Optical Connector Ferrule With Thinned Portion For Guide Pin Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical connectors face issues with ferrule breakage and connection state disruption due to excessive force exerted during side-pull when the housing is inclined or bent, affecting the reliability of the butt-connection between ferrules.
Innovation Solution
The optical connector design incorporates a ferrule with a base portion and a thinned portion, where the ferrule is biased forward by a spring and includes regulating portions on the housing to control movement, allowing reliable fitting of the guide pin and preventing excessive force on the ferrule during lateral pulling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing regulates ferrule movement to ensure reliable guide pin fitting, then connection reliability is improved, but the ferrule becomes vulnerable to breakage during side-pull
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrule is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a base portion with greater thickness for strength and a thinned portion with reduced thickness for regulated movement. This local variation in geometric properties allows different regions of the ferrule to serve different functions: the base portion resists breakage during side-pull, while the thinned portion permits controlled movement for reliable guide pin fitting.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the housing restricts ferrule movement to maintain connection state, then connection stability is improved, but excessive force is exerted on the ferrule during lateral pulling
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrule's movement characteristics are made dynamic through the thickness variation design. In the connected state, the thinned portion allows the ferrule to move backward, releasing excessive force. In the non-connected state, the base portion maintains positional stability for reliable guide pin fitting. This dynamic behavior adapts to different operational states.
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
This design ensures the ferrule is reliably fitted and prevents breakage by regulating its movement, maintaining the connection state even under lateral stress, thus enhancing the durability and reliability of the optical connector.
Implementation Method 1
the ferrule is movable forward and backward in a butt-connection direction while being biased forward in the butt-connection direction by a biasing member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An optical connector is configured such that a guide pin positioning type ferrule is accommodated inside a cylindrical housing so as to be movable forward and backward. The ferrule includes a base portion and a thinned portion that has a thickness smaller than that of the base portion. When the ferrule moves forward in the butt-connection direction, a regulating portion as a protrusion portion protruding toward an inner surface of the housing and a base portion approach to each other, so that the movement of the ferrule in the thickness direction is regulated. When the ferrule moves backward in the butt-connection direction, the ferrule reaches a position where the thinned portion faces the regulating portion, so that the regulation of the movement of the ferrule in the thickness direction is released.