Optical connector attachment / detachment tool and attachment / detachment method

Abstract

To provide a jig and method for easily attaching and detaching an optical connector obtained by magnetically connecting a receptacle including a magnetic substance with a plug including a magnet when attaching and detaching the optical connector.SOLUTION: A jig 90 for attaching and detaching an optical connector includes: a front part 10 formed of a magnetic substance and covering the periphery of a magnet 230; and a plug engagement part 30 engaging the tip part of the plug 200 in the connection direction and removed from the receptacle 100 of the plug 200. The plug engagement part 30 is a narrow part formed on the receptacle 100 side of the front part 10 and having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the end part of the plug 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a jig for attaching and detaching an optical connector that optically connects optical waveguide components together by magnetic force, and a method for attaching and detaching the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In addition to the conventional standardized methods such as MPO, various methods have been proposed as a method for connecting optical waveguide components such as optical fibers. For example, Patent Document 1 (WO 2021 / 111773) discloses a small optical connecting component that uses magnets to hold and press optical waveguide components together.

[0003] The optical connecting component described in Patent Document 1 is an optical connecting component that connects to other optical connecting components, and comprises an optical waveguide component, an alignment component that fixes the optical waveguide component, and a magnetic structure that is integrated with the alignment component, and the connection end face of the alignment component is provided with a positioning structure that determines the relative position between the connection end face and the connection end face of the alignment component that the other optical connecting component has. One embodiment of Patent Document 1 discloses a pair of connecting parts, each consisting of a divided portion, with two opposing faces, one of which is magnetized as an N pole and the other as an S pole, magnetized in the outer circumferential direction of the optical fiber alignment component.

[0004] Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-029633) discloses an optical fiber connector that has little variation in coupling loss, is highly reliable, and allows easy connection and disconnection operations. The optical fiber connector described in Patent Document 2 is an optical fiber connector equipped with a magnetic body having a hole through which an optical fiber is inserted and fixed, and is provided with a means for reducing the coefficient of friction of the connecting surface of the magnetic body with the mating optical fiber connector. The connecting surface of the magnetic body with the mating optical fiber connector is provided with a means for absorbing the impact that occurs when connecting with the mating optical fiber connector, so that when not connected with the mating optical fiber connector, the end face of the optical fiber is located inside from the connecting surface of the magnetic body, and when connected with the mating optical fiber connector, the end face of the optical fiber abuts against the end face of the mating optical fiber.

[0005] Patent document 3 (International Publication No. 2022 / 074866) discloses an optical connector that can prevent ferrules from wearing when optical connectors are attached or detached from each other, and that optically connects optical communications using magnets.

[0006] The optical connector described in Patent Document 3 has a main body that has a fiber hole through which a first optical fiber can be inserted and a connection end face where the fiber hole opens, and further has a material inside that generates a magnetic force, and is configured to optically connect the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber by the magnetic force. In an embodiment of Patent Document 3, the main body portion is disclosed to have a guide hole for a guide pin that extends along the axial direction of the fiber hole and opens to the connection end face, and a storage portion that stores a permanent magnet.

[0007] Patent Document 4 (International Publication No. 2014 / 010035) discloses an optical connector for efficiently coupling signals between optical transmission media such as multiple optical fibers and optical waveguides in a multi-channel optical interconnect that transmits and receives large-capacity signals between boards incorporating electronic circuits such as integrated circuits, and an optical connector connection method for easily connecting and disconnecting the optical connector.

[0008] The optical connector described in Patent Document 4 is an optical connector consisting of a first connector member and a second connector member, wherein the first connector member has a rear section, a through hole for an optical fiber passing through the rear section, a fixing section for fixing the optical fiber provided in the rear section, and a first alignment section provided on the surface of the rear section; the second connector member has a rear section, a through hole for an optical fiber passing through the rear section, a fixing section for fixing the optical fiber provided in the rear section, and a second alignment section provided on the surface of the rear section; a magnet is provided on the surface of the first alignment section at a portion that connects with the second alignment section, and a magnetic body is provided on the surface of the second alignment section at a portion that connects with the magnet; the connector members are connected by connecting the magnet of the first connector member with the magnetic body of the second connector member, thereby optically connecting the optical fiber fixed to the first connector member and the optical fiber fixed to the second connector member; and the first alignment member further has magnetic force shielding means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021 / 111773 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-029633 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2022 / 074866 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2014 / 010035 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] The optical connectors described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 all use magnetic force to connect optical waveguide components to each other. In this case, a strong pressing force is required to connect multi-channel optical waveguide components to each other while satisfying the specified connection loss, and this requires a strong magnetic force. However, there are problems in that it is very difficult to remove optical waveguide components when a strong magnetic force is applied without damaging the optical waveguide components, magnets, or surrounding components, and it is also very difficult to attach optical waveguide components to each other while maintaining their positional accuracy when a strong magnetic force is applied. In particular, when optical connection terminals are provided on electronic circuit boards such as servers, and high-speed, large-capacity information communication is performed between servers or between circuit boards using optical communication, it is difficult to secure space around the optical connection terminals for inserting attachment / detachment tools, etc., making this even more difficult.

[0011] Patent Document 1 describes alignment using guide pins, but does not particularly describe a method for removing optical waveguide components from each other when a strong magnetic force is acting on them. Patent Document 2 describes an optical fiber connector in which a buffer material is arranged to absorb shocks that occur during connection. However, it does not specifically describe a method for detaching optical waveguide components when a strong magnetic force is applied. Furthermore, when a buffer material is arranged between two magnetic bodies, precise position control of the magnetic bodies relative to each other is not possible, making it difficult to control the connection loss of the optical connector. Patent Document 3 also describes an example in which a permanent magnet is placed in the guide hole of an MT ferrule. However, in order to perform high-density, large-capacity optical communication using a multi-core MT ferrule, a contact force of several to several tens of newtons is required, and it has been difficult to apply such a large force to the connection end face using a permanent magnet placed in the guide hole. Furthermore, Patent Document 4 provides a mechanism for rotating the magnet in the alignment section to facilitate disconnection of the optical connector. However, precise position control of the magnetic terminal that serves as the alignment mark, which is necessary to realize an optical connector with low loss and little variation in connection loss, is difficult, especially in the case of multiple channels.

[0012] The main object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector attachment / detachment tool and method that allows for easy attachment / detachment, ensures positional accuracy during installation, and prevents damage to the optical connector during attachment / detachment, particularly in the case of multi-channel optical connectors in which a receptacle and a plug equipped with a magnet are magnetically coupled and a pressing force is applied when connected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] (1) According to one aspect, an optical connector attachment / detachment jig is an optical connector attachment / detachment jig for attaching and detaching an optical connector in which a receptacle having a magnetic material and a plug having a magnet are magnetically coupled together, and the jig comprises a front portion formed of a magnetic material and surrounding the magnet, and a plug engagement portion that engages with the tip portion of the plug in the connection direction to facilitate removal of the plug from the receptacle, the plug engagement portion being a narrowed portion formed on the receptacle side of the front portion and having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the end of the plug.

[0014] In a multi-channel MPO connector, a pressing force of 10 to 20 N must be applied between the ferrules to achieve low loss and minimal connection loss variance. Therefore, a pressing force equivalent to this may also be required for optical connectors that are coupled using magnetic force. However, if the same pressing force is generated by magnetic force, simply bringing the plug close to the receptacle when attaching the optical connector will create a strong pressing force, making it difficult to control the position of the plug and receptacle. Also, because the magnetic force of a magnet increases the closer the distance, the ferrules of the plug and receptacle will collide with each other with increasing force, which can cause damage. On the other hand, when removing the optical connector, it is difficult to do so due to the strong pressing force, and if you try to remove it by force, the optical connector may be damaged.

[0015] According to one aspect, an optical connector attachment / detachment jig covers the periphery of a magnet with a front portion formed of a magnetic material when attaching or detaching an optical connector, and brings the jig close to the magnet, thereby causing the magnetism from the magnet to leak into the attachment / detachment jig through the front portion, which is also made of a magnetic material, thereby reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug equipped with the magnet and reducing the pressing force between the plug and receptacle, thereby improving controllability when attaching or detaching the optical connector and preventing damage. After the optical connector is attached, the attachment / detachment jig is removed from the plug, which restores the pressing force between the plug and receptacle to its original value.

[0016] Furthermore, controlling the distance between the plug and receptacle is important for improving controllability when attaching and detaching an optical connector. In an optical connector attachment / detachment jig according to one aspect, by providing a plug engagement portion that engages with the receptacle side end portion in the connecting direction of the plug, it is possible to control the distance between the plug and receptacle, which makes it easy to connect and disconnect the plug and receptacle and prevents unnecessary collisions and other damage when they approach each other.

[0017] The magnetic material referred to here includes hard magnetic materials and / or soft magnetic materials. The optical connector may have a magnet on the receptacle side and a magnetic material on the plug side, or may have magnets on both the receptacle side and the plug side. Furthermore, the leading end of the plug in the connection direction does not have to be the frontmost part of the entire plug (closest to the receptacle), but may be a corner on the side of the magnet in the connection direction, as in the embodiment. Furthermore, the plug engaging portion may be configured as a narrowed portion, or may be a protrusion and a notch, etc., so that the front portion of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig and the plug of the optical connector can engage with each other. In addition, in the present invention, the descriptions such as "attachable / detachable jig" and "engageable with plug" mean "configured to be detachable / detachable... jig" and "configured to be able to engage with plug" and are not limited to "a jig that is in an engaged state with a plug" and the like.

[0018] (2) An optical connector detachment jig according to a second aspect of the present invention is an optical connector detachment jig according to one aspect, wherein the plug has a connection plate made of a soft magnetic material on the receptacle side of the magnet, the magnet has a north pole and a south pole along the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide component, includes a first magnet and a second magnet facing each other and configured to encompass the optical waveguide component, and the front part is formed of a soft magnetic material and covers the first magnet and the second magnet, thereby causing the magnetic circuit formed by the first magnet and the second magnet to leak toward the front part, thereby reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug.

[0019] In optical connectors that are coupled by magnetic force, the receptacle-side ends of the first magnet and second magnet form the north and south poles, respectively, and a magnetic circuit is formed from the north pole to the south pole via the magnetic material of the receptacle, generating a strong magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug. In the optical connector removal jig according to the second invention, the north and south poles of the magnet can be covered by the soft magnetic connection plate and the soft magnetic front part, which causes the magnetic circuit formed by the first magnet and the second magnet to leak toward the front part, reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug.

[0020] (3) The optical connector detachment jig according to the third invention is the optical connector detachment jig according to the first or second invention, and further comprises a rear portion, which connects to the front portion with a screw and engages with the upper surface and / or side surface of a yoke arranged on the rear end side of the magnet, and the plug engagement portion may engage with the front end of the magnet. The leading end of the magnet is the receptacle side in the plug connection direction, and the trailing end of the magnet is the end of the magnet opposite the connection direction. Therefore, the yoke is positioned on the opposite side of the magnet from the receptacle side.

[0021] The front portion engages with the end of the magnet on the connection plate side, so that the magnetism flowing to the receptacle via the connection plate can be effectively released to the front portion side, thereby leaking the magnetic circuit. Furthermore, by connecting this optical connector attachment / detachment jig to the optical connector, the magnet of the optical connector is encompassed by the connection plate, the optical connector attachment / detachment jig (front and rear parts), and the yoke, so that the magnetic circuit can be effectively leaked to the front part.

[0022] Furthermore, rare earth magnets, which can generate a strong magnetic force even when small, have the problem of being prone to cracking and suffering from large sintering shrinkage. For this reason, if the position of the plug is controlled by the engagement between the magnet and the front part, there is a possibility that the positioning accuracy in the plane perpendicular to the plug connection direction will be insufficient. In contrast, the optical connector attachment / detachment jig of the third invention further includes a rear section, and by engaging the rear section with the top and both side surfaces of a yoke formed of a soft magnetic metal such as SUS, which has high processing accuracy, it is possible to improve positional accuracy.

[0023] Furthermore, the plug of the optical connector is very small, and the optical connector attachment / detachment jig and the plug are strongly attracted to each other, so it may be difficult to remove the optical connector attachment / detachment jig from the plug. In the optical connector disconnecting jig according to the third invention, the rear portion and the front portion can be separated, so that the optical connector disconnecting jig and the plug can be easily separated.

[0024] It is preferable that the optical connector attachment / detachment jig and the connection plate are made of a soft magnetic material. It is even more preferable that the yoke is also made of a soft magnetic material. By attaching the optical connector attachment / detachment jig to the plug, the magnet of the plug is covered with a soft magnetic material. This reduces the effect of the magnetic attractive force on the plug, making it even easier to separate the plug and receptacle.

[0025] (4) An optical connector detachment jig according to a fourth invention is an optical connector detachment jig according to any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the first magnet and second magnet of the plug are each symmetrical U-shaped, with their respective upper and lower surfaces flush with each other, and the front portions may be in contact with their respective upper surfaces.

[0026] When the first magnet and second magnet containing the optical waveguide component are flush with the top and bottom surfaces of the plug, by bringing the front part made of a magnetic material into contact with the top surface of the plug adjacent to the first magnet and the second magnet, more of the magnetic circuit formed by the first magnet and the second magnet can be leaked toward the front part. Furthermore, the magnet may be configured so that not only the upper surface but also the lower surface can come into contact with the magnetic body.

[0027] (5) An optical connector removal tool according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is an optical connector removal tool according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the front portion protrudes toward the receptacle and may have a guide mechanism that engages with the top and / or side surfaces of the receptacle.

[0028] When inserting a plug into a receptacle, it is important to align the guide pins on the receptacle with the guide holes on the plug. In the optical connector removal jig according to the fifth invention, the front portion of the optical connector removal jig is provided with a guide mechanism that protrudes toward the receptacle, and the above positioning is accurately achieved by, for example, engaging the guide mechanism with the top and side surfaces of the receptacle, or by engaging the guide mechanism with any two of the top and both side surfaces.

[0029] (6) Another aspect of the method for attaching and detaching an optical connector is a method for attaching and detaching an optical connector in which a receptacle having a magnetic material and a plug having a magnet are magnetically coupled together, and when attaching or detaching the optical connector, the magnet is covered with an optical connector attaching / detaching jig made of a magnetic material, thereby causing the magnetic circuit formed by the magnet to leak into the optical connector attaching / detaching jig and reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug.

[0030] A method for attaching and detaching an optical connector according to another aspect is an invention of a method for attaching and detaching an optical connector corresponding to the optical connector attaching and detaching jig according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the invention. In another aspect of the method for attaching and detaching an optical connector, by reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug, it is possible to easily attach and detach a multi-channel optical connector, ensure positional accuracy during installation, and prevent damage to the optical connector during attachment and detachment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the optical connector attachment / detachment jig of the present embodiment is engaged with an optical connector. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an optical connector attachment / detachment jig according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(a) is a schematic perspective view of the rear part of the attachment / detachment jig, and FIG. 3(b) is a schematic perspective view of the front part. [Figure 4] FIG. 4(a) is a schematic front view of the rear portion, FIG. 4(b) is a schematic bottom view of the rear portion, and FIG. 4(c) is a schematic side view of the rear portion. [Figure 5] 5(a) is a schematic front view of the front part, FIG. 5(b) is a schematic bottom view of the front part, and FIG. 5(c) is a schematic side view of the front part. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a receptacle and a plug of the optical connector in a coupled state. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a receptacle and a plug of the optical connector in a separated state. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the optical connector attachment / detachment jig is engaged with the plug, as viewed from the underside of the optical connector. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state before the attachment / detachment jig is engaged when attaching an optical connector. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the attachment / detachment jig is engaged when attaching an optical connector. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state when a plug is removed in the case where an optical connector is attached. [Figure 12] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state when the attachment / detachment jig is removed in the case of attaching an optical connector. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their names and functions are also the same, so detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0033] [Present embodiment] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which an optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 of this embodiment is engaged with an optical connector 300, and Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90. Fig. 3(a) is a schematic perspective view of the rear section 20 in an exploded state of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90, and Fig. 3(b) is a schematic perspective view of the front section 10. Figs. 4(a), 4(b), and 4(c) are a front view, a cross-sectional view seen from below, and a cross-sectional view seen from the side of the rear section 20, respectively, and Figs. 5(a), 5(b), and 5(c) are a front view, a cross-sectional view seen from below, and a cross-sectional view seen from the side of the front section 10, respectively. Also, Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing receptacle 100 and plug 200 in a coupled state, and Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing receptacle 100 and plug 200 in a separated state. Also, Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of optical connector 300, seen from the underside, showing a state in which optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 is engaged with plug 200.

[0034] In optical connector 300, which is the main object of attachment and detachment using optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 of this embodiment, receptacle 100 and plug 200 are strongly coupled by magnetic force, and it is difficult to remove plug 200 from receptacle 100 in this state. Optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 covers magnet 230 (see FIG. 6) of plug 200 with front section 10 made of a magnetic material, and the magnetic force from the magnet leaks into the optical connector attachment / detachment jig via the front section, which is also made of a magnetic material, thereby reducing the magnetic force between receptacle 100 and plug 200. This reduces the pressing force between receptacle 100 and plug 200, improving controllability when attaching and detaching optical connector 300 and preventing damage. In this embodiment, magnet 230 is provided in plug 200, but magnet 230 may be provided in receptacle 100, or magnet 230 may be provided in both plug 200 and receptacle 100.

[0035] (Structure of optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90) 2, the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 is configured by connecting a rear section 20 and a front section 10 with screws 40 such as bolts. Of these, the front section 10 is formed of a magnetic material, and from the standpoints of processing precision, physical strength, etc., it is desirable that it be formed of a soft magnetic material such as SUS430 or SUS630. The rear section 20 may also be formed of a soft magnetic material such as SUS430 or SUS630. Front section 10 forms a narrowed portion by increasing the thickness of the receptacle 100 side of leg section 11 that abuts against plug 200, and this narrowed portion engages with the tip of magnet 230 of plug 200 on the receptacle 100 side in the connecting direction, thereby fulfilling the function of plug engaging section 30. In other words, when removing plug 200 from receptacle 100, front section 10 covers magnet 230 to reduce the magnetic force between plug 200 and receptacle 100, and then plug engaging section 30 is engaged with the tip of magnet 230 on the receptacle 100 side, and plug 200 is pulled out of receptacle 100, thereby allowing plug 200 to be removed without damaging optical connector 300. The plug engaging portion 30 is not limited to a structure in which a narrowed portion is formed in the front portion 10. For example, a structure in which the front portion 10 and the magnet 230 can be engaged with each other may be adopted, such as by forming a protrusion on the front portion 10 and a notch in the magnet 230. The front part 10 also has screw holes 42 at the top, and is fixed to the rear part 20 with screws 40 .

[0036] The rear part 20 is fitted with the front part 10 by screws 40 through holes 41, and the front part 10 is firmly fixed by wing parts 21 that protrude from the top toward the front part 10 side. Furthermore, the legs 22 of the rear portion 20 can be formed of a soft magnetic material such as SUS430, and by engaging with both sides of the yoke 240 formed of a soft magnetic material with higher processing accuracy than the magnet 230, the position control accuracy of the plug 200 can be improved.

[0037] (Structure of optical connector 300) FIG. 6 shows the structure of the receptacle 100 and plug 200 of the optical connector 300 in a coupled state, and FIG. 7 shows the structure of the receptacle 100 and plug 200 of the optical connector 300 in a separated state. Optical connector 300, which is the target of attachment and detachment by optical connector attachment and detachment jig 90 of this embodiment, is provided with magnet 230 in plug 200, and an attractive force acts between receptacle 100 and plug 200 due to the magnetic force of magnet 230. This applies a pressing force to connecting surfaces 104 of receptacle 100 and plug 200, allowing optical fiber 140 and optical fiber 270 to be connected.

[0038] 6 and 7, optical connector 300 is configured to allow connection between receptacle 100 and plug 200. Receptacle 100 includes, on connection surface 104, plate-shaped ferrule 110 to which optical fiber 140 is connected, and includes guide pins 120 that determine the connection positions of plate-shaped ferrule 110 and plate-shaped ferrule 210. The plug 200 includes a connection plate 220 having a recess and including a plate-like ferrule 210 on a connection surface 225 to which an optical fiber 270 is connected, a magnet 230 disposed adjacent to the back surface of the connection plate 220 (the surface facing the connection surface 225), and a yoke 240 disposed at the rear end of the magnet 230 in the connecting direction of the plug (the side opposite to the connection plate 220 side). The plug 200 also includes a boot 260 that holds the optical waveguide components extending from the plate-like ferrule 210 in parallel.

[0039] Magnet 230 is composed of first magnet 231 and second magnet 232, which are symmetrical U-shaped in plug 200, with the top and bottom surfaces flush with each other and arranged with opposite polarities. First magnet 231 and second magnet 232 are made of rare earth magnets such as neodymium magnets. Connection plate 220, receptacle 100, and yoke 240 are made of soft magnetic material such as SUS430 or SUS630. 6, the magnetic force generated from the north pole of first magnet 231 reaches receptacle 100 via connection plate 220. Then, the magnetic force reaches the south pole of second magnet 232 from receptacle 100 via connection plate 220. Furthermore, the magnetic force generated from the north pole of second magnet 232 reaches the south pole of first magnet 231 via yoke 240. That is, when plug 200 is connected to receptacle 100, a closed magnetic circuit is formed, causing receptacle 100 and plug 200 to be strongly attracted to each other, applying a strong contact force to the connecting end faces. This allows for a compact, low-loss optical connector 300.

[0040] Receptacle 100 has a recess on connection surface 104 into which plate-like ferrule 110 can be fitted, and a hole (not shown) inside into which optical fiber 140 can be inserted. Furthermore, because receptacle 100 of this embodiment is made of a soft magnetic material, an attractive force acts between receptacle 100 and magnet 230, thereby generating a pressing force between receptacle 100 and plug 200. Receptacle 100 has two guide pins 120 protruding from connection surface 104, which allow plate-shaped ferrule 110 of receptacle 100 and plate-shaped ferrule 210 of plug 200 to be precisely positioned and optically connected.

[0041] (Engagement state of plug 200 and optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90) 8 is a schematic perspective view of the optical connector 300, seen from the underside, showing the state in which the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 is engaged with the plug 200. The front section 10 covers the upper and side surfaces of the magnets 230 (231, 232), and the rear section 20 covers the upper and side surfaces of the yokes 240 (241, 242) that are arranged on the side of the magnets 230 (231, 232) farther from the receptacle 100. The magnetic force generated from the north pole of the first magnet 231 reaches the receptacle 100 via the connection plate 220, and then from the receptacle 100 to the south pole of the second magnet 232 via the connection plate 220.By covering the top and side surfaces of the magnets 230 (231, 232) with the front part 10, the magnetic circuit is leaked to the front part 10, thereby reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle 100 and the plug 200.

[0042] The front portion 10 in Figure 8 is provided with a guide mechanism 12 that protrudes toward the receptacle 100, and when the plug 200 is inserted into the receptacle 100, this guide mechanism 12 engages with the top surface and both side surfaces of the receptacle 100, or with any two of the top surface and both side surfaces. This allows guide pin 120 on the receptacle 100 side to be positioned before it enters guide hole 212 on the plug side, facilitating highly accurate insertion and removal of the connector (see FIGS. 8 and 10).

[0043] By holding plug 200 with optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90, the magnetic force acting on receptacle 100 can be reduced, allowing plug 200 and receptacle 100 to be connected while being aligned. This makes it possible to reliably insert guide pins 120 of receptacle 100 into guide holes 212 of plug 200, allowing for safe and accurate precise alignment. In particular, although the magnetic force can become extremely strong when plug 200 and receptacle 100 are brought close to each other, optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 reduces the magnetic force, effectively preventing problems such as guide pins 120 colliding with the connection end face. Furthermore, plug engaging portion 30 of front portion 10 engages with the end portion of magnet 230 (231, 232) on the receptacle 100 side, and by retracting optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 from receptacle 100, guide pin 120 can be safely removed from plate-like ferrule 210. Therefore, plug 200 can be removed without damaging optical connector 300. The rear portion 20 is made of a soft magnetic material such as SUS430, which has high processing accuracy, and is engaged with the yoke 240 (241, 242), which has higher processing accuracy than the magnet 230, thereby improving the position control accuracy of the plug 200.

[0044] (Flow when removing the plug 200 using the optical connector removal jig 90) 9 to 12 show a flow of steps for removing plug 200 from receptacle 100 using optical connector removal jig 90. FIG. 9: An optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 is placed on top of a plug 200 coupled to a receptacle 100. In this case, it is important to align the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 so that the rear portion 20 and the yoke 240 can engage with each other, and the front portion 10 and the magnet 230 can engage with each other. FIG. 10: The optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 is slowly lowered until the rear portion 20 of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 engages with the yoke 240, and the front portion 10 engages with the magnet 230. FIG. 11: With the plug engaging portion 30 of the front portion 10 engaged with the magnet 230 (231, 232) (see FIG. 8), the optical connector removing jig 90 is moved in a direction away from the receptacle 100 to remove the plug 200 from the receptacle 100. FIG. 12: With the plug 200 fixed (not shown), the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 is slowly raised to separate the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 and the plug 200.

[0045] In this case, first, remove the screw 40 connecting the rear part 20 and the front part 10 of the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90, and separate the rear part 20 and the front part 10, which makes it easy to separate the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 and the plug 200. The above is the flow for removing plug 200 from receptacle 100. To attach plug 200 to receptacle 100, the operations shown in FIGS. 12, 11, 10, and 9 can be performed in reverse order. When inserting plug 200 into receptacle 100, it is important to align guide pin 120 on the receptacle 100 side with guide hole 212 on the plug side. In the present invention, the above positioning is performed accurately by engaging guide mechanism 12, which protrudes toward receptacle 100 from front portion 10 of optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90, with the top surface and both side surfaces of receptacle 100, or with any two of the top surface and both side surfaces (see FIG. 10).

[0046] (Example) The front portion 10 and rear portion 20 of the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 of this embodiment are both made of SUS430, and are both 19 mm high and 10 mm wide, with the total width including the wing portions 21 being 14 mm. The depth of the rear part 20 in the connecting direction of the optical connector 300 is 5 mm, and the wing parts 21 protrude a further 3 mm toward the front part 10. The width between the legs 22 is 8.1 mm, and the thickness of the legs 22 themselves is 1 mm. The depth of the front section 10 in the connection direction, including the guide mechanism 12 protruding toward the receptacle 100, is 8.5 mm, of which the depth of the legs 11 is 5 mm. The width between the legs 11 is 8.7 mm in the portion where the magnet 230 is housed and 8.1 mm at the plug engaging portion 30, and the thickness of the legs 11 themselves is 1 mm. As a result, the plug engaging portion 30 is narrowed inward by 0.3 mm on both the left and right sides. The shape of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 in this embodiment is designed so that it can be used even when two optical connectors 300 are connected and the distance between the optical connectors 300 is short. If the optical connector 300 is installed alone and there are no obstacles nearby, the shape of the optical connector attaching / detaching jig 90 can be changed, for example, by making the legs 11 themselves thicker. When the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 of the above embodiment was attached to the optical connector 300 coupled with a magnetic force of approximately 10 N, the magnetic force between the plug 200 and the receptacle 100 was reduced to 5 N or less, allowing the plug 200 to be easily attached and detached from the receptacle 100, ensuring positional accuracy during installation and preventing damage to the optical connector during attachment and detachment.

[0047] In this example, the optical connector 300 used has a connection plate 220 with a width of 8.0 mm, a magnet 230 with a width of 8.6 mm, and a yoke 240 with a width of 8.0 mm. Therefore, the margin between the connection plate 220 and the narrowed portion of the leg 11 of the front part 10, the margin between the magnet 230 and the leg 11 of the front part 10, and the margin between the yoke 240 and the leg 11 of the rear part 20 are all approximately 0.1 mm. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plug engaging portion 30, which is the narrowed portion of the leg 11 of the front portion 10, is engaged with the end of the magnet 230 on the receptacle 100 side, and the leg 22 of the rear portion 20 is engaged with the end of the magnet 230 on the yoke 240 side, so that the movement of the plug 200 in the connection direction of the optical connector 300 can be reliably controlled by the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90.

[0048] However, when optical connector 300 is attached or detached, a magnetic attractive force acts between receptacle 100 and plug 200, so plug engaging portion 30 and the end of magnet 230 on the receptacle 100 side are engaged by this attractive force, and it is not necessarily necessary for legs 22 of rear portion 20 to engage with the end of magnet 230 on the yoke 240 side. Therefore, the width of yoke 240 may be 8.6 mm, the same as magnet 230, and the width between legs 22 of rear portion 20 may be 8.7 mm, the same as the width between legs 11 of front portion 10. In addition, in this embodiment, the width of the receptacle 100 of the optical connector 300 is 8.0 mm, and the distance between the protrusions on both sides of the guide mechanism 12 is 8.1 mm, and by engaging the guide mechanism 12 with the receptacle 100, accurate positioning between the receptacle 100 and the plug 200 can be achieved. The shapes of the front part 10 and rear part 20 in this embodiment are merely examples, and may be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the optical connector 300, whether the optical connector 300 is a single or double connector, and the method of engagement between the optical connector 300 and the optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90, etc.

[0049] In the present invention, receptacle 100 corresponds to the "receptacle", magnet 230, first magnet 231, and second magnet 232 correspond to the "magnets", plug 200 corresponds to the "plug", optical connector 300 corresponds to the "optical connector", optical connector attachment / detachment jig 90 corresponds to the "optical connector attachment / detachment jig", front portion 10 corresponds to the "front portion", plug engaging portion 30 corresponds to the "plug engaging portion", optical fibers 140, 270 correspond to the "optical waveguide component", connecting plate 220 corresponds to the "connecting plate", yoke 240 corresponds to the "yoke", rear portion 20 corresponds to the "rear portion", and guide mechanism 12 corresponds to the "guide mechanism".

[0050] Although a 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 this embodiment, these actions and effects are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10 Front section 12 Guide mechanism 20 Rear section 30 Plug engagement portion 90 Optical connector attachment / detachment jig 100 receptacles 140, 270 optical fiber 200 plugs 220 Connecting Plate 230 Magnet 231 First Magnet 232 Second Magnet 240 York 300 Optical Connector

Claims

1. An optical connector attachment / detachment tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector in which a receptacle having a magnetic body and a plug having a magnet are coupled by magnetic force, a front portion formed of a magnetic material and covering the periphery of the magnet; a plug engaging portion that engages with a leading end portion of the plug in a connecting direction to remove the plug from the receptacle, The plug engaging portion is a narrowed portion formed on the receptacle side of the front portion, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the end portion of the plug.

2. the plug includes a connecting plate made of a soft magnetic material on the receptacle side of the magnet; the magnets include a first magnet and a second magnet having a north pole and a south pole along a longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide component, facing each other and configured to encompass the optical waveguide component; 2. The optical connector removal jig according to claim 1, wherein the front portion is formed of a soft magnetic material and covers the first magnet and the second magnet, thereby causing a magnetic circuit formed by the first magnet and the second magnet to leak toward the front portion, thereby reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug.

3. It also has a rear section, the rear portion is connected to the front portion by a screw and engages with an upper surface and / or a side surface of a yoke disposed on the rear end side of the magnet; 3. The optical connector attachment / detachment jig according to claim 2, wherein said plug engagement portion engages with a tip end of said magnet.

4. The first magnet and the second magnet of the plug are each symmetrically U-shaped, and their upper and lower surfaces are flush with each other; 3. The optical connector attachment / detachment jig according to claim 2, wherein said front portion contacts said upper surface of each of said connectors.

5. 3. The optical connector attachment / detachment jig according to claim 2, wherein the front portion has a guide mechanism that protrudes toward the receptacle and engages with an upper surface and / or a side surface of the receptacle.

6. A method for attaching and detaching an optical connector in which a receptacle having a magnetic body and a plug having a magnet are coupled by magnetic force, comprising: A method for attaching and detaching an optical connector, in which, when attaching or detaching an optical connector, the magnet is covered with an optical connector attachment / detachment jig made of a magnetic material, thereby causing the magnetic circuit formed by the magnet to leak into the optical connector attachment / detachment jig and reducing the magnetic force between the receptacle and the plug.

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