Attachment / detachment tool for optical connectors

Abstract

This attachment / detachment tool for optical connectors is provided with a holding portion that holds an optical connector, an operation portion that causes the holding portion to operate so as to hold the optical connector, and a guide portion that is positioned between the holding portion and the operation portion and is guided by the optical fiber.

Description

Optical connector attachment / detachment tool

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical connector attachment / detachment tool. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-164561, filed on October 13, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] In data centers, a large number of optical connectors are connected to adapters to build optical networks. Patent Document 1 discloses an optical connector attachment / detachment tool for attaching and detaching optical connectors to and from adapters. This attachment / detachment tool is configured to clamp the boot portion of the optical connector between a pair of clamping pieces.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4098165

[0004] In data centers, the task of finding a specific optical connector from the many optical connectors connected to an adapter and removing that specific optical connector from the adapter is common. When performing this task, it is common to first identify the target optical fiber and then trace that optical fiber to reach the optical connector. However, with the expansion of network traffic, the increase in optical fiber wiring density and the miniaturization of optical connectors in data centers are accelerating. Conventional removal and installation tools are designed to simply clamp the boot portion of the optical connector. This can make it difficult for the removal and installation tool to reach the optical connector attached to the tip of the target optical fiber.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector attachment / detachment tool that allows an approach from an optical fiber to an optical connector to be performed more easily.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, aspect 1 of the present invention is an optical connector attachment / detachment tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector provided at the end of an optical fiber to a connection target, and comprises a holding portion for holding the optical connector, an operating portion for operating the holding portion to hold the optical connector, and a guide portion located between the holding portion and the operating portion and guided by the optical fiber.

[0007] Aspect 2 of the present invention is an optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to aspect 1, wherein the guide portion has a accommodating portion capable of accommodating a portion of the optical fiber, and the accommodating portion has an opening larger than the diameter of the optical fiber.

[0008] Aspect 3 of the present invention is an optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the holding portion has a rotating piece that rotates when the operating portion is operated, and an opposing portion that faces the rotating piece, and the internal space of the accommodating portion is connected to the space between the rotating piece and the opposing portion.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is an optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the opposing portion has a slide piece that slides toward the pivot piece when the operating portion is operated.

[0010] Aspect 5 of the present invention is a tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector according to any one of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the rotating piece has a first opposing surface facing the sliding piece and a first recess recessed from the first opposing surface so as to move away from the sliding piece, and the sliding piece has a second opposing surface facing the first opposing surface and a second recess recessed from the second opposing surface so as to move away from the rotating piece and facing the first recess.

[0011] Aspect 6 of the present invention is a tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector according to any one of aspects 1 to 5, wherein the operating unit has a housing having a display window, a biasing member that biases the holding unit in a direction away from the operating unit, and a display unit that is disposed within the housing and displays information through the display window when an external force applied to the holding unit in a direction toward the operating unit exceeds a threshold value.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the present invention is a tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein the operating portion has a biasing member that biases the holding portion in a direction away from the operating portion, and an elastic piece that releases an elastic force when an external force applied to the holding portion in a direction toward the operating portion exceeds a threshold value.

[0013] Aspect 8 of the present invention is the optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7, wherein the holding portion has a plate-shaped guide plate portion that protrudes further toward the tip side than the rotating piece.

[0014] According to the above aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical connector attachment / detachment tool that allows an approach from an optical fiber to an optical connector to be performed more easily.

[0015] 1 is an overall view of the attachment / detachment tool of the present embodiment; FIG. 1 is a view showing how an optical connector is connected to or disconnected from an adapter using the attachment / detachment tool of FIG. 1; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the holding part of the attachment / detachment tool of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the holding part of FIG. 3 in an approaching state; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an optical connector set in the holding part of FIG. 3; FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows VII-VII of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a view of the holding part of FIG. 6 from the opposite side; FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows IX-IX of FIG. 2; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the shaft member and the like of FIG. 8 have been moved to the base end side; FIG. 2 is a view from which the housing of the operation part and the like have been omitted; FIG. 17 is a view showing how an optical connector is set in the attachment / detachment tool; and FIG. 18 is a view showing a process following FIG. 11.

[0016] An optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to this embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as attachment / detachment tool 1) will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, attachment / detachment tool 1 includes a holding portion 2, an operating portion 3, a guide portion 4, and an axial member 20. As shown in Fig. 2, attachment / detachment tool 1 is used to connect and disconnect an optical connector 110 to an adapter 100 (a connection target). However, the connection target does not have to be the adapter 100. The holding portion 2 is configured to be able to hold the optical connector 110.

[0017] The operation unit 3 is a portion operated by an operator. The operation unit 3 has a housing 30 and a lever 40. A finger hole 31 is formed in the housing 30. The lever 40 is housed inside the housing 30. A portion of the lever 40 is exposed inside the finger hole 31. When an operator inserts a finger into the finger hole 31 and pulls the lever 40, the holding unit 2 operates and the optical connector 110 can be held. The guide unit 4 is located between the holding unit 2 and the operation unit 3 and is a portion guided by the optical fiber 111 connected to the optical connector 110. As shown in FIG. 3 , the guide unit 4 has a housing portion 4a that can house a portion of the optical fiber 111. The number of optical fibers 111 connected to one optical connector 110 may be one or two or more.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3 , the holding unit 2 has a rotating unit 10 and a facing unit 2a facing the rotating unit 10. The rotating unit 10 has a rotating piece 11, a first link 12, a rotation shaft 13, and a fixing pin 14. The rotating piece 11 and the first link 12 rotate about the rotation shaft 13 in conjunction with the operation of the lever 40 in the operating unit 3. This causes the posture of the rotating piece 11 to change between a standby state ( FIG. 3 ) in which the tip of the rotating piece 11 is separated from the facing unit 2a and an approach state ( FIG. 4 ) in which the tip of the rotating piece 11 is close to the facing unit 2a. The fixing pin 14 fixes the rotating piece 11 to the first link 12.

[0019] The facing portion 2a has a sliding piece 90 that can slide. In this embodiment, the sliding piece 90 holds the optical connector 110 together with the rotating piece 11. The sliding piece 90 slides in conjunction with the operation of the lever 40. When the rotating piece 11 is in the standby state (FIG. 3), the sliding piece 90 is retracted inside the shaft member 20. When the rotating piece 11 is in the approaching state (FIG. 4), the sliding piece 90 protrudes from the shaft member 20 so as to approach the rotating piece 11.

[0020] That is, the rotating piece 11 rotates and the sliding piece 90 slides in conjunction with the operation of the lever 40. As shown in Fig. 5, when the holding unit 2 is in the standby state, the optical connector 110 is placed between the rotating piece 11 and the opposing unit 2a (sliding piece 90), and then the lever 40 is operated, whereby the optical connector 110 is clamped between the rotating piece 11 and the sliding piece 90.

[0021] With the holding portion 2 holding the optical connector 110, the optical connector 110 can be connected to the adapter 100 by pushing the attachment / detachment tool 1 toward the adapter 100. This operation is called the "connection operation." Furthermore, with the optical connector 110 connected to the adapter 100 held by the holding portion 2, the optical connector 110 can be removed from the adapter by pulling the attachment / detachment tool 1 toward the adapter 100. This operation is called the "disconnection operation."

[0022] The attachment / detachment tool 1 of this embodiment is configured to facilitate connection and disconnection operations. The detailed structure of the attachment / detachment tool 1 will be described below.

[0023] (Directional Definitions) In this specification, the direction in which the operation unit 3 and the holding unit 2 are aligned is referred to as the front-rear direction X. The front-rear direction X coincides with the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 111 housed in the housing 4a (see Figures 3 and 5). In the front-rear direction X, the side where the holding unit 2 is located (+X side) is referred to as the front or tip side. In the front-rear direction X, the side where the operation unit 3 is located (-X side) is referred to as the rear or base side. The direction in which the rotating piece 11 and the opposing unit 2a face each other is referred to as the up-down direction Z. In the up-down direction Z, the side where the rotating piece 11 is located (+Z side) is referred to as the upper side, and the side where the opposing unit 2a is located (-Z side) is referred to as the lower side. The front-rear direction X and the up-down direction Z are perpendicular to each other. The direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction X and the up-down direction Z is referred to as the left-right direction Y. In the left-right direction Y, the side where the storage section 4a is open (+Y side) is referred to as the left side, and the opposite side (-Y side) is referred to as the right side. Note that the up-down direction Z does not have to coincide with the vertical direction. Also, "up" and "down" do not have to coincide with the upper and lower sides in the vertical direction.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the shaft member 20 has a base 21, a first side wall 22, and a second side wall 23. The base 21 is plate-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction X and the left-right direction Y. The first side wall 22 extends from the +Y-side edge of the base 21 to the +Z-side, and the second side wall 23 extends from the -Y-side edge of the base 21 to the +Z-side. The first side wall 22 and the second side wall 23 face each other in the left-right direction Y. Although not shown, the shaft member 20 has a C-shape that opens to the +Z-side in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction X. A guide shaft 24 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 ) is fixed to the shaft member 20. The guide shaft 24 extends in the left-right direction Y, and both ends of the guide shaft 24 are supported by the first side wall 22 and the second side wall 23. As shown in FIG. 7, the second side wall 23 is formed with a guide hole 23a extending in the front-rear direction X.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3 , the guide portion 4 has a storage portion 4a, a rotation support portion 4b, and an abutment surface 4d. The storage portion 4a is a groove extending in the front-rear direction X. The storage portion 4a has an opening 4a1 facing the +Y side. Furthermore, the internal space of the storage portion 4a is connected to the space between the rotation piece 11 and the slide piece 90. The width of the opening 4a1 (the dimension in the up-down direction Z) is larger than the thickness of the optical fiber 111. Therefore, the optical fiber 111 can be introduced into the storage portion 4a through the opening 4a1.

[0026] The accommodating section 4a in this embodiment is U-shaped and opens toward the +Y side when viewed from the front-rear direction X. However, the shape of the accommodating section 4a can be changed, and for example, it may be C-shaped and open toward the +Y side. In this case, the optical fiber 111 introduced into the accommodating section 4a can be prevented from falling out of the accommodating section 4a. The abutting surface 4d is the end face on the +X side of the guide section 4. As shown in FIG. 5 , when the holding section 2 holds the optical connector 110, the boot 112 of the optical connector 110 abuts against the abutting surface 4d.

[0027] As shown in Figure 6, the rear end (-X end) of the housing 4a is provided with an inclined surface 4c. The inclined surface 4c is inclined toward the +Z side as it approaches the -X side. Therefore, the width of the housing 4a in the vertical direction Z increases toward the -X side at the rear end of the housing 4a. This shape can suppress stress from acting on the optical fiber 111 when the attachment / detachment tool 1 is moved with the holding part 2 holding the optical connector 110.

[0028] A through-hole extending in the left-right direction Y is formed in the rotation support portion 4b, and the rotation shaft 13 is inserted through this through-hole. Both ends of the rotation shaft 13 protrude from the rotation support portion 4b to the +Y side and the -Y side. In this embodiment, the rotation shaft 13 is press-fitted into the through-hole of the rotation support portion 4b, thereby fixing the rotation shaft 13 to the guide portion 4. However, the method of fixing the rotation shaft 13 to the guide portion 4 may be changed. Furthermore, the rotation shaft 13 and the guide portion 4 may be integral with each other.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the rotating piece 11 has a first inclined surface 11a. The first inclined surface 11a is inclined toward the -Y side as it approaches the +X side. As a result, the thickness of the rotating piece 11 in the left-right direction Y decreases as it approaches the +X side. The presence of the first inclined surface 11a makes it easy to insert the holding portion 2 between the optical connectors 110 when the optical connectors 110 are connected to the adapter 100 at high density.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 6, the rotating piece 11 has a first opposing surface 11b and a first recess 11c. The first opposing surface 11b faces the slide piece 90. The first recess 11c is recessed from the first opposing surface 11b toward the +Z side. The first opposing surface 11b is a portion that contacts the boot 112 (see Fig. 5) of the optical connector 110. A protrusion formed on the boot 112 fits into the first recess 11c.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , the first link 12 includes a guide plate portion 12a, a connecting portion 12b, and a support portion 12c. The guide plate portion 12a and the support portion 12c are spaced apart in the left-right direction Y. The connecting portion 12b connects the guide plate portion 12a to the support portion 12c. The rotation support portion 4b of the guide portion 4 is sandwiched between the guide plate portion 12a and the support portion 12c. A first bearing hole 12a1 is formed in the guide plate portion 12a, and a second bearing hole 12c1 is formed in the support portion 12c (see FIGS. 3 and 7 ). A rotation shaft 13 protruding from the rotation support portion 4b is inserted into the first bearing hole 12a1 and the second bearing hole 12c1. This configuration allows the first link 12 to rotate about the rotation shaft 13. Furthermore, since the rotating piece 11 is fixed to the first link 12 , the rotating piece 11 also rotates around the rotation shaft 13 .

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 , the guide plate portion 12a is plate-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction X and the up-down direction Z. The thickness of the guide plate portion 12a is smaller than the dimension of the pivot piece 11 in the left-right direction Y. When viewed from the left-right direction Y, the tip end (the end on the +X side) of the guide plate portion 12a is curved so as to be convex toward the +X side. Furthermore, the end on the +X side of the guide plate portion 12a is located closer to the +X side than the pivot piece 11. The presence of the guide plate portion 12a makes it easy to insert the holding portion 2 between closely spaced optical connectors 110. As shown in FIG. 7 , an engagement hole 12a2 is formed in the guide plate portion 12a. A link pin 86 (described below) is inserted through the engagement hole 12a2.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 6 , a connecting portion 80 is disposed inside the shaft member 20. The connecting portion 80 connects the lever 40 of the operation unit 3 to the holding portion 2 and serves to transmit the operation of the lever 40 to the holding portion 2. The connecting portion 80 includes a connecting member 81, a cam member 82, and a second link 84. The connecting member 81 is plate-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction X and the left-right direction Y. The connecting member 81 extends along the base 21 of the shaft member 20 and is located between the first side wall 22 and the second side wall 23. The -X side end of the connecting member 81 is fixed to the lever 40 (see FIG. 8 ). Meanwhile, the shaft member 20 is fixed to the housing 30. Therefore, when the lever 40 moves in the front-rear direction X relative to the housing 30, the connecting member 81 moves in the front-rear direction X relative to the shaft member 20 in conjunction with the lever 40.

[0034] 6 , cam member 82 is fixed to the tip of connecting member 81 by screw 83. Second link 84 is located on the −X side of cam member 82 and is fixed to connecting member 81 by screw 85. Note that cam member 82 and second link 84 may be fixed to connecting member 81 by fixing means other than screws 83 and 85 (for example, adhesive bonding, welding, etc.). Also, part or all of cam member 82 and second link 84 may be integral with connecting member 81.

[0035] The cam member 82 has a cam surface 82a. The cam surface 82a is inclined so as to approach the -Z side as it approaches the -X side. The slide piece 90 has a second opposing surface 91, a second recess 91a, an inclined surface 92, and an elongated hole 93. The second opposing surface 91 faces the first opposing surface 11b of the rotating piece 11. The second recess 91a is recessed from the second opposing surface 91 toward the -Z side, and faces the first recess 11c in the vertical direction Z. The inclined surface 92 is inclined so as to approach the -Z side as it approaches the -X side.

[0036] When the cam member 82 moves toward the -X side in conjunction with the lever 40, the cam surface 82a and the inclined surface 92 slide, and a force toward the +Z side acts on the slide piece 90. This force causes the slide piece 90 to move toward the +Z side. The long hole 93 penetrates the slide piece 90 in the left-right direction Y and extends in the up-down direction Z. A guide shaft 24 fixed to the shaft member 20 passes through the long hole 93. The long hole 93 and the guide shaft 24 serve to guide the sliding movement of the slide piece 90 and to prevent the slide piece 90 from falling off.

[0037] A link pin 86 is provided on the second link 84. The link pin 86 protrudes from the second link 84 toward the −Y side (see FIG. 7 ). In this embodiment, a through hole is formed in the second link 84, and the link pin 86 is inserted through this through hole. However, the link pin 86 may be integral with the second link 84. As shown in FIG. 7 , the link pin 86 passes through the engagement hole 12a2 of the guide plate portion 12a and is inserted into the guide hole 23a of the second side wall 23. When the second link 84 moves toward the −X side in conjunction with the lever 40, the movement of the second link 84 is guided by the link pin 86 and the guide hole 23a. Furthermore, the engagement of the link pin 86 with the engagement hole 12a2 converts the movement of the second link 84 toward the −X side into a rotation about the rotation axis 13 of the first link 12.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1 , an intermediate case 50 and a lid 60 are provided at the end of the operation unit 3 on the +X side. As shown in FIG. 8 , the intermediate case 50 is hollow and box-shaped, and has a front wall 51 facing the +X side. The intermediate case 50 opens toward the -X side, and a lid 60 is disposed to cover this opening. The lid 60 is fixed to the intermediate case 50 with a fixing means such as a screw. The intermediate case 50 and the lid 60 are fixed to the housing 30 of the operation unit 3. A first insertion hole 51 a is formed in the front wall 51 of the intermediate case 50. A second insertion hole 61 is formed in the lid 60. A shaft member 20 is inserted through the first insertion hole 51 a and the second insertion hole 61, and the shaft member 20 penetrates the intermediate case 50 and the lid 60 in the front-rear direction X.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 8 , a pressing portion 26 and two biasing members S are disposed inside the intermediate case 50. The pressing portion 26 is plate-shaped and extends in the up-down direction Z and the left-right direction Y, and is fixed to the shaft member 20. The two biasing members S are disposed so as to sandwich the shaft member 20 between them in the up-down direction Z. The front ends (ends on the +X side) of the two biasing members S are in contact with the pressing portion 26, and the rear ends (ends on the −X side) of the two biasing members S are in contact with the lid 60. With this configuration, the biasing members S bias the shaft member 20 and the holding portion 2 provided at the tip of the shaft member 20, etc., toward the +Z side.

[0040] When the optical connector 110 is pushed into the adapter 100 while the holding portion 2 holds the optical connector 110, a force acts on the shaft member 20 toward the −X side. As shown in FIG. 9 , when the shaft member 20 moves toward the −X side, the pressing portion 26 fixed to the shaft member 20 approaches the lid 60. As a result, the two biasing members S are compressed in the front-to-rear direction X between the pressing portion 26 and the lid 60. The biasing members S are, for example, coil springs. Note that the number of biasing members S may be one, or three or more. The amount of movement of the shaft member 20 toward the −X side and the repulsive force of the biasing members S at that time are substantially proportional according to Hooke's law.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 8 , the attachment / detachment tool 1 of this embodiment includes a sound generating mechanism 25. The sound generating mechanism 25 includes a locking portion 25a, a striking portion 25b, an elastic piece 25c, and the like. The locking portion 25a and the striking portion 25b are fixed to the shaft member 20. The locking portion 25a and the striking portion 25b are pins extending in the left-right direction Y, and both ends of each are supported by the first side wall 22 and the second side wall 23 of the shaft member 20. The elastic piece 25c is, for example, a metal or resin leaf spring, and is fixed to the lid 60. Specifically, the elastic piece 25c has a fixed end 25c1 and a free end 25c2. The fixed end 25c1 and the free end 25c2 are both ends of the elastic piece 25c in the up-down direction Z. The fixed end 25c1 (the end on the +Z side of the elastic piece 25c in this embodiment) is fixed to the lid 60, and the free end 25c2 (the end on the -Z side of the elastic piece 25c in this embodiment) is not fixed.

[0042] The elastic piece 25c covers at least a portion of the second insertion hole 61 of the lid 60. The striking portion 25b is located on the +X side of the locking portion 25a, and the elastic piece 25c is located on the -X side of the locking portion 25a. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction X, the elastic piece 25c is positioned so as to overlap both the locking portion 25a and the striking portion 25b. The locking portion 25a is positioned closer to the free end 25c2 of the elastic piece 25c than the striking portion 25b in the up-down direction Z. In this embodiment, the locking portion 25a is located on the -Z side of the striking portion 25b.

[0043] When the shaft member 20 moves toward the -X side, the locking portion 25a fixed to the shaft member 20 elastically deforms the elastic piece 25c toward the -X side. When the locking portion 25a moves over the free end 25c2 of the elastic piece 25c toward the -X side, the elastic piece 25c returns to its original shape. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9 , the elastic piece 25c strikes the striking portion 25b, generating a sound. The timing at which the sound is generated is determined by the amount of movement of the shaft member 20 toward the -X side. Furthermore, the amount of movement of the shaft member 20 toward the -X side is proportional to the repulsive force of the two biasing members S. Furthermore, the repulsive force of the two biasing members S is substantially the same as the pushing force with which the holding portion 2 pushes the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 during the connection operation.

[0044] Therefore, sound generating mechanism 25 can generate sound when the pressing force exceeds a predetermined threshold. Note that the structure of sound generating mechanism 25 may be modified as appropriate as long as it can operate as described above. For example, locking portion 25a and striking portion 25b may be different parts of the same member, or locking portion 25a and striking portion 25b may be integral with shaft member 20. Furthermore, elastic piece 25c may be formed of resin as an integral part of lid 60. Furthermore, if sound is generated when elastic piece 25c releases its elastic force, striking portion 25b may be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Figure 10, the attachment / detachment tool 1 of this embodiment includes a display mechanism D. The display mechanism D includes a display member 70, a housing 30 (see Figure 1), and the like. The housing 30 of this embodiment has a structure in which two members are combined. However, the number of members constituting the housing 30 can be changed as appropriate. The housing 30 has display windows 32 and 33 (see Figures 1 and 8). The display window 32 faces in the left-right direction Y, and the display window 33 faces in the up-down direction Z.

[0046] The display member 70 is fixed to the shaft member 20. The display member 70 has a plurality of display portions 71, 72. The display portions 71, 72 may be colored, or may have letters or patterns, for example. The display portion 71 is exposed through the display window 32 of the housing 30 when the shaft member 20 moves a predetermined amount in the −X side. The display portion 72 is exposed through the display window 33 of the housing 30 when the shaft member 20 moves a predetermined amount in the −X side (see FIGS. 8 and 9 ).

[0047] The display mechanism D can display the display units 71, 72 through the display windows 32, 33 when the pressing force exceeds a predetermined threshold. For example, the display windows 32, 33 may be entirely covered by the display units 71, 72 at approximately the same time as the sound generating mechanism 25 generates a sound. Also, scales may be displayed on the display units 71, 72 so that the user can recognize the magnitude of the pressing force. Note that the structure of the display mechanism D may be modified as appropriate as long as the above-described operation is possible. For example, the number of display windows and display units may be one.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2 , the attachment / detachment tool 1 is provided with a light L. The light L is provided at the front end of the housing 30. However, the location of the light L can be changed as appropriate. The operation unit 3 is provided with a switch (not shown) for turning on the light L. For example, when the optical connectors 110 are connected to the adapter 100 at a high density, light may not reach the area around the adapter 100, making it difficult to see. In such a case, turning on the light L can illuminate the area around the adapter 100. This makes it easier to perform connection and disconnection operations. Note that the attachment / detachment tool 1 does not necessarily have to be provided with the light L.

[0049] Next, a method of using the attachment / detachment tool 1 configured as described above will be described. Note that the following description is an example, and other methods of use may also be used.

[0050] 11, a part of the optical fiber 111 is first accommodated in the accommodation portion 4a of the guide portion 4. At this time, the holding portion 2 is spaced apart from the optical connector 110 in the front-rear direction X.

[0051] Next, as shown in FIG. 12 , the attachment / detachment tool 1 is brought close to the optical connector 110. At this time, the holding unit 2 is in a standby state (i.e., the rotating piece 11 is open relative to the opposing portion 2a). With the boot 112 of the optical connector 110 abutting against the abutment surface 4d of the guide unit 4, the lever 40 of the operation unit 3 is pulled. This causes the first link 12 and other components to operate via the connecting unit 80, causing the rotating piece 11 to rotate toward the opposing portion 2a. At the same time, the cam member 82 and other components also operate, causing the sliding piece 90 to slide toward the rotating piece 11. Therefore, the boot 112 can be clamped between the sliding piece 90 and the rotating piece 11.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 11 , protrusions 112a and 112b may be formed on the boot 112. In this case, the protrusions 112a and 112b fit into the first recess 11c and the second recess 91a, respectively (see FIG. 6 ). In other words, the protrusions 112a and 112b do not hinder the holding portion 2 from gripping the boot 112. This allows the boot 112 to be gripped more reliably. If the boot 112 does not have such protrusions, the first recess 11c and the second recess 91a may be omitted. With the holding portion 2 gripping the boot 112, the optical connector 110 can be connected to the adapter 100 by pushing the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100. This completes the connection process.

[0053] When performing the disconnection operation, the target optical fiber 111 is searched for from the multiple optical fibers 111 connected to the adapter 100. The target optical fiber 111 is accommodated in the accommodation portion 4a of the guide portion 4 of the attachment / detachment tool 1. In this state, the accommodation portion 4a is slid over the optical fiber 111, and the attachment / detachment tool 1 is brought closer to the optical connector 110 so as to follow the optical fiber 111. By performing this operation, it is possible to prevent the wrong optical connector 110 from being unplugged.

[0054] Next, the attachment / detachment tool 1 is brought closer to the optical connector 110, and the optical connector 110 is inserted between the rotating piece 11 and the sliding piece 90. The boot 112 is brought into contact with the abutment surface 4d of the guide portion 4. In this state, when the lever 40 of the operation portion 3 is pulled, the optical connector 110 can be held by the holding portion 2. Then, by pulling the attachment / detachment tool 1, the optical connector 110 is pulled out of the adapter 100. This completes the disconnection operation.

[0055] Here, when performing the connection work, if the pushing force of the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 is insufficient, the optical connection may not be properly made. Furthermore, if the pushing force is excessive, it may lead to damage to the adapter 100, etc. When performing the connection work using the attachment / detachment tool 1, it is more difficult to control the amount of force than when performing the connection work with bare hands, and the above-mentioned problems are more likely to occur. Furthermore, depending on the type of optical connector 110, a clicking sensation may be felt when inserted into the adapter 100, but it is also expected that the user will not feel the clicking sensation when using the attachment / detachment tool 1.

[0056] Therefore, the attachment / detachment tool 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a sound generating mechanism 25 and a display mechanism D. The sound generating mechanism 25 generates a sound when the pushing force exceeds a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, the display mechanism D displays the display units 71 and 72 through the display windows 32 and 33 when the pushing force exceeds the predetermined threshold. Therefore, the operator can recognize that the pushing force has reached the threshold by listening to the sound generated by the sound generating mechanism 25 or by visually checking the display windows 32 and 33. This makes it easy to apply just the right amount of pushing force, allowing for proper connection work.

[0057] Table 1 below shows the results of the experiment on the pushing force.

[0058]

[0059] As shown in Table 1, six MDC type optical connectors 110, Samples 1 to 6, were inserted into the adapter 100 three times each, and the maximum load (kgf) at that time was measured. The measurement results are shown in Table 1 as the load at connection. For example, for Sample 1, the maximum load (load at connection) at the first insertion was 1.70 kgf. The TOTAL column in Table 1 shows the results of tallying the data for each of Samples 1 to 6 three times. "max" is the maximum value, "min" is the minimum value, "max-min" is the difference between the maximum and minimum values, and "average" is the average value.

[0060] According to Table 1, the third connection of Sample 1 had the largest connection load, 1.85 kgf. Based on this result, the threshold value for the sound generating mechanism 25 or the display mechanism D may be set to, for example, 3 kgf. That is, when the pushing force exceeds 3 kgf, the sound generating mechanism 25 may generate a sound and the display mechanism D may display an indication on the display units 72 and 73. This prevents poor connection of the optical connector 110 due to insufficient pushing force. Furthermore, the user only needs to stop pushing the attachment / detachment tool 1 when the pushing force exceeds 3 kgf, thereby preventing the attachment / detachment tool 1 from being pushed with excessive force.

[0061] As described above, this embodiment provides an attachment / detachment tool 1 for attaching / detaching an optical connector 110 provided at the end of an optical fiber 111 to / from a connection target (e.g., an adapter 100). The attachment / detachment tool 1 includes a holding unit 2 that holds the optical connector 110, an operation unit 3 that operates the holding unit 2 to hold the optical connector 110, and a guide unit 4 that is positioned between the holding unit 2 and the operation unit 3 and is guided by the optical fiber 111. With this configuration, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the attachment / detachment tool 1 can be brought close to the optical connector 110 by following the optical fiber 111 while guiding the guide unit 4 along the optical fiber 111. Therefore, even when the optical connectors 110 are densely packed, for example, the attachment / detachment tool 1 can easily approach a predetermined optical connector 110.

[0062] The guide part 4 also has a housing part 4a capable of housing a portion of the optical fiber 111, and the housing part 4a has an opening 4a1 that is larger in diameter than the optical fiber 111. With this configuration, a portion of the optical fiber 111 can be easily housed in the housing part 4a. This also makes it easier to move the attachment / detachment tool 1 along the optical fiber 111 to approach the optical connector 110.

[0063] The holding unit 2 has a rotating piece 11 that rotates when the operating unit 3 is operated, and an opposing portion 2a that faces the rotating piece 11, and the internal space of the accommodation unit 4a is connected to the space between the rotating piece 11 and the opposing portion 2a. With this configuration, after the attachment / detachment tool 1 is brought close to the optical connector 110 by following the optical fiber 111, the optical connector 110 can be smoothly introduced into the space between the rotating piece 11 and the opposing portion 2a. Then, by rotating the rotating piece 11 by operating the operating unit 3, the optical connector 110 can be easily held.

[0064] Furthermore, the facing portion 2a has a slide piece 90 that slides toward the pivot piece 11 when the operating portion 3 is operated. With this configuration, the stroke of the holding operation of the optical connector 110 in the holding portion 2 increases by the amount of sliding movement of the slide piece 90. Therefore, before the optical connector 110 is held, it is possible to leave a large space between the facing portion 2a and the pivot piece 11. This makes it easier to position the optical connector 110 between the facing portion 2a and the pivot piece 11.

[0065] Furthermore, the rotating piece 11 has a first opposing surface 11b facing the slide piece 90 and a first recess 11c recessed from the first opposing surface 11b so as to move away from the slide piece 90, and the slide piece 90 has a second opposing surface 91 facing the first opposing surface 11b and a second recess 91a recessed from the second opposing surface 91 so as to move away from the rotating piece 11 and facing the first recess 11c. With this configuration, the protrusions 112a, 112b of the boot 112 of the optical connector 110 can be inserted into the first recess 11c and the second recess 91a. The boot 112 can then be sandwiched between the first opposing surface 11b and the second opposing surface 91.

[0066] The operation unit 3 also has a housing 30 having display windows 32, 33, a biasing member S that biases the holding unit 2 in a direction away from the operation unit 3, and display units 71, 72 that are disposed within the housing 30 and that are displayed through the display windows 32, 33 when an external force applied to the holding unit 2 in a direction toward the operation unit 3 exceeds a threshold. According to this configuration, when the pushing force of the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the display units 71, 72 are displayed in the display windows 32, 33. Therefore, by visually checking the display windows 32, 33, the user can recognize that the pushing force has exceeded the threshold, and can prevent the pushing force from being too strong or too weak.

[0067] The operation unit 3 also has a biasing member S that biases the holding unit 2 in a direction away from the operation unit 3, and an elastic piece 25c that releases an elastic force when an external force applied to the holding unit 2 in a direction toward the operation unit 3 exceeds a threshold. With this configuration, when the pushing force of the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 exceeds a predetermined threshold, a sound is generated by the elastic piece 25c. Therefore, by hearing this sound, the user can recognize that the pushing force has exceeded the threshold, and can prevent the pushing force from being too strong or too weak.

[0068] The holding portion 2 also has a plate-shaped guide plate portion 12a that protrudes further toward the tip side than the pivot piece 11. With this configuration, when multiple optical connectors 110 are closely connected to the adapter 100, the guide plate portion 12a can be inserted between the optical connectors 110 to bring the attachment / detachment tool 1 closer to the optical connectors 110. This makes it easier for the attachment / detachment tool 1 to approach the optical connectors 110.

[0069] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0070] For example, the attachment / detachment tool 1 in the above embodiment has the guide portion 4 for guiding the attachment / detachment tool 1 to the optical connector 110 using the optical fiber 111. However, an attachment / detachment tool may be employed that does not have such a guide function and is provided, for example, with only the sound generating mechanism 25. Even in this case, by generating a sound when the pushing force with which the holding portion 2 pushes the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is possible to obtain the effect of performing the connection work more reliably.

[0071] Similarly, it is also possible to employ an attachment / detachment tool that does not have a guide function and that is equipped only with the display mechanism D. Even in this case, an indication is displayed when the pushing force with which the holding part 2 pushes the optical connector 110 into the adapter 100 exceeds a predetermined threshold, thereby achieving the effect of enabling the connection work to be performed more reliably.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the optical connector 110 is held by the slide piece 90 and the pivot piece 11. However, the attachment / detachment tool 1 does not have to include the slide piece 90. For example, a configuration in which the optical connector 110 is held between the pivot piece 11 and a portion that is not linked to the operation of the lever 40 can also be employed. Alternatively, the slide piece 90 can be replaced with a member that pivots in conjunction with the operation of the lever 40.

[0073] In addition, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-described embodiments and variations may be combined as appropriate.

[0074] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Attachment / detachment tool 2...Holding portion 2a...Facing portion 3...Operation portion 4...Guide portion 4a...Storage portion 11...Pivoting piece 11b...First opposing surface 11c...First recess 12a...Guide plate portion 25c...Elastic piece 30...Housing 32, 33...Display window 71, 72...Display portion 90...Sliding piece 91...Second opposing surface 91a...Second recess 110...Optical connector 111...Optical fiber S...Biasing member

Claims

1. An optical connector attachment / detachment tool for attaching and detaching an optical connector provided at an end of an optical fiber to a connection target, A holder for holding the optical connector; an operating unit that operates the holding unit to hold the optical connector; a guide portion located between the holding portion and the operating portion and guided by the optical fiber.

2. the guide portion has a housing portion capable of housing a part of the optical fiber, The optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to claim 1 , wherein the housing portion has an opening larger than a diameter of the optical fiber.

3. The holding portion has a rotating piece that rotates when the operating portion is operated, and a facing portion that faces the rotating piece, 3. The optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to claim 2, wherein an internal space of said housing portion communicates with a space between said rotating piece and said facing portion.

4. The optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to claim 3 , wherein the facing portion has a slide piece that slides toward the pivot piece when the operation portion is operated.

5. The rotating piece is A first opposing surface that faces the slide piece; a first recess recessed from the first opposing surface so as to be away from the slide piece; The slide piece is a second opposing surface opposed to the first opposing surface; 5. The optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to claim 4, further comprising: a second recess that is recessed from said second opposing surface away from said rotating piece and faces said first recess.

6. The operation unit includes: A housing having a display window; A biasing member that biases the holding portion in a direction away from the operation portion; 6. The optical connector removal tool according to claim 1, further comprising: a display unit disposed within the housing, the display unit displaying a signal through the display window when an external force applied to the holding unit in a direction toward the operating unit exceeds a threshold value.

7. The operation unit includes: A biasing member that biases the holding portion in a direction away from the operation portion; 6. The optical connector removal tool according to claim 1, further comprising: an elastic piece that releases an elastic force when an external force applied to the holding portion in a direction toward the operating portion exceeds a threshold value.

8. 4. The optical connector attachment / detachment tool according to claim 3, wherein said holding portion has a plate-shaped guide plate portion that protrudes further toward the tip side than said rotating piece.