Patent ID: 6226437
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An optical fiber retainer of an optical communication module comprising a case having a bottom wall formed with a mounting reference face perpendicular to an inserting direction of an optical fiber in which a sleeve having the optical fiber inserted therein is movably inserted in the case in a direction of a center of axis of the case;wherein said case is provided with a first engaging step and a second engaging step protruding inwardly from a side wall of the case and spaced apart in the direction of the center axis to form a first cavity between the bottom wall of said case and said first engaging step in said case, and to form a second cavity between said first engaging step and the second engaging step, and said bottom wall of said case has in the direction of the center axis a through hole for fitting a light guide part exposed by peeling off a protective part at an extreme end of said optical fiber;wherein said sleeve is comprised of a plate spring having a hole through which the optical fiber is inserted, and a retainer protruding outwardly from an outer circumferential surface of said sleeve, said sleeve being movable in an axial direction of said case within said second cavity of said case and further arranged and fixed in said first cavity of said case;wherein said plate spring is composed of a circular metallic plate, a central part of said metallic being formed with an opening through which said optical fiber is inserted and passed, and a plurality of resilient tongue-shaped locking claws being disposed about said opening, said plurality of locking claws having an anchoring function for preventing the optical fiber inserted through said opening from being moved in a direction opposite to its inserting direction; andwherein the optical fiber is inserted into said sleeve;wherein when said optical fiber is to be fixed to said case, the optical fiber having the protective part at the extreme end thereof peeled off to expose said light guide part is inserted into said insertion hole of said sleeve, and further inserted into and passed through said opening of said plate spring while said plurality of locking claws of said plate spring are being expanded, said light guide part being fitted to said through hole provided in said bottom wall and an extreme end surface of the protective part of said optical fiber being abutted against said mounting reference around said through hole of said case, and said plurality of locking claws of said plate spring are bitten into the surface of said protective part of said optical fiber to prevent said optical fiber from being removed in a direction opposite to its inserting direction, said plurality of locking claws pushing the extreme end of said optical fiber in a direction that is reverse to the inserting direction to cause said retainer part of said sleeve to be abutted against said second engaging step of said case and thereby fixing said sleeve to said case, andwherein when said optical fiber is to be removed from said case, said sleeve is driven in the inserting direction of said optical fiber to cause said retainer part of said sleeve to move in said second cavity of said case so that said inserting extreme end of said sleeve causes the plurality of locking claws of said plate spring to be expanded, thereby releasing the bitten state between said plate spring and said optical fiber so that said optical fiber can be pulled out of said sleeve.