Optical fiber connector with shutter

An optical fiber connector includes a plug having a ferrule, a housing sleeved on the plug, a frame slidably positioned on the housing, and a shutter rotatably mounted on the frame. The shutter includes a covering portion for covering the ferrule and a rotating portion formed on the covering portion. The housing forms a urging portion adjacent to the ferrule implementing the rotating portion and rotating the covering portion to cover the ferrule when the frame slides on the housing to a predetermined position.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to optical fiber connectors, and especially to an optical fiber connector with a shutter.

2. Description of Related Art

A commonly used optical fiber connector includes a plug and a shutter rotatably mounted on the plug for covering the plug when the optical fiber connector is not used. An elastic mechanism including a spring is generally employed for mounting the shutter on the plug, so that the shutter may be closed, covering the plug automatically. However, elasticity of the spring can deteriorate with use.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 3, an embodiment of an optical fiber connector100includes a plug21, a housing23mounted on the plug21, a frame25, and a shutter27. The plug21includes a ceramic ferrule211for receiving an optical fiber (not shown).

The housing23is substantially rectangular, and includes an operating portion230on an outer surface thereof. The housing23includes two first sidewalls231opposite to each other and two second sidewalls232opposite to each other. One of the first sidewalls231defines two substantially parallel sliding grooves2311and forms a guide strip2313between the two sliding grooves2311, and the other first sidewall231defines a receiving groove (not shown). The housing23forms a pair of hooks2315at the first sidewall231. Each hook2315is at an end of each sliding groove2311adjacent to the ferrule211on the sidewall231. The housing23defines a latching groove2321on the second sidewall232adjacent to the ferrule211and two slits2322at two sides of the latching groove2321respectively. The housing23forms a urging portion2323at an end of each slit2322. Each urging portion2323forms an angled contact surface2324adjacent to the slit2322for rotating the shutter27.

The frame25includes a main body251, a fixing member253, a connecting member255, and two slide rails257. In the illustrated embodiment, the main body251is a rectangular barrel, and includes a top surface2510, a bottom surface2511, and two connecting walls2512interconnecting the top surface2510and the bottom surface2511. The main body251defines a sliding slot2513at the top surface2510, and two shaft holes2514at two sides of the sliding slot2513respectively. The main body251defines shaft holes2515corresponding to the shaft holes2514of the top surface2510for mounting the shutter27. The fixing member253is a rectangular closure, defining a rectangular through hole2531at a center thereof. The two slide rails257are arranged at two sides of the sliding slot2513respectively. The main body251is capable of elastically opening, allowing the housing23to pass therethrough. An end of each slide rail257is fixed on an inner surface of the main body251, the other end of each slide rail257is fixed on the fixing member253. The connecting member255interconnects the main body251and the fixing member253. Each slide rail257forms a stopping protrusion2517at an end adjacent to the main body251.

The shutter27includes a covering portion271, two rotating portions273, and two shafts275. The covering portion271is a substantially rectangular plate. The rotating portion273is a rod extending from the covering portion273, and the rotating portion273is angled relative to the covering portion271. Each shaft275extends from a side surface of the covering portion271, and is substantially coplanar with the covering portion271. In the illustrated embodiment, an angle θ defined by the rotating portion273is an obtuse angle, such as about 135°.

In assembly, the two shafts275of the shutter27are mounted in a shaft hole2514and the shaft hole2515of the main body251respectively, whereby the shutter27is rotatable in the main body251adjacent to the connecting wall2512. When the covering portion271contacts the inner surface of the main body251, the rotating portion273extends away from the inner surface of the main body251. The main body251is elastically opened to be sleeved on the housing23. The guide strip2313is received in the sliding groove2513and slides along the guide groove2513into the guide hole2571, until the main body251abuts the operating portion230. The fixing member253is sleeved on the plug21, and the plug21partially extends out of the fixing member253and received in a receptacle (not shown). A gap30is defined between the connecting wall2512and the second sidewall232for receiving the covering portion271of the shutter27. When the covering portion271of the shutter27is received in the gap30, the rotating portion273is received in the slit2322of the housing23. Each slide rail257is slidably positioned in a sliding groove2311of the housing23. The guide strip2313is positioned between the two slide rails257, for guiding the slide rail257in the sliding groove2311.

Also referring theFIGS. 4 and 5, the main body251can be slid towards the ferrule211to a predetermined position adjacent to the ferrule211where the covering portion273extends out of the housing23. The contact surface2324of the urging portion2323contacts the rotating portion273, and turns the rotating portion273steadily to the ferrule211, thus the covering portion273can cover the ferrule211to prevent contamination. Light from the plug21is blocked by the covering portion271. The stopping protrusions2516of the main body251latch with the hooks2315of the housing23, thus preventing the frame25from detaching from the housing23. When the optical fiber connector100is to be received in a receptacle, the user can slide the main body251away from the ferrule211until the main body251is blocked by the operating portion230. The ferrule211is exposed out of the fixing member253and can be inserted into the receptacle.

The angle θ may be adjusted, thus the covering portion271may cover the ferrule211partially or totally. When the angle θ is 90°, the ferrule211can be totally covered by the covering portion271, and the shaft holes2514,2515and urging portion2323are adjusted accordingly.

It is should be noted that the stopping protrusions2516,2517may be formed or mounted on the first sidewall231, and the shutter27is rotatably positioned on the top surface2510or the bottom surface2511.

FIG. 6shows a second embodiment of an optical fiber connector400, differing from the first embodiment of optical fiber connector100only in that the optical fiber connector400includes a pair of shutters57mounted on opposite connecting walls5512respectively. The two shutters57cooperatively cover the ferrule511when the optical fiber connector400is not in use.