Abstract:
In an optical connector having a housing defining an area surrounding a connection axis of the optical connector, the housing has a pair of slits spaced from each other and defining an elastic portion therebetween. A protruding portion protrudes from the elastic portion outward in a radial direction of the housing. A mounting portion is faced to the protruding portion with a space left therebetween.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to prior Japanese patent application JP 2004-380685, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to an optical connector and, in particular, to an optical connector having a housing defining an area surrounding a connection axis. In the present specification and the appended claims, the “optical connector” should be broadly understood so as to include an adapter, a splicing module, and the like used in optical connection.  
         [0003]     For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2004-45622 discloses, as an optical adapter, an optical connector for use in connecting optical fibers. In the optical adapter, end portions of a pair of optical fibers are inserted into a pair of cylindrical ferrules, respectively. Axial end faces of the ferrules are faced to each other so that the optical fibers are spliced and optically connected to each other. The optical adapter is mounted to a panel by the use of a fitting bracket attached to a housing of the optical adapter.  
         [0004]     In such a structure comprising the fitting bracket attached to the housing, the number of components is increased and an operation of attaching the fitting bracket is required. Since the fitting bracket is attached, it is difficult to reduce the size of the optical adapter. Further, in case where the housing is changed in design, it is necessary to change mold components for use in production of the housing and to use a new fitting bracket adapted to a new design of the housing. If the thickness of the panel is changed, it is necessary to alter the mold components in order to produce the housing adapted to the thickness of the panel. Thus, there is no degree of freedom with respect to the thickness of the panel.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an optical connector which can be reduced in number of components.  
         [0006]     It is another object of this invention to provide an optical connector which can easily be mounted to a mounting object.  
         [0007]     It is still another object of this invention to provide a connector which is easily adaptable to a mounting object if the thickness of the mounting object is changed.  
         [0008]     Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.  
         [0009]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical connector having a housing defining an area surrounding a connection axis of the optical connector, the housing comprising a pair of slits spaced from each other, an elastic portion defined between the slits, a protruding portion protruding from the elastic portion outward in a radial direction of the housing, and a mounting portion faced to the protruding portion with a space left therebetween.  
         [0010]     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical connection adapter which comprises a housing defining an area surrounding a connection axis of the optical connection adapter, a connection assisting mechanism disposed inside the housing and on the connection axis for assisting optical connection, and a mechanism holding member connected to the housing and holding the connection assisting mechanism, the housing comprising a pair of slits spaced from each other, an elastic portion defined between the slits, a protruding portion protruding from the elastic portion outward in a radial direction of the housing, and a mounting portion faced to the protruding portion with a space left therebetween. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a sectional perspective view of an optical connector according to an embodiment of this invention together with a connection object;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the optical connector illustrated in  FIG. 1  before it is mounted to a panel;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the optical connector illustrated in  FIG. 1  when it is mounted to the panel;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the optical connector illustrated in  FIG. 1  together with mold components; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a modification of the optical connector illustrated in  FIG. 1  without an internal mechanism. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , description will be made of an optical connector according to an embodiment of this invention together with a connection object.  
         [0017]     The optical connector depicted at  31  in the figure corresponds to a structure called an adapter for use in optically connecting optical fibers. In the following description, the optical connector  31  will be called an optical adapter.  
         [0018]     Since each optical fiber  13  is very thin, a plug  11  as a connection object is connected to an end portion of the optical fiber in order to facilitate optical connection. The plug  11  can be fitted into the interior of the adapter  31  at one end thereof in a fitting direction A. Into the interior of the adapter  31  at the other end thereof, another plug (not shown) can be fitted in a fitting direction B opposite to the fitting direction A. In the interior of the adapter  31 , the two plugs are faced to each other. As a result, the optical fibers connected to these plugs are optically connected to each other.  
         [0019]     The plug  11  comprises a cylindrical ferrule  15  for holding the optical fiber  13  and a plug housing  17  receiving and holding the ferrule  15 . Another plug has a structure similar to the plug  11  illustrated in the figure. When the two plugs are normally fitted into the interior of the adapter  31 , axial end faces  15   a  of the ferrules  15  are brought into contact with each other to optically connect the optical fibers  13  to each other.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  in addition to  FIG. 1 , the adapter  31  will be described.  
         [0021]     The adapter  31  comprises a pair of housings  33   a  and  33   b  having a rectangular cylindrical shape and butted to each other in the fitting directions A and B. The housings  33   a  and  33   b  are provided with fitting portions  35   a  and  35   b  as square holes extending in the fitting directions A and B, respectively. The fitting portions  35   a  and  35   b  are provided with cylindrical ferrule holding portions  37   a  and  37   b  for receiving the ferrules  15  inserted therein, respectively. The ferrule holding portions  37   a  and  37   b  extend from bottom plate portions  35   d  and  35 f of the fitting portions  35   a  and  35   b  along a connection axis towards opening sides, respectively. The housings  33   a  and  33   b  define an area surrounding the connection axis.  
         [0022]     In order to achieve optical connection of the optical fibers, the plug  11  in  FIG. 1  is fitted to the fitting portion  35   a  of the adapter  31  in the fitting direction A. At this time, the ferrule  15  of the plug  11  is inserted into the ferrule holding portion  37   a . Another plug is fitted to the fitting portion  35   b  of the adapter  31  in the fitting direction B. At this time, a ferrule of another plug is inserted into the ferrule holding portion  37   b . In the interior of the ferrule holding portions  37   a  and  37   b , the two ferrules are brought into contact with each other. As a consequence, the optical fibers are optically connected to each other. Thus, a combination of the ferrule holding portions  37   a  and  37   b  serves as a splicing device for splicing two ferrules or the optical fibers to each other.  
         [0023]     The housings  33   a  and  33   b  have flange-like or plate-like mounting portions  33   c  and  33   d  formed at butted portions thereof, respectively. The mounting portions  33   c  and  33   d  are provided with mounting holes  33   r  and  33   s , respectively, which allow the adapter  31  to be mounted to a housing or a panel (mounting object)  51  of an apparatus by screws.  
         [0024]     The housings  33   a  and  33   b  have engaging portions  35  and  36  formed near the mounting portions  33   c  and  33   d  to engage the adapter  31  with a panel  51  in the fitting directions A and B. The engaging portion  35  comprises an elastic portion  38   a  and a protruding portion  39   a  formed on one side wall  33   m  among four side walls of the housing  33   a . Another engaging portion of a similar structure is formed on the side wall  33   p  of the housing  33   a  which is faced to the side wall  33   m  in a radial direction.  
         [0025]     The engaging portion  36  comprises an elastic portion  38   b  and a protruding portion  39   b  formed on one side wall  33   n  among four side walls of the housing  33   b . Another engaging portion of a similar structure is formed on the side wall  33   q  of the housing  33   b  which is faced to the side wall  33   n  in a radial direction. The protruding portions  39   a  and  39   b  have slopes  21  inclined so that the heights from the elastic portions  38   a  and  38   b  are increased towards the mounting portions  33   c  and  33   d , respectively.  
         [0026]     The elastic portions  38   a  and  38   b  are defined between a pair of slits (such as grooves or openings faced to each other)  41   a  and  42   a  and between a pair of slits  41   b  and  42   b , respectively. The slits  41   a ,  42   a ,  41   b , and  42   b  extend in parallel to one another in a direction perpendicular to the fitting directions A and B.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , description will be made of an operation of mounting the adapter  31  to the panel  51 .  
         [0028]     At first, one housing  33   b  is inserted into a window portion  52  formed on the panel  51 . When the housing  33   b  is inserted, an edge of the window portion  52  is contacted with the protruding portion  39   b  of the housing  33   b . When the housing  33   b  is further inserted, the slope  21  of the protruding portion  39   b  is pushed by the edge of the window portion  52  so that the elastic portion  38   b  is elastically deformed, with torsion, towards the interior of the housing  33   b . When the protruding portion  39   b  passes over the edge of the window portion  52 , the elastic portion  38   b  is restored by its elastic force. As a result, a part of the panel  51  is clamped between the protruding portion  39   b  and the mounting portion  33   d . Thus, the adapter  31  is fixed to the panel  51 .  
         [0029]     In case where the other housing  33   a  is attached to the panel  51 , the housing  33   a  is inserted into the window portion  52  in the manner similar to the operation of mounting the housing  33   b  to the panel  51 .  
         [0030]     Each of the housings  33   a  and  33   b  may be formed from a resin material by mold forming. When the thickness of the panel  51  to which the housings  33   a  and  33   b  are mounted is changed, a size t of an end portion  61   a  of a flat mold component  61  is altered in order to change the width of the slits  41   a ,  42   a ,  41   b , and  42   b , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Thus, by simple change in size of the mold component  61 , it is possible to meet the change in thickness of the panel  51 . Accordingly, the adapter  31  can be mounted or changed without impairing the operability upon mounting and without increasing the number of components.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a modification of the housing will be described.  
         [0032]     In  FIG. 5 , the protruding portion  39   b  is provided with a tapered surface  39   e  formed at a corner near the mounting portion  33   d  on the side faced to the mounting portion  33   d . Thus, by forming the tapered surface  39   e , it is possible to meet the change in thickness of the panel  51 .  
         [0033]     Although this invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiment thereof, it will readily be understood that this invention may be modified in various other manners within the scope of the appended claims.