Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02593676 2011-06-09
WH-13195CA
SN 2,593,676
OPTICAL CONNECTION COMPONENT WHICH HAS A SHUTTER MEMBER
AND WHICH CAN BE REDUCED IN SIZE
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from
prior Japanese patent application No. 2006-191052, filed on July 12, 2006.
Background of the Invention:
This invention relates to an optical component such as an optical
connector and an adapter for use therewith and, in particular, to an optical
component having a shutter member for preventing accidental emission of light.
The optical component, namely, the optical connector and the adapter will
collectively be called herein an optical connection connector.
An adapter of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication JP 9211264 published August 15, 1997. The adapter
comprises a housing having first and second fitting ends each of which is
adapted to be fitted to an optical connector. The housing is provided with a
shutter member disposed therein. The shutter member is attached to the
housing in the vicinity of the first fitting end and extends across an optical
axis
within the housing towards the second fitting end.
Even if light is accidentally emitted from an optical connector in the
state where the optical connector is fitted to the second fitting end, the
light is
blocked by the shutter member and is not emitted out of the adapter. If
another
optical connector is fitted to the first fitting end, the shutter member is
pressed by
the other connector and deformed to be deviated from the optical axis. Thus,
the
optical connectors can be optically connected to each other.
Another adapter of the type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined
Patent Application Publication JP 2002-243978 published August 28, 2002. In
the adapter, a part of a shutter member is embedded in a wall portion.
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Summary of the Invention:
When the optical connectors are optically connected by the use of the
above-mentioned adapter, a light shielding portion of the shutter member is
pressed by the connector and deformed to be received in a gap between the
connector and the adapter. In other words, a space is required between the
connector and the adapter to receive the light shielding portion of the
shutter
member. Accordingly, the adapter is inevitably designed with a large size due
to
the above-mentioned space.
In case where a whole of the shutter member is disposed inside the
adapter, the adapter is further increased in size.
Also, in case where a part of the shutter member is embedded in the wall
portion of the adapter, it is difficult to reduce the size of the adapter.
It is therefore an exemplary object of this invention to provide an optical
connection component which has a shutter member and which is not increased in
size.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description
proceeds.
According to an exemplary aspect of the invention, there is provided an
optical connection component which is for use in connecting a connection
object
comprising a key formed on one side surface and which has an optical axis, the
optical connection component comprising a housing which is formed around the
optical axis and is for fitting over the connection object and a shutter
member
coupled to the housing, the shutter member comprising a light shielding
portion
which is elastically deformable and extends across the optical axis, the
housing
comprising a key groove portion for receiving the key and an escape groove
portion adapted to receive the light shielding potion in an elastically
deformed
state.
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Brief Description of the Drawing:
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an adapter as an optical
connection component according to an exemplary embodiment of this invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a part of the adapter in Fig. 1 at
the start of assembling;
Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the part of the adapter in Fig. 1
during assembling;
Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective view of the part of the adapter in Fig. 1
after completion of assembling;
Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the adapter in Fig. 4 and an optical
connector plug to be fitted thereto before they are fitted to each other;
Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the adapter in Fig. 4 and another
optical connector plug to be fitted thereto before they are fitted to each
other; and
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a typical optical connector plug.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment:
Referring to Fig. 1, description will be made of a structure of an optical
connection component according to an exemplary embodiment of this invention.
The optical connection component illustrated in the figure is a so-called
adapter which is for use in connecting, as connection objects, first and
second
optical connector plugs each of which is connected to an optical fiber for
optical
communication. Each of the first and the second optical connector plugs has a
key 54a formed on an outer surface of a housing 54, as in a typical example
depicted by 50 in Fig. 7.
The adapter comprises an adapter body 20 and a shutter member 10
fitted and attached around a front part of the adapter body 20. The adapter
body
20 comprises a housing 20a having a generally rectangular section and provided
with a fitting portion 29 extending in a given direction parallel to an
optical axis of
the adapter, and a flange 20b extending upward and downward from a rear end of
the housing 20a. The given direction will be referred hereinafter to as a
"fitting
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direction" or a "releasing direction". Inside the adapter, a laser beam or
light
advances along an optical axis.
The housing 20a has a connecting portion 30 formed at an inner rear
portion to receive the first optical connector plug to be fitted or connected
thereto.
The fitting portion 29 has one side wall 29a provided with an escape groove
portion 25 formed inside thereof and depressed or dented in an elongated
rectangular shape. The escape groove portion 25 may be called a cutout
portion.
The other side wall 29b faced to the one side wall 29a is provided with a key
groove portion 22 extending from a front end in the fitting direction. As will
become clear later, the key groove portion 22 is adapted to be fitted to a key
(for
example, 54a in Fig. 7) of the second optical connector plug.
Around the fitting portion 29, there are provided protruding portions 23
protruding outward as stepped portions, grooves 21 adjacent thereto, and
projecting portions 24 near the flange 20b. Furthermore, the housing 20a is
provided with a pair of locking portions 26 formed on upper and lower inner
wall
portions thereof, respectively, to lock the second optical connector plug so
that the
optical connector plug is prevented from being released.
The shutter member 10 is formed from a single thin metal plate and has a
main body 11 and a light shielding portion 1. The main body 11 has a
connecting
portion 17 and forms a contour having a generally rectangular section
extending
long in a vertical direction. The light shielding portion 1 is made of an
elastic
plate extending from a center of a long side of the main body 11 at one end in
an
axial direction opposite to a fitting side fitted to the adapter main body 20
towards
the inside of the main body 11. The main body 11 has first and second side
plate
portions 11 a and 11 b faced to each other with a space left therebetween.
When the shutter member 10 is fixed to the adapter main body 20, the first
side plate portion 11 a is faced to an outer surface of the one side wall 29a.
Simultaneously, the second side plate portion 11 b is faced to an outer
surface of
the other side wall 29b and covers most part of the key groove portion 22.
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The light shielding portion 1 generally obliquely extends across the optical
axis of the adaptor. The light shielding portion 1 has a width such that the
light
shielding portion 1 does not interfere with any part except an inner wall
portion
inside the adapter main body 20 and that an optical fiber of the first optical
connector plug can not be seen. Therefore, a laser beam emitted from the first
optical connector plug is blocked by the light shielding portion 1.
The light shielding potion 1 has a streamlined curved shape and has a
light shielding part 2 formed at its end, a bent part 3, an intermediate part
4, and a
bent part 5, a base part 6, and a connecting part 7 connected to one end of
the
second side plate portion 11 b of the main body 11. The light shielding part 2
has
a rounded portion at its end so as to prevent an outer surface of the second
optical
connector plug from being damaged when the second optical connector plug is
inserted into and removed from the adapter main body 20.
The main body 11 of the shutter member 10 has an upper plate portion
11 c and a lower plate portion 11 d each of which is provided with a wide
stopper 14
formed at its center and bent inward at 90 degrees. These stoppers 14 are
engaged with the adapter main body 20 in the fitting direction when the
shutter
member 10 is attached to the adapter main body 20. Each of the upper and the
lower plate portions 11c and 11d is provided with a rectangular window 12
formed
at its center. At a rear end of each of the windows 12, a locking portion 13
is
formed by cutting to extend inward and obliquely frontward. When the shutter
member 10 is attached to the adapter main body 20, the locking portions 13 are
brought into press contact with upper and lower surfaces of the adapter main
body
20 and serve to prevent the main body 11 from wobbling.
Each of the upper and the lower plate portions 11 c and 11 d of the main
body 11 is provided with a rectangular cutout 15 formed at its rear end.
Furthermore, the second side plate potion 11b of the main body 11 is
provided with a cutout 16 formed at its front end and serving as an
identifying part
for identifying presence or absence of the key (for example, 54a in Fig. 7) of
the
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first optical connector plug that is fitted to the key groove portion 22 of
the adapter
main body 20. The cutout 16 serves to prevent erroneous insertion of a F04
single-core optical fiber connector described in JIS (Japanese Industrial
Standards) C 5973. By designing the cutout 16 with a width slightly greater
than
that of the key groove portion 22 of the adapter main body 20, the key (for
example, 54a in Fig. 7) of the second optical connector plug is prevented from
being scraped or chipped by the shutter member 10.
Through the cutout 16, only a front end of the key groove portion 22 of the
adapter main body 20 is visible. With this structure, a laser beam emitted
from
the first optical connector plug (not shown) is prevented from leaking out
through
the key groove portion 22. Specifically, it is assumed that, in the state
where the
first optical connector plug is fitted to an opening portion at a rear end of
the
adapter main body 20, the interior of the adapter is tried to be viewed at any
angle
through an opening portion at a front end. In this event, an end face of the
optical
fiber connected to the first optical connector plug can not be seen. However,
when the second optical connector plug is inserted, the key groove portion 22
can
be identified. In such condition, the main body 11 of the shutter member 10
covers the key groove portion 22.
Next, referring to Figs. 2 to 4 in addition, description will be made of an
operation of incorporating the shutter member 10 into the adapter main body
20.
As shown in Fig. 2, an opening portion at one end of the shutter member
is fitted over the adapter main body 20 in the axial direction so that the
main
body 11 is located at an outer periphery of the housing 20a. As shown in Fig.
3,
the shutter member 10 is further moved in the axial direction. Then, by the
protruding portions 23, the locking portions 13 of the shutter member 10 are
elastically deformed outward. As shown in Fig. 4, the locking potions 13 are
received in the upper and the lower grooves 21 of the adapter main body 20 in
a
preloaded condition. Therefore, the locking portions 13 prevent the movement
of
the shutter member 10 in the releasing direction opposite to the fitting
direction,
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i.e., prevent the shutter member 10 from being released from the adapter main
body 20. In the above-mentioned state, the stoppers 14 are butted to the
protruding portions 23 so as to prevent the shutter member 10 from moving also
in
the fitting direction.
Thus, it is possible by the locking potions 13 to attach the shutter member
in a single-step operation. Ina state where the shutter member 10 is attached
to the adapter main body 20, the upper and the lower locking portions 13 bent
obliquely inward are preloaded, thereby preventing wobbling of the shutter
member 10.
Referring to Fig. 5, description will be made of an operation of fitting the
above-mentioned adapter to an optical connector plug 501 as one example of the
second optical connector plug.
As illustrated in Fig. 5, the optical connector plug 501 comprises a ferrule
51, an outer cylindrical portion 52 receiving the ferrule 51, and the housing
54
around the outer cylindrical portion 52. The outer cylindrical portion 52 has
an
axial end portion protruding from the housing 54. The housing 54 is provided
with the key 54a comprising a projecting portion to be fitted to the key
groove
portion 22 of the adapter main body 20. Inside the adapter main body 20, a
holding portion 32 having a fitting hole 33 to receive the ferrule 51 fitted
thereto
and a connecting cylindrical portion 34 are arranged as a connecting portion
30.
As depicted by an arrow 57, the optical connector plug 501 is fitted to the
fitting portion 29 of the adapter main body 20. Then, at first, an end of the
outer
cylindrical portion 52 is brought into contact with the base part 6 of the
light
shielding portion 1 of the shutter member 10. Following the progress of
fitting of
the optical connector plug 501, the light shielding portion I is pressed by
the outer
cylindrical potion 52 and elastically deformed to be rotated inward around the
connecting part 7 as a pivot axis. At this time, the light shielding portion 1
is not
brought into contact with an end of the ferrule 51. When the optical connector
plug 501 is completely fitted to the adapter main body 20, the light shielding
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portion 1 of the shutter member 10 is received in the escape groove portion 25
formed on an inner wall of the adapter main body 20. When the optical
connector plug 501 is fitted, the light shielding portion 1 is pressed by the
outer
cylindrical portion 52. Therefore, the shutter member 10 is not brought into
direct
contact with the ferrule 51. Accordingly, the ferrule 51 is hardly
contaminated.
When the optical connector plug 50 is removed, the light shielding portion
1 is returned into an original shape due to its elastic restoring force. As a
result,
the light shielding portion 1 is returned to a position crossing the optical
axis of the
adapter.
Referring to Fig. 6, description will be made of an operation of fitting the
above-mentioned adapter to an optical connector plug 502 as another example of
the second optical connector plug.
In the optical connector plug 502 illustrated in Fig. 6, an axial end of the
outer cylindrical portion 52 is substantially coincident with an axial end of
the
housing 54. As depicted by an arrow 57, the optical connector plug 502 is
fitted
to the fitting portion 29 of the adapter main body 20. Then, at first, the
housing
54 is brought into contact with the base part 6 of the light shielding portion
1.
With the progress of fitting of the optical connector plug 502, the light
shielding
portion 1 is pressed by the housing 54 and elastically deformed to be rotated
inward around the connecting part 7 as a pivot axis. At this time, the light
shielding portion 1 is not brought into contact with the end of the ferrule
51.
When the optical connector plug 501 is completely fitted to the adapter main
body
20, the light shielding portion 1 of the shutter member 10 is received in the
escape
groove portion 25 formed on the inner wall of the adapter main body 20. When
the optical connector plug 502 is fitted, the light shielding portion 1 is
pressed by
the housing 54. Therefore, the shutter member 10 is not brought into direct
contact with the ferrule 51. Therefore, the ferrule 51 is hardly contaminated.
When the optical connector plug 50 is removed, the light shielding portion
1 is returned into an original shape due to its elastic restoring force. As a
result,
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the light shielding portion 1 is returned to a position crossing the optical
axis of the
adapter.
In the above-mentioned adapter, a side surface of the inner wall of the
adapter main body 20 is thinned to the extent that the light shielding portion
1 can
be received. Thus, the escape groove portion 25 is formed on the adapter main
body 25. Accordingly, the shutter member 10 can be attached to an end face of
an adapter CNF04PAFB, CNF04PAFC, CNF04PAFB-1, CNF04PAFC-1 for a F04
single-core optical fiber connector described in JIS C 5973 that is opposite
to a
plate-mount side known in the art.
The shutter member 10 has a hollow box-like shape. With this structure,
it is possible to prevent leakage of a laser beam through the key groove
portion 22
on the side surface of the adapter main body 20 or to prevent penetration of
light
through the key groove portion 22. Further, the main body 11 of the shutter
member 10 is attached to the outside of the housing of the adapter main body
20
to surround the outer periphery of the adapter main body 20. With this
structure,
the optical connector plug 50 can be inserted and removed without difficulty.
In a case where the adapter main body 20 has plate-mount grooves
known in the art, it is possible to use the plate-mount grooves as the grooves
21
for a shutter locking portion. Thus, the shutter member 10 can be attached
without changing an outer shape of the adapter main body 20.
The above-mentioned shutter member 10 may be attached to a
conventional adapter. By forming the shutter member 10 by press-working a
single thin metal plate, it is possible to reduce the size and the cost.
The inner wall of the adapter main body 20 is thinned or slightly cut away
to the extent that the light shielding portion 1 can be received. With this
structure,
it is possible to provide an inexpensive adapter having a shutter without
changing
or increasing an outer dimension.
Another adapter may be arranged on a rear surface of the
above-mentioned adapter to be butted thereto. In this case, the first and the
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second optical connector plugs are fitted to these adapters to be butted to
each
other inside the adapters. Thus, the first and the second optical connector
plugs
can be optically connected to each other. Another adapter may comprise the
shutter member 10 like the above-mentioned adapter. Alternatively, another
adapter may have no shutter member.
While the present invention has thus far been described in connection with
the preferred embodiment thereof, it will readily be possible for those
skilled in the
art to put this invention into practice in various other manners. In the
foregoing,
description has been directed to the adapter for use in optical connection of
the
optical connector plug. However, this invention may be similarly put into
practical
use in an optical connector comprising an optical connector plug having an
integral component corresponding to an adapter. In the latter case, a so-
called
optical connector with a shutter can be provided.
