JP2009151127A - Optical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical connector improving influence on a characteristic of an optical module by preventing deviation of an optical axis due to rotation of a ferrule which is a cover member of the optical fiber in the optical connector. <P>SOLUTION: In the optical connector 1 including the optical module 10 for converting an optical signal with an electrical signal, and a housing 26 for supporting and connecting both the optical module 10 and the optical fiber 7, an insertion hole section, the ferrule 8 and a ferrule stopper 5 are unified by attaching the ferrule stopper 5, which is a pressing member, for the ferrule 8 which holds the optical fiver 7 arranged in the insertion hole section of the housing 26, and thereby, rotation of the ferrule is prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical connector incorporating an optical module.

  In recent years, optical communication systems that enable high-speed data communication have been widely adopted in the information communication field. In general, an optical communication system includes an optical module that converts an electrical signal and an optical signal, and an optical fiber that serves as a transport path for the optical signal. The optical module and the optical fiber attach an optical plug to an optical connector. Optically connected.

  The optical plug includes a ferrule into which an optical fiber is inserted, and the optical connector includes an optical module. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an optical connector that can fix an optical module to a housing without deviation of the optical axis.

Here, the conventional optical connector covers the optical module with a conductive shielding case in order to protect the optical module from external electromagnetic noise and prevent the electromagnetic noise radiated from the optical module from leaking to the outside. It was.
JP 2006-215276 A

  However, in the conventional optical connector using such an optical module, there is a concern that the optical axis shifts due to the rotation of the ferrule which is the optical fiber covering member, which affects the characteristics of the optical module.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector that can prevent the optical axis from being shifted due to rotation of a ferrule that is an optical fiber covering member in the optical connector and can improve the influence on the characteristics of the optical module.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an invention according to claim 1 is an optical connector comprising: an optical module that converts an optical signal and an electrical signal; and a housing that supports both the optical module and the optical fiber and connects them. The housing has a loading hole for inserting the tip of the optical fiber, the optical fiber is provided with a covering member at the tip, and there is a pressing member for pressing the covering member in the insertion hole. Both the hole portion and the covering member are engaged so as not to rotate.

  The optical connector according to claim 1 is provided with a covering member at the tip of the optical fiber, and by attaching a pressing member that presses the covering member into the insertion hole portion of the housing, both the insertion hole portion and the covering member cannot be rotated. Can be engaged. Accordingly, the optical connector according to the first aspect can prevent the optical axis from being shifted, and can improve the influence on the characteristics of the optical module.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the covering member has a flange portion, the flange portion has a concave portion or a convex portion, and the pressing member also has a flange portion, and the concave portion is a concave portion. Or it has a convex part, The concave part or convex part by the side of a covering member, and the convex part or concave part by the side of a pressing member engage, It was characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Thus, in the optical connector according to claim 2, the covering member, the pressing member, and the insertion hole are integrated by engaging the concave portion or the convex portion on the covering member side with the convex portion or the concave portion on the pressing member side, The rotation is surely impossible and the optical axis is prevented from shifting, and the influence on the characteristics of the optical module can be improved.

  The optical connector of the present invention can prevent the optical axis from being shifted due to the rotation of the ferrule that is the optical fiber covering member in the optical connector, and can improve the influence on the characteristics of the optical module.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an optical connector on the light receiving side according to the present invention mounted on a circuit board. 1 corresponds to the CC cross section of FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a light-emitting side optical connector according to the present invention mounted on a circuit board. Note that FIG. 2 corresponds to the DD cross section of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the optical connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along line AA. 4, 5, and 6 are a front view, a bottom view, and a side view showing the housing of the optical connector. 10 and 11 are a front view and a rear view showing the light receiving module in the optical module according to the present invention, and FIG. 12 is an EE cross-sectional view of the light receiving module shown in FIGS. 13 is a perspective view of the light receiving module. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the optical connector shown in FIG. 3 taken along the line BB. FIG. 15 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the optical connector shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the optical connector 1 of the present embodiment is mounted on a circuit board 2 in an optical communication system and used to optically connect an optical fiber 7 and an optical module 10.

  The optical connector 1 mounted on the circuit board 2 is equipped with an optical plug 6 that holds one end of the optical fiber 7, and converts an electrical signal and an optical signal by a built-in optical module 10. In the optical plug 6 attached to the optical connector 1 of the present embodiment, two ferrules (ferrule covering members) 8 that hold an optical fiber protrude from the tip side and are attached, and the two ferrules 8 are parallel to each other. Is arranged.

  In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear and top-bottom positional relationships are based on the optical module 10 built in the optical connector 1, with the lens 18 being disposed on the front and the opposite on the rear. To do. The direction in which the external lead 23 extends is the lower side, and the opposite is the upper side.

  The optical connector 1 includes two optical modules 10, one housing 26, and one shield case 38.

  An optical module 10 shown in FIG. 9 is a member that converts an optical signal and an electrical signal, and includes optical elements 12 and 16. The optical module 10 is divided into a light emitting module 11 and a light receiving module 15 by built-in optical elements 12 and 16. The light emitting module 11 is an optical module 10 including a light emitting element 12 such as a laser diode or a light emitting diode, and the light receiving module 15 is an optical module 10 including a light receiving element 16 such as a photodiode. The optical connector 1 of the present embodiment incorporates a light emitting module 11 and a light receiving module 15 one by one.

  The optical module 10 shown in FIGS. 9 and 13 includes a sealing resin (resin block) 17 and a lead frame member in addition to the optical elements 12 and 16. The lead frame member is roughly divided into a mounting pad 24 on which the optical elements 12 and 16 are mounted, a fixed frame 22, an external lead 23, and an internal lead 21.

  The sealing resin 17 is a resin having transparency such as an epoxy resin or a silicone resin, and seals the optical elements 12 and 16 and internal leads mounted on the mounting pad 24. The sealing resin 17 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and the optical elements 12 and 16 are disposed at substantially the center. A lens 18 is formed by a sealing resin 17 at a position facing the light emitting portion or the light receiving portion of the optical elements 12 and 16.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, a space 19 is formed around the lens 18 with a diameter wider than the diameter of the lens 18. Internal leads 21 are sandwiched inside the sealing resin 17. In the sealing resin 17, a space 70 is formed on the resin surface 44 opposite to the surface on which the lens 18 is formed. The space 70 is formed around a point projected perpendicularly from the center of the lens 18 onto the resin surface 44 of the sealing resin 17. The depth of the space 70 is such that it does not reach the internal lead 21 sandwiched from the resin surface 44 of the sealing resin 17. As shown in FIG. 11, when the surface of the optical module 10 where the space 70 is formed is viewed from the front, the space 70 has a circular shape. The opening area of the space 70 is approximately the same as the opening area of the space 19 around the lens 18 described above.

  The fixed frame 22 is an “L” -shaped lead frame member formed along the outer shape of the sealing resin 17, and is formed integrally with the mounting pad 24. Two fixing holes 25 into which positioning pins 31 of the housing 26 described later are inserted are provided at predetermined positions of the fixing frame 22. The optical elements 12 and 16 mounted on the optical module 10 are arranged near the midpoint of a straight line connecting these two fixing holes 25. Therefore, the straight line connecting the two fixing holes 25 provided in the fixed frame 22 and the optical axes of the optical elements 12 and 16 intersect substantially perpendicularly.

  The external lead 23 is a part of the lead frame member, and is electrically connected to the external circuit board 2 to input / output power and control signals for driving the optical elements 12 and 16. The internal lead 21 is a part of the lead frame member sealed with the sealing resin 17 and is provided continuously with each external lead 23. The internal lead 21 is electrically connected to the optical elements 12 and 16 by the bonding wire 14. A control IC chip 13 for signal processing is mounted on the internal lead 21.

  The housing 26 is a box-shaped member formed of an insulating synthetic resin.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an insertion port 27 into which the optical plug 6 including the optical fiber 7 is inserted is provided on one surface of the housing 26, and continues to the fitting space 28 inside the housing 26. The optical plug 6 inserted from the insertion port 27 is accommodated in the fitting space 28 in the housing 26 and fixed by being fitted to the inner wall 30 constituting the fitting space 28.

  The surface opposite to the insertion side of the housing 26 is a pin forming surface 32 on which positioning pins 31 for positioning the optical module 10 at a predetermined position are formed.

  The positioning pins 31 are formed at predetermined positions on the pin forming surface 32 in order to position the optical module 10 at predetermined positions on the housing 26. The housing 26 is provided with two insertion hole portions 33 that connect the fitting space 28 and the pin forming surface 32, and the ferrule 8 of the optical plug 6 is held in these insertion hole portions 33. A sleeve 35 for positioning is attached.

  As shown in FIG. 5, two positioning pins 31 and 31 are formed on the pin forming surface 32 for one optical module 10. In the housing 26 of the present embodiment, the central axis of the sleeve 35 is disposed near the midpoint of the straight line connecting the two positioning pins 31 and 31.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the left and right side surfaces of the housing 26 are provided with insertion grooves 37 into which the fixing slits 50 of the board-side shield material 53 constituting the shield case 38 described later are inserted. Further, a fixing projection 61 (movement limiting means) is provided in the vicinity of the entrance / exit of the insertion groove 37 or at a predetermined position in the insertion groove 37.
7, 8, and 9 are perspective views showing the upper shield material, the board-side shield material, and the optical module.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the shield case 38 includes an upper shield material 40 that houses the optical module 10 arranged at a predetermined position of the housing 26, and a board-side shield material 53 arranged on the circuit board 2 side. The upper shield material 40 and the substrate side shield material 53 are formed by bending a metal thin plate having conductivity.

  The upper shield member 40 is a member in which the optical module 10 is accommodated, and includes an upper rear wall 43, a central peripheral wall 46, and an upper front wall 41 as shown in FIG.

  The upper front wall 41 is a shield plate disposed along the pin forming surface 32 of the housing 26. The upper front wall 41 covers the front half of the optical module 10 when the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38. The upper front wall 41 is provided with a semicircular sleeve notch 42 so as to avoid the sleeve 35 attached to the housing 26.

  The upper rear wall 43 is a shield plate arranged in parallel to face the upper front wall 41. The upper rear wall 43 is disposed behind the optical module 10 when the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate spring 45 is attached to the upper rear wall 43 at a predetermined position, and the accommodated optical module 10 can be urged forward (housing 26 side).

  As shown in FIG. 7, the central peripheral wall 46 is a shield material that connects the upper front wall 41 and the upper rear wall 43. When the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38, the central peripheral wall 46 covers the top of the optical module 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the upper end portion of the fixed frame 22 included in the optical module 10 is in contact with the central peripheral wall 46.

  The lower part of the upper shield member 40 is open, and the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38 from this part.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the board-side shield member 53 includes a lower rear wall 58, a side peripheral wall 47, a lower front wall 55, and a partition wall 60.

  The lower front wall 55 is a shield plate disposed along the pin forming surface 32 of the housing 26. The lower front wall 55 covers the front lower half of the optical module 10 when the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38. The lower front wall 55 is provided with a semicircular sleeve notch 56 so as to avoid the sleeve 35 attached to the housing 26.

  The lower front wall 58 is a shield plate disposed in parallel to face the lower front wall 55. The lower rear wall 43 is disposed behind the optical module 10 when the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38.

  The side peripheral wall 47 is disposed so as to oppose the lower front wall 55 and the lower rear wall 58. The rear side wall 47 is connected to the lower front wall 58, and the front side is connected to the lower front wall 55. When the optical module 10 is accommodated in the shield case 38, the side peripheral wall 47 covers the side of the optical module 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the side end portion of the fixed frame 22 included in the optical module 10 is in contact with the side peripheral wall 47.

  The partition wall 60 is a shield material disposed between the light emitting module 11 and the light receiving module 15 in order to prevent crosstalk.

  FIG. 16 is a front view of the ferrule. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the ferrule. FIG. 18 is a front view of the ferrule stopper. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the ferrule stopper. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the ferrule. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the ferrule and ferrule stopper shown in FIG. 20 taken along the line F-F.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the ferrule 8 is cylindrical. The ferrule 8 has a flange portion at each of the one end side and the axial middle of the ferrule 8. Two notches 71 are formed in the flange 73 on one end side. The notches 71 are positioned 180 ° apart in the circumferential direction. Each of the notches 71 penetrates in the thickness direction.

  When the end face of the flange portion 73 of the ferrule 8 is viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 16, the shape of the notch 71 is substantially square. The length of one side of the square is formed from the outer peripheral side of the flange portion 73 of the ferrule 8 toward the radially inner side.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the ferrule stopper 5 is cylindrical. A space penetrating in the axial direction is formed at the center. The ferrule stopper 5 has flange portions at both ends. Each flange portion is circular when viewed from the front. Two ribs 72 are formed on the flange portion 74. The ribs 72 are positioned 180 ° apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Each of the ribs 72 protrudes from the end surface toward the outside in the axial direction. The protruding length of the rib 72 is approximately equal to or greater than the thickness of the flange portion 73 in which the notch 71 of the ferrule 8 is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 18, when the end surface of the flange portion 74 of the ferrule stopper 5 is viewed from the front, the rib 72 has a generally square shape. The length of one side of the square is approximately the same as the length of one side of the square of the notch 71 formed in the flange portion 73 of the ferrule 8 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the space penetrating in the axial direction is composed of two layers of a spring installation space 75 and a space on the narrow diameter side on the large diameter side. The spring installation space 75 is the side where the rib 72 is formed. A step 76 is formed at the boundary between the spring installation space 75 and the narrow space.

  Next, the combination structure between each member of the optical connector 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the housing 26, the tip of the ferrule 8 protruding from the optical plug 6 is disposed in the charging hole. At that time, the tip of the ferrule 8 is positioned facing the lens 18 included in the optical module 10.

  Further, the side of the ferrule 8 on which the notch 71 opposite to the tip is provided is pressed by the ferrule stopper 5. At this time, in the ferrule stopper 5, the side on which the rib 72 is provided faces the ferrule 8. The notches 71 of the ferrule 8 and the ribs 72 of the ferrule stop 5 are arranged to be engaged with each other.

  A spring is installed in the spring installation space 75 between the ferrule 8 and the ferrule stopper 5. This spring is a compression coil spring that repels the force of compression. As shown in FIG. 21, the spring is longer than the axial length of the spring installation space before being installed between the two. One end side of the spring is fixed by a step 76 between the spring installation space 75 and the narrow diameter side. The other end of the spring is in contact with the ferrule 8.

  In the optical module 10, the surface on which the lens 18 is formed is disposed along the pin forming surface 32 side of the housing 26. At this time, the lens 18 included in the optical module 10 is installed facing the tip of the optical fiber 7 held by the ferrule 8 disposed in the sleeve 35 included in the housing 26. Further, the two fixing holes 25 in the fixing frame 22 provided in the optical module are respectively arranged in two positioning pins 31 formed in the housing 26.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an upper shield material 40 and a board-side shield material 53 that are shield cases 38 are installed so as to accommodate the optical module 10.

  In the upper shield member 40, the sleeve notch 42 on the upper front wall 41 side is positioned so as to cover the sleeve 35 of the housing 26 from above. The leaf spring 45 on the side of the upper rear wall 43 where the optical module is disposed is positioned so as to urge the resin surface 44 of the sealing resin 17 in the optical module 10. Further, the central peripheral wall 46 is installed so as to be in contact with the upper end of the fixed frame 22 included in the optical module.

  In the board-side shield material 53, a sleeve notch 56 on the lower front wall 55 side is positioned so as to cover the sleeve 35 of the housing 26 from below. The lower rear wall 58 is positioned so as to accommodate the upper rear wall 43 of the upper shield member 40 described above. In the side peripheral wall 47, it installs so that the side end of the fixed frame 22 with which the optical module 10 is provided may be contact | connected. The partition wall 60 of the board-side shield member 53 is disposed between the light emitting module 11 and the light receiving module 15 as shown in FIG.

  The optical connector 1 as described above is mounted on the circuit board 2 by connecting the external leads 23 and the ground terminals 52 to the external circuit board 2 as shown in FIGS.

  In the optical connector 1 of the present embodiment, the ferrule 8 that is a covering member of the optical fiber 7 that is inserted into the insertion hole of the housing 26 is formed with a notch 71 and is a ferrule stopper that is a pressing member that holds the ferrule 8. 5, ribs 72 are formed. Thereby, the notch 71 of the ferrule 8 and the rib of the ferrule stop 5 are engaged, and the rotation of the ferrule 8 can be disabled. Therefore, the optical connector 1 of the present embodiment can prevent the optical axis from shifting due to the rotation of the ferrule 8 and can improve the influence on the characteristics of the optical module.

It is sectional drawing which shows the optical connector by the side of the light reception module mounted in the circuit board. It is sectional drawing which shows the optical connector by the side of the light emitting module mounted in the circuit board. It is an AA cross section of the optical connector shown in FIGS. It is a front view of a housing. It is a bottom view of a housing. It is a side view of a housing. It is a perspective view which shows an upper shield material. It is a perspective view which shows a board | substrate side shield material. It is a perspective view which shows an optical module. It is a front view which shows an optical module. It is a rear view which shows an optical module. It is a side view which shows an optical module. It is a perspective view which shows an optical module. It is BB sectional drawing of the optical connector shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the optical connector shown in FIG. 1. It is a front view of a ferrule. It is a perspective view of a ferrule. It is a front view of a ferrule stop. It is a perspective view of a ferrule stop. It is a disassembled perspective view of a ferrule and a ferrule stop. It is FF sectional drawing of the ferrule shown in FIG. 20, and a ferrule stop.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical connector 5 Ferrule stop 6 Optical plug 7 Optical fiber 8 Ferrule 10 Optical module 17 Sealing resin 26 Housing

Claims (2)

  An optical connector comprising: an optical module that converts an optical signal and an electrical signal; and a housing that supports both of the optical module and the optical fiber and connects the optical module and the optical fiber. The optical fiber has a covering member at the tip, and there is a pressing member that presses the covering member in the insertion hole, and the pressing member is non-rotatable with both the charging hole and the covering member. An optical connector characterized by being engaged.   The covering member has a flange portion, and there is a concave portion or a convex portion on a part of the flange portion, the pressing member also has a flange portion, and a part thereof has a concave portion or a convex portion, and the concave portion or the convex portion on the covering member side. The optical connector according to claim 1, wherein a convex portion or a concave portion on the side of the pressing member is engaged.

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