Pivotable Cover Optical Connector for Fiber Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical connectors face issues with misalignment and light loss due to bending of insertion optical fibers during assembly, leading to inconveniences in reliable abutment and efficient light propagation.
Innovation Solution
An optical connector design featuring a connector body with a ferrule and anchoring member, where the cover body is pivotable to align with the insertion direction, reducing fiber bending through an abutting convexity and retraction restricting convexity, ensuring proper abutment and engagement of the anchoring member, thus minimizing light loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the insertion optical fiber is attached to the optical fiber after bending to confirm abutment, then the abutment can be visually confirmed, but misalignment between optical axes and light loss occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a guide structure that pre-aligns the insertion optical fiber with the inner optical fiber before the actual connection is made. The guide structure includes a guide surface and guide groove that lead the insertion fiber into proper alignment, eliminating the need for post-bending visual confirmation and preventing misalignment and light loss.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the insertion optical fiber is bent for visual confirmation of abutment, then the bending location can be identified, but light loss occurs at the bending location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical bending method with an optical guide structure. Instead of bending the fiber to detect abutment, the guide structure uses a guide surface and guide groove that mechanically guide the fiber into proper alignment, eliminating the need for bending and subsequent light loss.
3Ease of operation
If the anchoring member is not covered and held, then the insertion optical fiber can be accessed, but the fiber bending increases when the connector is fitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the cover body pivotable between a stand-by position and a holding position. In the stand-by position, the cover body allows access to the anchoring member. In the holding position, the cover body covers and holds the anchoring member, preventing fiber bending when the connector is fitted. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between accessibility and fiber protection.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical connector includes a connector body that has a first optical fiber housed in advance in a ferrule so as to project from a back end of the ferrule opposite to the connecting end surface and an anchoring fixture that anchors a second optical fiber that is to be optically connected to the first optical fiber, and by pressing the anchoring fixture into the connector body while the second optical fiber is anchored in this anchoring fixture, the anchoring fixture and the connector body are connected to optically connect the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, and the connecting portion that connects the anchoring fixture and the connector body form a movable connecting portion that is adapted to vary the direction of the anchoring fixture with respect to the connector body.