Optical Connector Part with Latchable Half Shells for Tool-Free Field Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical connector parts are complex and time-consuming to assemble and disassemble, making them unsuitable for field use, particularly in emergency situations where quick repair of defective connections is necessary in fiber-optic networks.
Innovation Solution
A connector part design featuring a pin holder with latchable half shells, a connector housing with latching means, and helical compression springs for spring pre-tension, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly without tools, and accommodating high-precision optical waveguide ferrules in a spatially optimized MPO construction standard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional connector parts with screw fastening are used, then manufacturing precision and connection stability are improved, but assembly time and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector housing is divided into two separable half-shells that can be quickly assembled and disassembled. Each half-shell contains pin holders with optical waveguides, allowing the connector to be opened for access and closed for secure connection without requiring screw fastening while maintaining precision alignment through integrated positioning features.
Solution Approach 2:
The pin holders and optical waveguides are pre-positioned and pre-aligned within the half-shells during manufacturing. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the half-shells are assembled, the optical connections are automatically aligned with high precision, eliminating the need for time-consuming field adjustment and screw fastening.
2Ease of operation
If connector parts are designed for quick assembly, then ease of operation is improved, but connection stability and reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Spherical alignment features and curved positioning surfaces are integrated into the pin holders and half-shells to ensure precise and stable optical alignment during quick assembly. The spherical geometry provides self-centering action that maintains connection reliability while enabling tool-free assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design incorporates self-aligning and self-locking features where the half-shells automatically position and secure the pin holders when assembled. The optical waveguides self-align through integrated positioning mechanisms, providing reliable connections without requiring external tools or complex fastening procedures.
3Volume of moving object
If multiple optical waveguides are accommodated in a compact connector, then spatial optimization is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pin holders containing optical waveguides are nested within the two half-shells in a compact arrangement. The pin holders are positioned in rows and columns within the limited space of each half-shell, allowing multiple optical connections to be accommodated in a small form factor while maintaining individual access to each waveguide through the separable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical waveguides are arranged in a multi-dimensional grid pattern within the half-shells, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently. This spatial arrangement allows multiple waveguides to be packed compactly while maintaining accessibility and alignment, reducing the overall connector volume without increasing complexity through standardized MPO-compatible geometry.
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
Enables rapid and precise optical plug-in connections with minimal transmission loss, facilitating easy handling and repair in field conditions, ensuring reliable data transmission even in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
helical compression springs for spring pre-tension
Data Source
AI summary
A connector part (1) for an optical plug-in connection comprises a pin holder (2) and at least two pin sleeves (3, 3′) accommodated in the pin holder, wherein a connector pin (4, 4′) having an optical waveguide is fixed in each of said pin sleeves. The connector part also comprises a connector housing (8), which is connected to the pin holder and completely or partially surrounds the connector pins and which has latching means (9) for creating a latching connection to a mating connector part. An unlocking carriage (11) displaceably mounted on the connector housing is provided to release the latching connection to the mating connector part. The pin holder consists of two half shells (12, 12′) which can be or are latched to one another and the connector housing also can be or is latched to the pin holder. A connector part of this kind can be installed fitted and removed without tools even in difficult field conditions, resulting in a significant time saving for optical plug-in connections.