Optical connector for a card including concave and convex guide portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9417414-B2
Application number	US-201013384059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2010
Priority date	Jul 13, 2009
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An optical connector is disclosed. The optical connector includes a cable having formed therein an optical waveguide, a plug having the cable connected thereto, and a connector housing configured to mount thereon the plug. The cable is provided with a cable-side guide portion. The plug is provided with a plug housing which has a plug-side guide portion and is attached to the cable. The connector housing is provided with a connector-side guide portion. The plug-side guide portion is configured to be engaged with the cable-side guide portion to achieve a positioning of the cable and the plug housing and be engaged with the connector-side guide portion to achieve a positioning of the connector housing and the plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical connector comprising:
a cable, the cable comprising an optical waveguide and a plurality of electrically conductive wires;
a plug, the plug having the cable connected thereto, the plug including a plug housing with a front edge, a generally planar lower surface, generally planar oppositely facing side surfaces, and a plug-side guide portion, the oppositely facing side surfaces being generally perpendicular to the lower surface, and the plug-side guide portion extending downward from the lower surface generally adjacent and spaced from the front edge; and
a receptacle, the receptacle including a connector housing and a lock member, the connector housing including a rotation shaft and a plurality of contact portions, the plug being mounted in the connector housing such that each conductive wire is electrically connected to one of the contact portions, the lock member configured to move between an open position and a closed position by rotating about the rotation shaft, the connector housing including an upwardly facing connector-side guide portion, and a pair of side-facing abutting portions generally adjacent a rear portion of the receptacle connector, the upwardly facing connector-side guide portion engaging the plug-side guide portion, and each of the side-facing abutting portions engaging one of the side surfaces of the plug generally adjacent the front edge of the plug.

2. The optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the plug housing is attached to the cable.

3. The optical connector of claim 1 , wherein the plug-side guide portion comprises a plurality of convex projections extending downward from the lower surface of the plug housing.

4. The optical connector of claim 3 , wherein the connector-side guide portion comprises a plurality of upwardly facing concave recesses formed in the connector housing so that a corresponding convex projection is matingly inserted into one of the concave recesses.

5. The optical connector of claim 4 , wherein each concave recesses has an arc-shaped side face and a planar side face.

6. The optical connector of claim 5 , wherein each convex projection is a columnar member having arc-shaped side face and a planar side face.

7. The optical connector of claim 1 , wherein, when the lock member is maintained at an open position, the plug is mounted on the connector housing so that the cable-side guide portion is engaged with the connector-side guide portion.

8. The optical connector of claim 7 , wherein, when the lock member is brought to a closed position, the plug is locked at the connector housing, thereby establishing a connection to the cable.

9. The optical connector of claim 8 , wherein the plug housing includes a frame-shaped plug housing body and a plate-shaped plug top plate.

10. The optical connector of claim 9 , wherein the plug housing body includes a pair of side wall portions and a rear crossbar portion configured to connect rear ends of the side wall portions with each other.

11. The optical connector of claim 10 , wherein the cable comprises a hybrid cable, the hybrid cable including the optical waveguide and conductive wires laminated therein.

12. The optical connector of claim 11 , wherein the plug includes a plug-side optical connection portion and a plug-side electric connection portion.

13. The optical connector of claim 12 , wherein the connector housing includes an optical connection portion and an electric connection portion.

14. The optical connector of claim 13 , wherein, when the plug is mounted on the connector housing, the plug-side optical connection portion and the plug-side electric connection portion oppose the optical connection portion and the electric connection portion, respectively.

15. The optical connector of claim 14 , wherein the plug-side guide portion is configured to upstand from the plug-side optical connection portion.

Assignees

• Shimotsu Akihiro
• Arai Masayuki
• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Shimotsu Akihiro
• Arai Masayuki

Classifications

• G02B6/4201

  Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details · CPC title

• G02B6/4293

  hybrid electrical and optical connections for transmitting electrical and optical signals · CPC title

• G02B6/4214

  the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/4292 Primary

  the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements · 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