Field Assembled Optical Connector with Integrated Boot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical connectors are not suitable for field installation and are complex, making it difficult to connect optical fibers promptly and efficiently, leading to increased manufacturing costs and part numbers.
Innovation Solution
A field-assembled optical connector design featuring a ferrule with a housing coupling part, an open-topped boot, and an optical connection member that includes guide grooves and press bosses to securely connect optical fibers, allowing for easy assembly and reduced part count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional FC type field assembled optical connector includes separate flange and clamp, then optical fiber protection is improved, but number of parts and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flange and clamp into a single integrated boot structure that performs both functions. The boot includes a flange portion for positioning and a clamp portion for securing the optical cable, eliminating the need for separate components while maintaining protection functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional optical connector includes complex assembled structure, then connection stability is improved, but assembly time in field increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into modular components (ferrule, boot, optical connection member, boot cover, screw cap) that can be independently manufactured and then quickly assembled in the field. This segmentation allows for simplified assembly procedures while maintaining connection stability through precise fitting of each module.
Solution Approach 2:
The ferrule is pre-assembled with the optical connection member inside the boot housing, and the boot cover is pre-formed with integrated fixing structures. These preliminary actions reduce the complexity of field assembly by minimizing the number of steps required to complete the connector assembly.
3Reliability
If conventional optical connector uses multiple separate components, then functional reliability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The boot integrates multiple functions (protection, positioning, cable securing) into a single molded component, reducing the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, inventoried, and assembled. This integration maintains functional reliability while simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A field assembled optical connector is provided. The connector includes a ferrule having an optical fiber, a plug integrally forming a housing coupling part, and an open-topped boot into which an optical cable is inserted, an optical connection member to connect an optical fiber of the ferrule inserted at a tip end side and an optical fiber of the optical cable, a boot cover rotatably coupled to the plug on a side of the boot, a screw cap screw-coupled to the boot and the boot cover to fix the optical cable inserted into the boot and the boot cover, and a plurality of ring-shaped bosses arranged at inner sides of the boot and the boot cover.