Optical fiber connector

An optical fiber connector includes front and back fasteners, and an end socket. The front fastener includes a front body and a pressing part. A first lateral wall of the front body has a first engaging hole and a second opposite lateral wall thereof has a second engaging hole. The back fastener includes a back body and an assembling part. The front portion of the back body is coupled with a back portion of the front body and the back body has first and second engaging blocks. The first and second engaging blocks are coupled respectively with the first and second engaging holes. The first engaging hole is sized differently from the second engaging hole. The assembling part is disposed on a back portion of the back body. An end socket has a front portion secured to the assembling part, and a back portion that has a terminal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 101201633, filed Jan. 20, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an optical fiber connector. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical fiber connector that is assembled in a particular, pre-set manner.

2. Description of Related Art

Communication technology changes quickly. Through use of telephones, the Internet, and other communication infrastructure, people are less distanced from each other, and information transmission in real-time is made possible. Generally, communication occurs either through a wired or wireless configuration. However, wireless communication may be affected by the weather or geography, resulting in communication interference. As a result, wire communication is still regarded as the most efficient and stable manner in which to realize communication.

Wired transmission involves transmitting an optical signal or electric signal through a cable, and of the two, optical signal transmission is faster. A fiber optic cable is used to transmit optical signals. Because the fiber optic cable is made using non-metallic materials (e.g., plastic or glass), has a good ability to resist electromagnetic and noise interference, and has several advantages like high bandwidth, light weight, ability to transmit signals a great distance, and easy concealment, the fiber optic cable has gradually replaced traditional transmission cables made of metal material.

Recently, the development of fiber optics has been such that fiber optic cables are connected with several electric devices and the information that is transmitted by fiber optic cables can be used by the electric devices. An optical fiber connector is used for connecting two optical fibers paths, and is a mechanical device that is assembled to terminal portion of an optical fiber so as to extend the optical fiber path.

Generally speaking, an optical fiber connector has an insulating body and engaging elements. A terminal of the insulating body is connected to an optical fiber for transmitting information to an electric device connected to the optical fiber connector. The traditional optical fiber connector has a front fastener and a back fastener, and the front fastener is engaged with the back fastener. If the front fastener is engaged with the back fastener using a reverse configuration, the front fastener still can be engaged with the back fastener. However, such incorrect assembly may adversely affect production efficiency and the subsequent connection to an electric device.

Therefore, there is a need to develop an optical fiber connector that is capable of avoiding the foregoing disadvantages.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, an optical fiber connector includes a front fastener, a back fastener, and an end socket. The front fastener includes a front body and a pressing part. A first lateral wall of the front body has a first engaging hole and a second opposite lateral wall of the front body has a second engaging hole. The pressing part is disposed on a front portion of a top wall of the front body. The back fastener includes a back body and an assembling part. The front portion of the back body is coupled with a back portion of the front body and the back body has a first engaging block and a second engaging block, in which the first engaging block is coupled with the first engaging hole and the second engaging block is coupled with the second engaging hole. The first engaging hole is sized differently from the second engaging hole such that the first engaging block is not capable of being coupled with the second engaging hole and the second engaging block is not capable of being coupled secured with the first engaging hole. Furthermore, the assembling part is disposed on a back portion of the back body. An end socket has a front portion secured to the assembling part, and a back portion of the end socket has a terminal.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, a thickness of the first engaging block is increased progressively from a front portion of the first engaging block along a radial direction of the back fastener to the assembling part.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, a thickness of the second engaging block is increased progressively from a front portion of the second engaging block along a radial direction of the back fastener to the assembling part.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, an outer surface of the assembling part has several notches and an inner surface of the front portion of the end socket has several convex ribs, and the notches are respectively secured with the convex ribs for coupling the back assembling part with the end socket.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, the optical fiber connector further includes an optical fiber device. The optical fiber device includes an optical fiber core, a spring, and an optical fiber-protective sleeve. The spring is disposed around the optical fiber core and within a cavity formed from the front fastener to the back fastener. The optical fiber-protective sleeve is disposed in a channel formed from the assembling part to the end socket. Furthermore, an end part of the optical fiber core is coupled in the optical fiber-protective sleeve and inserted through the terminal.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, the optical fiber connector further includes a dust jacket fastenable to an opening of the front fastener.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, the back fastener includes a blocking part located between the back body and the assembling part for blocking a front terminal portion of the end socket using a back surface of the blocking part.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, two lateral walls of the front part of the end socket have several notches.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, the optical fiber connector further includes a combiner, and the combiner includes a combining body, a pressing element, and several convex strips. The combining body has two resilient lateral walls extending downward and forms a concave structure therebetween. The pressing element is located on a back terminal portion of a top flange of the combining body, in which a top end of the pressing element is disposed above a top flange of the pressing part. The convex strips are located on two inner lateral walls of the combining body for securing with the notches of the end socket.

According to an embodiment disclosed herein, the top flange of the front fastener is upwardly curved and the top flange of the pressing element of the combiner is in contact with the top flange of the pressing part and downwardly curved.

Thus, the optical fiber connector herein can solve the prior art problem of incorrect assembly when the front fastener is secured with the back fastener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides an optical fiber connector that provides several enhanced elements for securing the optical fiber connector, ultimately preventing incorrect assembly.

FIG. 1illustrates an exploded perspective view of an optical fiber connector according100to an embodiment of the present invention andFIG. 2illustrates an exploded lateral view of the optical fiber connector100ofFIG. 1. The optical fiber connector100includes a front fastener110, a back fastener120, and an end socket130. The front fastener110includes a front body111and a pressing part112. A first lateral wall111aof the front body111has a first engaging hole113and a second opposite lateral wall111bof the front body111has a second engaging hole114. The pressing part112is located on a front portion of a top wall of the front body111, and is used for making the front fastener110withdraw from an optical fiber connection port (not shown). The back fastener120includes a back body121and an assembling part122. The front portion of the back body121of the back fastener120is coupled with a back portion of the front body111. Moreover, the back body121of the back fastener120has a first engaging block123and a second engaging block124, in which the first engaging block123is coupled with the first engaging hole113of the front fastener110and the second engaging block124is coupled with the second engaging hole114of the front fastener110.

It is noted that the first engaging hole113is sized differently from the second engaging hole114, and the first and second engaging blocks123,124are sized corresponding respectively to the sizes of the first and second engaging holes113,114, such that the first engaging block123is not capable of being coupled with the second engaging hole114and the second engaging block124is not capable of being coupled with the first engaging hole113. In this embodiment, the first engaging hole113is larger than the second engaging hole114and the first engaging block123is larger than the second engaging block124such that the first engaging block123is not capable of being coupled with the second engaging hole114and the second engaging block124is not capable of being coupled with the first engaging hole113.

Furthermore, the assembling part122of the back fastener120is located on a back portion of the back body121of the back fastener120. A front portion of the end socket130is secured with the assembling part122of the back fastener120and a back portion of the end socket130has a terminal131. The terminal131may be connected with an optical fiber.

In addition, two lateral walls130aof the front portion of the end socket130have several notches132and the end socket130may be secured with a combiner140through use of the notches132(as explained directly below). The combiner140includes a combining body141, a pressing element142, and several convex strips143. The combining body141has two resilient lateral walls extending downward and forming a concave structure therebetween. The pressing element142is located on a back terminal portion of a top wall of the combining body141, in which a top flange of the pressing element142is arranged above a top flange of the pressing part112of the front fastener110. The convex strips143are located on two inner lateral walls of the combining body141for securing with the notches132of the end socket130.

FIG. 3illustrates an exploded top view of the optical fiber connector ofFIG. 1, in which the combiner of the optical fiber connector is not shown. A thickness of the first engaging block123is increased progressively from a front portion of the first engaging block123along a radial direction of the back fastener120to the assembling part122and a thickness of the second engaging block124is increased progressively from a front portion of the second engaging block124along a radial direction of the back fastener120to the assembling part122, and with this configuration, the first engaging block123may slide into the first engaging hole113(seeFIG. 1) and the second engaging block124may slide into the second engaging hole114(seeFIG. 2). Thus, the front fastener110may be coupled securely with the back fastener120.

FIG. 4illustrates a perspective view of the end socket of the optical fiber connector ofFIG. 1andFIG. 5illustrates a perspective view of the optical fiber connector ofFIG. 1in an assembled state. A front portion of the back body121is inserted into a back hole of the front body111of the front fastener110. Subsequently, the first engaging block123is coupled with the first engaging hole113and the second engaging block124is coupled with the second engaging hole114. As described above, the thickness of the first engaging block123is increased progressively from the front portion of the first engaging block123along the radial direction of the back fastener120to the assembling part122and the thickness of the second engaging block124is increased progressively from the front portion of the second engaging block124along the radial direction of the back fastener120to the assembling part122. With this configuration, the first engaging block123may slide into the first engaging hole113(seeFIG. 1) and the second engaging block124may slide into the second engaging hole114(seeFIG. 2). Thus, the front fastener110may be coupled securely with the back fastener120.

An outer surface of the assembling part122of the back fastener120has several notches125and an inner surface of the front portion of the end socket130(seeFIG. 4) has several convex ribs133. The notches125are respectively secured with the convex ribs133for securing the back assembling part122of the back fastener120with the end socket130. Furthermore, the back fastener120includes a blocking part126located between the back body121and the assembling part122for blocking a front terminal portion of the end socket130using a back surface of the blocking part126.

As described above, the optical fiber connector100further includes the combiner140for combining with the back fastener120. The combiner140has the combining body141, and the pressing element142which is formed starting from the back terminal portion of the top wall of the combining body141. The combining body141has the convex strips143to be coupled with the notches132of the end sockets130. After the end socket130is secured with the back fastener120and the front fastener110is coupled with the back fastener120, the top flange of the pressing element142is arranged above the top flange of the pressing part112and an end of the pressing part112that is not connected to the top surface of the front fastener110is upwardly curved and the top flange of the pressing element142of the combiner140is in contact with the top flange of the pressing part112and downwardly curved. The pressing element142is pressed to push forward the pressing part112so that the front fastener110is removed from an optical fiber connection port (not shown).

FIG. 6illustrates an exploded perspective view of an optical fiber connector100according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied andFIG. 7illustrates a perspective view of the optical fiber connector100ofFIG. 6. In this embodiment, the optical fiber connector100further includes an optical fiber device150. The optical fiber device150includes an optical fiber core151, a spring152, and an optical fiber-protective sleeve153. The spring152is arranged around the optical fiber core151and within a cavity formed from the front fastener110to the back fastener120. The optical fiber-protective sleeve153is arranged in a channel formed by the assembling part122and the end socket130. Furthermore, an end part of the optical fiber core151is coupled in the optical fiber-protective sleeve153and inserted through the terminal131. In this embodiment, the optical fiber connector100further includes a dust jacket154fastened to an opening of the front fastener110for preventing dust from entering into the front fastener110when the front fastener110is not inserted into an optical fiber communication port.

FIG. 8illustrates an exploded perspective view of an optical fiber connector100according to an embodiment of the present invention andFIG. 9illustrates a perspective view of the optical fiber connector100ofFIG. 8. In this embodiment, the optical fiber connector100includes two front fasteners110/110′, two back fasteners120/120′, two end sockets130/130′, and two optical fiber devices150/150′. The optical fiber connector100further includes a combiner140for combining the back fasteners120/120′. The combiner140has two combining bodies141/141′ and a pressing element142is formed starting from a back terminal portion of a common top wall of the combining bodies141/141′. The two combining bodies141/141′ have convex strips143/143′ to be coupled with notches132/132′ of the end sockets130/130′. After the end sockets130/130′ are secured with the back fasteners120/120′ and the front fasteners110/110′ are coupled with the back fasteners120/120′, the optical fiber devices150/150′ are located in the back fasteners120/120′ and the front fasteners110/110′. Furthermore, a top end of the pressing element142is arranged above top ends of the pressing parts112/112′ and ends of the pressing parts112/112′ that are not connected to the top surface of the front fasteners110/110′ are upwardly curved and a top flange of the pressing element142of the combiner140in contact with top flanges of the pressing parts112/112′ is downwardly curved. The pressing element142is pressed to push the pressing parts112/112′ so that the two front fasteners110/110′ are removed from an optical fiber connection port (not shown) at the same time.

According to the above-described embodiments, the optical fiber connector herein may be assembled only in a particular manner, that is, the front fastener is assembled to the back fastener in a particular, pre-set manner, so that the problem of incorrect assembly associated with the traditional optical fiber connector may be solved. The combiner may be combined with several front fasteners and the pressing element of the combiner can operate several pressing parts to remove the front fasteners from an optical fiber connection port(s) at the same time.