Patent EP0430107B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0430107B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical connector
Assignee: NTT Inc
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Filing: 1990-11-23
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Granted: 1996-04-10
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Expires: 2010-11-23
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Shin'ichi Iwano
- 👤 Ryo Nagase
- 👤 Kazunori Kanayama
- 👤 Etsuji Sugita
- 👤 Yasuhiro Ando
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:39
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/389; G02B6/3893; G02B6/381; G02B6/3817; G02B6/3818; G02B6/3821; G02B6/3825; G02B6/3826; G02B6/3831; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3847; G02B6/3849; G02B6/3869; G02B6/3873; G02B6/3874; G02B6/3875; G02B6/3878; G02B6/3879; G02B6/3897; G02B6/3822; G02B6/3877
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An optical connector, comprising: (a) a first housing (33) for supporting at least one first optical plug or jack; (b) a second housing (34) connectible to said first housing; (c) a third housing (36) for supporting at least one second optical ferrule said third housing being slidable within said second housing (34) and connectible to said first housing (33), thereby to connect said optical ferrule to said first optical jack or plug; (d) first engage means (37, 38) provided on said second and third housings, for connecting said third housing with said second housing when said third housing is not connected to said first housing; (e) second engage means (39, 40) provided on said first and third housings, for connecting said third housing with said first housing when said first housing is connected to said second and third housings; (f) first release means (41) provided in said first housing, for disconnecting said first engage means whilst said third housing is being connected to said first housing by means of said second engage means; and (g) second release means (42) provided in said second housing, for disconnecting said second engage means whilst said second housing is being connected to said third housing and said first housing is being disconnected from said second and third housings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
The optical connector of claim 1, wherein said first engage means comprises a first projection (37) formed in said second housing and a first elastic cantilever (38) formed in said third housing; and said first release means comprises a release member (41) for deforming said first elastic cantilever in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axial direction of the plug and jack.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The optical connector of claim 1, wherein said second engage means comprises a second projection. (39) formed in said third housing and a second elastic cantilever (40) formed on said first housing, and said second release means comprises a release member (42) shaped to deform said second elastic cantilever in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axial direction of the plug and jack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
194 words
The optical connector of claim 2, wherein said first projection (37) is formed with a first engage surface (37b) and a first surface (37a) inclined relative to the longitudinal axial direction, said first elastic cantilever (38) is formed with a first claw (38a) engageable with said first projection engage surface (37b) and a first side projection (38a), and said first release member (41) is formed with a first release member surface (41a) inclined relative to the longitudinal axial direction and engageable with the first side projection (38a); whereby whilst said second housing is being connected to said first housing, said first release member inclined surface (41a) is brought into contact with said first side projection (38a) to deform said first elastic cantilever (38) so that said third housing is disconnected from said second housing to allow said third housing to be axially slidable within said second housing; and whilst said second housing is being disconnected from said first housing, said first projection inclined surface (37a) is brought into contact with said first claw (38b) to deform said first elastic cantilever (38) so that said third housing can then be coupled with said second housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
156 words
The optical connector of claim 3, wherein said second elastic canti lever (40) is formed with a second claw (40a) engageable with said second projection (39) and a second side projection (40b), and said second release member (42) is formed with a second release member first surface (42c) as previous page and a second release member second surface (42a) as previous page; whereby whilst said second housing is being connected to said first housing, said second release member first inclined surface (42c) is brought into contact with said second side projection (40b) to deform said second elastic cantilever so that said second housing is connected to said first housing; and whilst said second housing is being disconnected from said first housing, said second release member second inclined surface (42a) is brought into contact with said second side projection (40b) to deform said second elastic cantilever so that said second housing is disconnected from said first housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
The optical connector of claim 1, wherein at least two said first engage means (37, 38), at least two said second engage means (39, 40), at least two said first release means (41), and at least two said second release means (42) are arranged in symmetry with respect to outer side surfaces of a connector housing of a plug-in optical connector in which a number of optical plugs and jacks arranged in a line can be connected simultaneously.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The optical connector of claim 1, which further comprises plug-in connector housing floating means provided on one side surface of the connector housing in contact with a back panel or a package board (125) on which various optical and electrical parts are mounted as a subassembly unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
106 words
The optical connector of claim 7, which further comprises plug-in connector housing floating means provided on said connector housing in contact with a back panel (5); wherein said floating means comprises, (a) a slot (691) formed with the back panel in such a way that the slot extends in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the optical plug (35); (b) axle members (55B) fixed to said connector housing and slidably fiting into said slot; and (c) a reverse side housing (641) fixed to an end of said axle members so as to loosely sandwich the packpanel between said axle members and reverse side housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
The optical connector of claim 7, which said floating means comprises: (a) a slot member (130) formed with a slot (133) and fitted to a package board in such a way that the slot extends in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axial direction of the optical jack (124); (b) an axle member (127) projecting from said connector housing and slidably fitted into the slot of said slot member; and (c) a nut member (128) fixed to an end of said axle member so as to loosely contain the package board between said axle and nut members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
133 words
The optical connector of claim 1, which further comprises an optical connector plug fitted to the optical connector, said connector plug comprising: (a) a plug housing (202) formed with an internal shoulder portion (253) between a larger cross-section internal hollow portion (254) and a smaller cross-section internal hollow portion (252) with no projection being formed between said two portions; (b) a plug ferrule (201) connected to an optical fiber (204) and formed with a flange portion (201b) slidably fitted into the larger hollow portion of said plug housing and an end portion (201a) which passes through into the smaller hollow portion of said plug housing; and (c) a spring (203) housed within said plug housing to urge the flange portion of said plug ferrule against the shoulder portion (253) of said plug housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
The optical connector of claim 10, wherein a jack ferrule (201) is fitted into the small hollow portion (252) of said plug housing (202) via a sleeve holder (206) having a floating slit sleeve (205) therewithin, the jack ferrule and the plug ferrule respectively fitting into opposite ends of the slit sleeve which is formed so as to absorb any axial dimensional fitting error between the plug ferrule and the jack ferrule the flange portion (201b) of said plug ferrule being urged against an inner end of the sleeve holder (206) by said spring (203).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The optical connector of claim 10, wherein the larger hollow portion (254) of said plug housing and the flange portion (201b) of said plug ferrule both have a polygonal shaped cross-section.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The optical connector of claim 12, wherein the larger hollow portion (254) of said plug housing and the flange portion (201b) of said plug ferrule both have a chamfered square shaped cross-section.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
The optical connector of claim 1, wherein each of said first and third housings (352) further comprises an elastic lever arm (357) axially extending forward by with an inwardly projecting end portion having a claw (358) formed with an insertion surface inclined relative to said longitudinal axial direction, an engage surface, and a side projection at a free end thereof; and which further comprises: (a) a plug housing (359) connected to an end of an optical fiber (361) and coupled to said housing, said plug housing having an outer engage projection (360); and (b) a knob block (362) slidably fitted between said housing and said plug housing, said knob block having an outer release projection (364) formed with an engage inclined surface and a release inclined surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
142 words
The optical connector of claim 14, wherein when said plug housing (359) is connected to said housing (352), by the engage inclined surface of the outer release projection (364) of said knob block (362) being brought into contact with said side projection of said inner elastic lever arm (357) of said first or third housing (352) to outwardly deform said inner lever arm so that said outer engage projection (360) is engaged with the engage surface of said inner elastic arm (357); and said plug housing (359) is decoupled from said first or third housing (352), by the release inclined surface of the outer release projection (364) being brought into contact with the side projection of said inner elastic lever arm (357) to outwardly deform said inner lever arm so that said inner elastic arm is disengaged from said engage projection (360).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
134 words
The optical connector of claim 1, wherein said first or third housing (416) is formed with at least one housing cutout (425) having at least two opposing housing projections (424); and which further comprises a square cross-section optical connector plug (411) formed with an axially extending plug projection (419) on one side surface thereof so as to be engaged with the housing cutout (425) and with two axially extending plug grooves (418) on two opposing side surfaces thereof so as to be engaged with the two opposing housing projections (424), an outside contour of said square optical connector plug being symmetrical with respect to a plane including an axial center of said connector plug and a middle portion of the plug projection but asymmetrical with respect to the axial center of said connector plug.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
The optical connector of claim 1, which further comprises an optical connector jack (501) fitted to said first or third connector housings, which comprises: (a) a rear housing (521) fitted to said connector housing; (b) a front housing (522) removably engaged with said rear housing; (c) an alignment sleeve (504) fixedly fitted into said front housing; (d) a ferrule (503) connected to an end of an optical fiber and fitted into said alignment sleeve so that a front end thereof extends frontward from the engagement position between said rear and front housings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical connector of claim 17, wherein said front and rear housings are removably engaged with each other via thread.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical connector of claim 17, wherein said front and rear housings are removably engaged with each other via friction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical connector of claim 17, wherein said front housing (522) is formed with a small-diameter portion (524) for fixedly locating said alignment sleeve therewithin.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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