Optical connector

Abstract

An optical connector (10) is provided with: a ferrule (30) that holds the tip of an optical fiber; a boot (60); a boot support part (42); and an ejector (50). The boot (60) has a hole (68) through which the optical fiber cable (20) is passed, and a grip part (61) that can be gripped by an operator. The boot support part (42) has a fitting part (43) that rotatably fits with an end close to the ferrule (30) of the boot (60). The ejector (50) releases the engagement between the optical connector (10) and an adapter (100) by moving relative to the ferrule (30) in a direction away from the adapter (100). The ejector (50) has a first engagement part (52). The boot (60) has a passage part (62) and a second engagement part (63). The passage part (62) allows for the passage of the first engagement part (52) when the boot (60) moves in a first direction in order to fit with the fitting part (43). The second engagement part (63) is disposed alongside the passage part (62) in the circumferential direction of the boot (60) and engages with the first engagement part (52).

Description

Optical Connector

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-147479, filed September 12, 2023, and incorporates by reference all of the contents of said Japanese application.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an MPO type optical connector, which includes a ferrule, a housing that accommodates the ferrule, and a boot that is attached to the housing and extends rearward.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-058320 U.S. Patent No. 1,1474,308 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0149124 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021 / 0405302 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022 / 0196927

[0004] The optical connector has a latch mechanism that engages with the adapter when inserted into the adapter. One type of optical connector further has an ejector for releasing the engagement of the latch mechanism when the optical connector is removed from the adapter. The ejector is configured to be movable relative to the main body of the optical connector in the removal direction. The movement of the ejector releases the engagement of the latch mechanism. In addition, the optical connector has a boot at its rear end. The boot is a flexible resin body that covers the optical fiber cable extending from the optical connector. The boot protects the optical fiber cable from sharp bends.

[0005] When inserting an optical connector having the above configuration into an adapter, an operator grips a portion other than the ejector, such as the boot, and pushes the optical connector into the adapter. This is to allow the ejector to move relatively to the body of the optical connector in the direction opposite to the insertion direction, allowing the latch mechanism to operate smoothly. On the other hand, when removing an optical connector having the above configuration from the adapter, an operator grips the ejector and pulls the optical connector out of the adapter. This is to release the engaged state of the latch mechanism by moving the ejector relatively to the body of the optical connector in the removal direction. As such, with the above optical connector, the operator needs to change the gripping position when inserting it into the adapter and when removing it from the adapter. This makes the insertion and removal of the optical connector into and from the adapter complicated.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an optical connector that does not require an operator to change the gripping position when inserting into an adapter and when removing from the adapter.

[0007] An optical connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an optical connector that is attached to an optical fiber cable incorporating an optical fiber and is inserted into an adapter along a first direction. The optical connector includes a ferrule, a boot, a boot support, and an ejector. The ferrule is disposed at a first end of the optical connector in the first direction and holds a tip end of the optical fiber. The boot is disposed at a second end of the optical connector in the first direction and has a hole for inserting the optical fiber cable and a grip portion that can be held by an operator. The boot support is disposed between the ferrule and the boot. The boot support has a fitting portion that rotatably fits with an end of the boot closer to the ferrule in the first direction and supports the boot. The ejector is disposed between the ferrule and the boot and moves relative to the ferrule in a direction away from the adapter to release the engagement between the optical connector and the adapter. The ejector further includes one or more first engaging portions. The boot further includes one or more passing portions and one or more second engaging portions. The one or more passing portions are provided closer to the ferrule than the gripping portion, and allow the one or more first engaging portions to pass when the boot moves in the first direction to engage with the fitting portion of the boot support portion. The one or more second engaging portions are provided adjacent to the one or more passing portions in the circumferential direction of the boot, and engage with the one or more first engaging portions, respectively.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, an optical connector can be provided that does not require an operator to change the gripping position when inserting into an adapter and when removing from the adapter.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an optical connector according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an optical connector according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an optical connector according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an optical connector according to an embodiment. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an optical connector according to a modified example. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an optical connector according to a modified example. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an optical connector according to a modified example.

[0010] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, the contents of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. [1] An optical connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an optical connector that is attached to an optical fiber cable incorporating an optical fiber and is inserted into an adapter along a first direction, and includes a ferrule, a boot, a boot support, and an ejector. The ferrule is disposed at a first end of the optical connector in the first direction and holds a tip end of the optical fiber. The boot is disposed at a second end of the optical connector in the first direction and has a hole through which the optical fiber cable is inserted and a grip portion that can be held by an operator. The boot support portion is disposed between the ferrule and the boot. The boot support portion has a fitting portion that rotatably fits with an end of the boot closer to the ferrule in the first direction and supports the boot. The ejector is disposed between the ferrule and the boot and disengages the optical connector from the adapter by moving relative to the ferrule in a direction away from the adapter. The ejector further includes one or more first engaging portions. The boot further has one or more passing portions and one or more second engagement portions. The one or more passing portions are located closer to the ferrule than the gripping portion and allow the one or more first engagement portions to pass when the boot moves in the first direction to mate with the fitting portion of the boot support. The one or more second engagement portions are located adjacent to the one or more passing portions in the circumferential direction of the boot and engage with the one or more first engagement portions, respectively.

[0011] When this optical connector is assembled, the passing portion of the boot passes through the first engagement portion of the ejector. This allows the boot to engage with the engagement portion of the boot support portion without interfering with the first engagement portion. After the boot engages with the engagement portion, the worker adjusts the rotational angle of the boot so that the second engagement portion of the boot is aligned with the first engagement portion of the ejector in the first direction. This allows the second engagement portion of the boot to engage with the first engagement portion of the ejector when the worker grasps the grip portion of the boot to pull the optical connector out of the adapter. Therefore, the pulling force applied to the boot is transmitted to the ejector, causing the ejector to retract, disengaging the optical connector from the adapter and pulling the optical connector out of the adapter. When this optical connector is inserted into the adapter, the worker grasps the grip portion of the boot, and the insertion force applied to the boot is transmitted to the entire optical connector via the boot support portion. In this way, with the optical connector of [1] above, the operator can insert the optical connector into the adapter and remove the optical connector from the adapter while holding the boot, so the operator does not need to change the gripping position when inserting the optical connector into the adapter and when removing the optical connector from the adapter.

[0012] [2] In the optical connector of [1] above, the ejector may further have one or more protruding portions protruding from an end of the ejector closer to the boot in the first direction in a direction opposite to the first direction, and the one or more first engaging portions may be provided at the tip of each of the one or more protruding portions. In this case, the boot passage portion and the second engaging portion can be easily seen through a gap adjacent to the protruding portion. Therefore, it is easy to align the position of the second engaging portion with the first engaging portion.

[0013] [3] In the optical connector of [1] or [2] above, the ejector may have a rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the first direction, and the plurality of first engagement portions may be provided at at least four corners of the ejector, respectively. This allows the force required to pull out the optical connector to be transmitted from the boot to the ejector in a balanced manner.

[0014] [4] In the optical connector of any one of [1] to [3] above, each of the one or more second engaging portions may include a protrusion that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the boot in a direction intersecting the first direction. In this case, the second engaging portion can have a simple structure. Therefore, the boot having the second engaging portion can be easily manufactured.

[0015] [5] In the optical connector of [4] above, the rear end surface of the protrusion may be formed with recesses into which one or more second engagement portions fit. In this case, the relative positional relationship between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion can be stabilized when the optical connector is pulled out of the adapter. This prevents the first engagement portion from accidentally moving to a position where it overlaps with the passing portion, i.e., prevents the boot from coming off the fitting portion.

[0016] [6] In the optical connector of any one of [1] to [5] above, the second engagement portions may be arranged alternately with the passing portions in the circumferential direction. In this case, each second engagement portion is always adjacent to one of the passing portions in a certain rotation direction. Therefore, when an operator adjusts the rotation angle of the boot after the boot is mated with the mating portion, the adjustment angle can be made smaller, improving workability.

[0017] [7] In the optical connector of any one of [1] to [6] above, each of the plurality of passing portions may include a recess formed between the plurality of second engaging portions and extending along the first direction. In this case, the passing portion can have a simple structure, and therefore a boot having the passing portion can be easily manufactured.

[0018] [Details of the Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Specific examples of the optical connector of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In the following description, the same elements in the description of the drawings will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. In the following description, "forward" means the direction toward the adapter or another optical connector to be connected, and "rearward" means the opposite direction.

[0019] 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the appearance of an optical connector 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1 shows the state before insertion into the adapter 100, and Fig. 2 shows the state after insertion into the adapter 100. The optical connector 10 is, for example, a multi-fiber MPO connector. The optical connector 10 is attached to an optical fiber cable 20 incorporating optical fibers, and is inserted into an opening 101 of the adapter 100 along direction D1 (first direction) to be connected to another optical connector (not shown). As shown in Fig. 1, the optical connector 10 according to this embodiment includes a ferrule 30, a housing 40, an ejector 50, and a boot 60.

[0020] The ferrule 30 is shown in Figure 1 with a portion of the housing 40 cut away. The ferrule 30 is disposed at a first end of the optical connector 10 closer to the adapter 100 in the direction D1, i.e., at the front end of the optical connector 10. The ferrule 30 holds the tip end of an optical fiber extended from the optical fiber cable 20. The ferrule 30 abuts against the ferrule of another optical connector to be connected, thereby optically coupling the optical fiber to the optical fiber held in the ferrule of the other optical connector. The ferrule 30 is made of, for example, resin. The ferrule 30 of this embodiment is, for example, a multi-core MT ferrule.

[0021] The housing 40 accommodates the ferrule 30 and a portion of the optical fiber extending from the optical fiber cable 20. However, the end face of the ferrule 30 that abuts against the ferrule of another optical connector is exposed from the housing 40. The housing 40 has, for example, a rectangular tubular shape extending along direction D1. The housing 40 is made of, for example, resin. As shown in FIG. 1 , the adapter 100 has a pair of hook-shaped portions (latch levers) 102 in an opening 101. The housing 40 has a pair of recesses (not shown) that respectively engage with the pair of hook-shaped portions 102. When the optical connector 10 is inserted into the opening 101 of the adapter 100, the pair of recesses of the housing 40 engage with the pair of hook-shaped portions (latch levers) 102, thereby fixing the optical connector 10 to the adapter 100.

[0022] The housing 40 has a ferrule accommodating portion 41 and a boot support portion 42. The ferrule accommodating portion 41 is provided at the front end of the housing 40 in the direction D1 and accommodates the ferrule 30. The outer surface of the ferrule accommodating portion 41 functions as an insertion guide when the optical connector 10 is inserted into the adapter 100. The ferrule accommodating portion 41 supports the ferrule 30 so that it can move along the direction D1 within the ferrule accommodating portion 41. The ferrule 30 is biased forward by a coil spring (not shown) accommodated in the housing 40.

[0023] The boot support portion 42 is provided at the rear end of the housing 40 in the direction D1 and supports the boot 60. That is, the boot support portion 42 is disposed between the ferrule 30 and the boot 60. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the boot 60 before it is assembled to the housing 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the boot support portion 42 has a mating portion 43 that mates with the boot 60. The mating portion 43 is, for example, cylindrical, and the central axis of the cylinder is along the direction D1. The central axis of the mating portion 43 coincides with the central axis of the optical connector 10. The mating portion 43 protrudes rearward from the base end of the boot support portion 42. For example, the outer surface of the mating portion 43 supports the boot 60 by mating with the inner surface of the boot 60. The optical fiber cable 20 is inserted into the mating portion 43.

[0024] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the ejector 50 is disposed between the ferrule 30 and the boot 60. In the illustrated example, the ejector 50 has a rectangular cylindrical shape extending along the direction D1 and is disposed to cover the outer surface of the housing 40. The ejector 50 is made of an engineering plastic resin such as polycarbonate (PC), polyoxymethylene (POM), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or polyetherimide (PEI). A glass filler may be mixed into the engineering plastic resin. The ejector 50 is movable relative to the ferrule 30 and the housing 40, including the boot support portion 42, in a direction away from the adapter 100, i.e., backward, i.e., in the direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow D1. When the ejector 50 moves rearward relative to the ferrule 30 and the housing 40, the ejector 50, which is covering the pair of hook-shaped portions (latch levers) 102 of the adapter 100, first disengages from the pair of hook-shaped portions 102. Next, when the ejector 50 moves to the rearward movement limit relative to the housing 40, the housing 40 moves rearward together with the ejector 50. As a result, the pair of hook-shaped portions (latch levers) 102 of the adapter 100 disengage from the pair of recesses of the housing 40, and the engagement between the optical connector 10 and the adapter 100 is released.

[0025] The ejector 50 further has one or more (four in the illustrated example) protrusions 51. Each protrusion 51 protrudes rearward from the end of the ejector 50 closer to the boot 60 in the direction D1, i.e., from the rear end of the ejector 50, in the direction opposite to the direction D1. In one example, each protrusion 51 has a rod shape extending in the direction opposite to the direction D1. In the illustrated example, the four protrusions 51 are provided at the four corners of the rectangular cylindrical ejector 50 as viewed from the direction D1. Therefore, the four protrusions 51 are aligned along the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 43 of the boot support portion 42 and surround the fitting portion 43.

[0026] The ejector 50 further has one or more (four in the illustrated example) first engagement portions 52. Each first engagement portion 52 engages with a boot 60, which will be described later. Each first engagement portion 52 is provided at the tip of each protrusion 51, i.e., at the rear end of the ejector 50, and protrudes toward the inside of the optical connector 10 when viewed from the direction D1. In other words, the first engagement portion 52 and the protrusion 51 form a hook shape. When viewed from the direction D1, each first engagement portion 52 is provided at one of the four corners of the rectangular cylindrical ejector 50. Therefore, the four first engagement portions 52 are lined up along the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion 43 of the boot support portion 42 and surround the fitting portion 43.

[0027] The boot 60 is disposed at the second end, i.e., rear end, of the optical connector 10 in the direction D1, which is farthest from the adapter 100. The boot 60 is made of a resin material, such as styrene, olefin, polyester, or polyurethane. The boot 60 is, for example, a cylindrical or conical tubular body having a central axis along the longitudinal direction (direction D1 in the figure) and a hole 68 through which the optical fiber cable 20 is inserted, located on and around the central axis. A slit 67 may be formed in part of the boot 60 to ensure flexibility of the boot 60 as a whole. The optical fiber cable 20 is introduced from the rear end of the optical connector 10 into the housing 40 through the hole 68 in the center of the boot 60 and the inside of the cylindrical fitting portion 43.

[0028] The boot 60 further has a grip portion 61 that can be gripped by an operator. The grip portion 61 is provided at approximately the center of the boot 60 in the direction D1. The grip portion 61 includes a cylindrical surface that extends along the direction D1 and is gripped by an operator. Furthermore, the boot 60 has a flange-shaped protrusion 66 at its rear end that can be used to hook a finger when pulling out the boot 60.

[0029] The hole 68 of the boot 60 fits into the fitting portion 43 of the boot support portion 42 at its front end, i.e., at a first end closer to the ferrule 30 in the direction D1. When the boot 60 is fitted into the fitting portion 43, it can rotate around its own central axis relative to the fitting portion 43. In addition, when the boot 60 is fitted into the fitting portion 43, it can move relative to the fitting portion 43 along the direction D1 and the opposite direction. That is, the inner surface of the hole 68 of the boot 60 can slide against the surface of the fitting portion 43.

[0030] The boot 60 further has one or more (four in the illustrated example) passing portions 62 and one or more (four in the illustrated example) second engagement portions 63. Each passing portion 62 is provided on the boot 60 closer to the ferrule 30 than the gripping portion 61. In the illustrated example, each passing portion 62 is provided at the front end of the boot 60. When the boot 60 moves along the direction D1 to mate with the mating portion 43 during assembly of the optical connector 10, each passing portion 62 allows each first engagement portion 52 to pass through. Therefore, the number of passing portions 62 is the same as or greater than the number of first engagement portions 52.

[0031] One or more second engagement portions 63 are arranged in line with one or more passing portions 62 in the circumferential direction of the boot 60. In one example, the number of second engagement portions 63 is the same as the number of passing portions 62. The number of second engagement portions 63 is the same as or greater than the number of first engagement portions 52. Each second engagement portion 63 engages with a corresponding first engagement portion 52. Each second engagement portion 63 includes a protrusion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the boot 60 in a direction intersecting the direction D1. The surface of the protrusion is, for example, a partially cylindrical surface. When multiple second engagement portions 63 are provided, the multiple second engagement portions 63 are arranged alternately with the multiple passing portions 62 in the circumferential direction. In this case, each of the multiple passing portions 62 includes a recess formed between the multiple second engagement portions 63 and extending along the direction D1. As shown in the illustrated example, the recess may be a groove with a V-shaped cross section. The cross-sectional shape of the recess is determined in accordance with the cross-sectional shape of the first engagement portion 52 so that the first engagement portion 52 can pass through the recess.

[0032] The optical connector 10 of this embodiment having the above configuration provides the following advantages. When the optical connector 10 is assembled, the mating portion 43 is inserted into the hole 68 of the boot 60, thereby mating the boot 60 with the mating portion 43. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4 , the passing portion 62 of the boot 60 passes through the first engagement portion 52 of the ejector 50. This allows the boot 60 to fit with the mating portion 43 of the boot support portion 42 without interfering with the first engagement portion 52. After the boot 60 is mated with the mating portion 43, as shown in FIG. 5 , the rotational angle of the boot 60 is adjusted by the worker (see arrow D2), and the second engagement portion 63 of the boot 60 is aligned with the first engagement portion 52 of the ejector 50 in the direction D1.

[0033] As a result, when an operator grasps the gripping portion 61 of the boot 60 and pulls the optical connector 10 out of the adapter 100, the second engaging portion 63 of the boot 60 engages with the first engaging portion 52 of the ejector 50. Therefore, the pulling force applied to the boot 60 is transmitted to the ejector 50, and the ejector 50 moves back together with the boot 60, thereby releasing the engagement between the optical connector 10 and the adapter 100 and pulling the optical connector 10 out of the adapter 100. The fitting portion 43 has a length in the front-to-rear direction, i.e., along the direction D1, such that the fitting between the fitting portion 43 and the boot 60 does not come out even when the ejector 50 and the boot 60 have moved to their rearward movement limits relative to the housing 40.

[0034] When inserting this optical connector 10 into the adapter 100, the operator grips the gripping portion 61 of the boot 60, and the insertion force applied to the boot 60 is transmitted to the entire optical connector 10 via the boot support portion 42. As described above, with the optical connector 10 of this embodiment, the operator can insert the optical connector 10 into the adapter 100 and remove the optical connector 10 from the adapter 100 while gripping the gripping portion 61 of the boot 60. Therefore, the operator does not need to change the gripping position when inserting the optical connector 10 into the adapter 100 and when removing the optical connector 10 from the adapter 100.

[0035] As in the present embodiment, the ejector 50 may have one or more protruding portions 51 that protrude in a direction opposite to the direction D1 from an end of the ejector 50 closer to the boot 60 in the direction D1. Each first engagement portion 52 may be provided at the tip of each protruding portion 51. In this case, the passing portion 62 and the second engagement portion 63 of the boot 60 can be easily seen from a gap adjacent to the protruding portion 51, i.e., a gap between adjacent protruding portions 51. This makes it easier for an operator to align the position of the second engagement portion 63 with the first engagement portion 52.

[0036] As in this embodiment, the ejector 50 has a rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the direction D1, and the plurality of first engagement portions 52 may be provided at at least four corners of the ejector 50. This allows the force for pulling out the optical connector 10 to be transmitted from the boot 60 to the ejector 50 in a balanced manner.

[0037] As in the present embodiment, each second engagement portion 63 may include a protrusion that protrudes in a direction intersecting direction D1 on the outer circumferential surface of the boot 60. In this case, the second engagement portion 63 can have a simple structure, and the boot 60 having the second engagement portion 63 can be easily manufactured.

[0038] As in this embodiment, the multiple second engagement portions 63 may be arranged alternately with the multiple passing portions 62 in the circumferential direction. In this case, in a certain rotational direction, each second engagement portion 63 is always adjacent to one of the passing portions 62. Therefore, after the boot 60 is fitted into the fitting portion 43, when the rotational angle of the boot 60 is adjusted by the worker, the adjustment angle can be made smaller, thereby improving workability.

[0039] As in the present embodiment, each passing portion 62 may include a recess extending along the direction D1 and formed between adjacent second engagement portions 63. In this case, the passing portion 62 can have a simple structure, and therefore the boot 60 having the passing portion 62 can be easily manufactured.

[0040] 6, 7, and 8 are perspective views showing the configuration of an optical connector 10A according to a modification of the above embodiment. Fig. 6 shows the state before the boot 60A is fitted into the fitting portion 43. Fig. 7 shows the state immediately after the boot 60A is fitted into the fitting portion 43. Fig. 8 shows the state after the rotational angle of the boot 60A has been adjusted by an operator after the state shown in Fig. 7.

[0041] The optical connector 10A of this modified example includes a boot 60A instead of the boot 60 of the above embodiment. The boot 60A has the same configuration as the boot 60, except for the following points. The boot 60A has one or more second engagement portions 64 instead of one or more second engagement portions 63 of the above embodiment. The second engagement portion 64 has a recess 65 on its rear end surface. The recess 65 is recessed forward in direction D1 relative to the second engagement portion 64. After the rotational angle of the boot 60A is adjusted by an operator, as shown in FIG. 8 , the recess 65 is aligned with the first engagement portion 52 in direction D1. When an operator grasps the grip portion 61 of the boot 60 and pulls the optical connector 10 out of the adapter 100, the first engagement portion 52 of the ejector 50 fits into the recess 65 of the boot 60. This stabilizes the relative positional relationship between the first engaging portion 52 and the second engaging portion 64 when the optical connector 10 is pulled out of the adapter 100. This prevents the first engaging portion 52 from accidentally moving to a position where it overlaps with the passing portion 62, i.e., prevents the boot 60A from coming off the fitting portion 43.

[0042] The optical connector according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various other modifications are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, both the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion have protrusions, and these protrusions engage with each other. However, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are not limited to this, and can have various other shapes that can engage with each other.

[0043] 10, 10A... Optical connector 20... Optical fiber cable 30... Ferrule 40... Housing 41... Ferrule accommodating portion 42... Boot support portion 43... Fitting portion 50... Ejector 51... Protrusion 52... First engaging portion 60, 60A... Boot 61... Grip portion 62... Passing portion 63, 64... Second engaging portion 65... Recess 66... ​​Convex portion 67... Slit 68... Hole 100... Adapter 101... Opening 102... Hook-shaped portion (latch lever) D1... Direction

Claims

1. An optical connector that is attached to an optical fiber cable incorporating an optical fiber and is inserted into an adapter along a first direction, comprising: a ferrule that is disposed at a first end of the optical connector in the first direction and holds a tip end of the optical fiber; a boot that is disposed at a second end of the optical connector in the first direction and has a hole for inserting the optical fiber cable and a grip that can be held by an operator; a boot support portion that is disposed between the ferrule and the boot and has a fitting portion that rotatably fits with an end of the boot closer to the ferrule in the first direction and supports the boot; and an ejector that is disposed between the ferrule and the boot and moves relatively to the ferrule in a direction away from the adapter to release the engagement between the optical connector and the adapter, wherein the ejector further has one or more first engagement portions, and the boot is disposed closer to the ferrule than the grip portion and has one or more passing portions that allow the one or more first engagement portions to pass when the boot moves in the first direction to fit with the fitting portion of the boot support portion, the one or more second engagement portions being arranged in a circumferential direction of the boot in parallel with the one or more passing portions and engaging with the one or more first engagement portions, respectively.

2. An optical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the ejector further has one or more protrusions protruding from an end of the ejector closer to the boot in the first direction along a direction opposite to the first direction, and wherein each of the one or more first engagement portions is provided at a tip of each of the one or more protrusions.

3. An optical connector as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ejector has a rectangular cylindrical shape when viewed from the first direction, and each of the plurality of first engagement portions is provided at at least each of the four corners of the ejector.

4. An optical connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the one or more second engagement portions includes a protrusion that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the boot in a direction intersecting the first direction.

5. An optical connector as set forth in claim 4, wherein a recess into which each of said one or more second engagement portions fits is formed on a rear end surface of said projection.

6. An optical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of second engagement portions and the plurality of passing portions are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction.

7. An optical connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the plurality of passing portions includes a recess formed between the plurality of second engagement portions and extending along the first direction.

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