Abstract:
A socket and a plug are provided. Both the socket and the plug include a body, a blocking sheet, and an elastic member. Both the bodies define a coupling portion. The blocking sheet is disposed on the corresponding body and covers the corresponding coupling portion to protect the coupling portions from being contaminated when not used. The elastic member connects the corresponding body and the blocking sheet. When the plug is plugged into the socket, the blocking sheets, against an elastic force of the elastic member, pushes each other to expose the coupling portions until the coupling portions are coupled.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber connector. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Optical fiber connectors generally include a socket and a plug. In use, the socket and the plug terminate ends of two optical fibers, respectively, and the plug is plugged into the socket to provide quick connection between the two optical fibers. Generally, both the socket and the plug include an optical coupling surface for optically coupling the socket and the plug. When the two optical fibers are disconnected, the plug is unplugged from the socket. The optical coupling surfaces are exposed and easily contaminated, reducing connection quality of the optical fiber connector. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical fiber connector, which can overcome the abovementioned shortcomings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present optical fiber connector should be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present optical fiber connector. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled, schematic view of an optical fiber connector, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric, exploded, schematic view of the optical fiber connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric, cutaway, schematic view of the optical fiber connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion IV of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a portion V of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric, assembled, schematic view of the optical fiber connector of  FIG. 1  in another state. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present optical fiber connector will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an optical fiber connector  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment, includes a socket  10  and a plug  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the socket  10  is made of transparent material, such as transparent plastic or glass. The socket  10  includes a substantially cubic socket body  11 , two strip-shaped first blocking sheets  13 , and two first elastic members  15 . 
     The socket body  11  defines a cubic insertion groove  111  in one end surface (not labeled, e.g., a front surface) thereof and correspondingly forms a top board  112 , a bottom board  113 , two side boards  114 , and a rear board  117 . The insertion groove  111  is bounded by the boards  112 ,  113 ,  114 ,  117 , and extends out of the socket body  11  via a rectangular opening  110 . 
     Each side board  114  defines two linearly arranged first fiber-receiving portions  116  in the outer surface thereof and two linearly arranged first coupling portions  115  in the inner surface thereof. Each first coupling portion  115  is aligned with a corresponding first fiber-receiving portion  115  and configured for converting divergent light rays from an optical fiber (not shown) received in the corresponding first fiber-receiving portion  115  into parallel light rays and converging parallel light rays transmitting therethrough into the optical fiber. 
     In this embodiment, the first fiber-receiving portion  116  is a blind hole for fittingly and firmly receiving the optical fiber. The first coupling portion  115  is a recess having a spherical or aspherical bottom surface convex towards the insertion groove  111 . The focal point of the first coupling portion  115  (i.e., the spherical or aspherical bottom surface) is at the end of the first fiber-receiving portion  116  (i.e., the blind hole). As such, the first coupling portion  115  can efficiently convert divergent light rays from the optical fiber into parallel light rays and converge parallel light rays transmitting therethrough into the optical fiber. 
     The rear board  117  defines two first sliding slots  118  therethrough. The first sliding slots  118  extend through the rear board  117  along the extending directions of the inner surfaces of the side boards  114 , respectively. The first sliding slots  118  are positioned inside above the inner surface of the corresponding side board  114  and communicate with the insertion groove  111 . The width of the first sliding slots  118  is slightly larger than that of the first blocking sheets  13 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 4 , the rear board  117  also defines two first fixing slots  119  therethrough. The first fixing slots  119  are positioned at intersections of the rear board  117 , the top board  112 , and the two side boards  114 , respectively, and outside beneath the inner surface of the corresponding side board  114  and communicate with the insertion groove  111  and the corresponding first sliding slot  118 . The height of the first fixing slots  119  is much smaller than that of the first sliding slots  118 , thereby forming a stepped surface (not labeled) between the first sliding slot  118  and the corresponding first fixing slot  119 . The socket body  11  further includes a fixing bolt  120  extending up from the step surface, adjacent to the insertion groove  111 . 
     The first blocking sheets  13  are shaped corresponding to the inner surfaces of the side boards  14 , respectively. The length of the first blocking sheet  13  is substantially equal to the total length of the insertion groove  111  and the first sliding slot  118 . Each of the first blocking sheets  13  extends a first protrusion  131  from one side surface (not labeled), adjacent to one distal end thereof. 
     The first elastic members  15  are coil springs. 
     In assembly of the socket  10 , the first blocking sheets  13  are disposed on and cover the inner surfaces of the side boards  14  and are slidably inserted into the first sliding slots  118 , respectively. The first protrusions  131  are received in the first fixing slots  119  respectively. The first elastic members  15  are received in the corresponding first fixing slot  119  and connect the corresponding first fixing bolt  120  to the corresponding first protrusion  131 . When the first elastic members  15  are in a natural state (i.e., without being compressed or stretched), the first blocking sheets  13  fittingly cover the inner surfaces of the side boards  14  to shield the first coupling portions  115  from being contaminated. 
     The plug  30  is also made of transparent material and complementary to the socket  10  in shape and includes counterparts of the socket  10 . In particular, the plug  30  includes a plug body  31 , a cubic connecting block  32 , two second blocking sheets  33 , and two second elastic members  35 . 
     The plug body  31  is a rectangular frame that can be fittingly inserted into the insertion groove  111 . In detail, the plug body  31  includes two parallel sliding boards  311  extending outward from the connecting block  32  and a head board  312  perpendicularly connecting the two sliding boards  311 . 
     Each sliding board  311  defines two linearly arranged second fiber-receiving portions  314  in the outer surface thereof and two linearly arranged second coupling portions  313  in the inner surface thereof. The second fiber-receiving portions  314  and the second coupling portions  313  are counterparts of the first fiber receiving portions  116  and the first coupling portions  115 , respectively, and have substantially similar or complementary structures and functions. The first and second coupling portions  115  and  313  are designed to match each other so that when the plug  30  is plugged into the socket  10 , the first and second coupling portions  115  and  313  are coupled with each other (see  FIG. 6 ), that is, the first and second coupling portions  115  and  313  can transmit parallel light rays therebetween. 
     The connecting block  32  defines two second sliding slots  322  therethrough in an end surface from which the sliding board  311  extends. The second sliding slots  322  extend along the extending directions of the outer surface of the sliding boards  311 , respectively. The second slots  322  are positioned outside above the outer surface of the sliding boards  311 . The widths of the second sliding slots  322  are substantially equal to or slightly larger than widths of the second blocking sheets  35 . 
     Also referring to  FIG. 5 , each second sliding slot  322  is bounded by two opposite side inner surfaces  323 . The connecting block  32  includes two second fixing bolts  324 . Each second fixing bolt  324  uprightly extends outward from one of the side inner side surfaces  323  of the corresponding second sliding slot  322  at an appropriate position. 
     The second blocking sheets  33  are shaped corresponding to the outer surfaces of the sliding boards  311 , respectively. The length of the second blocking sheet  33  is longer than the distance between the head board  312  and the fixing bolt  324 . A second protrusion  331  extends from a top surface (not labeled) of each of the second blocking sheets  33 , adjacent to one distal end thereof. 
     The second elastic members  35  are also coil springs. 
     In assembly of the plug  30 , the second blocking sheets  33  are disposed on and cover the outer surfaces of the sliding boards  311  and are slidably inserted into the second sliding slots  322 , respectively. The second protrusions  331  are received in the second sliding slots  322 , respectively. The second elastic members  35  are each received in the corresponding second sliding slots  322  and connect to the corresponding second fixing bolt  324  and the corresponding second protrusion  331 . When the second elastic members  35  are in a natural state (i.e., without being compressed or stretched), the second blocking sheets  33  fittingly cover the outer surfaces of the sliding boards  311  to shield the second coupling portions  313  from being contaminated. 
     In alternative embodiments, the number of the fiber-receiving portions  116 ,  314 , and the coupling portions  11  in one side board  114  and sliding board  311  need not be limited to two, but can be one or more than two. When more than two fiber-receiving portions  116 ,  314  and coupling portions  115 ,  313  are employed, the fiber-receiving portions  116 ,  314  and the coupling portions  115 ,  313  can be equidistantly arranged. The fiber-receiving portions  116 ,  314  and the coupling portions  115 ,  313  can also be randomly, instead of linearly and equidistantly, arranged. In another embodiment, only one fiber-receiving portion  116 ,  314 , and coupling portion  115 ,  313  are employed and defined in one of the side boards  114  and sliding boards  311 . In such embodiment, only one blocking sheet  13  and  33  is enough to cover the coupling portion  115  and  313 , the other one can be omitted. Furthermore, the coupling portions  115  can be positioned in other inner surface, for example, the inner surface of the top board  112  or  113 . 
     The configuration of the socket body  11  and the connecting block  32  are not limited to this embodiment too. Any configuration that: (1) allows the socket elastic members  15  to connect the socket body  11  and the socket blocking sheets  13  and allows the plug elastic members  35  to connect the connecting block  32  to the plug blocking sheets  33 ; and (2) can limit the blocking sheets  13  and  33  to slide on the inner surface when pushed against each other, can be used instead. 
     The blocking sheets  13  and  33  are also not limited to this embodiment too. If other ways to connect the elastic members  15  and  35  are provided, the protrusions  131  and  331  can be replaced with other required configurations. The lengths of the blocking sheets  13  and  33  are also not limited to this embodiment. Actually, any length of the blocking sheets  13  and  33  that satisfies: (1) when the elastic members  15  and  35  are in the natural state, the coupling portions  115  and  314  are covered thereby; and (2) when the elastic members  15  and  35  are compressed or extended, the coupling portions  115  and  314  are exposed thereby, can be employed. 
     In other embodiments the elastic members  15  and  35  can be rubber bands or other elastic members. 
     It will be understood that the above particular embodiments and methods are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.