Optical connector apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9594218-B2
Application number	US-201514929915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Feb 5, 2009
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An optical connector apparatus includes a connector which is connected to an electro-optical composite cable including an optical fiber and a metal conductor, and a connection object to be connected. The connector is provided with a ferrule which has a conductive portion on at least a part of the surface thereof. The connection object to be connected is provided with an electrically conductive connection member to be connected to the ferrule. The ferrule and the cable are connected by a crimping structure. When the ferrule is inserted in the connection member, the connector and the connection object to be connected are electrically and optically connected to each other. Provided is also an optical connector apparatus which comprises a connector having a plurality of ferrules having distances between the end of the ferrules and the conductive portions so that the timing of the connection of the connector to the object to be connected is delayed, and thus the optical connector apparatus is capable of hot swapping. The connection object to be connected can be a combination of an adapter and a mating connector, or an optical element and an adapter which holds the same, etc.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical connector apparatus comprising:
an optical element;
a ferrule holding an optical fiber of an electro-optical composite cable and having a conductive portion electrically connected with a metal conductor of the electro-optical composite cable; and
an adaptor holding the optical element and relaying a connection between the ferrule and the optical element, wherein
the adaptor comprises a connection member holding the ferrule, at least a part of a surface of the connection member having a conductivity for making an electrical connection with the conductive portion.

2. The optical connector apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ferrule has an end portion including an end surface, at least a surface of the end portion having an insulation property, and
the conductive portion is positioned in a position apart from the end surface.

3. The optical connector apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the connection member is a sleeve into which the ferrule is inserted.

4. The optical connector apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the sleeve has a cut portion cut from an end portion of the sleeve, the end portion being inserted with the ferrule along a ferrule insertion direction.

Assignees

• Japan Aviation Electronics Ind Ltd
• Japan Aviation Electronics Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shimazu Hideto
• Hashiguchi Osamu

Classifications

• G02B6/3825

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

• C09K11/665

  with alkali or alkaline earth metals · CPC title

• G02B6/3855

  characterised by the method of anchoring or fixing the fibre within the ferrule (G02B6/3854 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/3879

  Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3821

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