Optical fiber adapter with shutter member

An optical fiber adapter according to the present disclosure includes a main body, an inner housing, a movable member, an elastic shutter member, a spring and a cover plate. The main body has an axial accommodation room and an access opening is provided on a first wall of the main body. The inner housing is placed within the accommodation room and includes a hollow cylinder extending from the front surface of a flange. The movable member is positioned within the accommodation room and is configured to be moved toward a second opening of the accommodation room. The shutter member is positioned within the accommodation room and includes a fixed portion, a shutter plate and a connecting portion. The fixed portion is fixed at the movable member and is moved with the movable member. The connecting portion connects the fixed portion with the shutter plate. The shutter plate extends from the connecting portion and arrives in front of an opening of the hollow cylinder. The spring is positioned within the accommodation room to push the movable member toward a first opening of the accommodation room. The cover plate is placed to cover the access opening on the first wall.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on and claims priority to Taiwanese Application Number 104112528, filed Apr. 17, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to an optical fiber adapter, and more particularly, to an optical fiber adapter with a shutter member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, the optical fiber has been widely used as signal transmission media because of its high bandwidth and low loss nature. In order to transmit over a longer distance without the need of repeaters, it is common to use a high power diode laser to launch a laser beam into the optical fiber. However, the high power laser beam used to carry information is usually invisible. In other words, the human eyes will be unable to sense the high power laser beam if it leaves from the open end of a fiber cable. Thus, it is required to obstruct the high power laser beam to avoid hurting the eyes when the laser beam leaves from an optical fiber.

Referring toFIG. 1, a conventional fiber adapter100includes a housing110having a plurality of side walls160. The side walls160define a receiving recess120. One of the side walls160is provided with a slot130for mating with the key192of the connector190when the connector190is inserted into the receiving recess120. In addition, the outer surfaces of two opposite side walls160are provided with recesses140that a clip (not shown in the figure) can be disposed thereon to facilitate the adapter100to be mounted on a panel.

In general, the adapter100further has another set of side walls160that defines another receiving recess120. The two receiving recesses120are opposite and can respectively receive a connector190. Of course, the two receiving recesses120of the adapter100can be designed to mate with two different types of connectors. The fiber connector190is always attached to one end of a fiber cable194and a light beam can propagate down the fiber cable194and emit from the ferrule196of the connector190. Likewise, a light beam can be coupled into the fiber cable194from the end face of the ferrule196.

When the adapter100is used to couple two connectors190together, the two connectors190are respectively inserted into the receiving recesses120. The ferrules196of the connectors190thus slide into a hollow sleeve (not shown in the figure) and are brought into axial alignment and contact with each other. A light beam will be able to propagate from the fiber cable194of a connector190through the interface between the two ferrules196and then reach the fiber cable194of the other connector190, and vice versa.

When one connector190is disconnected from the adapter100, the light beam originally propagating from the connector190still kept in the adapter100to the presently disconnected connector190will now leave the ferrule196and emit from the receiving recess120. If the emitted light beam is high power and not obstructed, a lasting exposure to such light beam is harmful to people, particularly to the eyes. Thus, to avoid exposing to the high-power light beam, it is common to use a cap180to block up the unused receiving recess120. This can obstruct the light beam and also prevent the receiving recess120from dust. If a connector190would like to be mated with the adapter100, the cap180is required to be removed. However, the cap180is apt to get lost and it is still possible to expose the eyes to the light beam during mating.

Referring toFIG. 2, a conventional fiber adapter200is generally the same as the adapter100but further includes a cover250pivotally connected to the housing110. The cover250covers the receiving recess120in its closed position. A spring260can force the cover250to be pivoted to its closed position when the receiving recess120is not mated with a connector190. Thus, the cover250is capable of obstructing the light beam emitted from the receiving recess120in its closed position. If a user would like to mate a connector190with the adapter200, he is first required to lift the cover250from its closed position and then to insert the connector190into the receiving recess120. Upon pulling out the connector190, the cover250is pivoted to cover the receiving recess120through the spring260. As a result, the user has no chance to expose to the high-power light beam. However, the construction of the adapter200is much more complex than that of the adapter100.

Referring toFIG. 3, a conventional protection cap300for the fiber adapter100includes a hollow housing310with two opposing openings and a cover350pivotally connected to the housing310. The cover350is pivoted to cover one of the two openings through a spring360. The protection cap300can be put on the adapter100and cover the outer surfaces of the side walls160and the receiving recess120of the adapter100. When a user would like to mate a connector190with the adapter200, he is required to lift the cover350from its closed position and then to insert the connector190into the receiving recess120. Likewise, upon pulling out the connector190, the cover350is pivoted to cover the receiving recess120by the spring360. As a result, the user has no chance to expose to the high-power light beam emitted from the receiving recess120. However, the structure of the protection cap300is somewhat complex and therefore it is not inexpensive. The introduction of the protection cap300to obstruct the light beam will cost much.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a solution to solve the aforesaid problems.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a shutter member for an optical fiber adapter that may obstruct the light beams emitted from the accommodation room thereby preventing the eyes from exposure to the light beams.

In one embodiment, the optical fiber adapter of the present disclosure includes a main body, an inner housing, a movable member, an elastic shutter member, a spring and a cover plate. The main body has an axial accommodation room and an access opening is provided on a first wall of the main body. The inner housing is placed within the accommodation room and includes a hollow cylinder extending from the front surface of a flange. The movable member is positioned within the accommodation room and is configured to be moved toward a second opening of the accommodation room. The shutter member is positioned within the accommodation room and includes a fixed portion, a shutter plate and a connecting portion. The fixed portion is fixed at the movable member and is moved with the movable member. The connecting portion connects the fixed portion with the shutter plate. The shutter plate extends from the connecting portion and arrives in front of an opening of the hollow cylinder. The spring is positioned within the accommodation room to push the movable member toward a first opening of the accommodation room. The cover plate is placed to cover the access opening on the first wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG. 4, a conventional LC type optical fiber connector400has a generally rectangular shape with a square cross section. The connector400includes a rectangular hollow housing410comprised of a top side-wall411, a bottom side-wall412, a right side-wall413and a left side-wall414, wherein the right side-wall413is opposite to the left side-wall414and connects with the bottom side-wall412and the top side-wall411. A latch420is molded into the top side-wall411and includes a living hinge425which allows the tab426to be moved up and down in a direction perpendicular to the central axis450-450of the connector400. The latch420also includes a pair of protrusions421that are positioned on opposing sides of the tab426. In addition, a ferrule440protrudes from a circular opening416on the front end of the housing410. A spring is located inside the housing410to allow the ferrule440to move back and forth through the opening416(not shown in the figure). A pair of protrusions460is positioned on the right side-wall413and left side-wall414, respectively.

Reference is now made toFIG. 5, the optical fiber adapter according to the present disclosure may be an LC duplex type optical fiber adapter and includes a unitary molded plastic main body500, a pair of inner housings600, an elastic shutter member700, a movable member800, a cover plate900and a spring990. Reference is made toFIG. 6, the main body500is substantially rectangular and has an accommodation room defined by a top wall511, a bottom wall512, a right wall513and a left wall514, wherein the top wall511faces the bottom wall512and connects with the right wall513and left wall514. The accommodation room is divided into two halves by a compartment wall515that is parallel to the right wall513and left wall514and connects with the top wall511and bottom wall512. A break516is formed in the middle section of the compartment wall515. The half of the accommodation room defined by the top wall511, bottom wall512, compartment wall515and right wall513is named as the right accommodation room526and the other half of the accommodation room defined by the top wall511, bottom wall512, compartment wall515and left wall514is named as the left accommodation room528. The right accommodation room526has opposing first right opening526aand second right opening526bin an axial direction. Similarly, the left accommodation room528has opposing first left opening528aand second left opening528bin the axial direction. Located on the exterior of the main body500is a pair of tabs532and534. One tab534is located on the left wall514and the other tab532is located on the right wall513. The tabs532and534are operative in supporting the adapter on a surface. An access opening550is located on the top wall511to allow the inner housings600to place within the accommodation room of the main body500. A guide groove536is formed on each of the right and compartment walls513,515within the right accommodation room526. The two guide grooves536extend from the first right opening526atoward the second right opening526band arrive at the break516. A guide groove538is formed on each of the left and compartment walls514,515within the left accommodation room528. The two guide grooves538extend from the first left opening528atoward the second left opening528band arrive at the break516.

Reference is now made toFIG. 7, which illustrates the inner housings600of the present disclosure. The two inner housings600have the same shape and are constructed of plastics by an injection molding process. Each of the inner housings600includes two hollow cylinders610extending from the front surface622of a generally rectangular flange620. The hollow cylinder610has a front opening612opposing to a rear opening located at the flange620. The two inner housings600may be connected together at their respective flanges620so as to connect two the cylinders610with the other two cylinders610to define two common cylinders. The two flanges620together define a thickness that is equal to the width of the break516. When the two inner housings600are placed within the main body500, the two cylinders610of one the inner housing600are respectively aligned with the two cylinders610of the other inner housing600to define the two common cylinders.

Reference is made toFIGS. 8aand 8b, which illustrate the elastic shutter member700of the present disclosure. The shutter member700is integrally formed with metal and includes a shutter plate710, a connecting portion720and a fixing portion730. The connecting portion720connects the fixing portion730with the shutter plate710and is generally U-shaped. That is, the connecting portion720is curved and has a notch722. The shutter plate710may contain a single plate or several plates. The shutter plate710may move with respect to the fixing portion730. The shutter plate710is moved close to the fixing portion730with a push force and quickly moves back when the push is withdrawn. A circular bump712is formed on the shutter plate710to face the front opening612of one of the cylinders610. The fixing portion730is plate-like and has a rectangular shape. The fixing portion730has a pair of longitudinal sides732connecting with a pair of transverse sides731, wherein one of the transverse sides731connects with the connecting portion720and an engagement protrusion750is provided at the other transverse side731. A circular bump752is formed on the engagement protrusion750. The fixing portion730has at least one, for example two rectangular engagement holes736respectively near the longitudinal sides732thereof. To enhance the rigidity of the fixing portion730, two rectangular enhancement portions740extend perpendicularly from the longitudinal sides732, respectively.

Reference is made toFIGS. 9aand 9b, which illustrate the movable member800of the present disclosure. The movable member800has a base810. The base810is of rectangular shape and has a pair of longitudinal sides812connecting with a pair of transverse sides811. A rectangular lower block820is formed adjacent to the rear transverse side811on the lower surface813of the base810. A longitudinal upper block830is formed on the upper surface814of the base810. Two longitudinal guide pins840are provided on two opposing sides of the upper block830on the upper surface814of the base810. A fixing portion850is coupled to and protrudes from the front transverse side811of the base810. Two rectangular bumps856are formed on the fixing portion850to respectively engage with the two engagement holes736. An engagement hole852is formed on the fixing portion850to engage with the engagement protrusion750at the shutter member700.

Reference is made toFIG. 10, which illustrates the cover plate900of the present disclosure. The cover plate900is of rectangular shape and has two longitudinal accommodation grooves910formed thereon to receive the spring990. The upper block830of the movable member800may also slide in the accommodation grooves910to push against the spring990. Two guide grooves920are formed on two opposing sides of each of the accommodation grooves910on the cover plate900to respectively allow the longitudinal guide pins840of the movable member800to slide therein. The cover plate900is further provided with a plurality of longitudinal engagement portions930, such as hooks to respectively engage with the right, left and compartment walls513,514,515.

When desiring to assemble the optical fiber adapter of the present disclosure, the engagement protrusion750of the shutter member700is inserted into and engages with the engagement hole852. Meanwhile, the bumps856of the movable member800are brought into engagement with the engagement holes736of the shutter member700, respectively. This way the fixing portion730of the shutter member700may be securely attached to the movable member800. Afterward the assembly of the shutter member700and movable member800is inserted into the left accommodation room528by the first insertion of the movable member800through the access opening550from the middle section of the left accommodation room528near the break516in the compartment wall515. The longitudinal sides812of the base810at the movable member800are respectively inserted into the two guide grooves538within the left accommodation room528and the movable member800is pushed toward the first left opening528a. Next the two inner housings600are connected together at their respective flanges620. The fixing portion730and shutter plate710of the shutter member700in the main body500are then pulled up and the two inner housings600are inserted into the main body500through the access opening550such that the two flanges620are inserted into the break516in the compartment wall515. Afterward the fixing portion730together with the shutter plate710is pushed down and the cover plate900provided with the spring990is placed to cover the access opening550such that the engagement portions930respectively engage with the right, left and compartment walls513,514,515of the main body500and the upper block830at the movable member800is placed in the accommodation groove910equipped with the spring990to push against one end of the spring990. When the cover plate900is placed to cover the access opening550, a part of the spring990is positioned right above the fixing portion730of the shutter member700. In addition, the movable member800together with the shutter member700is pushed toward the first left opening528aby the spring990and the bump712on the shutter plate710is located in front of the front opening612of the cylinder610in the left accommodation room528. The upper block830at the movable member800is placed in the accommodation groove910to push against one end of the spring990and the two guide pins840are respectively placed in the guide grooves920on the opposing sides of the spring990.FIG. 11illustrates the optical fiber adapter of the present disclosure.

Reference is made toFIG. 12, when the optical fiber connector400ofFIG. 4is not inserted into the main body500from the first left opening528a, the spring990will push the movable member800together with the shutter member700toward the first left opening528a. Meanwhile, a part of the shutter plate710will be located in front of the front opening612of the cylinder610facing the first left opening528ain the left accommodation room528. When an optical fiber connector is inserted into the main body500from the second left opening528b, the light beams that emit from the optical fiber connector and then propagate out from the front opening612of the cylinder610will be obstructed by the shutter plate710. As a result, the occurrence of exposure to the harmful light beams may be avoided.

Reference is made toFIGS. 12 and 13, when the optical fiber connector400ofFIG. 4is inserted into the main body500from the first left opening528a, the living hinge425of the latch420at the optical fiber connector400will confront the lower block820of the movable member800. Meanwhile, the longitudinal sides812of the base810at the movable member800will respectively slide in the two guide grooves538and the guide pins840will respectively slide in the two guide grooves920on the opposing sides of the spring990so that the movable member800may be moved toward the second left opening528bsmoothly. The upper block830at the base810will slide in the accommodation groove910and press against the spring990. The pushed movable member800drives the shutter member700to move and the shutter plate710is bent and slides on outer surface of the cylinder610facing the first left opening528ain the left accommodation room528. When the optical fiber connector400is moved to being in place, the shutter plate710is pushed past the flange620facing the first left opening528aand arrives at the space between the fixing portion730and the cylinder610facing the second left opening528bin the left accommodation room528. Upon pulling out the optical fiber connector400from the main body500, the pressed spring990will spring up to push the movable member800toward the first left opening528ato an original position. The shutter member700is driven to move to its original position and the elastic shutter plate710will quickly spring up to an original position to obstruct the light beams emitted from the cylinder610facing the first left opening528aas a result of elasticity. As a result, the occurrence of exposure to the harmful light beams may be avoided.

Although the shutter member700is installed in the left accommodation room528of the main body500as described in the present disclose, it will be appreciated that the shutter member700may be arranged in either or both of right and left accommodation rooms526,528. In addition, it will also be appreciated that although the disclosure has been explained with the LC duplex adapter, the shutter member700of the present disclosure may be used in LC simplex adapter, SC duplex adapter, SC simplex adapter, or other types of adapters.