Mounting case for lightguide

The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector, and more particularly to a housing having a holding member for holding the optical fiber.

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: In a complicated data bus transmission system such as a communication information network, a plastic optical fiber is often used for data movement. Such a system, which guarantees a high transmission rate and enables trouble-free signal transmission, is less susceptible to electromagnetic interference, reduces wiring costs, and reduces costs and weight. An automobile communication system is used for such an optical bus. For example, audio components, CD changers, voice controlled systems, built-in car phones and yet other elements are connected to each other by optical buses such as fiber optic rings. By using fiber optic rings, synchronous or asynchronous data transmission is performed at a sufficiently high transmission rate.

[0003] Optical fiber connections or interconnections of a plurality of optical fibers to individual electronic components are typically achieved by a special optical fiber connector having a housing. Within the housing, the optical fiber is connected to another optical fiber or optical component.

[0004] Due to extremely poor ambient conditions, especially in the field of automotive electronics, fiber optic connections need to meet stringent requirements for thermal stability as well as vibration and corrosion. Fiber optic coupling needs to be achieved in an inexpensive and preferably automated way.

[0005] Conventional methods of fixing an optical fiber within a housing use a metal clip as shown in FIG. The housing 130 has a receptacle 102 for the optical fiber 122 and a receptacle 124 for the metal clip 120. The optical fiber 122 is arranged in the receptacle 102 of the housing 130 and is mechanically fixed against axial displacement by inserting a metal clip 120. This technique allows the mounting and latching of optical fibers of different lengths. Since the optical fiber 122 is fixed in the housing 130 by the metal clip 120, the connection with another optical fiber is secured. However, this solution has the disadvantage that the additional metal part or clip 120 must always be positioned during assembly. Therefore, the cost of the assembly work is added.

[0006] Another possible method of fixing the optical fiber to the housing is laser welding or other joining techniques. However, these techniques cannot ignore the equipment and its installation costs. In addition, these techniques result in a permanent connection between the optical fiber and the housing, making it difficult to repair the connection.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides an optical fiber connector housing for connecting an optical fiber to an optical element, which can fix the optical fiber as easily and inexpensively as possible. The purpose.

[Means for Solving the Problems] This and other purposes are achieved by an optical connector housing according to the invention for connecting an optical fiber to an optical component. This housing has a holding member made from the same material as the housing. As a result, the holding member and the housing can be formed at the same time, which reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the holding member is formed integrally with the housing. A holding web is provided to prevent the holding member in the temporarily assembled state from falling off or being lost. These holding webs may be separated by displaced or engaged with the holding member by applying some force during assembly.

[0010] Teeth may be provided on the surface of the housing that receives the optical fiber. This structure has the advantage that the optical fiber is particularly effectively protected from unintended axial displacement. This structure also reduces the insertion force required for assembling the holding member.

[0011] According to another embodiment, the holding member has a receptacle for a plunger for an assembly tool. This receptacle acts to facilitate the positioning of the assembly tool, thus facilitating assembly.

[0012] Further, recesses and guide protrusions are provided along the housing to ensure that the holding member is accurately displaced in the normal direction with respect to the optical fiber.

[0013] In order to prevent unintended displacement of the holding member in the assembled state, the guide protrusion may be chamfered so as to frictionally engage with the inserted holding member. This provides the advantage of a reliable stop during assembly and allows the force acting on the optical fiber to be kept as low as possible.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical fiber connector housing for connecting one optical fiber to one optical element according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 1 as viewed from the opposite side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an optical fiber connector housing for connecting two optical fibers to an optical element according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. Similar or corresponding elements of the examples according to the invention are assigned the same reference numbers.

The drawings show only housing elements that can be manufactured from injection molding materials such as plastics. An optical fiber having a circular cross section and preferably made of plastic is not shown and will not be described in detail. For clarity, the optical elements to which the optical fibers are coupled by the housing are also not shown in the drawings. Such optical elements may be, for example, another optical fiber, diode, or passive or active optical component.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, the housing 100 of the present invention includes two substantially tubular receptacles, that is, insertion openings 102A and 102B, respectively, which receive optical fibers. A holding member 104 made of the same material as the housing is shown in the tentatively assembled state.

The fragile holding web 106, which is manufactured integrally with the holding member and the housing, fixes the holding member 104 in a temporarily assembled state so that the holding member 104 does not protrude into the insertion openings 102A and 102B. In this temporary assembly state, the optical fiber may be inserted into the openings 102A and 102B with zero insertion force.

Once the optical fiber is properly positioned inside the housing 100 by the guide 105 and the stop 107, the plunger of the assembly tool located at the receiving opening 110 is used to break and hold the holding web 106. Sufficient insertion force is applied in the direction of arrow 112 so that the member 104 is vertically pressed into the insertion areas 102A, 102B. Next, the teeth<u style="single">108A</u>, 108B engages the optical fiber.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the housing 100 shown in FIG. Here, we can see the tubular receptacles 102A and 102B for optical fibers. Since the receptacles 102A and 102B open in the regions of the teeth 108A and 108B of the holding member 104, the optical fiber is firmly gripped and fixed after the holding member 104 is pressed into the insertion regions 102A and 102B.

[0021] The holding web 106 manufactured together with the holding member 104 and the housing 100 during the molding operation ensures that the holding member 104 in the temporarily assembled state is held with high reliability, and the holding member 104 is inserted in the insertion direction with as little force as possible. The dimensions must be set so that it can be moved to 112. The guide protrusions 115A, 115B ensure that the holding member 104 is displaced along the insertion direction perpendicular to the optical fiber. The bottom surface of the assembly tool can be used as a stop to prevent excessive pressing of the holding member 104 along the insertion direction 112. However, instead, when the holding member 104 is further displaced along the insertion direction 112, the side surfaces 116A, 116B of the guide projection 115 may be chamfered (inclined) so as to tightly grip and fix the holding member 104.

FIG. 3 shows a housing 100 according to a second embodiment that includes a diode and connects two optical fibers to an optical component. The receptacles 102A and 102B for the optical fiber extend outward as a tubular insertion assisting member. On the opposite side of the housing 100 with respect to the receptacles 102A and 102B is a holding device 118 that receives an optical component (not shown). In this embodiment, the holding member 104 is initially held on the housing 100 in a tentatively assembled state by an integrally molded, fragile holding web 106. The teeth 108A, 108B are similarly arranged on the surface that engages the optical fiber. The receiving opening 110 for the assembly tool allows accurate positioning of the plunger that presses the holding member 104 inward to secure the two optical fibers in the receiving openings 102A, 102B.

Although an embodiment showing a housing 100 for connecting an optical fiber to an optical component has been shown, the housing of the present invention may be a "cable-to-cable" coupling component that interconnects a plurality of optical fiber ends. ..

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an optical fiber connector housing for connecting one optical fiber to one optical element according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 1 as viewed from the opposite side.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an optical fiber connector housing for connecting two optical fibers to an optical element according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional optical fiber connector housing having a metal clip for fixing an optical fiber.

[Code Description] 100 Housing 102A, 102B Receptacle 104 Holding member 106 Holding web 108A, 108B Tooth 110 Receptacle (reception opening) 115 Guide protrusion