67 that protrudes inward is provided at the tip of each latch 66.

[0035] The main body 61 is a portion extending along the direction (width direction) in which the second optical cables 50 are arranged, and has a plurality of storage portions (through holes) therein capable of storing the ferrules 51 attached to the tip portions of the second optical cables 50. The fitting portion 62 is a member that holds the ferrules 51 stored in the storage portion of the main body 61 from the rear side via the elastic member 52. The fitting portion 62 is configured so that its tip portion is inserted into the storage portion of the main body 61. The pair of protrusions 63 are portions that extend in the vertical direction along the surfaces of both ends in the width direction of the main body 61. When the second optical connector 60 is connected to the first optical connector 40 using the optical connector jig 100 or when the second optical connector 60 is removed from the first optical connector 40, the pair of protrusions 63 are stored in the slits 137 in the second housing 130 of the optical connector jig 100.

[0036] The connection surface 64 is a surface provided in front of the main body 61 (on the first optical connector 40 side), and is configured to include an opening through which the ferrules 51 attached to the tips of the multiple second optical cables 50 are exposed. The connection surface 64 faces the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40. A pair of holes 65 is provided at both ends of the connection surface 64. The pair of holes 65 are recessed toward the rear of the second optical connector 60, and configured to be engageable with the pair of pins 45 of the first optical connector 40. The pair of holes 65 are an axial alignment member for aligning the optical axes of the first optical cable 30 held by the first optical connector 40 and the second optical cable 50 held by the second optical connector 60 by engaging with the pair of pins 45 of the first optical connector 40.

[0037] The pair of latches 66 are provided on the side surfaces at both ends in the width direction of the main body 61, and are members extending toward the first optical connector 40, with engagement portions 67 provided at their tips. The engagement portions 67 of each latch 66 engage with the pair of recesses 46 of the first optical connector 40. The engagement portions 67 of the pair of latches 66 are formed to protrude inward. The engagement portions 67 of the pair of latches 66 of the second optical connector 60 engage with the pair of recesses 46, respectively, so that the second optical connector 60 is appropriately connected to the first optical connector 40, that is, each second optical cable 50 held in the second optical connector 60 is optically connected to each first optical cable 30 held in the first optical connector 40.

[0038] Next, a method of connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 5. Here, Figures 1 and 2 show the state before the second optical connector 60 is connected to the first optical connector 40, and Figure 5 shows the state after the second optical connector 70 is connected to the first optical connector 40.

[0039] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, first, the second optical connector 60 is positioned so that the connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60 faces the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40. At this time, each ferrule 51 held by the second optical connector 60 is arranged to face the corresponding ferrule 31 of the first optical connector 40 (see Fig. 3). Next, the second optical connector 60 is moved along the main surface 10a of the board 10 in a direction toward the first optical connector 40 (the direction of the arrow Y1 in Fig. 1). When the second optical connector 60 moves to a predetermined position, an engagement portion 67 formed at the tip of a latch 66 of the second optical connector 60 engages with each recess 46 provided on the side surface of the first optical connector 40, and the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 are connected (see Fig. 5). By connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60, the first optical cables 30 and the second optical cables 50 housed and held therein are optically connected.

[0040] On the other hand, when the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40 is to be removed from the first optical connector 40, the engagement portions 67 of the latches 66 engaged with the recesses 46 are pushed outward to release the engagement with the recesses 46. Then, the second optical connector 60 is moved in a direction away from the first optical connector 40 (rearward). This allows the second optical connector 60 to be removed from the first optical connector 40.

[0041] Next, an optical connector jig 100 for connecting the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40 and for removing the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40 from the first optical connector 40 as described above will be described with reference to Figs. 6 to 8. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the optical connector jig 100 according to one embodiment. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the optical connector jig 100. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the optical connector jig 100 viewed from below.

[0042] 6 to 8, the optical connector jig 100 includes a first housing 110, an ejector 120, a second housing 130, a bearing portion 140, and a shaft portion 150. The optical connector jig 100 is attached to cover the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 from above, and is used to perform the above-mentioned connection and removal operations.

[0043] The first housing 110 includes a main body 111, a pair of positioning portions 112, an opening 113, a front end surface 114, a pair of through holes 115, a protrusion 116, a pair of recesses 117, and a pair of shoulder portions 118 (protrusions). The first housing 110 is a member that houses the first optical connector 40 in the opening 113, and also positions the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40 by the pair of positioning portions 112, the pair of recesses 117, and the pair of shoulder portions 118.

[0044] The main body 111 is a portion extending along the width direction, which is the same as the direction in which the main body of the first optical connector 40 extends. A pair of positioning portions 112 are provided at both ends of the main body 111. Each positioning portion 112 has a mounting surface 112a on which the first housing 110 can be mounted on the main surface 10a of the board 10, and a through hole 112b (recess) extending upward from the mounting surface 112a and penetrating through. The mounting surface 112a contacts the main surface 10a when the optical connector jig 100 is mounted on the board 10, and functions to maintain the optical connector jig 100 in a horizontal state. A positioning pin 11 provided on the board 10 is inserted into each through hole 112b, thereby positioning the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40.

[0045] The opening 113 is a portion between the pair of positioning portions 112, and is open at least on the mounting surface 112a side and the rear side. When the optical connector fixture 100 is placed over the first optical connector 40, the first optical connector 40 is stored in this opening 113 from below.

[0046] The front end surface 114 is a surface of the main body 111 facing the second housing 130, and faces the rear end surface 133 of the second housing 130. The front end surface 114 is provided with a pair of through holes 115 penetrating rearward, and a protruding portion 116 located between the pair of through holes 115 and protruding toward the second housing 130. Each pin body 151 constituting the shaft portion 150 is inserted into the pair of through holes 115, and a first flange portion 152 located on the rear end side of the through holes 115 prevents each pin body 151 from coming out of the through holes 115. The protruding portion 116 is configured to be located in the recess 123 of the ejector 120 and to face the protruding portion 136 of the second housing 130 when the first housing 110 is attached to the second housing 130 via the ejector 120. The protruding portion 116 positions the first housing 110 in the width direction relative to the ejector 120. Furthermore, each area of ​​the front end face 114 divided into two areas by the protrusions 116 comes into contact with the rear end faces of a pair of protrusions 124 of the ejector 120, thereby positioning the first housing 110 relative to the ejector 120 in the front-rear direction.

[0047] The ejector 120 is connected between the first housing 110 and the second housing 130 via a shaft portion 150 so as to be slidable relative to the first housing 110, and is a member that disconnects the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 by moving in a direction away from the first housing 110. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the ejector 120. As shown in FIG. 9, the ejector 120 includes a pair of side walls 121, a top plate 122, a recess 123, a pair of protrusions 124, a pair of through holes 125, a pair of release portions 126, a pair of recesses 127, and a pair of pressing surfaces 128. A holding portion 121a for making it easier to hold the ejector 120 may be provided on the side surfaces of the pair of side walls 121.

[0048] The pair of side walls 121 and the top plate 122 are parts that mainly form the outer shape of the ejector 120, and define an opening 129 that opens downward. The opening 129 is configured so that the tip portions of the first housing 110 and the second housing 130 can be placed inside it. In addition, a pair of protrusions 124 each having a through hole 125 and a recess 123 defined therebetween by the pair of protrusions 124 are provided on the inside of the top plate 122. Each pin body 151 of the shaft portion 150 is inserted into each through hole 125. Since the ejector 120 is configured so that each pin body 151 of the shaft portion 150 is inserted into the through hole 125, it is possible to perform a sliding movement along the pin body 151 relative to the first housing 110 and the second housing 130. Furthermore, the recess 123 receives the protrusion 116 of the first housing 110 described above, and determines the positional relationship between the first housing 110 and the ejector 120 in the width direction.

[0049] The release portion 126 is a protrusion that protrudes on the inside of the pair of side walls 121 in a direction away from the first housing 110, i.e., in a direction toward the second housing 130. The release portion 126 has an inclined surface on the outside. When the second optical connector 60 is connected to the first optical connector 40, that is, when the engagement portion 67 of the latch 66 of the second optical connector 60 is engaged with the recess 46 of the first optical connector 40, when the ejector 120 is moved in a direction away from the first housing 110, each release portion 126 enters between the engagement portion 67 and the bottom surface of the recess 46. By the protrusion of the release portion 126 entering in this way, the engagement portion 67 spreads outward along the inclined surface of the protrusion, and the engagement of the second optical connector 60 with the first optical connector 40 is released.

[0050] The pair of recesses 127 are provided on the inner sides of the pair of side walls 121, respectively, and are configured to be recessed toward the outside. A pressing surface 128 is provided on the edge of the pair of recesses 127 on the second housing 130 side. The pair of recesses 127 and the pair of pressing surfaces 128 support the engagement operation by the latch 66 when connecting the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40. That is, when attempting to connect the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40, the outer surface of the base end side of the latch 66 is pressed by the pressing surface 128 so as not to bend outward, while the tip side of the latch 66 (the engagement portion 67, etc.) can be freely curved outward within the recess 127. This configuration supports the engagement operation of the latch 66.

[0051] The second housing 130 is a member capable of gripping the second optical connector 60 such that the connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60 faces the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40 when the optical connector jig 100 is positioned relative to the first optical connector 40 (see FIG. 3). The second housing 130 includes a main body 131, a front end surface 132, a rear end surface 133, a recess 134, a pair of through holes 135, a protrusion 136, and a pair of slits 137.

[0052] The main body 131 has a front end surface 132 on the bearing 140 side, and a rear end surface 133 on the first housing 110 side. A recess 134 is provided on the front end surface 132 side of the main body 131, and the bearing 140 is housed therein. The main body 131 also has a pair of through holes 135 penetrating from the front end surface 132 to the rear end surface 133. Rear ends of a pair of pin bodies 151 of the shaft 150 penetrate the pair of through holes 135, and the pin bodies 151 are attached to the bearing 140 by the second flange 153. This allows the second housing 130 to move along the shaft 150 relative to the first housing 110 and the ejector 120.

[0053] The protruding portion 136 is provided at approximately the center of the rear end surface 133 in the width direction, and is a portion that protrudes toward the first housing 110. The protruding portion 136 is located between a pair of pin bodies 151 of the shaft portion 150, and is disposed so as to face the protruding portion 116 of the first housing 110 at a predetermined distance. When the second housing 130 is moved toward the first housing 110 and the protruding portion 116 and the protruding portion 136 come into contact with each other, the second housing 130 cannot move any further relative to the first housing 110. In other words, the protruding portion 116 and the protruding portion 136 function as stoppers.

[0054] The bearing portion 140 has a front end surface 141, a rear end surface 142, and a pair of through holes 143. The pair of through holes 143 are formed so that the inner diameter on the front end surface 141 side is larger than the inner diameter on the rear end surface 142 side. The front end of the pin body 151 of the shaft portion 150 is inserted through the pair of through holes 143, and a second flange portion 153 having a larger diameter than the pin body 151 is positioned in the large diameter portion of the through hole 143, thereby fixing the shaft portion 150 to the bearing portion 140. Both ends of the pair of pin bodies 151 of the shaft portion 150 are fixed to the bearing portion 140 and the first housing 110, so that the ejector 120 and the second housing 130 can slide along the shaft portion 150 relative to the first housing 110.

[0055] The shaft portion 150 is a member for connecting the first housing 110 and the bearing portion 140, and for allowing the ejector 120 and the second housing 130, which are disposed between the first housing 110 and the bearing portion 140, to slide relative to the first housing 110. As shown in FIG. 7, the shaft portion 150 has a pin body 151, a first flange portion 152, and a second flange portion 153. The pin body 151 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The first flange portion 152 is attached to the front end of the pin body 151 after the pin body 151 passes through the through hole 115 of the first housing 110, and the second flange portion 153 is attached to the rear end of the pin body 151 after the pin body 151 passes through the through hole 143 of the bearing portion 140. The first flange portion 152 and the second flange portion 153 are detachable from the pin body 151.

[0056] Here, a method of arranging the ejector 120 and the second housing 130 between the first housing 110 and the bearing portion 140 by the shaft portion 150 and connecting the respective members to each other will be described. First, the pin body 151 is inserted through the through hole 115 of the first housing 110, the through hole 125 of the ejector 120, the through hole 135 of the second housing 130, and the through hole 143 of the bearing portion 140, without the first flange portion 152 and the second flange portion 153 being attached. Then, the first flange portion 152 is attached to the end of the pin body 151 protruding from the through hole 115 of the first housing 110. Meanwhile, the second flange portion 153 is attached to the end of the pin body 151 protruding outward from the through hole 143 of the bearing portion 140.

[0057] The outer diameter of the first flange portion 152 is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole 115 of the first housing 110. Therefore, the first flange portion 152 is positioned so as to abut against the rear end surface 119 of the first housing 110 (see FIG. 8). The outer diameter of the second flange portion 153 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 143 on the front end surface 141 side, but larger than the inner diameter of the rear end surface 142 side. Therefore, the second flange portion 153 is positioned inside the through hole 143 of the bearing portion 140 (see FIG. 6). The first flange portion 152 and the second flange portion 153 prevent the first housing 110, the ejector 120, the second housing 130, and the bearing portion 140 from falling off the end of the shaft portion 150.

[0058] Next, a method for connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 using the optical connector jig 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 10 and Figs. 11A to 11C. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the method for connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60. Fig. 11A is a diagram showing how the first housing 110 is placed over the first optical connector 40. Fig. 11B is a diagram showing how the second housing 130 is moved toward the first housing 110. Fig. 11C is a diagram showing how the optical connector jig 100 is removed.

[0059] First, as shown in Fig. 11A, the second optical connector 60 is accommodated and held in the opening 138 of the second housing 130 (step S11). Specifically, when the optical connector jig 100 is positioned relative to the first optical connector 40 (see Fig. 3), the second optical connector 60 is held by the second housing 130 so that the connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60 faces the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40. This holding is performed by press-fitting each protrusion 63 of the second optical connector 60 into a slit 137 of the second housing 130. Since the second optical connector 60 is press-fitted into the second housing 130, the second optical connector 60 is prevented from falling off from the second housing 130.

[0060] Next, the optical connector jig 100 is moved in a direction from above the board 10 toward the main surface 10a (the direction of the arrow Z1 in FIG. 11A), and the first housing 110 is placed over the first optical connector 40 (step S12). At this time, the optical connector jig 100 is moved in a state in which the opening 113 of the first housing 110 is open toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. By doing so, the first optical connector 40 is accommodated inside the first housing 110 through the opening 113. In addition, a pair of positioning pins 11 are provided on the main surface 10a of the board 10. When the first housing 110 is placed over the first optical connector 40, the optical connector jig 100 is positioned so that the pair of pins 11 are inserted into the through holes 112b of the positioning portion 112 of the first housing 110 (see FIG. 11B). In addition, in this positioning, the protrusion 47 and the recess 48 may be used to assist in positioning.

[0061] Next, the second housing 130 is moved toward the first housing 110 (step S13). Specifically, the second housing 130 is moved along the shaft portion 150 in a direction toward the first housing 110 (the direction of the arrow Y1 in FIG. 11B). Then, the second optical connector 60 held by the second housing 130 approaches the first optical connector 40 accommodated and fixed in the first housing 110. Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, an engagement portion 67 formed at the tip of a latch 66 of the second optical connector 60 engages with a recess 46 of the first optical connector 40, and the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 are connected. Note that, at the time of this connection, the tip of the ferrule 31 accommodated in the first optical connector 40 and the tip of the ferrule 51 accommodated in the second optical connector 60 are optically coupled at a predetermined distance apart from each other, but the two tips may be optically coupled by directly contacting each other.

[0062] Thereafter, the optical connector jig 100 is removed from the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 (step S14). Specifically, the optical connector jig 100 is moved in a direction away from the main surface 10a of the board 10 (the direction of arrow Z2 in FIG. 11C) to remove it. Note that since the second housing 130 is configured to be movable a predetermined distance relative to the first housing 110, the above-mentioned upward movement is not impeded. This completes the process of connecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 using the optical connector jig 100.

[0063] Next, a method (removal method) for disconnecting the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 using the optical connector jig 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Figs. 13A to 13C. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing a method for removing the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40. Fig. 13A is a diagram showing a state in which the optical connector jig 100 is attached to the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 that are connected to each other. Fig. 13B is a diagram showing a state in which the ejector 120 is moved in a direction away from the first housing 110. Fig. 13C is a diagram showing a state in which the optical connector jig 100 is removed.

[0064] First, the optical connector jig 100 is moved in a direction from above the board 10 toward the main surface 10a (the direction of the arrow Z1 in FIG. 13A) to cover the first optical connector 40 with the first housing 110 (step S21). At this time, the optical connector jig 100 is moved downward with the opening 113 of the first housing 110 open toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. By doing so, the first optical connector 40 is accommodated inside the first housing 110 through the opening 113. During this accommodation, each pin 11 is inserted into the through hole 112b of the positioning portion 112 of the first housing 110, thereby positioning the optical connector jig 100 with respect to the first optical connector 40.

[0065] In parallel with step S21, a step (step S22) of covering the second optical connector 60 with the second housing 130 is performed. Specifically, the second housing 130 covers the second optical connector 60 with the opening 138 open toward the main surface 10a of the board 10. Therefore, the second optical connector 60 is accommodated inside the second housing 130 through the opening 138. During this accommodation, the protrusion 63 of the second optical connector 60 is press-fitted into the slit 137 of the second housing 130. As a result, the second optical connector 60 is held by the second housing 130.

[0066] Next, the ejector 120 is moved in a direction away from the first housing 110, i.e., in a direction toward the second housing 130 (step S23). Specifically, the ejector 120 is moved along the shaft 150 in a direction away from the first housing 110 (the direction of the arrow Y2 in FIG. 13B). Then, the release portion 126 (see FIG. 9) provided on the inner surface of the side wall 121 of the ejector 120 enters into an engagement portion (see FIG. 13A) between the latch 66 of the second optical connector 60 and the recess 46 of the first optical connector 40, and the engagement is released.

[0067] Thereafter, the optical connector fixture 100 is removed upward from the first optical connector 40 (step S24), and the connection between the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 is released. Specifically, the optical connector fixture 100 is moved in a direction away from the main surface 10a of the board 10 (the direction of arrow Z2 in FIG. 11C). At this time, the second optical connector 60 is held by the second housing 130 of the optical connector fixture 100. This completes the process of removing the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40 using the optical connector fixture 100.

[0068] As described above, in the optical connector jig 100 according to this embodiment, the first housing 110 has a pair of positioning portions 112 for positioning the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40, and the second housing 130 that holds the second optical connector 60 is movable relative to the first housing 110 so that the connection surface 64 of the second optical connector 60 approaches the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40 or moves away from the connection surface 44 of the first optical connector 40. Therefore, the second optical connector 60 can be connected to or removed from the first optical connector 40 simply by holding the second optical connector 60 with the second housing 130 and moving the second housing 130 relative to the first housing 110 after aligning the optical connector jig 100. Therefore, by using the optical connector jig 100, it is possible to easily connect the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40, compared to when the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 arranged on the main surface 10a of the board 10 are directly grasped with the hands or the like to connect them.

[0069] In the above embodiment, each positioning portion 112 includes a through hole 112b corresponding to the pin 11, which is a member that indicates the position of the first optical connector and is provided on at least one of the board 10 and the first optical connector 40. Therefore, the pair of positioning portions 112 can be realized with a simpler configuration. Also, each positioning portion 112 includes a mounting surface 112a on which the first housing 110 can be mounted on the main surface 10a of the board 10, and a through hole 112b for positioning is provided on the mounting surface 112a. Therefore, by bringing the main surface 10a of the board 10 into face-to-face contact with each mounting surface 112a, the horizontal inclination of the optical connector jig 100 relative to the board 10 can be adjusted, and the optical connector jig 100 can be positioned relative to the first optical connector 40 more accurately. Note that a configuration may be adopted in which a protrusion is provided on each positioning portion 112, and a recess that matches the protrusion is provided on the board 10, etc., to position the optical connector jig 100 relative to the first optical connector 40.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the first housing 110 is provided with an opening 113 capable of accommodating the first optical connector 40, and the opening 113 is formed with a pair of recesses 117 capable of accommodating the pair of protrusions 47 of the first optical connector 40 and a pair of shoulders 118 capable of being accommodated in the pair of recesses 48 of the first optical connector. Therefore, when the second optical connector 60 is moved so as to approach the first optical connector 40 by the second housing 130 of the optical connector jig 100, the force applied to the first optical connector 40 can be received by the first housing 110 of the optical connector jig 100, and the force applied to the connection portion between the first optical connector 40 and the board 10, the package 20, etc. can be distributed, and the installation of the first optical connector 40 on the board 10, the package 20, etc. can be protected. In addition, according to the above configuration, the positioning work mainly performed by the pin 11, which is a member indicating the position of the first optical connector 40, and the through hole 112b of the positioning portion 112 of the first housing 110 can be assisted, thereby enabling more accurate positioning and smooth positioning operation to be performed.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the optical connector jig 100 further includes an axis portion 150 having one end fixed to the first housing 110 and penetrating the second housing 130 toward the other end opposite to the one end, and a bearing portion 140 to which the other end of the axis portion 150 is fixed. The second housing 130 is slidable relative to the first housing 110 along the axis portion 150 between the first housing 110 and the bearing portion 140. Therefore, the movement of the second housing 130 relative to the first housing 110 can be made smooth along the axis portion 150, and the second optical connector 60 can be more easily connected to the first optical connector 40. In addition, since the second optical connector 60 can be connected to the first optical connector 40 along the axis portion 150, the connection loss due to the misalignment of the optical axes when optically connecting optical cables to each other can be reduced.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the optical connector jig 100 further includes an ejector 120 disposed between the first housing 110 and the second housing 130, and the ejector 120 has a release portion 126 that can release the connection between the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 by moving in a direction away from the first housing 110. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily remove the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40 from the first optical connector 40 by utilizing this release portion 126, without directly gripping and operating the first optical connector 40 or the second optical connector 60 disposed on the main surface 10a.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the ejector 120 has a pair of opposing side walls 121, and a pair of release parts 126 are provided on the inner side of the pair of side walls 121 near the first housing 110. Each release part 126 is a pair of protrusions protruding in a direction away from the first housing 110. Therefore, by moving the ejector 120 in a direction away from the first housing 110 (a direction toward the second housing 130), the pair of protrusions that are the release parts 126 are inserted into the engagement parts between the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 to release the engagement, and thus the second optical connector 60 connected to the first optical connector 40 can be easily removed from the first optical connector 40. In addition, by forming the release parts 126 from a pair of protrusions, the optical connector can be removed with a simple configuration.

[0074] In the above embodiment, each of the pair of side walls 121 of the ejector 120 has a recess 127 recessed outward, and a pressing surface 128 located on the edge of the recess 127 on the second housing 130 side. This makes it easier to temporarily spread the latch 66 of the second optical connector 60 outward when connecting the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40. This makes it possible to connect the second optical connector 60 to the first optical connector 40 more smoothly.

[0075] In the optical connector connecting method according to this embodiment, the second optical connector 60 is held by the second housing 130 so as to face a predetermined direction, and the optical connector jig 100 is positioned relative to the first optical connector 40, and after such settings are made, the second housing 130 is moved toward the first housing 110, thereby connecting the optical connectors to each other. Therefore, it is possible to easily connect optical connectors (i.e., optical fibers or optical cables) to each other by manipulating the first housing 110 and the second housing 130, without directly holding and manipulating the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60 arranged on the main surface 10a.

[0076] Furthermore, in the method for removing the optical connector according to this embodiment, the ejector 120 is moved in a direction away from the first housing 110, whereby the release portion 126 of the ejector 120 releases the engagement between the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60. Therefore, no complicated work is required to separate the first optical connector 40 and the second optical connector 60, and the optical connectors can be easily disconnected and removed.

[0077] Although the embodiments according to the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be applied to various embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1...Optical device 10. Board 10a…main surface 11…Pin 20…Package 21...Integrated Circuit 22...Optical devices 30…First optical cable 31…Ferrule 32...Elastic member 40…First optical connector 41…Main body 42…Fitting part 43...legs 44…Connection surface 45…Pin 46…Recess 47…Protrusion 48…Recess 50…Second optical cable 51…Ferrule 52...Elastic member 60…Second optical connector 61...Main body 62…Fitting part 63...Protrusion 64…Connection surface 65...hole 66…Latch 67...Engagement part 100...Optical connector jig 110…First housing 111…Main body 112... Positioning part 112a...Placement surface 112b...Through hole 113…Opening 114…Front end surface 115...Through hole 116...Protrusion 117…Recess 118...Shoulder 119...Rear end surface 120…Ejector 121...Side wall 122…Tabletop 123…Recess 124...Protrusion 125...Through hole 126…Release section 127…Recess 128…Pressing surface 129…Opening 130…Second housing 131…Main body 132…Front end surface 133...Rear end surface 134…Recess 135...Through hole 136...Protrusion 137…Slit 140...Bearing part 141...Front end surface 142...Rear end surface 143...Through hole 150…Shaft 151…Pin body 152…First flange portion 153…Second flange section

Claims

1. An optical connector jig for connecting a second optical connector to which at least one tip end of a second optical cable is attached to a first optical connector that is arranged on a main surface of a board and to which a tip end of at least one first optical cable is attached, or for removing the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector from the first optical connector, a first housing having a positioning portion for determining a position of the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector in cooperation with a member indicating the position of the first optical connector; a second housing capable of holding the second optical connector such that a connection surface of the second optical connector faces a connection surface of the first optical connector when the optical connector jig is positioned relative to the first optical connector, The second housing is movable relative to the first housing so that the connection surface of the gripped second optical connector moves closer to or away from the connection surface of the first optical connector.

2. the positioning portion includes a hole or a protrusion corresponding to a protrusion or a hole that is a member indicating the position of the first optical connector and is provided on at least one of the board and the first optical connector, 2. The optical connector jig according to claim 1.

3. the positioning portion includes a mounting surface on which the first housing can be mounted on the main surface of the board, and the corresponding hole or protrusion is provided on the mounting surface.

3. The optical connector jig according to claim 2.

4. the first housing is provided with an opening capable of accommodating at least a portion of the first optical connector; At least one of a recess capable of accommodating a protrusion of the first optical connector and a protrusion capable of being accommodated in the recess of the first optical connector is formed in the opening. The optical connector jig according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a shaft portion having one end fixed to the first housing and penetrating the second housing toward the other end opposite to the one end; a bearing portion to which the other end of the shaft portion is fixed, The second housing is slidable relative to the first housing along the shaft portion between the first housing and the bearing portion. The optical connector jig according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. further comprising an ejector disposed between the first housing and the second housing; the ejector has a release portion that is capable of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector by moving in a direction away from the first housing. The optical connector jig according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. the ejector has a pair of opposing side walls, and the release portion is provided on an inner side of the pair of side walls near the first optical connector, The release portion is a pair of protrusions protruding in a direction away from the first housing.

7. The optical connector jig according to claim 6.

8. The ejector has a pair of opposing side walls, Each of the pair of side walls has a recess that is recessed outward and a pressing surface that is located on an edge of the recess on the second housing side.

8. The optical connector jig according to claim 6 or 7.

9. 9. A method for connecting the second optical connector to the first optical connector using the optical connector jig according to claim 1, comprising: holding the second optical connector by the second housing such that the connection surface of the second optical connector faces the first housing; a step of positioning the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector using the positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating a position of the first optical connector; moving the second housing toward the first housing to connect the second optical connector to the first optical connector; A method for connecting an optical connector comprising:

10. 9. A method for removing the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector from the first optical connector by using the optical connector jig according to claim 6, comprising the steps of: a step of positioning the optical connector jig relative to the first optical connector using the positioning portion of the first housing and a member indicating a position of the first optical connector, and gripping the second optical connector connected to the first optical connector with the second housing; a step of releasing the connection between the first optical connector and the second optical connector by the release portion by moving the ejector in a direction away from the first housing; A method for removing an optical connector comprising:

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