Optical cable holding member and optical connector

Abstract

This optical cable holding member holds an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber and a tension member, and comprises a body part. The body part is provided with a fiber routing channel through which the optical fiber can be routed, a tension member routing channel through which the tension member can be routed, an adhesive injection port which leads to the tension member routing channel and which opens toward the outside of the body part, and a separation wall for separating the fiber routing channel from the tension member routing channel. The separation wall faces the adhesive injection port in a first orthogonal direction which is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the fiber routing channel.

Description

Optical cable holding member and optical connector

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-008154, filed on Jan. 23, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] A conventional method is to attach a pulling end to the tip of an optical connector equipped with an optical fiber cable and pull the pulling end to install the optical connector in a duct. At this time, tension is applied to the optical fiber cable. To strengthen the resistance to tension, a tension member is provided in the optical fiber cable. When tension is applied to the optical fiber cable, the tension member has the role of receiving this tension and protecting the optical fiber of the optical fiber cable.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a fixing structure in which a tension member is placed inside a cylindrical portion and fixed to the cylindrical portion by filling the cylindrical portion with adhesive. This strengthens resistance to tension. Patent Document 2 discloses a fixing structure in which the tension member is fixed to the housing by clamping it between a pair of housing pieces that the housing has. In order to enable the floating mechanism to function, the optical fiber is not fixed to the housing.

[0004] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 63-198003 U.S. Pat. No. 8,500,341

[0005] In an optical connector having a floating mechanism, as in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to fix only the tension member to the housing, without fixing the optical fiber. In the structure of Patent Document 2, the tension member is clamped between a pair of housing pieces that the housing has, so there is a possibility that the tension member will shift relative to the housing when tension is applied to the optical fiber cable. In order to further improve resistance to tension, it is desirable to fix the tension member to the housing using an adhesive. However, the adhesive is in a liquid state when injected and takes time to harden. Therefore, when attempting to fix the tension member using an adhesive, there is a possibility that the liquid adhesive will adhere to the optical fiber.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an optical cable holding member and an optical connector that can prevent adhesive from adhering to the optical fiber even when an adhesive is used to fix a tension member.

[0007] The optical cable holding member of aspect 1 of the present invention is an optical cable holding member that holds an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber and a tension member, and comprises a main body portion, the main body portion comprising a fiber insertion passage through which the optical fiber can be inserted, a tension member insertion passage through which the tension member can be inserted, an adhesive injection port that communicates with the tension member insertion passage and opens toward the outside of the main body portion, and a partition wall that separates the fiber insertion passage and the tension member insertion passage, and the partition wall faces the adhesive injection port in a first orthogonal direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fiber insertion passage.

[0008] Furthermore, in aspect 2 of the present invention, in the optical cable holding member of aspect 1, the main body portion further comprises a fiber slit that communicates with the fiber insertion passage and opens toward the outside of the main body portion, and the fiber slit is positioned on the opposite side of the adhesive injection port in the first orthogonal direction.

[0009] Furthermore, in aspect 3 of the present invention, in the optical cable holding member of aspect 1 or 2, the tension member insertion passage has a first part and a second part arranged to sandwich the fiber insertion passage in a second orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction.

[0010] In addition, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the optical cable holding member of the second aspect, the fiber slit, the fiber insertion passage, and the separating wall are arranged adjacent to each other in this order in the first orthogonal direction.

[0011] The optical connector of aspect 5 of the present invention comprises an optical fiber cable having the optical fiber and the tension member, a ferrule having a fiber hole through which the end of the optical fiber is inserted, and an optical cable holding member of any one of aspects 1 to 4, and the adhesive injection port and the tension member insertion passage are filled with adhesive.

[0012] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the optical connector of the fifth aspect, wherein the tension member is rod-shaped.

[0013] According to the above aspects of the present invention, an optical cable holding member and an optical connector can be provided that can prevent adhesive from adhering to the optical fiber even when the tension member is fixed using adhesive.

[0014] 2 is a perspective view of an optical connector with a pulling end according to one embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an optical connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an optical connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an optical cable holding member according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an optical cable holding member according to one embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 2. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a tension member fixing region and a fiber bending region in an optical connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a tension member fixing region and a fiber bending region in an optical connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling an optical connector according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling an optical connector according to one embodiment.

[0015] An optical connector 1 and an optical cable holding member 30 according to one embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an optical connector with a pulling end 100. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the optical connector 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the optical connector 1.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the optical connector with a pulling end 100 includes an optical connector 1, a pulling end 2, and a waterproof boot 3. The pulling end 2 is attached to the tip of the optical connector 1. The pulling end 2 is used when installing the optical connector 1. Specifically, when inserting the optical connector 1 into a duct or the like, the pulling end 2 is pulled to move the optical connector 1 to a desired position within the duct. The waterproof boot 3 is provided on the base end side of the optical connector 1. The waterproof boot 3 serves to improve the waterproofness of the optical connector with a pulling end 100.

[0017] 2, the optical connector 1 includes an optical fiber cable 20 and an optical cable holding member 30 that holds the optical fiber cable 20. The optical fiber cable 20 includes a plurality of optical fibers 21, two tension members 22, and a holding portion 23. The optical cable holding member 30 includes a main body 31 having a fiber insertion passage 33 through which the plurality of optical fibers 21 are inserted.

[0018] (Directional Definition) In this specification, the direction in which the fiber insertion passage 33 extends is referred to as the longitudinal direction Z. The main body 31 and the holding portion 23 are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction Z. In the longitudinal direction Z, the side on which the main body 31 is arranged with respect to the holding portion 23 (the +Z side) is referred to as the front or tip side. The opposite side (the -Z side) is referred to as the rear or base side. A direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Z is referred to as the first orthogonal direction X. One side in the first orthogonal direction X is referred to as the +X side, and the other side is referred to as the -X side. A direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Z and the first orthogonal direction X is referred to as the second orthogonal direction Y. One side in the second orthogonal direction Y is referred to as the +Y side, and the other side is referred to as the -Y side.

[0019] The optical fibers 21 are inserted through the fiber insertion passage 33 along the longitudinal direction Z. Although not shown in detail, each optical fiber 21 has a fiber core and a cladding that covers the fiber core. The refractive index of the cladding is lower than the refractive index of the fiber core. This allows the optical fiber 21 to confine light within the fiber core. A coating layer made of, for example, resin may be provided on the outer periphery of the cladding.

[0020] The two tension members 22 are spaced apart in the second orthogonal direction Y. The two tension members 22 are arranged to sandwich the optical fibers 21 between them. The two tension members 22 are inserted through tension member insertion passages 34 formed in the main body 31 (described later) and fixed to the main body 31 with adhesive 40 (see FIGS. 8B and 8C ). When tension is applied to the optical fiber cable 20 along the longitudinal direction Z, the tension members 22 protect the optical fibers 21 by receiving this tension. The tension members 22 are rod-shaped. The tension members 22 are made of, for example, fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). The tension members 22 may also be made of metal wire (for example, copper wire).

[0021] The holding portion 23 holds the plurality of optical fibers 21 and the two tension members 22. The plurality of optical fibers 21 and the two tension members 22 extend from the holding portion 23 toward the tip side.

[0022] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the optical connector 1 includes, in addition to the optical fiber cable 20 and the optical cable holding member 30, a ferrule 11, a housing 12, a boot 13, an intermediate member 14, a biasing member 15, a fitting member 16, and a retainer 17.

[0023] The ferrule 11 has a connection end face 11a, which faces the tip side. The connection end face 11a is the face that abuts against a connection target when the optical connector 1 is connected to a connection target such as another connector. The ferrule 11 also has multiple fiber holes 11b and two positioning holes 11c opening at the connection end face 11a. The multiple fiber holes 11b penetrate the ferrule 11 in the longitudinal direction Z. An end of an optical fiber 21 is inserted into each fiber hole 11b. The end face of the optical fiber 21 inserted into the fiber hole 11b is exposed at the connection end face 11a. The two positioning holes 11c are spaced apart in the second orthogonal direction Y, sandwiching the multiple fiber holes 11b between them. The optical connector 1 of this embodiment is a female connector, and the relative positions of the optical connector 1 and the other connector are determined by inserting a positioning pin of the other connector into the positioning hole 11c. However, the optical connector 1 may be a male connector. In other words, the optical connector 1 may have a positioning pin.

[0024] The housing 12 holds the ferrule 11 therein. The housing 12 is attached to the optical cable holding member 30 from the tip side. A part of the ferrule 11, the boot 13, the intermediate member 14, and the biasing member 15 are housed inside the housing 12.

[0025] The boot 13 is a cylindrical member through which a plurality of optical fibers 21 are inserted. The boot 13 is fixed to the base end of the ferrule 11. The boot 13 serves to protect the optical fibers 21.

[0026] The intermediate member 14 is disposed between the ferrule 11 and the biasing member 15. A plurality of optical fibers 21 extending rearward from the ferrule 11 are inserted into the intermediate member 14. The intermediate member 14 holds the base end of the ferrule 11 and serves to transmit the biasing force of the biasing member 15 to the ferrule 11.

[0027] The biasing member 15 is disposed between the intermediate member 14 and the optical cable holding member 30. The biasing member 15 is compressed in the longitudinal direction Z between the intermediate member 14 and the optical cable holding member 30. The biasing member 15 is, for example, a coil spring. The biasing member 15 biases the ferrule 11 toward the tip side via the intermediate member 14.

[0028] The fitting member 16 is fitted into the tip portion of the optical cable holding member 30. At the tip portion of the optical cable holding member 30, the plurality of optical fibers 21 are held between the fitting member 16 and the optical cable holding member 30. The retaining member 17 prevents the fitting member 16 from falling off the optical cable holding member 30.

[0029] The engagement between the optical cable holding member 30 and the fitting member 16 will now be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 3 , the optical cable holding member 30 includes an extension portion 32 that extends from the main body portion 31 toward the tip end and to which the fitting member 16 is attached. The extension portion 32 has an abutment surface 32a that abuts against the fitting member 16. The abutment surface 32a faces the +X side. The extension portion 32 has an engagement protrusion 32b that protrudes rearward from the abutment surface 32a. The fitting member 16 has an engagement hole 16a into which the engagement protrusion 32b is inserted and an engagement piece 16b that engages with the engagement protrusion 32b. The retainer 17 is a substantially C-shaped member. The retainer 17 is disposed between the front end surface 31a of the main body portion 31 and the rear end surface 16c of the fitting member 16.

[0030] The fitting member 16 is attached to the extension portion 32 in the following procedure. First, the fitting member 16 is brought toward the extension portion 32 from the +X side, and the engaging protrusion 32b is inserted into the engaging hole 16a. The fitting member 16 abuts against the abutment surface 32a of the extension portion 32. Next, the fitting member 16 is slid toward the tip side relative to the optical cable holding member 30. At this time, the engaging piece 16b enters under the engaging protrusion 32b, thereby engaging with the engaging protrusion 32b. When the fitting member 16 is slid toward the tip side, a gap is formed between the rear end surface 16c of the fitting member 16 and the front end surface 31a of the main body portion 31. The retaining member 17 is inserted into this gap.

[0031] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the optical cable holding member 30, as viewed from the +X side. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the optical cable holding member 30, as viewed from the -X side. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 4 to 7, the main body 31 includes, in addition to the fiber insertion passage 33, a tension member insertion passage 34, a fiber slit 35, an adhesive injection port 36, and a separation wall 37.

[0032] The fiber insertion passage 33 is formed to penetrate the main body 31 in the longitudinal direction Z and extend in the longitudinal direction Z to the extending portion 32. A plurality of optical fibers 21 are inserted into the fiber insertion passage 33 along the longitudinal direction Z.

[0033] The fiber slit 35 opens toward the outside of the main body 31. Specifically, the fiber slit 35 opens on the surface facing the +X side of the main body 31. The fiber slit 35 communicates with the fiber insertion path 33.

[0034] 6 , the tension member insertion passage 34 has a first portion 34a and a second portion 34b arranged on either side of the fiber insertion passage 33 in the second orthogonal direction Y. The first portion 34a and the second portion 34b each extend from the base end of the main body 31 toward the tip along the longitudinal direction Z. Two tension members 22 are inserted into the first portion 34a and the second portion 34b, respectively, along the longitudinal direction Z. Note that the tension member insertion passage 34 (first portion 34a and second portion 34b) is provided at the base end of the main body 31 and does not pass through the main body 31 in the longitudinal direction Z.

[0035] The adhesive injection port 36 opens toward the outside of the main body 31. Specifically, the adhesive injection port 36 opens on the surface of the main body 31 facing the -X side. The adhesive injection port 36 communicates with the tension member insertion passage 34 (the first portion 34a and the second portion 34b). The adhesive injection port 36 is located on the opposite side of the fiber slit 35 in the first orthogonal direction X, across the separation wall 37.

[0036] The partition wall 37 is provided between the fiber insertion passage 33 and the tension member insertion passage 34. The partition wall 37 separates the fiber insertion passage 33 from the tension member insertion passage 34. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction Z, the partition wall 37 is U-shaped and opens to the +X side. The internal space of the U-shaped partition wall 37 forms the fiber insertion passage 33. The partition wall 37 faces the adhesive injection port 36 in the first orthogonal direction X.

[0037] An adhesive 40 (see FIGS. 8B and 8C ) is injected into the adhesive injection port 36. Note that the adhesive 40 is not shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 . The adhesive 40 functions to fix the tension member 22 to the optical cable holding member 30. The material of the adhesive 40 may be, for example, a thermosetting resin. More specifically, the material of the adhesive 40 may be an epoxy resin. The material of the adhesive 40 may also be a UV-curable resin. The adhesive 40 is in a liquid state when injected, and hardens when heated to a hardening temperature or higher (or when irradiated with UV light in the case of a UV-curable resin).

[0038] The adhesive 40 is filled into the adhesive injection port 36 and the tension member insertion passage 34. The adhesive 40 fixes the tension member 22 to the main body 31 while it is inserted through the tension member insertion passage 34. Note that the separation wall 37 prevents the adhesive 40 from entering the fiber insertion passage 33. This prevents the adhesive 40 from adhering to the optical fiber 21.

[0039] A recess 36a that communicates with the adhesive injection port 36 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the main body 31. The recess 36a is formed, for example, to extend from the adhesive injection port 36 toward the tip side. The recess 36a is used to cause the adhesive 40 injected into the adhesive injection port 36 to become stringy. Furthermore, by providing the recess 36a in the main body 31, the weight of the main body 31 can be reduced.

[0040] The fiber slit 35, the fiber insertion passage 33, the partition wall 37, and the adhesive injection port 36 are arranged adjacent to each other in this order in the first orthogonal direction X. That is, the fiber slit 35, the fiber insertion passage 33, the partition wall 37, and the adhesive injection port 36 are arranged overlapping each other in the first orthogonal direction X.

[0041] Here, a tension member fixing region R1 and a fiber bending region R2 are formed in the optical connector 1. Figures 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating the tension member fixing region R1 and the fiber bending region R2 in the optical connector 1. Figure 8A is a view of the optical connector 1 as seen from the +X side, Figure 8B is a cross-sectional view of the optical connector 1 along a direction (XZ plane) orthogonal to the second orthogonal direction Y, and Figure 8C is a view of the optical connector 1 as seen from the -X side.

[0042] The tension member fixing region R1 is a region where the tension member 22 is fixed to the main body 31 by the adhesive 40. In the longitudinal direction Z, the tension member fixing region R1 corresponds to the region where the adhesive injection port 36 is formed. The fiber bending region R2 is a region where bending occurs in the optical fiber 21 due to a reaction force that the optical connector 1 receives from a connection target, such as another connector, when connecting the optical connector 1 to the connection target. In the longitudinal direction Z, the fiber bending region R2 corresponds to the region between the base end of the ferrule 11 and the base end of the fiber slit 35. If a sudden bending occurs in the optical fiber 21 in the fiber bending region R2, bending loss increases.

[0043] 8B and 8C , in this embodiment, the tension member fixing region R1 and the fiber bending region R2 are formed to overlap in the longitudinal direction Z. Furthermore, both the tension member fixing region R1 and the fiber bending region R2 are formed in a single optical cable holding member 30. This allows the length of the optical connector 1 in the longitudinal direction Z to be reduced compared to, for example, a case where the tension member fixing region and the fiber bending region are formed at different positions in the longitudinal direction.

[0044] 8B , the fiber slit 35 is disposed adjacent to the fiber insertion passage 33 on the +X side, exposing the fiber insertion passage 33 toward the +X side. The separating wall 37 is disposed adjacent to the fiber insertion passage 33 on the −X side, covering the fiber insertion passage 33 from the −X side. The above-described arrangement of the fiber slit 35 and the separating wall 37 restricts the direction in which bending of the optical fiber 21 occurs in the fiber bending region R2 to one direction (the +X side) when connecting the optical connector 1 to a connection target. Since the bending direction of the optical fiber 21 is restricted to one direction in this way, bending of the optical fiber 21 in an S-shape or meandering bending of the optical fiber 21 can be suppressed. This prevents the optical fiber 21 from being sharply bent, thereby suppressing bending loss.

[0045] 9 and 10 , a method for assembling the optical connector 1 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 9 , the ferrule 11, the boot 13 (not shown in FIG. 9 ), the intermediate member 14, and the biasing member 15 are attached to the optical fiber cable 20. In this state, the optical fiber cable 20 is attached to the optical cable holding member 30. Specifically, the two tension members 22 are inserted into the tension member insertion passages 34 from the proximal end side. Furthermore, multiple optical fibers 21 are inserted into the fiber insertion passages 33. Because the fiber insertion passages 33 are exposed toward the +X side by the fiber slits 35, the multiple optical fibers 21 can be inserted into the fiber insertion passages 33 from the +X side through the fiber slits 35. Therefore, the optical fibers 21 can be easily inserted into the fiber insertion passages 33, and damage to the optical fibers 21 during assembly can be prevented.

[0046] Next, as shown in FIG. 10 , the fitting member 16 and the retaining member 17 are attached to the extension portion 32. Specifically, the fitting member 16 is brought toward the extension portion 32 from the +X side, and the engaging protrusion 32b is inserted into the engaging hole 16a. The fitting member 16 is slid toward the distal end relative to the optical cable holding member 30, and the engaging piece 16b is engaged with the engaging protrusion 32b. The retaining member 17 is inserted into the gap between the rear end surface 16c of the fitting member 16 and the front end surface 31a of the main body 31. The housing 12 is then attached to the optical cable holding member 30 from the distal end. The optical fiber cable 20 is then moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction Z relative to the optical cable holding member 30 to adjust the deflection and positional relationship of the optical fiber 21. The adhesive 40 is then filled into the adhesive injection port 36 and the tension member insertion passage 34, and the tension member 22 is fixed to the main body 31. At this time, the adhesive 40 can be threaded using the recess 36a. In this way, the optical connector 1 is assembled.

[0047] As described above, the optical cable holding member 30 according to this embodiment includes a main body 31. The main body 31 includes a fiber insertion passage 33 through which the optical fiber 21 can be inserted, a tension member insertion passage 34 through which the tension member 22 can be inserted, an adhesive injection port 36 that communicates with the tension member insertion passage 34 and opens toward the outside of the main body 31, and a separation wall 37 that separates the fiber insertion passage 33 from the tension member insertion passage 34. The separation wall 37 faces the adhesive injection port 36 in the first orthogonal direction X. The optical connector 1 according to this embodiment also includes an optical fiber cable 20 including the optical fiber 21 and the tension member 22, a ferrule 11 having a fiber hole 11b through which the end of the optical fiber 21 is inserted, and the optical cable holding member 30. The adhesive injection port 36 and the tension member insertion passage 34 are filled with adhesive 40.

[0048] According to the above configuration, the adhesive 40 is injected through the adhesive injection port 36, and the adhesive 40 is used to fix the tension member 22 to the main body 31. Because the separation wall 37 is provided to separate the fiber insertion path 33 from the tension member insertion path 34, the adhesive 40 does not enter the fiber insertion path 33. Therefore, even when the tension member 22 is fixed using the adhesive 40, it is possible to prevent the adhesive 40 from adhering to the optical fiber 21.

[0049] The main body 31 further includes a fiber slit 35 that communicates with the fiber insertion passage 33 and opens toward the outside of the main body 31. The fiber slit 35 is disposed on the opposite side of the adhesive injection port 36 in the first orthogonal direction X. With this configuration, the optical fiber 21 can be inserted into the fiber insertion passage 33 through the fiber slit 35. Therefore, the optical fiber 21 can be easily inserted into the fiber insertion passage 33, and damage to the optical fiber 21 during assembly can be prevented. Furthermore, because the fiber slit 35 is disposed on the opposite side of the adhesive injection port 36 in the first orthogonal direction X, it is possible to prevent the adhesive 40 from adhering to the optical fiber 21 even when the fiber slit 35 is provided.

[0050] Furthermore, the tension member insertion passage 34 has a first portion 34a and a second portion 34b that are arranged to sandwich the fiber insertion passage 33 in the second orthogonal direction Y. With this configuration, for example, two tension members 22 can be inserted into the first portion 34a and the second portion 34b, respectively. As a result, when tension is applied to the optical fiber cable 20 along the longitudinal direction Z, the tension can be distributed and evenly borne by the two tension members 22, and the optical fiber 21 can be more reliably protected.

[0051] Furthermore, the fiber slit 35, the fiber insertion passage 33, and the separating wall 37 are arranged adjacent to each other in this order in the first orthogonal direction X. With this configuration, the fiber insertion passage 33 is exposed to one side in the first orthogonal direction X by the fiber slit 35, and is covered from the other side in the first orthogonal direction X by the separating wall 37. Therefore, even if the optical fiber 21 bends when connecting the optical connector 1 to a connection target, the bending direction of the optical fiber 21 can be restricted to one direction, and the optical fiber 21 can be prevented from bending in an S-shape or meandering. This makes it possible to prevent the optical fiber 21 from being suddenly bent, thereby suppressing bending loss.

[0052] Furthermore, the tension members 22 are rod-shaped. With this configuration, the tension members 22 can be easily inserted into the tension member insertion passages 34, and the tension members 22 can be more reliably fixed to the main body 31 using the adhesive 40.

[0053] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] For example, the main body 31 may not have the fiber slit 35. The optical fiber cable 20 may have only one tension member 22, and the tension member insertion passage 34 may be provided only on one side of the fiber insertion passage 33 in the second orthogonal direction Y.

[0055] In addition, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above-described embodiments and variations may be combined as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0056] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...optical connector 11...ferrule 11b...fiber hole 20...optical fiber cable 21...optical fiber 22...tension member 30...optical cable holding member 31...main body 33...fiber insertion passage 34...tension member insertion passage 34a...first part 34b...second part 35...fiber slit 36...adhesive injection port 37...separation wall 40...adhesive X...first orthogonal direction Y...second orthogonal direction Z...longitudinal direction

Claims

1. An optical cable holding member for holding an optical fiber cable having an optical fiber and a tension member, the optical cable holding member comprising a main body portion, wherein the main body portion includes a fiber insertion passage through which the optical fiber can be inserted, a tension member insertion passage through which the tension member can be inserted, an adhesive injection port that communicates with the tension member insertion passage and opens toward the outside of the main body portion, and a partition wall that separates the fiber insertion passage and the tension member insertion passage, and the partition wall faces the adhesive injection port in a first orthogonal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the fiber insertion passage. Optical cable holding member.

2. The main body portion further includes a fiber slit that communicates with the fiber insertion passage and opens toward the outside of the main body portion, and the fiber slit is disposed on the side opposite to the adhesive injection port in the first orthogonal direction. The optical cable holding member according to claim 1.

3. The tension member insertion passage has a first portion and a second portion that are arranged so as to sandwich the fiber insertion passage in a second orthogonal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the first orthogonal direction. The optical cable holding member according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The fiber slit, the fiber insertion passage, and the partition wall are arranged adjacent to each other in this order in the first orthogonal direction. The optical cable holding member according to claim 2.

5. An optical connector comprising the optical fiber cable having the optical fiber and the tension member, a ferrule having a fiber hole through which an end portion of the optical fiber is inserted, and the optical cable holding member according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adhesive injection port and the tension member insertion passage are filled with an adhesive.

6. The tension member is rod-shaped. The optical connector according to claim 5.

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