Elastic Shutter Optical Fiber Adapter for Laser Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical fiber adapters fail to effectively obstruct high-power laser beams emitted from unused connectors, posing a risk to eye safety and requiring complex or costly mechanisms for protection.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber adapter with an elastic shutter member, comprising a fixed portion, shutter plate, connecting portion, extending portion, and bent portion, integrated with inner housings that obstruct light beams without the need for separate caps or complex structures, allowing safe handling and assembly without prior detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a cap is used to block the unused receiving recess, then the light beam is obstructed and the recess is protected from dust, but the cap is apt to get lost and requires removal for connector mating
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter member is integrally formed with the inner housing and automatically moves to block or expose the receiving recess based on connector presence, eliminating the need for separate caps that require manual installation and removal. The system serves itself by using the connector insertion force to trigger the shutter movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter member is combined with the inner housing as an integral structure, merging the protection function with the housing itself. This eliminates separate protective components and integrates the safety mechanism into the existing structure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a cover pivotally connected to the housing is used to cover the receiving recess, then the light beam is obstructed in closed position, but the construction of the adapter becomes much more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter member is integrally formed with the inner housing, merging the protective shutter function with the existing housing structure. This eliminates the need for separate pivoting covers and reduces overall construction complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter member is extracted as a separate elastic component that can be integrally formed with the housing, allowing it to function independently through elastic deformation rather than requiring complex mechanical linkages or pivoting mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protection cap with a pivoting cover is used, then the light beam is blocked and eye exposure is prevented, but the structure becomes somewhat complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged with the inner housing through the integrally formed shutter member, eliminating the need for separate protection caps with pivoting covers. This reduces both structural complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter member automatically responds to connector insertion by moving through elastic deformation, providing protection without requiring separate control mechanisms or complex structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adapter effectively prevents exposure to high-power light beams by automatically blocking them with an elastic shutter mechanism, ensuring user safety and simplifying the mating process without additional components or increased complexity.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic shutter member, comprising a fixed portion, shutter plate, connecting portion, extending portion, and bent portion
Data Source
AI summary
An optical fiber adapter includes a main body, an elastic shutter member and a pair of inner housings. The main body has an accommodation room. The shutter member includes a fixed portion, a shutter plate, a connecting portion, an extending portion and a bent portion. The fixed portion is positioned in the accommodation room. The connecting portion connects the fixed portion with the shutter plate. The shutter plate is positioned within the accommodation room. The extending portion extends from the fixed portion and is connected with the bent portion. The bent portion is attached to a protrusion on a wall of the accommodation room. The inner housings are positioned within the accommodation room and each include a hollow cylinder extending from a flange. The flanges of the inner housings are attached to each other and one of the flanges is positioned above the bent portion of the shutter member.