Fiber-optic adapter assembly and fiber-optic connection device

Provided are a fiber-optic adapter assembly and a fiber-optic connection device. The fiber-optic adapter assembly includes a plurality of unitary adapters that are stacked and an elastic clipping body. The elastic clipping body includes a U-shaped elastic clip. The U-shaped recess of the elastic clip clips no less than two unitary adapters that are stacked. The elastic clipping body includes a first elastic clipping body. The outer surface of the elastic clip of the first elastic clipping body is exposed out of the unitary adapters and provided with a mounting portion. The mounting portion is detachably connected to a fiber-optic box.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202011341821.3, filed on Nov. 25, 2020, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of fiber-optic communication and, in particular, to a fiber-optic adapter assembly and a fiber-optic connection device.

BACKGROUND

A fiber-optic adapter is an element that detachably and movably connects optical fibers. The fiber-optic adapter functions to butt two end faces of the optical fibers precisely to ensure that optical signals output by an optical fiber are coupled into a reception optical fiber to the maximum extent.

With the explosive growth of the information Internet, the requirement for the density of fiber-optic connection increases continuously, strengthening the demand for compact mounting of a plurality of unitary adapters. In the related art, flanges are disposed on the two sides of an unitary adapter or at the upper and lower ends of the unitary adapter, and are used for engaging with the mounting hole of a fiber-optic box in a snap-fit manner. When a plurality of unitary adapters are combined, the arrangement of the flanges results in a gap between two adjacent unitary adapters so that the adapters fail to be compactly arranged and assembled.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a fiber-optic adapter assembly and a fiber-optic connection device so as to achieve the compact arrangement of a plurality of unitary adapters and reduce the mounting area of a fiber-optic box.

The present disclosure adopts the technical solutions below.

The present disclosure provides a fiber-optic adapter assembly. The fiber-optic adapter assembly includes a plurality of unitary adapters that are stacked and an elastic clipping body.

An elastic clipping body includes a U-shaped elastic clip. The U-shaped recess of the elastic clip clips no less than two unitary adapters that are stacked. The elastic clipping body includes a first elastic clipping body. An outer surface of an elastic clip of the first elastic clipping body is exposed out of the unitary adapters and provided with a mounting portion. The mounting portion is detachably connected to a mounting panel.

The present disclosure provides a fiber-optic connection device. The fiber-optic connection device includes a mounting panel, and the fiber-optic adapter assembly. The mounting panel is provided with a mounting hole. The fiber-optic adapter assembly is mounted in the mounting hole.

REFERENCE LIST

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are described in detail hereinafter. Examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described hereinafter with reference to the drawings are merely exemplary; they are intended to explain the present disclosure.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be noted that the orientations or position relations indicated by terms such as “center”, “above”, “below”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “inside”, and “outside” are based on orientations or position relations shown in the drawings. These orientations or position relations are intended only to facilitate and simplify description of the present disclosure, and not to indicate or imply that a device or element referred to must have such specific orientations or must be configured or operated in such specific orientations. Additionally, terms such as “first” and “second” are used merely for the purpose of description and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms “first position” and “second position” are two different positions.

Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the term “mounting”, “connection”, “connected” or “fixed” is to be construed in a broad sense, for example, as fixedly connected, detachably connected, mechanically connected or electrically connected, directly connected to each other or indirectly connected to each other via an intermediary, or internally connected or interactional relationships between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, meanings of the preceding terms in the present utility model may be understood based on situations.

Unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, when a first feature is described as “above” or “below” a second feature, the first feature and the second feature may be in direct contact or be in contact via another feature between the two features. Moreover, when the first feature is described as “on”, “above”, or “over” the second feature, the first feature is right on, above, or over the second feature or the first feature is obliquely on, above, or over the second feature, or the first feature is simply at a higher level than the second feature. When the first feature is described as “under”, “below” or “underneath” the second feature, the first feature is right under, below or underneath the second feature or the first feature is obliquely under, below or underneath the second feature, or the first feature is simply at a lower level than the second feature.

The solutions of the present disclosure are further described hereinafter through specific embodiments in conjunction with the drawings.

Embodiment One

As shown inFIGS.1and2, this embodiment provides a fiber-optic connection device. The fiber-optic connection device includes a mounting panel and a fiber-optic adapter assembly. The mounting panel is provided with a mounting hole101. The fiber-optic adapter assembly is mounted in the mounting hole101. In this embodiment, the mounting panel is a fiber-optic box100. The rectangular mounting hole101is disposed in the fiber-optic box100. A plurality of unitary adapters1are juxtaposed with each other in the rectangular mounting hole101. An elastic clipping body2includes a U-shaped elastic clip and a mounting portion. The U-shaped recess of the U-shaped elastic clip clips a unitary adapter1. The mounting portion is disposed on the elastic clip. The unitary adapter1is mounted in the mounting hole101of the fiber-optic box100through the mounting portion. In other embodiments, a fiber-optic adapter assembly including at least two unitary adapters1that are stacked is mounted in the mounting hole101of the fiber-optic box100in the same manner.

Optionally, as shown inFIGS.3and4, the unitary adapter1is provided with a first snap-fit recess11. The elastic clip snaps into the first snap-fit recess11. Optionally, the depth of the first snap-fit recess11is greater than or equal to the wall thickness of the elastic clip. In this embodiment, the first snap-fit recess11is disposed around the outer wall of the unitary adapter1. The U-shaped elastic clip surrounds the outer wall of the unitary adapter1. The depth of the first snap-fit recess11is greater than or equal to the wall thickness of the elastic clip, so that two adjacent unitary adapters1are prevented from not being compactly arranged in the case where a plurality of unitary adapters1are combined. The mounting portion on the elastic clip is configured to engage with the two sides of the mounting hole101in a snap-fit manner such that the unitary adapter1is mounted in the fiber-optic box100.

Optionally, one of the first snap-fit recess11or the elastic clip is provided with a positioning protrusion111, and the other of the first snap-fit recess11or the elastic clip is provided with a positioning recess221. The positioning protrusion111is inserted into the positioning recess221for being positioned. Apparently, in other embodiments, the positioning recess221may be disposed in the first snap-fit recess11, and the positioning protrusion111may be disposed on the connection plate22of the elastic clipping body2.

Optionally, the elastic clipping body2includes two side plates21disposed opposite to each other and spaced apart from each other, and a connection plate22connected between the two side plates21and perpendicular to each of the two side plates21. The two side plates21of the same elastic clipping body2are disposed respectively on the two opposite sides of the unitary adapter1in the stacking direction of the unitary adapters1. The positioning protrusion111or the positioning recess221is eccentrically disposed on the connection plate22. In this embodiment, the positioning protrusion111is disposed on the sidewall of the unitary adapter1. The positioning recess221is disposed on the connection plate22of the elastic clipping body2. The position protrusion111matches with the positioning recess221to secure the elastic clipping body2to the unitary adapter1. The positioning recess221is eccentrically disposed on the connection plate22such that the elastic clipping body2is mounted only when the elastic clipping body2faces a certain direction, so that the uniqueness of the mounting position of the elastic clipping body2in the case where a plurality of unitary adapters1are combined. This arrangement avoids the wrong mounting position of one elastic clipping body2when the adapter assembly is assembled, where the wrong mounting position results in that the fiber-optic adapter assembly is to be reassembled, and the efficiency of assembling is low.

In this embodiment, the length of the connection plate22(that is, the distance between the two side plates21) of the elastic clipping body2mounted on one unitary adapter1matches with the heights of one unitary adapter1. The width of the two side plates21matches with the width of one unitary adapter1. The length of the two side plates21is greater than the width of the connection plate22. Accordingly, the rigidity of the two side plates21of the elastic clipping body2is strengthened, and the clipping force of the elastic clipping body2against the unitary adapter1is increased.

Optionally, the mounting portion includes a snap-fit piece211and an abutting piece212. The snap-fit piece211is configured to abut against the upper end face of the mounting hole101of the mounting panel. The abutting piece212is configured to abut against the lower end face of the mounting hole101. In this embodiment, the two side plates21of the elastic clipping body2are each provided with a mounting portion. The mounting portions on the two sides of the elastic clipping body2match with the two sides of the mounting hole101for being mounted. One end of the snap-fit piece211extends from a side plate21in the direction perpendicular to the side plate21. One side of the snap-fit piece211abuts against the upper end face of the mounting hole101. One end of the abutting piece212extends outward obliquely from the side plate21. The end of the oblique extension is bent inward. The end face of the bent end abuts against the lower end face of the mounting hole101. The space between the snap-fit piece211and the abutting piece212is the same as the depth of the mounting hole101.

Optionally, the mounting portion further includes a hook213, where the hook213is juxtaposed with the snap-fit piece211, and hooks the upper end face of the mounting hole101. In this embodiment, the hook213includes an L-shaped hook and an inclined plate. The L-shaped hook hooks the upper end face of the mounting hole101. The inclined plate extends outward from the side plate21and is connected to the non-hook end of the L-shaped hook. The length of the long arm of the L-shaped hook matches with the depth of the mounting hole101. The long arm of the L-shaped hook abuts against the inner wall of the mounting hole101to enable that the unitary adapter1snaps into the mounting hole101more stably without shaking.

Embodiment Two

As shown inFIGS.5and6, this embodiment provides a fiber-optic adapter assembly. The fiber-optic adapter assembly includes at least two unitary adapters1that are stacked, and at least one elastic clipping body2. An elastic clipping body2includes a U-shaped elastic clip. The U-shaped recess of each elastic clip clips no less than two unitary adapters1that are stacked. Moreover, the outer surface of the elastic clip does not protrude from the outer surface of a unitary adapter1. The elastic clip exposed out of the outer surface of the unitary adapters1is provided with a mounting portion. The mounting portion is detachably connected to a mounting panel.

As for the fiber-optic adapter assembly provided by this embodiment, an elastic clipping body2includes a U-shaped elastic clip. The U-shaped recess of each elastic clip clips no less than two unitary adapters1that are stacked. Moreover, the outer surface of the elastic clip does not protrude out of the outer surface of a unitary adapter1. The mounting portion on the outer surface exposed out of the unitary adapters1is detachably connected to a fiber-optic box100. As for the fiber-optic adapter assembly provided by this embodiment, the at least one elastic clipping body2is reasonably arranged, so that a plurality of unitary adapters1are assembled into the fiber-optic adapter assembly, and the requirement for the density of fiber-optic connection is met. The mounting portion is disposed on the elastic clipping body2, and only the elastic clip exposed out of the outer surface of the unitary adapters1is provided with a mounting portion, so that no space exists between two adjacent unitary adapters1, a plurality of unitary adapters1are capable of being arranged compactly, the mounting space of the mounting panel is reduced effectively, and the requirement for compactly mounting the fiber-optic adapters is met.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, in this embodiment, the fiber-optic adapter assembly includes two unitary adapters1that are stacked and are clipped together by one elastic clipping body2. The elastic clipping body2is a first-type elastic clipping body2in the fiber-optic adapter assembly. The length of the connection plate22of a first-type elastic clipping body2matches with the sum of the heights of two unitary adapters1. The connection plate22is provided with two positioning recesses221engaging with positioning protrusions111on the two unitary adapters1in a snap-fit manner respectively. Two side plates are each provided with a mounting portion. The mounting portions engage with the two sides of the mounting hole101of the fiber-optic box100in a snap-fit manner respectively. The first-type elastic clipping body2is able to clip two unitary adapters1to form one fiber-optic adapter assembly.

In another optional embodiment of the present disclosure, the fiber-optic adapter assembly may include two unitary adapters1that are juxtaposed with each other and are stacked. The elastic clip of one elastic clipping body2may clip the two unitary adapters1that are juxtaposed with each other and are stacked. The width of each of the two side plates21of the elastic clipping body2matches with the sum of the widths of the two unitary adapters1. The length of a connection plate22matches with the height of one unitary adapter1.

Embodiment Three

The difference between this embodiment and embodiment two lies in that the fiber-optic adapter assembly in this embodiment includes three unitary adapters1and two elastic clipping bodies2.

Optionally, as shown inFIGS.7and8, the fiber-optic adapter assembly includes at least three unitary adapters1that are stacked. Each elastic clipping body2clips two unitary adapters1. Moreover, any two adjacent unitary adapters1are clipped by at least one elastic clipping body2. In this embodiment, each elastic clipping body2clips two unitary adapters1. The arrangement of the length of two side plates21enables that the two side plates2of the elastic clipping body2have enough clipping force to clip the two unitary adapters1for securing.

In another optional embodiment in this disclosure, one elastic clipping body2may clip three unitary adapters1. Through designing and calculating the rigidity of the side plates21of the elastic clipping body2, the lengths of the side plates21are adjusted such that the three unitary adapters1are clipped under the clipping force.

Optionally, among at least two elastic clipping bodies2for clipping the at least three unitary adapters1that are stacked, two elastic clipping bodies2are staggered in the stacking direction of the unitary adapters1. The bottoms of the U-shaped recesses of the two elastic clipping bodies2are disposed on the two opposite sides of the unitary adapters1. Moreover, the unitary adapter1in the middle of three adjacent unitary adapters1is clipped by the two elastic clipping bodies2. In this embodiment, the fiber-optic adapter assembly includes two elastic clipping bodies2. The two elastic clipping bodies2are each a second-type elastic clipping body2. The three unitary adapters are stacked together. From top to bottom, the first unitary adapter1and the second unitary adapter1are clipped by a second-type elastic clipping body2. The other second-type elastic clipping body2is flipped 180° to clip the second unitary adapter2and the third unitary adapter2. The bottoms of the U-shaped recesses of the elastic clips of the two second-type elastic clipping bodies2are disposed on the two sides of the fiber-optic adapter assembly. With this arrangement, the rigidity of the two side plates of an elastic clipping body2enables two unitary adapters1to be clipped. Moreover, the two elastic clipping bodies2are disposed opposite to each other, so that the stability of clipping is enhanced, and a unitary adapter1is prevented from coming out from one side. It is to be noted that, the two sides of a unitary adapter1are each provided with a positioning protrusion111. The height of each positioning protrusion111is lower than or equal to the depth of a first snap-fit recess11.

As shown inFIG.9, one side plate21of a second-type elastic clipping body2is provided with a mounting portion, and the other side plate21between two unitary adapters1is not provided with a mounting portion.

Embodiment Four

The difference between this embodiment and embodiment three lies in that the fiber-optic adapter assembly in this embodiment includes four unitary adapters1and three elastic clipping bodies2.

As shown inFIGS.10and11, the four unitary adapters1are stacked. From top to bottom, the first unitary adapter1and the second unitary adapter1are clipped by a second-type elastic clipping body2. The third unitary adapter1and the fourth unitary adapter1are clipped by a third-type elastic clipping body2. The second unitary adapter1and the third unitary adapter1are clipped by a fourth-type elastic clipping body2. The bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of the second-type elastic clipping body2and the bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of the third-type elastic clipping body2are disposed on the same side of the fiber-optic adapter assembly. The bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of the fourth-type elastic clipping body2is disposed on the other side of the fiber-optic adapter assembly.

As shown inFIGS.9and12, the second-type elastic clipping body2and the third-type elastic clipping body2differ in the following aspect: From the direction facing two side plates21, a mounting portion of one of the second-type elastic clipping body2or the third-type elastic clipping body2is disposed on the left side of the bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip, and a mounting portion of the other of the second-type elastic clipping body2or the third-type elastic clipping body2is disposed on the right side of the bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip.

As shown inFIG.13, each of the two side plates21of the fourth-type elastic clipping body2is not provided with a mounting portion. In assembling the fiber-optic adapter assembly, the two side plates21of the fourth-type elastic clipping body2are each disposed between two adjacent unitary adapters1.

Embodiment Five

The difference between this embodiment and embodiment four lies in that the fiber-optic adapter assembly in this embodiment includes five unitary adapters1and four elastic clipping bodies2.

As shown inFIGS.14and15, the five unitary adapters1are stacked in the up-down direction. From top to bottom, the first unitary adapter1and the second unitary adapter1are clipped by a second-type elastic clipping body2. The third unitary adapter1and the fourth unitary adapter1are clipped by a fourth-type elastic clipping body2. The fourth unitary adapter1and the fifth unitary adapter1are clipped by a second-type elastic clipping body2. The second unitary adapter1and the third unitary adapter1are clipped by a fourth-type elastic clipping body2. The bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of one second-type elastic clipping body2and the bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of one fourth-type elastic clipping body2are disposed on one side of the fiber-optic adapter assembly. The bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of the other second-type elastic clipping body2and the bottom of the U-shaped recess of the elastic clip of the other fourth-type elastic clipping body2are disposed on the other side of the fiber-optic adapter assembly.

In the present disclosure, a first-type elastic clipping body2, a second-type elastic clipping body2, a third-type elastic clipping body2, and a fourth-type elastic clipping body2are formed by molding plastics and may be produced using the same set of molds. Then a mounting portion is processed on a side plate21. In this case, the production cost is saved.

An elastic clipping body2provided by the present disclosure is U-shaped. In other embodiments, the elastic clipping body2may be E-shaped or I-shaped.

The assembling scheme of the fiber-optic adapter assembly provided by the present disclosure is not only suitable for the compact arrangement and stacked mounting of LC adapters but also suitable for the compact arrangement and stacked mounting of other types of adapters, including SC adapters and MPO adapters.

As for the fiber-optic adapter assembly provided by the present disclosure, an elastic clipping body includes a U-shaped elastic clip. The U-shaped recess of each elastic clip clips no less than two unitary adapters that are stacked. Moreover, the outer surface of the elastic clip does not protrude out of the outer surface of a unitary adapter. The mounting portion on the exposed outer surface of the unitary adapters is detachably connected to a fiber-optic box. As for the fiber-optic adapter assembly provided by the present disclosure, the at least one elastic clipping body is reasonably arranged, so that a plurality of unitary adapters are assembled into the fiber-optic adapter assembly, and the requirement for the density of fiber-optic connection is met. The mounting portion is disposed on the elastic clipping body, and only the elastic clip exposed out of the outer surface of the unitary adapters is provided with a mounting portion, so that no space exists between two adjacent unitary adapters, a plurality of unitary adapters are capable of being arranged compactly, the mounting space of the mounting panel is reduced effectively, and the requirement for compactly mounting the fiber-optic adapters is met.