Optical Connector Floating Ferrule and Metal Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connectors, such as MPO connectors, suffer from durability issues due to wear in the coupling mechanism when frequently attached and detached, leading to increased transmission loss and reduced durability.
Innovation Solution
A plug-side optical connector with a metal coupling mechanism and a resin housing, where the ferrule can move rearward, incorporating a floating mechanism and a metal half member to distribute forces, ensuring the ferrule is not directly contacted by the housing, thus reducing wear and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a coupling mechanism made of resin is used, then the optical connector can be manufactured with lower cost and simpler structure, but the durability deteriorates due to wear when repeatedly attached/detached
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling mechanism uses a composite structure combining resin and metal components. The resin housing provides ease of manufacture and cost-effectiveness, while embedded metal reinforcement parts (metal half members) provide wear resistance and durability. This composite approach allows the coupling mechanism to withstand repeated attaching/detaching operations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If a coupling mechanism made of metal is used, then the durability improves to withstand thousands of attaching/detaching, but the transmission loss increases and wear around the guide hole worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire coupling mechanism from metal, the invention applies metal reinforcement only in specific local areas where wear resistance is critical (at the hooked section and inserted section). The remaining portions use resin material. This localized metal reinforcement provides durability where needed while avoiding the transmission loss and excessive wear problems associated with full-metal construction.
3Device complexity
If the ferrule is directly contacted by the housing, then the structure is simplified, but the ferrule suffers wear and damage reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a coupling mechanism as an intermediary component between the housing and the ferrule. This coupling mechanism (comprising the hooked section and inserted section) acts as a mediator that protects the ferrule from direct contact with the housing, preventing wear and damage to the ferrule while maintaining overall structural simplicity through integration.
Data Source
AI summary
A plug-side optical connector, including: a plug-side coupling mechanism and a ferrule. The plug-side coupling mechanism is to be coupled to a coupling mechanism of another optical connector, the other optical connector being on receptacle side and being for being coupled with the plug-side optical connector. The plug-side coupling mechanism includes: a reference section to which the coupling mechanism of the other receptacle-side optical connector is to be hooked; and an inserted section that is to be inserted into a cylindrical main body of the coupling mechanism on the receptacle side. The ferrule is accommodated inside the inserted section. When a direction in which the optical connector is attached or detached is defined as a front-rear direction and a side of the receptacle-side optical connector is defined as front, a distance in the front-rear direction from the reference section to a front edge of the inserted section is 7.0 mm or more.