Abstract:
An optical connection includes a male connector and a female connector, the connector offers electrical connections in the manner and the size of a USB connector, together with an integral and uncouplable optical connection. The first optical connector is shielded by a first shielding member from damage and pollution at all times until the connection between the connectors is made and the second opposing optical connector enjoys the same protection. Coupling precision between the optical connectors is achieved by magnetism holding the optical connectors together.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to connectors and, particularly, to an optical connector. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Caps may be employed to cap a connecting end of optical connectors when the optical connectors are not used, to protect the connecting end from being contaminated. In use, the cap should be removed to expose the connecting end. Operations on the cap are not convenient. Furthermore, the cap is easily lost, which also adds to the inconvenience. 
     What is needed therefore is an optical connector addressing the limitations described. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an optical connector, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but shows the optical connector form another angle. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the optical connector of  FIG. 1 , taken along the line III-III, wherein the optical connector includes a first shielding member and a second shielding member. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the first shielding member of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the second shielding member of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled view of the optical connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the optical connector of  FIG. 6 , taken along the line VII-VII. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an optical connector  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment, is shown. The optical connector  100  includes a male connector  10  and female connector  20 . The male connector  10  and the female connector  20  can be connected to each other to transmit optical signals therebetween. 
     The male connector  10  includes a plug  11 , a connector holder  12 , a first circuit board  13 , a first block member  14 , a first optical coupler  15 , and a first shielding member  16 . The first circuit board  13 , the first block member  14 , the first optical coupler  15 , and the first shielding member  16  are received in the plug  11 . 
     The plug  11  includes a top plate  111 , a bottom plate  112  opposite to the top plate  111 , and two side plates  113  connected to the top plate  111  and the bottom plate  112 . The top plate  111 , the bottom plate  112  and the side plates  113  cooperatively define a receiving space  114  therebetween. The first circuit board  13 , the first block member  14 , the first optical coupler  15 , and the first shielding member  16  are received in the receiving space  114  of the plug  11 . Each side plate  113  defines a first guiding slit  1131 . An elongated direction of each first guiding slit  1131  is substantially parallel to the bottom plate  112 , and the first guiding slits  1131  of the side plates  113  have the same height relative to the bottom plate  112 . 
     The first circuit board  13  is configured for electrically connecting the male connector  10  to the female connector  20 . The first circuit board  13  is positioned on the bottom plate  112 . The first circuit board  13  includes a number of first contacting sheets  131  formed on a surface away from the bottom plate  112 . The first contacting sheets  131  serve as electrical contacts when the male connector  10  is connected to the female connector  20 . The first contacting sheets  131  are made from a resilient and conductive material, thus the first contacting sheets  131  can be elastically compressed. In this embodiment, the first contacting sheets  131  are copper sheets. 
     The first block member  14  is positioned on an inner surface of the top plate  111  and is adjacent to an end of the plug  11  away from the connector holder  12 . In this embodiment, the first block member  14  is elongated as a continuous bar. Alternatively, the first block member  14  can be comprised of a number of spaced blocks arranged along a direction substantially perpendicular to the side plates  113 , also, the first block member  14  may include only one block. In this embodiment, the first block member  14  is made from a magnetic material. 
     The first optical coupler  15  is positioned in the plug  11  adjacent to the top plate  111 . The first optical coupler  15  includes a lens portion  151  and a mounting portion  152  surrounding the lens portion  151 . The lens portion  151  includes a number of converging portions  1511  protruding from an end away from the connector holder  12 , the converging portions  1511  are configured for converging optical signals passing therethrough. The number of the converging portions  1511  can be changed according to the number of optical fibers (not shown) connected to the male connector  10 , in this embodiment, the number of converging portions  1511  is four, and each converging portion  151  corresponds to an optical fiber. The mounting portion  152  is configured for fixing and positioning the lens portion  151  in the plug  11 . In this embodiment, the mounting portion  152  is made from an elastic material, to absorb jars and impacts suffered by the male connector  10 , therefore, the mounting portion  152  can protect the lens portion  151  from such impacts. 
     The first optical coupler  15  is spaced a predetermined distance D 1  from the first circuit board  13 , and the first guiding slits  1131  are in a space between the first optical coupler  15  and the first circuit board  13 . 
     The first shielding member  16  is positioned at an end of the first optical coupler  15  away from the connector holder  12 . The first shielding member  16  includes a rotating portion  161 , a sliding portion  162  pivotally connected to the rotating portion  161 , and a restoring portion  163  positioned between the rotating portion  161  and the sliding portion  162 . The rotating portion  161  includes a shielding plate  161   a  and two pivots  161   b  respectively protruding from two opposite sides of the shielding plate  161   a . The shielding plate  161   a  is configured for shielding the first optical coupler  15  and keeping dust or other pollution from polluting the first optical coupler  15 . The sliding portion  161  is slidably connected to the side plates  113 , in detail, two opposite sides of the sliding portion  161  are slidably inserted into the first guiding slits  1131 . The sliding portion  162  includes two pivot sleeves  162   a  corresponding to the pivots  161   b . The pivot sleeves  162   a  are formed on a surface of the sliding portion  162  away from the bottom plate  112 . Each pivot  161   b  is rotatably engaged with a pivot sleeve  162   a . The sliding portion  162  is made from a material which is magnetic, in this embodiment, the sliding portion  162  is made from iron. The restoring portion  163  is configured for restoring the rotating portion  163 . In this embodiment, the restoring portion  163  is a torsion spring, and the restoring portion  163  includes a first elastic leg  163   a  and a second elastic leg  163   b . The restoring portion  163  sleeves on a pivot  161   b , the first elastic leg  163   a  elastically resists the rotating portion  161 , and the second elastic leg  163   b  elastically resists the sliding portion  162 . When the restoring portion  163  is in released state, the rotating portion  161  is substantially perpendicular to the sliding portion  162  and covers an end of the first optical coupler  15  away from the connector holder  12 . Alternatively, a similar rotating portion can be mounted on the other pivot  161   b.    
     The female connector  20  defines a socket  201  corresponding to the plug  11 . The socket  201  includes a top surface  201   a , a bottom surface  201   b  opposite to the top surface  201   a , and two side surfaces  201   c  connected to the top surface  201   a  and the bottom surface  201   b . Each side surface  201   c  defines a second guiding slit  201   d . An elongated direction of each second guiding slit  201   d  is substantially parallel to the top surface  201   a , and the second guiding slits  201   d  have the same height relative to the top surface  201   a . The female connector  20  includes a second circuit board  21  corresponding to the first circuit board  13 , a second block member  22 , a second optical coupler  23  corresponding to the first optical coupler  15 , and a second shielding member  24 . The second circuit board  21 , the second block member  22 , the second optical coupler  23  and the second shielding member  24  are all received in the socket  201 . 
     The second circuit board  21  is configured for electrically connecting the female connector  20  to the male connector  10 . The second circuit board  21  is positioned adjacent to the bottom surface  201   b  and spaced a predetermined distance D 2  from the bottom surface  201   b . The distance D 2  is larger than a sum of a thickness of the bottom plate  112  and a thickness of the first circuit board  13 . The second block member  22  includes a number of second contacting sheets  211  formed on a surface facing toward the bottom surface  201   b . Each second contacting sheet  211  corresponds to the first contacting sheet  131 . The second contacting sheets  211  serve as electrical contacts when the male connector  10  is connected to the female connector  20 , in detail, when the male connector  10  and the female connector  20  are connected to each other, each second contacting sheet  211  is in contact with a corresponding first contacting sheet  131 . The second contacting sheets  211  are made from a material similar to that of the first contacting sheets  131 . 
     The second block member  22  is positioned on a surface of the second circuit board  21  away from the bottom surface  201   b  and is adjacent to a distal end of the second circuit board  21 . The second block member  22  has a similar structure and material to that of the first block member  14 . 
     The second optical coupler  23  is positioned between the second circuit board  21  and the top surface  201   a  of the socket  201 , and the second optical coupler  23  is spaced a predetermined distance D 3  from the top surface  201   a . The second guiding slits  201   d  are in a space between the second circuit board  21  and the top surface  201   a  of the socket  201 . Similar to the first optical coupler  15 , the second optical coupler  23  includes a lens portion  231  and a mounting portion  232  surrounding the lens portion  231 , and the lens portion  231  includes a number of converging portions  2311 . 
     The second shielding member  24  is positioned at an end of the second optical coupler  23  facing toward an opening of the socket  201 . Similar to the first shielding member  16 , the second shielding member  24  includes a rotating portion  241 , a sliding portion  242  pivotally connected to the rotating portion  241 , and a restoring portion  243  positioned between the rotating portion  241  and the sliding portion  242 . The rotating portion  241  includes a shielding plate  241   a  and two pivots  241   b  respectively protruding from two opposite sides of the shielding plate  241   a . Two opposite sides of the sliding portion  241  are slidably inserted into the second guiding slits  201   d . The sliding portion  242  includes two pivot sleeves  242   a  corresponding to the pivots  241   b.    
     Each pivot  241   b  is rotatably engaged with a corresponding pivot sleeve  242   a . The sliding portion  242  is made from magnetic material. The restoring portion  243  includes a first elastic leg  243   a  and a second elastic leg  243   b . The restoring portion  243  sleeves on a pivot  241   b , the first elastic leg  243   a  elastically resists the rotating portion  241 , and the second elastic leg  243   b  elastically resists the sliding portion  242 . When the restoring portion  243  is in released state, the rotating portion  241  is substantially perpendicular to the sliding portion  242  and covers an end of the second optical coupler  23  facing toward the opening of the socket  201 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the male connector  10  and the female connector  20  are to be connected, the plug  11  is inserted into the socket  201 , the first block member  14  makes contact with the sliding portion  242  of the second shielding member, and the second block member  22  makes contact with the sliding portion  162  of the first shielding member  16 . Because the first block member  14  and the second block member  22  are made from a magnetic material, and the sliding portions  162 ,  242  of the first shielding member  16  and the second shielding member  24  are also magnetic, therefore, the first block member  14  and the sliding portion  242  adhere to each other by a magnetic force therebetween, and the second block member  24  and the sliding portion  162  adhere to each other by a magnetic force therebetween. 
     During the insertion of the plug  11 , the first block member  14  pushes the sliding portion  242  of the second shielding member  24  to slide along the second guiding slits  201   d , and the second block member  24  pushes the sliding portion  162  of the first shielding member  16  to slide along the first guiding slits  1131 . During the sliding of the sliding portions  162 ,  242 , the mounting portion  232  of the second optical coupler  23  pushes the rotating portion  161  of the first shielding member  16  to rotate relative to the sliding portion  162 , and the mounting portion  152  of the first optical coupler  15  pushes the rotating portion  241  of the second shielding member  24  to rotate relative to the sliding portion  242 . When the sliding portions  162 ,  242  have slid a predetermined distance, the rotating portion  161  overlaps on the sliding portion  162 , and the rotating portion  241  overlaps on the sliding portion  242 . The overlapped rotating portion  161  and sliding portion  162  are received in a space between the first circuit board  13  and the first optical coupler  15 , and the overlapped rotating portion  241  and sliding portion  242  are received in a space between the second optical coupler  23  and the bottom surface  201   a  of the socket  201 . The restoring members  163 ,  243  are compressed during the insertion of the plug  11 . When the plug  11  has been inserted into the socket  201   a  predetermined distance, the converging portions  1511  of the first optical coupler  15  are optically aligned with the converging portion  2311  of the second optical coupler  23 , and the first contacting sheets  131  are in contact with the second contacting sheet  211 . 
     When the male connector  10  is to be detached from the female connector  20 , the connector holder  12  of the male connector  10  is pulled. During retraction of the plug  10 , the first block member  14  drags the sliding portion  242  of the second shielding member  24  to move with the plug  11  along the second guiding slits  201   d , and the second block member  22  drags the sliding portion  162  of the first shielding member  16  to slide along the first guiding slits  1131 . When the sliding portions  162  slide to ends of the first guiding slits  1131 , the rotating portion  161  rotates relative to the sliding portion  162  and covers an end of the first optical coupler  15  under a force of the restoring member  163 . When the sliding portions  242  slide to ends of the second guiding slits  201   d , the rotating portion  241  rotates relative to the sliding portion  242  and covers an end of the second optical coupler  23  under a force of the restoring member  243 . Therefore, the first shielding member  16  and the second shielding member  24  can conveniently protect the optical connector  100  from being polluted or impacted when the male connector  10  and the female connector  20  are detached from each other. 
     In this embodiment, the first block member  14  and the second block member  22  are made from a magnetic material, and the sliding portions  162 ,  242  of the first shielding member  16  and the second shielding member  24  are made from magnetic material. Alternatively, the first block member  14  and the second block member  22  can be made from magnetic material, and the sliding portions  162 ,  242  of the first shielding member  16  and the second shielding member  24  can be made from a magnetic material. Also, all of the first block member  14 , the second block member  22  and the sliding portions  162 ,  242  can be made from magnetic material, on condition that the first block member  14  and the sliding portion  242  can adhere to each other by a magnetic force therebetween, and the second block member  22  and the sliding portion  162  can adhere to each other by a magnetic force therebetween. 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.