Wall-through optical fiber connector

Abstract

A wall-through optical fiber connector (100), comprising a connector main body (11), a traction sheath (12), and a housing structure (13). One end of the connector main body (11) is provided with a mounting hole (111). The mounting hole (111) is configured to mount an optical fiber cable (200). The traction sheath (12) comprises a pulling head (121) and an assembly body (122). One end of the assembly body (122) is detachably mounted on the other end of the connector main body (11) away from the mounting hole (111). One end of the pulling head (121) is rotatably connected to the end of the assembly body (122) away from the connector main body (11). The pulling head (121) and the mounting hole (111) are coaxially arranged. The housing structure (13) and the traction sheath (12) are alternatively mounted on the connector body (11).

Description

Through-wall fiber optic connector

[0001]

[0002] Related applications

[0003] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202411950425.9, filed on December 27, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] This application relates to the field of optical fiber communication technology, and in particular to a through-wall optical fiber connector. Background Technology

[0005] Fiber optic connectors play a crucial role in modern communication and data transmission systems. A fiber optic connector is a device used to connect two optical fibers, enabling precise alignment of the fiber end faces to achieve optical signal transmission. With technological advancements, fiber optic connectors are increasingly used in homes. In actual home installations, fiber optic connectors often need to penetrate walls. To facilitate this, existing technologies have specifically designed through-wall fiber optic connectors. Compared to conventional fiber optic connectors, through-wall fiber optic connectors are equipped with a pull sleeve. The pull sleeve replaces the outer shell structure of the fiber optic connector. During through-wall installation, the pull sleeve is installed outside the connector body. The operator can use the pull sleeve to pass the fiber through one side of the wall and pull it out from the other side. After the fiber has been passed through the wall, the pull sleeve can be removed and the outer shell structure replaced.

[0006] However, during the pulling process, the traction sheath may twist, which will cause the fiber optic cable to twist and damage the cable. If the cable twists excessively, it may also cause the cable to get tangled, making it impossible to pass through the wall. This requires the operator to straighten the cable before passing it through the wall, which greatly affects the work efficiency. Technical issues

[0007] The main objective of this application is to propose a through-wall fiber optic connector designed to facilitate the installation of fiber optic connectors through walls. Technical solutions

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a through-wall fiber optic connector, comprising:

[0009] A connector body, one end of which is provided with a mounting hole for mounting an optical fiber cable;

[0010] A traction sleeve, comprising a traction head and an assembly, one end of the assembly being detachably mounted to the other end of the connector body away from the mounting hole, and one end of the traction head being rotatably connected to the other end of the assembly away from the connector body, the traction head being coaxially arranged with the mounting hole; and

[0011] The outer shell structure is replaceably mounted on the connector body, along with the traction sheath.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the assembly is provided with an internal threaded hole, and the other end of the connector body is provided with an external thread, which mates with the internal threaded hole of the assembly.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the assembly includes an assembly sleeve and a limiting member. One end of the assembly sleeve is detachably connected to the end of the connector body away from the mounting hole, and the outer peripheral wall of the other end of the assembly sleeve is provided with an assembly opening.

[0014] The outer peripheral wall of one end of the pulling head is provided with an circumferential groove. The pulling head is rotatably inserted into the other end of the sleeve of the assembly. The limiting member is installed at the assembly port and is axially limited within the circumferential groove of the sleeve.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, the assembly port extends circumferentially along the assembly sleeve, and the assembly port is recessed with two limiting notches on the two edges of the assembly sleeve in the axial direction.

[0016] The limiting component is a limiting semi-ring, with limiting protrusions at both ends of the limiting semi-ring. The limiting component is installed in the assembly port, and the limiting protrusions are inserted into or locked into the limiting notch.

[0017] In some embodiments of this application, the inner wall surface of the assembly sleeve is provided with a first stop protrusion, which is located on the side of the assembly opening away from the pulling head to restrict the axial movement of the pulling head.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, the end of the pull head away from the assembly is provided with a pull eye that extends radially through it.

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, the housing structure includes an outer frame and a locking elastic arm integrally formed on the outer wall of the outer frame. The outer frame is fitted onto the connector body, and the locking elastic arm is used to engage with an external adapter.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the housing structure further includes an unlocking elastic arm, which is integrally formed and connected to the outer wall of the outer frame and is located on the same side of the outer frame as the locking elastic arm, with the free end of the unlocking elastic arm abutting the free end of the locking elastic arm.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the connector body includes an optical fiber sleeve and a ferrule, the mounting hole is formed at one end of the optical fiber sleeve, the ferrule is inserted into the other end of the optical fiber sleeve, and the ferrule is exposed on the outer peripheral wall of the optical fiber sleeve and has a foolproof groove.

[0022] The outer frame sleeve is snapped into the fiber optic sleeve, and the inner wall surface of the outer frame sleeve is provided with a foolproof protrusion, which cooperates with the foolproof groove for limiting the position.

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the ferrule is provided with a limiting ring protruding from the outer peripheral wall of the optical fiber sleeve, and the limiting ring is provided with the anti-fooling groove in the peripheral wall; the inner wall of the optical fiber sleeve is also provided with a second stop protrusion to restrict the ferrule from moving in a direction away from the optical fiber sleeve, and the anti-fooling protrusion is formed on the top surface of the second stop protrusion.

[0024] The connector body also includes a compression spring, which is pressed between the second stop protrusion and the end face of the optical fiber sleeve. Beneficial effects

[0025] In the technical solution of this application, the traction sheath of the through-wall fiber optic connector includes a traction head and an assembly. The assembly is detachably installed on one end of the connector body opposite the mounting hole. The traction head is rotatably connected to the assembly. In this way, during the through-wall installation process, the operator can pull the optical fiber through the traction head. Since the traction head and the assembly can rotate relative to each other, the torque on the traction head cannot be transmitted to the assembly. Furthermore, the traction head is coaxially set with the mounting hole, which avoids the traction head rotating around the axis of the mounting hole. Through the combination of the above solutions, the problem of optical fiber being damaged or even knotted due to twisting is avoided. This can ensure both the quality of the optical fiber cable and the installation efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the optical fiber connector provided in this application when the traction sheath is installed onto the connector body;

[0028] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the fiber optic connector provided in this application when the outer shell structure is installed onto the connector body;

[0029] Figure 3 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the optical fiber connector provided in this application;

[0030] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the traction sheath in the optical fiber connector provided in this application;

[0031] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the optical fiber connector provided in this application when the traction sheath is installed onto the connector body;

[0032] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the fiber optic connector provided in this application when the housing structure is installed onto the connector body;

[0033] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the fiber optic connector provided in this application;

[0034] Figure 8 is an enlarged view of point A in Figure 7.

[0035] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0036] 100. Through-wall fiber optic connector; 11. Connector body; 111. Mounting hole; 112. Fiber optic sleeve; 113. Ferrule; 1131. Limiting ring; 1132. Foolproof groove; 114. Compression spring; 12. Pull sleeve; 121. Pull head; 1211. Circumferential groove; 1212. Pull eye; 1213. Limiting flange; 122. Assembly; 1220. Assembly sleeve; 1221. Inner... Threaded hole; 1222, Assembly port; 1223, Limiting notch; 1224, First stop protrusion; 122', Mounting sleeve; 1225, Mounting groove; 123, Limiting component; 1231, Limiting protrusion; 13, Outer shell structure; 131, Outer frame; 1311, Anti-fooling protrusion; 1312, Second stop protrusion; 132, Locking elastic arm; 133, Unlocking elastic arm; 200, Fiber optic cable.

[0037] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the present invention

[0038] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this application involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0040] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this application involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution that simultaneously satisfies A and B. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0041] Referring to Figures 1 to 6, this application proposes a through-wall fiber optic connector 100. This fiber optic connector is generally an LC fiber optic connector. LC fiber optic connectors provide higher bandwidth over longer distances for single-mode transmission and enable fast termination. In this type of connector, the angled physical contact alignment, due to a certain degree of angular polishing of the connection surface, has the advantage of reducing back reflection. Therefore, this type of connector is usually preferred. Of course, other types of connectors, such as SC connectors, can also be used, depending on the specific circumstances, and are not limited here.

[0042] The through-wall fiber optic connector 100 of this application includes a connector body 11, a traction sheath 12, and a housing structure 13. One end of the connector body 11 is provided with a mounting hole 111 for mounting a fiber optic cable 200. The traction sheath 12 includes a pull head 121 and an assembly 122. One end of the assembly 122 is detachably mounted to the other end of the connector body 11 away from the mounting hole 111. One end of the pull head 121 is rotatably connected to the end of the assembly 122 away from the connector body 11. The pull head 121 is coaxially arranged with the mounting hole 111. The housing structure 13 and the traction sheath 12 are interchangeably mounted on the connector body 11.

[0043] In the technical solution of this application, the traction sheath 12 of the through-wall fiber optic connector 100 includes a traction head 121 and an assembly 122. The assembly 122 is detachably installed on one end of the connector body 11 opposite to the mounting hole 111. The traction head 121 is rotatably connected to the assembly 122. In this way, during the through-wall installation process, the operator can pull the optical fiber through the traction head 121. Since the traction head 121 and the assembly 122 can rotate relative to each other, the torque on the traction head 121 cannot be transmitted to the assembly 122. Furthermore, the traction head 121 is coaxially arranged with the mounting hole 111, which avoids the traction head 121 rotating around the axis of the mounting hole 111. Through the combination of the above solutions, the problem of damage or even knotting of the optical fiber due to twisting is avoided. This can ensure both the quality of the optical fiber cable 200 and the installation efficiency.

[0044] In the aforementioned traction sleeve 12, the traction head 121 and the assembly 122 are generally made of plastic. The assembly 122 is generally a long cylindrical shape that matches the shape of the connector body 11. It can also be a flat cap shape. There are various specific implementations for the rotatable connection between the traction head 121 and the assembly 122. In some embodiments of this application, the assembly 122 is a cap with an assembly groove. The bottom wall of the assembly groove has a through hole. One end of the traction head 121 passes through the through hole from the assembly groove. The outer diameter of the other end of the traction head 121 is increased to limit it within the assembly groove. The side wall of the assembly groove mates with the connector body 11.

[0045] There are various ways to detachably connect the assembly 122 and the connector body 11, such as snap-fit ​​or plug-in. In some embodiments of this application, the assembly 122 is provided with an internal threaded hole 1221, and the other end of the connector body 11 is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal threaded hole 1221 of the assembly 122. The threaded connection provides high connection strength and effectively prevents the pull head 121 from becoming detached from the connector body 11 when the cable is pulled by the pull head 121.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, the assembly 122 includes an assembly sleeve 1220 and a limiting member 123. One end of the assembly sleeve 1220 is detachably connected to the end of the connector body 11 away from the mounting hole 111. The outer peripheral wall of the other end of the assembly sleeve 1220 is provided with an assembly opening 1222. The outer peripheral wall of one end of the pulling head 121 is provided with an circumferential groove 1211. The pulling head 121 is rotatably inserted into the other end of the assembly sleeve 1220. The limiting member 123 is installed in the assembly opening 1222 and is axially limited within the circumferential groove 1211.

[0047] In the above scheme, during assembly, it is only necessary to insert the pulling head 121 into the assembly sleeve 1220 and insert the limiting member 123 into the circumferential groove 1211 through the assembly port 1222. The limiting member 123 can restrict the axial movement of the pulling head 121 without restricting its rotation around the axis, thus preventing the pulling head 121 from falling off.

[0048] In some embodiments of this application, the assembly port 1222 extends circumferentially along the assembly sleeve 1220, and the assembly port 1222 has two limiting notches 1223 recessed on its two axial edges in the assembly sleeve 1220. The limiting member 123 is a limiting semi-ring, with limiting protrusions 1231 at both ends. The limiting member 123 is installed in the assembly port 1222, and the limiting protrusions 1231 are inserted into or locked into the limiting notches 1223. This limiting semi-ring does not protrude outward after being installed in the assembly tower, which can prevent it from getting stuck on the wall hole during wall penetration. The limiting protrusions 1231 at both ends of the limiting semi-ring are used to cooperate with the limiting notches 1223 on the assembly sleeve 1220 to ensure the fixation of the limiting member 123 and the limiting of the pull head 121, resulting in higher structural stability. The installation method of the limiting semi-ring is simple, facilitating quick installation and maintenance, and improving the installation efficiency and maintenance convenience of the entire connector.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the inner wall surface of the assembly sleeve 1220 is provided with a first stop protrusion 1224. The first stop protrusion 1224 is located on the side of the assembly opening 1222 away from the pulling head 121 to restrict the axial movement of the pulling head 121. The stop protrusion not only restricts the pulling head 121, further improving structural stability, but also, when assembling the pulling head 121, the stop protrusion can limit the pulling head 121, so that the pulling head 121 can be quickly positioned to the alignment position between the circumferential groove 1211 and the assembly opening 1222.

[0050] To facilitate users in pulling the fiber optic cable through walls, in some embodiments of this application, a pull eye 1212 is provided radially through the end of the pull head 121 away from the assembly 122. On the one hand, this avoids the problem that the surface of the pull head 121 is smooth and it is easy to slip out when pulled directly. On the other hand, the pull eye 1212 can also be used for threading cables, allowing the operator to pull the fiber optic cable 200 by pulling the cable.

[0051] Please refer to Figures 7 and 8. In some embodiments of this application, the assembly 122 is a mounting sleeve 122'. One end of the mounting sleeve 122' is detachably connected to the end of the connector body 11 away from the mounting hole 111, and the inner wall surface of the other end is provided with a mounting groove 1225. The mounting groove 1225 extends in annular shape along the circumference of the mounting sleeve 122'. A limiting flange 1213 protrudes from the peripheral wall of one end of the pulling head 121. The limiting flange 1213 surrounds the outer periphery of the pulling head 121 and limits... The outer diameter of the limiting flange 1213 gradually increases in the direction near the other end of the pulling head 121, so that when the pulling head 121 is inserted into the mounting sleeve 122', the outer peripheral surface of the limiting flange 1213 is interference-fitted with the end of the mounting sleeve 122'. After the limiting flange 1213 is aligned into the mounting groove 1225, the axial end wall of the limiting flange 1213 abuts against the groove wall of the mounting groove 1225, thereby effectively preventing the pulling head 121 from coming out of the mounting sleeve 122'.

[0052] The outer shell structure 13 can be a split structure or an integrated structure. In some embodiments of this application, the outer shell structure 13 includes an outer frame 131 and a locking elastic arm 132 integrally formed on the outer wall of the outer frame 131. The outer frame 131 is fitted onto the connector body 11, and the locking elastic arm 132 is used to engage with the external adapter. This integrated structure means that after the fiber optic cable 200 is pulled into place, only a single outer shell structure 13 needs to be assembled, which is convenient and reduces manufacturing costs and assembly complexity. Furthermore, the integrated design of the outer frame 131 and the locking elastic arm 132 ensures a stable connection with both the connector body 11 and the external adapter.

[0053] For ease of use, in some embodiments of this application, the housing structure 13 further includes an unlocking elastic arm 133. The unlocking elastic arm 133 is integrally formed and connected to the outer wall of the outer frame 131, and is located on the same side of the outer frame 131 as the locking elastic arm 132. The free end of the unlocking elastic arm 133 abuts against the free end of the locking elastic arm 132. Thus, when the operator unplugs the fiber optic connector from the external adapter, they can press the unlocking elastic arm 133 to press against the locking elastic arm 132, thereby unlocking the connector. Since the unlocking elastic arm 133 has a larger exposed area outside the adapter, it is more convenient for the operator to press it.

[0054] In some embodiments of this application, the connector body 11 includes an optical fiber sleeve 112 and a ferrule 113. A mounting hole 111 is formed at one end of the optical fiber sleeve 112, and the ferrule 113 is inserted into the other end of the optical fiber sleeve 112. The ferrule 113 is exposed on the outer peripheral wall of the optical fiber sleeve 112 and has a foolproof groove 1132. An outer frame sleeve 131 is snapped into the optical fiber sleeve 112, and a foolproof protrusion 1311 is provided on the inner wall of the outer frame sleeve 131. The foolproof protrusion 1311 cooperates with the foolproof groove 1132 for limiting positioning. In the above scheme, by providing the foolproof groove 1132 and the foolproof protrusion 1311, incorrect assembly can be prevented, ensuring that the ferrule 113 and the optical fiber sleeve 112 are correctly connected. The outer frame sleeve 131 and the optical fiber sleeve 112 are connected by a snap-fit ​​method, which is simple and stable, and facilitates installation and disassembly.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, the ferrule 113 is provided with a limiting ring 1131 protruding from the outer peripheral wall of the fiber optic sleeve 112, and the peripheral wall of the limiting ring 1131 is provided with a mis-proof groove 1132; the inner wall of the fiber optic sleeve 112 is also provided with a second stop protrusion 1312 to restrict the movement of the ferrule 113 away from the fiber optic sleeve 112, and the mis-proof protrusion 1311 is formed on the top surface of the second stop protrusion 1312; the connector body 11 also includes a compression spring 114, which is pressed between the second stop protrusion 1312 and the end face of the fiber optic sleeve 112.

[0056] By setting a limiting ring 1131 and a second stop protrusion 1312 between the ferrule 113 and the fiber optic sleeve 112, and introducing a foolproof protrusion 1311 and a foolproof groove 1132 between the fiber optic sleeve 112 and the outer frame 131, the installation accuracy and operational safety of the fiber optic connector are improved. Meanwhile, the design of the compression spring 114 provides additional stability to the ferrule 113, preventing it from loosening.

[0057] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of this application and the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A through-wall fiber optic connector (100), wherein, The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) includes: A connector body (11) is provided at one end of which a mounting hole (111) is provided for mounting an optical fiber cable (200); A traction sleeve (12), the traction sleeve (12) including a traction head (121) and an assembly (122), one end of the assembly (122) being detachably mounted to the other end of the connector body (11) away from the mounting hole (111), one end of the traction head (121) being rotatably connected to the end of the assembly (122) away from the connector body (11), the traction head (121) being coaxially arranged with the mounting hole (111); and The outer shell structure (13) is alternatively mounted to the connector body (11) along with the traction sheath (12).

2. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The assembly (122) is provided with an internal threaded hole (1221), and the other end of the connector body (11) is provided with an external thread, which mates with the internal threaded hole (1221) of the assembly (122).

3. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The assembly (122) includes an assembly sleeve (1220) and a limiting member (123). One end of the assembly sleeve (1220) is detachably connected to the end of the connector body (11) away from the mounting hole (111). An assembly opening (1222) is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the other end of the assembly sleeve (1220). The outer peripheral wall of one end of the pulling head (121) is provided with an circumferential groove (1211). The pulling head (121) is rotatably inserted into the other end of the sleeve (1220). The limiting member (123) is installed in the assembly port (1222) and is axially limited in the circumferential groove (1211) of the sleeve.

4. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 3, wherein, The assembly port (1222) extends circumferentially along the assembly sleeve (1220), and the assembly port (1222) has two limiting notches (1223) recessed on the two edges of the assembly sleeve (1220) in the axial direction; The limiting member (123) is a limiting half-ring, and the two ends of the limiting half-ring are respectively provided with limiting protrusions (1231). The limiting member (123) is installed in the assembly port (1222), and the limiting protrusions (1231) are inserted into or locked in the limiting notch (1223).

5. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 3, wherein, The inner wall of the assembly sleeve (1220) is provided with a first stop protrusion (1224), which is located on the side of the assembly opening (1222) away from the pulling head (121) to restrict the pulling head (121) from moving axially.

6. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 1, wherein, The pull head (121) has a pull eye (1212) that runs radially through one end away from the assembly (122).

7. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The outer shell structure (13) includes an outer frame (131) and a locking elastic arm (132) integrally formed on the outer wall of the outer frame (131). The outer frame (131) is fitted onto the connector body (11), and the locking elastic arm (132) is used to engage with an external adapter.

8. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 7, wherein, The outer shell structure (13) also includes an unlocking elastic arm (133), which is integrally formed and connected to the outer wall of the outer frame (131) and is located on the same side of the outer frame (131) as the locking elastic arm (132). The free end of the unlocking elastic arm (133) abuts against the free end of the locking elastic arm (132).

9. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 7, wherein, The connector body (11) includes an optical fiber sleeve (112) and a ferrule (113). The mounting hole (111) is formed at one end of the optical fiber sleeve (112), and the ferrule (113) is inserted into the other end of the optical fiber sleeve (112). The ferrule (113) is exposed on the outer peripheral wall of the optical fiber sleeve (112) and is provided with a foolproof groove (1132). The outer frame sleeve (131) is snapped into the fiber optic sleeve (112). The inner wall surface of the outer frame sleeve (131) is provided with a foolproof protrusion (1311), which cooperates with the foolproof groove (1132) for positioning.

10. The through-wall fiber optic connector (100) as described in claim 9, wherein, The ferrule (113) is provided with a limiting ring (1131) protruding from the outer peripheral wall of the fiber optic sleeve (112), and the limiting ring (1131) is provided with a recessed anti-fooling groove (1132) on its peripheral wall; the inner wall of the fiber optic sleeve (112) is also provided with a second stop protrusion (1312) to restrict the movement of the ferrule (113) away from the fiber optic sleeve (112), and the anti-fooling protrusion (1311) is formed on the top surface of the second stop protrusion (1312); The connector body (11) also includes a compression spring (114), which is pressed between the second stop protrusion (1312) and the end face of the optical fiber sleeve (112).

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