Abstract:
An optical connector system comprises at least one optical connector ( 11 ) provided through a panel ( 12 ) such that it is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and a shield cover ( 20  and  31 ) provided outside the optical connector. The optical connector system makes the shield easy to make, increases the assembling density, and simplifies the fixing and bending works.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an optical connector system, especially to a shield structure of an optical connector system provided in a panel, being inclined with respect to the vertical direction.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    An optical connector has been used in the optical communication system for connecting optical cables or an optical cable and other optical device for plugging and unplugging. The optical connector is provided on an outer panel of an exchanger, being inclined with respect to the vertical direction so that a laser beam of high output does not enter operator&#39;s eyes during the connection work of the optical connector.  
           [0005]    Such an optical connector is described in Japanese Kokai No. 2001-147269. In FIG. 7, an outer panel  2  of equipment  1  is bent and a plurality of, or four in the drawing, adapters  3  of the optical connectors are fixed to the outer panel  2 , being inclined downwardly.  
           [0006]    However, in the conventional optical connector, parts of the outer panel  2 , to which the adapters  3  are fixed, are bent, and, therefore, it is difficult to provide the shield of the optical connector. Also, since the adapters  3  are fixed to the bent parts of the outer panel  2 , a space is required between the adapters  3  for fixing the adapters  3 , making it difficult to increase the assembling density. In addition, the adapters  3  are fixed to the outer panel  2  individually and the outer panel is required to be bent, the assembling work needs long time.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical connector system, which makes the shielding easy, increases the assembling density, and simplifies the fixing and bending works.  
           [0008]    According to the present invention, an optical connector system comprises at least one optical connector provided through a panel and inclined with respect to the direction and a shield cover provided outside the optical connector.  
           [0009]    It is preferable that the optical connector is fixed to the panel by the shield cover.  
           [0010]    A plurality of the optical connectors are connected with each other in a shape of step and the shield cover integrally shields the connected optical connectors.  
           [0011]    The shield cover is provided such that it goes through the panel with the optical connector.  
           [0012]    The shield cover has a stepped rectangular parallelepiped shape and is provided on optical connector an outside wall surface of the optical connector.  
           [0013]    The shield cover is provided on optical connector an outside wall surface of one side of the optical connector, which projects from the panel.  
           [0014]    The shield cover is further provided on an end surface of the optical connector.  
           [0015]    According to the present invention, since the adapters fixed to the panel are shielded by the shield cover, excellent shield effect is achieved. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a shield structure for an optical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shield structure.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a shield structure for an optical connector according to a modification to the embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIGS. 4 and 5 are exploded perspective views of a shield structure for an optical connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the shield structure.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a shield structure for an optical connector according to the prior art. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described referring to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0023]    In FIGS. 1 and 2, an optical connector  11  according to an embodiment of the invention comprises an adapter  13  provided through a panel  12  such that the adapter  13  is inclined in the vertical direction, and a plug  14  detachably attached to the adapter  13 .  
         [0024]    The adapter  13  is of the tandem type and comprises a pair of adapter bodies  15  and  15 ′ made of a plastic and having the same shape, and two cylindrical adjusting sleeves  16 . Engaging projections  41  and  41 ′ are provided on sides of the adapter bodies  15  and  15 ′, respectively. A pair of first cantilever engaging terminals  17  or  17 ′ having engaging holes  17 A or  17 ′A at the top and base portions thereof and second cantilever engaging terminals  18  or  18 ′ having engaging projections  18  or  18 ′A at the top and base portions thereof are provided on the opposite sides of the adapter bodies  15  or  15 ′, respectively. The first and second adapter bodies  15  and  15 ′ are joined by the engagement between the engaging holes  17 A or  17 ′A and the engaging projections  18 A or  18 ′A. The adjusting sleeves  16  are movably held in sleeve accommodating slots  28  provided in the adapter  15  and  15 ′. Plug engaging cavities  19  are provided in two tiers at the end of each of the adapter bodies  15  and  15 ′.  
         [0025]    A shield cover  20  made of a metal is provided outside the adapter  13 . The shield cover  20  has a shape of stepped rectangular parallelepiped and is provided on an outside wall surface of the two connected adapters  13  to shield them integrally. Panel fixing members  21  are provided on opposite sides of the shield cover  20  such that the panel fixing members  21  are inclined at a predetermined angle, for example 45°, with respect to the insertion direction of the plug  14 . Each panel fixing member  21  comprises a panel receiving piece  22  bent outwardly at substantially right angles and a cantilever spring  23  bent slightly outwardly. Accordingly, the adapter  13  and the shield cover  20  are attached to the panel  12  in the inclined condition when the panel  12  is held between the panel receiving piece  22  and the cantilever spring  23 . Engaging holes  42  and  42 ′ are provided in opposite sides of the shield cover  20  at positions corresponding to the engaging projections  41  and  41 ′ so that the adapter bodies  15  and  15 ′ are held in the shield cover  20  by the engagement between the engaging holes  42  and projection  41 .  
         [0026]    In FIG. 2, two shield covers  20  are connected in tires and attached to the panel  12 . Each shield cover  20  accommodates two tandem adapters  13  and each adapter  13  is engaged with the plug  14 . The plug  14  is a twin core plug and comprises two ferules  25  to accommodate an end of a core wire (not shown) of an optical cable  24  and two housings  26  to movably accommodate the ferules  25 .  
         [0027]    When the plugs  14  are upwardly inserted into the plug engaging cavities  19  outside the panel  12  and the plugs  14 ′ are downwardly inserted into the plug engaging cavities  19 ′ inside the panel  12 , each of the ferules  25  of the plugs  14  and  14 ′ is aligned and held in the adjusting sleeves  16 , and abuts against each other. Thus, the plugs  14  and  14 ′ are connected to each other through the adapter  13 . Since the adapter  13  is installed to the panel  12  on the slant, no that light enters operator&#39;s eyes during the connection work of the plugs  14  and  14 ′, thus protecting the operator&#39;s eyes. Since a plurality of the adapters  13  are integrally connected with each other, the assembling density is increased, and since the panel  12  does not require the complicated process, such as bending work, the manufacturing of the panel  12  is easy.  
         [0028]    As described above, the adapter  13  is attached to the panel  12  by the panel receiving piece  22  and the cantilever spring  23  of the shield cover  20 . However, other method may be used. For example, the shield cover  20  may be attached to the panel  14  by a screw, a fixing member other than the shield cover  20  may be employed, or the adapter  13  itself may have a fixing member, such as a screw, to be directly installed to the panel  12 .  
         [0029]    Also, in the above embodiment, the shield cover  20  integrally coves the two adapters  13 , however, the shield cover  20  is made to cover each individual adapter  13  as shown in FIG. 3. In this case, it is preferable that a connecting member  43  and a connecting recess (not shown) engageable with the connecting member  43  are provided on an upper and lower surfaces of the shield cover  20 . Three or more of the adapters  13  may be integrally shielded by the shield cover  20 . The adapter  13  may not be of the tandem type.  
         [0030]    The shield cover  20  may be provided on end surfaces  27  of the adapter  13  as well as the peripheral wall surface of the adapter  13 . The Shape of the shield cover  20  is not limited to the stepped rectangular parallelepiped, but any shape may be employed, which permits the adapter  13  to be installed to the panel  12  at an inclined position with respect to the vertical direction.  
         [0031]    In the second embodiment shown in FIGS.  4 - 6 , the same reference numbers are used for the same elements as those of the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2.  
         [0032]    A shield cover  31  is made of a metal and comprises a wedge-shaped adapter receiving cavity  32  for accommodating the adapter  31  and a panel fixing member  33  provided on the lower end of the adapter receiving cavity  32 . The adapter receiving cavity  32  comprises triangular side surfaces  34 , a rectangular upper surface  35 , and an end surface  36  corresponding to side surfaces, an upper surface, and an end surface of the adapter  13 , respectively. The end surface  36  has a pair of openings  37  corresponding to the plug engaging cavities  19 . The side surfaces  34  have engaging projections  44  to engage with engaging holes  41  so that the adapter  13  is held by the shield cover  31 . The panel fixing member  33  comprises a predetermined number, or two in the drawings, of projections  38  each having a round hole  39 . Accordingly, the adapter  13  and the shield cover  31  are attached to the panel  12 , being inclined with respect to the vertical direction by applying screws  40  into the panel  12  through the round holes  39 .  
         [0033]    In FIG. 5, four shield covers  31  are connected to each other. In FIG. 6, the connected shield covers  31  are fixed to the panel  12 , and the tandem adapter  13  is inserted into each shield cover  31 . In FIG. 5, since the plug engaging cavity  19  faces to the panel  12  downwardly on the slant, no light enters operator&#39;s eyes, thus protecting the operator&#39;s eyes during the assembly work. Since a plurality of the adapters  13  are integrally connected with each other, the assembling density is increased, and since the panel  12  does not require the complicated process, such as bending work, the manufacturing of the panel  12  is made simple.  
         [0034]    As described above, the adapter  13  is attached to the panel  12  by tightening the screws through the round holes  39 . However, other method may be used. For example, the shield cover  20  may be attached to the panel  14  by a screw, a fixing member other than the shield cover  20  may be employed, or the adapter  13  itself may have a fixing member, such as a screw, to be directly installed to the panel  12 .  
         [0035]    The shield cover  31  may shield only the peripheral wall surface of the adapter  13  without having the end surface  36 . The Shape of the shield cover  20  is not limited to the wedge-shape but any shape may be employed, which permits the adapter  13  to be installed to the panel  12  at an inclined position with respect to the vertical direction. A plurality of the shield covers  31  may be integrally made instead of being connected.  
         [0036]    Instead of shielding the adapter  13 , shielding may be provided for a connector that comprises the plug  14 ′ provided inside the panel  12  and fixed to the adapter  13  and a connector section provided outside the panel  12 , into or from which the plug  14  is inserted or removed.  
         [0037]    According to the present invention, since the adapter fixed to the panel is shielded by the shield cover, excellent shield effect is achieved. Since the adapter is inclined with respect to the panel, light does not enter operator&#39;s eyes upon insertion and removal of the plug, thus protecting the operator&#39;s eyes. Since the connected adapters are installed to the panel, the assembling work is easy and the assembling density is increased. In addition, since the adapter does not require a complicated process, such as bending work, to be fixed to the panel, the process for the panel is simplified.