Optical connector, optical connector assembly, and optical connecting structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025306293-A1
Application number	US-202318855769-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2023
Priority date	Jun 3, 2022
Publication date	Oct 2, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An optical connector includes a ferrule including a connection end surface having a fiber hole through which an optical fiber is inserted, a holding member that holds the ferrule, a spring push, and a biasing member that biases the ferrule, one end of the biasing member contacting the holding member and the other end of the biasing member contacting the spring push. The holding member includes an engaging portion. The spring push includes an engaged portion that engages the engaging portion.

First claim

1 . An optical connector comprising:
a ferrule including a connection end surface having a fiber hole through which an optical fiber is inserted; a holding member that holds the ferrule; a spring push; and a biasing member that biases the ferrule, one end of the biasing member contacting the holding member and the other end of the biasing member contacting the spring push, wherein the holding member includes an engaging portion, and the spring push includes an engaged portion that engages the engaging portion.

2 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein
the holding member further includes an extending portion extending toward the spring push and penetrating the biasing member, and the engaging portion is disposed on the extending portion.

3 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , wherein
the engaged portion is a hole, and at least part of the engaging portion is inserted into the hole to:
prevent the holding member from falling off the spring push due to a biasing force of the biasing member, and
allow the holding member to approach the spring push.

4 . The optical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a release member that covers at least part of the spring push from an outer side in a radial direction of the optical connector, wherein the spring push further includes an engaging claw that engages an adapter, and when the release member is pulled in a rearward direction from the ferrule toward the spring push, the release member bends the engaging claw toward an inner side in the radial direction and releases an engagement between the engaging claw and the adapter.

5 . The optical connector according to claim 4 , wherein the release member includes:
a first member; and a second member that is connected to the first member to interpose at least part of the spring push in the radial direction.

6 . The optical connector according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a restricting portion that restricts the release member from falling off in the rearward direction from the spring push.

7 . An optical connector assembly comprising:
optical connectors each of which is the optical connector according to claim 4 ; and the adapter into which the optical connectors are inserted, wherein the adapter includes engaging holes that engage the engaging claw of each of the optical connectors.

8 . An optical connecting structure comprising:
the optical connector assembly according to claim 7 ; and a receptacle including:
a main body portion; and
a rotating portion that is attached to the main body portion such that the rotating portion switches between a fixed state in which the optical connector assembly is fixed to the main body portion and a non-fixed state in which the optical connector assembly is allowed to be removed from the main body portion by a rotational movement,
the adapter includes a protruding portion that protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of the adapter, and
the rotating portion has a convex curved surface that gradually presses the protruding portion in a forward direction opposite to the rearward direction as the rotating portion switches from the non-fixed state to the fixed state-.

Assignees

• Fujikura Ltd

Inventors

• Kanno Shuhei

Classifications

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3869 Primary

  Mounting ferrules to connector body, i.e. plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3821

  with axial spring biasing or loading means (G02B6/3847 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3885

  Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448) · CPC title

• G02B6/3893

  Push-pull type, e.g. snap-in, push-on · CPC title