Optical fiber connector and connection box

Abstract

An optical fiber connector (100) and a connection box. The optical fiber connector (100) comprises an inner shell assembly (110), a ferrule assembly (120) and an optical cable (130), wherein the ferrule assembly (120) comprises a plurality of ceramic ferrules (121), one end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) is located in an accommodating cavity (111) of the inner shell assembly (110), and the other end thereof extends out of the inner shell assembly (110). The optical cable (130) comprises a plurality of optical fibers, the plurality of optical fibers respectively pass through through holes (1211) of the ceramic ferrules (121), and the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) are arranged in an array of M rows and N columns, wherein M≥2 and N≥2. The ceramic ferrules (121) have relatively high rigidity and strength, which can improve the precision of the ceramic ferrules (121), such that during a connection process of optical fiber connectors (100), the ceramic ferrules (121) at two ends can be better aligned, thus helping to increase the accuracy of the alignment of optical fibers in the ceramic ferrules (121), and can effectively reduce the loss of transmission between the optical fibers, thereby effectively improving the transmission efficiency of optical signals between the optical fiber connectors (100) and decreasing the loss of the ferrules.

Description

Optical fiber connector and connection box

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 27, 2023, with application number 202311603651.5 and application name “A Fiber Optic Connector and Connection Box”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an optical fiber connector and a connection box. Background Art

[0003] An optical distribution network (ODN) is a fiber optic cable network that provides optical transmission channels between optical line terminals (OLTs) and optical network units (ONUs). The ODN can connect an optical line terminal (OLT) with multiple optical network units (ONUs) to provide bidirectional transmission of optical signals.

[0004] In optical distribution network projects, connection boxes (such as optical junction boxes, optical distribution boxes, optical fiber splitter boxes, etc.) are usually used to connect optical fibers to achieve network transmission. Specifically, an adapter is usually provided on the connection box, and the two ends of the adapter are respectively connected to two optical fiber connectors. By plugging the two optical fiber connectors at the two ends of the adapter, the connection of two sections of optical fiber can be achieved. Among them, the optical fiber connector has a ferrule, and the interior of the ferrule has a through hole. The optical fiber is usually passed through the through hole of the ferrule. During the process of connecting two optical fiber connectors, the ferrules in the two optical fiber connectors are connected to each other to connect the optical fibers inside each other. At present, the commonly used ferrules are made of plastic material, and a plurality of through holes arranged in parallel are opened on the ferrule, and a plurality of optical fibers are respectively passed through the through holes.

[0005] However, in the above-mentioned optical fiber connector, the plastic ferrule has low strength and low molding accuracy. During the docking process of the two ferrules, the alignment rate between the through holes is low, which reduces the signal transmission efficiency between the ferrules and increases the ferrule loss. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a fiber optic connector and a connection box, which can effectively improve the transmission efficiency of optical signals between fiber optic connectors and reduce core loss.

[0007] A first aspect of the present application provides an optical fiber connector, comprising an inner shell assembly, a ferrule assembly, and an optical cable;

[0008] The inner shell assembly has a receiving cavity, and the ferrule assembly includes a plurality of ceramic ferrules, one end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules is located in the receiving cavity, and the other end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules extends out of the inner shell assembly;

[0009] Each of the ceramic ferrules has a through hole, and the optical cable includes a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are respectively arranged in the through holes of each of the ceramic ferrules;

[0010] The plurality of ceramic ferrules are arranged in an array in the form of M rows and N columns, wherein M≥2 and N≥2.

[0011] The embodiment of the present application adopts multiple ceramic ferrules arranged in an array, and each ceramic ferrule is located in the same inner shell assembly. The ceramic ferrule has high rigidity and strength. The high strength and rigidity of the ceramic ferrule can improve the precision of the ferrule, so that the ceramic ferrules at both ends can be better aligned during the docking process of the optical fiber connector, which helps to improve the accuracy of the optical fiber alignment in each ceramic ferrule, can effectively reduce the transmission loss between optical fibers, thereby effectively improving the transmission efficiency of optical signals between optical fiber connectors and reducing ferrule loss.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule are inclined in the same direction. This effectively reduces or avoids reflected light within the optical fiber body, effectively preventing excessive reflected light from affecting the normal transmission of optical signals, and helps improve the efficiency of optical signal transmission.

[0013] In one possible implementation, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules are located in the same inclined plane;

[0014] Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules are located in the same inclined plane.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the end surface of each ceramic ferrule satisfies the following formula: H = D tan α

[0016] Here, H is the height difference between the centers of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the ceramic ferrule end faces. In this way, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules gradually increase in height in the inclined direction, allowing the end faces of each ceramic ferrule to lie within the same inclined plane. This facilitates grinding of the ceramic ferrule end faces and effectively improves grinding efficiency. Furthermore, during the grinding process, the ground-off portions of each ceramic ferrule are made uniform in size, reducing or avoiding the situation where the ground-off portions of the ceramic ferrules differ in size, helping to improve the uniformity of the ceramic ferrule grinding and enhance grinding efficiency.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the inner shell assembly includes a front shell and a rear shell, wherein the front end of the rear shell is connected to the rear end of the front shell;

[0018] Each ceramic ferrule comprises a connecting portion and a plug-in portion. The front housing has a first cavity, with the connecting portion located within the first cavity and the plug-in portion extending beyond the front end of the front housing. One end of the connecting portion abuts the front housing, while the other end abuts the rear housing. This effectively prevents the ceramic ferrule from falling out of the inner housing assembly, helping to improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the ceramic ferrule and the inner housing assembly.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the first cavity of the front housing includes M sub-cavities, the M sub-cavities are arranged sequentially from the first row to the Mth row, and each of the sub-cavities has N ceramic ferrules;

[0020] Alternatively, the first cavity of the front housing includes N sub-cavities, the N sub-cavities are arranged in sequence from the first column to the Nth column, and each sub-cavity has M ceramic ferrules;

[0021] Each sub-cavity has a positioning platform, with one end of the connecting portion abutting against each of the positioning platforms. The positioning platform axially positions the ceramic ferrule, determining its specific axial position within the inner shell assembly, thereby improving the precision of its placement within the inner shell assembly. Furthermore, the positioning platform prevents axial movement of the ceramic ferrule, thereby enhancing the reliability and stability of its placement within the inner shell assembly.

[0022] In one possible implementation, along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of the positioning platforms facing the ceramic ferrule are sequentially staggered in axial direction, and the axial staggered distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms is H;

[0023] Alternatively, along the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of the positioning platforms facing the ceramic ferrule are sequentially staggered in height in the axial direction, and the staggered distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms in the axial direction is H;

[0024] The H satisfies the following formula: H=D tan α

[0025] Where D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the tilted direction, and α is the tilt angle of the ceramic ferrule end face. Thus, when the ceramic ferrule abuts the end face of the positioning platform, the end face of the positioning platform can define the axial installation position of the ceramic ferrule, allowing each ceramic ferrule to be fixed according to a preset position, thereby allowing the ceramic ferrules to be arranged in a stepped manner. During the assembly of the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly, there is no need to consider the axial positioning of the ceramic ferrule, which can simplify the installation process of the ceramic ferrule and improve the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the inner housing assembly further includes a spring member, which is sleeved onto the connection portion of each ceramic ferrule; one end of the spring member abuts the ceramic ferrule, and the other end abuts the rear housing. The spring member's resilient force can force the ceramic ferrule toward the other ceramic ferrule, allowing the two ceramic ferrules to fit tightly together, effectively improving the stability of the connection between the two ceramic ferrules and thereby enhancing the transmission efficiency of optical signals.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the front shell is provided with a first slot, and the rear shell is provided with a first engaging portion that cooperates with the first slot. The first engaging portion is engaged within the first slot, and the front shell and the rear shell are connected through the engagement of the first engaging portion with the first slot. This effectively prevents separation between the front shell and the rear shell, improving the reliability and robustness of the connection between the two shells. Furthermore, it helps improve the assembly efficiency between the front and rear shells, thereby increasing the production efficiency of the optical fiber connector.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the inner housing assembly further includes a base connected to the rear housing, the base being located at an end of the rear housing away from the front housing. The rear housing includes a second cavity communicating with the first cavity, and the base includes a third cavity communicating with the second cavity. The optical cable is located within the third cavity, and the optical fibers in the optical cable sequentially pass through the third cavity, the second cavity, and the first cavity and are respectively disposed within the through-holes of the ceramic ferrules. The base can secure the optical cable so that it can be fixed within the inner housing assembly, thereby improving the securement and reliability of the optical cable within the inner housing assembly.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the rear housing has a second snap-fitting portion, the base has a second slot that mates with the second snap-fitting portion, and the second snap-fitting portion is snapped into the second slot. This can improve the firmness and reliability of the connection between the front housing, rear housing, and base, effectively preventing the base from separating from the rear housing and front housing, thereby effectively improving the overall structural stability of the inner housing assembly.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the front shell includes M sub-front shells arranged in parallel, and the rear shell includes M sub-rear shells arranged in parallel, and the M sub-front shells are respectively connected to the M sub-rear shells; each group of connected sub-front shells and sub-rear shells respectively contains N ceramic ferrules; in this way, the ceramic ferrules can be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0031] Alternatively, the front housing includes N parallel sub-housings, and the rear housing includes N parallel sub-housings, wherein the N front sub-housings are connected to the N rear sub-housings, respectively; each set of connected front and rear sub-housings contains M ceramic ferrules. This arrangement still allows the ceramic ferrules to be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the base has the same number of second slots as the sub-rear shells, and the second engaging portions on the sub-rear shells are respectively engaged with the second slots. This effectively prevents the sub-front shells, sub-rear shells, and the base from detaching, thereby improving the structural stability of the inner shell assembly.

[0033] In a possible implementation, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance from the second clamping groove to the end surface of the base gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second clamping grooves in the axial direction of the base is H;

[0034] Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance from the second clamping slot to the end surface of the base gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second clamping slots in the axial direction of the base is H;

[0035] The H satisfies the following formula: H=D tan α

[0036] D is the distance between the centerlines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules in the oblique direction, and α is the inclination angle of the ceramic ferrule end face. Thus, when the sub-rear shell is secured within the second slot via the second engaging portion, the second slot can define the position of the sub-rear shell, allowing the sub-rear shell and the front and rear shells to be fixed according to preset positions. This allows the ceramic ferrules within the sub-front and rear shells to be arranged in a stepped pattern according to preset positions. During assembly of the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly, there is no need to consider the axial positioning of the ceramic ferrule, simplifying the installation process and improving assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrule and the inner shell assembly.

[0037] In one possible implementation, the device further includes a housing assembly, wherein the housing assembly includes a first shell and a second shell;

[0038] The first shell is sleeved on the inner shell assembly, and the second shell is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first shell and is rotatably connected to the first shell.

[0039] In one possible implementation, the base has a shoulder portion on its outer periphery, and the first shell has an elastic engaging portion that abuts against an end surface of the shoulder portion. The engagement between the shoulder portion and the first engaging portion provides axial position limiting, reducing or preventing axial movement between the first shell and the base, and thereby improving the reliability and stability of the axial connection between the outer shell assembly and the inner shell assembly.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the base further comprises a groove on its outer circumference, and the inner wall of the first shell comprises a limiting protrusion that cooperates with the groove, with the limiting protrusion being located within the groove. The groove can provide circumferential limiting for the limiting protrusion, thereby reducing or preventing rotation of the first shell relative to the base, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the circumferential connection between the first shell and the base.

[0041] In one possible implementation, the housing assembly further includes a tail sleeve, at least a portion of which is disposed over at least a portion of the first housing and threadedly connected to the first housing. The tail sleeve can provide elastic protection for the optical cable. During cable bending, the tail sleeve can increase the bending radius of the optical cable, thereby preventing breakage of the optical cable due to a narrow bending radius, thereby preventing breakage of the optical cable and affecting signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the device further includes a first optical cable protective sleeve, which is disposed over the optical cable and has one end connected to the base. The first optical cable protective sleeve can also protect the optical cable, thereby increasing the bending radius of the optical cable, preventing the optical cable from breaking due to a too small bending radius, and helping to extend the service life of the optical cable.

[0043] In one possible implementation, the optical cable further includes a second cable protective sleeve, which is disposed on the optical cable and within the tail sleeve. The second cable protective sleeve and the first cable protective sleeve can provide protection for the optical cable at different locations, so that the second cable protective sleeve and the first cable protective sleeve can provide more comprehensive protection for the optical cable to prevent the optical cable from breaking.

[0044] A second aspect of the present application provides a connection box comprising a housing and an adapter, the adapter being located on the housing and adapted to mate with any of the aforementioned optical fiber connectors. By mating the adapter in the connection box with the aforementioned optical fiber connector, the two optical fiber connectors inside and outside the connection box can be docked via the adapter to achieve optical signal transmission, effectively improving the stability and reliability of signal transmission.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the adapter has positioning sleeves in a number equal to the number of ceramic ferrules, and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement of the ceramic ferrules;

[0046] Each positioning sleeve has a positioning through hole, with the ceramic ferrule inserted into each end of the positioning through hole. This can effectively improve the coaxiality of the ceramic ferrule connection and the accuracy of the ceramic ferrule docking, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of signal transmission between optical fibers. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG2 is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application with the housing component removed;

[0050] FIG3A is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application with the housing assembly removed;

[0051] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided by an embodiment of the present application with the housing assembly removed;

[0052] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an arrangement of ceramic ferrules provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a tilted ceramic ferrule structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a ceramic ferrule grinding process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG8 is an enlarged view of area A in FIG6 ;

[0056] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a connection between a front housing and a rear housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a rear housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a front housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connection between the front shell, the rear shell and the base provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] FIG13 is a cross-sectional view of a front housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of another inner shell assembly provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] FIG15 is a schematic structural diagram of a sub-back cover provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] FIG16 is a front view of a base provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] FIG17 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] FIG18 is a schematic structural diagram of a base provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] FIG19 is a schematic structural diagram of a first housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] FIG20 is a cross-sectional view of a first housing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of a dust cap connected to an optical fiber connector according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] FIG22 is a schematic diagram of an application link of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] FIG23 is a schematic diagram of a link inside a first connection box provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] FIG24 is a schematic diagram of a link inside a fourth connection box provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0072] Explanation of Reference Numerals: 100 - fiber optic connector; 110 - inner housing assembly; 111 - accommodating cavity; 112 - front housing; 1121 - first cavity; 11211 - sub-cavity; 1122 - positioning platform; 1123 - first clamping slot; 1124 - rear end; 1125 - front sub-housing; 113 - rear housing; 1131 - first clamping portion; 1132 - second cavity; 1133 - second clamping portion; 1134 - rear sub-housing; 114 - spring member; 115 - base; 1151 - third cavity; 1152 - second clamping slot; 1153 - shoulder; 1154 - groove; 120 - ferrule assembly; 121 - ceramic ferrule; 1211 - through hole; 1212 - connecting portion; 1213 - plug-in portion; 130-optical cable; 140-housing assembly; 141-first housing; 1411-elastic snap-fit ​​portion; 1412-limiting protrusion; 142-second housing; 143-tail sleeve; 150-first optical cable protective sleeve; 160-second optical cable protective sleeve; 170-dust cap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] The terms used in the implementation section of this application are only used to explain the specific embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0074] In optical distribution network projects, optical cross-connect boxes, optical distribution boxes, and optical fiber splitter boxes typically use adapters on them to mate with connectors on optical fibers to achieve docking between the optical fibers and the connection box. The optical fiber connector has a ferrule with a through-hole inside. The optical fiber is usually inserted into the through-hole of the ferrule. During the docking process of two optical fiber connectors, the ferrules in the two optical fiber connectors dock with each other to dock the optical fibers inside them. Currently, in related technologies, the commonly used ferrules are made of plastic and have multiple through-holes arranged in parallel on the ferrule. Multiple optical fibers are inserted into the through-holes.

[0075] However, the above-mentioned optical fiber connector has the following problems:

[0076] First, the molding precision of plastic materials is low. During the docking process of two ferrules, it is difficult to ensure that all through holes can be completely aligned, resulting in a low alignment rate between the through holes, reducing the transmission efficiency of optical signals between the ferrules and increasing the ferrule loss.

[0077] Secondly, the multiple tiny through-hole structures on the end face of the ferrule make it difficult to clean dust. During use, once the end face of the ferrule is contaminated by dust and other stains, it will have a great impact on the transmission of the optical signal, causing the loss to exceed the standard.

[0078] Moreover, the plastic material of the ferrule has low strength, and the positioning pin structure on the ferrule is easily damaged due to collision, thereby affecting the normal transmission of the signal.

[0079] Another related art provides a fiber optic connector with a ceramic ferrule. The connector comprises two ceramic ferrules, each of which is provided with an inner housing assembly around its periphery to secure and protect the ceramic ferrules. However, in the aforementioned fiber optic connector, each ceramic ferrule is individually disposed within a separate inner housing assembly, resulting in a large number of inner housing assemblies, which occupy a large space and increase the size of the fiber optic connector, hindering the miniaturization of the fiber optic connector.

[0080] In order to solve the above problems, the researchers thought of improving the ferrule of the fiber optic connector. By using multiple ceramic ferrules arranged in an array and placing each ceramic ferrule in the same inner shell assembly, the ceramic ferrule has high strength and rigidity, which can improve the accuracy of the ferrule. During the docking process of the fiber optic connector, the ceramic ferrules at both ends can be better aligned, which helps to improve the accuracy of the optical fiber alignment in each ceramic ferrule, and can effectively reduce the transmission loss between optical fibers, thereby effectively improving the transmission efficiency of optical signals between fiber optic connectors.

[0081] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0082] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 2 is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application after removing the outer shell component, Figure 3A is an exploded view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application after removing the outer shell component, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application after removing the outer shell component, and Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a ceramic ferrule provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0083] An embodiment of the present application provides a fiber optic connector 100. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 , the fiber optic connector 100 may include at least an inner housing assembly 110, a ferrule assembly 120, and an optical cable 130. As shown in Figures 3 , 3A, and 4 , the inner housing assembly 110 may have a receiving cavity 111, and the ferrule assembly 120 may include a plurality of ceramic ferrules 121. One end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules 121 may be located within the receiving cavity 111, and the other end may extend outside the inner housing assembly 110. The inner housing assembly 110 may provide fixation and protection for the ferrule assembly 120, thereby reducing or preventing damage to the ferrule assembly 120 caused by bumps.

[0084] The accommodating cavity 111 can provide an accommodating space for the installation of the ferrule assembly 120 in the inner shell assembly 110, so that the ferrule assembly 120 can be installed in the inner shell assembly 110. For example, there can be an auxiliary structure for fixing the ferrule assembly 120 in the accommodating cavity 111 of the inner shell assembly 110, so that the ferrule assembly 120 can be fixed in the accommodating cavity 111.

[0085] Each ceramic ferrule 121 may have a through hole 1211 therein. The optical cable 130 may include multiple optical fibers, each of which may be inserted into the through holes 1211 of each ceramic ferrule 121. As shown in FIG5 , the multiple ceramic ferrules 121 may be arranged in an array in M ​​rows and N columns, where M ≥ 2 and N ≥ 2. For example, M may be 2, 3, or 4, and N may be 2, 3, or 4. In this embodiment, M = 2 and N = 2, i.e., four ceramic ferrules 121 arranged in an array in 2 rows and 2 columns, will be used as an example for illustration. The four ceramic ferrules 121 may be located within the same inner housing assembly 110.

[0086] The optical fiber connector 100 can be used to connect to a connection box. For example, two optical fiber connectors 100 can be docked with adapters on the connection box. For example, one optical fiber connector 100 can be located inside the connection box and connected to the adapter from the inside of the connection box, while the other optical fiber connector 100 can be located outside the connection box and connected to the adapter from the outside of the connection box. In this way, the two optical fiber connectors 100 can be connected through the adapter. At this time, the ceramic ferrules 121 in the two optical fiber connectors 100 can be docked one by one, thereby docking the optical fibers within the ceramic ferrules 121 to achieve optical signal transmission.

[0087] For example, the adapter may have sleeves with the same number of ceramic ferrules 121, and each ceramic ferrule 121 in the two optical fiber connectors 100 may be inserted into the sleeves respectively, so that the ceramics at both ends of the adapter can be docked through the sleeves to achieve optical signal transmission.

[0088] Compared with the plastic ferrule structure in the related art, the optical fiber connector 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application adopts a plurality of ceramic ferrules 121 arranged in an array, and each ceramic ferrule 121 is located in the same inner shell assembly 110. The ceramic ferrules 121 have higher strength and rigidity, which can improve the precision of the ferrule. During the docking process of the optical fiber connector 100, the ceramic ferrules 121 at both ends can be better aligned, which helps to improve the accuracy of optical fiber alignment in each ceramic ferrule 121, can effectively reduce the transmission loss between optical fibers, and thus effectively improve the transmission efficiency of optical signals between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0089] Moreover, the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 is smooth and easy to clean, which can effectively reduce dust on the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 and prevent excessive dust on the surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 from affecting the transmission of optical signals, thereby further reducing losses and improving the efficiency of optical signal transmission.

[0090] In addition, the ceramic ferrule 121 has high rigidity and strength, which can effectively reduce or avoid damage or breakage of the ferrule, and help improve the reliability and stability of optical signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0091] Compared with another related optical fiber connector structure with a ceramic ferrule, the embodiment of the present application allows multiple ceramic ferrules 121 to be arranged in the same inner shell component 110, so that each ceramic ferrule 121 can share the same shell, which helps to improve the compactness of the arrangement between the ceramic ferrules 121 and reduce the space occupied by the shell, thereby effectively reducing the size of the optical fiber connector 100 and improving the miniaturization design of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0092] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a tilted ceramic ferrule structure provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0093] As shown in FIG6 , in the embodiment of the present application, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 can all be inclined surfaces with the same inclination direction. For example, as shown in FIG6 , each ceramic ferrule 121 can be inclined in the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., the x-direction in FIG6 ). For example, as shown in FIG6 , the ceramic ferrules 121 can be inclined upward in the positive x-direction. Alternatively, the ceramic ferrules 121 can be inclined downward in the positive x-direction.

[0094] Alternatively, in some examples, each ceramic ferrule 121 can also be tilted in the direction from the first column to the Nth column (refer to the y direction in Figure 5), wherein the y direction is perpendicular to the x direction. For example, it can be tilted downward in the positive y direction as shown in Figure 5. Alternatively, it can be tilted upward in the positive y direction. Specifically, the tilt direction of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be selected and set according to the specific application scenario, and this application does not limit it. In the embodiment of the present application, the example of each ceramic ferrule 121 tilting in the positive x direction in Figure 6 will be used for explanation.

[0095] The optical fiber may include an optical fiber body and a cladding surrounding the optical fiber body, wherein the optical fiber body is used to transmit optical signals, and the cladding may provide protection for the optical fiber body to reduce or avoid damage to the optical fiber body. When two ceramic ferrules 121 are in the process of docking, the optical fibers in the ceramic ferrules 121 are coaxially docked through the ceramic ferrules 121 to achieve transmission of optical signals. During the transmission of optical signals, light will radiate and reflect in all directions at the docking position of the two optical fibers, wherein a portion of the light will be reflected into the optical fiber body, and another portion of the reflected light will be reflected into the cladding surrounding the outer periphery of the optical fiber body. The reflected light reflected into the optical fiber body will interfere with the optical signal transmitted in the optical fiber body, thereby affecting the normal transmission of the optical signal.

[0096] In the embodiment of the present application, the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 is set as an inclined surface. At the location where the optical fibers are connected, when light is radiated and reflected outward, the reflected light can be reflected into the cladding due to the action of the inclined surface, rather than being reflected into the optical fiber body. This can effectively reduce or avoid reflected light within the optical fiber body, effectively prevent excessive reflected light within the optical fiber body from affecting the normal transmission of the optical signal, and help improve the efficiency of optical signal transmission.

[0097] For example, in an embodiment of the present application, the inclination angle of the inclined plane can be α, and the value of α can be 5° to 10°. For example, in an embodiment of the present application, the value of α can be 8°, so that the light can be better reflected into the cladding, thereby effectively reducing the reflected light in the optical fiber body.

[0098] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a ceramic ferrule grinding process provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present application, the inclined surface of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be formed by grinding. For example, as shown in FIG8 , the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be ground by grinding sandpaper 200. For example, the grinding sandpaper 200 can be laid on a grinding pad 210, and the ferrule assembly 120 can be tilted relative to the plane of the grinding sandpaper 200, and then ground on the grinding sandpaper 200 to form a bevel on the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0100] For example, as shown in FIG8 , in the initial state, the end surface of each ceramic ferrule 121 is planar. After being ground on the grinding sandpaper 200 , in the final state, the end surface of each ceramic ferrule 121 may be ground into an inclined shape.

[0101] FIG8 is an enlarged view of area A in FIG6 .

[0102] In the embodiment of the present application, in the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. For example, referring to FIG8 , taking the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., the x-direction in FIG8 ) as an example, along the positive x-direction, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be located in the same inclined plane. For example, referring to FIG8 , along the positive x-direction, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 can gradually increase in height, so that the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 are located in the same inclined plane.

[0103] In this way, during the process of grinding the end faces of the ceramic ferrule 121 , all the end faces of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be ground at one time, which helps to improve the grinding efficiency of the ceramic ferrule 121 .

[0104] The end surface of each ceramic ferrule 121 may satisfy the following formula: H = D tan α

[0105] 8 , H is the height difference between the centers of the end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the tilting direction, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the tilting direction, and α is the tilt angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule 121 .

[0106] By ensuring that the height difference between the centers of the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 satisfies the above formula, the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 gradually increase in height in a step-like manner in the inclined direction, so that the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 can be located on the same inclined plane, which facilitates the grinding of the end faces of the ceramic ferrules 121 and effectively improves the grinding efficiency.

[0107] For example, before the ceramic ferrules 121 are ground, the end faces of each ceramic ferrule 121 are planar. In the inclined direction, the end face heights of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 may differ by H, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 are arranged in a stepped manner. In this way, during the grinding process of the ceramic ferrules 121, the ground-off portions of each ceramic ferrule 121 can be made of the same size, which can reduce or avoid the situation where the ground-off portions of the ceramic ferrules 121 are of different sizes, thereby helping to improve the grinding uniformity of the ceramic ferrules 121 and enhance the grinding efficiency.

[0108] Regarding the numerical values ​​in the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the numerical values ​​involved in the embodiments of the present application are all approximate values. Due to the influence of the manufacturing process, there may be a certain range of errors. Those skilled in the art may consider this part of the error to be negligible.

[0109] FIG9 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between a front shell and a rear shell provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0110] As shown in FIG9 , the inner housing assembly 110 of the optical fiber connector 100 may include a front housing 112 and a rear housing 113. The front end of the rear housing 113 may be connected to the rear end 1124 of the front housing 112. Each ceramic ferrule 121 may include a connecting portion 1212 and a plugging portion 1213. The front housing 112 may have a first cavity 1121. The connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may be located within the first cavity 1121 of the front housing 112, and the plugging portion 1213 may extend out of the front end of the front housing 112. The plugging portion 1213 may be used to connect to an adapter so as to interface with the ceramic ferrule 121 in another optical fiber connector 100 through the adapter.

[0111] One end of the connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 can abut against the front shell 112, and the other end can abut against the rear shell 113. The connecting portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 can be clamped between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 to ensure that the ceramic ferrule 121 is installed and fixed in the inner shell assembly 110. This can effectively prevent the ceramic ferrule 121 from falling out of the inner shell assembly 110, helping to improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110.

[0112] Continuing with FIG. 9 , the inner housing assembly 110 may further include a spring member 114. The spring member 114 may be sleeved on the connection portion 1212 of each ceramic ferrule 121. One end of the spring member 114 may abut the ceramic ferrule 121, and the other end may abut the rear housing 113. This allows for elastic abutment between the connection portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113 via the spring member 114. The spring member 114 provides an elastic buffer between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113, reducing or avoiding rigid impact between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113. This prevents rigid contact between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the rear housing 113 from affecting the tightness of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner housing assembly 110, thereby improving the tightness of the connection between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0113] During the docking process of two ceramic ferrules 121, the ceramic ferrule 121 can generate an extrusion force on the elastic member under the docking force of the other ceramic ferrule 121, so that the spring member 114 is in a compressed state. The spring member 114 in the compressed state has a rebound force, which can drive the ceramic ferrule 121 to be squeezed toward the other ceramic ferrule 121, so that the two ceramic ferrules 121 can fit tightly against each other, which can effectively improve the stability of the docking between the two ceramic ferrules 121, thereby effectively improving the transmission efficiency of the optical signal.

[0114] Continuing with FIG9 , a first card slot 1123 may be provided on the front shell 112, and a first clamping portion 1131 may be provided on the rear shell 113 to cooperate with the first card slot 1123. The first clamping portion 1131 may be clamped in the first card slot 1123, so that the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 can be connected through the cooperation between the first clamping portion 1131 and the first card slot 1123. For example, the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 is achieved through the cooperation between the first clamping portion 1131 and the first card slot 1123. This connection is reliable, has a simple structure, and is easy to operate. It can effectively prevent the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113 from detaching, and can improve the reliability and firmness of the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113. Moreover, it helps to improve the assembly efficiency between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113, thereby improving the production efficiency of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0115] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a rear shell provided in an embodiment of the present application, and FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a front shell provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0116] For example, in an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG10 , the inner housing assembly 110 may include two rear housings 113, which may be arranged side by side, and each rear housing 113 may have two first clamping portions 1131. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG11 , the front housing 112 may be provided with four first clamping grooves 1123 that cooperate with the first clamping portions 1131. The four first clamping grooves 1123 may respectively correspond to the first clamping portions 1131 on the two rear housings 113, so that the first clamping portions 1131 on the two rear housings 113 may be respectively clamped in the first clamping grooves 1123 on the front housing 112.

[0117] For example, the two first engaging portions 1131 on each rear shell 113 may be located on either side of the rear shell 113, and correspondingly, the first engaging slots 1123 on the front shell 112 may also be located on either side of the front shell 112. This can improve the uniformity of the connection between the rear shell 113 and the front shell 112, and help improve the reliability and stability of the connection between the front shell 112 and the rear shell 113.

[0118] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of the connection between a front shell, a rear shell and a base provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0119] As shown in FIG12 , the inner housing assembly 110 may further include a base 115, which may be connected to the rear housing 113 and located at an end of the rear housing 113 away from the front housing 112. The rear housing 113 may have a second cavity 1132 communicating with the first cavity 1121, and the base 115 may have a third cavity 1151 communicating with the second cavity 1132. The optical cable 130 may be located within the third cavity 1151, and the optical fibers in the optical cable 130 may sequentially pass through the third cavity 1151, the second cavity 1132, and the first cavity 1121 and are respectively disposed within the through-holes 1211 of the ceramic ferrules 121.

[0120] The base 115 can fix the optical cable 130 so that the optical cable 130 can be fixed in the inner housing assembly 110 , thereby improving the firmness and reliability of the optical cable 130 in the inner housing assembly 110 .

[0121] Continuing with FIG. 12 , the rear housing 113 may have a second snap-fitting portion 1133, and the base 115 may have a second snap-fitting slot 1152 configured to engage with the second snap-fitting portion 1133. The second snap-fitting portion 1133 may be secured within the second snap-fitting slot 1152. For example, the second snap-fitting portion 1133 and the first snap-fitting portion 1131 may be positioned opposite each other. One end of the rear housing 113 may be connected to the front housing 112 via the first snap-fitting portion 1131, and the other end may be connected to the base 115 via the second snap-fitting portion 1133, thereby assembling the inner housing assembly 110. This improves the secureness and reliability of the connection between the front housing 112, rear housing 113, and base 115, effectively preventing separation between the base 115 and the rear housing 113 and front housing 112, and thereby enhancing the overall structural stability of the inner housing assembly 110.

[0122] FIG13 is a cross-sectional view of a front shell provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0123] As shown in Figure 13, in one possible implementation, the first cavity 1121 of the front shell 112 may include M sub-cavities 11211, and the M sub-cavities 11211 may be arranged in sequence along the direction from the first row to the Mth row (that is, the x direction in Figure 13), wherein each sub-cavity 11211 has N ceramic ferrules 121, so that the individual ceramic ferrules 121 can be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0124] Alternatively, in some examples, the first cavity 1121 of the front shell 112 may also include N sub-cavities 11211, and the N sub-cavities 11211 may be arranged in sequence along the direction from the first column to the Nth column (i.e., the y direction), wherein each sub-cavity 11211 has M ceramic ferrules 121, so that the individual ceramic ferrules 121 can still be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0125] Each sub-cavity 11211 may include a positioning platform 1122. One end of the connection portion 1212 of the ceramic ferrule 121 may abut against the positioning platform 1122. The positioning platform 1122 can axially position the ceramic ferrule 121 to determine the specific axial position of the ceramic ferrule 121 within the inner housing assembly 110, thereby improving the accuracy of the installation of the ceramic ferrule 121 within the inner housing assembly 110. Furthermore, the positioning platform 1122 can prevent the ceramic ferrule 121 from axially moving, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the installation of the ceramic ferrule 121 within the inner housing assembly 110.

[0126] 13 , the axial heights of the end faces of the positioning platforms 1122 facing the ceramic ferrule 121 can be sequentially offset along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, and the axial offset distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms 1122 is H.

[0127] Alternatively, along the direction from the first row to the Nth row, the axial heights of the end surfaces of the positioning platforms 1122 facing the ceramic ferrule 121 may be sequentially offset, and the axial offset distance between the end surfaces of two adjacent positioning platforms 1122 is H.

[0128] For example, referring to FIG13 , in the direction from the first row to the second row, the planar rear end 1124 of the front shell 112 can be used as a reference for ease of understanding. It can be understood that, along the direction from the first row to the second row (i.e., the x-direction in FIG13 ), the distance between the positioning platform 1122 and the rear end 1124, as it faces the end surface of the ceramic ferrule 121, gradually increases. For example, as shown in FIG13 , along the x-direction, the distances from the positioning platform 1122 in the two sub-cavities 11211 to the rear end 1124 of the front shell 112 can be D1 and D2, respectively, with D2 being greater than D1, and the difference between D2 and D1 being H. Thus, when the ceramic ferrule 121 abuts the positioning platform 1122, the connecting portion 1213 of the ceramic ferrule 121 extending outside the front shell 112 can also be arranged in a staggered manner in the x-direction to facilitate grinding of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0129] Among them, H can satisfy the following formula: H=D tan α

[0130] Wherein, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 .

[0131] By ensuring that the end face offset dimensions of each positioning platform 1122 satisfy the aforementioned formula, when the ceramic ferrule 121 abuts the end face of the positioning platform 1122, the end face of the positioning platform 1122 can define the axial installation position of the ceramic ferrule 121, allowing each ceramic ferrule 121 to be fixed according to a predetermined position, thereby enabling the ceramic ferrules 121 to be arranged in a stepped pattern. During the assembly of the ceramic ferrules 121 with the inner housing assembly 110, there is no need to consider the axial positioning of the ceramic ferrules, simplifying the installation process of the ceramic ferrules 121 and improving the assembly efficiency between the ceramic ferrules 121 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0132] Figure 14 is a structural schematic diagram of another inner shell component provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 15 is a structural schematic diagram of a sub-rear shell provided in an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 16 is a front view of a base provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0133] In another possible implementation, as shown in FIG14 , the front shell 112 may include M sub-front shells 1125 arranged in parallel, and the rear shell 113 may include M sub-rear shells 1134 arranged in parallel. The M sub-front shells 1125 may be connected one by one to the M sub-rear shells 1134, for example, each sub-front shell 1125 and each sub-rear shell 1134 may be connected by snapping. The M sub-front shells 1125 and the M sub-rear shells 1134 may be arranged in sequence in the direction from the first row to the Mth row (i.e., the x direction in FIG14 ). Each group of connected sub-front shells 1125 and sub-rear shells 1134 may have N ceramic ferrules 121, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 may be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0134] For example, in an embodiment of the present application, the number of sub-front shells 1125 and sub-rear shells 1134 can be two as shown in Figure 14, and the number of ceramic cores 121 in each group of connected sub-front shells 1125 and sub-rear shells 1134 can be two, so that the ceramic cores 121 are arranged in 2 rows and 2 columns.

[0135] Alternatively, in some examples, the front housing 112 may include N front sub-housings 1125 arranged in parallel, and the rear housing 113 may include N rear sub-housings 1134 arranged in parallel, and the N front sub-housings 1125 may be connected one-to-one with the N rear sub-housings 1134. For example, the N front sub-housings 1125 and the N rear sub-housings 1134 may be arranged sequentially from the first column to the Nth column (i.e., the y-direction). Each group of connected front sub-housings 1125 and rear sub-housings 1134 may each contain M ceramic ferrules 121, so that the ceramic ferrules 121 can still be arranged in M ​​rows and N columns.

[0136] As shown in Figures 15 and 16 , the base 115 may have the same number of second slots 1152 as the number of sub-rear shells 1134, and the second engaging portions 1133 on the sub-rear shells 1134 may be respectively engaged in each of the second slots 1152. This allows each set of sub-front shell 1125 and sub-rear shell 1134 to be connected to the base 115 through the engagement of the second engaging portions 1133 with the second slots 1152, effectively preventing the sub-front shell 1125, sub-rear shell 1134 from detaching from the base 115, thereby improving the structural stability of the inner shell assembly 110.

[0137] In the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance between the second latching slots 1152 and the end surface of the base 115 gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second latching slots 1152 in the axial direction of the base 115 is H.

[0138] Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance between the second slots 1152 and the end surface of the base 115 gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second slots 1152 in the axial direction of the base 115 is H.

[0139] For example, referring to FIG. 16 , taking the direction from the first row to the Mth row as an example, for ease of understanding, the end surface of the base 115 facing the rear housing 113 can be used as a reference. This end surface is a planar structure, and it can be understood that the distances from the second slots 1152 to the end surface of the base 115 facing the rear housing 113 gradually increase. For example, the distances from the two second slots 1152 to the end surface can be D3 and D4, respectively, where D4 is greater than D3, and the difference between D4 and D3 is H. In this way, when the sub-rear housings 1134 are connected to the second slots 1152 on the base 115, each set of sub-rear housings 1134 and the front and rear housings 113 can be arranged in a stepped manner, thereby creating a stepped arrangement of the end surface of the ceramic ferrule 121, facilitating the grinding of the ceramic ferrule 121.

[0140] Among them, H can satisfy the following formula: H=D tan α

[0141] Wherein, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules 121 in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end surface of the ceramic ferrule 121 .

[0142] By ensuring that each second latching groove 1152 on the base 115 satisfies the aforementioned formula, when the sub-rear shell 1134 is secured within the second latching groove 1152 via the second latching portion 1133, the second latching groove 1152 can define the position of the sub-rear shell 1134, securing the sub-rear shell 1134 and the front and rear shells 113 in a predetermined position. This allows the ceramic ferrules 121 within the sub-front shell 1125 and sub-rear shell 1134 to be arranged in a stepped pattern according to predetermined positions. During assembly of the ceramic ferrule 121 with the inner shell assembly 110, there is no need to consider the axial positioning of the ceramic ferrule. This simplifies the installation process of the ceramic ferrule 121 and improves the efficiency of assembly between the ceramic ferrule 121 and the inner shell assembly 110.

[0143] FIG17 is a cross-sectional view of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0144] 17 , the optical fiber connector 100 may further include an outer shell assembly 140, which may include a first shell 141 and a second shell 142. The first shell 141 may be sleeved onto the inner shell assembly 110, and the second shell 142 may be sleeved onto the outer periphery of the first shell 141 and rotatably connected to the first shell 141. The first shell 141 and the second shell 142 may be configured to cooperate with structures on an adapter to connect the optical fiber connector 100 to the adapter.

[0145] For example, the adapter may have a guide groove structure that cooperates with the first housing 141. The first housing 141 can be inserted into the guide groove, and the second housing 142 can be mounted on the outside of the adapter. The outer periphery of the adapter may have a first and a second connected slide groove, wherein the first slide groove can extend along the axial direction of the adapter and can extend to the end surface of the adapter, and the second slide groove can extend along the circumference of the adapter. The inner wall of the second housing 142 may have a limiting post, and the limiting post on the second housing 142 can cooperate with the first and second slide grooves to connect the second housing 142 to the adapter.

[0146] For example, the second housing 142 can be rotated along the extension direction of the first and second slots so that the retaining post on the second housing 142 eventually abuts against the end of the second slot. The second slot can limit and fix the retaining post in the axial direction to prevent the second housing 142 from moving along the axial direction of the adapter, thereby improving the firmness and reliability of the connection between the optical fiber connector 100 and the adapter and enhancing the stability of the fit between the two optical fiber connectors 100.

[0147] Continuing with FIG. 17 , in this embodiment of the present application, the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a tail sleeve 143. At least a portion of the tail sleeve 143 may be sleeved over at least a portion of the first housing 141 and threadedly connected to the first housing 141. For example, the outer periphery of one end of the first housing 141 may have external threads, and the inner wall of the end of the tail sleeve 143 facing the first housing 141 may have internal threads that mate with the external threads. During the connection between the tail sleeve 143 and the first housing 141, the external threads mate with the internal threads, allowing the tail sleeve 143 to be connected to the first housing 141.

[0148] Among them, the tail sleeve 143 can be made of rubber material, which has a certain elasticity. The tail sleeve 143 can provide elastic protection for the optical cable 130. During the bending process of the optical cable 130, the tail sleeve 143 can increase the bending radius of the optical cable 130 to avoid the optical cable 130 from breaking due to a small bending radius, thereby preventing the optical cable 130 from breaking and affecting the signal transmission between the optical fiber connectors 100.

[0149] 17 , the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a first cable protection sleeve 150. The first cable protection sleeve 150 may be disposed on the optical cable 130, and one end of the first cable protection sleeve 150 may be connected to the base 115. The first cable protection sleeve 150 may also protect the optical cable 130, thereby increasing the bending radius of the optical cable 130, preventing the optical cable 130 from breaking due to an excessively small bending radius, and thereby helping to increase the service life of the optical cable 130.

[0150] Continuing with FIG17 , the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a second cable protection sleeve 160, which may also be sleeved on the optical cable 130 and located within the tail sleeve 143. The second cable protection sleeve 160 and the first cable protection sleeve 150 may be distributed along the extension direction of the optical cable 130. The second cable protection sleeve 160 may also provide protection for the optical cable 130 to increase the bending radius of the optical cable 130, thereby effectively preventing the optical cable 130 from breaking due to a small bending radius. The second cable protection sleeve 160 and the first cable protection sleeve 150 may provide protection for the optical cable 130 at different locations, wherein one end of the second cable protection sleeve 160 may at least partially overlap with one end of the first cable protection sleeve 150, so that the second cable protection sleeve 160 and the first cable protection sleeve 150 can provide more comprehensive protection for the optical cable 130 to prevent the optical cable 130 from breaking.

[0151] Figure 18 is a structural schematic diagram of a base provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 19 is a structural schematic diagram of a first shell provided in an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of a first shell provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0152] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, the base 115 may have a shoulder portion 1153 on its outer periphery, and the first housing 141 may have an elastic engaging portion 1411. The elastic engaging portion 1411 may abut against the shoulder portion 1153 of the base 115. For example, the elastic engaging portion 1411 may face the interior of the first housing 141. When the elastic engaging portion 1411 abuts against the end surface of the shoulder portion 1153 during the process of the base 115 being inserted into the first housing 141, it indicates that the first housing 141 and the base 115 have reached a mating position. The mating between the shoulder portion 1153 and the first engaging portion 1131 can achieve axial positional limitation, reducing or preventing axial movement between the first housing 141 and the base 115, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the axial connection between the outer housing assembly 140 and the inner housing assembly 110.

[0153] Continuing with FIG18 , the base 115 may further include a groove 1154 on its outer circumference. In conjunction with FIG20 , the inner wall of the first housing 141 may include a limiting protrusion 1412 that cooperates with the groove 1154. The limiting protrusion 1412 may be located within the groove 1154. The groove 1154 may circumferentially limit the limiting protrusion 1412, thereby reducing or preventing rotation of the first housing 141 relative to the base 115, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the circumferential connection between the first housing 141 and the base 115.

[0154] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of a dust cap connected to an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0155] As shown in FIG21 , the optical fiber connector 100 may further include a dust cap 170. The dust cap 170 may be mounted on one end of the front housing 112 assembly facing the plug-in portion 1213 of the ceramic ferrule 121. The dust cap 170 may be detachably connected to the front housing 112 assembly. The dust cap 170 may be mounted on the front housing 112 assembly when the optical fiber connector 100 is not in use and removed when the optical fiber connector 100 is in use. The dust cap 170 may provide protection for the ferrule assembly 120 and the inner housing assembly 110 within the outer housing assembly 140. The dust cap 170 may reduce or prevent external dirt such as dust, water stains, and oil stains from entering the ferrule assembly 120 within the outer housing assembly 140, thereby preventing dirt from entering the ferrule assembly 120 and affecting optical fiber signal transmission. This may improve the cleanliness of the ferrule assembly 120 and enhance the operational stability and reliability of the optical fiber connector 100.

[0156] The application scenarios of the optical fiber connector 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application are introduced below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0157] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of an application link of an optical fiber connector provided in an embodiment of the present application, Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of a link inside a first connection box provided in an embodiment of the present application, and Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of a link inside a fourth connection box provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0158] The optical fiber connector 100 provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used for cascading between multiple connection boxes. For example, the connection box can be a fiber access terminal (FAT), and multiple connection boxes can be connected through the optical fiber connector 100. For example, referring to FIG22 , taking the optical fiber connector 100 with four ceramic ferrules 121 (also called a 4-core optical fiber connector 100) as an example, the number of connection boxes can be four. For ease of understanding, the four connection boxes can be sequentially set as a first connection box 310, a second connection box 320, a third connection box 330, and a fourth connection box 340, and the four ceramic ferrules 121 in the optical fiber connector 100 can be labeled as ferrule No. 1, ferrule No. 2, ferrule No. 3, and ferrule No. 4.

[0159] For example, as shown in FIG22 , one of the optical fiber connectors 100 can be first inserted into an adapter on the first connection box 310, so that the optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the optical fiber connector 100 inside the connection box through the adapter, thereby introducing four optical fibers into the connection box. Each of the four connection boxes can have an optical splitter. For example, the first connection box 310 can have a first optical splitter 311, the second connection box 320 can have a second optical splitter 321, the third connection box 330 can have a third optical splitter 331, and the fourth connection box 340 can have a fourth optical splitter 341.

[0160] In the first connection box 310, one of the four optical fibers can be connected to the input end of the first splitter 311 in the first connection box 310, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers in a certain proportion through the first splitter 311 and then enter the house. The remaining three optical fibers can be led out through the optical fiber connector 100 and connected to the second connection box 320.

[0161] In the second connection box 320, one of the three optical fibers can be connected to the second splitter 321, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers in a certain proportion through the second splitter 321 and then enter the house, and the remaining two optical fibers can be led out through the optical fiber connector 100 and connected to the third connection box 330.

[0162] In the third connection box 330, one of the two optical fibers can be connected to the third splitter 331, so that the optical fiber can be divided into multiple optical fibers in a certain proportion through the third splitter 331 and then enter the house, and the other can be led out through the optical fiber connector 100 and connected to the fourth connection box 340.

[0163] In the fourth connection box 340 , the last optical fiber can be connected to the fourth optical splitter 341 , so that the optical fiber can be split into multiple optical fibers according to a certain ratio by the fourth optical splitter 341 and then enter the home.

[0164] The optical splitter in each connection box is connected to the No. 4 ferrule in the connection box. In order to ensure that the input port of the optical splitter in each connection box is connected to an effective optical fiber that passes light, the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber in the connection box can be staggered. For example, as shown in Figure 23, in the first connection box 310, the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 3 ferrule in the input end optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the No. 4 ferrule in the input end optical fiber connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 2 ferrule can be connected to the No. 3 ferrule in the input end optical fiber connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 1 ferrule can be connected to the No. 2 ferrule in the input end optical fiber connector 100. In this way, in the second connection box 320, the optical fiber connected to the second optical splitter 321 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 3 ferrule in the input end optical fiber connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0165] Accordingly, in the second connection box 320, the optical fiber corresponding to ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to ferrule No. 4 in the input optical fiber connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to ferrule No. 2 can be connected to ferrule No. 3 in the input optical fiber connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to ferrule No. 1 can be connected to ferrule No. 2 in the input optical fiber connector 100. Thus, in the third connection box 330, the optical fiber connected to the third optical splitter 331 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to ferrule No. 2 in the input optical fiber connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0166] Accordingly, in the third connection box 330, the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 3 ferrule in the input optical fiber connector 100 can be connected to the No. 4 ferrule in the input optical fiber connector 100, the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 2 ferrule can be connected to the No. 3 ferrule in the input optical fiber connector 100, and the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 1 ferrule can be connected to the No. 2 ferrule in the input optical fiber connector 100. Thus, in the fourth connection box 340, as shown in FIG. 24 , the optical fiber connected to the fourth optical splitter 341 is actually the optical fiber corresponding to the No. 1 ferrule in the input optical fiber connector 100 in the first connection box 310.

[0167] The present application also provides a connection box, which may include a housing and an adapter. The adapter may be located on the housing, and the adapter in the connection box may be used to mate with the optical fiber connector 100 provided in any of the above scenarios. By mating the adapter in the connection box with the optical fiber connector 100, the two optical fiber connectors 100 inside and outside the connection box can be docked via the adapter to achieve optical signal transmission, which can effectively improve the stability and reliability of signal transmission.

[0168] For example, the adapter may include the same number of positioning sleeves as the number of ceramic ferrules 121 in the optical fiber connector 100, and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement of the ceramic ferrules 121. For example, in an embodiment of the present application, the positioning sleeves may also be arranged in an array in M ​​rows and N columns, so that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the positioning sleeves and the ceramic ferrules 121.

[0169] A positioning through-hole can be provided within the positioning sleeve, and both ends of the positioning through-hole can be used to insert the ceramic ferrule 121. For example, one end of the positioning through-hole can be connected to the outside of the connection box, and the other end can be connected to the inside of the connection box. The ceramic ferrule 121 in the optical fiber connector 100 located outside the connection box can be inserted into one end of the positioning through-hole, and the ceramic ferrule 121 in the optical fiber connector 100 located inside the connection box can be inserted into the other end of the positioning through-hole, so that the two ceramic ferrules 121 can be docked through the positioning sleeve to achieve docking of the optical fibers. This can effectively improve the coaxiality of the ceramic ferrule 121 connection and the accuracy of the docking of the ceramic ferrule 121, thereby effectively improving the efficiency of signal transmission between optical fibers.

[0170] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances. The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. (if any) are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0171] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. These modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An optical fiber connector, characterized in that: It comprises an inner shell component (110), a core assembly (120) and an optical cable (130); The inner shell component (110) has a receiving cavity (111), and the ferrule component (120) comprises a plurality of ceramic ferrules (121), one end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) is located in the receiving cavity (111), and the other end of each of the plurality of ceramic ferrules (121) extends out of the inner shell component (110); Each of the ceramic ferrules (121) has a through hole (1211), and the optical cable (130) includes a plurality of optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are respectively inserted into the through holes (1211) of each of the ceramic ferrules (121); Furthermore, the plurality of ceramic inserts (121) are arranged in an array in the form of M rows and N columns, wherein M≥2 and N≥2.

2. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end faces of each of the ceramic inserts (121) are inclined surfaces with the same inclination direction.

3. The optical fiber connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: In the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of the ceramic inserts (121) are located in the same inclined plane; Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of the ceramic inserts (121) are located in the same inclined plane.

4. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The end surface of each of the ceramic ferrules (121) satisfies the following formula: H = D tanα Wherein, H is the height difference between the centers of the end faces of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end face of the ceramic ferrule (121).

5. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The inner shell component (110) comprises a front shell (112) and a rear shell (113), wherein the front end of the rear shell (113) is connected to the rear end of the front shell (112); Each of the ceramic ferrules (121) comprises a connecting portion (1212) and an inserting portion (1213) connected to each other, the front shell (112) has a first cavity (1121), the connecting portion (1212) is located in the first cavity (1121), and the inserting portion (1213) extends out of the front end of the front shell (112); One end of the connecting portion (1212) abuts against the front shell (112), and the other end of the connecting portion (1212) abuts against the rear shell (113).

6. The optical fiber connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first cavity (1121) of the front shell (112) comprises M sub-cavities (11211), the M sub-cavities (11211) are arranged in sequence from the first row to the Mth row, and each of the sub-cavities (11211) has N ceramic ferrules (121); Alternatively, the first cavity (1121) of the front shell (112) comprises N sub-cavities (11211), the N sub-cavities (11211) are arranged in sequence from the first column to the Nth column, and each of the sub-cavities (11211) has M ceramic ferrules (121); Each of the sub-cavities (11211) has a positioning platform (1122) therein, and one end of the connecting portion (1212) is respectively in contact with the positioning platform (1122).

7. The optical fiber connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: Along the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the end faces of the positioning platforms (1122) facing the ceramic ferrule (121) are sequentially staggered in height in the axial direction, and the staggered distance between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms (1122) in the axial direction is H; Alternatively, along the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the end faces of the positioning platforms (1122) facing the ceramic ferrule (121) are sequentially displaced in height in the axial direction, and the displaced distance in the axial direction between the end faces of two adjacent positioning platforms (1122) is H; The H satisfies the following formula: H=D tanα Wherein, D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and α is the inclination angle of the end surface of the ceramic ferrule (121).

8. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: The inner shell component (110) further comprises a spring component (114), and the spring component (114) is sleeved on the connecting portion (1212) of each ceramic ferrule (121); One end of the spring component (114) abuts against the ceramic insert (121), and the other end of the spring component (114) abuts against the rear shell (113).

9. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The front shell (112) is provided with a first card slot (1123), and the rear shell (113) is provided with a first card connection portion (1131) matched with the first card slot (1123); The first clamping portion (1131) is clamped in the first clamping slot (1123), and the front shell (112) and the rear shell (113) are connected through the cooperation between the first clamping portion (1131) and the first clamping slot (1123).

10. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that: The inner shell component (110) further comprises a base (115) connected to the rear shell (113), wherein the base (115) is located at an end of the rear shell (113) away from the front shell (112); The rear shell (113) has a second cavity (1132) communicating with the first cavity (1121), and the base (115) has a third cavity (1151) communicating with the second cavity (1132); The optical cable (130) is located in the third cavity (1151), and each of the optical fibers in the optical cable (130) passes through the third cavity (1151), the second cavity (1132), and the first cavity (1121) in sequence and is respectively inserted into the through hole (1211) of each of the ceramic ferrules (121).

11. The optical fiber connector according to claim 10, characterized in that: The rear shell (113) is provided with a second clamping portion (1133), the base (115) is provided with a second clamping slot (1152) matched with the second clamping portion (1133), and the second clamping portion (1133) is clamped in the second clamping slot (1152).

12. The optical fiber connector according to claim 11, characterized in that: The front shell (112) includes M sub-front shells (1125) (112) arranged in parallel, and the rear shell (113) includes M sub-rear shells (1134) arranged in parallel, and the M sub-front shells (1125) (112) are respectively connected to the M sub-rear shells (1134); Each group of the connected sub-front shells (1125) (112) and the sub-rear shells (1134) has N ceramic inserts (121) respectively; Alternatively, the front shell (112) includes N sub-front shells (1125) (112) arranged in parallel, the rear shell (113) includes N sub-rear shells (1134) arranged in parallel, and the N sub-front shells (1125) (112) are respectively connected to the N sub-rear shells (1134); Each group of connected sub-front shells (1125) (112) and sub-rear shells (1134) has M ceramic inserts (121) therein.

13. The optical fiber connector according to claim 12, characterized in that: The base (115) is provided with the same number of second card slots (1152) as the number of the sub-rear shells (1134), and the second card connection parts (1133) on the sub-rear shells (1134) are respectively clamped in each of the second card slots (1152).

14. The optical fiber connector according to claim 12, characterized in that: In the direction from the first row to the Mth row, the distance from the second card slot (1152) to the end surface of the base (115) gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second card slots (1152) in the axial direction of the base (115) is H; Alternatively, in the direction from the first column to the Nth column, the distance from the second card slot (1152) to the end surface of the base (115) gradually increases, and the distance difference between two adjacent second card slots (1152) in the axial direction of the base (115) is H; The H satisfies the following formula: H=D tanα The D is the distance between the center lines of two adjacent ceramic ferrules (121) in the inclined direction, and the α is the inclination angle of the end surface of the ceramic ferrule (121).

15. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that: Also included is a housing assembly (140), wherein the housing assembly (140) includes a first shell (141) and a second shell (142); The first shell (141) is sleeved on the inner shell assembly (110), and the second shell (142) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the first shell (141) and is rotatably connected to the first shell (141).

16. The optical fiber connector according to claim 15, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the base (115) has a shaft shoulder portion (1153), and the first shell (141) has an elastic clamping portion (1411), and the elastic clamping portion (1411) abuts against the end surface of the shaft shoulder portion (1153).

17. The optical fiber connector according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that: The outer periphery of the base (115) is also provided with a groove (1154), and the inner wall of the first shell (141) has a limiting protrusion (1412) that matches the groove (1154), and the limiting protrusion (1412) is located in the groove (1154).

18. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that: The housing assembly (140) further comprises a tail sleeve (143), wherein at least a portion of the tail sleeve (143) is sleeved on at least a portion of the first shell (141) and is threadedly connected to the first shell (141).

19. The optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that: It also includes a first optical cable protective sleeve (150), wherein the first optical cable protective sleeve (150) is sleeved on the optical cable (130), and one end of the first optical cable protective sleeve (150) is connected to the base (115).

20. The optical fiber connector according to claim 18, wherein: It also includes a second optical cable protective sleeve (160), wherein the second optical cable protective sleeve (160) is sleeved on the optical cable (130), and the second optical cable protective sleeve (160) is located in the tail sleeve (143).

21. A connection box, characterized in that: It comprises a housing and an adapter, wherein the adapter is located on the housing, and the adapter is used to cooperate with the optical fiber connector according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. The connection box according to claim 21, characterized in that The adapter has a number of positioning sleeves that is the same as the number of ceramic ferrules (121), and the positioning sleeves are configured to correspond to the arrangement of the ceramic ferrules (121); Each of the positioning sleeves has a positioning through hole (1211), and both ends of the positioning through hole (1211) are respectively used for inserting the ceramic insert (121).

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